InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kokoro no Ai ❯ Prologue ( Chapter 1 )

Kokoro no Ai

By: RayJay

Rated: PG-13 (violence, language at some points and small limes)

(I've decided that I'm going to try a pairing that I have NEVER written before!)

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Prologue…

A thick droplet of rain fell from the sky, splashing into a nearby puddle, distracting a dark and melancholy gaze. A sigh escaped the lips of the woman who say shivering under the base of the Goshinboku with her knees curled up to her chest, a small fire neko demon resting uneasily in her crunched lap. Another drop pelted into the pool of water, and then another until rain was falling from the sky in constant streams.

"It'll be all right, y'know," a raspy tenor voice sounded from above her. In an instant, she had tilted her head up, meeting two amber eyes that seemed to be as strained and anxious as her own. The silver haired hanyou was in his favorite spot in a tree branch, his fluffy dog-ears twitching towards Kaede's hut every now and then.

"Yes, I hope that it will be," she murmured, mostly to herself but knew that the half demon that was perched up in the tree could hear her. But, her heart contracted painfully when she remembered the awful events that had occurred only hours before. A wracking sob slipped from her lips as unbidden tears blended with the drops of rain on her face.

Her eyes shifted to her side when she heard feet squish into the slick mud next to her, seeing the redness of Inuyasha's puffy pants that were mud stained near the bottom. "Don't do that…" the hanyou told her, his voice characteristically gruff, but sounded worried as well.

The young woman nodded, in an effort to be strong, to hide her tears, to recollect herself, but the attempts were in vain. More unwanted tears gushed from her dark eyes as she bit her lip to stifle her sob.

"Sango," Inuyasha snapped, watching her with slight guilt when her soaked, miserable form stiffened from his tone of voice.

"What?" she replied, her voice thick and shaky as she let a struggling Kirara off of her lap to bound off towards the warmth and dryness of Kaede's hut.

The condescending and insensitive words he had wanted to say died in his throat when he realized how upset she was. He sighed and shifted his weight uncomfortably, wondering what he could do to possibly better the situation at bay and ease her anxiety. What would Kagome want me to do? Shrugging mentally, the hanyou plopped down next to the crying tajiya and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her into his warmth in an awkward gesture of comfort.

Sango stiffened for a moment before she relaxed and closed her eyes, hoping to stop the reoccurring streams of salty liquid that were dispersing continually from her eyes. She laid in Inuyasha's gently embrace, feeling a bit more calm than she had moments before.

"He hates it when you cry," The hanyou murmured quietly close to her ear, his voice sounding very meaningful. "If you're goin' to go in there, you'd better collect yourself and wipe your eyes," he added, pulling away from her. At that moment, Kagome exited Kaede's hut.

Inuyasha bounded through the squishiness of the mud, puddles splashing all around him until he was standing before the girl from the future. Sango watched the scene, sniffling a bit as she wiped one eye with the back of her hand. The two conversed in the distance for a moment before Kagome collapsed weakly into the hanyou's arms, her wails evident and reaching Sango's ears.

Oh no… Kami-sama… Please no… She thought in dismay and supreme anxiety, more tears spilling down over her cheeks as she got to her feet, swaying a moment before she started to trek rather quickly toward the hut, falling into a disgruntled heap when her sandal got stuck in the mud. She fell face first into the dirty substance but would not let that stop her. She had to see him. She had to know what was happening.

Kagome's eyes widened and she pulled out of Inuyasha's arms and reached out to try and stop Sango from entering the hut, her eyes puffy and her face red from her tears. The hanyou halted her and told her softly to let her go and see for herself. The high school girl from the future looked up and met Inuyasha's eyes, seeing how solemn and anxious they were at the moment and agreed with him, sagging into his arms again for warmth.

**

Sango pushed the soggy door out of her way as she stood in the entrance of the hut, mud dripping from her form, her hair sticking to her face from the rain. She swallowed and wiped her face quickly, a tremor going through her body when she heard a wholly recognizable voice.

"S… San… go…" The young man on a cot in the corner rasped, his hand, covered in bloodstains reached up weakly in search of her. Tears slid down the tajiya's cheeks as she slowly approached the bed, her gaze meeting the old miko's in hope. Kaede shook her head remorsefully and then got up to leave the room. Sango had to choke back a sob when she realized that the fatally wounded young man would probably not live through the night.

Carefully, the tajiya's hand touched the young man's and she held it gently, running her fingers over his knuckles. She swallowed again when he pulled her down to her knees so that he could see her face more clearly. Violet eyes, while weak and in pain, looked upon her in desire, mischief… and pure adoration. Sango blushed under his gaze as one teardrop fell from her eye and landed on the cot.

"Houshi-sama…" The tajiya whispered, looking him over, seeing his body in its frail, mangled condition. She sniffled and closed her eyes, resting her head on the cot beside his head to hide her face from him.

"Even now… when I am on the brink of death… You… call me… houshi-sama…" The young monk wheezed in disbelief and in slight tease as he tried his best to chuckle warmly before he broke into a rasping cough. Sango's head shot up and she reached out over his body to still him, her head only inches from his grinning face. The young man beneath the slender, attractive demon slayer reached up with his hand, the was no longer cursed with the kazaana and stroked her muddy, tear streaked face softly, his fingers wandering through her damp bangs.

"What would you have me call you?" Sango asked softly, blushing at his gentle caresses and the close proximity she had with the young monk at this moment. A sigh passed his lips and the tajiya's blush deepened as his warm breath breezed against her face.

"Call me… by my name…" he replied, craning his neck upward the best that he could and brushed his lips against her forehead.

"Miroku…" she whispered, gasping as his lips pressed against her cheek and then the other. "Miroku…" she said again, her voice drifting a bit as his free hand slithered down the curves of her hips. "Miro-" she started to repeat until his lips ended her word. The tajiya's eyes closed and she leaned into his warmth, kissing his back with equal fervor and passion. She moaned to spite herself, realizing she had never felt something of this nature before and was a bit unimpressed when Miroku pulled back from her, his eyes calm.

"Sango… I should have said this… when the confrontation with Naraku was finished…" The houshi whispered, both up his hands cupping her tanned, heart shaped face. "I love you… and I want only you… to bear my children…" he told her, stroking her cheeks lightly, his lips turned up in an ironic, but sincere smile.

"Oh houshi-sama- - I mean Miroku," she sobbed, tears falling down her cheeks, trailing over the young man's fingers and down his torn and bloodied robes.

"Do not cry, beloved… I can't bear to see your lovely face in tears…" The houshi whispered, wiping her tears with his thumbs, kissing her softly on the lips to comfort her. Without her notice, his hand traveled down and squeezed her on the buttocks. If it had been any incident other than this one, he would have been slapped but Sango moaned at that moment, leaning in for more of his touch. That was, until he gasped and winced from pain.

The young woman jumped back in alarm, seeing his grimace and apologized immediately. "Oh Koishii, I'm so sorry," she whispered, kissing his bloodied hand, not caring in the least that the smell of wounds was heavy all around him.

"Gently, Sango," he told her softly, reaching out to cup her under the chin. "I was a fool for not seeing… that you were… the only woman for me," he added, his hand falling limp slightly.

"Oh Miroku…" The tajiya whimpered, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks as she bent over him, stroking his bangs out of his eyes. "Aishiteru," she whispered, kissing him as forcefully as she could without hurting him. He moaned in delight and pulled her closer to him, pulling back when he was short of breath.

"Sango… I will not make it through the night… I know this," he told her, his violet eyes pained and somewhat unstable as he spoke those words. Sango bit her lip to keep from wailing in sorrow. "I… I would gladly… marry you… and live with you… you are a fine woman… Beautiful… Intelligent… Brave… Strong…" he took in a deep breath, his voice somewhat more labored now. "Find a man… who will take the utmost care of you… who will love you… who will respect you… more than I used to," he whispered, a tear falling out of his own eye.

"Miroku… Don't leave me… Not now," she pleaded him, running her fingers through the length of his hair.

"My eyes are dark… I… I can't see you anymore…" Miroku whispered, his violet eyes somewhat paler now as they darted carelessly in all directions. "Sango… Do not grieve for me… you must be strong and move on… start a family of your own… repair your village…" he added, his voice barely coming out. The tajiya held a hand to her mouth as she trembled with her tears. "Sango… my lovely Sango… I cannot see you… but… I know you continue to cry…" he added. "Smile for me… please…"

"How will you see me… If your eyes have darkened?" she asked.

"I will know…" he replied, groping his hand out until she took it and placed it to her lips and then she smiled. It was a sad smile, but a smile all the same.

"Oh Sango… I can die happy now…" Miroku stated before his hand went limp, the last ounce of breath leaving his body. Sango jolted for a moment, reaching up towards his neck to feel a pulse, hoping that he was only pretending to give her a scare… but… he was not…

"NO!" The tajiya wailed, falling onto the ground in a jumbled heap, her tears splashing all around her. All those in the village were able to hear her miserable sobs.

**

A grave was constructed for the houshi beneath the Goshinboku. Sango had chosen that spot for him, knowing that under the Goshinboku that many souls could have peace and rest. Inuyasha placed his wrapped up body into the hole he had dug and then buried him, patting the soil down firmly.

Kagome and Kaede placed special sutras and old charms around his grave and Shippo left some flowers. Sango also left some flowers, tears splashing onto the grave soil.

"Miroku… You were one hell of a houshi…" Inuyasha whispered remorsefully, feeling his chest tighten as he turned away, not wanting to show everyone how he really felt. Loosing him was actually more painful than he had thought it would be. Kagome said her thanks next.

"Miroku… You were always the um… `different' type of gentleman…but I knew you had a good heart. Thank you," she said to him, her eyes watering as she nodded before Shippo stepped forward.

"Kagome…" The kitsune boy whispered, sniffling a little bit.

"What is it, Shippo-chan?" She asked him gently, kneeling before the grave beside him.

"I… I dunno what to say to him…" he sobbed, falling onto the high school girl's lap. "Miroku! I didn't want you to go! Even though you were a dirty old man I still liked you! I'm going to miss you!" he wailed, throwing a small top on the surface of the grave.

"Oh Shippo," Kagome smiled softly at him, rubbing his back as she attempted to hide her own tears. Kaede said a prayer and then stepped back.

Sango stepped forward and knelt before the grave, closing her eyes.

"Do you need to be by yourself?" Kagome asked her good friend gently, nodding to her in reply when Sango told her it was all right for them to stay.

"Miroku… You were always touching me where I didn't want to be touched, making me jealous by always rushing towards another woman when you would tell me that I was truly beautiful and I never knew when you were being sincere or dirty…" Sango shouted at the grave in annoyance, watching as everyone around her winced and took a step back.

"But…" she continued, a tear falling down her face. "The last few minutes of your life… I saw the man you would have been if you had lived… I saw… that you really did love me and I knew that I would have been happy to be with you… I am only sorry that we did not realize this sooner," she finished and bowed to the grave, her tears soaking into the soil of the grave.

"Oh Sango…" Kagome whispered, leaning onto Inuyasha softly, tears of joy and slight pity falling from her eyes.

"Ironic indeed," Kaede mumbled, her head drooping a bit for respect for the dead but she did not show any other emotion.

"And so ends Miroku's line," Inuyasha stated, his voice hallow and sullen as the group of people walked towards Kaede's hut to begin the period of mourning.

Writer's Corner:

Oh lordy! That was more depressing than I had originally planned it to be but now I have more of an idea of what the pairing is going to be! Ok… Are you ready for it? Or should I just leave you in suspense. Ok… I'll give you some hint…

It's someone that you probably wouldn't really expect to see with Sango unless it was alternate universe but this is not alternate universe. You can take your guesses and all shall be revealed in either the next chapter or the chapter after that! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!