InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kyoudai no Meiyo (The Honor of Brothers) ❯ A Monk's Tears ( Chapter 7 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Mir oku sat and pondered what Sesshomaru had told them, as his friends dealt with their own feelings.

If Naraku is dead, why do I still have the kazanna? The curse should be lifted.

He glanced forlornly at Sango.

Damn it! I'm supposed to be free of this! Why is it not gone? Will I never be free to love my dear Sango as I wish?

The form of the beautiful woman blurred. Tears fell unbidden from his stormy eyes, trailing rivulets down his face.

Will this hell never be over...?

He heard voices, the sounds ran together. They became indistinguishable; a sharp pain began behind his eyes, spreading as he clenched his jaws. He ground his teeth, the grating sound competing with the jabbering that filled his skull.

"Enough damn it!"

The unheard of outburst from the, usually composed, monk shocked the group into silence.

"If Naraku is dead, as Sesshomaru claims, why is my curse not gone?!"

The wild look in his eyes caused his friends to hesitate before they could answer. The monk smashed his fist to the earth.

"He can't be dead! I can't be cursed forever...I can't..."

The demon slayer rose to comfort him, as he had so often comforted her.

"NO! I can't accept this! I...I can't lose you, Sango."

Sango embraced him, wiping away the tears that continued to stream from his eyes.

"You will never lose me, shuudou shi."

The monk threw his arms around her, the burdens he'd borne for so long rushing out. The hopes, the dreams he had never let himself believe in poured into his soul. Every emotion that had been locked away behind his serene facade, burst as a flood.

They wept in each others arms heedless of who was watching.

"I do not wish this for you, amai Sango."

"I wish it for myself, if I can not save Kohaku, I need you with me."

Kagome finally pulled herself from her shock and spoke, her voice barely a whisper.

"You still have the, kazanna?"

The monk's face rose from his beloved's breast.

"Hai."

The crestfallen gaze of the tortured man, wouldn't allow them to ask any more questions.

He rose slowly, moving away from the sullen group, lost in his thoughts. The dark eyed beauty, that was his heart's desire, stood and followed him.

"I am not good company Sango-chan; I will only upset you more, if you follow me.”

“And what, Houshi, do you think a friend is for, if not to comfort you when you most need it?”

He smiled softly at her words.

“Besides, I could do nothing less.”

He lifted his gaze and locked it to her gentle face.

“You are not supposed to use my words against me.”

Sango grinned gently, and reached to take his hand. He wound his fingers with hers and they strode off to seek solitude.

"Watashi ha zannen de aru, koi"

The demon slayer dropped her face, closing her eyes against the sorrow and regret.

"What have you to apologize for?"

The monk reached to cup her chin, lifting it to gaze at her lovely features. She tried vainly to shake his hand away, refusing to look at him.

"I have not been honest about my feelings for you, shuudou shi; I should have told you before it came to this."

How could I not know my sweet Sango? All these years she has tried to hide her emotions, but I know her better than anyone else, she could never have concealed those feelings. I am the one at fault; I have spent the last seven years we have had together, flirting with other women and always counting on you to keep my wandering hands in line. I knew from the first days after we met that I wanted you, and yet I tried not to allow you to get close, I didn't want to promise to be with you forever as long as there was a chance this cursed wind tunnel would someday consume me. All that is in the past now, I will never hide my true feelings again.

"No saiai no hito, I am the one who should apologize, I never allowed you to express your feelings. I did not want the cloud of Naraku hanging over our heads for all eternity. I still do not want you to have to suffer, watching as I am sucked into my own hand, as I had to watch my father before me."

She opened her eyes then and watched as his soft lips came down upon hers. Lightning sparked where his lips touched, and she gave herself fully to his kiss.

They stood for several moments locked in their embrace, only releasing for want of breath. Sango gasped, her mind was reeling as she experienced the first real kiss of her life.

Sango flushed prettily. The morning sunlight haloed her form; and frosting her long, dark lashes, which fluttered gently at her cheeks, in an iridescent glow.

She looks like a tenshi, come to earth.

A look of wonder crept into his gaze; it took all he had to keep from touching her.

"Miroku, I..."

"Come amai; let us go wash ourselves for the coming day."

His interruption cut her off. She looked at him, questioning. She noticed that his eyes, usually violet, were now almost black, he was holding himself back again.

He gave her a look that answered everything, and caused her to blush even more deeply.

Not now, my sweet Sango, not now. I will not take you in that way until I have found a way to remove this curse. I will not put you, and any children such a coupling may create, through that torment. But I will hold you and I will love you, which will have to be enough for us until then.

He kissed her gently again, a feather light touch to her slightly swollen lips.

They clasped hands again, and moved to the hot spring.

Miroku removed a large portion of his robes. Stripped to the waist he knelt to splash the clean water on his face and neck.

I have to find a way to free myself...

He glanced at the woman at his side as she too, knelt to cleanse herself of the dust and grime one naturally accumulated when traveling, the water droplets adding to her ethereal innocence. He groaned inwardly at he was hit with a wave of arousal that nearly crushed his will power.

...soon.
He stepped away from the steaming spring, and spread his discarded robes on the fresh smelling grass, laying his staff beside them. He lay down on them to allow the remaining drops of water to dry. Sango joined him a moment later.

They stared at the dappled canopy each lost in their own thoughts.

Sesshomaru said he dispatched Naraku and the infant that contained his heart, killing Kanna at the same time. Kagura was destroyed by Naraku himself. What of the final incarnation of Naraku's flesh, Sesshomaru did not mention Hakudoshi as being a part of the fray. Is this why the curse hasn't lifted?

He spoke aloud his fears.

"Sesshomaru did not say that Hakudoshi was slain, perhaps he still lives and through him my curse?"

Sango startled, and looked at him distractedly.

"Hn? Nani? I am sorry shuudou shi; I was thinking about Kohaku again, what did you say?"

"I think the reason the kazanna is not gone, is Hakudoshi. Sesshomaru made no mention of him as having been at the final battle."

"That evil child? But, he was not the one who cursed you."

"He is an incarnation of Naraku's flesh, perhaps a piece of the hanyou lives on, enough that the curse isn't broken."

"Then we must find him and kill him too."

"We should go inform the others, what we have discovered."

He rose smoothly, turning to help the demon slayer to her feet, only to watch her retreating backside as she strode towards the camp.

And what a gorgeous backside it is.

The hentai monk was momentarily frozen in place.

The woman stopped for a moment at the edge of the clearing; glancing back she called to him.

"Are you coming, Miroku?"

"In a moment, dear woman."

He bent to retrieve his wrinkled robes, tossing them over his head, and snatching his staff. It jingled musically as he jogged to catch up.

She waited a moment for him to reach her, and then she turned to lope beside him, gracefully, through the trees.

The reached the encampment a moment later, a pall still hung over the clearing.

They slipped to Sesshomaru's side, Miroku reached out a hand to gently shake the apparently sleeping dai youkai's shoulder.

"Remove your hands from my person, filth."
"Yurushi watashi, Sesshomaru-kyou but I need to ask you a question."

"Hn."

"Hakudoshi. Was Hakudoshi there when you fought Naraku?"

"The male, child incarnation? This Sesshomaru did not see him there no."

Miroku turned to Sango, his eyes nearly wild with elation.

"He may still live, there may yet be a way to free me."

Sesshomaru stretched tentatively, the pain was still mind numbing but his yokai was working quickly, healing his injuries.

"Naraku is dead; This Sesshomaru destroyed his heart and severed his head. This Sesshomaru watched him fall with his own eyes."

Miroku stared at the prone demon.

"Yes, Naraku is dead, but Hakudoshi still lives, a part of Naraku."

"Hn."

The monk stood up as Kagome, Inuyasha, and the rest of the people gathered in the clearing, moved closer.

"You mean a part of Naraku is still out there? Does this mean Naraku could return, again?"

Kagome's eyes were wide with apprehension.

"I do not know Kagome-chan."

Miroku shook his head.

"It has to be the reason why the kazanna is not gone."

It has to be, there is no other explanation. The more I think about it the more sure I become; Hakudoshi must die for the curse to be lifted.

"Well then let's go get the bastard, I never liked him either."

"What about Lord Sesshomaru? He is still injured; Master Jaken and I wouldn't be able to protect him if something happened."

Rin cast a pleading gaze at the circle of friends.

"This Sesshomaru does not need their assistance."

Rin looked at him dubiously.

The aching dai youki lurched to his feet, attempting to prove his point. The effort caused pain to race through his limbs; he fought the sensation to swoon as he swayed unsteadily. He collapsed to the earth a moment later, unable to maintain the yokai needed to keep himself upright. His body would not allow him to use up the precious power it needed to keep him alive and healing.

Rin raced to the side of the, again, unconscious youkai.

"He is hurt. Please, don't abandon us now."

"Rin! Stop your blubbering. My lord is better off without these weaklings."

The squat, green kappa was shaking with the fear that belied his words.

"We can't just leave them, something may harm Rin."

The monk scratched his chin gently.

"Ah-Un, can you carry Sesshomaru-kyou, along with Rin-san and Jaken-sama?"

The brothers grunted and two heads nodded in tandem, signaling their assent.

I knew they couldn't be just beasts of burden; dragons are not low class demons. I wonder what else they know.

"Inuyasha-san, lift Sesshomaru-kyou onto Ah-Un's back, Rin-chan you will ride behind him, to steady him. Jaken-sama you can ride with them."

"I, Jaken, do not take orders from hikui kurasu ningen and filthy half-breeds, like you."

The small, toad-like creature spat the words as he headed towards Ah-Un.

"Low class! Maybe we should just leave the disgusting little frog behind."

Inuyasha advanced on the imp threateningly. Jaken dashed to hide ignobly behind Rin's Kimono.

"I will not leave my lords side!"

The shrill whine pierced the hanyou's delicate hearing, and he flattened his ears to his head to shut the nauseating sound out.

"Now Inuyasha-san, I don't think Rin would allow that."

Miroku glanced at the young woman's face and saw the masked desperation written there.

Those two demons are all the family that poor woman has. It would be pure cruelty to make her leave one of them behind, no matter how annoying Jaken-sama may be.

"Will you please just relax; there are more important things right now."

"Alright, but if I have to hear anymore insults from that little shit pile, he's had it."

The hanyou gripped the hilt of his sword, meaningfully. He stalked over to his motionless half-brother. He gripped the still form and as gently as possible, slung him up onto his mount's back, stomach down, then holding him in place until the young woman beside him could first help Jaken up, then pull herself nimbly aboard, situating her body so that her master's was across the broadest part of the dragon's back.

"We should return to Edo first, and then we can figure out where to begin looking."

The group nodded in agreement with Miroku's suggestion. Kagome leapt onto Inuyasha's back after making sure the fire was out, dragging Shippo along with her.
"Geez Shippo, you need to lose some weight."

Inuyasha had begun teasing the kitsune ever since he had grown taller then Kagome's hip.

"Yeah well you need to grow up, you bully."

The good natured banter continued as the two remaining humans climbed onto Kirara's back and snuggled close to each other. No one noticed the change in their positions except them.

"Let's get going, we should move fast or we might not get there before nightfall."

The group began moving in the direction of the village.

If we have to hunt down Hakudoshi, we will have to contend with Moryomaru, which will not be easy, the last time we crossed paths with that monster we nearly lost. This will take much planning. Hakudoshi is not a stupid enemy, he will not be easy to kill.

The thoughts annoyed Miroku.

We had all thought that destroying Naraku would be enough, what if we can't find his remaining incarnation, we were only able to find Naraku through luck most times, when he was weakened by his hanyou nature, when Onigumo's human heart had caused him to fall apart, similar to Inuyasha becoming human on the nights of the new moon. Hakudoshi doesn't have a human heart, he is a full demon and so will not have a night of weakness like half-demons.

He banished the thoughts for now, deciding it would do no good to worry about it until he could discuss it with his friends. Instead he focused on the warm feminine form pressed against him, enjoying her gentle scent.

Sango smells so sweet.

He grasped tighter around her middle.

She smells just like cherry blossoms.

A hand slid over her hips and down to caress her backside.

The demon slayer shook her head, he heard a soft growl.

"HENTAI! HOUSHI!"

The woman turned and slapped him across the face.

"When are you ever going to learn, you pervert."

Inuyasha shook his head at the monk’s stupidity.

"Nice one this time Sango, I think that one will leave a bruise."

Shippo gave the woman a thumbs up.

"That stupid pervert will never get it through his skull that women don't like to bed grabbed that way.

Rin stared wide eyed at the odd display and kept her thoughts to herself.