InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waking Powers ❯ Apology Accepted ( Chapter 6 )

- Chapter 6. -

Apology Accepted

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Sango continued to wipe Miroku's brow while he slept. They were alone in the hut since everyone else had found something else to do.

Sango couldn't contain the small smile that tugged at her lips when she looked at Miroku's sleeping form. He looked so peaceful, so content. Her smile turned to a scowl when her eyes moved to the dark bruise on his neck. She didn't know what to think of Inuyasha anymore. Kagome had asked her to wait with her judgement till Inuyasha had been given an opportunity to explain his actions. She had agreed in the end, figuring that she owed him that for all the times he had saved their lives. She was also very curious about why he had acted the way he did. Was it only because Miroku had kept him away from Kagome? They had done that before and he had never reacted this violently before.

When Miroku began to wake beneath her she moved away to get him some soup they had made earlier.

"Here you go." She said as she helped him sit up and brought a spoon to his mouth. She immediately began to blush a furious red when she realised what she had done. Miroku only blinked at her and took the spoon from her hand. "It's okay Sango. My throat's a bit raw, but I can move perfectly fine." Her blush deepened and she lowered her head so that she didn't have to look him in the eyes. "Of course, I-I just wanted to…" She trailed off and raised her head again. "I was afraid that you were going to die."

Miroku didn't miss the tears that brimmed in her eyes and he felt an overwhelming need to grin. She cares. She truly cares.

"I'm fine Sango, really. I'll be up and going by tomorrow. Don't worry about me." He said as he brought a hand to her face to wipe away some escaping tears. When she didn't pull away, but instead leaned into his touch he could feel his heart skip a beat.

Barely containing a wail, Sango pushed the soup aside and forcefully drew the startled monk in for a hug. "Don't you scare me like that ever again houshi-sama. I-I don't know what I would do if you weren't here."

She was about to say something more when she felt his roaming hand on her butt.

SMACK!

"Why can't you stay serious for one second you letch!" She yelled as she drew away. To think that I was going to tell him how I feel. He'll never change, he'll never settle for one woman…

"But Sango, I…"

~*~

"So, why did you do it?"

Kagome was sitting on the floor in the small shed, leaning against a wall. Inuyasha was doing the same on the opposite side.

"Huh?"

"I asked why you did it. Why did you attack Miroku?" Kagome repeated, trying to contain her irritation. How could he act so uncaring, when he only moments before had been near tears at the subject.

"Keh! Does it matter?" He finally replied.

Kagome sighed and shook her head slightly, sometimes he could be such a jerk. "Yes it matters Inuyasha! You nearly killed him. He wasn't breathing and his heart had stopped beating. Do you even realise how close he was to dying?" She huffed and turned her head away in an angry gesture.

Inuyasha's eyes widened. His heart had stopped? But wouldn't Miroku be dead now? "How come he's not dead then if his heart stopped?" He growled back, angry at himself that he couldn't tell her what she wanted to hear. He was sorry for what he did, he had told her as much. Why couldn't she just leave it at that?

Kagome fought back a blush and glared back at him. She knew how he would react if she told him what she had done. It wasn't really his business anyway. He should be worrying over the consequences of what he had done, not over why he hadn't done something worse. "That doesn't matter anymore, but think about what you have done Inuyasha. For once, stop and think." She nearly yelled at him. "I do think!" He yelled back. "Then act like it for once. How do you think Miroku will react to what you did to him? If you had a good reason, then maybe he will forgive you, but for now it doesn't seem likely." She was in the mood to sit him, if only to make him stop yelling at her.

Inuyasha growled low in his chest and averted his eyes from her. She was right. He hated to admit it, but she was right. He had done something awful and now he had to pay for it, but how could he tell her that he had absolutely no good reason for what he had done? How could he tell Miroku? Granted, they had kept him away from Kagome when she was hurt, but that still wasn't an excuse. He sighed and slumped lower against the wall, Tetsusaiga resting on his knees.

"I don't know why I did it." He finally admitted when her gaze became too hard to bear. "I was angry that they kept me away from you when you were hurt. I'm supposed to… I'm supposed to protect you after all."

Kagome sighed and lowered her eyes. "So, did you turn full youkai?"

Inuyasha shook his head, but realised that she couldn't see it with her head down. "No, I didn't and that's the weird part. I still can't remember much of it. It's like it was more of a dream than reality." He said as he tried to make her meet his eyes by the shear force of his will. It must've worked because she raised her head.

"It was like a dream?" She asked faintly, ice settling in her stomach. She had had a dream while she was unconscious, but she couldn't remember it. Somehow she still knew that it had some connection with what had happened. Am I to blame? Is it my fault that Miroku nearly got killed?

She was about to continue when a faint knock on the door stopped her.

~*~

Miroku knocked again and grinned as Kagome opened the door. "Greetings Kagome. I would like to have a word alone with Inuyasha if that is okay with you?" He wasn't really sure why he had left Sango when they were alone in Kaede's hut. After all, it was a perfect opportunity to tell her how he felt. But something inside of him had pressed him to leave and find the hanyou.

Kagome nodded to him and held the door open for him to enter. "Do you want me to stay nearby?" She asked slowly. Miroku understood what she meant. Did he want her to be close in case Inuyasha attacked again?

He shook his head and walked inside, carefully pushing her out as he did. "I'm sure everything will be fine Kagome. I just have to talk to him alone, that's all. You should go and find Shippo. He's still a bit distressed by the day's event." Kagome managed to give him a weak smile before he closed the door and tuned to the suspicious hanyou.

He had to smile at the expression on his face. Inuyasha looked distressed too with his head down, face hidden by his bangs. Somehow Miroku was sure that Inuyasha hadn't meant to kill him. After all, if that was what he had tried to do, then he would be dead already. Right? Still it was a bit disturbing that Inuyasha had attacked him at all. Of course Inuyasha had an awful temper, but it was mostly all bark and no bite so to speak, no pun intended.

Frowning, Miroku sat down on the ground where Kagome had been and leaned against the wall. He wasn't exactly sure how to confront Inuyasha with what he had to say.

As the silence stretched on Inuyasha began to fidget. It was an uncomfortable silence, and he was painfully aware of why the monk had come. He hates me. I'm about to loose one of my few friends because of my damn temper. He didn't show anything of his thoughts at all. His posture was tense, waiting for what Miroku would say or do, but he wasn't about to let the monk know how he felt. He never let anybody know how he felt… except for Kagome. Somehow she always managed to wring it out of him one way or another, often resulting in him being `sat'.

Miroku watched Inuyasha intently. Searching the hanyou for any expressions that might indicate how he felt and what he thought. Sighing he regretted sending Kagome away. She had always been a great consultant when he wanted to know more about how the hanyou thought. Not that he didn't have any ideas himself after spending two years in his company. Finally the silence became too pressing for Miroku and he decided to start, reasoning that Inuyasha certainly wouldn't do it.

"So…" He began, breaking the silence. Inuyasha looked up at him through his bangs, something that struck Miroku as out of character for him. Inuyasha always met a challenge head on, eyes fixed on the target. He really is sorry. Miroku thought to himself as he continued to study the hanyou.

"Did you have a nice conversation with Kagome?" He continued. The fact that there was no lecherous expression on his face only showed how uncomfortable he too was with the situation.

Inuyasha jerked his head up to make sure that the monk wasn't insinuating something and for the first time since he had strangled him, he looked Miroku in the eyes. "Keh! Like anything about her is nice." He snorted, trying to regain some of his normal attitude.

Miroku only nodded, not really hearing his reply. As strange as it may sound he really didn't care about their relationship at the moment.

Inuyasha picked up on this and arched an eyebrow, sending the monk a lecherous smirk of his own for once. "So, how's Sango?" He asked. Surprised and pleased that he could see a faint blush beginning on the monk's cheek. For him to blush it had to be good. Hell, he didn't even know that the monk could blush.

Miroku managed to quell the blush and smirked back at Inuyasha. "It's going really great actually, thanks to your little stunt trying to kill me." He immediately stopped, realising what he had said.

Inuyasha sighed and straightened against the wall before he relaxed his shoulders again, trying to work out the tension he felt. "Yeah," he began. "About that…" He looked down at his claws and subconsciously stretched them. "I…" He was cut short by Miroku.

"It's okay Inuyasha. Really." Miroku didn't need to hear it. He knew that Inuyasha hadn't meant it and that was enough for him. After all, he owed Inuyasha a lot and he was not thinking about all the times he had saved his life. Thanks to him I have a greater shot at getting Sango. I should be thanking him as a matter of fact. He couldn't stop the lecherous smirk that crawled over his face.

Inuyasha nodded solemnly, silently thanking Miroku for not having to say sorry out loud. He really was a good friend and he respected him more now than ever before. When he heard Miroku rise he turned his gaze to him once more. "So, what do you say about leaving this shack? We'll keep the incident from the villagers ears as long as you promise that it'll never happen again."

Inuyasha was about to growl at Miroku for insinuating that he would do such a thing again. "Listen baka! I'm…" He stopped short when he saw the expression of amusement on the monk's face. "Keh! Whatever!" He snorted and followed him out the door.

"Just watch out for Sango." Miroku warned. Inuyasha paled a little and was glad that Miroku couldn't see it with his back turned.

Damn…

~*~*~

A/n: Aw… male bonding and stuff… ^_^

This was an interesting chapter to write, although it was difficult for me to make it seem… `likely'. I mean, how could I make it seem natural for Miroku to forgive Inuyasha as quickly as he did. So, tell me. Did I pull it off, or did it suck??? Please Review!!!