InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When a door closes... ❯ The Decision ( Chapter 10 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Namiyo11 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 185 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Adventure / Action / Romance | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 04.20.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.0K | Visits: 185 | Status: Completed
Chapter 10- The Decision
Said it before, I’ll say it again. I don’t own Inuyasha or any related characters, nor do I make money from same.
Recap: Kagome’s discovered some of her power, and has her first brush with the life of a hanyou. Inuyasha finally admits his feelings, only to find out about her new loyalties at the worst possible moment. Read on!
“I can’t believe Kagome swore allegiance to Sesshomaru! No wonder Inuyasha ran off,” Miroku sighed as he sat on a bench in the inn’s garden. Kagome had cried herself to sleep at last and Sango had come out to sit with him, explaining what had caused the fight and why Kagome had joined forces with Sesshomaru.
“I know, but she really felt cornered, I think,” Sango said with a glum expression.
“I’m sure Kagome did, but I doubt he’ll ever be able to forgive her or get over his jealousy of her, Sango,” Miroku shook his head.
“What? I can understand his anger, but why would he be jealous?” Sango asked, turning to see his face in the light of the lanterns scattered about.
“How could he not be? She has everything denied him, a place in the world he’s never had. Everything he had planned to provide for her as a wife, well, mate if you will, has already been given to her by his worst enemy and she accepted it willingly without even discussing it with him. You heard him,” Miroku explained.
They both sat quietly, and yes-it made terrible sense.
“I‘m just glad we don‘t have those problems,” he eyed her uncomfortably as he spoke.
“Miroku. I...Kagome wasn’t really to blame here. It’s hard to confide some things,” Sango said stiffly as she hesitated.
“Something’s wrong. What is it?” he asked, this didn‘t sound like it was related to their friends.
“Well, before we met, um. I was a Taijiya for some time,” she began, waiting for him to nod. “What do you know about, ah, our training?” Sango asked.
“Not much, your village wasn’t exactly open with such knowledge. Why?” the monk asked.
“Well, everything in the village was geared to fighting youkai. It had been for generations. Everything we did was to ready the slayers and support them. Including our customs,” she explained.
“I understand so far,” Miroku nodded again, curious.
“I don’t think you do. You see, part of our training was-was to remove anything from ourselves that attracted youkai, made us more likely to be distinctive to one. Strong smells were discouraged, certain foods...” she looked into his eyes and licked her lips nervously. “Being a maiden and a warrior,” Sango barely whispered as his mouth opened.
“Sango, whatever it...is...you...and someone else?” he managed slowly, but took her hands in his. Miroku looked down and took a deep, centering breath as he absorbed that. “I see. Well,” he nodded to himself, more than a little stunned. But, it was true, virgins smelled more appealing to many youkai, were preferred food sources to some, it made sense in the abstract. This? Was not the abstract.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“I...I can understand. You had a dangerous task to carry out, and it makes sense that your people would do that, as you said, it was custom. Just part of your training, one man, touching you that way once....”
She cleared her throat. No?
“How many?” he asked painfully.
“Um...seven.”
“In one night?” Miroku was impressed, if alarmed. If that was her standard, he wasn’t sure about meeting it! Enthusiasm and affection had to count, he reflected with a mental wince.
“No...seven...men. There were other times. There was nothing dishonorable about it! In your group, you’d share with each other sometimes. That’s all, really!” Sango said defensively, as his face fell and he released her hands.
“All this time, you’ve...you-with seven different-what did your father think of this? He had to know what they-and you-were doing!” he asked, gaping.
“It was custom! He understood, they were all my friends! We fought together!”
“I’ve been your friend for three years, Sango. We’ve fought something nearly every day! I was going to die! And, and you-seven men. You, you never even offered to-” he tried to get the words out but it was hard.
“Miroku...” she really didn’t know what to say.
“Why?” Miroku asked, honestly upset and not bothering to hide it. “Why not me?” he asked as he stared into her eyes.
“Oh. You’re not-upset about the number?” Sango asked, bewildered.
“Sango, I love you! It’s not great news, but it’s not something to make me leave you. That’s not it. It’s-if you’ve-known men, why not me?” Miroku asked again.
“You...Miroku, please understand, when we met, all you did was grab me! I’d only known honorable men. Men who knew about this!” His face congealed.
“Honorable men! I wasn’t honorable?” he sputtered.
“You spied on us! You laid hands on every woman you met!”
“I wouldn’t have had to if I’d known!” Miroku threw our his arms.
“Exactly! You would’ve expected me to share with you!” she told him, upset.
“YES! Yes, I would have! I thought we’d gotten that close! I asked you to marry me! I was on borrowed time, Sango, and you, you would’ve let me be sucked into the kazaana without once even suggesting we...have I grabbed one ass since then?”
“Yes, yes you have!”
“Oh. But-Sango, that was...Sango,” he groaned, hitting his forehead with his hand. “Gah!” Miroku scowled, getting up to pace as she watched. “How long do I have to pay for a few lapses? I’m not perfect, but I never once hid that from you! What hurts is you still don’t trust me! Here I am, ready to give myself over to you utterly, settle down and raise little slayers for you, and you-you couldn’t even tell me you weren’t a virgin!”
“You’re right,” Sango admitted, taking the wind out of his sails. The monk stopped and stared at her in some surprise. “I didn’t trust you, even after we were promised. I just didn’t want to lose you when you found out,” she sighed. But her head tilted as she processed what he said.
“Nice to hear,” he grumbled.
“What do you mean, for me? I was ready to settle down for you!” she said in surprise.
“But you...don’t want to settle down? I don’t want to settle down.”
“Really? I wouldn’t have if the village still stood. My children would be raised by others when I was away fighting. Just stopping and not doing what I do never occurred to me until I thought you wanted it,” Sango explained as Miroku sat back down slowly and faced her.
“Sango...”
They looked at each other like strangers.
“I don’t think we’re ready. It takes more thn love to make a marriage work. We aren’t even willing to tell each other what we want. I think...we need some time to think about this,” he said slowly, and she looked on the verge of tears.
“Miroku, are you-you mean-” Sango choked on the question.
“No! No, Sango, I still want to marry you. I do. But we aren’t ready yet. Maybe it’s time to consider why we want to be together and what sort of life we want,” Miroku suggested, squeezing her hand.
“I...I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. I promise,” he paused and stood up. “I think it’s better if I go after Inuyasha. You and Kagome go see to Kaede and the village. He needs a friend right now.”
‘And so do I...’ Miroku thought sadly.
“But, alone? You don’t know what he’ll do!”
“I’ve done nothing to earn his anger, Sango. I’ll give him tonight to cool off and go in the morning. You see to Kagome.” She hesitated then nodded in agreement. Sango rose, putting her arms around him.
“When will you be back?” she asked.
“When he’s better. When I’m better,” Miroku said, holding her tightly.
“I see,” she nodded and looked into his eyes, taking a deep breath as she leaned in to kiss him gently. In other words, a long time. Perhaps...never.
Hesitantly, she offered, “Miroku? Your room is empty. Perhaps we could-”
“No.”
“What? But why?” Sango’s eyes widened. It would’ve given her something to remember and hold on to while he was gone from her. She’d assumed he would jump at the chance.
“If we did, it’d be for the wrong reasons, my Sango,” he kissed her forehead. “I want to be with you because you want to share, as you put it. Not because I’m leaving and you aren’t sure if I’m coming back,” Miroku told her.
“But-”
“I’m more honorable than you know. Besides, it gives me a reason to come back soon,” he promised as her arms tightened. This was goodbye they both knew it, she correctly assumed he’d leave before she woke. “I think I should get some sleep now. Goodnight, my love,” Miroku said, releasing her.
“Goodnight, my Miroku. Travel safely and come back to me soon,” Sango said fiercely, kissing him one last time before she turned and went to her own chamber.
***
True to his word, Miroku packed up and waited until the lights went out in the room she shared with Kagome. He tried to rest, but he tossed and turned till dawn threatened. That was it. Time to go.
He hunted and found a long white hair on the floor between the floorboards. It felt youkai, and he tucked it into a small ofuda.
“You owe me, Inuyasha,” he muttered as he folded the paper into an arrow and murmured a spell, holding it in his palm. It turned, showing him the direction the hair’s owner was in as it shot across his hand, imitating the speed the hanyou was moving. He caught it in his fingertips before it shot out across the floor.
“So...you’ve been running all night? I’ll just have to catch up,” he said to himself as he slipped out, carrying a sleeping bag and the backpack Kagome had gifted him with some time ago.
“You have to nap sometime, my friend,” Miroku commented as he shouldered his pack and hit the road without looking back.
Revised Author’s Notes- Hoo. Grim. But it had to be that way. I know, but, I did say all hell would break loose! But, it happens, true love rarely runs smoothly. I hope you enjoyed this, and thanks for reading! Namiyo’
Said it before, I’ll say it again. I don’t own Inuyasha or any related characters, nor do I make money from same.
Recap: Kagome’s discovered some of her power, and has her first brush with the life of a hanyou. Inuyasha finally admits his feelings, only to find out about her new loyalties at the worst possible moment. Read on!
“I can’t believe Kagome swore allegiance to Sesshomaru! No wonder Inuyasha ran off,” Miroku sighed as he sat on a bench in the inn’s garden. Kagome had cried herself to sleep at last and Sango had come out to sit with him, explaining what had caused the fight and why Kagome had joined forces with Sesshomaru.
“I know, but she really felt cornered, I think,” Sango said with a glum expression.
“I’m sure Kagome did, but I doubt he’ll ever be able to forgive her or get over his jealousy of her, Sango,” Miroku shook his head.
“What? I can understand his anger, but why would he be jealous?” Sango asked, turning to see his face in the light of the lanterns scattered about.
“How could he not be? She has everything denied him, a place in the world he’s never had. Everything he had planned to provide for her as a wife, well, mate if you will, has already been given to her by his worst enemy and she accepted it willingly without even discussing it with him. You heard him,” Miroku explained.
They both sat quietly, and yes-it made terrible sense.
“I‘m just glad we don‘t have those problems,” he eyed her uncomfortably as he spoke.
“Miroku. I...Kagome wasn’t really to blame here. It’s hard to confide some things,” Sango said stiffly as she hesitated.
“Something’s wrong. What is it?” he asked, this didn‘t sound like it was related to their friends.
“Well, before we met, um. I was a Taijiya for some time,” she began, waiting for him to nod. “What do you know about, ah, our training?” Sango asked.
“Not much, your village wasn’t exactly open with such knowledge. Why?” the monk asked.
“Well, everything in the village was geared to fighting youkai. It had been for generations. Everything we did was to ready the slayers and support them. Including our customs,” she explained.
“I understand so far,” Miroku nodded again, curious.
“I don’t think you do. You see, part of our training was-was to remove anything from ourselves that attracted youkai, made us more likely to be distinctive to one. Strong smells were discouraged, certain foods...” she looked into his eyes and licked her lips nervously. “Being a maiden and a warrior,” Sango barely whispered as his mouth opened.
“Sango, whatever it...is...you...and someone else?” he managed slowly, but took her hands in his. Miroku looked down and took a deep, centering breath as he absorbed that. “I see. Well,” he nodded to himself, more than a little stunned. But, it was true, virgins smelled more appealing to many youkai, were preferred food sources to some, it made sense in the abstract. This? Was not the abstract.
“Yes,” she nodded.
“I...I can understand. You had a dangerous task to carry out, and it makes sense that your people would do that, as you said, it was custom. Just part of your training, one man, touching you that way once....”
She cleared her throat. No?
“How many?” he asked painfully.
“Um...seven.”
“In one night?” Miroku was impressed, if alarmed. If that was her standard, he wasn’t sure about meeting it! Enthusiasm and affection had to count, he reflected with a mental wince.
“No...seven...men. There were other times. There was nothing dishonorable about it! In your group, you’d share with each other sometimes. That’s all, really!” Sango said defensively, as his face fell and he released her hands.
“All this time, you’ve...you-with seven different-what did your father think of this? He had to know what they-and you-were doing!” he asked, gaping.
“It was custom! He understood, they were all my friends! We fought together!”
“I’ve been your friend for three years, Sango. We’ve fought something nearly every day! I was going to die! And, and you-seven men. You, you never even offered to-” he tried to get the words out but it was hard.
“Miroku...” she really didn’t know what to say.
“Why?” Miroku asked, honestly upset and not bothering to hide it. “Why not me?” he asked as he stared into her eyes.
“Oh. You’re not-upset about the number?” Sango asked, bewildered.
“Sango, I love you! It’s not great news, but it’s not something to make me leave you. That’s not it. It’s-if you’ve-known men, why not me?” Miroku asked again.
“You...Miroku, please understand, when we met, all you did was grab me! I’d only known honorable men. Men who knew about this!” His face congealed.
“Honorable men! I wasn’t honorable?” he sputtered.
“You spied on us! You laid hands on every woman you met!”
“I wouldn’t have had to if I’d known!” Miroku threw our his arms.
“Exactly! You would’ve expected me to share with you!” she told him, upset.
“YES! Yes, I would have! I thought we’d gotten that close! I asked you to marry me! I was on borrowed time, Sango, and you, you would’ve let me be sucked into the kazaana without once even suggesting we...have I grabbed one ass since then?”
“Yes, yes you have!”
“Oh. But-Sango, that was...Sango,” he groaned, hitting his forehead with his hand. “Gah!” Miroku scowled, getting up to pace as she watched. “How long do I have to pay for a few lapses? I’m not perfect, but I never once hid that from you! What hurts is you still don’t trust me! Here I am, ready to give myself over to you utterly, settle down and raise little slayers for you, and you-you couldn’t even tell me you weren’t a virgin!”
“You’re right,” Sango admitted, taking the wind out of his sails. The monk stopped and stared at her in some surprise. “I didn’t trust you, even after we were promised. I just didn’t want to lose you when you found out,” she sighed. But her head tilted as she processed what he said.
“Nice to hear,” he grumbled.
“What do you mean, for me? I was ready to settle down for you!” she said in surprise.
“But you...don’t want to settle down? I don’t want to settle down.”
“Really? I wouldn’t have if the village still stood. My children would be raised by others when I was away fighting. Just stopping and not doing what I do never occurred to me until I thought you wanted it,” Sango explained as Miroku sat back down slowly and faced her.
“Sango...”
They looked at each other like strangers.
“I don’t think we’re ready. It takes more thn love to make a marriage work. We aren’t even willing to tell each other what we want. I think...we need some time to think about this,” he said slowly, and she looked on the verge of tears.
“Miroku, are you-you mean-” Sango choked on the question.
“No! No, Sango, I still want to marry you. I do. But we aren’t ready yet. Maybe it’s time to consider why we want to be together and what sort of life we want,” Miroku suggested, squeezing her hand.
“I...I don’t want to lose you.”
“You won’t. I promise,” he paused and stood up. “I think it’s better if I go after Inuyasha. You and Kagome go see to Kaede and the village. He needs a friend right now.”
‘And so do I...’ Miroku thought sadly.
“But, alone? You don’t know what he’ll do!”
“I’ve done nothing to earn his anger, Sango. I’ll give him tonight to cool off and go in the morning. You see to Kagome.” She hesitated then nodded in agreement. Sango rose, putting her arms around him.
“When will you be back?” she asked.
“When he’s better. When I’m better,” Miroku said, holding her tightly.
“I see,” she nodded and looked into his eyes, taking a deep breath as she leaned in to kiss him gently. In other words, a long time. Perhaps...never.
Hesitantly, she offered, “Miroku? Your room is empty. Perhaps we could-”
“No.”
“What? But why?” Sango’s eyes widened. It would’ve given her something to remember and hold on to while he was gone from her. She’d assumed he would jump at the chance.
“If we did, it’d be for the wrong reasons, my Sango,” he kissed her forehead. “I want to be with you because you want to share, as you put it. Not because I’m leaving and you aren’t sure if I’m coming back,” Miroku told her.
“But-”
“I’m more honorable than you know. Besides, it gives me a reason to come back soon,” he promised as her arms tightened. This was goodbye they both knew it, she correctly assumed he’d leave before she woke. “I think I should get some sleep now. Goodnight, my love,” Miroku said, releasing her.
“Goodnight, my Miroku. Travel safely and come back to me soon,” Sango said fiercely, kissing him one last time before she turned and went to her own chamber.
***
True to his word, Miroku packed up and waited until the lights went out in the room she shared with Kagome. He tried to rest, but he tossed and turned till dawn threatened. That was it. Time to go.
He hunted and found a long white hair on the floor between the floorboards. It felt youkai, and he tucked it into a small ofuda.
“You owe me, Inuyasha,” he muttered as he folded the paper into an arrow and murmured a spell, holding it in his palm. It turned, showing him the direction the hair’s owner was in as it shot across his hand, imitating the speed the hanyou was moving. He caught it in his fingertips before it shot out across the floor.
“So...you’ve been running all night? I’ll just have to catch up,” he said to himself as he slipped out, carrying a sleeping bag and the backpack Kagome had gifted him with some time ago.
“You have to nap sometime, my friend,” Miroku commented as he shouldered his pack and hit the road without looking back.
Revised Author’s Notes- Hoo. Grim. But it had to be that way. I know, but, I did say all hell would break loose! But, it happens, true love rarely runs smoothly. I hope you enjoyed this, and thanks for reading! Namiyo’