InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution: The Collected Chronicles of Miroku and Sango ❯ Epiphany ( Chapter 10 )

It had been a week. Miroku wouldn't return her phone calls nor would he answer his door. Sango had gone from upset to furious. She felt she at least deserved to explain what was Miroku had seen. It didn't help that Kouga was being smug on top of everything else, acting as if he had won a prize. Times like this made Sango wish the world were free of men and their sissy drama.

 

It didn't make her feel any better that she finally relented to meet Inuyasha again after their disastrous first meeting. She still didn't know how Inuyasha expected her to help him mend the past with Miroku when Miroku wasn't even talking to her. Sango had to wonder did she have a tattoo that only the needy could see on her forehead. SOMETHING had to be going on to draw all of these emotionally destitute people to her.

 

“Do I look like a fucking miracle worker?”

 

That thought rang constantly through her mind as she paced back and forth in the park. The air was beginning to swell with the heat of summer. Soon it would be too hot to spend afternoons in the park but as the last of spring began to breathe its last cool breaths, Sango had to admit it was a lovely day.

 

“It would be better appreciated with Miroku.”

 

A sigh escaped her lips as Sango faced facts. She missed Miroku. The week of not seeing or talking to him felt like a lifetime. She missed his presence and his kisses. Sango was still furious with him but that didn't stop the longing. In some ways, she could understand how Miroku felt about seeing her and Inuyasha together. But understanding didn't make it easier.

 

Looking across the park, Sango could make out the shining hair of Inuyasha. He was moving quickly and he was not alone. As they got closer, Sango could make out a petite, dark-haired girl with him. Sango felt her mouth drop open.

 

“Oh my goodness! He did not bring her!”

 

Sango could hardly believe it. Here she was meeting the ex-girlfriend and the ex-friend. What was that all about? Sango was tempted to turn and run from the park but two things stopped her. One, Inuyasha could easily catch her; two, she was actually intrigued by what excuse they could offer up to make this whole sordid mess “better”.

 

Sango could feel her anger flaring up again, this time for Miroku. No one who had done what these two had done had any right to be happy. She could see the love in their eyes for each other and that just made her anger burn hotter. The idea that they destroyed Miroku for their own selfish feeling made Sango want to lash out at them first then at Miroku for being an idiot and turning her away.

 

ooOOoo

 

Inuyasha could feel the rage pouring off Sango. He didn't want to bring Kagome with him to meet Sango but Kagome had insisted. She wanted to meet the person Miroku was seeing. Inuyasha knew it was the guilt; he too wanted to see Miroku happy again. Inuyasha knew he had fucked things up badly with Sango and Miroku but he had been hoping that everything was ok between them.

 

He felt Kagome squeeze his hand. Looking down into her peaceful blue-gray eyes, Inuyasha couldn't stop the stab of guilt that tore through him. He had sacrificed everything to be with her and Inuyasha knew he had to at least try to make things right with Miroku if it meant a chance for he and Kagome to have peace.

 

ooOOoo

 

 

“Sango.”

 

“Inuyasha.”

 

Sango, let me introduce…” but before Inuyasha could finish, Sango interrupted with a wave of her hand.

 

“Look, I didn't come here to play nice and to meet the family. What do you want with me so I can go back to my life?”

 

Kagome gasped at Sango's rudeness, but she understood. Sango cared for Miroku and they were the people that hurt Miroku. Kagome knew Sango saw no reason to be polite to them. Kagome heard Inuyasha growl but she squeezed his hand and shook her head.

 

“Sango, I can understand why you may not care for us, but we just want a chance to try and patch things up with Miroku.”

 

Sango looked at Kagome as if she had grown two heads.

 

“Patch things up? You mean assuage your guilt? What could you possibly do to make this anywhere near right?”

 

Sango then turned her hard gaze to Inuyasha. Inwardly, he flinched at the anger directed at him.

 

“You were his best friend. He called you his brother and this is how you show loyalty? This is how you show brotherhood? You took the woman he loved. Did she even tell you he proposed to her that night? Did she even tell you that she rejected his proposal by telling him she was in love with you?”

 

Inuyasha turned to Kagome. Taking in her eyes filled with tears, Inuyasha shook his head.

 

“Kagome, why didn't you tell me? I would have never…”

 

Kagome dropped her head. For a long moment, she simply stood with tears pouring down her face.

 

“I didn't want to make you feel any worse than you already felt.”

 

Inuyasha raked his hands through his hair.

 

“Dammit, Kagome! No wonder he hates us even more. He hadn't told me he was proposing. Why didn't that bastard tell me?”

 

Sango snorted. “Maybe because he wanted to surprise you like he surprised her.”

 

Sango eyed the pair standing before her. It seemed the mess they made kept getting bigger and bigger. Sango couldn't help but wonder what other fallout had they had from what they had done. They seemed to be trying really hard to be happy but Sango could see the strain.

 

“I don't know what you expect me to do. Miroku is his own man and he had made up his own mind about the two of you.” Sango wistfully sighed. “Sometimes, I think he has made his mind up about the whole human race because of you two.”

 

Kagome wiped tears from her face. “We didn't mean for it to happen like this.”

 

Sango just shook her head. “Yet, it happened. Miroku is destroyed and from where I stand, you two aren't much better.”

 

A shadow of a smile crossed Inuyasha's face. He was amazed at how perceptive Sango was being. Things had been hard between him and Kagome. The guilt both of them felt was in the process of destroying the relationship they were working hard to have. Inuyasha felt even worse. He had known Miroku all of his life. They had fought for and with each other. Miroku had always had his back and to repay him in the worse way possible only ate at Inuyasha day after day.

 

“I just want to talk to him. At this point, I don't expect his forgiveness. I just have some things I need to say to him.”

 

Sango shook her head in exasperation. What really made Inuyasha think that Miroku wanted to speak to him? She knew if she were Miroku, she wouldn't believe a word out of his lying mouth.

 

“I'm not making any promises.”

 

Inuyasha simply nodded. “I'm not asking you to.”

Sango glanced at the dejected couple again and giving a half-hearted wave, turned and walked away. Sango was going straight to Miroku's. They needed to talk and not about Inuyasha. It was time to get some clarity. Sango was sick of being in the middle of some sort of Shakespearean drama and it was time to get off the ride. To his credit, Sango had to admit to herself, Miroku had never tried to drag her into it but that damned Inuyasha had to pull her in by her hair.

 

By the time, Sango reached Miroku's apartment, the anger had returned. Banging loudly on Miroku's door, she finally gained admittance. The shock of seeing Miroku's state penetrated through her anger. He was disheveled and drunk. The fact that he was drinking again only served to resurrect Sango's angry. Walking around the apartment, she collected bottles of sake and took them to the hallway compactor. Wrinkling her nose at Miroku in passing, she went straight to his bathroom, first turning on the shower then filling the bath. Ignoring his protests, she pushed his drunken self under the cold shower fully clothed. As he yelled from the coldness of the water, Sango peeled the shirt and pants from him and ordered him to take off his undies. Once he was naked, she pushed him towards the tub.

 

“You sit in there and soak until you are sober. We have some things to get straight tonight and you need to be sober to hear this.”

 

Turning on her heel, Sango walked out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. All Miroku could do was gulp and sink into the water.