InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ All I Needed Was You ❯ Letting It Show ( Chapter 1 )

This story is something that kind of came to me, but I'm hoping it will turn out really well. We'll see. I'm not really going to say where the plot is going, cause I'm kind of letting this one write itself. I dedicate this story to my dear imouto-chan, Jade. If you're reading this and you haven't read her Shippo-chan Rap, I highly recommend you check it out. I laughed so hard I almost wet myself. She has a lot of other really good stories too, but she doesn't get a lot of attention because she writes mostly about secondary characters. It's kind of silly that because of that, she can have a beautifully written piece with less reviews than some random, badly written fic. But my sis is no sell out! Read her stuff! (shameless promotion now over)

Jade: Harry and Dilly send you big slimy snail kisses!!! I sing to them, but I bet they'd like your singing better.

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All I Needed Was You

Part 1

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Into this night I wander,

it's morning that I dread,

Another day of knowing of

the path I fear to tread,

Oh into the sea of waking dreams

I follow without pride,

Nothing stands between us here

and I won't be denied

-Sarah McLachlan, Possession

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"I know that the only reason we're here is because Miroku is a liar, but I swear I could kiss him right now." Kagome smiled broadly at Sango as they both sat in the heated bath. "I hate bathing in rivers, it's so cold. I don't know how you've put up with it for so long. This is so much better."

"I never had a choice, Kagome." Sango reminded the other girl. "But you are right. This is wonderful. A girl could get used to it."

"Definitely." Kagome closed her eyes, letting the warmth sink into her tired limbs. "And it's the best thing after a long day traveling on those hot, dusty roads."

"I feel like I could just sleep in this." Sango smiled.

"Don't. I fell asleep in the bath once, and I looked like an old woman all day." Kagome admitted, blushing. "You get all pruney if you're in for too long. It's not pretty."

"Ha! I think you should tell that story to Inuyasha. I'm sure he'd love to hear about you looking all wrinkly!" Sango teased, laughing at Kagome's sudden mortification.

"Don't you dare tell him! You wouldn't, Sango, would you?" Kagome asked. Sango kept laughing for quite some time to see the panic on her friend's face.

"I wouldn't, but that look on your face was priceless." Sango told her. Kagome gave her a mock glare and splashed some water at her.

"Don't tease me, you're no better than I am." She pouted. Sango finally stopped laughing at this.

"What do you mean by that?" Sango asked, suddenly defensive.

"Oh, don't try the innocent act with me, Sango. You may be able to pull it off with the guys, but I'm another woman. I see the way you've been lately." It was now Kagome's turn to tease.

"Which way?" Sango scowled.

"Let me think…'Oh Miroku,'" Kagome pitched her voice high, making her eyes large and clasping her hands to her heart. "'Don't you wander off like that, I was worried sick! What if something happened to you? Whatever would I do?' Now who was it that said that, I wonder…" Kagome giggled.

"I…I don't sound like that." Sango blushed deep red. "And besides, that doesn't mean anything. I was just worried because he was missing and…I thought…um, that he was off getting himself hurt over some woman he wanted to bear his child." Sango managed an almost passable expression of indignance.

"Really, so you were jealous then?" Kagome asked innocently.

"Of course-I mean, no! No, why would I be?" Sango's blush returned and she tried to busy herself cleaning her hair.

"Sango, it isn't fair for you to keep secrets from me." Kagome pouted as she cleaned her own hair. "Everyone knows how I feel about Inuyasha, but you won't even tell me if you've got a thing for Miroku or not. It isn't like I would tell anyone." She sighed as though saddened by the great lack of faith this implied.

"Kagome, it's not that I don't trust you, it's just that…I'm not sure." Sango admitted.

"You're not sure if you like him that way?" Kagome immediately brightened.

"No, it's not that. I…I know that I do. I have for some time now, though I have no idea how I fell in love with such an arrogant, conceited man." Sango made a face.

"I know how you feel." Kagome smiled sympathetically at her friend. "But hey, look at the bright side. At least Miroku isn't hung up over some crazy walking lump of dirt. You should tell him how you feel about him." Kagome advised.

"But…I want to, it's just that I don't know if he'll be honest with me." Sango explained. "I wondered for a while if he'd say yes to me just because I was a woman, and that was all he cared about, but now I've realized that's not the problem. He wouldn't do something like that. Miroku may talk a lot, but that's all he does. Talk."

"Yeah, I think you're right about that. I never thought about it, but when you say it…I don't think he's ever been with a girl. At not least while he's been with us." Kagome nodded thoughtfully. "So what is the problem then?"

"I think…I think that the reason he's still alone isn't that no girls like him. You see how popular he is with all the women, even when they find out how lecherous he is." Sango paused, mulling over her words carefully before speaking. "I think he's afraid of hurting someone. He does want to make sure that his line continues until Naraku is destroyed, but I think…Miroku just can't let himself get that close to a woman, because he may die someday soon…"

"And she'd be left alone." Kagome finished, nodding slightly at this. After a moment, she sat up excitedly, "But we'll defeat Naraku! So you two can be together and everything will turn out just fine. You'll see. It just has to." She insisted. Sango smiled warmly at her good friend.

"But Miroku won't believe that unless Naraku has died already. And even though I believe we'll get the job done in time…we may not." Sango's face tightened at the thought.

"Then tell him how you feel. Tell him now, Sango. Don't wait." Kagome was suddenly very serious. "If…if we don't do it in time, then you should at least have this time with him. It may be all there is, and you should take advantage of it."

"You're right, Kagome." Sango admitted. Now if she could only work up the nerve to do what she had to…

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"Miroku?" Sango closed the door behind her, going outside where Miroku was standing by himself staring at the sky. At the sound of his name, the monk turned to her in surprise.

"You…called me Miroku." He stated after a surprised pause.

"Y…yeah, I know." She blushed slightly and hoped that he couldn't see it in the dark, though the moon was shining brightly. "Can I…can I talk to you?"

"Of course," Miroku looked a bit concerned, but waved for her to stand next to him. She only waited a moment before joining him, but as soon as she stood next to him, Sango felt the words she had planned to say flee from her mind. She stared at her hands, feeling extremely foolish as Miroku waited for her to speak. Finally, he sensed noticed that she was having trouble feeling at ease, and he returned his deep violet gaze to the skies. "A full moon tonight." He stated simply.

"Yes." Sango agreed, feeling sillier by the moment. Why couldn't she say something? Maybe she should just leave Miroku alone.

"I have always felt strangely at peace when I can look upon the full moon." Miroku told her, his voice soft. "It is reassuring to know that though it isn't always visible, there are some things that will never disappear. I know it's a bit silly to think of the moon in that way, but nothing in my life has ever been constant. I live the life of a wanderer, and I suppose I always will. But no matter where I go, it's there." He nodded up at the moon. "I feel like maybe…maybe it will remember me when I've gone." Miroku's voice faded to a hoarse whisper, and Sango gasped at the sadness in his tone.

"Miroku, you speak as if no one else would remember you." She finally spoke up. "But that's foolish and you know it. You may not have a real family anymore…but neither do I. It doesn't matter though, because I've somehow found this new family. Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo…and you." Sango suddenly realized that his violet eyes were looking straight into her very soul. He could see all of her, it seemed. Strangely, she found herself not caring.

"What are you saying, Sango?" Miroku asked softly.

"I care about you, Miroku. All of us do. You don't have to worry about disappearing, because you won't. I wouldn't let you." Sango told him firmly.

"It's not something you can prevent, Sango." Miroku told her. "I'm beginning to think that no one can."

"Maybe not alone." Sango admitted. "All the time you were trying to get Naraku, it was just you. But now, it's all of us, and you have to admit that there have been times when we've almost defeated him. We can win Miroku, you know we can."

"I know." He sighed, dropping his eyes. "I just wonder if I'll still be here when it happens."

"Miroku…" Sango reached out to him, but stopped herself, only letting her hand rest on his arm.

"He wasn't much older than I am now when it happened." Miroku told her softly, and Sango knew he was speaking of his father. "I'm only glad that my mother didn't have to be there when he finally went. It might have killed her even if she hadn't been sucked in herself."

"Where was she?" Sango asked.

"She had died just that winter of a sickness." Miroku answered sadly, and Sango bit her lip in concern at his tone. "At that time…when she died, he was ready to go. It was only a matter of time for him. When it took him, I think my father was looking forward to being with her again. Near the end, he told me something."

"What did he tell you?" Sango asked, her tone soft as she stepped closer to hear his quiet voice.

"He told me that he didn't want me to be cursed for my whole life, waiting for death to come. He said that he'd wanted to save me from that, but that he didn't think he could. He said that if I ever did anything, I would protect my son from the same fate as his father and himself." Miroku told her.

"Is that why you worry so much?" Sango suddenly understood. "It isn't just that you fear your own death, you don't want to let your father down."

"It's not just that, anymore." Miroku admitted, his voice becoming almost inaudible so she had to lean in to catch the words. "I'm afraid that I might leave you before I can tell you everything."

"Everything?" Sango felt her face suffuse with heat. When had she gotten so close to him?

"I need to tell you, Sango…" Miroku lifted a hand to brush a stray lock of hair away from her face, "I need to tell you before it's too late…but I don't know if I should."

"If…if it's important…you should say it." Sango suddenly felt the need to tell him what she'd been unable to say earlier.

"I want you to know…" Miroku licked his lips slightly.

"I needed to tell you…" Sango fumbled with kimono before suddenly feeling a burst of courage.

"I'm in love with you!" Both of them yelled at the same time, as though it was the only way they could say what they needed to.

"Shut up and go to bed!" Inuyasha called from inside the house. Miroku and Sango didn't hear the angry hanyou, though. They were staring at each other, and to them, there was nothing else.

"Sango, I never thought…" Miroku began, pulling her into an embrace.

"I felt the same way? I thought you wouldn't let me love you. I thought you'd be afraid, but I had to try." Sango told him.

"For the longest time, I said nothing for just that reason. But I can't take it anymore. I need you, Sango." Miroku admitted, tilting her face up so that burgundy orbs met violet in a locking gaze.

"I love you, Miroku. I have for so long. Please don't hide from me anymore." She entreated.

"I don't think I can." Miroku admitted. "It's too late." And with those words, he closed the gap between them, their lips meeting in a sweet, soft kiss.

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The End (Of Part 1, that is)