InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bitter ❯ No Longer Bitter ( Chapter 10 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
This was written for the fanfic_bakeoff community at LiveJournal. The prompt was “Tutorial” and each drabble must be between 100 and 300 words. The Bonus ingredient was “Fatherhood”


Title: No Longer Bitter
Fandom: InuYasha
Rating
: Y
Pairing: Miroku/Sango
Summary: Miroku contemplates his impending fatherhood.
Notes: This is part of the “Bitter” series.


I.
Word count: 298
Bonus: 1


“What’s going on?” Miroku asked as he approached InuYasha who was perched on a fence and apparently watching something.

The hanyou hopped down as he turned to face the monk. “Kaede-baba is teaching Rin about more herbs. I’ve never seen a kid so interested in plants.”

Miroku leaned into his staff. “You know, she may not exhibit any spiritual powers, but Rin does show the making of an excellent Healer. She will be a great asset to the village someday.”

“I guess that’s a good thing since the old baba doesn’t seem to have anyone to take her place. Rin seems happy to follow her around and learn everything she can. Besides the plants and stuff, she’s even helped some with the birthing around here,” InuYasha observed.

The monk grinned. “Considering the cold winter, I suspect she will get to assist delivering babies a lot in a few months.”

InuYasha just turned red in response.

Ignoring the embarrassment of his friend, Miroku continued, “She has the most patience of any child that age that I can recall. Do you think that comes from traveling with your brother?”

The hanyou snorted. “Probably, but it’s just as likely from being around Jaken. He’d try anyone’s patience.

“I know there were a few times I wanted to kill him,” the monk replied. “I guess Sesshomaru puts up with him because he’s so faithful to him.”

InuYasha grinned. “I think Jaken was jealous because Rin was just as faithful and I swear that my brother favored her – or at least to hear Jaken carry on he did.”

Miroku rubbed his chin. “Did you ever determine what interest your brother had in a human child? I know I’ve heard rumors…”

The hanyou shrugged. “Who knows, but he treats her mostly like a daughter.”


II.
Word Count: 299
Bonus: 1

“You think Sesshomaru treats Rin as an adopted child?” Miroku asked.

“I’ve heard the rumors that he’s courting her, but Sesshomaru always considered my mother to be our father’s weakness. I know some say he’s like him, but I don’t believe it. Just because we don’t try to kill each other anymore doesn’t mean that my full-blood youkai brother wants to sire any hanyou children.” InuYasha fell silent.

Miroku cocked his head. “Do you think he left her with Kaede to find a husband when she’s old enough?”

“I don’t think he’s thought that far in advance. He had a human girl following him and he didn’t know what to do with her. My brother knows absolutely nothing about human customs and Jaken knows even less. Kaede-baba proved she was trustworthy when we were battling Naraku, and she was the only one not afraid to take her. It turned out to be a good idea because Rin loves just about everything the old woman does and Kaede-baba needed an apprentice. We should have known that little girl was pretty smart just because she survived my brother.”

“Hoshi-sama! InuYasha-sama!” Rin shouted as she ran towards them.

“Whatcha been doing?” InuYasha asked as she reached them.

Rin wasn’t even out of breath. “Kaede-sama has been teaching me all about the herbs that are coming up right now. Some of them only grow for a short time at this time of the year so we have to pick them and then dry them.

“Hoshi-sama,” Rin had changed gears. “Kaede-sama said to ask you if it is permissible for me to help with the birth of Sango-sama’s baby.“

Miroku replied, “If it is agreeable with Sango then you have my permission. Better you than me.”

Rin clapped her hands together in excitement.


III.
Word Count: 300
Bonus:1

“That’s right – you’re going to be a father any day now,” InuYasha commented as they watched Rin run back to Kaede.

Miroku grinned. “It is difficult to believe, isn’t it?”

The hanyou scratched his ear. “I don’t know what’s harder to believe – that Sango married you or that she’ hasn’t killed you by now.”

The monk’s face grew somber. “I was thinking about battling Naruku and surviving and how I did not meet my father’s fate. I was not consumed by my Kazaana as he was.

“I wonder if I’ll make a good father,” Miroku commented, talking mostly to himself.

He was startled out of his thoughts when InuYasha responded, “You might be a lecher, but I don’t know why not. Then again, what do I know?”

“I was still little when my father died…” Miroku’s voice trailed away.

The hanyou couldn’t help but to snicker. “And I don’t know how much of a role model the old souse was for you. I guess he could have taught you how to hold your liquor.”

“While it is true that he is an old drunk, I do believe he loved me. He did his best to treat me as a father would a son. If nothing else, he taught me the importance of discipline and reliability. He could have let me run wild but he did not.  While I may not have been appreciative at the time, now I know I should be grateful to him.”

InuYasha’s shoulders slumped and he mumbled, “Yeah… at least you did have someone…”

Knowing that if he acknowledged he heard the comment it would only make his friend defensive, Miroku instead stood up straight and slapped InuYasha on the shoulder. “Let’s have a drink to my impending fatherhood.”

“Hoshi-sama!!!”

“I think it’s NOW,” InuYasha commented.


IV.
Word Count: 295
Bonus: 1

“I’m not ready to be a father, I’m not ready to be a father,” Miroku said over and over as he paced outside of the hut he shared with Sango.

InuYasha would have bonked him over the head in irritation, but he could tell the monk was worried sick over the sounds emanating from inside. Instead he commented, “I don’t reckon it matters if you’re ready or not, your child is almost here.”

The monk stopped pacing and looked InuYasha in the eye. “Will you knock me out and wake me when it’s over?”
The hanyou shook his head. “Somehow I don’t think whatever you’re suffering compares with what Sango is going through in there.”

“You are right, of course,” Miroku agreed.

“Just do me one favor,” InuYasha said.

“Anything that’s possible, my friend.”

The hanyou grinned. “If it’s a boy, don’t teach him to be a lecher like you are.”

Miroku sighed. “I am so misunderstood.”

The wails of a newborn split the air, stopping the monk from his renewed pacing in his tracks. However, no one came to the door to let him know what was happening so Miroku started tracing his steps again. “What’s happening? Is Sango all right? Why haven’t they told us anything?”

Another round of screams was added to sounds of  early evening. The monk stopped dead in his tracks. “What’s wrong? Why is the baby screaming so much?” He headed for the door but was stopped by InuYasha. “Let me go! Something’s gone wrong!”

“Everything’s fine, Bouzou. Wait just a few more minutes,” the hanyou reassured him while trying not to smirk.

Rin’s face finally appeared in the doorway. “Kaede-sama says you can come in now.”

Miroku rushed in, took one look, and fainted dead to the floor.

V.

Word Count: 299
Bonus: 1

“Are you all right, Hoshi-sama?”

Miroku came to with Rin peering at him. She grinned as his eyes slowly came to focus on her upside-down face.

Sitting up he responded, “I… I…”

“Didn’t expect to see two, did you Bouzou?” InuYasha pulled him to his feet.

“Say hello to your daughters,” Kaede encouraged.

Miroku was concerned about his wife’s appearance. “I… Sango, are you all right?”

Sango smiled weakly. “I’m tired and I look a mess, but I’m okay – we’re all okay thanks to Kaede and Rin.”

The little girl said excitedly, “I got twice the practice since there were two! I can even show you how to change a diaper if you want.”

Miroku turned to InuYasha. “Come, my friend. We have business to drum up. I’m a father now and have extra mouths to feed. Sango, I leave you in good hands.”

The monk picked up his shakujou from where it had fallen when he passed out and practically sprinted out the door with InuYasha close behind him.

“So where are we headed?” the hanyou asked as they jogged along the path that led away from the hut and the village.

“I am certain there is a youkai that needs to be taken care of in the next village, or perhaps the one after that,” Miroku answered as he slowed to a more reasonable pace. “They should be all right if we’re gone a few days.”

“But you have no idea where we should go,” InuYasha confirmed.

The monk answered, “As far away from diapers as possible.”

InuYasha just laughed. “That’s what I thought. Just remember, they’ll still be there when we get back.”

“Then we’ll just have to stay busy,” Miroku replied as he picked the pace up again. “And hope Sango doesn’t kill us both.”








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