Unexpectedly
Title: Unexpectedly
By: Alzilur
Beta: Saraste
Fandom: Inuyasha
Pairings: Kouga/Miroku
Summary: Miroku’s hope for Sango to be his wife didn’t happen, now, she’s marrying someone else and she wants him to come to her wedding.
Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or its characters no matter how much I wants them and I made no profits from this story except for the enjoyment of sharing them.
Five years have gone by after the final battle between Inuyasha and Naraku, aided by Inuyasha’s companions and, surprisingly, Sesshomaru. They had beaten the spider and recovered the stolen Shikon no Tama which Kagome had then brought back to her time. Then they found out that the miko hadn’t been able to return to them after she left with the jewel and Inuyasha was heartbroken. It was a sad sight for everybody, watching how the once lively hanyou moped around and the light in his eyes dimmed. It took a long time for the hanyou to leave the well and longer to leave the memories of the girl. He never tells anyone but by the return of determined light in his eyes, they know that Kagome would always be in his heart and if fate permits, he might be able to see her in the future.
They had all come a long way, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had mended the rift between them, albeit tentatively at first. The hanyou was now living with his half brother in their father’s palace, and the little human girl; Rin, had grown to be a lovely and clever girl.
I remembered Kagome's favorite phrasing...blood is thicker then water. She used to say that when we were all sitting around the fire at night, talking quietly amongst ourselves, and she would look at Inuyasha with her wistful dark brown eyes and tell us about her little brother.
Inuyasha would scoff at her whenever she reminded him about his own brother but sometime, when there were only gentle snores in the night air, I would catch him looking towards the Western Land with the same wistfulness in his amber eyes. No matter how gruff and uncaring our hanyou friend acted...it still remained an act. He's a youkai with human heart.
The big brother or rather the half brother, Sesshomaru still as cold and dangerous as ever but he was also so much more then what everybody saw. He loves Rin and he cared for that kappa servant even if he never outwardly shows it. He also cares for Inuyasha, it was proven by his acceptance of his half brother into his life. We also found out that the humans who have settled in his lands don’t cower in fear in his presence as we once thought. It seemed that he doesn’t really mind humans as long as they’re not in his way. If you ignored his icy attitude and sudden temper flares, he can be a bit bearable to be around in an extended time.
While I had hoped to live happily with my beloved Sango, it never happened, the family I hoped to build with her didn’t happen. We were betrothed for a few blissful months after Naraku's demise but then she grew restless; we were staying in the Taisho’s castle for awhile. I complied with her request and we traveled to the east. She had heard of a settlement of demon slayers in that part of the kingdom so I followed her there in hopes that she’d find happiness and we’d get married as soon as we got settled down.
I found out that my love wasn’t enough for her. I felt her slipping farther away from me each day we stayed in the village. I found that I can’t fit in with the serious and driven slayers, I can’t relate to them and I couldn’t relate to Sango anymore.
I saw her getting close to another striking demon slayer, with a body full of rippling muscles and charming smile. I compared myself to him and found my self in lack of everything he has. I look like a fumbling boy to his handsome and sophisticated ways.
Sango really is a nice girl but she was just too focused and when she was focused on something she disregards everything around her. Most of the time, it was me who was disregarded by her. She had unconsciously used cruel words towards me, she knows not how much it hurt to be reminded of my father and the curse, of how many women don't want me or of my apparently weak appearance. My appearance never had been an issue to her before but now, since she saw all those well built slayer men, she had started to find me lacking.
"How are you going to protect me Miroku? You don't have the Kazaana anymore...will you attack the youkai with your groping techniques or maybe with your hentai mind?" That hurt. I felt so worthless when she said that.
"Yeah Sango, he can't even cover you up from danger, he's even smaller from you." I am…but I can protect my loved ones just as well as those muscle bound men.
Cruel words but she never knew how deep it cuts or that the wound still bleeds every time I saw her smiling. It was a joke to her but I can see the malice in the other slayers eyes, they don't like me here, I'm blocking her potential to be better and a burden.
I sucked it up in my smile and continue to follow Sango, like a lost puppy.
I heard enough “Grow up Miroku” from Sango while we stayed there but I bear it all with a disarming smile, it hurt...the words hurt but the brush off's hurt more.
One day I asked her to marry me and she looked at me with sad and guilty eyes. I had known what her answer would be a ‘no’ before I asked, though I still couldn’t help but cling to that last ray of hope that she still felt enough love for me, that there was still room for me in her heart.
“Please Miroku, don’t stop being my friend and be happy for me. You’ll find the love you seek soon.” I smiled at her while my heart shattered into tiny fragments.
How can she be so naïve but at the same time so cruel? Can’t she see that she was the love that I sought all this time. I see my future with her.
Unfortunately, she doesn't see the same future as I did.
I left her with her new betrothed, and my heart was broken.
Inuyasha knew as soon as he saw me.
He said nothing but his eyes told me he knew.
I couldn’t keep it a secret form him and Sesshomaru learnt soon after. I'm barely able to look into their eyes, afraid to see pity in their golden orbs but the two half brothers never pitied me. They understood me and give me time and space. For that I am grateful. I live with them now, minding Rin’s education and helping Shippo pull pranks on Inuyasha and Jaken. Sesshomaru really surprised me, I thought he would be the kind to despise weakness but he acted like nothing happened.
I am happy.
But I can never forget the pain of heartbreak; therefore I kept my heart closed tightly, only letting Rin touch it occasionally and let Inuyasha get a glimpse at it, usually when I remembered the love I lost and wept at night under the stars, he would always be close by.
Sango is getting married in two week’s time; she sent an invitation to us, along with a personal letter to me.
She asked me to come and bring my beloved with me; she wanted to meet the love of my life.
I panicked.
You see, Sango had started to write to me after a few months I left her. She always updated me on her life story, telling me of her new village and her love. It gnawed at my heart each time I read those letters, I didn’t reply at first and then her letters became apologetic and guilty. So I made up a story that I was busy with someone I had met. The story spun from little meetings with this new person to a love story. I never told her who my love was, always stating that it will be a secret until I'm ready to tell her. Now she demanded to see this fictional lover I had.
Trouble seemed to follow closely on my heels.
Where am I going to look for a lover in two weeks?
I could just go alone and tell her my lover’s busy with something but she had threatened to come by herself after she’s married.
I’ve been pacing my room since morning and it’s nearing dinnertime. I still can’t find a solution; I had a dreadful feeling that I’d have to confront Sesshomaru and Inuyasha about this.
What would they do? Would they look at me with pity or with disgust? I don't think I could bear both looks. In the time we spent together, they had become more then friends, we're like a family.
They need to know, maybe they could help me.
So after dinner I ushered them into my room and told them. They stared at me in shock but not an ounce of pity or disgust in their eyes.
I sagged with relief on my futon.
Sesshomaru had a glint in his eyes after a stretched silence.
“We will take care of this.”
“We will? How?” Inuyasha looked his brother in bewilderment.
Morning came and I walked to the breakfast table with dread.
“It occurs to us that you need professional help.” Sesshomaru announced as soon as we finished.
“I have a baaad feeling about this.”
Sesshomaru hired a girl from one of the villages in the Western Land to parade as my lover. She was pretty and spirited.
"This was the professional help you were so excited about?" I look up at Sesshomaru.
Both inu brothers had been going on and on about the help they're going to get for me, making me wait with trepidation. I was afraid they were going to hire someone from the local brothel.
She made my skin crawl because she reminded me so much of Sango. Her dark down eyes were inwardly lit by a fiery soul, just like Sango. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes when I told him and asked for another girl to be brought to the palace but once again, the sight of her long silky black hair made me think of Sango.
Soon, the palace was flooded with hopeful girls, thus annoying Sesshomaru to no end but he endured the gushing females with his cool collected attitude. I saw some of them gave the two inu brothers seductive and inviting looks but the older inu let those attempts slip by him meanwhile the younger inu acted much like everyone expected him to act. He’s oblivious to those lust filled gazes.
My inability to choose frustrated Inuyasha, and he growled at me.
“Just pick one to get along with, Miroku, you only have one more week.”
“I can’t! They all remind me of Sango. I can’t help but compare them.” I am unable to conquer these feelings, if I could then I’d be much happier without memories of Sango.
Inuyasha raked his claws through his white hair.
“Maybe…” Sesshomaru looks at me contemplatively.
“Maybe what?” I looked at him with hopeful eyes.
“Maybe your lover should be a male.”
Well that floored me. Of all the things I expected for him to say, that never crossed my mind, why would it?
“What?! That’s ridiculous!” Sesshomaru had finally lost his mind.
“No, it’s not. You kept comparing the females with the taijiya, so why don’t you try a man? Less comparing if it’s a man.”
What a ridiculous logic. It is confirmed then, that Sesshomaru had finally lost his marbles, lucky me that I was the one to witness it. Please notice the sarcasm.
“It’s worth a try Miroku.” Now…the insanity spread to Inuyasha.
“It won’t work; I’d still compare her to him. Her strength and her…er…womanly attributes.” I tried to reason with both crazy inus.
Inuyasha snorted but Sesshomaru looks unruffled by my declining his theory. I felt a trickle of worry seep into me, Sesshomaru was not the type to accept a ‘no’ so easily, and especially when he think that his theories are plausible.
A man as my lover?
How am I supposed to act towards a man? How do two male lovers interact? Is it the same as with women…though…according to Shippo, my methods with the female species weren’t that successful.
Must be the groping part, it never got any positive feedback.
Looking into Sesshomaru’s calculating amber eyes made me consider running away from this palace and hide until everyone forgets about me, the once perverted monk that was turned down by his first love.
The more I thought of that the more convinced I am that running away was the best option to take.
It’ll spare me the humiliation and embarrassment even if the heartache would never go away.
Tbc…
A: Will Miroku run? Who will be his date to Sango's wedding?
S: Find out next time as we adjourn in depicting his tale!*lol* This was so. LOVED Sesshy as I think I already said.
A: Maaa...I’m sorry but I can’t help but added a few stuffs up there.
S: They were good! Really gave the story deepness. And humor, can't forget that. XD
A: The groping part huh???