Interest

A/N Thanks for the lovely comments, ya'll! almost there - one more chapter after this. I really want to do an epilogue someday, but probably not for a while, so for the moment - just the next chapter. :-)

Summary: Miroku looks the future in the face
Theme: Future

All the following warnings MAY apply to all chapters, but WILL apply at sometime in the story: MPREG, anal, oral, humor, N/C, H/C, hand job, blow job, WAFF, M/M, Rim, Spanking (mild)

Chapter 23 - Future

Miroku had always known that women had the power to confound men’s minds. He’d experienced it himself more times than he could count. Seeing the curve of a soft hip, or the vulnerability of a dainty wrist, would make Miroku’s brain disappear into a muddle of desire and babbling idiocy.

At least, it used to.

However, he’d never before realized just how much power a pregnant woman had. Not that he was a woman, but if Miroku happened to mention a desire – any desire – to Inuyasha, he could guarantee that Inuyasha would rush off to fulfill it. Shrimp, a silk pillow, a new fable to entertain himself with.

Miroku had never realized how much power over their mates females had at this point in their lives.

It was a good thing, too, or he never would have been able to get Inuyasha to go search for oyster mushrooms at this time of year, with snow thick on the ground. And without that, Inuyasha would still be here with Miroku, sitting on the mats after the most humiliatingly intimate exam of Miroku’s life.

“Well, Kaede-sama? Did you…find anything?” He shifted in his seat, his backside stinging from deep inside.

Finishing cleaning off her hand, she shook her head. Her eyes were dark.

He swallowed and tried to smile. “Well, we didn’t truly think the child was lodged somewhere in my bowels. That is good news, I would think.”

“Miroku-“ She sighed and reached out to pat his leg. “I’m sorry.”

Miroku continued to smile, no matter what it cost him, and finally shrugged, looking down at his belly. The little one inside pressed out hard from both sides, as though it were stretching. He could feel something tiny, round, and hard bump against the scar in the middle of his right hand.

Almost like the baby’s hand.

A now-familiar heat lodged in his chest and he pressed gently at the spot, chuckling softly as the babe punched out at him even harder in response.

Not even born yet, and it already had Inuyasha’s personality.

Spreading his hand over the small bump, Miroku could feel it shoving against his palm, as though their hands were connecting. This was his baby’s hand, he would swear it was. The first hand from his line in four generations that would never be cursed with pain and that damned wind tunnel.

Although it looked like the little one would, once again, be a child of Miroku’s line that grew up without a father. One of his fathers, in any case.

His eyes stung and Kaede’s grip tightened over his knee. “Miroku, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine. We both knew it was a possibility.”

Not that either of them had said it out loud, not in front of Inuyasha. The hanyou panicked over Miroku stubbing his toe; there was no way that either Kaede or Miroku were going to bring up the worry of how the baby was going to get out. Having it occupying his bowels- where it would simply emerge, albeit painfully - had seemed ludicrous. Wouldn’t Miroku have been unable to defecate at this point?

Inuyasha had missed the logic, teasing the other day that the way Miroku was going to pop the little brat out, they might be in danger of a real shithead for a son.

Miroku had pointed out that they might have a daughter, instead, and that had distracted his lover from thinking on it any further. Miroku wished he could ignore the realities as much himself. Because if the baby wasn’t lodged where Miroku had an opening, then… Then Miroku had no way to get the baby out.

And he was not going to die and take the baby into the afterlife with him.

“You’ll make sure to get it out when the time comes, Kaede, yes?”

She nodded, her age showing with the slow creak of her neck. “I’m sorry, Miroku. If there was another way… I have something that can put you to sleep for the pain-“

“No.”

“Miroku, you cannot stay awake while I slice open your belly.” There was a stern glare and he returned it.

“I will not give up the only moments I will have with my child.”

She sighed and put her hand over his. “Miroku… I am not sure it would be safe for the babe if you were awake. The stress on your body would be considerable, and sudden. It’s a different type of reaction than a true birth. But…I can try to put you under lightly so that you may wake before the blood loss overwhelms you. And there is the small chance that I can mend the wound.”

He met her look with a disbelieving smile. “But it’s highly unlikely, is it not? I’m not likely to survive this.”

She didn’t look away, but her face told him the answer before her words did. “No. No, I’m afraid not.”

“My sleeping will be better for my…child?”

“I believe so.”

“Then I suppose that’s what shall have to be done, then. Will you-“ Miroku swallowed, ignored the sting in his eyes, and looked down at his belly again. “Will you watch out for Inuyasha? He’ll blame himself, and I don’t want-“ He couldn’t finish. His throat was too tight.

“Miroku, of course. We’ll make sure he stays close. Hanako is due next month. She has a compassionate temperament; I don’t believe she’ll have any trouble playing wetnurse to a hanyou babe, when the time comes. But I’ll make certain she doesn’t keep the little one in the house. Inuyasha will need to take your child to her when it’s hungry. It will keep him involved.”

Miroku nodded, still not trusting his own voice.

“We will all watch out for the little one, Miroku. A child born because of the jewel will always be welcome and cared for here. You need have no worry about it having a home.”

“That’s…good to hear. Thank you, Kaede.” Miroku couldn’t talk without his voice cracking, but she didn’t mention it. “We can…work out the details later, yes? About when to- About what day -“

“There’s time still to prepare yourself, yes.” She leaned over and embraced him for one of the first times Miroku could remember, whispering in his ear. “Spend some time with Inuyasha. He will miss you grievously, monk. As much as over Kagome’s loss, if not more.”

Miroku was shaking his head as she pulled back. “He’ll recover. This connection was not of his own choosing, you know that, Kaede. And I think having a child of his own will help with the loss of a friend.” It helped him, too, thinking of Inuyasha holding a little bundle in his arms. Miroku simply knew the man would be ridiculously overprotective.

Thinking of Inuyasha trying to order a child of his own temperament to stay put was enough to have Miroku chuckle, even if the same image pricked at his heart when he thought of never seeing it. Knowing it would exist, though…that was something precious.

As precious as his own unspoken feelings for his lover.

“The loss of a friend, eh?” Kaede shook her head. “I think you undervalue your place in his life, Miroku.”

“Kaede, we’ve had this discussion before.”

“Hmmm, yes. And somehow, I still believe I am correct.” She smiled at him before turning away and gathering up her supplies.

Miroku went about the business of standing without continuing the conversation. They’d already spoken on this a number of times, when Inuyasha was otherwise engaged. The hanyou might be solicitous beyond words, and still sexually active, but that didn’t mean he felt more for Miroku than anyone would feel for a friend and lover. Especially one bearing his child.

Still such a strange thing to contemplate.

Both of them stayed silent as Miroku struggled to his feet. He just managed to stand fully when Inuyasha came barreling into the hut.

“Awright, I got your damn mushrooms, monk, but you’d better eat every last one, because they were a bitch to find!”

Standing just inside the door, his hair flaring behind him, his cheeks flushed brightly enough from the cold to match his robes, Inuyasha looked absolutely beautiful. Miroku’s breath caught in his throat and his lips curved up. He couldn’t stop them. So irritable and loud, dramatic, and yet his hands were the complete opposite as he dropped the mushrooms carefully into Miroku’s. And this…the next few weeks were going to be the very last days he’d have to look at Inuyasha this way. To touch him. To feel how delicately he touched Miroku, like something so fine it might break.

Like he cared for Miroku as much as Miroku cared for him.

It might be due to the pregnancy, but…Miroku wouldn’t live long enough for his own personal illusion to completely shatter. He could be honest with Kaede, as logical about Inuyasha as he knew he should be, but in his own head?

He wanted to believe she was right.

Inuyasha stepped close to Miroku, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “Kaede-baba, the monk behave himself and let you check him over?”

“Of course, Inuyasha.” Kaede continued gathering her things, barely looking at him. “He was quite cooperative.”

“Good.” Inuyasha sniffed and stared at her hard. “There…there wasn’t anythin’ wrong, was there? He’s doing good, right? And the baby, too?”

“Of course.” She turned briefly – Miroku could see the effort she made to look irritated. “They’re both very healthy right now. Now take him back home, already. Old women need their sleep, and I won’t have time to ready myself for bed if you linger.”

Inuyasha grunted, picking Miroku up. “Like you ever sleep. Some human will come whining to you in the middle of the night, like always.” He looked down at Miroku and grinned at him. “Let’s go home, monk. It’s getting late, and you gotta take care of yourself. Get a little more sleep.”

Inuyasha’s eyes darkened to a crimson tinged goldenrod and Miroku swallowed. He didn’t think sleep was what he was going to be getting once they got home.

And now…Inuyasha’s eyes weren’t always crimson when it happened. The hanyou might pretend, but Miroku had caught the golden glow in them a few weeks before as Inuyasha had come to him at night and kissed him. Pretending it was nothing different than any time before, Miroku had embraced him back, then leaned into his touch as he buried his hands in Inuyasha’s hair. Inuyasha had lain down behind him and the rest of the night had been slow, deep, and exquisite.

If Inuyasha felt desire for him, even when his youkai wasn’t in charge, that was more than Miroku had EVER expected. It was a gift, even though a small one. They’d been intimate for so many months now, it was unlikely it meant anything more than familiarity and the lust one sometimes felt around a close companion in these circumstances.

If anyone had ever been in these circumstances.

But Miroku didn’t say he knew what was going on, and Inuyasha never said a word, so those nights simply helped feed Miroku’s small delusion. Considering how this would end, he didn’t think there was any harm. Inuyasha wouldn’t begrudge what he didn’t know.

Closing his eyes, Miroku leaned his head against Inuyasha’s chest as he was carried out of the hut.

“Monk? You okay?”

“I’m fine.” Miroku kept his eyes closed, clutching the small batch of frozen mushrooms while concentrating on the feel of Inuyasha’s arms around him. The pine and earth scent of him. “I’m just…tired.”

“Dammit, monk, have you been doing too much again? How many times have I gotta tell you to take it easy? You’ve got a baby in there! What the hell do you think you’re doing, running around…”

Miroku smiled to himself as Inuyasha continued to berate him while they walked.

Deluded or not, it was good to feel loved.