Consequences

Disclaimer: Cahracters belong to Rumiko Takahashi, I'm just borrowing them and making Inuyasha and Miroku do nauhgty, naughty things to each other. And as ever thanks to my beta Serenity for her time and love for this little fic. *hugs*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He can love me for who I am. There is no pretense, no future world messing it up. He knows me, where I come from. What I need and what I am. It’s all real to him, not a game. And I love him.

Inuyasha rehearsed this little speech inside his head and finally sighed dejectedly. Would she listen? And why should she? He had never rerouted her affections or given her a straightforward ’no’, but the relationship between them had been vague, undetermined. Damn.

”Hello love...” (A/N: Sorry for that, too much Jack Sparrow exposure lately..)

Miroku. Nonchalant with their love and now very happy of the chance to love his lithe hanyou openly. Their love only marred by Sesshomaru’s enigmatic prophecy that Inuyasha would inevitably leave Miroku in the future and by Inuyasha’s cryptic state of health. For Miroku still didn’t quite believe Inuyasha when he claimed of being pregnant.

”Hi Miroku.”

The monk sat next Inuyasha who had been lost in his toughs under a tree by the stream near-by Kaede’s village. Inuyasha snuggled close to him and they shared a sweet, loving kiss. Miroku threw his arm around the hanyou as he set his head to rest on the crook of Miroku’s neck.

”I was thinking about Kagome. Even though we were never together I feel like I betrayed her.”

The hanyou pouted. He wasn’t used to thinking about such delicate matters; he was more a man of actions, not of delicate play on words.

”Do you think she hates me now?”

”Inuyasha, no-one could ever hate you. Well they can, like Sesshomaru...but the point is, that I’ll always love you.”

”Yes, and you’d never cheat on me with a girl like Sango thought you had.”

The hanyou reminisced how it had all unraveled four days ago when he had answered to Sango’s inquiry of why Miroku had fainted by saying he was to became a father. She had accused him of double-play, defending Inuyasha and promising to beat Miroku for him. Inuyasha had hastily explained that there was no other, that it was he who was pregnant. She was hard at believing him at first, but then it came to her from a distant memory that she had in fact heard someone mention about the ambiguousness of demon procreation.

The monk was harder to convince it seemed.

”I don’t need anyone but you...” The monk murmured affectionately and stole a light kiss. Then he hugged Inuyasha close to him.

”She’ll come back.”

”But it’s been days!”

”She has been away for longer.”

”Not this upset she has...”

Inuyasha sighed and looked at the sky. Would she come back and search for the shards with them, or would she stay in her own time for good? And would she ever be able to forgive his lies? It hadn’t been blatant lying, just omitting things and keeping it secret.

”And how is the happy couple this fine morning?”

Sango interrupted his reverie and he and Miroku turned to face her. She had been non faced by their relationship, revealing to them that she had already guessed even before the episode after Sesshomaru’s attack. But she understood why they had wanted to keep it secret.

She hated to break the idyll but she knew that she must. She sighed.

”Kouga has come to the village. He thinks Inuyasha is hiding Kagome somewhere.”

The pair stared at her. Inuyasha’s face darkened, this was one confrontation he had hope he’d hoped he could have avoided a little longer. He sighed dejectedly and got up. Miroku stood up too; there was no way he was going to let his lover face the wolf prince while he was still sick.

They walked back to the village after Sango.

Kouga was waiting at Kaede’s hut. He looked up as Inuyasha and Miroku entered.

”Hey mutt, where’s Kagome?”

”She’s not here.”

Kouga rumpled his nose and sniffed around, and then he stared at Inuyasha and Miroku and their joined hands.

”You’re with him?” He demanded, stupefied.

”Yes.”

The wolf prince’s eyes widened as he sniffed some more.

”So they are true, aren’t they?”

”Yes.”

”And you and Kagome won’t ?...”

”Well of course not!”

Miroku wrapped his wind tunnel riddled hand around Inuyasha’s shoulders.

”Kagome was...upset by us. She left for her own world. We expect that she’ll return in time. We hope.”

Kouga sat up and paced the floor. He had not expected this. Maybe a fight with Inuyasha to clear things up, but he couldn’t harm him. No-one could. It was in their ancient laws. The youkai royalty had their codes of honor of which one was: harm no unborn youkai.

”Right, I’ll come back later. But I’ll clear things with you later, mutt. Because you made Kagome cry.”

Inuyasha nodded in agreement. He thanked the ancient youkai for putting some boundaries for vendettas and brawls. He wouldn’t have to fight any youkai who respected the old ways because of his condition. Only if he could convince Miroku of it. He really wondered how the monk actually had not noticed his slight weight gain. Well they hadn’t been intimate since Sesshomaru had attacked, he had just been too distracted by the whole fiasco with Kagome.

The air just swished around as Kouga made his exit. Miroku hugged Inuyasha tightly.

”He didn’t fight you because you’re human?”

”No, because I’m pregnant.”

”Come on!”

”This is how little you trust your lover?”

Inuysha drew back, teary-eyed. He gestured wildly with his hands.

”You claim to love me but won’t believe me in such an important matter?”

”Inuysha...”

But the hanyou had already turned his back on him and left the hut leaving him stand there, stunned.

”You should not upset him at his condition, he’s very fragile emotionally right now.”

Miroku turned around and spotted Kaede sitting quietly in a corner. She looked smug, if it was even possible for a respected miko to look smug.

”What, he’s actually serious with this, that he’s..he’s...”

Thump.

And Miroku had again fainted and lay sprawled on the floor. Sango and Kaede looked at him and they both sighed. For a person who had suggested to numerous women that they carry his child he sure fainted fast as the truth that he was becoming a father finally sunk in.

”I’ll go and find Inuyasha.”

”Aye, he should not stray far at the moment, being human is now the least of his worries.

Sango nodded curtly and left the hut in search of the shaken hanyou. She found him where he had been earlier with Miroku. He was huddled under the tree by the river, crying. She watched him rock back and forth, sobs raking his lithe form. Sango knelt next to him and lay her hand comfortingly onto his shoulder. He turned and threw his arms around her and cried his heart out.

”He doesn’t love me anymore!”

The demon exterminator was taken aback by this, but keeping in mind that he was fragile she tried to give him any comfort she could.

”I’m sure he does. He’s just a little surprised, I think.” She soothed him, patting his back comfortingly.

”It is not every day you hear your male lover being with your child. I think that it was hard for him to believe because does not happen among humans.”

She smirked a little as she remembered how Miroku’s face had blanched when he’d finally realized the truth. But this brought another bout of tears from Inuyasha.

”No, I didn’t...I just remembered how he looked when he finally realized it was true.”

Inuysha hiccuped a little and looked at Sango, tears still streaking his face.

”What do you mean?”

”After you stormed out Kaede reminded him of your condition and it finally sank in. He fainted.”

The hanyou bounded up.

”What? I have to see him!”

And with that he tore off from Sango and ran for the village. Sango sighed and leaned against the tree, life would surely be very interesting from now on.

* * *

Inuysha stormed into Kaede’s hut in search of his lover. He saw Miroku laying on the bedding with Kaede watching over him. He hurried over to him and knelt beside him, looking at him tenderly.

”Miroku...”

The other did not blink nor stir. The old miko sat there, observing them both in silence. After what seemed the longest time, the monks coughing disturbed the silence that had fallen. Inuysha looked his lovers eyelids flutter and finally sprang open.

”Inuysha!”

”I’m here.” He answered affectionately. ”And I’ve been told that you finally got it.”

”You’re having a baby...” Miroku looked at him tenderly. He outstretched his hand and lay it on Inuysha’s abdomen, softly stroking it...our baby.”

Their eyes locked and they stayed like that, dead to the world, for the longest time. Kaede left the hut without them even noticing, giving them much needed privacy.

Finally, Miroku sat up and captured Inuyasha’s face between his cupped hands.

”I love you...” Then they melted into the sweetest and deepest kiss of their lives, lingering on each others lips till they needed to breathe, speaking their love through their conjoined mouths.

Inuyasha lay on top of Miroku, lost in their kisses, the monk’s hand straying down Inuysha’s back to caress his bottom. Inuyasha’s breath hitched and he rested his head on Miroku’s shoulder, laying his forehead on the wooden floor. He raised his head slowly and ravaged his lovers mouth. They both fumbled hastily with their clothing, and soon their labored breathing filled the hut, their naked bodies writhing and limbs entangling.

Hands sought out pleasurable spots and heated whispers were followed by sweet nothings. Inusyasha extended his hand in search of the tiny crevice. He crooked one saliva slicked finger inside Miroku, making the monk sob on his shoulder, trying to keep the volume down.

”I can’t take you dry...” The hanyou hated to admit it as he was so aroused he could have taken the monk there and then, even without anything to ease the way, but he would not hurt his lover.

”Yes you can... I can’t leave this hut today if you don’t...”

Inuysha knew the truth in his lover’s words, he doubted even he could leave it at that. They both needed something more physical. His eyes darted around the hut and landed on a jar of something green, a kind of ointment. He went to it and took a bit on his finger, it didn’t feel that bad. He returned to the monk. Miroku lay on the floor, waiting, slowly running his hand along his cock, shuddering in anticipation. Inuyasha lay beside him and repositioned his hand back on his buttocks, a liberal amount of the herbal ointment on his fingers. He dipped finger after finger inside Miroku, the other praying for more and urging him to hurry.

Finally four fingers brushed against Miroku’s prostrate, and the monk muffled his screams biting the hem of his robes. Inuyasha stopped stretching Miroku, slicked his cock with ointment and positioned himself on his entrance. He slid in slowly, supporting Miroku’s topmost leg to gain access. He threw the blanket over them, if someone came that would ensure even some modicum of privacy, though Kaede would make sure their private moment would not be intruded upon.

Inuysha started off with an almost frantic pace, Miroku mirroring his every thrust. The monk began pumping his cock, pleasure hazing his thoughts. Inuyasha showered kisses on his back, and a slight change in angle almost sent the monk over the edge. They panted and moaned. Miroku turned and sought out Inuyasha’s mouth and they came, their kiss swallowing the screams of pleasure.

They lazed under the covers, snuggling close to each other, sated.

”I love you.” Miroku whispered.

Miroku turned to face him.

”We’ll be a family...”

Inuyasha froze.

”What?”

”Sorry, it just sounded so...nice, actually. I really haven’t had a proper family since my mother died. What with a brother who wants to kill me every now and then.”

”And I love you too...” Inuyasha added tenderly, surprised at how good the thought made him feel.

A family, they would be a family. Only the unsolved situation with Kagome seemed to cloud his mind.

* * * *

Miroku and Inuyasha lived the next few days in new-found bliss. Miroku was particularly tender towards Inuyasha and avoided upsetting him at all costs. The question of whether the group would continue their pursuit after the Shikon jewel was left hanging. None knew if Kagome would be willing to aid them and if she would return at all. Although Inuyasha was in the early stages of his pregnancy, Miroku was apprehensive if he should follow them on their search at all. For whatever unwritten codes of conduct the youkai royalty might follow, that would not necessarily apply to the common youkai and definitely not to your average bandits. Miroku felt that if Inuyasha came with them, he would knowingly risk their unborn child. But he knew that the hanyou wouldn’t be easy to convince to stay behind. Fighting was in his blood.

But deep in Miroku’s heart there still was a speck of unbelief. Could Inuyasha, a male, really be with child, his child? He confronted Sango with this question a few days later.

”What have you heard about demon males getting pregnant?”

”Why do you ask?”

”You seemed easy in believing it initially, unlike me, so you must have heard something.”

They sat side by side. Miroku had interrupted Sango’s reverie, she had been gazing into the distance. She must have been thinking about his brother, the monk had mused when he broke into her company, her little brother held up by Naraku by a devious plot. He had sat beside her and had started talking.

”Procreation is ambiguous among youkai, it is told. To them, but not all youkai, it’s not bound to gender who carries the offspring. Not like us humans. But I don’t think that it happens that often, you heard Kouga mentioning ’So they are true.’ Or then it has to do with what kind of youkai they are. The inu-youkai must have the ability since by Inuyasha’s words Sesshomaru was not surprised by him being pregnant, not because he’s male, I mean.”

”Oh..”

”It came to me only when Inuyasha mentioned it.”

Miroku knew that Sango wouldn’t lie, and the last traces of denial melted from his heart. He would be a father, they would really have a child. He had subconsciously given that up when it was clear to him that he would be with Inuyasha for the rest of his life, for the rest of his short life. Now he would be leaving something behind, something of his and Inuyasha’s. When he would be gone... He did not harbor serious hopes that they would defeat Naraku someday. Maybe...but it would be difficult.

And someday their child might revenge his or her forebears.

Miroku got up and left Sango to her thoughts. They were both troubled. But Sango would be alone with her thoughts when Miroku had Inuyasha to distract and soothe his fears and to make him feel alive.

He met Inuyasha sitting in Kaede’s hut. He gave a kiss on his hanyo’s brow and sat next to him. Kaede had been talking with him. Now he offered tee to the monk, Inuyasha was already sipping from a cup.

”I find this most unusual, a male being pregnant. I’ll have to observe Inuyasha closely, as I already told him.” Kaede said, focusing her stern gaze at the hanyou, who looked a bit guilty. He shifted where he sat.

”So he should stay here, you think?”

”I’m not...”

”Well, as he is now human. It puts a greater strain on his body. If he was in his hanyou-body I think it would be more normal to him. But as it is his human body isn’t as adjusted to the strain. While human, he still isn’t quite like us.”

”I..”

Miroku was interrupted by a silent knock on the door.

”She has come.” They heard Sango’s voice muffled by the door.

* * * *

Inuyasha met Kagome at the edge of the woods. Sango had said that she would not come into the village before she had talked to him first. Miroku was concerned that she would use ’sit’ on him. But he figured that however mad she would be he would not hurt him bodily, he hoped.

The moment Inuyasha reached Kagome, who stood silent, her hands balled up to fists, she slapped him. There was an eternity in that action. But Inuyasha knew he deserved it.

”I can’t use the beads on you... But, you deserve to be...happy.”

The hanyou’s eyes shot open. Kagome stepped forward and hugged him.

”I love you, but I want you to be happy. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me, before.”

She was crying on his shoulder. Letting him go was the right thing. She had seen them together and the love they shared. She couldn’t compete with that. She had spent the last week at home, crying. She didn’t leave her room, not even to go to school. She had thoroughly freaked her mother out.

”I should have told you...” Inuyasha patted the girls back. He felt bad for her. Love denied always hurt.

”I love him.”

”I know. I saw it that day... But it was hard for me to accept because it meant letting you go.”

”You know I still care for you...but you’re like a sister for me.”

Kagome wiped away her tears and backed slightly from the hanyou. In the background, near the edge of the woods, the village silhouetting him, was Miroku. He looked fidgety and nervous. She hugged Inuyasha once more.

”You should go to him...He worries.”

Inuyasha glanced at her. Should he tell her about the child? Would she support him with that? ’I have to, she’ll know eventually.’

She had turned to go to the village. He reached out and stopped her.

”I’m having his child. That’s why I’ve been ill.”

She went motionless. But there was a tremor he felt where his hand rested on her shoulder. There was silence. Then he heard her answer.

”I’m happy for you.”

But to him that she didn’t turn bode ill. He knew she needed to be alone right now. So he left. She turned as he passed her, her hair swaying in the motion.

* * * *

Sango emerged from the shadows and went to Kagome who sat hunched under a tree, near to where they gave way to fields.

She hugged the girl, offering silent comfort. Both their hearts would never be whole again. Sango having lost family and Kagome her first love. In time their hearts would mend, leaving behind only a sweet aching. A rip in the fabric of their memories, only to be mended by new memories.