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Sango was furious with her husband.
Miroku insisted on working a lot, though as far as she was concerned, it wasn’t necessary for him to work quite as much as he did. But that wasn’t why she was mad at him.
Given his aversion to turning down work, he had double booked appointments for the day and had asked her to accompany Inuyasha to exterminate a youkai at the residence of a wealthy, regular client of theirs.
“I’m sure Inuyasha can handle that on his own,” she had said the day before, as she hung laundry to dry.
“The extermination, yes. Collecting the payment, no. This is a regular client, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble, but I think it’s good to have a human go with him given their mistrust of youkai.”
“And our children?”
“Kagome-sama is available to watch them tomorrow.”
“Oh. So it’s all sorted,” she sighed.
But that wasn’t why she was mad at him, either.
She was mad at him because when she and Inuyasha arrived at the client’s residence, the daughter of the lord, a pretty young thing named Hana, had pouted and sulked when she heard that Miroku was not with them this time.
“Such a shame that Miroku-sama is otherwise engaged…” Hana lamented. She looked, to Sango, like she hadn’t worked a day in her life.
“Yes, well. My associate and I are more than capable of addressing the problem,” Sango said as evenly as she could. Inuyasha sniffed from the back of the hall, she assumed out of annoyance at being referred to as an ‘associate.’ It couldn’t be helped – many humans simply wouldn’t do business with him.
“Well, we appreciate you both for coming,” the lord boomed. “As Miroku-sama may have explained, we house an ancient family heirloom here that attracts undesirable youkai from time to time.”
“Yes, he mentioned. A sword,” Sango said, somewhat impatiently. That some people insisted on keeping cursed artifacts was beyond her, but she supposed it meant they would never run out of work.
“Exactly. Lately, a boar youkai from the forest seems to have been driven mad and has been causing some…rather expensive property damage. We’ve reinforced the residence, but we would be much obliged if you hunt the thing down in the woods and…take care of it.”
“Of course,” she bowed her head.
…
Sango seethed as she tromped towards the woods, Inuyasha following behind her.
“Oi. Sango.”
“What?” she snapped, looking back at him.
Inuyasha jumped back at her outburst. “I was just going to say…you don’t have to worry about that girl.”
Sango turned away from him and continued into the woods. “You don’t have to lie for him.”
“I’m not. And I wouldn’t.” Inuyasha said as he followed her, sounding offended. “Really. She likes him, but he hasn’t done anything…”
“Right. Sure. Whatever.” She stomped on.
“He’s gotten a lot better. These days he only cares about you and the kids.”
“And yet somehow he still manages to have girls pining over him. I’m sure that’s just a coincidence, right?” she said, rolling her eyes.
“He’s a still a pretty boy, what do you expect?”
Sango stopped abruptly and put her head in her hands. “I’m such a fool…” Where are these tears coming from?
“Oh come on,” Inuyasha said, exasperated. “I mean, yeah, he’s a con artist, a liar, and a thief…”
Sango let out a sob.
“But I promise, he hasn’t been out with other women. I would know if he was. Don’t…don’t cry,” Inuyasha said, awkwardly patting her shoulder.
“Really?” She said, looking up at him, tears in her eyes.
“Yeah. Believe me, no one’s more surprised than I am…but he told me he’s really trying to be better for you.”
Sango felt her anger start to melt. She knew it was true, that he was trying. “…I know. I know he is. Thank you.”
“Sure.”
Suddenly filled with embarrassment at her outburst, Sango wiped her eyes with her sleeve and continued into the woods. “I guess we should find this boar…”
“Yeah, I promised Kagome we’d be back the same day.”
“This won’t take longer than that – see that downed tree?”
“Yeah, I have its scent. We’re not too far.”
“I want to get back to the kids today, too,” Sango said. “It’s nice of Kagome-chan to watch them.”
“She doesn’t mind at all. She loves them.”
“Yes, she really loves children…” Sango said, glancing back at him, eyebrows raised.
“What.” Inuyasha glowered at her.
“Well, surely she’d like some of her own…” Sango said, kneeling down to look at some tracks.
“She…said that?” But just then, they heard a crash from somewhere in the woods. “It’s here,” Inuyasha said, hand on Tessaiga’s hilt.
The boar tore into the clearing. Sango prepared to launch Hiraikotsu, but Inuyasha put his hand up to stop her and addressed the youkai.
“Oi! Stop bothering the rich humans!” Inuyasha bellowed. The boar snarled and charged him.
“Inuyasha, he’s crazed…” It was clear to Sango that this was not the time for diplomacy.
“Yeah, because of that damned sword…” Inuyasha muttered. He drew Tessaiga and put the creature out of its misery.
…
After collecting their payment – absurdly generous due to Miroku’s prior negotiations – Sango and Inuyasha walked back to the village.
Inuyasha looked like he had a bad taste in his mouth. “I can’t stand humans like that…”
“Me neither. But they keep food in our mouths, I guess…” Sango shrugged.
“That boar didn’t need to die. It went crazy because of that sword they have.”
“Maybe Houshi-sama can sort out the curse on it next time.”
“Maybe, yeah…”
They walked in silence for a bit.
“Kagome…told you she wants a kid?” Inuyasha stammered, eventually.
Sango could not believe they were having this conversation, though she supposed it was her fault for teasing him about it earlier.
“She’s mentioned it…” Sango said. “Have you guys talked about it?”
“…Kind of. I just never really imagined being a dad…” he managed.
Sango looked at Inuyasha. It amazed her that he could be the strongest person for miles around and yet still lack confidence.
“You’d be a good father. You’re a good person – you wanted to save that boar today, even though it was past saving. Kagome-chan sees that too.”
“I don’t know, kids seem kind of…annoying…”
“They can be,” Sango chuckled. “Having kids the hardest and best thing I’ve ever done. Houshi-sama would agree…”
“The truth is, I don’t know if I’ll be a good dad…but I know Kagome would be a good mom. Maybe that’s reason enough.”
“She would be. You’ll have each other. And you’ll have us too, just around the corner.”
…
Back at the house, Sango found Miroku.
“You’re back already! Where are the kids?”
“Kagome-sama took them out somewhere. Wow, I forgot how sexy you are in your taijiya outfit…” he said, pulling her close to him.
“It doesn’t fit as well as it used to…” Her curves had filled out a bit since she’d had children, so her taijiya outfit was tighter than it had been.
“Really? I think it fits even better than before,” he said, eyebrows raised. “So how was it?”
“Fine, easy enough. Though Inuyasha seemed upset about that cursed sword they have…it drove a boar youkai mad.”
“They wouldn’t let me near it last time…I’ll have to find a way to deal with that.”
“Well, the lord’s daughter has a crush on you so that could be an in…”
“So you could tell,” he sighed. “I promise I didn’t do anything to lead her on…”
“Inuyasha vouched for you.”
“You’ll also notice I sent you and Inuyasha to handle that job, while I went to perform an exorcism for an old man with a stench about him.”
“You’re practically a saint.”
“I don’t know about that…” he said as he started to unbutton her outfit, kissing her neck.
“Houshi-sama…” she laughed.
Others could pine for Miroku all they wanted, but he had married her. Only she knew him like this. She vowed to remember that the next time she felt jealous.
…
Miroku and Sango were conspicuously late to pick up their children at Inuyasha and Kagome’s house.
“I’m exhausted…” Kagome said after they left, falling into Inuyasha’s arms.
“But you like them, right?”
“The kids? Oh I would die for them, but they sure have a way of wearing you out.”
“Do you…want one?”
She pulled away a bit so she could look at him. “Do…you want one?”
“I asked you first!”
“Yes, I do, but I wasn’t sure if you did.”
“I do if you do,” he said gruffly. “You’d be a great mom, Kagome.”
“Oh thank you thank you thank you!” she said kissing his cheek several times in a row in a way he found both annoying and cute. “I’m so excited to see you as a dad!” she squealed.
Even now, it still surprised him that this was his life – that he wasn’t alone in the world, that he had friends, and that Kagome was his wife. He had never allowed himself to consider having a family when he was younger. But now, somehow, it just made sense.