Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha & co...still waiting on the note of ownership I asked for...

Rating: R to NC-17 (FOR A REASON, CHILDREN)

Pairing(s): Miroku/Sango

Summary: Miroku and Sango on a night together...and alone. Will they ever have a decent conversation...or more importantly, confess their love?

A/N: This story was inspired by a drawing done by Druihd. You can find it here (just delete all spaces): h t t p : d r u i h d . s t a z e . o r g / l o n e l y s o u l s . h t m l

Chapter 1

The figure of a woman was seen silently sliding the shoji door that opened to the windy world outside. She had woken up to its howling call, and just couldn't seem to fall back asleep since.

She clasped her hands together above her head and stretched her arms upward, popping small kinks out of her sore back.

The day before, the small group she was associated with ran across a small town. The houshi had said for there to be a cursed spirit nearby, and had gotten them all a place to stay for some real comfort from the outdoors.

'And not a moment too soon, houshi-sama,' she thought to herself as she walked out to the small porch of the house they were staying in.

She rested her elbow on the railing of the porch, cupping her face in her hand. Her hair, freed from its usual binding, seemed to have a mind of its own, playing with the violent winds, as was her sleeping yukata that was borrowed from the village.

She gazed up at the night sky, brow furrowed in deep thought, as she felt a warm, furry nuzzle on the back of her naked leg that was vulnerable to the cold.

She smiled warmly as she rounded the banister to sit on a high step, the tiny fire cat bouncing gracefully into her lap.

She stroked Kirara's fur absently, her eyes still trained to the twinkling stars above her, memories flooding her mind. Only…these memories of her family weren't like the usual ones. Not like the memories that had her jerking awake in the middle of the night from her sleep. These were ones that made her feel warm inside, almost…peaceful. Despite the harsh conditions of the weather, they were slowly putting a small smile on her lips and making her honey eyes shine in remembrance.

'Unlike last night,' she thought with a slight scowl contorting her face, 'much unlike last night…'

The night before, the mismatched band of shard-seekers stopped for the night at the edge of a small clearing. She had fallen asleep only a while after putting a certain hentai monk into unconsciousness with her Hiraikotsu. She awoke only to cry with the reliving of the death of the taijiya in her dreams. The reliving of her younger brother being controlled to kill them all, the pain of him stabbing her, the memory of his face in horror after knowing what he had done, the reliving of…horror.

She had awakened from the worst nightmare of all…only to see him.

Him. That look of pure concern on his face, the smell of sandalwood and musky incense she had always him to carry, the feel of two warm hands on her cheeks and of cool robes flowing swiftly over her face and around her shoulders as he held her sobbing form; never leaving her senses until she had fallen back asleep.

'Where is houshi-sama?' she thought to herself while looking at her pet, almost as if expecting to find the answer from her.

"Mew!" came the uncertain answer.

They had all gotten sent to separate quarters for the night. The only rooms open were for couples, so they all agreed to share them that way than sleeping on the ground once again. Her and Miroku. Inuyasha and Kagome.

Her eyebrows plunged deeply over her eyes, 'He wasn't in the room when I woke up, either…'

Realizing this, she decided to find him and try to convince him to sleep at least ONCE in his nocturnal life.

As she slowly stood, Kirara jumped out of her resting place rather irritated, mewing softly. Sango dusted herself off and patted the small fire cat on the head, reassuring that she'd be back. She turned, one hand on the railing to climb back up the steps, only to stop when she saw a lone figure resting against the doorway, his staff habitually pulled close to his chest and his eyes mesmerized by the night sky, as hers were not too long ago.

"Houshi-sama." she stated with her brows raised high in surprise, only to drop back down in a quizzical manner, "Where were you?"

His violet eyes sought her face slowly, almost shamefully, "I needed time to think."

"Oh," she looked down, eyes trained to the floor as she climbed fluidly up the steps, the breeze still throwing her unbound hair around her lithe frame. She wrapped an arm around one of the poles of the wooden rail, her eyes finding his as she leaned her head against it innocently, and a wistful smile on her lips, "What about?"

He walked up beside her, placing his staff on the floor, looking back out at the stars thoughtfully, "My family."

"I don't think I've heard much about your family."

He turned his face to her and she noticed something she had overlooked from farther away, "Houshi-sama," she said, coming off the rail to cup his chin, her hair now dancing around them both in the never-ending breeze. "You've been crying," she whispered softly, knowingly.

He closed his eyes as he gently took her hands in his, pulling them from his face and placing them in between their bodies.

"I haven't in so many years," he said as he looked at their hands, smiling bitterly, "I panicked…it just suddenly came over me in a wave of…"

"Grief?" she suggested, entwining their fingers as his eyes shot up and met hers once again, hers averting his this time, "It hurts…I know."

She lifted her hands, still connected with his as she stepped closer to him, as their hands ended up resting on his broad chest, her eyes never wavering from his, "Sometimes it's good to just let it all out."

"Like you?"

She stiffened.

He squeezed her hands in a comforting gesture, "I wish I could be as brave as you with my tears," he gave a small smile, "but I'm not."

"Houshi-sama…" she gave him a sympathetic look.

He dropped her hands before stooping to pick up his staff back up. With his back to her he stated in his calm, melancholy voice, "We all have our own ways of showing our emotions."

He suddenly hesitated, placing his staff against the wall before untying his outer robe and walking over to her. Draping the heavy piece of clothing over her shoulders as it billowed around her feet, he added, "Crying is just not one of my ways."

She looked up at him from over her shoulder as she accepted the robe, holding onto it tightly with one hand as his scent surrounded her. He gazed back at her, "Sango, its starting to get colder out here. I suggest we go back into the room where there's a fire, ne?"

"Hai," she replied, turning around and burying her face in his chest as his arms wound around her in reflex, protectively.

They stood like that for a while, both transfixed by the other's warmth.

He snaked a hand to her chin, tilting her head up to face him, his eyes warm, but his tone sarcastic, "You are one complex woman, Sango-sama."

She smiled sleepily, her eyelids half-lowered, "Just what do you mean by that?"

"During the day you beat me with your Hiratoksu," he grinned boyishly as he tucked a wild piece of hair behind her ear, "and during the night I find you in my arms."

She was about to call him 'baka' when his hand caught under her chin again, pressing his lips to her own.

The kiss lingered a few seconds more before they slowly broke apart, and Miroku all but crushed her to him as he whispered into her ear, his eyes clenched tight, "I've lost everything, Sango…my family, m-my life…but I can guarantee that I will not lose you."

She felt something splash onto her cheek and her eyes widened.

Tears.

She slowly pushed away from him and looked up at his eyes, which were brimming with tears, as another fell and rolled down his face. She kissed the tear as at stopped at the corner of his mouth before timidly brushing her lips against his.

She smiled up into his eyes, "I thought you didn't express yourself through crying."

He returned the loving smile, "Many things have changed since I've met you."

"Come on," she took his hand in hers, "Let's go inside."