[She's shocked silent, for once. She can barely believe what she's hearing. Miroku has always been--well, not exactly optimistic towards his curse--but at least able to keep his head up despite it. He's never expressed any interest in, well... in giving up.]
[He is all too serious now. All too much the realist. She can barely breathe, because... she can see it. Her. And him. Together. Perhaps in Kaede's village--or perhaps, in Sango's, rebuilding. Perhaps a mixture of the two. She can see them. Married. Herself with a round belly, and then with children. The life she's always dreamed of having.]
[But she also sees it as a life without her brother... and a life watching InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo, and others come and go. It's a life living cowed in Naraku's shadow. It's a life spent, waiting for Miroku to die. She can see it all, painfully clear. Is happiness, brief and incomplete, better than no happiness at all? Or will it be all or nothing?]
[She knows the answer before she even asks the question of herself. She looks at him--looks him in the eye.]
Don't do this, Houshi-sama. Don't give up. Don't let him win. Not after how long you've fought...
[Don't make me refuse. Don't make me say no to something I want--but not enough. You know what the answer is, Houshi-sama, you know I can't do it. You know.]
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[He is all too serious now. All too much the realist. She can barely breathe, because... she can see it. Her. And him. Together. Perhaps in Kaede's village--or perhaps, in Sango's, rebuilding. Perhaps a mixture of the two. She can see them. Married. Herself with a round belly, and then with children. The life she's always dreamed of having.]
[But she also sees it as a life without her brother... and a life watching InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo, and others come and go. It's a life living cowed in Naraku's shadow. It's a life spent, waiting for Miroku to die. She can see it all, painfully clear. Is happiness, brief and incomplete, better than no happiness at all? Or will it be all or nothing?]
[She knows the answer before she even asks the question of herself. She looks at him--looks him in the eye.]
Don't do this, Houshi-sama. Don't give up. Don't let him win. Not after how long you've fought...
[Don't make me refuse. Don't make me say no to something I want--but not enough. You know what the answer is, Houshi-sama, you know I can't do it. You know.]