Love, Honor, Cherish

[luxken27]

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Pairing: Miroku/Sango
Rating: T
Based upon: mirsanficart’s Summer Challenge | Drabble #1: Heat
Inspiration: “Darling Be Home Soon” © 1967 The Lovin’ Spoonful


I was really excited when eggplantlady told me her plans to host a community challenge this month over at mirsanficart, and I think she picked some wonderful prompts! We've got a little something for everyone - drabbles, oneshots, even a lemon challenge - so if you've any interest in the Mir/San pairing, please come over and join in on the fun! =)

I'm really quite pleased with this piece (although one day, I'll learn to not latch onto fully-formed ideas when laboring under a word count, LOL). I don't have a lot of experience writing Mir/San, but gradually I'm growing more comfortable with their characterizations. It certainly helps to be surrounded by people who do a wonderful job with them, LOL!!

This fic may be a bit cliched in premise, but hopefully this is a fresh take on it. I've been intrigued, especially by eggplantlady's take, on Sango's feelings after the end of the canon story, when she settles into a life of wife and motherhood. She's such a strong person that I'm not sure she could ever be content with just that lot in life. I think she'd want to pick up her demon-slaying ways, even after the birth of her children; when something runs that deep in your blood, you can't just set it aside so easily.

So, in this piece, we have Sango reflecting on her first mission out since having her son, and just how much that event has truly changed her life. Maybe she thought it wouldn't be so bad, picking up where she left off; maybe she didn't realize that bearing a child (much less three!) would fundamentally change her body; maybe she didn't realize just how out of practice she was - whatever the cause, she finds herself doubting her ability to do what she really wants. She's desired it for so long, to get back out there and fight alongside her husband and Inuyasha, but now that she's done it, she's not sure she can continue.

I really like the idea of warring desires (its a theme in most of my work, natch), and for someone like Sango, who is proud but not necessarily self-confident, it manifests itself in a different way. In canon, we see the way she hides her feelings, especially her insecurities; I carried a bit of that over - because I'm of the belief that no matter how much married life might have changed her, helped her grow and open up to Miroku, at the core of it, she still has the tendency to bottle things up.

And Miroku? Now has the patience to understand that. As the summary implies, he's put that silver tongue to good use and now knows how to prod things out of his wife, and make her feel better, without suffocating her with sympathy. As much as I think he'd like to comfort and coddle her, I think he understands she's not that sort of person. Her warrior's pride wouldn't allow her to accept assurances disguised in pity, so he says the one thing that brings her out of her misery and soothes away her doubts, all in one swoop.

This is the first time I feel like I've got a real bead on their dynamic, and I'm excited to work more with this pairing. In many ways, they are the opposite of Inu/Kag or Sess/Kag, and I think it took me awhile to get my brain wrapped around that. But lurking about in the Mir/San corner of fandom, and being exposed to so many wonderful fics via my f-list, has been good for my muse. It's such a laid-back and positive place - who wouldn't enjoy that?

The inspiration song actually came up during the writing/song meme yesterday, and for some reason it just stuck with me for this piece. Not necessary the lyrics, but the tempo of the song, the longing in the lead singer's voice, and the reassurance of the bridge. It also seemed to go well with the idea of a warm soak in a bathtub, the sort of pleasure a lot of folks (myself included!) don't have the chance to indulge in often enough :)

Enjoy! I hope to complete more pieces of the challenge myself, and hope to see lots of interpretations of the themes from our members :)

Comments

[madmiko.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm intrigued by your thoughts that Mir/San are the opposite of Inu/Kag or Sess/Kag. Since you had just mentioned him figuring out how to prod her and what to say to make her feel better, I'm guessing you are equating that with Kagome being the one who trying to get Inuyasha or Sesshoumaru to open up. But no, now that I read what I just wrote, I see that's not the same at all. *sigh* So, I'm going to ponder that for a bit, (and go read your piece!), and see if I can equate the dynamics like that, too. ^_^ (I rarely read Mir/San, and to be honest have never given their relationship much thought beyond what's obvious on the surface.

[eggplantlady.livejournal.com]

LOL, it boggles my mind that my little musings and the occasional fic could even be considered "intriguing" by anyone. Your thoughts are far more interesting than mine (given that I seldom actually think about what I'm writing until I'm done writing it). I will say this, though: if you were lacking a full understanding of the dynamic and careful balance between Miroku and Sango before, it didn't show in your fics.

I'm glad you've taken the plunge with the challenge over at mirsanficart. :D