Gone Fishing'

By Saturn the Manslayer

"Fishing?" Came Kagome's voice, repeating the question for the third time since she had hung up with InuYasha an hour ago. Sango just nodded her head and kept quiet, not wanting to start the younger girl on another tirade about her 'almost boyfriend' taking her fishing on an 'almost date'. "What can you wear to go fishing?"

"Well, 'Roku said that it was further out, and had tall grass... I'd wear pants and tennis shoes or boots... what about that pair?" The two girls began discussing the pros and cons of each outfit, with Sango making some absurd suggestions, including a leather mini that considerably lightened her mood. They finished getting ready, and feeling properly cute and somewhat practical, crossed the hall to Souta's room where the two boy's were running around the room in their own little world.

"Souta... Souta... Souta!" The older of the pair finally stopped and paid heed to the two girls in his room. With a pout Shippo bounced around and into Kagome's arms.

"Sis! Your infecting my room! What do you want?" He began picking his way around his sister, careful not to touch the infected area's all the while Shippo laughed at his antics.

"To make sure you and Shippo don't give mom a hard time. You remember what happened last time." At the boy's growing smirk she hastily added, "And the punishment." They blushed and looked away while Sango giggled.

"Kohaku is coming by after practice so tell him the same." She had an evil glint in her eye as she threatened them with life, death, and a makeover.

The boy's hopped away as Kagome's mom yelled up the stairs announcing the boys were here. With one last glare to the boy's, they headed down stairs to find a smirking InuYasha leaning against the base of the stairs and Miroku working his magic on Kagome's mom. Both girls scowled at him and grabbed their respective guy's, dragging them out before her mom could bring out the camera... again.

"Whew! That was close. How did... what is that!" Kagome eyed the truck as if it were a dangerous being.

"That is a Tru-ck woman. They've been around for a while." He eyed the girl wearily as she growled at him. The woman was just too unpredictable at times. Not to mention she growls like... yah.. she's been around me too long. He shuddered slightly, still thinking of her growl.

"I know that! Why are we taking it?" She was still glaring at InuYasha as they reached the truck.

"Well, we need it to get where we are going, and although the back is slightly cramped I will gallantly let Lady Sango ride on my lap... " Sango cut him off quickly, telling him just where he could put that idea. InuYasha however, couldn't seem to loose the smirk on his face. He opened the door for the pair so they could climb in back, which Sango did, with a groan. He grabbed Miroku before he could climb in and gave him a meaningful look. What meaning Kagome couldn't tell, but what ever it was Miroku nodded and climbed in. He then held the door for Kagome, who blushed and climbed in as well. In the back the pair were already arguing over whether or not Sango should sit in his lap. An argument, which, much to the annoyance of the driver, lasted the entire ride.

He slammed the driver door shut and stomped to the back of the truck in a sour mood. When he saw all the tackle, and thought of the long trek to the pond, his mood suddenly lightened. He grinned at Kagome, who was scoping out the area, and quietly took her elbow, leading her to the pond. Sango followed and Miroku found, once he finally made it out of the truck, that he was left holding the bags, so to speak. He groaned at his misfortune, for this would leave his hands occupied, but quickly grabbed the items, as they would give him an excuse to lag behind and let his eye's wander.

"How much further?" Sango groaned as she picked her way through vegetation taller than her. Kagome was fine as she traveled right behind InuYasha, who 'unintentionally' protected her from anything in their way, including a squirrel, to the amusement of both girls. Sango had taken pity on Miroku and taken some of his burden, careful to keep his hands occupied.

"Not much..." The vegetation suddenly stopped an the pond stood before them, a wooden deck complete with chairs and a table hung out, into the water, and a boat stood nearby. The girls stood in awe as Miroku set his burden down and then took Sango's, brushing against her as he did so. She glared at him but was too occupied looking at the pond to do much else.

"Ah.. My lovely lady, I will kindly teach you to fish if you will just..."

"Don't even Houshi! I already know how to fish, my dad taught me." Miroku gave a sad sigh and backed away to set up his pole, handing one to Sango. InuYasha began to teach Kagome how to set up her pole, pick a hook and bobber, and set the depth. He tried to be patient, which kept his voice low, but set his eyebrow twitching. When he got to the worm however, Kagome put her foot down.

"No! We can't put the worm on their! Think of how it feels! That must hurt." He took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.

"They don't feel." He tried to put the worm on once more.

"How do you know they don't?" He growled at her.

"How do you know they do?" Kagome huffed and went to continue her argument, but he had finished hooking the worm and walked away. "Come're woman." She growled again, and stomped over. He went through the motion of tossing the pole and then handed it to her. She eyed it uncertainly and repeated the motion. The bobber, however, stayed on her pole. Miroku stifled a laugh as Sango gave him a mock glare, just as amused.

"No! Woman you must push the release!" Which she pushed. The bobber fell to the floor. "No! Push it and then throw, release the button as you throw." Kagome hid a smirk as she tried again. Failing once more to get her bobber in the water. He stomped over to her, showing her once more, his arms resting lightly around her as he took her through the movements again. This time her bobber landed in the water with a thunk. She jumped and gave him a small hug, letting go before he could react. He moved away and began lure fishing further down the dock. She watched as he cast it out, then reeled it in, cast then reel, cast then reel. Turning back to her bobber she gasped.

"Yasha! My bobbers gone!" He stumbled over, telling her to yank her pole. "Now reel it! Faster woman!" She struggled, her line zig zagging in the water. When it was close enough he pulled the line up, bringing a small perch(1) with it. "Awww! It's so pretty!" He just grinned and held it out to her, letting her run her finger down it's scales before placing it once more it the water. He talked her through putting another worm on her hook, and she shuddered once, but managed to get the worm on herself. She sent her bobber once more to the water, and sat on the dock, enjoying the view. Placing a bobber and worm on his pole, InuYasha cast his bobber out as well, and sat next to Kagome. After a little while she finally noticed that they were alone. She swiveled around to try and catch a glimpse of them until the man beside her caught her attention.

"They left."

"Where? Are they okay? Did they fall in?" With a sigh he leaned back against one of the chairs.

"Nah. He was going to ask her out. Why do you think he kept his hands off of her all day." With a scowl she leaned against him, causing them both to blush.

"He did, that's why they were arguing on the way over here."

"No." he paused for a second before slowly letting his arm make its way around her to rest on her waist. "That was because he said she was going to sit on his lap, not that he touched her."

"Oh." He felt her sigh. "She's lucky. He'll be a good boyfriend. I didn't think she would get her boyfriend first." Her body was jerked forward as he sprung to his feet, reeling his pole in.

"I caught a fish!" Giving her a proud grin he held up the bass(2) in his hands. She sighed once more, their moment ruined. "Besides, I was your boyfriend before Miroku even thought to ask her." Kagome stared at him in shock as Miroku and Sango made their way back, blushing and holding up three fish. As they packed up, InuYasha and Sango debating on the best way to clean the fish, Kagome smiled. The whole way back to the truck InuYasha held the fish in one hand, and Kagome's in the other, grinning like a fool.

(1) Perch - a relatively small fish, very common in ponds, lakes, rivers... I'd don't think I've ever been fishing and not caught a perch at least once.

(2) Bass - a larger fish than the perch, and one that is easier to clean and provides more meat. Very tasty.