"You are such a jerk, Inuyasha!"

It was just another day in Senjoku Japan, with yet another argument starring Inuyasha and Kagome. Their companions watched from the shade of a nearby tree as the two traded insults. Sango sighed.

"You would think Inuyasha would have learned by now. If Kagome wants to go home, she's going to go home, whether he likes it or not." Beside her, Miroku smiled serenely at the spectacle before him, content to be by the side of the woman he loved.

"Ah, but my dear Sango, you can't blame him for wanting to keep lady Kagome by his side. She is rather-"

A slap interrupted both his sentence, and the added ministrations to her backside. Still, the yelling continued.

"If you ask me, I think Inuyasha likes it. Why else would he be such a jerk, when he knows he's just gonna get 'sat'? He's like you, Miroku, only dumber. I mean, did you like getting slapped just now?"

Miroku eyed the child's inquisitive gaze out of the corner of his eye, struck once again with the thought that the kitsune knew much more than he let on. "Well Shippou,-"

"Exactly. So if you don't like it, and Sango's gonna keep doing it when you touch her butt, isn't the obvious solution to just stop?"

Having assumed a grim look at the sight of Sango expectant one, Miroku could already feel the next slap. "My hope is that one day, as a reward for my persistence, Sango will stop slapping me." He hurried on as her eyes widened in outrage.

"My hope, Shippou, is that one day, after Naraku has been wiped from this earth, Sango and I will find ourselves with the rest of our lives together to look forward to. The thought alone will surely wear her resolve down."

Shippou shrugged at Sango's blush. "I guess you're right. I mean, who wants to spend their whole life slapping someone for the same thing? I say, if he likes your butt, and nobody else's, what's the problem, Sango?"

Miroku fought the sinister grin that threatened to take over his face as Sango turned bright red, sputtering. Tilting his head to the side to match Shippou's questioning gaze, he waited.

"Well, I mean, umm…" She calmed, looking Miroku dead in the eye. "The thing is Shippou, it's not just mine, is it? It's never been just me. So why shouldn't I slap him, when he's perfectly content with any girl's…butt?"

The thud of Inuyasha's inevitable meeting with the ground claimed Sango's attention, and Miroku could do nothing but stare, not sure how he would convince her of his love. She stood to comfort her friend, and he was left to wallow in his own hurt.