Written for the LJ First Tweak Community One Shot Challenge.
Thaw - Feb 17th-26th.
I'm entering it early, as I may not have access to the internet during that time period.
I post under howlingowl. Go show your support for the InuYasha fandom and read all of the amazing work from the authors that post!
Let me know what you guys think.
Happy reading!
The winter had been particularly harsh this season, leaving Sengoku Jidai buried beneath a pale slush. All of the wild life, even most youkai, had slipped behind the proverbial curtain. Kagome and Sango had pleaded with InuYasha to stay indoors, but he had insisted upon one more long night of roughing it.
The miko scowled, bringing her glove covered hands to her face. Sango mirrored her action, taking delight in the extra clothing Kagome had given her.
The men folk were busy gathering firewood, providing that they could find something suitable. Kagome figured they would end up just igniting her books before the end of the journey. It was something InuYasha had done previously, leaving him buried in the ground for about a week.
Sighing at the thought, Kagome's teeth chattered. "We have to do something to stay warm." She said, receiving a glower from the taijiya.
"I can't believe that InuYasha is being so stubborn!" Sango clattered, shifting her bottom back and forth, beguiling her blood to move. The log beneath her felt like it had amalgamated to the strange pair of jeans she was wearing.
Kagome shook her head, "Just because he can stand this weather, doesn't mean that we can." Her lips curled into a pout as she stamped her feet. She pulled her quilt, around her shoulders, a little tighter.
Sango chewed at her lip, looking around at the crinkled foliage. It was as if winter had created an arctic painting, leaving everything sculpted beneath the frost and ice. Reaching down, she picked up a lump of snow and wadded it up. "I want to throw this at his face."
Kagome snorted at her friend. "Well, Miroku-sama was right there with him." She indicated with an arch of her brow.
Sango's eyes fell, just like the slushy snowball in her hands. "Houshi-sama has been stranger than usual, lately. Of all of the times that he could offer to..." The girl's cheeks were ablaze with a blotchy flush.
Kagome moved from her spot to plop down beside her on the damp log. Her movement caused an avalanche of creamy snow to drip from the branches. A dumb grin struck her mouth, creasing her cheeks.
The girl snaked her arm around Sango, pulling her closer to her.
"So, you wouldn't mind if Miroku snuggled up to you like this." She teased, sliding the rest of her closer to the girl.
Sango huffed in exasperation. Her glove covered hands gripped to her knees, focusing her energy on them. "Kagome-chan, what about InuYasha?" Her dark eyes flickered over the miko's rosy face and smirked proudly.
Kagome instinctively looked around, wildly anticipating his return from the forest. When she didn't see him, she snapped her attention to Sango's cheeky grin.
The taijiya returned Kagome's gesture and wrapped and arm around her slender frame. She leaned into her slightly and sighed. "Gomen, Kagome-chan! I wish you could have seen your face!"
The miko rolled her eyes playfully. Her blush was still plastered on her face, making the cold's grasp loosen. She felt a devious tingle in her hands and giggled, sneaking a hand to Sango's bottom. "Oh, my dearest, would you bear my children?
The taijiya's hands fisted as she yelped, jumping from the log. Winding her mouth into a tightline, she narrowed her eyes at the giggling girl. "You want to play dirty?" She asked, a finger pointing like an arrow at the miko.
Kagome wiped away the tears that formed in her lashes and let out a couple of more laughs before straightening up. Her companion seemed to be serious as a heart attack. If it had been anyone else, dread would have eaten her up, but Sango was hell bent on getting back at her.
"It's a war." The miko said, adrenaline fully eating at her body.
Sango smirked, adjusting her ear muffs to wear they peeked atop her head. Kagome's expression was undescribable as the taijiya crossed her arms over her chest.
"You know that I'm completely in love with you, but I can't tell you 'cause I'm so manly. Keh." The taijiya exclaimed, turning her nose up as InuYasha had so many times.
Kagome dragged her nails down her face, "Oi! Sango-chan, that's not true! He doesn't have feelings for me!" She whailed, her blush lit like wildfire, pricking her skin like hot needles.
"If you didn't want it to be true, you wouldn't be blushing!" She joyfully pointed out, wrapping her arms around the shorter girl. Kagome stiffened, as Sango looked down at her with a mischevious glint in her eye.
"What are you doing?" Kagome laughed, trying to escape her friend.
"No, you can't run away, I'll just go complain to Sango about how you left me!" She feigned her best impression of the hanyou and tried not to snort.
"Oh, my love! I can keep you warm in these dire conditions!" Kagome retorted, leaving Sango making a strangled noise. "How dare you sleep alone!"
The miko slipped out of Sango's grasp to run through the clearing, to a small field. "I'm going to get you, Kagome!" She called, running after the girl with all of her might.
Kagome whipped her head around to see her lanky friend barrel into her, knocking her down into the snow embankment. The girls laughed, trying to contain themselves. Surely, if anyone saw them they would think the worst.
And, as they rolled around childishly, Kagome slid off her coat to feel the cool air soothe her skin. Sango did the same, removing her scarf and gloves. Their breath beat into the evening air, creating smoky pockets of condensation.
Their laughter rang through the clearing as they called each other's name, amidst the shrill squeals and pants.
InuYasha's ear twitched at the sound as he and the kit made it back to the camp. Miroku followed behind, resting with the firewood on Kirara's back. The hanyou's eye twitched as he shot a glance to the monk.
"What the hell is going?" He said wide eyed and confused. Sango and Kagome's scents were laced around each other with a hint of embarrassment.
Miroku's cheeks were wide with delight as he lunged off of the nekomata. Shippo looked around at the men and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I'm not sure, Shippo." InuYasha said, bounding to the clearing with Miroku beside him.
Upon their arrival, Miroku's hands grabbed the kit, crushing his face against his chest. With each protest to put him down, the houshi pressed him deeper into his robes.
InuYasha's face was almost blank, save for the red paint smeared across his cheeks. His mouth hung agape as he shot Miroku a look. Much to his surprise, the monk was blushing as well, he teeth clenching down his lip.
"Kagome, Sango?" InuYasha beckoned their attention, leaving the girl's to stop in their tracks. Their voices were suspended, not able to emit any transmission.
Sango sat atop Kagome looking down at her fearfully as her eyes shifted to the men. The miko recoiled, hiding within the confines of her long hair. "Oh my god."
"What the hell are you doing?" The hanyou scoffed in disbelief, keeping his eyes locked on Kagome's mortified expression.
"What ever it is, I would love to be in the middle of it." Miroku said lyrically, finding the entire situation to be spellbinding and unreal. It was short lived, as he received an angry fist to the back of the head.
"Don't think about my woman." InuYasha barked, not realizing what he had just said.
Sango looked down at Kagome and pointed a finger. "I told you so." She looked disgustingly smug, as the girl opened her mouth.
"Miroku-sama, Sango-" The girl was cut off by nervously flailing hands clasping to her face, silencing her with a kiss, a blush firmly clenching to her skin.
Miroku gripped at his heart, nearly destroying Shippo's cranium. "I'll be back, InuYasha." He said, dropping the kitsune to the ground. "I have to...to..."
The hanyou blinked, not fully understanding what was going on. The little boy beside him smirked, "Looks like you totally lost your opportunity." A dashing grin placed firmly on his mouth.
"I'm going to kick her ass." He muttered beneath his breath, feeling his stomach knot up with jealousy. Shippo patted the man's leg and hunkered down with Kirara. For a while, InuYasha scoffed and stared before kicking up a muddy storm.
He collected himself enough to start a fire and pout, digging through the miko's bag for food. Every now and then, his eyes would dart towards where the girls were. Kagome was so gonna get it when she got back.
The girls in the field lay in silence, easing their eyes to the camp. Sango lowered her head in embarrassment as Kagome removed herself from beneath her. "I think that dinner's going to be really awkward." She said.
"Well, at least we warmed up." Sango retorted, grabbing the forgotten outerwear on the ground. "Besides, they're probably going to be a lot nicer to us." She teased, watching Kagome cover her mouth jovially.
Sighing the women were content, knowing that if all else failed at least they had each other. What are best friends for?
At dinner that night, the four adults sat in silence. It was stagnant and resolute with a curious notion. InuYasha couldn't keep his eyes off Kagome, who sat quietly eating her cup of ramen.
Sango, that bitch, sat beside her beneath a blanket, munching on a protein bar. Miroku seemed to be enthralled by watching the two girls do nothing. His hand cupped his face as he drew circles around the fire with his foot.
Shippo and Kirara were coiled up with one another, buried beneath a nest of blankets. InuYasha couldn't seem to shake what the kit had said earlier. Had he actually lost his chance to Sango? Of all people?
Glowering, his ear twitched at the sound of Kagome's voice yawning. Sango yawned in unison and he growled. They seemed so intuned to one another, that it made him clench his fists.
"I'm so tired!" Kagome exclaimed, pushing herself to her feet. The taijiya followed her motion and leaned down to her spot on the ground.
Sango got into the sleeping bag and zipped up the side, whereas Kagome dragged hers closer to her friend. InuYasha finally snapped and killed the silence, as if it had been one of the many youkai he had slain.
"What do you think you two are doing?" He barked, finding Kagome looking at him as if he had grown and extra head.
"Um, going to sleep?" She said, gesturing to the sleeping bag in her hand.
Miroku furrowed his brows at his friend and placed a hand on his shoulder, only to have it swatted away. "If the women want to sleep beside one another, I don't see what the problem is."
InuYasha covered his face with his palm, "Miroku, keep that shit in your pants." He said ruefully, finding his cheeks roseated and hot.
"It was merely defense of the women. They did nothing wrong." The houshi said, conviction ladden in his smooth voice. "I think that this is a delightful treat." He rambled, letting his mind wander back to the dusk.
The hanyou rolled his eyes as Kagome sighed at the men. "There was nothing going on. I don't know why you even care, InuYasha." She said casually, taking off her gloves and hat to place them beside her bed.
InuYasha clenched his jaw, eye ticking in displeasure. "Are you serious?" He huffed, finding all eyes readily watching him.
"What's wrong with you, InuYasha?" Sango interjected dryly, cracking an eye open to see him flail his lanky arms.
"You." He retorted with a snort. His long finger pointed at her as though it could channel his jealous rage. "I don't want to hear anything from you."
Sango and Kagome looked at one another, fighting the urge to burst into laughter. "I guess you were right," The miko said, grabbing a pair of thermal pajamas from her book-bag.
Miroku arched a brow and realized what was going on. They were playing a game. He mused, finding the situation to be a little more relieved. At least now, he knew he didn't have to challenge Kagome for Sango's affection.
No matter how enticing it had been.
"She was right about what?" InuYasha's tawny eyes danced in vigor between the women, before resting back on Kagome.
She smiled at him and shook her head, heading behind a tree to change. "You're hopeless." The girl snorted, hearing him dart into the branches above her.
"You better not be looking at my woman!" Sango called, knowing that it aggravate the boy. Miroku shook his head at her.
"I'm so surprised that you have turned out to be such a devious woman." The monk caught the blush that settled on her cheeks and grinned.
That's his girl.
Behind the tree, however, Kagome was cringing at the sound of her voice. InuYasha immediately dropped down, before she could remotely change. A firm frown pressed on his face, leaving his arms to drape defensively over his chest.
"What's all that business with Sango?" The man's ear twitched when he heard her sigh in defeat. She was getting angry with this obvious display of ownership.
Putting her hand on her hip, she blew her bangs from her eyes. "InuYasha, what makes you think that I want Sango?" She asked, arching a brow at the seriousness in his face.
"I think it's pretty obvious that you do." His illuminated eyes narrowed, leaving her to wave him off.
"I'm going to change, now, so can you turn around or something." Kagome quipped, spinning her finger in a circle.
A huff and grumble later, InuYasha turned away from her. He fought the urge to take a peek, but that didn't make him much better than Miroku, now did it? Relenting, he let his ears fall against his crown.
Kagome reached up and scratched the base of said ears, as a reward for not being a pervert. "You can turn around." She said, looking at the hurt that cross his face. "InuYasha we were just playing around and she didn't want me saying anything about her feelings for Miroku." The miko whispered softly.
InuYasha's nose flinched, while his heart eased slightly. "Really? Did she need to kiss you to keep you quiet?" He asked her as nonchalantly as possible.
Kagome smirked, biting her lip. "How many times have you done that?" She asked coyly, her hands rubbing together nervously. Her eyes fell to the ground, trying to figure out why she had even asked him that.
The hanyou shifted, "I-uh-haven't." He said, not exactly knowing where she was going with this.
Seeing how it had happened with Sango, she figured it was worth a shot to thaw the frigid tension. Closing her eyes, she willed her voice to work. "So, should I go tell Sango about how you are-" Her was brimming like a crescendo, until InuYasha clasped his hand over her mouth.
"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" InuYasha hissed, nervousness eating at him. His heart pounded relentelessly as he felt Kagome's mouth move beneath his hand.
Leaning against the tree, Kagome pulled away from the warmth of his hand. "See," She pointed out, "That's how it happened, save for she couldn't think of anything else to do. It didn't mean anything, she'd my best friend."
InuYasha still didn't understand it but he sighed, leaning his head against hers. The miko tensed beneath him, hiding beneath his silky hair. "InuYasha, why are you so jealous if you don't like me?" She murmured.
The boy huffed through his nose, shaking his head against hers. "Shut up," He rasped, before placing a chaste kiss upon her lips, melting her into a pool of nothing.
Today had started out miserable and cold, but it had surely ended with the heat of the summer.