Authors Note: At last! Inspiration that's actually good! ^_^ lol At least in my eyes. ^_^

Pleasantly Distracted

Chapter One:

Storm On The Horizon

The heat beat down very oppressively on the terrain of Japan. It hadn't rained in nearly three weeks and the heat and humidity made it hard to breath even in the shade. Itt was the type of day where the simplest things got on your nerves in a big way, and even then it was too hot to do anything about it.

Sango lay stretched out on a grassy hill, just nearby a lake of Kaede's village, in just such a mood. Her eyes were closed and her body still, but her face was tensed with immense concentration and her fists were clenched so tight her nails almost drew blood from her palm.

"If you don't relax how is the medicine ever going to work?" Miroku, who was cradling the upper half of her torso in his lap (and not being a lech about it either), said in a soothing voice. He was sitting up, taking an alert protective position, but even so relaxed, for Sango's sake.

"Shut up… Bakemo! This is all your fault to begin with! If you could've just kept your hands to yourself for one stupid day then I wouldn't have had to hurt you and I never would've fallen into that rose bush!"

Miroku's gaze grew dark with guilt as it ran over the many scratches on Sango's legs. Her reaction to the injury had shocked him greatly. It wasn't half as deadly as some of the smaller wounds she received in battle and yet he could clearly sense how hard it was for her to cope with it.

He let out a regretful sigh, everyone, he'd learned in his battle studies, had one type of pain that, for one reason or another, they simply couldn't stand. That was the key to all battles. Finding out that pain and exploiting it on your enemy, he'd never meant to throw Sango off balance and cause this much distress. She was obviously focusing hard on something else, she'd hardly noticed when he'd Taken her head and a bit of her upper torso into his lap. It wasn't a truly big deal, but sometimes the little things are important.

Black-gray storm clouds began to roll in from the west as his hand slid around her rib cage to her stomach…

"Houshi-sama?" Sango said opening her eyes with a questioning growl. Obviously meant to communicate the fact that she was to tired and hot from hiking all day to put up with another one of his …. 'actions'. She was getting ready to seriously hurt him when… "hahahahahaha! No! No! Stop! Hehahahahahaha! You Baka! You will pay for this! Let me go! Hahahahaha!"

"What was that Sango?" Miroku asked innocently while she attempted to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Hahaha! You know damn well- hahahahaha! Let go! Hashanah!" Sango was about to shift her weight in order to pin him down for some revenge when a loud thunderclap shook the earth. They both looked up in surprise to see the sky had been blanketed with storm clouds and the temperature had dropped to amore bearable degree.

"Looks like it's going to rain," Miroku stated the obvious as Sango, still a little breathless, finally pulled her self from it's arms. He pulled himself from the ground and began walking inside when he suddenly noticed that Sango was no longer with him. "Sango..?" he questioned turning around. She was just sitting there, with her eyes closed and her face towards the sky. He opened his mouth to ask her another question when the skies opened up and let forth a much needed summer shower. Miroku stood there for a moment watching the small drops of rain cascade down her skin wondering if he should be confused or astonished. She really is beautiful when she's not trying to kill me. Heh *Smirk*

Sango sighed contently and at last turned her gaze back to her friend. "Want to go for a walk Miroku?" She asked him, laughing at his have-you-lost-your-mind-completely look. Standing, she continued, "It's been so hot for weeks now, and everyone's been at each others thoughts, shouldn't we just enjoy this little shower while it lasts?" Miroku would normally question why she was being so friendly, but she made a good point. They were all pretty much argued out. And considering the story behind their group a little walk in the rain didn't seem that crazy at all.

"Alright Sango," Miroku said taking one step towards her. "A walk sounds nice." She smiled and they headed off for a few laps of the trail surrounding the lake. The whole earth seemed to be crying out in thanks for this break from the heat as they walked they could see plants leaves unfurling and even a few animals out enjoying themselves. It was all oddly peaceful, very unlike the larger portion of their lives. Miroku shifted his amethyst orbs over towards the usually reflective lake, now being assaulted with rain drops turning into a small ocean with miniature waves cresting the surface. He was so preoccupied with watching the ripples in the lake that he never saw anything coming until he was well submerged with a mouth and nose full of water.

Sango chuckled as he gagged and bubbled, struggling to right himself again, but she burst into outright guffaws of uncontrolled hysteric laughter when he rose, hair limp and matted down around his face, a very clear I-am-not-amused look planted firmly on his face, and to top it all off a very large bull frog had planted itself firmly on the top of his head. It was just too much, and Sango's knees gave out in front of her because of all her laughing.

Aggravated pushing the frog away Miroku let out a annoyed his, cleverly covering the mischief in his eyes. "Alright, alright, we're even now. Will you at least help me up now?"

Laughing too hard to think completely clearly Sango extended her hand towards Miroku's and by the time she realized her mistake she was already coughing up water. "Ohhh! Ohhhh! You do realize this means war!" She screamed in a mock battle cry as she plunged him under the water. This war raged for a good half hour, each of them getting fully soaked in the process, and thoroughly out of breath.

"*Gasp- pant* Truce!" Miroku cried with hands held up in a surrender motion as the both leaned against the wall of rock at a deep end of the lake.

"Pah! *Pant-pant* You just don't want to admit I won!" Sango said leaning close next to him, grinning widely.

Miroku just laughed, too breathless to form an audible response he simple nudged her forehead with his own, bringing them nose to nose (not like they weren't close to it already) for a few seconds. They floated there for a few moments, catching their breath, then everything grew silent… *BANG!* The loudest thunderclap either of them had ever heard made them both jump and efficiently broke their trace like gaze into each others eyes.

"Ah..," Sango ventured a little uneasy, "We should probably he back now." Without waiting another moment Sango got a firm grip on the edge of the lake and swung out into a run towards the hut they all shared. "Come on Houshi-sama! We will get sick if we stay out here too long!" She called over her shoulder.

Miroku just floated their, aimlessly for a moment, watching her form fade in the distance. He crossed his arms on the edge of the lake and shook his head sadly. "Why do you always run Sango?" he asked with a sigh before pulling himself out of the lake to follow her. Why do you always run…

Authors Note: ^_^ Well here you have it a fic oddly inspired by the good, but too hot, weather we've been having lately. ^_^ I'm not quite sure yet just how I'm going to end this, but I promise I will update everyday and think of something. Suggestions are welcome if you feel ambitious enough. ^_^ Hope you enjoyed chapter one!