Author's Note: Written for the prompt 'Holiday' at iy_themes.
Kagome's shoulders sagged. "I… I wasn't expecting things to turn out this way."
Miroku was hurting too, seeing the way Sango went after Inuyasha without hesitation. "… Neither was I."
He poked the fire for want of anything better to do. "If you need to return to your world…"
"I do," she said miserably, "but Inuyasha – "
" – will be fine." The monk smiled at her – an attempt at maintaining the semblance of normality, she thought.
He sighed at the look on her face. "Kagome-sama, come here."
Obediently she scooted closer. Miroku laid a hand over hers; it was warm on her clammy skin.
"Look at me."
His eyes flickered as they reflected the firelight. His smile lingered and she longed to wipe it off his pretty face with a slap, like Sango always did.
She wondered just how many times he had truly deserved it.
"I know things have changed, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's a change for the worse." The monk dropped his gaze. "No matter what, they're still our friends."
"… Wait, what?" Kagome asked incredulously. "Miroku-sama, are you saying…?"
She stood up; her heart pounding madly in her chest. Her mind was playing tricks on her –
It was all wrong. Inuyasha wasn't supposed to let her go without a word; he was supposed to be still here, arguing with her and eating his ramen. Precisely a day after he'd let her go (grudgingly), he'd jump into the well to fetch her… Miroku wasn't supposed to be saying all this; he should be groping Sango and getting slapped for it – and they'd still be slowly falling in love with each other.
"Kirara," said Kagome. The firecat transformed readily and she climbed on her back. "I'll be back in three days."
"Kagome-sama – "
She was gone.