Prompt: "If you're with me, I don't need anything else."
Warning: Dark implications

She hadn't seen Sango for quite some time. Her cat-beast still played with the little Shippo, barely noticing Sango's absence at all. Perhaps Kirara had faith in her mistress she will be well upon her return.

Worried and not seeing the slayer in close proximity Kagome decided to look for Sango herself. InuYasha and Miroku were absent, probably to con money off of some rich men so they could afford inns and items they wouldn't otherwise find and craft from the wilderness. Kagome put her foot down and sternly told the gang that they needed to stop depending on her for foods and other necessary items.

Especially when she could sense the well's magic was getting weaker more she used it.

She hated seeing their crestfallen looks, especially InuYasha and Shippo, but Kagome didn't really have much choices in the matter. She was trying to limit her trips as much as possible, or she'll find herself stuck permanently in the era she doesn't belong. It really hurts to know that if she were ever to return to her own family, she'd essentially be trapped in some sort of a modern limbo. Kagome's education had been destroyed by her severe lacks of attendance, limiting her to very little options to go far in her life.

But Kagome knew she doesn't belong in the feudal era either—she was born a modern girl, through and through, and was very faithful to her own family.

With a departing message she will be back soon and wanting to find Sango Kagome slipped from the hut the local villagers graciously provided. Scanning about her area, seeing the forest on one side and multiple huts of mulling villagers on other. Like Kaede's village the villagers settled on uneven grounds and took advantages of the nearby bodies of water to grow rice and to fish from.

It was almost enough to make her miss her home, her era. Kagome shook her head of the nostalgic images and took a deep cleansing breath. She focused her magic, to find Sango. There! Sango was deep in the forest.

And she felt sad.

Chewing at her lips Kagome scurried, mindful of her steps on the rough ground. She had been working on her clumsiness, with Miroku and Sango's gentle guidance, as well as her self-defenses. She owed it all to Sango to at least check on her, and to comfort her.

It was a branch snapping that jolted Sango up from her daze. Leaping to her feet and grabbing her sword she barked, her knuckles white, "Who is there!?"

A familiar yelp had Sango pausing.

"It's just me, Sango!" The young priestess squeaked as she parted the scrubs out of her way. Kagome glided before the slayer, her brows drawing together from worries, "I was looking for you."

Sheathing her blade Sango resettled on her spot and sighed, "Lady Kagome, you don't need to check on me. Kirara will know if I ever needed help." Though she was thankful Kagome came just the same.

Kagome kneel next to Sango and patted her legs, "But, you were gone for a while, Sango, and…" she drooped. She took her hand back from the slayer's green skirt, missing Sango's small frown, "you felt…" Kagome screwed up her lips at the following word, "sad."

She was right, Sango didn't deny Kagome's words. She had been feeling miserable. But who could fault her? Old memories don't fade as quickly as they should.

Seeing no reason to lie to the sweet girl, Sango admitted, "It's my family. My brother. My father. Everyone." Her breath hitched and her eyes watered again, "I miss them." Her words turned rough from grief, "I miss them so much."

Sango allowed herself to be enveloped into the younger girl's hug, fighting back sniffling and sobs from shaking their ways out from her throat. Kagome's cooing was comforting. Her very presence was comforting.

She was grateful, grateful that Kagome dealt with the blunt of her grief.

Eventually Sango quietened and her sobs turned into sighs. Guilt purged her and she separated herself from the girl, "I'm sorry." She sheepishly said, seeing the tear-stains dotting among Kagome's clothing.

"That's alright." Kagome shook her head and took Sango's hands into hers, "I missed mine too…though," she grimaced at her own wordings, "mine is still alive…" there was a longing glint in her eyes, "and so far away."

At Kagome's softening look Sango couldn't resist not cupping her face, "They'd be proud of you." She said, smiling at how soft Kagome's skin felt underneath her calloused fingers.

"I don't tell them much at all." Kagome admitted, though she relaxed into the slayer's hands, "Sometimes I lies to them, so they wouldn't worry." Her eyes turned away from the Sango's frown, her face discoloring with shame, "So they wouldn't know just what kind of hell we're seeing on a daily basis."

Sango bumped her forehead with hers and gave a small smile at a tiny squeak she invoked, "Sometimes lies are kinder." She reasoned, waving her fingers through Kagome's and tightened her grips, "Even so, you did what you could."

"You think so?" Kagome's voice sounded small, so far away, and riddled with doubts. She didn't return the grip, her hands loose in Sango's.

The slayer hummed, "I know I am proud of you. You came so far…" Her hot breath met Kagome's lips. Kagome blinked, her eyes wide at just how small the gap was in between them.

There was a considerable pause, before Sango tilted her head. She smiled, "If you're with me, I don't need anything else." Kagome didn't miss how possessive the slayer's holds felt, but passed it off as a trick of attention.

Kagome flustered brightly red—Sango was serious. That was no trick. But Kagome was glad, "Y-yeah, me too."