Whheehee, I got another chapter out! It only took...two? three? weeks but I did it! I don't know where I ever got the thought I could do a chapter a week thing...I'm such a fool.
Anyhow-almost there! This is so exciting! This will be one of the only stories I've ever got around to finishing! Yay for Leah!
Okay, well, um...on to the chapter. Also of note, I gave all you Miroku/Sango fans out there a brighter little day. Please enjoy and thank you all for reading. As always, criticism is welcome. I think I'll be getting a lot after this chapter...
Where Lost Souls Meet Again
Chapter Twelve: All This Time Looking For Love
Time was running out.
Inuyasha raced among the trees, head bent low to avoid the branches that whisked past his head. The steady patter of his feet resounded through the woods, accompanied by the swish of his robes through the air. He could faintly hear Kirara's breath nearby and the vague, random calls of birds in the distance. Nothing else made any sound as the half-demon and his companions tore through the woods toward the waterfall somewhere far ahead. Inuyasha smirked to himself; if he were a creature in this forest, he wouldn't get in his way, either.
His smirk faded away as he turned his thoughts back to why he was running so fast. Four days...four days since Sesshoumaru took Kagome to the Western Falls. Four days wasted, in Inuyasha's eyes, with meaningless travel and even more meaningless banter. Talking to Kaede instead of chasing after the girl was nothing but a waste-he hadn't learned anything he didn't already know! Well...he did, but it was irrelevant since he'd been planning on killing that pathetic "Shadow Master" from the beginning. That monster...that monster needed to pay for taking his Kagome like that. Him and Sesshoumaru-but especially that Shadow creature who turned his Kagome against him.
'Like Naraku...like Kikyou...' He closed his eyes briefly as a stab of pain shot through him. So many sad memories...Regret upon regret weighed him down whenever he thought about the things he might have done to save her, or even himself, in that distant past. Someone he cared for had been hurt deeply and there was nothing he could do about it. Absolutely nothing...even killing Naraku could not make up for those errs. And so he let the feeling wash over him as he darted in and out of the trees like the wind.
When the pain subsided, he shook his head out and focused on getting though the trees even faster than before. The past was the past and he couldn't change it, but right now he could do something for Kagome and nothing was going to stop him. He'd lost his chance to save Kikyou a long time ago-he'd lost Kikyou a long time ago; that did not mean he would lose Kagome. He could save her still...he would save her still. She was all that mattered in his world...
'Three days left...I only have three days left. Shippou is already on his way with Shoukaki-he's probably already there, the runt. Hopefully they can stall Sesshoumaru and that...thing...long enough for me to get there. As it is it'll take at least one more day.' He growled and put on more speed. 'I have to get there! I can't lose her again. Never again...!'
Behind him, Sango and Miroku watched in worry as their friend began running faster and faster. "He'll kill himself if he stays at such speeds," Sango murmured, even as she urged Kirara to move a little faster. "I know our time is limited, but..."
Miroku sighed. "We've lost four days and are barely any farther than when we started. Two days to Lady Kaede's, two days back. That is what Inuyasha is thinking now. But even if he is half demon, Inuyasha still needs to rest. He can't push himself like this forever."
Sango nodded. Urging Kirara ever faster, she turned her head briefly to the side. Watching the priest from the corner of her eye, she asked softly: "Perhaps we should stop for the night? It's late and we're all getting tired." When her companion nodded, she turned back around and whispered into the demon-cat's ear. Kirara's voice rumbled in acquiescence and she immediately began a dive for the earth.
Inuyasha sensed a movement behind him and took a moment to peek over his shoulder. Kirara was diving toward the earth, Miroku grabbing a hold of Sango as he yelped in surprise-was he groping her, or was that the half-demon's imagination? Oh well, it didn't matter. They'd be back in the air and following him soon enough.
Turning swiftly on the balls of his feet, the dog-demon lunged back toward the humans, a scowl on his face. Miroku crouched low to the ground, his head in his hands; Sango stood over him, her boomerang hanging loosely from one hand. They both looked up at the sound of their friend's rapid approach.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" the hanyou roared, skidding to a halt a few feet from where the humans stood. Sango had to take a step back from the force of his voice. "We have to get going or we'll never make it to the Western Falls in time! We're behind enough as it is-you sitting around on your lazy asses isn't helping any!"
A staff on the skull kept the irate half-breed from continuing any further as Miroku shoved himself to his feet. The priest looked at his friend with lidded eyes. "We're tired, Inuyasha. It won't hurt to rest for a night."
Inuyasha growled back: "It'll hurt Kagome if we don't rescue her in time!"
Another thwack to the skull silenced him further. "My friend, if we don't stop and rest now, then we'll just lose even more time when we collapse from exhaustion later. I am just as worried about Kagome as you are, but pushing ourselves to death will help no one. So please," he continued, bringing his staff down a third time to cut his half-demon companion off before he said something stupid, "let us rest for the night."
"The sun is setting and it's been a long day, Inuyasha," Sango added, nestling down beside Kirara. "We're only human and we tire much more easily than you. And even Kirara needs to rest. So just calm down. We'll get to Kagome in time, I promise."
Miroku sighed and sat back himself, resting his staff across his legs. Nonplussed, Inuyasha growled some more, then stalked off a ways to find a tree to perch in. The monk watched him go, then turned to Sango and shrugged. "At least we didn't have to beat him into submission like yesterday..."
She nodded sleepily, absently stroking Kirara's coat between her fingers. Her boomerang rested on the ground within arm's reach. "I don't blame him, though," she said finally, looking off into the distance toward Inuyasha's dangling feet. "If your roles were reversed, wouldn't you feel the same way?"
The priest shrugged. "Well, of course I would. I'd want to save you at any costs-" Too late he realised what he said and clamped his mouth shut. Sango laughed lightly. "What's so funny?"
The demon hunter giggled and waved him away limply. "Nothing, it's just that I never said you'd be out to save me." Her laughter died away slowly and she looked at her companion meaningfully for a moment. When she saw him looking back at her, Sango turned her head to the side, eyes closed. Her cheeks were warm. "Thank you, though, for thinking of me as such." For a brief second she paused, then continued on with a small smile playing across her lips. "Heh, I used to think you were just a lecher, but now...I know you are, but you're also very kind. I'm glad that someone in this world would risk so much for me..."
There was silence a moment and Sango thought maybe her monk had fallen asleep. Chancing to look over where he sat, her eyes widened when she couldn't see him. Where...? "Miroku...?"
She screamed when she felt him suddenly sit down beside her. Instantly, the hunter began stammering away, trying her best to cover both her fright and her embarrassment-her cheeks were on fire. Gently, the priest placed a finger to her lips, simultaneously tilting her head to look at him. He smiled at her. "Miroku...?" she whispered again as he removed his finger and leaned closer. "Wh-what are you do-"
Her words were lost as he gently pressed his lips to hers and wrapped his arms around her slight form. Shocked, Sango stiffened, then shoved him away and scurried around Kirara, using the demon cat as a shield. Miroku rolled backward a few feet, finally landing with a thump and a groan on his back. After a moment of simply lying still, he struggled to a sitting position, holding his head lightly in his hands. "Oi..." he moaned, the sound muffled.
Sitting behind Kirara, her heart pounding hard enough to rip from her chest, Sango tried feverishly to figure out what the hell just happened. What was that stupid monk thinking? This was too much, far too much! Just when she was able to compliment him on being such a kind and caring person, he goes and pulls a stunt like this! The lech! Sango's breath came out in short gasps just thinking about it-she was so angry. How dare he...!
Taking a moment, the demon hunter turned and peeked up over Kirara's back. Miroku was still sitting where he'd landed, staring at his staff lying a few feet away on the ground. His eyes were...very sad. The hunter's throat constricted-she hadn't hurt him, had she? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she'd hurt him... 'Miroku...'
Sliding back down to a sitting position, the girl wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing lightly. Her anger gone, she found she was more confused than anything else. He'd startled her with that kiss-she could admit she overreacted and that shoving the priest so hard wasn't the most ideal solution. But...why had he done it? He hadn't just been seeking a cheap thrill, had he...? Oh, if he was only after a quick feel, she'd...
In any case, she should apologise. She didn't need to shove him so hard...
Slowly, Sango crawled out from behind Kirara and took her seat again. Miroku looked up at the sound of her movement, but she couldn't look at him. Whether because of her embarrassment or her guilt over hurting him, she kept her face averted. Her voice shaking, she said quietly: "Miroku...I'm so-"
"There's nothing to apologise about," he cut in amiably. Standing up, he casually brushed off his bottom and stretched out. "It was my fault, really. I shouldn't have done that, especially without your consent." Sango turned her head and watched him as he sat back down beside her, a smile on his face. Stretching expansively with a huge and obviously fake yawn, Miroku curled up on his side and chattered sleepily: "Well, we should get some sleep. Inuyasha will want to head out early."
Nodding woodenly, the hunter curled up, pressing into Kirara. She turned her back on Miroku, but didn't fall asleep. Behind her, she could hear him getting comfortable.
'He doesn't want to talk about it anymore...does that mean he feels bad? Or maybe he just doesn't care...Was he being a lecher again and just getting what he could when he could? No...the way he was talking...' Confused, Sango shifted around until she could peek at him from the corner of her eye without him noticing her doing so. He was lying on his back, one hand flung across his face, the other resting lightly on his chest. Sango couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep.
'I don't understand...why did he do that? He said he'd do the same for me...and earlier, against Sesshoumaru, he protected me the best he could. And even earlier than that...in the woods against that demon, he'd said something very similar. I didn't think about it at the time, but...' Absently, she fingered her mending arm, flinching slightly from the pain. 'I know he cares about me, but...is it love? Is it that strong? Damnit, Miroku, why did you kiss me? Why won't you talk about it? I want...I want to talk about it!'
Shifting again, Sango turned her head and whispered: "Miroku...? Are you awake...?" She needed to talk to him about this. What did that kiss mean? "Miroku...?"
When he didn't answer, she flipped herself around further, until she was completely on her side and looking straight at him. Much to her chagrin, just as she opened her mouth to call out to him again, he turned his head and looked right at her. He smiled. "I'm awake, Sango. Do...do you want to talk about it...?"
Flustered, she bit her lower lip, surprised. Had he known she was thinking about him? Maybe he knew she'd been watching him, too? He wanted to talk...no, he knew she wanted to talk. So which was it? How long had he known...? 'Does he really want to talk to me about it? Why did he have to startle me like that? Now I don't know what to do!'
For his part, the monk waited patiently, watching his hunter with a serious expression. She'd start talking any minute now and he didn't want to offend her by looking as though he didn't care, or found it funny. On the contrary, he cared very much about how she felt. He hadn't wanted to drop it in the first place...'So why didn't I say anything...?' he mused quietly. 'Sango...please don't hate me...'
Finally, Sango cleared her throat and looked at the monk directly. In a soft, almost timid voice, she said: "What...what did you mean...by that kiss...?"
Miroku couldn't help but smile at her question. She saw him and her cheeks instantly flamed. When she made to turn away from him, he reached out and gently took her shoulder in his hand. "Please, don't turn around. I don't want to look at your back. Your face is far more beautiful."
"Miroku..."
He shushed her with a small squeeze. "Let me finish, Sango. That is, if you want to know exactly why I did what I did." She nodded and he let her go. Rubbing her shoulder to ease out the pain, she listened attentively as the priest sat back and said: "I don't know what I meant in that kiss because I can't fully describe how I feel myself. I...I very much wanted to kiss you, Sango, but not because you're pretty, or because I'm that kind of person. For a long time now I've felt-something-inside me reaching for you. I tried to tell you earlier, against that lightning demon...I'm not sure if you noticed or not. At the time I was too worried about your reaction to continue. And later, when fighting Sesshoumaru...I tried to protect but...you still got hurt. I'm sorry..."
Sango shook her head, but looked at her arm askance. "I know you were worried about me, then. You held me afterward-that was comforting, thank you."
"I wish I could have done more for you, though." He sighed. "I wish I could give you everything you've ever dreamed of. I wish I could be with you always, be near you forever and protect you from any harm. I wish to hold you again, to feel you lips against mine..." At his words she flushed deeper. He couldn't possibly mean that...could he? "But I can't tell you what I meant when I did kiss you, because the feelings I have for you are so much, so strange, so powerful...words can't encompass them. The only thing I can say is...is..."
Leaning toward him unknowingly, Sango held her breath. 'Miroku...'
Turning his head to look at her, he smiled. "I love you, Sango."
His words sent a chill through her spine and the demon hunter had to lean heavily against Kirara to keep from planting her face in the dirt. 'Love...he loves me...Miroku...' "Miroku..."
He turned his head, a splash of red on his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm being terribly forward. And it still doesn't forgive me for what I did. I'm sorry, Sango. You can hit me now, if you really want. It's nothing I don't deserv-"
Payback tasted sweet, Sango thought to herself as she kissed the priest. She couldn't remember a time his eyes had been so wide. She rather liked it.
A moment later she pulled away, then pressed her head against the priest's chest. Awkwardly, his arms shaking, Miroku held her close, his chin resting on her head. Sango sighed and she nestled closer to him. She could hear his heart beating wildly through his chest-the sound was oddly soothing and she found that she was happy to have caused it.
For the longest time they simply sat together. The sky grew darker and stars shone like pinpricks against the black tapestry. Looking up at the stars as he was, Miroku almost missed Sango's whispered, sleepy words, before she fell asleep in his arms.
"I love you too, Miroku."
Off to the side, hunched up on his tree-branch, Inuyasha scowled. It seemed everyone had everything they wanted but him.
Sango and Miroku were snuggling like newlyweds next to Kirara, but did Inuyasha have Kagome sitting beside him? No. Shippou was off with Shoukaki to rescue Kagome from Sesshoumaru. Could Inuyasha go after her? No. He had to wait for the love-birds on the ground to get some sleep. Idly he wondered if they would, indeed, get any sleep at all. The priest did have a bad reputation, after all...
'Bah, I hope they don't get any sleep. It only serves them right. If they get to be together but I don't get to be with Kagome, then they should lose out on something instead. And I don't even care if they fall behind in the morning because they're too tiiiiiiiiired. It's their own damn fault for being together...' His thoughts drifted away and the dog-demon found himself in another funk.
Together...when would he be together with Kagome again?
For eight months, nothing in the world mattered to Inuyasha. His friends could neither rouse him from his self-induced stupor, nor comfort him in his time of lose. Everything that had ever mattered to him was gone-poof! Just like that. Just like with Kikyou, Kagome was out of sight and out of reach and there was nothing Inuyasha could do about it...
But then, by some miracle, she was there, alive and well, looking at him with her beautiful, shimmering eyes. He could see her as clearly as he had on those long days searching for the Jewel shards, he could smell her, hear her, feel her. Months of endless pain vanished instantly and he was alive again. He had his Kagome again! And then, even as he held her, she drifted away again.
She was always drifting away and leaving him bereft of her existence. When...when would he be able to hold her as long as he wanted? When would he finally have what Sango and Miroku had now? 'Why didn't I treasure the time I did have with her...? I'm such a fool...'
A gentle wind picked up and ruffled his silver tresses playfully. At first, the half-demon ignored it and did his best to keep his hair from getting in eyes. But then he stopped and very slowly, carefully, drew in the scents on the wind. Eyes widening in shock, the hanyou turned and scrambled up the tree until he stood on the topmost branches. There was no mistaking this scent! He could smell her! He could smell Kagome!
For a moment, Inuyasha could do nothing but take in the scent, inhaling deeply. It was faint, but it was there and the euphoria the dog-demon experienced with each breath nearly knocked him from his perch. With each and everything breath he took he could see Kagome, his beloved Kagome, as though she were there with him, in the tree.
He could see her now, lying on the grass, her dark hair spread out on the ground while she pointed out the constellations to him, or explained rocket ships and space stations. He could see her, smiling as she turned and asked him what he thought about when he looked up at the night sky, her face so perfect, so incredibly beautiful that it stopped his heart and stole the words from his throat. With just this barest of scents, he could see her more clearly than he could see his own hand and his chest ached incredibly. More than once as he thought about her, he had to stop and balance himself lest he crash back to the ground. Injuring himself would not help him get to Kagome any sooner.
And with her so tantalizingly close, he wasn't taking any chances.
He didn't really know how long he stood up in the tree, breathing in the scents on the breeze, but by the time the wind died down enough that he could no longer smell his lover, the moon hung high in the navy sky, interspersed with the pinprick light of stars. Inuyasha found himself staring at them longingly. They were like Kagome-he could see them, sense them, but no matter how hard he fought and struggled, he could never reach them. He could never take a star in his hands.
"But Kagome isn't a star," he mused quietly, his eyes transfixed on the tiny orbs twinkling in the distance. "She's just as beautiful-more so-but I'll get her back. I can hold her. And I will. Nothing in this world can keep me from taking her back and never letting her go. Not my brother, not his little 'Shadow Master,' nothing. Nothing..."
He stood for a while more, then crawled back down to his previous perch. From the corner of his eye he saw Miroku and Sango sleeping, huddled against each other. The half-breed sighed and turned away from them. No matter how strong his conviction to rescue his love, seeing others together as his companions were still hurt. A pang of sadness welled up within him as he stared out from the branches toward the origin of the wind on which Kagome's scent floated. 'Kagome...do you wish I was there to hold you...? Do you long for me as much as I you?' He looked momentarily back over to where his companions sat, then back up to the sky. The breeze shifted by again and brought with it his Kagome's scent. 'I'll save you, Kagome. So don't worry. I'll save you and bring you back home...'
The stars shone gently in the sky and watched over the hanyou and his thoughts deep into the night.
Sunlight filtered down through the branches of his tree, spilling across Inuyasha's face and forcing his eyes open from the glare. Blinking rapidly, his eyes watering, the half-demon yawned expansively before hopping down to land silently on the grass. A breeze picked up, tossing his hair to the side and bringing with it the faintest scent of water. The dog-demon sighed. He couldn't smell Kagome this time.
Over by Kirara, Miroku and Sango were still sleeping, huddled close to one another. Sometime in the night one of them must have grabbed a blanket, because the thin fabric was draped over them, rustling gently in the breeze. Sango murmured something in her sleep, then pressed closer to the priest, hugging the blanket closer.
'Ah, don't they just look cute?' Inuyasha thought, his eyes narrowed and a low growl escaping his lips. 'I bet that damn priest is in heaven, having a woman willingly sleeping with him. Bastard monk.' Unbeknownst to him, the half-breed's growl got a little louder as he stared at his companions resting on the ground. He snickered and took a step forward. 'Maybe I should wake him up. We do have such a loooong day ahead of us, after all...'
Almost as though she could sense his intentions, Kirara picked her head up to stare at the dog-demon tip-toeing toward her and the humans beside her. She blinked a couple of times, then yawned and laid her head back down. Her demon companion wasn't planning on doing anything life-threatening, so there was no need for her to get involved. Besides, she could go for a little more sleep.
Inuyasha stalked up to where Miroku slept, watching the monk through lidded eyes. So, the priest thought he could just sleep the morning away, did he? That he could stay up all night with his new "girlfriend" and just blow off their objective, huh? Well, he would show him! Snickering, Inuyasha took a few steps back and reached down for a nearby stone, preparing to peg his friend in the head. This was going to be so much fun.
Oblivious to it all, the priest slept on, his mouth open in the barest of snores.
Taking aim, Inuyasha chucked the stone. Just as it left his hand, however, Miroku shifted upward, so instead of the rock heading toward his forehead, it had an open path to his throat. Choking down his laughter, the half-demon scrambled after the projectile, trying his best to snatch it out of the air. But no matter how he grabbed at it, the damned thing seemed to be just out of his reach. So when it proved apparent that his flailing limbs couldn't grab it, he did the only other thing he could think of.
He jumped for it.
Flying through the air as he was, it was easy enough to grab the stone. Snatching it from the air, Dog Boy only had a few seconds to realise the error in his plan. He may have saved Miroku from a stone in the gullet, but who was going to save him from an Inuyasha in the face?
Momentarily peeking up from where her face was buried in her arms, Kirara scrambled to her feet when she saw the half-breed flying through the air toward her. Sango awoke with a start as her support suddenly gave way and she was on her back, struggling with the blanket that had somehow twined around her arms. Beside her, Miroku was slouched over, his eyes groggily trying to focus on the ground as his senses came back to him.
"Look out!"
Miroku's head shot up just in time to see his companion come flailing toward him at unchecked speeds, then he was on the ground, rolling backward, his body tangled with the half-demon's. A rock smashed into the back of his head as he rolled unceremoniously across the ground, his arms scraping against dirt and hard soil while his ribs were repeatedly pounded by an elbow and his legs bent in positions they really shouldn't be bent in.
For his part, the dog-demon was taking it rather well. Not once did he call Miroku a "damned priest." Not to say that Inuyasha's language wasn't exactly...colourful...as they rolled around on the ground, but he didn't blame the monk for it, which was something. Even when they finally stopped and lay bruised and broken, his main expletive sounded something like, but not necessarily limited to: "Shit, damnit, Kirara!"
Struggling to a sitting position, Miroku rubbed the back of his head, careful not to press too hard on the tender spots. That rock had done quite a number on him...Beside him, Inuyasha was also sitting up, rubbing his neck and glaring at Kirara, the string of curses showing no signs of letting up. Looking over at his companion with lidded eyes, the priest asked calmly: "What the hell was that about, my friend?"
Inuyasha looked at the other man askance, then shrugged, coughing lightly into his fist. Miroku sighed; he wasn't going to get any answers out of the hanyou on this, he already knew it. 'Why do I even try?' he mused silently, rolling his eyes heavenward.
By now, Kirara and Sango were standing nearby, the former lying down, casually looking over the two males, the latter doing her best to hide her amusement by making a concerned face. Standing up, absently brushing the dirt from his robes, Miroku leaned over and offered a hand to his friend. Scowling, Inuyasha stood on his own, then stalked over to where Kirara lounged. The cat-demon raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his approach, but did nothing more.
Sango hurried over to where Miroku stood, alternately laughing and looking worried. When she was close enough, the demon hunter raised a hand to her lover's face, touching the bruise that was beginning to swell and darken along his cheek. Stroking it fondly, she asked: "Does it hurt?"
He shook his head. "No, not really. My neck is a little sore and my head is throbbing, but other than that I'm feeling fine."
She smiled. "That's nice." Then she pressed against the bruise, her finger leaving a white mark when she withdrew it. Miroku yelped, then glared at her as she questioned: "Did that hurt?" She laughed hard when he gave her his most pathetic, puppy dog look, then ruffled his hair playfully. "You're cute sometimes, priest."
"I'm cute all the time," he countered. Absently, she nodded her acquiescence, realising too late the error in that gesture. Grabbing her hands up in his, the priest gazed down into her eyes, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. With as much passion as he could muster, he said: "Sango, you really do care for me! As a gesture of your love, will you bear my child?"
He didn't know where it came from or how she got it, but quite suddenly Sango's boomerang came hissing through the air, directed at the monk's skull. Jumping back quickly to avoid the blow, Miroku smiled weakly at his love, then ran off toward where Inuyasha was currently in a stand-off with Kirara. The two demons broke eye contact at the sound of the approaching human, took in Sango with her boomerang at the ready, then returned to staring each other down. There wasn't anything unusual about the situation to warrant a break in their personal fight.
Darting between the two demons, Miroku cried: "Protect me, Inuyasha!" then ducked beneath the half-breed as Sango's weapon came down. Inuyasha turned around to see what was going on now just as her boomerang smacked him in the head. With a cry, the dog-demon collapsed to the ground, taking Miroku with him and crushing the monk to the ground. Above them, Sango apologised profusely, pulling her weapon from her companion's skull and kneeling down to see if she'd hurt him any.
Brushing her away in a tiffy, Inuyasha crawled to his feet, huffing and glaring at the two humans. Miroku followed suit, wary of Sango's weapon, while the demon hunter asked again if they were all right. Kirara rumbled deeply, the sound vaguely akin to a laugh. Inuyasha shot her a glare as well before stalking off in the direction of the Western Falls. He'd had enough foolishness for one morning.
"Come on, we have to get going! Kagome's time is running out; I'm sick of being held back by you idiots." Stopping momentarily to glare back at them, the half-demon waited long enough to make sure Sango and Miroku were preparing to leave before taking off himself. Kirara could catch up if she wanted to.
Sango pursed her lips irritably, then shrugged and walked over to the cat-demon lounging not too far away. Miroku watched incredulously as his friend darted into the trees, his eyes lidded. "It wasn't like Inuyasha started it all in the first," he grumbled quietly, joining Sango at her demon's side and getting ready to jump on. They had everything they needed, right? "No, of course not. Inuyasha never starts anything. Fool." Looking around as he complained, the priest noted that the camp was cleaned up and all their possessions packed away. 'Good girl, Sango,' he thought, then climbed up onto Kirara's back, offering a hand to Sango when he was settled. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded, situating the last of their parcels. He smiled. "Then I guess we're off."
They took off, Kirara bounding through the trees at incredibly speeds. It wasn't long before they caught up to their dog-demon, hoping from tree to tree, his nose lifted to the air. Inuyasha caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye and nodded. Regardless of how he might look to others, he appreciated what Miroku and Sango were doing for him and was grateful to have them along. He didn't think he could do this without them.
Suddenly smelling Kagome's scent on the wind, Inuyasha veered to the right, cutting Kirara off as she sped through the woods. Turning swiftly on the pads of her paws, the cat-demon lunged after Dog Boy, nearly throwing her human occupants off. Sango screamed as she slid off to the side, clutching Miroku's robes in stiff fingers. It was all he could do not to fall off as well, even with his hands buried in Kirara's thick fur. 'I need to warn Inuyasha about that,' he thought mildly as the two righted themselves again, slightly more cautious than before.
He wasn't sure how long they ran, but by the time Inuyasha caught wind of Kagome's scent again the sun was beginning to dip down toward the horizon and the trees were beginning to thin out. 'This is it! I'm almost there!' Elation soared through him as he thought about how close he was to his love, how close he was to having her back forever. His legs pumped faster and he bolted through the trees, nose working overtime to keep her scent fresh. He couldn't afford to lose it now!
Behind him, Miroku and Sango held onto Kirara for dear life, the cat-demon racing so fast that they almost flew off in the face of the wind. Though he couldn't smell as good as Inuyasha, nor did he have the heightened senses of his companion demons, it didn't take him long to put two and two together. They were close. Only a fool would not be able to tell.
A delicate pair of arms snaked around his waist and the monk started. Turning his head as much as he could without fear of the wind ripping it off, he asked: "Sango? What's wrong?"
The hunter shuddered and pressed herself closer against his back. Her eyes were large and looked distant, as though her mind were somewhere far away while her body clung desperately to him. When she spoke, her voice wavered with the sound of tears and fright and Miroku found himself terrified.
"Something's wrong..." Sango said. Her voice was impossibly soft and yet he could hear every word clearly. A tear trekked down her face and her fingers dug into his arms painfully. "Inuyasha, Inuyasha has to stop! Something's wrong, something's terribly, terribly wrong." She was sobbing now; her eyes still looked distant. "He has to stop...Please...tell him to stop...!"
"Sango..." Turning around to face Inuyasha's direction, Miroku yelled: "Inuyasha, wait! Sango says something is wrong! Inuyasha!"
The wind flung his words back in his face and the dog-demon continued on, unerring in his desire to see the single most important person in his existence. Urging Kirara forward, Miroku's eyes widened in terror as the trees suddenly broke away and the pale twilight spread across the open field and immense waterfall in the distance. Its roar sounded vaguely in his ears but he didn't care. Sango gasped in horror, her eyes clear and no longer distant, then buried her face in the priest's back. Miroku wished he had something that could cover his eyes as well.
Ahead, Inuyasha slid to a halt, running a giant furrow through the grass for about a yard. His eyes wide and mouth agape, the dog-demon got warily to his feet. By the time his shock wore off, Kirara was beside him, her human riders slowly sliding off her back to the ground. Sango collapsed the moment her feet hit soil; Miroku leaned heavily against the cat-demon's side. No one spoke for the longest time.
After an interminable pause, Inuyasha turned to the monk. Not since Kagome disappeared had he seen such pain and anguish in the eyes of his friend. "Inuyasha..."
The half-breed ignored him, instead taking a step farther into the field. "What the hell..." he whispered fervently, almost pleadingly. His eyes wide, he turned his face upward, barely registering the black, scared body of the dead demon squatting in the centre of the area. The waterfall, the darkening sky, even the sounds of those around him faded away as his attention focused on the small, red tuft of fur clutched far too tightly in the demon's claws, one paw stretched out over the arm of his captor as though reaching, mouth slack and eyes rolled back so that only the whites showed.
Inuyasha's mouth opened and he screamed up at Shippou: "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
Anyhow-almost there! This is so exciting! This will be one of the only stories I've ever got around to finishing! Yay for Leah!
Okay, well, um...on to the chapter. Also of note, I gave all you Miroku/Sango fans out there a brighter little day. Please enjoy and thank you all for reading. As always, criticism is welcome. I think I'll be getting a lot after this chapter...
Where Lost Souls Meet Again
Chapter Twelve: All This Time Looking For Love
Time was running out.
Inuyasha raced among the trees, head bent low to avoid the branches that whisked past his head. The steady patter of his feet resounded through the woods, accompanied by the swish of his robes through the air. He could faintly hear Kirara's breath nearby and the vague, random calls of birds in the distance. Nothing else made any sound as the half-demon and his companions tore through the woods toward the waterfall somewhere far ahead. Inuyasha smirked to himself; if he were a creature in this forest, he wouldn't get in his way, either.
His smirk faded away as he turned his thoughts back to why he was running so fast. Four days...four days since Sesshoumaru took Kagome to the Western Falls. Four days wasted, in Inuyasha's eyes, with meaningless travel and even more meaningless banter. Talking to Kaede instead of chasing after the girl was nothing but a waste-he hadn't learned anything he didn't already know! Well...he did, but it was irrelevant since he'd been planning on killing that pathetic "Shadow Master" from the beginning. That monster...that monster needed to pay for taking his Kagome like that. Him and Sesshoumaru-but especially that Shadow creature who turned his Kagome against him.
'Like Naraku...like Kikyou...' He closed his eyes briefly as a stab of pain shot through him. So many sad memories...Regret upon regret weighed him down whenever he thought about the things he might have done to save her, or even himself, in that distant past. Someone he cared for had been hurt deeply and there was nothing he could do about it. Absolutely nothing...even killing Naraku could not make up for those errs. And so he let the feeling wash over him as he darted in and out of the trees like the wind.
When the pain subsided, he shook his head out and focused on getting though the trees even faster than before. The past was the past and he couldn't change it, but right now he could do something for Kagome and nothing was going to stop him. He'd lost his chance to save Kikyou a long time ago-he'd lost Kikyou a long time ago; that did not mean he would lose Kagome. He could save her still...he would save her still. She was all that mattered in his world...
'Three days left...I only have three days left. Shippou is already on his way with Shoukaki-he's probably already there, the runt. Hopefully they can stall Sesshoumaru and that...thing...long enough for me to get there. As it is it'll take at least one more day.' He growled and put on more speed. 'I have to get there! I can't lose her again. Never again...!'
Behind him, Sango and Miroku watched in worry as their friend began running faster and faster. "He'll kill himself if he stays at such speeds," Sango murmured, even as she urged Kirara to move a little faster. "I know our time is limited, but..."
Miroku sighed. "We've lost four days and are barely any farther than when we started. Two days to Lady Kaede's, two days back. That is what Inuyasha is thinking now. But even if he is half demon, Inuyasha still needs to rest. He can't push himself like this forever."
Sango nodded. Urging Kirara ever faster, she turned her head briefly to the side. Watching the priest from the corner of her eye, she asked softly: "Perhaps we should stop for the night? It's late and we're all getting tired." When her companion nodded, she turned back around and whispered into the demon-cat's ear. Kirara's voice rumbled in acquiescence and she immediately began a dive for the earth.
Inuyasha sensed a movement behind him and took a moment to peek over his shoulder. Kirara was diving toward the earth, Miroku grabbing a hold of Sango as he yelped in surprise-was he groping her, or was that the half-demon's imagination? Oh well, it didn't matter. They'd be back in the air and following him soon enough.
Turning swiftly on the balls of his feet, the dog-demon lunged back toward the humans, a scowl on his face. Miroku crouched low to the ground, his head in his hands; Sango stood over him, her boomerang hanging loosely from one hand. They both looked up at the sound of their friend's rapid approach.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?!" the hanyou roared, skidding to a halt a few feet from where the humans stood. Sango had to take a step back from the force of his voice. "We have to get going or we'll never make it to the Western Falls in time! We're behind enough as it is-you sitting around on your lazy asses isn't helping any!"
A staff on the skull kept the irate half-breed from continuing any further as Miroku shoved himself to his feet. The priest looked at his friend with lidded eyes. "We're tired, Inuyasha. It won't hurt to rest for a night."
Inuyasha growled back: "It'll hurt Kagome if we don't rescue her in time!"
Another thwack to the skull silenced him further. "My friend, if we don't stop and rest now, then we'll just lose even more time when we collapse from exhaustion later. I am just as worried about Kagome as you are, but pushing ourselves to death will help no one. So please," he continued, bringing his staff down a third time to cut his half-demon companion off before he said something stupid, "let us rest for the night."
"The sun is setting and it's been a long day, Inuyasha," Sango added, nestling down beside Kirara. "We're only human and we tire much more easily than you. And even Kirara needs to rest. So just calm down. We'll get to Kagome in time, I promise."
Miroku sighed and sat back himself, resting his staff across his legs. Nonplussed, Inuyasha growled some more, then stalked off a ways to find a tree to perch in. The monk watched him go, then turned to Sango and shrugged. "At least we didn't have to beat him into submission like yesterday..."
She nodded sleepily, absently stroking Kirara's coat between her fingers. Her boomerang rested on the ground within arm's reach. "I don't blame him, though," she said finally, looking off into the distance toward Inuyasha's dangling feet. "If your roles were reversed, wouldn't you feel the same way?"
The priest shrugged. "Well, of course I would. I'd want to save you at any costs-" Too late he realised what he said and clamped his mouth shut. Sango laughed lightly. "What's so funny?"
The demon hunter giggled and waved him away limply. "Nothing, it's just that I never said you'd be out to save me." Her laughter died away slowly and she looked at her companion meaningfully for a moment. When she saw him looking back at her, Sango turned her head to the side, eyes closed. Her cheeks were warm. "Thank you, though, for thinking of me as such." For a brief second she paused, then continued on with a small smile playing across her lips. "Heh, I used to think you were just a lecher, but now...I know you are, but you're also very kind. I'm glad that someone in this world would risk so much for me..."
There was silence a moment and Sango thought maybe her monk had fallen asleep. Chancing to look over where he sat, her eyes widened when she couldn't see him. Where...? "Miroku...?"
She screamed when she felt him suddenly sit down beside her. Instantly, the hunter began stammering away, trying her best to cover both her fright and her embarrassment-her cheeks were on fire. Gently, the priest placed a finger to her lips, simultaneously tilting her head to look at him. He smiled at her. "Miroku...?" she whispered again as he removed his finger and leaned closer. "Wh-what are you do-"
Her words were lost as he gently pressed his lips to hers and wrapped his arms around her slight form. Shocked, Sango stiffened, then shoved him away and scurried around Kirara, using the demon cat as a shield. Miroku rolled backward a few feet, finally landing with a thump and a groan on his back. After a moment of simply lying still, he struggled to a sitting position, holding his head lightly in his hands. "Oi..." he moaned, the sound muffled.
Sitting behind Kirara, her heart pounding hard enough to rip from her chest, Sango tried feverishly to figure out what the hell just happened. What was that stupid monk thinking? This was too much, far too much! Just when she was able to compliment him on being such a kind and caring person, he goes and pulls a stunt like this! The lech! Sango's breath came out in short gasps just thinking about it-she was so angry. How dare he...!
Taking a moment, the demon hunter turned and peeked up over Kirara's back. Miroku was still sitting where he'd landed, staring at his staff lying a few feet away on the ground. His eyes were...very sad. The hunter's throat constricted-she hadn't hurt him, had she? She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she'd hurt him... 'Miroku...'
Sliding back down to a sitting position, the girl wrapped her arms around herself, squeezing lightly. Her anger gone, she found she was more confused than anything else. He'd startled her with that kiss-she could admit she overreacted and that shoving the priest so hard wasn't the most ideal solution. But...why had he done it? He hadn't just been seeking a cheap thrill, had he...? Oh, if he was only after a quick feel, she'd...
In any case, she should apologise. She didn't need to shove him so hard...
Slowly, Sango crawled out from behind Kirara and took her seat again. Miroku looked up at the sound of her movement, but she couldn't look at him. Whether because of her embarrassment or her guilt over hurting him, she kept her face averted. Her voice shaking, she said quietly: "Miroku...I'm so-"
"There's nothing to apologise about," he cut in amiably. Standing up, he casually brushed off his bottom and stretched out. "It was my fault, really. I shouldn't have done that, especially without your consent." Sango turned her head and watched him as he sat back down beside her, a smile on his face. Stretching expansively with a huge and obviously fake yawn, Miroku curled up on his side and chattered sleepily: "Well, we should get some sleep. Inuyasha will want to head out early."
Nodding woodenly, the hunter curled up, pressing into Kirara. She turned her back on Miroku, but didn't fall asleep. Behind her, she could hear him getting comfortable.
'He doesn't want to talk about it anymore...does that mean he feels bad? Or maybe he just doesn't care...Was he being a lecher again and just getting what he could when he could? No...the way he was talking...' Confused, Sango shifted around until she could peek at him from the corner of her eye without him noticing her doing so. He was lying on his back, one hand flung across his face, the other resting lightly on his chest. Sango couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep.
'I don't understand...why did he do that? He said he'd do the same for me...and earlier, against Sesshoumaru, he protected me the best he could. And even earlier than that...in the woods against that demon, he'd said something very similar. I didn't think about it at the time, but...' Absently, she fingered her mending arm, flinching slightly from the pain. 'I know he cares about me, but...is it love? Is it that strong? Damnit, Miroku, why did you kiss me? Why won't you talk about it? I want...I want to talk about it!'
Shifting again, Sango turned her head and whispered: "Miroku...? Are you awake...?" She needed to talk to him about this. What did that kiss mean? "Miroku...?"
When he didn't answer, she flipped herself around further, until she was completely on her side and looking straight at him. Much to her chagrin, just as she opened her mouth to call out to him again, he turned his head and looked right at her. He smiled. "I'm awake, Sango. Do...do you want to talk about it...?"
Flustered, she bit her lower lip, surprised. Had he known she was thinking about him? Maybe he knew she'd been watching him, too? He wanted to talk...no, he knew she wanted to talk. So which was it? How long had he known...? 'Does he really want to talk to me about it? Why did he have to startle me like that? Now I don't know what to do!'
For his part, the monk waited patiently, watching his hunter with a serious expression. She'd start talking any minute now and he didn't want to offend her by looking as though he didn't care, or found it funny. On the contrary, he cared very much about how she felt. He hadn't wanted to drop it in the first place...'So why didn't I say anything...?' he mused quietly. 'Sango...please don't hate me...'
Finally, Sango cleared her throat and looked at the monk directly. In a soft, almost timid voice, she said: "What...what did you mean...by that kiss...?"
Miroku couldn't help but smile at her question. She saw him and her cheeks instantly flamed. When she made to turn away from him, he reached out and gently took her shoulder in his hand. "Please, don't turn around. I don't want to look at your back. Your face is far more beautiful."
"Miroku..."
He shushed her with a small squeeze. "Let me finish, Sango. That is, if you want to know exactly why I did what I did." She nodded and he let her go. Rubbing her shoulder to ease out the pain, she listened attentively as the priest sat back and said: "I don't know what I meant in that kiss because I can't fully describe how I feel myself. I...I very much wanted to kiss you, Sango, but not because you're pretty, or because I'm that kind of person. For a long time now I've felt-something-inside me reaching for you. I tried to tell you earlier, against that lightning demon...I'm not sure if you noticed or not. At the time I was too worried about your reaction to continue. And later, when fighting Sesshoumaru...I tried to protect but...you still got hurt. I'm sorry..."
Sango shook her head, but looked at her arm askance. "I know you were worried about me, then. You held me afterward-that was comforting, thank you."
"I wish I could have done more for you, though." He sighed. "I wish I could give you everything you've ever dreamed of. I wish I could be with you always, be near you forever and protect you from any harm. I wish to hold you again, to feel you lips against mine..." At his words she flushed deeper. He couldn't possibly mean that...could he? "But I can't tell you what I meant when I did kiss you, because the feelings I have for you are so much, so strange, so powerful...words can't encompass them. The only thing I can say is...is..."
Leaning toward him unknowingly, Sango held her breath. 'Miroku...'
Turning his head to look at her, he smiled. "I love you, Sango."
His words sent a chill through her spine and the demon hunter had to lean heavily against Kirara to keep from planting her face in the dirt. 'Love...he loves me...Miroku...' "Miroku..."
He turned his head, a splash of red on his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I'm being terribly forward. And it still doesn't forgive me for what I did. I'm sorry, Sango. You can hit me now, if you really want. It's nothing I don't deserv-"
Payback tasted sweet, Sango thought to herself as she kissed the priest. She couldn't remember a time his eyes had been so wide. She rather liked it.
A moment later she pulled away, then pressed her head against the priest's chest. Awkwardly, his arms shaking, Miroku held her close, his chin resting on her head. Sango sighed and she nestled closer to him. She could hear his heart beating wildly through his chest-the sound was oddly soothing and she found that she was happy to have caused it.
For the longest time they simply sat together. The sky grew darker and stars shone like pinpricks against the black tapestry. Looking up at the stars as he was, Miroku almost missed Sango's whispered, sleepy words, before she fell asleep in his arms.
"I love you too, Miroku."
Off to the side, hunched up on his tree-branch, Inuyasha scowled. It seemed everyone had everything they wanted but him.
Sango and Miroku were snuggling like newlyweds next to Kirara, but did Inuyasha have Kagome sitting beside him? No. Shippou was off with Shoukaki to rescue Kagome from Sesshoumaru. Could Inuyasha go after her? No. He had to wait for the love-birds on the ground to get some sleep. Idly he wondered if they would, indeed, get any sleep at all. The priest did have a bad reputation, after all...
'Bah, I hope they don't get any sleep. It only serves them right. If they get to be together but I don't get to be with Kagome, then they should lose out on something instead. And I don't even care if they fall behind in the morning because they're too tiiiiiiiiired. It's their own damn fault for being together...' His thoughts drifted away and the dog-demon found himself in another funk.
Together...when would he be together with Kagome again?
For eight months, nothing in the world mattered to Inuyasha. His friends could neither rouse him from his self-induced stupor, nor comfort him in his time of lose. Everything that had ever mattered to him was gone-poof! Just like that. Just like with Kikyou, Kagome was out of sight and out of reach and there was nothing Inuyasha could do about it...
But then, by some miracle, she was there, alive and well, looking at him with her beautiful, shimmering eyes. He could see her as clearly as he had on those long days searching for the Jewel shards, he could smell her, hear her, feel her. Months of endless pain vanished instantly and he was alive again. He had his Kagome again! And then, even as he held her, she drifted away again.
She was always drifting away and leaving him bereft of her existence. When...when would he be able to hold her as long as he wanted? When would he finally have what Sango and Miroku had now? 'Why didn't I treasure the time I did have with her...? I'm such a fool...'
A gentle wind picked up and ruffled his silver tresses playfully. At first, the half-demon ignored it and did his best to keep his hair from getting in eyes. But then he stopped and very slowly, carefully, drew in the scents on the wind. Eyes widening in shock, the hanyou turned and scrambled up the tree until he stood on the topmost branches. There was no mistaking this scent! He could smell her! He could smell Kagome!
For a moment, Inuyasha could do nothing but take in the scent, inhaling deeply. It was faint, but it was there and the euphoria the dog-demon experienced with each breath nearly knocked him from his perch. With each and everything breath he took he could see Kagome, his beloved Kagome, as though she were there with him, in the tree.
He could see her now, lying on the grass, her dark hair spread out on the ground while she pointed out the constellations to him, or explained rocket ships and space stations. He could see her, smiling as she turned and asked him what he thought about when he looked up at the night sky, her face so perfect, so incredibly beautiful that it stopped his heart and stole the words from his throat. With just this barest of scents, he could see her more clearly than he could see his own hand and his chest ached incredibly. More than once as he thought about her, he had to stop and balance himself lest he crash back to the ground. Injuring himself would not help him get to Kagome any sooner.
And with her so tantalizingly close, he wasn't taking any chances.
He didn't really know how long he stood up in the tree, breathing in the scents on the breeze, but by the time the wind died down enough that he could no longer smell his lover, the moon hung high in the navy sky, interspersed with the pinprick light of stars. Inuyasha found himself staring at them longingly. They were like Kagome-he could see them, sense them, but no matter how hard he fought and struggled, he could never reach them. He could never take a star in his hands.
"But Kagome isn't a star," he mused quietly, his eyes transfixed on the tiny orbs twinkling in the distance. "She's just as beautiful-more so-but I'll get her back. I can hold her. And I will. Nothing in this world can keep me from taking her back and never letting her go. Not my brother, not his little 'Shadow Master,' nothing. Nothing..."
He stood for a while more, then crawled back down to his previous perch. From the corner of his eye he saw Miroku and Sango sleeping, huddled against each other. The half-breed sighed and turned away from them. No matter how strong his conviction to rescue his love, seeing others together as his companions were still hurt. A pang of sadness welled up within him as he stared out from the branches toward the origin of the wind on which Kagome's scent floated. 'Kagome...do you wish I was there to hold you...? Do you long for me as much as I you?' He looked momentarily back over to where his companions sat, then back up to the sky. The breeze shifted by again and brought with it his Kagome's scent. 'I'll save you, Kagome. So don't worry. I'll save you and bring you back home...'
The stars shone gently in the sky and watched over the hanyou and his thoughts deep into the night.
Sunlight filtered down through the branches of his tree, spilling across Inuyasha's face and forcing his eyes open from the glare. Blinking rapidly, his eyes watering, the half-demon yawned expansively before hopping down to land silently on the grass. A breeze picked up, tossing his hair to the side and bringing with it the faintest scent of water. The dog-demon sighed. He couldn't smell Kagome this time.
Over by Kirara, Miroku and Sango were still sleeping, huddled close to one another. Sometime in the night one of them must have grabbed a blanket, because the thin fabric was draped over them, rustling gently in the breeze. Sango murmured something in her sleep, then pressed closer to the priest, hugging the blanket closer.
'Ah, don't they just look cute?' Inuyasha thought, his eyes narrowed and a low growl escaping his lips. 'I bet that damn priest is in heaven, having a woman willingly sleeping with him. Bastard monk.' Unbeknownst to him, the half-breed's growl got a little louder as he stared at his companions resting on the ground. He snickered and took a step forward. 'Maybe I should wake him up. We do have such a loooong day ahead of us, after all...'
Almost as though she could sense his intentions, Kirara picked her head up to stare at the dog-demon tip-toeing toward her and the humans beside her. She blinked a couple of times, then yawned and laid her head back down. Her demon companion wasn't planning on doing anything life-threatening, so there was no need for her to get involved. Besides, she could go for a little more sleep.
Inuyasha stalked up to where Miroku slept, watching the monk through lidded eyes. So, the priest thought he could just sleep the morning away, did he? That he could stay up all night with his new "girlfriend" and just blow off their objective, huh? Well, he would show him! Snickering, Inuyasha took a few steps back and reached down for a nearby stone, preparing to peg his friend in the head. This was going to be so much fun.
Oblivious to it all, the priest slept on, his mouth open in the barest of snores.
Taking aim, Inuyasha chucked the stone. Just as it left his hand, however, Miroku shifted upward, so instead of the rock heading toward his forehead, it had an open path to his throat. Choking down his laughter, the half-demon scrambled after the projectile, trying his best to snatch it out of the air. But no matter how he grabbed at it, the damned thing seemed to be just out of his reach. So when it proved apparent that his flailing limbs couldn't grab it, he did the only other thing he could think of.
He jumped for it.
Flying through the air as he was, it was easy enough to grab the stone. Snatching it from the air, Dog Boy only had a few seconds to realise the error in his plan. He may have saved Miroku from a stone in the gullet, but who was going to save him from an Inuyasha in the face?
Momentarily peeking up from where her face was buried in her arms, Kirara scrambled to her feet when she saw the half-breed flying through the air toward her. Sango awoke with a start as her support suddenly gave way and she was on her back, struggling with the blanket that had somehow twined around her arms. Beside her, Miroku was slouched over, his eyes groggily trying to focus on the ground as his senses came back to him.
"Look out!"
Miroku's head shot up just in time to see his companion come flailing toward him at unchecked speeds, then he was on the ground, rolling backward, his body tangled with the half-demon's. A rock smashed into the back of his head as he rolled unceremoniously across the ground, his arms scraping against dirt and hard soil while his ribs were repeatedly pounded by an elbow and his legs bent in positions they really shouldn't be bent in.
For his part, the dog-demon was taking it rather well. Not once did he call Miroku a "damned priest." Not to say that Inuyasha's language wasn't exactly...colourful...as they rolled around on the ground, but he didn't blame the monk for it, which was something. Even when they finally stopped and lay bruised and broken, his main expletive sounded something like, but not necessarily limited to: "Shit, damnit, Kirara!"
Struggling to a sitting position, Miroku rubbed the back of his head, careful not to press too hard on the tender spots. That rock had done quite a number on him...Beside him, Inuyasha was also sitting up, rubbing his neck and glaring at Kirara, the string of curses showing no signs of letting up. Looking over at his companion with lidded eyes, the priest asked calmly: "What the hell was that about, my friend?"
Inuyasha looked at the other man askance, then shrugged, coughing lightly into his fist. Miroku sighed; he wasn't going to get any answers out of the hanyou on this, he already knew it. 'Why do I even try?' he mused silently, rolling his eyes heavenward.
By now, Kirara and Sango were standing nearby, the former lying down, casually looking over the two males, the latter doing her best to hide her amusement by making a concerned face. Standing up, absently brushing the dirt from his robes, Miroku leaned over and offered a hand to his friend. Scowling, Inuyasha stood on his own, then stalked over to where Kirara lounged. The cat-demon raised an inquisitive eyebrow at his approach, but did nothing more.
Sango hurried over to where Miroku stood, alternately laughing and looking worried. When she was close enough, the demon hunter raised a hand to her lover's face, touching the bruise that was beginning to swell and darken along his cheek. Stroking it fondly, she asked: "Does it hurt?"
He shook his head. "No, not really. My neck is a little sore and my head is throbbing, but other than that I'm feeling fine."
She smiled. "That's nice." Then she pressed against the bruise, her finger leaving a white mark when she withdrew it. Miroku yelped, then glared at her as she questioned: "Did that hurt?" She laughed hard when he gave her his most pathetic, puppy dog look, then ruffled his hair playfully. "You're cute sometimes, priest."
"I'm cute all the time," he countered. Absently, she nodded her acquiescence, realising too late the error in that gesture. Grabbing her hands up in his, the priest gazed down into her eyes, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. With as much passion as he could muster, he said: "Sango, you really do care for me! As a gesture of your love, will you bear my child?"
He didn't know where it came from or how she got it, but quite suddenly Sango's boomerang came hissing through the air, directed at the monk's skull. Jumping back quickly to avoid the blow, Miroku smiled weakly at his love, then ran off toward where Inuyasha was currently in a stand-off with Kirara. The two demons broke eye contact at the sound of the approaching human, took in Sango with her boomerang at the ready, then returned to staring each other down. There wasn't anything unusual about the situation to warrant a break in their personal fight.
Darting between the two demons, Miroku cried: "Protect me, Inuyasha!" then ducked beneath the half-breed as Sango's weapon came down. Inuyasha turned around to see what was going on now just as her boomerang smacked him in the head. With a cry, the dog-demon collapsed to the ground, taking Miroku with him and crushing the monk to the ground. Above them, Sango apologised profusely, pulling her weapon from her companion's skull and kneeling down to see if she'd hurt him any.
Brushing her away in a tiffy, Inuyasha crawled to his feet, huffing and glaring at the two humans. Miroku followed suit, wary of Sango's weapon, while the demon hunter asked again if they were all right. Kirara rumbled deeply, the sound vaguely akin to a laugh. Inuyasha shot her a glare as well before stalking off in the direction of the Western Falls. He'd had enough foolishness for one morning.
"Come on, we have to get going! Kagome's time is running out; I'm sick of being held back by you idiots." Stopping momentarily to glare back at them, the half-demon waited long enough to make sure Sango and Miroku were preparing to leave before taking off himself. Kirara could catch up if she wanted to.
Sango pursed her lips irritably, then shrugged and walked over to the cat-demon lounging not too far away. Miroku watched incredulously as his friend darted into the trees, his eyes lidded. "It wasn't like Inuyasha started it all in the first," he grumbled quietly, joining Sango at her demon's side and getting ready to jump on. They had everything they needed, right? "No, of course not. Inuyasha never starts anything. Fool." Looking around as he complained, the priest noted that the camp was cleaned up and all their possessions packed away. 'Good girl, Sango,' he thought, then climbed up onto Kirara's back, offering a hand to Sango when he was settled. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded, situating the last of their parcels. He smiled. "Then I guess we're off."
They took off, Kirara bounding through the trees at incredibly speeds. It wasn't long before they caught up to their dog-demon, hoping from tree to tree, his nose lifted to the air. Inuyasha caught sight of them out of the corner of his eye and nodded. Regardless of how he might look to others, he appreciated what Miroku and Sango were doing for him and was grateful to have them along. He didn't think he could do this without them.
Suddenly smelling Kagome's scent on the wind, Inuyasha veered to the right, cutting Kirara off as she sped through the woods. Turning swiftly on the pads of her paws, the cat-demon lunged after Dog Boy, nearly throwing her human occupants off. Sango screamed as she slid off to the side, clutching Miroku's robes in stiff fingers. It was all he could do not to fall off as well, even with his hands buried in Kirara's thick fur. 'I need to warn Inuyasha about that,' he thought mildly as the two righted themselves again, slightly more cautious than before.
He wasn't sure how long they ran, but by the time Inuyasha caught wind of Kagome's scent again the sun was beginning to dip down toward the horizon and the trees were beginning to thin out. 'This is it! I'm almost there!' Elation soared through him as he thought about how close he was to his love, how close he was to having her back forever. His legs pumped faster and he bolted through the trees, nose working overtime to keep her scent fresh. He couldn't afford to lose it now!
Behind him, Miroku and Sango held onto Kirara for dear life, the cat-demon racing so fast that they almost flew off in the face of the wind. Though he couldn't smell as good as Inuyasha, nor did he have the heightened senses of his companion demons, it didn't take him long to put two and two together. They were close. Only a fool would not be able to tell.
A delicate pair of arms snaked around his waist and the monk started. Turning his head as much as he could without fear of the wind ripping it off, he asked: "Sango? What's wrong?"
The hunter shuddered and pressed herself closer against his back. Her eyes were large and looked distant, as though her mind were somewhere far away while her body clung desperately to him. When she spoke, her voice wavered with the sound of tears and fright and Miroku found himself terrified.
"Something's wrong..." Sango said. Her voice was impossibly soft and yet he could hear every word clearly. A tear trekked down her face and her fingers dug into his arms painfully. "Inuyasha, Inuyasha has to stop! Something's wrong, something's terribly, terribly wrong." She was sobbing now; her eyes still looked distant. "He has to stop...Please...tell him to stop...!"
"Sango..." Turning around to face Inuyasha's direction, Miroku yelled: "Inuyasha, wait! Sango says something is wrong! Inuyasha!"
The wind flung his words back in his face and the dog-demon continued on, unerring in his desire to see the single most important person in his existence. Urging Kirara forward, Miroku's eyes widened in terror as the trees suddenly broke away and the pale twilight spread across the open field and immense waterfall in the distance. Its roar sounded vaguely in his ears but he didn't care. Sango gasped in horror, her eyes clear and no longer distant, then buried her face in the priest's back. Miroku wished he had something that could cover his eyes as well.
Ahead, Inuyasha slid to a halt, running a giant furrow through the grass for about a yard. His eyes wide and mouth agape, the dog-demon got warily to his feet. By the time his shock wore off, Kirara was beside him, her human riders slowly sliding off her back to the ground. Sango collapsed the moment her feet hit soil; Miroku leaned heavily against the cat-demon's side. No one spoke for the longest time.
After an interminable pause, Inuyasha turned to the monk. Not since Kagome disappeared had he seen such pain and anguish in the eyes of his friend. "Inuyasha..."
The half-breed ignored him, instead taking a step farther into the field. "What the hell..." he whispered fervently, almost pleadingly. His eyes wide, he turned his face upward, barely registering the black, scared body of the dead demon squatting in the centre of the area. The waterfall, the darkening sky, even the sounds of those around him faded away as his attention focused on the small, red tuft of fur clutched far too tightly in the demon's claws, one paw stretched out over the arm of his captor as though reaching, mouth slack and eyes rolled back so that only the whites showed.
Inuyasha's mouth opened and he screamed up at Shippou: "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"