A/N: Okay, so here it is. I'm finally getting them out of the ClubLand. This chapter came out relatively easy (Yes, muse is still sedated…hehe…) so I'm posting it pretty quickly on the heels of the last one. It's kinda silly, really. Oh, nobody's asked for it, but it occurred to me that I hadn't really written Kag saying her favorite word. She has thought about it, but managed to hold herself back. Well, she's a little tipsy in this chapter, so…no holds barred!
I just finished this chapter a while ago and looked over it now. It seems okay to me, and I don't have the feeling that I'm going to find anything too wrong with it if I go over it again, so I'm not going to subject it to the usual editing process that I do, so if there's something wrong with it grammar wise, please forgive me.
Thanks: Oh, everyone! I was so shocked with my reviews for chapter 12, that I didn't throw the party I said I wanted to throw if I hit 50. Well, considering I'm at like 68 or so, I think it calls for a PAR-TEH! ::she hands out party hats, balloons, streamers, cookies, chocolate, and Jello shots:: If you're underage, you shouldn't be reading this, anyway! (shh…don't tell anyone, and I won't!) Woo-hoo! ::Music blares:: Hey, Mr. D.J. put a record on, I wanna dance with my baby…
Eartha: lol. Oh, that's too rich! Let's see how I can put that in there. I'm glad you liked the conversation between the boys. Like I said, my muse figured it was time for me to get into Mirouku's head a bit, so…I so agree with you about the fun coming from the process, not the end result and I'm very glad you think like that!
Sailor Universe3: Ooooohhhh!! I see! stupid grin Sorry! Yeah, I see what you meant! Hehe…well, she had never really felt him up before, the way she had as they danced, I guess. I don't know. It just seemed like the right thing to put in there…
Spa Day is going to be fun to write. I don't know what I'm doing yet, but I'm getting great ideas. I might just end up putting them all in there…who knows? My muse is still sore at me, so he might make me write more silliness like in this chapter I'm posting now.
RinoaOHeartilly: Thank you! (repeat a million times) You don't know how much it means to me that you think I'm keeping them in character. Cause of the new situation, I was very worried about keeping them in character. I didn't want them to act different, cause then it wouldn't be fun cause it wouldn't be them, right? big grin Yey, fluffiness!
kami8: Yes! I love getting posts, and thank you for reviewing! I seem to need a lot of reassurance that I'm going the right way. I feel that if I don't get any posts at all, that people are losing interest. Yeah, I realized that after I started researching some Inuyasha stuff that only Inu and Kag can go to her world. Sorry about that, but I think even if I had known about it, it would've been one of those things I asked you guys to overlook as I wrote cause I needed to have them all in Kag's time. I'm incredibly glad that everything else is believable. Thank you so much! I tend to be more of a conversation writer rather than action writer, so I'm glad that the lack of action in the story isn't boring…at least, no one's reviewed to tell me it is! Thanks again!
Lady Jade: blushes profusely Oh, wow. Addicted, huh? Considering I feel like that about some stories out there, I am sooo incredibly honored that you feel that way about my humble attempt! ^_^ I think the spa sequence is going in, so it is going to go for a little longer, it seems! Thanks again for reviewing!
Angel Moon: I'm glad you thought the chapter was as funny as it was in my head when I wrote it. (I hate thinking I'm funny and finding out I'm not!) Yeah, Houjo drew out some violent tendencies in Kag! I tend to feel that way about certain people who are so sweet all the time I couldn't help but put it in for Kag. You're welcome about the ecard, I'm only sorry you didn't get it. My pc was being flighty that day so it was probably my fault. I don't know about doing a confrontation between Inu and Hou because I can't seem to find a time when Kag wouldn't get involve for fear of Inu killing him or something. How did you like the way I got Inu to stop himself from ripping him to shreds last time? I feel very special. Like I said before, although I'm always asking for more reviews, I wouldn't trade the people who usually review to me (you included, of course) for 10000 reviews. ^_~. I think the 2 on the penname is because of trying to avoid people from having the same penname, or at least I read that on the ff.net homepage. K. Hope you enjoy this chapter, too!
Chiisai-tori: Plot…hmm…grins sheepishly Yeah, I knew I was missing something! ^_~ As I said in the beginning of the fic, I'm more of a character development type of writer, and for me in my head, the whole plot with death was really more something of a catalyst to bring out all these changes and emotions than a real plot. For me, it's been more of the character development that has moved the story and the plot (Death) was just a device to achieve that. However, since it's there, I have been trying (trying is the key word, here!) to not forget that I need to do something with it, so the scene in the bathroom was my attempt at bringing it back up to the fore, and in the next few chapters you'll hopefully get a bit more of that, too.
Oh, yeah…Sango with modern beauty products…I'm getting a wicked little thought thanks to that idea…(heehee).
I'll try to remember the plot! Really, I will! ^__^ ;; Thanks for such an in-depth review! Keep 'em coming!
Disclaimer: I wonder, do they actually think that I could buy them? Or would anybody actually believe that I was the actual creator of this story writing fanfiction for the people to enjoy? Well, considering that I'd probably do that if any of my books became famous enough to have people writing fanfiction about it, then I guess I'll do it…I do not own Inuyasha nor any part of his world and I do not claim to own Inuyasha nor am I receiving any money or other benefit from writing about Inuyasha other than the pleasure of all those wonderful reviews!
Chapter 13: Stuck
"Well, I can't take it / The way I could before / I hate you, but I love you / I can't stop thinking of you / I don't know what to do / I'm stuck on you."
-Stuck, Stacie Orrico
"I'll kill him," Sango said, for all intents and purposes sounding as if she were simply saying she was getting another drink.
"You keep saying that," Kagome pointed out.
Sango pointed at her and her eyes flashed madly. "You…" she said, her voice low and menacing. "Don't you start making comments now after being silent throughout this whole…" she trailed off, blanching as she put two and two together in her head. She narrowed her eyes at her. "You…" Kagome fought off the urge to sink under the table where Sango couldn't see her. Kagome had been entirely too silent throughout the entire tirade of her friends. Well, obviously, if her friends had been familiar with the ways that regular lechers act and the way that Mirouku acted in relation to around them and around her, then Kagome must have come to the same conclusion she had just come to. "You knew about this, didn't you?"
Kagome tried not to grin. "Well, Sango, see…"
"Don't well Sango, me, you…you…miko!"
Ayumi winced. "Ouch!"
Kagome rose her eyebrows. "That's a little harsh, Sango…"
"Why?" she asked. "It's true…you knew all about this and you didn't tell me…"
"Would you have believed me?" she asked.
"What does that have to do with it?"
Kagome shrugged. "Everything."
Sango opened her mouth to argue, then closed it. Kagome was right and she hated it. "I'll kill him."
Kagome laughed at her friend's sentiment, trying to stop as Sango glared daggers at her. Kagome raised her hands in a gesture of peace.
"What's the problem, Sango?" Ayumi asked.
"Yeah, he's yummy," Eri added.
"You've said that, sweetie," Kagome told her, managing somehow to keep a straight face while she patted Eri's hand.
"Oh, well it's true," Eri grinned.
"Yeah," Yuka agreed. "It is. I wish I had a guy like that in love…"
"Don't say it!" Sango warned her desperately.
"Why ever not?" Yuka asked, confused.
"Where'd you get her, Kagome?" Ayumi asked. "In a convention of women who hate good-looking men who are head over heels for them?" Ayumi dodged a flying coaster and glared at Sango. "Hey! I didn't say he was in love with you!"
"That's it," Sango exclaimed. She stood up abruptly, swaying just a little before a hand on the table steadied her. She took a determined gulp from her glass, finishing off the liquid contained within and squared her shoulders.
She looked at the side and realized that Mirouku was staring at her. From this distance, she couldn't quite decipher the expression on his face, but she'd be damned if she waited around for him to make whatever lecherous thoughts he was thinking obvious. "It's about time that wandering monk got a piece of my mind," she said seriously.
"And maybe something else, too," Yuka mumbled to Ayumi.
"Oh-oh," Eri said, giggling.
"Why do I get the feeling that Sango's going to carry out her threat?" Ayumi asked, smiling.
"Because she probably is," Kagome answered, motioning for Ayumi to let her out.
Ayumi scooted out of the booth, and wiggled her eyebrows. "This aughta be fun," she said.
Kagome managed to stand out of the booth just in time to follow Sango from the sitting area, across the dancefloor and to the bar where Mirouku was standing with Inuyasha. She didn't know what she'd do, but she owed it to them to at least be there.
Mirouku cursed under his breath when he realized that Sango was making her very determined way toward him. 'I don't suppose she's coming to ask me to dance,' he thought. He managed to stand his ground though. 'No use in running, she'll only catch me.'
Her face seemed to grow darker with each step she took. Mirouku remembered Mushin's lessons well, (they had gotten him out of scrapes countless times) and smiled. It always seemed to disarm them when he did, and it gave him time to think. 'What'd I do?' he asked himself, and although he wracked his brain, he couldn't think of anything. He hadn't so much as breathed on her all night…
'Well,' he corrected. 'Maybe not all night, but for the past few hours at the very least.'
She half expected him to run or do something, but not smile. That 'I'm-nothing-but-an-innocent-monk' smile caught her off guard and momentarily threw off her momentum. 'What the hell is he smiling at?' she wondered, then scowled. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" she asked angrily.
Mirouku blinked, but the smile stayed in place. It seemed like an innocent enough question. "Why my Lady Sango," he replied innocently. "I am smiling at you."
"What are you smiling at?" she challenged.
"Your beauty," he answered smoothly.
"You've been staring at me, haven't you? Admit it!"
Mirouku executed a perfect half bow. "Gladly."
Her scowl seemed to deepen by his honest answer. She had expected him to make some sort of excuse or otherwise try to weasel his way out of telling her the truth. "Well, why are you staring at me?!" she demanded, pointing a finger at him and poking him in the chest.
'That's an easy question,' Mirouku thought. "Because it's such a pleasant sight to look at," he answered easily.
"Ooooh…" Eri cooed. Sango turned to see the four girls standing behind her, watching the scene with interest. They nodded encouragingly at her.
"That's a good one!" Yuka grinned.
She looked back at Mirouku and couldn't seem to think of any sort of valid reason to fight with him, even though she was itching for a fight. She withheld a sigh. Kagome had it easy, really. She could pick a fight with Inuyasha anytime she wanted to and had at least some way to relieve the sexual tension…
'Whoa' she thought. Did she just say sexual tension? Her instincts were screaming at her to run, but she couldn't seem to move.
"What do you want from me?" she asked him.
Mirouku's eyebrow lifted, but his face remained otherwise passive, the slight smile still playing on his lips. "Do you really want me to answer that, Sango?" he asked.
Flushed, Sango went back to poking at him. "Don't you have anything better to do?" she questioned.
He knew she was looking for a fight. For some reason, something she had heard her friends say had made her realize something she wanted to push off, make go away and it seemed she thought the best way to do that was by picking a fight with him. But he wasn't as dense as Inuyasha. Mirouku had known he was in love with Sango for what seemed like eons now, so he wouldn't make the same mistakes Inuyasha made and let her goad him into an argument. He had tested her feelings for him the only way he knew how. He had tried to make her jealous. It had worked, he had seen her reactions to his advances on other women. What he hadn't planned on was the adverse effects it would have on her perception of him. She obviously cared for him, but now he had the added problem of convincing her of that fact without her thinking he was a pervert.
"Something better than looking at the most beautiful girl here?" he asked. "The only things that come to mind also involve you and I do not think that is what you mean."
"That one's gotta be worth at least 10 points," Ayumi said conversationally to Kagome.
"Subtle, yet inviting," Yuka assessed. "Sure, I'd give him 10 points."
Mirouku heard the exchange between the girls and couldn't help but grin. He liked having an audience, and a flustered Sango…well, that just finished the deal.
"I mean something like dance or…something," Sango faltered.
"Dance?" Mirouku brightened. "Is that an invitation?" he rose his eyebrows.
"I…" Sango started.
"I accept." Before she could argue or even really think of what he was doing, he had swept his arm around her waist and led her to the dancefloor.
He vaguely heard Kagome's friends clapping and cheering at the bar.
+~+~+~
Kagome was watching her friends dance, and Sango struggle to figure out what was happening while dancing with Mirouku and she was giggling. 'I never giggle,' Kagome thought, then giggled again because she found that funny, too. She covered her mouth and sobered. Well, sobered was too serious a word, grew serious maybe. Could she be *giggle* drunk?
"What's so funny?"
Kagome had hoped that her hand at her mouth would stop her from giggling, but at Inuyasha's confused question, even that didn't stop her. She turned to look at him and giggled through her hand. "You look like a statute." Kagome blinked. "Not statute," she corrected. "Statute." 'Wait,' she thought. 'That wasn't what I had meant to *giggle* say.' She narrowed her eyes in concentration. "Statue," she tried to enunciate. Realizing she had gotten it right, she giggled again. "You look like a statute," she repeated, then frowned, and promptly erupted in giggles.
Inuyasha tried to glare at her, but he couldn't seem to make himself with Kagome giggling in front of him. It was becoming difficult to keep a straight face as he looked at her flushed face, twinkling eyes, and her smiling lips…her oh so kissable lips.
He found himself wondering what she might taste like. After all, he already knew what she smelled like and looked like, so why shouldn't he know what she tasted like?
So, what was stopping him? Why didn't he taste her? Just a little taste? A small kiss…all he had to do was lean forward…
"You look like a statute," Sango announced, coming up next to Kagome.
Inuyasha cursed his fate. Then cursed his weakness. He didn't seem capable of thinking straight, especially when Kagome was looking at him with her eyes shining and her lips parted. He had almost kissed her, and the worst part was, he was sorry he had been prevented from it.
Kagome giggled again, then stopped. Sighing, she looked at Sango. "I think I'm drunk," she announced.
Sango nodded sagely. "Me, too." She neared Kagome, ignoring Inuyasha. "I didn't slap Mirouku."
Kagome gasped, then neared her friend. "Inuyasha almost kissed me," she confessed.
Inuyasha may not have the full ability of his hearing, but it wasn't hard for him to hear the exchange between them. 'She had known,' he realized, blushing. 'But she hadn't moved…could she…?'
Sango gasped and looked at Inuyasha, then back to Kagome. "Really?" Sango glanced sideways at Inuyasha. "How can you tell?" She shrugged. "He looks like a statue."
Kagome giggled again. "That's what I said." She leaned on Sango's shoulder. "I think it's time to go home," Kagome pronounced.
Sango nodded. "Yes, I agree."
"Okay," Kagome sighed. "I'll go look for the girls."
Sango winced. "I'll get Mirouku."
"No need, Lady Sango," Mirouku said, appearing next to her. "You already have me."
Sango narrowed her eyes at him. "We're leaving."
Mirouku bowed. "As my lady wishes."
Kagome giggled again, then sighed, turning to go back toward the dance floor. She stopped when Inuyasha's hand clapped onto her arm. She turned back to look at him, raising an eyebrow.
"Why do we need to find your friends anyway?"
Inuyasha's voice sounded strangely like whining, but Kagome decided not to make the obvious comment. "Because I can't leave them here alone, they're all drunk," Kagome explained. "We always go home together when we've been drinking to make sure we're okay."
"Feh," he replied.
"Feh," Kagome mimicked, then giggled. "I'll be right back."
"Hurry up, wench, I wanna get home," Inuyasha grumbled, letting her go.
Kagome looked at him in mock seriousness and saluted him. "Yes, sir, right away, sir!" she exclaimed before turning and bounding off, still giggling.
Mirouku came up next to Inuyasha and glanced sideways at him. "I do not know how you might feel about it, Inuyasha, but I happen to love alcohol at the moment."
Inuyasha watched as Kagome made her way through the crowd and found the first of her friends. "Hn," he replied.
Mirouku smiled, taking that as a clear indication of Inuyasha's agreement. He turned to share his joke with Sango, but realized that she had slipped away somewhere while he had been teasing Inuyasha. 'Damn,' he cursed silently.
Inuyasha noticed his friend's change of mood, and smiled wickedly. He had seen Sango trail off after Kagome, but had been waiting to see how long it would take the monk to notice. "Serves you right," he told Mirouku.
Mirouku turned his trademark innocent look at Inuyasha. "I do not know what you are referring to, Inuyasha."
"Ha!" Inuyasha barked, but left it at that. "Seems you can dish it out, but you can't take it, monk," he said after a short silence between them.
Mirouku didn't bother looking at him. He knew the look he'd find on his face. "I still do not understand to what you refer," he said in his blandest-monkish voice. Whenever you do not want to answer, pretend ignorance. It had always worked for him before. Even if they knew he was faking it, they didn't know how to get around it short of actually trying to beat him into confessing, and although there had been times…Inuyasha wouldn't…
Mirouku's thoughts trailed off as several instances when Inuyasha had played across his memory. 'Well, maybe he would, but…' he looked at Inuyasha surreptitiously out of the corner of his eye. Inuyasha was looking off with a slight smile on his lips. Mirouku's lips broke into a bit of a smile too. 'I certainly do love this alcohol,' he thought. It might not have made him drunk, but it certainly mellowed him out.
No sooner had the thought completed itself in Mirouku's mind, than Inuyasha proved just how wrong the thought was.
"I can't believe it!" Inuyasha exclaimed, the exasperation showing in the lilt of his voice.
"What?" Mirouku asked.
"The bitch is trying to ditch me…again!"
"Well, Inuyasha," Mirouku started placatingly. "She's a little inebriated…perhaps she simply forgot to come…"
"Sango's with her," Inuyasha interrupted blandly.
"Kuso!" Mirouku exclaimed under his breath. "What are you waiting for, Inuyasha?" he demanded, looking for the exit. "They're trying to ditch us!"
Inuyasha looked smug. "Well, maybe they just forgot…"
Mirouku grabbed Inuyasha's arm. "Tease me later, find them now!"
Inuyasha's smirk disappeared into a frown. "I can't believe she's still trying to ditch me…" he started, walking toward the exit. "I'll kill her."
+~+~+~+~
Kagome remembered Inuyasha as she was halfway down the street. He'd be pissed, she knew, but what could she do? He'd find her. Hadn't he proven that tonight? Why he'd bother was another matter altogether, but he would find her.
"Oi, Kagome," Eri said, looking behind them. "Isn't that Inuyasha and Mirouku?"
Kagome didn't bother looking back. It probably was. "Probably."
"He looks kinda mad," Yuka mumbled. "Maybe we should wait for him?"
"He'll catch up," Kagome answered, un-preoccupied.
"Uh…" Ayumi had caught the look of death riding Inuyasha's face. "He looks really mad…"
Kagome shrugged. "Let him get mad, I don't care."
"Uh, are you sure you want to…"
Kagome pshawed. "Sure," she said easily. "If he gets too rambunc…rambuk…" she faltered on the word and paused, "…crazy," she decided, "I'll just 'sit' him…" she winced as she heard the thump behind her and the string of curses coming from a horizontally inclined hanyou. She giggled. "oops," she said without even looking back.
"What…?" Ayumi started to ask.
Sango stopped her with an upraised palm. "Don't ask, just walk."
Kagome giggled again. "He's just clumsy," she threw back as she continued walking.
Inuyasha's colorful language could be heard even through the distance and his face being pressed in the gravel.
"Kagome," Sango warned under her breath. "You're pushing your luck."
Kagome looked at her, all wide eyed innocence. The sound of Inuyasha standing and starting to stomp to catch up to them could clearly be heard. "What?" she said. "Is it my fault if he gets all clumsy just 'cause I say 'sit'?"
Thump.
Kagome giggled again and Sango lowered her face into her hand and groaned. 'This is going to have GREAT repercussions,' she thought.
"See?" Kagome told Ayumi, still walking. "Clumsy."
"I see," Ayumi said thoughtfully. Then, because the image of the otherwise graceful Inuyasha falling flat on his face was too amusing to her slightly inebriated mind, she giggled too.
Eri tried to hide her laughter behind her hand but failed.
Inuyasha was clearly tired of trying to catch up to her this way. One swift spurt of his full speed and even if she sat him it wouldn't make much difference…he'd take her down with him.
Kagome must have somehow felt it, or maybe she just knew him well enough to know what he was thinking, because she paused. "Careful, Inuyasha, you don't want to run when you're being so clumsy!" she said, continuing to walk.
"Why, I'll…" he growled, starting to walk in her direction.
Mirouku finally reached him and stilled him with a hand on his arm. "Lady Kagome has a point, Inuyasha," he said calmly. Inuyasha looked at him and narrowed his eyes. Mirouku shrugged. "At least you can still see where she's going," he offered helpfully. "You won't have to sniff her down the street."
Inuyasha growled, but didn't try to run to catch up to her anymore.
Mirouku sighed. At least they wouldn't have to make their way down the street with Inuyasha falling flat on his face every three steps. That was something. Of course, Inuyasha's constant growl as they walked was an annoyance in its own right…
+~+~+
A/N: Okay, there. I promised that I'd try to get them out of the club in this chapter, and I finally did it! Yey, me! A little more comedy. (My muse is still slightly upset and highly drugged.) And still more Sango/Mirouku. I couldn't help it. I had to have her try to fight with him, but since she is drunk, it seems like as good a time as any to have her be a little less resistant to his logic. Plus, she just realized that he really does care for her, and is having to deal with what that means to her. What did you guys think? Mirouku to me would be the type that would know what he wants and be less dense than Inu in that sense. Did that seem OOC? That he knows he's in love with Sango?
Oh, and the voting for the Spa Day is still going on, but so far everyone's voted for it, so it looks like its going to happen. Yey, everyone! Thanks! I really wanted to do it. You can still feel free to vote about it, though, because it might not be in the next chapter.
I guess that's all…Oh, yeah…review, prettyplease!