A/N: *sweatdrop* I've let you wait long enough, so start reading! ^^
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, etc.
Dedication: TADASHI!! From Kinpachi Sensei, who's only the cutest boy in the world. MARRY ME, TADASHI! ^.~ *sweatdrop* Sometimes I worry about me..
Chapter 12: Whirling and Drying
"Are you sure you're okay?" Kagome asked Sango worriedly. "Your eyes are all red, and your hair is limp, and-"
"That's enough." Sango interrupted hastily. "Thanks. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Kagome hugged her friend. "I'll always be here for you to talk to! No matter what happens with Miroku, even though personally I think you'll have a happy ending."
"We better." Sango grouched. "Now, where is that jerk?"
"Last I saw, he and Kouga were off in the woods."
Sango looked alarmed. "I didn't drive him into being gay, did I?"
"Kouga and Miroku?" Kagome mused over the image that popped in her head. "Not a bad couple."
"Gross!"
"Sorry, Sango-chan. And don't worry, I don't think anything can turn Miroku off girls. He and Kouga are probably off punching trees or something."
"Sounds like them." Sango agreed. "I hope the trees are okay."
"I think you'd better worry more about Miroku." Kagome advised. "I'd bring a couple rolls of bandages if I were you."
As Sango prepared the dressing, she snuck a mischievous glance at Kagome. "So, what's going on between you and Inuyasha?"
Kagome flushed, immediately giving herself away. "What makes you think anything is going on?" she asked unconvincingly.
"Oh, come on!" Sango exclaimed. "I saw that smirk Inuyasha had on when you guys opened the door. And don't tell me your lipstick is always a little smudged."
"I was eating." Kagome defended.
"Fine, and I suppose Inuyasha suddenly developed a preference for Wild Strawberry?"
Kagome gave Sango her best innocent look. "Inuyasha wears lipstick?"
"That's what I want to know."
"This is like the Barbie incident." Kagome said happily.
Sango narrowed her eyes. "Are we changing the subject?"
"Okay." Kagome admitted. "Maybe we kissed a little."
"How can you kiss a little?" Sango asked. "Come on, give me the juicy details."
Kagome turned a lovely shade of pink. "It was nothing much. Nothing explicit."
Sango's eyes widened. "Hello! Have you seen Inuyasha? Did you somehow not notice that long black hair, those deep violet eyes, that pouty, delicious looking mouth? How can any physical contact with a male like that be anything but explicit?"
Kagome's mouth dropped open. "Don't you have your own boyfriend?" she asked, a little irritably. "And besides, Miroku has black hair and purple eyes too."
"And a nice body." Sango added. "But enough about him, how did you guys kiss?"
A blissful smile creeped across Kagome's face. "Let me tell you all about it.."
============Flashback Sequence==========================================
"Who's playing?"
Inuyasha gaze drifted up her face. "Hm?"
"Who's playing?" Kagome repeated. "I don't wanna kiss you."
A lazy smile stole across his face. "Liar."
"I'm not lying!"
"You're very bad at it." Inuyasha continued conversationally, as if she hadn't spoken. "What about," he suggested, "I kiss you once and you can tell me whether or not you like it?"
Kagome's eyes didn't seem to be able to pull away from his mouth. "What?"
Inuyasha leaned over and kissed her.
Kagome realized how she was thinking in cliques, but it was the most amazing kiss she'd ever experienced. Okay, admittedly, it was the only kiss she'd ever experienced not initiated by a relative or child. But somehow, Kagome didn't think she would feel the same shocks and shivers if she were to kiss, well, Hojo, for instance. She didn't realize she was shaking until Inuyasha pulled away and frowned lightly. "Are you cold?" he asked, rubbing her arms absently.
"No." Kagome squeaked. "It just felt.. shivery."
Inuyasha's frown didn't go away. "It did, didn't it." He said thoughtfully. Then he'd somehow heard Sango unlocking the car door, and the moment was broken, leaving Kagome confused and Inuyasha annoyed.
=========End Sequence===============================================
"Wow." Sango breathed, Miroku forgotten for the moment. "Wow. Right out of a romance novel, Kagome! Did you feel the earth move and everything?"
Kagome thought about this. "I imagine I felt the same way you feel when you kiss Miroku."
Sango considered her friend's words. "You mean you felt Inuyasha's hand on your ass?"
Kagome scowled. "Sango, I'm serious!"
"Okay, okay." Sango relented with a grin. "Hm, you felt like you wanted to stay there forever and never let go and then you realize you're out of breath and everyone at the restaurant is staring at you?"
"Everything except the staring thing." Kagome clarified. "The only thing staring at us were the sparrows in the tree."
==================================================================
Sango stomped angrily through the woods, planning what she was going to say to her boyfriend. "No nagging." She reminded herself firmly. "Just say what you are thinking and don't let him mess things up again, that asshole."
Unbeknownst to her, Kouga and Miroku were a mere ten feet away and could hear every word she was uttering. Kouga grinned and nodded to Miroku, then slipped away before he could get caught in the crossfire.
"Good luck." He said to Sango, who looked up from the leaf she was kicking in surprise. "Oh, thanks."
Kouga departed and Sango was left facing Miroku in the clearing.
She cleared her throat. "Uhm."
Miroku was scowling a little. "I'm not an asshole."
Sango sighed and approached him, taking his hand in hers. She 'tsk'ed. "I thought so. Why do you always have to go bloody your knuckles after a fight, Miroku? It's pretty stupid."
"It's a form of anger-management." He told her. "So are you gonna kiss it better or what?"
"I'm not kissing your blood." She replied, leaning forward to peck him lightly on the cheek. "I'll wash it with alcohol instead."
He winced. "Monster."
"Well, it's your own fault." Sango said just a little smugly, elaborately dousing a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. "Now, are you going to play macho guy and not make a peep? Or are you gonna be the baby and throw a tantrum?"
"Neither of those personas sound like me." Miroku retorted icily. "So hurry up and heal me, woman."
"Not with that attitude." She narrowed her eyes at him and stabbed him with the cotton. "Here, you're healing." Miroku's handsome face twisted in pain. "Couldn't you be a little gentler?" he gasped.
Sango smiled.
==================================================================
Inuyasha cocked his head. "Did you hear a whimper?"
Kagome looked up from her magazine. "That probably means Miroku and Sango are coming back. He's always sulky after she washes his wounds."
"Does she use that nasty stingy stuff?" Kouga wanted to know.
"If you're talking about rubbing alcohol," Kagome said wryly. "then yes, she does, Kouga-kun."
Kouga wrinkled his nose. "I hate that stuff." He told Inuyasha, who nodded in agreement.
Kagome shook her head.
"What are you reading?" Inuyasha asked, more out of boredom than curiosity.
"Ten fun things to do at a sleepover." Kagome flipped the page, reading with interest.
Kouga and Inuyasha eyed each other.
"Like what things?" Kouga asked.
"Well, playing a drinking game with soda. Like for instance, we can say, take a sip everything Inuyasha glares for no reason. Or take a sip everytime Miroku gets slapped by Sango. Stuff like that."
"Sounds fun." Kouga remarked.
"Why do you have to drink with soda?" Inuyasha complained. "The fun decreases when you eliminate the alcohol level."
"Well," Kagome informed him frostily. "we're not all juvenile delinquints like you."
He flashed her one of his unsettling smiles. Kagome gulped. Kouga raised an eyebrow. "Is there something I missed?" he asked casually.
"No." Kagome replied. "What makes you say that?"
Kouga shook his head slowly. "You're bad at lying, Kagome."
She scowled and he smirked.
Miroku and Sango lifted the back door of the van open and Miroku helped Sango up. Inuyasha noticed the flash of white on Miroku's right hand and raised an eyebrow. "When are you going to learn that taking your anger out on inanimate objects is a dumb-ass thing to do?"
"So sensitive." Miroku remarked.
"He just wants attention." Sango said. "Typical boy."
"You may say that." Miroku agreed. "But everyone knows you love me."
Sango wrinkled her nose prettily. "I wouldn't go that far. I just tolerate you."
Miroku leaned over and gave her a noisy kiss on the mouth. "Liar."
"A lot of that going around lately." Inuyasha said, sneaking a look at Kagome.
=================================================================
"Where are we going?" Kouga asked, staring up at the ceiling. The blue sparkles were beginning to form patterns.
"I have no idea." Miroku replied. Unfortunately, he was the one driving at the moment.
"We need to wash our clothes." Kagome announced suddenly.
Inuyasha gave her an odd look. "What, you want us to find you a creek?"
"A laundromat would be better." Kagome replied blithely. "I want to wear my cute red sweater but it has dirt on it."
"Dirt?" Inuyasha scoffed. "Is that all? Just be glad it's not worse."
"Like blood?" Sango suggested. "Because Miroku's jeans have blood on them, so those have got to be washed too."
"Blood is nothing." Inuyasha said halfheartedly. However, no one else seemed to share his nonchalant opinion, so off to the nearest town they headed.
==================================================================
"I've never been in a coin laundry place before." Kagome told Kouga, who was holding the door open for her. "I wonder what it's like."
"Step through and you'll see." Miroku suggested dryly. "You're blocking the doorway."
"Are you calling me fat?" Kagome scowled at him.
"What?" Miroku asked, bewildered. He turned to Sango, who shook her head and slipped her hand in his. "I'll never understand girls." Miroku told Kouga, who was still holding the door, looking a little annoyed now.
"Well, you have a girlfriend." Kouga snapped. "So you're a step ahead of us. Look at me. I'm the freaking doorman."
"What, should I tip you?" Inuyasha asked, wrestling his way in past Miroku and Sango. Kouga let the door slam on the three of them.
==================================================================
"My knee hurts." Inuyasha grumbled. "Stupid Kouga. If we ever get back to civilization, I'm going to sue you."
"Stop whining, Inuyasha." Kagome studied the knobs on the machine. "Sango, how do you use this?"
Sango shrugged sheepishly. "Dad does all the laundry at home. I just wash dishes. So I can work a dishwasher. Are the buttons the same?"
"I don't think so." Kagome said. "What about Miroku? Do you know?"
Miroku shook his head. "We have people who wash our clothes for us. I just throw it down the tube thing and it's back in my room the next day."
Kagome groaned. "Inuyasha? You live by yourself, you must know how to work a washing machine."
Inuyasha considered this. "No. For some reason, my clothes are always clean."
"You have a cleaning service, loser." Miroku rolled his eyes. "A girl goes by once a week to wash your dishes and do your laundry and stuff. You know, a cleaning service."
Inuyasha looked lost. "Really?"
"We hired them last year." Miroku reminded him. "Remember?"
"Nope. But that explains an awful lot."
Kagome shrieked. "Are you guys telling me that in a group of mature, responsible teenagers, no one can work a washing machine?"
They heard the machine rumble. Kagome turned around to find their clothes swirling through the plastic door, the machine humming happily as it washed their clothes.
"I have magic." she whispered.
"Or," Sango said. "Kouga started it while you were throwing a tantrum."
"I was not throwing a tantrum." Kagome turned her attention to Kouga. "You know how, Kouga? How?"
Kouga shrugged. "Someone has to do the laundry at my house." he pointed out. "We're not all rich kids like you."
"I'm not rich." Kagome said defensively.
"Me neither." Sango added.
Inuyasha and Miroku grinned silently.
"But," Kagome said, frowning. "we have families and parents who do it. How come you have to do the laundry in your family, Kouga?"
He looked uneasy for a moment. "I guess you can call it a chore." he said finally.
"Oh." Kagome said, dismissing the topic easily. "That's cool. At least now we can wash our clothes."
====================================================================
Sango was dozing, her back against Miroku's. She opened her eyes and found Kagome's face an inch from hers. She shrieked. "Kagome, what are you doing?"
"Sorry." Kagome replied, leaning back. "I got too excited. Did you know that this laundry place sells souvenirs?!"
Sango eyed her warily. "What, like little keychains in the shape of washing machines, and little novelty bottles of detergent?"
"You saw it too?" Kagome asked excitedly. "Because I was just thinking, this is the perfect thing to get the people back home!"
"Yeah, if you want them to hate you forever and ever." Sango yawned. "Are the clothes done?"
"I don't know." Kagome said, glancing around. "Last I saw, Kouga was doing it. I tried to help, but he said he could handle it."
"Why?" Inuyasha had come back from the mini arcade in time to hear Kagome. "What'd you do?"
"Nothing." Kagome replied, a little sulkily. "Oh, by the way, whoever has a pair of white boxers? It's sort of red now."
"I don't have any white boxers." Inuyasha shrugged. "
"Me neither." Miroku shuddered. "White? With my skin tone?" He added mockingly.
Kagome frowned, puzzled. "Well, they're not Kouga's either, because he just laughed when he saw it." Three sets of eyes turned to Sango, who had tuned out on the conversation and was busily examining her bracelet. "I think the color's fading." she said.
"You wear boxers, Sango?" Miroku asked, then considered. "I think I can get used to that."
"It's not like you'll ever see me in them." Sango retorted.
Inuyasha grinned. "Shot down." He said, patting his friend on the back. "It's okay, you should be used to it by now."
Miroku scowled at him and soon, the two boys were involved in a wrestling match. Kouga joined them a moment later, looking down at Miroku and Inuyasha in disgust. "I leave you guys for five minutes and you're assaulting washing machines?"
"They're aiming for each other." Kagome said helpfully, as Miroku and Inuyasha banged into a nearby machine. The noise attracted the attention of the store manager, who rushed over. "What are you kids doing?!"
====================================================================
"If we had come alone," Sango grumbled. "we wouldn't get kicked out of every place we went to."
"At least he let us take our clothes." Kouga said. "And they're dry, too." He gave his bag a shake.
"This is so tacky." Inuyasha complained. "Carrying clothes in a plastic bag."
"Labeled 'The Whirl 'n' Dry." Miroku chipped in. "It sounds like a cheap roller coaster."
"At least they're clean clothes." Sango scolded. "And if it weren't for you two, they could have been ironed, too."
"I didn't know they provided irons."
"Who cares if clothes are wrinkled? I mean, sweatshirts don't really _wrinkle_, do they?"
"Blouses do." Kagome said, pouting. "I'm going to have to wear wrinkly blouses! We better not go anywhere nice."
Sango laughed so hard she snorted. "Imagine, us going to a fancy restaurant with this group?"
As Kagome chuckled along with her friend, Inuyasha, Mrioku and Kouga frowned at each other. "What's that supposed to mean?"
A few feet from the car, Miroku halted and threw an arm out to stop Sango. "Hold on."
"What?" Perplexed, she craned her neck to look at the van. Nothing seemed out of place. "What's wrong?"
Miroku tilted his head, listening. Finally, he shook the feeling off. "Nothing," he said, with an easy smile. "I just thought I felt something."
"The last time you felt something, we ended up in a car chase." Sango pointed out. "Listen more."
Miroku shook his head and glanced toward Inuyasha. "You getting anything?"
"Nothing."
"It's probably just my imagination." Miroku dismissed the thought of danger.
"You never seemed the type to have a vivid imagination." Kouga eyed the car. "Maybe we should sweep it, just in case."
"I don't have a broom." Kagome said thoughtfully. "But we can probably borrow one from The Whirl 'n' Dry."
Inuyasha rubbed his face with his hands. "You keep her out of the way." he said to Sango. "That's the biggest help imaginable."
====================================================================
"I could've helped." Kagome sulked. Sango and her sat at the curb, peeling candy wrappers and eating chocolate. "I could have."
"I know." Sango soothed, for the third time in twenty minutes. "But you know how overprotective guys can get."
"They really think there's a bomb in there?"
"More like a bug or something. I don't understand why they'd want us so bad. The gang, I mean, not the guys. I wonder what they're after?"
"Well, we won't know because they won't tell us. Maybe we should get get them all sloppy drunk and trick it out of them."
"Kagome!"
"Well, I've been bored and reading a lot of magazines and stuff. Sooner or later an idea is going to pop out."
"Nah, I don't think Miroku would get sloppy drunk. Inuyasha, maybe, but Miroku is the stoic type."
"Are you kidding?" Kagome widened her eyes. "Inuyasha is too cool to get all weepy and stuff when he's drunk. Besides, to hear it from him, it sounds like he drinks a lot anyways, and don't you build up a resistance to it?"
"He doesn't drink that much. Inuyasha-kun doesn't seem the budding alcoholic type to me."
"I don't think they come in types. They," Kagome waved a hand vaguely. "just are."
"Very profound." Sango replied drily. "But to get back to the original topic, how are we going to get the answer out of the guys, and legally?"
"It would be so easy." Kagome said wistfully. "Go to a vending machine, pop in a few coins, and know why there's a dangerous gang chasing after us."
"We're done." Miroku brushed his hair aside and sat next to Sango.
"Did you find anything?" she asked.
Neither of them noticed the brief hesitation before Miroku said, "No, all clean."
"Alright then." Sango picked up the wrappers littering the pavement around them and tossed it in a nearby trashcan. "We can finally continue our vacation."
As the group clambered into the van, Kagome noticed that the steering wheel had once again switched hands. Kouga stretched out in the driver's seat, sunglasses shielding his eyes. "Are we ready to go?"
Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged glances. Miroku gave his head a slight shake. Inuyasha nodded. "Let's go."
=====================================================================
Ending Notes: Ahh, about time for an update, eh? Well I'm sorry if this chapter was a little slow and seemed like it went no where in turns of plot development, but I promise there was a reason for it. Or maybe I just felt like writing whatever. ^.~ I have no idea when you'll be getting another chapter, but I can promise you that I have already started on chapter 13. Enjoy! (and review, of course).
To the Reviewers: I know I asked if you guys if you wanted any specific villain, and I got a request from Aya for Bankotsu-sama but I must admit I don't know who that is. -_-;;; But I am thinking about the Thunder brothers. ^^ If I can remember anything about them. -_-;;; Lol so Aya, if you could refresh my memory? ^-~
To answer other questions:
Clump: Of COURSE you can put my fic on your website!! Leave me a link so I can check it out! ^^
Almost Everyone Else: Lol everyone wanted to know if they'd really kiss! Well you have you answer now doncha? ^-~ Hm.. people also asked how I can sleep at night with a cliffhanger... LOL you guys are so cool. ^^ Tranquilizers, that's how.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, etc.
Dedication: TADASHI!! From Kinpachi Sensei, who's only the cutest boy in the world. MARRY ME, TADASHI! ^.~ *sweatdrop* Sometimes I worry about me..
Chapter 12: Whirling and Drying
"Are you sure you're okay?" Kagome asked Sango worriedly. "Your eyes are all red, and your hair is limp, and-"
"That's enough." Sango interrupted hastily. "Thanks. I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Kagome hugged her friend. "I'll always be here for you to talk to! No matter what happens with Miroku, even though personally I think you'll have a happy ending."
"We better." Sango grouched. "Now, where is that jerk?"
"Last I saw, he and Kouga were off in the woods."
Sango looked alarmed. "I didn't drive him into being gay, did I?"
"Kouga and Miroku?" Kagome mused over the image that popped in her head. "Not a bad couple."
"Gross!"
"Sorry, Sango-chan. And don't worry, I don't think anything can turn Miroku off girls. He and Kouga are probably off punching trees or something."
"Sounds like them." Sango agreed. "I hope the trees are okay."
"I think you'd better worry more about Miroku." Kagome advised. "I'd bring a couple rolls of bandages if I were you."
As Sango prepared the dressing, she snuck a mischievous glance at Kagome. "So, what's going on between you and Inuyasha?"
Kagome flushed, immediately giving herself away. "What makes you think anything is going on?" she asked unconvincingly.
"Oh, come on!" Sango exclaimed. "I saw that smirk Inuyasha had on when you guys opened the door. And don't tell me your lipstick is always a little smudged."
"I was eating." Kagome defended.
"Fine, and I suppose Inuyasha suddenly developed a preference for Wild Strawberry?"
Kagome gave Sango her best innocent look. "Inuyasha wears lipstick?"
"That's what I want to know."
"This is like the Barbie incident." Kagome said happily.
Sango narrowed her eyes. "Are we changing the subject?"
"Okay." Kagome admitted. "Maybe we kissed a little."
"How can you kiss a little?" Sango asked. "Come on, give me the juicy details."
Kagome turned a lovely shade of pink. "It was nothing much. Nothing explicit."
Sango's eyes widened. "Hello! Have you seen Inuyasha? Did you somehow not notice that long black hair, those deep violet eyes, that pouty, delicious looking mouth? How can any physical contact with a male like that be anything but explicit?"
Kagome's mouth dropped open. "Don't you have your own boyfriend?" she asked, a little irritably. "And besides, Miroku has black hair and purple eyes too."
"And a nice body." Sango added. "But enough about him, how did you guys kiss?"
A blissful smile creeped across Kagome's face. "Let me tell you all about it.."
============Flashback Sequence==========================================
"Who's playing?"
Inuyasha gaze drifted up her face. "Hm?"
"Who's playing?" Kagome repeated. "I don't wanna kiss you."
A lazy smile stole across his face. "Liar."
"I'm not lying!"
"You're very bad at it." Inuyasha continued conversationally, as if she hadn't spoken. "What about," he suggested, "I kiss you once and you can tell me whether or not you like it?"
Kagome's eyes didn't seem to be able to pull away from his mouth. "What?"
Inuyasha leaned over and kissed her.
Kagome realized how she was thinking in cliques, but it was the most amazing kiss she'd ever experienced. Okay, admittedly, it was the only kiss she'd ever experienced not initiated by a relative or child. But somehow, Kagome didn't think she would feel the same shocks and shivers if she were to kiss, well, Hojo, for instance. She didn't realize she was shaking until Inuyasha pulled away and frowned lightly. "Are you cold?" he asked, rubbing her arms absently.
"No." Kagome squeaked. "It just felt.. shivery."
Inuyasha's frown didn't go away. "It did, didn't it." He said thoughtfully. Then he'd somehow heard Sango unlocking the car door, and the moment was broken, leaving Kagome confused and Inuyasha annoyed.
=========End Sequence===============================================
"Wow." Sango breathed, Miroku forgotten for the moment. "Wow. Right out of a romance novel, Kagome! Did you feel the earth move and everything?"
Kagome thought about this. "I imagine I felt the same way you feel when you kiss Miroku."
Sango considered her friend's words. "You mean you felt Inuyasha's hand on your ass?"
Kagome scowled. "Sango, I'm serious!"
"Okay, okay." Sango relented with a grin. "Hm, you felt like you wanted to stay there forever and never let go and then you realize you're out of breath and everyone at the restaurant is staring at you?"
"Everything except the staring thing." Kagome clarified. "The only thing staring at us were the sparrows in the tree."
==================================================================
Sango stomped angrily through the woods, planning what she was going to say to her boyfriend. "No nagging." She reminded herself firmly. "Just say what you are thinking and don't let him mess things up again, that asshole."
Unbeknownst to her, Kouga and Miroku were a mere ten feet away and could hear every word she was uttering. Kouga grinned and nodded to Miroku, then slipped away before he could get caught in the crossfire.
"Good luck." He said to Sango, who looked up from the leaf she was kicking in surprise. "Oh, thanks."
Kouga departed and Sango was left facing Miroku in the clearing.
She cleared her throat. "Uhm."
Miroku was scowling a little. "I'm not an asshole."
Sango sighed and approached him, taking his hand in hers. She 'tsk'ed. "I thought so. Why do you always have to go bloody your knuckles after a fight, Miroku? It's pretty stupid."
"It's a form of anger-management." He told her. "So are you gonna kiss it better or what?"
"I'm not kissing your blood." She replied, leaning forward to peck him lightly on the cheek. "I'll wash it with alcohol instead."
He winced. "Monster."
"Well, it's your own fault." Sango said just a little smugly, elaborately dousing a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. "Now, are you going to play macho guy and not make a peep? Or are you gonna be the baby and throw a tantrum?"
"Neither of those personas sound like me." Miroku retorted icily. "So hurry up and heal me, woman."
"Not with that attitude." She narrowed her eyes at him and stabbed him with the cotton. "Here, you're healing." Miroku's handsome face twisted in pain. "Couldn't you be a little gentler?" he gasped.
Sango smiled.
==================================================================
Inuyasha cocked his head. "Did you hear a whimper?"
Kagome looked up from her magazine. "That probably means Miroku and Sango are coming back. He's always sulky after she washes his wounds."
"Does she use that nasty stingy stuff?" Kouga wanted to know.
"If you're talking about rubbing alcohol," Kagome said wryly. "then yes, she does, Kouga-kun."
Kouga wrinkled his nose. "I hate that stuff." He told Inuyasha, who nodded in agreement.
Kagome shook her head.
"What are you reading?" Inuyasha asked, more out of boredom than curiosity.
"Ten fun things to do at a sleepover." Kagome flipped the page, reading with interest.
Kouga and Inuyasha eyed each other.
"Like what things?" Kouga asked.
"Well, playing a drinking game with soda. Like for instance, we can say, take a sip everything Inuyasha glares for no reason. Or take a sip everytime Miroku gets slapped by Sango. Stuff like that."
"Sounds fun." Kouga remarked.
"Why do you have to drink with soda?" Inuyasha complained. "The fun decreases when you eliminate the alcohol level."
"Well," Kagome informed him frostily. "we're not all juvenile delinquints like you."
He flashed her one of his unsettling smiles. Kagome gulped. Kouga raised an eyebrow. "Is there something I missed?" he asked casually.
"No." Kagome replied. "What makes you say that?"
Kouga shook his head slowly. "You're bad at lying, Kagome."
She scowled and he smirked.
Miroku and Sango lifted the back door of the van open and Miroku helped Sango up. Inuyasha noticed the flash of white on Miroku's right hand and raised an eyebrow. "When are you going to learn that taking your anger out on inanimate objects is a dumb-ass thing to do?"
"So sensitive." Miroku remarked.
"He just wants attention." Sango said. "Typical boy."
"You may say that." Miroku agreed. "But everyone knows you love me."
Sango wrinkled her nose prettily. "I wouldn't go that far. I just tolerate you."
Miroku leaned over and gave her a noisy kiss on the mouth. "Liar."
"A lot of that going around lately." Inuyasha said, sneaking a look at Kagome.
=================================================================
"Where are we going?" Kouga asked, staring up at the ceiling. The blue sparkles were beginning to form patterns.
"I have no idea." Miroku replied. Unfortunately, he was the one driving at the moment.
"We need to wash our clothes." Kagome announced suddenly.
Inuyasha gave her an odd look. "What, you want us to find you a creek?"
"A laundromat would be better." Kagome replied blithely. "I want to wear my cute red sweater but it has dirt on it."
"Dirt?" Inuyasha scoffed. "Is that all? Just be glad it's not worse."
"Like blood?" Sango suggested. "Because Miroku's jeans have blood on them, so those have got to be washed too."
"Blood is nothing." Inuyasha said halfheartedly. However, no one else seemed to share his nonchalant opinion, so off to the nearest town they headed.
==================================================================
"I've never been in a coin laundry place before." Kagome told Kouga, who was holding the door open for her. "I wonder what it's like."
"Step through and you'll see." Miroku suggested dryly. "You're blocking the doorway."
"Are you calling me fat?" Kagome scowled at him.
"What?" Miroku asked, bewildered. He turned to Sango, who shook her head and slipped her hand in his. "I'll never understand girls." Miroku told Kouga, who was still holding the door, looking a little annoyed now.
"Well, you have a girlfriend." Kouga snapped. "So you're a step ahead of us. Look at me. I'm the freaking doorman."
"What, should I tip you?" Inuyasha asked, wrestling his way in past Miroku and Sango. Kouga let the door slam on the three of them.
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"My knee hurts." Inuyasha grumbled. "Stupid Kouga. If we ever get back to civilization, I'm going to sue you."
"Stop whining, Inuyasha." Kagome studied the knobs on the machine. "Sango, how do you use this?"
Sango shrugged sheepishly. "Dad does all the laundry at home. I just wash dishes. So I can work a dishwasher. Are the buttons the same?"
"I don't think so." Kagome said. "What about Miroku? Do you know?"
Miroku shook his head. "We have people who wash our clothes for us. I just throw it down the tube thing and it's back in my room the next day."
Kagome groaned. "Inuyasha? You live by yourself, you must know how to work a washing machine."
Inuyasha considered this. "No. For some reason, my clothes are always clean."
"You have a cleaning service, loser." Miroku rolled his eyes. "A girl goes by once a week to wash your dishes and do your laundry and stuff. You know, a cleaning service."
Inuyasha looked lost. "Really?"
"We hired them last year." Miroku reminded him. "Remember?"
"Nope. But that explains an awful lot."
Kagome shrieked. "Are you guys telling me that in a group of mature, responsible teenagers, no one can work a washing machine?"
They heard the machine rumble. Kagome turned around to find their clothes swirling through the plastic door, the machine humming happily as it washed their clothes.
"I have magic." she whispered.
"Or," Sango said. "Kouga started it while you were throwing a tantrum."
"I was not throwing a tantrum." Kagome turned her attention to Kouga. "You know how, Kouga? How?"
Kouga shrugged. "Someone has to do the laundry at my house." he pointed out. "We're not all rich kids like you."
"I'm not rich." Kagome said defensively.
"Me neither." Sango added.
Inuyasha and Miroku grinned silently.
"But," Kagome said, frowning. "we have families and parents who do it. How come you have to do the laundry in your family, Kouga?"
He looked uneasy for a moment. "I guess you can call it a chore." he said finally.
"Oh." Kagome said, dismissing the topic easily. "That's cool. At least now we can wash our clothes."
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Sango was dozing, her back against Miroku's. She opened her eyes and found Kagome's face an inch from hers. She shrieked. "Kagome, what are you doing?"
"Sorry." Kagome replied, leaning back. "I got too excited. Did you know that this laundry place sells souvenirs?!"
Sango eyed her warily. "What, like little keychains in the shape of washing machines, and little novelty bottles of detergent?"
"You saw it too?" Kagome asked excitedly. "Because I was just thinking, this is the perfect thing to get the people back home!"
"Yeah, if you want them to hate you forever and ever." Sango yawned. "Are the clothes done?"
"I don't know." Kagome said, glancing around. "Last I saw, Kouga was doing it. I tried to help, but he said he could handle it."
"Why?" Inuyasha had come back from the mini arcade in time to hear Kagome. "What'd you do?"
"Nothing." Kagome replied, a little sulkily. "Oh, by the way, whoever has a pair of white boxers? It's sort of red now."
"I don't have any white boxers." Inuyasha shrugged. "
"Me neither." Miroku shuddered. "White? With my skin tone?" He added mockingly.
Kagome frowned, puzzled. "Well, they're not Kouga's either, because he just laughed when he saw it." Three sets of eyes turned to Sango, who had tuned out on the conversation and was busily examining her bracelet. "I think the color's fading." she said.
"You wear boxers, Sango?" Miroku asked, then considered. "I think I can get used to that."
"It's not like you'll ever see me in them." Sango retorted.
Inuyasha grinned. "Shot down." He said, patting his friend on the back. "It's okay, you should be used to it by now."
Miroku scowled at him and soon, the two boys were involved in a wrestling match. Kouga joined them a moment later, looking down at Miroku and Inuyasha in disgust. "I leave you guys for five minutes and you're assaulting washing machines?"
"They're aiming for each other." Kagome said helpfully, as Miroku and Inuyasha banged into a nearby machine. The noise attracted the attention of the store manager, who rushed over. "What are you kids doing?!"
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"If we had come alone," Sango grumbled. "we wouldn't get kicked out of every place we went to."
"At least he let us take our clothes." Kouga said. "And they're dry, too." He gave his bag a shake.
"This is so tacky." Inuyasha complained. "Carrying clothes in a plastic bag."
"Labeled 'The Whirl 'n' Dry." Miroku chipped in. "It sounds like a cheap roller coaster."
"At least they're clean clothes." Sango scolded. "And if it weren't for you two, they could have been ironed, too."
"I didn't know they provided irons."
"Who cares if clothes are wrinkled? I mean, sweatshirts don't really _wrinkle_, do they?"
"Blouses do." Kagome said, pouting. "I'm going to have to wear wrinkly blouses! We better not go anywhere nice."
Sango laughed so hard she snorted. "Imagine, us going to a fancy restaurant with this group?"
As Kagome chuckled along with her friend, Inuyasha, Mrioku and Kouga frowned at each other. "What's that supposed to mean?"
A few feet from the car, Miroku halted and threw an arm out to stop Sango. "Hold on."
"What?" Perplexed, she craned her neck to look at the van. Nothing seemed out of place. "What's wrong?"
Miroku tilted his head, listening. Finally, he shook the feeling off. "Nothing," he said, with an easy smile. "I just thought I felt something."
"The last time you felt something, we ended up in a car chase." Sango pointed out. "Listen more."
Miroku shook his head and glanced toward Inuyasha. "You getting anything?"
"Nothing."
"It's probably just my imagination." Miroku dismissed the thought of danger.
"You never seemed the type to have a vivid imagination." Kouga eyed the car. "Maybe we should sweep it, just in case."
"I don't have a broom." Kagome said thoughtfully. "But we can probably borrow one from The Whirl 'n' Dry."
Inuyasha rubbed his face with his hands. "You keep her out of the way." he said to Sango. "That's the biggest help imaginable."
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"I could've helped." Kagome sulked. Sango and her sat at the curb, peeling candy wrappers and eating chocolate. "I could have."
"I know." Sango soothed, for the third time in twenty minutes. "But you know how overprotective guys can get."
"They really think there's a bomb in there?"
"More like a bug or something. I don't understand why they'd want us so bad. The gang, I mean, not the guys. I wonder what they're after?"
"Well, we won't know because they won't tell us. Maybe we should get get them all sloppy drunk and trick it out of them."
"Kagome!"
"Well, I've been bored and reading a lot of magazines and stuff. Sooner or later an idea is going to pop out."
"Nah, I don't think Miroku would get sloppy drunk. Inuyasha, maybe, but Miroku is the stoic type."
"Are you kidding?" Kagome widened her eyes. "Inuyasha is too cool to get all weepy and stuff when he's drunk. Besides, to hear it from him, it sounds like he drinks a lot anyways, and don't you build up a resistance to it?"
"He doesn't drink that much. Inuyasha-kun doesn't seem the budding alcoholic type to me."
"I don't think they come in types. They," Kagome waved a hand vaguely. "just are."
"Very profound." Sango replied drily. "But to get back to the original topic, how are we going to get the answer out of the guys, and legally?"
"It would be so easy." Kagome said wistfully. "Go to a vending machine, pop in a few coins, and know why there's a dangerous gang chasing after us."
"We're done." Miroku brushed his hair aside and sat next to Sango.
"Did you find anything?" she asked.
Neither of them noticed the brief hesitation before Miroku said, "No, all clean."
"Alright then." Sango picked up the wrappers littering the pavement around them and tossed it in a nearby trashcan. "We can finally continue our vacation."
As the group clambered into the van, Kagome noticed that the steering wheel had once again switched hands. Kouga stretched out in the driver's seat, sunglasses shielding his eyes. "Are we ready to go?"
Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged glances. Miroku gave his head a slight shake. Inuyasha nodded. "Let's go."
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Ending Notes: Ahh, about time for an update, eh? Well I'm sorry if this chapter was a little slow and seemed like it went no where in turns of plot development, but I promise there was a reason for it. Or maybe I just felt like writing whatever. ^.~ I have no idea when you'll be getting another chapter, but I can promise you that I have already started on chapter 13. Enjoy! (and review, of course).
To the Reviewers: I know I asked if you guys if you wanted any specific villain, and I got a request from Aya for Bankotsu-sama but I must admit I don't know who that is. -_-;;; But I am thinking about the Thunder brothers. ^^ If I can remember anything about them. -_-;;; Lol so Aya, if you could refresh my memory? ^-~
To answer other questions:
Clump: Of COURSE you can put my fic on your website!! Leave me a link so I can check it out! ^^
Almost Everyone Else: Lol everyone wanted to know if they'd really kiss! Well you have you answer now doncha? ^-~ Hm.. people also asked how I can sleep at night with a cliffhanger... LOL you guys are so cool. ^^ Tranquilizers, that's how.