Title: The Plan
By: Queen Beryl
@---^---
I don't own Inu-Yasha. But one day... yes, one day... you shall see!
Chapter Two: Falling In Love Is A Challenge
Kagome stretched, making a small sighing noise as she sat up from her sleeping bag. Currently, she and her group of friends were just outside a forest somewhere in Feudal Japan, perhaps not thirty miles from Kaede's hut. The sun had just risen, and nobody else was awake yet. Kagome looked down at Shippo, who was snoring softly. She brushed some longer brown fur out of his face. He was finally clean after going so long without a bath.
Kagome stood up, careful not to wake anyone, grabbed a towel, soap, and shampoo from her bag, and escaped for the hot spring a little ways away. Now it was her turn. She quickly stripped and got in, ready to soak. She didn't know how long she was there or how long ago she fell asleep, but the next thing she knew, Sango was sitting beside her.
"Did you hear me, Kagome?" Sango asked, looking at her companion. She pulled Kagome's shampoo bottle, squeezed a bit into her hand, and applied it to her wet hair.
"Mmm. I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Kagome asked, finally awake again. She sat up straighter and started washing her body.
"I asked you if would ever be angry with me if I liked Inuyasha." Sango scrubbed the dirt from her hair, her hands and head covered in flower-smelling shampoo. Kagome looked at her friend and instantly blushed against her will.
"D-do you?" Kagome tried to seem unperturbed by the matter.
"I asked you if you'd be mad if I did. Would you?" Sango dipped below the surface to rinse her long locks.
"Well, I wouldn't be angry..." Kagome rubbed water over her arms.
"What would you be then?" Sango stole the Dove bar (the soap, not ice cream) from its place on the small boulder-ledge protruding over the side of the hot spring.
"Well..." Kagome thought. What would she be? Upset, sad, jealous? Kagome shook her head. "It wouldn't matter, really." She shampooed her hair, the question still ringing in her mind: how would she feel if Sango liked Inuyasha. Even worse, how would she feel if Inuyasha liked Sango back?
"Er, Kagome? Are you okay?" Sango looked at her friend, who had a scowl on her face.
"What? Oh, yeah... I'm fine." Kagome laughed nervously, finishing up her bath.
"Okay. I just wanted to make sure you weren't... angry." Sango hinted.
& * &
"Oi, Miroku!" Inuyasha called, jumping down from his tree. Miroku, who was still sitting against a tree pretending to be asleep, opened one eye.
"Yeah?"
"When do you think they'll get back?" Inuyasha inquired, then added as an afterthought: "I'm hungry."
Miroku looked around, then decided Inuyasha was talking about the females of the little group. "I don't know. You know women, they take a long time to look beautiful for us males." Miroku smiled at the thought. Inuyasha rolled his eyes.
I should start it now... it's the perfect opportunity! Miroku thought, rubbing his hands together.
"Oi... Inuyasha..." Miroku started, stretching and standing up.
"What?" Inuyasha towered over Shippo and tapped him with his foot to get him awake. Shippo slapped at Inuyasha's leg in his sleep. "Wake up!"
"Ah, let him sleep until Sango and Kagome, my love, get back." Miroku hoped Inuyasha would at least catch that.
He's right.... Wait... Kagome...my love?! Inuyasha let the words sink in and the peered over at Miroku, who instantly knew what Inuyasha was thinking.
"I wanted to ask you, Inuyasha, if you would have a problem if I confessed my love for Kagome?" Miroku casually looked around, leaning on his staff without a care in the world. Inuyasha choked.
"Confessed your... love?!" Inuyasha let his mouth hang open.
"Don't gawk. And yes..." The monk starred off into the sky, hoping for the daydreaming effect. "My love for Kagome."
"Keh! Why should I care? It doesn't involve me!" Inuyasha spat violently.
"Good then. I shall start courting her today!"
"C-court?!" Inuyasha turned narrowed eyes toward the perverted monk.
"Why, yes. Of course she'll want to be with me, so I have to go about doing things the right way. Besides... if I court her, I won't get hit when I touch her." Miroku wiggled his eyebrows. Inuyasha appeared to be the absolute epitome of jealously at the moment.
"Keep your hands off her, monk!" He raged, glaring daggers. Miroku smiled gently.
"But Inuyasha, Kagome is her own person, you know. If I'm courting her, you're not involved. I'm not courting you."
"If you touch her inappropriately, I'll pound you myself." Inuyasha stalked off, leaving an almost laughing Miroku and sleeping Shippo behind.
"Well, that worked out better than I hoped. He's really fuming about this. I hope the lovely Sango is having as much luck with Kagome."
"M-miroku?" Shippo asked, rubbing his eyes and sitting up.
"Yes, Shippo?" Miroku peered down at the small kitsune.
"I had the scariest dream: you were together with Kagome, and Inuyasha was really mad."
"Well, Shippo, this time it's a dream come true."
After about ten minutes of patient waiting on Miroku and Shippo's part, Kagome and Sango returned to the campsite. Inuyasha was still missing in action. Shippo immediately ran over and held onto Kagome's leg.
"What's wrong, Shippo?" She asked, holding the dirty towel and cleaning products.
"Everything!" The kitsune said in absolute distress. Before Kagome could ask why everything was wrong, Sango grabbed Shippo and asked him to help her gather some herbs from just inside the forest.
This left Miroku and Kagome together. Alone.
"Ah, my lovely Kagome," Miroku grabbed Kagome's hands, forcing her to drop the objects she carried.
"Eh? Lovely? What do you want, Miroku?"
"In all honesty, my dear, I've been dying to hold your hands. My heart burns for you. I just want you to know my feelings... and I want the opportunity to court you as well. Starting today."
"Huh?" Kagome was shocked. Miroku? Courting me? "What about Sango?"
"What about her?" Miroku demanded indifferently.
"But, I thought... I mean...." Kagome was completely lost. Apparently, everything was wrong with the world.
"Unfortunately, my love," Miroku started, stepping closer to her, almost on the soap, "you thought wrong. It's only you." He caressed her face with his hand. Kagome didn't know what to do or say. She was too shocked.
"Ah! Inuyasha! You're back!" Sango waved. Miroku looked up, and Kagome turned around a bit. She just realized what a compromising situation Inuyasha had found her in. She jumped back from Miroku, as if he had burst into flames, and immediately slipped on the shampoo she had dropped. Miroku easily leaned forward and grabbed her around the waist just before she hit the earth. Inuyasha was red with hostility and green with envy. He looked almost like a Christmas tree.
"Hands off, Miroku!" The hanyou growled with rage.
"I was just assisting Kagome." Miroku grinned innocently... the innocence not reaching his eyes.
"Are you ready to go, Inuyasha, honey?" Sango asked, wrapping her arms around one of his. Inuyasha was startled and looked over to see Kagome's reaction. She was fuming; perhaps to spite him, or maybe she was so upset, she didn't notice Miroku's wandering hands.
"Get off her!" Inuyasha yelled just as Kagome noticed. She shoved Miroku back and picked up her things from the ground. She started to pack up in silence.
Shippo was right... everything is wrong with the world this morning. Kagome sighed and hefted her backpack up.
"I'll take that." Miroku smiled and took her backpack. Kiara transformed and waited as Sango, Miroku, and Shippo got on.
Well, at least I don't have to carry that, Kagome shrugged and thanked Miroku.
"Oi, wench! Let's go!" Inuyasha said over his shoulder as Kiara took flight. "Hurry and get on." Kagome climbed on his back, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck.
"Inuyasha..." Kagome ventured after a few minutes of travel.
"What?"
"Is it just me... or are Sango and Miroku acting really weird?"
"You noticed too?" Inuyasha slowed down a bit.
"I mean... I dunno. It's odd, and I don't know what to do."
"If he tries to touch you again, you tell me, and I'll hit him, okay?"
"Sure. If I could just sit down and tal-" Kagome started, interrupted by Inuyasha falling to the forest floor. "Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to say that!"
Inuyasha laid there for a moment, Kagome sitting on his back. "It's fine. You didn't do it on purpose."
"You're not mad?" Kagome asked. This has to be something from the Twilight Zone!
"No." Inuyasha breathed in a little deeper, smiling at the Kagome's scent that surrounded him now more that they were stopped.
"Shouldn't we be going?" Kagome asked, looking around. "You know, I have a few tests to take in a couple days, so is it okay if I go back home for a while?"
Inuyasha stood up so quickly gravity didn't even have time to let Kagome drop. "I guess. How long do you have to stay?"
"Just a couple of days." Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck again as they took off slowly.
"Fine. I'll give you two days. If you're not back, I'm going in after you."
& * &
"I really wish I knew what they were saying." Sango said, looking down at the pair on the forest floor.
"That's an almost romantic position." Miroku commented.
"Miroku!" Sango exclaimed, sounding almost scandalized. "There are virgin ears!"
"Shippo's asleep."
"Well, that works."
"How's it going with Inuyasha so far?" Miroku smiled.
"I think he's still in shock that someone is showing open emotion to him. I'm not even sure he knows I'm flirting with him. He's so... dense! This is such a challenge! What about you and Kagome?"
"What you saw was it. I haven't had much of a chance, but I will later on. She's a bit tougher than Inuyasha because she's not so oblivious."
"I think it's because you insist on groping her." Sango muttered. No sooner had she spoken, than she felt an oddly familiar hand on her backside. She elbowed the man behind her. "Pervert."
"I'm sorry, you're just so lovely!" Miroku rubbed his stomach where the elbow had made contact. "Which reminds me, I haven't had any breakfast yet."
"None of us have, genius."
"I say we stop for some. Very soon."
"We're almost to Kaede's hut. You can wait."
& * &
"Welcome back, welcome back!" Kaede smiled from her doorframe.
"Need... food..." Miroku stumbled up to Kaede, putting a lot of his weight on his staff.
"Good thing there's extra..." Kaede mumbled, turning inside. The little congregation followed. They ate their fill, leaving a little left over. Kaede always seemed to have extra food when they needed it the most. It was amazing. Afterward Kagome decided to take a walk alone, but Miroku decided he wanted to go with her. This infuriated Inuyasha, so he told himself he was going along as Kagome's protector; this forced Sango to go because she needed to convince Inuyasha she was falling for him. Kagome sighed; there was no way she'd ever be alone. Shippo waved from the doorway and turned back inside with the promise of paper and some colors.
"I don't see why you have to come." Miroku peered over at Inuyasha, who was on the other side of Kagome.
"I'm protecting her from you and your lechery." Inuyasha explained.
"And I'm here because I want Inuyasha to know my feelings for him." Sango piped up. Everyone stopped. Miroku smiled behind his hand while Kagome and Inuyasha starred at Sango.
"You... what?" Kagome couldn't believe her ears. Suddenly, the conversation earlier that morning.
"Inuyasha, over these past months I've found that my mind often drifts to you. My heart belongs to you... I love you, Inuyasha." Sango gazed into his amber eyes.
"You... you what?" Inuyasha stuttered. Why would Sango love me?
"I love you. I've tried to hide my feelings, but I can't do it anymore. I know you had this little thing with Kikyo, but I'm willing to look past that. I'm willing to let that go. I need you." Sango stepped closer to him, looking at him through her eyelashes. Inuyasha gulped.
I don't have to watch this. Kagome thought. It doesn't matter that Sango is in love with him, does it? I mean, it's only Inuyasha....
"Inuyasha..." Sango murmured, coming ever closer to him. He could smell her: flower shampoo and soap mixed with dirt.
"I'm going home." Kagome stated, turning on heel and racing back to Kaede's hut. The magical moment was broken; all eyes turned to Kagome as she ran off.
"Wait, Kagome!" Inuyasha called, going after her.
"And so it begins." Sango smiled triumphantly.
"That was a beautiful confession, Sango." Miroku praised. "I really thought you were going to kiss him."
"I knew one of them was going to break. Man! Falling in love is such a challenge!" Sango sighed, slowly walking back with Miroku.
"Indeed, but eventually it will just happen on it's own."
Okies! Thanks to my reviewers: Saiyan princess, kiera, UrufuKiba22, and riftwar! I really needed the little pushes! Please review! ^_^;
By: Queen Beryl
@---^---
Chapter Two: Falling In Love Is A Challenge
& * &
& * &
& * &
Okies! Thanks to my reviewers: Saiyan princess, kiera, UrufuKiba22, and riftwar! I really needed the little pushes! Please review! ^_^;
