Me: Whoo hoo! Another chapter, and more reviews! I think I'll take the time to address each of them individually.
C-Dog: Wow, thanks! Glad you like it. I'll do my best!
Tache: Thankies, Tache! BTW, do you happen to be the same Tache from "Yabber.Net"?
YuriYaoiHet Ilove'emall: Thanks! Well, there is some more KagSan this chapter, but when you say "maybe you could let a little more happen between them, instead of just one chaste kiss," exactly what are we talking here? Could you help me out? I've got more KagSan up next chapter.
Miroku's Child-bearer: Arigatou! I will! Wow, that's some story. Sorry about grossing out your friend. I agree about your reason for reading slash stories. That's part of why I wrote these KagomeSango-type fanfiction. Glad you found my fic!
Me: Heh heh! Alright, this chapter is pretty long too. That certainly surprised me. I had written more but I decided to split it up into two and keep on writing the next chapter from there. It took longer to write because I had to try and figure out a way to get around the canon couplings. Anyway, onwards!
Disclaimer: "Inuyasha" is property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sunrise, Viz, and all those other people who bring this series to us!
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Kisu (Kiss) Chapter 4
The first thing Sango saw when she woke up was the underside of a wooden roof. 'Huh? Where am I?' she thought groggily. Sango heard a "mewing" sound next to her, and saw Kirara watching her eagerly.
"Kirara," she smiled at her faithful companion. She tried to get up, but the pang of pain she felt made her decide it would be better to just lie still instead.
Upon hearing Kirara's "mews," Shippo hurried into the room. "Sango!" he cried, plopping down next to Kirara. "You're awake!" Shippo grinned with a mixture of happiness and relief.
"Yeah," Sango replied, returning the smile with one of her own. "Erm... what happened exactly?" Sango asked with a query expression. "The last thing I remember was throwing Kagome-chan outside when the roof was about to collapse. Then this huge weight hit me hard in the back."
"Mm!" Shippo nodded firmly. "Miroku figured out the youkai's weak spot when it hit you, so it helped him figure out a plan to defeat it. After he got Inuyasha free, he used his Kaze no Kizu on its tail to destroy it!" Shippo said proudly. "After that we went to see how you and Kagome were doing since you were still in the cabin but she was outside. Miroku brought you out after Inuyasha put the flames out with Tessaiga, and Kagome's fine – she woke up before that."
"Hm... well that's good," Sango smiled contently after hearing Shippo's tale.
"Sango-chan!" Sango glanced at the doorway, to see Kagome burst in carrying a basin of water. She spilt some as she came in rather quickly, and slumped down onto the floor next to her, the water sloshing all over the place. "You're awake!"
"Yeah, people seem to be noticing that about me lately," she replied lightheartedly.
"I'll go get the others!" Shippo volunteered enthusiastically. "Come on, Kirara!" Shippo jumped up onto his feet and scampered out with the cat youkai. The girls watched as they headed out the door, now leaving only the two of them behind with each other for company.
Kagome looked down at Sango. "So, how are you feeling?"
"Kind of sore," she answered her, recalling what happened when she had tried to sit up earlier, "especially when I try to move."
"Well, I have to still clean you up, so I'll help you." Kagome gently lifted her up, supporting her with her arms. Sango winced as she slowly got up into a sitting position.
"Where are we, anyways?" she asked, trying to get used to the stinging sensation from her wounds.
"Back in Kaede-obaa-chan's village," Kagome replied, and motioned towards her first aid kit. "I had to go back to get some more supplies." She soaked a towel in the basin of water. Wringing it out, she brought it up to Sango's face.
"Do you know where the guys are?" Sango asked her, trying to make conversation.
"Oh, you know them," she said, wiping away the grime. "Probably doing whatever it is they usually do when we're not looking for the jewel shards or fighting."
"I see..." Sango thought about Miroku doing what it was he usually did – which was usually being "friendly" with the young girls of whatever village they happened to be in. Her eyes narrowed. Right away she wished that her body would recover faster.
"I was really worried when Miroku carried you out of the cabin's remains you know," Kagome said abruptly.
"Oh, it's okay. These scratches are nothing to make a big deal over," Sango assured her kindly.
"They are pretty bad though," Kagome insisted. "And you went into the fire to save me with those injuries," she added more softly. She pushed the towel back into the water.
"Of course I did." Sango thought it was the most obvious thing to do. "I had to get you regardless – you didn't come out for so long and the cabin's fire was spreading! Besides, I wouldn't just leave my best friend in the middle of a fire."
Kagome's body tightened. The words "best friend" somehow made her feel happy, yet sad at the same time. She smiled, but wasn't sure if it was out of contentment. "Your best friend?"
"Yeah," Sango smiled. "I never really had that many friends when I grew up. I was always training or fighting youkai. You're the first really close friend I've ever had. Am I your best friend too?"
Kagome looked at her with her forced grin. "Yeah."
"I'm glad," Sango continued to beam at her.
'But you don't know how much more I like you than that,' Kagome mused dejectedly.
Sango saw her face fall. "Is something wrong?"
"What?" Kagome looked up, startled.
"You looked upset for a second there," Sango said observantly. "You're not still beating yourself up about what happened, are you?"
"No," Kagome replied rather quickly. "I'm just – tired, that's all," she covered up.
"Oh, well... you don't have to stay here for my sake. I'm sure that – "
"No!" Kagome blurted out all of a sudden, surprising Sango. "I mean – I want to. Not because I feel responsible or anything, but because I just want to," she added before Sango could say anything.
"Oh, um... okay," Sango blinked, slightly puzzled at Kagome's outburst.
Kagome bandaged up Sango's arm which she just finished cleaning, thinking about how close she was to her right now. She had taken care of Sango before, but never did she have these thoughts. She rummaged around in her bag for sanitizer, and took out a spray bottle holding it up to a cut on Sango's face.
"This might sting a little," she warned her, preparing to squeeze it.
"Don't worry, I'm – Ack!" Sango winced when Kagome released the spray onto her injury.
"I told you," Kagome chuckled. "Don't touch it." She elevated herself a bit up off the floor onto her knees. "Here," Kagome placed her hands on Sango's head and blew gently against the stinging cut. "Is that better?" She pulled back slightly.
"Yeah..." Sango glanced up at Kagome, who still had her face in her hands. Kagome looked back at her, taking in every delicate feature of her friend, until she had the sense to finally let go of her.
"Erm – I guess I better cover that up now," Kagome whirled around and dug through her first aid kit, a faint blush on her face. She pulled out a piece of gauze and stuck it to Sango's cheek with some tape. "There, that ought to do." She poked at it.
"Hey..." Sango protested, to which Kagome couldn't help but giggle. Sango laughed too, until she let out a small cry of pain and leaned forward, holding onto her torso.
"Sango-chan, are you okay?" Kagome reached out an arm to her, her expression one of concern.
"Y-yeah," Sango answered, getting back up. "You shouldn't make me laugh like that in this condition," she teased.
Kagome laughed again. "Here, let me see. I might have to change your bandages anyway." Sango leaned back a little as Kagome undid the bandages around her abdomen. She slid them off to reveal three long gashes along her stomach. "These look pretty bad." Kagome bent over to take a better look at them.
"It's nothing, I told you that," Sango insisted, looking down at the injuries herself.
"Does it hurt?" Kagome glanced up at her.
"Not now it doesn't."
Kagome went back to examining the cuts in her flesh. She blew on them like she had done with the one on Sango's cheek. "How's that?"
"Chilly," Sango said in a humourous tone.
Kagome briefly pondered to herself for a second before responding. She stretched out a curious hand and nervously placed it on Sango's bare stomach. Sango flinched slightly at her touch.
"S-sorry!" Kagome stammered, lifting her hand off. "Did that hurt?"
"Uh – no... not really," Sango replied, unsure of what to say.
"Can I... put my hand back on?" Kagome lowered her head slightly, her faint blush trying to reappear.
"Uh... I... guess so..." Sango kind of looked away as she said this.
Kagome blinked, unsure if she should really do it. She somehow willed herself to once again carefully set her hand on Sango. Sango didn't move this time, so Kagome gingerly moved her hand around her stomach, taking special care of the cuts. She ran her fingers along Sango's soft skin, enjoying the feeling under her fingertips.
"H-how does it feel?" Kagome asked her nervously. The blush she was trying to keep under control was threatening to reappear again.
Sango thought a bit. "Kind of... tingly... yet relaxing at the same time. Does that make sense?"
Kagome smiled genuinely. She didn't say anything, but merely leaned against Sango's warm body. She made sure not to hurt her as she did so, resting her head near Sango's collar bone and keeping her hand where it was.
"Maybe..." she mused softly, "it's like when you're with someone you really care about... and you feel nervous, but happy to be with them at the same time." She caught sight of a cut she left unattended between Sango's collar bone and chest. Kagome moved her face closer, and kissed it tenderly.
Sango felt a blush cross her face. "K-Kagome-chan?" she stuttered bemusedly.
Kagome sat up slowly, wondering if she really should divulge her feelings. Her heart started beating furiously against her chest. It felt like there was something lodged in her throat. She gulped. "Sango-chan... there's... something I need to tell you..."
"What is it?" Sango blinked at her unsuspectingly.
Kagome's face reddened. She swallowed. "I... I think I..."
'Just spit it out already!' Kagome's conscious rang loudly in her mind.
"I think I – "
"Sango!"
Kagome jumped at the sudden noise and caught her chest, breathing heavily. Her face was still flushed as she looked down at the floor, trying to calm her nerves.
In came Shippo and Kirara with Miroku jogging into the cabin. Inuyasha brought up the rear, walking in at a steady pace with his arms folded.
"Sango, how are you feeling?" Miroku asked as soon as he came in.
"I'm fine, Houshi-sama," Sango answered looking up at him, a bit startled at his sudden entrance.
Kagome suddenly began to feel uncomfortable when she realized what was going on around her. "Er – I think I forgot something back home," she said as she rose from the wooden floor, grabbing her backpack as she did so. Kagome kept her back to the others as she headed out, not looking at any of them. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
Sango kept her eyes on Kagome, wondering why she had just abruptly decided to leave. Only a few seconds ago she was about to tell her something. Miroku glanced over at her as well, only his seemed more of one of concern. Inuyasha furrowed his eyebrows.
Kagome stomped at a rapid pace towards the well which connected the time she was in now to her own. Her mind was racing, stomach queasy. 'I feel horrible.' She soon found herself staring a few meters away from the well, her body quivering. 'Maybe I should just jump back into the well and never return.'
"Where do you think you're going?"
Kagome spun around, coming face to face with someone she wasn't exactly in the mood to see. "Inuyasha!"
He strolled over towards her. "You are planning on coming back, aren't you?"
"O-Of course I was!" she spat at him defensively. "Why wouldn't I be?"
Inuyasha stared at her for a minute, his face contorted into a stern expression. It was like he was trying to examine her, trying to probe at her thoughts. "You'll never solve your problems that way."
Kagome looked taken aback. "Problems?" she echoed. "What problems?"
"Hey, just because I didn't catch on to Miroku and Sango doesn't mean that I haven't caught on to you," he growled.
"What?" Kagome's cheeks reddened. "W-what are you talking about?"
Inuyasha snorted. "Of course, I did talk to Miroku about it, so it didn't all come to me by myself." He cocked his head and looked at the ground, his arms folded the way he usually had them. He glanced up at her. "Do I really have to say it?" He seemed annoyed with her, but also embarrassed about what was on his mind.
Kagome drew back at this, feeling quite uncomfortable herself. 'Does he... know?' She wished desperately that something would come out from the well and drag her in with it.
Inuyasha started making uneasy noises in his throat. "You... like Sango." Kagome could just barely make out tinges of pink on Inuyasha's face as he spoke those words.
Something sent a jolt of shock through Kagome's body. She suddenly felt very worried and nervous, thinking for sure this was a dream and that she would awake at any moment. Too bad for her it wasn't.
"W-what?" Kagome's eyes widened, horrified that the other person she had similar feelings for had now found out, and actually said out loud her secret.
"You heard me." Inuyasha turned away from her. "Is it... true?" His voice wavered. Kagome didn't respond, so he took her silence as a "yes." "Humph..." His features showed a smug look on his face, but he felt doleful on the inside.
"How did... you find out?" Kagome said in a small voice.
Inuyasha let out a low sigh. "I thought something was up when you asked me to... kiss you." His face reddened. "I didn't really know what was going on. Then when night came, Miroku and I saw you fidgeting in your sleep. We saw you... get up... and look at Sango. I thought it was weird, but then you really started confusing me when you went to sleep next to her. I figured it was because when you went to check on her during the day, she was getting upset about Kohaku. And of course, you felt sorry for her or something, so that's why..." Inuyasha faltered.
He started turning back around, to actually look at Kagome. Her face fell when she saw him, looking so despondent. "But then..." he hesitated. "When I was talking to Miroku earlier today, he said... he said that... he saw you two kiss." Kagome felt her stomach do a somersault, and she cringed at the feeling. Then surprise struck her.
"H-he did?" Kagome stared incredulously at the hanyou. "B-but he didn't seem like he..." She trailed off, at a loss for words.
"Well, this is Miroku we're talking about," Inuyasha scoffed. "He probably didn't faze much when he saw you two."
"B-but... he's engaged to Sango-chan," she insisted. "How could he not be hurt?"
"I'm sure he is," Inuyasha said bluntly, a hint of aggravation in his voice. Kagome was feeling worse by the second. Inuyasha took the time to add, "I am." Make that millisecond.
Kagome's chest contracted. "Inuyasha..." She tried looking up into his face, his snowy bangs shading those amber eyes of his. Her eyes began to sting.
"Did you... like me?" he averted his gaze away from her.
Kagome did her best to hold back the tears which threatened to overflow. "Yes." Her voice strained. "I still do, but..." she sobbed. "I didn't know if you felt the same way." Silence hung in the air for a moment.
"I do." Inuyasha was beginning to feel emotionally drained.
Kagome wiped some of the tears away on the back of her hand. What was she supposed to do now? Inuyasha finally told her that he reciprocated her feelings towards him, but had now recently found that she was taken in by Sango as well. Should she go with her old feelings, or risk following her new ones? She wasn't even sure how Sango would react. She just continued crying, wishing that this had never happened, that it would all just go away somehow.
She felt arms come around her, pulling her forward into a warm embrace. She opened her eyes to realize that Inuyasha was holding her consolingly. Kagome screwed her eyes shut, burying her face into his red clothing.
"Inuyasha, what do I do?" Her voice came out muffled, partly because of her tears, and partly because she was drying them on his clothes.
Inuyasha rubbed her back, doing his best to try and calm her down. His face was melancholy while Kagome's continued to get tear-stained. He felt sorry for Kagome, even sympathetic. But what should he do? What about his own feelings? Was he just going to try and get over them?
He pushed her back at arms length, trying to make eye contact with her. She rubbed her eyes. They were puffy-looking.
"I think you need to talk to Sango."
Kagome felt her insides flip about. She gazed upwards at Inuyasha. His face seemed so understanding, so comforting, and yet so sad. Kagome felt another twinge of guilt.
"You have to ask her how she feels first before you go and decide anything." He watched her steadily.
'I guess there's no choice," Kagome thought miserably. She nodded, and Inuyasha let go of her so they could walk side-by-side, back to the village.
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Me: If anyone seemed out of character, I'm really sorry about that. I also think that they let go of their canon coupling feelings too easily (including next chapter) and that things may be going a bit fast/rushed. Well, it's not that bad in general. Review onegai, but no flaming.