Shippo's Plans
Rating: PG
Summary: Sango comes home
Disclaimer: If only…
Chapter Nine: But I Love You – Until the End of Time
====================================================
For the first time in nearly a week, Sango cursed the sun. Well, actually, it was probably the first time in a long time, or ever. Even when traveling with a tetchy half-demon who woke you up at dawn didn't make Sango hate the morning, but this morning, she did.
She had to go back. Back to traveling for shards… back to the painful reminders of what her brother's life has become, back to feeling like a secondary character in some overly dramatic play. She had spent the last few days on her own… not part of a group – just herself. Just Sango. Not the demon exterminator – not some one to be pitied for her lot in life, just Sango, and it had been like finally feeling the sun after a long stormy night. She felt free, and she didn't really want to go back, but she had to. For her brother.
The most painful part of leaving though, wasn't her destination, but what she'd leave behind. That bumbling fool, that klutz who'd some how wiggled under her skin, Nobunaga. She'd miss him and the simple joy he'd brought into her life. Sure, he had to be saved from himself a lot, but his grateful smile and pleasant demeanor was more than enough to make up for it. It made her feel warm and wanted and liked. She did not want to leave that behind.
But how do you tell some one that? How can you tell them exactly what they mean to you? The words, 'I love you' felt so woefully inadequate for what she felt, yet frightfully too permanent to say after only a few days with the man. So she remained silent, soaking up his company as he walked her back to Kaede's village. She only wished that she didn't have to say goodbye.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He wondered how ice had managed to seep into his blood. It had started that morning, when they awoke to continue on the last leg of their journey, but then, he'd only felt cold. Now, at some time in the late afternoon, Nobunaga knew that it had to be ice in his blood – he felt like he'd never be warm again.
On the horizon, he could see the curls and plumes of smoke coming from Sango's village, and knew that their time together was coming to an end. This was an end he never wanted to see. It was hard enough to leave Princess Tsuyu out of his thoughts when she married her prince, but since meeting Sango, he'd found that his love for the beautiful princess was merely a crush. What he felt for Sango ran much deeper. He had no idea how he was going to just walk away from her.
While these thoughts are wonderfully precious and all, Nobunaga really had to learn to pay attention to where he was going. He'd proven time and time again that grace was no friend of his, but it seemed that once more, she would betray him. As he followed Sango, his foot slipped under a raised tree root without him noticing, and before long, he'd pitched head first into the demon huntress, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Somehow Sango had become twisted under him, and he found himself laying on top of her stomach. Slowly he lifted himself up to find the glimmer of anger that he knew was going to be in her eyes, but when their eyes locked, his thoughts stopped.
No, there was no anger in her eyes, only gentle surprise. More interesting though, was the pleasant blush that settled on her cheeks. He reached a gentle hand toward her face, softly stroking the color that lay there. And then, in one of those magic moments where time stops and the Earth stills, he kissed her.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Kagome found Miroku and Shippo, she thought she was going to go into insulin shock from the pure sweetness of the scene. Shippo – has hair disheveled and his cheeks tear streaked was clinging to Miroku with all he had, and Miroku hugged him right back. It made her heart swell with unnamable warmth.
Not wishing to intrude any further than she already had on such a touching moment, she started to sneak away; conveniently forgetting about Shippo's enhanced sense of smell. Until, that is, he called out to her, "Mommy!"
She spun on her heel and smiled at the little tyke who was currently rushing toward her. "Mommy, mommy, you'll never guess what! Miroku said that he'd be my daddy!"
Oh how Kagome wanted to do a victory dance.
"That's so wonderful, Shippo."
"Uh huh! And now I have parents. And now you and Miroku can give me brothers and sisters to play with!"
Ok, so yeah, Kagome had talked Shippo into asking Miroku to be his dad in the hopes that he would say something like that. I mean seriously, look at what happened when he asked where babies came from? But actually hearing the words out loud…? It was embarrassing! She felt her cheeks go bright red. She didn't even want to look and see what Miroku's reaction to the whole thing was. Yup, all she wanted to do right then was melt into a little puddle of embarrassed Kagome goo and slip away.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Kagome blushed, Miroku knew it was all over for him. He'd never been able to resist that blush. He walked closer to her, fully intending to touch her, it didn't matter where, but damn it, he had to touch her – when Shippo did the oddest thing. He threw a wink at Miroku and scampered off, as if he knew exactly what was going through the monk's head. Weird little kid.
He turned his attention back to more important matters – like Kagome, who was slowly trying to inch away from him. His hand flew to her wrist and gently captured it. "Ah, ah, Kagome, I think we need to have a little chat."
She slowly raised her eyes to meet his, "About?"
"About our son, Kagome."
He watched her shiver in reaction to his words and couldn't help the smirk that rose to his lips.
"Sh-Shippo?"
"He wants brothers and sisters, Kagome…"
If it were possible, she blushed brighter.
"It's our duty to make him happy." He let his hand glide gently up her arm, while the other snaked around to her back, pulling her closer to him.
"What is this about, Miroku?"
"You mean other than granting a lonely little boy his wish?"
"You're flirting with me like this for Shippo?"
"Did I say that the lonely boy was him? Kagome, I've never let anyone in to my life for fear of causing them pain when I die. I was lonely, but at least I wasn't hurting anyone. But you – you, I couldn't keep you out, I didn't want to keep you out. Ever since I first saw you, I've loved you – I love you, Kagome."
And with that, he did the one thing he'd been dreaming about for years. He finally kissed her.
====================================================
Review Responses
Samanda Hime-sama – I don't know for sure if I've told you this or not, and I suppose I could go back and look – but I'm lazy – anyway, after posting every new chapter, and I go check my email, it always makes me smile to see that you reviewed. So this is my thanks unto you for always putting in your two cents… I really appreciate it.
Kitsune Kinu – Must… be… FLUFFY! I love the fluff, in every story… makes me happy
Moon Syryn – Yeah, Kagome is kinda straight forward in the show, isn't she. Hmm. Glad you like the Sango Nobunaga thing though, cuz I'm lovin it.
Addanc-TSC – Sorry about the long wait, but its here YAY! Sorry, I'm kinda a spaz right now. Glad you like the chapter.
Underappreciatedsib – Love your name by the way… and oh – hint taken.
SilverKitsuneKagome – Thank you so much. Your review really brightened my day – I was kinda having a really bad one, and was about to give up on the story from sheer exhaustion… but your words and the other reviews I got made it impossible for me to even want to quit. Thanks.
DeniseD – Yay! I survived! I'm bruised, battered, torn, and near defeated, but I emerged victorious. Plus, now I have two days off. Hmm – two days off, two chapters left in this story… coincidence?
Tandy - : ) glad you liked it. By the way… Late Night Musings totally rocked my world.
Doujo – On the topic of Inuyasha… huh, I don't hate his character, but in this story, he's definitely the bad guy. I'm not going to worry so much about finding some one for him. With Sango, Miroku caring for some one else wasn't her fault. It just kinda happened… but for Inuyasha, he was a jerk and ruined it for himself. But hey! If it makes you feel better, he's still got Kikyo!
Crimsonmooninthesky - I'm glad you like it, because the more I think about it, the more I love it – it could be that I'm partial – but, yeah, I think its cute.
Lonwolf'sblossom – She tried, but I'm just too damn fast. Mua ha ha ha – anyway, here's a new chapter.
Concrete Tenshi – Oh so glad you like it, and I'm still blushing from the Shippo compliment. Thank you so much. There isn't much left in store, but we'll say that Shippo gets what's coming to him.
====================================================
Thank you so much to all the kind reviewers… I really, really, really appreciate the feedback.