A/N- Alrighty, since I was doing practically nothing today, I have decided to write, I'm kinda back in the mood of this story, but I'm still trying to remember where exactly I was going with it, u all know it's been awhile... so bare with me, the next few chapters may only be me getting back into the story, or maybe not, depends on where my muse leads me... onwards...

17. New Homes and Self Esteem Issues

"INUYASHA!!!!!!!!!" Kagome yelled as she ran frantically around her old house.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU YELLING ABOUT?" Inuyasha yelled, irritated that he had been woken up.

"I wasn't yelling." She said in a calm voice.

"Keh, whatever... what is it you want now?" Inuyasha decided that the best way for him to be able to get back to sleep would be to just given in to her demands and not to argue at this point in time. There will be plenty of opportunities at their new home, he was sure of it.

"Where are all my night clothes? I can't find them anywhere... did you already pack them?" Kagome looked around the room one more time.

"Yeah... I thought it would make the move faster. Does that offend you?" Inuyasha started to walk away, not really interested in the reply.

"No. I just couldn't find them. I didn't want to have nothing to wear to bed, that's all." Kagome looked around again, not completely convinced that Inuyasha had even lifted a finger the entire morning they had been there.

"I said don't worry about it. You will have something to wear. Stop the bitching already. Is this how it's going to be the entire time? Maybe I should just throw back at your family, they can deal with you." Inuyasha jumped up onto one of the rafters in the living room. He was ready for his nap again.

"Augh, you are impossible." Kagome walked away and left the room for a minute. She returned with a boot in her hand and continued to throw it up toward Inuyasha. "Bull's eye!" She yelled when her target had been accomplished.

"Oi, Oi, Wench! What were you thinking?" Inuyasha tried to yell, but it held no affect on Kagome because of the fact that his head was firmly planted in the ground.

"Just stay there for a while will ya?" Kagome had officially had it with him. He had been like that the entire morning. 'What could be bothering him?'

Kagome was already tired when they finally got to Inuyasha's apartment. She was yawning and stumbling up the stairs.

"If you're so tired just take the damn elevator. That's what they're there for." Inuyasha rolled his eyes as Kagome just kept going, obviously not listening to a word he was saying. "Damn wench." He muttered as he scooped her up in his arms and carried her bridal style to his apartment.

"Hey... I can do it... put me down." Kagome struggled in vain.

"Just shut up and enjoy the ride."

Kagome sighed and grunted her last protest. She hated having other people feel like they need to take care of her, but, she had to admit that being carried by Inuyasha wasn't the worst thing in t he world. It might as well been one of the best. She leaned her head against his chest; it was firm, yet comfortable at the same time. Slowly she drifted off into sleep.

Inuyasha noticed her breathing had become a constant pattern. 'Good, she's asleep. Why can't she just slow down, fuck she was only released from the hospital a day ago.' He kicked his front door down, deciding that Kagome's rest was more important then simple shifting her weight to open the door in the right fashion. He gently laid her down on the couch and kneeled before her for some time. He stroked her hair and traced her jaw line with the tip of his finger.

He stood up and looked around the room. He noticed, probably for the first time, the pile of disassembled alarm clocks in the corner, the empty ramen containers overflowing out of the trash bin, and various other things that were not a pleasant sight. 'Hmmm, I have some work to do.'

Meanwhile Sango was walking to meet Miroku at the diner. 'Ok, so Kagome said that he was probably just feeling a little embarrassed from the other day. His comments meant nothing, he still likes me... he still likes me.' Sango kept repeating the last sentence over and over again in her mind, all the way until she reached the diner. "Miroku, hey!" Sango waved as she entered the diner and saw Miroku already sitting and looking at the menu.

"Hello, did you make ok?" Miroku looked up from his reading. He seemed normal.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't let you pick me up; I just felt like a walk, I had a lot of thinking to do anyway." Sango smiled and sat next to him on the same side. 'Test number one.' She thought with an evil smirk.

"Ok, well what do you want to order? Same as last time? Or something new?" Miroku was a little un-nerved by the fact that Sango had sat so close to him, and on the same side. 'Hmm, she doesn't normally do this sort of thing, what is her motive?' Miroku thought about it the entire dinner.

"Hmm, well something new sounds good, let me see..." Sango moved closer and leaned in toward Miroku to see the menu, giving him a perfect view, and access to her breasts. 'This is the moment.' Sango thought, a little nervously.

Nothing happened... Miroku just sat there waiting for Sango to make up her mind, he wasn't even looking at her, and he was starring out the window at something in the distance.

'That's it... something is defiantly wrong.' Sango moved away slightly, not so that Miroku would notice, but of course he did.

'Now she's moving away, what the hell is up with her? One moment she seems to be coming on to me, then the next she is as cold as ice...' Miroku was bewildered, but also relieved that she had laid off of him, he didn't think he could control himself much longer.

After the dinner was done, Sango sat up and began to lead the way to the door. Once out side Miroku offered to drive her home, seeing how the sun had left the sky. "No, I think I will just walk home. Oh and Miroku?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't ask me out again until you're ready, okay? I just want the old Miroku back." Sango turned away, the sadness already evident in her tone of voice.

"Sango, wait! Hey, what's the matter? I thought you were having an ok time." Miroku reached out to grab her before she got away.

"Look," She said without turning around, "It's easy to see that you don't want me around you, you're just trying to be nice. I can take a hint Miroku, I'm not stupid."

"Sango..."

"No, be quiet and just let me go, or I will make you let me go." Sango was serious; she had had enough of this.

Miroku reluctantly let go of her hand. "Sango, I do like you... I would even say I love you, but..."

Sango stopped in her tracks, but still did not turn around. "But what?"

Miroku looked at the ground, his face becoming redder by the minute. "Well, in the closet... I... I... just couldn't, well you know you were there, I couldn't get it up..." Miroku was close to just stopping there and going back home, this was too much embarrassment for even himself. 'No, I can't... otherwise she may never talk to me again...'

Sango started to turn around, but stopped half-way. "Go on..." She said, her voice revealing nothing of what she was feeling at the time.

"Umm, well..." He started to fidget like a nervous child. "I well, with all my talk and asking people to bear my child, it was too much for me to admit that I couldn't... umm perform for you, especially when you were willing to." Miroku was done, he couldn't say anymore.

"So, what you're telling me is that, this is the first time it's happened?" Sango turned to face him full frontal.

"Of course! I've never had problems in that area before! And I've never had any complaints." Miroku raised his voice in defense.

"Right, well anyway, why do you think you had a problem this time?" Sango was waiting to hear what she wanted from him.

"I don't know..."

"Could it be that you subconsciously didn't want to?" This was it, it was now or never.

Miroku thought for a moment. "Yes." He said finally.

That wasn't it. Sango looked away; tears came quickly before she could try to suppress them. "I see." She almost whispered too low for Miroku to hear. She couldn't take it; she had to get out of there.

Miroku blinked for a minute and realized what he had just said, and that Sango was now running away. "Wait! Sango, hang on I wasn't finished!" Miroku ran after her at full speed.

Sango stopped, but Miroku was already running too fast to just stop now. He collided with her and they tumble to the ground. Miroku was on top, but his hand was behind Sango's head to stop it from hitting the concrete. "Now I have you where you can't get away, you are going to listen to me."

Sango had no choice; she was securely trapped beneath him. "Fine."

"Good, now it's true I didn't want to continue when we were in the closet. Though I admit I was the one who started it. But I thought about it and I didn't want our first time together to be in a fucking closet, in a hospital. Does that make sense to you?" Miroku said all this in almost one breath, rushing through the words.

Sango lay underneath Miroku and thought about what he had just said, and what it meant. When she was sure of her own thoughts she acted.

"Sango?" Miroku questioned as she started to move.

Sango ignored Miroku's questioning tone and captured his mouth in a fevered kiss. Sango wasn't about to spoil something with useless words. She had gotten her answer and that was enough for now. After a minute or two of passionate kissing, Sango stood up; somehow she had made her way on top of Miroku.

Miroku laid there and thought about what had just happened.

"Come on now, it's later than I wanted to stay out, we do have school tomorrow and you offered me a ride, remember?" Sango put her hands on hips and starred at Miroku, who had failed to move.

"Umm, yeah." Miroku straightened himself out and lead the way to his car. "So... this means we're ok now right?"

"For the moment... but we will make up for that little slip up in the closet." Sango purred as she got into the car.

Miroku found himself wanting to grab her bottom as she did. 'Yes, I'm back! Ha!' Miroku smiled and went to get into his seat.

Kagome lazily stretched out on the couch and turned over to get more comfortable. 'Wait...' She sat up and looked around. 'Wow, when did I get here?' Kagome struggled to remember what had happened up to this point. The best she could do was that she was packing and then became sleepy... then something about Inuyasha carrying her... somewhere. She decided to get up and find that monster of a boyfriend... boyfriend, that word brought a smile to her lips... "Boyfriend..." She tried it out and loved the way it sounded. "My Boyfriend..." Once again even better.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Kagome swung around to see Inuyasha leaning against his bedroom door, smirking with his arms crossed over his chest. "Ummm, what are you talking about? I wasn't saying anything." She feigned innocence.

"Remember my dear, that I have the best hearing around... thanks to my youkai blood, I heard every word you said." He smiled; he had won this little argument.

"Whatever." Kagome waved him away.

"Now, now, don't take on any of my habits. We haven't even spent one night in this apartment alone yet. Don't you think it's a little early to be imitating me?"

"Shut up." Kagome smiled despite herself. She looked around. The apartment had changes drastically since she was last in there. 'Where is all the trash and broken clocks?'

Inuyasha walked over to the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah!" Kagome went to join Inuyasha in the kitchen.

"Great, the pots and pans are in that cupboard, and the ramen is in here, I think you can figure out the rest." Inuyasha smiled and patted her on the head. "I'm going to go take a shower."

Kagome stood in the kitchen completely spaced out. 'What just happened here?' She began to slam the pot on the stove and make other noises to signify her obvious annoyance with a certain hanyou. "Fucking... insolent... selfish.... Selfish.... Bastard.... Only a mother could love... asshole..." She continued to mutter.

"Yes, yes... just don't burn the ramen." Inuyasha's voice came from the bathroom.

"Stupid super hearing idiot...." Kagome flipped off the bathroom door. "Bet you don't have super eye sight either... ha!" She whispered to herself.

"I do, but you are right I can't see through walls. Hmm let me guess you just tried to flip me off, am I right?" His smug voice cam again.

"Bitch..." Was Kagome's only reply, which was answered by a roaring laughter from the bathroom.

"Ramen!" Kagome yelled once she had finished.

Kagome mimicked Inuyasha with no voice, just incase he just happen to be listening.

The bathroom door opened and a large cloud of steam came rushing out, followed by Inuyasha in nothing but sweatpants and a towel hanging around his neck, which he was using to dry the rest of his hair. "Where is it?" He questioned as he looked at Kagome.

"Umm, over there, in the bowel." Kagome looked down at the floor and pointed over to the bowel. She was trying to hide her suddenly red face.

"Thanks." He said as he walked past her. Stopping briefly to bend down and kiss her on the top of her head.

This little sign of affection was enough for Kagome to go and run around the block at least three times. 'I can't believe we are actually living together...'

"Come on get yours so we can eat..." Inuyasha said from his place on the couch, he was already flipping through channels.

"Oh, umm I wasn't planning on eating with you, I ate some already, I need to go and unpack."

"Done."

"What?" Kagome looked puzzled at Inuyasha.

"I did it already, go and see for yourself." He said nonchalantly.

Kagome walked over to the room that they had decided would be hers. She glanced inside and saw everything in place; it looked almost like her old room, maybe a few minor differences. 'Oh my god... he couldn't have.' She looked everywhere; the only thing wrong was her bed was not made up; only her comforter lay on top. "Wow, Inuyasha you did a great job, the only thing is you forgot the bed, but I can do that, no problem."

"I didn't forget anything." Inuyasha said without looking up from the TV

"Umm, yeah you did, I was just in there, and the bed isn't ready for anyone to sleep in. But like I said its okay, you did enough." Kagome tired to avoid a fight, Inuyasha had been more than nice to fix up her room for her.

"And you point is?" Inuyasha still watched the TV.

"Umm, excuse me?" Kagome came to stand next to Inuyasha. "What do you mean by that?"

"You won't be using that bed anyway, why should I waist my time making it up?"

"Of course I will be using it... where else would I sleep if I don't sleep in my own be..." Her voice trailed off as she realized just what Inuyasha had meant.

Inuyasha turned to look at her, curious as to what her expression was. He smirked when he noticed she was redder than ever and clearly breathing harder. "It's ok don't be embarrassed now. I won't hurt you, that is, unless you ask."

"Why... you..." Kagome said between breathes. "I'm not embarrassed." She finally said through clenched teeth. "I'm far from being embarrassed! What makes you think I'm that kind of girl!" She raised her hand to slap him, but he dodged and hid behind the couch.

"Hey now, calm down." Inuyasha stood ready to dodge another attack.

"I'm going to go fix MY bed and then go to sleep. Goodnight!" Kagome turned and stormed off.

"Sheesh... annoying girl." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, a habit he must have picked up from Kagome, and continued to eat his ramen.

'Stupid, lazy, insolent, annoying, stupid, pig-headed...' Kagome thought as she rolled over and over in her bed. She wasn't going to get much sleep that night.

'Well now I'm just lonely... stupid wench making me sleep in my new King sized bed all by myself... keh...' Inuyasha thought as he rolled around the spacious bed. He also was not going to have the best night's sleep.

A/N- Alright! Another chapter for you all. Although I did only get ONE review... this makes me sad, but I suppose I have lost many of you since my long absence. That's why I wrote this chapter faster. I felt bad, but now I won't feel bad anymore. REVIEW!! Please!!! It helps me to think that people are actually reading this thing.