Author's Notes: Let me take a moment to pay tribute to one of the
greatest chemicals ever: caffeine. When you have lots of caffeine, your
brain goes into overdrive. And you get all kinds of ideas. The only bad
thing about caffeine is that is in fact chemically addictive. And the
only thing worse than being addicted to caffeine is going through the
withdrawal. Take it from the voice of experience. Caffeine is a fickle
and chaotic mistress.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Chapter 4- A Night to Remember
Inuyasha heaved a sigh, gave up trying to study and looked to Miroku. "Dude, look... I know you're excited about this and everything, but you've been obsessing! You've been playing Wonderful Tonight in a loop for the past hour! I like Clapton too, but the man can't sing! Turn it off already!"
Miroku righted his chair and looked guiltily at Inuyasha. "Sorry. By the way, which would you recommend: Axe deodorant, or just some sandalwood cologne?"
Inuyasha just growled in frustration. "What the fuck are you asking me for? For one thing, I'm not a chick. Second, you know I hate artificial smells anyway. You're lucky I let you keep those things in here. And do something about the damn music already!"
"Fine," Miroku said defensively, "I'll change it."
Inuyasha went back to his notes as he saw Miroku turn to his computer. Wonderful Tonight stopped playing and there were a few seconds of silence before Tush by ZZ Top started playing. Inuyasha dropped his head into his hands before looking back at his rommate through the corner of his eye. He liked it better when Miroku was being sappy instead of... well... his usual self. "On second thought, put Clapton back on."
-----------------------------------------------
As much as Kagome wanted to play matchmaker, this was getting on her nerves. Sango would not stop fussing over her appearance. "Really, you look the best with your hair down."
"Are you sure? And I'm still not sure about this skirt." Sango continued to mess with her hair and turning around in front of the mirror. The only thing she was secure with was the sweater and that's because Miroku had wanted her to wear it.
"Yes, I'm sure," Kagome said forcefully. She put her hands on Sango's shoulders to steady her. "Just sit down and relax. He said he'd meet you at the pub in fifteen minutes, so just take it easy."
Sango wrung her hands for a minute as she sat down on her bed. "I was thinking of wearing a little jasmine. What do you think?"
Kagome raised an eyebrow at that. "Sango, it's not like he's taking you out to a fancy restaurant or something. Save the good tricks for later. Make him work for it."
Sango turned bright red and tried hard not to meet Kagome's eyes. It was fun watching her squirm. "What makes you think I'd want to go out with him again? I'm only doing this to make up for the coffee incident."
"Keep telling yourself that," Kagome teased earning her a sharp glare.
-----------------------------------------------
Miroku stood outside the pub in a pair of khaki cargo pants and a black V-neck shirt. He wanted to look good without really overdressing. He idly fiddled with one of his earrings, hoping Sango wouldn't show up too late. Just about every woman he had ever known seemed to have a thing for making guys wait. And this waiting was killing him. This was the first time he had really gotten a chance to be serious with Sango. It was important he not screw this up.
He looked up and around, waiting for Sango just as she came around the corner. She was wearing the pink turtleneck like he'd asked along with a black denim skirt. He didn't know exactly why, but seeing her in black and pink made her look really damn sexy. "Evening," he said smoothly. Miroku was quite thankful that composure came easily to him. The last thing he needed was to lose his head.
Sango smiled at him nervously. "Hi. So, should we go in?"
Miroku smiled softly and motioned for her to go first. "Pick out a table at the cafe. It's usually deserted this time of day. I'll be over at the counter. Is there anything I can get you?"
As she walked through the door, Sango paused to think a moment. "How about... just a raspberry smoothie with whipped cream."
"Consider it done." So far so good.
-----------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Inuyasha was finally making some progress on his studying. The test was tomorrow and Horror Fiction was one subject that he had absolutely no excuse for not totally kicking ass at. That was when his cell phone decided to start ringing.
Inuyasha felt the strong temptation to pick it up and then hang up again and throw it out the window, but instead just took a deep breath and answered it. "Talk to me."
"Inuyasha?"
"Kagome?" What was she calling for?
"Are you busy at the moment?"
"Kinda sorta maybe."
"Well can you spare a couple minutes?"
Inuyasha half-sighed, half-growled and tossed his highlighter down as he slouched into his chair. "What do you want?"
"Oh, just for you to take a walk with me down to the pub," Kagome answered a little too innocently. Wait a second...
"Kagome, this is not a movie. Spying on Miroku and Sango is not going to make things any worse or better for them. Besides, it's none of our business."
"Oh, come on, Inuyasha," she urged. "It'll be fun."
"About as fun as a root canal. No."
"You can help do something nice for your friends."
"How about I just send them a card instead?" This woman did not give up easily.
"Just think of how cute they'll be together."
"In the words of Daffy Duck, cute like a stomach pump."
Kagome paused on the other end for a moment and Inuyasha began to wonder if maybe he had won this time. "I'll give you twenty bucks," she said at last.
"Deal." She won. "Though I still don't get why this is so important to you."
"You're a guy. I don't expect you to get it, just to go along with it."
Inuyasha couldn't help but look at the phone in surprise at that one. He had never heard a girl say anything like that before. He actually had to respect that.
-----------------------------------------------
Five minutes later and Kagome was hiding behind a divider and peering into the cafe where Miroku and Sango were seated. Inuyasha sat cross-legged beside her looking grouchy.
"If they're not making out in five minutes, can we go?" he whined.
"No. Shut up." Why couldn't guys have a stronger romantic side? They just didn't seem to appreciate these sorts of things.
Kagome heard Inuyasha groan behind her a moment later and drop his head back against the divider. She looked back at him questioningly, and he just pointed to the speakers above. "What?"
"This song. Miroku was playing it for a god damn hour before he came down here. Now it's stuck in my head and the only way I can get it out again is to force it out with a bullet." To try and embellish, he held out his hand in the shape of a gun and pressed it to his temple as he spoke.
Kagome just slapped his shoulder. "Quit whining. Tell you what, if nothing happens in ten minutes, we can leave." As much as she wanted to stick around, Kagome was worried that Inuyasha's complaining was going to tip off Miroku and Sango to their presence.
-----------------------------------------------
The cafe really was a relaxing little place. Soft lighting, wrought iron chairs and tables with soft cushions and faux-stone surfaces. On weekends the place was packed for Saturday poetry slams and last minute study sessions. But on a Wednesday evening like this, no one was around. It did have kind of a romantic air to it.
Sango would never admit it to anyone else, but there was a part of her that really did like Miroku. For all of his faults, he really did have a softer side. If he could just control those hands of his, she'd be a lot more willing to give him a chance. Of course, he had ample opportunity thus far to grope her and he hadn't done anything. He seemed to be on his best behavior.
As if on cue, Miroku took a seat across from her at the table, setting down her smoothie in front of her. He had gotten a blueberry one for himself. "Here you go, my dear."
Sango flushed a little and took a sip to try and hide her face. "Thank you." It felt a little awkward. He wasn't acting like his usual self tonight. It was kind of charming though. Before an awkward silence could set in, she decided to say something. "You're being awfully sweet tonight."
Miroku just smiled softly. "I just want you to enjoy yourself tonight." For once there was no innuendo in his speech. There was no perverted look in his eyes. He was being sincere.
Sango couldn't help but smile back. She wasn't sure who moved first, but after a moment of staring into his eyes, she realized that he was holding one of her hands in his own.
He slowly looked up at the ceiling for a second and chuckled. "What is it?" she asked.
Miroku just smiled again. "This song. I've been playing it all night, thinking of you."
Sango felt her heart pounding. She practically melted when he started softly singing along.
"It's late in the evening/She's wondering what clothes to wear/She puts on her make-up/And brushes her long dark hair/And then she asks me 'Do I look alright?'/And I say 'Yes, you look wonderful tonight.'"
Why couldn't he be more like this all the time? She squeezed his hand lightly, completely forgetting the heat in her face, and smiled.
-----------------------------------------------
Miroku was feeling lighter than air. He had always wanted to see that dreamy, happy look in Sango's eyes. They slowly leaned in closer and Miroku reached out to cup her cheek in his other hand. They both heard it, though. Two familiar voices hissing at each other from around the corner and behind the divider. That killed the mood in a hurry. "Sango, my dear, could you hold that thought for just one moment?"
With that, he stood up and stalked to the divider. He would get them back for this later. He leaned against the divider on his forearms and peered down to see Kagome and Inuyasha sitting there trying to whisper and argue at the same time. "Can you be helped," Miroku said flatly.
They both looked up at him in surprise. Inuyasha immediately pointed to Kagome and said "Her idea." She backhanded him in the stomach for it, but they both took a hint from Miroku's uncharacteristically dark glare and scrambled out of the pub.
He sighed and turned back to Sango. "Well... now what?"
Sango grabbed their smoothies and walked over to him, knowing as well as he did that the mood had been completely ruined. They would have to talk to Shippo about arranging suitable vengeance.
After an awkward silence, Sango took one of his hands in her own and looked into his eyes. "How about we just go for a walk for a while?"
Miroku smiled back. Might as well make the most of what was left of the evening.
-----------------------------------------------
As soon as they were outside the college center, Kagome and Inuyasha leaned up against the wall and sighed in unison. That was emberassing. "Smooth, Inuyasha. I told you to keep quiet."
"Me?!" he indignantly shouted. "I didn't even want to be there. It wasn't any of my business or yours. Besides, I'm not the one with a high, squeaky voice."
"You're right. You're the one whose voice has no volume control." And they were at it again. This time it really wasn't so trivial.
"Look, you were the one who decided to be a bitch and drag me into this!"
"You were the one who agreed to a bribe! I guess your morals have a price!"
"At least I have them!" Big mistake.
Kagome gave Inuyasha a full-armed slap upside the face. "Don't you dare talk to me about morality! You seem to have almost no regard for anyone but yourself! You're always either shutting people out by coldly ignoring them or pushing them away by being a jerk! Don't think I've forgotten the way you treated me when we first met!"
Things were rapidly devolving into a screaming match. It got to the point where Kagome didn't even know what it was she was saying anymore. She just didn't want Inuyasha getting the last word.
Their fight came to an abrupt end however when he clapped his hand over her mouth and held up a finger for her to be silent. "Hold it, a sec!"
They listened in silence for a moment when they saw one of Campus Safety's trucks coming around the bend into the parking lot. "Oh shit," Inuyasha growled. "I don't have my student ID."
Kagome gasped. "I don't have mine either." The college was apparently getting really strict about that. If you were caught moving around campus after dark without an ID, there was a stiff fine. Kind of stupid, but that wasn't the point right now.
Inuyasha looked back to Kagome. "Let's get the hell out of here."
She nodded and they both raced back into the college center and ducked into the nearby elevator. They just had to avoid any staff for a while and get back to the dorms. Inuyasha hit the button to go up one floor. Like several other buildings such as Regis Hall, the college center was built into a slope. The back that Kagome and Inuyasha had gone through was a floor below the lobby exit which was closer to the dorms.
An awkward silence filled the air as neither one of them wanted to speak. Kagome was left with a bitter taste in her mouth over that argument. She'd wait until Inuyasha cooled down to try and make ammends.
As if reading her thoughts, she heard him clear his throat beside her. "Uh... look, Kagome..." his voice was soft and a little nervous, but he didn't have a chance to finish speaking.
The elevator lurched suddenly, throwing the two of them off balance. "What's going on?" Kagome asked desperately. She suddenly felt as if gravity had ceased to exist. But in the next instant, she felt Inuyasha trip her and pull her down to the floor with him. Kagome felt one of his arms covering her head and for a moment, everything seemed so unreal. Her heart had practically stopped in fear, and she felt almost weightless. A sharp shock ran throughout her entire body and in the next instant, everything went black.
-----------------------------------------------
Author's Notes: Ooh, cliffhanger. I'm a bastard, I know. I thought I'd experiment to see how effectively I could switch moods within a chapter.
Anyway, my reviewers...
Mimiko: I was wondering who would catch the "Ace Spade" joke first. Go buy yourself a cookie.
Father Malvado: Actually yes. I have ADD and major depression. Having both at once really, really sucks, let me tell you.
Kagome-Sama0560: Just be patient. All will be revealed in time.
Em Starcatcher: How's that for a nice Sango/Miroku scene?
Kagome M.K.: Is this soon enough. ;) Like I said, try not to get too used to it.
bluefuzzyelf: Believe it or not, that costume/diner thing was by accident. I came up with the diner because about a quarter-mile from my campus there's a diner like that called Plum Crazy.
sesshomaru-luver: Well, my curiosity's hooked.
Divine-Red-Crayon: Thank you. Though this is just the first act, so the really meaty stuff has yet to come.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Chapter 4- A Night to Remember
Inuyasha heaved a sigh, gave up trying to study and looked to Miroku. "Dude, look... I know you're excited about this and everything, but you've been obsessing! You've been playing Wonderful Tonight in a loop for the past hour! I like Clapton too, but the man can't sing! Turn it off already!"
Miroku righted his chair and looked guiltily at Inuyasha. "Sorry. By the way, which would you recommend: Axe deodorant, or just some sandalwood cologne?"
Inuyasha just growled in frustration. "What the fuck are you asking me for? For one thing, I'm not a chick. Second, you know I hate artificial smells anyway. You're lucky I let you keep those things in here. And do something about the damn music already!"
"Fine," Miroku said defensively, "I'll change it."
Inuyasha went back to his notes as he saw Miroku turn to his computer. Wonderful Tonight stopped playing and there were a few seconds of silence before Tush by ZZ Top started playing. Inuyasha dropped his head into his hands before looking back at his rommate through the corner of his eye. He liked it better when Miroku was being sappy instead of... well... his usual self. "On second thought, put Clapton back on."
-----------------------------------------------
As much as Kagome wanted to play matchmaker, this was getting on her nerves. Sango would not stop fussing over her appearance. "Really, you look the best with your hair down."
"Are you sure? And I'm still not sure about this skirt." Sango continued to mess with her hair and turning around in front of the mirror. The only thing she was secure with was the sweater and that's because Miroku had wanted her to wear it.
"Yes, I'm sure," Kagome said forcefully. She put her hands on Sango's shoulders to steady her. "Just sit down and relax. He said he'd meet you at the pub in fifteen minutes, so just take it easy."
Sango wrung her hands for a minute as she sat down on her bed. "I was thinking of wearing a little jasmine. What do you think?"
Kagome raised an eyebrow at that. "Sango, it's not like he's taking you out to a fancy restaurant or something. Save the good tricks for later. Make him work for it."
Sango turned bright red and tried hard not to meet Kagome's eyes. It was fun watching her squirm. "What makes you think I'd want to go out with him again? I'm only doing this to make up for the coffee incident."
"Keep telling yourself that," Kagome teased earning her a sharp glare.
-----------------------------------------------
Miroku stood outside the pub in a pair of khaki cargo pants and a black V-neck shirt. He wanted to look good without really overdressing. He idly fiddled with one of his earrings, hoping Sango wouldn't show up too late. Just about every woman he had ever known seemed to have a thing for making guys wait. And this waiting was killing him. This was the first time he had really gotten a chance to be serious with Sango. It was important he not screw this up.
He looked up and around, waiting for Sango just as she came around the corner. She was wearing the pink turtleneck like he'd asked along with a black denim skirt. He didn't know exactly why, but seeing her in black and pink made her look really damn sexy. "Evening," he said smoothly. Miroku was quite thankful that composure came easily to him. The last thing he needed was to lose his head.
Sango smiled at him nervously. "Hi. So, should we go in?"
Miroku smiled softly and motioned for her to go first. "Pick out a table at the cafe. It's usually deserted this time of day. I'll be over at the counter. Is there anything I can get you?"
As she walked through the door, Sango paused to think a moment. "How about... just a raspberry smoothie with whipped cream."
"Consider it done." So far so good.
-----------------------------------------------
Meanwhile, Inuyasha was finally making some progress on his studying. The test was tomorrow and Horror Fiction was one subject that he had absolutely no excuse for not totally kicking ass at. That was when his cell phone decided to start ringing.
Inuyasha felt the strong temptation to pick it up and then hang up again and throw it out the window, but instead just took a deep breath and answered it. "Talk to me."
"Inuyasha?"
"Kagome?" What was she calling for?
"Are you busy at the moment?"
"Kinda sorta maybe."
"Well can you spare a couple minutes?"
Inuyasha half-sighed, half-growled and tossed his highlighter down as he slouched into his chair. "What do you want?"
"Oh, just for you to take a walk with me down to the pub," Kagome answered a little too innocently. Wait a second...
"Kagome, this is not a movie. Spying on Miroku and Sango is not going to make things any worse or better for them. Besides, it's none of our business."
"Oh, come on, Inuyasha," she urged. "It'll be fun."
"About as fun as a root canal. No."
"You can help do something nice for your friends."
"How about I just send them a card instead?" This woman did not give up easily.
"Just think of how cute they'll be together."
"In the words of Daffy Duck, cute like a stomach pump."
Kagome paused on the other end for a moment and Inuyasha began to wonder if maybe he had won this time. "I'll give you twenty bucks," she said at last.
"Deal." She won. "Though I still don't get why this is so important to you."
"You're a guy. I don't expect you to get it, just to go along with it."
Inuyasha couldn't help but look at the phone in surprise at that one. He had never heard a girl say anything like that before. He actually had to respect that.
-----------------------------------------------
Five minutes later and Kagome was hiding behind a divider and peering into the cafe where Miroku and Sango were seated. Inuyasha sat cross-legged beside her looking grouchy.
"If they're not making out in five minutes, can we go?" he whined.
"No. Shut up." Why couldn't guys have a stronger romantic side? They just didn't seem to appreciate these sorts of things.
Kagome heard Inuyasha groan behind her a moment later and drop his head back against the divider. She looked back at him questioningly, and he just pointed to the speakers above. "What?"
"This song. Miroku was playing it for a god damn hour before he came down here. Now it's stuck in my head and the only way I can get it out again is to force it out with a bullet." To try and embellish, he held out his hand in the shape of a gun and pressed it to his temple as he spoke.
Kagome just slapped his shoulder. "Quit whining. Tell you what, if nothing happens in ten minutes, we can leave." As much as she wanted to stick around, Kagome was worried that Inuyasha's complaining was going to tip off Miroku and Sango to their presence.
-----------------------------------------------
The cafe really was a relaxing little place. Soft lighting, wrought iron chairs and tables with soft cushions and faux-stone surfaces. On weekends the place was packed for Saturday poetry slams and last minute study sessions. But on a Wednesday evening like this, no one was around. It did have kind of a romantic air to it.
Sango would never admit it to anyone else, but there was a part of her that really did like Miroku. For all of his faults, he really did have a softer side. If he could just control those hands of his, she'd be a lot more willing to give him a chance. Of course, he had ample opportunity thus far to grope her and he hadn't done anything. He seemed to be on his best behavior.
As if on cue, Miroku took a seat across from her at the table, setting down her smoothie in front of her. He had gotten a blueberry one for himself. "Here you go, my dear."
Sango flushed a little and took a sip to try and hide her face. "Thank you." It felt a little awkward. He wasn't acting like his usual self tonight. It was kind of charming though. Before an awkward silence could set in, she decided to say something. "You're being awfully sweet tonight."
Miroku just smiled softly. "I just want you to enjoy yourself tonight." For once there was no innuendo in his speech. There was no perverted look in his eyes. He was being sincere.
Sango couldn't help but smile back. She wasn't sure who moved first, but after a moment of staring into his eyes, she realized that he was holding one of her hands in his own.
He slowly looked up at the ceiling for a second and chuckled. "What is it?" she asked.
Miroku just smiled again. "This song. I've been playing it all night, thinking of you."
Sango felt her heart pounding. She practically melted when he started softly singing along.
"It's late in the evening/She's wondering what clothes to wear/She puts on her make-up/And brushes her long dark hair/And then she asks me 'Do I look alright?'/And I say 'Yes, you look wonderful tonight.'"
Why couldn't he be more like this all the time? She squeezed his hand lightly, completely forgetting the heat in her face, and smiled.
-----------------------------------------------
Miroku was feeling lighter than air. He had always wanted to see that dreamy, happy look in Sango's eyes. They slowly leaned in closer and Miroku reached out to cup her cheek in his other hand. They both heard it, though. Two familiar voices hissing at each other from around the corner and behind the divider. That killed the mood in a hurry. "Sango, my dear, could you hold that thought for just one moment?"
With that, he stood up and stalked to the divider. He would get them back for this later. He leaned against the divider on his forearms and peered down to see Kagome and Inuyasha sitting there trying to whisper and argue at the same time. "Can you be helped," Miroku said flatly.
They both looked up at him in surprise. Inuyasha immediately pointed to Kagome and said "Her idea." She backhanded him in the stomach for it, but they both took a hint from Miroku's uncharacteristically dark glare and scrambled out of the pub.
He sighed and turned back to Sango. "Well... now what?"
Sango grabbed their smoothies and walked over to him, knowing as well as he did that the mood had been completely ruined. They would have to talk to Shippo about arranging suitable vengeance.
After an awkward silence, Sango took one of his hands in her own and looked into his eyes. "How about we just go for a walk for a while?"
Miroku smiled back. Might as well make the most of what was left of the evening.
-----------------------------------------------
As soon as they were outside the college center, Kagome and Inuyasha leaned up against the wall and sighed in unison. That was emberassing. "Smooth, Inuyasha. I told you to keep quiet."
"Me?!" he indignantly shouted. "I didn't even want to be there. It wasn't any of my business or yours. Besides, I'm not the one with a high, squeaky voice."
"You're right. You're the one whose voice has no volume control." And they were at it again. This time it really wasn't so trivial.
"Look, you were the one who decided to be a bitch and drag me into this!"
"You were the one who agreed to a bribe! I guess your morals have a price!"
"At least I have them!" Big mistake.
Kagome gave Inuyasha a full-armed slap upside the face. "Don't you dare talk to me about morality! You seem to have almost no regard for anyone but yourself! You're always either shutting people out by coldly ignoring them or pushing them away by being a jerk! Don't think I've forgotten the way you treated me when we first met!"
Things were rapidly devolving into a screaming match. It got to the point where Kagome didn't even know what it was she was saying anymore. She just didn't want Inuyasha getting the last word.
Their fight came to an abrupt end however when he clapped his hand over her mouth and held up a finger for her to be silent. "Hold it, a sec!"
They listened in silence for a moment when they saw one of Campus Safety's trucks coming around the bend into the parking lot. "Oh shit," Inuyasha growled. "I don't have my student ID."
Kagome gasped. "I don't have mine either." The college was apparently getting really strict about that. If you were caught moving around campus after dark without an ID, there was a stiff fine. Kind of stupid, but that wasn't the point right now.
Inuyasha looked back to Kagome. "Let's get the hell out of here."
She nodded and they both raced back into the college center and ducked into the nearby elevator. They just had to avoid any staff for a while and get back to the dorms. Inuyasha hit the button to go up one floor. Like several other buildings such as Regis Hall, the college center was built into a slope. The back that Kagome and Inuyasha had gone through was a floor below the lobby exit which was closer to the dorms.
An awkward silence filled the air as neither one of them wanted to speak. Kagome was left with a bitter taste in her mouth over that argument. She'd wait until Inuyasha cooled down to try and make ammends.
As if reading her thoughts, she heard him clear his throat beside her. "Uh... look, Kagome..." his voice was soft and a little nervous, but he didn't have a chance to finish speaking.
The elevator lurched suddenly, throwing the two of them off balance. "What's going on?" Kagome asked desperately. She suddenly felt as if gravity had ceased to exist. But in the next instant, she felt Inuyasha trip her and pull her down to the floor with him. Kagome felt one of his arms covering her head and for a moment, everything seemed so unreal. Her heart had practically stopped in fear, and she felt almost weightless. A sharp shock ran throughout her entire body and in the next instant, everything went black.
-----------------------------------------------
Author's Notes: Ooh, cliffhanger. I'm a bastard, I know. I thought I'd experiment to see how effectively I could switch moods within a chapter.
Anyway, my reviewers...
Mimiko: I was wondering who would catch the "Ace Spade" joke first. Go buy yourself a cookie.
Father Malvado: Actually yes. I have ADD and major depression. Having both at once really, really sucks, let me tell you.
Kagome-Sama0560: Just be patient. All will be revealed in time.
Em Starcatcher: How's that for a nice Sango/Miroku scene?
Kagome M.K.: Is this soon enough. ;) Like I said, try not to get too used to it.
bluefuzzyelf: Believe it or not, that costume/diner thing was by accident. I came up with the diner because about a quarter-mile from my campus there's a diner like that called Plum Crazy.
sesshomaru-luver: Well, my curiosity's hooked.
Divine-Red-Crayon: Thank you. Though this is just the first act, so the really meaty stuff has yet to come.