Inutori: Well, I haven't changed my penname yet, but it is still an issue in my head since only three people responded to my question.  I don't consider that a very wide range of opinions.

Kagome: And trust me, Inutori doesn't own the Inuyasha cast or storyline, nor does she own the storyline of Terminator.

Inutori: Oh, shut up, I hate it when you say that!

Inuyasha: Face it, wench, cuz' it's the truth.

Inutori: Keh.

Chapter 5

Awkward Moment

Kikyou's eyes didn't move from the kneeling form of Onigumo for a few minutes as his words sank in.  Her expression gave away no sign of hesitation as the thoughts in her head turned at a rapid rate.  How should she respond to him?

"I'll consider your offer."  She looked calmly at the fair man holding her hands in his own. 

Onigumo nodded, apparently satisfied with this answer and stood back up to return to his seat across the table from Kikyou.  They sat there in silence until the food arrived and even then very few words were uttered. 

When Kikyou arrived back home, she thought she caught a glimpse of the hanyou's presence in the Goshinboku tree that stood near Kagome's window, but it was gone before she even had a lock on it.  The trek up the shrine steps was long, but Kikyou managed with minimal effort, stopping at the top to assess her surroundings.

Nothing seemed out of order: everything was quiet and peaceful.  Almost too peaceful.  Looking around for the two humans from the future, Kikyou spotted the monk's staff lying carelessly on the ground in front of the well house.  Alarm crept into her being and she ran to the well shrine quickly only to find the monk crumpled in a heap in the corner and a seething Sango across the room.

"What did he do THIS time?"  Kikyou felt the rush of relief run through her as she realized that this was nothing out of the usual. 

"He groped Kagome."  Sango looked like she had fire in her eyes as she spoke to the mother of Inuchi.

"He WHAT?!"  It was Kikyou's turn to become angry, and her eyes turned a shade darker than they had been beforehand.

"He grabbed Kagome's posterior."  Sango spoke through clenched teeth and looked over at the pathetic man that lay unconscious.

"I hope you taught him a lesson.  He better not touch her again."

"Actually, someone else got to him first."  Sango looked at Kikyou with obvious disappointment in her voice.

"You mean Kagome hit him?  But that is so out of her character."  The shrine maiden glanced back in the direction of the house, where Kagome should have been.

"No, actually it was the hanyou.  Hit Miroku over the head so many times, even after he was out cold."  Sango looked appreciative of the beast that had punished the lecher.

"I told you to keep that foul creature away."  Kikyou glared at Sango again.

"Yea, about that…well, you see…Kagome was trying to sneak out using her crutches and Miroku groped her, then the hanyou suddenly appeared there.  It all happened so fast that I didn't have a chance to kill the demon."  Sango scratched the back of her head and forced a smile.

"There's something you're not telling me."  Kikyou glared at Sango with a face full of hatred and revenge.

"Yeah, well…ehe…the demon…well…kinda picked up your sister…and…ehe…left."

Inuyasha looked down at the girl that was in his arms.  She seemed a bit shaken up, but there didn't appear to be any physical damage to her form.  "Daijabu?"

Her eyes fluttered open to look hazily at the hanyou's form.  "Y-yeah, but I think I'm scarred for life.  I don't want that to ever happen again."

"Me neither."

"Eh?"

Inuyasha blushed slightly, looking away from the raven-haired teenager.  "Keh.  Wouldn't need an ugly wench like you going and giving some pervert pleasure."  He almost flinched at his own words.  They sounded so harsh and uncaring.  That wasn't how he had meant for it to come out.

Kagome glared at him and clenched her teeth.  "Yeah, wouldn't want that to happen, would we?"  Her eye twitched slightly and Inuyasha could tell that he wasn't going to get out of this very easily.

Silence filled the air, as both people remained motionless, staring at each other.  Inuyasha held Kagome bridal style and had at one point been carrying her crutches as well; they were now lying on the ground 30 feet below them.  The branch they were perched on was at least a foot thick and was extremely long.

Kagome cleared her throat and looked away from the hanyou.  "Well, what do we do now?"  She glanced down and saw how far away the ground was and her eyes widened in fear.

Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at the girl's fear.  He held her fragile life in his hands, and she obviously knew it.  "Afraid of heights?"  His question came out as a jeer as Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and closed her eyes tightly shut.

Kagome merely nodded and pulled her body closer to Inuyasha.  "Don't let go."  Her whisper into his shoulder sent butterflies through his stomach.

"Why would I do that, woman?"  Inuyasha crouched down on the branch and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.  He sat down entirely and moved the arm that had been under Kagome's legs to wrap around her back with the other one.  Kagome cuddled into his lap and pressed herself against Inuyasha's chest.

She didn't say anything to him and a comfortable silence ensued.  Inuyasha was silently enjoying the feel of the young girl's soft body pressed against his own and was quietly inhaling Kagome's intoxicating scent.

"Kagome?"

A muffled reply answered him, though Inuyasha still knew that she was listening.

"What do you think of me?"  His voice was soft, and he almost was afraid of her answer.

Kagome pulled her head off of Inuyasha's shirt and looked him in the eye with confusion.  "Nani yo?"

His face heated up slightly and Inuyasha had to look away from Kagome's gaze.  "What do you think of me?"

"I don't exactly know how to describe it.  At times you're a self-centered, arrogant, egotistic jerk, but at other times you can be so sweet and know just what to say.  Why do you ask?"  The truth held in Kagome's eyes was so pure and innocent; Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

"I-I…I thought that maybe because I'm a hanyou-"

Kagome pressed a finger to his lips to silence him.  "Does it really matter if you have demon blood?  You're still Inuyasha, and that's all that matters."

"Arigato."  Inuyasha hugged Kagome to him tighter, afraid to ever let go.  His ear twitched as he heard a twig snap on the ground below.  Looking down over Kagome's shoulder, he saw the army general from the future pick up Kagome's fallen crutches and look up.

Sango could have sworn she saw something up there, but brushed it off as her imagination.  Whatever it was, it was gone now.  She propped the crutches on her shoulder and continued silently prowling through the forest, looking for any sign of Kagome or the hanyou.

So far she had found nothing, and she found her thoughts drifting back to the monk that had been her companion for the past few years.  She had sworn to herself that she would never love anyone after her entire family was killed by the demon Naraku, not wanting to be happy when her family was six feet under.  But somehow she found herself being softened by the perverted priest.  What was it about the man that attracted her so?

Perhaps it was just her loneliness getting to her; after all, the only other person she really associated with was Kikyou here in this time.

The sun began to set in the distance and the shadows of trees were elongated to hide many mysteries.

"A pretty thing like you shouldn't wander around alone.  Someone could try and take advantage of you."

Sango jerked around to face in the opposite direction, scanning the darkness for any movements.  Something large shot at her and Sango dodged, catching sight of thick brown tentacles in the waning light.

"Who are you?"  Sango had already dropped the crutches and was now gripping her boomerang tightly, spreading her feet into a fighting stance.

"It is none of your concern."  Tentacles shot out at her again and Sango could feel the main body of the creature coming closer.

Fear rushed through her body, an unfamiliar feeling for the well-trained general.  "Get away from me!"  She backed up slightly, colliding with a tree from behind.

The figure was cloaked in darkness as it closed the gap between itself and Sango.  "I'm afraid that's not possible, Sango dear."  A cold breath covered Sango's face and a shiver ran down her spine.

She tried to retaliate, but her body was frozen in utter fear and shock; she was helpless.  Tears threatened to fall, but Sango continued to take deep breaths as the figure closed the gap so their bodies were pressing together and there were only inches between their faces.

The cold breeze became ever stronger as the gap between them was fast closing.  Sango closed her eyes tightly, willing this all to be a bad dream.  She had never been kissed before, and she wanted her first to be from Miroku, not this creep.  Wait…where'd that come from?

Seconds passed and Sango heard a scowl of pain and a rush of wind go past her.  Opening one eye, she saw her savior standing a few feet away, holding the masked figure up by his throat.

Letting out of shaky breath, Sango watched as the perpetrator disappeared into thin air, leaving behind only a wooden carving wrapped with black hair.

"Sango-sama, are your all right?"  Concerned violet eyes looked down to her, a hand being offered to help her to her feet.  She having collapsed after her little 'incident.' 

Looking up, she locked eyes with none other than the perverted monk from the future.  "Arigato, Houshi-sama."  Sango accepted his hand and pulled herself to her feet, though her legs were still extremely shaky.

Miroku pulled her into a tight embrace, burying his face in her long tresses.  "I was so worried."

The general blushed lightly, silently enjoying the hug that came without having to be groped.  But Miroku's words and actions confused her immensely.  A single word escaped her lips as she laid her head on the monk's strong shoulder.  "Why?"

Miroku released her slightly to look her in the eyes, to show her that he was telling the truth.  "Because, Sango-sama, aishiteru."  With that, the monk closed the gap between them and placed a soft, tender kiss on Sango's lips.

~

Inutori: I was dying for a little Miroku/Sango fluff, since I absolutely adore the couple.

Sango: *blushing*  Then you should have just let yourself kick the bucket.

Inutori: Well, see if I ever write any more romance scenes for you, you ungrateful woman.

Miroku: No, don't do that!

Inutori: OK, Readers!  Now is your chance to be promoted to Reviewers!  Just submit a few words as a thought to me, and vote for if I should change my name to Torineko, or if I should keep it as Inutori.