A/N Had a little trouble getting what I wanted to say down on paper , but I'm happy with the result. Its a little shorter than most of my chapters, but I figured most people would rather read a short chapter now, and get the next chapter quicker because of it.
I also wanted to let everyone know that the Sango/Inuyasha aspect of the story is purposely not being too closely examined. After I finish this story, I'm going to tell their side of things and give them a story of their own.
Miroku felt a tension he hadn't known he carried melt away at the feel of Kagome in his arms. One touch erased all the worries and problems he had been going over and over in his mind, allowing for a moment of clarity.
Its not a matter of wanting…I need her.
It was hellish not being able to be close to her. He had tried to talk to her, tried to get close enough to at least explain his actions that night when they had kissed in the shadows. But she had kept her distance purposely, even going so far as to push Sango and him together. Each of his companions seemed upset at him in their own way, so that no matter what he did he felt censured by looks and unspoken words. It had been a week of everyone and everything rubbing him the wrong way, exposing a temper that surprised even him.
To finally be near her again, and see the hurt she was so determined to hide from him...he had just snapped. One moment he was goading her into a fight and the next they were tumbling to the ground and he was trying to make her laugh.
"There's the little flower that I know so well. I've missed that smile more than you know." Miroku's voice trailed off softly at the admission and he leaned up to brush a kiss against her forehead.
Kagome's smile faded and she looked away. "You win, Miroku. Let me go."
"I've tried to, but I don't think I can." He said hoarsely before pulling her down to him and tasting her lips in a searing kiss.
Kagome tried for all of a moment to pull away from his embrace, but Miroku deepened the kiss at the half-hearted resistance, tangling his fingers into her hair. Her heartbeat raced at the realization that he wanted her too. Miroku boldly pressed his body to hers, leaving no doubt of how her closeness affect him. There was no hesitancy in his movements as he dipped his tongue into her mouth, teasing her senses.
He loosened the grip on his staff as tilted her head back to press hot kisses against the smooth skin of her neck. Gulping in air at the release, she whispered softly into the balmy night, "You don't really mean that."
His arms tightened roughly at her waist, and he stilled at the nape of her neck before murmuring in her ear, "Is that what you believe? That this is some sort of game to me?"
Kagome shivered at the angry tone and arched her neck against his lips. "Yes….no….I don't know! We shouldn't be doing this", she replied hazily.
Not pausing in his attentions, he sucked lightly at the pulse of her neck, feeling her heartbeat against his lips as she gasped at the sensation.."Believe me when I say I have thought of nothing else but that for the past month."
She stilled and then gave in to her earlier fascination with his hair, playing with the soft strands and twirling his ponytail around her fingers. He leaned into her touch as she drew her fingertips lightly through his hair, smoothing it. "And what conclusion have you come to? Things can't continue as they have."
"No, things certainly cannot continue as they have." Miroku slid a finger along the nape of her neck in such a way that tickled the downy hairs. "I've come to the conclusion that I think entirely too much." He smiled lazily and pressed the gentlest of kisses against her lips, barely allowing the skin of their lips to touch. He hovered there, a breath away from her, his violet eyes serious now. "Sometimes, you just have to follow your heart, and the consequences be damned."
Kagome was having a difficult time breathing, partly from Miroku's touch, and partly because of his confession. He cares for me and wants to be with me. Why am I hesitating? Why don't I kiss him back like I so badly want to? He doesn't want to be with Sango...Sango. Kagome flinched at the thought, pulling back suddenly. "Is Sango so consequential that she should be tossed aside, Miroku?"
"You don't understand, Kagome! Sango and I are not-" Miroku quickly replied.
"-are not something I will be a part of ending!" Kagome snapped, trying to knock his staff away so that she could stand up. "Sango is my best friend, and I refuse to find my own happiness at her expense." She struggled more as she became angrier. "Let me go!"
Miroku watched her temper rise and smiled grimly. "I believe I already stated that is not an option I am willing to consider, little flower." In a flash of movement he rolled her to the ground and switched positions so that he was now the one atop her.
"As I was trying to say before you interupted me, Sango and I are no longer together." He grinned and playfully kissed the tip of her nose.
Kagome growled at his sneaky tactics. "You expect me to believe that? That the two of you ended things and never said a word to the rest of us!"
Miroku winced at her words. "Yes, well..I know its not the best way of handling the situation, but..."
"I don't believe you." Kagome said flatly. "It's wrong that I care for you, but that is not something I can control. And when I kissed you that night, I stepped over the line into unexcusable." She glared up at him, her grey eyes glowing. "But what you are doing right now is a slap in the face to what you and Sango share. Let me up, NOW!"
Miroku felt himself flying through the air from the burst of energy she had released, hitting the barrier of his own ofudas. Rubbing his head he pulled himself into a sitting position. "I can't believe you don't trust me in this!"
Kagome wiped at her clothing, removing the dust before sparing him a hot look. "This conversation is over." She turned to walk away, and then stopped. "Regardless of how I feel one way or another, I still need to train my powers. Will that still be possible with things as they stand?"
Miroku pulled himself up, leaning heavily on his staff as he did so. Catching his breath, he replied silkily. "I am happy to train you, as ever. But this is far from over, Kagome." Her eyes met his and widened at his statement, and he turned away from her to walk towards camp alone.
Miroku stumbled on a rock in the road, groaning at the jarring sensation it caused. The morning sun had chosed to be disgustingly bright, making him wish for a hat or the "sunglasses" that Kagome wore in the summer months.
Sango giggled behind her hand, and Kirara was making what sounded supsiciously like a snicker from her place on Sango's shoulder. "I did warn you that the sake in the village last night was a particularly strong variety, didn't I?" Miroku glared at her from beneath the slits of his eyelids. "And you knew we would be starting out early today, what with the rumors of a shard north of here."
"Do you have to be cruel so early in the morning? Couldn't you wait until after lunch to torture me?" Miroku grumbled as Sango and Kirara giggled anew, trying to avoid falling flat on his face and finding his gaze drawn to the couple in front of him yet again.
Sango followed his gaze and sighed in unison. Inuyasha and Kagome had become closer than ever lately, surprising even herself.
A rare peal of laughter came from Inuyasha as Kagome told him an animated story, gesturing wildly with her arms. He was adorable when he smiled, but when he laughed it was a thing of beauty to be held close to one's memories. She wished that she had the ability to make him laugh like Kagome did, make him laugh just for her.
Miroku watched the way that Inuyasha reached out and took Kagome's hand without even thinking, and gritted his teeth. The way in which she smiled gently at Inuyasha as he did so, was also less than reassuring. Is this how it stands? She wants me, but she'll settle for Inuyasha?
"This isn't like you at all, Houshi-sama. Won't you tell me what is troubling you?" Sango had a good idea already, but felt the gentle approach was best.
Miroku glanced at her consideringly. "Sango-chan, things are over between us, aren't they?" He shifted a little uncomfortably. "I mean, we never talked about it, but I assumed we both understood that we were no longer together."
Sango blushed and smiled wryly. "That was my understanding as well, Houshi-sama. I still care for you as a friend, but our differences became too obvious as time passed."
Kirara stared at them. "MREOW?"
Mirok and Sango laughed apologetically as the firecat stalked off with a wounded expression on her face.
Sango winced and glanced sideways at him. "I guess we should have said something to the others as well."
Miroku grunted in agreement, still watching the exchange between Kagome and Inuyasha. "I just assumed that you had discussed the situation with Kagome, as women usually do." Sighing, he leaned on his shajuko to rest for a moment.
"And now that I find myself being drawn to her, she doesn't believe me when I tell her we aren't together." He glanced sideways at Sango, wondering how she would respond to his admission.
"You must admit, you do have a record of philandering, Houshi-sama." Sango replied dryly. "It was all I could do to keep you in line while we were together."
Miroku stared at her intently. "Sango, I would have given you the world had you asked me to." He took her hand and raised it to his lips for a gentle kiss. "My joking ways aside, I never would have cheated on you."
"I know, Miroku, I truly do. But its those joking ways that have gotten you into this mess." Sango gave him a fond smile and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "She needs someone like you, someone who won't leave any doubt as to how much she is loved."
Miroku was stunned at her support and praise, and touched by her honesty. It was more than he had hoped for, and he felt better at having a strong ally in his campaign to win Kagome's heart.
Miroku considered. "Even if I can convince her that we aren't together anymore, she will probably believe she is the reason we ended things."
"She cares for you a great deal, Houshi-sama, I don't doubt that for a moment. But a certain hanyou may be meddling in affairs and swaying her judgment." Sango set her jaw as she watched Inyasha. "I don't think she's the only one under the belief that we are still engaged."
"I think the best course of action would be to-" A furry red blur interupted her sentence mid-way, bouncing into her arms.
"Guess what you guys?" Shippou grinned mischeviously, his tail swaying in excitement.
"I think Kagome and Inuyasha are going to get married!"
"WHAT?" Miroku and Sango replied in unison.
"Well they were talking about weddings and stuff so I thought I'd leave them alone so Inuyasha could pop the question. Its all about the mood, ya know." Shippou winked and slurped blissfully on his strawberry lolli.
Shippou squealed gleefully, "I can't believe we're going to be a real family!"
"Houshi-sama!" Sango commanded in a no-nonsense manner.
"Y-yes?" Miroku replied hesitantly.
"Desperate times call for desperate measures!" Without giving him time to respond she grabbed his robes in her fists and pulled him towards her for a hard, deep kiss.
A/N Yes, yes, I know. Two chapters in a row ending on a kiss cliffhanger. How cliche! Actually it just made a nice place to stop, really...don't kill me! Well, you can torture me in reviews if it makes you feel better.