Chapter 2: Devious

The following morning Miroku awoke with a moan. "Uhhhh, my head feels like its split open." Miroku complained to no one. He was the first member of the team to wake up, except for Inuyasha of course. He almost never slept. "Good morning Inuyasha." Miroku said. Inuyasha let out a soft sigh, knowing the monk was about to deliver some deserved castration.

"'Morning." he mumbled.

"You know you upset Lady Kagome quite a bit last night." Miroku mentioned.

"I know, but it couldn't have been too bad. She's still here, isn't she?" Inuyasha asked.

"Thanks to me. She threatened to leave and never return. I managed to convince her to stay."

Inuyasha sighed in relief. "She really said that?" Miroku sullenly nodded. "You know monk, sometimes you're a better guy than I give you credit for. Thanks for making her stay." he said with a grateful smile

"Don't get the false impression I did it for you." Miroku advised sternly. "I did it for the rest of us. You don't need her around. You have Kikyo."

Inuyasha sighed once more. "I don't mean to hurt Kagome. It's just I still love Kikyo. I can't help it."

"You'll have to try harder. I don't know how much more emotional abuse Kagome can take." Miroku said. There conversation was unable to go further, as Kagome woke up at this moment. He head was hurting almost as much as Miroku.

"Ugh. I need an aspirin." Kagome groaned. "Good Morning Miroku. Inuyasha." Kagome greeted them, suddenly perky as usual.

"She doesn't seem as upset as Miroku made her sound." Inuyasha thought. Kagome indeed wasn't the least bit upset. That was because last night she had experienced an epiphany. She had conquered the beast. She hadn't cried over Inuyasha. And why was this? She finally realized who the man she really loved was. Hell, it might be the hangover talking, but how else could've Miroku been able to transform her from being ready to leave feudal age forever; into a contented girl? And in such a short time. Knowing Miroku was attracted to her as well made the thought even more exhilarating. However, Kagome knew that might've been the alcohol as well. Oh well, she would wonder about that later. She was too happy right now to care. "What're you two staring at? Wake up Sango so we can get on the move! There are jewel shards just begging to be found!"

Sango and Shippo also noticed Kagome's odd behavior once they were on the move. "Houshi-sama, do you notice anything peculiar about Kagome's behavior this morning? She's so…happy."

"You aren't complaining are you Sango?" Miroku asked.

"No, but she's never happy when Inuyasha meets up with Kikyo. What makes this time different?" Sango continued.

"Well, she and I had a little talk last night. Maybe that cheered her up." Miroku suggested.

"If that was indeed the cause, I'm proud of you Houshi-sama! I've never seen Kagome this happy before, especially after Inuyasha went to see Kikyo. I thought the only way you could fix an awkward situation was by groping someone. Looks like I was wrong." Miroku smiled sheepishly but was grateful for the compliment.

It was night and Inuyasha and the team were forced to sleep under the stars once again, since the closest village was miles away. Miroku and Inuyasha were out searching for firewood so Kagome, Sango and Shippo were the only ones at the clearing where they chose to camp. "Sango, there's something I think I ought to tell you." Kagome said, breaking the somewhat awkward silence that occurred when the guys were away.

"What is it?" Sango asked, oblivious to the shock she was about to get.

Kagome gulped visibly. "Just tell her now Kagome. You have to come clean with her. It'll feel good to get it off your chest anyway. I…I'm in love with Miroku." Sango stared at Kagome as if she were speaking some foreign language. Kagome scooted away because Sango's staring was starting to freak her out. Sango noticed.

Sango shook herself out of her trance. "I'm sorry I frightened you Kagome, but I thought you just said you loved Miroku. Crazy, huh?"

"You thought right." Kagome affirmed.

"You love…MIROKU?"

"Um…yes?"

Sango wasn't ready to accept the fact. "No, no Kagome. You love Inuyasha." Sango said as if she was explaining to an infant. "Inuyasha's the demon with the cute dog ears. Miroku's the pervert with an inflated ego and a cursed hand."

Kagome rolled her eyes. Obviously Sango wasn't savvy with this idea. "I'm aware that Miroku is the monk with a cursed hand. And he is the one I love."

"Since when?" Sango asked, now listening intently, as if she were some sort of gossip.

Kagome broke down the situation. "Last night. After I saw Inuyasha with Kikyo, I was going to leave this time forever. But I looked at Miroku, and for some reason, the desire to leave just melted away. We had a little bit of a talk and suddenly; POW! I had never felt better. You aren't angry, are you?" Kagome finished after a pause.

"No, why would I be? You're in love. I'm glad you've given up on Inuyasha. He doesn't deserve you." Sango replied.

"I thought you were in love with Miroku too?" Kagome said.

"I am. But I'm not going to stand in your way. I believe in fair fights, physical or otherwise. May the best girl win." Sango held out her hand. Kagome shook it, promising that neither girl would get in the others way.

"Damn it!" Inuyasha swore. "There's not a single dry log in this forest!"

Of course not. It's been raining." Miroku reminded him.

"Why isn't that slayer of yours or that useless wench out her? Ow!" Inuyasha exclaimed, rubbing his head.

Miroku raised his staff, poised to deal Inuyasha another blow. "Kagome is not a 'useless wench'. How dare you call her such a thing?"

"How is she useful? She always needs saving, she's always yelling at me, she's always sitting me, and she can't fight worth beans! All she can do is sense sacred shards!" Inuyasha complained.

Miroku hit him again. "She is also a caring, loving, and kind person! You just aren't able to get that through your thick skull. You should consider yourself lucky you even get to be in her presence. She has better things to do with her time than search for your precious shards." Miroku said. He hit Inuyasha once more for good measure and gathered the few dry pieces of wood he had found. "I'm going back to camp. You keep looking for wood."

Miroku returned to the campsite and dropped the meager portion of twigs by the encirclement they had made for a fire. "Sorry, this is all I could find. Inuyasha is still looking for some proper logs."

"What you have will do fine for now. Good job." Kagome congratulated him, searching through her bag for some matches and lighter fluid. Once she found them, she started a small fire. She noticed Miroku looked kind of angry. "Are you feeling okay Miroku? You seem kind of mad."

"I'm not mad at you Lady Kagome. It's just Inuyasha was insulting you while we were out scavenging for wood. He is such a bastard sometimes! You are so much better than he gives you credit for. I hit him a couple of times, but he didn't seem to mind too much." Miroku explained.

"Thanks for sticking up for me." Kagome said gratefully. "You want to stick it to him?"

"You bet I do! How?" Miroku asked, excited.

"Shippo, tell us when Inuyasha is coming back." The kit nodded, wanting to know what they were going to do to him. "When Inuyasha is coming back we flirt. That'll get him nice and riled up."

"Kagome, your deviousness exceeds even your beauty." Miroku complimented her.

Shippo caught Inuyasha's odor and nodded, informing them Inuyasha was returning.

Kagome decided to just pick up where Miroku had left off. "I'm insulted."

"But Lady Kagome, your beauty is greater than that of the angels themselves. Surely you can't think so lowly of yourself!" Miroku flirted, scooting closer.

"You give me too much credit." Kagome replied with a bashful blush.

"Nay, for words cannot describe how lovely you are!" Miroku protested.

"I am nothing special compared to you. I could I have not noticed how handsome you are until today?" Kagome wondered out loud.

"If that is truly what you think perhaps you would consider…" he paused for effect "…bearing my child?" he flashed is perverted grin.

"I wouldn't mind at all."

"What do you say after the others are asleep we go find someplace private and have a little fun?" Miroku began to slide his hand up Kagome's thigh.

Kagome snaked her arms around Miroku's neck. "I think I'd like that." Kagome said with a smile. Then she moved in for the kill. She pulled Miroku closer to her and kissed him, long and hard. Inuyasha, who had seen it all from 'Kagome, your deviousness exceeds even your beauty.' Could take no more.

"Miroku, you bastard!" Inuyasha yelled bursting into the clearing. "Iron Reaver, Soul-"

"SIT!" Kagome commanded, sending Inuyasha to the earth, face first.

"What the hell do you think you were doing?" Inuyasha shouted accusingly once he had recovered.

"I was just having a conversation with my Kagome." Miroku said.

"YOUR Kagome? Since when is she your Kagome? She is not your Kagome and never will be! I'm going to go train. I need to blow off some steam. And Miroku, if you so much as lay a finger on her I will tear you to ribbons." Inuyasha walked off in a huff. Once he was out of hearing range, Kagome, Miroku Shippo and Sango all broke down, howling with laughter.

"That was priceless! You two are so evil!" Sango exclaimed.

"Did you see Inuyasha? He looked fit to murder!" Shippo added.

"Kagome, what I did was bad, but that kiss, that was something of a whole different level." Miroku chuckled.

"Maybe we should go off later, just to see his face then!" Kagome howled. Even Kirara mewed joyfully in laughter.