"I'm… not worried…" Inuyasha slowly replied, feigning confusion. "Not at all."
"Really?" Kiki sighed. "Could have fooled me…"
"Me too." Sango volunteered from the doorway. Inuyasha and Kiki practically flew away from each other, breathing rapidly at Sango's unannounced entrance. "It seems I have witnessed a moment never displayed in public. Was Inuyasha trying to be cute right now, or am I dreaming?" she continued, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind her. "I also heard something about revenge?"
"Naraku. I want… we want to try and track him down." Kiki explained, blushing ferociously and staring at the ceiling. Sango raised her eyebrows in interest.
"Do you have a lead?" she inquired, crossing her arms.
"I have a feeling!" Kiki snapped stubbornly. "I have a feeling he's nearby! It should be enough to track him with. He made me."
"But you weren't made from him… Remember, your demonic soul despises Naraku." Sango slyly answered, her eyelids drooping in a classic Inuyasha facial expression. "How can we trust this feeling? It could be something he planted."
"Wha… I was still made by him. It's like…" Kiki glanced at Inuyasha who was still trying to avoid looking at Sango. "When a dog knows its owner is coming home…" she finished. Inuyasha flinched sharply at the comment and shot her a death glare. Kiki smiled sweetly back at him.
"I... suppose…" Sango admitted reluctantly. She glanced over at Inuyasha and tried to keep from laughing at his slouched, suspicious stance. "Inuyasha, I didn't hear much, don't worry." He didn't look at all soothed by the news.
"Sango, can we leave tomorrow?" Kiki caught another glare from Inuyasha. "Or the day after…?"
"The day after tomorrow sounds like the best time to leave. I'll go tell Miroku. I only came here to tell you that dinner will be ready soon. Ok?" Sango said. Kiki nodded and Sango opened the door to leave.
"Sango!" Inuyasha barked, causing her to look at him inquisitively. "Not a word to anyone about what you heard."
Sango nodded and left, her chuckles clearly heard, echoing down the hallway.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"What is it? I'm tired…" Kiki snapped in objection as somebody tried to shake her awake. "Leave me alone."
"Then how will I protect you?" Inuyasha whispered tauntingly into her ear, sending shivers down her spine. Kiki sat up and noticed that he was crouched next to her.
"It's early." She growled and he just smirked.
"You have to pack." He replied.
"I can do it later." She sighed. Inuyasha leaned over and kissed her, surprising her enough that she forgot to close her eyes before he pulled away.
"That's not why I woke you up." He snickered. Kiki smiled and shook her head, slipping out from under the bed covers and standing up as he did.
"Then why did you wake me up?" she yawned. Inuyasha merely jabbed a thumb at the door and Kiki let her eyes wander drowsily to it. A young girl child was curiously watching them, and clutching at a piece of cloth in her hands.
Kiki turned 5 different shades of red before she got herself under enough control to offer a smile. Inuyasha had just openly displayed his affection in front of a child; completely inappropriate.
"How... can I help you?" Kiki asked, walking over to the child and squatting so their eyes were level.
"I... I was wondering if you had some herbs for my pa? He has a back ache." The girl meekly replied. Kiki smiled again and nodded.
"I have just the thing. Be right back." Kiki stood up and went to the sliding door that used to separate Inuyasha's room from her own. When she stopped sleeping in it, it had become a sort of storage closet for her herbs. After a couple minutes of shuffling around she returned with a jar of clear green liquid.
"Have him take a sip of this every hour or so." Kiki explained, gently placing it in the child's open hands. "He should be better by the end of the day."
"Thank you, miss priestess!" she chirped and then scurried away. Kiki closed the door and sighed.
"Since you're up, maybe you should start packing." Inuyasha said from behind her, slipping an arm around her waist. "Or we could do something else..." He whispered into her ear.
"What's put you in such a good mood?" Kiki murmured contently, leaning back into him and nuzzling her head right under his chin.
"Nothing, really." He replied, settling his lips on her neck.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Sango stood in front of Miroku's door patiently, waiting for the monk to collect himself enough to open it. The shuffling sounds inside were making her nervous, so that when the door finally did open she peered suspiciously around the monk and into the room.
"To what great honor do I owe your visit?" Miroku yawned tiredly, his eyes half closed. He was only in the black part of his kimono. "It's very early."
"It's nearly noon." Sango stated in an uninformative fashion, fidgeting under his calm gaze. "You were asleep last night when I wanted to tell you something and you've been asleep all morning. What have you been doing in there that has you so worn out?"
"Would you like to find out?" he answered suggestively, a smile teasing at his features. Sango blushed but kept her ground.
"I know it isn't anything like that. No woman in her right mind would sleep by you." Sango said with a smirk, crossing her arms. "So what have you really been up to?"
Miroku sighed dejectedly. "If you must know, I've been making sacred sutras. What is it that you woke me up for?"
"We're leaving tomorrow to go after Naraku. At least, Kiki, Inuyasha, and I are. We… I thought you would like to join us because you have a grudge against Naraku." Sango explained, accepting his reason for such late sleeping hours. Miroku seemed to consider this for a moment.
"I'm more of a loner."
"Doesn't seem like it."
"You and Kiki are going?"
"Inuyasha as well."
"Hmm…" Miroku mumbled thoughtfully, weighing the benefits of a group in his head. "Anyone else…?"
"Kirara, of course."
"Ah, yes. Of course… Well…"
"Would you like some time to think? You can tell us tonight." Sango offered. Miroku nodded.
"That would be good. Thank you for such a kind offer."
Sango blushed deeply and looked down. "No, really, it's not any trouble." Miroku smiled and nodded.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"I should really let other people pack for me…" Kiki sighed irritably as she glanced over at her overstuffed pack. "That way, this won't keep happening."
"Then unpack it." Inuyasha stated blankly, opening an eye. He was leaning against the wall in his usual napping position, eyes closed. Kiki was sprawled out in front of him, playing with her hair and supporting her upper body with her elbow.
"I really don't want to…" she said with another sigh, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling. "I just want it to hurry up and be morning."
Both of Inuyasha's eyes were open now. "It is almost morning. You should rest." He warned. Kiki rolled her eyes and sat up.
"Sleep is for the weak."
"Well, since you normally sleep, I would have to say…"
Kiki glared at Inuyasha as he trailed off. "Don't you dare say that."
He snickered and leaned forward, grabbing her arm and hauling her into the nook between his legs. She leaned into him gratefully, her eyelids dropping at how comfortable the position was. "Go to sleep…" Inuyasha whispered into her ear and she shook her head in objection. "Go to sleep…"
Eventually Kiki couldn't fight her fatigue any longer, and allowed Inuyasha to protectively wrap his arms around her waist and lull her into dreamland. It was merely 3 or 4 hours before Inuyasha was shaking her awake.
"Wake up." He growled playfully. "Wake up."
"The last thing you said was 'Go to Sleep' you hypocrite." Kiki snapped, sliding against him so that her head was on his stomach. "Go away."
"You told me sleep was for the weak."
"I'm weak. Leave me alone."
"Take a look at your pack."
At this, Kiki opened her eyes and sat up, taking in the area around her. Her pack was neatly stuffed, and not overflowing like it had been only hours before. "When did you…" she began and Inuyasha began to laugh.
"You did it. In your sleep. I found it very amusing." He offered and Kiki reddened at the thought.
"What else did I do?" she asked frightfully. Her eyes were wide when she turned to him, her hair slipping out of her ponytail and scattering across her back. Inuyasha was mesmerized with the movement, and his eyes locked with her wide purple ones. He stayed silent, watching as Kiki squirmed under the harshness of her own imagination, her eyes beginning to dart away from him and around the room.
"You're cute when you're trying to figure out what's going on." He stated blankly. Kiki blushed even harder at this, recognizing the words. She must have kissed him.
There was a distracting tap on the door and it opened before either of them could tell the person to go away. Sango stood there with raised eyebrows and now it was Inuyasha's turn to blush. Once again, Sango had overheard him saying something completely out of character.
"I'm sorry to have to barge in like this, but we really must be off." Sango said quickly, stomping forward and slinging Kiki's pack over her boomerang bone. The combined weight made her wince, causing Kiki to stand in objection.
"That's my pack!"
"Does it really matter? We just have to get out of here before-"
"Am I missing something?" Miroku voiced, popping his head through the doorway. "Are we leaving yet?"
"-Miroku wakes up… Good morning, monk." Sango finished, heaving the pack off and glaring at it angrily, as if it had something to do with him appearing.
"Good morning Sango. Kiki. I see you're doing well."
"Miroku! I haven't seen you since you destroyed the course!" Kiki exclaimed, and Sango twitched at the thought. "What have you been up to?"
"I've been-"
"This lecherous baka here has been flirting with the village women and trying to coax young girls to have his children." Sango snapped. Kiki took this in and laughed.
"The usual Miroku stuff. What's got you all angry, Sango?" she asked.
Sango reddened, adjusting the strap on her boomerang bone. "N-nothing! I just want to get a move on, is all!" Kiki nodded and stood up, picking up the pack Sango had so carelessly discarded.
"Let's be off, then. It's about time we helped to destroy some of the demons that have been after this jewel."
"What do you mean by that?' Inuyasha snapped. "I'm out there every day murdering those things."
"There'll be even more of them when we leave the village, so be prepared." Kiki warned. "This isn't going to be a short walk through the woods."
"We know how to handle ourselves, Kiki." Sango sighed, glancing at Miroku. "We're all well aware of how many demons will be after the jewel… Stop looking at my butt, Miroku!"
"Sorry, sorry! It's the curse." Miroku said with a laugh.
"You're just a pervert." Sango muttered as she passed him to leave.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"The villagers were kind to send us off like that." Miroku pointed out. The whole group was bitter and irritated for one reason or another. "We should be thankful."
"Shut up! There's a storm on my conscious and I have to concentrate on keeping it away!" Kiki snapped.
"Easy for you to say! You didn't get mauled to death by children!" Inuyasha said at the same time.
Sango stayed quiet as Miroku expectantly waited for her angry retort. When it didn't come, he decided it was safe to prod at her.
"Sango, I'm sorry that-"
"Shut it, Monk! You didn't have to fondle every woman that came near you! That was the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me!"
"I didn't mean you any harm…" Miroku sighed. "I didn't even know that was you…"
"That's the worst part! Father was telling me goodbye and you just up and grab me! Then you say, 'Oh, hello Sango!' before I even turn around!" Sango snarled, stopping and turning around. "My father was horrified!"
Inuyasha and Kiki stopped and turned around to glare at Miroku as well. He seemed to be the only one without something to be angry at.
"Oh, come on you guys! We should be focusing on Naraku right now! Not petty arguments!" Miroku tried. Inuyasha turned and kept on leading, and Kiki followed. Sango glared at him for a moment and the turned around too. Miroku sighed dejectedly and followed, watching the ground as they went along.
And they were on their way.