Hey again! Sorry for mistakes in this one. (yup my a/n is short, sweet, and to the point, today.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
Sango used her katana to cut through the forest's foliage around her as Kilala started to swoop down lower near the spring.
Kirara landed on the ground a little less graceful today, Suikotsu's wounds were still slightly hurting.
Sango hopped off Kirara and patted her side as she put her forehead to Kirara's. "You can go back to Kagome and the others now, get some rest. Just don't forget to come back and get me when you feel you are all rested, alright Kirara?"
Kirara purred graciously as she rubbed Sango lovingly, making Sango giggle.
Even though she had her heart broken twice in only a few days, her visit to Bankotsu was actually getting her excited. She couldn't believe she couldn't wait to see him again, what was with her?
Sango watched as Kirara lifted jumped into the air and flew away.
Inhaling the afternoon breeze once again, Sango strode forth. The hot spring was just in front of a few more trees. Sango squeezed past trees, stepped over a few more plants, and finally moved a curtain of leaves and branches before she stepped into the clearing of the spring.
There, Bankotsu jumped visibly.
"Jeeze woman…" Bankotsu sighed in relief.
Sango stood frozen for a second, he was…bathing.
Sure, Sango couldn't see anything since the water covered everything from toe to shoulders, but number one, she had never seen his hair out of the braid. And number two, she couldn't help but blush heavily.
"What are you doing here anyway, taijiya?" Bankotsu asked, oblivious to her questioning look.
"…You told me to meet you here today."
Silence.
"Are you sure?"
Sango lifted an eyebrow, trying to remember correctly. "Yes."
More silence.
"Did I, now?" Bankotsu dumbly poked his chin and looked up in wonder. "I don't seem to recall…"
Sango smiled in politely and turned away, "I'm sorry I must have it wrong then." It would be rude of her to invite herself to his private bathing session.
Bankotsu looked off to the side to see her retreating. Chuckling, Bankotsu placed his hands behind his head and rested his neck. "Well you might as well stay, anyway. No point in leaving, am I right?"
Sango looked over her shoulder at the man, seeing a humble smile on his face before she turned completely and sat on the ground, farthest away form him.
Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "What's wrong now?"
Sango looked at him strangely. "Nothing's wrong."
"Then why aren't you sitting closer?"
Sango's eyes widened as she gulped air. 'Closer…?' Sango scooted about a foot or so closer.
"…I can never carry on a conversation when I'm that far away, you know."
Sango wondered if he was just trying to be funny, or if he had actually never really known of a woman's insecurity and bounds. If he didn't, he was just as naïve as Shippou!
Scooting another foot or so, she was now at the edge of the spring, directly across from the mercenary in front of her.
"There you happy—"
Bankotsu sighed and stood up, baring everything waist up, and moving across the spring before sitting back down again right infront of her, though he was looking up at her since he was sitting on his knees. Then again, the spring was only about 7 feet in width. He let his arms cross in front of him, laying them on the ground next to Sango's crossed legs and looked up at her. "Ok, now that that's settled. My question."
'I was right. He probably doesn't even notice how…well how woman and men weren't supposed to be that close if one of them is…yeah…until…well…uhh…'
"Hey, you with me?" Bankotsu snapped his fingers in front of her dazed eyes.
"Oh yes, ask away."
Bankotsu ignored her the fact that she was probably not listening to him again, "You said, yesterday, that if I fight with you and that baka, Inuyasha and your group…I could be alive again."
Sango forgot about her own insecurities, and looked Bankotsu fully in the eye. And there, she saw it. His desire. He honestly wanted to be alive and human again. Why, though? Does he really want to be alive, just so he could kill all in sight all over again? And by telling him this, would she be in guilt after the rumor of another village being mercilessly slaughtered?
"Yes, I did."
"…How though? How is it possible?"
Bankotsu's question made her think. How? But the answer was there, in her mind, in the same area Kohaku's life and their memories are in. Kohaku. Naraku had promised to give Kohaku life again, without depending on the jewel as well as his memory if Sango could only steal Tetsusaiga from Inuyasha, and give it to him. She had, but quickly noticed her mistake and fought for her life to return it back to Inuyasha. But that had to mean Naraku knew how to do that! He knew how to bring someone back from the dead, and make them live again after they had the Shikon shard. And Bankotsu already has a few shards in his neck, so why shouldn't Bankotsu be any different from Kohaku's case?
She had explained the contents of her knowledge about the subject to Bankotsu, telling him Naraku must know. All we had to do was find out, then kill him.
Bankotsu kind of liked how Sango stated her last sentence, it rang in his head and seemed to roll off her tongue so easily. 'First we must get what we need from that bastard, Naraku, and when we have what we need, we will kill him with everything we've got.' She had said. Heck, that's something he would even say.
"I see…" Bankotsu remained quiet for the time being as he dropped his head into his crossed arms.
'Do I really want to be human again? Would it even be possible for me?'
"Bankotsu?"
Bankotsu looked up at her again.
"Does…does this mean you're considering it?" Sango asked, slightly hopeful for his answer. With him in their group, they could definitely be closer to the demise of Naraku.
Bankotsu looked at her, without really paying attention to her in particular. Instead, he was contemplating her question. Would he really defy his resurrecter, Naraku? Could he? Bankotsu had to admit, he absolutely hated taking orders from the guy. But could he really be that disloyal?
"Kami," Bankotsu ran a hand through his damp hair, "I don't know. I just…I just don't know right now, ok Sango?"
Sango understood his irritability. When Sango had been asked to defy Inuyasha and the gang, and steal Tetsusaiga—she had felt like she would never be able to choose until the moment came when she had to decide right then and there. She didn't want Bankotsu to feel that way, but she hoped he wouldn't follow in her footsteps and choose the wrong decision then finally realizing your mistake until it's too late, like she had.
Placing her hand on his bare shoulder, she looked down at him. "That's fine. Just…when you have an idea…make sure it's the right one."
They sat like that for a while before Bankotsu cracked out a smirk.
"So what, you're gonna sit like that all night? Get in the water!" Bankotsu smiled as he backed up to his original place at the other side of the spring.
Sango's face paled. "HENTAI!" Grabbing a few cobblestones from behind her, she started to throw them one by one at Bankotsu's head.
Trying to shield himself, Bankotsu brought an arm around his head, and attempted to catch one with the other—but then again he had horrible catching skills.
"Gah, I didn't mean it like that!"
Sango seized with the rocks, only to glare at him. "Yeah, like I believe you." She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck her nose high in the air. He had some nerve to ask her that.
Bankotsu scoffed, "Can you blame me for forgetting that woman are actually embarrassed that easily? I mean, I've been traveling with 6 other men for years. Jeeze it's not like I'll look while you're getting in or anything."
Sango's cheeks brightened to a slight pink, he was right. Back in her village, the demon slaying men didn't care if she bathed with them. Well, then again, she was only 6 years old and didn't have a mother figure at the time.
"Look, I'll even turn all the way around." Bankotsu demonstrated by really turning his back to her.
She stared at the back of his head, her shoulder's squared and an angry pout on her facial features.
Not hearing any signs of movement, Bankotsu sighed, "Hey, If I really was that kind of pervert, I would have taken advantage of the fact that you were naked when I found you the other day, now wouldn't I've?" His back was still turned. "Hmph, I thought taijiya's didn't have weaknesses." He added, knowing her heritage was a soft spot in her.
Sango just now noticed how long his hair was, especially since it fanned out around his back. The raven locks were floating aimlessly. She'd have to get over her embarrassment and book rules of woman and men for the moment, she didn't have weaknesses.
Standing up, Sango mumbled incoherent words the whole while she was making her way behind a tree to undress.
Bankotsu smirked, "Jeeze, finally. I honestly don't believe what's so wrong about bathing with the opposite gender—ACK!" Bankotsu was cut off as a rock the size of his fist came flying through the leaves and hit him smack in the back of the head; making his forehead hit the ground of the edge of the hot spring in front of him.
"DON'T LOOK, YOU PERVERT!"
"GAH! I WASN'T LOOKING—" Cutting off the obscene word he was about to call Sango, was the sound of a loud splash; meaning she probably jumped in.
Turning back around, he saw Sango pouting. From all the way across the hot spring. She sat there, hugging herself under the water as she sunk deeper into the water until only her eyes were poking out.
"You'll have to breathe sooner or later." Bankotsu joked as he relaxed his elbows on the edge of the spring behind him; each arm on either side of his body.
Sango lifted upward slightly, now only showing her nose and mouth. Not even her chin was out of the water.
"Don't need to pout, Sango. Besides, I don't get that turned on that easily, give me some credit. I was famous after all…"
Sango blushed heavily at that comment, reading the message behind the words. "No need to explain, please."
Bankotsu only chuckled, leaving them again in pure silence.
Sighing, Sango reached towards her pile of clothing she had dropped as she jumped in, and took out a bottle of lotion Kagome had givin her a while ago, just incase Sango wanted to go to the springs by herself one day. Might as well lather up while she's in the water.
Bankotsu looked at the awkward bottle she held, watching some pink gooze come out of the top as she squeezed it. Perplexed at the small thing, He moved next to her, ignoring her strong glare and grabbed the bottle.
"Hey!"
"What the hell is this?" Bankotsu took a whiff of it. "Blegh…"
Sango grabbed the bottle from his hands and narrowed her eyes at him for the second, "It's something that helps you clean yourself—Bankotsu!"
Bankotsu had stolen the bottle back and imitated her movements; he held the bottle and tipped it over so the opening faced his other cupped hand. Bankotsu waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing was coming out!
Rolling her eyes, Sango crossed her arms over her chest. "You have to squeeze it, Bankotsu."
Curiosity led him to bring the bottle above his head as he looked into the opening with one eye; the other eye squinting.
"Wait—"
His azure eye saw something in the bottle, so he gave it a good squeeze. Right when he heard Sango's warning, the pink gooze pushed out of the bottle quickly. The surprise didn't even amount to the pain he was in now.
Bankotsu flung the damned bottle somewhere over his shoulder as he yelled out in agony, clutching at his eye.
"I tried to warn you, don't hold it over your eye!"
"You tell me that now!"
Sango stifled a giggle as she removed Bankotsu's hand from his eye and dunked him under water.
As he surfaced, Bankotsu rubbed the water and lotion out of his dilated eye. "Why the hell were you rubbing that shit on your skin if it burns you!"
"It doesn't hurt if you don't squeeze it in your eye, Bankotsu." Sango replied, trying as hard as she could not to laugh.
He only sneered at her, mumbling words of obscenity.
Even though Sango rolled her eyes, an amused smile stayed on her lips as she reached for another bottle and squirted the remainder onto the crown of her head before she started to message it into her hair.
'She has another bottle…' Bankotsu crossed his arms over his chest and sulked, shutting his eyes. He looked much like Inuyasha at the moment.
Sango, who had now gotten used to Bankotsu as if he was just Kagome looking a little more manly today, continued to lather up, knowing he didn't care as much as Kagome. He was just as naïve as Shippou, and she had proof from the earlier events.
Or did he really not care?
In his sulking, Bankotsu peered one eye open and sees her lathering hair…it smelt wonderful. Especially compared to the fake smell of wild flowers. Her eyes are closed, and the soapy water now surrounds her. She's glistening and the moon bounces off her features, basking her in a look of heavenly light. And there that angel was, sitting next to the man who killed a million men, never once shedding a million tears for his actions. There that perfect angel was, sitting next to the man who had just recently found out he was really dying a million deaths inside as he continued his masquerading slaughter. But then again, she wasn't a perfect angel. No, she was an angel who's not allowed to leave purgatory, itself. A double agent, a demon who worked for the Gods. And there he was, sitting next to her.
Bankotsu smiled, he got her description perfectly. And he would never forget it. For two reasons, that was probably the most sense he had made in a long time. And the other was that, it fit her perfectly. No one else he knew fit that beautiful description. Only her.
Sango's instincts let her feel the aura of a familiar cat demon make its way towards the springs.
Sango looked at him as he thought, not know he was in her mind at the moment. She smiled at his peaceful look, she didn't think he ever wore that look before. Then again, she had only first seen him a few months ago. Sango's eyes moved to the mark of the Shichinintai on his forehead. It kind of resembled the star, and it's light in the night sky. Not wanting to bother his thinking, she grabbed a towel and brought it under the water, covering herself in the process. Well, it was either that or stand up and get out of the water completely naked. That was something she did not want to do.
Now that she was covered, she stood and waited for a moment for the water on her body and towel to stop rapidly washing off her body before she stepped out of the water and walked to the rest of her clothes.
Bankotsu, who had noticed the movement in water, looked where Sango sat to see her getting out and making her way towards her clothes,
"Hey, where you going?"
Sango wrung her hair by twisting it as the water purged itself from her hair. "I think I should get going, Kirara is here to take me back."
"Oh…"
Sango nodded and collected her things, she would change back at the village.
"Well…could…could you…"
Sango looked at Bankotsu to see he had a sheepish look on his face, "Can you braid my hair before you leave? I'm betting Jakotsu is already sleeping. And he's the one who usually does it."
"You don't braid your own hair?" Sango asked, quiet surprised. An amused look made its way slowly to her face.
"…No." Bankotsu's eyebrow twitched, taking her amused face differently than she meant. Bankotsu turned fully, so his back was again facing her. "Well?"
Sango was uncertain, but dismissed her uncertainty and sat behind him, grabbing three different parts of his hair and moving them into a braid.
Bankotsu help but bring up a subject he had thought of earlier.
"So, you gonna be hanging around that monk again?" He asked suddenly.
She had been wondering the same thing. "Yeah I guess."
Bankotsu, without realizing it, scoffed. "Keh…"
She stopped braiding his hair, "What?"
Not being able to stop himself, "I don't like it when you're with that damn monk." Bankotsu had noticed their closeness in earlier meetings when he hadn't ever talked to her. A time when he still had most of his team.
Sango's eyes widened. "You…don't?"
Bankotsu only sneered.
Sango's eyes softened, and continued to finish his brain. She quietly sat, rethinking over his words, a smile forming on her face.
Though Bankotsu looked slightly irritable at their last conversation, he quiet liked the feeling of her fingers raking through his hair. It was relaxing, and right when he was almost about to relax fully; she was finished.
"Wow," He commented, turning back around to look at her, "You're faster than Jakotsu."
Sango smiled, "I taught myself how to braid my own hair when I was younger."
"Thanks."
Sango stood up and regarded him with an honest smile for a second before turning and collecting her things, making her way out of the clearing.
Once he knew she was out of hearing distance, he said aloud. "I hope to see you again one day, Sango."
Sango had stopped once she was out of sight and looked over her shoulder to look at him. She didn't want to leave.
"Me too, Bankotsu." She agreed, after hearing what he had said.
I tried to make Bankotsu naïve…Buddha help me.
Anyway, Please review! I live for them—thank you for giving me more than I had thought of getting!
Diverse thinker
