A/N: I've been on a big Fushigi Yuugi kick lately, ever since my friend got me the DVD's (Amanda, I love you!). Anyway, my sister and I got into a conversation about Nakago, and I accidentally said "Naraku" and well…our topic went in another direction. Free pocky for the first person who draws me Nakago in the baboon suit!

NOTE: Some of the dates in this chapter are estimates, based upon the manga. There is no ACTUAL timeline giving specifics. (I have also added in the extra months from the previous story, so don't think they're accurate or anything.)

Chapter 13: By the Light of the Full Moon

Miroku walked into the old, rundown hut, surprised when he saw Kohaku sitting up. "Kohaku!" he said, coming over to the younger boy, looking concerned. "Sango said you were to be careful until your wounds heal."

Shaking his head, Kohaku replied, "No, I'm all right. Ane-ue worries about me more than she should, that's all."

"We're all worried, Kohaku." The monk reminded him, sitting down on the wooden floor, next to Kohaku's pallet. "You had some nasty wounds when Shippou found you. You should rest a while. We're not going back to the village until you're healed."

Folding his hands in his lap, Kohaku asked, "This village, huh? You and Ane-ue keep talking about it. Where is it?"

"In the Musashi region." Miroku replied at once. "It's sort of our meeting place after our separate adventures."

"Musashi region?" Kohakulowered his eyesas he tuned away from Miroku. "And the others are waiting for us there."

Miroku nodded, curious as to what the boy was getting at.

Glancing back at the monk, Kohaku asked, "Miroku-sama, I know what you said before, but why is it that you are only with Ane-ue, and that everyone else left you?"

Sighing and scratching the back of his head nervously, Miroku muttered, "That's right, we never told you did we?"

"No." the twelve year old boy said, looking the monk straight in the eyes. "And I'd like to know."

"Kohaku," Miroku answered, after a brief pause. "Sango and I…we're engaged. We've been engaged for seven months."

The young boy stared. He hadn't ever heard this crucial piece of information, and to tell the truth, he was a little shocked by it. All through his life, he had always seen his older sister with him, always protecting him like an older sibling should. Since she was part of a village in which women fought like men, he hadn't ever seen suitors coming calling for her before, and now, to hear it after being under a spell for nine months, it was almost unbelievable.

Then again, he had been under a spell for nine months. Kohaku knew it had caused her a lot of pain, to see him again only to realize he was still under Naraku's control. And then, several months ago, he had suddenly broken free from the spell, because he couldn't take murdering innocents anymore. The pain of the memories had fueled his desire to kill Naraku, yet he had to continue to obey his commands, or be killed before he had time to exact his revenge. He had fully seen the pain it caused Sango then, and it hurt ten times worse, since he had the choice to stop, yet he could not.

Kohaku didn't have to worry about her, since he knew the people she was with would take care of her, but how would they take care of her sadness? It was only natural that someone special would come into her life and help her out of it, giving her the comfort and love that she needed…and it seemed to be this monk.

Surveying the monk closely, Kohaku spotted the glove on Miroku's right hand. He knew the kazaana lay under it, the spell that Naraku had enacted that would eventually kill him, he vaguely remembered seeing Sango cry whenever he used it against the saimyoushou, when there was no other choice. He would risk his own life to protect hers.

"I guess you'll do." Kohaku replied, with a small smile.

Another smile broke out of on Miroku's face. "I'm glad to meet your approval."

"But," warned Kohaku, with a glare in his eyes, "If you make her cry—"

Laughing, Miroku replied, "Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of making Sango cry. I promised her I'd make her happy, and I have no intention of breaking that promise."

Suddenly, Sango came through the bamboo curtain into the hut, raising an eyebrow at seeing her brother and her fiancé laughing about something. "What were you two talking about?" she asked, sitting next to Miroku.

"Oh, nothing, Sango dearest." Replied the monk, enjoying the puzzled look on her face.

While watching the two, and seeing the shimmer of love in both their eyes as they looked at each other, Kohaku couldn't help but smile. It looks like, after everything, Ane-ue did find some happiness, but…his smile faded. I wonder if I'll ever find mine?


"Inuyasha, can we stay here the rest of the day?" Kagome asked, kneeling down to fill her water bottles in the stream. "I mean, you said yourself that we only have a day or so left until we reach the village, can't we just take a little while off?"

"Why?" he asked, leaning against a tree, watching her with a smile on his face. Glancing up at the bright blue sky of the afternoon, Inuyasha replied, "There's no reason to stop yet."

Rolling her eyes, leaning farther, Kagome said, "I know that, Inuyasha. But…I want to stop for a while. All we've been doing is traveling for almost two weeks. I just want to rest a bit and have fun."

"Fun?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, plopping down next to her as she proceeded to fill another one of the plastic bottles. "What do you mean by fun?"

Kagome shrugged, not looking back at him as she continued her task. "I don't know, Inuyasha. Just something other than the usual traveling we do all the time. Just to do something different once in a—"

She was cut off, when all of a sudden, a giantwave of water from Inuyasha's direction splashed on her. Giving a shriek of surprise, Kagome stumbled over into the stream, spilling half the contents of the water bottle on her already soaked self.

The hanyou had been smirking, thinking that it would only splash her a little, but at seeing how much she had gotten wet, and hearing the scary quality in her voice when she muttered, "Inuyasha…" he decided it would be best to apologize.

"Uh…sorry Kagome! I didn't…I didn't think you'd get that wet! I didn't mean it as a bad joke or anything!"

Keeping her head down, she extended an arm to him. "Just help me up."

Sighing, thankful he was spared from any harsh punishment, including the threat of sits, Inuyasha promptly walked into the cold water, still muttering apologies while grabbing her hand to pull her to her feet.

That's when Kagome surprised him, tugging hard on his arm to knock him off balance. And after yelping in surprise, with a splash, Inuyasha also found himself face first in the water, soaked through.

Growling, the hanyou looked up at an innocent-looking Kagome, who had a wide smile of mischief on her face, giggling slightly.

She's…laughing? He thought, shocked. I can't remember the last time she laughed… Yet here she was, sitting in front of him, laughing like she didn't have a care in the world. That beautiful sound; it was like a lovely melody to Inuyasha's ears, a sound so ethereal that he couldn't help but feel his heart almost bursting with love.

Smirking, Inuyasha said, "Oh no you don't, woman!" In a flash, he had picked her up bridal style, and tossed her into the stream, while she squealed for a second as she was once again doused in cold water, only to stand up, and while laughing with her face in a full smile, tossed water from her water bottle on to the hanyou.

"Hey, that's no fair, Kagome!" he protested playfully, scooping up water in his hands and throwing it at her, causing her to shriek and laugh at the same time while she protected herself from the icy spray with her arm, only to retaliate with giggles while she doused him once more.

The water fight continued, even getting a laugh or two from Inuyasha, after having picked her up once more and tossed her into the stream, both of their clothes clinging to their wet bodies. Kagome's blue high school uniform shirt and skirt were sticking to her in a way that…accented her curves, to Inuyasha's secret delight. Not, that he'd mention this to her, of course, it was more like something he'd usually blush and look away at, but he was having too much fun to care. He couldn't remember the last time—or if he had ever laughed like this.

Kagome shot up from the stream, water droplets in her hair and on her skin, dripping off her as she stood up and walked over to her hanyou, with a mock frown on her face. "That wasn't nice!" she said, placing both arms on his chest and pushing him over, but Inuyasha grabbed her at the last second, causing her to fall on top of him as they both fell down again into the stream, causing a small wave to shoot up around them.

Both of them were laughing withsheer delightplastered on their faces after that, while Kagome lay on top of him, his arms wrapped around her as they continued to laugh, only stopping after a while to pant from their aching lungs. "I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life." Inuyasha said, looking up into her eyes.

"Yeah…" she replied, her smile widening as she returned his gaze. "Me either."


That night, they did indeed set up camp in the spot, neither of them having the energy after their fight to go anywhere else. Kagome had changed into her pajamas, and Inuyasha had taken off his haori and white shirt to dry, hanging them over a branch near the fire.

Like the night before, when it got dark, they leaned against one another, looking up at the stars and the full moon. "I love this It's so beautiful." Kagome sighed, leaning back against Inuyasha's chest, while his arms were wrapped around her front, pulling her close.

"Yeah...beautiful." He said softly, his eyes twinkling…yet he wasn't looking at the stars or the full moon above them.

Shifting slightly, Kagome told Inuyasha with a smile, "Did I ever tell you, Inuyasha, that when I was little, Mama would sometimes take Souta and me outside and look up at the stars, and tell us to make a wish if we ever saw a shooting star? It was something we did a lot, but we couldn't see much. It would have been a lot better if it were like here…with so many of them."

Inuyasha nodded, still continuing to gaze down softly at the woman in his arms, his amber eyes not daring to pull away.

"I remember wishing for silly little things, like to get a pony or to be a princess…those were obviously never granted but I do remember that once when I was sad, I wished I could be taken away to another place, with no more school, of course, where I could meet new friends and have adventures all the time…I guess some wishes can come true."

"Yes, some do." The hanyou said, unable to control himself any longer as he leaned down, half intending and half out of his mind as he came closer to the base of her neck, not wanting toquell his desire to touch her skin with his lips…

Feeling his warm breath on her neck and panicking, Kagome jerked away and turned around to look at the hanyou, protesting, "Inuyasha!" But when she looked in his eyes, glazed over with love, her protests were silenced as her heart began to race.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha murmured, not able to stop himself, as he closed his eyes and touched his lips to her forehead, hearing with joy the small gasp Kagome gave as her brown eyes became wider in surprise, and a blush blossomed on her face while her heartbeat increased.

Wanting more, he cupped her cheek with one hand, hearing her stiffen while he leaned over and kissed the other one softly, barely a peck on her with his lips, but enough to nearly drive both of them over the edge. Inuyasha wasn't sure who's heart beat faster now; both of their raged on, demanding more and more from them, making it impossible to pull away.

But Kagome tried, a small spike of fear entering her heart. Placing her palms on Inuyasha's chest, she pushed him away slightly, only able to get him to pull back from his kiss on her cheek. "Inuyasha, please…" she gasped, making the mistake of looking up in his eyes.

They were both lost as they truly looked deep into one other's eyes, seeing only love reflected in them. All physical feeling was lost as they drowned in their love, their hearts demanding to press on.

Slowly, Inuyasha leaned forward, Kagome's body stiffening as an instinct, but loosening up at he got closer, his hand on her cheek guiding her face to his. His other hand wrapped around her back, pulling her closer to him…closer into his control, while her hands had suddenly found a position around his neck.

Eyes half open, unable to comprehend what they were doing, they glanced at each other one last time, before they leaned closer once more, and their lips met in a beautiful, wonderful kiss.

Oh, such unbearable joy entered their souls as they held each other tightly, meeting each other once more in a kiss after so long. Inuyasha's lips moved achingly gentle over hers, while Kagome responded with the same amount of passion, the same amount of longing. Inuyasha would pull away, only a centimeter, and she would give a small gasp, only to be returned with a wonderful kiss.

Their hot, erotic breaths mixed as crazy, half-baked ideas entered their mind, brought on by their own passion. The kiss deepened as they were unable to pull away, a slave to their emotions, both of them shivering withecstasy by the kiss after so long. Inuyasha's heart told him to roam his hands over her body, underneath her shirt to touch the soft skin of her back, forgetting about the scar, while Kagome's hands, to his delight, gently teased his chest muscles, the feeling of it nearly driving both of them insane.

But, when Inuyasha knew he was at his limit, and unable to remain control if he kissed her any longer, he gently pulled away, resting his forehead on hers while they both panted from the incredible kiss, leaving their heads still swimming, their hearts still beating, and their bodies craving for more.

But more they couldn't have.

After a few seconds, with Inuyasha's hands still on her waist, still pulling her against him, Kagome had realized the full implications of what they had done. Pulling back, her eyes wide with terror while a confused Inuyasha looked at her, she knew they had crossed the line. She had known that during their trip, they had been starting to form a relationship better than friends, but…though she had wanted to be with him again, in this way…she couldn't have it.

Looking at him, she could see the pink scars on his arms, seemingly blazing a bright pink light in her eyes, like they were that day... "Inuyasha!" her memories screamed, as she closed her eyes, leaking tears, while she remembered that horrible awful time…all brought upon by this…and it was happening again.

Reaching a hand for her, wondering what was going on, Inuyasha asked, "Kagome?"

"No..." She turned away sharply, away from his reaching embrace, biting her lip in inner pain she hadn't felt in a long time, knowing the feeling once again of her heart being ripped out of her chest.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha demanded once more. "What's going on?" he placed two hands on her shoulders, physically turning her around.

What he saw shocked him. Her eyes, that had been so happy and loving a few minutes—or it could have been a few hours—ago, were now back to their sad, tragic state that he hated.

"Inuyasha," she replied, in a soggy voice from tears. "I'm tired." Getting up, and going to her sleeping bag, she said, "Goodnight."

Inuyasha was left watching her as she got in her sleeping bacg, and all the way up until she fell asleep, while the light of the full moon shone on her, causing him to curse fate once more, wondering why destiny had made him love a girl that, if things kept as they were, he would never be able to fully have.


A/N: Enough fluff for you? Thought so. But, of course, I have to end it sad after the fluff. I can't have it too fluffy, can I?