Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, I do not own Inuyasha, I do not own Inuyasha– I keep telling myself that, but I wish it weren't true!

An Eternal New Moon

Chapter 4

"Inuyasha, sit down! I mean it, sit! Do you want to make your injuries worse?" shouted a frustrated Sango, raising her hirakotsu threateningly above her head. She and Miroku had been trying make Inuyasha sit down for the past half hour, but he wouldn't have it. He kept walking around experimentally, convinced that his injuries had healed, but of course they hadn't.

It had been two days since Kagome had been carried off by the snake, and Inuyasha was determined to be up on his feet and ready to bring her back as soon as possible.

"Inuyasha, even if you were a half demon now, you should still be resting and recovering your strength." said Miroku, forcing Inuyasha back to the hut with his staff with no such luck. "But since you are stuck in your human form, you're in even worse condition and it will take longer for you to heal."

"Feh, you worry too much. I'm just fine! I could even go after Kagome right now!" grunted Inuyasha, pushing away Miroku's staff. Sango came up behind him and poked him lightly in the back, causing him to fall face first in the dirt with a loud thud.

"Whad'ya do that for, dammit!" shouted Inuyasha, pushing himself into a sitting position.

"If I can push you over that easily, you're not okay." said Sango, helping him up. "Just rest and you can get Kagome sooner."

"You did not push me over that easily!" muttered Inuyasha, crossing his arms over his bandaged chest.

"Inuyasha, could you just sit for a while?" said Miroku, the usually patient monk beginning to get frustrated.

"No, monk. I won't sit."

"Sit down."

"No."

"Inuyasha, I mean it, sit!"

"No!"

Miroku sighed, looking longingly off into the clouds. "Too bad Lady Kagome isn't here. She would be able to make you sit down."

Sango came up beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "If Kagome was here, we wouldn't be having this problem in the first place."

"Good point, my dear Sango." said Miroku, rubbing his injured arm, still in a sling from the snake bite. He was comforted by the hand Sango had placed on his good shoulder, reaching up to brush her fingers and glancing at her profile. He saw her blush a little, then smile, lifting her face up to the warm sun.

My dearest Sango, thought Miroku, taking her hand in his. He was surprised she didn't pull her hand away. She let Miroku take her hand, let him stroke her fingers with his thumb.

They both glanced at each other at the same time, Sango blushing but still holding his eyes.

When did Miroku become so...sweet, so gentle, thought Sango, thoroughly aware of the butterflies in her stomach and the heat rising in her cheeks. Miroku took his hand from hers and slipped his good arm around her waist, pulling her close to him. She let out a little squeak, then relaxed, resting her head on his shoulder. He smiled at her, putting his own head on hers.

Inuyasha saw the look pass between Miroku and Sango, and felt a pang of loneliness rip through his chest. He shook off the thoughts and continued to walk unsteadily around Kaede's hut, taking advantage of Miroku and Sango's distraction. Even though he could hold off the feeling of loneliness, jealousy at seeing Miroku and Sango together began to tighten his chest.

"Why the hell would I be jealous?" he muttered, stopping for a rest. "It's not like I love Kagome, or something. Wait, do I? What about Kikyo? I love Kikyo, I always have." Even though Inuyasha said he loved Kikyo, those words didn't have any meaning. They felt as hollow and empty as a dried up riverbed. Kikyo was no longer alive. She was merely a construct of mud, bones, and magic, while Kagome was living and breathing and right in front of him. She was able to melt his heart with her quirky ways, unlike Kikyo.

"Have my feelings for Kikyo been replaced by...Kagome?" he said, bracing himself against the wall of the hut. "I love..."

Suddenly, there was a stabbing pain in his shoulder where the snake had bitten him, most likely brought on from standing too long. Inuyasha clutched at his shoulder, making his way back to the door of Kaede's hut, his thoughts hurriedly thrown aside. As he limped through the door, he could still see Sango and Miroku standing together, both unaware of the world around them, only interested in each other.

"And it's about time." said Inuyasha. "Miroku's been looking like a lovesick buffoon for long enough."

Shippo came trotting up to Inuyasha, a piece of candy from Kagome's backpack in his mouth. He looked at Miroku and Sango, then back to Inuyasha, trying to read his feelings. Shippo thought Inuyasha looked a little lonely, depressed, even hopeless.

"Aw, Inuyasha, you don't have to be so sulky." said the little fox demon. "When you're all healed, we're gonna go save Kagome and you can tell her you love her."

Inuyasha snapped out of his daze, his face quickly regaining it's seemingly permanent scowl. "What was that, you little fungus? Who said I loved Kagome!" he proceeded to thump Shippo soundly on the head, causing the little fox to cry out with rage.

"You do to love Kagome, you just won't admit it you big idiot!" yelled Shippo, running into Kaede's hut. Inuyasha growled, mumbling to himself about how many ways he could strangle Shippo.

"Serves him right, the little worm." he muttered, walking slowly inside the hut and sitting on his pile of blankets and straw. "Doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut."

Kaede sat by the fire pit, stirring something in the steaming pot. Shippo was across the room digging around in Kagome's backpack, undoubtedly looking for more candy.

"I heard what ye was saying outside with Shippo, Inuyasha. He is right. Ye should put aside your pride and just tell Kagome ye love her. Ye can't hide it any longer, no matter how hard ye try."

Inuyasha snorted and pretended to examine his fingernails. "So you think I love Kagome too, witch? You're blinder than I thought."

Kaede sighed. "If ye keep those feelings bottled up to long, boy, ye will explode like those demons ye are always slaughtering. I know ye are itching to go and save Kagome. Ye wouldn't do that for just anyone, Inuyasha."

"Feh." said Inuyasha, turning his head to the wall.

"Feh' is not the proper response to anything." said Kaede, adding the contents of a tiny green bottle to the pot.

"Feh." said Inuyasha again, just to spite the old woman. If she dared, she probably would've slapped him upside the head like a disobedient child.

They sat in silence, the only sound coming from the bubbling pot, crackling fire, and Shippo still rummaging in Kagome's backpack. Suddenly, there was a familiar slapping sound from outside and a shriek.

"Miroku, you pervert, you could try to keep your hands to safe areas for once!" yelled a red faced Sango as she walked into the hut, Miroku behind her, a hand shaped mark on his face.

"Ah, but my dear Sango, I was merely–"

"Don't you give me your excuses, monk, I know what you were doing."

They continued arguing, a smile creeping across Inuyasha's face. "He always has to ruin the moment, doesn't he." mumbled Inuyasha, getting up and sitting gingerly by the pot with the others so he could get his food.

"What a fool." he said quietly, readily accepting his bowl of stew. "Too bad Kagome's not here. It just doesn't seen right without her."

"Did you say something Inuyasha?" asked Shippo, his mouth full of stew.

Inuyasha looked longingly off into the distance. "No...nothing." As the others ate, he sat with his uneaten food in his hands, sighs filling the air.

And he says he doesn't love her, thought Shippo. What an idiot.

A/N: Awwww, how cute! Inu's got feelings for Kagome! And, of course, I had to put in some Sango and Miroku fluff, and have Miroku let his wandering hand get the best of him. Will he ever learn? Anyway, R&R, as usual. I luv your comments!