Love of Friends

Chapter 6: The sweetness of fireflies and Smore's

BC: (Hidden in one of the many closets, armed with nothing but a flashlight shining under chin and a bad Kirk/William Shatner impression) Lair date, FF 9.30.2006. The voices. Are. After me again. They're. Closing in. It's. Horrible. I don't. Know. What they want from me. But. They. Always seek me out. So. Please. Read. And review. Or fear. The. Consequences. Also. I. Don't own. The. Inu-charries. But. I. Wish I did. It's all. Khan's. Fault. KHAAAAAN! (Echoes. Then covers mouth) Fudge muffins. Now that voice is gonna find me!

Voice: Actually, I've been here the whole time.

BC: GUAAA... (Starts to scream, but stops as flashlight turns off from fall) Wait. Why can't I see you?

Voice: Well, it's dark!

BC: No, I mean before the light shut off.

Voice: You may have had a flashlight, but I didn't.

BC: No I... Grr. (Flings open door in frustration, letting in lots of light. Though the closet is illuminated, one corner is still encased in shadow) Oh my God! You're...!

"Really..." Kagome scratches her head, "Then… what happened to Shippo, why is Miroku face down in the dirt, and where did Inuyasha go to?"

"That's easy enough to answer. That idiot Monk asked me to bear his child... again. Shippo went up to Inuyasha and told him... what was it you said?"

Shippo lightly touches his bump and frowns, "Even you didn't deserve all the yelling you got, Inuyasha?"

Kagome shakes her head and kneels so the young fox demon can get down, "So. You're against me too? "

"No, of course not Kagome! But... you might have hurt feelings."

Kagome sighs and hangs her head. "I might have, Shippo. But it was only because I was worried about you." She rests a hand on his shoulder. "And now because of me, you're hurt."

"No. It's my own fault. And I'm not that hurt. I just really shouldn't have bothered him when he was so upset." Shippo looks up at Kagome's face seriously, for the moment at least. "And I think you might be the only one that can make things right with him. Because he wouldn't listen to me."

Kagome was a little stunned at Shippo's grasp of the situation, but smiles all the same. "I... I plan to Shippo. Do you know where he is?" Wordlessly, he points over his shoulder. Kagome looks up, and spots Inuyasha sulking some ways away. "I really should have seen him." This is spoken mostly to herself. She then hesitantly straightens up, "Might as well get it over with..."

Sango gives her a slight smile. "You would have noticed if you weren't so reluctant to."

Kagome adjusts the straps of her blue backpack, a little indignant. "You're starting to sound like Miroku again."

"Just go over to him." Sango gives Kagome an encouraging push, but she still moves slowly. This was not a conversation Kagome was looking forward to.

Miroku finally breaks away from his thoughts. "Wait, were they just talking about me?"

Shippo sits down nearby, his face free of worry. "You know Miroku, not everything is about you."

As she makes her way over, Kagome braces herself to be chewed out by Inuyasha. Especially since he didn't have much of a chance to start before she ran off. But when she approaches, all he does is stare straight forward and ignore her. "Inuyasha?" She stands in front of him, but the hanyou just reacts by closing his eyes. "Come on Inuyasha, talk to me... please? I can't tell you how sorry I am." Nothing. He was completely stoic, and Kagome was beginning to feel a little frantic. She crouches by his side and whispers, imploring him to listen with every ounce of her being. "Inuyasha... please." His ears twitch as they pick up the soft sound... proving he hadn't suddenly turned deaf. "Sit."

Inuyasha face-plants right then and there. Now he was steamed... he stands up spitting out a bit of dirt, "What do you want wench? I thought you'd finally gone home for good! Now you come here and Sit me for no reason?"

"I-I'm sorry. I panicked. But... you wouldn't talk to me. I had to do something. I came back to apologize and you didn't even pretend to listen."

He folds his arms and looks away. "Why would I listen to you? I mean, 'I don't care if anyone lives or dies,' remember? Why would I care what you'd have to say?"

Kagome looks to her feet, hand on the back of her neck "Inuyasha, I'm sorry. What you did wasn't that bad…" She pauses and corrects herself. "Well, it was bad but… you didn't deserve what I said to you. I blamed you for something that had happened to me. And I just... couldn't stop my temper. It was such a stupid thing to blame you for too..."

Inuyasha turns to look at Kagome, head to the side. "Why would you blame me...?"

"I'm sure it's noting you'd want to hear, besides. It's too hard to explain..."

"Oh no. You're going to tell me so that if it happens again, I can show you how it's not my fault."

Leaving no other choice, Kagome once again tells her tale. And reveals to Inuyasha that it was his haughty "I didn't do anything wrong" defense that had set her off. "Just trust me when I say, I didn't mean a word of it."

"So the spider-web...?"

She quickly jerks up her head, "No, no, no. That I meant."

"Oh..." He was actually hoping she had recanted that part of her story too. But it was the only thing she'd stuck with.

Kagome gives the half demon a weak smile. "So Inuyasha... can you ever forgive me?"

He sits there, deep in thought. He then asks a very important question. "That depends... did you bring back any Ramen?"

She playfully swipes at his arm in false outrage, "Ramen... that's going to decide whether you forgive me or not. I did bring back something special though. Will that be good enough?"

"I guess..."

"Well, come on then!" Kagome grabs Inuyasha's forearm and starts to drag him back to the others, when she thinks of something, "Hey, Inuyasha?" She slows down, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

"Hurt my...? Feh! You couldn't hurt me if you tried... other then that dxxx Sit command. And those times you hit me over the head with a rock."

"I'd like to believe you... and would if you were Naraku. But you're not, so I really am sorry."

"Where would you get the idea my "feelings" were hurt anyway?"

"Oh, a little birdy said they might have been."

Inuyasha stops, and brings Kagome to a complete halt. "When the hxxx you start talking to birds?"

She sighs, "That's not what I meant and you know it."

"So what if I did?" Asks Inuyasha. A smirk upon his face.

"KAGOME!!! Can I have some of the brown board snack now?"

Kagome looks ahead to Shippo, 'How did he know about the chocolate? Wait…' She almost smacks herself, 'Demon sense of smell.' "Shippo! Not another word about it."

"But…"

"It's for a special surprise, ok? And you don't want it ruined."

"Alright. If you say so Kagome."

"That's right, I do. Now can you take us to Sango and Miroku? They seem to have forgotten about us."

Shippo starts walking slowly, in disappointment, back through the trees. Inuyasha and Kagome follow close behind. "I don't think they forgot you... they just wanted to make sure you apologized."

"Wait a second you stupid runt. If they wanted to make sure she'd apologized, wouldn't they have come spying instead?"

Shippo turns around quickly, his eyes welling up with tears, "I don't know! Kagome, Inuyasha's being mean!" He leaps up to her, throwing his arms around her neck.

((BC: Dang… don't you just wish Inuyasha would do that once? Well… maybe not the leaping part. Kagome'd probably freak and end up Sitting him on her. That wouldn't be good.

"Shippo, I don't think he's trying to be mean."

A "What?" was echoed by both Shippo and Inuyasha.

"I think it's supposed to be like a nickname, some sort of… friendly way to kid with you."

Shippo starts laying on the sarcasm, "Oh yes, that's as friendly as wench, or bi…"

"SHIPPO!" Kagome interrupts.

"What?" he asks cluelessly.

Inuyasha is about ready to die laughing, he'd be pushing up daisies if Shippo had finished his sentence.

Kagome turns to the hanyou a seemingly unfathomable anger flashing in her eyes... but then she smiles, "What are you laughing at... he's right." This, of course, gives off the desirable affect of stunning the hanyou. "Now Shippo, can you finish showing us were those two are?"

Shippo jumps down and walks around the clearing, "This is where they were..."

"Those two... COME OUT!" Inuyasha, in his displeased state, growls, "I knew it... that monk is always spying... Sango too... the snoops..."

The familiar sound of skin hitting skin reverberates through the air.

Inuyasha turns to the noise, "There you are!"

Sango walks out from the trees. Miroku follows a ways behind, a red handprint on his face. "My friends... we have been looking for you."

Inuyasha snorts, "More like spying."

"Ahhh..." stalls Miroku.

Sango interrupts him, "You have a surprise for everyone, don't you Kagome?"

"Oh... that's right!"

Shippo lets out a loud "Yay!" and Kagome giggles at him. She crouches down while opening her backpack and Shippo rushes close to it. "This first parts just for you Shippo!"

"Really Kagome?" His eyes were wide in excitement and wonder.

"Yep!" She lifts out a jar and hands it to the young demon, "It's almost dark enough now... try to catch as many fireflies as you can." She unscrews and re-screws the jar, showing off how to use it. "And when they start to fly out before you can add any more in, bring me back the jar, okay?"

"Got it!" He starts to run off in his glee, but slows suddenly. "What are you guys gonna do?"

"They're going to help me set up the surprise for everyone!"

He stops fully, head tilted to the side, "But then how will it...?"

"Don't you worry about it Shippo. It'll still be a surprise, you just take care of the fireflies."

He shrugs and continues to walk away, Kagome stands up and takes charge, "Ok, now we need to build a fire..."

Miroku steps forward, hand print almost completely gone, "May I ask why?"

Kagome shakes her head with a clever grin on her face,and wags her finger at him. "You certainly may not."

"We're eating diner so that we can wake up early and go find..."

"Inuyasha, we deserve some rest..." Kagome turns to look at him with begging puppy-dog eyes, "Don't you think so?"

"Wait... what? No we... shard... but..." He gives up "Feh, wench! You and your resting... FINE!"

"Good! Go over there and get some firewood... you too Miroku!"

Inuyasha grabs hold of the Monk's sleeve, "Feh..." He continues complaining while dragging Miroku behind him.

"Kagome, are we to get firewood too?"

"No, try to find some straight, thin, sticks able to... hold a small fish?"

Sango gives her a confused look, "How small?"

"Very small."

"KAGOME!"

She turns around. Shippo has some fireflies in the jar, about ten. "What is it?"

"They're starting to fly out."

"Oh... it should hold a lot more then that."

"They keep crawling up the sides..."

"Hmm...as you search, shake the jar a little bit so they stay at the bottom, okay?"

"Thanks Kagome!" He turns and continues on his "hunt."

The two girls can't help but smile at the enthusiasm of the little demon. They soon start searching around. After a few attempts, Sango manages to locate just the right kind of sticks. They then have a small pile and Kagome hands Sango a pocketknife.

"What is it?"

"Open it up there..." she points to the ridge that sticks up, "and you'll see. Just, be careful."

Sango pulls out the knife and looks in wonder. "It's a small blade!"

Kagome nods, "Yep. Start sharpening the tip till it goes to a point. But not too much!" She starts to work on her own stick and soon shows Sango her progress.

"Kagome? Why are we making spears?"

"Just trust me. Ok?"

She gives a nod and starts on her own stick. Kagome had finished three and Sango was on her second when Inuyasha and Miroku came back with a pile of wood.

"Happy now wench?"

"Very, thanks Inuyasha."

He turns and walks to a tree with a small snort.

"KAGOME!" Shippo runs closer, a number of fireflies clinging to his jar. "I got some! I got some!"

"That's good Shippo! Come on everyone, follow me!" She picks up Shippo and swiftly walks. Her destination was the hilly clearing that the well was in.

The others follow, not too sure of what was happening. While Sango and Miroku walked behind Kagome, Inuyasha was trailing slowly behind them. "Where in the seven Hxxxx is she taking us?" He starts to speed up, and ends up running right smack into Miroku. The monk stood in awe at all the dancing lights.

Kagome turns back to the others, "I knew this spot would be perfect! Can I see that jar now Shippo?"

He passes it over without a word, it wouldn't have taken him so long to find the fireflies if he had known there were so many over here. He watches as Kagome starts to untwist the jar, "You're letting them out?"

Kagome turns back to the demon and thinks of all the work he put into catching them, "Yeah Shippo. If I don't, they'll die and you don't want that. Besides, this will be fun. I promise." She continues to twist open the jar and carefully catches one firefly and hands it to Shippo, "Keep it safe and don't let it go yet. But don't hold it too hard." She gives each of them a firefly, when Inuyasha starts to complain.

"Why are we doing this?"

"Just do it. You don't want to take out the fun of this for Shippo..." She gives him a glare, "Right?"

She then takes out a firefly for herself and sets the open jar on the ground. They fly out, all at their own speed, and once the last is gone she speaks. "Who wants to go first?"

Sango looks around for a second, "And do what?"

"We take turns letting go of our fireflies and say whatever we want to them. Our own well-wishing messages. Understand?"

Inuyasha gives a half-board look at his hands, "Yeah, but why?"

"It was... something I used to do with my dad. And I thought Shippo would... have fun." She started to tear up some, had she been wrong? The whole thing was starting to seem stupider and stupider all the time. And she had worked so hard to plan everything too...

"No, no, NO! Do not cry."

Sango gives Inuyasha a small glare, "Good one."

Inuyasha turns in shock, "What? I didn't do anything!"

Shippo walks over to Kagome, "I'll go first, this sounds fun!"

She smiles sadly, "I know you're lying... But go on."

"Am not! I have to wish it something really good..." He thinks a moment and then lets the beetle fly, "Good luck... and try not to get eaten!"

Miroku steps forward, "I'll go next, if I may Kagome."

"Sure."

He pauses before opening his hands, "May someone bear your children without relu..." He catches sight of Sango's death glare and lets out a cough, "I mean... I hope you live a long and eventful life!"

Inuyasha tries to hold back a laugh and succeeds with the help of Kagome's own death glare.

Sango steps up, "If you want, I'll go now Kagome."

Kagome gives a nod, they all might have been humoring her, but, at least even Inuyasha kept his mouth closed.

"Hmm. Well, I hope you get back at those that have wronged you and those you know." She lets the firefly go but instead of flying off, it swings back and just misses Miroku. Sango laughs, "I didn't mean you had to start now!"

The others, except Miroku, start to join in Sango's laughter. But even he starts soon enough. Kagome walks to Inuyasha and gently bumps her clasped hands against his arm. "You can go next Inuyasha."

He tosses the firefly out of his hands a bit roughly, "Like I care what happens to some insect." But even he can't resist one thought to it. 'You may be some stupid bug, but you should be the strongest you can.'

Kagome was quite ready to tell Inuyasha off, but she saw him follow the firefly till it was lost in the other beetles flying around. And she knew that he might not have voiced it, but he had wished it well in his own way. It was finally her turn and she knew just what she hoped for the firefly. She slowly opened her hand and the small insect crawled to the back of her hand and flew off.

Shippo looks up to her excitedly, "Well? What did you hope for it?"

"What I always have... happiness. Whatever that may be." She turns to look at everyone in turn, then looks back to Shippo. "That wasn't too bad right?"

"It was really fun catching them!"

Kagome lifts Shippo up and starts leading everyone back to camp, "That was always my favorite part too. You know... my father used to tell me that you could learn a little bit about people by what they wanted for the fireflies."

Miroku moves up to stand next to Kagome and Shippo, "Was that some sort of ritual from your time Kagome?"

"Nope. My dad just loved fireflies... they're the only bugs I can even stand. Guess he passed it on to me."

Sango moves to Kagome's other side, "Are we going to use those sticks now?"

"Thanks for reminding me!" Kagome starts to run back to camp, the others following.

Inuyasha jumps overhead and stops her, "Listen! I've had it with the surprises. What is going on?"

"If I told you, Inuyasha, it wouldn't be a surprise!"

"Kagome... THAT'S THE POINT!"

"Just tru..."

"I know, trust you. But WHY?"

Kagome just shakes her head, finishes walking into the camp clearing, grabs her blue backpack and starts a fire. As soon as everyone is sitting around the fire, Inuyasha almost being sat in the process, Kagome passes out the sticks. She realizes she's one short and wonders were the last unsharpened stick is. A meow catches her attention and she sees Kilala holding a long stick in her mouth, "Oh, thanks Kilala." She takes the stick from the small cat demon and gives her a scratch under her chin.

Kilala lets out another meow before walking over to Sango, "You've been sleeping long enough. Why don't you go get fish from the stream to eat, I don't think you'll want what we're having."

Kilala lets out a growl as she changes to her big form and rushes through the trees.

"What are we having anyway?"

Kagome lets out a sigh, "Well Inuyasha. Later on you can have some Ramen if you're still hungry. But right now, we're having S'mores!"

"What the hxxx are S'mores?"

She passes out a marshmallow to everyone and then starts to sharpen her own stick, "First, put the marshmallow on the end. Let the tip stick out, just a bit, through the marshmallow."

Shippo sniffs at his marshmallow, "Kagome! It smells sweet!"

"That's right." She stops sharpening and puts her own marshmallow on her stick, "All right Shippo. I'm gonna pass out some chocolate but you can't eat it just yet, understand?"

"Ok."

"Good. The rest of you can't either."

Inuyasha's stomach growls, "I've had NO food today! Can we stop with the talking?"

"I'll try to hurry then..." She hands everyone a bit of chocolate and two halves of a graham cracker, "Now roast the marshmallow as you would a fish."

They each put their stick over the fire, Inuyasha has a smug look on his face. "This isn't so hard! What the...?" He almost drops his stick, his marshmallow had just burst into flames.

Kagome sets her own stick down safely before swiftly grabbing Inuyasha's and blowing out the flame. "They burn a lot easier then fish."

"Great... now do I need another of these marsh-mellow, things?"

"No. It's okay if it gets burnt on the outside. Sometimes it makes them even better. Here..." She takes the stick and graham cracker and sandwiches the marshmallow and chocolate between it. "There! Try a bite."

He carefully looks at the S'more before trying it. As he bites into it, marshmallow leaks from the sides. "It's... not too bad. I prefer Ramen still..."

"Well, you only had to try it. I'll make you some Ramen now if you want..."

"Are you that stupid? You should feed yourself before you worry about me. The others ate when you left... I can handle these things till you're done."

They all continue to eat their treats. Shippo has so many he's about to pop and Inuyasha gets his Ramen. While he's eating, Kilala returns and helps bring the over-indulged Shippo to clean up with Kagome and Sango while the guys watch over camp.

"Shippo... how did you get this sticky?"

"I don't know... uhhhhh..."

"Next time Kagome, it may be best to limit him."

"I think you might be right Sango... oh well, time to clean you up some Shippo." She grabs hold of the fox demon and scrubs his face with a washcloth.

"Kagome! That hurts..."

"Sorry Shippo, but we have to get this gunk of you!"

"If she doesn't get it all off, you might end up getting stuck wherever you sleep."

"Ah! I don't want that!"

"You won't have to worry... I think it's all gone... What do you think Sango?"

The Taijiya looks close at the young demon's face, "It seems gone to me."

"Good..." Kagome stands up, "I guess then..."

"Kagome?"

Kagome turns around to find Inuyasha. "What are you doing here?"

"I..."

"Hold on... Sango?" She turns back to see Sango guiding Kilala away from her and Inuyasha.

"I'll see you back at camp Kagome."

Shippo's shoulder is being held by Sango as he's riding on Kilala, "But Sango... I want to watch!"

"Shippo we can't leave Miroku alone at camp... he might try to wander off in search of a village with women."

Kagome lets out a small nervous laugh, she was alone... with Inuyasha... oh dear. She turns back to the hanyou and sees him in a pretty defensive body posture. Arms folded in front, he wasn't looking at her...

"Inuyasha? What is it?"

"Are... are you feeling ok?"

"What?"

"Hrrm..." Inuyasha had one of his clawed hands resting against the back of his neck, "You seemed sick... or something..."

"No... I've just had a lot of things on my mind lately."

"Ah..."

Inuyasha had changed a lot since when they had first met. He was nicer, cuter... this alone time was letting her mind wander. But he was different, and there was something to be done. She walks towards him and stops right next to him.

Inuyasha noticed. He turned to her, arms dropping to his sides, his face clearly plastered with a what are you doing? look. Inuyasha's mind is reeling as she reaches up to his shoulders and... grabs the pray beads. He then voices his look, "What are you trying to do?"

"I was just thinking... you don't try to kill me anymore, there's no reason to keep the beads. If you get out of line, I can always toss a rock at you."

Inuyasha couldn't believe it. He was finally going to be rid of these beads? No more Sits... it was something he had wished for. None of the others had been collard like this... he hated Shippo's amusement to his pain. The only time he got a reprieve from that was in Kagome's time. That's when it hit him; he and Kagome are the only ones able to get through the well. If Kagome's connection to the well was the shards of the Shikon jewel, what was his? 'Kagome...' The beads were almost up to his nose when he grabs hold of one of her hands, "Stop that! Do you think I'm stupid?"

'I'm about to believe it...'

"These stupid things are probably the only reason I can get through the well!" He gives her an accusing glare, "You just want to go to your "test" things without interruption!"

Now that he mentioned it... that was a good idea, "You may have a point..." she drops the beads and, reluctantly, takes her hand away from his. "But I would like the word sit back..."

The beads glow and he crashes into to ground, "Why you...!"

"Inuyasha! I'm so sorry..." She crouches down next to him, waiting for the spell to wear off. "Tomorrow, we should go and talk to Kaede. Maybe she can help so you don't end up..."

Inuyasha winces waiting for the spell.

"Being sat by accident, ok?"

"Feh..."

BC: (Sitting on couch with Shadowy voice person, both eating popcorn)

QJP: (Smacks BC with a rolled up newspaper)

BC: Hey! What was that for!

PLP: Aren't you going to introduce your newest plot device?

BC: Didn't I do that in the beginning of this chapter? And besides, she's not a plot device.

Baka-chan: No... you just kinda left everyone hanging.

QJP: If she's not a plot device, what is she?

PLP: And she needs a better name. Shadowy voice person isn't going to cut it.

BC: I can take care of both of you. She's my Author Created Character. My ACC.

PLP/QJP/Baka-chan: Then that means... (They all look at each other) YESS!!!

ACC: (Sips pop) Well, they're excited. I guess that's a good thing.

BC, over and out!