Disclaimer: I do not own Devil Does Exist or Devil Beside You - the manga and drama that this story is based on.


The Joke's On You

Chapter Six: Meeting Love

Sw33t-Sorrows

Although I am technically living with strangers, it feels like I've been here since forever. It's nice seeing Mom so happy in the mornings, rather than looking at old pictures of Dad. Not saying that those pictures didn't make her smile, it's just those bittersweet memories wouldn't have helped her at all with moving on. Moving in with Uncle has been one of the very first steps in doing just that.

"What are you thinking about?" Hitomi said as she came down from her new room. "Are you adjusting well, honey?" Kagome smiled at her mother as she sat next to her.

"Yeah, I am." Hitomi reached up to smooth her daughter's hair.

"Good. I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable at all." Hitomi's smile was very reassuring to Kagome, although she still felt that small tug at her heartstrings. "Want breakfast? Why are you even up so early? It's Saturday, usually you're sleeping until late in the afternoon. Kagome couldn't help but laugh at this. "But I guess you're a little uncomfortable with doing that now that you're living with two other people, right?"

"I'll get used to it, Mom. Where are they anyway?"

"Taisho's at work. Inuyasha's still asleep, I believe. But I have to go and visit your Grandmother today, she's in the hospital."

"Want me to go with you?"

"No, that's fine, dear. I know you're still a little tired, I don't want you to overdo it. I can go myself."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Now, you go and wash up, breakfast will be ready soon."

"Okay, when are you going?"

"What a silly question. I'm all dressed and prepared aren't I? I'm surprised you didn't ask me about it first. You must be really tired." Kagome laughed as her mother continued on in making eggs and bacon for breakfast. "I wonder if Inuyasha likes pepper on his eggs?" Hitomi asked herself as she placed her forefinger to her lips. "Oh, he can add that himself." Kagome laughed even harder. A few minutes later, when Kagome was finished brushing her teeth, she heard her mother calling up the stairs. "Hurry up Kagome, eat the breakfast before it gets cold. I'm leaving now, bye honey. I love you!"

"Love you too, Mom!" Kagome said before hearing the front door close. It wasn't long after that she heard a very loud thump. "Maybe Mom forgot something?" She waited, but nothing happened. "...Inuyasha...?" Kagome quickly hurried down the hallway and knocked on the door of Inuyasha's room. "Inuyasha?! You in there? Are you okay?! Open the door!" Kagome didn't get an answer, so she barged in. She saw Inuyasha lying on the floor. "Ahh! Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha woke up in bed. That's funny, I remember getting up. Then, he noticed there was a cold face-cloth neatly folded that was placed on his forehead. What the...? He was tucked carefully into the covers and felt something near his arm. Looking over, he saw Kagome resting her head there. "Kagome?" She didn't stir. "Kagome? Kagome!" The girl woke and sat up straight.

"What? What happened?!" She looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha said as he got up.

"What are you doing? You have a fever! Lie down." She said as she got up and pushed him back down onto the bed.

"Fever?"

"Yes, a fever. You know, a rise in temperature of the body? It's a frequent symptom of infection?"

"Shut up, I know what a fever is." Kagome laughed.

"You didn't take your medicine yet, I'll go get it." She handed him a thermometer. "Take your temperature, I want to see if your fever has gone down a bit yet." Inuyasha sighed as he stuck the thermometer into his mouth and lied down. Although he had to admit, Kagome running around trying to take care of him was kind of nice. He smiled as he heard her light footsteps going down the stairs. When she appeared back into the room, Inuyasha wiped the smile off his face. Handing him two pills, Kagome took the thermometer out of his mouth.

"You still have a slight fever." Kagome said as she watched him take the pills. "Why did you tell anyone you were sick?"

"It was nothing."

"Nothing?! You collasped this morning!"

"I did?"

"Yes! And you're lucky I was around."

"I guess I am." Kagome smiled at him.

"Next time you feel sick, tell somebody, okay? You had me worried."

"Relax. It's just a little fever."

"No! Do you know how useless I felt when I could barely lift you into bed? I thought something was going to happen to you. Until now, I didn't really feel needed around here." Inuyasha sighed, he got up and pulled the damp cloth from his head.

"That's not true, you are needed." Great, what is he pulling now? He leaned in real close, their noses were almost touching. "I need your smile." Kagome stared at him with wide eyes. "So what are you waiting for?"

"I can't just smile on demand. You have to give me something to laugh about."

"Are you saying I can't make you smile?"

"What? No, that's not what I was saying..."

"You laugh with Kouji."

"What?"

"Come on, I'm not stupid. I see the way you used to look at him."

"Yeah, key words: used to. I don't like him anymore... wait, are you jealous?"

"Yes." His confession shocked her. "I'm so mad just thinking about it. I think my fever's going up a couple of degrees." Kagome rolled her eyes. "Ouch, my head's starting to hurt." But as he said that, it looked so real. Inuyasha clutched his head with his left hand as he lay back in bed.

"Eh...ah ha, ha, ha!" Even an idiot could tell that was a forced laugh.

"Go on,"

"I did! I laughed."

"Not like you did before."

"Before?"

"That night, when you told me you loved me."

"I didn't say I love you!" Suddenly, Inuyasha got up and he was real close again.

"Maybe this will make you say it." He held her face in his hands and leaned closer, and closer, and closer. Kagome found that her eyes began to flutter shut. And soon, she could feel his lips on hers. His lips are so soft... Although the kiss was very gentle, she could tell that Inuyasha was putting all his feelings into it. It warmed her from her head to her toes, and as he pulled away, she opned her eyes and looked into his golden ones. "Well?"

"What?"

"Aren't you going to say it?"

"Psht. No!" She said before getting up.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"I'm going to cook for you, you idiot."

"Hey, who's the idiot? You should really treat the sick better," Kagome only slammed the door. "Hey!" Once a devil, always a devil. I can't believe he kissed me. Luckily Mom and Uncle aren't home. I can't wait to tell Sango about this. Kagome let out a giggle as she put on an apron. What about the breakfast that Mom cooked us? Maybe I'll just reheat it. Kagome didn't feel like cooking anyway. After reheating the food, Kagome decided that after she told Inuyasha to go downstairs and eat it, she would take a shower. However, Inuyasha wasn't in his room. Maybe he went downstairs while I wasn't looking. She shrugged as she entered the bathroom with her towel and a new change of clothes. As she began to unbutton her shirt, a head suddenly popped out of the shower curtain.

"AHHHH!"

"Oh, hey. Pass me a towel, will you?"

"What are you doing? When did you get in here? Why didn't you lock the door?!" Kagome screamed as she tried not to let her eyes travel south of his face...

"Hey, I-" As Inuyasha pulled open the shower curtain, Kagome let out a shriek of horror. "Huh...?" He looked down at himself, and his eyes widened slightly. Kagome ran out of the washroom and slammed the door behind her, leaning against it.

"Not to worry. It's not like you saw anything. Although...you should have gotten a better look..." Kagome said sheepishly to herself. However, the door suddenly flew open and she went falling into the arms of her beloved silver-haired boy. "Inuyasha! Let go of me!"

"Judging by that look on your face, little sister, I think you're horny." Kagome noticed he was in his boxers, but that still didn't help the fact that she was currently pressed up against his bare chest.

"What?!" Kagome's face went beet red. "Let go of me, you baka!" She began to continuously hit on his arms. "Now!"

"How interesting," Inuyasha said as his iron grip on her never faltered, laughing.

"Hey! Let go!" She whined.

"What are you two doing?" They both stopped at the voice. Looking up, they saw InuTaisho standing at the stairs. Almost instantly, Kagome and Inuyasha jumped nearly the whole bathroom apart.

"Uhh..."

"You two..." InuTaisho began. "Are getting along so well! I'm so happy, two siblings joking around must be so much fun, right?" Inuyasha and Kagome sweatdropped. "I just came back to get my keys, I'm leaving now. No wild parties, okay?" InuTaisho disappeared down the stairs, and the two younger ones heard the front door closing.

"Um...Inuyasha...?"

"Sometimes I wonder how he manages the school so well." Is he really that clueless? Kagome thought. "One time, he came into the room while I was holding a cigarette and he smiled at me."

"You smoke?"

"Used to. Quit years ago." Good. She thought, completely forgetting about the awkward situation they were in just a few minutes ago. "Hey." She looked up at him when she heard his voice. "Do you enjoy this or something? Get out."

"What are you talking about?" It wasn't long until she realized Inuyasha was still half-dressed and she was still standing with him inside the bathroom. "Um, the food's ready, when you're done." She said quickly before she rushed out. From the stairs, she could have sworn she heard Inuyasha laughing.

I'll get him back. For sure.

Sango glanced at herself in the mirror.

She was wearing a pink shirt with a jean skirt. She looked perfect, except she didn't feel too good. "Why did I buy these shoes again?" She asked herself, they sure did look cute, though. Sango sighed, recalling the other day at the mall with Kagome.

---------

"Kagome, look! Those are perfect!"

"Oooh Sango, they're so cute! But why do you need new shoes?"

"Uhh," Sango bit her lip. "Shoes are a necessity for us girls right? What's wrong with buying new shoes even if you don't need them?"

"Good point." Kagome smiled, and Sango released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Try them on!" Sango took a seat in one of the chairs, and slipped her feet into the pair of shoes.

"They're kind of snug." Sango turned towards the sales lady, "Do you have this in a bigger size?"

"Sorry, that's the last pair."

---------

Sango had decided to get them anyway. "They'll stretch as I wear them, right?" She reassured herself. Nodding, she quickly hurried out of the house and to the place where she'd meet Miroku. As she arrived at the intersection, she saw Miroku waiting patiently, leaning against a lamp-post. "Miroku!" She said happily as she hurried towards him.

"Hey, you look really nice today." Sango blushed and thanked him. "Where do you want to go for lunch?"

"Mmm," Sango thought as she saw Miroku thinking as well. Good time to test if we're a good couple or not, also to see if we have anything in common at all. "Akina's!" Sango said excitedly as she named the most famous Japanese restaurant in the city. But she realized something, he said something else.

"Chinese!" Sango's smile slided off her face as Miroku gave her a sheepish grin. "Uh, what movie do you want to see?"

"Love Actually!"

"James Bond!"

Not only was the atmosphere completely awkward now, Sango was beginning to realize that she and Miroku had absolutely nothing in common. This is a disaster, I wonder what he thinks of me! However, the two of them decided that the mall would be a great place to go. It had a food court, and all different kinds of stores. So they didn't have to worry about eating the same thing or going to the same stores. But as things started to look up, Sango couldn't take it anymore. "Ouch!"

"Are you alright?"

"My...feet kinda hurt." Sango said, slightly embarrassed. As Miroku helped her to the nearest bench, he told her to wait a minute before he left somewhere. Great, I just made a complete fool out of myself. He surely thinks I'm a freak now.

"Sango?" Her eyes widened at the voice and her heart nearly stopped. No... She looked up to see her ex-boyfriend standing before her. "It's me, Nao." Sango felt her eyes watering at the memory. "I've realized...I've made a huge mistake. I'm sorry, please accept my apology."

"Nao," She hated saying his name. He wasn't anywhere near honest. "Get away from me." She gasped when he grabbed a hold of her arms.

"Sango! Please forgive me, I never meant to-"

"Stop it! Let go of me!"

"Hey!" Sango looked up, her knight in shining armor. "She said let go." She had never seen Miroku look so angry before. Is he...mad at me? "Let go before I break those arms of yours."

"Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Sango's boyfriend. Get the hell out of here before I kick your ass!" Nao released Sango out of his grip and hesitantly left. "What are you looking at?!" Miroku screamed at the staring people passing by. Sango noticed Miroku was holding two plastic bags in his right hand. He took a deep breath before taking a tube of ointment out of one of the bags and approaching the young girl. "Sorry about that, this will make your feet feel better." Wondering what was in the other bag, Sango couldn't help but hear those words repeating in her head. He said he was my boyfriend, but maybe it was just to defend me from Nao? "Who was he?" Sango recalled the way Nao had hurt her, and couldn't stop the tears from falling. "Sango? Who was he?" He took a seat next to her as she slowly applied the ointment.

"He, was my ex-boyfriend. I broke up with him, because he cheated on me with my best friend from high school." Sango didn't dare to look at Miroku. "My best friend's name was Koharu. I don't understand why they did that to me. Maybe they did it, because I'm a bad person. I don't know...but luckily, I met Kagome not long after that. She managed to convince me that I was too good for Nao, and Koharu was a pathetic excuse for a friend. Although I only knew Kagome for a short time back then, I knew that she was the one who'd always stick by me." After finishing with the medicine, Sango sat back in the bench. "Nao and Koharu, they never apologized. They never even spoke to me after that. I always told myself that I would never trust another guy again. Until I met you, Miroku. But I felt so stupid when this date didn't turn out the way I wanted to. I knew I shouldn't have forced this on you, especially so soon after that thing with Kag-" Sango stopped short. Miroku must hate me.

"Sango," His voice seemed emotionless. "I'm glad you finally opened up to me." She glanced up at him. "If you don't want to go see the latest action movie, or if you don't want to go out for Chinese, you can tell me. I'm gonna be your boyfriend, right? I know I used to have a thing for Kagome, but that was before. Right now, the person I want to date, is none other than Sango herself." Miroku opened the other plastic bag and pulled out a box. "If your shoes are too small, don't force them on. I saw that they were too small when you took them off." Opening the box, Miroku pulled out a pair of new shoes, carefully slipping them on Sango's feet. "Better?" He sat up and looked at her with a smile. He...wants to be my boyfriend?

"Thank you..." Sango didn't know what else to do except launch herself into his arms, to which he gladly returned the embrace. "Can I really...say anything?"

"Anything."

"You bought these shoes yourself?"

"Of course."

"But...they're kind of ugly." Miroku chuckled.

"Then let's go look for another pair together, if you don't like them."

Sango felt like jumping for joy.

Author's Notes: I apologize for such a short chapter! But they'll get longer, I promise. Anyway, Sango and Miroku are paired up now. I'll elaborate on this relationship more in the future, so don't worry S/M fans! Haha, and the little bathroom scene with Inuyasha and Kagome, I was laughing the whole time I was writing it. It was quite amusing, actually. Some mature humour for the two of them. Also, in this chapter, they shared their first kiss! Yay! Okay so stay tuned for the next chapter, entitled: Sanctuary. Thanks to all my readers. And have a great day. Don't forget to review!

Sw33t-Sorrows.