Author's Note: I bet you thought I died. Well, I didn't. I've been, well, for no better words, 'inspired.' You can tell at the end of the chapter that I've listened to way too much music from the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack and watched the movie too many times to be called healthy. Yes, I stole some lines from the play. Little lines. More like common phrases. I know this chapter is stupid and poopy, but bear with me. But more than anything, enjoy!
Thanks to my reviewers:
Tsurashi- Why are you a weird kid? Why? Just tell me so. No. Never mind. You need to update your story too, lady. Or make a new one. Finish one. Just finish one fan fic, lady! I love you.
Aamalie- And obviously I updated this first. I really need to work on Defying Destiny, don't I? Yes I do. But anyway, he was calling lady Savanna's name, but I failed to mention that. I should have said she heard a sweet voice calling her "name." Thanks for the review!
Sango's Counterpart- Yes. I decided to make Lady Savanna a…fiend. Openly to some, others just won't know until it's too late for their own sake. You know what? I love your review. It makes me so happy. Thank you so much!
Soli-chan- I'm confused. The girl at the masquerade was indeed Lady Savanna. But…uh…are you confused elsewhere? I don't know. Take a look at how I describe when he's with the Sango Lady Savanna and with the real Lady Savanna…he doesn't get the same out of both experiences. But anyway, I haven't talked to you in a while. So what's up? And thanks!
Elvlen-princess9744- Holy crap. That's a big sword you got there. And since I didn't update soon I'm sure you're not afraid to use it. Please don't kill me. I'm just a victim of discouragement! Thanks for the review!
Neko-Yuff16- I hope that they meet a lot more. What? Am I supposed to know? Oh right, I'm the author. If you like Kag/Inu scenes, I'm sure there will be plenty more for them. Thanks!
Sango0808- Why thank you. Now that I go back and read my previous chapters I realize they weren't all that bad. So, thanks for acknowledging that and thanks for the review!
Irasuto- Sounds kind of like Kagome and Kikyo, the way you described it…oooohh. What could be in store? It's got chills running down my spine. Not really. But thanks for reviewing!
Ochanoko- I love your name. I had to say it out loud and laugh. Ochanoko! Anyway! Sorry I didn't update soon! Thanks!
Blue-Moon- Goddess- I know what you mean. Yesterday I wanted to just start writing a Miroku/Sango one-shot out of nowhere but as soon as I fingers hit the keyboard I couldn't think of anything to write. Thanks!
DaggersAngel11- Wowzers. You like me, you really, really like me! Hehe. Thank you ever so much for the compliments! They really make me more happy than you'll ever know!
Aprill May- It took me an awfully long time to get inspired. Too long for my taste. I wish I could have updated sooner. I feel horrible. But anyway, I was in the car with my mom at the time and she had no interest in what I wanted to write. She just knows I like to write, and that's all she cares about. Thanks for the review!
musiclover101- You like music? I like music! Music party! No, really…Thanks for reviewing!
ninalee-chan- I never think my chapters end in cliffies…but I guess they do since everyone keeps saying that. Darnit. I must quit that. Thanks! (Thanks for the email as well, it was very nice of you!)
Super Sheba- Deep down inside…we're all poetic romantics. After your reviews I had a good long time to think. I wish I could say that I was immediately wanting to come back and write, but no…I still have my issues. It's not so much reviews. Well, that's partially it. I've done many things in my life and everything I've done has lacked positive response, so I'd like one thing that's just so out there that people will commend me for it. I know I sound selfish, but I would like one thing I've done to be adored at some point in my life. But thank you for your encouragement. I really appreciate what you were trying to do. Thank you so much!
A Poet's Muse
By Kikanemi
Pulling him up with ease, they both tumbled backwards onto the cold stone floor of her balcony, sighing in relief. A moment of uneasy silence fell over them.
"You gave me quite a scare," she commented off-hand, brushing her bangs away from her face, still panting slightly.
He scooted closer to her, watching her chest before his eyes wandered to her mouth and then her eyes. "I would not have fallen. You would have come to my aid just on a whim."
She shook her head and smiled, "I meant that someone was calling 'Lady Savanna' outside my window at heaven knows what hour in the night."
Miroku gently took her wrist and began scattering kisses from her palm, to the crook of her elbow, all the while breathing out, "I frightened you? You sent me an invite."
Sango blushed when his lips made contact with the sensitive skin under her ear, causing her head to crane in the opposite direction, giving him greater access to the expanse of her neck. "Love, let us away, you said. Your voice sultry, and covered with lust. It radiated off of you like the glow that the moon basks in, heavenly, rich in spirit, beautiful."
Sango sighed, inwardly melting, and brought her hand to cradle his head, lovingly. He stopped his sweet assault of kisses, only to bury his face in the nape of her neck, his breathing labored and uneven. She felt his fingertips on the other side of her face, scraping gently over the underside of her chin. "I had my doubts, but I doubt no more."
He leaned forward, eyelids fluttering shut, lips pursed. Sango averted his attentions and pushed him away, blushing and looking innocently at the ground.
"Is there something the matter, my dear Savanna?" Sango felt something pierce her heart, as if Miroku was at target practice and his arrow had struck bull's eye. Savanna was not her, how could she pretend to love that name when it was owned by someone most detestable?
She croaked out, as hard as it may have been, "This is wrong. You and I, it cannot, we cannot-"
"Is it because I am only a petty writer? Is it because you love another? Love is not caged, it is boundless, free of all emotions that may rope it." He smirked, a cocky expression on his face, "Besides, no man could possibly hold a heart large enough to surpass this love I have for you."
Inner Sango, the maid, the fighter, thought that remark to be cheesy. But the romantic side, the side that Miroku had set free with mild gazes and small touches, ran free tonight and she found herself blushing. She allowed him to kiss her then, his mouth melding over hers, perfectly. She whimpered, pushing her lips to his in a manner that could only be described as devastatingly desperate.
Her head started spinning. Her world was crashing, she, the most important inhabitant, was crumbling with it. It was a beautiful disaster, though. Miroku angled his head to open the kiss, all the while holding her close by cradling the back of her head. Sango did the same, her arm loosely falling around his neck, her nails scraping in his hair.
As they broke apart, Miroku watched Sango's eyes stay closed as her chest heaved for air. Not long after, Sango's chocolate eyes were looking back into his, and he found himself lusting for another kiss. Just as their breaths mingled, there was a knock at the door.
"Sango!"
Sango blushed, then panicked, hearing her true name come forth from just beyond the door. Miroku's reaction was one of confusement. "Sango?"
"Sango! It is Kagome!"
Sango looked around the room, scatterbrained. "Anon! By and by I come!"
"Who is Sango?" Miroku asked as he was being rushed to his feet by a red in the face Sango.
Sango paid no heed to his inquiries and rectified his clothing before turning him in the direction he came. "But my lady, my love…"
She paused and waited for him to continue, muttering softly, "Yes…?"
He turned around, lifting her feet from the floor, arms securely around her waist, kissing her senseless. "Love," he took her hand and kissed her palm, "Keep this parting locked safe within your bosom, and I shall be the keeper of your key."
She smiled dreamily, nodding and leaning on her tiptoes to capture a few more pecks from her lover. "Until it be morrow."
Sango nodded and kissed him over and over until he willed himself away. Smiling one more time, he then swung himself over the railing, climbing down cautiously. Sango leaned over the balcony and watched him, until she was startled by a hand on her shoulder.
"Ah! Kagome! You startled me!" her breathing was ragged, her composure wavering.
Kagome blushed and she looked away, as if choking on the words she had been desperate to get out, "Um…did you not hear me calling?"
Sango smiled, amused. "What is it that paints my friend's cheek so? Could it be? No!"
Kagome frowned, looking worried, "What? What could it be?"
"Could it be that my young friend, whose heart has yet to love and lost, found a small place to share with another within her?"
Kagome, although surprised by Sango's correct assumptions, let a cheeky grin fall on her face. "You are influenced by your new beau, I see. His words become you, Sango."
Sango's tongue caught in her mouth, her cheeks warming furiously as Kagome began giggling at her teasing. "It…it…it is not I we speak of! This conversation falls upon you, my dear friend! Do not change the subject."
"Of course," Kagome gave a small laugh, "Whatever you wish of me. I am just happy I got you flustered."
Sango rolled her eyes and gently took hold of Kagome's hand, leading her into the privacy of her bedroom. She took a seat on her cream colored bedding and patted the open seat next to her, and Kagome sat down quickly, fidgeting until she was comfortable with her position. "Now what is it you came to talk to me about? At this hour of the night, at all other heavenly times."
Kagome bit her lip, sighed, and then stared out the window, not sure how to put how she felt into the correct words. There was no way to describe what she felt. How could she explain the feeling of soaring like a bird over the horizon and then falling freely into the ocean to Sango? How could she make her feel the overcoming emotion that took over her senses and made her dizzy but sturdy all at the same time? She could not, but she would try her best to make her understand.
"I have met someone."
Confused, Sango kneaded her eyebrows at those simple words. "Someone…? What kind of someone?"
Kagome stood up quickly, "Forget I ever said anything."
Sango grasped Kagome's elbow, holding her lightly in place. "Come now, do not get frustrated. I am here to listen to you, as a confidant, but more importantly as a friend."
"Sango…I cannot explain it." Sango thought Kagome would explode by the way she looked. She knew she wanted to set her soul free but was afraid to have it wounded in flight. Sango understood as well, but she wasn't sure how to tell Kagome that.
"I know what you feel Kagome…it's…it's like." Sango smiled and blushed, her hands paused in mid-air, not able to depict the scene she wished to lay.
Kagome nodded vigorously, "Yes, and then…" she sighed, "…he is just…"
The girls, though in no words at all, knew what the other was thinking without having to ever express the thought to one another. Not another word was said as they parted into their own world in which they reveled in the sweet touch of a lover.
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Miroku stretched, wincing at the feeling of every muscle in his back ache with the movement. Climbing up a wall, with only the aide of vines, was no simple task to complete for someone who hardly exercised in his life. His muscles strained and remained taut and sore. He paid no heed and rushed out the door, an envelope in hand.
Inuyasha, with the fires of passion shown brightly across his face, looked at his feet while kicking up gravel as he passed by his friend. Miroku, who had already lost himself in his mind, almost didn't recognize the young man. He stopped, skidding a bit before whirling around dramatically and stopping Inuyasha by his shoulder.
"Inuyasha, friend, I have more pages—What happened to you?"
Inuyasha, clueless to any notion that Miroku might have perceived at that moment, shrugged, "What? Is there something on my face?"
"One could say that. You are red. Red like roses, or …"
"Running out of words, o' masterful poet? Me thinks your muse is a summer's drought."
Miroku smiled, then burst out in a fit of laughter, "I see my words have influenced you, Inuyasha! I have never heard such a thing spout from your lips, but it brings me great joy to know that you can talk higher than a school boy now."
Inuyasha was not pleased with Miroku's amusement and crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Miroku's chuckling to subside (which, in turn, was quite some time). "On with it. My cheeks were red as roses, so? And your cheeks are as pale as snow. And what of it?"
"No fair. I was just pointing out that perhaps there is someone you have met? Someone you would like to share?" Miroku teased, his tone lingering.
"She is not baggage! I would not share her if you begged me to!"
Miroku again gave an un-Miroku like laugh and began walking in the other direction. Inuyasha's face again turned crimson, but this time in anger. "Where are you going? What are you laughing about? Come back here!"
Miroku shook his head, "I am going to where love resides, to where passion finds a fit home among the peach blossoms and willow trees!"
Inuyasha grunted, making his way along his original path. Back home, to where he could think more about the entity that was Kagome.
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Sango sighed, stopping her vigorous scrubbing and in exchange she wiped the sweat from her face, frowning in exhaustion. She glanced to her right, watching as Kirara repeated the aforementioned action.
"Do not worry, Kirara. The floor is almost clean. I can almost see my face in it."
Kirara giggled, covering her mouth, her eyes smiling.
"The floor would surely crack having to bear such an image." They heard a snide remark, the owner of the voice stepping forward from the frame of the door, a scowl on her face.
Kagura laughed bitterly at her own remark, throwing her head back. She sobered up quickly, it was quite eerie to the viewers. "I see your progress is slim. The floors look muddy and cloudy. What have you been cleaning with?"
She saw the buckets of water and the worn out cloths the two were using. Her temper flared. "You call this water? It is brown! It is the color of rank waters! How could you clean a floor with this without dirtying it more?"
"We are trying our best, Kagura," Sango stated, knowing Kirara would not say a thing.
"Your best is not good enough. Kirara! Throw out this water and fetch more. When I am back I expect to see this floor shining in all its glorious splendor!"
Kirara nodded and hauled her bucket up, holding the underside and cradling it to her chest. She walked slowly to the door, careful not to spill the contents onto herself, although it would not hurt or better her appearance in any way. She swung the door open on its hinges and took hold of the bucket's handle, readying herself to swing the bucket forward so the water could expel itself.
"Kirara." Sango said suddenly, making Kirara avert her attention to a place other than her task.
As she swung her arm back and then propelled it forward, the bucket came into contact with something and made a sickening thud. Whatever or whomever it was, was now sprawled across the lawn, bleeding from the forehead and soaked with disgusting water. Kirara gasped as she discovered what she had done. Sango rushed to the door, hearing the noise.
"What have I done?" Kirara murmured, staring, not knowing what to do.
Sango watched the blood slowly trickle from his brow, leaving a river in its wake until it ran off the side of his temple. She was afraid the blow had hurt him more than it hurt to hear the noise the outburst made. She stepped forward, hands shaking, palms sweating.
"Miroku…"