Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or its characters. Now lets get to the story, shall we?

Chapter 7

Two weeks later, Sango and Kirara were catching dinner in the nearby stream. Kirara was in her huge saber-toothed form, and Sango had her sleeves rolled up and her kimono pulled over her knees. The mid-spring sun was hot above them, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

The rhythm of hammering down stream was her only indication that InuYasha was finishing up the repairs on the fort wall. She and Kirara had tried to persuade the hanyou to take a break and come with them, but of course, he had been stubborn, wanting to finish his work first.

You guys go ahead if you want. I'm finishing up before I get relaxed.

Sango chuckled to herself at the memory. 'He's definitely a headstrong one,' she thought.

She blinked and narrowed her eyes in concentration as a trout swam by. She heard Kirara growl, also seeing the fish. Quickly, Sango grabbed at the trout, scooping it out of the cool, clear water. The fish thrashed about in Sango's hands, and with the help of its wet, slim body, it managed to slip out of her hands. Kirara broke in then, swatting at the fish with her huge paws and slashing it with her claws, killing the fish. The trout loaded lifelessly on the smooth rocks of the shore next to Sango. The exterminator smiled approvingly at her and her feline's technique.

"That's quite a move you two have there," an amused voice said a few feet away.

Sango turned around and smiled to see InuYasha who was smiling at them on top of a boulder. "I'm afraid it won't do much for fighting a demon, but it's perfect for fishing. Don't you think so, Inu?"

Inu smirked, now used to the nickname, and crossed his arms over his chest. "That's why I complimented it, isn't it?"

"Oh, so as long as the ending result is your full belly, you give us your approval?" Sango teased playfully.

Her friend snorted. "Well, between the two of us we have enough fighting techniques, but we really do need more hunting tricks."

"That's true," she nodded, returning her attention to the stream. However, she couldn't help but watch InuYasha kneel down for a drink of water. His slightly tan body contrasted well with his silver eyes. The body his glistened form the sheen of sweat over his skin. "I thought you weren't taking a break till you were done with the repairs."

"I did say that," he nodded before drinking another handful of water.

"You're done!?" she exclaimed with wide eyes.

Inu shrugged and sat down on the shore near her. "Wasn't much left to do. So I'm just going to rest," he sighed, laying back on the boulder. He crossed his arms under his head and closed his eyes.

"And leave us to catch lunch?" she asked with a small vein pulsing on her forehead.

Inu smirked with his eyes still closed. "You're the one who said I needed to take a break."

"So I did," she sighed, returning her attention to the stream. 'At least, he finally is taking a break. He's been working so hard lately.'

Meanwhile, Kirara looked over at InuYasha on the shore and back at Sango who had her back to her. She did it again before a coy smile curled her lips. Discreetly, the feline swatted at the water towards the shore. The splash of water hit Inu's face, making his eyes fly open. Sitting up, the hanyou wiped at his face and eyed Sango who still had her back to him. Figuring it was just a fish that had splashed in the water; he laid back down on his back.

Seeing this, Kirara rolled her eyes and eyed Sango. No, her mistress wouldn't do for this antic; they were too close next to each other. Plus, she wasn't the type to retaliate at mere little splashes. Kirara looked back at InuYasha and tried again.

This time, when the water hit Inu's face, he bolted up and narrowed his eyes at Sango. However, Sango was still faced away from him. Inu smirked.

'So she's trying to play innocent, is she?' he thought with a fang showing. Silently, he walked into the water until it up was up to his knees. 'Well, it's not going to work this time!'

"Sango!" he yelled as if in alarm.

Sango yelped and twirled around just in time for a huge splash of water to hit her in the face.

"InuYasha! What is the meaning of this?!" she yelled, coughing up water.

"It's your just reward for starting it!" InuYasha exclaimed, reaching down for another attack. "Think fast!"

Sango jumped back before the water could hit her. She gasped, however, when she slipped and fell back into the water. InuYasha immediately stopped laughing and ran to her side with Kirara following him.

"Sango! Are you alright!?" he asked, kneeling down in the water to help her. He was sure she was furious from the way her eyes were down cast away from him.

"InuYasha…"

"Uh, yeah," he winced.

Sango slapped the water, and a small splash hit him in the face. She laughed at the look on his face and quickly scooted away before he could react. "You had better stop daydreaming, InuYasha!" she laughed, sending another splash of water in his face.

The dog hanyou smirked and growled playfully. "Come back here, Sango!" he yelled, smiling.

Sango shook her head and splashed at him. InuYasha splashed back soaking her all over. Soon, the only words communicated between the two were in squeals and laughter as they carried on with their water war. They could only see water as their visions were blinded by their fun.

Sango couldn't remember the last time she had so much fun. Not since she and Kohaku were younger and played in this very same stream she was sure. She didn't worry about old memories though; she was having too much fun beating InuYasha at his own game.

As they splashed each other, Inu laughed harder than he ever had in his whole life. He had to breathe through his teeth so he wouldn't drown from Sango's attack splashes, but he didn't care. The hanyou had never had someone to actually play with as a child, and for the first time in his life, he was actually a part of the fun.

Sango surprised Inu when she leap t at him through the splashes, but he easily caught her and held her in the air, close to his body.

The poor hanyou blushed darkly and stiffened at the position they were in, especially where his hands had ended up holding Sango up by. Sango, however, just smiled down at the hanyou's face and wiped the soaked strands of hair from his face, smoothing his thick eyebrows. InuYasha relaxed and smiled back, relishing the feel of Sango's hand cupping his cheek.

He stiffened up again when Sango suddenly and softly kissed away random water drops from his face. Slowly, her lips traveled from his forehead, to the tip of his nose, and then to his cheeks. Again, his body relaxed, even though his cheeks reddened harder, as he realized there was no threat or reproach in her actions. Fully relaxed, he returned the affection and kissed down her jaw to her chin as she kissed his nose again. InuYasha sighed and nuzzled her neck with his face, tightening his hold on her, as Sango kissed the top of his head between his dog ears. The appendages twitched at the near contact, and InuYasha buried his face into her neck, remembering his shameful heritage.

Sango blinked at his sudden act of insecurity. "InuYasha?"

"We should stop," he muttered softly, not wanting to stop at all.

"Why?" she asked softly. The demon exterminator cupped his face so he would face her.

Inu's normally bright eyes were dark with shame. "I'm a hanyou… a half-breed."

"I don't care," Sango assured him softly. Inu's eyes widened in surprise.

"But I'm a-"

"I don't care," she repeated a bit stronger this time. "I don't care that you're a hanyou and I am a demon exterminator. All I care about is that I love you… and that you love me too." She stroked back strands of wet hair from his face. "Do you, InuYasha? Do you love me?"

"… Yes…. At first, I just thought you were a friend I cared about, but, Sango… I do love you," InuYasha confessed. "I-"

He was caught off guard when Sango captured his lips in hers. At first, his eyes were huge at the intimate touch, but slowly, his eyes grew dim and closed as e leaned into the kiss.

Sango gasped when Inu trailed his tongue across her lips which only gave him quick across to her mouth. The young woman moaned with her eyes closed as their tongues played together and tightened her hold around the dog hanyou's neck, entangling her fingers in his silky, silver hair.

Off to the side, Kirara had transformed back to her tiny self and mewed happily at her two masters before heading back to the village.

Author's note: We still have a ways to go. I'll try to update tomorrow. See you all soon.