InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waking Powers ❯ The Second Proposal ( Chapter 9 )

- Chapter 9. -

The Second Proposal

~*~*~

Hugging her mother and grabbing a toast, Kagome was out the door and inside the well-house. As always after a visit home, she was in a good mood. Yesterday, she had been able to catch up on some lost homework and her mother had made her favourite dinner oden.

She jumped into the well with a huge smile on her face, the yellow backpack clutched in her right hand. The magical blue light appeared around her, signalising the travel in time and a moment later her feet touched down on solid earth.

Whistling she slung her backpack over her shoulders and began to climb out of the well.

~*~

The ears on Inuyasha's head twitched as they caught the sound of the high-pitched happy melody. `Kagome's back.' He opened his eyes and blinked against the sunlight that assaulted his sleep deprived vision.

Groaning he pushed himself up and tried to relocate where Kagome's position was. She was already nearing the edge of the forest; obviously she was in a good mood. He inwardly smiled at the prospect. If she was in a good mood, the chances of getting `sat' during the day had diminished considerably.

Making sure that Tetsusaiga was at his side, he began to make his way towards Kaede's hut. They almost always met there before they begun a shard hunt.

~*~

Kagome had barely managed to greet everyone in their group when Inuyasha came out from the forest and started to head their way.

"Are you ready to go Inuyasha?" She picked up Shippo and held him to her chest. Inuyasha diverted his eyes to the kit for a brief moment and then returned them to her. "Keh! I've been ready for a whole week." He grunted ad began to walk out of the village, not bothering to check if they followed.

Kagome glanced over at Sango and shrugged. "I guess we're on our way then." She said as she ran to catch up with the hanyou, backpack on her back.

~*~

Miroku looked at the two retreating backs for a moment and then walked over to stand beside Sango, resisting the urge to grope her. "Why can't they just get together and make up already? They've been this way for as long as I can remember." Sango looked at him for a brief moment and then began to follow them too.

"I know, but I guess they're both too unsure and too stubborn to do anything about it." She said as he caught up with her. They walked along in silence for a moment before Miroku interrupted.

"Do you think that I'm too stubborn too?" He asked with his eyes cast down.

Sango smiled as she looked at him from the corner of her eye. "Sometimes." She finally answered. He looked up at her again with a questioning expression. Sango avoided his gaze while she battled a persistent blush. "I mean… mostly I guess you're unsure." She continued.

Miroku waited for what she was about to say next and again he battled an urge to grope her. Somehow he knew that what she was about to say was important and groping her just wasn't the right time.

"I mean…" She fumbled with her words as she felt his gaze bore into her, penetrating her soul. "It's not like you're unsure about yourself. I guess your curse had a lot to do with it…" Again she stopped and this time she met his gaze.

Miroku smiled at her and slowly took her hand, trying to reassure her. It only made her blush more. "A lot to do with what?" He asked. It amazed him how close she was to reveal everything about him, just by some few words she had said. For once he didn't care anymore. His curse was ended. Naraku was dead and it would be a relief to get everything that it had brought with it, off of his heart.

Sango continued to blush as she averted her eyes to the hand holding hers. The curse was gone, but was he truly ready to open his heart. She understood what the curse had meant to him and had guessed long ago that it was the reason for his unwillingness to commit to anybody.

"A lot to do with… your behaviour. You've always been a leach, asking young woman to bear your child, but not once have you asked one to marry you… well except for that time when you asked me." She abruptly quit talking and turned her face around, nervous of meeting his eyes.

Miroku stopped walking and pulled her to a stop as well with her hand securely held in his. "Do you know why I never asked anybody else to marry me?" He finally asked, using a hand to carefully turn her head around to face his.

Sango nodded, but still kept her eyes on the ground. "You… you didn't want to risk that the void in your hand sucked you in and left your wife and kids to fend for themselves." She answered and felt a tear escape from her eye.

Miroku saw the tear and carefully wiped it away with his thumb. "That's partly it." He mused as he continued to look at her face. She was exquisite, her soft pink mouth partly open and she had a flushed look to her face. When she turned her eyes up to meet his, he thought his heart would burst with emotions. "You see…" He continued, his soul drowning in her beautiful eyes.

"There was another reason… I loved you and I still do. How could I ever marry someone else?"

He waited silently far her response. Hoping against hope that she would feel the same way about him. Who could blame her if she didn't? After all, he was painfully aware of all the comments he had given to other women while she was around. Hoping that he could push her away so that she couldn't get hurt if he died. He knew that he cared for him, but did she love him?

Sango heard the words, but they wouldn't register in her brain. Looking at his hopeful and slightly scared expression, she did the only thing she could think of.

She kissed him.

Miroku's eyes widened when she leaned in and pressed her soft, warm lips against his. Then his instincts kicked in and he drew her closer, encircling her with his arms as he responded to the kiss, deepening it. She tasted sweet, like strawberries.

Panting slightly they drew apart while looking into each other's eyes. "Do you still want to marry me?" He finally asked. The smile that crept over her face was answer enough, but when she responded with a whispered `yes', he felt like he had reached nirvana.

He was in heaven.

Holding her tighter he whispered `thank you', before bending down and kissing her again.

~*~

Kagome walked in silence a short distance behind Inuyasha. She had spanned her aura senses as far out as she could manage, so she would be able to feel any approaching demons as soon as possible. They hadn't been walking for a long time before she felt a slight change in Miroku's and Sango's auras. It wasn't a big deal really, but they seemed calmer and at the same time excited. Deciding that it wasn't her business, she ignored it and continued to walk on in silence.

She only wished that they were closer so that she could be able to hear what they were saying. `Oh well. I'll ask Sango about it when we stop tonight.' Refocusing her attention on Shippo she began to pay attention to the story he was telling her. She couldn't be sure, but she thought it involved him saving a girl from an attack… by possessed butterflies…

This went on for quite some time before she noticed that Miroku and Sango had stopped. Their auras were falling farther and farther behind. Stopping her self, she turned around to see the two people locked in a passionate kiss. Blushing furiously and covering Shippo's eyes she averted her eyes again and quickly turned around, hoping that they hadn't noticed her.

She turned just in time to find Inuyasha stopping too and turning to look at her. "Why the hell are you stopping? You can't be tired already?" He asked in his usual, rude manner. Blushing again, she took her hand away from Shippo's eyes and began to stutter an explanation.

"Well… uh… I noticed that…" What could she tell him? She didn't want him rushing over to her friends and ruining their moment, but obviously he wanted an answer fast.

"Miroku's kissing Sango." Shippo explained, happy to help her out in her lack of response. He didn't want Inuyasha to yell at her.

"What?" Averting his eyes from Kagome and the pup, he noticed Miroku and Sango breaking up the kiss. He hadn't been paying attention to their footsteps and hadn't realised that they were so far behind.

"About bloody time too." He finally said with a smirk.

Utterly bewildered, Kagome watched as Inuyasha turned around and began to walk again. This time more slowly to allow Miroku and Sango to catch up with them when they were done. Hurrying after him, she walked by his side and glanced up at him.

"Thank you for not interrupting them." She finally said. He looked over at her and met her gaze. "Why would I interrupt them?" He asked back. She shrugged, painfully aware of how he would react if she told him that he usually did stuff like that. She had tried to explain it before as `ruining the mood'.

"I don't know, I guess I'm just happy that they're finally together." She blushed again and looked away from him. The trees were really pretty and green on this side of the well…

Snorting, Inuyasha continued to study her from the corner of his eye and only looked away when Shippo noticed what he did. Oh, how annoying that pup could be.

~*~

The sun had begun to set when the group finally stopped at an acceptable campsite. Inuyasha went away to patrol the area, ignoring the offhanded comment Kagome made about it being clear for miles. It didn't even fall him in to wonder how she knew that when he came back from a search without results.

Kagome and Sango stayed behind when Inuyasha, Shippo and Miroku went to search for firewood.

~*~*~

A/n: Yes, Miroku and Sango did get engaged sometime during the series, but I can't remember when… or what happened next. I know Kagome and Inuyasha were spying on them at the time… When Sango had agreed to marry Miroku she continued with something like: `and you'll promise never to be with another woman.' Miroku didn't answer… -_-;

And thank you very much for all the reviews. It seems like a lot of people want a lemon starring Inu/Kag, but that doesn't happen any time soon. So how would you like a Mir/San lemon instead. I won't do it if the majority is against it, so please review and tell me what you think. If it's happening, it'll be in chapter 11 or 12…