InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Blackout ❯ On the Road Again ( Chapter 36 )

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha or any of the publicly known characters, plot, etc. I’m just renting them from Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, etc. I do own the plot of this story and any original characters I’ve created. I will make no money from this fic; I write for my own enjoyment and the enjoyment of my readers.


On the Road Again


Kagome took a deep breath, willing herself to relax. While she couldn’t say the situation was entirely normal, she had been waiting for this day for the better part of a week. In all likelihood, the doctor’s examination would reveal that the baby was fine. Still, now that the appointment was so close, she couldn’t shake the persistent doubt. Maybe something really had gone wrong…

Her mother’s hand comfortingly patting her leg broke her from her thoughts, and she turned to find the other woman smiling sympathetically at her. It reminded Kagome of not so long ago when the two of them had ridden the same train together to her first prenatal appointment. It seemed that just a couple weeks had passed since then, thanks in part to her lengthy period of captivity, but in reality it had been three or four months. Her mother’s support was one of the few things in her life which had not changed during that tumultuous time. Kagome reached for her hand and gripped it tightly, gratefully accepting the offered comfort. Moments like this reminded her that even with the rest of her world in constant flux, her mother was her rock, her anchor in stormy seas. When the waters calmed, she would still be there. That knowledge allowed Kagome to relax somewhat, as she leaned her head against her mother’s shoulder and turned her mind to other matters.

School had been…well, she would not lie to herself and pretend that she had enjoyed it. The principal had approved her choice of dress on Friday morning, though he made no effort to hide his displeasure at being forced to bend the rules by a nagging parent. Kagome supposed that if she really was sick, the classroom would have been quite comfortable for her. But since her illness was fake, being forced to sit there in long pants and a heavy sweater all day left her sweaty and lightheaded by the time the afternoon bell rang. Perhaps it was only her imagination, but it felt like the teacher had even turned the heat up slightly, in consideration of her ‘illness.’ If anything, her flushed and disheveled appearance probably lent credence to the lie.

But going to school had served its purpose, namely to distract her from spending too much time thinking about Inuyasha. And it had been nice to see her girlfriends again, for one last time. Once she had almost gathered up the courage to tell them about her pregnancy, but chickened out at the last second. She couldn’t be sure how they would react, and honestly, they were better off not knowing. Thus, the only interesting piece of news passed in either direction had been that of Hojo’s new romance. He had held out admirably in her friends’ opinions, but had eventually begun courting a girl who had taken a liking to him. After all, a highly eligible bachelor like Hojo could only wait so long for a girl to show up at school, right? To say nothing of the times she had stood him up on dates.

If her friends expected Kagome to be saddened by this development, they were disappointed. At least on the outside, she presented herself as happy for him and not the least bit upset, especially during the somewhat awkward conversation she’d had with Hojo himself. But internally, Kagome experienced mixed feelings about his new love interest. She felt quite hypocritical, being simultaneously relieved to not have to deal with his attentions, while also wishing that he was still pining hopelessly after her. Was that crazy? She didn’t honestly have any romantic interest in Hojo, but like Kouga, his obvious attraction to her had been a comfort during the dark days, when her relationship with Inuyasha left her feeling unwanted and unfulfilled. And now, like the wolf prince before him, Hojo was gone. All that remained was her, alone. Possibly forever.

Kagome shook her head to clear it. That was the kind of thinking which had allowed Hakago to corrupt her heart in the first place. She was not alone. Even if Inuyasha never returned, she would live for her friends and family on both sides of the bone eater’s well, and for the child in her womb. And if someday she found love again, then so be it. Not that she expected such a thing to pass. She had given her heart to someone, and found it hard to believe that she would ever be able to take it back and give it someone else. If enjoying a second love was that easy, then perhaps Inuyasha would not have found it so difficult to move on from Kikyou. That of course assumed that the hanyou loved her, Kagome, at all, which she was obviously not confident enough to state unequivocally.

“Are you ready, dear?” her mother asked, preventing her from drifting too far down that dark road. She blinked open her eyes to find that the train had almost reached their stop.

“As ready as I’ll ever be, Mama,” Kagome replied, grinning wryly. “I just have a feeling that I’m about to get a big lecture.”

“Probably,” her mother admitted. “But some of it will be information you actually need to hear, so just bear it, okay?” Kagome nodded, reflecting that this might be one of those times that she hated being right.

Indeed it was. Mrs. Higurashi was asked to wait in the lobby this time, and Kagome soon found out why. To put it lightly, the doctor was not pleased that she had received no prenatal care during her ‘elopement.’ The fact that the child’s father was no longer in the picture seemed to lower her opinion of Kagome even further, though she did advise the teen to ‘sue his behind for child support’ as soon as the baby was born. Kagome wondered with some amusement what the judge would say if she mentioned that the father was a hanyou from five hundred years in the past, but wisely kept that observation to herself. Instead, she took her mother’s advice, and did her best to soak in the lecture without snapping back. She was painting a self-portrait here, of a downtrodden youth, recently dumped and struggling with the prospect of raising a child by herself. She didn’t claim to be much of an actress, but the doctor seemed to accept the ruse easily enough, perhaps because it was at least partially true. After a few minutes, her tone lowered and she turned her lecture topic to what Kagome should do in the future, rather than how she had screwed up her past. The top items on that list were eating healthier and coming to regular prenatal checkups from now on.

The first item Kagome would attempt to abide by, though healthy eating was not easy while traveling in the feudal era. Hopefully Miroku didn’t mind spending more of his travel funds–or performing more phony exorcisms–than usual. The prescription the doctor wrote her for a new, stronger type of prenatal vitamin would help make up for any lack of nutrition in her diet. In terms of the doctor’s other demand, however, Kagome knew she wasn’t going to be able to comply. She was not coming back here in a couple weeks; she intended to remain on the road until Inuyasha was free or the self-imposed time limit ran out on her quest. In addition, the risk of discovering an inhuman feature on the ultrasound would be too high later in her pregnancy. She was nervous about having the procedure done today even, but her concern for her child’s health outweighed that fear.

Again, Kagome hated being right. The technician performing the ultrasound furrowed her brow and stared closely at the screen for a few moments. Kagome had to practically beg to get her to confess what she had seen. Evidently, the technician had been unable to see the child’s ear, and had also noticed an ‘odd growth’ on its head. She didn’t seem too concerned, and told Kagome that they would follow up at her next visit. Evidently, it was not unusual at this stage to be unable to make out all of the features clearly. Other than that, everything appeared normal, which was the news the mother-to-be had so desperately been seeking.

Speaking of news, the technician had been able to determine the gender of the baby with a fair degree of certainty. Kagome hadn’t anticipated this information to be available so soon, and when asked if she wanted to know, she had no answer ready. If Inuyasha were here, she would be content to let him decide. But since he was not, there was nothing to stop Kagome’s curiosity from resolving the issue for her. She had been treating the child as a ‘him’ ever since first reading ‘his’ aura all those months ago, and she was suddenly dying to know whether she’d been right all this time.

As it turned out, she had indeed been correct, at least per the technician’s opinion. She was having a boy. A son…with his father’s ears. Kagome swore her heart skipped a beat at the thought. She left the doctor’s office in excellent spirits, rejoining her mother and taking the train home, stopping only once to fill the prescription and go to the grocery store. After a quiet lunch and a tearful goodbye, she once again dropped into the bone eater’s well and emerged into the feudal era.

Standing at the bottom of the structure and gazing up at the bright blue sky overhead, Kagome felt like a new woman. On her back she carried her yellow bag, packed with only the essentials–her sleeping roll, changes of clothing, some healthy meals, and her prenatal vitamins. Gone were the carefree days of study materials and hanafuda cards; she had neither the time nor the inclination to partake in such distractions now. She wore a pair of thigh-length shorts and a long-sleeved maternity top, utilitarian clothing which would be tough and comfortable to travel in. The top was slightly too big for her, but she would grow into it soon enough.

She had told her friends approximately when she would be returning, so she was not surprised to find them waiting for her at the well. They were pleased to see her, but their faces also seemed pensive, as though there was an elephant in the room everyone was studiously ignoring. Kagome grinned inwardly, knowing what it was and also knowing that the pending conversation was not going to be nearly as contentious as her friends feared. After Miroku helped her climb out of the well, she seated herself on the lip of the structure and smiled reassuringly at them.

“Okay, guys. I want to go look for Inuyasha,” she began, catching them off guard with her candor. “I know that you don’t necessarily approve of that choice, but I have to go. But…you aren’t wrong to be concerned.” Her friends exchanged surprised looks at that. “I had a talk with my mother,” Kagome admitted. “She was worried too. Given that all the people I trust agree, how can I not listen? So I won’t travel until it’s time for me to deliver. I promised my mother that I would set a time limit. If I don’t find Inuyasha by then, I’ll return here to stay.

“So I’m not asking you to come with me indefinitely. Just give me two new moons. After that, I’ll do what’s best for the baby, no questions asked. But this might be the only chance I ever get to find Inuyasha. I need to go. Please…I don’t know if I can do this alone…”

Kagome sniffled, blinking back tears. She had said her peace; there was nothing to do except wait for their answer. For the love they bore her, she prayed that they would grant this request. The new moon had come and gone the other night. Two months…please, just give me two more months…

“I’ll go with you, Kagome,” Shippou declared, climbing into her lap. Miroku and Sango also agreed after a brief hesitation. Kagome hopped to her feet and hugged each of her friends in turn, managing to keep the waterworks to a minimum. She had been nervous about their responses, but evidently they felt her request was reasonable in light of all the surrounding circumstances.

Since there was plenty of daylight left, the others acquiesced to Kagome’s desire to set out immediately. Kohaku was given the option of accompanying them or remaining behind, and chose the latter. During Kagome’s absence, Kaede had taken the distraught boy under her wing and taught him a few brushstrokes of the healing arts. Kohaku had immersed himself in the lessons, so much so that Sango thought he might have finally found his true calling. He had never been the most confident or willing taijiya, as she recalled. She hoped that someday he would resume his taijiya training, if only to carry on their father’s legacy, but for now she was simply glad to see him applying himself to something other than meditative self-loathing.

And so it came to pass that the Inu-gang minus its namesake began their journey anew, heading back to where they had last seen their missing member. That seemed as good a place as any to start the search. They would look for Inuyasha in the same way they’d hunted for jewel shards not so long ago, traveling from village to village in search of rumors of ‘youkai’ making trouble. Many humans either didn’t know or didn’t care to distinguish Inuyasha from lesser youkai, after all. And if fate decided to smile upon them with a rumor of a ‘hanyou’ in particular, they would pursue it to the ends of the Earth if need be.

If it was possible to find Inuyasha in a little less than two months, then he would be found. As for what they would do if they did manage to catch up to him, there were various ways to restrain or incapacitate a person of youkai blood without harming him. Ultimately, however, it would be up to Kagome to reach the true Inuyasha trapped deep within his own physical body. Miroku and Sango prayed that they could give her the opportunity. If anyone could defeat Hakago, or rile Inuyasha into doing it himself, it was Kagome. Her greatest strength was her compassionate heart. No other force in the universe possessed a better chance of returning Inuyasha to the people who loved him, to the place where he belonged.

Their steps lightened by determination, the group of friends journeyed into the unknown. At last, they were on the road again.

* * *

Hakago gazed lazily up at the canopy overhead, casually tossing and catching the Shikon no Tama in his hand as he walked. He’d been thinking about the jewel a lot lately. Unlike his former master, he understood the true nature of the innocent-looking little trinket. The Shikon no Tama was a source of immense power, so long as its wielder did not make a wish upon it. In that instance, the jewel was likely to turn on its wielder and bring only misery or death. Fortunately, Hakago was too intelligent to wish on the jewel, and in fact he didn’t really have anything to wish for.

This was not to say that he had no desires. He had longed for freedom and a strong body, but had achieved both of those goals. Reverting to a weak human for one night a month was a downer, but he could put up with it, especially because the absence of Inuyasha’s youki allowed him to call upon his own power. Just as he had been able to use his own power while inside Kagome’s body, as long as her spiritual energy was dormant. Now, he could stroll into a nest of youkai on a moonless night, and his barrier would keep him safe until sunrise. Inuyasha’s body had never been so well-protected.

Moving forward, well, he was still figuring out what he wanted. He supposed entertainment was at the top of the list, though he had already found several enjoyable pastimes. The thrill of the hunt, for example–be it youkai or animal prey–was most entertaining. And while he was currently unable to kill humans, he could still derive some amusement from tormenting them. Yesterday he had stumbled across a lone hermit in the woods and stalked him for the better part of an hour, revealing just enough evidence of his presence to make the man a nervous wreck. When he’d finally leapt out into the pitiful human’s path, snarling viciously with fangs and claws bared, the hermit collapsed. Hakago spent an enjoyable afternoon observing as the old man writhed on the ground, moaning and clutching his chest. Finally, he fell into a series of hard convulsions, then went still and breathed his last. Oh, yes, that had been most entertaining.

So Hakago felt neither the need nor the desire to wish upon the Shikon no Tama. Still, he hoped to find a way to use the jewel’s power. Inuyasha’s body was strong, but not invincible; someday he might meet an opponent too powerful to be overcome by the hanyou’s strength alone. That was one of the few situations in which Hakago now feared death. The dull sword at his side would certainly be of little help. Tetsusaiga had remained dormant, refusing to acknowledge its new master. He only continued to carry it in the hopes of bending it to his will once he had completely broken Inuyasha’s resistance. The sword was an incredible power in its own right, one worth waiting for.

Although…perhaps he did not have to wait. He caught the Shikon no Tama in his hand and held it up to the light, studying it intensely as though the action would cause it to reveal its deepest secrets. He had previously theorized that a tainted jewel shard would be enough to cement his control over Kagome, but had foregone that course of action in the interests of self-preservation. Logically, the completed Shikon no Tama should be able to exert some influence over a sword, even one with a formidable free will like Tetsusaiga. Deciding the theory was worth testing, Hakago gripped the jewel firmly in his left hand and drew the sword with his right. The blade remained in its shabby state, for the moment. Taking a deep breath, he turned his focus toward summoning the dark power of the Shikon no Tama.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then he felt it, a tingling sensation in his fingers which quickly spread up to his wrist, then his shoulder. The sinister energy of the polluted Shikon no Tama flowed through his veins, thick as blood, steadily spreading to encompass the whole of his being. His hanyou body throbbed with discomfort, but the corruption had no effect on his full-youkai mind. Ignoring the nausea settling in his gut, he gripped Tetsusaiga’s hilt with both hands, bringing the Shikon no Tama into direct contact with the stubborn sword and focusing the jewel’s energy upon it. The weapon pulsed, almost in anger, but immediately a dark stain of corruption appeared on the blade, dying the metal as black as night. Slowly the poison spread, working its way up the blade, crawling over every chip and imperfection. Hakago watched with bated breath, his triumphant grin widening as the darkness overcame the will of Inuyasha’s sword. Soon, only a dozen centimeters of unspoiled metal remained…five centimeters…two…

The instant the last sliver of light vanished from the blade, several things occurred simultaneously. Tetsusaiga transformed with a burst of malicious energy, crackles of black lightening flowing along its length. Its aura, as potent as ever, exploded in a shockwave which sent every creature within a half kilometer radius fleeing in all directions. Hakago might have spent a few moments savoring the sheer magnitude of the power now under his command, had his body and mind not suddenly been assailed by a foreign, yet oddly familiar presence. His nerves flared, a sensation of intense heat enveloping his entire form. He could practically hear the inhuman snarl of the caged beast within, clamoring for release. With Tetsusaiga no longer acting to contain the true nature of Inuyasha’s blood, his full-youkai essence was trying to take over. And for the first time since assuming custody of this body, Hakago felt real fear that he would be unable to maintain control.

But he was no amateur spellcaster, no novice in the possessive arts. He fought back against Inuyasha’s raging youkai side with equal vigor, seeking to restrain the untamable monster which was the hanyou’s darkest secret. He corralled the energy of the Shikon no Tama, which had begun to spill out uncontrollably, and turned it against his new enemy. The beast howled and clawed against the forces arrayed against it, but gradually it was forced back toward the dark cell from whence it came. Flush with confidence now, Hakago staggered to his feet, having sunk to his knees without realizing it. Raising Tetsusaiga, he did what he had begun this experiment to do.

“Kaze….no…Kizu!” he cried, slamming the blade into the earth. The resulting surge of youki was as satisfying as it was destructive, carving a swath of decimated plant life through the old forest. Perhaps it was the thrill of victory, or perhaps the stress of the ongoing internal war had finally gotten to him, but the sound which burst forth from Hakago’s lips then surprised even him.

It was laughter. High and bordering on maniacal, it carried through the deathly silent forest, leaving a sense of foreboding hanging heavily in the air. For almost a minute he cackled, savoring his success, the exhilaration of having walked through an inferno and come out alive. Finally, he decided that he’d flirted with disaster enough for one day, and dropped the Shikon no Tama from his hand. He didn’t hear the jewel hit the ground, with his senses overwhelmed by the rush of power within his mind, almost like a great receding tide. No longer tainted by the jewel’s evil, Tetsusaiga quickly reverted to its normal color and rustic shape, resuming the duty Inuyasha’s father had assigned to it. The hanyou’s full-youkai essence was thrown back into its cage, the door emphatically slammed behind it. Within seconds, everything returned to the way it had been a few minutes earlier, just before his attempt to use the jewel. Hakago again sank to a knee, breathing heavily, though his smirk never wavered.

“What a rush!” he exclaimed, chuckling wickedly to himself. Indeed, he had never experienced anything even remotely like that. He could imagine his appearance during the transformation–glowing red eyes, jagged purple markings adorning his cheeks, his silver hair billowing behind him in the artificial gale created by the combined auras of Tetsusaiga, the jewel, and his own body clashing against each other. He’d been every bit a full-youkai, in body as well as in spirit, wielding a gigantic sword of pure night. Badass. Simply badass.

He reclaimed the Shikon no Tama and took a moment to study it, reflecting on how amazing it really was. With the jewel’s power, he could transform himself into a full-youkai at will and wield Tetsusaiga. That strategy was a double-edged sword, of course; breaking Tetsusaiga’s resistance meant losing its restrictive influence over Inuyasha’s youkai side. While that was certainly dangerous, he had shown here today that he was capable of restraining the beast, at least under normal circumstances and for a limited period of time. He clearly would not be able to contain the monster forever, but then, he didn’t have to. No enemy would last more than a few minutes against him if he assumed that form.

Standing and sheathing the sword, Hakago resumed his journey, enjoying the acrid stench of burnt vegetation for the simple reason that he had caused the destruction. His spirits had never been higher. With Tetsusaiga no longer able to reject him completely, he was as close to invincible as any mortal could hope to be. Wielding the Shikon no Tama, he was no longer just a hanyou, or even a full-youkai possessing a hanyou’s body. He was a kami in his own right.

And soon, all the creatures of the world would know it.

* * *

Kagome sighed miserably to herself as she trudged along at the head of the group. Shippou rode on her right shoulder and Kirara on her left, neither of them wanting anything to do with the love-fest going on behind them. Oh, Miroku and Sango were making an effort to be subtle, but anyone with a pair of ears could tell where their minds were right now. Every so often Kagome would hear the taijiya’s cheerful giggle or the monk’s deep chuckle, interspersed with the quiet conversation which she fortunately could not make out. She was sure they weren’t discussing anything too romantic–it was the way they were talking that was more intimate than anything else–but still she did not envy her two youkai companions for their sensitive ears. And if she turned around, she knew from experience that the lovebirds would quickly untwine their joined hands and pretend to be walking together as companions only, rather than the excited fiancées they actually were.

After almost a week of this, Kagome was nearing the end of her rope. Once or twice a day they would talk like this, for fifteen to thirty minutes of hell. It was not jealousy which made Kagome want to pull her own hair out, though she was certainly envious of the happy couple. No, what really made her feel like a horrible person was the very fact that they were forced to enjoy such an innocent level of intimacy on the road. Miroku and Sango were clearly ready to settle down, marry and start a family. Yet here they were, obliged to accompany their pregnant friend on what would likely to prove to be a wild goose chase. Their happiness would probably be delayed for at least two months. The fact that neither of them had given the slightest indication that they resented her for it only made Kagome feel worse. They were such amazing friends…and she was a selfish witch for taking advantage of them.

That was overstating things, to be sure, but the general theme remained valid. She was delaying her friends’ happiness, whether they would admit it or not. And finally, Kagome determined to do something about it. To this point, she had gotten caught up in pretending not to notice their closeness, or that it didn’t bother her. She’d put on more fake smiles in the past week than she cared to remember. If Miroku and Sango didn’t always find the act convincing, they probably assumed she was depressed about Inuyasha. She was, but that was not the only source of her melancholy.

Spinning abruptly, she asked with forced brightness if they could stop for an early lunch, feigning a sudden pregnancy craving. Her friends readily agreed, and she forced herself to eat even though she wasn’t really hungry. When Sango went into the woods to relieve herself, Kagome pulled Miroku aside and whispered almost conspiratorially in his ear.

“You know, Miroku-sama, if you ever want to be…alone, with Sango-chan, just let me know.”

The monk pulled back and stared at her for a moment, understanding dawning in his dark eyes. Kagome was not pleased to see this; she’d been hoping for a ‘thank you’ and a lecherous wink, or something to that effect. Instead, Miroku nodded once and turned away from her, his serious demeanor suggesting that he’d realized more than Kagome intended him to. Sure enough, as the Inu-gang resumed its journey, Sango’s attempts to engage the monk in their previous topic of conversation proved fruitless. While not behaving coldly, Miroku made it clear he didn’t want to talk, leaving his fiancée to brood in silence. Kagome could practically feel the tension in the air. She didn’t think it was possible for her to feel guiltier than she already did, but this latest development had done it. She wondered if it would have been better to come out and explain her feelings clearly from the start.

That evening after dinner, she was psyching herself up to do just that when Miroku spoke from across the campfire.
“Kagome-sama, are you going to take that walk you mentioned earlier?”

She stared at him blankly for a moment, studying the suggestive curve of his brow before finally catching his meaning. “O-oh! Yes, I think I’d like that.”

“We’ll come with you,” Sango offered, setting down hiraikotsu and her polishing materials. Kagome scrambled to her feet, holding out her hands to dissuade the taijiya from rising.

“That’s not necessary, Sango-chan. I just want to go for a moonlight walk. I won’t go far.”

Sango frowned. “It’s no trouble, Kagome-chan. You shouldn’t be alone.”

“I-I won’t be! Shippou-chan and Kirara will come with me, right?” she asked them.

“Sure.”

*Mew*

Sango’s eyes narrowed as her frown deepened, and Kagome could imagine that her friend was trying to decide if her behavior was suspicious or just a little odd. She attempted to reign in her nerves before speaking again, with the goal of persuading Sango without appearing to want to persuade her so badly.

“I don’t have the jewel anymore, Sango-chan, so I won’t be such a magnet for trouble. I promise to stay close, and I won’t be alone. You and Miroku-sama stay and relax. You…you’ve done a lot for me already,” she added quietly. Sango’s gaze softened, and Kagome knew she had her. A few moments later, the miko strode out of camp with a victorious grin on her features, wisely concealing it from the taijiya, who had continued to watch her with some degree of suspicion.

“Well, that was odd,” Sango observed after her friend had departed.

“Indeed,” Miroku replied in a tone which immediately caused the taijiya to snap her head around to stare at him. Her eyes widened at what she saw, her heartbeat quickening in response to the way his gaze seemed to smolder as he watched her. She gasped at the sensual upturn at the corners of his lips, her cheeks flushing with nervous anticipation as he began to half crawl, half scoot his way closer to her. His words as he recovered from Naraku’s miasma floated seductively through her mind. “Sango, if you want to wait until we’re married, then I will wait. It won’t change how I feel about you. But…if you wanted to be intimate–and I know we can only go so far–then…I think it would be really special.” Her response to whether she would be willing to engage in such intimacy had been something along the lines of ‘we’ll see when you’re feeling better.’ With everything going on recently, there hadn’t been an opportunity to test the truth of that reply. Their stay in Kaede’s village had been marred by overarching concerns about the impending argument with Kagome which never came, as well as Inuyasha’s well-being. So neither of them had been in the mood to do anything more than hold hands. Now that they were on the road again, a reasonable accommodation reached with Kagome and journeying to find Inuyasha, Miroku was apparently in more of an amorous state of mind. With her pulse racing excitedly, Sango could not deny that she reciprocated the feeling.

But one thing stood out to her then, preventing her from surrendering willingly to his passionate embrace. Instead, she kept him at bay with a hand on his chest, glaring at him as her suspicion switched to a new target. Miroku’s easy grin wavered as her expression turned to one of fury, leading him to pull back involuntarily.

“Houshi-sama…did you put Kagome-chan up to this?”

Miroku grimaced, knowing the cat was out of the bag. Sango was intelligent; he really should have expected her to figure it out, especially given Kagome’s poor attempts at being casual. He’d been hoping that his fiancée wouldn’t realize something was amiss until after he kissed her senseless, but apparently that was too much to ask. And he had better explain himself quickly, or he had a feeling that any form of physical intimacy would be off the table for the foreseeable future. Sango looked ready to put a skull-shaped dent in her newly-polished hiraikotsu. She was a private person and would not appreciate him asking their friends to leave so the two of them could make out. He knew that, which is why he hadn’t done it. He could only hope that the actual circumstances here would save him from being sent to the dog house.

“No, Sango. Believe it or not, it was Kagome-sama’s idea.”

She studied him for a moment, but as soon as she decided that he was telling the truth, her cheeks flamed and she covered her face with her hands.

“Oh, this is so embarrassing. But how did she know that you…I mean, that we…”

“Wanted to be intimate?” Miroku finished. The glare Sango shot him then was so fierce that he almost ducked out of reflex. “I-if I had to hazard a guess,” he hurriedly continued, “I would say that we have probably not been as discreet in our affections as we intended.”

Sango threw her head back and groaned, unwittingly exposing her slender neck to his hungry gaze. His mouth went dry as he imagined what her heated flesh would taste like, salty with her sweat but tinged with a delightfully feminine flavor. Obviously his mind had not moved on from its previous train of thought, despite their serious conversation. He only hoped that those tantalizing prospects had merely been put on hold, rather than snuffed out entirely for the evening.

“That’s just great,” Sango snapped. “Now Kagome-chan is totally uncomfortable. I told you we were being too obvious!”

Miroku bit back a retort which would definitely have earned him a lonely evening. Sango was gradually becoming more comfortable with him, and with her own sexuality. He didn’t want to ruin it by saying something foolish. And she already knew that she couldn’t rightfully place all of the blame on his shoulders, if the way she bit her lower lip was any indication. Come to think of it, I really don’t remember Sango ever telling me that we were being too obvious… He did, however, carefully recall the words his fiancée had just spoken, and the misconception contained therein.

“In any case, I believe Kagome-sama is less uncomfortable than she is remorseful.”

“Houshi-sama?”

“When she came to me today, she seemed…guilty, almost. She was obviously trying to hide it, but I could see it in her eyes. I believe she offered to give us some time alone because she feels badly for asking us to delay our wedding.”

Sango’s expression morphed into one of understanding, even as she protested his opinion. “But that’s crazy! That’s…”

“Kagome-sama’s personality,” Miroku finished, completing Sango’s unspoken thought. The taijiya growled to herself, clenching her fists as she rose to her feet, fueled by irritation mixed with lingering embarrassment.

“Oooh, that Kagome-chan! She’s too considerate for her own good sometimes.”

“Wait, Sango,” Miroku told her, grabbing her wrist to keep her from stalking off.

“Why? We’ve got to set Kagome-chan straight. We can’t let her keep feeling like this.”

“I agree,” the monk purred. “But let’s give Kagome-sama some time to herself first. It really is a nice night…don’t you think?”

Sango’s eyes shot as wide as saucers at his poorly-hidden meaning. Her face flushed all over again, his undeniably sensual tone causing goose bumps to rise on her skin. And when his fingers slid down from her wrist, tenderly massaging her palm as he often did when they held hands, Sango’s heart skipped a beat. Wasn’t there something important she had to do? For the life of her, she couldn’t seem to recall. Nor did she really want to.

Still, when he tugged gently on her hand, she might have refused to give in out of principle if her legs had not suddenly turned to jelly. The next thing she knew, she was sitting sideways in his lap, his arm wrapped possessively around her back and his hand lovingly stroking her cheek. She jerked her face away out of reflex, protesting half-heartedly, though she made no attempt to remove herself from his lap.

“W-we shouldn’t, Houshi-sama. Kagome-chan–”

“Wanted us to enjoy some alone time.”

“B-b-but…um, the mood isn’t right.”

Miroku chuckled deeply, a sound which sent a delightful shiver down Sango’s spine. “My dear, Sango. Have we not always created our own mood?”

He placed his fingers on her cheek once more, his touch light and reverent as he coaxed her into turning to face him. He brushed her tightly closed eyelids with the pads of his thumbs, the tender strokes causing her to squeeze them even tighter against the tears forming there. In that moment, Sango felt treasured. And when she finally found the courage to open her eyes and gaze into Miroku’s dark orbs, at the sheen of moisture covering those unfathomably deep pools of passion and love, she was lost.

Later, as she reflected back on the evening, it would occur to her that kissing a bed-ridden Miroku in that abandoned hut had been merely a pale shadow of the euphoria they could create together. But in that moment, her mind was completely consumed by him. All she felt was his body holding her close, his lips upon her own. Her arms wound their way around his neck, deepening the kiss and even earning a small gasp of surprise from him. He responded in kind, his left hand cupping the back of her head, then her neck, then her shoulder and back up again. Sango reached back and caught his wandering appendage, entwining their fingers and holding on for dear life. She withdrew for just a moment, breaking the lip lock in order to gaze into his eyes once more before diving back in.

A passion the likes of which she had never felt before began to flow through Sango then, almost frightening in its intensity. But she felt neither fear nor shame; she was here, in Miroku’s arms where she belonged. He was the man she loved, her husband and lover, her soul mate. He was also still somewhat of a lecher, she reflected, as his right hand which had been resting on her back began to drift lower. The movement was unhurried, giving her plenty of time to stop it, but Sango could think of no reason to do so. This didn’t really count as groping, after all. More importantly, the memory of her experience inside Mukotsu’s hut never entered her mind. She was safe here, with him, this man she trusted more than anyone. She had given him her life, her heart, all that she was, and they would cherish each other until death parted them.

As if rejoicing in her acceptance, Miroku’s wayward hand slipped down and cupped her backside firmly, massaging her flesh with definite intent. The movement wrung a gasp from her throat, as her passion increased further and her body heated another degree or two. She was so hot, burning inside and out; only some shred of decorum prevented her from loosening the collar of her robes. Instead she pressed her palm against Miroku’s chest, kneading the hard muscle through his clothing while absently wondering how warm his flesh would feel to the touch. Her lover had evidently grown tired of using his imagination, for he pulled his lips away from hers and sent them on a new journey, planting soft, open-mouthed kisses along her jawline. Sango could only sigh in bliss as he worshipped her, tilting her head to the side to grant him better access as he moved along the graceful contours of her chin and down to her neck. Her breath hitched when his lips settled onto a sensitive spot just above the intersection of her neck and shoulder. He sucked steadily for what seemed a small eternity, wringing a groan from her which became a strangled hiss as he briefly applied too much pressure. Even then, Sango wasn’t sure if the sensation was pain, or some strange sort of pleasure that felt bad and good at the same time. He soothed her afterwards, gently kissing her sore flesh in apology, and she decided that she didn’t really care.

Needing to feel his lips upon her own once more, Sango raised both of her hands and drew him up to meet her. In doing so she shifted unconsciously, causing her leg to slide further into his lap and encounter something hard. As her muddled mind struggled to identify the strange sensation, the mysterious object began to press rhythmically against her, its owner’s breathing growing heavy and irregular. Finally, Sango’s higher brain function came back online. The realization of what that hard object was and what Miroku was doing with it was shocking enough to shatter her passion-induced haze. She pulled back with a gasp, but failed to consider her awkward position and lost her balance. She toppled gracelessly out of Miroku’s lap, one of her flailing arms catching him in the chin and likewise knocking him flat on his back.

For a few moments Sango stared up at the night sky, as her breathing slowed and her mind pieced itself back together. A healthy blush colored her cheeks, the embarrassment born not so much from what they’d been doing, but how it had ended. Had she really just accidentally punched her lover? She opened her mouth to apologize but the delightful sound of Miroku’s soft laughter echoed into the night, bringing a smile to Sango’s lips. She shared in his mirth, shaking her head at their antics. Somehow, even when she tacitly gave Miroku permission to touch her backside, he still ended up getting whacked in the face. She laughed even harder.

It was at least a minute or two before their joyous, semi-hysterical laughter finally died down. After drying the few resulting tears, Sango rolled over to face her injured lover. ‘Injured’ because he could be seen playfully rubbing his sore chin, undoubtedly for her benefit. Sango had to bite her lip to keep from bursting into another round of giggles. We are both officially bakas. Was it odd that she didn’t mind anything they’d been doing? Some of it embarrassed her, now that her customary shyness had returned, but she knew that she would willingly partake in any of those activities with him again, provided that the ‘mood’ was right. But as Miroku had so eloquently put it, they created their own mood.

She was, however, glad that things had ended where they did, and not solely so her fiancé didn’t make a mess of himself. Being intimate with him was addicting; the further they went, the further she wanted to go. But she wanted their first time joining as man and woman to also be their first time joining as husband and wife, in the village which would become their home. Looking at him now, smiling somewhat sheepishly at her but with genuine happiness in his gaze, Sango knew that she did not need to communication this desire to him. Perhaps it would surprise an outside observer, for a known lecher to be so honorable with his intentions for a woman, but it was no surprise to Sango. Not anymore.

They lay there basking in their newfound intimacy for a few blissful minutes before Sango regretfully rose to her feet, declaring that they should go retrieve Kagome. She offered Miroku her hand, and he pulled himself up and while also bringing her body close in one smooth motion. Again, Sango’s would-be protests were silenced by his eyes, as he leaned forward and left a chaste but lingering kiss upon her lips. Embarrassed by the desires that simple touch inspired within her, Sango ducked her head and dragged him out of camp while wondering if her heartbeat would ever again slow to its normal rhythm.

They found Kagome lying on a grassy hillside, illuminated by the quarter moon shining brilliantly in the night sky. Shippou and Kirara were asleep in her arms, though the fire-cat at least had her ears perked for danger. The miko herself was also awake, gazing up at the celestial bodies with a contented grin brightening her features. She heard their approach and turned to glance at them, her smile widening at what she saw. Careful so as not to disturb the slumbering kitsune, she climbed gingerly to her feet.

“It’s a wonderful night, isn’t it?” she asked innocently, just a hint of suggestiveness in her tone. But Sango was too concerned to be embarrassed; her friend had to be set straight before they could move forward.

“Kagome-chan, I know you feel badly that Houshi-sama and I had to delay our wedding.” The miko’s smile vanished in an instant, but she didn’t deny it. Satisfied, Sango continued speaking in a gentle, understanding tone which was not at all forced. “We don’t want you to feel that way. Houshi-sama and I are here because we want to be, not because anyone forced us.”

Kagome snorted lightly and shook her head. “I know that, but–”

“Let me tell you something, Kagome-chan. Houshi-sama and I made a decision while you were staying in your time. We decided that even if we managed to convince you to remain behind in your world, we were going to look for Inuyasha anyway. And we weren’t going to get married until we had made an honest effort to find him. So whether you came with us or not, the wedding was never going to happen immediately. Houshi-sama and I can wait a few more months.”

Kagome bit her lip as moisture pooled in her eyes. “You…really mean that?”

“Of course! Inuyasha is our friend, the same as you. Just because he’s a giant baka doesn’t mean we care for him any less.”

In the next instant, Sango found her friend’s free arm around her neck, and returned the embrace wholeheartedly. For Kagome, the moment was one of profound closeness. These friends, this family from another world…a part of her had always known how they felt about this journey, but it took hearing it from them to put her doubts to rest. Without Inuyasha by her side, it was easier to allow her insecurities to fester, and to influence her daily life. It was something she would have to keep an eye on in the future, but for now she would rejoice in the knowledge that Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara were there for her, when she needed them the most.

As she pulled away to offer unnecessary words of gratitude, something odd registered in her peripheral vision and she fixed her gaze upon the side of Sango’s neck. There, poking out over the edge of her kimono, was a mark the likes of which Kagome was fairly certain had never marred the reserved taijiya’s skin before. She covered her mouth with her hand, but had absolutely no chance of containing the giggles which spilled forth uncontrollably from her lips.

“What’s wrong, Kagome-chan?” Sango asked nervously. The miko was initially unable to respond, since she was too busy cracking up at Miroku’s panicked expression, the monk having noticed the same thing she had. He looked like a man resigned to his fate, though if asked whether the reward was worth the impending consequences, perhaps he would respond in the affirmative. Had his little ‘love mark’ been premeditated, or placed in the heat of the moment? Kagome would probably never know, but it was fun to guess.

“What’s so damn funny?!” Sango demanded, at last losing her patience. Still chuckling, Kagome reached out and tapped the mark on her friend’s neck ever so lightly.

“You’ve got a nice hickey going there, Sango-chan.”

“A hic–”

The sound Sango made then could not possibly have been human. Kagome could almost imagine her hair bursting into flame as she rounded on the monk, her fists clenched at her sides as she glared daggers through his skull. Miroku could only rub the back of his head and smile in a manner he hoped was endearing, but no action on his part would save him from his fiancée’s wrath. Kagome took pity on him and decided to intervene, though she would make sure she didn’t accidentally take his place in the line of fire.

“Don’t worry, Sango-chan. It’s just a little one. And if you raise the collar of your robes a bit, like this,” she declared, reaching out adjusting the cloth accordingly. “There! Now you can’t even see it.”

It was true; the mark really wasn’t visible as long as she wore her kimono slightly higher on her shoulders than usual. Sango of course wasn’t about to take her word for it, and stormed back to camp to rummage around in Kagome’s bag for the pocket mirror the miko always carried. She spent a couple minutes studying her reflection before apparently deciding that she didn’t need to wear a scarf for the foreseeable future. Still, it was a wonder the glass did not shatter from the intensity of her stare. Sango harrumphed once, kicked out the fire and lay down on her sleeping roll without speaking a word to anyone.

Miroku heaved a long-suffering sigh, and Kagome had to bite her tongue to contain her mirth, tickled as she was by this entire situation. She nudged the monk in the side and passed him a look which clearly stated that he owed her one. And you’d better apologize to Sango-chan in the morning, too! He nodded in resignation as though acquiescing to both of her points. Kagome patted him on the shoulder sympathetically, then strode over to her own sleeping roll and turned in for the night. Miroku was lucky to be able to fall asleep that evening without bruises to avoid laying on, even though his ‘love mark’ had probably been bestowed in the heat of passion. Even the monk was smart enough to anticipate Sango’s anger upon learning of the mark, at least when he wasn’t enraptured by the act of making out with her. But while the taijiya was mortified and furious now, she would be ready to forgive him by tomorrow…maybe.

Chuckling to herself one final time, Kagome cuddled Shippou closer to her chest and sighed contentedly. The kitsune had slept through the excitement, as only tired children are wont to do. Kagome yawned, embracing her own fatigue. She followed her nightly ritual of brushing her son’s aura with her spiritual energy, grinning at the minute but detectable response the tiny quarter-youkai gave. Good night, little one.

As she drifted off to sleep, Kagome reflected that it really had been a wonderful night, for all of them.


A/N – I’m dedicating this story to my great aunt, who passed away this afternoon at the age of 104. She was the sweetest lady I’ve ever met. We’ll miss you, Auntie.

Not that I think she would have enjoyed this story, but as something I’ve put a lot of time and passion into writing, I think it’s appropriate to dedicate it to her.