InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Drifting ❯ Union ( Chapter 24 )

Union

 

Sango settled into the warm water of the hot spring and glanced at her fidgeting friend. Kagome's glowing happiness had finally faded into a simple content. Sango and Miroku were getting married tomorrow, and Kagome had looked tense all day, even more so than Miroku, which Sango found surprising. She had hoped that by enticing her to a bath Kagome would say whatever was bothering her.

 

“Um, Sango?”

 

Sango acknowledged the victory and turned to Kagome. “What is it?”

 

“I uh… wanted to ask you something.” Kagome nervously twisted her wet hair. “With Miroku… how do you… how do you stay you?”

 

“Kagome?”

 

“I mean… how do you distinguish between yourself and Miroku? When I was with InuYasha before… sometimes I couldn't… recognize myself. Like I was only an extension of him, and I just… faded away. I… I don't want to do that again.”

 

Sango frowned. She had known that something hadn't been quite right in their relationship, but this wasn't something that she could relate to at all. “Kagome, Miroku and I are very close, but we're not the same person. I just… know who I am. And while a part of me is a part of Miroku, that part is separate.”

 

Kagome sank down to her nose in the water.

 

“You need to exist for yourself, Kagome,” Sango said softly, “You can't exist for somebody else.”

 

“I know, Sango, I just…” Kagome didn't know what she was trying to say. Instead she focused on relaxing in the hot water.

 

“Are you nervous about tomorrow?”

 

Sango considered this. “Not nervous, exactly. A little anxious, I guess.” She stared hard into the distance. “I wonder what my father would have thought of him.”

 

Kagome gave her friend a sympathetic look and wondered the same of her own father.

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Kagome sat in front of Shippou's grave, ignoring the cramps in her leg.

 

There was a time… when I knew who I was. I remember… but the jewel… it took that away from me. I never existed for myself. I was supposed to purify it and then… it didn't matter what I did.

 

But that… that can't be right. Because Kikyou existed for the same reason. And we weren't the same. I got… so mad when people thought I was Kikyou. The jewel… it was only a job to her. Why couldn't it be like that for me?

 

I was born with it. It was always part of me, even when we lost it. And then I destroyed something that was part of me. And I filled it with InuYasha…

 

It's growing pink again. And I feel… more like myself again. Is that the only reason? Or is it pink because I wasn't pure enough? I wish someone was here to help me…

 

“Kagome-sama, Sango-sama is dressed now. She wants to see you.”

 

Kagome glanced up at Chiyo and nodded. She pulled her hand out of her pocket where she had been fingering the jewel and stood up, wiping the dirt off of her knees. Forcing herself out of her melancholy mood, she stepped into Sango's home, soon to be Miroku's home, too, and lit up in a bright smile.

 

“Oh, Sango, you look amazing!”

 

Sango looked nervous but pleased as she let Kagome inspect her. After checking to make sure that everything was perfect, Kagome went into her bag and grabbed a camera that she had brought for the occasion.

 

Most of the town had gathered for the feast. Since neither Miroku nor Sango had any family with which to perform the rituals, they figured they would publicly announce their marriage, and Kagome had insisted on making it a party. Since then, Kagome had been hard at work cooking while Sango and Chiyo were sewing, and she and her mother had managed to create enough food to feed at least twenty people. InuYasha had also done his part by hunting some food, and earlier in the day, some people had started a large fire to cook it on. Still others were arriving with even more food, whatever they could spare.

 

Seeing the people who had gathered, Sango glanced around nervously and muttered to herself, “I'm surprised they came.”

 

Chiyo turned to her and said, “Everybody wants to witness a happy event, Sango-sama.”

 

Sango stared at the girl in surprise that she had heard her, and then looked at the ground. “But I-”

 

“Sango!” InuYasha cut her off. He scowled at the girls and said, “You probably want to hurry up. I think Miroku's going to have a heart attack.”

 

The girls laughed, and they quickened their pace to the center of the town. Miroku visibly relaxed as Sango walked toward him. He smiled and took her hand, leaning down to whisper something into her ear. Sango rolled her eyes, but she was obviously pleased.

 

During the feast, Kagome couldn't stop looking over at InuYasha. Will this be us? When InuYasha caught her eye, he smiled smugly. But Kagome could sense tenseness behind his gaze.

 

He loves me, she thought suddenly, and she was sure the smile she returned was just as smug as his.

 

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Kagome and InuYasha spied on Sango and Miroku as they returned back to their hut. The two couldn't seem to keep their hands off of each other, and they didn't notice their friends in the least. All of their nervousness had dissipated during the meal, and by the end of it, it didn't seem like they even knew anybody else was there. Kagome let out a little giggle as they disappeared into Sango's hut.

 

“I don't think we have a place to sleep tonight, InuYasha,” said Kagome, “Wouldn't want to disturb their happiness.”

 

InuYasha just grunted.

 

“I guess we could always go to my house,” Kagome said thoughtfully. “Oh, shoot…”

 

“What is it?”

 

“I left my bag in the hut.”

 

“So what's the problem? Just go in and get it.”

 

Kagome gave InuYasha a very meaningful look. Slowly his cheeks flushed. “Oh,” he mumbled.

 

“I wonder where Chiyo is sleeping tonight. You know, they really need to add on their home. Especially if they are going to be having kids.”

 

Kagome looked at InuYasha, but he was staring off in the distance.

 

“What do you need your bag for, anyway?” he asked her.

 

“Oh, nothing really. It just would have been nice to wash my clothes-”

 

InuYasha cut her off by scooping her up in his arms and taking off. He leaped up into the branches of Goshinboku and held her tightly there.

 

“We don't have to go to your home,” he whispered in her ear.

 

Kagome smiled and snuggled against him. It sounded like a much better idea.

 

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“Beloved,” Miroku whispered in Sango's ear. She smiled in the dimly lit room. “Aren't you upset now that you slapped me all those times?”

 

“Maybe,” she responded, resting her cheek on his bare chest and draping her arm across him. “Such wandering hands…”

 

He brought those hands to massage the skin on her shoulders, while kissing the top of her head. Sango sighed contentedly, and moved her head so that her nose was almost touching Miroku's. She stared into his purple eyes, and he twisted a lock of her hair around his finger.

 

“Are you satisfied with me, my love?”

 

Sango shifted to bring her torso poised over his and, placing her hands on either side of his head, looked him directly in the eyes. Miroku gave a groan of approval at this action. She brought her face down so that her lips tickled his ears when she said, “Satisfied, my love? Never.”

 

There was a devious glint in Miroku's eyes. “I was hoping you would say that.”

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AN: I do not own the rights to InuYasha

 

Sueric: I cannot lie. There will always be more angst on the way. What can I say? I'm sadistic. :P