InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Meant To Be ❯ Get A Little Closer ( Chapter 13 )

A/N: Once again I am deeply sorry about how long it took. I just have a lot of things going on right now. And I hope my melancholy mood didn't affect my writing to much. I knew this chapter was going to be long so I hope everybody thinks it was worth waiting for. And I'm pretty sure tic-tac-toe wasn't a game they played in the medieval times but need something for them to do.

And I'm sure there are mistakes in here.

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 13

Sango paced in front of the bed. After the informative chat with Miroku, she felt awful. She had curled into a ball on the bed. Amazingly she had fallen asleep but was assaulted with a nightmare.

She had awaken feeling little and alone. She relived the whole argument with Miroku as well as the pain she felt after Mira told her about the awful "thing" he had done to Yura. Everything was intensified in the nightmare. Sango seemed to have been outside her body. She watched herself cry over Miroku then get told off by him. Why did she have to experience this twice? Couldn't she escape those vile memories while she was asleep at least? There was no way she was going back to sleep now.

"Where is Kagome?", she thought aloud.

`She did say she would come back. Maybe I should go look for her. She may have hurt her ankle again. And I really don't want to be by myself right now.'

~*~*~*~*~

Today had been a fruitful day. True there had been a few bumps along the way, but he was happy. His general had done something right. He had laid out the ground work for the uniting of Sango and Miroku, had lunch with his wife, and spent a few relaxing hours with his son. And the most impossible thing had happened.

InuYasha had gotten into a brawl and he hadn't had to stop his activity to dissolve the matter. According to his sources, Jaken, the other girl had stopped InuYasha with nothing other than her mouth.

Sesshomaru found this intriguing. He would have to observe this for himself. Who would have thought these two females would solve or at least minimize his problems.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. It was late, but he needed to finish looking at these complaints from his people; No one was rebelling on him.

"Sesshy?"

He looked up to find his mate and child. Usually he would fuss at her for still being up at this late hour however he was distracted. There was some scent filling his senses. What was it? It smelled familiar.

Rin walked in front of the desk.

"I didn't mean to interrupt sweetie. I promised that his daddy would tell him goodnight."

The Queen came to stand beside him after he gave a small smile. When Rin adjusted the baby the familiar scent hit him again. Except this time he knew what it was. It was coming from her.

`Damn her. She had done this on purpose.'

The demoness knew certain extracts were like an aphrodisiac to him.

"Looks like you have a long night ahead of you." She shifted the baby on her shoulder and softly pat his hand. "I'll let you get back to work."

The sneaky demon queen let the smirk spread across her face when she walked out of the door. She gave him seven more minutes before he stormed through that door. That would be just enough time to drop the little off in the nursery and run to their room.

After last night she was reminded how it felt not to sleep alone, and she was going to make sure she there were going to be some encore performances for a while…with or without his cooperation.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was trying very hard to concentrate. But the scent continued to tease him, every few seconds he would rub his nose. Unfortunately, he was unconsciously using the hand she had touched.

The next five minutes passed like an hour. It was no use. He just couldn't focus. Well that wasn't entirely true. He was focusing, just not on the papers in front of him.

The King stood up and put out all the lamps. He was going to give his little bitch what she wanted.

As he searched for the key to lock the door he could smell the sweetly perfumed trail she had left. His brain was getting fuzzy. Before the lock could click in to place, his brain had switched to autopilot.

"King Sesshomaru!"

Without looking over his shoulder he replied, "Not now."

"But my king I have something important to tell you."

"Later."

The inu demon began to walk briskly making the little toad run to keep up.

Jaken sputter between huffs. "A….unknown demon..was spotted….on the..grounds."

The King's mind was else where and he wasn't listening.

Waving the statement off, "Yes. Yes. I'm very happy for you."

The yellow eyed demon stopped. He was very puzzled at his highness' behavior. Maybe he should tell him again tomorrow.

~*~*~*~*~

"So he is your brother then?"

InuYasha nodded into her stomach. They had gotten as comfortable as one could on the small servant bed. Kagome was leaning against the pillows with InuYasha curled into her. He was like this partly to keep from falling off the bed, but mostly he was just enjoying the feel of being this close to her. After everything that had happened, he wasn't sure if he would ever be this close to Kagome again without finding a way to screw it up.

She played with a lock of his hair deep in thought.

"I always wanted an older brother."

"No you don't."

"Sure I do. You do like your brother don't?"

"Next question." She lightly pushed on his shoulder. "He's fine. Satisfied?"

"Well it's certainly a lot better than believing you're related because your mother was from the same clan. Who came up with that anyway?"

"Miroku. He said `The best lie is the one closest to the truth.' But the part about them meeting on the road was true. But she was human and our father was demon."

"Our father?"

"Sess is what one would call a half brother. Same father."

He was about to continue but she had unconsciously began to rub his head again, making him lose his train of thought. He relaxed and encircled her middle with his arm.

It felt so good getting all those lies of his chest. She seemed to be a little more content, too. Finally all the misconceptions had been cleared up. Everything was out in the open. And he was truly happy.

Or at least he was until he heard someone stopping outside Kagome's door. Before they could knock…

"Go away!" He stated loudly with his eyes closed.

"Kagome?"

"I thought I told you to go away.", InuYasha mumbled, slightly irked.

Kagome sat up, much to his displeasure, at the sound of the voice. "That's Sango."

"And?" He pushed her back in to her previous position as he snuggled to find the comfortable spot he had before.

"And I promised I would come back to talk to her tonight."

"And?"

InuYasha was failing to see how this was supposed to concern him. So she hadn't come to the Bitch's room yet. There was still plenty of night left. Right now Kagome was on his time and he didn't like sharing.

"Kagome are you in there?" More knocking.

Kagome exhaled. She was getting the feeling he wasn't going to let her up.

"InuYasha look at it this way. If I was suppose to meet you and I hadn't come yet wouldn't you worry? Won't you expect me to still come?"

InuYasha sighed.

"Kagome if you don't answer me I'm coming in."

He knew the answers to her question but there was no way in hell he would admit them aloud.

"Fine."

Sango opened the door. "Um, Kagome?"

"It's okay Sango. Come in."

The princess entered the room feeling awkward. `Had she interrupted something? Why was Kagome all hugged up with this jerk, yet again?' This time there was no excuse.

Kagome stared at the man in her lap.

"InuYasha?"

"What? You said you needed to talk, so talk."

"InuYasha…"

"Fine." That prissy princess had taken Kagome away once more. This was not something he was going to tolerate. In his mind she was now his.

Before he could shut the door.

"We'll finish talking later, okay?"

He nodded and left.

"Care to explain what I walked in on?"

"Not really but I'll tell you anyway. InuYasha and I were talking."

"Kagome how could you like that jerk?"

"Sango I never said he was a jerk. You did. He has never been mean to me."

"Is that so? Who is the one that picked a fight with you and was part of the reason you sprained your ankle?"

"Sango it was mostly my fault that I tripped. I'm the one who threw the leaves over the shoes. And he explained to me why he had acted the way he did. Now will you stop worrying about me. I'm sorry I got side tracked. Now tell me what has you so down."

~*~*~*~*~

"No fair!"

She giggled. "All's fair in love, war, and tic-tac-toe."

She completed her X on the tic-tac-toe board making her the winner for the seventh time in a row.

"That's strange I don't remember that being one of the rules. Besides, you cheated. The one that starts in the middle always wins."

Kikyo rolled her eyes and smirked. "You and InuYasha are the same. Just because you start in the middle doesn't guarantee victory."

Naraku smile fell. He didn't like being compared to that spoiled prince. For so long, that hanyou had everything that should have been rightfully his. But he was fixing that.

Kikyo noticed his expression changed at the mention of her best friend's name.

"I see that you both feel the same about each other." She sighed. "You are both going to have to come to so kind of agreement. I refuse to choose between you." The maiden crossed her arms.

He inwardly smirked. She looked so sexy when she was demanding. Knowing she was serious, he gave in before the rest of the night would be ruined. He really didn't feel like debating with her right now.

"For you, I will be as nice as I can to him."

She smiled. "That's all I ask." She kissed him.

There was a muffled shout.

"Kikyo. I know you are in there." There was a pause. "I know you're in there with…..him. Open the door."

"Can't it wait?"

"No because I'm not going to feel like it later. Open the door or I will do it for you."

A mental image of her door being splintered into several pieces and the dropping to the floor in slow motion made her jump up to answer it at once.

"Can I talk to you?" His golden eyes flashed at Naraku then back at her. "Alone."

She walked out into the hallway and closed the door behind her.

"Is this to your liking, O' prince?" The question was dripping with sarcasm.

"Whatever." He took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say" InuYasha shrugged. "… you know….about earlier. I shouldn't have asked that."

"It's okay."

She went to hug him but he stopped her.

"I don't know what you were doing in there before I came."

The girl was heated. How could he apologize then turn around and insult her. Had she not saw his slight smirk she would have thought seriously about finishing the hair cut she had given him.

She lifted her head, mocking a snobbish pose.

"You're just jealous. You know you want me."

He scoffed. "Well not anymore. He ruined the goods."

Kikyo gasped and swung at him. InuYasha duck and jogged off.

"Ja!"

~*~*~*~*~

The girls had moved to Sango's room, they both agreed that it would be a more private area for discussion.

"Sango!"

"I know. I know."

"Why didn't you tell me? How could you hide that from me!"

"I…I..I just…I didn't..want to talk about it. I was trying to forget it. And you hid your feelings for that jer-uhh the prince."

It was true. Kagome was about to argue the fact that at the time she thought her feelings were bad because she thought he was her suitor. But this would have to wait for another time. Right now the lady in waiting was concentrating on her friend's distress.

Kagome sighed. "So, now what are you going to do?"

"Well he is sweet," She lowered her voice, "even if he is a pervert."

"So you are going to marry him?"

"I don't know what I want." She fell into her bed and stared at the silver plated ceiling that seemed to contrast so well with deep sea blue of the room. "I do like him." She smiled and began daydreaming about the day he had taken her out.

Kagome saw Sango drift into La-La Land.

"Ummm….Sango?"

"Huh?"

"If you like him, then why not marry him?"

Sango's thoughts shifted to the argument they had earlier today.

`I don't think he likes me anymore.`, she thought gloomily. `Marriage. Do I love him? Could I learn to love him? I am I ready to be like the queen in chess, willing to go so far as to put my life up for his and is he willing to do the same for me?'

Sango sat up no longer smiling. "I'm not sure that marriage is something to consider right now. We both lied and I accused him of-"

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Kagome opened the door to revel Mira.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry I thought this was the princess's room."

"Mira. I'm here."

Kagome moved a little so the mink could see past her. Mira slowly walked into the room.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Sango made a small smile. "It's okay. I know you were just trying to look out for me."

The demoness smiled and walked out but paused.

"Kagome right?"

She nodded.

"The King wants you to attend breakfast."

Kagome was puzzled. "Okay."

~*~*~*~*~

An inner debate raged in his head while a sleeping Rin lay half on and half off him. He really needed to get up but to accomplish that he would have to wake her up, and he really didn't want to do that.

Not that he really wanted to get up. He had pushed himself a little too hard. His intent was to make his mate half sorry she had manipulated him, something that never ceased to baffle him.

She didn't do it often mind you, but when she did manage to get her way it was always over something big. Though he had determined this was one of the qualities he liked about her. Who else could get away with such a crime?

Sesshomaru sighed. He wasn't going anywhere until she woke up. At least this time she was getting her way without knowing it.

"Mmmm."

"She stirs."

Smiling, she began to slowly stretch. "I thought you would have been gone by now."

"I just wanted to relax for a bit."

Rin knew this was double talk for `he didn't want to wake her' but he didn't need to know she knew that.

Eyes still closed she worked her way from his abdomen to his shoulder.

"Mind if I relax with you?"

"Of course not."

He kissed her forehead and she lazily looped her arms around his neck. A few seconds later she felt his body tremor. She wasn't doing anything to make him growl. When she opened her eyes she saw him sniffing in the direction of her hand. Then the realization hit her, faint traces of the extract must have still been on her hand.

"Oh Sesshy sweetie, I'm so sorry."

She began pulling her hand away only to have him grab her wrist and roll her on her back. She was enjoying his pathway of kisses from her shoulder to her neck, but in the back of her mind she knew he'd be moderately ticked with her for seducing him twice in a row. But that was okay, as long as this was her punishment. This kind of torture she could handle.

A series of knocks caused Sesshomaru to let out a low angry growl.

He pulled on his robe and stalked toward the door leaving Rin to make whining sounds behind him. The demon parted the door enough to stick his head out.

"King Sesshomaru, I-"

"Jaken, if you knock on this door again before I willingly walk out of it I will kill you."

Rin stopped whining and sat up at this statement.

`He wasn't leaving her?'

"That goes for everyone else, too." He quickly shut the door and walked back to the bed. "Now where were we?"

~*~*~*~*~

"Finally."

InuYasha was a little peeved that his almighty brother was late for breakfast. The prince wasn't what you call a morning person, and there was the fact that he was denied his food it wasn't going to be pretty.

`Oh, great! Where is Rin? Now we have to wait longer.'

"Hey Sesshomaru. Where your bitch?"

Kagome shook her head. It seemed no female was exempted from that title.

"She's tired and will not be attending."

Everyone was signaled to eat.

"Lee, send a tray to the Queen. Make sure she eats it." The servant, Lee, ran to fix a platter at once.

InuYasha was happy to be eating but some smell was making him lose his appetite. After going through his memory banks he placed the smell. He had to give it to his brother he had done a really good job of washing it off. But InuYasha could tell.

When you live with someone your whole life you picked up on little things like that.

"She was tired, huh?"

The elder inu cut his eye toward his sibling, as if to say `I dare you'. Any smart person would have let the subject drop after such an icy stare. However InuYasha was not included with this group.

The rest of the table was unaware of the battle to come. Sango was contemplating what she and Kagome had discussed. Kagome, while confused as to why her presence had been requested, was overjoyed to be eating the soft flaky rolls with drizzled honey on them. Miroku was secretly starring at Sango. The thoughts of Sesshomaru's request rolling in his head.

"So why didn't she get any sleep? I'm sure the baby didn't keep her up."

"InuYasha?"

"Hm?"

"Just because you can't experience the perks to marriage doesn't mean that no one else should stop. Besides I should enlighten you on the process because you are still untainted in that area."

The prince let his fork clatter against the plate. The only one that looked up was Kagome. InuYasha's expression was some where between embarrassed and enraged.

"You jackass. Just because I didn't practice fu-"

Kagome was unsure if this was regular behavior between the two because nobody seemed to notice or care, but she was sure if that InuYasha continued that sentence it was not going to be pretty for him…

"InuYasha!"

"What?!"

"I don't feel so good. Could you help me back to my room?"

Just incase he wasn't convinced she pretended to hold her stomach and twisted her face to show pain and discomfort.

InuYasha was still pissed at Sesshomaru but Kagome was more important. He would finish fighting with his brother later.

"I'm sorry your majesty. I hope you're not disappointed." She looked up at the hanyou that was now hovering over her. "Maybe I just need fresh some air."

The King watched in awe as InuYasha quietly helped the girl out of the dining hall. Maybe this girl had stopped InuYasha yesterday. It was very obvious to him that she was fine. But if the tables were turned and Rin had told him the same thing he would have taken her word for it, too.

`What had happened while he was stuck in his study? Had the legendary cupid made a guest appearance in his absence?'

Breakfast was now quiet. And it stayed that way until Sango excused herself. The moment she was out of the room Sesshomaru spoke.

"Have you thought about what I told you."

"Yes."

"And when do you plan to act upon it?"

Miroku had the urge to say, I dunno. But he knew that would be an unsatisfactory answer.

"Today?"

"Well you better get started soon. Who knows how long you will have before she leaves." He commented apathetically while finishing the rest of his fruit.

The statement sunk in and Miroku left just as Rin entered.

"Sesshy, you left me." She whined. "And why did you send me those awful vegetables?"

She stopped beside his chair with her hands on hips. He took off his outer coat-like wrap.

"Because whatever you eat my son eats, too. And I know that you have been eating just fruit and those sweet rolls this whole month."

He pulled her in his lap and pulled the clothing over her.

"Darn. I'm going to hurt Jaken. Little snitch."

"No hurting Jaken. Now forget that for a moment and tell me what possessed you to traipse around in your robe."

"I wanted to fuss at you before you got to lost in your paper work."

"I don't want you walking around like this again."

"Okay." She made a child-like pout.

"Now go get dressed." He kissed her on the forehead and waited for her to get up. She didn't budge. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting."

"For?"

"You to carry me."

"Why?"

She smirked, "Because you told me not to walk around like this."

~*~*~*~*~

Opening the door he motioned for her to lie down on the bed.

"But I don't want to-"

"Lay down." He commanded.

She sighed. Kagome walked over to the bed, she sat on the end.

"Can't I at least go to my room?"

"No. Those beds are about as soft as a cannon. I thought I told you to lie down."

She did as she was told, but popped up in the next few seconds.

He had walked over to his closet and had something in his hand. It looked shiny. Like metal shiny.

"I thought I told you to lie down." He stated still looking at the object in his hand.

Her curiosity had gotten the better of her now. Ignoring the statement she walked to look over his shoulder at what he was doing. He was putting a sword back in it's sheath. From here it looked pretty beat up and worn.

"What's that, an heirloom or something?"

"Why is it you don't seem so sick all of a sudden?"

InuYasha began to wrap the sheath and sword in a white cloth.

"Uhh…miracle recovery?"

"Mmhmm. This is a gift from my dad. I left it out this morning, I was practicing."

"It must be ancient. It's so worn. What did he expect you to do with it?"

He smiled to himself. "This sword is younger than I am."

Now Kagome was confused. "Then why does it look like that?"

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Sometimes Kagome thought she had InuYasha figured out but it was moments like these that always made her think he was smarter than he let on to be. There was something hidden in that statement but she was unable to figure out exactly what he meant.

"This sword has saved me ass more times than I can count. When both Sess and me became of age, we were required to go out into the world and survive for a year. We were given a set amount of coins, a canteen of water, the clothes are on our back, and a sword. I really hated Father for sending me out there. I figured if I wasn't going to be ruling then I didn't need to go."

Kagome saw sadness in his eyes despite the small smile on his face.

"But it did show me how good I had it here. Hanyous aren't very welcome many places. Tetsusaiga was my only true friend. You know this baby can slay a hundred demons in one stroke? Thankfully I never had to use it on that many at one time." He began laughing. "I remember when I came back Sess asked me how it felt to tote around a useless sword. He about fell over when I told him mine worked just fine."

If there was a joke somewhere in his reminiscing then she had either missed it or not gotten it.

"I don't understand."

"It's okay. You wouldn't."

And just like that InuYasha went on like he had never said anything of importance. It was the first time he had ever voluntarily given up this kind of information. She usually had to ask or coax it out of him.

"Well I was going to do something that I thought you might like but since you're so sick and all....I think I should post pone it."

"What? No! I'm better, see?"

"No. I think you should go back and lay down. It might come back.", he teased.

"No it won't. I want to know what you were going to do. Please?"

InuYasha was loving every moment of this. He was going to get her back for all the times that she held stuff over his head and made him compromise and beg.

"Well I don't know."

"Please?"

~*~*~*~*~

Miroku couldn't stand it anymore. He had tried to be patient, but there was only so much a man could take.

Unknown to Sango, Miroku had come to the training area in hope to relax. He got there only to find Sango already there. She had on her firm fitting work out clothes, which really didn't mind. And once again she was stretching her extremely limber muscles.

His mind told him to get up and leave, however his body became entranced by her smooth graceful movements. In the mist of his gawking, she turned around in his direction. Miroku braced himself for the pounding of a lifetime, but she still continued stretching as if she had never seen him.

Looking at her closer he realized that she hadn't seen him. Her eyes were closed and her lips parted.

`Is she doing the breathing exercise I taught her?' He checked. `She is!'

A strange sense of pride swept over the prince. Sango had actually listened to him. If she was willing to listen about that maybe, just maybe he had gotten through to her about that ugly rumor.

Knowing that maybe the argument from the day before just might be forgotten made him happier. Sure he had been mad that she didn't confront him about it but he didn't hate her. He had been more worried about her being disgusted with him. Things were looking up.

He got up to leave as Sango went into a stretch that made her perfect prey for groping. He pleaded with his hands but to no avail. He decided if she did kill him he was going to be happy for the few seconds he was `holding' her.

He took advantage of the fact that both her arms were in the air and used his hands to cup each breast. He could feel the softness of her skin through the cloth, as he pulled her back firmly to his chest.

And that's the way he stayed. If he was to get pounded for this he was going to enjoy every second.

The thrashing he had been waiting for, like the first one, never came. Instead she brought her hands over his. She slowly peeled them off her chest and guided them down. She let go of them when she reached her hips. And that is exactly where Miroku left them. If she thought he was going to voluntarily move his hands away from her, she was sadly mistaken.

"I…I never thought of it that way." She replied then bit her lip.

"Huh?"

"The situation. I never thought about it that way. I'm sorry I misjudged you. I jumped to conclusions before knowing all the facts."

`She was apologizing…'

"Miroku?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure."

"Can you teach me the move you did when you disarmed me?"

Miroku blinked for a moment before answering.

"Umm, yeah."

~*~*~*~*~

"Are you sure?"

"It will be fine."

"You won't drop me? I mean I know you didn't before but you weren't running."

"It will be fine. I promise I won't drop you. Now come on."

Kagome took a big breath. She was going to trust him. Sure she had enjoyed when he leaped back to the palace that day but now he was talking about running.

Against all her better judgement she climbed on.

At first she hadn't been able to a thing. But with some quick maneuvering, she had gotten her head under his hair. If she thought leaping was great it was nothing to running. It was so exhilarating! Jumping hundreds of feet in the air. Moving so fast that everything seeded to whiz by in slow motion and speed up again.

Every now and then she had to close her eyes because the wind was making them water. And it seemed that InuYasha took those times to make it look like he was going to smack into things.

He smirked when he felt her hold her breath as they nearly missed another fallen branch. He wanted her this to be an enjoyable experience for her but she was making it so easy to scare her. Surely she didn't really think he would hit anything.

She was going to hurt him for scaring her later. But right now, hurting the driver probably wasn't such a good idea.

~*~*~*~*~

`He is so hard head. It's a wonder how I don't strangle him sometimes.'

Ayame had just gotten into it with Koga. He was healing rapidly, but Ayame insisted that he lay down to help his body keep from straining as much. But Koga, being the stubborn and bullhead person he was, had refused to do so. He kept complaining about how he needed to check up on Kagome.

The she wolf suppressed the urge to throw up. How was it he could be hurt and still have the energy to worry about that enchantress? Was she the one nursing his hide back to health? To shut him up she had said she was going to go check on Kagome for him. Sucker…The only thing she was going to do with this time was take a break from him.

This little run would do her some good. That was, until she smelt the reek of that man stealer.

The prince's scent was nothing new to her. She often crossed it while in this area. But she just figured he came out here for the same reason she did, because the area was good for running and it helped clear one's mind.

She stopped to scan for the wench. Instead she found her shoe. After wandering a bit more she over heard them.

They were seated on the ground facing each other, eyes locked.

"That was incredible! Absolutely amazing! Does it always look like that?"

"Yeah. Did you really like?"

"Yes. I see why you do it. The wind against your face, the feeling of leaving the world behind."

InuYasha felt a tug of pride that she liked and understood his favorite activity. They shared a small kiss.

Ayame was shocked. `That little slut! If she is going to take Koga the least she could do was be loyal to him. Wasn't she the reason he had gotten into that fight with InuYasha?'

They pulled away from each other.

"Mmm. Maybe we should find my shoe now."

Kagome held up the naked foot that was sitting in InuYasha's lap.

"What for? I have plans for that foot."

"Well you can do whatever you planned to do after we get my shoe. I don't want some creature making it their new home."

"Okay. Okay."

He stood up and gave her a strange look when she put out a hand for him to help her up.

"Where do you think you're going?"

She gave him a curious stare. Wasn't it obvious?

"To find my shoe?"

"Not a chance. You are staying here. I'll look for your shoe. The next thing you know something will stick you in your foot. You're not getting hurt on me."

The red head was overcome with an extremely evil idea. She was going to show Kagome how it felt to have what was yours taken away.

After taking letting down her hair, she went back and picked up Kagome's shoe and waited for InuYasha to come.

~*~*~*~*~

`What was taking him so long?'

Kagome got up. After walking a short distance, she spied InuYasha and Ayame talking.

Ayame brought a hand up to pull her hair behind her ear. Any woman worth her salt knew what that move meant. That cheap piece of tail was flirting with InuYasha! Now she was giggling at something he said.

Kagome felt her whole body heat up and she clenched her teeth together. Was this what InuYasha had felt like when he saw her with Koga?

Now she was whispering in his ear! He had inhuman hearing. For what reason did she need to be so close to him? She had had her fill of this.

She marched up to the pair.

"Thank you for finding my shoe.", She said rather tightly.

"Oh! Kagome!" He backed away from Ayame a bit. "I just ran into Ayame here. She found it for me."

Holding out the shoe, "Here you go.", she replied in a bubbly voice.

Kagome, neither, smiled or frowned as she snatched the footwear. She slipped it on.

"InuYasha, can you get the scroll? I left."

"Sure.", he answered in a low tone. There was something wrong. He could sense it, but what had made her mad?

The moment she was sure InuYasha couldn't hear her she began her verbal attack.

"Who do you think you are, flirting with him like that?"

"Serves you right. You were cheating on Koga. How dare you steal him from me then have the nerve to do this to him. Kissing on another man."

Kagome slightly blushed. It was the fourth time they had kissed that day. It was becoming a natural thing to her, however she was not ready to share this with the world yet.

"So I kissed him. Problem? As far as I'm concerned you can have Koga. I never agreed to be with him anyway."

The new information made the feisty K-9 do a double take. Had she heard right? Or were her ears playing tricks on her by making her hear what she wanted.

"You don't want Koga."

"Is there a brain in there? Isn't that what I just said. No, I do not wish to be with Koga. I told him this many times but he refuses to listen. If you want him more power to ya."

InuYasha re-entered the clearing.

"I couldn't find the scroll. I'll have to get you another one."

"Oops! Silly me." She pulled it out from her side. "I must have forgot I put it there." She smiled apologetically. "Can we leave now?"

"Leave? We just got here."

She cut her eyes toward Ayame and looked back at him. InuYasha frowned for a moment but then got the message.

"Okay then." He bent down. "Get on."

"I do hope Koga is well Ayame." She climbed on InuYasha. "Bye."

He shot off.

`She doesn't want Koga? He is all mine? '

"Yes!" She did some flips and cartwheels before running back home.

~*~*~*~*~

"No Sango. You're still doing it wrong."

"I did exactly what you told me to do."

Miroku twisted his face as if he was debating with himself. Sango stared at him.

"What is it?"

Miroku scratched his neck. "It's…It's your movements." He paused, Sango motioned for him to continue. "They're too girly."

`Well this was new.' Sango had never been told she was "too girly".

"I mean they are beautiful, I'll give you that. They are graceful and pretty to look at, but that makes them long. You're not executing them fast enough. By the time you are half the way through a move your opponent will be able to tell what you are doing. Or at least a good one will."

"If I'm so slow, how come you can never tell when I'm going to smack you for being a hentia?"

He shrugged. "When you are mad you have the fist from hell with the speed to match. I don't know how you do it. I can't predict your moves when you're mad. But that just means we need to get you tap into that hidden power."

He rubbed his chest while she began fighting her pretend opponent.

`Not now. Not now.'

The tightening finally subsided. He sighed with relief. This was the last thing he needed.

"I know you can kick higher than that. Try again."

~*~*~*~*~

"She's back!"

"It's about time." He continued pacing.

Koga had been waiting for Ayame to get back and it felt like she had taken forever to return. She was supposed to go check on Kagome for him. Someone had to make sure dog shit kept his hands to himself.

The sound of whispering and a few low whistles made him stop pacing to see what was causing the commotion.

It was….It was…Ayame? She was the causing his brothers to act like that?

Koga blinked a few times. `When did Ayame start looking so….stunting?'

Sure she was a pretty girl but it wasn't until this moment that he actually acknowledged her womanhood.

`What was she doing running around looking like that? Alone no less. Any demon could have snatched her up.'

One of the wolf demons darted in front of her and ran a finger down her arm. The she wolf looked from the finger caress back to him and frowned. She pulled back a fist and sent him flying a few feet.

Koga now took back his earlier thought about her not being able to take care of herself. But that still didn't mean she was allowed to walk around like "that".

He continued to stare while some where in the back of his mind he began comparing Ayame and Kagome. Both were fiery but Ayame had Kagome beat. Both were sweet but Kagome had Ayame beat….

`Why was everyone acting so strange? What are they staring at?' The red head worked her way through the lounging demons. At last she spotted Koga, not in bed like she had told him.

She marched right up to him.

He tilted his head slightly comparing their walk. His Kagome would sashay as she floated across the room. But Ayame seed to have a blithe walk that told everyone that she could careless what they thought.

"Why aren't you in bed?"

Koga narrowed his eyes. "Come on."

He grabbed her hand and walked into the cave where they would be alone.

~*~*~*~*~

"Why did he take her in there?" A demon asked his brother as they watched Koga and Ayame disappear from view.

His brother shrugged and petted a wolf that was lying beside him.

"Probably went to mark her with his scent now that she looks hot. I know I would. Not that she hasn't made it obvious that she likes him."

"True. Huh? Ayame likes him?"

~*~*~*~*~

She walked behind Koga quietly.

`What is his problem? Why is he mad at me? I didn't do anything wrong.'

After they were well into the den he stopped to look at her.

"Who said you could go around looking like that?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. `Looking like what? He hadn't seemed to think that there was anything wrong with her outfit this morning.' She began looking down at herself and her hair migrated in her eyes. She had forgotten to put it back up.

`Is that what he was talking about?' Touching the free flying mane, "What's wrong with the way I look?"

"What's wrong with it!" He had to regain his composure. Closing his eyes the lord rasied a fist to his lip and cleared his throat. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

Ayame thought she'd die right then and there. He thought she looked good! Finally, she had gotten some recognition. He was showing true interest! This was the best day of her life!

"But you are never to go around looking like that unless I am with you."

"Yes, Koga. Now will you please lie down and not strain yourself further."

"Alright." She smiled. "But tell me how Kagome was first." The smile dropped.

"She is fine, just peachy." The spirited demon replied.

Satisfied that his woman was indeed alright he went to lay down. Sleep didn't sound to bad after a afternoon of pacing. Ayame left.

"Does anyone know where Ginta and Hakaku are?"

The stampede was deafening.

"I know where they are!"

"I'll take you to them!"

"They're lying! I know where they are."

Koga shot up right upon hearing the helpful statements. Though the action made him a little dizzy he ran after her.

"Ayame! I want you to look exactly how you did this morning."

~*~*~*~*~

Sango was on her knees huffing loudly. When she had asked Miroku to help her it was obvious that he was taking the lesson more seriously then she had originally planned. She felt as if she was being retrained and that everything that she thought she knew was wrong.

He called her girly and was starting to make her feel weak. Even though she hated him right now, she knew this was what she needed. Someone to not take it easy on her.

"Come on Sango. That's enough, it's almost time for lunch."

"But I haven't gotten it right yet."

He put out a hand to help her up. After a moment she took it. She felt sore all over. For a moment she thought her legs were going to give out on her.

"We can finish this later."

The princess nodded. They were walking back to their room to wash up and her poor body was protesting greatly.

Miroku looked at her. `Maybe he should have gone easier on her?' But he wanted her learn the correct way. "Are you sure you're alright?"

The long legged women nodded again, not wanting to waste her breath on talking. All her focus was sifted on making it to her room so she could collapse on her bed, preserving some of her pride.

They walked all the way back in silence. Miroku was itching to say something but he didn't want to push it. They had just gotten back on speaking terms, nevertheless Sesshomaru was right. There was no telling how long before she would have to leave. Should he say what was on his mind?

Sango wanted to cry for joy when she saw her door. But it seemed like it was always an extra step away.

Miroku went to his door and paused. He just couldn't seem to go through it. He had to say something.

However when Sango reached her door….

In one breath, "Thanks for the lesson, Miroku. I'll see you at lunch. Bye."

Not waiting for his reply she hurried in her room but she didn't make it to her bed. Her muscles' protests had gone unheard and now they seemed to be on strike. She gracefully landed on the floor just a foot away from her bed.

The prince had been outside her door. Trying to talk himself out of the insane thing he was about to do, when he heard a loud thud. He rushed in to find Sango spread out on the floor.

Looks like he had gone to hard on her.

"Sango!" He flipped her over and tapped her face. "Sango. Sango?"

"I'm okay.", She replied drunkenly.

He smiled. It was so cute that she was still trying to hold on to her bravo image even when it was clear she needed help. "Can you stand?"

She squinted an eye at him. "You mean I'm not?"

~*~*~*~*~

"Why didn't you inform me of this earlier?"

The amphibian knew he was risking his life by saying this but he had to try. "But, but, but…But….I…I….did."

"So why is it I don't remember you notifying me? Are you calling me a lair."

Though he was already short, Jaken seemed to shrink at the tone of his highness' voice. "N..nnoooo."

Sesshomaru began to flick through some papers though he wasn't really looking at them.

"And what else can you tell me about this mystery person."

"Not much. They disappeared into thin air. We tried to track them but we couldn't."

The King sighed. Who knew that sending those soldiers to the Mayan Kingdom would actually end up hurting him? He would have to note this as one of the unforeseen problems.

"I want you to tighten the security. I want to know who was foolish enough to enter my castle without an invitation and I want their tongue and eyes ripped out to serve as an example incase someone else is entertaining ideas of doing the same."

"Yes, my King."

The little green demon wasted no time in leaving. He hated to be around Sesshomaru when he had that look in his eye.

~*~*~*~*~

"What did I do?"

"Hmph."

"You can't keep ignoring me."

"Hmph."

She crossed her arms and started walking away only to be stopped.

"Dammit woman! I'm talking to you. What's your problem?"

"You! You're the problem."

"What did I do?"

"You were flirting with her! I can't believe you! You leave my sight for a couple of minutes and you hit on the next thing walking on two legs."

It took a moment for InuYasha to process what she had just said. She thought he was flirting with Ayame? Why would he do that? To quote Miroku "When going for one woman to another only upgrade, never down."

"Kagome." He used a hand to cup her face so she was forced to look at him. Or so he thought. Her head was immobile but her eyes weren't. "Kagome look at me." Though her stubbornness screamed no, she looked at him anyway. "Look I suck at stuff like this so I'm just going to give it to you straight. I don't want any other girl."

The servant girl had not been expecting that kind of confession. The anger seemed to ooze out of her body leaving a flustered and stuttering Kagome.

"Uhh. Well. Umm, I see. I…uhh…"

"Kagome?"

"Huh?"

"Be quiet." He kissed her lightly. "It's almost time for lunch. And I have a score to settle."

Warning tone, "InuYasha."

"What?"

~*~*~*~*~

"I thought you said no one saw you?"

"They didn't."

"Then how come `his High-Mighty-ness' is pitching a royal fit. Tightening the security, putting his little family under surveillance, questioning were everyone has been and where they are going? No one is allowed to leave or enter from anywhere except the front gate."

"But you will have no trouble with that."

"That is not the point." He sighed. "But I have turned your blunder into a blessing. But that means that the prince has lost most of his importance. We'll take them over," A sinister smirk gave way to a grin, "from inside."

~*~*~*~*~

Sango had called every prince she ever met many names. Spoiled, jerk, brat, pig, but since she met Miroku those words never seemed to describe him very well. Take for instance what was happening now.

He had put her in the bed and was giving her a rub down. Who knew his hands could do something other than groping? Everything inside her said that this was wrong, but her aching body told the annoying voice to leave her be. How was it a prince knew how to do this anyway?

It was kind of hard to focus on what he was doing with her petite sighs and moans. He would prefer if she was making them for another reason, but he was the cause of them and that would be enough for now. Who said that being hooked up with a foreign princess didn't have some advantages? The little activities he busied himself with until he had figured out how to run her off were certainly proving useful now.

Her muscles were so knotted up. Why in the world hadn't she said that she was tired? Or at least that she had been cramped up. No wonder she couldn't do the moves correctly.

"Next time I want you to tell me when you feel like this. You could have hurt yourself."

The princess was only half listening. She knew he was politely scolding her but at this particular time she could careless. As long as he continued massaging her neglected pains then she would let him fuss until his heart was content.

"Mmhmm."

He sighed. He knew she wouldn't like the next part.

"I think I'm going to let you off for the rest of the day. We have to finish tomorrow."

"Yup."

He raised and eyebrow as he diligently worked on her upper back.

"Sango?"

"Sure."

"Sango?"

"I agree."

The purple-eyed prince wasn't sure whether to be happy that he was having this effect on her or mad that she wasn't listening. He had wanted to talk to her about their broken engagement. If she wasn't paying him any attention to him this would be a one sided discussion.

"Sango, I just want you to know that I'm sorry we started out badly. I know you probably don't care about our father's agreement, neither do I. However it would make them really happy if we did get married and I don't think it would be such a bad thing either."

`Did he just say he wanted to be her fiancé`?'

"Miroku! Where are you? I don't want to wait on my food like I did this morning."

In all the up roar, Miroku had forgotten to have that talk with his friend about his timing.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Well folks that is it, the long awaited chapter. It was longer but I decided to cut it into two parts. Sorry, Ryu'-sama wasn't here to talk me into doing otherwise this time. I was going to make some fluff for Kikyo and Naraku but since you all gagged from the last time I cut it out. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I have a one-shot that I have posted. It is called "The Promise".