InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Priest Charming ❯ Priest, Schmiest ( Chapter 3 )

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha.

A/N: WOW! You guys are so cool. So many reviews, only for two chapters! I feel so proud. Well..I'm glad you all are enjoying this. Sango and Miroku are so fun…especially Miroku. His scenes are a joy to write. Well, hope you like this chapter. Please read and review!

"My Priest Charming"

Chapter 3: Priest, Schmiest!

Miroku relished the light breeze that permeated the field beyond the taiji-ya village. It gave him a sweet sense of peace that he rarely got when he was traveling alone, or say, with someone as un-peaceful Inuyasha. Maybe it was the fact that he was surrounded by hospitality and trust, or just the fact that he didn't have the urge to steal or lie to anyone here.

His sandals made imprints in the soft ground as he moved down the grassy hill, his sights set on the training grounds where Sango and her brother were working. Miroku smiled to himself. They were quite a pair. Sango was a tough coach, and Kohaku was a driven individual. He admired the boy, so young, in his speed and accuracy with the exterminating weapons.

He was now moving closer to them, but the two didn't notice him approaching, they were so engaged in the clatter of the ceramic pots that were used universally for training. Miroku looked down at his feet, noticing a stray pot buried in the thick grass. Cradling it lightly between his fingers, he carried it to where Sango stood.

"I believe this is yours!" He stood right next to her, and Sango almost jumped a mile in surprise.

She turned around, and then saw who had spooked her. "Oh, it's you…."

Miroku cringed inwardly. So she was still made at him, then….He had hoped that she wouldn't be too upset that he had done some less-than-priestly acts of late, but, it couldn't be helped.

Miroku shrugged it off, letting a boyish grin warm his face, hoping to change her attitude through his renown charm. "You're obviously a good trainer, Sango. Will Kohaku be fighting with the other taiji-ya soon?"

She turned away from him again, the curtness from the night before returning to her voice. "He'll be going out on our next call."

Miroku sighed out a very long sigh, not enjoying being under Sango's bad graces. He was silent for a while, watching the way her face, that had been so happy to see him just days before, was now graven. Another idea sparked in his brain.

"May I say that you are looking especially beautiful today, Sango!"

Sadly, this just seemed to make Sango angered even further, and her faced turned a little red as she wheeled on him. "Quit with the lies, houshi-sama! Do you think I'm stupid? Why would I believe your little compliments when you lied about almost everything else so far? The only reason you're staying here is because you don't want anybody chasing after you, right? You need our protection!" She was fuming, and Miroku resisted the intuition that told him to run for his life.

His eyes twinkled brightly. "Sango, don't be silly! I am here because I enjoy the company of the taiji-ya." His smile widened to winning proportions and his eyes lowered to pierce into hers. "…All of them."

She stared back at him, stonily, but it seemed that she had trouble yelling at him any further.

"Please stop distracting…us……from training." She avoided his eyes as she awkwardly snatched the small pot from Miroku's open hands, and then turned on her heel huffily to go converse with Kohaku.

Miroku chuckled to himself, watching her clutch the stone pot in her fingers, as she praised Kohaku once again.

The wind ruffled his bangs softly, and he sighed deeply.

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Sango leveled the rice in her chopsticks, bringing it swiftly from bowl to mouth with a practiced ease. With her legs curled delicately beneath her, she watched the scene before her with content. The exterminators had gathered for a feast in celebration of the coming spring, and the firelight danced in merry circles along the hems of kimonos and the rosy faces of the men who drank sake. It was always a relief to have a carefree night.

Kagome sat beside Sango, enjoying her food with a smile on her face.

Sango, suddenly struck with a thought, turned to her friend. "So, where's Inuyasha, tonight? Did he decide not to come?" She asked casually, concealing a smile.

Kagome looked sharply at her, her smile faltering just slightly. Sango chuckled to herself. The girl and half-demon had certainly been spending a lot of time together, and she never missed an opportunity to prod Kagome about it.

Kagome huffed a little, becoming increasingly interested in the salted fish on her plate. "I don't know where he is. Why should I? …Anyway, he doesn't like crowds!" She looked a little disappointed.

Sango smiled inwardly.

"Speaking of which…." Kagome spoke with a teasing edge to her voice, and Sango craned her neck to see what she was talking about.

Miroku seemed like he was having a wonderful time, as Sango soon noticed. Sitting cross-legged at the far end of the room, he was conversing lightly with a group of women who were obviously enjoying the handsome monk's company. She watched intently as he took a long sip from his sake cup, then said something witty that sent the girls into gales of laughter. He flashed them that same smile he had given her that morning. She knew she was right in assuming that it hadn't been special.

Sango noticed his behavior as he unabashedly would put his hands around the girls' shoulders, or make teasing passes, basking in their giggles. A heated blush rose on her cheeks and in her ears. She felt something well up in her stomach, though she couldn't quite pinpoint it.

Kagome, drawn too to watch the spectacle, also kept a close eye on the woman beside her. Realization was dawning on her fast, as she assessed the situation. No matter how much Sango tried to hide it, it was obvious that she was infatuated with the priest.

"…He's quite the lady-killer isn't he?" Kagome took an innocent sip of hot tea, purposefully ignoring Sango's glare. Talk about prodding.

"He's disgraceful!" Sango's blush spread further as she watched Miroku

grip both hands of one of the younger girls within his, winking at her with a stylish ease. Suddenly, not able to take it anymore, Sango set her chopsticks down with a clatter, rising to her feet. "I'm going to get some fresh air!"

Leaving Kagome, who had a wry look on her face, Sango stormed through the bamboo curtain of the large room.

A pair of dark violet eyes followed her out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The candlelight played lightly across Miroku's body, as he gently tugged off his dark priests' robes to reveal his lighter kimono for sleeping. Pulling out the leather tie in his hair, he shook out the short mass of dark strands. He peered over to the other side of the room, and saw Inuyasha already sprawled out across his own futon.

"So, Inuyasha," he began, lightly, seeing that his partner's golden eyes were still wide open. "Where were you tonight?"

Inuyasha grunted. "Not eating dinner with perverts. I prefer to spend my dinners alone, thank you."

"Ah….I'd almost forgotten your antisocial nature." Miroku commented, dryly. "You should have come, though. The food was delectable….the women even more so." He chuckled to himself.

"….I'm assuming for once that means you didn't get slapped?"

Miroku rubbed his cheek thoughtfully. "No, not necessarily. But, `tis worth the pain!" He smiled down at Inuyasha. Inuyasha didn't respond, rolling over to face the opposite wall so he didn't have to listen to the monk's foolish antics anymore.

But, the monk wasn't quite done. He sighed to himself, watching the flicker of the candle beside his bed, not yet ready to extinguish the light. "Though, I wonder. Miss Sango didn't join me at dinner. In fact, she left early….she seemed to be angry about something…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, groaning loudly. "She must have been driven off by your infamous wandering hand, just like every other woman with intelligence. Now, would you please stop yapping, and let me get some rest?"

Miroku killed the flame with his thumb and forefinger, the wick still trailing a thin line of smoke to the ceiling. He rolled back the blanket of his own futon, and slipped in, making his head comfortable on the small pillow. Not yet able to close his eyes, Miroku watched the moonlit wooden panels above his head for a few minutes.

"….Inuyasha…?" He spoke out into the silence of the room. Inuyasha didn't respond, but Miroku knew well enough that he was fully awake and alert.

"….Don't you think that Sango has become very beautiful?"

Miroku could hear the exasperation in his friend's voice. "Yeah, now you've got another piece of ass to grope! If you get murdered in the process, I won't mourn the loss. Now leave me the hell alone, monk!"

Miroku sighed as he relaxed into the bed beneath him.

Some people just weren't great conversationalists, and Inuyasha was definitely their king.

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Sango tightened the wide, pink guard around her lower torso, pulling fast the dangling ties. Slipping her long, dark locks into a high ponytail, checking to make sure all her special pouches and hidden weapons were securely tucked into her uniform, she stepped out into the dimly-lit foyer of their house. There she saw her younger brother, who was also decked out in full exterminator's dress. This would be his first extermination.

He was trying to hide the fear and nerves spreading in his body, she noticed. She smiled to herself. Even if he looked slightly uncomfortable in the green, fitted uniform, he carried it off magnificently- as if he had always been destined to be among the ranks of the taiji-ya.

"Are you ready?" She didn't ruffle his hair, though, seeing as how he tried defiantly to hold his chin up high. She had to remind herself that, one day soon, he would be a teenager.

Kohaku nodded. "I….think so…"

The exited the house together, Sango hefting hiraikotsu on her shoulder, Kohaku wrapping the chain of his sickle around his forearm. Outside, their father stood waiting for them, looking like his normal dignified self. He looked slightly as if he wanted to give his young son a hug, but, like Sango, decided against it.

In the early-morning mist of the village, the ranks of about twenty or so men were gathering in the road behind them. They had been called to perform a dangerous extermination at a nearby mansion. Each man held to their own weapon tight, as they kissed their wives and small children goodbye. It was an unspoken truth that missions were deadly. The large unseemly gashes and rips in every man's uniform attested to this. The wives sewed up the rips and treated the wounds, and were there to kiss their husbands goodbye every time.

Sango crooked her elbow around Kohaku's neck for a moment, sending him a reassuring smile. His smile wavered slightly, but he held strong. She looked up once again, and saw Kagome walking towards them to say farewell. And, behind him, there he was.

Miroku waved to her, casually, looking a little ruffled and sleepy from waking up before sunrise. She let Kagome give her a welcomed hug, purposefully ignoring the approaching monk.

As he joined them, Sango worked to keep the dry composure on her face. "You didn't have to wake up for me, you know!"

Miroku smiled droopily. "I know."

She rolled her eyes. "So, then- why did you?"

He shrugged sheepishly. "I thought you might want a little good luck!"

She huffed, seeing that the men were moving out, took it as an open opportunity for escaping the situation. -Why am I being so mean to him? He's just being nice…- She blushed profusely, tugging at the boomerang.

She looked furtively over her shoulder, and saw him still staring at her, with a smile on his face.

Sango quickly turned to face the front, marching faster than needed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It had been nearly four days later.

And they hadn't returned yet. Not a word, not a signal. The wives were becoming restless, and a low hush hung over the village. Normally, a day without the men was normal. Even two. But no extermination was usually large enough that three days would not be enough. And, either way, they should have sent word.

Kagome waited patiently ever hour for her surrogate family to return, also noticing the way that all the other women glanced out their windows by the minute, to look to the village gate. Some would work hesitantly on their porch, using laundry or their sewing as an excuse to be closer to the road.

Even Miroku was showing a small bit of nervousness.

He ritually stopped by the house of the chief, to greet Kagome and to inquire about the exterminators, and if they had returned yet. If the situation had been kinder, his worry might have made her giggle. Especially considering that the bell at the gate would be rung at their return. He would know, regardless of Kagome, whether they had returned or not.

On the fourth day, things changed. The women got together and decided to send out an envoy of the remaining taiji-ya to bring the men back. There was no way that the village would wait any longer. They would have to find out if something had happened.

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Kagome had too relegated herself to the front porch. She morosely picked at the kimono she had been sewing, having no heart to embroider intricately. She felt suffocated in the atmosphere around her. Even the children were quiet, sensing the foreboding hanging in the air.

Inuyasha sat beside her, leaning up against the wooden panels of the way. He drummed his clawed fingers rhythmically on the wood, a perplexed look on his face. It was too quiet for him, and Kagome, normally so vibrant and cheery, was giving him the creeps.

A sour look on his face, he sniffed the air, lazily hoping he might catch some scent. His face screwed up darkly, as he took a deeper breath of the breeze blowing by them.

"Blood." He spoke it gruffly, reluctantly.

Kagome's head shot up, her cheeks turning pale. "….blood?"

"….Human blood. Lots of it."

Within seconds, the bell on the gate was clanging wildly, the sentinels yelling loudly. "They have returned!" As the wives heard the call, a kind of scramble occurred in the streets. The dust of the street flared up as they rushed to meet their husbands.

With a loud cranking noise, the wooden gate was flung open, and the crowd saw the band of exterminators moving up over the mountain pass below.

Kagome pushed through the crowd to see who was approaching. With a long, relieved sigh, everyone saw the head of their village moving forward to greet them.

Kagome looked closer, her throat choking a little. His uniform was covered in horrible rips, dark blood caked in streams along his broad leg. His face was set grimly.

And she noticed that he was carrying something in his arms.

It was a body, small, its limbs hanging limply towards the ground, thick bandages wrapped around them.

"……Kohaku….."

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A/N: I'm so evil, aren't I? Please review!