InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Identity Crisis ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: ladygriddlebone 
Things are heating up in the forest...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 12.01.2007 | Updated On: 03.14.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Completed
Things are heating up in the forest...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 12.01.2007 | Updated On: 03.14.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 4.0K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter One
The forest was strangely, comfortingly silent. Not that Kagome minded.
She clenched her teeth as she stalked away from the camp, following the path of the small stream through the forest. She wasn't really angry – not that angry, at least – but she needed some time to herself. Lately, after a hard day's travel, the inanity of the camp became stifling, threatening to suffocate her. It was an ever-growing frustration within her, and the only outlet was to get away for a while and have some quiet time to herself in which to brood. That was why she had quarreled with Inuyasha so often lately. It was hard to argue with the others, but Inuyasha made it easy with his naturally gruff and too often callous behavior.
The added bonus to arguing with Inuyasha in particular was what happened when he inevitably came after her, though today he was blessedly slow in following. She paused near the edge of a clearing, stretching her arms and arching her back until it popped. While being carried by Inuyasha was better than the alternative, it certainly became uncomfortable after a while. She flinched when something large moved in the shadows nearby, reaching almost instinctively for the bow she had left back at the camp.
"Hey, don't stop on my account," drawled a familiar voice from somewhere in the darkness. "I was just getting a better look."
"Inuyasha," she scolded, though her voice was warm with affection. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" He came closer then, out into the clearing where the waning moon provided just enough light to see him. His golden eyes were focused solely on her. She shivered under the intensity of that gaze.
He was rough when he pulled her to him, his clawed hands clamping her shoulders, forcing her back to arch as he greedily kissed her, but she liked him rough. Although she might never dare say so aloud, least of all where he could hear her, he was her hanyou. It would be utterly unlike him, and utterly boring, if he were as cautious and careful as a human. It was part of him, and part of what had drawn her to him.
So she kissed him back with as much ardor as she could muster, her lips parting willingly to allow his tongue to enter her mouth. Their tongues twisted together; she might almost call it warring for dominance, but the reality was that it just felt good. Already the argument from earlier was forgotten in favor of the much more pleasant physical sensations of now: his hands releasing her shoulders only to snake downward and fondle her breasts through the material of her shirt, his tongue exploring her mouth and rubbing wetly against hers, the silken strands of his hair between her fingers as she moved her hands stealthily toward her target. So close…
She kissed him harder, pressing her chest up against his and drawing a rumbling growl from deep in his throat. At that moment, as fast as she could, she reached up the last short distance and tweaked his ears. Not too hard, just enough to have the desired effect. He made a sound that, coming from anyone else, might have been called a yelp, but his erection surged against her hip where it was pressed into his groin.
Wet heat blossomed between her legs at his insistent touch. It occurred to her that this powerful reaction was due entirely to her. Suddenly her uniform and underwear felt far too confining; she squirmed against him, eager to feel the touch of skin on skin, but he held her tight, grinding his hips slowly against hers. She moaned softly as he ran his tongue down the side of her neck.
He stayed there for a long time, obviously enjoying her vocal and physical reactions to his gentler ministrations, although he maintained a firm grip on her hips to keep her pressed into him. Kagome shivered in his arms, half wondering if he intended to bite or otherwise mark her. Instead he pulled back slightly, just enough that he could reach up under her shirt to massage her breasts. He was careful not to let his claws harm the delicate flesh as he rolled the taut nipples between his fingers.
She was ready for him now – she had no doubt that he could clearly smell the warm scent of her arousal – just as he was ready for her, but he seemed to feel like trying something a little different. Perhaps it was his human blood, which would be rushing through his veins in a few more nights, or perhaps he just wanted a change of pace; she knew he wouldn't waste much time thinking about it, so she chose to follow suit. That wasn't important, this was.
Their unions were customarily brief; after all, they were often in a rush to get back to the group, or just to keep their trysts under wraps as best as possible. But this time, as if by some unspoken agreement, they were going a little slower, drawing things out a bit more, prolonging the pleasure of their mating for as long as possible. There was an urgency and foreboding, too.
Make this last. We're nearing civilization again, and when we get there we can't do this.
Inuyasha ran his tongue along the sensitive flesh of her neck once more before sucking gently; she could feel his lips part in a grin when he felt her shiver again. His hand cupped her breast in just the right way to make her suck in a sudden, deep breath. There were lots of good things about going slow...
The sound of something large and fast charging out of the darkness toward them was most definitely not one of those things. Inuyasha growled, then swore profusely as he hauled Kagome out of the demon's path.
"Wait here," he ordered, depositing her a short distance away. "I'm gonna kill that bastard." He ignored Kagome's shouted plea for him to wait, apparently more intent on destroying the demon that had interrupted his time with his mate than listening to what she had to say.
She knew better than to make a second protest, and resigned herself to waiting. It looked like a boar demon, though she had no idea what might have made it so angry; she had not sensed any youki, and did not think that they were intruding upon its territory. Luckily, it was a weak demon, and not very intelligent. Inuyasha easily dodged its attacks, slipping past its feeble defenses to deliver the deathblow almost as soon as he had left Kagome's side.
"Keh, that was too easy."
Kagome felt her anger surge again. What, was it just some game for him? "Inuyasha!" Her voice was shriller than she had intended, more angry than frustrated. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head. "How could you just leave me here like this? I don't have a weapon. If that thing had charged me -"
"I'd have killed it long before it could reach you," he cut in. So far as she was concerned, he should be glad she hadn't sat him. Not yet, anyway. If anything was guaranteed to kill the mood, it was that. "Come on, let's get away from this thing," he muttered, eyeing the demon's corpse with annoyance.
He scooped her into his arms and took off into the forest. After an initial, wordless protest, Kagome lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Inuyasha did not immediately make a move, still wary of her anger, and probably all too aware of the dead boar.
He ran for a few minutes, the two of them nearly flying through the dark forest, before lust got the better of him. She had only an instant's warning before she was in his arms again, barely recognizing that he'd first set her down as he kissed the top of her head. "Inuyasha?"
He grunted in response.
"Don't you think we've been running into lots of demons lately? There's no sign of Naraku, but there seem to be demons everywhere... and they don't seem to be after our jewel shards at all..." He squeezed her a little tighter, as if closer contact might distract her from her musings. It was mostly futile.
"I think it's important," she fretted. "We should see what Sango and Miroku think."
"We've got something more important to take care of just now," Inuyasha murmured, moving his hips against hers suggestively. "You can talk to them when you finish what you started."
Before she could protest, he claimed her mouth in a forceful kiss. She struggled at first, determined that duty should take precedence, but when one of his hands slipped up under her skirt to gently stroke her through her underwear, she gave a small moan and opened up to his embrace.
-----
It was some time later that Kagome returned to the camp. Miroku cracked an eye open, watching her wake Sango. She was disheveled, just as he had expected, but there was no sign of Inuyasha. Odd.
"Is something the matter Kagome?" he asked, forcing himself to focus on Kagome and not the enticingly bleary-eyed Sango. Kagome's lips were slightly swollen and her hair was mussed; he could not help but think that those features would look equally beautiful on Sango, if not more so. Especially if he was the cause.
Seeing his leer, though misjudging his thoughts (then again, perhaps not), both the girls glared at him.
"Do you think we've run into a lot of demons in this area?" Kagome asked, suddenly sober. "I mean it seems weird. I was attacked by a boar demon –"
"A boar demon? Kagome, you can't keep running off like that," Sango admonished. "Without your bow, you have no way to defend yourself."
Kagome frowned. It was clear that she knew this already and did not entirely appreciate Sango's input on the matter. "Inuyasha saved me. And besides, that's not the point. I didn't sense any demonic aura. It was just suddenly there, with no warning at all. Do you think it might have been something to do with Naraku?" Miroku watched her with a smirk. He had a feeling Inuyasha had done more than just rescue her from a demon.
"I haven't noticed anything unusual," Sango murmured.
Miroku was silent for a long time, thinking, until he realized that the girls were looking at him expectantly. Their expressions were slowly shifting from expectation to disapproval. "Well, I have noticed an –"
Inuyasha had returned to the camp at just that moment to announce, "There's a village close by. We'll head there first thing tomorrow and see if the villagers know anything." Inuyasha's timely entrance had handily spared Miroku from finishing his observation.
"Have you been exploring, Inuyasha?" he asked instead.
"Hn. Somebody has to, since apparently nobody can sense the demons around here. You guys get some rest. I'll keep watch tonight. We'll head out at dawn." With that, he disappeared back into the trees, taking up his customary watchdog position in the darkness above the camp. Sango looked to Kagome and the two seemed to come to a wordless accord, both moving to bed down for the night.
Kagome gently took Shippo, who was still sleeping, from Sango but did not settle far from the slayer. The two girls nearly always slept with their bedrolls close to one another.
Miroku stayed where he was. Kagome's observation was certainly worth mulling over. Something might indeed be amiss. He had sensed no demon either, though it must have come close to their camp. If something strange was going on, that might explain the dark mood that seemed to have fallen over the group lately. He shifted uneasily, discomfited. If there was something out there, it was unreasonably subtle and he did not like it.
Time slipped slowly by and the fire began to dwindle down to embers. He watched passively, unable to clear his mind but choosing not to focus on anything in particular. It seemed sleep would elude him this night. He regretted his nocturnal nature, knowing he needed to rest in case something should happen the next day. He leaned backward against the tree he was sitting below and sighed. If he couldn't get to sleep soon, it promised to be a very long night indeed.
-----
"Miroku." He must have dozed off, because he did not remember Sango sneaking over to sit beside him. She looked troubled. "I'm worried about you, Miroku," she continued, glancing modestly away from him. Leave it to Sango to risk her life for him in battle but be shy about showing some concern afterward.
"You should get some rest, Sango." He said it as cheerfully as he could, trying to ignore her proximity. He cursed that he could not be more like Inuyasha and haul his woman off into the forest to make love while the others slept. Unfortunately…
"I could say the same to you, monk."
He turned then, catching her off guard. They stared at each other for a moment before he thought to look away. That was when she did something very surprising: she shifted her weight, leaning toward him in a single fluid motion, until she pressed her lips to his. His eyes went wide. He momentarily caught sight of Sango, cheeks flushed and eyes closed, before returning the kiss.
Her lips parted, allowing him access with his tongue, as she slipped her arms around his neck. He smiled against her lips, pulling her onto his lap before deepening the kiss. It was like a dream. Not only was he kissing Sango – finally! – but she was also not hitting him for the transgression. He didn't waste time wondering what had brought on this sudden change, assuming that it was mainly due to her earlier turmoil, as he cautiously moved a hand lower to rub her butt.
The fabric of her yukata kept her legs trapped together, but he felt himself grow hard at the thought of her straddling his lap while wearing her slayer armor or, better yet, nothing at all. Common sense screamed that it was time to stop this madness before Sango figured out what was going on and brained him with Hiraikotsu, but he couldn't bring himself to pull away from her. One of the arms that had been around his neck shifted, her hand moving to caress down his chest, down to the stiffened arousal between his legs. She grasped at him through is robes, gently massaging. He let out a soft moan.
"Oi, monk."
Miroku's eyes flew open. Inuyasha was peering at him from just inches away, the hanyou's expression a mix of amusement and disgust. Behind him, Sango was sound asleep, one arm flung carelessly over Kirara's small form. He could not see Kagome or Shippo, but had no doubt that they were both still sleeping. In the distance, the sky was just beginning to grow lighter. A dream, then? It wouldn't be the first time.
"Yes, Inuyasha?" He was by now quite skilled at disguising his disappointment.
"Hn." The hanyou looked annoyed. "It'll be time to wake the girls soon. Thought you might want to stop thrashing around and moaning before you embarrass yourself." He grinned suddenly, fangs glinting. "Though on second thought it might be more fun to watch Sango beat you up."
"You have my sincere thanks," Miroku replied amiably. Inuyasha might tease, but wounded pride was much less painful than Sango's fist. As he made his way into the forest, ostensibly after water for cooking breakfast, he heard Inuyasha loudly announce that they would be on their way soon. He could not help but smile. The hanyou might be rough around the edges, but he certainly managed to look out for his friends, even if he did consider certain members of the group entirely too perverted for their own good. If anything, Inuyasha had grown more protective of the group as a whole since he began courting Kagome.
Miroku's good mood evaporated quickly as he moved away from camp. A dream like that, however pleasant, was the last thing he needed right now. Inuyasha may have danced around the subject, but his aim had been to save Miroku the embarrassment of the girls catching him in the midst of a wet dream more than anything else. The monk sighed now, picking his way carefully through the undergrowth. It was just his luck that Sango would only come on to him like that in his dreams, and even then leave him terribly aroused and unsatisfied. Still, it would do him no good at all to be cross with the real Sango, so he made up his mind to be pleasant. That might win him a chance to sit next to Sango at dinner, at least.
What a life, where that was the best he could hope for.
The stream was not far from the campsite, but he walked further than was absolutely necessary just to make sure no one saw anything untoward. Almost without thinking, he rearranged his robes and eased his fingers around his hardened length. He let out a sigh that was half groan as he pumped his hand along the eager flesh. Just thinking back to his dream – and where it might have led, had Inuyasha not interrupted – was enough to put him over the edge and send his seed spurting out and into the dirt along the stream's edge.
That matter settled, he carefully filled the strange plastic vessel with water from the spring, and returned to camp posthaste, only to hear Inuyasha already grousing about the late start. Coming into camp he first noted the conspicuous absence of Sango; Hiraikotsu was leaning up against the tree where she had left it last night and Kirara was watching him with eager red eyes, which meant that Sango had gone off into the forest alone. He almost wished she had gone after him.
Then again, in the interest of self-preservation it was probably for the best that she had not.
Of those that remained, Kagome was strangely silent, but Shippo was adamantly against leaving without breakfast. Miroku had to admit that he would think something was terribly wrong if the two demons did not argue incessantly each morning.
"Now, now," Miroku placated, "If you're going to grumble, you could have gone for water yourself instead of waking me to do it for you." At that Inuyasha huffed, crossed his arms obstinately over his chest, and refused to so much as look at any of the others. His reticence did not bother Miroku. In fact, it was rather to be expected. He might protest, but the sun was still very low in the sky; they had plenty of time.
Kagome, smiling at last, solved the whole problem by producing cups of instant ramen from some hidden pouch within her backpack. She bustled about the camp, setting the water in a small pot to boil over the fire, and doling out a cup of noodles for each person. The immediate change in Inuyasha's behavior was no less astonishing than usual, and all grumbling ceased only to be taken up a few moments later with complaints that the water was taking too long to boil.
Miroku sat down next to Shippo, the young kitsune being remarkably patient, and waited silently for the food to cook. His eyes were focused on the water, waiting with bated breath for the first sign of bubbles; Miroku had to agree that this was the best choice given the situation. Better to say nothing than risk Kagome's wrath at this point.
In less than one day's time, things had gone from suspicious to innocuous and back again. It hardly seemed that anything could be amiss, but Sango's sudden reappearance – in full battle regalia – was a reminder to them all that they needed to be on the alert. She sat next to Kirara, carefully out of reach of Miroku's infamously wandering hands, and gratefully accepted her cup of noodles from Kagome.
The young priestess made a conspicuous show of serving first Sango, then Miroku and Shippo, with the still complaining Inuyasha coming dead last. He did not appear to notice.
They ate in companionable silence, too intent on their meager breakfasts to bother with conversation just yet. There would be plenty of time for that on the road though, predictably, Inuyasha gulped down his entire bowl without so much as pausing for breath. Tossing the empty container carelessly on the ground, he announced, "All right, let's get going."
"Typical," grumbled Shippo, crouching down lower, his face hovering closer to the rim of the ramen cup than before, almost protectively. Miroku could not blame him.
"Inuyasha," he began, struggling for calm. Today was definitely going to be a trying day. He could tell already. "Perhaps it would be wise to be more patient –"
At the same time, Kagome lost her patience. "SIT!"
The resulting faceplant was remarkable. Miroku sighed at having his advice ignored so thoroughly, but glanced sidelong at Sango; the slayer's shoulders slumped in a clear sign of resignation, but she did not look up from her ramen. Focusing on that made it easier to ignore the ridiculous spectacle of Kagome and Inuyasha's latest argument; the strategy seemed to be working for Shippo as well. Unable to suppress a grin, even knowing it would do little for his reputation, Miroku wondered if this argument was intended to provide the excuse for their next excursion into the forest, alone.
Sango must have had a similar thought, for she set her ramen aside unfinished and looked away from the others - Miroku especially. She ran her fingers lightly through Kirara's fur but refused to look at anyone else. Miroku narrowed his eyes. Something was definitely upsetting her. It couldn't be that their conversation from last night was still bothering her, could it?
He had known it would annoy her, but he had not thought that it would affect her so much. Then again, perhaps it was something else entirely that had her so pensive. There was a good chance that it had nothing at all to do with him.
He had hoped to walk next to Sango on their way to the village, but as luck would have it Kagome, with Shippo riding on her shoulder, claimed that spot as soon as they set out and refused to so much as acknowledge Inuyasha's presence.
The rather obvious hint was that Miroku should either try to talk some sense into the hanyou or walk by himself. It was a choice he did not particularly relish. Of course, he himself saw no reason why he could not walk between Kagome and Sango, thereby avoiding Inuyasha's grumpiness altogether. Traveling in the company of two beautiful women was infinitely more enjoyable than the alternative.
Without further comment on the subject, he insinuated himself with Sango on one side and Kagome on the other. The girls were surprisingly tolerant of his presence. They both watched him warily the entire time, as if expecting something untoward.
"I am so misunderstood…"
Chapter One
The forest was strangely, comfortingly silent. Not that Kagome minded.
She clenched her teeth as she stalked away from the camp, following the path of the small stream through the forest. She wasn't really angry – not that angry, at least – but she needed some time to herself. Lately, after a hard day's travel, the inanity of the camp became stifling, threatening to suffocate her. It was an ever-growing frustration within her, and the only outlet was to get away for a while and have some quiet time to herself in which to brood. That was why she had quarreled with Inuyasha so often lately. It was hard to argue with the others, but Inuyasha made it easy with his naturally gruff and too often callous behavior.
The added bonus to arguing with Inuyasha in particular was what happened when he inevitably came after her, though today he was blessedly slow in following. She paused near the edge of a clearing, stretching her arms and arching her back until it popped. While being carried by Inuyasha was better than the alternative, it certainly became uncomfortable after a while. She flinched when something large moved in the shadows nearby, reaching almost instinctively for the bow she had left back at the camp.
"Hey, don't stop on my account," drawled a familiar voice from somewhere in the darkness. "I was just getting a better look."
"Inuyasha," she scolded, though her voice was warm with affection. "Don't sneak up on me like that!" He came closer then, out into the clearing where the waning moon provided just enough light to see him. His golden eyes were focused solely on her. She shivered under the intensity of that gaze.
He was rough when he pulled her to him, his clawed hands clamping her shoulders, forcing her back to arch as he greedily kissed her, but she liked him rough. Although she might never dare say so aloud, least of all where he could hear her, he was her hanyou. It would be utterly unlike him, and utterly boring, if he were as cautious and careful as a human. It was part of him, and part of what had drawn her to him.
So she kissed him back with as much ardor as she could muster, her lips parting willingly to allow his tongue to enter her mouth. Their tongues twisted together; she might almost call it warring for dominance, but the reality was that it just felt good. Already the argument from earlier was forgotten in favor of the much more pleasant physical sensations of now: his hands releasing her shoulders only to snake downward and fondle her breasts through the material of her shirt, his tongue exploring her mouth and rubbing wetly against hers, the silken strands of his hair between her fingers as she moved her hands stealthily toward her target. So close…
She kissed him harder, pressing her chest up against his and drawing a rumbling growl from deep in his throat. At that moment, as fast as she could, she reached up the last short distance and tweaked his ears. Not too hard, just enough to have the desired effect. He made a sound that, coming from anyone else, might have been called a yelp, but his erection surged against her hip where it was pressed into his groin.
Wet heat blossomed between her legs at his insistent touch. It occurred to her that this powerful reaction was due entirely to her. Suddenly her uniform and underwear felt far too confining; she squirmed against him, eager to feel the touch of skin on skin, but he held her tight, grinding his hips slowly against hers. She moaned softly as he ran his tongue down the side of her neck.
He stayed there for a long time, obviously enjoying her vocal and physical reactions to his gentler ministrations, although he maintained a firm grip on her hips to keep her pressed into him. Kagome shivered in his arms, half wondering if he intended to bite or otherwise mark her. Instead he pulled back slightly, just enough that he could reach up under her shirt to massage her breasts. He was careful not to let his claws harm the delicate flesh as he rolled the taut nipples between his fingers.
She was ready for him now – she had no doubt that he could clearly smell the warm scent of her arousal – just as he was ready for her, but he seemed to feel like trying something a little different. Perhaps it was his human blood, which would be rushing through his veins in a few more nights, or perhaps he just wanted a change of pace; she knew he wouldn't waste much time thinking about it, so she chose to follow suit. That wasn't important, this was.
Their unions were customarily brief; after all, they were often in a rush to get back to the group, or just to keep their trysts under wraps as best as possible. But this time, as if by some unspoken agreement, they were going a little slower, drawing things out a bit more, prolonging the pleasure of their mating for as long as possible. There was an urgency and foreboding, too.
Make this last. We're nearing civilization again, and when we get there we can't do this.
Inuyasha ran his tongue along the sensitive flesh of her neck once more before sucking gently; she could feel his lips part in a grin when he felt her shiver again. His hand cupped her breast in just the right way to make her suck in a sudden, deep breath. There were lots of good things about going slow...
The sound of something large and fast charging out of the darkness toward them was most definitely not one of those things. Inuyasha growled, then swore profusely as he hauled Kagome out of the demon's path.
"Wait here," he ordered, depositing her a short distance away. "I'm gonna kill that bastard." He ignored Kagome's shouted plea for him to wait, apparently more intent on destroying the demon that had interrupted his time with his mate than listening to what she had to say.
She knew better than to make a second protest, and resigned herself to waiting. It looked like a boar demon, though she had no idea what might have made it so angry; she had not sensed any youki, and did not think that they were intruding upon its territory. Luckily, it was a weak demon, and not very intelligent. Inuyasha easily dodged its attacks, slipping past its feeble defenses to deliver the deathblow almost as soon as he had left Kagome's side.
"Keh, that was too easy."
Kagome felt her anger surge again. What, was it just some game for him? "Inuyasha!" Her voice was shriller than she had intended, more angry than frustrated. Inuyasha's ears flattened against his head. "How could you just leave me here like this? I don't have a weapon. If that thing had charged me -"
"I'd have killed it long before it could reach you," he cut in. So far as she was concerned, he should be glad she hadn't sat him. Not yet, anyway. If anything was guaranteed to kill the mood, it was that. "Come on, let's get away from this thing," he muttered, eyeing the demon's corpse with annoyance.
He scooped her into his arms and took off into the forest. After an initial, wordless protest, Kagome lapsed into a thoughtful silence. Inuyasha did not immediately make a move, still wary of her anger, and probably all too aware of the dead boar.
He ran for a few minutes, the two of them nearly flying through the dark forest, before lust got the better of him. She had only an instant's warning before she was in his arms again, barely recognizing that he'd first set her down as he kissed the top of her head. "Inuyasha?"
He grunted in response.
"Don't you think we've been running into lots of demons lately? There's no sign of Naraku, but there seem to be demons everywhere... and they don't seem to be after our jewel shards at all..." He squeezed her a little tighter, as if closer contact might distract her from her musings. It was mostly futile.
"I think it's important," she fretted. "We should see what Sango and Miroku think."
"We've got something more important to take care of just now," Inuyasha murmured, moving his hips against hers suggestively. "You can talk to them when you finish what you started."
Before she could protest, he claimed her mouth in a forceful kiss. She struggled at first, determined that duty should take precedence, but when one of his hands slipped up under her skirt to gently stroke her through her underwear, she gave a small moan and opened up to his embrace.
-----
It was some time later that Kagome returned to the camp. Miroku cracked an eye open, watching her wake Sango. She was disheveled, just as he had expected, but there was no sign of Inuyasha. Odd.
"Is something the matter Kagome?" he asked, forcing himself to focus on Kagome and not the enticingly bleary-eyed Sango. Kagome's lips were slightly swollen and her hair was mussed; he could not help but think that those features would look equally beautiful on Sango, if not more so. Especially if he was the cause.
Seeing his leer, though misjudging his thoughts (then again, perhaps not), both the girls glared at him.
"Do you think we've run into a lot of demons in this area?" Kagome asked, suddenly sober. "I mean it seems weird. I was attacked by a boar demon –"
"A boar demon? Kagome, you can't keep running off like that," Sango admonished. "Without your bow, you have no way to defend yourself."
Kagome frowned. It was clear that she knew this already and did not entirely appreciate Sango's input on the matter. "Inuyasha saved me. And besides, that's not the point. I didn't sense any demonic aura. It was just suddenly there, with no warning at all. Do you think it might have been something to do with Naraku?" Miroku watched her with a smirk. He had a feeling Inuyasha had done more than just rescue her from a demon.
"I haven't noticed anything unusual," Sango murmured.
Miroku was silent for a long time, thinking, until he realized that the girls were looking at him expectantly. Their expressions were slowly shifting from expectation to disapproval. "Well, I have noticed an –"
Inuyasha had returned to the camp at just that moment to announce, "There's a village close by. We'll head there first thing tomorrow and see if the villagers know anything." Inuyasha's timely entrance had handily spared Miroku from finishing his observation.
"Have you been exploring, Inuyasha?" he asked instead.
"Hn. Somebody has to, since apparently nobody can sense the demons around here. You guys get some rest. I'll keep watch tonight. We'll head out at dawn." With that, he disappeared back into the trees, taking up his customary watchdog position in the darkness above the camp. Sango looked to Kagome and the two seemed to come to a wordless accord, both moving to bed down for the night.
Kagome gently took Shippo, who was still sleeping, from Sango but did not settle far from the slayer. The two girls nearly always slept with their bedrolls close to one another.
Miroku stayed where he was. Kagome's observation was certainly worth mulling over. Something might indeed be amiss. He had sensed no demon either, though it must have come close to their camp. If something strange was going on, that might explain the dark mood that seemed to have fallen over the group lately. He shifted uneasily, discomfited. If there was something out there, it was unreasonably subtle and he did not like it.
Time slipped slowly by and the fire began to dwindle down to embers. He watched passively, unable to clear his mind but choosing not to focus on anything in particular. It seemed sleep would elude him this night. He regretted his nocturnal nature, knowing he needed to rest in case something should happen the next day. He leaned backward against the tree he was sitting below and sighed. If he couldn't get to sleep soon, it promised to be a very long night indeed.
-----
"Miroku." He must have dozed off, because he did not remember Sango sneaking over to sit beside him. She looked troubled. "I'm worried about you, Miroku," she continued, glancing modestly away from him. Leave it to Sango to risk her life for him in battle but be shy about showing some concern afterward.
"You should get some rest, Sango." He said it as cheerfully as he could, trying to ignore her proximity. He cursed that he could not be more like Inuyasha and haul his woman off into the forest to make love while the others slept. Unfortunately…
"I could say the same to you, monk."
He turned then, catching her off guard. They stared at each other for a moment before he thought to look away. That was when she did something very surprising: she shifted her weight, leaning toward him in a single fluid motion, until she pressed her lips to his. His eyes went wide. He momentarily caught sight of Sango, cheeks flushed and eyes closed, before returning the kiss.
Her lips parted, allowing him access with his tongue, as she slipped her arms around his neck. He smiled against her lips, pulling her onto his lap before deepening the kiss. It was like a dream. Not only was he kissing Sango – finally! – but she was also not hitting him for the transgression. He didn't waste time wondering what had brought on this sudden change, assuming that it was mainly due to her earlier turmoil, as he cautiously moved a hand lower to rub her butt.
The fabric of her yukata kept her legs trapped together, but he felt himself grow hard at the thought of her straddling his lap while wearing her slayer armor or, better yet, nothing at all. Common sense screamed that it was time to stop this madness before Sango figured out what was going on and brained him with Hiraikotsu, but he couldn't bring himself to pull away from her. One of the arms that had been around his neck shifted, her hand moving to caress down his chest, down to the stiffened arousal between his legs. She grasped at him through is robes, gently massaging. He let out a soft moan.
"Oi, monk."
Miroku's eyes flew open. Inuyasha was peering at him from just inches away, the hanyou's expression a mix of amusement and disgust. Behind him, Sango was sound asleep, one arm flung carelessly over Kirara's small form. He could not see Kagome or Shippo, but had no doubt that they were both still sleeping. In the distance, the sky was just beginning to grow lighter. A dream, then? It wouldn't be the first time.
"Yes, Inuyasha?" He was by now quite skilled at disguising his disappointment.
"Hn." The hanyou looked annoyed. "It'll be time to wake the girls soon. Thought you might want to stop thrashing around and moaning before you embarrass yourself." He grinned suddenly, fangs glinting. "Though on second thought it might be more fun to watch Sango beat you up."
"You have my sincere thanks," Miroku replied amiably. Inuyasha might tease, but wounded pride was much less painful than Sango's fist. As he made his way into the forest, ostensibly after water for cooking breakfast, he heard Inuyasha loudly announce that they would be on their way soon. He could not help but smile. The hanyou might be rough around the edges, but he certainly managed to look out for his friends, even if he did consider certain members of the group entirely too perverted for their own good. If anything, Inuyasha had grown more protective of the group as a whole since he began courting Kagome.
Miroku's good mood evaporated quickly as he moved away from camp. A dream like that, however pleasant, was the last thing he needed right now. Inuyasha may have danced around the subject, but his aim had been to save Miroku the embarrassment of the girls catching him in the midst of a wet dream more than anything else. The monk sighed now, picking his way carefully through the undergrowth. It was just his luck that Sango would only come on to him like that in his dreams, and even then leave him terribly aroused and unsatisfied. Still, it would do him no good at all to be cross with the real Sango, so he made up his mind to be pleasant. That might win him a chance to sit next to Sango at dinner, at least.
What a life, where that was the best he could hope for.
The stream was not far from the campsite, but he walked further than was absolutely necessary just to make sure no one saw anything untoward. Almost without thinking, he rearranged his robes and eased his fingers around his hardened length. He let out a sigh that was half groan as he pumped his hand along the eager flesh. Just thinking back to his dream – and where it might have led, had Inuyasha not interrupted – was enough to put him over the edge and send his seed spurting out and into the dirt along the stream's edge.
That matter settled, he carefully filled the strange plastic vessel with water from the spring, and returned to camp posthaste, only to hear Inuyasha already grousing about the late start. Coming into camp he first noted the conspicuous absence of Sango; Hiraikotsu was leaning up against the tree where she had left it last night and Kirara was watching him with eager red eyes, which meant that Sango had gone off into the forest alone. He almost wished she had gone after him.
Then again, in the interest of self-preservation it was probably for the best that she had not.
Of those that remained, Kagome was strangely silent, but Shippo was adamantly against leaving without breakfast. Miroku had to admit that he would think something was terribly wrong if the two demons did not argue incessantly each morning.
"Now, now," Miroku placated, "If you're going to grumble, you could have gone for water yourself instead of waking me to do it for you." At that Inuyasha huffed, crossed his arms obstinately over his chest, and refused to so much as look at any of the others. His reticence did not bother Miroku. In fact, it was rather to be expected. He might protest, but the sun was still very low in the sky; they had plenty of time.
Kagome, smiling at last, solved the whole problem by producing cups of instant ramen from some hidden pouch within her backpack. She bustled about the camp, setting the water in a small pot to boil over the fire, and doling out a cup of noodles for each person. The immediate change in Inuyasha's behavior was no less astonishing than usual, and all grumbling ceased only to be taken up a few moments later with complaints that the water was taking too long to boil.
Miroku sat down next to Shippo, the young kitsune being remarkably patient, and waited silently for the food to cook. His eyes were focused on the water, waiting with bated breath for the first sign of bubbles; Miroku had to agree that this was the best choice given the situation. Better to say nothing than risk Kagome's wrath at this point.
In less than one day's time, things had gone from suspicious to innocuous and back again. It hardly seemed that anything could be amiss, but Sango's sudden reappearance – in full battle regalia – was a reminder to them all that they needed to be on the alert. She sat next to Kirara, carefully out of reach of Miroku's infamously wandering hands, and gratefully accepted her cup of noodles from Kagome.
The young priestess made a conspicuous show of serving first Sango, then Miroku and Shippo, with the still complaining Inuyasha coming dead last. He did not appear to notice.
They ate in companionable silence, too intent on their meager breakfasts to bother with conversation just yet. There would be plenty of time for that on the road though, predictably, Inuyasha gulped down his entire bowl without so much as pausing for breath. Tossing the empty container carelessly on the ground, he announced, "All right, let's get going."
"Typical," grumbled Shippo, crouching down lower, his face hovering closer to the rim of the ramen cup than before, almost protectively. Miroku could not blame him.
"Inuyasha," he began, struggling for calm. Today was definitely going to be a trying day. He could tell already. "Perhaps it would be wise to be more patient –"
At the same time, Kagome lost her patience. "SIT!"
The resulting faceplant was remarkable. Miroku sighed at having his advice ignored so thoroughly, but glanced sidelong at Sango; the slayer's shoulders slumped in a clear sign of resignation, but she did not look up from her ramen. Focusing on that made it easier to ignore the ridiculous spectacle of Kagome and Inuyasha's latest argument; the strategy seemed to be working for Shippo as well. Unable to suppress a grin, even knowing it would do little for his reputation, Miroku wondered if this argument was intended to provide the excuse for their next excursion into the forest, alone.
Sango must have had a similar thought, for she set her ramen aside unfinished and looked away from the others - Miroku especially. She ran her fingers lightly through Kirara's fur but refused to look at anyone else. Miroku narrowed his eyes. Something was definitely upsetting her. It couldn't be that their conversation from last night was still bothering her, could it?
He had known it would annoy her, but he had not thought that it would affect her so much. Then again, perhaps it was something else entirely that had her so pensive. There was a good chance that it had nothing at all to do with him.
He had hoped to walk next to Sango on their way to the village, but as luck would have it Kagome, with Shippo riding on her shoulder, claimed that spot as soon as they set out and refused to so much as acknowledge Inuyasha's presence.
The rather obvious hint was that Miroku should either try to talk some sense into the hanyou or walk by himself. It was a choice he did not particularly relish. Of course, he himself saw no reason why he could not walk between Kagome and Sango, thereby avoiding Inuyasha's grumpiness altogether. Traveling in the company of two beautiful women was infinitely more enjoyable than the alternative.
Without further comment on the subject, he insinuated himself with Sango on one side and Kagome on the other. The girls were surprisingly tolerant of his presence. They both watched him warily the entire time, as if expecting something untoward.
"I am so misunderstood…"