InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Succubus Wife ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.

 

Citrus Warning (For entire story)

 

*******************

 

Stepping into the terminal, Dante pulled the sunglass from his face. He felt weird wearing them so early in the morning. Folding them, he carefully slid them into his right pant pocket. People walked past him, some casting annoyed glances over their shoulders at the uncouth fool standing still as they passed. He ignored them, instead focusing on his new surroundings. Even though the airport looked nearly identical to other airports, he welcomed the openness. After nearly sixteen hours in coach crammed between two large gentlemen, even the uniformity of the airport was a blessing.

 

An announcement over the speakers brought him back to reality. First, the woman relayed the message in Japanese before switching over to flawless English. He took a deep breath. “So this is Japan.”

 

Moving with the rest of the crowd, Dante headed towards the baggage area. He had always been interested in ancient Asian cultures and had visited many different countries over the years, yet never had the pleasure of visiting this one.. Unfortunately, there would be little time for sightseeing; he had business to attend to.

 

After a twenty minute wait, he was able to collect his luggage and head towards the south exit. He was almost at the door when he noticed a large blonde man holding up a small sign that read Dante Rizzo. He sighed, shaking his head slowly. I said I didn't want anything fancy. What's wrong with getting a cab? He did wish he had taken the offer for first-class seating on the flight over. He had forgotten that coach seats provided very little leg room.

 

“I'm Dante,” he said, stepping up to the man with the sign.

 

“It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Rizzo. My name is Erik. I was told to help you get settled in. Anything you need - let me know - and I'll make it happen.”

 

Dante narrowed his eyes. He knew full well why the man was here. “I don't need a babysitter.”

 

Erik gave him a broad smile. From the look of him, Dante guessed the broad-shouldered man was Russian. The higher-ups were seemingly obsessed with having them as the muscle of the organization. With his hair shaved close to his head and his muscular form, he certainly fit the stereotype for a bodyguard.

 

“You're an important man in the organization. They want to ensure your unique skills are protected.”

 

“I take it you are fully briefed on my visit then?” Dante asked, shifting his bag from his left hand to his right.

 

“Yes sir,” Erik said, taking the bag from Dante.

 

“Then you should know better than anyone I don't need someone to protect me.”

 

“Sorry sir, I'm just following orders. In the unlikely case something did happen to you…”

 

Dante nodded, understanding the man's reluctance to leave him alone. While it was unlikely that something would happen to him, Erik's punishment would be quite severe if something did happen. “Then lead the way,” he said, gesturing towards the exit.

 

Erik nodded and moved towards the door with Dante close behind. Outside was a limo. Opening the door, Erik motioned for him to enter. Frowning, Dante slid inside and the door quickly closed behind him. There was a thump as the trunk slammed shut. Seconds later, he heard Erik enter the driver's seat.

 

“So how long have you been here?” Dante asked.

 

Erik pulled the limo smoothly from its parked spot and towards the exit. “Three years,” the man answered, head locked forward.

 

“You like it here?” Dante could see the large man's smile in the rearview mirror.

 

“The women here are nice, if you like them small.”

 

Wonderful, Dante thought sarcastically. Luckily, he was after bigger game than local women. He glanced out the tinted window as they left the airport's loading area, briefly wondering if the limo was going to be able to fit on the road.

 

“I can introduce you to some good places if you're interested,” Erik continued, eyeing him through the rear-view mirror.

 

“No thanks,” Dante answered, politely shaking his head as he held his hands up. I'll have plenty of that in the days to come. He sighed. The flight had exhausted him more than he thought it would. “How far is the hotel?”

 

“Thirty minutes or so, depending on traffic. At this time of day, it should only be twenty.”

 

“Can you wake me when we get there?”

 

“Yes sir.”

 

“Great.” Dante closed his eyes, scooting down in the big leather seat. As he drifted off to sleep, his mind was filled with thoughts of things to come.

 

*******************

 

Inuyasha awoke to find he was alone in bed. Even though Kagome didn't need sleep, she still kept him company at night, cuddling against him until morning. The fact that her usual spot in bed was cold meant she either got up early or never came back after their argument. He guessed the latter.

 

Rolling out from the covers, he rested his feet against the cold wood floor. A shiver ran up his body, temporarily relieving him of his grogginess. Standing, he shuffled towards the bathroom, running his hand over his face. Giving his right shoulder a firm kneading, he slowly spun his arm in wide circles. All his muscles seemed stiffer than usual, even after Kagome ate. Stepping into the bathroom, he hit the light as he closed the door behind him. He rolled his neck slowly as he stared into the mirror, frowning. With black rings under his eyes and his face paler than normal, he looked like crap. Groaning, he turned the faucet on before splashing his face with cool water to perk him up before turning the shower on.

 

He didn't fight with Kagome often. They had their problems, but Kagome had the patience of a saint. She kept her calm and talked things out with him. It was hard for him to stay angry when she didn't yell back at him. The fact that she was almost always in the right didn't help either.

 

Letting the hot water wash over him, he rested a hand against the cold shower tile. I shouldn't have said that… His mind replayed the argument over and over. `Then why did you marry me?' Her words still echoed in his head. He hadn't meant it like that, and it was a good thing Yumi had entered the room before his anger made him do or say something he would really regret. For his entire life, he had been conditioned to believe that, as a man, it was his responsibility to protect his family. If either Kagome or Yumi were in danger he would do anything to ensure their safety. But after all he had seen in his travels, all he had learned about Kagome's world and the people who lived in it, he knew that even his best was far from adequate to protect either of them. If something were to happen, there was little he could do to stop it; and the thought frightened him.

 

If we just keep our distance… He took a deep breath. That dream was fading fast, and the reality that it was a dream was something he needed to accept. As much as he wanted to deny it, the simple fact remained that both he and his family would never be the `normal' family he had been raised in. Yumi would never have a childhood like his and he would never get to experience the type of fatherhood his father experienced. She would never go to school and make friends. She would never get the chance to cause trouble for her teachers. He wouldn't go to parent-teacher conferences or visit the classroom. He would never get to help her with her homework or other little things like that.

 

Shutting off the water, he stood motionless, letting the water slowly drip off him. Kagome was right, like she usually was. Yumi was special and though he didn't like admitting it, he was in no real position to make decisions on how to raise her. He didn't know demons existed until he met Kagome and even after all these years, there were still many things he didn't know. He needed to trust Kagome's judgment on the best way to raise Yumi. Something I should have just done from the start.

 

Stepping out of the shower, he nearly collapsed as his legs shook weakly under him. Grabbing the door for support, he looked down in surprise, his strength returning as quickly as it faded. Cautiously, he released his grip on the door as he put weight back on his legs.

 

“That was weird,” he muttered, shaking his head as he reached for the towel. Kagome must have been really hungry. He took a deep breath at the thought, releasing it slowly. Another thing I have to work on. The fact that she took so much made him realize just how hungry she had been and how distant he had become. Before, he would have recognized the signs that she was beginning to weaken before she said anything.

 

After drying himself, he moved from the bathroom to the closet. Changing into jeans and a white t-shirt, he moved towards the dresser where his cell phone rested. Opening it, he held down the speed-dial. After five rings, someone answered.

 

“Yeah?” Sango whispered with a hoarse voice. From how much she had been drinking when he left, her hangover must be terrible.

 

“Sorry for calling you so early, but I wanted to ask you if I could take a couple days off.”

 

There was a pause where Inuyasha imagined Sango blinking owlishly. “It's Sunday. We don't work on Sunday.”

 

“I mean this week.” There was another pause. “Sango?”

 

“Yeah? Sorry.” There was yet another quick pause. “Of course you can. Take as many days as you need. Miroku and I can handle things for awhile.”

 

“You sure?”

 

“Inuyasha… Take a few days… Spend them with your family. Please.”

 

“I will.”

 

There was a faint groan in the background. “Ugh. Hanging up.” The line went dead.

 

Closing the phone, Inuyasha took a deep breath as he eyed the bedroom door anxiously. Now the hard part... Leaving the bedroom, he slowly crept down the hall before peaking in the kitchen. Kagome stood at the stove cooking. Yumi sat at the table, looking up as he appeared in the doorway. Her face lit up and she opened her mouth as Inuyasha pressed a finger to his lips. With a massive grin, Yumi nodded in understanding as he crept into the kitchen. Stepping behind Kagome, he slowly slid his arms around her waist. Before he could completely encircle her, she spun to the side, stepping out of his arms and moving beside Yumi.

 

“Eat up,” she said, sliding the scrambled eggs onto Yumi's plate.

 

She's still mad, Inuyasha thought as Kagome brushed past him to grab the toast and set it on the plate.

 

“Kagome I—”

 

“Make sure you eat all of it,” Kagome said, ignoring Inuyasha as she ruffled Yumi's hair. Inuyasha quickly followed Kagome out of the kitchen, hoping to get the chance to talk. Unfortunately, she didn't seem to be in the talking mood as she didn't slow her pace as she moved down the hall.

 

“Kagome, I'm sorry,” he said, reaching for her arm. He stopped, almost running into her as she spun around to face him. “Last night, I didn't mean—”

 

“Yes you did,” she said curtly.

 

He thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully. “Last night was bad.”

 

“You think?”

 

He ignored her snide comment and continued. “Can we please just talk about this? Yesterday was a long day. I was tired and having all that suddenly dumped on me…” He took a deep breath. “Look, I'm really sorry.”

 

She continued to stare at him, anger still etched into her face. Throat tightening, he stood frozen as the seconds slowly ticked by. Finally, her face softened as she released a heavy sigh and looked down. “I'm sorry too. I should have talked to you about things, not Sango.” Relaxing, he reached out to hug her only to have his hands swatted away. “This doesn't mean I'm not angry with you anymore.”

 

“It doesn't?”

 

She shook her head. “You're sleeping on the couch tonight.”

 

“What?!” A thin smile formed on her face, she turned and continued off down the hall. “But you don't even need the bed!” he cried. “Wait! Kag-o-me!”

 

*******************

 

Sango dropped the phone as soon as she hit the disconnect button, causing it to clatter nosily on the floor. The loud noise echoed in her head, pounding against the inside of her skull. Groaning in misery, she grabbed at her temples as she rolled onto her back, the ceiling spinning above her. As the pain in her head gradually subsided, she began to notice the cold air of the apartment against her skin. Eyes closed, she lazily ran her hand down her body, confirming she wasn't wearing clothes.

 

Why is the air conditioning on? She thought, noticing the low hum that reverberated through the room. Opening her eyes, she carefully pushed herself to a sitting position, her right hand against her forehead in an attempt to keep her brain from jumping out of her skull. What the hell happened last night? She closed her eyes and tried to think back. They were all at the bar celebrating the merger. She and Miroku were drinking… and things got fuzzy from there.

 

Looking down at her nude form, she found some trace of the previous night's activities dried on her stomach and legs. Among the clothing scattered around the apartment, she found no evidence of used condoms, meaning Miroku hadn't used any… again. She couldn't get angry however as a wave of nausea quickly washed over her. Holding her hand against her chest and closing her eyes, she took long, deep breaths, trying to calm her upset stomach and keep its contents where it belonged. After several seconds of the breathing exercise, the urge to puke faded. Opening her eyes, she made plans to move to the bathroom when something caught her eye. Frowning, she leaned forward with a shaky arm to lift it from the floor. Bringing it to her face, she studied the black bra. A chill ran through her that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. Her mind, once groggy from the sleep and hangover, kicked into gear as she noticed the size. Dropping the bra, she looked around in shock. That's not mine!

 

Shakily getting to her feet, she stumbled over loose clothing and tried to keep her balance as she half walked, half tripped to the tiny bedroom she shared with Miroku. As she expected, Miroku lay passed out across the bed, face down and completely nude. What she didn't expect was another woman. Like her, the woman was completely naked, a content look on her face as she slept comfortably with Miroku's arm draped across her stomach. While she still couldn't remember the exact events of the night, she could begin putting pieces together of what had happened. Clenching her fists, she fought to keep calm, the sudden movement causing the nausea to return after the initial shock receded. She knew she shouldn't be angry at finding another woman in bed with Miroku. It wasn't the first time she had shared Miroku in their long, and complex, relationship. But those were few and far between, the last being several months ago when their relationship had been more open. Not to mention he hadn't—She stopped herself, quickly pushing the thought away. She didn't want to think about that. Not right now. In a way, it was her fault their relationship was breaking down. Right now, she didn't want to acknowledge that. Instead, she focused on the woman. It irritated her how obvious it was who had dominated Miroku's attention last night. Only after the initial revelation had faded did Sango realize she knew the woman.

 

Of all the women at the bar, it just had to be Avery, she thought, beginning to shake her head before the nausea caused her to stop. She settled on resting a hand against her forehead. Now things are going to be awkward… We still have to work with her! It was true that they had signed all the preliminary papers, but there were specifications to the software that had to be completed. Once that was finished, the final papers would be signed and the software and payment would be exchanged. All the communication between the two companies would be handled by one person: Avery Hurst.

 

Leaving the two to continue sleeping, she headed for the bathroom. It was a cramped apartment for two people, but the fact they had their own shower made it worthwhile. She felt a little better with the lukewarm water soothing her skin, even though it did little to help her pounding head. As quickly as her body would allow her, she cleaned herself off and shut off the water. It was lucky if one person had hot water. With three, someone was going to have to suffer through an ice-cold shower.

 

Sneaking back into the bedroom, she grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of sweats from the dresser and threw them on. Rubbing her arms, she turned the air conditioning off before stepping into the small kitchen to make breakfast. Scratching her head, she glanced inside the refrigerator to take stock of what they had. Besides a supply of bottled water, it was nearly barren. That's right… I haven't been shopping lately. She closed the door, casting an annoyed glare back at the bedroom. He could pick up groceries every now and then. After nearly a minute of rummaging through the kitchen, she scrounged up a few eggs and some bread.

 

“Um…” The voice caused Sango to jump and spin around in surprise. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you,” Avery said in a subdued voice as she held a shirt against her chest. Sango recognized it as one of hers. It didn't hide much.

 

“Morning,” Sango said, trying to clear the awkward atmosphere by keeping her tone casual. “The bathroom is over there if you want to take a shower and get cleaned up.”

 

“Uh… thanks,” she said, looking around in embarrassment at the clothes scattered over the floor.

 

“I'll lend you some clean clothes,” Sango said quickly as the other woman began collecting her clothes from the floor. She let her eyes sink to the other woman's chest in envy. Sango knew she had a slightly above average bust, especially in Japan. Avery on the other hand…

 

Nodding, Avery collected her clothes and headed for the bathroom. Sango took a break from the kitchen to get a large t-shirt and her biggest pair of jeans. Holding the pants in the air, she bit her lower lip. This should be long enough. The problem wasn't the waist, but the height. Avery was a few inches taller. Folding them, she knocked gently on the bathroom door before opening it slightly, setting the clothes on the floor.

 

“Thank you,” Avery said from the shower.

 

“Sure,” Sango answered before quickly retreating back to the kitchen. I hope she likes her eggs scrambled. Splitting the eggs evenly between two plates and stacking a few pieces of toast on them, she carried the plates to the small table. The eggs were gone, meaning Miroku would be stuck eating toast. Like he deserves anything better, she thought angrily. She spent the next few minutes cleaning clothes and other articles off the floor and tossing them onto the couch before settling down in her spot. Avery appeared moments later, her hair still wet from the shower.

 

“I made some breakfast. Sorry it's not much. I wasn't expecting guests.”

 

The woman blushed as she hurried over to the table, sitting across from her. “No it's fine! Thanks… for everything. I'm sorry for imposing.” She bowed her head slightly towards Sango. The resulting silence stretched out as the two began to eat. Sango studied her carefully as she ate. Looking up, Avery noticed her stare and reddened. “S-something wrong?”

 

“Ah, sorry,” Sango said, quickly looking down at her food. She resisted the urge to sigh. This is every bit as awkward as I imagined it would be. “I was just thinking you don't seem to have much of a hangover.”

 

Avery smiled shyly. “I didn't drink as much as you two.”

 

“I suppose you remember what happened last night?” She watched as Avery's face turned a deep red.

 

“You don't?”

 

“Not a thing. The last thing I remember, we were still in the bar.” She paused for a few seconds before continuing. “I can only guess.”

 

Her tone must have seemed angry, because Avery's eyes widened as she bowed her head again, deeper this time. “I'm really sorry about this. I—we were drunk, but I was sober enough to say no if I wanted but—”

 

“Woh there, slow down! I'm not angry.”

 

Avery looked up, surprised. “You're not?”

 

“No. This isn't the first time.”

 

“It's not?” She seemed genuinely surprised. It looked as though she was about to say more when she snapped her mouth shut.

 

“Something wrong? You're not acting like your normal self.” Or at least, like you were yesterday when I met you.

 

“I'm just… this…” She gestured towards Sango and herself. Sango knew it wasn't directed at her.

 

“First time?”

 

Avery nodded slowly. “Never have I thought I would be involved in something like this. I've been with married men before, but not when their wives were in the room.”

 

“Oh, we're not married,” Sango said quickly, waving the statement away.

 

“I thought he said—”

 

Sango shook her head, smiling as she gritted her teeth. Her headache was getting better, but the movement of her head still made her stomach queasy. Now loaded with food, the last thing she wanted was to throw up. Sango fought to keep her emotions in check, biting softly at the inside of her cheek. She was still trying to get over the fact the closed relationship she had enjoyed and built with Miroku over the past several months had just completely collapsed in a single night.

 

“Is something wrong?” Avery asked suddenly, interrupting her thoughts.

 

“Hmm? Did you say something? I was in my own little world there,” she said a little too quickly.

 

Avery was silent for a moment, a look of concern etched into the soft features of her face. She sensed something worrying Sango. “You love him, don't you?”

 

Sango nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

 

“I'm sorry,” she said, looking away.

 

“So am I…”

 

*******************

 

Miroku woke nearly an hour after Avery left. Sango was sitting on the couch watching TV as he casually strolled into the room. At least he has enough sense to put something on first, she thought as he pulled at the waistband of his boxers.

 

Glancing around, his attention focused on the kitchen. “You make breakfast?”

 

“Yes,” she answered dryly, staring at him. Without looking, she tapped the remote, silencing the TV. I hate how he never seems to get hangovers. Her head was fine now, but her stomach was still a little queasy.

 

“Great! What is it?” he asked as he wandered into the kitchen.

 

“We already ate it.”

 

Miroku glanced over his shoulder. “What's with the attitude?”

 

She shot to her feet. “You know what it is,” she growled. “I thought we were past this! Besides, Avery?! Of all the women in the bar, you pick Avery?!”

 

“What's your problem?” he asked defensively, taking a step back.

 

“I should be asking you that! What were you thinking?”

 

“Calm down. There's no reason for you to get so angry. It's not like this is the first time.” A small smirk appeared. “Besides, you were quite into it last night.”

 

“Damn it Miroku, things are different now!”

 

“Are they?!” Sango's eyes widened, taken aback by his sudden outburst. “Because I seem to be out of the loop on this fucking relationship! You said you wanted a serious relationship. We moved in together, stopped seeing other people and I focused all my attention on you. I did my share. I thought you were happy.”

 

“I am happy! Why can't you be satisfied with just me? Is it really that much better bringing another woman into bed?”

 

“Being satisfied isn't the issue here. I think I more than proved I was perfectly satisfied with you.”

 

“Then why was she here?”

 

“I thought the answer was obvious.”

 

She gave him a look of disgust. “If you think I'm going to let other women into our relationship—”

 

“You'll what? Break up with me? Move out? The doors right there!” he yelled, pointing towards the door.

 

Tears began to form. “To say that so easily…”

 

“Well what else do you want from me? You keep giving me mixed signals! You say you want something to last. I put myself out there and what I offered was about as long as it's going to get. You're the one who said no.”

 

His words were soaked in grief, stabbing her chest as she watched the anger in his face turn to anguish. Buried memories of his proposal flooded back to her. She diverted her eyes, unable to meet his. “There are reasons,” she answered softly.

 

“I don't suppose you could share?” The anger in his voice was back. He clicked his tongue in disappointment as she shook her head. “Of course not. You know, maybe it was a good thing you said no. Obviously, our relationship isn't where I thought it was.” He stormed off towards the bedroom.

 

“It's not like that!” she cried out, following him. He only shook his head in response. “It's something I have to work out… from my past.”

 

He paused, only one leg in his jeans as he looked up at her. He straightened slightly, his attention more on her than his clothing. “Whatever it is, I can help.”

 

She shook her head. “No, you can't. It's something I have to work out myself.”

 

He frowned. “Don't say I can't help without at least telling me what the problem is first.”

 

She remained silent. I know you can't help because I don't even know how to fix it. Not to mention she didn't actually want to talk about it, especially not with him. She had spent years trying to forget everything that had happened to her in the past. For the most part, she had succeeded. There were only a few times where her past haunted her dreams, and even those had ceased after moving in with Miroku. Unfortunately, not all of her past could be casually swept under a rug and forgotten. Only after getting serious with Miroku did she realize she needed to bring her old life to a close—completely. Until then, she would never be able to be with him like she wanted, not without putting his life in danger.

 

“I… can't,” she answered after a long silence.

 

A look of disappointment crossed his features as he finished putting on his jeans. Grabbing a t-shirt and socks from the dresser, he pushed past her, literally bumping her out of the way. “Wait, where are you going?” she asked as he quickly pulled on his socks and shoes at the door.

 

Pulling a shirt on over his head, he glanced over his shoulder as he opened the door. “Out,” he replied before slamming the door shut behind him.

 

*******************

 

Inuyasha smiled, giving Yumi a small wave as she wildly flung her arms above her after climbing the top of one of the metal climbing structures. Lowering his hand, he crossed his arms, watching as Yumi easily slid through the gaps in the metal and fell into the center of the hollow structure before rushing off towards another part of the playground, several boys hot on her heels.

 

“Is that your daughter?” a woman asked, moving up beside him.

 

He glanced over at her in surprise, not expecting to be approached by one of the numerous mothers who stood at the edges of the playground. They seemed to have their own circles, talking amongst themselves. Being the only adult male here, he felt out of place. Still, he didn't regret coming. Not only was he spending time with Yumi, he was giving Kagome some space. Despite his insistent nagging about the subject, she still refused to talk to him about the fight, saying that they would discuss it `after they've cooled down.'

 

“Yes,” Inuyasha answered awkwardly, not quite sure why the woman had broken from her small group to talk to him.

 

“She's quite charming. My son is one of the boys chasing her,” she explained quickly. “This isn't the first time I've seen her here. Usually, a woman brings her…”

 

“My wife,” he said with a smile.

 

A brief emotion passed over her face. Inuyasha recognized it as jealousy. Obviously, Kagome wasn't thought of too fondly in this particular area. It wasn't hard to imagine why. While they all still had their charm, some more than others, it was obvious they were all starting to tack on years. Kagome on the other hand…

 

The woman's smile returned. “She must be quite a handful with so many boys chasing after her.”

 

For a second, Inuyasha was confused about who she was talking about before realizing the woman was talking about Yumi. “Ah, yes. She can be quite the little demon,” Inuyasha said with a knowing smile. Though I'm sure her mother is just as popular. Neither were pleasant thoughts. He suddenly wanted the conversation to end. It wasn't that he disliked talking to her; it just felt weird. Come on Miroku. Where are you? He glanced around, as if his friend would magically appear when if summoned. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. After calling me out like this, he could at least be on time. For now, he had to put up with the woman.

 

“Enjoy her now. Once they get to be teenagers…” The woman shook her head sadly. “I hear it only gets worse.”

 

He chuckled nervously. “I can only imagine.”

 

“Well, I'm sure you'll be fine. Your daughter is quite intelligent, brilliant even. My son is always talking about her and the things she says.”

 

Inuyasha shifted anxiously. That was something he definitely didn't want to hear. Both he and Kagome had yet to sit down with her and explain how and why she was so special—and how she was stronger than the other kids at the playground. Still, that didn't mean that she hadn't overheard them at some point. He knew kids had the habit of repeating everything they said. Not that most parents would believe any of it. Even still, there were people out there who would and, even worse, knew just how important someone like Yumi was.

 

“I hope it's nothing bad,” Inuyasha said, carefully picking his words.

 

“Oh no! It's quite the opposite in fact! I'm surprised she knows so much for her age. Yumi is an excellent influence on my Nobu. Do you have her enrolled somewhere?”

 

He relaxed slightly. “No. My wife teaches her at home.”

 

“I see. Does your wife teach?”

 

“No, but she has a passion for learning. It's obvious who Yumi took after in that department.”

 

“Looks too,” the woman added, her voice lower than it normally was. “I can already tell that she's going to grow up to be quite a stunning young lady.” There was a slight pause as she gave him a sly smile. “Unfortunately for you.”

 

Inuyasha gave an uneasy laugh as another voice interrupted. “Hey, there you are,” Miroku said, jogging up to where the two stood.

 

Thank God! “Hey, you're late,” Inuyasha said as he turned his attention towards Miroku.

 

“Hello,” Miroku said, eyeing the woman on the other side of Inuyasha.

 

“Good afternoon,” she replied quickly. To Inuyasha, she continued. “It was nice talking to you.”

 

“Yes,” Inuyasha said with a short bow. The woman smiled back at Miroku before rushing off back to her group.

 

“What was that all about?” Miroku said, leaning his head towards the chatting group.

 

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Inuyasha scanned the playground, locating Yumi near the swings. From the looks of things, she was a queen surrounded by knights willing to do her bidding; and she had no problem ordering them around. It was funny how things had worked out. She had wanted nothing more than to play with him at the playground, yet he found himself dumped for the boys already there. Knowing that she was doing fine, he turned his attention back to Miroku. “So, what did you want to talk about?”

 

“I had a fight with Sango,” he said, watching Yumi play.

 

Inuyasha chuckled. “Sounds familiar.”

 

“You and Kagome?” Inuyasha nodded. “And?”

 

“Apparently, I'm sleeping on the couch tonight.”

 

Miroku gave him a confused look. “I thought she didn't need sleep.”

 

“Yes, but I guess that doesn't matter. I'm not allowed to sleep in the bed tonight.”

 

“That sucks.”

 

“Yeah, I should have bought a more comfortable couch. What about you?”

 

Miroku quickly scanned the area around them, making sure no one would overhear. “I slept with Avery.”

 

“You what!?” Inuyasha looked around, embarrassed by his sudden outburst. Luckily, no one seemed to mind. He knew she had been looking for a companion for the night, but he never imagined she would be able to pull Miroku away from Sango, even drunk. “Damn, Sango must have been pissed when you got home.”

 

“Home? She was there too.”

 

Inuyasha gave his friend a surprised look. “You mean—”

 

Miroku nodded. “Yep.”

 

There was silence between the two. “Damn,” Inuyasha said, breaking it. He let it sink in a little more before continuing. “I thought you two had a closed relationship.”

 

“We did.”

 

“Since you mentioned an argument, I take it she wasn't too pleased finding her there sober.” Inuyasha knew there were multiple issues with this. Not only did he have to worry about the Miroku-Sango problem, but the issue with Avery being the representative of their client. There were still a couple weeks of work left, and both Sango and Miroku had to work with her. He was going to have to take this one problem at a time. What a mess, so much for my vacation.

 

“No, but that's the part I don't understand. It's not like we haven't done it before.”

 

“Well, you did agree to stop seeing other people when she moved in.”

 

Miroku was silent for a moment. “I asked her to marry me.”

 

Inuyasha smiled, slapping his friend on the back. “It's about time! Kagome and I were betting on when you two would finally tie the knot!”

 

“Over a week ago,” he continued, his voice oddly hollow.

 

Inuyasha's smile faltered slightly. “And you're just now telling me?”

 

“She said no,” he finished.

 

“Oh…” Inuyasha didn't know what to say, the news was completely unexpected. I don't understand. I thought for sure…

 

“Now you understand why I'm so confused?”

 

Inuyasha thought long and hard. “There must be some sort of reason.”

 

“There is, but she won't tell me.” Miroku looked at Inuyasha. “You know what it's like when a person you really care about is keeping a secret? I just want to help! Why can't she see that?”

 

“Maybe she doesn't know what to do herself?”

 

Miroku shrugged. “Whatever the reason, I'm done.”

 

“You don't mean that.”

 

“No Inuyasha, I do mean it. I tried, I honestly did. I put everything I had into that relationship. I'm not going to be tied down waiting for someone who's afraid to do the same.”

 

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. “You're going to leave just like that? You're seriously going to end it like this?”

 

“Of course not! I love Sango. I love Sango more than I've ever loved anyone else, possibly more than I could ever love someone else.”

 

Scratching his head, Inuyasha looked from Yumi back to Miroku. “So what are you saying?”

 

“I will be there for Sango if she needs me, but I'm not going to just wait around for her.” He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “I guess things will go back the way they use to be.”

 

“Judging by how she reacted this morning, I don't think she would like that.”

 

He shrugged. “Not much I can do about that. She had the opportunity to make things permanent, and she turned it down.”

 

“I really think you need to rethink this. Why don't you give it a couple days—”

 

“I've made my decision!”

 

“I'm just saying—”

 

Miroku shook his head. “I can't believe you. You use to be the master of this type of thing. Two, three, even that one time with four girls, all were so easy for you.”

 

Inuyasha shuddered. “That was a long time ago. I've grown up.”

 

“Don't tell me you haven't thought about it. You can't honestly tell me you haven't wished to relive old times just once since getting married.”

 

“I can, because I haven't. They're a young man's fantasy Miroku. Were they fun at the time? Yes. But it was always an empty fun and a fleeting pleasure. I'm happy with Kagome, and I think you are happy with Sango, which is why you called me here to talk. I think you want me to confirm what you already know.”

 

Miroku shook his head, sighing softly. “Here I thought you of all people would understand. I was expecting some slaps on the back. `Man, you're so lucky!' and `I wish I was in your position!' I guess I was wrong.”

 

“Miroku!” Inuyasha called as his friend started to walk off. “Come back here.”

 

He waved as he continued walking. “I'm going to take off before Yumi sees me. I'll see you around.”

 

Inuyasha started to chase after him before catching himself. Holding in place, he watched his friend get farther away. He took a deep breath, scratching the back of his neck as he looked back at Yumi. He just needs some time. I'll talk to him in a couple days after he cools down. An uneasy feeling settled over him. It was as if his body was warning him something bad was coming. “I just hope he doesn't do something he'll regret first…”

 

*******************

 

Again, thanks to Jay for editing this chapter. Please review! Thanks.