InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chances ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

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DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inu Yasha and company. That honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

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Chapter 8

Inu Yasha was staring at the door waiting for Kagome to come back. What could be taking her so long anyway? Finally he heard the sound of running feet and panted breath, just before her sweet fragrance reached his keen nose. She burst through the door, her eyes searching the dim room until they almost audibly clashed with Inu Yasha's stare. After a deafening silence that lasted an unknown amount of time, Kagome threw herself across the room with a sob. He met her in the middle, wrapping her in his strong arms even as he buried his nose in her hair. The past days of torment disappeared as if they had never happened, now that she was in his arms where she belonged.

"Inu Yasha, I'm so..."

"We both made mistakes Kagome." he interrupted softly. "But everything is okay now. We're together, and nothing will change that ever again." He lowered his head to capture her lips in their first soul-searing kiss. The world around them faded so that he was aware of nothing but the girl in his arms....and the whining kitsune brat who was going to die, slowly and painfully, for interrupting his fantasy.

Sango had been watching the hanyou, ever since he sat down directly across from the door. He was waiting for Kagome to return, that much was obvious, but why did he seem so happy? A foul mood would have been expected, especially after the little reunion scene that they had witnessed. Now her best friend was out in the forest "talking" with a man who was known for his roaming hands and perverted turn of mind. And yet, here Inu Yasha sat, glassy eyed and smiling. For the first time in days, he was smiling. In fact, his large, dopey smile was making her uneasy. She thought that he had given up on Kagome, but now she had to wonder what was running through that demon mind. Well, if she had to take him to task again, so be it. But she was a little disappointed in him just the same.

Inu Yasha opened his eyes to glare at the fox brat, only to find himself staring into Sango's warm brown eyes. They looked slightly disappointed, and he got the impression that she knew exactly what he had been day dreaming about. He frowned and blushed slightly. Shippo was still unaware that he had an audience.

"Kagome told me to be good while she was gone, and I was, even though it was really hard. And really boring. But she's back now, and he is so out of it....it would be really, really easy to..." When she shook her head in disapproval, Shippo wrinkled his nose at the exterminator. "...besides, that smile is starting to scare me!"

"You haven't seen scary yet, runt." Inu Yasha growled as he lunged for the kit. Shippo squealed and jumped onto Sango's shoulder for protection. "Get over here brat!"

"Yeah, sure dog boy. Let me go boil myself in Kaede's stew first!" He rolled his eyes and glared at him.

"Shippo, why don't you see what Kagome brought you?" The fox's face lit up and he jumped down from her shoulder, unable to restrain himself from sticking his tongue out at the older demon first. He raced over to the large yellow bag, being sure to give the now fuming hanyou a wide berth. Out of the bag came two white sticks, a ball of twine and a square of bright yellow fabric. Shippo looked into the bag again, but the next thing was a load of ramen, so this had to be his surprise.

He laid the items carefully out on the floor and looked down at them. What was he supposed to do with this stuff? Well, Kagome must have thought that he would like it, and he wasn't going to hurt her feelings by letting her know that he didn't. So he sighed deeply and reached down to wrap the fabric around his small body. Then he took the two sticks and began to poke the ball of twine dejectedly. This wasn't much fun. "I'd rather have candy." he mumbled as he whacked the ball of twine harder than he meant to and it flew into Sango's lap.

The exterminator couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. Poor Shippo, he tried so hard, when it was obvious that he didn't know what he had. She saw that Inu Yasha was watching her with a raised brow.

When he had heard the exterminator laugh, Inu Yasha looked up, startled. Her laughter sounded like the tinkling of silver bells. She should definitely laugh more often. It was a heart lifting sound. Strange that he had never noticed that before.

"Come here Shippo." Sango said softly, with a smile. He walked over to her, his chin on his chest, the very picture of misery. "Do you know what you've got?"

"A cape and a ball of string."

"No silly, its a kite. Kagome had to take it apart so that she could fit it into her bag."

"A kite? Really? I have my very own kite?" The little fox danced around for a moment before he stopped and cocking his head to the side, looked at her quizzically. "So what's a kite? Is it better than candy?"

"Don't you know anything brat?"

"How am I supposed to know about things that I never saw before, Inu Yasha?" Shippo asked patiently.

"Come here and I'll show you runt."

"I don't think you know either. You just want me to come closer so you can hit me." But he edged closer just the same. He wasn't expecting Inu Yasha to yank on the fabric, and went spinning across the room. When he finally came to a stop, he swayed for a moment before plopping down on the floor in a boneless heap.

"Hmph. I do too know what a kite is, brat." The hanyou worked with the delicate fabric gently, being careful not to tear it with his claws.

"Well, no one has told me what a kite is yet, and its MY present!" Shippo huffed as he got to his feet unsteadily and crossed to where the others sat. He looked down at the diamond shape in the hanyou's lap curiously. Strangely, Inu Yasha seemed to like it. A lot.

Inu Yasha gently traced his fingers over the taut fabric. It was bringing back memories of a picnic he had shared with his mother when he was no older than Shippo. He hadn't been careful then and had torn the silk. He had burst into tears and buried his face in his mother's lap. She had stroked his ears and told him that it wasn't something to cry over. Accidents happened and most of the time they could be repaired, just like the kite. She had fixed it with one of her scarves, and it had flown just as high as it had before he ripped it. That patched kite had become his favorite toy. And now it seemed to apply to his life again. Just looking at the toy in his hands made his hope climb into the clouds, where the kite would soon be.

Sango wondered what memory had softened his expression and clouded his eyes. She knew that it must have been about his mother, it was the only time he ever looked so vulnerable. She could understand, she was sure that she wore the same expression whenever she thought about her brother.

"Inu Yasha?" she said softly as she reached out to touch his hand.

"I haven't held a kite for years. Not since..."

"WHAT THE HELL IS A KITE?" Shippo demanded at the top of his lungs. He was tired of being ignored and if Inu Yasha liked it, it must be a good present. Even if it really didn't seem like it. Sango sighed for the lost moment of insight into Inu Yasha's life, but couldn't be angry with the kitsune. He was just too cute standing there glowering at them with his tiny hands on his hips, his little fangs poking out of his mouth and one foot tapping impatiently.

"I'll show you. Although there isn't much wind today." Without another word he got up and left the hut, carrying the yellow diamond carefully. Shippo scampered out at his heels. What did the wind have to do with kites? Sango got to her feet and followed after them.

"Help me." Inu Yasha said, as he glanced at the huntress. Her mouth fell open in shock. Who did he think he was talking to?

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Feh. Don't help then. I'll do it myself." he grumbled. He wanted it to be airborn, and when Kagome came back and saw him being nice to Shippo, it would be an added bonus. He was a little upset that Sango didn't want to participate, but he shrugged it off. Inu Yasha held up the kite as he tested the wind, while Shippo looked at his surprise dubiously.

"I still think candy would have been better!"

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Miroku was pacing in front of the fallen log on which Kagome still sat, her chin cupped in her hand. How had he let himself be talked into this. Setting up Sango and Inu Yasha had to be the stupidest thing he had ever heard of, and yet he had agreed to it. What was he thinking? A better question would be which part of his body had been doing the thinking? Obviously it hadn't been his brain. Maybe he could change her mind... but how? Hmm... perhaps sympathy?

"You do realize that he'll kill me if he finds out about this, don't you?"

"Uh-huh." He blinked at her in disbelief. That definitely was not the answer that he had been looking for. "Miroku I..."

"Are you trying to get me killed?"

"What?" She looked up at him in confusion. She hadn't really been paying attention to what he was saying. She was trying to decide if she should tell him how she felt about him or if she should wait. He had blurted out his feelings, but she wasn't sure about giving her own away just yet. Maybe it was too soon and he would think that she was on the rebound. Actually, she might be rebounding, but this felt so right. Just as she had made up her mind to tell him, he said something about her trying to kill him.

"Do you want me dead?"

"I'm sorry, but you lost me. Why would I want you dead?"

"When Inu Yasha finds out about this plan of yours, he will kill me."

"Oh, now I get it." He opened his mouth to say something, but realized he didn't have a coherent thought in his head at the moment. He blinked at her a few times and then looked at the ground with a frown. She seemed distracted, and a little confused. And now he was confused. "Don't worry about Inu Yasha. He won't find out. I hate to say it, but if it doesn't concern jewel shards or ...." her voice trailed off and she shook her head sharply. "...well, anyway, he is completely oblivious to everything else. I'm more concerned about Sango, especially since I don't have a subduing spell for her." Miroku slapped a hand to his forehead and groaned. He was a dead man walking, in more ways than one. He rubbed his head, just thinking about the possibility.

"So what do you have planned?"

"Do I have to think of everything?"

"It is your idea, Angel." he reminded.

"Well, its gotta be subtle. First of all, I guess we have to get them to spend more time together. But we don't want Sango to get suspicious."

"What if we just disappear into the woods every once in awhile for some alone time?" He winked at her and smiled. "That would benefit all of us."

"How?" He had been hoping she would ask that. He moved quickly, leaning down and taking her lips in a heated kiss. This time he kissed her with all the pent up passion he had been holding back, and pulled her close enough to feel her quickening heart beat, which was now racing just as rapidly as his own. When they finally broke apart, she looked up at him with starry eyes. "Yeah, beneficial." She turned away from him and toward the shrieks that were coming from the village. It sounded like hysterical laughter. " Just like my dream..." she murmured softly, as she touched her lips lightly.

"What was that?" He asked with a grin. He had actually heard her just fine, and now he knew who she had been dreaming about. One day, it wouldn't be just a dream any longer. But he had to make sure that the hanyou was out of the picture completely, and if he was involved with someone else... Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all, as long as he managed to come out of it alive. He unconsciously rubbed his head again and grimaced.

"Oh, nothing." She said with a blush. "Lets go see what's going on."

"Okay, Angel. So... When are we going to give them some alone time?" He asked as he looked down at her. She met his eyes with a smile.

"Soon... that's a promise."

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AN: Well, I decided to type up one more chapter before I left for vacation. Hopefully this will keep you all satisfied for a week or two. And I just wanted to say thank you all for your support, it really does mean a lot.

Sandra: I love your essays...they make me chuckle and brighten my days! They also make me write ( I don't want to say better...) more attentively... since I know that you are reading so carefully! As for the trip to Japan, I am up for it just give me time to pack my bags and find any persuasion devices that I can come up with! LOL. Oh yeah, Shippo says that you can borrow him any time you want, just be sure to have plenty of chocolate handy! = P

Novelty Sheep: Chaos...yeah, that sounds like fun! I think that there is plenty of that on the menu. By the way, I love that name! Makes me think of those Sealy Sheep, and they just crack me up.

Murr: I am glad that you are still enjoying it! Mush is fun and there is more to come... so stay tuned.

Laraina: Don't worry, they will be together. Its getting Sango and Inu Yasha together that is the stumper. They are really stubborn! Maybe I will lock them in the hut together and just not let them out....

Now there is an idea. Hmmm.... I've gotta go talk to Kagome! Until the next time...