InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Siren ❯ Chapter 2

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

The atmosphere around the table had just returned to normal when Miroku suddenly got a very interesting smile on his face. Inuyasha figured it was a variation on his �I know something you don�t� look.

�You may want to turn around now,� he pointed to the stage.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 06.05.2005 | Pages: 15 | Words: 11.4K | Visits: 1.3K | Status: Completed

“I can't believe I let you talk me into this, Miroku!” the silver-haired hanyou groused. He sulked, continuing his glaring competition with the man across the table.

“You'll thank me once you see her,” the lavender-eyed man reassured. “You too, Sess,” the golden-eyed youkai broke the friendly glare-fest to raise an eyebrow at the human, “You were looking for new talent. She's new to you, and she's definitely talented. Now be nice, our waitress is coming.”

Sure enough, an onyx-haired woman strode up to the table, a warm, welcoming smile on her face. “Hello, my name's Kagome. I'll be your server for the evening. Is there anything I can get you at the moment?”

Inuyasha snorted. “Two beers and a Mai Tai.”

“I can't go anywhere with you two without you bickering, can I?” Miroku scolded.

“Whoever said the Mai Tai was for him?” Inuyasha smirked, giving Miroku a pointed look while Sesshomaru turned an amused half-smirk to his brother.

The waitress, Kagome, laughed lightly as Miroku feigned hurt.

“You may as well make the order three beers. I do not believe you will be getting a serious answer out of either of them,” Sesshomaru answered quietly.

Both Inuyasha and Miroku blinked at Sesshomaru, while Kagome only smiled more brightly.

“I'll get those right out to you,” she turned on her heel and walked back to the actual bar to deliver the order.

“Did the great Sesshomaru,” Miroku began, seemingly in awe, “just deign to speak to a mere mortal?”

“Miroku,” the youkai in question started.

“Yes, oh Almighty One?”

“Do shut up.”

“Well,” it had taken Kagome less than a minute to have the order out. “Did someone grow an extra head while I was gone, or are you normally this silent?” she grinned as she handed out the beer.

No one answered.

“Alright,” she wasn't fazed a bit. “If you want anything else, burger, fries, peanuts, more beer, I'll be around, don't be afraid to ask.” She smiled again and was gone.

“The staff is certainly friendly,” Sesshomaru remarked placidly.

“Yeah.”

“Definitely,” evidently the two nitwits were shocked.

Inwardly, Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. With a minute sigh he reverted back to what was affectionately called his `Cold Bastard' persona, “This Sesshomaru would like to inquire as to when your purported `new talent' will be appearing.”

“Uh, sometime in the near future,” Miroku replied with a placating smile.

Sesshomaru showed no expression; his brother could, and did, do it for him, “No shit.”

Miroku merely grinned.

“Kagome,” the calm voice came from over her shoulder.

She turned. “Hi Kikyou, how've you been?”

The older woman allowed a soft smile to cross her face. “I've been very well.”

“Someone finally got themselves a date with everyone's favorite DJ, eh?” Kagome kidded gently.

“I never could fool you,” Kikyou observed. “They sent me to tell you to be down there in a minute or two.”

“Thank you,” Kagome said quietly. “You know they signed us up to close tonight, right?”

“Do you want me to see if Naraku can stay late to help?” Kikyou said, referring to aforementioned `favorite DJ'.

“If you could, that would be nice,” Kagome admitted sheepishly.

Kikyou nodded and moved off to where Naraku was leaning against a wall.

Kagome fought back the urge to jump up and down and squeal. It was about damn time! Naraku was a good man, despite his somewhat creepy aura, protective of those he loved, and Kikyou had been withdrawn since her bad break-up the year before. They would be good for each other.

Or they had better be…If either one of them was hurt she'd personally track down the perpetrator.

Shaking her head softly, Kagome calmed herself and strode towards the room where Sango would be waiting with that confounded robe.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The atmosphere around the table had just returned to normal when Miroku suddenly got a very interesting smile on his face. Inuyasha figured it was a variation on his `I know something you don't' look.

“You may want to turn around now,” he pointed to the stage.

The brothers turned to see an obviously female figure in a hooded robe standing center stage. She didn't move for almost twenty seconds, but Inuyasha noticed that her hand was tapping her thigh in a tempo.

When she did move, three quick beats instantly sounded. The sound of the drums faded and a light synth melody started. Then the three beats sounded again. After the second synth run, an electric guitar playing a slight staccato riff joined the mix and a steady rhythm was established.

Her hands never stopped moving, it seemed as if she were playing the notes in the air.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sesshomaru raise an eyebrow.

Then she began to sing.

“Take heed dear heart

Once apart she can touch nor me nor you

Dressed as one

A wolf will betray a lamb”

Her voice was a lightly accented soprano with just a slight amount of vibrato. A small smirk crossed her lips as she sang. The effect was not arrogance but a seductive mystique.

Inuyasha tilted his head to the side and allowed himself a small smile. This would be an interesting show.

“Lead astray the gazers

The razors on your seducing skin

In the meadow of sinful thoughts

Every flower's a perfect one”

Sesshomaru glanced at Miroku, who had that infernal smirk still in place and was openly staring at the woman. Reminding himself to throw something at the man should he start drooling, the youkai turned to his brother…

…Who was watching the figure with surprising interest. He wondered if his brother saw what he did.

The astonishing power going into the display.

The instruments began a short lead in and he returned his thoughts to the girl.

“To paradise with pleasure haunted

Haunted by fear”

Miroku knew he had the face of a lovesick idiot right now, but he couldn't help it. The lovely waitress he'd seen almost every night was standing off to the side of the stage.

He knew this song well enough. It was expected, what with his being here three nights a week. He knew that her voice had dropped nearly an octave for the last two lines and that it would return to the former pitch on the next, so he allowed his mind to wander.

If he'd been given to headbanging, he would have on the beat that signaled the beginning of the chorus.

“A sin for him

Desire within

A burning veil

For the bride too dear for him”

Counter-beat here, small riff there, Kagome knew these so well that she only had to be sure that her hand kept the tempo. The superfluous movements were only for show.

Sango was just off stage left and had a smirk on her face that told Kagome she was amused.

She only needed to look at the three men at table twelve to know why. Allowing her patented `Siren' smirk to grow, she continued the song.

“A sin for him

Desire within

Fall in love with your deep, dark sin”

The girl was surprising, to say the least. As she sang, one hand, kept slightly lower than the other, fingered the chords for the guitar's part, the other kept the tempo by raising and dropping the wrist and added the synth notes by imitating pressing the keys.

Whoever they were, the ones who provided the soundtracks were good. Another key change signaled the end of the chorus.

“I am the fallen

You are what my sins enclose

Lust is not as creative

As its discovery”

Sango nearly cackled aloud at that. She'd purposely picked this song to watch that lech's reaction. He was currently sporting a rather glazed look and a small, contented grin. His expression amused her no end.

The change for the bridge came again and Sango made a mental note to tell Kagome to `air-guitar' that part one day.

“To paradise with pleasure haunted

Haunted by fear

A sin for him

Desire within

A burning veil

For the bride too dear for him”

`Rest of the chorus, tag, a capella chorus, then close out,' Kagome ran through the remainder of the song in her head.

She looked at table twelve again. The dark-haired `lech' was smiling serenely and looking rather dazed. The younger of the silver-haired was leaning forward in his seat, his head cocked to the side, an interested look on his face. The elder sat straight, his eyes narrowed, analyzing each move, she'd wager. The three were a regular motley crew.

“A sin for him

Desire within

Fall in love with your deep dark sin”

The guitar took a solo while the synth and drums provided continual back up. The riff was fast and melodic; the second portion of it repeating, slightly higher, before the tag.

When the woman sang again the vibrato was stronger, the smirk slightly devilish. Her voice was strong, demanding the attention of the audience.

“Bless me, undress me

Pick your prey in a wicked way

God I must confess…

…I do envy the sinners”

The brothers blinked simultaneously while Miroku's smirk grew. How he loved that part…

After recovering from the shock of the stanza, his friends, he noticed, seemed to be even more interested.

A sustained chord on the guitar and the synth provided the only back up for the next few lines.

“A sin for him

Desire within

A burning veil

For the bride too dear for him”

Her wrist dropped three times in quick succession, and the instruments came back full force. She took a small breath before jumping into the final chorus.

“A sin for him

Desire within

A burning veil

For the bride too dear for him

A sin for him

Desire within

Fall in love with your deep, dark sin”

The guitar's riff returned once more to close out the song, which ended as it began; with three short beats.

Her hands remained poised for three seconds before flowing down to her side again. The staff initiated the applause and soon the patrons joined in.

Kagome allowed it to go on for nearly thirty seconds before calmly raising one hand. The applause faded out.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, accent firmly in place. “As is customary, I will now answer one question.”

`The hell?' Inuyasha narrowed his eyes.

“Contest,” Miroku replied to the unspoken question. “First to guess her identity wins the purse. I think it's up to nearly three thousand now,” his mouth snapped shut, his eyes glued to the stage.

A tall, brown-haired woman strode onstage carrying a box. She muttered something to the robed figure and a soft lilting laugh filled the air.

Miroku's mysterious smile grew. If he didn't watch it, his head was going to split.

The figure took a slip of paper from the box. Unfolding it with delicate hands, she tilted her head to read it.

“Ah,” there was a definite smile in her voice. “I wondered when this question would come up.”

When she said nothing for a moment, Inuyasha exhaled impatiently. He heard a snicker next to him and turned to glare at Miroku.

“Patience, kemo-sabe, patience,” Miroku soothed, a patronizing grin on his face.

Inuyasha narrowed his glare and flicked his friend off.

“How old am I?” the accented voice interrupted. “Hmm,” there was probably a smirk to rival Miroku's on her face now. “I'd say, I'm old enough to know pain but young enough to still love cartoons.”

“That answers nothing,” Inuyasha muttered.

“I think, dear brother, that that was the point,” the level voice answered him.

“Feh.”

“I know,” the woman sounded as though she were coddling a petulant child. “I'm not very much help, am I? I don't want to make it too easy for you, now do I?”

Her head raised so they could see the slightly smartass smirk on her face. “Let's move on shall we?”

Her hand came up again and she began playing a soft, slightly melancholy piano melody in the air. The first few notes sounded before she sang.

“Ever felt away with me?

Just once that all I need

Entwined in finding you one day”

A slight string accompaniment joined, adding to the melancholy feel.

“Ever felt away without me?

My love it lies so deep

Ever dream of me”

She stood stock still, allowing her fingers to continue the piano melody. Then she added a slight crescendo of horns before allowing the drums to enter, the beat to pick up, and the strings to take over the melody. The effect was not unlike backing music for a well-played dramatic sword fight.

Kagome smiled. Although this one was more complex, it was infinitely more fun. If it weren't against the image, she would have started dancing.

The strings continued for a bit before sustaining a note, then the drums played out a miniature lead in.

“Would you do it with me?

Heal the scars

And change the stars?

Would you do it for me?

Turn loose the heaven within?”

Sango watched her friend. She knew what this song meant to Kagome. Despite what happened she refused to give up her belief that there was one perfect person for everyone.

Naïve, yes, but some damn good music came out of it and it was part of what made her Kag. And if anyone tried to `cure her' of that ideal, Sango would not hesitate to beat the shit out of them.

“I'd take you away

Cast away

On a lonely day

Bosom for a teary cheek

My song can but borrow your grace”

The lyrics were sentimental, but not overly sappy. Sesshomaru found the mix of hard rock and symphonic elements intriguing. The note of longing in the woman's voice gave the piece an overall wishful feeling.

He glanced over at his brother at the beginning of the second chorus and was surprised to see that Inuyasha's eyes were fixed on the woman and his head was bobbing in a movement that, had it not been restrained, would most likely have turned into head banging.

Miroku had noticed it also; that irritating grin was now repressing laughter.

Inuyasha, for his part was oblivious to their amusement. The only thing he knew at this moment was an overwhelming and slightly baffling urge to protect this girl. From everything. It was beginning to drive him mad.

So to him it was a bit of a relief when the music abruptly dropped out after the third chorus, snapping him from his musings, and she sang softly.

“Ever felt away with me?

Just once that all I need

Entwined in finding you one day”

Kagome felt someone watching her. Truthfully she felt quite a few people watching her. She was on stage for chrissakes! It was expected.

But this was different. These eyes weren't ogling, they were simply observing. She glanced around under the cover of the hood.

The younger silver-haired one was watching, a strange expression on his face. It wasn't a perverted look; he simply looked as though he were either trying to sort out feelings or work out a complex mathematical formula. It was somewhat endearing.

She let the instruments begin to crescendo.

“Ever felt away without me

My love it lies so deep

Ever dream of me”

Sesshomaru continued to watch his brother's reaction as the song continued, the woman's voice blending and battling with the instruments for supremacy. He guessed that Inuyasha was deep in thought and not aware of anything else. Why did he guess that? It was simple…

…His brother was softly harmonizing with the woman.

“Ever felt away with me

Just once that all I need

Entwined in finding you one day”

The instruments had come back full force, the strings adding to the mix. The rhythm had nearly doubled from that of the previous chorus. This was the climax of the song.

Miroku smiled quietly. He knew the length of her sets. She was about in the middle.

He knew already that Sess was hooked.

“Ever felt away without me

My love it lies so deep

Ever dream of me”

The song ended. There was more applause. Honestly, it was a cycle. Song, applause, speech, song, applause, speech. It was tedious, but it paid the bills. Kagome made a snap decision.

“Well,” she smiled genuinely. “I'm in a rather good mood, and feeling a bit rebellious. So, I'll take a couple requests. What do you want to hear?”

There were various shouts from the crowd, the loudest being Sango's cry of “Slaying the Dreamer” and the purported lech's equal shout of “Bare Grace Misery”.

Deciding to save the more fantastical for last, she went with Bare Grace Misery.

She snickered inwardly at the stunned blinks coming from the silver-haired brothers and rolled her eyes at the satisfied smirk from the `lech'.

She admitted that the lyrics were a bit more…overt…than her normal fare, but still, it wasn't quite Nymphomaniac Fantasia. God help her if she ever decided to use that one.

When the song ended, she didn't wait for the applause. She launched directly into the heavy riff of Slaying the Dreamer. Sango wanted to hear it. It was fun to do. Her throat would hurt like hell later, but if Sango were sulking she'd be wary of pointed objects.

“Manager's orders,” She offered in light-hearted apology.

It was more, well, metal than most of what she did and the lyrics were of the “I'm pissed off and you're gonna damn well listen” variety, but God were the looks on the audience's faces fun at the end.

“I'm a priest for the poorest sacrifice

I'm but a raft in a sea of sorrow, sorrow and greed

You bathed in my wine

Drank from my cup, mocked my rhyme

Your slit tongues licked my aching wounds”

Miroku blinked. That was unexpected. So, the waitress he'd admired had a bit of a violent side to her? He might need to be careful.

“Put a stake through my heart!

And drag me into sunlight

So awake for your greed

As you're slaying the dreamer”

Inuyasha turned slightly to face his brother, “If you don't get her, I will tell Pop you're engaged.”

Sesshomaru's attention snapped to the hanyou. “Was that a threat?”

“Would you consider it one?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Good,” immediately the woman had his undivided attention again. Sesshomaru shook his head.

He'd never be able to figure his brother out.

“Blame me, it's me

Coward, a good-for-nothing scapegoat

Dumb kid, living a dream

Romantic only on paper”

Oh, was the next bit ever going to be fun. Sango had specifically requested this one for one reason.

To watch the Lech's reaction.

`Wait,' her brow furrowed. `When did he merit capitalization?'

She shook her head. He didn't. Simple as that. He was a lech. Not the Lech.

Sango's train of thought abruptly derailed when the song ended and the `screamed/sung' tag began. `Watch his reaction.'

During the time it took for the transition, Kagome was prepping her voice. Screaming was not her forte. Angry screaming less so…Sounding like a pissed off man…That went without saying.

The cue came, and she opened her mouth.

“Wake up, mow the weed

You'd be nothing without me!

Take my life if you have the heart

Heart to die!”

The voice ripped from her throat was not the sweet soprano they'd come to associate with her. It was harsh. Masculine. Anyone who could see the power being put into the entire show would have seen the spike at that point.

Sesshomaru nearly smiled in respect. She'd altered her voice, only for that section, but the effect was amazing.

“You bastards tainted my tool

Raped my words, played me fool!

Gather your precious glitter and leave me be!

The Great Ones are all dead

And I'm tired too

I truly hate you all!”

There was a female shriek behind the last five words that was definitely unaltered. When it had faded, the woman smiled slightly.

“Thank you, all,” she murmured. “I'll see you again, later.”

She made a slight gesture to someone offstage and the stage lights went out. When they came back up she was gone.

“That's interesting,” Miroku muttered.

“What is?” Sesshomaru glanced at the lavender-eyed man, slightly puzzled.

“Nothing,” he answered hurriedly. “She just left off the `signature song.'”

When no further explanation was forthcoming, Sesshomaru decided to leave it be.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome snatched the ice cold water bottle from Sango's hand. “I am sooo going to get you for that.”

Sango blinked innocently, “For what?”

“You know damn well what,” Kagome snapped playfully, fighting to pull the robe over her head without losing her grip on her prize. “My throat is going to be sore for hours now.”

“But it was worth it, though, wasn't it?”

“Definitely worth it. Um…A little help here?” She had succeeded in pulling it over her head, but was now stuck in the awkward position of having it halfway draped over her with her arms still in the sleeves.

Sango allowed herself to snicker for a few moments before going to help her friend.

Five minutes later, Kagome was in the doorway, glaring at the robe, and ready to get back to waitress duty.

“Have fun,” Sango smiled brightly.

“Will try,” Kagome gave her a mock salute.

Once out the door, she made a beeline for table twelve.

“How are we doing over here?” she queried when she arrived. “Needing any refills or anything?”

“Food would be good,” the younger silver-haired one said distantly.

She waited a few moments before saying amiably, “You want something specific? Or should I bring out the whole menu?”

He blinked, then looked at her, brow knitted in thought. “Fries?” he said finally.

“Oh no,” the black haired one grinned.

Kagome turned to him, obviously not in on the joke. He smiled gently and then whispered, “If he's distracted enough not to ask for Ramen, the world is doomed.”

She bit back a giggle. “I'll be back in a moment.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

“-Gome?” Naraku blinked and looked for the source of the voice.

Coming out of one of the back rooms was a small auburn haired kitsune kit, looking like he just woke up.

“Kagome?” he asked again.

Naraku knelt down eye-level with the youngster. “Hey Squirt, you looking for Kagome?”

“My name's Shippo. Not `Squirt,'” he insisted. “And why do you care if I'm looking for Kagome?”

“Sorry, Shippo,” he ruffled the kit's hair, smiling when he responded with a grin and a half-hearted glare. “And I think I know where Kagome is. Do you want me to take you to her?”

“Could you?” unashamed hope filled Shippo's bright green eyes.

“Sure, c'mon,” he waited for the tyke to find a perch on his shoulder before meandering off toward where he'd last seen Kagome.

She was just setting down an order of fries and, surprisingly, Ramen at table twelve when Shippo, for lack of a better word, glomped her.

“Kagome!” he squealed, latching onto her midsection.

She wrapped an arm around the kit before turning a questioning glance toward where he'd come from. Naraku's back was already disappearing.

“I swear,” she muttered. “One of these days I'm gonna put a bell on that guy.”

The two inus at the table had winced slightly when Shippo had squealed but the younger had been quickly placated by the presence of food. The elder was looking at her with this annoying little amused half-smirk on his face.

“Sorry about that,” she whispered an apology.

“It's no problem,” the human answered. “Kids will be kids.”

She smiled thankfully to him and walked back towards the room where Shippo had been napping.

“Well, Inuyasha,” Miroku smiled widely. “Looks like your chances with her have dropped. She's a single mom.”

Not for the first time, Inuyasha spoke without thinking, “Kid called her Kagome, not `Mom'. Chances haven't changed.”

Even Sesshomaru allowed himself a rather undignified snort of laughter.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome sat down on the pallet where Shippo had taken a nap. The kit still had a death grip on her midsection with his head resting on her chest. He was sniffling every once in a while and she was starting to feel a slight dampness through her shirt. Content to hold him while he cried, she rubbed his back gently and murmured soothing words into his hair.

When he had quieted, she gently pried him away from her in order to be able to look him in the eye. She wiped the tearstains off his face and wiped his nose, then let him rest his head on her chest again.

They sat in silence for a while before she said quietly, “You know that I won't let you be alone like that again.”

“I know.”

She hugged him to her, smiling slightly, “Do you want to stay in here, or come with me?”

“Could I go with you?” Shippo turned his infamous pout on her.

“Alright,” she smiled at him. “As long as you behave.”

Shippo hugged her tightly, “I promise.”

Kagome knew better than to pretend he hadn't crossed his fingers behind her back.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Back at table twelve, Miroku was trying to explain his disappointment at the lack of performance of this so-called `signature'. He was having little success.

“And it has this one guy that recites something from Lord of the Rings!” He added, hoping that they would see the importance.

“Ah,” Sesshomaru began. “That, of course, is the reason.”

“Guess ya finally found someone who might be a bigger geek than you,” Inuyasha sneered playfully.

“He needs the confirmation that he is not alone.”

“Definitely.”

“Guys,” Miroku almost whined. “It's a song! With Lord of the Rings! Don't you get that?”

“Discussing the `signature' are we?” Kagome had returned, kit in tow. “Oh, and for future reference, it's called `Elvenpath.' She won't do the spoken word because she thinks her accent screws it up.”

“Her accent is ambrosia,” Miroku smiled sweetly.

“I'll tell her you said that,” the waitress raised a skeptical eyebrow. “You guys needing anything?” she looked around the table. The elder silverhair was feigning disinterest in the petty affairs of the `mere mortals', the human was starting to live up to his reputation as a lech, his eyes kept drifting down lower than her neck, and the younger silverhair was staring at her shoulder. Or, perhaps more appropriately, at something on her shoulder.

“Shippo,” she muttered neutrally.

“But I didn't do anything!” the kit protested, quickly returning his face to his normal, seemingly innocent one from the mocking face he'd shown to the hanyou.

“Whoever said you did?” Kagome asked, amused.

“I believe that we are all doing fine, here,” Miroku smiled disarmingly. “By the way, Miss….” He trailed off, not noticing the somewhat amused expression on her face, complete with arched eyebrow.

“Ka- go- me,” she reminded him slowly, as though he were a child.

“Yes, of course, Kagome,” Miroku continued smiling.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. When the waitress looked curiously at him, he mouthed, `Just slap him now.'

She smirked slightly and shook her head.

“-Me the honor of bearing my child?” Miroku's voice broke through the silent conversation.

Kagome blinked. That was unexpected. The younger silver hair had an `I told you so' expression on his face.

Kagome smiled saccharinely at the dark haired man, “But sir, I don't even know your name.” She added a flirtatious giggle for effect.

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. Was she actually considering saying yes? Was she insane?

“I'm sorry milady, that had slipped my mind,” Miroku looked gleeful. “I am Miroku.”

“Ah,” she sighed, dramatically. “Miroku.”

The kit on her shoulder looked thoroughly disgusted. Inuyasha was inclined to agree.

“Dear, Miroku,” her smile turned quite evil, she spoke sweetly nonetheless. “If you had not been staring at a certain part of my anatomy that is located below and in front of my ears, I would have thought that you were trying reassure your friends of your lack of homosexuality. As it were, I'm inclined to allow Sango to pound you into the ground. She's had a trying day and is in desperate need of a punching bag. I'll check back on you three later,” she flounced off.

The kit on her shoulder asked bluntly, “What was he staring at, and why should Sango hit him?”

The waitress responded, “I'll tell you when you're older.”

Inuyashe let out a low whistle. “Ouch.”

Miroku didn't seem phased, “I love women with spirit.”

“I'd leave that one alone Miroku,” Inuyasha warned.

Sesshomaru hid a smirk at his brother's protectiveness.

“I believe I will give up chase on fair lady Kagome,” Inuyasha cringed. His friend sounded like a chick-flick. A bad one. “For I have already found the perfect woman for me.”

“You were going after Kagome,” Inuyasha was trying to understand Miroku's reasoning, “When you've already found another girl?”

“Kagome is a lovely sight,” Miroku admitted. “But I have found one lovelier still.”

Inuyasha, not amused, drawled, “Alright, Casanova, what's her name?”

“Her name is Sango,” Miroku sighed, the quintessential image of a love-struck hero.

Inuyasha snorted with laughter. Sesshomaru tried to disguise a chuckle by taking a drink. Miroku was completely oblivious.

Meanwhile, said `perfect woman' was watching curiously as her friend walked towards her, a forced smile on her face.

“You win,” Kagome spoke through gritted teeth. “He's a lech.”

Sango smiled brightly and held her hand out. Kagome looked down at the and, then back up at Sango's face before rolling her eyes and fishing out a twenty.

“Fine. Here,” she thrust the bill into Sango's hand.

“Thank you for your business,” Sango smirked and put the money away.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Kagome made a shooing gesture. “Just go stash it before I decide to take it back.”