InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Waking Powers ❯ The Future ( Chapter 10 )

- Chapter 10. -

The Future

-()-()-

Kagome took out her sleeping-bag and put it on the ground, trying to buy herself some time for what she was going to say. Sango on the other hand, occupied her time by digging some food out of Kagome's overly sized backpack.

"So…" Kagome finally began, clasping her hands on her lap. "How are things going with Miroku?"

Sango looked up at Kagome for a brief second before she lowered her eyes to rest on her own clasped hands. Kagome didn't need to look at her to know that she was blushing. "We… well, he…" Sango finally managed to say something, but she continued to avoid Kagome's gaze.

"Yes?" Kagome prompted, growing more curious by the second. "Well, we began to talk and he asked me if I thought he was too stubborn. I told him that he was sometimes, but mostly I just thought he was too unsure about himself due to the curse."

Kagome nodded her understanding. They had discussed Miroku's unwillingness to commit on many occasions when the guys were away and both had finally agreed on the reason.

"And?" She again prompted.

"Well, it seems that we were correct in our assumptions Kagome, or at least partly. He.. He took my hand and told me that he didn't want to commit because he loved me and… and later I kissed him!" Kagome blinked once. Twice.

"You kissed him?" She had never known Sango to be one to show her feelings. At least when it didn't involve anger, embarrassment, irritation and Miroku's stray hand.

Sango's blush deepened as she nodded.

Kagome wasn't going to let her stop here.

"Well? What happened next?" She asked after some moments of silence. Sango raised her head and for the first time since their conversation started, she met Kagome's eyes. "Then he asked me if I still wanted to marry him and I said yes."

Kagome squealed.

"I'm so happy for you! When's the wedding going to be? Can I be the bride's maid? Is he going to build you a house?" The questions just kept coming non stop and Sango gave up the attempt to answer her. She just smiled and let Kagome continue her ranting.

`I'm getting married.'

-()-

Inuyasha scooped up another load of dried sticks as he eyed Miroku from the corner of his view.

"So, how was the kiss?" He finally asked, testing a log to see if it was dry.

Miroku nearly dropped his own load of wood at the sudden question. "It was good. Great actually." He said as he stared into space, obviously lost in his own world. Inuyasha smirked. "Great huh? So are you still engaged then? You know, the engagement from before Naraku kicked it?"

Miroku smiled and played with one of the sticks in his arms. "Yeah. We're still engaged." He finally said.

"You're engaged? Wait! You've been engaged to Sango for a time now?"

Shippo decided to make his presence known. He had no idea that the monk had popped the question before this day.

Miroku nodded again as he picked up his last log and began the walk back to camp. Inuyasha and Shippo following his lead. "Yeah, I think it's been nearly a year since I asked her for the first time. I had grave injuries at the time and Sango worried about my safety. I've always wondered if she accepted just because the felt bad for me because of my injuries. Today I got my answer. " His smile widened and he flashed them one of his trademark lecherous grins.

Shippo kept silent for a minute, contemplating the meaning of what the monk had said. Then he finally broke the silence. "… Wow, congratulations. Now Inuyasha just has to get his ass in gear and you can have a double wedding."

"Oi, What are you implying?" Inuyasha's fist connected with the kit's head with a soft `thud'.

Miroku just smiled as the two began one of their arguments again. Shippo continuing to score points in the `debate' with comments like: "Well, it's obvious that you love each other, both of you are just too blind to see it." And: "I know how you react every time her scent changes. You know that special, sweet scent she has once a month before she begins to bleed."

Miroku's smile turned into a smirk. `I knew he could smell it!'

And Inuyasha continued to loose because he tried to defend himself with argument like: "Shut the fuck up!" And: "Shut the fuck up or I'll beat the crap out of you!"

When Inuyasha had done just that, Miroku averted his attention again to think on him and Sango.

`I'm getting married.'

-()-

Smiling to herself, her back against the soft red glow of the fire, Kagome thought about the day's events. She was really happy for her friends, Sango and Miroku deserved each other. She really hoped that Miroku would be able to keep his hands off other woman from now on, Sango wouldn't settle with hitting him if his hands wandered.

She rolled over and glanced up in the tree where Inuyasha was. She could barely make out the familiar red and white in the dark night. He looked asleep, but experience told her that he was only dosing. His senses were as always on wide alert.

Sighing, she carefully sat up in her sleeping bag not wanting to wake Shippo. Even if she couldn't sleep there was no reason to wake him.

Inuyasha had obviously noticed her movement because she heard the rustling from the tree when he moved to keep an eye on her.

`He's always ready to protect me, but nothing more.' She thought bitterly as she adjusted her back so that it was supported by the backpack she used as a pillow.

Glancing up at the tree one more time, she averted her eyes and focused on the stars decorating the black velvet of night. It always calmed her to look at the stars. They were rarely visible in her own time. Too much light from the electricity…

"Do you ever think about the future?" She suddenly whispered, filling the chill night air with other sounds than the crackling from the fire.

She knew that Inuyasha had heard her, but was still a bit surprised when he answered.

"Sometimes." He said slowly.

She tried to catch a glimpse of him up in the tree, but with the angle she was in now, the leaves blocked her view.

"So, what do you think about then?" She prodded, trying to get him to say more. She knew little about his dreams, even after two years in his company. He always guarded his personal thoughts and feelings well, afraid that someone would see them as weaknesses perhaps.

He was silent for a long time and Kagome began to think that he had ignored her question, sealed himself up behind the walls carefully built to keep from getting hurt. In any way.

"Stuff," He began. Kagome held her breath, praying that he would say more.

"Like what I'm going to wish for when the jewel's complete I guess, but mostly I think about the past. I can't afford to worry about the future with the way I'm living." He stopped, obviously noticing that he had said a lot more that he meant to say.

"So, you're not sure about what to do with the jewel anymore?" She asked after a moment of silence.

She could feel that he was tensing. She shouldn't have asked the last question.

"Forget it. It's not important at the moment." She finally said, trying to get his thoughts away from the subject.

She didn't want to press him. She didn't want the jewel to be complete. That would mean that he would leave her, or she would have to leave him. Either way she didn't like the outcome…

When he didn't say anything more, she turned her attention back to the stars. The night was getting colder.

-()-

Inuyasha tensed when Kagome asked the last question and he realised for the first time what he had said about the jewel. He hadn't said that he would use it to become a full youkai, which would've been the normal answer.

`When did I decide that I didn't want to become a youkai anymore?' He asked himself as he stared down at the girl underneath him. Surely it had a lot to do with her.

She was looking at the stars again.

He didn't really understand the fascination she had with the stars, but he did agree that they were calming to look upon. Your own troubles seemed so small when you were graced with the beauty of a single star.

Somehow, whenever he looked upon the stars, he knew that whatever happened to him, it would be fine in the end.

Glancing down again, he noticed how Kagome was shivering. He hadn't noticed it before now, but the night was getting colder, the wind picking up speed.

Jumping down from the tree, he landed softly behind her and took his haori off. Kagome looked askance at him when he offered it to her, but took it nonetheless.

"You don't want to get a cold do you?" He asked, trying to defend his action. She only smiled and draped it over her small frame.

"Thanks Inuyasha."

He nodded slowly and watched as she tucked herself back into the sleeping bag, his haori on.

Moments later, she was sound asleep.

Moving slowly to not wake her, Inuyasha bent over her and took a deep breath, calming himself with her scent.

It was going to be a long night.

-()-()-

A/n: Awww… Okay, going to be some time before I get to update now. I'm going on vacation and there's no internet… anyways, hope you like and I'll update as soon as I get the chance.