Me: Sad to say, this is the last chapter of this little shoujo-ai Kag/San fanfic. I would like to thank all of my lovely reviewers for helping me write this.

[edit] Yes, I fixed the ending so it isn't so abrupt! Yay!

Miroku's Child-bearer: Kyah! Glad you like the Kag/Inu moment! Darn it, I knew I should have taken more care with that scene! Ah, well.

Tache: Yay! Thanks! We didn't really make friends there, but I saw you around the boards.

Disclaimer: "Inuyasha" is property of Rumiko Takahashi, Sunrise, Viz, and all those other people who bring this series to us!

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Kisu (Kiss) Chapter 5

"So are you really okay?" Miroku bent down to take a closer look at Sango.

"Yes, I've been saying this so many times today it seems," Sango replied exasperatedly.

"Shippo!" A young boy from the village poked his head inside. "Shippo, do you want to play with us? We're going by the river to race our boats!"

"Oh, um..." Shippo glanced back.

"I'm okay, Shippo. You go on ahead," Sango smiled at him.

"Are you sure?" Shippo didn't want to seem uncaring about her condition. Sango nodded at him and he smiled. "Okay, I'll be back!" and he ran off out through the door.

Miroku watched him leave, and then turned his attention back to Sango. His eyes fell upon her exposed torso, and the injuries inflicted upon it.

Feeling his gaze on her, Sango tugged the blankets up over her body.

"Kagome-chan was just changing my bandages," she informed him.

"Oh," Miroku looked enlightened. "Well, I'll be glad to carry on from where Kagome-sama left off!" he grinned.

Sango hugged the sheets closer to her body. "I think I'd rather wait for her to come back," she said suspiciously at him.

"Oh..." Miroku seemed greatly disappointed. His gaze shifted up her body. Then his face lit up again. "Well, how about I get started on these?" He motioned towards the bandages around her chest.

Sango quickly drew away from him. "Try to touch me and I'll make Kirara throw you out!"

Miroku shifted his gaze to the demon cat, who growled with loyalty towards Sango. He sweated. "Oh, okay..." he sat back, closing his eyes. "But," he cracked open an eye at Sango, "I thought you wanted to be more intimate with me."

Sango's flustered eyes darted to look at Miroku. "W-what!?" Her face turned red from both embarrassment and anger. "You were spying on us?"

Miroku opened his eyes at once. "No. Actually, I was looking for you two when I just happened to over hear your conversation."

Sango scowled. "So... how long were you there?"

"Up until you two finished your 'practicing'."

Sango's body contracted. If he was there for that long, undoubtedly he saw them... Sango blushed. "Did you..." she hesitated.

Miroku grinned, but it was unlike his usual ones. "I saw everything." Sango got even warmer.

Kirara tilted her head. She "mewed" in bewilderment.

Miroku turned to her. "Kirara, do you mind if Sango and speak alone?" he asked politely.

Kirara stared at him, like she was trying to find out his true intentions. She seemed to understand as she "mewed" agreeably, and went swiftly out the door.

Miroku turned his attention back to Sango. "So how do you feel?"

Sango looked at him. At first she thought he meant her injuries, but he had already asked her that. "About what?" she said in a low tone.

"Kagome-sama."

Sango's nerves stung her. "What?"

Miroku sat back. "Well... have you noticed Kagome-sama acting differently?"

"What do you mean?" Sango uneasily shifted around.

"I meant around you."

Sango kept feeling more uncomfortable. Even though she had a fair idea of what Miroku meant, she didn't say anything in response.

Miroku decided to be more direct. "I think she may have fallen in love with you."

Sango thought her heart had stopped. She slowly looked round at him, her face one of disbelief and shock. "W-what?"

"I thought that might have been your reaction. But what I want to know is," Miroku looked at her sternly, "do you like her back?"

Sango hesitated, but she wasn't sure why. "No! Of course not!"

"Really?" Miroku sounded skeptical as he eyed her scrupulously.

"Yes!" Sango said firmly. "Why would I like my best friend – who's a girl I might add – that way?"

"You tell me."

"Houshi-sama, it's not like that!" Sango flushed. "You're the one I'm engaged to, aren't I?"

"That may be, but am I the one who you truly want to be with?"

Sango was dumbstruck.

Miroku watched her with a steady gaze. "You're the girl I care the most for in the world," he smiled. "But you don't have to worry about me. Your happiness is my happiness. Besides," he said in a more relaxed tone, "there'll be plenty of other girls I can have bear my child."

Sango's expression didn't change at all. She looked like she was either going to be sick, or burst out in tears at any moment.

Miroku was sympathetic. "I don't want you to try and use any feelings you may have for me as a barricade to hide any you may have for Kagome- sama."

The sound of someone approaching the cabin made them draw their conversation to a close. Kagome appeared by the doorway, stepping in slowly.

"Um... I'm back," she announced timidly. Miroku smiled at her and got up.

"I guess I'll go keep Inuyasha company then," he said as dusted himself off. "You'd better get back to taking care of Sango, Kagome-sama. She seems to be reluctant to let me do the job." He gave Kagome a knowing glance as he walked by her. Kagome in turn tried to show Miroku how apologetic she felt. He must have gotten the message because he grinned at her with a wink.

As soon as the two of them were alone together, the air seemed to tense around them. Kagome put her bag on the floor and sat next to it nervously.

Sango decided to break the ice first. "So... did you find what you forgot back home?"

Kagome kept her eyes glued to the floor. "Um... yeah..." Her stomach squelched at the thought of lying to her friend – a friend for whom she had stronger feelings for. She fiddled with her fingers in her lap uneasily. She felt Sango watching her stupidity, and decided it would be best to do something constructive. "Um... I guess I better wrap your stomach back up." She searched around in her bag for fresh bandages.

Sango pushed back her covers obligingly. "Hey," she paused. "What was it you were going to tell me before?"

Kagome froze. Of course she had expected that she would be telling Sango her feelings as soon as she got back, but... so soon? Sango was really putting her on the spot now. 'Well, I guess this is it." She shifted to face Sango, gripping the roll of bandages in her fist for support.

"Sango-chan, I..." her heartbeat grew rapid. "I think I... I think... I like you!" she blurted out at once. Her eyes darted back down. "I mean... as more than just a friend," she clarified. "I might even be in love with you, but I don't know for sure." The heat crept up into her face.
"Because, I still have some feelings for Inuyasha, but then... but then..." She clenched her fists. She didn't want to cry anymore. The air was filled with silence again. Until...

"Do you... want to know for sure?"

Kagome looked up. Sango was watching her from the side shyly.

"Eh?" Kagome said hesitantly.

"I mean... if you really do like me..." Sango blushed, "as more than just a friend." Kagome didn't respond. She was still trying to process Sango's words – trying to believe that they were real. Sango looked down at her covers. "I was thinking about it too... actually. After what we did by the river, I thought for a second that I had grown infatuated with you too. But I dismissed it as nothing more than feeling guilty about what we did. Now though..." She glanced at Kagome, "I'm not so sure."

Kagome blinked. "But... what about Miroku-sama?"

Sango smirked. "Like you, I still have some lingering feelings. He was the first person I ever fell in love with after all. But we talked about it and... he says it's okay." Now the tears threatened to run over Sango's face.

"Sango-chan..." Kagome dropped the bandages in her hand. She threw her arms around the girl in front of her. "I'm sorry..."

- - -

He stared up at the tree. The tree which his beloved Kikyo had pinned him down too, because she thought he had betrayed her. This was the same tree where he had his first encounter with Kagome – the tree which transcends time. He sighed heavily. "I think I lost another one."

"You too?"

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open. He spun around at the source of the voice. It was Miroku. He approached him calmly, looking up at the tree like Inuyasha had done before.

"Well, maybe not another one..." he dropped his gaze to Inuyasha. "It's my first."

Inuyasha looked back at him with an unchanged expression. He sighed again and sat on the grass by the tree, folding his arms. Miroku sat with him on one of the uprooted tree roots.

"So how does it feel?" Inuyasha said after a while.

"Hm?" Miroku stared down at him.

"To lose someone you care about."

Miroku gazed longingly up at the clear blue sky. "Well, you know."

Inuyasha paused, then glanced up at the impression Kikyo's arrow had left on the tree. "Yeah..."

- - -

"I'm back!" Kagome walked back into the cabin, carrying in the basin full of fresh water. She set it down and promptly began swirling the towel around in it. Sango watched her with interest as she wrung it out and patted it around her wounds.

"Ah!" she shouted. "That's cold!" She rubbed the spot where Kagome had just put the towel against her skin.

"Sorry, I can't help it," Kagome giggled. "Here, I'll start replacing these bandages." She undid the pin which was holding the bandages around Sango's chest, which loosened about her. Sango brought her hands up to prevent exposing herself.

A knock came at the door. It was Kikyo's now aged younger sister, Kaede. "I've brought some food in case you were hungry." She entered the room, carrying a tray of stew.

"Thank you, Kaede-obaa-chan," Kagome replied gratefully with a grin.

"I'll just leave it here." She placed it on the floor next to Kagome. When she got back up, she glanced at Kagome and Sango oddly before adding, "If you want anymore just ask."

"Thank you," Sango said this time.

Kaede nodded her head before turning around to leave.

'She can't know either, can she?' Kagome's face paled.

The breeze from outside wafted the smell of the hot food all around them. It was a pleasant scent, which began making them soon feel hungry.

"Do you want some now?" Kagome looked over at Sango.

"Oh, um... sure," Sango said, slightly taken aback. Kagome picked up one of the bowls off the tray. Sango expected her to hand the bowl to her, but instead she picked up the chopsticks to use them to take a piece of meat from the bowl. She held it out to Sango's mouth. Sango did a double take. "Er... It's okay, I'm well enough to feed myself." She reached out to take the bowl but Kagome pulled it back.

"Humour me," she tilted her head to the side and smiled.

Sango blinked at her, and then sighed with defeat. She opened her mouth and Kagome popped in the piece of beef, feeling Sango close her mouth on the chopsticks and slide her lips off.

"How is it?" Kagome asked her politely.

Sango swallowed. "Quite good." Kagome smiled and put the bowl near her mouth so she could sip out of it. Sango did so, and then Kagome picked up a potato this time. She fed it to Sango in the same manner as the piece of beef. She watched her munch on it slowly, and then began to think.

"Ney, Sango-chan?"

"Hrm?" Sango murmured while she chewed.

"Remember when you said that you were afraid of getting close to Miroku?"

Sango swallowed again, looking at her dubiously. "Yes..."

"Well..." Kagome lowered the bowl of stew. "What about me?" she blushed.

Sango looked flustered. "Er... well..." Sango shifted her gaze to the side. "Well... I've already kissed you, so..." Sango's cheeks turned red. "I guess I'm okay with it."

Kagome grinned at her teasingly, her face still warm. "And I told you that it was good, right?" Sango slouched embarrassedly. Kagome smiled and placed the bowl in her hands down. "Ney, Sango-chan..." she straddled over Sango into her lap.

"Eh – K-Kagome-chan?" Sango stuttered out nervously.

Kagome touched her forehead to Sango's. "You really need to get over this fear of yours." The pace of her heartbeat quickened as she brushed her lips against Sango's tenderly. Sango's eyes widened with surprise. Kagome pulled back and licked her lips. "You're right – that stew does taste good." Kagome bent down for another serving.

"K-Kagome-chan, wait a minute!" Sango felt her bandages beginning to slide down her chest.

As fearful as she was, Kagome wanted to press on. She leaned forward into another kiss, bringing her left hand up to push Sango's bandages back, rubbing against her chest. Sango whimpered, and was forced to lean up against the wall with Kagome's impending weight. Kagome moved her right hand around Sango to rest at the small of her back, stroking the spot soothingly. Sango involuntarily moaned as a result, surprising both herself and Kagome.

"Oh! Is this going to be happening on a regular basis?"

Kagome's eyes snapped open, and she hastily pulled back upon hearing the intruder's voice. Sango however, pulled her back down just as quickly to hide herself.

Of course, when they looked at the doorway, who else was it but Miroku, eyeing them with enthrallment. "If it is, I think I could really get used to this."

The two girls' eyes boggled at him.

"MIROKU-SAMA, YOU REALLY ARE A PERVERT!"
"HOUSHI-SAMA, YOU REALLY ARE A PERVERT!"

Inuyasha was close behind him, a questioning eyebrow raised at them.

"Inuyasha, you too!?" Kagome glared at him with flustered eyes.

"Ehh!?" Inuyasha looked back at her incredulously. "You two shouldn't be doing stuff like that when other people can easily walk in, in the first place!" he spat with annoyance.

"Oh, don't mind Inuyasha!" Miroku waved a hand in the hanyou's face. "Please, continue!"

"Eh? What's going on?" Shippo's voice rang out. The others' went rigid at his voice.

"SHIPPO-CHAN, DON'T COME IN!"
"SHIPPO, DON'T GO IN!"

- - -

"Ugh, this whole ordeal has made me feel so exhausted!" Kagome slumped down next to Sango. The group had just finished the grueling task of explaining what was going on to Shippo. "I just want to fall asleep..." Kagome leaned her head on Sango's shoulder.

Miroku's eyes glimmered. "I have a suggestion, Kagome-sama! Why don't you use Sango's chest as a pillow to fall asleep on? Personally, I – " Miroku was interrupted in the midst of his fantasizing, by a bottle being flung at his forehead.

"Houshi-sama..." Sango growled through grit teeth.

"Maybe some other time," Kagome said sleepily. At this, Miroku lit up and Sango faltered. "I just want to take a short nap for now..." Kagome kicked off her shoes and slipped under the covers with Sango.

"K-Kagome-chan?" Sango stuttered while Miroku continued to watch with enthrallment.

"If you're still up, wake me in about an hour, San-chan." Kagome motioned lazily over her watch.

A pause...

"SAN-CHAN!?" The boys repeated in shocked bewilderment. Sango blinked at Kagome, who was now resting peacefully next to her.

"Er..." Sango slowly turned around to face the others, a touch of pink on her face.

"She must be delusional from fatigue," Inuyasha mumbled.

"Maybe..." Shippo replied.

Miroku leaned forward. "Well?" He looked at Sango earnestly.

She just stared back at him. "Well, what?"

"Aren't you going to snuggle up next to her?"

Sango's blank face contorted into a fierce expression. "Who do you think I am!? You!?" she hissed, trying not to wake Kagome.

"But isn't snuggling up together what couples do?" Miroku asked her innocently.

The taiji-ya was at a loss for words as heat crept up her face. Miroku grinned at her appearance.

"Alright, you – I think I'd better take you outside to cool off." Inuyasha grabbed Miroku by the collar, and proceeded to drag him out the door.

"Huh? Hey, wait! Inuyasha, you'll make us miss another great moment, here!" Miroku complained as he flailed about. "Hey, wait!!" Shippo sighed as he followed them outside.

Sango watched them leave, Miroku's cries of protest becoming more and more faint as the distance between them grew. Kirara walked up next to Sango and "mewed" questionably.

"It's alright – you can stay." Sango smiled down at Kirara and petted her kindly. Kirara "mewed" again, and then lied down next to her.

Sango glanced over at Kagome, who was sleeping with her back facing her. She sighed, a bit wary about sharing the same bed with someone, even if it was just Kagome. Sango slid under the covers next to her, staring up at the ceiling. Quite unexpectedly, Kagome turned over and slinked an arm around Sango, startling her.

'Is she still asleep?' Sango thought to herself nervously.

Kagome pulled herself up, resting her head on Sango's bandaged chest. "Miroku-sama actually made a good suggestion..." Kagome said softly. She hugged her body closer to Sango's.

Kagome's actions of affection still made Sango a bit uneasy – she wasn't used to this kind of attention from someone who loved her. Still, it was endearing, and Sango couldn't help but be taken in by Kagome's warmth. She freed her inside arm, laying it across Kagome's back. Kagome snuggled up closer in response.

Together, the two girls dozed off, each in the other's warm embrace.

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Me: Now, that's a better ending.

Don't tell me, I think I did more OOC-ness here. I especially think that Kagome came off as too pushy towards Sango [eh heh heh]. Maybe that was something more like I could have put in "Sake Situation." Well, that was more Kag/San action for anyone interested.

Thank you readers! Please take the time to leave at least one more review!