The Lies That Bind Us – Part Four:  Back On The Job

Disclaimer: [turns out pockets] Nope.

A/N: Thanks, reviewers! And everyone, be sure to check out the little feature at the bottom done by Aamalie, since she's weird and amusing. XD Onward, me hearties!

When Nakano pulled up to The Dancing Buddha, Sango didn't even spare him a glance as she slammed the door open and shut. She was reaching for her car door, having unlocked it by sensor, when he grabbed her arm.

Sango whirled and glared into his (too close, too close) face. "You don't want to sneak up on me."

Nakano seemed to read the threat in her eyes and dropped his hand. "I just wanted to say that, no matter how inebriated half of our pair was, I enjoyed your company."

Sango snorted, pulling her door open. "Next thing, you'll be expecting a 'thank you'."

"Oh, of course not. All I did was stop you from driving home drunk and potentially crashing into a ditch or getting picked up by some creep or getting mugged. Nothing that warrants a 'thanks', I'm sure." His eyes were almost - hurt? Nah. She hadn't known him long enough to scathe him with words... right?

"Sorry, Nakano, but my idea of a Prince Charming died long ago. The best you can be in my book is the court jester."

Though Miroku's eyes remained subdued, he grinned. "If that's what it takes to be near you, I'll take the job." Before Sango could think up a reply, he had leaned close and brushed his lips across her cheek.

Sango's mind stuttered. Wh-wha?

Then, he was waving over his shoulder at her while striding back to his car. "I'll see you later, Sango!"

Sango blinked, raised a hand to her cheek, and warned herself not to blush. Slipping into the car, she didn't even put the key in the ignition; she waited for the telltale signs of Miroku's car starting up and pulling out of the parking lot.

After she was sure that he was gone, she composed herself, opened her dash, and pulled out her cell, clipping it to her belt. The long black coat had stayed at home today, traded in for a deep red dress shirt, thrown over her black tank top. The coat was fine for all-nighters, but it was overkill in broad daylight. She also slipped her main gun into her shoulder holster. Ah, another use for the shirt; it hid the straps quite nicely. The other, smaller gun was still at home under her pillow.

She slipped the earpiece into her ear as she started the car. Uttering the activation words, "Wake up", she listened to the computerized voice intone, "Say a name or a command."

"Voicemail."

"You have... twenty-eight new messages."

Sango cursed, and the phone promptly informed her that she had given an incorrect command. "Play," she amended, merging into traffic and making her way toward the office.

Most of the messages were Kagome's, and consisted of her screaming at Sango to pick up the phone, as if Sango had an answering machine and was screening her calls. Naraku had left one message, only one, and it was nothing but a suggestion that it would be in her best interest to call his office when she got the message. Unsympathetic bastard. He wasn't even concerned.

One was Shippou's; he was gushing enthusiastically about a new species of bullet that he'd perfected. Smart kid.

Sango mentally ranted through the majority of the voicemail, however. That devious little- oooh! Who does he think he is, anyway? I don't even know him...

The stream of messages ended as Sango pulled up to the inconspicuous office building that a passerby wouldn't have suspected to be FBI headquarters. She entered, crossed the deserted entrance hall, and tapped in a lengthy password. After scanning her ID badge (clipped neatly to her shirt), she stepped into the elevator and began the descent.

Music so old that it was rancid poured from the speakers, and Sango wrinkled her nose. You'd think that a government facility would have decent songs...

When the doors slid open and she swept into the cluster of cubicles like she had done the previous night, she did her best to avoid seeing anyone that she knew would question her. They'd be looking for her at her desk... Casting her eyes around, she spotted Shippou's desk - mercifully empty. He must have been working on those new bullets.

Sango slid into his desk and dropped the papers that Kagome had faxed onto it. She knew that Kagome was a very efficient worker, so she didn't bother to go over the minute details. Swiping a black pen from Shippou's desk (which was topped with an odd pink ball with eyes), she began to sign her name to the numerous sheets.

So engrossed with her work was she, that she didn't look up until a voice chirped from her shoulder. "Do you just want to trade locations with me? I'd be grateful for your secluded little spot."

"Shut up, Shippou," Sango groused. Her head was still throbbing madly, and coupled with Miroku's forwardness, it had made her more than a little grouchy. "And what's up with this stupid pen top, anyway?"

The tech shrugged. "I like it. Plus, I hit it with one of my gadgets. It makes it easy to monitor who uses it. Watch." He clapped twice. The pen pulsed upward and jerked out of her loosely closed hand, clattering to the desk. The little pen-top squeaked "Hands OFF!" and fell dormant.

Sango stared at it for a long time. Then, she burst into uncontrollable laughter. She was dimly aware that it wasn't that funny, and she was also aware that she was attracting attention, but she didn't care. In some corner of her sleep-deprived, hung-over brain, the thought of a pen-bubble was enough to send her into hysterics.

Shippou just raised an eyebrow. "I'm getting you a latté and a psychiatrist. Don't move."

"Sango!" The voice of a morning person caused the giggles to taper off. Sango hated morning people. Maybe because she wasn't one.

"Kagome... hi."

"Hi? All you have to say is hi? I've been so worried about you-"

Sango tuned her friend out. It was so easy to hang up on someone whilst on the telephone, but it was decidedly harder in person. After about five minutes and a dose of caffeine, she managed to cut Kagome off. "Look, I'm fine. The papers are-" She signed her name once more with a flourish, supressing a giggle at the pen. "-done, and I need to take them to The Bastard. Later."

Kagome's face fell, but then she nodded and handed Sango the load in her hands, which just happened to be the remainder of the application. "Yeah, I know... but you make us worry entirely too much, Sango. And we never hang out anymore. I miss you." She put on a puppy-dog face that only succeeded in making her look like a simpering panther.

Kagome had something planned. Sango could smell it.

"Fine, Kagome. Make your little plans. I'll bite." Sango made her way back to the elevator amid the sounds of excited squealing and shuffling paper. She punched the number to Naraku's floor. It was going to be an interesting day...

When Sango slipped into Naraku's office, he was engrossed in a telephone conversation. His desk chair was swiveled so that the back was facing her.

It's like I'm in a mafia movie... Sango mused, crossing her arms around her application and waiting for Naraku to notice her presence.

It didn't take long. As if he had been discussing something highly private, Naraku ended his phone call as soon as Sango was getting comfortable leaning against the closed door. He spun to face her, his elbows on the armrest and his fingertips together.

And now he's going to tell me that a long time ago, I got a favor from the Family...

"Ah. 'Jiya. So nice of you to join me."

Sango shrugged. "I've got the papers filled out and signed. Anything else, or can I get back to scrawing graffiti about you on the bathroom walls in purple lipstick?"

Naraku chuckled. "Your spirit is admirable, 'Jiya." He held out his hands for the papers, and Sango reluctantly crossed the office and handed them over. He didn't even look at them. "I need to turn in your license to carry with this, as well..."

Muffling an exasperated sigh, Sango reached for her back pocket and extracted her wallet. She always kept that license in an empty compartment, but as she quickly drew it out, something else came with it.

Miroku's card.

While Sango's business exterior held the card out Naraku, her interior was quivering. Oh, great... if he sees that...

It appeared that the Fates weren't exactly on Sango's side. Bypassing Sango's outstretched hand, he picked up the small card and perused it.

Sango swallowed hard. Oooooh....

Then, much to her amazement, Naraku began to laugh. Bewildered, Sango let her arm drop and hang loosely at her side.

"'Jiya, you never do anything halfway, do you? When Hiten came in this morning, telling me that he'd seen you in the bar with your target-"

Sango blinked. "You had me followed?" Her mind whirled. The smoker...

Ignoring her question, Naraku went on. "He told me that you seemed highly unprofessional, but now I see that you were procuring this excellent opportunity... to model, I assume?"

"Uh, actually, I wasn't planning to do that-"

"Don't be absurd." He waved his hand dismissively. "You'll take the job, of course."

"I'll do no such thing!"

The mirth vanished from Naraku's face. "It wasn't a question, 'Jiya." He held out his hand for her license again and took it, placing it on top of her completed application. He then returned the card. "Call him. You accept."

Sango just gaped. He- I- That- OOOH! Turning on her heel, she stormed toward the office door, only pausing when her hand was on the doorknob. "I hate you," she spat, slamming from the room hard enough to make the walls quiver.

Naraku spun his chair around once more, staring from the window. "I'm aware..." he murmured.

Oookay. Since Aamalie is the weird-ness, she made these up while beta-ing this chapter and sent them to me in an IM. I just couldn't resist putting them up, so here's:

The Beta Special!

Sango: [stomps into the office] Grrrrr...

Naraku: [pops up with evil grin and the usual "kukuku"] 'Jiya! Weapon license! El pronto!

Sango: [evil glare and mutters about evil bastards with control issues] Grrr... [pulls out card]

Miroku Card: [sound effects as it flutters down] [Plop!]

Naraku and Sango: [stare at it]

Sango: [frozen with weapon license extended] Oooooh shi- I mean, Grrrrrrrrr...

Naraku: [picks up card. Reads. Typical "kukukuku".] 'Jiya, why didn't you tell me about this?

Sango: [shifty eyes] Uh.... Grr?

====

Sango: Ow.. Headache... Ow... [totters out of bathroom]

Miroku: [sits on bed, blinking]

Sango: o.o; ............... WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!!?!?! Ouch... Yelling... Bad... Ach... Hairball, erm, I mean headache...

Miroku: o.O?

===

Miroku: [rubs back of head] I honked the horn for ages! When you didn't answer, I came up to see if you were all right. [dangles keys as demonstration]

Sango: [snatches keys, muttering about idiotic barkeepers who are barkeepers for a reason, the stupid man-whores...]

Miroku: [eyes where they don't belong] Uh... Sango?

Sango: ...What?

Miroku: [cheery grin and peace-sign] Would you be interested in bearing my child?

Sango: [drops towel from shock- and NOT the one covering her hair]

Censors: ON.

Miroku: [happy grin] I KNEW you had the makings of a model!

Review Responses

Demon Exterminator Barbie: XD Ohhh... I seee...[cracking up] Unique way to get a username! I find it very.. intriguing. Yeah... v.v;;; 'Twisted Mind' was killed... And hey! Bishie wet T-shirt contest wasn't weird... 'twas nummy. =) Aww... I don't think it was mean, per se, but it's just that if I get to talking about the plot too much, I'll get to changing things and messing things up until I don't know what's going on... [sighs] Forgive me? oo You ickle hentai! [whacks you] Jeez. You do Miroku proud! Thanks for the long review, and I hope you enjoy(ed?) D.C. GC spotting, anyone?

Kyoko Kasshu Minamino: I'm glad you like! [wishes she could do the huge grin but CAN'T because ff.net is having an aneurysm] Eheh. >.> Hee... delectable Miroku! XD You... static-clung him to Sango's back? [dying of laughter] Yes, thou art evil...

rednblackangel: Thank you! Yeah... Sango's going to have her work cut out for her, that's for sure! I'm glad you like it!

HMPrune: XD Yes... those are plenty of good reasons to love Miro-kun into the ground... And as you saw in this chapter, she's going to have plenty of opportunity to assess her feelings... [grins] Oooh... the 'turning against Naraku' part... well, it's still pretty far in the future, but I'm working on it! Hopefully, you won't be let down, ne?

Soli-chan: >.> Heyyy... Stop reading between my lines! XD Hee... I see your point, though. Oh, and I guess you've never seen 'Driving Miss Daisy' then, huh? I understand... I didn't even want to watch it. Basically, there's a chauffeur involved who carries out the title... so Sango was making vague references. Blah. [vaguely menacing look] Whoa... she was going to donate her eyes? Cool... Weird, but cool... [applause] Yay for passing your final... I'm still waiting for the results of my AP testing... I think I screwed them both up... . But I won't know until July, so I'm not thinking about it! Grrr... I missed a CHASMS conversation... [tears up] I'll just have to fight to be online, then! =) Thanks for the review; I had much fun reading it!

Blondie Hanyou: Ooookay... I'm sorry that you're in a bad mood... [sings] Don't worry.... be happy! Heh. Making more chapters, so don't worry! =)

Sango'n'Miroku4ever: [shifty eyes] Yup... waaaaay too good to be the bad guy... [lets you interpret that as you will] 'Anon'? [helpless giggles] You're funny... but inventive! =) I hope this is 'anon' enough! [snicker]

the littlest dinosaur: Oh, definitely the good silly! Sheesh, there needs to be a definite distinction in the dictionary! [winks] And yeah, as you can tell, Kagome and Sango's friendship is reeeally something special... What type of special, however, I leave up to you. [grins and goes off to rant somewhere] Thanks for reviewing!

keika: Thank you! I'm glad that you think it's original!

Blackcat8610: Heyyy... don't be so swift to claim a favorite chapter! More situations are yet to come! Ooh! Gold star! [sticks it on forehead and goes off acting superior] Hee, impressions are fun! Thanks for the review, and I hope this was soon enough (though probably not... [sigh]).

DayDreamerz: Heh. Yeah. I had problems imagining it too... until I wrote it... then I giggled my butt off. I'm glad you found it amusing! =)

Rin Katt: Heh. I'm taking the "O.O" as a good thing, eh? =) I hope this was soon enough... but you MUST tell me what on earth you would do with those seemingly random items... [runs off to hide from you]

Aamalie: O.O;;; NOOOOO!!!! Not the NAME! ANYTHING but the name! Wait. I didn't just say 'anything', by the way... XD You keep prodding, and I'll keep writing, capische? (oO I knoooow that that probably wasn't spelled right...)

Lily Thorne: Heh. Once more, I'm glad it amused you! oO You think Sango's falling fast? Weird... I thought she was going about it rather slowly... Heh. As for the fast fluff, ehhhh.... [shrugs] Who knows? [evilly cackles and goes off to terrorize children and kittens]

Won't you click the button? [puppy dog eyes]