The Lies That Bind Us – Part Six:  Suspicions

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is mine! [hugs plushie, then looks around curiously] What?

A/N: Reviews ROCK! I love you guys so much... Just wanted to let you guys know (if you haven't read my bio) that I'll be out of town from July 18 to August 1. I'm going to try to post at least one more chapter before I leave though... Now, on to fic-ness! (According to Aamalie, ish rather short. I think I agree. v.v;;;)

Miroku grinned happily at Sango from over Kagome's head. "Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

Kagome glanced at Sango, then at Miroku, then back at Sango. "Uh... who's this?"

For a moment, Sango panicked. Then, she remembered: Kagome didn't know the name of her target; that information had been in the FYEO envelope. Sighing, she answered, "Nakano Miroku. He's the bartender that I mentioned."

Kagome blinked for a second, then grinned. "Ohh... you mean the one you got in bed with?"

Sango reddened. "Kagome..."

The other woman laughed. "Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of-"

"We didn't-"

"And at least he's cute-"

"Kagome-"

"-so as long as protection was involved-"

"KAGOME! Nothing... happened!"

"Oh." Kagome looked almost disappointed. "Right then... So, Mr. Nakano, care to join us?"

Sango twitched at Kagome's suggestion as Miroku answered, "Why not? And it's Miroku, please." He slipped from his own booth and into theirs... sitting right beside Sango, who was trying to bore holes into Kagome's head with her eyes.

"Here's your tea." Kagome and Sango jumped again when the waiter spoke; once more, they'd been oblivious to his approach. He placed the tea in front of the girls, then nodded to Miroku. "Hey."

"Hello, Inuyasha. Busy day?"

"Feh. You wouldn't believe it... There's this girl near the stage who's insisting that her tea be made just right so that she can keep her voice in order." He scoffed. "She sounds like a crow."

Miroku laughed. "When does your shift end today?"

"After I'm done here... Speaking of which, are you girls ready to order?"

Kagome was staring blankly at Inuyasha, and Sango had to kick her under the table (as inconspicuously as she could) before she replied. "Oh! Uh... Sango, want to eat foreign tonight?"

"Like how?"

"Pizza and fries?"

Comfort food. Sango knew where this was going... Kagome only ordered foreign food when she was trying to set someone up... Even so, Sango knew when she was beaten, and with a furtive glance at Miroku, she sighed her defeat. "Sounds fine."

Inuyasha nodded, then made for the kitchens.

Kagome watched him go. The words 'tight butt' were probably flashing through her mind. Sipping at her tea, Sango realized that seeking conversation with Kagome was a lost cause. Instead, she turned her attention the the man beside her. "Friendly with the waiter, I see."

Miroku shrugged, giving her a cheerful grin. "We've been through a lot of the same things. I guess you could say that we relate to each other."

"How so?"

Miroku raised an eyebrow. "That, dear Sango, is personal."

Sango pointedly ignored the 'dear' and took another sip of her tea. It was obviously infused with chamomile; it was opening her sinuses quite nicely. "So... care to share why you're stalking me?"

"Stalking you?" Miroku laughed. "I was here before you arrived. It's just your lack of observational skills that caused you to miss me."

"Shut up, Nakano," she returned good-naturedly. For some reason, without a pounding headache and the desire to throw up, he was much less irritating...

"Call me Miroku."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because calling you that would indicate that I'm close to you... which I'm not."

Miroku's face broke into a huge grin. Before Sango could react, he had thrown his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his side. "But you are close to me..."

Sango blinked and a pink tint rose into her cheeks. She opened her mouth to reply when she felt something on her chest...

Something that squeezed.

"Hentai!" With a solid swing, she smacked him hard on the right cheek, causing him to nearly topple from the booth. The people closest to them stared at the spectacle.

All the time, Kagome had been watching the exchange, smiling faintly. As Miroku pulled himself upright once more, looking warily at a fuming Sango, she sighed. "You two would make the perfect couple..."

"What?!" Sango demanded. "He's a pervert-"

"I am not. I just have an overdeveloped sense of appreciation for the female gender," Miroku interjected, rubbing his cheek.

Sango's eyebrow twitched. "You have an overdeveloped sense of appreciation for being slapped..." she muttered.

Miroku grinned. "Only by you, Sango."

Sango couldn't help the blush. Luckily, she was saved from the conversation by the return of Inuyasha, who was balancing the pizza in one hand and the tray of fries in the other. The girls slid their tea to the side to make room (Kagome's was untouched), and the waiter set the food down. He also put the ticket that they would have to take up to the cashier beside Kagome.

Kagome immediately dug in, lifting a huge slice of pizza to her mouth. Sango reached for the ketchup and attacked the fries. The guys just stared for a moment, watching them.

Regaining himself, Inuyasha spoke. "Oi, Miroku. I need to talk to you about something."

Miroku slid from the booth. "Sure. Now girls," he said jokingly, "don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Sango rolled her eyes. "Which leaves us free to do just about anything, huh?"

Miroku just laughed, then followed Inuyasha in the direction of the kitchens.

A loud squeal of feedback rent the air, and for the third time that night, both girls jumped. Kagome began to choke on a piece of pizza crust, and Sango leaned across the table and pounded on her back to dislodge it.

While that melodrama was taking place, a young woman with short hair cut into a bob who was wearing a liberal amount of lipstick had taken the stage. "Hello, everyone, and welcome to Chateau Chantre! I'm Yura, and I'll be your MC tonight! We have six poets lined up, and then we'll have our normal Open Mic session. Without further ado, here's..."

Yura announced the first poet, and an old man took the stage; he looked as if he was about fifty. Sango wasn't paying much attention to the poet however; her eyes were tracing the path that Inuyasha and Miroku had taken.

Even though Miroku seemed to be a nice guy, it was in Sango's best professional interests to see him as a target. Therefore, her antennae had risen at Inuyasha's request for the two to meet alone. The waiter didn't look like someone that the seemingly light-hearted Miroku would willingly associate with... and Sango still wanted to know how they related to each other.

Looking around, she found her excuse. The bathroom was located in the same direction that the two had gone.

For a split second, Sango considered telling Kagome about Miroku... but then she quenched the idea. Kagome may have been very carefree when with her friends, but when it came to work, she was usually deadly serious. If she'd had any inkling that Sango's relationship with Miroku wasn't that of hunter/hunted, she would immediately report it.

Not that their relationship was anything but hunter/hunted. Right.

"I'm going to the bathroom, Kagome," Sango informed her friend, snagging her purse.

"M'kay." Kagome's mouth was full of pizza, and she was intently listening to the old man on stage, who seemed to be ranting about his grandchildren.

Sango began to wind her way toward the bathroom, intending to follow the men's path as closely as she could. It wasn't long before she spotted them. They were speaking in low voices, hidden from the rest of the café in a dimly lit alcove. Sango edged closer, catching only a few words of the conversation.

"...seen anything?" Miroku was asking.

"Not.... They're looking, but... doubt... safe." Inuyasha responded.

Sango cursed to herself and crept even closer. That last sentence hadn't made any sense at all; if she was to get information, she had to be able to hear...

"Why aren't... here?"

"You know that... have their.... They can't leave... house. Kan... looking."

Damn it! Sango moved still nearer to them. Miroku was leaning back against the wall, and Inuyasha was facing him, with his back to Sango. She could probably get pretty close without them noticing... Then, she caught her first full sentence:

"If you find out who's on me, let me know."

Sango's breath caught. Does he know that we're targeting him? No... impossible... we're too careful...

"...now." Inuyasha had been speaking while Sango had been lost in thought, and she realized that their conversation was wrapping up. As swiftly and quietly as she could, she retraced her steps and rejoined Kagome at the table.

"That old guy was pretty good," Kagome mused when Sango sat down. "Very passionate. And you missed two other ones."

"Whatever you say, Kagome." Sango's mind was still on what she'd overheard. If Miroku was worrying about someone following him, then that had to mean that he was guilty... unless he was talking about something entirely different. And who couldn't leave where? Who was looking? Shrugging, Sango pushed the information to the back of her mind. If she acted tense or different, Miroku or Inuyasha would know that something was up. Returning to her fries, she gave her attention over to the stage, now occupied by a tall, lanky woman.

It wasn't long before Inuyasha and Miroku returned. The former sat beside Kagome, while Miroku claimed his previous seat, grinning at Sango. Sango sent him a typical scowl, her behavior back to normal... though she couldn't help stealing looks at Miroku and wondering.

The Beta Special!

Sango: [trying to bore holes into Kagome's head with a glare]

Kagome: [winces as a hole appears just behind her ear] Crap... Not another one...

Sango and Miroku: o.O;

===

Kagome: So, Mr. Nakano, care to join us?

Sango: [twitch]

Miroku: Why not? And it's Miroku, please. [slips from booth]

Ground: [turns to ice]

Miroku: [slips and falls facedown into Sango's lap]

Sango: OO;;;;;;;;; HENTAI! [shoves him off]

Miroku: [falls onto ice and slides around café]

Kagome: Well, that didn't take as long as I'd expected...

Sango: What are you talking about? You don't even know him...

Kagome: Er... well... I kind of read the last few chapters...

Sango: Oi... [bonks head onto table]

Review Responses

LiL psYch0: Heh. Yup, Sango's attitude is definitely one of the more fun things to write, an dI was hoping that others would find it funny... >.> You thought 'Chateau Chantre' was food? Eh.... I actually didn't mean to name that chapter that. v.v Flub on my part. Oh, well... Glad you liked!

E. Marie: XD I've never seen anyone use country music as a review before, but it works! =D It's no problem that it wasn't that 'creative' (as you say). Just the fact that you reviewed is enough to leave me squealing in joy!

shigromia: XD This story loves you too... As you can see, Kagome was a little more aloof in this chapter, and Sango was... well... her normal self. >.> And yes, Naraku-ness qualifies as a word, simply because I say so. =D [hands you an FBI Barbie] Limited edition!

Vilja: Heh... Yeah, Kagome was a little assertive with getting Sango dressed up and out, huh? And about the modeling... well, you'll see in the next chapter. Thanks for the review!

AnimeAngel3326: [grins] You're enthusiastic... Thank you! and you can see above who the waiter was... =D I had been wondering where I was going to bring him in. >.> And if I saw violet eyes, I would probably drool. [laughs] Hope this was soon enough for you!

Killer Goldfish: XD Suuure... because every other person you meet has violet eyes in Japan... [laughs] You had a dream about the pen? >.> I'm afraid to ask. Thank you for the review!

Demon Exterminator Barbie: =D You're silly... and I don't think you've been leaving subliminal messages... then again, your username is a subliminal message, so... XD There was a lot of special-ness set up for you in that chapter, huh? You deserve it! It's Make Corisu Feel Special Day when I read a long review from you! =) Yup. The phone exists. And it is mine. And it's currently spazzing and I'm about to get another one once my grandma changes plans. v.v; My poor cell... XD You know, you're right. He is a pervert any time... well, at least she'll preserve her modesty in front of the rest of the class. Mmm... Shakespeare. [waves Shakes!! banners] Hmm.... Miro-kun, a good poet? Perhaps... =) You know who the waiter is now, ne? Sesshou's coming in later, though if I keep talking about it, I'll tell you where, and I want it to be a surpriiiiise... =D Oh, and I figured that bringing demons into the world would just make it overly insane, so Inu has regular ears... I might give Sesshou wrist tattoos, though... [grins and is glomped] Thanks for reviewing!

Rin Katt: [pushes fingertips together] I knuuu.... Even though there really have been no Evil Cliffies of Doom in this fic as of yet, I am still the Mistress of them. =) But that's not to say that there will be no cliffies... oh, on the contrary... I hope this chapter came soon enough!

Matsemunei: =) Glad you liked! I'm having as much fun writing this as everyone else is having while reading it! And yes, I suppose there are quite a few people who like this fic already. [dance of joy] The model scene is coming... in about... two chapters? Eh, I dunno. I don't have it all planned out yet... Thanks for reviewing!

Blackcat8610: XD Why yes, yes I did have fun writing that last chapter. How could you tell? [grins happily] The 'telephones were of the devil' line actually came from one of my friends. She's always saying that things are 'of the devil'... I get fic inspirations from everywhere... And yup, Sango's not going to go quietly, that's for sure. XD Yay for trouble! Thanks for the review!

KuroKage: =D Thanks! I'm really glad you liked it. I hope I updated fast enough for you!

Soli-chan: >.> [bashes you upside the head with a rubber mallet] Let. It. Go. [hides all available loopholes] I agree with you about the jester thing and making her laugh... that'll probably come up later. Oh, and about the stalking thing, you saw in this chapter that it was just a SAP-induced coincidence! [halo] Hmm... Stalk to protect, huh? I would think that it'd be the other way around. XD You are insane... but I can understand everything that you've brought up as a loophole. >.> As for spoiling the story... ehhh... not really... if anything, you're subliminally influencing a few choice lines in the story... =D [hugs you] Thanks!

FlamingRedFox: =) I'm glad it was fun to read; it was fun to write as well! I'll do my best to keep it up, and thank you for the review!

AnimeAnna22: [is hugged] =) Yay! Someone's getting the word out! [grins] I'm glad you like what I write! >.> Eh... babysitting... luckily, I haven't done that in a while. When I do, it's three kids, two of which are perpetually hyper... [eyes knife, wiggles nose and it becomes a carrot] Muaha. Fast enough chapter for you?

EliteRedLion: >.> Don't review stuff, huh? [grins] Well, I'm glad you reviewed this! Thanks a lot, and I assure you, it was sufficient...

Lily Among The Thorns-89: Yes! PH34R updates! >.> Oiii... I haven't been reading like I should have been... Actually, I'm doing nothing but economics work and 'Lies' chapters lately... Heh. As much as Kagome looks like the mastermind behind the meeting, she was as oblivious as Sango was... [eyes squished spider] Eh, it is forgiven. =D Thanks for the review!

Baybe-Dinez: =D I'm glad it was to your liking! Action/adventure is rather hard to write with fluff, but rest assured, I'll make it happen. I love fluff. Perfect? Hmm... I wouldn't say that. She has her problems, though, as you'll se later... XD You're odd... I'm glad you liked it, and I hope this update was fast enough for you! Oh, and about the eyeshadow... hmmm... well, you can assume that she's wearing it in the café... as for on missions... probably not. I can't see her getting all pretty to arrest someone... =)

DayDreamerz: --;; I shall assume that you liked the chapter as well, eh? Don't worry, I'll make sure to save the Beta Specials in the future. Thanks for reviewing.

anhimals: I'm glad that the plot is to your liking. And Sango and Miroku do make the perfect couple! I luffle them so! [hugs them both] I hope this update was soon enough!

Review, please!