What Sango Wants – Part Five: Plans and Promises

Aamalie: Yeah... Back from camp as of very late Saturday night. Maela and Taena are trying to find their way back to the mountain... Haven't heard from em in a while. Anyway, I'd just like to apologize for how long it took for this chapter to get out. I wanted to finish chap 7 of Shot Down first, just because I actually had an idea to get it more angsty... But now its Monday, and I'm starting on this. Hopefully I'll finish it and update soon... Some review responses at the end.

Disclaimer: I'm holding the lawyers off with the threat of Miroku's kazaana... I don't think it'll last long though, since I don't legally own him OR Inu. Their destinies are in the hands of Rumiko. *SOB!*

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"What do you mean 'what'? I mean exactly what I said. I can hear what's she's thinking," said Miroku, staring up into the heavens.

"But how?!" He turned his gaze to her.

"You think I'd know? It isn't correct that I can hear what's going on in her head. If she found out, I'd be in worse shape than Inuyasha would be if you subdued him a hundred times." Kagome sighed, massaging her forehead with her hand.

"Okay... Let me get this straight. You can hear Sango's thoughts, and you have no idea how? Weird... How long has this been going on?"

"Since I woke up," he answered, looking away once more. He had figured he would get questioned, and he would answer as much as he had to, as long as he got some advice and Kagome didn't tell anyone. Oh... That'd be a very fun situation, if she told. Fun for anyone who was intent on ending his life. Like Sango would be.

"It must have been the shock! It could have opened some dormant section of your brain! It's like a sci-fi story!" Kagome laughed at Miroku's blank stare. "Never mind. But I would think you of all people would love being in Sango's head, not totally freaked out, thanks to your... habits. Not that I'm saying its a bad thing you are, because I'd have to hurt you otherwise, and might have to yet... But that brings another thought to mind. Why ARE you so freaked out? It just doesn't seem you..." He should have seen this one coming. He had predicted it, but had been hoping she wouldn't bring it up, letting him introduce the idea on his own. He searched for an excuse to get out of this awkward situation, listening in on Sango's thoughts for a moment in desperation.

*...Going to kill Kagome! I can't believe she bribed Inuyasha with ramen to keep anyone from following! She had better keep her promise and tell me what's going on, or I'll have to beat it out of houshi-sama...* He pushed the sound of her voice from his head, his face caught somewhere between a smile and a frown.

"You bribed Inuyasha with ramen eh? Good thinking," he said, temporarily forgetting the question. As intended. A bewildered look crossed her face.

"How did you know that?!" she said, eyes wide.

"Sango's moping about it. And as you should know, you can't tell her the truth about why I had to talk to you yet. I need to figure some things out first." She raised an eyebrow, but nodded.

"True... Now answer my question. Why are you so upset about all of this? And don't change the subject again. I'm not stupid." Miroku took a long, deep breath.

"Right... Well, you know earlier, when I came to... Ah... Check up on you two ladies at the springs earlier?" he began, shifting on his feet.

"How could I forget?" she replied drily.

"Well, right before Lady Sango found me out, I let myself hear what she was thinking about... And it just so happened that what she was thinking was..." The houshi faltered, trying to find the words.

"Yes?" Kagome urged, eyes sparkling with curiosity. Miroku continued.

"She was thinking about if she should ask you for advice because sh-she thinks... She thinks she might be in love with me, but doesn't know how to get past the way I act a lot. And also, she didn't call me 'houshi-sama' in her mind. She called me by my name. No formalities attached." Kagome's jaw dropped.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS?!" she literally screamed.

"Yes, just keep it down! I don't need them hearing."

"Right! Okay! So you want my advice right?" She didn't wait for his reply. "First off, I need to know, what do you feel about her? Do you think you might love her too?" Miroku felt himself turning red, and fingered the rings on his staff in embarassment as he stalled. "Well? Do you?!" she demanded, and he sighed.

"I certainly care for her... Much more deeply than I have any other girl," he said lightly, avoiding her stare.

"Eek! I knew it! You two make such a cute couple! I know we can use it to the best of our advantage! We can make a plan to see if she really does love you, as long as you don't act up, you know? If you can set aside your hentai ways for a little while, and act on what she's thinking with certain restraint, I think you may have a chance. But we might have to tell Inuyasha at least some of what's going on." Miroku considered this. Now that he knew Kagome was on his side, and she was at least willing to help him get a grasp on what was going on, he couldn't surpress the want to know if Sango really, truly meant what she had thought. That decided it for him.

"All right. Tell me your devious plan, Lady Kagome," he said, forcing himself to smile.

"Indeed!" she said, grinning mercilessly as she divulged the information she had cooked up.

~*~

It had been almost an hour when Miroku and Kagome finally returned to the camp. Sango raised an eyebrow skeptically at the two.

*What took those two so long...?* she muttered in her subconscious. *You'd think they were up to something. Kagome had better explain... At least Miroku's looking better. Ugh. He'd better not try to grope me!* Miroku, of course, heard all of this. She had been worrying about him, which meant on some level, she DID care about him. Just the thought of it pushed away any misgivings about how his original of pushing her away since he had met her had failed. He smiled at her, sitting down across from her, Kagome moving towards Inuyasha to fill him in while he distracted Sango.

"Greetings Lady Sango. I trust you've been well while I've been away?" She raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Probably better than I would with you around, houshi-sama," she said. Miroku feigned a look of hurt.

"Why in the world would you say something like that Sango?" he asked. "I'm hurt to the quick!" Sango had to bite her cheeks to keep from grinning at his dramatic tone and expression, his hand over his heart.

"Oh, I don't know. It might have something to do with those hands of yours. You remember? The ones that enjoy wandering so very much?" she countered, a hint of a warning in her tone, for future times. Miroku let the dramatic stance fade, and he studied her for a moment, making the taijiya begin to blush under his gaze, until he finally let it fall to his hands that were resting in his lap. He could hear her confusion as he recalled the idea Kagome had come up with. The one he had agreed to.

*Oh... This shall be a difficult time indeed,* he mused, looking back up to see Kagome heading back towards them with a dumbfounded hanyou following slowly. She nodded very slightly, and he looked back to Sango, not letting himself think of the harassment Inuyasha would put him through soon enough. He focused on the girl across from him, who he KNEW was at her wits end about what was going on.

"Sango... From now on, I promise to keep my hands to myself as much as I possibly can, and not sneak up on your trips to the
hot springs any longer," he said carefully, looking her in the eye.

Her jaw dropped.

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Aamalie: About time, huh? Not the longest chapter, but I'll do my best to get the next out ASAP. By Saturday, so long as I get 75+ reviews by then. ^^ I managed to finish it in three hours, taking a break to help a friend with a layout in between. Aren't I the best? =P Okay... Now, for the review responses!

Sweet Sad Jess: Indeed... Ramen GOOD!

Seabreeze: Whoah... I know you! I read your fic Haunted on 'Nature's Couple' the day before camp. And its farther updated here than there... Once I'm done, I've gotta read up. I swear, I have a fic planned that's really similar that's been swirling around for quite some time. Ah, well... =P And I just might use your idea. *evil grin*

Inu-shounen: No... Did I make it seem like that? Kagome's just her confident. Ya know... Girl talk.

Zonza: Ooooh... I like the last one! Thanks!

Momentum: Yep! But the fics there aren't as good.

Vampire-Elf: Yeah... What if I remade that into an Inu fic too? It'd be interesting... Probably be less limey/lemony though... Can't stand writing that stuff. Needless to say, I think camp changed me. oO'

JakotsuX: Ok... That makes sense... And thank you! And BTW... Do you ever run out of ideas? I always see you on the Just In list. XD

AngelicFairy: No prob! ^^ Twas a good ficcy. And I love the Humor/Romance stuff too. Can't get enough! And yes... I think we all feel pity for her right now. I've got an evil twist in mind for the future though...

Last But Not Least...

PriestessMiko: Uhhh... Lemme explain with a formula. Out of Town + No Computer/Net = No Updates. Life can be a drag sometimes, but it was worth it! Church Camp is funner than it sounds. And how can you kill/capture me if you don't know where I live? Hmmm? And if I die, I can't update. Oh yeah... As for you holding the hanyou captive... *Snaps her fingers and Inuyasha reappears beside her from your grip. Snuggles both.* Keep dreaming! I'll keep them as long as I can!

Plus, thanks to everyone else that reviewed in my looooooooooong absence! And before then for that matter.

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And if you've read this, hear me now! REVIEW!

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Or I'll make you wait even LONGER for the next chapter...

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