Love

I'd really rather not dwell on all of the things I do not own. Considering all that I own is a modest plot in hell, that would be quite a long list.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm so glad you guys enj enjoying this so far! I can make no promises about Naraku, Kuru-chan already has the whole story pretty much mapped out. Fear not though, Inu-yasha is coming in, just not quite yet. I'm hoping that this will be a reasonably long story, so there will be many twists and turns before this thing is done. Pretty much every character from the show that I can squeeze in will be here and most everyone will have someone to snuggle with. Some people I have yet to figure a match for, so suggestions are most welcome. Onward, to the third chapter!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Thre Th The two dark-haired men stared at each other for a full minute before Miroku burst out laughing. Naraku was at first confused and then angry; he tightened his grip on the other man's shoulders, but the laughing didn't stop. Tears were pouring down Miroku's face by the time he was able to control his mirth and he wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his sweater, looking up at his love's stern face.

"You worry too much, Naraku," he stood on tip-toe and brushed his nose against that of the taller man's, "You know how much I love you. If I was ever idiotic enough to cheat on you, it wouldn't be with a woman, and Sango least of all."

"Hn, maybe so, but you've always been a world-class flirt. I'm a very jealous man."

Miroku winked playfully, "But that's how we met, remember? If I hadn't flirted with you all night at that party, you never would've given me a second glance."

Removing his hands from Miroku's shoulders, Naraku drew him into a passionate kiss. He smirked inwardly as his lover melted in his embrace, relishing the feel of his warm skin as his hand stole up underneath the green sweater. Miroku moaned into the kiss as Naraku's strong hands massaged his back; he glared up reproachfully when Naraku ended the kiss and smirked at him.

"I noticed you as soon as you walked in the room. With or without your flirting, I would've gotten my hands on you one way or another."

"So confident, and here I tht Iht I had seduced you. Damn. Anyway, what brings you here?"

"We're going out."

"Right now? But lunch isn't for another half-hour and I don't get very long--"

"Then leave work early today."

Miroku was beginning to be exasperated, "I'm up for partner, you know. It really wouldn't be good for me to take off, even if I had a legitimate excuse."

Naraku raised an eyebrow, "Partner? What do you need that for? You make enough."

"I know, but this is a huge opportunity! I would get major cases and publicity and an excellent retirement package and--"

"You're not going to accept it."

"What? But Naraku--"

"No. If you became partner, you'd spend even more of your time here. I want you at home; I make more than enough for both of us."

Miroku looked at his wavy-haired lover as if he'd grown an extra head. Where had that come from all of a sudden? Staying home? For what? They didn't have kids to take care of and the chores they had to do on their own were menial as their building had an excellent maid service. Their work schedules were exactly the same and both men got home around the same time, excepting when a trial or meeting ran long. Still trying to make sense of it all, Miroku pulled away, running a hand through his messy bangs, before he had a chance to answer back, the phone rang.

"Hold on a second," he snatched up the phone, "Hello?" His face broke into a smile, "Ah, Countess. I'd almost forgotten you were going to call. No, no I didn't forget our engagement. Yes, it's still on." Here he glanced at Naraku and went around his desk, grabbing a pen and a clean piece of paper, "Right, okay. I have something just perfect. Yes, what time does it start? Eight o'clock? I've never been before, is it a dinner party? No? Good, I have horrible table manners." Miroku laughed, "No, I assure you, they are quite bad. So, what time shall I pick you up? You'll pick me up at seven-thirty? Okay, I live at 32 Shikon Ave. Just ask Gramps at the door and he'll buzz me down. All right, I'll see you then. Take care."

Miroku put the phone back into it's cradle and sat down with a sigh, "That was the Countess de Viento."

"Your most recent client," Naraku still stood near the door, he looked at Miroku, the expression on his face unreadable.

"Yes, I had meant to tell you last night, but, I got a little . . . distracted," Miroku grinned devilishly, "The Countess asked me to accompany her to King Inutaishou's annual ball. Of course I accepted, you know how touchy the nobility can be. I hope you don't mind. I mean, you get invited every year, but you never go; I know how you hate society functions."

Naraku looked at him piercingly and then leaned against the door, arms crossed, "Is that all? Do what you will, but you're coming with me right now."

"All right, but I don't want to hear anymore complaints about my possibly getting partner; we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, all right?"

Naraku nodded tersely and Miroku quickly tidied his desk before grabbing his coat from the rack. The lawyer waved for Naraku to keep going as he stopped in front of Koharu's desk. The girl looked from the door the imposing man had just left through and then back to Miroku.

"Sir?"

"I'm sorry to do this, Koharu, but something's come up. I'll be leaving early today. Take down any messages for me that come in. I don't usually get calls after three, so why don't you take off early as well."

Koharu blushed, "I--I don't think that's allowed, sir."

Miroku just laughed, "Don't worry about it. If your grandfather gives you any flack, just tell him I'm a bad influence on you. There's not a bit of untruth to that statement." He winked at her, smiling winningly as the pink tint spread from her cheeks, "Have a good weekend Koharu. I'll see you Monday."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You can't be serious?"

The pair were currently nestled in the back-booth of a quaintly atmospheric cafe. All the windows were full of heavy stained-glass, so the daylight did not intrude on the faux-night decor. The slightly guttering candle on their table threw Naraku's features into stark relief, making his eyes glow with ruby fire that sent chills down his lover's spine.

"I am. The tabloids talk about us almost constantly, although they have nothing on us, only speculations."

"Really, Naraku, stop trying to pull one over on me: I'm supposed to be the sneaky one, remember? I don't read tabloids, but I'm not gullible; there's no way we are talked about as much as the royal family."

"It's true. It's only started recently, but the press has a field day every time we appear in public together, but all they have on us is that we're old college buddies and we live in the same building."

Miroku chewed thoughtfully on a breadstick, "Naraku . . . there's no danger to me if people know about us--Mushin already does and he's the only one that matters--but you, I don't want to jeopardize your career; if the board should vote you off--"

"The entire board is in my pocket, in one way or another, and I started that company with my own two hands: they wouldn't dare try something like that," Naraku looked pointedly at the slight man, "I also have resources of my own, The Mirror will never get anything on us."

"As long as you're sure . . . I've heard that that Kanna Vacia has no scruples when it comes to getting a story. She's been prosecuted more than once for her under-handed methods, but she always gets off."

Naraku nodded, sipping his drink thoughtfully, "Most usually it's when she writes something true about the royal family."

"True?" Miroku raised an eyebrow, "Come on, you know everything in those things is a lie."

"Maybe so, but there is a ring of truth to most of what she writes. The woman is correct about us after all. Don't you find it odd that Prince Sesshoumaru never remarried after his wife died?"

The lawyer just shrugged, adjusting his turtleneck, "Some people just don't want to forget someone they loved that easily. If you died, I wouldn't want to go find someone else. I would want to stay faithful to your memory." He scooted around the booth so they were sitting next to one another and leaned his head on the taller man's shoulder, "Would you be sad, if I died?"

"Of course, it could take me years to find a piece of ass that's as good as you."

"Naraku! I'm serious!" Miroku tried to look angry, but he broke into a lecherous grin, "Am I really that good?"

"Of course, and of course I'd miss you."

Miroku snuggled closer, "After lunch, can we go for a walk?"

"Sure."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sango shivered slightly in the crisp autumn air; the skirt suits she favored left her legs bare to the cutting wind and she had forgotten her jacket back at her office. Cursing this unusual absent-mindedness, she drummed her chilled fingers on the wooden lip of the ancient well she was currently sitting on. The umber-haired woman was about to check her watch when warm arms wrapped around her waist and the breath of a teasing laugh tickled her ear.

"Sorry I'm late. Where's your coat, you idiot?"

Sango turned and gazed into her love's laughing chocolate eyes with a frown, "I left it in my office."

Relinquishing her hold on the other's waist, Kagome sat down beside Sango and cuddled up to her, sharing her warmth with the one she loved. Sango leaned into the embrace, her expression thoughtful as the hospital smell of Kagome's scrubs greeted her senses. The two sat there some time, Kagome stroking Sango's luminous hair as the attorney remained in contemplative silence.

Shifting in the embrace, Sango brought her caramel eye's to meet with her girlfriend's, "I left my coat because my mind was on other things."

"What things?" the look on Sango's face made the surgeon's innards twitch. Blood and guts and torn limbs and one thousand other things that would make the average person swoon didn't phase her in the least, but that look, that look of intense worry tore at her heartstrings. Every nuance of expression Sango was capable of was known to the woman and this one only appeared when something terrible happened, something the indomitable Sango felt that even she couldn't fix. "Sango, what's wrong? Did something happen at work?"

"You could say that," Sango sighed, "Come on, Miracle Hands, I could use some comfort."

Kagome smiled faintly at the nick-name her co-workers and the papers used, due to her uncanny ability to save people who seemed beyond help, "You're the one who's good at massages, not me." But she complied to her love's request and started working the tense neck muscles, pulling the flowing hair over one sinuous shoulder.

"Mmmm," Sango's eyes closed in relaxation, "This would be really nice, except for the fact that it's freezing and you smell like anticeptic."

Kagome nipped the golden neck playfully, "Just be glad I changed out of my trauma robes. I doubt you would've appreciated being hugged by someone covered in blood." She sighed, "I'd better be geg bag back to the hospital, my lunch break's about up."

"Mine too. Kagome, do you know much about battery? I mean, how to tell if someone is being abused?"

"Of course," the doctor nodded, "We have to deal with that in the emergency room a lot. Why do you ask?"

"I'm worried about Miroku."

"Miroku? Wait, didn't you tell me he has been with Naraku Onigumo since college? Miroku seems crazy about the guy: everytime I see him all we talk about are him and you."

"That's what I'm worried about. The left side of his face was bandaged and swollen and I found a savage bite mark on his neck today. He comes in injured a lot. His collarbone just healed a few weeks back."

Kagome looked thoughtful, "I'll look into it, San. I care for Miroku as much as you do."

"Thanks Kags," Sango leaned in for a quick smooch and soon found herself lost in a passionate kiss and feeling significantly warmer.

"Let's walk back together; I parked right near you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I love this time of year," Miroku sighed happily, the loamy smell of the leaves as they crunched beneath his feet wrapping his senses in a soothing embrace. All thoughts of work and the real world were chased away by the serenity of fall and walking with the one he loved through that quiet se.
.

"Do you?" Naraku laughed, "I find it annoying. It's no longer fall, but not yet winter; the earth should just make up it's mind already."

Miroku rolled his eyes, "You're always thinking like that: something's either this or that. There is a very large gray area to life and many wonderful things fit in there. I like it: it's cold and clear, the perfect weather for just staying in bed all day."

Looking down, Naraku found his lover winking at him suggestively and smirked slightly, "That can be arranged."

Biting his lip, Miroku looked the crimson-eyed man up and down and seemed as if he was trying to restrain himself from tackling him right there in the middle of the empty, frost-bitten park. He didn't stop walking, finding himself lost in thought about just what antics they could get up to with the whole day spread out before them when a familiar couple came around a bend in the path. Miroku didn't actually notice them until Naraku stopped. He sensed the taller man tense up and he looked at him curiously as footsteps sounded in his ears.

Turning towards the sound, Miroku broke into a smile, "Fancy meeting you girls here. It seems we aren't the only ones playing hooky, Naraku."

Kagome and Sango broke into a swift jog--Kagome caught up in her girlish-enthusiasm of seeing one of her best friends and Sango to warm herself up--and the doctor fairly tackled the smiling man to the ground.

"Miroku! It's so good to see you! It's been awhile; the three of us haven't been able to go out and do anything in ages!"

"Yes, it has been quite some time," Miroku smiled as Sango pried her girlfriend off of him so she could take advantage of her warmth. He was about to comment on Sango's lack of foresight about a jacket when he remembered his eerily quiet lover beside him, "Oh! Kagome, this is Naraku, the guy I never shut up about."

Kagome smiled warmly, extending her hand, "It's a pleasure to finally meet someone who means so much to Miroku. He's a very dear friend of mine, although I haven't known him quite as long as Sango has."

Naraku smiled elegantly, taking her hand and pressing it to his lips, "The pleasure is all mine. So you are Kagome Shikon? Younger sister to Princess Kikyou?"

The doctor's smile turned bitter-sweet, "Yes, my elder sister married Prince Inu-yasha last year. We've all been friends since we were children, the princes, my sister, and I." She suddenly caught sight of her watch, "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, but if I don't get going, the hospital will be up in arms."

Sango had been silent throughout the whole conversation, "I must be going too: lunch is about over. You'd better hurry as well, Miroku."

He waved his hand, "I took the rest of the day off. I've been working like a dog lately. I think I deserve a little break." He laughed, "You two better get going."

"Right," Kagome shared in the laughter, "It was very nice meeting you, Naraku. The four of us should get together sometime."

"Yes, we should," his small smile seemed genuine enough, but it sent chills up the spines of both women."

With a final wave they turned and left, heading out of the park and back into the bustling city.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kagome . . ."

The delicate woman shook her head, "I don't know Sango. He seemed nice enough: very polite and put together, but . . ."

"But?"

"But they way he looked at you when he first spotted us and then at me after I hugged Miroku. It froze the blood in my veins. There's just something very sinister about the way he smiles."

"Do you think you'll be able to get any proof?"

"I'll have to call in a few favors. It shouldn't take me any time at all to find out who his normal physician is and get a look at his past medical records."

The two parted, getting into their separate cars and driving back to work, one thought on their minds: something was most certainly wrong about Naraku.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the girls turned another corner on the path, Naraku drew Miroku to him, almost crushing the smaller-framed man to him. Miroku gave a token struggle, but relented as his strength was no match for that of his powerful lover.

"Naraku . . . not in the park!"

"Shut up," Naraku fairly devoured the other's rosy lips, bruising them with the force of their crushed mouths. When he pulled away, he surveyed the breathless Miroku, face flushed not only from the autumn cold and kissable lips swollen and parted, releasing dragon smoke into the cold air between the heated bodies. "We're going home now."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey everyone, this should've been up a while ago since the first half practically flew out of my fingers, but my aunt recently miscarried and almost died. That being so, I was in no mood to write about cutesy sweet Kagome being a nice doctor. I was more in the mood for killing all doctors. The pregnancy was ectopic, but the imbecillic prick didn't discover this until now, in her seventeenth week! My aunt lost a liter and a half of blood and her ovary and fallopian tube where the fetus had been before breaking into the abdominal cavity. I tend to have a ::ahem:: violent personality and a fuse so short it's almost non-existent. So picture the scene I made at the hospital: my mom had to hold me back from the ob--not the ER surgeon, he was nice and intelligent--before I strangled him with his own stethescope. Even if this had been discovered earlier, the baby still would've been lost, but his ineptitude almost killed my aunt as well. She's fine now, however, and will most likely still be able to have kids, but they're switching ob's next time--lucky for him and his pencil-pushing neck. Thanks to Jade Phoenix, Smiigel, IYYashi, and Wicca Kagome for reviewing and being patient. You all mean so much to me! Love it? Hate it? Let me know!
~cha~chan