Three Musketeers

"All for one and one for all."

-Alexander Dumas, The Three Musketeers

Epilogue

I read in the newspaper that Inu-Yasha was found guilty of killing Kikyo. Twenty-five to life. Guess beating her senseless and then throwing her out the window of her apartment on the twenty-third floor isn't enough for a death sentence. I feel bad about it- did Kikyo not have someone like me and Sango to talk her out of staying with him? Though in the end, it was Kagome who saved herself. We couldn't do much, could we?

It's left scars on her. She's not so quick to trust anymore. Demon with an angel's face. It's been two years and she's never dated again. Says she sworn off men forever.

I seem to recall Sango making that same vow, and she's been dating her current boyfriend for over a year. I look over at the two cuddled up on the couch. I'm sure I don't want to know where his other hand is.

He has no problems with Kagome and mine's friendship with Sango. The four musketeers, he claimed, once he heard of our name for ourselves. And we get along with him relatively well. Besides his random groping of Kagome that both girls hit him for. And him bringing me to a 'gentlemen's club.' I think I'm permanently stained red from embarrassment after realizing where I was.

"I don't know. She's driving here from work, so she's probably tied up in traffic."

"You ever going to confess your undying love for her or are you just going to continue to mope?"

"My what?"

"It was obvious the day I met you two you were nuts for her. Why the hell haven't you made any move on her?"

"I can't believe I'm having this conversation with someone whose way to pick up women is to move on them."

"That's so gross."

"Sango, that was years ago, I promise you. Before I met you. I am a changed man. You've got me so tied up in your beautiful eyes that I could never see anybody else."

I don't understand why he would think that I loved Kagome. Not that I don't, mind you. But just in a brotherly fashion. Right? We grew up together. You don't see me falling in love with Sango, and I've been around her just as much as I've been around Kagome.

He's just seeing things.

And with my thoughts still on how wrong he was that I was in love with my best friend, she walks in.

"I hate customers."

"Long day, Kagome?"

"Tell me again why I work the front desk at a hotel."

"Because it allows you to take morning classes and still work full time."

"Quit being logical."

"Sorry."

"See, you're totally nuts over-"

"Shut up."

"What's he talking about?"

"Just before you came in we were discussing-"

"Stuff it."

"Ooh, I love it when you talk dirty, Sango."

"So we heading to the movies or what?"

"It can be a double date."

Kagome and I both stare at him. He's really stuck on the 'secretly in love' thing, isn't he? I look over at her and shrug helplessly.

She grins back at me.

"Mom wants me home by ten, so no time for funny business afterwards."

"Kagome, you share an apartment with Sango, and it's already past ten."

"Oh yeah."

And looking at her, maybe there is something in his words.

And realizing this, I notice that she's looking at me the same way I must be looking at her- as if she's seeing something for the very first time and suddenly realizing that it was there to be seen all along.

Maybe it's love, maybe it's not. Maybe it's just friendship or maybe it's something deeper. But this time, I'm not standing aside to let anyone else hurt her.

"You two going to stare at each other all night or what?"

"Don't make me sic Sango on you, Miroku."

"That sounds dirty. Sango, whatever this 'siccing' entails, would you do it? Please?"

"You're only encouraging him, Hojo."