Worth

-

She would have smelled it a mile away. Right there inside the chorus room— Sango lunged through the door, her accusatory gaze sliding over the people wandering around the room and casually chatting until it fell on one particular boy.

Blue eyes so dark they looked purple. Dark brown hair in a messy ponytail at the nape of his neck. A bar of dark chocolate in his hand.

Her mouth was practically watering.

He caught her doe-in-the-headlights stare and grinned seductively. "Like what you see?"

…Oh. Well, Miroku looked nice, too…

"You have dark chocolate," she said, walking over to him.

"Yes, I do."

"You know there's no eating in the chorus room."

"And yet here you are practically salivating." He dangled a piece before her eyes. "What would you do for it?"

"Anything."

He raised a brow. "Anything, hmmm?"

Maybe she'd spoken too quickly. "I won't sleep with you."

"Grope?"

"I won't grope you, either."

"No, will you idly stand by while I grope you?"

Her cheeks flamed. The nerve of him! "Forget it," she said, spinning on her heel. "I can live without it—"

She felt hands grab her shoulders and spin her around. "I was kidding, Sango," he said, his eyes laughing at her. "But I'll give you a piece for a kiss."

Sango heaved a sigh and turned away. "You're never serious."

"On the contrary…" He leaped in front of her, blocking her path to the door. "I was quite serious." He took a bite of dark chocolate, chewing slowly and licking his lips. "Mmm…"

She dropped her gaze. "Stop that."

"The rich, chocolately flavor sliding over your tongue, your taste buds awakened—"

SHestood on tiptoe and pressed a hasty kiss to his cheek.

Miroku looked slightly surprised.

She held out her hand. "Pay up."

"Fine."

He broke off a piece of chocolate, and set it in her palm, the brush of his fingers making her skin tingle.

She gulped. "Thank—" She cut off abruptly when he leaned towards her, his lips mere inches from hers.

Sango jumped backwards, her breaths coming in short pants. "What are you doing?!"

"Claiming my payment."

"But I kissed you!"

A roguish grin spread across his face. "I never specified what kind of kiss it had to be, now, did I?"

"Cheater," she accused.

"Anything for dark chocolate."

In a split-second decision, she snatched the rest of the chocolate out of his hand and retreated a few feet back. "You wanna play dirty? Okay: me or the chocolate?" She smiled smugly.

Sango wasn't prepared for the caressing, lingering kiss that he gave her. Her lips parted as he pulled away; her heart was racing.

He smiled and stroked her cheek. "You taste better than dark chocolate."