Title: Parthenophobia
This was written for a community challenge. Read, Enjoy, Review! - Ima
A/N Parthenophobia: fear of virgins OR young girls.
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. The series and characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi. I make no profit from these stories. They are merely my interpretation of the characters for entertainment purposes.
Kagome sank deeper into the hot springs deep in thought. Leveling her eyes again at Sango, she couldn't help but feel her sister's agony.
"I miss him, Kagome! I miss the way things used to be. Our talks, our evening walks, hell, Kagome, I think I even miss him grabbing my ass!"
Kagome couldn't help but giggle at that. She waved her hand in front of her face and took a few deep breaths. When she finally stopped laughing, she looked at Sango again, "Gods, Sango, I never dreamed you'd say that. You hated it when he groped you! Surely you don't miss it now."
Sango's eyes darkened. "Of course I mean it, Kagome. Have I ever lied to you?" Sango looked as if she were about to cry.
Miroku's behavior had changed drastically about two weeks ago, and even after a series of long walks and hot baths, the girls couldn't figure out what was wrong with him. They could pinpoint the day his behavior changed, they just couldn't figure out what had triggered the usually happy go lucky monk's dark mood swing. Sango was convinced it was her fault, but Kagome wasn't so sure. "It certainly is a puzzle," Kagome thought to herself.
"Hey Sango."
"Hum?" Sango's eyes, still brimmed with unshed tears looked at her friend with a hopeful expression.
"Maybe we're going about this the wrong way. Instead of trying to figure out what triggered Miroku's sudden cold attitude, maybe we should try to figure out what the common theme is. I mean, honestly, we've seen glimpses of this Miroku before. Maybe it's something he's afraid of."
"Miroku? Afraid? No way!" Sango defended, just a little too strongly. Flushing a deep red, she lowered her voice again, "Seriously Kagome, do you think he's afraid of something?"
"I don't know," Kagome drawled. "Maybe we should ask Inuyasha."
"NO!" Sango eeped. Glancing around to be sure she had not caused undue attention to herself, she lowered her voice again. "Kagome?"
"Mmmm Sango?" Kagome stretched out her legs savoring the hot spring. As far as she was concerned, she could sit here all day.
"Maybe you're on to something after all. I mean, he seems to get this way when Sesshoumaru's around."
Kagome wrinkled her brow and thought about it. "Come to think of it, Sango, you're absolutely right. I can think of other times he's like this, too. Ever notice how he takes a wide berth around schools?"
"Schools?" Sango asked.
"Yes, it seems he stays far away from children."
"Ha!" Sango said, "he's just worried about getting in trouble with some, gods Kagome, what did you call it? 'dungeon bait'?"
Kagome smiled and snorted. "Close enough." she said. A serious look spread across her face as she continued thinking. Miroku definitely did have to watch himself around girl children at least. With all his groping and leering at ladies, well, he would be smart to stay away from "dungeon bait" as Sango had so delicately put it. Thinking on it longer, she was impressed to see that she could not remember a single time the monk had groped anyone under 18. Considering how young girls got married in this era, it was quite noble of him, she realized. Closing her eyes, Kagome decided it was probably a mystery that couldn't be solved.
Meanwhile Sango closed her eyes and remembered the conversation she and Miroku had had two weeks ago. The topic of sex came up, yet again, and Sango had yet again asked the monk if he knew how many women he had been with. Every time she had asked his answer was different, but that night he was quiet and reserved. He had pulled her close and kissed her deeply. "Must you really know, my love?" he had asked. "Yes," she said plainly. He had looked in her eyes deeply and asked her if she would believe him this time. "Only if you tell me the truth." she had said. She still couldn't believe he had admitted to being a virgin, but for once the monk had not veiled the truth from her. She could see it plainly in his eyes. "I'm a virgin, too Miroku." she had whispered.
"I got it!" Sango cried out, standing up suddenly. "Virgins!"
"Virgins?" Kagome looked at her friend as if she'd lost her mind. "What about virgins?"
"Miroku's afraid of virgins!"
"No way!" Kagome said.
"I'll prove it to you!" Sango said. So the girls then conspired to test their theory and see if Miroku was, indeed, afraid of virgins.
#
Miroku wiped another bead of sweat that had formed on his forehead. He had been sitting there for almost an hour, and his self control was beginning to waver. With him in the hut were Kagome, Sango, Rin, and three other small girls from the village.
"Uh, Kagome," Miroku looked hopeful, "It looks like you ladies really don't need help babysitting today."
"Nonsense!" Kagome responded, "It would be irresponsible to only have one adult per to children."
Miroku gulped and backed further into the corner. Between him and the door were at least five virgins, and although he wasn't sure about Kagome, he knew she very well might be the sixth.
"Rin, come here for a second," Sango pulled the girl aside and whispered something in her ear. Rin nodded, and then, without warning ran to Miroku with her arms open wide.
"Miroku!" she cried and hopped into Miroku's lap, nearly knocking him over with a bear hug.
In a flash Miroku was on his feet. Rin only giggled more, wrapping her tiny legs around the monk's waist and gripping her hold tighter around the now very red, very panicked monk.
"Ah! Ah! Ah! I got to get out of here!"
Twisting around in circles, Rin simply giggled. "Wheeeeee!" she cried. This only served to agitate Miroku more. He decided to make a break for it and run for the door. He burst from the hut in a dead run with a delighted Rin still clinging to his torso. Her giggles of glee at the new game encouraged the other children and they ran after the two. "Me next! I wanna turn!"
Sango and Kagome were outside the hut, watching the scene and rolling with laughter. Soon Inuyasha was beside the girls, smirking, but with a slightly dazed look on his face. "I can't believe it." Inuyasha said, "You two were right, he is afraid of virgins!"
"Should we save him now?" Sango asked.
"Sure," Kagome called the girls back to the hut. Suddenly she looked up at Inuyasha with a serious expression on her face.
"Inuyasha, will you talk to him?" She asked her friend. "I'm certain he can get over this with a little help."
#
Miroku poked the embers of the campfire with the end of a long stick. Inuyasha, of all people had figured out his secret, and what was worse, he was confronting him about it.
"So what is it with you and virgins?" Inuyasha asked.
Miroku shifted uncomfortably, eyes fixed in the fire. After a few minutes of silence, Miroku couldn't stand it any longer.
"How did you know?" he asked.
"Me?" Inuyasha said, "I didn't figure it out. You can ask the girls that one; they're the ones who figured it out. What I don't understand is why they were so determined to call you out like that."
Even by the campfire, Miroku's deep blush was obvious. "Sango." Miroku sighed. Lowering his voice to barely above a whisper he continued, "Ever since she told me she was a virgin…"
"What!" Inuyasha huffed. "Is that all this is about?"
A few moments of painful silence hung in the air until a wicked grin spread across Inuyasha's face.
"I think I can help you with Sango."