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Something New

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Fear curled up inside him and rested heavily upon his chest. It wasn't fear of the onlooker per se. Regardless of his own feelings on the matter, InuYasha still trusted that the unwelcome intruder wouldn't hurt them. Not physically anyway. It was not knowing the outcome of this unexpected discovery and being afraid the end result would be anything but good. While Kagome struggled pointlessly beneath him, squealing out of sheer humiliation and mortification, InuYasha felt paralyzed - torn between running as far away as his legs would carry him and staying to face quite possibly the most perverted human that ever lived.

"Well now, don't stop on my account," Miroku continued casually as a wicked smirk bloomed on his lips and he sagged lazily on his staff,"By all means, please continue."

As would be expected, Kagome's pointless struggles escalated as she began pushing against the hanyou with all her might and yelling empty threats about all manner of bodily injury she planned on inflicting. It was the notable lack of response from the hanyou, however, that ruined all the fun to be had in this moment. Perhaps his playful comment had broken the poor man. After all, there was undoubtedly a lot of blood in all places... inappropriate. Maybe his mind was still struggling to catch up. Still, this non-reaction was growing less and less satisfying with each passing second.

"InuYasha get off," Kagome huffed in exasperation as she gave him a hard push that didn't do a damn thing, "Come on. This is embarassing. Let me up."

With a strange puff of air, InuYasha seemed to come back to his senses as he scrambled backwards and gracefully got to his feet. His face strangely blank as he extended a hand to help the young miko to her feet. It was a completely uncharacteristic reaction. Although visibly shaken by the intrusion, there were no outbursts of anger or ominous glares promising nothing but death. Instead, his ears were pinned flat against his head and he reminded her sadly of a whipped dog. A quick glance at the awkward grimace on the monk's face confirmed he had noticed that as well.

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm happy for you both," Miroku sighed as he shook his head and smiled genuinely before adding with a slight chuckle, "Although I must admit, I'm quite jealous."

"Whatever," InuYasha muttered despondently as she stuffed his hands securely in his robes and began walking in the direction the others had left, "Let's just get a move on."

As the miko and monk watched him go, Miroku glanced at Kagome with an apologetic grimace as he asked the question on both of their minds.

"What on earth was that about?"

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Miroku's ill timed intrusion had been a reminder of what could happen if a stranger found them in such a compromising position. It could've been anyone that saw them. Anyone. That moment of happiness could have ended in a much more violent way. In a way, they were lucky it was Miroku who happened upon their impulsive tryst. He would never hurt them.

Unlike those villagers who tried to humiliate him that night. Who happened upon him in a vulnerable state with his hand literally down his pants. No matter how his friends saw him that safe haven he'd managed to find didn't erase the entire world's opinion of him. They needed to be more careful if they continued this new relationship. No displays of affection in public. Only behind closed doors. He knew all too well the wrath of an angry mob with first hand experience on what it was like to be hunted by one. Kagome should never have to learn that lesson.

"Hey, you okay?" Kagome's voice filtered down into his distracted mind as her arm came to rest in the crook of his elbow - the ghost of a smile playing on his lips despite himself as she continued in a slightly irked tone, "Miroku really does have he worst timing, doesn't he? Of all the times for him to randomly appear."

"Could've been worse," InuYasha replied with a despondent sigh after a long moment. He paused before continuing in barely more than a whisper as he closed his eyes in pain, "Anyone could've found us doing...well, like that. And...and I didn't even...I should've but..."

"Ah," Kagome hummed in understanding as she gave him a brief side-eyed glance and gave him a reassuring smile, "Well we were a little...distracted. Don't be so hard on yourself. But I'm guessing you're worried what strangers might've done if they'd found us instead."

"Aren't you?" InuYasha chuckled darkly as he risked a quick glance her way, "I know you...you don't care about what I am. But...but I mean do you even know..."

"What random strangers might think? What they might do to me if they knew we were together?" Kagome sighed before she stopped walking and gently tugged to bring him to a halt as Miroku coughed lightly while passing them. The awkward grimace and side eyed glance as he went was not missed by the pair who paused to watch him go. The monk, who had realized this was an intimate conversation, quickened his pace to put some distance between them with a tangibly awkward urgency - his staff clanging loudly with each hastened step. Rolling her eyes, Kagome turned her attention back to the hanyou once she was sure Miroku was out of hearing range and continued, "I get it. I do. You have every reason to worry. I know how evil people can be. But I also know that I would gladly face a thousand evil men if you were by my side."

"You don't know that," InuYasha countered bitterly as he set his jaw and glared at the monk's distant form, "You can't know what that's like. And I...I don't want..."

"You think I can't imagine what I'll be called?" Kagome barked out a dry laugh and rolled her eyes, "Whore? Demon's whore? Slut? Dark miko? Blood traitor? Possessed? Beast fucker? You want more? I've got more."

"It's not just words, stupid," InuYasha huffed in a semi-affectionate tone - mildly amused by her language as he threw one hand up in frustration, "They'll try to kill you in an instant. On a good day. On a bad day, they might tie you to a post and whip you until you bleed out. Torture you. Force you to work their brothels for their own sick amusement. Hunt you down like a dog."

"You'll protect me from that," Kagome huffed in frustration, "It won't..."

"Oh like I protected myself that night? Where I was too distracted to see them coming? Like today? One well timed sutra and it's all over," InuYasha spat back bitterly as he averted his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair in an agitated fashion, "We can't be that careless again. You understand that we can't let anyone know, right? No hand holding or...or anything in public. If people found out we're together, all hell would break loose! God, forget humans, what if Naraku or Kikyo found out? She's already tried to kill you more times than I can count and Naraku uses everyone's weakness against them. Just look at Kohaku! Sango is completely at his mercy when her brother is involved!"

"Whether we're in a relationship or not, Naraku is going to do whatever he can to hurt us. He loves his mind games. Kikyo...well she's gotten...better? I think? Maybe? It's been a while since she's tried to kill us anyway," Kagome countered with a simple shrug as she reached up to force him to look at her, "And it's not just you and me against the world. Our friends and allies will protect us. Miroku, Sango and Shippo won't care and they won't let that happen."

"Oh yeah sure. Our 'allies.' I just know Koga will be super helpful when he finds out. I'm sure when we can't find work or shelter anymore because words gotten around our friends will be super supportive too," InuYasha snorted as he wrenched his face away and turned his back on her, "Oh and I almost forgot. I'm sure Naraku and Kikyo won't wait until we let our guard down."

"You're blowing this way out of proportion," Kagome groaned before pinching the bridge of her nose, "We can take it one day at a time but I don't want to have to pretend that...that we're not a couple. That's stupid. Eventually people are going to find out. You were just asking if I wanted a house...which in retrospect probably means you intend on one day living together. You don't think that might be a clear sign?"

"Yeah, in the village," InuYasha countered defensively, "In case you haven't noticed, people don't take kindly to me in most places we go. You think that's the first time villagers ganged up on me? The first time someone muttered about me being on a leash or acted like I'm a monster?"

"Inuyasha, I..." Kagome began to protest in a defeated tone before she paused and gave him a sad little smile. Instead of continuing to argue, as he expected she'd do, Kagome merely stared up at him with sympathetic eyes for what seemed like an awkwardly long period of time. Then, with a soft sigh, Kagome reached up to cup his chin once more and gently ran her thumb across his cheek - ignoring the gentle growl of annoyance that clearly indicated his belief that she wasn't taking his concerns seriously. It was when she spoke with such a soft voice that her words calming him by how they were said rather than the words themselves.

"Okay. If that's what you want, we'll do that," she murmured affectionately as she gave him an understanding smile, her thumb still gently caressing his cheek, "If you want to pretend when we're around other people, that we're just friends we can do that. I know life has not been fair. I can't even imagine what you've been through and I don't...I don't want our new relationship to...well I don't want you to have to worry about it. I don't want you to live in fear that someone might hurt me or you or our friends because we're together. All I ask is that...that whenever we are in a safe space, you don't hold back or pretend nothing has changed."

"It's not that..." InuYasha began in a tired, resigned voice as he reached up to remove her hand and pressed it against his chest - trying to express his sincerity through his gaze, "It's not that I'm ashamed of you or anything, okay? You know that, right? It's just..."

"I know," Kagome hummed as she gave him an affectionate smile, "It's going to be okay. You'll see."

To be completely honest, InuYasha had mixed feelings over Kagome's willingness to put on a public charade and act like nothing changed in public. A part of him wanted her to fight his request and convince him that the world wasn't as bad as he believed it was. That they could openly love each other and escape the world's derision by facing it together. That part wanted to be able to hold her hand, kiss her cheek and well, be altogether uncharacteristically affectionate no matter where they were. Besides, what would be the point of being with Kagome if the majority of their time was spent pretending they weren't together.

The other more rational part of him knew first hand what it was like to be hunted by an angry mob, knew what the consequences of a simple show of affection could be and desperately wanted to avoid those consequences if at all possible. If those villagers who had humiliated him had known what really happened that night, for example, he seriously doubted either of them would've walked away unscathed. Still, perhaps there was a happy medium. He could control, to an extent, when and where a safe space was or was not. Camping out in the middle of nowhere? Safe space. Walking from village to village? Safe space. Random village inns? Safe space. Her world? Completely safe space. Really, if he thought about it, the majority of their quest happened in safe spaces. After all, they'd engaged in hand holding, embraces and cuddling before without incident. What would being an official couple really change? Well aside from some of their future activities that would necessarily be private anyway. The corners of his lips twitched upwards at the thought while another part of his anatomy followed suit by twitching in agreement.

"I'm not trying to scare you either. I...I do want this," InuYasha muttered softly as a faint blush crept over his cheeks. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he gave her a reassuring glance and began to walk forward even as his heart beat out of his chest, "We...we can take it one day at a time. Just...just need to be careful is all."

"Gotcha," Kagome cooed as she gave his hand a light squeeze in return before giggling, "I wonder if Miroku will tell the others before we get to."

"Probably," InuYasha snorted derisively - grateful for the distraction as he rolled his eyes, "Letch really does have the worst timing."