He was confident they hadn't seen anything; he would have been aware. But the knowing way Miroku regarded him betrayed his wariness.
"How are you faring, my lord?" he began casually.
Sesshoumaru didn't respond to that, as it was not an adequate question to ask; not a good enough reason for seeking him out. "Pretty well?"
His glare deepened. Whatever games this man was playing, the youkai wanted no part. He would not deign an answer until his intentions became clear.
"You look well," he offered, scrutinizing him closely. "Very relaxed... but tired. Did you kill a demon for us?"
At the dangerous scowl he received, the monk opted to turn his interrogation over to Kagome.
She was nervous about being caught out here with him, but not certain what Miroku suspected.
"Are you alright, Kagome-sama?" he asked innocently, tilting his head. "I saw Sesshoumaru-sama carrying you; I worried you might have twisted your ankle."
Her breath hitched. He'd seen that? What else did he see?
"Why else would he carry you to your door, from the woods?"
Sesshoumaru had a feeling the jig was up, not that he cared.
But even if it wasn't, Kagome was a terrible liar.
She floundered. Caught off guard, and with no lie ready to explain their presence out there, she tried to stammer out an excuse.
"Oh, well... you're right. There was a demon, and Sesshoumaru-"
"You can drop the act, Kagome. He knows."
The demon lord felt relief consume him as the taijiya graciously put them both out of their misery. Kagome appeared much less grateful.
"You told him?" she asked dejectedly, though Sango seemed slightly less ashamed after her display.
"No. He followed you into the woods."
A completely different sense of betrayal emerged, and Kagome balked incredulously.
"You were spying on us?"
She was mortified. She was going to kill that filthy pervert.
But wait. Why hadn't Sesshoumaru sensed him?
She was going to kill Sesshoumaru!
"Relax. I didn't see anything," Miroku informed her. "The point is that I know."
She supposed she was relieved, but it was short lived.
She was faced with the shame of her lie head on, but something more worrisome engulfed her in that moment.
"Does Inuyasha know?"
She waited on baited breath for Miroku's answer, and he let her squirm a moment while he leveled her with a condemning glare.
"Not yet," he finally told her.
She released a heavy breath. She was going to be the youngest person ever to die from a heart attack.
"Are you going to tell him?" she warily asked next, in lieu of an apology.
The monk looked her up and down, and catalogued her discomfort.
She looked worn – and not for fun reasons. Though, he conceded that Sango was right; her eyes gave away her post-coital status. But even despite that, the woman was riddled with stress.
The strain of this secret, and all it took to keep it, was taking its toll. This couldn't be fun for her.
Looking to Sesshoumaru again, he realized something else.
'Or him, for that matter. He looks positively weathered for a guy who'd spent his evening underneath a beautiful woman. Or was he on top? I wonder what-'
Derailing his wayward musings for a later time, Miroku relaxed his critical posture and took pity on the fidgeting miko and her lover.
That was going to take some getting used to.
"You shouldn't be lying to him Kagome, he's your friend. So are we."
He took no solace when she guiltily lowered her eyes.
"But as your friend, I will keep your secret."
Sesshoumaru wanted to be disgusted at this man's acquiescence; his cowardice. But he only had himself to blame. Were he stronger, were he not so beholden to this woman's whims, he would not be letting his half-brother have such power over his way of life.
The monk's strength would have shamed him, but he would have welcomed the interference.
Oh well, it couldn't possibly be much longer now.
"But not for long," Miroku added, confirming his suspicion. "Whatever you need to do to tell him, you better figure it out soon. It isn't right."
"I know," Kagome rasped. "Thank you."
Looking back and forth between the secret lovers, Miroku finally picked up on the uneasy tension that he had intruded upon.
As unpleasant as this was for he and Sango, it had to be worse for them, and their budding romance. Sure, there might be an element of excitement to it, but sooner or later, all of that sneaking around would start to wear thin.
His sympathetic nature had finally gotten the better of him, and this time he took pity on Sesshoumaru.
"You know, now that Naraku is in our sights, we should be looking out for each other."
"You never know when he might try something. Especially with Kagome, since she is the only one who can purify the Shikon."
The demon lord had only been listening with half an ear, as he was distracted by his displeasure.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, I propose that you sleep in Kagome's hut with her from now on."
That quickly got his attention, however, as all three sets of eyes snapped to the monk in rapid fashion at the suggestive suggestion.
"I'm looking out for Sango, and Inuyasha is looking out for all of us; it only makes sense the job falls to you."
To say he was shocked was an understatement. Sesshoumaru was at a loss for words.
Luckily his typical reticence made it likely nobody had noticed.
The monk... intended on helping him?
And not just helping him by keeping his mouth shut, which was actually decidedly not helping him, but by giving him something he truly wanted - more time alone with Kagome? Why?
He was certain when her friends discovered them, they would be less than pleased. Certainly not willing to aid in her defilement by a demon.
But they'd been nothing but accommodating throughout this ordeal.
He'd misjudged them.
"I will consult with Inuyasha about it tomorrow; I'm sure I can get him to see it my way."
They should have known not to underestimate the scheming monk.
From the look on her face, it seemed Kagome was just as surprised as he was.
"Miroku..." she began, also at a loss.
"But try to keep it down, its late." When his eyes cut to Sesshoumaru, the barest hint of a smile ghosted Miroku's taunting lips. This sort of thing was right up his ally, after all. "And be sure to get a good night's sleep; you both look exhausted."
The monk turned to leave, but Kagome stopped him before he did.
"Thank you," she offered softly. "And, I'm sorry."
Miroku gifted a smile, but his disappointment was clear.
"I understand. I just wish you would have trusted me sooner. I'm your friend; I could have been helping you."
It was hard to meet his eyes, but her shame was perfectly relayed.
"Good night, Kagome. Sesshoumaru-sama."
The respectful nod he gave was returned in kind; a sign of acknowledgement.
"Take good care of her. She's very special."
Sesshoumaru never took orders, but this he would do.
"This One is aware."