CHAPTER TWENTY
*
"So, what do you think I should do now?"
Miroku sat back and waited for the old woman to answer him. Kaede stared at him impassively. Having only one eye seemed to help keep her face expressionless --either that or years of practice helped her listen to all sorts of stories. For a moment her wrinkled, round face twitched uncontrollably, as if she were going to grin or laugh. Then she seemed to get it under control.
"Ye have told me all of what there is to hear?" she asked.
"Yes, everything," Miroku said. It had been rather humiliating to admit those things to the old woman, but he had no one else to ask. Except Mushin, and it was hard to keep him sober long enough for a story like this one. And he could depend on Kaede not to immediately tell Kagome and Sango, although the story might leak out someday...
Kaede sighed. "And ye wish to know what I think ye should do?"
"Yes."
"Well then, here is my answer: Do nothing."
Miroku blinked. "But..."
Kaede smiled. "Inuyasha does not need ye help, Miroku. He is shy for a reason, and to be shy is his protection against harm. Ye are two different creatures, with two different ways with young women." She began stirring her herbal concoction. "Aye, maybe he is too shy around Kagome. But when one considers how his first love ended, it isn't too surprising."
"Do NOTHING?"
"Aye. When Inuyasha is ready, he will be ready. Until then, ye will only frustrate both yourself and him by trying to force him forward." Kaede looked thoughtful. "Not to mention that he will become more stubborn the more ye try to convince him."
Miroku sighed heavily. "I suppose I should have seen that coming."
"Ye should have. And, Miroku, I have one other piece of advice."
"Yes?"
"Do not take Inuyasha to such women again in future. He has somewhat different intentions than yourself, and such things will only upset him."
In Miroku's place, Inuyasha would have been blushing furiously. But the self-assured young monk thanked the old priestess for her help, and made his way out into the village, still thinking hard about Inuyasha's predicament.
Well, I suppose it isn't surprising that she would advise that, he thought as he made his way back to the camp. Inuyasha had managed to botch or frustrate every one of Miroku's effort to relieve him of his virginity. He'd tried alcohol, aphrodesiacs, and even less subtle measures. When Inuyasha wasn't oblivious, he was completely uncooperative -- and not just when it came to women, either.
Not to mention that if I try anything else, he'll beat me into the ground, Miroku thought, sighing. And I've completely run out of plans to use on him -- something I never knew would happen. I suppose Inuyasha will just be doomed to be a late bloomer... as if he weren't late already.
Suddenly familiar voices reached him. He ducked behind a tree.
"... and that's what happened."
It was Inuyasha, sitting knee-to-knee with Kagome and staring at the ground. Kagome frowned. "That's all?"
"That's all!" Inuyasha burst out, flushing. "I didn't touch any of 'em. Not one! Not even for a moment! I just ran straight out when I had a clear shot to the door. I didn't lay a finger on any of them, I swear! I'm not lying to you!"
Kagome smiled. "Well, I'm glad."
"Huh?"
"I'm glad you behaved yourself much better than Miroku. Especially since I'm a lot less forgiving than Sango." Kagome gave Inuyasha's shoulders an affectionate squeeze, and rested her head against him for a moment. The young half-demon's blush grew even deeper; he had that comical confused look that gave Miroku so much exasperation.
Well, I suppose that's that, Miroku thought, sighing. He slipped away from the two, to find some secluded spot to hide for awhile. After all, when Sango finds out, as I'm sure she will from Kagome, he thought, I won't want to be around until things calm down.
THE END
*
"So, what do you think I should do now?"
Miroku sat back and waited for the old woman to answer him. Kaede stared at him impassively. Having only one eye seemed to help keep her face expressionless --either that or years of practice helped her listen to all sorts of stories. For a moment her wrinkled, round face twitched uncontrollably, as if she were going to grin or laugh. Then she seemed to get it under control.
"Ye have told me all of what there is to hear?" she asked.
"Yes, everything," Miroku said. It had been rather humiliating to admit those things to the old woman, but he had no one else to ask. Except Mushin, and it was hard to keep him sober long enough for a story like this one. And he could depend on Kaede not to immediately tell Kagome and Sango, although the story might leak out someday...
Kaede sighed. "And ye wish to know what I think ye should do?"
"Yes."
"Well then, here is my answer: Do nothing."
Miroku blinked. "But..."
Kaede smiled. "Inuyasha does not need ye help, Miroku. He is shy for a reason, and to be shy is his protection against harm. Ye are two different creatures, with two different ways with young women." She began stirring her herbal concoction. "Aye, maybe he is too shy around Kagome. But when one considers how his first love ended, it isn't too surprising."
"Do NOTHING?"
"Aye. When Inuyasha is ready, he will be ready. Until then, ye will only frustrate both yourself and him by trying to force him forward." Kaede looked thoughtful. "Not to mention that he will become more stubborn the more ye try to convince him."
Miroku sighed heavily. "I suppose I should have seen that coming."
"Ye should have. And, Miroku, I have one other piece of advice."
"Yes?"
"Do not take Inuyasha to such women again in future. He has somewhat different intentions than yourself, and such things will only upset him."
In Miroku's place, Inuyasha would have been blushing furiously. But the self-assured young monk thanked the old priestess for her help, and made his way out into the village, still thinking hard about Inuyasha's predicament.
Well, I suppose it isn't surprising that she would advise that, he thought as he made his way back to the camp. Inuyasha had managed to botch or frustrate every one of Miroku's effort to relieve him of his virginity. He'd tried alcohol, aphrodesiacs, and even less subtle measures. When Inuyasha wasn't oblivious, he was completely uncooperative -- and not just when it came to women, either.
Not to mention that if I try anything else, he'll beat me into the ground, Miroku thought, sighing. And I've completely run out of plans to use on him -- something I never knew would happen. I suppose Inuyasha will just be doomed to be a late bloomer... as if he weren't late already.
Suddenly familiar voices reached him. He ducked behind a tree.
"... and that's what happened."
It was Inuyasha, sitting knee-to-knee with Kagome and staring at the ground. Kagome frowned. "That's all?"
"That's all!" Inuyasha burst out, flushing. "I didn't touch any of 'em. Not one! Not even for a moment! I just ran straight out when I had a clear shot to the door. I didn't lay a finger on any of them, I swear! I'm not lying to you!"
Kagome smiled. "Well, I'm glad."
"Huh?"
"I'm glad you behaved yourself much better than Miroku. Especially since I'm a lot less forgiving than Sango." Kagome gave Inuyasha's shoulders an affectionate squeeze, and rested her head against him for a moment. The young half-demon's blush grew even deeper; he had that comical confused look that gave Miroku so much exasperation.
Well, I suppose that's that, Miroku thought, sighing. He slipped away from the two, to find some secluded spot to hide for awhile. After all, when Sango finds out, as I'm sure she will from Kagome, he thought, I won't want to be around until things calm down.
THE END
