Warnings: This is rated R for a reason peoples… be mindful.
Disclaimers: I don't own Inu-Yasha… (damnit)
Only they know: The Hardest Thing to Do
By Gabreilla Moushigo (aka Aeki Muffinhands)
Sigh, he was in a foul mood. She really couldn't blame him though, the campfire incident probably ruffled his feathers. She found him easily, sulking where they had caught them. This was the place he would go when he wanted to think. He sat quietly, obviously in mediation, trying to calm down. "My dear?" She queried cautiously, lest she startle him. He grunted his acknowledgement. "You really shouldn't be too upset with them, y'know." She sat down next to him. "It was quite a shock after all… they just weren't ready for it… and to find out… that way." He snickered and she blushed. "It's not funny." She poked him. "You should go back and apologize for talking down to them. Yes, they are younger… but don't you think they deserve a little more respect?"
"I know." He said, loathingly admitting it. "I'm just so tired."
"I know my dear." She patted his hand affectionately. "but this isn't the same Inu-Yasha we had to explain ourselves too."
"We shouldn't have had to explain it to our Inu-Yasha… he lost all rights to you when he abandoned you."
"I know." She said in a comforting tone, and then bit her lip. She didn't want to ask this, but… "Miroku-chan?" Kago-chan questioned her husband.
"Yes?" He grumbled, his eyes still closed.
"You're not going to tell him how to shut the hole in his hand?"
"No." He said simply. "He will have to learn how to do it on his own."
"But… couldn't you give him a hint?" She asked hopefully, and he shook his head.
"No." He breathed, making sure to keep quiet as they followed the group slowly, making sure that they had plenty of room. "He wouldn't believe me if I told him" He thought for a moment, 'He wouldn't want to believe me either.'
"Your right of course." She lowed her gaze. "It's going to be so hard once he finds out."
"I know…" He also cast his gaze downward. "I wish there was some other way… I wish I never knew."
"I know." She lifted her eyes, looking at him until he lifted his face to her. "But… I don't mind… and I love you anyway." She purred. "I actually think it's kind of romantic."
"How can you think something like that is romantic?" Miroku rolled his eyes.
"Because… maybe it's a sign that we are meant to be."
"Heh." He huffed, but smiled anyway. "Well if you like it so much… why are we still following them? Why not jump into the bushes for a quick cuddle?" He raised his eyebrows at her temptingly.
"Your nothing but a lusty thief you know." She giggled.
"Lusty maybe… but a thief Kagome dearest?" He said innocently.
"Yes… a thief… and don't you dare lie to me and say your not… you are just a terrible monk."
"That I am." He agreed. "But I am your terrible monk."
She nodded at that. "Yes… yes you are."
They had lost all the damn shards… fuck. Inu-Yasha fumed endlessly, ranting and raving. Naraku had them all… damnit… damnit. In the general confusion this morning Naraku had shown up, completely knowledgeable about that their new friends. He even stuck around long enough to make a lewd comment or two and the show last night with a smile. Bastard.
"Inu-Yasha… we still have three left-"
"But Naraku nearly has the whole damn thing!" He shrieked. "And not only that… but the bastard is wearing that stupid battle armor now… like he actually fights or anything. He just wears it to piss me off."
'Oh… I'm so sure he wears it to piss you off Inu old buddy.' Kagome thought sarcastically. "Why don't you calm down a little… at least he doesn't have all of it."
"He might as well." He pouted.
"Why don't we get Kouga's shards?" Sango suggested. "I know he thinks he can keep them now that he has he has the weapon of his ancestors… but…"
"He needs to give them up." Kagome said. "Other wise… Naraku might go after him next."
"You actually want to take them away from that mangy wolf Kagome?" Inu-Yasha seemed overjoyed.
"Yes… but you can't hurt him Inu-Yasha."
He grumbled at that. "Ah well… I can always dream."
"Why all the long faces?" Miro-chan walked up to them, his wife in tow, his mood obviously improved from early this morning.
"Oh… Inu-Yasha is complaining because he can't kill Kouga." Kagome explained.
Kago-chan flinched, but Miro-chan was the one to speak. "Going to take Kouga's shards I take it?"
Kagome nodded solemnly.
"I see… well I guess we should be on our way." He looked at his wife. "Are you alright? You can stay here if you wish."
"No, I will be fine." Kago-chan said, but she looked so sad… and worried.
"What's wrong?" Inu-Yasha, as dense as he was sometimes, seemed to be very sensitive to them. He wondered sometimes… what only they knew of the future… their futures were not the same… but… what did they hide?
He knew that there was always too much to tell… and not enough time to tell it with these two new friends. Obviously huge blocks of time were left out during their story.
Inu-Yasha pondered this Miroku… this Kagome… imagining the difficulties that were in their way. Both being human… it had to be hard. He would ask sometime… what had happened all that time ago… everything. He wished he knew.
They declined to answer, shaking their heads, he grumbled.
"Hey Inu-Yasha!" Young Kagome called. "Ready?" And he nodded.
While Kagome and the other women… 'freshened up' Inu-Yasha decided to get some supplies from her time. He would just ask Kagome's mother… he knew that if he went she would pack extra ramen just for him. His mouth watered at the thought. He passed a disturbed looking Miroku on his way. "Watcha doing monk?" He asked roughly, but in his own friendly way.
"I'm going to talk to Miro-san." He said. "I need to ask him a few questions."
Inu-Yasha didn't like the sound of that. "If your thinking about Kagome… you just better forget everything right now." He warned. "We're not like them… and even if you felt the same way… I wouldn't let you have her."
"It's nothing like that Inu-Yasha." Miroku's eyes darted away. He could almost see a faint blush rush to the monk's face... almost… but not quite. "I just wanted to learn more about them… they seem fascinating."
"Yeah… fascinating." Inu-Yasha repeated that long word slowly; Miroku wondered if he knew what it meant. He felt guilty thinking that just now… but he was under so much stress that he- "You better hurry up… I'm going to Kagome's house to get a few things… it won't take long." He promised.
"Farewell Inu-Yasha."
"Good-bye monk."
Miro-sama took to staring at his hand, except this time it was for a different reason. It was finally gone… but with it… the knowledge of something horrible in it's place. Something horrible that he could never change. 'Heh… romantic… Kagome… you are such a strange woman.'
He heard a snap in the bushes and saw his younger counter part walking up to him. He tried not to seem surprised when the young man sat next to him like it happened every day, perfectly natural.
Miroku sat next to him, finally getting this chance to be alone was a rare moment, and he was surely wished that he had more time. He only had a few minutes, Kagome was getting her things ready, or so he thought. Inu-Yasha going to Kagome's time for food and other essentials.
"Uh… Miroku… sama." He dashed a look his way nervously, unsure how to address him.
"Yes?" He liked hearing his name again… Miroku…
"About what you said at the camp this morning…" He began wringing his hands together.
Miro-sama held up his hand, thinking he knew where this was going. "I wanted to tell you that I was sorry for my outburst. It was not very kind of me to speak to you like children… I should've realized what I shock that might have been." He eyed him suspiciously. "Though I doubt you were very shocked… had a good show did you?"
"Yes." Miroku admitted. "I didn't know Kagome could scream so loud."
"It takes time." Miro-sama said pompously. "She gets to receive my… crowning achievements."
'Do I sound like that?' Miroku wondered. 'It didn't look like it took all that time to me… unless of course he was talking about it taking a while to learn all those things… but then again… he was well versed… but… wait a second… I am the pervert! I am supposed to understand this joke!' He sighed, not winning the battle inside his head. "Well… I came her for another reason. "
"Oh?" Miro-sama stopped gloating long enough to listen.
"The fact that you… and her… are together."
He was wondering where he was going with this. "Yes?" He encouraged.
"It… well… I wanted to confess that I felt… um… feel the same way." This was not easy for him, but he said it. "I remember having that feeling… um…" He hated admitting this to anyone, even himself (no pun intended). "At the hot spring… when I first saw her."
"I remember." Miro-sama said cautiously.
"That's when."
"I see." His elder said. "Maybe we are not so different after all."
"Yes." He almost seemed disappointed.
"What is the matter?" This was all so confusing to him.
"How was I to change what happened?" Miroku asked, still looking at his hands. "After all… Kagome still has Inu-Yasha… and well… I think I just gave up almost…" He frowned, "And then Sango was here… and… well…"
"You decided, 'Hey… she is free… why not pick the runner up?'" Miroku-sama asked.
That sounded so harsh to him, but could not think of a better way to put it. "I guess."
"It's not good to sell yourself short like that… if you want her… then take her." Miroku-sama had a far away, and lustful grin on his face as if to say 'I did… and look at me now!'
"But what about Sango?" Miroku protested.
"What about Sango?" Miroku-sama wanted to roll his eyes. "It's not like you are the last man on the planet… she can always find someone… more suited to her tastes." 'AKA not lechers like us!' "Besides… it's not like you two are married yet." 'Or even betrothed for that matter' he silently added.
"True."
"But it's not like you have to give up on her either." Miroku-sama added. "Like I said… my word is not law and my relationship with my wife isn't either. You can decide to marry… or TRY to marry…" 'Or even get near' He laughed mentally. "Sango if you wish."
Miroku smiled at that, he was right, he didn't have to marry anyone if he didn't want to… or he could chose to follow his heart.
"The most important thing however," his elder reminded him. "Is to get that hole in your hand fixed."
Miroku stared at his cursed hand thoughtfully.
"Also, destroying that evil demon should be on top of the list as well…"
Miroku frowned. "Won't my wind tunnel be closed once Naraku is destroyed?"
Miroku looked at conspiratorially, as if he had just let something slip. "You will know what to do in time…" He grinned. "And if you don't figure it out… don't worry… I won't let you die."
What was that supposed to mean?! Could this man in front of him actually fix his wind tunnel for him?! Should he be on this quest at all? Well… of course he should be on this quest… Naraku shouldn't be able to live for what he has done to everyone.
"Don't worry about it." He patted his leg, and hefting himself up. "I'll leave you to your thoughts… in the meantime… I thought I heard the word bath… and ladies involved."
His eyes bugged out, watching his retreating back. "W-wait! Wait for me!" He picked himself up, hurrying so he might see this glorious scene as well.
Oh… my God… I have been writing like a lunatic for these past few days… little bit of story here and there… I think I have over 50 pages of extra stuff (squeal!) Unfortunately… since I have written ideas as they have popped up… I have to arrange all this crap into order. Do you know how hard it is to scroll through 50 some odd pages trying to find stuff not to mention remember things that happened as they happened? I have to edit myself so I won't have one of my characters doing something weird.
Such as when Miroku sat down with… Miroku (pause) very confused… anyway… I accidentally said something about Inu-Yasha hounding Kagome… oops! I had to take that out! Thank goodness I remembered to look through my story a couple times. Oh! If you see a plot hole or see something crazy – bring it to my attention – since this story is obviously writen by a moron – I need constant help to make sure I don't forget to delete some material or add some in.
This story is obviously bouncy, and I'm not going to be able to write everything I want out… sorry about the lack of that delectable Naraku (drools)… I thought about that scene… and realized… that I didn't want to do it. Call me lazy why don't you!? Anyway. I'm going to keep working on my other chapters. I think I have quite a few good ones coming up soon. Get ready to cry (maybe) and giggle a little bit.
Thank you for the reviews! They mean so much to me. (Smiles)