Warnings: Rated R – you know the drill… no peaking if you are under 17 years old!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha (simple and ideal)

Only They Know: Anything but Shotgun

By Gabreilla Moushigo (aka Aeki Muffinhands)

They walked together side by side through the village; both were so quiet and immersed in their own thoughts. They walked behind town, and Kagome gave pause when they passed the huge crater in the middle of a field. Miroku stopped when he noticed she was no longer following him and smiled at her, his eyes practically closed. "You should've seen it Kagome-sama…" The staff in his hand jingled as he gestured to the center of the hole. "It was amazing… I think a star might have fallen right out of the air."

He was totally oblivious to her expression as he looked at the hole in the ground, her fist tightened just a little. 'He doesn't know… he doesn't know what I thought… he doesn't know anything…' She held back a tear with all her willpower as she listened to him jabber on endlessly about that stupid crater… She almost started shaking with emotion.

He laughed just a little. "That old innkeeper thought that it was my doing… can you believe that Kagome-sama?" He opened his eyes a little when she did not answer, and turned to see her face. "Kagome-sama?" His eyes widened as her hand totally slapped him off balance, he would have fallen to the ground had he not been able to steady himself with his staff. He looked back at her with wide eyes, not even Sango had ever slapped him that hard before… what had he done?

"You idiot!" She screamed a line usually reserved for Inu-Yasha. "Don't you know anything?!"

"L-Lady Kagome?" He stammered, not sure what to say.

"I thought you died!" Finally, finally everything came out and he stared at her, his eyes big as saucers. She pointed at the hole that he had so carelessly addressed. "I thought you went away!" She just threw herself at him at that point.

"Kagome-sama?" He dropped his staff and immediately at embraced her. His cursed arm pulled her against him tightly and his free hand brushed through her hair in a calming gesture.

"You left me alone!" Sobs were being ripped out of her throat. "I thought you were going to be right back."

"I'm sorry Kagome… I tried to find you… I really did… but every time I would almost catch up with you… you would disappear again." He took his hand out of her hair long enough to lift her chin up. "You should have left me a message sooner… I would've waited for you."

"You would?" She asked pitifully.

"I would."

"How long were you looking for us?" Kagome asked carefully.

"About a week and a half ago." He burst into laughter and she started crying again. "Don't cry Kagome-sama… I wouldn't have left you by yourself for long."

"But you did you dummy!" She punched his shoulder lightly, using it as an excuse to wrap her arms around shoulders and bringing him down to her level.

"Was there something you needed to tell me that you couldn't tell anyone else?" He asked anxiously, his voice almost sounded fatherly for a moment. She nodded and buried her face in his neck, his face flushed a little bit as unconsciously nuzzled him. "Was it something important?" He purred, another nod. He decided to enjoy her being pressed against him like this… her soft breasts pushed against him… her arms willingly wrapping around him. He realized that his hand had taken up residency in her hair again and just sifted his fingers through its inky depths. He would just enjoy this time right here and now… it didn't matter if she was embarrassed later on… or told him not to speak a word of it. He would bring these memories to his grave. Just once in his adult life, he had felt what it was like to love someone else… to care about her and it didn't matter if she cared in return. It was enough.

"Miroku," She breathed. "I know that you don't love me…"

'Since when?' He thought, but listened anyway.

"I remember you told me… when we went for that walk that night… a few months before Kago-chan and Miro-sama showed up."

'Crap! Why didn't I tell her how I felt then? She probably hates me or something.'

"I know that you don't love me," She repeated. "But I don't care."

'Of course she doesn't care… she cares about-'

"I wanted to tell you… that I cared about you Miroku-chan." She pushed him away, embarrassed for him to be able to see her face, but she wanted to look up at his from time to time… to glimpse maybe… into what he was thinking. "I… really liked you even before they showed up… but I used them as an excuse… I thought maybe that… they were just confusing you… into caring about me." Then she admitted. "I kind of used them as an excuse too… so I wouldn't feel bad about… not being with you."

"I see." He didn't know what to say really… but he waited with bated breath, waiting and listening for what she would say next.

"I thought about it… after you left." She sneaked a glace at him, but his expression was extremely stony. She took it as a show of indifference, but to him it was just his way of cleverly disguising his emotions. This was his way of not getting hurt. She would tell him anyway… she didn't care if he didn't return her feelings. She took Kago-chan's words to heart. 'Miroku-chan took a chance… and I am glad he did' is what she said more or less. She wouldn't make the same mistake before. "I thought about that time we watched that funeral."

"How nice." He joked, not realizing that he just sounded like an ass.

She heard the sound in his voice but went on anyway "I thought about when I promised you… well… you know…" She thought about it for a moment 'He probably doesn't want to remember the death of his only potential heir' and so she thought of a less depressing time. "I also remembered when we talked about children and stuff… and other things…"

"I remember that night." He said thoughtfully, his face finally held some emotion. "You said my eyes were beautiful."

"They are." She admitted, unashamed this time. He choked back that little bit of surprise that threatened to take control of his face. His expression once again became stony and unreadable. "You've always been there Miroku-chan… whenever I needed you."

"And you were there for me when I needed you." Miroku said quietly.

"We sort of fit don't you think?"

He wasn't about to get his hopes up, but he answered anyway. "Yes."

"Don't you ever want to stop wondering, Miroku-chan?" Kagome asked, her voice so silent in the night he had a hard time distinguishing the words… but he heard them.

"What do you mean Kagome?"

"Don't you want to know what it's like?" Her face was beet red right now, she turned away.

"What it is like to what?" He wasn't about to let his mind wander… not when such a heavy thing was on the line like this.

"You know." Kagome couldn't bring herself to say it.

"No… I don't."

'Oh… God… just forget it.' She screamed in her brain. "Never mind… oh damn it Miroku!" She blurted. "I love you, ok?" She wailed. "I know you don't-"

His mouth was on hers in an instant, that's all the encouragement he needed. "Oh Kagome." He sighed before he claimed her lips again. "I love you as well."

"I thought you said-"

"I lied." He said simply, ripping himself away to catch his breath. "I'm sorry Kagome… I didn't mean it when I said those things…" He looked away in shame. "I should've told you from the start how I felt."

"Why didn't you?" She asked sadly.

"I was afraid…" He said.

"Of what?"

"Of Inu-Yasha killing me for one…" He laughed a little at that. "I was afraid of leaving you all alone." He looked at his hand.

"Is that all?"

"No."

"What else?"

"I was afraid of you." He eyed her seriously.

"What could I do?"

"Destroy me."

"What do you mean?" Kagome nearly laughed until she caught his somber gaze.

He smiled. "I've never opened my heart to anyone before… I… I guess I was a little worried that you would not love me back."

Kagome, found herself not knowing what to say for the moment, and contented herself just to look at him. This was not how she pictured their admittance of love would be. She had somehow thought that maybe they would still be holding onto each other… kissing again and again… him telling her he would never let go… now they just stared at each other in awkward silence… and she didn't know what to do.

He shook his head a little, "I am bad at these things." He admitted.

He looked like he wanted to say more but she cut him off. She suddenly realized something. "Where were you these past few weeks?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing in on him. "You said you had think about something… and then I find you with four women… what's up with that… DEAR?" Her eyebrow twitched.

Miroku was calm, which seemed unusual since she was in such a dreadful mood. "I've been thinking about you this whole time."

"Uh huh!" She said sarcastically, thinking she caught him finally, she poked his chest. "Then what was up with those four women?"

"Kagome," Miroku cleared his throat a little. "I know your innocent… but you do realize that tavern was a brothel?"

"Uh?"

"They get paid to do it Kagome, of course they are going to see if…" He grinned to himself a little. "A client such as myself might be interested."

Kagome's cheeks burned with embarrassment. "Sorry about that Miroku… I didn't realize."

He laughed. "Don't worry about it Kagome… but if you really want to make it up to me…" He left that sentence blank, leaving it up to her imagination to fill it in.

She blushed terribly and looked away.

"Besides… I needed time to think about you." He repeated.

"Then why were you acting so cold to me just a second ago?"

"I don't know," His face serious. "You were talking to me so strangely… I didn't know if you were about to tell me something terrible."

"Like what?"

"Like… maybe you didn't care for me in that way… maybe… to "stay the hell away" from you…" He sighed. "Your expression Kagome-chan… it was… frightening."

"Well… sorry." She huffed.

He chuckled. "It doesn't matter anymore." He took her into his loving embrace. "You love me?"

"Yes."

"You can't take it back." He sighed.

"What do you mean?"

"You can't take your love back, it's mine now." He purred. "And so are you."

"You don't own me!" She puffed.

"But I own your heart… and your heart is you." His lips met hers in a fiery kiss. "I'll never let you go Kagome… you'll always be mine from now on." And with that he kissed her again. "Marry me, Kagome."

"W-what?" Kagome gulped, pulling back from him to read his features. "Where did that come from?"

"That is what I was thinking about." Miroku blushed. "When I needed time to think."

"Well… you sure didn't act like it."

"Like I said… I wanted to hear you out first… there isn't any point in asking a woman to marry you if she doesn't wish to see you anymore." He looked away.

Never see him again… Kagome had just went through a Miroku-less world just a little while ago… God she hated it. True, the month or so that he was gone was hellish almost… but she couldn't live in that hell that she found herself in only hours before. She thought about how horrible her world would be if he were to leave… and she never got to see him again.

"So you will then?" He almost sounded forceful.

"Of… well… I…" She expected to just tell him how she felt… she never expected anything like this!

"I'll make you happy." He promised, pulling her closer to him. "I'll do anything you want…" He purred into her ear. "I'll make you scream every night."

"Miroku!" She squealed, trying to turn away from him.

"Not this time Kagome." He held her against him firmly. "You're not going to get away from me."

"So…" She decided to ask. "How come it took you a month to think of this?"

"I wanted to give you something… I can't ask you to marry me without giving you a present after all."

"A present?"

"I didn't know what to give you… I have no idea what your customs are like… so I decided to get you a present." He explained.

"Ok."

He handed her a single string of beads, they were glass, but had a very attractive color… aqua. They went around her neck beautifully "I thought that they would suit your eyes." He said. "And this." He placed on her finger a slender silver band. "I know that these aren't much… but…"

"They're lovely." Kagome said finally. "Thank you Miroku."

"My Kagome-chan." He breathed.

"My Miroku-chan." She mimicked. She still couldn't believe this… this… Did she agree to marry him? Oh my God! It didn't look like he would take no for an answer anyway.

"I think I'll enjoy married life." He said with a curve of his lips.

"Really?" She asked incredulously. "And when are we supposed to get married?"

"Oh? That… I just married us right here and now." He grinned.

"Wh- how?!" Kagome asked. "You can't just do that!"

"Sure I can… I now pronounce us man and wife… now how about a kiss?" She shoved at him but he held fast.

"You didn't even ask me if I wanted to!"

"But you didn't say no… so I took it as a positive response!" He laughed.

"What if I don't want to be married?"

"Too bad… can't take it back now!" Miroku's cackling could be heard all throughout the clearing.

"You… your insane!"

"Oh my!" Kago-chan laughed, hiding behind the bushes. "I told you this was a good idea."

"I never thought of that…" Miro-sama rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Forcing you into marriage… it would have made things a lot easier."

"I betcha she slaps him." Kago-chan snickered.

"Do I sound that stupid when I laugh?" He asked.

"No…" She paused. "You sound waaay more stupid than that!"

"Hey!" He pounced on her, tickling away.

"No fair! You asked my opinion! What was I supposed to do? Lie?!" She asked between laughing and trying to force air into her lungs.

Dear God… I can't believe I just wrote that folks… oh… I might have this take this chapter back later on… it's so… corny! Oo I dunno… maybe I'll leave it.

Once I'm done writing this stupid thing all the way through… I was actually thinking of rewriting some parts… or adding chapters to it to stretch it out a bit more and enrich the content a little… but… maybe I won't… or shouldn't. Of course… I need to fix all the grammatical errors… which I wince at every time I find one… but I simply don't know how to go back and fix these things without reloading the chapter… so I'm stuck for now… plus… I don't want to mess up the story or accidentally erase something.

Man… I knew this chapter was going to be weird… I hope the whole marriage thing isn't too sudden… (Won't stop fretting about it) Was it sweet? Was it natural? Do people really do this sort of thing? Blah… I need to go take an aspirin and lay down.

But… before then… I must write a lemon… because lemons always make the headaches go away… yes… lemons do that you know… (rambles on into the night)