A/N: Here's yet another chapter for you Kagome/Miroku lovers. That's right, all eight of you. (No one loves my Miroku/Sango story. I worked so hard on it.) Oh well, at least its fun to write. And a few of you appreciate it. I just wish there were more Miroku Kagome fans. –Sigh-
Review Responses
Sesshies Personal Priestess: Don't you worry! For some reason I seem to really enjoy writing romantic scenes with the main character and someone who isn't the co-star (yes it is my curse) but it always works out. You'll be liking this chapter;).
Kouga's #1 Fan: Of course it'll be Kag/Mir! They've supplanted Miroku/Sango as my favorite couple, I wouldn't betray it. I don't see how anyone cannot love Kagome and Miroku, they are so hot together! Oh well, enjoy
Kogasgirl142: Don't worry; it's much better than the Sango/Miroku moment. At least I think so. Why not read and check it out?
Chapter Seven: Time Alone
"Wind Scar!" a resounding yell could be hear for miles around, due to the flat terrain as Inuyasha sent his favorite attack at the demon they were battling. The attack passed right through. The group was having quite a bit or trouble. This was a shadow demon, so most of their normal attacks wouldn't suffice. Inuyasha growled in aggravation as he witnessed his attack. "No effect. Damn thing won't go down." he hissed.
"Ugly brute too." Miroku added, tossing several of his sutra scrolls at the beast. It was indeed unpleasing to the eyes. It had an elongated head; spiked tail, long claws, and constantly drooled bile (Think the movie Alien). It could've been easily taken care of by Miroku's wind tunnel, but the bile it spat was highly corrosive, so Miroku didn't know if the poison would effect him or not. Inuyasha barely dogged a spray of bile.
"Got any bright ideas monk?" Inuyasha asked, while Sango watched in dismay as her boomerang passed through its body. Miroku shook his head in the negative. The demon lashed its tail out at Sango, but she parried with Hiraikotsu as it returned. It swept its tail under the feet of Inuyasha and Miroku. Inuyasha jumped to avoid it but Miroku wasn't so quick. The demon poised its tail to strike the mortal blow but half of the tail was shorn off as a blue flash pierced the air. Kagome stood a little ways across the field, her bow string vibrating. This got the demons attention. It sprayed another jet of bile at Kagome. She didn't have time to knock another arrow. All she could she could do was cower and brace herself for the impact. But it never came. Miroku hadn't stalled to take action and had acted as a human shield, but the acidic bile had left him severely burned. The shadow beast was upon him in a second. It drove its claws deep into Miroku's shoulder. He winced in pain, but managed a grin. The monster raised its other clawed arm to strike, but before it could Miroku tore the rosary from his right hand and sucked the demon into oblivion. He fell to a knee due to the injuries inflicted.
"You're hurt." Kagome observed with a twinge of guilt in her voice because it was her he had been protecting.
"It's just a flesh-wound." Miroku replied giving her a grin. Inuyasha and Sango rushed over to inspect their friend's condition.
"Are you alright?" Sango asked with concern.
"I'll live." Miroku assured her with a grimace.
"What a shit-headed thing to do!" Inuyasha commented. "I'm glad you're alright though." he added, turning to Kagome.
"Thanks. Could you clean Miroku's wound with this?" Kagome asked, handing the hanyou a can of disinfectant. "Just press down at the top." she instructed as she dug deeper into her bag searching for a roll of bandages.
"That thing got you pretty good Miroku." Inuyasha said as he sprayed the disinfectant over the hurt. "They went right through."
"Ouch!" Miroku exclaimed at the sting of the disinfectant. Kagome had found the bandage roll and wrapped it several passes around her saviors shoulder. She cut off the length and taped it down with an adhesive strip.
"Take your robes off." she ordered him.
"What?" all four members of the group asked simultaneously. "Why?" Inuyasha was flabbergasted to say the least.
"I need to rub this balm on your burns and cover them with grafts. They'll heal faster." Kagome explained, rolling her eyes at the thoughts of her feudal friends.
"If you say so." Miroku agreed, reluctantly removing his robe. Luckily, the part that covered his torso and upper body came off from the part that went below the waist. Kagome began to rub the balm on his burns and stick on the grafts. He was more muscular than Kagome would've thought.
"He's got some muscle on him. He should go shirtless more often." Kagome thought, silently giggling at the thought. Inuyasha noticed though.
"What's so funny wench?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome rolled her eyes in exasperation. Did he have to always call her that?
"It's nothing. And I do have a name you know." Kagome answered.
"Whatever wench."
"Aw, isn't that cute? Looks like Inuyasha has a pet name for you Kagome." Miroku joked.
"Feh!" was Inuyasha's dignified response. "It's not a pet name punk."
"You should have a pet name for him." Sango suggested. "Like Rex or maybe Fido."
"God damn it, how many times I gotta tell you? I am not a damn dog!" Inuyasha shouted.
"Whatever Rover." Kagome said. Inuyasha just feh-ed.
Inuyasha and team decided to make camp by a river that night. Inuyasha wanted to move on to the nearest village, but Kagome and Sango didn't think Miroku should walk that far. Miroku said he was fine, but Kagome would not have it. A sit and a bloody nose finally got Inuyasha to succumb. "I still don't understand why we have to stop." Inuyasha complained. "Miroku says he's fine! Why would he lie?"
"Isn't it obvious? He thinks he's being a burden." Kagome explained as she pulled out her first aid kit. "Miroku let me change your bandage. The one you have on now is soaked in blood." It was true. The wound had finally stopped bleeding, but his bandage was drenched. Miroku reluctantly uncovered his left shoulder. Kagome collected some water in a basin and began to wash his wound with a cloth. Inuyasha left muttering something about dinner and Kagome being to lazy to make any.
"You know Lady Kagome; you really needn't make such a fuss over me. It's just a few burns after all. They're feeling better already thanks to your care and modern medicine." Miroku said reassuringly. Kagome softly pressed one of his burns. "Ah!" Miroku hissed in pain.
"You were saying?" Kagome replied. "Besides, it's my fault you got hurt so badly, the least I can do is treat your burns."
"This was not your fault at all Lady Kagome. It's not like you asked me to protect you from the bile." Miroku pointed out.
"But you wouldn't have had to, had I not been so careless." Kagome countered.
Miroku chuckled. "You weren't careless, no matter what Inuyasha says. You protected me from the demons tail, and I was returning the favor. Besides, even if the demon hadn't attacked me, I couldn't bear to let any harm befall you when I knew I had the power to stop it." He added, gently stroking her cheek. "What would Lord Amida say if one of his most perfect creations was spoiled?" A blush graced Kagome's face but she busied herself by continuing to clean Miroku's shoulder wound. Sango rolled her eyes, wholeheartedly sick of Miroku's flirting, and left to search for a hot spring, her excuse being Miroku couldn't peek if he was being treated. Shippo and Kirara followed, leaving Kagome and Miroku alone. There was a bit of an awkward silence before Miroku spoke. "Tell me Lady Kagome, why is it you care so much for Inuyasha?"
"Isn't it obvious? The same reason you and Sango care for him. He's our friend." Kagome answered simply.
"You know that's not what I mean Lady Kagome. And I think you do know what I'm taking about." he pressed.
"If you're saying I love him. I'm afraid you're mistaken." Miroku gave her the 'oh please' look. "Fine maybe I did love him, but I don't anymore. It's pretty clear he loves Kikyo, and with that I can cope."
"Oh, so did you take my advice and set your sights on another man? Perhaps Koga or Hojo?" Miroku continued to interrogate.
"Since when are you so interested about my love life?" Kagome snapped.
Miroku held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "I didn't mean to impose." he apologized. Kagome smiled disarmingly back. She figured she might as well tell him, he had the right to know.
"Well…" she began, "if you must know I have set my sights on someone else." But it's not Koga or Hojo."
"Oh. I don't suppose I know of him?" Miroku wondered out loud.
"Actually, you do." Kagome corrected him. So, she did love him. Sango had been telling him accurate information after all. He decided to ferret it out of her.
"May I inquire to his name?"
Kagome blushed furiously and began to stutter. "I…I'm not sure y-you want to know." she said lamely.
"Oh, but I do. In fact, I believe I have a pretty good idea who it is already." he said in his oh-so-famous flirtatious tone, resting his right hand on her thigh. Kagome noticed he was a bit too close for comfort, and getting closer. She looked down.
"M-Miroku w-w-what are you doing?" she asked, vainly trying to cover her blush. Miroku tilted her chin back up, so she was facing him again.
"Tell me Kagome. Am I right?" Miroku moved his right hand to the back of her neck and pulled her closer, meeting her lips with his own. Kagome's body stiffened and her eyes widened at the contact, but slowly she loosened up. She managed to close her eyes, wrapped both her arms about his neck and kiss back. Miroku leaned further in and slipped his tongue past her lips, his mouth mimicking his body movements. Had they not been so caught up in their kiss, they might've noticed they had an audience. That person stared at the scene, mouth agape. Refusing to believe what had just been witnessed. Their audience member turned, and made a running retreat back into the forest.
A/N: There it is; the climatic chapter! Who was watching? Shouldn't be too hard to guess, but you may be surprised, and have it not be who you think. Only one way to find out.