~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

Chapter Two: Arrangements

"Where are you going?"

Thin fingers grasped the edge of the shoji door, poised to pull it open before a stern voice stopped the figure in her tracks. "Out" was the curt reply, but Kagura knew better than to continue what she was doing without giving him a chance to respond.

"You're ignoring my advice."

Kagura grit her teeth at the Demon Lord's condescending tone. So she didn't fall at his feet like every other demon in this place; he wasn't her lord. She was a guest, and nothing more. Where she went and when she left were none of his concern, much less any of his business. "Worried about me, are you?" She asked teasingly, hoping to throw his mood enough for him to leave her be.

But Lord Sesshomaru was unflappable.

"I have no desire to lure the kind of riff-raff you associate with to my lands." His icy tone did little to rile the wind-demon who was now used to his mannerisms. "Either you stay here behind my protective barriers, or you leave and fend for yourself. This is your decision Kagura, but remember: I'm not responsible for you."

It was said so clearly and so casually that anyone else would have accepted the dog-demon's excuse. But Kagura knew better; the fact that he had even bothered to come and confront her, when he knew full well that she remembered their terms, spoke volumes.

The wind-sorceress crossed her arms, the rich fabrics of her new kimono rubbing against her fingertips and reminding her of her host's generosity. It was annoying really. "You don't honestly think they'll be looking for me, do you? I'm a disgrace to them. I ran away." Her teeth clicked as she added snidely "As if you don't remind me of that daily."

"Then I needn't remind you again" he continued, in a voice which would have lesser demons cowering, "that the ties which linked you and your former master remain."

"He's dead" she responded flatly, and her fingers once more grasped the door to pull it aside with the softest of scrapes, "I felt his presence leave my mind after I escaped. The only reason I came here" her voice rose slightly as she turned a glare on him, "was because you happened to be right about the half-breed." The sliding door hit the opposite frame as Kagura stepped boldly over the threshold, her eyes still daringly locked with Sesshomaru's. "If this is the extent of your wise advice however, I don't think I'm interested."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly before he turned away without a sound, his voice rising over his shoulder as he said "Do as you wish. But before you act hastily, Wind-Sorceress, I would ask yourself what price you're willing to pay for your freedom."

Only the softest rustle of cloth accompanied his departure, the long fur over his shoulder flowing behind him like a ghost as he left. Kagura watched him with blazing red eyes, her fingers twitching with the absence of her fan, reminding her that in this palace she was weaponless… powerless. Sesshomaru's words echoed in her mind in cool tones, and she wondered if the 'freedom' he'd referred to was from Naraku or from himself.

"Souta, listen" Kagome knelt down beside her brother whose red eyes welled with tears he refused to shed. Inuyasha couldn't help admiring the kid. "Do you remember the way home from the train station?" Souta's quivering lip froze as confusion took the place of his shock, and seeing his uncertainty, Kagome plowed on "Could you make it back home from the train station on your own?"

His wide eyes grew distressed as he repeated faintly "on my…."

"Shippo will be with you" Kagome said hurriedly, gripping his shoulders firmly and keeping his eyes trained on hers, "I need to know if you two will be alright getting home by yourselves."

"No."

Souta and Shippo flinched at the half-demon's harsh tone, but Kagome looked at him with only slight annoyance. "No way in hell are you staying here. You're going back with them."

"Oh really, Inuyasha" she said sardonically, even as she leaned over to hug each boy and kiss them gently atop their heads. A long, shrill whistle sounded from the train beside them as the engine boiler let off steam. The train was ready to leave. She stood and faced him with bold defiance, her hands on her hips and eyes full of fire. "I'm not leaving you here to handle this on your own. You'll need my help."

His growl rose up over the roar of the engine fire, his patience hanging by a thread. They didn't have time for this! "The only help I need is for you three to get outta my hair so I can handle this! Damn lotta good you'll be here."

The slight twitching of her brow should have been enough indication that he was treading dangerous ground, but he refused to back down. "Just go home. You'll only get in my way here."

The train sputtered and creaked as it prepared to move, and Kagome broke their heated eye-contact to turn and yell to the boys "quickly, get on the train!" They obeyed without hesitation, clambering aboard the nearest car as it started to move. Kagome breathed a sigh of relief, but that sigh turned into a yelp of surprise as she was suddenly hoisted over a broad shoulder and carried toward the open doorway through which the boys had just climbed. She beat on his back with her fists, pulled at his white hair, and nearly knocked off his hat before Inuyasha managed to deposit her on the wooden floor of the train car, shoving her yellow basket in behind her. He stormed away from her furious shouts, back to the square where people were starting gawk at him. Whistles from the steam pipes filled the air and Kagome's tirade ceased as the train began to pull away. Inuyasha's ears drooped under his hat as he tried to ignore the guilt over what he'd done. He didn't want to send her away; there was just no other option. He didn't know what he was going to do yet about the circus, and whatever course of action he chose would likely put her in danger. He couldn't live with himself if she got hurt because of him… again.

A crashing thud made its way to his covered ears from the direction of the parting train, and a few startled cries of onlookers had him turning piercing eyes back behind him just in time to see Kagome's yellow basket rolling about in the gravel beside the tracks, its contents spilling from beneath the patterned cloth cover. Even as the basket was still settling, a figure in green and white stepped into the train doorway. Inuyasha's heart caught in his throat, and he was already running by the time she jumped from the slow-moving train. Deftly, the young girl tucked her body and rolled softly in the gravel and dirt, standing shakily after only a moment and brushing off her clothes. Inuyasha reached her moments after she'd first fallen, but stopped just short and stood uselessly to the side as she gathered herself. Part of him couldn't believe she'd done it; another part cursed for not having expected it.

Her stubborn eyes met his, bright and alive, and Inuyasha felt his anger melting in relief. It wasn't gone completely though. "Don't you ever" he growled out fiercely, his figure tall and imposing as he advanced on the black-haired girl "pull a stunt like that again."

She was completely unfazed by his snarling expression as she stepped right up to him and got in his face, saying without a hint of apology "Don't you ever send me away again." He was left sputtering as she side-stepped him, carefully examining her somewhat worse-for-wear basket and replacing the fallen items which were now all they had.

Night had fallen deeply over the town by the time the train pulled back into Tokyo. The street lamps lit the square well enough, but as the two boys headed off to the shrine, the low light of the moon was their only guide. Once the few stragglers had cleared the streets, Shippo transformed into a lantern (a little more round and pink than was normal) which allowed for a hasty return home. The little fox-demon had tried to comfort his human friend on their journey home, but there was still a haunted look in Souta's eyes which was likely to remain for a while. Perhaps his mother would know what to do. Souta was breathing hard by the time he cleared the shrine steps, and as his mother slid open the front door with a smile, he fell against her knees, gasping.

Her expectant smile changed to panic, and soon the entire household had joined them in the entryway at her frantic cries and questions. Grandpa rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he held onto Kohaku's supportive arm. Miroku and Sango were quick to assess the situation and the notable absence of the girl and the half-demon who should have arrived as well. Avoiding everyone's gaze, Shippo's emerald eyes flooded with tears as he tried to explain what had happened. His breath hitched as he reached the end of the tale and dutifully relayed Kagome's parting words to them. She and Inuyasha were staying to free the half-demons. They were going to find out who those 'gods' really were, and how they'd managed to capture their 'freaks'. Sango and Miroku were to take tomorrow's train and scope out the city, but were not to try and make contact just yet. And most importantly… Mama was not to worry, because she had Inuyasha by her side, and he would look after her.

Mrs. Higurashi met every word with surprising composure, rubbing soothing circles on her son's back as his shaking died down.

Shippo stood to the side, his gaze on the wood platform by the door and tiny hands fiddling with his short blue coat. He had long since given up his human disguise, and his auburn tail which was usually puffed up now dragged sullenly against the floor. "I'm sorry" he said in a shaking little voice, "it's my fault… after the demon circus, I should have known better. I could tell Inuyasha didn't want to go… he wanted to leave after the first few acts… but I said we should stay a little longer."

"No, it was me" Souta said softly, leaning back from his mother's embrace to look sadly at his small friend, "I talked you into it in the first place. I shouldn't have…"

"Boys," Mrs. Higurashi said sternly, and Souta and Shippo both turned to her with eyes downcast in shame. A sad smile grew slowly across her face, never quite reaching her eyes as she said with conviction "Neither of you are to blame. Kagome and Inuyasha could have taken you both away at any minute."

The little faces which had briefly been lit with hopeful relief filled with quick regret as each rushed to defend their role models. "Kagome only wanted us to be happy!" "Inuyasha too! It was only because we wanted to that he agreed!"

Shaking her head and smiling slightly wider, Mrs. Higurashi opened an arm to beckon Shippo into her hug. The kit took a few tentative steps forward before barreling into her warmth, and she held them both to her tightly as she said "I don't blame them either. It may be hard to understand now, but I think this is something they have to do. Inuyasha could never turn his back on such a horrible situation, especially when it involves other half-demons. And Souta, don't you know your sister? You think she'd sit off to the side and twiddle her thumbs while Inuysaha takes care of things? Walking away from such an injustice would go against her very nature."

"But Mama…" Souta began softly, awed and confused by her words, "aren't you worried about them?"

The older woman smiled and tilted her head responding "Of course I am." At the continued confusion on his face, she stroked his hair lightly and explained "I always worry about her, and about you. I worry about everyone I care for" she said with a soft look down to Shippo, "but Kagome was right: Inuyasha is with her, and he'll keep her safe."

"She'll keep him safe too" Shippo spoke up quietly, looking into Mrs. Higurashi's warm eyes, his own growing more peaceful the more he thought. "In the demon circus… she was the one protecting him."

This time her smile was genuine as Mrs. Higurashi hugged the little demon tighter and said quietly "I don't doubt it. They'll look after each other. Have faith in them."

With the little boys calmed for the moment, Mrs, Higurashi turned her glance behind her slightly to where Miroku and Sango stood, their expressions troubled and somber. Meeting the eyes of the former clown and demon-tamer, her own eyes lost their brave shine, and both understood her message: find Kagome and Inuyasha, and keep them safe for her.

Inuyasha grumbled through the flush on his cheeks as Kagome led him by the hand back to the circus. He knew he should have been the one leading, but at that moment, he wanted nothing more than to disappear into the black night around them. The city square was still alight with lamps as the foreigners drank and dined well into the evening, but the outerlying districts where the native citizens lived had long since calmed down. Looking up at the waning moon, Inuyasha knew it would only be a week or so more until the moonless night, but if Kagome's plan worked out, they'd be safe. At least… as safe as possible in enemy territory.

He'd forgotten how stubborn she could be. Safe in her home, with nothing to worry about but books and broken artifacts, they'd fallen into a comfortable routine. She'd gone to class, he'd worked for her grandfather, and in the evenings the whole crowded household would gather for a meal and maybe a game or two. Sometimes the two of them would slip away to sit in a tree or on her roof, and they'd watch the stars and talk, or just sit in companionable silence with her head against his shoulder. Their arguments were usually petty and short-lived, and always with the buffer of some friend or family member present. He'd forgotten just how scary she could be when she was truly upset. Mere seconds after he'd dragged her away from the train station and gathering crowd, Inuyasha had laid into her on all the reasons she shouldn't have come, all the reasons why this was a horrid idea and was only going to make things worse. She'd listened silently, though with an obvious tick, until all his words were spent and he'd been left huffing and puffing in indignation. Kagome had followed his tirade with a clear and concise and rather long list of reasons why he was being ridiculous.

"What were you planning to do?" she had asked him calmly, a dark eyebrow cocked as she waited for a response. He'd answered with a vaguely worded spiel along the lines of 'send the bastards to hell', at which point her reason opened fire. "You can't attack them here. You're in a city full of humans, full of foreigners at that, and if you start killing people in such a crowded place, there's going to be trouble." He had tried to blow it off, tried to make her see that trouble or no, he couldn't sit by and do nothing, but she was only getting started. Point after point hit him one after another until he was starting to feel like a fool for having wanted to handle things himself. The feeling only made him more irritable, and he'd listened to her in stewing silence. "We don't know what they're capable of." "You'd be outnumbered." "What if they threatened the half-demons?" "What if you got hurt and there was no one around to help you?" It wasn't until she said, somewhat hesitantly, "What if you transform again?" that he had finally started to think about what she was suggesting. "We still don't know what caused it" she'd all but whispered, "and if you were to turn back to a full-demon, with no one around to calm you down… you could end up killing not just the performers, but the half-demons, and the whole town as well!"

That had been a turning point in his mood, and when she pointed out "You don't even have your sword" he almost, almost refrained from asking snidely "And whose fault is that?"

Walking together now with their destination approaching and a shaky plan in mind, Inuyasha was glad she'd jumped off that train. If she had any bruises in the morning he wouldn't forgive himself for not catching her, but once again she had come to save his hide. Her fingers tightened around his as she stumbled slightly in the dark, and his cheeks burst red again as he remembered just what it was they were planning.

It was as solid a plan as they were likely to come up with, and would give them what they needed: time, and privacy. After much heated discussion through the back streets of Yokohama, they'd come to a consensus: they couldn't attack yet, but they needed to free the half-demons. That required more information on the seven men in charge, and they'd need to be able to gather it without rousing suspicion. It wouldn't hurt either to stay close to the half-demons in the meantime. Inuyasha hadn't intended to find the solution, but when he mockingly suggested "What, you want us to join their circus?" her eyes had grown wide and her mouth formed a surprised 'o' as she said quietly "that'll work…."

Despite his meager protests, he'd quickly realized that this might actually be their best shot at success. This other part of it though… this 'cover' for their plan… it had all been her idea, and while he wasn't necessarily opposed to it, he was terrified of trying to pull it off. As the wooden archway of the circus came into view, Inuyasha swallowed his nervousness, trying to calm his nervous mind as he thought 'I don't think I can do this.'

If his mind had not been so otherwise occupied, Inuyasha might have noticed that the girl beside him wasn't faring much better. Her palm was growing sweaty in his as they approached the circus, butterflies flitting around painfully as her thoughts mirrored those of the boy whose hand she held. 'I don't think I can do this…' repeated over and over in her head so loudly she was sure he must have heard it too.

The front courtyard of the circus was deserted, banners waving lightly in the sea breeze and only dimly reflecting the waning light of the moon. But the eerie scene was lost on Kagome, whose current battle of nerves stemmed from a wholly different dilemma. Needing a distraction, her hand left Inuyasha's to grasp tightly onto his arm, wiping the signs of her nervousness on the pink shawl she'd bought earlier in the day. It was a nice protection from the cool sea air, but even so, with only her thin white undershirt beneath, she couldn't suppress a shiver. She hoped they'd be able to get their lodgings soon, as the promising warmth of her school kimono and his red happi coat were hidden away in her basket.

"What're you doing here?"

Both Kagome and Inuyasha jumped at the stern voice cutting through the darkness as a uniformed man stepped out from one of the booths. Recognizing the purple face markings and head-wrap of the fire-breathing performer, Kagome let her stirring emotions run free as she gave what she hoped was a convincing performance. If she messed up now, there wouldn't be another chance. "We're so sorry to barge in like this" she said in a weepy voice, "but we've nowhere else to go! Please, we must see the man in charge of this circus. It's very urgent!"

The fire-breather, Juroujin if she remembered correctly, peered narrowly at the pair of them, noting the basket and Kagome's clinginess as she leaned against Inuyasha in a helpless manner. Kagome didn't dare risk peeking at Inuyasha's face – she could only hope he was holding firm to the plan and not blushing at her proximity. Blushing would do them no good at this point. As if sensing her fears, Inuyasha spoke up beside her in a tough, somewhat nervous tone that fit perfectly into their 'situation'. "Hey, are you gonna take us or not?"

Glaring openly at the white-haired stranger, Juroujin said stiffly "This is no place for young punks like you to be wandering around at night. We're closed. Come back tomorrow."

He was just turning on his heel when Kagome called out in a panic "But we've nowhere else to go!"

"Is that supposed to be my problem?" the fire-god retorted listlessly, continuing back into the darkness.

Kagome felt a growl building up in the man beside her, and hastily elbowed him in the gut before he broke character. With a little more harshness than intended, he said quickly to the retreating figure "We got a proposition for your boss." The man stopped and looked back over his shoulder with a suspicious glare. Making sure he had the other man's attention, Inuyasha brought a hesitant clawed hand to the brim of his cap, twisting and adjusting it slightly but not quite removing it as he said quietly "We… don't really… fit in anywhere…. We thought we might try here."

The circus-man's eyes followed the movement of the hand, noting the glint of moonlight off the sharp claws, his eyes lingering on the trailing silver hair that shone a little too brightly. Lifting his head and moving the hat aside just a little, Inuyasha made sure that the light caught his eyes, and he was almost sure the man flinched when the golden orbs flashed almost white with the refraction. There was a beat of silence, then Juroujin's thin lips pursed before he said gruffly "Might as well hear you out. Follow me. If Bankotsu doesn't like it, he can handle you himself."

Sharing only the briefest look of confusion over the unfamiliar name, Kagome and Inuyasha followed silently after their host toward the center stage. They'd passed the first hurdle of getting in; now came the real test of their acting abilities. The distant sound of conversation carried through the night air toward the approaching group, and even Kagome could make out the loud voice of the announcer, Benzaiten, among the chatter. It grew louder as the man called out "Renkotsu! Renkotsu, where'd you get off to?" Under the nearing light of torches, Kagome saw the dress-wearing Benzaiten round the corner, his face falling into what was almost a friendly smile as he saw his fellow circus act. "There you are, Renkotsu! We're just breaking out the drinks! What took you so…." They had entered the circle of firelight at that point, and it seemed the man had finally noticed that 'Juroujin' was not alone. His stare was uncomfortably long and intrusive, and Kagome noted it was much more lingering on Inuyasha than on herself. When his gaze looked her over, she could have sworn she saw his lip turn up in disgust, and she felt a little insulted. "Jakotsu" the man named Renkotsu said amiably, gesturing behind him at the others "I found these two wandering about the circus – they say they have business with Bankotsu. What do you think?"

The announcer, Jakotsu, stroked his chin in thought for a moment as he sized the strangers up again, and then said with a bit of a whine "The man is a definite yes, but why'd you let the girl in too?"

Renkotsu only laughed in response, saying through a chuckle "Mukotsu's gotta have something to play with too, doesn't he?"

Kagome felt her skin crawl at the conversation, and didn't bother to stop the man beside her as he growled loudly and pulled her against him. "Just what the hell are you two on about?"

At the growl, both performers turned fascinated eyes on Inuyasha, and Jakotsu's lips pulled into a grin as he said amusedly "Oh there's something interesting here, isn't there? Better get Bankotsu quick – he'll love this!"

"Get me for what?"

A much younger voice than the others broke the night as the strongman 'Bishamonten' entered the lamplight. He eyed Inuyasha and Kagome with an expression so young and curious that Kagome couldn't help staring back. Was… was he the leader? He was so young, and didn't seem nearly as strange as his cohorts. She had thought his 'leadership' of the other gods in the show was just a gimmick, but then… being the most unassuming probably made him all the more dangerous.

"What's this, Renkotsu? It's not like you to let 'guests' walk around our turf at night."

His tone was authoritative and his eyes hard as steel as he barely glanced Renkotsu's way. The man under his ire answered back casually to the intimidation "They wanted to meet with you, Big Brother. This… man says they have a proposition."

Bankotsu's piercing gaze turned back to Inuyasha as the other circus performers emerged from the shadows to watch them as well, Hotei rolling up noisily behind them. The short old man 'Fukurokuju leered openly at Kagome, and Inuyasha gripped her tighter before she even had a chance to shiver in disgust. Ebisu the giant and Daikokuten the knife-thrower both gave them predatory looks, one full of hunger, and the other full of what could only be described as blood-lust. Hotei simply billowed steam as his metal smile did not move. "Well?" Bankotsu said loudly, crossing his arms over his lordly apparel, "What is it you want?"

Shooting the old man one last glare, Inuyasha faced the Ringmaster and said, with a feigned undercurrent of desperation, "We want to join your circus."

Smile growing in amusement, Bankotsu scoffed lightly and said, gesturing at the throng about him, "And what makes you think we need you? As you can see, we already have our seven gods, and I see no reason to change the number."

Shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot, though from his tensing Kagome knew it was just for show, Inuyasha said roughly "I don't mean as a performer…" his hand rose to the brim of his hat, and before he could second-guess the move, he slipped it off and finished "I meant as a freak." He twitched his ears sharply for added affect, and the entire mood of the group changed. Jakotsu gasped delightedly, and Bankotsu's expression changed to a wicked grin. Renkotsu seemed to be the only one whose mood turned south at the unveiling. "Why would a half-demon offer to be put on display?"

"Renkotsu."

Bankotsu's sharp reprimand shut the other man up with a glare, but Kagome had not missed his hidden meaning: the other half-demons weren't there willingly.

Inuyasha hadn't missed the slip either, but he hid his growl well as he said haltingly "Where else does a half-demon have to go? I… I have no other options for work. We ask… only for food and lodging. I'll do whatever it takes to find someplace for us to live."

Jakotsu's grin widened at the man's desperation, but Bankotsu was not so quick to give in. "I'll admit, we could make good use of you, but we've no use for the woman. She can look elsewhere for work."

"She stays." Despite the deep finality of Inuyasha's words, Bankotsu remained unimpressed. 'Fukurokuju' seemed to be of a different opinion however, and his thick lips turned in an ugly smile as he hissed "Indeed, brother Bankotsu, let the girl stay! I can always modify her – she'd look lovely with a nice set of bird's wings. Or perhaps we can simply strip her and cage her, put her on display as a goddess of beauty."

"Hey, I'm the goddess of beauty!" but Jakotsu's annoyed tirade was cut off by the loudest and fiercest growl yet as Inuyasha bared his teeth at the jeering men and curled Kagome against his chest protectively.

"You. Won't . Touch her." He seethed, but as Kagome whispered harshly "Calm down!" against the black leather of his shirt, he swallowed his growl and said thickly "She stays with me. She's my wife."

Nestled against his chest, Kagome could hear his heart-rate pick up exponentially at the lie, even as he said the words with such conviction that her face erupted in red. It was lucky her face was hidden. It had been her idea, she had decided on their cover story, and yet… hearing it said to others was so different from simply discussing the possibility.

"Your wife?" Jakotsu exclaimed, his whining tone returning with force. Kagome was more than a little perturbed to realize just why he seemed so put off by the idea. She knew her own cover was to act demure and doting, but if that snake-charmer ever dared to touch her half-demon….

"If you must know" Inuyasha said with annoyance, not liking the reactions he was getting from Jakotsu or the short old man who was obviously pouting, "We were married secretly. Her family was… opposed to the idea, and threw her out as soon as they discovered it. Now we… we really have… nowhere else to go. And I won't go anywhere without her."

Bankotsu remained silent and ponderous as he locked eyes with the half-demon, a silent battle of wills taking place between them. Beside him, Jakotsu seemed torn as he also watched the half-demon. "Big Brother," he said beseechingly, "We can't let him leave! Think of the crowds he would draw! And he can't want the woman around forever."

Anger boiling at the thought that she might just be 'tossed away', and by Inuyasha no less, was making her mask difficult to hold. But counting to ten in her head and gripping Inuyasha tightly around the middle, Kagome said in as desperate a tone as she could muster, "Oh please, let me stay with him! I'll wash, I'll clean the cages, I'll even… I'll even take care of the… m-monsters." She gave a dramatic shudder in a perfect impression of fear, while really reacting to having called those poor, abused half-demons such a cruel term.

She felt Inuyasha's large hand smoothing down her hair, her red ribbon tucked away in her basket, and found herself quite proud of how well he was handling their little farce. He'd been so nervous when she'd first suggested it, and she'd worried he wouldn't be able to get the words out without stuttering. Somehow he'd been able to rouse the courage to pull off the lie, and Kagome couldn't help wondering if it was in response to the ugly, leering little man pretending to be Fukurokuju. If so… she didn't want to be indebted to the creep, but she supposed in a strange way she was grateful.

Through the silence, Bankotsu's youthful voice rang out "Very well! You can stay." Kagome couldn't hide her surprise as she turned away from the black of Inuyasha's shirt to the black-braided man. He didn't seem to notice as he waived his hand dismissively and said "Who are we to turn away those in need? We can give you a tent and appropriate clothes, and you're welcome to our food vendors whenever you need. That'll be your payment."

"Thank you" Inuyasha responded tightly, not bothering to fight the terms. That was really all they needed anyways.

Bankotsu smirked at the apparent submissiveness of his new circus act, and added jovially "We were just about to break out some drinks. The foreigners have some great stuff – really strong too. You're welcome to join us, though your woman might not like the company."

Inuyasha met his taunting grin with a simple "We've had a long journey. Show us to our tent and we'll turn in."

"Oh I see" Bankotsu said laughingly, turning to his fellow performers as he teased "I suppose we aren't quite as entertaining as a woman, after all! Don't waste all your energy, Dog-man! We need you bright and early at dawn for… training." The other men joined him in uproarious laughter as both Kagome and Inuyasha turned brilliant red from a mix of anger and utter embarrassment. "Renkotsu, take the love-birds to their new home. We'll save you some gin."

Jakotsu's angry exclamation of "I'm more entertaining than any woman" was the last thing they heard among the laughing men as they followed Renkotsu away from the center stage and further into the back lot. Kagome surmised that despite different outside appearances, all circuses must be messes behind the scenes. Canvas tents dotted the yard, crates and boxes stacked haphazardly between them. There were far more tents than what would have been needed of seven men, and remembering the foreign workers from earlier in the day, she wondered just how many were staying on the premises as well. Once again, she was glad Inuyasha had agreed to their plan – there were so many innocents here who could have been hurt if they had attacked. And if some of them weren't so innocent… they would need time to figure out who needed saving and who had to be dealt with.

"This is a storage tent" Renkotsu said, stopping suddenly outside a large but sturdy cloth structure, "You can take what supplies you need and move what you don't somewhere else. Don't bother us with stupid questions, and don't leave the premises."

"Not like we'd be welcome anywhere else" Inuyasha added for effect, and Renkotsu glanced at him briefly before turning on his heel and heading back the way they'd come. Once he was out of eyesight, Inuyasha led the way into the dark tent, his inhuman eyes scanning for a source of light. Finding a lantern with a pane of cracked glass, Inuyasha helped guide Kagome through the dark as she fumbled in her basket for the box of matches she'd brought from home. Wincing as the first strike brought a flash of light to the otherwise pitch blackness, she lit the lantern and set it on a crate as Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. "I hate those things" he said with a nod to the matchbox, "they smell… unnatural."

Kagome simply shrugged and packed them away again, saying softly "Unless you have a better way to start a fire, they're all we have." What little light the lantern provided was enough for both of them to tell that this particular storage tent had been unattended for some time. There were webs in the corners and the boxes were in disarray. Underneath a pile of circus props they found a slightly worn cot, which when covered with extra rolls of drapery wasn't quite as uninviting as it first seemed. Inuyasha carefully sniffed through each cloth they found, tossing out anything that smelled like it had been touched by the 'seven lucky gods'. He had begun to pick up their scents through the salt air, and he knew that some things had been handled by them, and others by workers. Inuyasha couldn't explain why, but there was something different about them, something collectively which smelled vaguely like… dirt. It was strange, but also fitting, so he didn't think much else of it.

Once he figured the make-shift bed was cushioned enough and warm enough, he patted it and said to his companion "There you go. Don't worry, it's all clean." Kagome looked back at him strangely, and his confused face met her cautious one. She glanced from him, to the bed, and back again before saying "thank you" in a somewhat strained voice. Not knowing what to make of her reaction and becoming increasingly agitated, Inuyasha said in a sour tone "Is there something wrong with it?"

She jumped as if realizing she'd done something wrong, and quickly made for the cot, pulling back a few blankets and sliding beneath them. The cot was wide enough for her to be comfortable, but still she pushed herself over against the side closest to the tent wall, leaving the blankets pulled back slightly. Inuyasha wondered what on earth she was doing until she lay back, looking up at him with red cheeks and an expectant expression, and then it clicked: they were supposed to be married. His face burst into deeper red than hers, his earlier admission in front of the circus performers ringing in his dog ears, and suddenly he found himself stuttering "Y-you take the cot. I, uh, I-I'll s-stand guard. Make sure those freaks don't get weird ideas." The last part was enough to settle his nerves. That old man had developed one too many ideas about Kagome, and he'd be damned if he let the little creep get to her. He was set on his reasoning, until Kagome's tired voice said "And what kind of ideas do you think they'll get if you're found sitting on the floor while your wife sleeps alone?" While Inuyasha's blood had taken permanent residency in his cheeks, Kagome's own blush was quickly fading as she thought back on the performers they were now employed under. She'd been afraid that they'd have no use for her, but she had never expected them to be so hostile to her presence, or so eager to exploit her. To say she was unsettled was an understatement.

"Please, Inuyasha?" He looked at her with wide eyes at the question; she'd been using that word all night, but it sounded different now from her earlier acting. "I'm cold."

Her gaze was strong as it held his, willing him to understand her reasoning, knowing words now would just get in the way. And he did understand; he'd seen that expression before, what seemed like ages ago now, when she'd come to him at night with the same excuse because a children's song had haunted her dreams. His eyes softened, and he nodded silently, sitting at the edge of the cot and slipping beneath the blankets beside her. It was a tight fit for both of them, but he only blushed slightly as she cuddled up against his chest, his arms wrapping firmly around her back, cocooning her securely between the blankets and his body. No one was going to take her away from him, 'lucky gods' or otherwise.

*Author's Note:

OOOOOOOHOHOHOHO. I've been waiting to get to this point. :3 So! Here's the basic set up for the story. Now we're gonna really get into the swing of things! BIG thanks to those who have already reviewed and faved and followed after just one chapter! I hope you enjoy where this story goes, and I can't wait to tell it to you!

Also, before you ask, this is remaining at a 'T' rating.

Thanks for the support! Cross your fingers that the next chapter goes up as quickly as this one did!