DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha

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Summary: How to make a woman feel special, Miroku's way. Kagome/Miroku Tanabata

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Being a modern girl, Kagome didn't feel the need to rush to define the relationship she had with Miroku these past few months. The occasional kissing when they were alone together and the all around closeness was very nice, and she was enjoying it immensely. But she was still wary of the naturally flirtatious monk. After all, he was still his usual self most of the time- flattering women and making them blush. And, admittedly, Kagome was gone at least half the time to be at home, which left Miroku time alone and Lord only knows what he got up to or who he groped at during that time.

Jealousy was not in her nature, especially after all the time she spent fighting with, and pining over, InuYasha. InuYasha chasing after Kikyo constantly rather quashed Kagome's ability to be jealous and left her responding to things differently. She was insecure and sad, mostly. So she contented herself with being friends with Miroku. Friends who kissed sometimes. Or at least that's what she told herself, even as she wrote her secret wish on her tanzaku in her bedroom.

'Just to know I'm special, that I'm not just another girl he's playing with, it isn't too much to ask, is it?'

"Kagome dear, are you still home?" Her mother called from downstairs.

Kagome hastily put away the paper and pen in her backpack right before her mother knocked on the door and let herself in.

"There you are! If you aren't in a hurry to leave, Grandpa could use some help setting up for Tanabata before you go. He's a little slower than he used to be."

"Sure Momma, you can count on me!" Kagome said cheerfully, even as she checked her window for where the sun was sitting in the sky. She told Miroku she was coming back in time for the village's own Tanabata festival, but she had a little time to spare.

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With a loud, "Feh!" InuYasha kicked a rock toward the trees nearby, "She's late."

Miroku sighed lightly, their hanyou friend was not known for his patience. He was surprised the man hadn't already jumped through the well to retrieve her. It still irked the monk somewhat that he needed InuYasha's help to get Kagome up from the bottom of the well. Having to ask another man, especially a past love interest, to put hands on her? Not exactly his favorite thing. She seemed rather unbothered by it, it having been their usual way of doing things for years now.

Leaning his head back against the old well, Miroku said, "I'm sure she'll be here soon, InuYasha."

"She better be or she can just stay down there for all I care." He huffed in reply, before leaping into a nearby tree.

It wasn't much longer before there was a swell of magic and a flash of blue inside the well, and their girl had arrived. InuYasha was on the lip of the well instantly, peering down inside as Miroku came to his feet as well. His mouth opened as if he was going to say something but then closed, he clearly gave whatever it was a second thought. Then InuYasha turned to Miroku and shook his head as if trying to tell him something.

"InuYasha are you leaving me down here or what?" Kagome called from the bottom of the well.

Irritation took over his face as InuYasha called back, "If I did it would be for your own good, wench!"

Miroku's eyebrows rose curiously, "What does that mean, my friend?"

"Oh you'll see," he responded ominously.

Miroku couldn't see well as he peered down into the well but it was obvious that the two of them were arguing about something, the two shadowy shapes were very animated. It took only a minute for them to resolve it because they were out of the well before Miroku could call out to them. He went to greet Kagome but his mouth gaped and nothing came out. Now he understood what InuYasha had meant, Kagome was wearing one of her "sun dresses" again. She looked...amazing. The material was light and flowy, pink with a floral print on it, with small straps around her shoulders. As good as she looked, it wasn't a good idea to wear a such a revealing outfit around the village men on a festival night.

Kagome saw Miroku, and the look on his face and said, "Oh no, not you too!"

He recovered quickly, "You look ravishing, my dear. It simply caught me by surprise."

She smiled brightly, "You really think so? InuYasha wanted me to borrow some of Sango's clothes because he thinks I'm making a spectacle of myself or something. But the villagers are used to me by now and I wanted to dress up too."

"She is your problem now, monk. I don't want to be rescuing her from any idiots tonight." InuYasha warned, before taking off toward the village ahead of them.

Watching Kagome roll her eyes, Miroku was struck by just how oblivious she was to how gorgeous she was. Especially in this outfit of hers. How could she be so smart and still so ignorant? But he had no worries about tonight, she would be by his side the entire time, no one else would have a chance to make a move on her. Extending his arm out to her, he felt a shiver down his spine as she entwined her arm with his. The sun was already setting as they approached the village together, the festivities going with enthusiasm, and attention was already on them.

Leaning over, Miroku whispered, "Allow me to be your escort for the evening?"

Kagome blushed and nodded her assent.

Miroku puffed his chest out a little, "To have the most beautiful woman on my arm on a night of lovers is truly an honor."

She giggled in response, amused by his behavior, "Miroku, what am I going to do with you?"

He winked at her and watched her blush again.

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The night was winding down and everyone was lined up to retrieve their tanzaku from Miroku and Kaede, Kagome was assisting children with writing wishes and hanging them on the bamboo sticks. It had been a pleasant night, Miroku had not left her side for a moment, not until now. Duty called. Noticing she was running out of paper, Kagome opened her backpack to fish out more blanks that she had brought from home. She didn't notice the one she had written back home fall onto the ground, so it lay on display beside her when Miroku approached.

Recognizing her writing, he picked it up and read it to himself, 'To be special to him.'

Curious and, admittedly, a little jealous, he pocketed it to ask her about it when they were alone. And they would be alone soon, he had shared her too much this night and had been thinking about kissing her the entire time. But with no clear definition of their relationship, and Kagome's reluctance when it came to public affection, he was left waiting until everything was over. Kaede was comfortable taking over the last of the tanzaku duty, and that meant they were free to sneak off.

Crouching down, Miroku took Kagome's hand and gently guided her upright with him, "Ready to go?"

She smiled and nodded, "Sure."

Picking up her bag, Miroku slung it over his shoulder and led her back to his hut in the village. Kagome blushed, anticipating the kissing, Miroku was a really good kisser. They weaved their way around people until they reached the edge of the village where Miroku stayed and he lifted the flap like a gentleman to allow her to enter first. It helped that holding it open for her granted him a solid view of her luscious bottom. What can I say? Once a pervert, always a pervert. But is it really perverse if that's the only butt he's been interested in these past few months? A thought that has been heavy on Miroku's mind lately.

Sure, he's been flirtatious and complimentary of women, that's just his nature. But with Kagome...

If he could just catch a hint that she's interested in more than just friendly interactions and occasional kisses. Being with a girl from a different time is difficult, if she were from the Feudal Era, they would be married by now. But God wanted Miroku to struggle, so he sent Kagome. He sighed to himself. And now there was that odd wish. Could it be about him? How he hoped that were true.

Sitting down beside Kagome, alongside a small fire, Miroku pulled the slip of paper from his sleeve and held it out to her, "You dropped this earlier."

Reading it, Kagome hurriedly took it, red as a tomato, "Oh no!" She buried her face in her hands, "I'm so embarrassed."

Her voice was muffled but Miroku caught the words well enough. He secretly enjoyed embarrassing the little priestess, she turned a pretty shade of red and got flustered to the point of stammering. It was addictive. He took her current embarrassment as an opportunity to progress their undefinable relationship and leaned in to whisper into her ear,

"Could that be about me, Kagome? Should I show you how special you are?"

She shivered at the feeling of his breath against her ear and let out a squeak that Miroku chose to use as confirmation. Really, he had been dying for a hint to advance with her, to put solid terms on what they had once and for all. He watched her peek through her fingers at him before squeezing her eyes shut once more, sure she would die of embarrassment. Yes, she wished he treated her differently than other women, and yes, she wanted to be special to him. But this was not how this was supposed to happen!

"Kagome," Miroku began, pressing a soft kiss right behind her ear, "Kagome," another kiss down the side of her neck, "Kagome," a third kiss just above her collarbone.

Conflicted, Kagome's body couldn't decide if it was going to relax or tense up further. Instead she simple smothered a quiet moan into her hands.

"You beautiful, ravishing, dazzling lady. Special doesn't even begin to define you. I'm hardly myself when you're gone, you are a light in my life." Miroku slid her hair gently from her shoulder and pressed an open-mouthed kiss onto the skin he exposed.

"I long for your voice, your touch, your presence. If words aren't enough, I will gladly demonstrate." Taking her hands away from her face, he placed one hand on his chest, "Do you feel how fast my heart beats around you? It's all yours."

Slowly, Kagome opened her eyes to make contact with Miroku's purple ones. His heart was truly racing, beating hard and fast beneath her hand. Leaning in, eyes still on his face, she pressed a kiss to his clothed chest. She placed one of his hands over her heart as well, blushing.

"My heart, too. Always around you." She whispered, embarrassment coloring her voice.

He couldn't hold back anymore, that was all he needed to hear. She wanted him like he wanted her, words could wait until later. He had been dying to kiss her all night. Leaning down, he brushed his lips softly against her own, before pressing against her urgently. The tip of his tongue snuck out to sweep against her bottom lip before slipping inside to taste her mouth. He felt her moan into him, his hand still on her chest, and he slid his hand gently and slowly down, resting it on her waist.

Kagome's hands slid up Miroku's chest and into his hair, surprising him as she pulled him closer to her. Their tongues danced as she gently pulled at his hair, and he let his hand slide further downward to slip beneath her dress and hold her pert bottom. He gave it a gentle squeeze and felt her arch into him.

Kagome pulled away from the kiss and asked, "Miroku, am I really someone special to you?"

"I would cross a river of stars for you, my Kagome."

With a sigh, Kagome buried her face into Miroku's chest, "I needed to hear that, I think. Thank you. You're special to me too."

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