Kagome stared at the giant arrangement of orchids that had arrived at her apartment. There was no card so it was impossible to tell who they were from or if they were even for her. It was truly a mystery.

She giggled and placed them on the coffee table, where they dominated the small living room of the two bedroom apartment she shared with Miroku.

At the sound of her laugh her roommate emerged from his bedroom, sleep-tousled and wearing only pajama pants. The hair he usually kept in a low ponytail hung free and was just long enough to brush his shoulders.

"You got flowers?" He perked up in immediate interest.

Kagome cast a practiced eye over his bare torso, taking in the scratches and love bites that were liberally scattered over his toned chest and stomach. He'd come in late the night before, which usually meant he'd been with a girl. They had agreed on a strict no sex at the apartment rule, which meant Miroku either had to be creative or go home with the girl if he wanted to indulge in his primal habits. At their previous apartment she'd had too many sleepless nights listening to the banging and screaming in the other room and he'd had too many one-night-stand-turned-stalkers; so she'd given him an ultimatum. No sex or sexual activity at the apartment or he'd have to find a new roommate.

After living together almost their whole lives it was one threat he took seriously and they'd found a new apartment shortly thereafter. He often teased her that while his escapades often got him in trouble he only did it to even out her complete lack of a sex life. She'd dated but it never felt right, she just wasn't able to let herself go the way Miroku did, there was always something strange holding her back. She blamed Disney for glamorizing the ideals happily ever after and one true love.

"Rough night?" She smirked.

"She looked so sweet too." The mischievous gleam in his violet eyes belied his mournful tone. "I know I've said it before but you can't trust the librarian types. They're too kinky behind closed doors."

"Wow. Someone too kinky for you? I'd almost like to meet her." She grinned. "Almost."

"You did meet her. Last night." He reminded her.

She paused, frowning. They worked together at a bar and club called Sangoku Judai where Kagome was a bartender and Miroku doubled as a bouncer and manager. The money was good and the hours were flexible so they both had their needs met and the owners, a married couple named Mushin and Kaede Oya, thought that having two attractive reiki-users would bring in the crowds. They were right. Five nights a week Miroku and Kagome would put on their modernized miko and houshi costumes and make their rent and student loans, plus extra.

Kaede tolerated Miroku's flirting because it drew bar patrons and regulars were the bar's bread and butter. But she discouraged him going home with girls straight from the bar because jealousy drove the regulars away.

Kagome blinked as she remembered going into a coffee shop after work that was open late and the barista commenting on their outfits. Hers had the classic red hakama but the white haori had been altered to be sleeveless and fitted to her form and she wore her leather archer's gloves and arm guards. Miroku wore a fitted black and purple haori and black pants with a gauntlet and prayer beads wrapping one hand. The girl at the coffee shop had told Miroku his outfit was sexy, Kagome had tuned out after that, content to nurse her hibiscus tea in blissful ignorance. When she'd been ready to leave he'd told her to go on ahead and she had, making it home and falling asleep the instant her head hit her pillow. It was clear that the same wasn't true for Miroku.

"When did you get home?" Kagome asked, looking again for a card on the flowers.

"I caught the first train back." He smiled, a dashingly sensual slow smile that was known to incinerate panties on the spot. "Like I said, she was too kinky even for me."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Serves you right. I'll be surprised if your boy parts don't rot off from the STD exposure you give them."

Miroku sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't worry so much Kagome-chan. As per your request I establish communication about sexually transmitted diseases before intercourse and always use a condom."

"Gee that makes me feel so much better." She waved off his response, their argument about his promiscuous ways being an old one. "I'm much more interested to find out where these came from."

"They're beautiful." He smiled. "Not that you deserve anything less… but they were expensive too."

"You think?"

"I know. Those are either from a very wealthy suitor or a boyfriend who has screwed up royally." He blinked, considering her. "The last boy you dated was Hojou wasn't it? Do you think he's trying to mend things?"

Kagome snorted negatively. "There's nothing to mend. We dated in college, it sucked, he was vanilla, end of story."

"Well whomever sent these was definitely not… vanilla." Miroku grinned suddenly, eyes sparkling the way he did when he figured out the way into a particularly resilient female's pants.

"Oh?" Kagome looked at him speculatively. Then at the arrangement. She tried to pick up on what he had discovered, examining the flowers with every sense. Then she realized that she wasn't using every sense and slowed her breathing to tap into her reiki.

Miroku's grin widened as her eyes focused sharply. "That my dear Kagome-chan is undeniably traces of-"

"Youki." She finished excitedly.