T.Y.O.M. Chapter 4: Giggling, Giggling, And More Giggling

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 4: Giggling, Giggling, and More Giggling

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

Warning: Kind of similar to Chapter 1, Kagome’s getting better at thwarting the Monk O.O

Giggling, giggling, and more giggling. Usually she found the sound cute… when babies were doing it. Unfortunately, the laughter was not from small, helpless infants, not anywhere close. Kagome could feel her eyebrow twitch, her fist clench, and her patience running low. Who knew that she would get paired up with Miroku for the day. Especially in a village abundant in single women. Kami, is this a joke?

She tapped her foot against the ground, slightly impatient with a hint of something unfamiliar. She could practically hear his lecherous thoughts through all the giggling and chatter. Any second now, Kagome thought with a huff.

“Lovely miss, would you do me the honor of bearing my children?”

There it is, Kagome snickered. She thought back to the first time he asked her that question, What an odd day. Her hands tingled at the memory of his large, and very warm hands clasped over hers, the feeling of textured cloth and prayer beads over her left hand wasn't… terrible. She smiled in a stupor, leaning on a tree, before the daunting reality of what laid beneath the cloth and beads finally hit her as she stared at it, clasped around another woman's hands.

She sucked in a breath, all traces of anger fleeting… He could die right now, and nobody would be able to save him. All because of Naraku. How… How could Miroku act all okay? Like everything is fine, like he doesn't have an actual black hole in his hand that could kill him and anything in the vicinity. How can he just choose to stay with us, for all this time? How can he just smile and laugh, how can he just flirt shamelessly without receiving anything in return, how can he just be the Miroku that we know him as? Is this even who the real Miroku is? The thoughts of it gave her stomach a violent twist, her eyes looking for just the most miniscule indication of sadness or even fear in Miroku’s smile. There was none, at least not here. Just strong, captivating eyes and charmed smiles.

Her eyes started burning. No, she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes. Crying meant that Naraku won, that Miroku’s fate was sealed, and that was as far from the truth as Kagome could fight for. Naraku will never win. I won't let him. If Miroku can be strong, then so can I…

Her eyes focused on Miroku laughing with the village women and she chuckled. Kagome lifted herself from off the tree and calmly walked her way over, a slight bounce in her steps. I will fight for him and for everyone, but that doesn’t mean I can’t entertain him every step of the way. She cleared her throat and the giggles softened as the women's attention focused on her. They parted for Kagome, whispering into each other's ears in anticipation. Miroku noticed the silence and shifted his gaze to the center of their attention.

It was Kagome-sama, who looked quite different than usual when he was in the presence of village women. He waited for a slap, a glare, something. Anything. Kagome just smiled, brilliantly, respectfully, confidently. It was gorgeous.

What did I do to deserve this? Miroku couldn't help but smile back. She winked and flicked her wrist toward his face. It’s a slap?

She booped his nose instead, flicking the tip of his nose gently. Miroku stumbled in surprise, staff chiming in protest, as she turned to speak to the suddenly awed village women that he was just wooing a couple seconds ago. She grabbed the thin layers of his sleeve, and stuck her tongue out at them cheekily.

“I'm sorry ladies, I need to take my monk back. We have some things to take care of before we take our leave.”

They just nodded in response, giggles ensuing once again as they left the two alone. He raised a sharp eyebrow questionably but she shook her head, denying him an answer. He didn't mind, he could always figure it out. Miroku let a teasingly pleasurable smile shine at Kagome's gaze. She waited for his response.

“So, Kagome-sama, your monk?”

She stood frozen, mouth open to answer but her reeling thoughts got the better of her. She shook her head in mock disappointment and swiveled on her heels, away from Miroku’s calculating gaze.

“Of course you focus on unimportant details, Miroku-sama. We need to grab supplies so let's go!”

He chuckled at the clear embarrassment on her part. Her steps a little too loud to not be angry when he sped up his pace to keep up with her. He glanced at the side of her face, the smile didn't necessarily leave her face, which was strangely mood lifting.

They walked through various market stalls for a good couple of seconds, grabbing a few things and looking through some more items. It was peaceful but Miroku had a reputation to keep. His right hand twitched at a devious idea, beads clicking once against each other, as his palm made a straight beeline to her behind. A distinct screech greeted his ears and he grinned. Now that's more of a normal Kagome-sama response.

Intro | Chapter 3 | Chapter 5

Adult! Model! Luka from Miraculous Ladybug??? Whaaaaaat? 

He an edgy boy. 

(ignore the fact that I might’ve traced the motorcycle...)

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 1: Today is such a good day for pink

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

WARNING: Old Middle school writing! (I’m very much older now lol)

It was a day like no other in the Feudal Era, really. Countless days of physical and mental exhaustion were not easy on the mix-matched group. Demons never slept or quit so neither could the heroes unfortunately. Feets ached and cramped, thighs burned, and stomachs growled for any kind of substance at this point. The scenery, in all its peacefully teasing glory, didn’t lift their moods like it usually did. Grumbling, Kagome dragged along on her bicycle, her bulging backpack digging into her shoulders in a familiar way. A sigh escaped her lips as she looked at the back of saturated red robes, glaring in hopes that they could rest soon so she could attempt her chemistry homework at least once. She never really had time to think about anything, well, outside of her set priorities.

This past week seemed to just be… automatic. Wake up. Make breakfast. Get interrupted by a corrupted demon. Defeat or persuade said demon. Walk in volatile weather for hours on end. Bicker over lunch. Make instant ramen for lunch. Walk some more. Maybe find a village. Eat dinner. Do homework. Go to bed. Repeat.

Surprisingly, slapping a monk wasn’t on that list but Kagome wasn’t about to jinx it. She shook her head of the thought quickly with another sigh, gaining said monk’s attention. Soft purple eyes glanced over in her direction, a small wanton smile gracing Miroku’s features when his attention fell downward to her swaying ‘skurt’. A soft--and much appreciated--breeze swept along their path, teasingly revealing a flash of something in his line of vision, and he hummed in approval, feeling rejuvenated at such an opportunity. Today is such a good day for pink.

Kagome felt something other than the breeze graze her skin and tightened her grip on the handlebars of her bike. She hoped it wasn’t another demon, there was only so much she could handle today and being on edge made her more tired than anything. Luckily, no demons came out on that fine day. Though Kagome couldn’t help but sigh again, gaining Sango’s attention this time.

“Are you alright, Kagome-san?”

Inuyasha’s ears twitched at the sound and the pace of the group seemed to slacken considerably. She didn’t answer right away, pondering a bit. He let out a ‘keh’ and turned to look at Kagome with piercing gold-colored eyes. He suddenly sniffed the air, nose twitching slightly, before uttering, “There’s a village nearby. About a couple miles east, you can reach there by evening if you hurry but there’s also a demon east-north-ish. I've been itching for a fight, you guys go on ahead.”

Shocked silence settled into the group and Kagome’s eyes bulged from their sockets. No slur? No fuss? Has the Kagome Higurashi finally died? She stuttered out a hesitant ‘ok’, her mood considerably improving with the lightness in her posture. Miroku and Sango were also quite surprised, he must have been just as tired as they were. Not that neither were complaining. With some hesitation, Sango walked up to his side with Kirara and a sleeping Shippo in tow. 

“We’ll go too.”

“Sango?”

Kagome couldn’t help but question, the demon slayer just shrugged as an answer, too tired for a verbal answer. It wasn’t much of an explanation but Kagome warmed at Sango’s consideration. She must have not wanted Inuyasha to fight alone--Heck, he even seemed pleased about it.

Splitting up, they exchanged quick goodbyes and headed their separate ways. Kagome’s face held a soft smile as she bounced cheerfully with each step. Then she stopped, hair flipping over and obscuring her vision. The realization that she was alone with Miroku suddenly sunk in and she spit hair out of her gaping mouth, chastising herself for allowing the slip up to happen. Her suddenly sullen mood didn’t last. There wasn’t much he could do, he should be just as tired as the rest of the group… She resigned to her fate with a tired groan and  tightened her grip on her bike.. Skipping further ahead, she hoped to separate them at a suitable distance but already forgot about the concerning length of her skirt. In haste, Miroku quickened his pace and glanced after her with an appreciative hum. He knew she realized their predicament, smiling at the sight of her shaking her head. He allowed the jingle of his staff to stray his intentions, eyes honing in with a practiced ease as the view ahead gave him little peeks of childlike joy with each bounce.

They managed to arrive a couple hours before the last rays of sunlight departed, leaving the heavenly glow of a sunset behind. Although slightly disappointed with the end of flashing pink, Miroku’s mood swelled once more. He always liked this time of day best, where the bustle was shifting from busy to hazy and single ladies came out to play. A purr settled in his throat, hinting the thoughts of his not-so-holy mind, before he took the lead in finding suitable lodging for the night.

The search was relatively quick, Miroku’s old trick of a dark-looming-clouds worked yet again and Kagome wasted no time in unloading the team’s luggage. Miroku’s gaze softened at the display, she must be so tired… and hungry. When was the last time they stopped for food and water?

“Kagome-sama?”

Kagome hummed in response and Miroku took the time gathering the last trickles of energy in his slow strides toward the entrance of their hut. Meeting her eyes, he pointed softly toward the brightly lit village square.

“Would you like to walk with me to get dinner?”

 She held her rumbling stomach and nodded. From one eye bag heavy look to another, she added with an accusatory finger wiggling close to his face, “Hands off though, got it?” 

Miroku chuckled, leaning his jangling staff on a nearby wall and tucking his hands into the folds of his robe with a flourish. She hummed in approval at the display and matched his content look. They headed out into the evening with Miroku humming with a small smile under Kagome’s watchful glare. The cool air felt nice on their overheated and weary bodies as Miroku guided Kagome through a leisurely path, it weaved through the other huts and buildings as their eyes adjusted to the growing lights. They didn’t have anything to say but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Kagome never really thought about it but Miroku could be respectful too.

In less than a second, Miroku came across several giggles in a nearby hut and slackened his pace, his gloved hands already twitching unconsciously. Kagome felt a shiver run down her spine, her lecher-radar off the charts as her hands itched to cover herself. I shouldn’t have said that. Watching him turn like his stomach wasn’t empty and running on 4 capfuls of water, Kagome felt conflicted. Should I eat and wait for him or drag him with me? 

There was another giggle and she bit her lip. She didn’t like where this night was going, stomach twisting uncomfortably, as Miroku inched toward the smell of heavily-perfumed women with a funny smile on his face. Her appetite disappeared as she fumed. Miroku was being disgusting. Again. She didn’t want to get caught up in his shenanigans again and turned on her heel.

“I think I'm going to go back to sleep. I lost my appetite, Miroku-sama.”

That got Miroku’s attention. With a smile still in place, he gave her a worried once over.

“Are you sure, Kagome-sama?”

She nodded, her face and posture telling him all he needed to know. She was uncomfortable and… upset. Why? He felt bad actually. He was the one that invited her for a walk. Another giggle happened to pass between them and she made to leave with a huff. He made a soft exclamation and stepped toward her.

“Please wait.”

“And see you lechering? I’ll pass, Miroku-sama”, she strained her voice on ‘sama’ before slowly turning back to Miroku. His purple eyes startled her, the sunset lighting made them more striking than usual, which made her avert her eyes again.

“Well, I was going to teach you about palm-reading actually. It’s a useful skill to have--”

“And not just a tactic to pick up women?” Miroku caught her eyes again, catching her usual sparkle once more, and chuckled softly.

“Men too, if you prefer!”

“I think I'm good, Miroku-sama. I just find it gross when you act all pervy...”

She emphasized her point with a worm-envy wiggle of her fingers close to her grossed out, scrunched face and narrowed eyes, and he matched with a cheeky grin of his own and a shrug of his shoulder.

“I suppose you would, but I can’t help the earthly pleasure of it.”

Kagome laughed, a bit too bitterly to her surprise.

“I guess I could stay around, to see you fail.”

Miroku seemed to catch the tone as well, mouth opening to inquire before an exceptionally stunning woman stepped out the door of the hut on their right. 

Her features were delicate.

Kagome’s own suddenly felt childish and rough.

She had an endearing smile seemingly crafted just for her face.

Kagome flicked a practiced tongue behind her cross-bitten yet normally aligned teeth.

Her luscious locks, from years of gentle care and organic products, and matching expensive yet modest silks framed her figure.

Kagome’s hair felt ratty and tangled from the weeks of stress, fighting, and drugstore travel sized products and her clothes felt too cheap, too manufactured and exposed, giving her a haggard appearance in comparison.

It made her shrink but also compelled her to huff with a single stomp of her beaten loafer on the dirt path. Many women fanned at the daunting woman’s side, obviously just as charmed by her appearance and charisma, as they covered their faces with a giggle and a sleeve over their mouths. Her stomach sank at the sounds. Kagome couldn’t tell if it was because Miroku’s pretty eyes locked onto the woman the moment she stepped out or because she suddenly became all the more insecure about herself. Wait, pretty eyes? Where did that come from?

Kagome’s eyes trained on the agonizingly slow pace the woman took towards them. It was intentional, powerful, and ensnaring. That woman knew what she was doing. She had at least 3 years of experience and time over the young girl. Lips glued shut, Kagome stayed stuck beside Miroku, the space between them growing at the woman’s threatening aura. There was silence, as if to lay ownership to the air surrounding them, before the woman opened her mouth.

“I heard there was a notorious monk that arrived here.” 

It was a sweet sound. Miroku chuckled, shamelessly rubbing the back of his head with his gloved hand. The beads tapped together against the movement and it brought her back to reality. As if her trivial feelings were thrown into an invisible abyss, his all-too-familiar saint-like and deceivingly humble smile reminding Kagome of his curse and it quelled the raging fire inside her. One that crushed his livelihood with each passing second and forced him on his knees with life-saving options slipping through his fingers. He had all the time to explore his options and potentially pass on his will, and the will of his predecessors before him, to an heir to end his family’s suffering when he was working alone but chose to be here, with her and Inuyasha and the others. Rather thinking it foolish, she couldn’t help but feel heavy with the maturity and responsibility of his decision. She felt saddened at the depressing thoughts, guilt clutching at her heart. I shouldn’t feel like this. I need to apologize. She reached out to get his attention but he opened his mouth.

“I am but a monk, miss.”

It feigned humility, sickly sweet yet easy to swallow, and she tried to wet her suddenly dry throat, once again grounded by him and his stature. The fire was back. Kagome crossed her arms, losing all previous concerns, and snorted very unladylike. The woman paid no mind.

“A humble monk? How… fetching.”

Kagome shriveled a bit on the inside as an unnaturally charming smile fixed itself on Miroku’s face. It suits him... What the hell am I--- Furrowing her eyebrows, Kagome watched the lady shamelessly flirt with the monk. Her giggles made Kagome’s insides twist as Miroku traced lines on the woman's dainty hand. Making sure his voice stuck to every single female in the vicinity, he lowered his volume with a smirk, watching as they all stepped closer to hear him. 

Hardly resisting herself, Kagome fell under his spell, intrigued by how soothing his voice actually was. Though she caught herself when her foot inched closer than intended and hung back, watching as Miroku chuckled again, he got caught teasing the crowd of thirsty females, who took turns pulling on his arm in mock exasperation. Kagome could have left at any moment if she wanted, but she felt like she had to stay. She might actually learn something… As if.

“Wow, would you look at that? You have such lovely lines, miss. I predict a wonderful husband and many sons and daughters in your near future!”

It was the performance of the main act, the leading lady and the lowly but handsome clergyman set up for a forbidden but fated romance. Kagome snorted again at the woman swooning elegantly, the latter causing her fellow gal pals to explode in giggles and chatter. They crowded the all-too-gleeful monk and pushed against each other, begging to have their palms read. It was actually impressive how fast he got them all wrapped around his finger. Kagome furrowed her brows deeper at the display, it seemed wrong to play with people's emotions, no matter how eager the person was. Especially in Miroku’s case, doesn’t he realize how serious this is for him…? As if Miroku read her mind, he attempted to tease the situation into his favor, her furrowed brows weren’t very Kagome-like. The outcomes were probably too predictable--a simple slap on the cheek and the following fussing over from adoring women--but he was hoping that she might play along a bit, or make it interesting.

“It's hard to learn about palm reading if you can't hear me. Kagome-sama.”

That seemed to get every female’s attention. The force of their scrutinizing glares caused her to freeze, a retort stuck in her throat as she caught a mischievous glint in Miroku’s eyes and an amused smile on his lips. She pursed her lips and cocked her hip angrily at being called out. If that’s how he wanted to play this game, she could very much reject his offer. Their respective smiles, one more forced and pissed than anything, clashed and she inhaled sharply. There it was again, that lonely numbness and resignation mixed with almost perfect, almost, liveliness. It stopped her tongue but she knew she had to answer at some point, and fast.

There was the softest, smug titter from Miroku’s right and Kagome felt the hair on her neck ruffle like a cautious newborn kitten. Locking eyes with the most mesmerizing--No, stop it--hazel eyes, Kagome felt her nostrils flare at a microscopic level, warning sirens firing in her head. Miroku hadn’t caught onto their instant clash of daggers but Kagome was all in, cards drawn, pawns moved, and dice already shaking in her hand. There were probably a lot of options she could go about but she only formed two in her head, her cursed single-mindedness directing her on auto-pilot. Each riled her up in different ways. Turn away and face the shame of running away and thirsty-female brutality of gossiping or play along and put all these girls and a perverted monk in their place.

Her pride wasn't having any of it apparently as she confidently took a couple steps forward. You wanted a game, monk? I’ll show you a checkmate. The giggling crowd turned quiet, parting slightly at the fiery spark in her scarily expressive eyes. Her own pace, not so delicate or practiced, had a powerful quality of it’s own, stealing back a territory more familiar to her in terms of a playing field. They were interested to see how this will play out, knowing full well how their leader's tongue was sharper than any knife. The elegant woman's smile widened, and--Was that a hint of lust? For a faulty, stupidly brooding in a mysterious but shojo kinda way prize? Oh hell no.

Leaning closer to a baffled, yet amused Miroku, Kagome smiled right back at her with just as much, if not more, aggression. The woman dropped her hands from Miroku’s, as if daring Kagome to take the bait. She did, allowing Miroku to gently grab her hand and face the palm upward.

“What a lovely hand you have, Kagome-sama! The lines are quite contrasting in meaning, hmm... Which seems to be the most interesting to you? I believe I could tell you something you do not know about yourself this way. I must warn you, it’s quite intimate.”

There was a subtle insinuation that made many suck in their breaths with anticipation. In the world of the female gender, this was the rope that either made you a woman or a girl. The man may think he holds the upper hand but it’s a woman’s game, for women against women. Whoever hit first set the playing field. Clever girl. 

With a contemplative narrowing of her eyes, she acknowledged her senior’s trap, who was on the side covering her own smile. It was elaborate but nothing Kagome couldn’t handle. She defeated demons of this degree and worse before, mind games designed for both the simple minded and the nuances of the female-dominated field in both the Feudal Era and her own world. This was a piece of cake. Sorry, but you’re 500 years too early to handle the heartlessness of highschool girls and single women in their prime at mixers with only one attractive males---excluding Miroku, of course.

The woman just waited for Kagome’s move with a graceful lift of a brow, the silence tense as the females all continued to hold their breaths. As if bored, Kagome shrugged at Miroku’s comment, glancing down at their hands before looking up at him from underneath her lashes. Miroku shifted his gaze from her hand to her blazing eyes, curious about what she will do. Her eyelashes fluttered. It was unusual, yet teasing and... a bit flirty? What are you planning, Kagome?

His gaze suddenly lowered to her lips in peaked interest, they looked quite cute when parted. There were small marks on the bottom lip too. She probably bit down on them earlier.

“I… don't think I'm interested in those kinds of lines, Miroku-sama.”

That got everyone's attention. Miroku blinked, confused, before he pointed to another crease in her palm and opened his mouth to speak. 

“Well---”

Kagome cut him off, lifting light fingers to linger over his ear lobe. Gathering her wits, bursting pride, and years of sappy romance novel knowledge, she leaned close, delicately balancing between the stagnant but warm air between them and her toes.

“I would say this jawline is very intriguing though.” She swiped her fingers along the sharp line of his jaw, humming in appreciation at the feeling of soft skin. As if feeling, more than seeing, all those eyes on her, she pulled her hand to her lips, sucking the tip of her finger and feigning pain. “Ouch.”

There was an echo of bewildered comments, but the leading woman felt the threat of the playing field shifting and Miroku glanced around at the subtle change in mood.

“It’s quite… sharp, and so very strong,” She carefully eunusciated her words, letting it drag before continuing, “Strong enough to capture quite the lovely maiden and…”

They all hung to her next words, begging to understand and poke holes at, but the leading lady prompted her on, “And…?”

Leaning close as to fan her scent in a rather animalistic way, she focused on the bobbing of his Adam’s apple, analyzing his reaction. He swallowed with a subtle stutter. Thank you, holy Alpha’s Only Affair. Collecting herself, she feigned a sigh, closed in on herself and played with a lock of her hair.

“So sorry, I just started training privately with Miroku-sama. But I believe it went along the lines of capturing quite the lovely maiden and having her beg for more---”

Miroku choked and the group exploded in a thrilled shock.

“..children, for more children.”

Giggles cut through the chatter and Miroku stared at her in disbelief. Who is this and what did they do with Kagome? She was urged on by his lack of comeback, it never happened before. Kagome couldn’t resist continuing, she was in too deep. Taking on a sweet, soft whine, she pouted softly and tilted her head to the side.

“Was I wrong? You were so thorough and diligent with your teachings, you even pounded it so hard into me. I can’t believe how forgetful I was but… I always loved the way you teach, Miroku-sama.”

Each word made the crowd whoop louder, as the beautiful woman in the middle clenched her teeth in scathing silence. Locking eyes with the suddenly devious woman, Miroku saw Kagome crack through her pout with a trembling smile and felt a sense of pleasure at the change strangely enough, warmth digging under his robes at the laughter in her eyes. The look vanished as it came, leaving an almost identical Miroku-esque smile on her face.

“It is quite a sharp line and I mean what I saw in them but…”

Another ace on top of your growing bid? This is risky, Kagome-sama.

“I’m having a hard time figuring out your state of vitality and fortune, your life line is covered. I hope I’m not prying…?”

At her knowing gaze, he shook his head with a smile and let his beaded hand fall, their little secret. With the same, equally fake soft whine, she smiled with soft resignation, “It’s of no consequence.”

The woman, seizing her chance, hugged his beaded arm gently, letting her soft mounds brush in an intentionally innocent manner, as if to say checkmate. Ignoring her settled rival, Kagome hooked her thumb in the folds of his robe and ran her hand up along the fabric, lightly caressing his chest before urging him closer with a pull on the knot connecting the fabric. The crowd, loud with gossip and excitement, quelled at the display and watched on.

“As I said before”, Kagome took her time to fake assessing his skin, warmth spreading from the trail of her fingertips against fabric yet her eyes did not meet his, “You have quite sharp lines.”

Miroku felt breathless. He couldn’t help the slightest stumble at her eyes, hooded yet inciting challenge. He felt, rather than saw her run her nail along his Adam's apple and collarbone.

“Is it the same under the robes? Because, if I can’t read your palm...”

Kagome shifted her eyes to the towering female on Miroku’s right before returning back to Miroku’s own, tone screaming ‘royal flush’ to her trivial checker’s match as she laid her hand out.

”...I’d like to read those lines, if you will.”

Gasps of disbelief were her only response, slowly shifting to deafening cheers and gasps. It was an irrefutable and crushing defeat, one to humble the mighty and strengthen the underdog. Biting her lip in silent pride, she quirked a small brow and waited for his move. Kagome went above any rule set for the game he set up, leading her opponents by the nose and molding the playing field to her advantage. He knew that, but where did she learn that? Miroku was oddly silent, eyes widening softly as he watched her. Seconds passed and nothing happened, the clamor turning chaotic as half attempted to appease the leading woman’s bruised ego and the other gushed over her boldness.

“Well…?”

Miroku snapped out of his reverie and tried to think of something, anything. He was cornered. If I… I could… What about… It won’t work, she got me. With a soft sigh, he conceded with a rather wolfish smirk and brought his hand up to surrender. His unwavering surrender took her out of autopilot and her pride feasted deliciously at the monk’s uncommon defeat. Kagome felt her heart beating wildly, like it was built up and stuck in a lag. The weight of her words crashed on her, echoing in her rather soft and girly self-conscious, and a blush crept up her neck, but she wasn't done yet. Looking back at the beautifully stunned woman and turning her nose up slightly, Kagome winked cheekily. No rebuttal. Good. 

Kagome’s pride in repercussion deflated at her shameless flirting but it wasn’t enough to drown out her victory. She couldn’t keep the triumphant smile nor the raging blush from appearing and quickly turned on her heels. She could imagine the growing smirk on his face at her slip up but refused to give him that image and quickly spat out, “I’ll meet you out front, Miroku-sama. Don’t play around too long, I’m hungry now.”

Oh gods, that sounded wrong. Curse you, Alpha’s Only Affair! Hand slapping over her mouth, Kagome cringed but couldn't change what she said. Quickening her pace, she noticed the outrageously excited chatter behind her and silently hoped to the gods that Karma wouldn't come back to bite her on the butt. She, however, didn't notice a different shift in Miroku’s expression.

His eyes flickered to her retreating figure, hand stroking along the tingle of her fluttering touch on his jawline and eyes on the rhythm of her long legs. Well, that was new, better than a slap to the cheek. Definitely better… Ah, today is such a good day for pink.

Intro | Chapter 2

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 15: Tossing Grapes

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

Mindless physical intimacy and dumb dumb teens in desperate need of a childhood.

Plop. Crunch. Crunch. Kagome beamed as the light sweetness that burst in her mouth melded into a delicate tart flavor. There’s nothing like catching crisp grapes in your mouth on a warm, sunny day with no demons to worry about. Of course, it's a little boring by yourself when nothing is trying to kill you or kidnap you for your jewel shards, but beggars should definitely not be choosers in this situation.

“Why not play a game, me? ...Hell yeah, me, what kind of game?”

There was no one to answer her self-asked question but herself so she quickly set the rules in her head. Picking one large, juicy grape from her large plastic container, she lightly tossed it into the air, eyes following the little fruit ball and jerking her head back, mouth open, to catch it in her mouth. Plop. Crunch. One point for Kagome. She grabbed another grape, brows slightly scrunched, and threw it twice as high as in the first ‘round’, butt slowly rising to free her legs to move into place. Plop. Crunch. 5 points for Kagome!

The rules didn’t specify the point system but Kagome was definitely winning. She pumped her fist with slightly puffed cheeks before continuing. She was on a roll. A two streak roll but a roll, nonetheless. Locking the bowl onto her waist with a tight grip, she blindly grabbed a grape and tossed it higher than the last round. Her aim was off, feet backpedaling with each anticipated second before she flicked her head back, the grape landing on her back molar with a pop. 9 points!

The rounds kept on going, faster and more risky than the last, she didn’t even have time to chew or swallow the grapes as her stubborn competitive streak became fueled by the chance of ‘winning’ and her pride. 18 points. It kept her sliding, jumping, running and jogging around in circles just to catch the slippery suckers but she caught them all, one after the other. 37 points. It didn’t take long for her to lose all track of her surroundings, eyes glued to the sky for falling grapes. 56 points.

Cheeks full and bowl half-empied, she took one more grape and held it gently in her fingertips. This is it, Kagome. The final round, the crowd is on the edge of their seats, watching. Don’t panic. Breathe. Breathe. It’s all or nothing! Without pause, the grape went high into the sky, seemingly disappearing into thin air.

“Oh shit!”

She tossed it too high. Her eyes burned at the brightness of the sun but she continued to squint, looking for any signs of movement. 

Nothing. Her legs carried her backwards, hair bouncing and flying into her face and feet stumbling over small lumps in the grass. 

There…? She twisted lightly on her ankle and craned her neck with a small pop, eyes landing on something small, something fast...

There!

Picking up the pace and running further and further back, her heart dropped at the thought that she couldn’t make it like this. It almost stopped her in her tracks but, no, she could! Bowl now secured in both hands, she stretched her legs as far as she could running backwards and jumped, praying for a soft landing as her eyes followed the grape. She caught the offending grape in between her lips like a dog with a few too many tennis balls in its mouth. Here comes the ground, she thought ruefully, eyes scrunching closed at the thought of the impact. With a small ‘oof’, she slammed onto something. She expected to be sprawled on the grass in an ungraceful mess and choking on grapes but soft fabric surrounded her exposed skin as her mid back was supported by something. 

“Feeef wike a perffen--”

She still had those goddamned grapes in her mouth, and the one balanced between her lips was without a scratch. Nice. Her pride swelled at the fact as she hummed her victories.

“That was quite the magnificent catch, Kagome-sama.”

Her eyes popped out of their sockets and she sat up from her seat. Her landing spot ended up being Miroku’s lap. She looked down at their laps, then to his eyes, and then to the bowl in her arm. Who knew Miroku’s lap would be so comfortable? ...What the hell, Kagome.

“Wan’ suff?”

She made no effort to hide the cheeky flush in her hamster-rivaled cheeks or the childish sparkle in her eyes, nudging the bowl towards him. He let out a small smile. How ridiculous. There was a glint in his eyes and she didn’t miss it but she realized the intent too late.

“Don’t mind if I do.”

She smiled around the grapes but felt her heart thud as he leaned closer to her face, eyes trailing down to her lips.

“H… Hey!”

She shut her eyes tight, breath stuck in her throat. She could feel his breath fan over her lips and swallowed thickly, teeth slightly indenting the grape in between them. Crunch. There was no brush of skin but she knew he ate something. Testing the waters, she squinted out of one eye and watched him chew thoughtfully with eyes closed. She just stared, frozen like a deer in headlights. It was enough for him to stop his next teasing words.

“Are you ok, Kagome-sama?”

She plucked the grape from in between her teeth, slowly chewing the rest, and choked as her eyes found it to be half eaten. With a fist covering her mouth, she looked at the grape, then into Miroku’s eyes, and for a quick second she briefly glanced at his lips, to which he blew an amuse puff of air from his nose, before burning disbelieving daggers in the innocent grape. Taking her time, she finished off the rest of the grapes in her mouth in silence and Miroku couldn’t help but think that he broke her.

Letting out a nervous chuckle, he started, “Kagome---”

“I--- You---”

“You did offer.”

She took a pause and quickly glanced at his lips again, feeling heat crawl up her neck. He felt sweat gather, he was not used to this submissive Kagome, still in his lap, instead of slapping him into the next life.

“I guess I… I did...”

There was an uncomfortably long pause between them. No anger, no panic, both of which began his slow descent into a fear-induced adrenaline rush. Anything to get Kagome back to normal before the others caught them like this.

“Anyways!” He scratched the back of his neck and grabbed another grape from the bowl,”...these grapes? Fantastic! I’ve never had anything like them.”

Crunch. Chewing slowly, he snuck a glance, she was biting her bottom lip and looking anywhere but at him. This is not good.

“Oh! What was that game you were playing before, Kagome-sama? It certainly looked very interesting!”

No response. She was staring at him now, wide-eyed and ghostly, and he gulped. Sango is going to kill me.

“Would you mind if I tried? Uhhh… Ummm…”

Without a second thought, he threw up the grape with the hand not supporting her still frame and leaned back, his impending-doom-influenced shakiness messed up his aim and it bounced off his nose.

“Oh, ah-ha-ha! Looks like I missed, what’re my points looking like, Kagome-sama?”

Nothing. Kami, please help me. He started panicking and grabbed another grape.

“Ok! One more! I’m betting this’ll be at least 20 points!”

He tossed it high and bounced softly in his seat to catch the grape, it settled in between his teeth and he flashed her a thumbs up.

“Wha’ to you ‘hink?”

His eyes glanced over her entire face with out-of-place desperation.

“Kago-he-sa-ha?”

As if she were a video pressed on play, her face exploded in red and she grabbed his shoulders tightly. He flinched but felt his eyes get drawn in the sudden fire in her gaze. Her jaw was clenched, eyebrows furrowed, and an angry growl erupted in her throat. Here it comes. Accepting his fate, he just let the corner of his lips settle into a familiar ‘can’t-be-helped’ grin. He was prepared for the slap of his life but something he would never imagine happening happened. She dove in quick and fast and bit half of the grape in between his teeth. Crunch. Everything she felt transferred onto him and he felt something burst in his chest. His eyes popped comically, just like hers a moment ago, and he felt the air disappear in his lungs. He didn’t even budge when she pushed herself from out of his lap.

“Now we’re even!”

Her voice cracked but he didn’t even notice, he just stared at her. That did not just happen. Shoving the grape basket into his chest, she covered her mouth with one last glance at him. He couldn’t say anything, let alone breathe, and she ran away, screaming a repeated string of ‘omgomgomgomgomg’. Miroku watched her go, mind still processing the last few seconds, as he mindlessly plopped a grape into his mouth. Grape chewed and swallowed, the reality of what had just occurred settled. Miroku placed his beaded hand over his mouth with a silent groan and a late flush settling on his cheeks.

“Well, that was not what I was expecting.”

Falling onto his back, with the intentions of burying his blush and calming his mind, he inhaled deeply...They were softer than he thought.

Intro | Chapter 14 | Chapter 16

Lukanette but make it Avatar AU? Inspired by the dance party with one of the fire nation colony schools episode.

T.Y.O.M. Chapter 12: Two-Person Bow Action

Pairing: Miroku x Kagome

You could say Kagome’s arm was subdued at the moment. Her ramen eating, hair brushing, cheek pinching, monk-slapping, bow holding arm was badly sprained---or dislocated, or broken, who knows. 

But… it wasn’t Kirara or Sango’s fault for jamming the Hiraikotsu in the eye of the large demon who squeezed her body to the brink of explosion like their life depended on it. It wasn’t Miroku’s fault for thrusting his golden-pointed staff head into the demon’s calf, who’s feet almost trampled him in it’s sudden blindness. It wasn’t Shippo’s fault for landing a fast one on the demon’s head and it definitely wasn’t Inuyasha’s fault for cutting off the demon’s hand that held her without a second thought.

Kagome would have to say that it was her own fault for falling---well, dropping---like she did. The demon’s dismembered hand wouldn’t let go of her small body and she tumbled hard over the teetering hill of a tall ledge, a pop and a crack following her every roll until she was airborne. The demon’s unconscious, overgrown body had followed after and the trip down the ledge never seemed as slow as it did in that moment. The collective expressions of horror on each team member’s face as they followed the shrinking form of Kagome falling stuck in her head but the battle wasn’t done. The looks shifted as quickly as they came as waves of demons and possessed villagers clawed at their last defences, leaving no free hands to spare for the falling girl.

Kagome knew they had no choice but that didn’t stop the cold grip of fear twisting her heart as the final crash failed to come. She just kept falling. 50 foot fall. 50 percent chance of survival. What if she died? What odds would Kagome’s luck grant her? 

She couldn’t take that chance, so her hand reached out. Desperately. Selfishly. Her nails cracked and peeled but her fingers caught onto an impossibly small ledge, her body stretching from the momentum as her other arm dangled beside her. It was only for a split second but she heard a spine-tingling pop, one made from a stretch too far and too fast, but couldn’t be relieved lest she wanted to risk cracking her skull at the bottom of the mountain. It hurt to hold on but she forced herself to dig her fingers into the ledge, urging herself to bear with it. Burn. Burn. Burn. Sting. Sting. Sting. Kagome’s eyes welled up but melded into an inaudible scream that escaped from her lips as she closed her eyes. 

She couldn’t let go of the ledge holding her but she could feel the strength slipping from her arm. One second more. Please. In her pain, she didn’t bother moving as dismembered carcasses rained from off the ledge where glimpses of Kirara’s flying form, Sango’s Hiraikotsu, and Inuyasha's sword swings flashed by.

God, why am I here? At 17 years old, in a psych-ward-worthy trip to the past, fighting demons and dead people, with no one to tie her here. Yes, the shards were partially her fault and, yes, her whole existence circled around the fact that she was the reincarnation of a hanyou’s booty-call but that didn’t really give her a reason to stay. Maybe she was being angsty but… 

She could’ve had a normal life.

A couple of clawed fingers, rocks, and blood pelted down beside her head from above.

With normal friends...

Inuyasha’s growls and Kirara’s roars, mixed with various chants and cries of battle moves, echoed into her ears. 

A normal body...

Her muscles abnormally toned and body scarred for a girl her age, from years of P.E. and time traveling in the valleys and grasslands of Edo-Japan, had gotten her one too many disapproving comments. She could still feel the tingle in the scars littering her body and words they sparked from passerbyers.

A normal innocence for her age...

Her eyes shone differently and her posture was more defensive, she was told but brushed it off with a practiced smile.

A normal love life...

Saturated red filled her mind before a swirl of something dark and rich flashed by. Kagome did a double take. Dark? Purp---?

“Kagome-sama!”

“Kagome!”

Kagome whipped her head to the side, hair obscuring her view as a flash of deep purple and bright orange, blue, and golden greeted her. A teardrop fell down her cheek. Her heartbeat picked up. Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were miraculously, unbelievably there, right in front of her. Their eyebrows scrunched with worry and the former two’s hands shook from the height. They both reached out to her but she couldn’t do a thing. It was hard to breathe, hard to blink, hard to move, but it didn’t stop the smile that reached her lips.

“I think my arm is broken! I can’t move it!”

They found her smile and her giddiness strange, evident in the way their eyebrows lifted. Miroku shook his head and shouted over the wind.

“Which one?”

“What do you think?” She wiggled her dangling arm towards them and Shippo’s expression shook.

“Hold on, we’re coming!”

Kirara descended slightly below her with quiet mews and Miroku gripped her waist and ankle. Her arm protested greatly as she peeled her numb fingers off the ledge. She was glad she couldn’t feel her fingers, the pain in her shoulder overpowering her senses, because her nails were pretty much ruined. I need some serious self-care after this---One minor slip and her stomach plummeted as she fell flat on Miroku’s lap. She didn’t mind the way Shippo buried his head into her chest, warmed at the thoughtfulness of his hand avoiding her shoulder. Kagome also didn’t mind---or maybe didn’t notice---the way Miroku’s arms tightened around her shivering body as they rose back into battle.

It was just as bad as before she fell. Blood decorated the massacred battlefield of grass, mud, and bodies of both demon and human. The enemies’ numbers had greatly reduced with the combined powers of Inuyasha’s and Sango’s practiced teamwork and Kagome gasped at the ridiculousness of spotting her magically unbroken bow and arrows in the midst of the field. Suddenly, there was a heavy blow from behind. It knocked everyone off of the transforming cat demon and they stumbled hard, the battle resuming without pause. The demons took advantage of their weak links and Sango quickly mounted Kirara at her roar to fend them off. Miroku instinctively jumped in and pummeled the claws that scratched at their feet. 

Kagome tried to minimize her vulnerability and cover Miroku’s back but there’s only so much two loose shoes and lean legs can do without arms to balance with or the inability to turn off the pain in her arm. A scratch here, a cut there, it was an endless cycle of misses and defenses. She knew it couldn’t last long, she saw the sweat dripping on Miroku’s face and the strain in his arms as his strikes became sluggish. 

Inuyasha could be heard in the back, piles of bodies just circling his slashing form as he attacked from all sides. He attracted the most attention but the looming form of Naraku’s puppet stayed on the side, fending off each and every attempt that Sango made to destroy its supports from below it. With a wordless look, Inuyasha forced the enemies flat on their backs with one last slash of wind. He pounced on the retreating form of Naraku’s puppet but the tendrils of dark wooden roots dragged him back down. He yelped, embedding his large sword into the root but hundreds more joined in, constricting his movements like the seamless, strong muscles of a large snake with its prey. Miroku thought to use his Kazaana, arm already reaching for his prayer beads but a sudden attack from the right with no time to grab his staff caught him in the arm and he fell with a grunt. Blood splat across the floor and Kagome rushed to heave him up, feet scrambling to escape the demons behind them.

Picking up a beaten Shippo along the way, they could only watch as Sango and Kirara sunk into the pits of writhing vines and roots. Kagome saw something flash by in her peripheral and U-turned, causing the demons behind to skid past them as Miroku got a mild case of whiplash from the pull. She pounced on the forgotten bow and arrow but hissed at the pain in her left arm. She couldn’t hold her bow.

“Are you kidding me?!”

“What is it, Kagome-sama?”

Miroku peered over her shoulder and realized their situation. He was without his Kazanna and she couldn’t grip her bow.

“Got a plan, Miroku-sama?”

Her legs trembled slightly. Poison wasps filled the air once again, the buzz drowning the racing beats of their hearts that threatened to spill out of their chests.

“Do you still have any of that medicine from the future?”

“No.”

“Then I don’t.”

It was a standoff by then. Piercing eyes of pure spiritual energy clashed against the animalistic, unstable presences of a hollow beast and the hairs rose on the back of their necks. Their captive friends struggled against their bonds, weapons cast aside. Kagome could feel the pull of the hidden shards within the baboon coat of Naraku’s copy and slowed her breathing. If you can hear me, Kikyo or Midoriko, please give me the strength to purify and hit my target. As if he heard her thoughts, Miroku placed his uninjured arm over hers and they shared a look. Purple eyes probed into her mind, calculating different outcomes, but he wasn’t so quick to answer this time. They rolled under the swipe of a tree root and the arrows went flying, trampled under the pressure of the copy’s attack.

“Shit.”

“Shit indeed!”

He dragged them into the edges of the forest, the trees providing a temporary solace in the face of their imminent death.

“Hey Shippo, can you help me wrap up Miroku’s arm?”

Miroku kept eyes on the slithering form gaining on them as Shippo and Kagome stumbled through temporarily stopping the blood. Their options were dwindling and the muffled threats and growls only set them further on edge. What to do, what to do. Looking at their rations, they only had so much which set Miroku further on edge. He looked at his unoccupied hand. One staff. He glanced at Kagome’s smaller form. One Miko. One bow. One kitsune. One Priest. Four working arms, two too small to hold a bow, and two incapacitated. Shippo could possibly transform but the chances of purification? Unlikely. What else…? He checked over Kagome again and his voice hitched in his throat. One arrow. One chance.

Kagome followed his gaze and broke the pounding silence.

“I can’t hold my bow, Miroku-sam---.”

“Can you notch an arrow?” Miroku had quickly cut her off, both with a question and the sudden intensity of his gaze.

“I… I, yes, I can. Why?”

“Shippo might not be big enough to do the job and he doesn’t have your purifying energy. Sorry, Shippo.”

“That’s ok.”

“Can you summon that energy?” Kagome pursed her lips, confused at the progression of his hasty ambiguity.

“You know I can’t, Miroku-sama! Anyways, where are you going with this?” He brushed off her question.

“I don’t ‘know’ that, Kagome-sama. What I do know is that you can purify impurities!”

“And look where that got us!”

She bit hard on her lip as Miroku pulled them aside to another tree, deeper into the forest.

“I know you can do it. You just have to reach deep. I can help support but it’s on you, Kagome-sama.” He had pinned her against the tree, roots slashing against their tree, and Shippo buried himself closer into Kagome’s chest. She scrunched her eyebrows and clenched her fist around her bow.

“And what if I can do it? I still can’t hold my bow!” Her nose briefly brushed against his in the coincidence of a shared look.

“You’re going to have to trust me! Do you hold it with your left or right hand?”

“Left!”

“That’s perfect.” His gaze flickered to hers before staring past her. Her eyes followed but his jerky movements to the left landed them on the floor, rolling to the next patch of trees. Shippo had slipped from her grasp as both Miroku and Kagome winced at the pressure on their respective arms. The last arrow dropped from her pack and the group felt their hearts stop. In a flash, the large, deformed body of the puppet stood in the way between Miroku and Kagome and Shippo and the arrow. A non-existent hunger lingered in its gaze as it towered over the two.

“Hand over the shards, Kikyo-reincarnate.”

“Over my dead body!”

The large being paused.

“...That could be arranged.”

“Not literally, you psycho!”

Miroku caught a glimpse of Shippo, trembling, with the last arrow pinched delicately in his little paws. They made quick eye contact and Miroku slowly mouthed indistinct instructions at the little fox. Ears twitching, Shippo nodded shakily.

“Kagome-sama.”

“Not right now, I gotta rip a new one in this jerk!”

He went softer, harsher, and closer to her ear. She didn’t flinch.

“That’s fine. Just keep him occupied. Shippo’s got the arrow. Do you think you can force your purifying energy into it?”

“IF we can get it and IF I’m pissed off enough.” Kagome hissed, breath brushing against his cheek.

“Well you’re in luck. I can help with both,” Miroku quickly whispered into her ear and shifted his focus, clicking his tongue at the puppet, “Naraku! I don’t think I can ask you to release our friends, can I?”

“No shit, Miroku-sama.”

He ignored her snarky comment.

“What about a trade?”

“Are you crazy--!?”

“Go on.”

At the demanding tone, Miroku straightened his back to hide his wince.

“A shard for a friend.”

“Foolish monk. Your miko’s shards have fused into one. The locket---”

The pink bubble shape of Shippo’s transformation floated gently above Naraku’s puppet’s head and the two found it hard to focus on the rest of the deal, a smile fighting itself on their tired lips. The demon prattled on and Kagome felt Miroku grip the base of her bow from behind her. With a tug, she let go and crouched down to pick up a decent-sized rock. Miroku didn’t bother to look up her skirt. This was a crucial moment. One wrong move could send them crashing---besides he always had other opportunities. If they survived.

His eyes must have shifted suspiciously, maybe her throwing a rock at him signaled the wrong reaction or maybe Shippo wasn’t quiet enough but none of them could have predicted the snake-like grip that attached onto Shippo before they could blink.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

The snarl became Miroku’s new signal.

“Now, Shippo!”

Shippo threw the arrow in their direction and shifted his form to a rock statue. The quick change in weight and size loosened the puppet’s grip and Shippo planted a good thud on their head. While he scurried away, the arrow flew in slow motion, blurring as Kagome reached to catch it. Her uninjured arm brushed along the shaft and she squeezed.

She was ready to cheer in triumph until Miroku pulled her back flush against his torso, prayer-bead-covered arm circling around her waist as his other hand held her bow where she normally positioned it if her arm wasn’t messed up.

“Oh Miroku, you clever perv!” Kagome leaned her head back on his shoulder to look up at him. Inuyasha and Sango had to take a quick pause from their struggling. Like what in the actual hell but most importantly, would it actually work?

“Let’s focus, Kagome-sama.”

The position was a little awkward. He was a head or more taller and twice as broad. Without a pause, she bumped back into him. He glanced at her and crouched down, chin resting on her shoulder with his cheek brushing against hers. It felt secure. Cheesy but warm. This couldn’t fail. They had only one arrow. She’d bet her luck on it.

Kagome didn’t realize it but a pulse tingled in her battered arm, shifting down to the tips of her fingers. It was a steady feeling of a calm heartbeat, maybe two heartbeats. It soothed her and drew something from her partial soul. Was it hers? Was it...Miroku’s? Without another word, she hooked the arrow onto the bow string and tugged experimentally. It’ll have to do but she needs to adjust him. God, it’s going to hurt.

“Hold it tight, Miroku-sama.”

He hummed against her ear and tensed his form behind her, his hand tightening unconsciously around her waist. She forced her hand upward, smoothing the twist of his inner elbow, and covered his hand with hers. It burned, her arm cried out in pain and a whimper escaped her lips, but she didn’t let go. Tightening her grip, she shifted their position and it aimed straight for the ‘heart’ of the beast. 

The arrow by her side glowed, bright and heavy, as if transforming the projectile’s point. It might’ve been the heat of the moment but the rushing form of the puppet slowed, the drops of blood dripping over the battlefield froze as Kagome exhaled. Her hair flew with a non-existent wind, the slight vibrations of the power at her fingertips engulfed the arrow once more and she aimed straight for the puppet speeding towards them. One shot. One chance.

Thud. 10 feet away... Thud. 6 feet away... Thud. She released the bowstring. It struck its intended target and the force blew it back, body swelling as the arrow burrowed deeper within the empty folds of the puppet’s body. Kagome shoved Miroku back and they fell to the ground with a unanimous grunt, a familiar position to their ‘first’ meeting. The sounds of a disintegrating hollow shell was enough to indicate the end of the battle and they all cheered. 

Kagome refused to get up. She was pooped. Miroku didn’t protest, he didn’t even move. He too was tired. The others recovered quickly and the moment of triumph diminished, adding onto the pile of their previous shard battles. Inuyasha pulled her off of the offending monk and Sango reached out her hand towards him. He grabbed it with his uninjured hand but a tingle persisted in his slashed palm. With mild complaints of being hungry for ramen, they continued in another direction with no regard for their bodies at the sight of a nearby village awaiting them in the distance.

Inuyasha and Kagome snapped semi-playfully at each other. Shippo jumped onto Kirara’s transformed back. Sango heaved her large boomerang over her shoulder to cover her back and Miroku retrieved his abandoned staff from the forest floor. It was back to normal. Kagome bent down to pick up the purified shards and a glimpse of white caught Miroku’s eye. Yep, back to normal.

Intro | Chapter 11 | Chapter 13