InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Paradigm Shift ❯ Assumptions ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Paradigm Shift

Chapter Five: Assumptions

… … …

Kagome and Kouga sat outside, watching the sun come up and put the color back into the world. They each leaned against one of Ah-Un's thick necks, the dragon youkai's presence between them was a welcome barrier just then.

They didn't speak, and they couldn't meet each other's eyes, but it was a comfortable silence; for the most part, anyway. Kagome couldn't prevent the flush across her nose and cheeks as her thoughts raced, and Kouga couldn't prevent the periodic shifts between the want that he remembered feeling and the shame that he still felt at his would-be actions.

He would sneak glances at her face every few seconds, but avert his eyes when she turned to return the gaze. 'this woman can forgive almost anything.' He thought. 'I don't deserve her any more than Inuyasha at this point, do I?'

… … …

Eventually, the sounds of their companions beginning to stir reached them and lured them back inside. Sheets were folded and shoved to the bottom of Kagome's bag. Odds and ends were gathered and readied for moving on. Idle chit-chat was exchanged between members of the group as they rubbed the sleep from their eyes.

Kagome had a grand time teaching Rin about toothbrushes and how to use them. Tinkling laughter echoed through the place as the little girl discovered the sensations of minty past on her gums and tongue, and the fresh feeling in her mouth after she finished. Shippou seemed entranced by her. Kagome felt a bit strange without his usual clinging to her, but she smiled to herself at their innocent intrigue with one another.

Turns were taken as they all took care of morning necessities, down in the passage that Kagome had used that night.

The women changed back into their traveling attire and bent double in laughter as Rin clutched her little dress to her naked body and, with no hesitation, ran full-tilt to the larger cavern to implore Sesshomaru for help dressing. She held the clean thing out to him in excitement; showing him how nice it looked now that it was fresh. She even went so far as to ask him to smell how nice the scent of Kagome's soap was.

The regal youkai, somehow, still managed to look totally composed at her actions; utterly ignoring the amusement of the others in the air. Kagome especially noticed how deftly he dressed the girl with what was obviously a well-practiced routine. She turned as he shrugged it onto her arms and their hands worked together with ease to close the front and tie the green obi around her. 'as though she's his own daughter, and always has been. I've never thought of him as the dad type before.' It made Kagome's eyes linger, and she wasn't the only one.

Inuyasha seemed transfixed by his brother's ease with the girl. He had scarcely moved from the place Kagome and Sango had seen him sitting after they had bathed the previous night. His eyes didn't move from the domestic scene even once as it played out.

Kouga almost seemed startled at the image of the fearsome lord and his gentleness with the dainty human.

Sango's glanced at them a few times, but her expression was as guarded as it always was unless she was alone with Kagome, and her face was unreadable.

Miroku politely kept his gaze from the ongoings, acutely aware of his reputation with them all and the girl's age. That was one thing that he refused to have anyone ever think of him.

Kagome reveled in the quiet serene of the rare atmosphere and bent to lift her bag to her shoulder by the one strap that wasn't frayed enough to threaten to separate from the bulk of her bag. I really need to get a new backpack.' She startled and gasped as Sesshomaru's warm palm closed over her fingers on the fabric, and she didn't protest as her slack fingers slid out from under his when he lifted the burden from the ground. Her eyes were looking at him questioningly, but he gave her no answer as he carried the worn, yellow bag with him to the mouth of the shelter.

… … …

They walked for only a few minutes before Kagome jogged to Sesshomaru's side and tried to keep pace a step behind him as she dug a handful of granola bard from her bag; he had easily secured it to Ah-Un's saddle. It was by no means a hindrance to the strong dragon.

She made her way to each member of the entourage, offering them some breakfast as they began their trek in search of rumors of the shards. It was definitely an interesting sight, watching the most recent members experience the new and unusual food that she gave them.

… … …

Miroku saw the tension in Inuyasha's shoulders as he walked a few paces ahead of them all, and idly wondered how long it would take until something or other set him off at someone. His money was on either Kouga or Sesshomaru, though past experience told him that it could easily be Kagome. His thoughts lingered over the behavior and undertones of them all in the chaos that this new dynamic was introducing to the group.

None of it bothered him much. If nothing else, he was adaptable. He'd had to be adaptable for most of his life; with his family's, unorthodox though it was, task of finding and eliminating the evil man who had cursed their line.

He'd spent his younger years adapting to the life of an orphan even though he hadn't been one at the time, then as he first began to enter adolescence as an actual orphan, the training he experienced to control his holy powers, taking up his family's task for himself, and finally finding companionship with these friends.

Adaptable and observant. Those were qualities in himself that Miroku took pride in; even if most people only saw the more amorous part of his personality. Observing them all, he noted the unusually scarce attention that Kouga was giving Kagome, and thought on the snippets of a conversation that he hadn't meant to overhear in his sleeplessness that night. Thoughts that led him to peek behind himself at where Sesshomaru led Ah-Uh a small distance behind the rest of them.

He took in how Sesshomaru walked at a pace that accommodated Rin, Shippou, and Kirara as they played in the lush grasses at the side of the dirt road they traveled. The youngest members of them were busily plucking the prettiest flowers from the long green blades, and picking out the most interesting stones to show each other as the little cat bounded around them in her task to terrify as many small bugs as she could manage to.

Distracted with watching the peaceful and happy actions behind him, his chest bumped into a smaller form and a mischievous mood overtook him, easily apparent on his face. 'observant to one focus at a time, at least. He chided himself.

Each of his arms came up to wrap around the shoulders of Sango and Kagome, placing himself firmly between them. He gave them each a grin to cover his clumsiness. He had meant to walk into them. Of course, he had. Yes.

"How lovely you both look in the morning light!" He spoke. "More inviting to gaze upon than even the beautiful wildflowers." He leaned his face too close to Sango's and inhaled deeply. "More deliciously fragrant than even the most glorious rose."

He chuckled as they each pushed at his sides to move him from his proximity so close to them; completely nullifying each other's attempts. He didn't budge. He did slide his hand down Sango's shoulder to her elbow and his wrist down Kagome's similarly. The rings of his shakujo chimed delicately from the movement where he gripped it loosely in that hand.

He felt them both stiffen under his suggestive attentions. He watched Inuyasha's steps falter for a moment before they sped up uncharacteristically. 'he's usually yelling at me by now.' Miroku kept the frown at Inuyasha from his face with great effort.

He decided to stir things up a touch and removed his touch from the women, clasping them both on his staff behind himself.

"Ah, such a shame that you could not indulge in the warmth of a spring last night." He leaned in between them. "Though I suppose not everyone was cold in that cave last night." Kagome's eyes widened as she felt his breath on her ear. Was he suggesting…? Had he been awake to hear..?

"After all! How grand it must be to not be so affected by the elements! Inuyasha is a very lucky man!" Kagome's breath left her in a whoosh, only to catch in her throat with his next words and the fleeting brush of his hair on her neck as he leaned between them with a falsely innocent look.

"Kouga and Sesshomaru, too, of course." She forgot to breathe for long moments as she looked out of the corner of her eyes at him and saw him doing the same to her.

"Perhaps one of you lovely ladies would consider sharing your warmth with me to ward off the chill, tonight?" His head swung between their faces fully, awaiting their response; though he already knew what was in store for him.

"In your dreams, monk!" Sango sped a few steps ahead and spun to land an open-handed blow across one of his cheeks." He stood and left the space near Kagome and feigned hurt.

"Why, dear Sango! I would never suggest anything inappropriate! I merely offer a solution that would ensure our comfort! You and Kagome would both be welcome, of course! Anything to keep up our health! Such a shame it would be for one of us to fall ill in our travels." He paused as Sango resumed her place by Kagome's side, walking close behind them now.

"Of course that's all you're suggesting." Her tone was thick with sarcasm and disbelief.

"I must admit that I've heard skin-to-skin contact to be the most effective in such situations!"

He knew it was coming, but it still stung his skin as two small palms connected forcefully with his face. He carried on smiling with false innocence despite the stinging, but he said nothing further.

Sango took hold of Kagome's wrist and they sped up to increase the distance between themselves and him. He let the grin slip from his face with nobody watching him, and concentrated on their hushed voices at they talked.

"Can't believe-"

"Yeah… Miroku-"

"Kouga.. join us?"

He saw Kagome smile at Sango.

"He… but… think he's feeling… out. …me too… course."

They laughed. Miroku saw how forced Kagome's laugh was though.

"What of Sessho… he… us… not…"

"Don't… maybe… yesterday… was strange."

Miroku lifted an eyebrow at the snippets of Kagome's answer. Was she talking about yesterday after the battle and her mysterious disappearance with Kouga, or was she revealing some reason for why Sesshomaru had stood so intently at the entrance of the small cavern with the stream in it last night with his eyes narrowed into its depths? He was eager to puzzle out what interest the youkai lord had with whatever conversation had been taking place last night near the water.

He left the girls to their chat and slowed his pace until Kouga had passed him. He finally fell in step at Sesshomaru's side, whistling a merry tune as he did.

He wasn't spared a look from the imposing figure, but he just knew that his actions must have stirred some amount of curiosity. Usually, he could out-wait anyone in this situation. He would wait and wait until the silence had stretches someone's patience too thin and they snapped out some comment or question at him. He somehow felt that this wouldn't work with the youkai lord.

He lifted a gloved hand to his lips and cleared his throat, gathering his word carefully.

"So."

This time he did receive the smallest of glances from the other man.

"I've noticed that you've been remarkably…gentle… perhaps even familiar with our innocent little miko."

It took silent minutes for him to receive a reply. He had almost given up on attaining one.

"You are either very bold or very foolish."

Miroku only smiled at him brilliantly.

"One cannot help but be curious."

"They say that curiosity killed the cat."

"Ahh, Lord Sesshomaru. Perhaps it is a good thing that I am not a cat."

Sesshomaru gave a small grunt at that. They walked in chagrined silence once more, for a long time. Miroku had almost forgotten his little poke of fun until Sesshomaru finally countered it.

"You may be no cat, but you certainly make enough trouble to uphold the reputation of one, don't you?"

Miroku began whistling his tune again and didn't reply, but he felt a sort of pleased mood settle over him. Here was someone who recognized his actions for what they were; in some measure, at least. It pleased him mostly because, after all, it takes one to know one, doesn't it?