The Seven: Wanted Dead or Alive

Title: Kindred Spirits

Author: Hairann

Prompt and Word Count: Shield-636

Characters: Jakotsu, Kagome

Warnings: None

Summary: Part 115 of The Seven: Wanted Dead or Alive.

Prompt Summary: Kagome recalls someone from her past.

After cocking the riffle and taking aim away from the camp, ensuring the gun was in working order in case it was needed, Jakotsu made sure to disarm it before turning back to the women. Seeing the questioning glance Kagome seemed to be giving him, Jakotsu assured her, “You can rest assured I will not hurt you. I am no threat to either of you,” figuring the strange look was simply due to a woman being left practically alone with a man she barely knew. Jakotsu knew first hand just how scary the world could be without a big, strong man there to shield you from the dangers of the world.

“I know that,” Kagome told him with a smile before glancing over at Sango as made her way into the back of the wagon; returning a few moments later with supplies to make supper. Apparently she had decided to keep herself busy while waiting for the others to return as it was a bit early for her to be getting started. Making her way over to help, Kagome glanced over at Jakotsu even as she worked, continuing, “Sesshoumaru told us what Inuyasha said about you after you got bit by that rattler.

“He wanted to make sure we knew we were safe since we would be riding with you and had no way of knowing if you were going to wake up at some point.”

Seeing Jakotsu's confused expression, she laughed before explaining, “Inuyasha told him about your preference in men. You needn't worry about us telling the other men though, I know some do not take it well.” Sighing sadly, Kagome seemed to completely forget about him for a moment as she turned her gaze to the sky and stared up at the endless blue for a few minutes. As suddenly as she forgot she wasn't alone, she seemed to remember as she turned back to him with a sheepish smile.

“Sorry, old memories like to surface at odd times,” she told him still smiling before resting back on her hands and staring up at the sky once more; her intentions to help Sango with supper apparently forgotten about. “I know someone like you, but he did not take his preference as well as you seem to. When he realized he could not stand the touch of a woman, he joined the priesthood and began traveling from town to town; helping anyone he could. Whether it be spiritually, medically or even just to help raise a barn or two; he thinks it is his penitence for being who he is.

“Foolish men and their equally foolish thoughts,” she mumbled to herself before sighing once more and shaking her head at some old memory only she could see. “If you ever see him, tell him his family misses him,” she continued as she glanced back over at him, finding Jakotsu giving her a confused look once more. Laughing, she explained, “He is my brother, Miroku. Miroku Higurashi.” Making a mental note to keep his eyes open for him when they got back to traveling, Jakotsu couldn't help but sympathize with the man he had never met.

He knew all too well how it felt to realize just how different you were from everyone else around you; from your entire family. Though he had not really known any of his family, he was certain if any of them were like him, his mother would not have reacted as she had. And as much as he was certain she would have abandoned him anyways as she had always blamed him for his father leaving even before he started acting strange, the scared child inside still blamed his attraction to men as being the reason he lost his mother at such an early age.