Just the Two of Us
Chapter Four
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Just the Two of Us
By: Banshee Puppet
Chapter Four: Shame
Miroku awoke with a start to the
feel of cold steel pressed against his throat.
No, his sleepy mind registered, not steel, claws.
the hanyou was struggling against two men and a
hissing cobra. ‘Viper
stiffening. “Uh...”
Kagome and Sango were at least
sensible enough to stay still for now, and Shippo
held tightly onto Kagome’s blouse. “Can
we...help you?” Miroku
asked haltingly before looking to a cursing Inuyasha
and telling him, “Inuyasha, cut it out!”
of Inuyasha’s lips.
Miroku felt a sudden migraine come on.
The girl understood what Miroku
meant. Please restrain your boyfriend
before he gets us all killed. “
“SIT.”
Inuyasha crashed to the ground
with a hard thud, still spewing profanities, only now at Kagome and
“I...uh...am sorry about him,” Miroku
said carefully. “He’s, well, an idiot,
actually.”
“Bastards!
be appologizing to us!” Inuyasha barked.
“And he has the mentality of a toddler throwing a temper
tantrum,” Miroku added.
Understanding the monk to be the reasonable male in the
group, the grip on his throat was loosened and the hand fell away.
appeared to be in charge said, he was obviously a simple soldier with a head
guard rank or something of that nature.
You could tell just by looking at him.
He had that ‘why me?’ look in his eyes under that stern face.
“We’re just...passing through, I suppose,”
see, none of us are familiar with this area.
We were headed West to see Inuyasha’s
brother and got a bit turned around.”
“More that a bit, it would seem,” the viper said, still
skeptical. “Your trail indicates that
you were headed South.”
‘Damn,’ Miroku thought when
perceptions of men everywhere; you’re both such fools.”
The viper youkai sighed as his
the morning. We can’t have you wandering
around the swamps.”
“Thank you very much for your kindness!
said quickly, shooting Sango a look that said, ‘and
“Behave yourself,” Kagome told
“But Kagome...!”
“Inuyasha,” the girl said
dangerously, ready to use the ‘s-word’ again.
“I promise,” the hanyou grumbled.”
*#*
‘How long have I been like this,’ Kouga
wondered. Other than a few scratches on
his chest from mild ‘scoldings’, and the fact that
his rear end was currently a mess thanks to a more recent attack of
healed. ‘I am that man’s slave,’ he
thought. ‘Gods, I hate him so much.
damnable palace, I’d only get lost in the swamps and be captured again, and
punished probably worse than ever before for trying to escape in the first
place.’ He shivered at the memories of
Violent sex.
Brutal pleasure.
have to suffer through this.
“Kouga?”
“No,” Kouga answered.
have I been here?” he asked.
“About two months, why?”
“That long? No
wonder. I can’t keep track.
like some prize cattle. But mostly it’s
just sex and beatings and blow jobs and trying not to vomit and then more sex
and the cycle starts all over again. I’m
tired. My body can’t handle his
Ma’ter squeezed his shoulder
understandingly. “It will get better,
will become more durable, and his passion will ease with time.
are here. Please be patient, and be glad
that your groom adores you, and not
just your body. Many are not so lucky.”
Kouga simply sighed in
response. It was no use explaining to a
viper that He’d practically forgotten what clothes felt
like, and though this just barely covered the essentials, it made him feel much
more at ease.
“Alright.
“No makeup this time?” Kouga
asked, though he was glad enough for it.
“He has noticed that you dislike it, even if you haven’t
said anything. You’ve been quite
obedient, so he is letting you wear clothing much sooner than normal.
serving tonight, and there are human guests.
He gets jealous easily, I think, and doesn’t want them to see you.”
“Guests,” Kouga stated.
“Yes, a bit. Let’s
not keep him waiting.”
*#*
“That was disgusting,” Inuyasha
complained as he shook out his hair before remembering a word he’d learned from
Kagome yesterday. “Perverse,” he added,
pretending to be intelligent.
“It wasn’t that
bad, Inuyahs,” Miroku
laughed. “It’s not as if they have
anything you’ve never seenore,ore,” the monk stated as he pulled his hair back
into its customary ponytail.
They’d been given leave to use the castle’s public baths, “They were kissing!” the hanyou “You’re just jealous because you’re too scared to do it with “Che. Miroku laughed loudly now. “You’d say that if they offered to wash your dick for you,” “Let’s go meet up with the girls and go to dinner,” the monk *#* Sango fidgeted. “They’re all “They have not ssseen many “Are there really that few females of your race, “Yesss. I “That is why I hope for a daughter,” a male voice said as he “Oh! Yes, very!” “Kagome, SSango, I’d like you to “Very pleased to meet you,” the girls chorused with polite “You are mated to the men you came with?” “No way!” Sango “N-not really,” Kagome stuttered. “Ah! Then you are “Uh...” “You musst be very brave to have “Uhm...” “She doesn’t need to be brave; Kagome is a “And you?” Trin’da asked. “I’m a...well, you see...” “An exxterminator,” a voice came “Well, yes...but I only kill bad demons!” she assured “Ssango, Kagome,” “Oh! “The moon fesstival. *#* Inuyasha glowered at the “Inuyasha,” Kagome sighed. Inuyasha “What are they saying?” Sango Nam’wa chuckled. “They Only having heard the priest bit, Kagome and Inuyasha were “Sso then, relationss Suddenly relaizing what he just “If they weren’t he’d be a very bad monk,” “She means that, you see, there’s...” Trin’da and Nam’wa “There iss already During thnvernversation, they didn’t notice the new brides ‘Pay attention,’ Kouga reminded “Yes, my lord.” But Shi’en’s pet cobra brushed “I—I’m sorry. I’m so Inuyasha jumped when the wet Miroku found himself “INUYASHA!”
and since they’d spent the last two weeks in a swamp, they were glad to have
the chance to get clean, but in the end, Inuyahsa
proved rather averse to all the naked men walking around.
over to assist him in washing his back.
Not wanting to displease their ‘husbands’, the youkai
had been insistent, and as a result, Inuyasha had
finally caved in and let them wash his hair.
protested weakly now as he pulled his coat on.
Kagome,” Miroku teased.
went to bathe!”
waved the subject off in good humor.
staring,” she muttered.
guide for them said. “You are an
anomaly, sso they are curiouss.
am afraid sso.
not including those of other raccess, of
walked over. “I trusst
my wife hass been hosspitable?”
meet my mate, Princce Trin’da,”
Nam’wa introduced.
bows.
shrieked as Kagome blushed.
courting!” he laughed at Kagome’s apparent fluster.
no mate at your age.”
from behind them. “I
quickly. Talk about your awkward
situations.
be wed himsself.”
Congratulations,” Kagome said politely.
“When is the wedding?”
politely. “Pleasse,
let’ss
have a sseat.
Your friendss are on the way, I believe, and
my bride should be here shortly thereafter.”
“I’ll kill ‘em,” he grumbled.
don’t like it any more than he does.’
The miko then did something very daring.
together, kissing him lightly on the cheek.
“Be nice,” she whispered.
moment.
asked Nam’wa when the tone of conversation changed
suddenly, though she couldn’t make out what was being said.
sshame. We
when we do, one iss unavailable and the other a
“I’m not a priest, I’m a monk.”
whisperingethgether. It looked like
common lover’s speak, but she was really talking about jewel shards.
are permitted? Trin’da asked with innocent curiosity.
walked into, Miroku faltered.
sweet revenge.
exchanged a knowing look.
taken it to mean the same thing as his brother had assumed.
Miroku chirped a little too enthusiastically.
thought.
begin brining out the food.
up he’ll be rough again. He’s only done
it a little more carefully lately because you’ve been extra good.
off while he eats again even though there are guests.
it here. Okay, Shi’en
first and then around the table starting with the person to his right.
balanced the tray and brought the wine to Shi’en.
face down, kissing him briefly. “Good,”
he whsipered.
“Continue. Do not
against the back of his thigh rather suddenly when he moved to
toppling into the man’s lap. ‘No!
thought desperately.
sorry!” he hurried to clean the mess up, only really succeeding in cutting his
palms open with the broken glass. He
could feel the dangerous frown Shi’en had leveled
onto his back.
liquid splashed all over him. The glass
didn’t get him, gladly.
wet!” he ranted, but when shocked blue eyes shot up at him he stopped
suddenly. “
speechless and completely unable to move.
He recognized the wolf youkai only an instant
before Inuyasha, who was about to throw a fit, and
thek dik didn’t even want to stop him,
regardless of the consequences. ‘What
the hell have they done to you? Where’s
your pride gone, Kouga?’ he thought.
the outburst. It was practically
instinct. Besides that, now he was
thought.
It was at this point that Shi’en
stood and grabbed Kouga’s arm.
over, terror in them. The room fell
silent, except fopan pan class=SpellE>Inuyasha of course.
“Go get moine,ine,” Shi’en said in
clipped tones. “Y-yes my lord,”
just do whatever he says!”
“Ah...I...”
‘Kouga, what has he done to
you? Where have you gone, you stubborn
fool,’ Miroku thought, clenching his fists in his
lap. “And,” Inuyasha
continued then. “Who the hell do you
think you are, ordering him around like that?!
He made a stupid mistake! Well,
he’s a stupid guy, and shit happens.”
“I am his
raged back. “What say do you have in his
affairs, or mine!!?! Are you his mate,
his lover?!”
“No but...!”
“Then...”
‘I can’t watch this anymore,’ Miroku
thought. ‘I won’t abandon him and if
“...I am,” he choked out hoarsely before standing.
implication.
“His lover,” Miroku stated, heart
pounding a mile a minute in fear of being caught in the lie.
silently daring him to say otherwise. “I
am Kouga’s lover,” he stated more assuredly, jaw
stern, eyes obviously suffering. ‘Go
along with it Kouga,’ he thought.
“
choked out, and a tear tumbled down his cheek.
‘He’s trying to save me. My eyes,
they’re leaking...am I finally broken now?
If I’m broken, will the pain stop at last?’
‘That name...!’ Shi’en remembered
the first night, when Kouga whispered that name.
be...I watched him for weeks after I found him.
I’d know if he had a lover! I
would know!’
“After the fight, I didn’t hear from you,”
hesitant. “I was worried.”
“M-Miroku.”
trouble forming coherent thoughts. ‘Thank you.
Save me. Thank you so much.
me from this brutal world.’
Miroku looked determinedly between
the viper brothers. “I am taking him
with me,’ he stated, brokering no argument.
Shi’en grabbed desperately at
true, right?” he demanded. “It’s a
lie. You love me the same as I love you,
right? You wouldn’t have done as I asked
if...if...”
Seeing his chance at last, after months of suffering
thorough this unforgiving slavery, Kouga tore his arm
from Shi’en’s grip.
“It’s not love,” he bit out.
“Kidnapping a guy and...the other stuff...his
eyes blurred with tears again but he managed to hold them back from
falling. “It has nothing to do with
love.”
Miroku broke the distance between
took his cue and collapsed into the monk’s arms.
‘Just run with it,’ Mirokuthe wolf prince quivered against him.
‘Please let this work,’ Kouga thought as
“Your hair looks good like this,” he said.
“It’s a pain in the ass,” Kouga
muttered back. Shi>Shi’en
was speechless. It was
“You still want him even though, you must know
thapan pan class=SpellE>Shi’en has made
him.”
“If by made you
mean raped, then I am well aware,” Miroku
scowled. “But no matter what happens,
he’s still Kouga.”
“But he was not marked!” Shi’en
protested.
“Miroku’s a human you damn fool!”
chin he had when he knew what was going on and realized the joke was being played
on someone else for once. “They don’t
“But Trin’da, it can’t be!
“What does he mean by fresh?”
Sango asked, gritting her teeth, slowly becoming
enraged by the entire affair. ‘And to
think I bathed in their baths!’ she thought. ‘Barbarians!’
“Virginal,” Trin’da explained
apologetically.
“We’ve only been together two months, and one of them I was
away with work,” Miroku threw in as the excuse,
soothing circles over Kouga’s trembling back.
He too too embarrassed to look anyone in the eye.
“A month is a long time to…”
Trin’da began trying to justify his brother’s
mistake.
“He wasn’t ready!” Miroku
snapped. “And thanks to your jackass of
a brother, now he may never be!”
“If I may advise, make him ready, Miroku.
sort of things will happen again.”
Miroku didn’t answer him.
that, right?” he told Kouga.
“Kagura, that
bitch. I’m gonna
kick her ass!” Kouga growled.
Miroku smirked down at him.
“And his jewel shards,” Inuyashaad
added. “Don’t’ misunderstand, you wimpy
wolf. I’m gonna
take ‘em from you myself.”
“Pcha!
“Trin’da’s eyes
“I haven’t used them!” Shi’en said
quickly.
“I will see better clothes attained for you,
stronger should be the one to possess
them. That is our way.”
“I will fight the monk for them,” Shi’en
demanded. “And for
possession of Kouga as well!
right, the law states…”
“I KNOW OUR LAW, SHI’EN,” Trin’da
snapped. “You have shamed us and your
reminders are not appreciated, but you are correct.”
Trin’da sighed heavily.
“He is a shame to my house and my people, but no less my brother for
it. Our laws include a ‘right of first
mate’. That is to say, in the rare event
that the right to wed is questioned, the person who first made the bride has a right to them, unless the challenger defeats
him in a duel. He is challengingr
rr
right, monk. Do you accept?”
Miroku narrowed his eyes at
arrogant, possessive bastard!’ he thought, enraged.
was ready to tear Shi’en’s throat out, and he didn’t
even like Kouga.
understand that he hates you, right?”
“I don’t care!” Shi’en demanded
like a spoiled child. “I love him, so I
won’t let anyone else have him ever!”
Miroku frowned deeply.
there?” he asked steadily though he wanted to shake with rage.
himself. “Maybe since I’m human, I just
don’t understand that possessive sort of love,
but I do know that there is
touch him again.”
The monk looked at Trin’da.
keep him safe.”
“Your answer is yes then?”
“Yes.”
Trin’da nodded.
“My staff will be plenty.
He’s a demon and I’m a monk, after a..”
“True enough,” Trin’da
agreed. “We’ll set the duel for tomorrow
afternoon. For obvious reasons, you won’t
be able to share a room until the duel is decided.”
“There’s no way I’m letting him stay with that guy for a
second longer,” Miroku said.
“No.
mean to imply…”
“Che.
where I’m sleeping,”
his chest. “I’m not a pervert who liked
doing gross stuff with men, anyway, and even if I was I wouldn’t touch this wimpy wolf,” he explained irritably.
“Thank you, Inuyasha,”
“Whatever. You owe
me. I wanted to share a room with
Kagome.”
“I’ll share with Sango, pervert,”
Kagome laughed. “Shippo,
stay with Miroku tonight and keep him out of trouble,
okay?”
“Don’t worry Kagome!
I’ll protect the pervert from all the other perverts!”
Miroku
his staff.
“Next time just say ‘I’ll keep him out of trouble’ or
something. It’s more polite…sort of,” he
said dryly.
“I will have food delivered to your rooms,”
not think you wish to dine with us after all this trouble.
cn
class=GramE>—the jewel shards.
Shi’en obliged unhappily, but
accepted the decision.
her neck as he stomped off.
“I am afraid Prince Shi’en has
given you all a bad impression of our people and ways.
sighed. “Not
ruin your view of the entire race.”
“Che,” Inuyasha
huffed. “You say that, but you keep
slaves and the whole damn place reeks of sex.”
Trin’da shrugged slightly.
“I think,” Miroku said in spite of
the fact that his reputation would prove him to be no better, “that I really
don’t want to listen to your excuses anymore.
Slaves are still slaves, no matter what else may be true.
qualifications. Just don’t hold it
against me when I kill your kid brother.”
“He will be punished, regardless.”
“Miroku,” Kouga
said hesitantly, forcing the monk to look up into still-quite-frightened eyes,
but ones that were not without hope any longer.
“Forget it. It’s got…nothing to
do with him.” But he couldn’t look at
man’s seed. He was remorseless, even
now, but for what he was, not a particularly evil man.
be blamed for everything, and even now, Kouga could remember,
at that time, Trin’da’s well-concealed and reassuring
whisper. “It will become easier.
learn to love him.”
It had been that which had gotten him through the early days
and, he realized suddenly, the memory of Miroku’s
voice. Feeling a bit embarrassed by this
revelation, he looked down at trounround instead of the monk.
Miroku watched the wolf
accomplish anything. Remembering his
little act, he gently embraced the other man for a brief moment.
and somewhere separate for each of them, somewhere that they would be far apart
from one another, meeting only occasionally.
It would be fine that way, right?
Kouga thought about it.
them, not really, so why did knowing the distance between them was this great
and quite possibly unbreachable give him this empty
feeling? He was just on edge, nothing
more to it than that, nope.
natural for Kouga to feel a little indebted.
anything, or that his skin, hot everywhere Miroku’s
body had come in contact with his own, licked a path of flames through his body
even in the absence of touch.
...to be continued…
mal>A/N: No, I didn’t
give up on this story. *points up*
haven’t wanted to type much. My system
as of late has been everything handwritten first because I don’t always have
access to a computer when I’m writing these stories.
this is as much as I have typed for now.
Hope you’re enjoying it!
See you soon.
~Banshee Puppet~