Title: Lick
Main Characters: Inuyasha, Miroku
Genre: Friendship, Humor
Words: 1,570(ish)
Summary: Rumors has it that a dog's saliva contains healing properties.
Extra Info: Post Manga/Anime

Lick

"Dammit, bouzo. You're bleeding everywhere!"

"Come now, Inuyasha, no need to exaggerate. I am only bleeding here. It's just a scratch."

"A scratch, my ass. A scratch doesn't bleed like that, Miroku."

"Perhaps I should have brought those medical supplies then?"

"Keh. You think?"

Yesterday started out simple; Inuyasha and Miroku bid farewell to their wives and set off to their next job, a demon extermination in a forest a day's walk from the village.

Hearing about the rumors of the demon, Miroku insisted that the pair did not need to bring medical supplies for it was a weak demon, a pest. It would be easily taken care of, and despite the protests of Kagome and Sango, Inuyasha had agreed with Miroku.

When they encountered the demon early the next day, they were happy that the demon was, in fact, weak as the rumors claimed, but it was rather annoyingly persistent. It gave the hanyou and the monk the run-around throughout the forest, until it was cornered and forced to defend itself.

That is when Inuyasha and Miroku, so confident on exterminating this demon with ease, reconsidered their evaluations. The demon's youki shifted, growing stronger just like its physical form. Boasting about its power, the demon attacked them, putting them on the defensive.

Inuyasha unsheathed his Tessaiga and Miroku whipped out several of his o-fuda. The demon put up a good fight, but after several minutes of intense battling, it was finally subdued.

The only other causality was that deep, elongated scratch on Miroku's cheek. And it was bleeding profusely.

"My apologies, Inuyasha," Miroku touched his bleeding cheek and drew his hand away to look at the blood on his fingertips, "I did not think this would happened. Have I've known that this demon could put up such a fight, I would have brought some of Kaede-sama's remedies."

Inuyasha grunted and crossed his arms. "Feh. Don't blame yourself, bouzo. The both of us thought the same thing before we left the village."

"Still, we should have known better." Miroku smiled as he gazed at his hanyou friend. He felt his blood escaping the open wound on his face.

Looking away from the monk, Inuyasha scoffed and plotted onto the forest ground in a dog-like fashion. "We were overconfident, bouzo. More importantly, you were overconfident."

Miroku laughed. "Indeed I was."

Inuyasha shot a glance to Miroku's wound. "Kuso, it's still bleeding."

"Maybe I should tear a piece of my clothing to stop it from doing so," Miroku suggested, lifting one of his arms to eye the heavy dark sleeve.

"Oh no, you don't, monk," Inuyasha shot a warning look to the young monk. "Remember the last time we came back home with our clothes torn? Our wives literally wanted to have our heads!"

"It's just a little piece. What harm can come from that?"

"You really don't know your wife, do you?" Miroku blinked. Inuyasha let out a sigh and pointed to his friend. "She told you to take some of that herbal paste stuff with us, but you told her otherwise. If you came home with an open scratch on your cheek and a torn sleeve, she'll have your ass for not listening to her."

He ruffled his bangs and gritted his fanged teeth. "And when Kagome finds out, I'll be 'sit'ed faster than you can say Kazanna."

Miroku looked considerate and pondered over Inuyasha's words. "Perhaps you are right, Inuyasha," he said after a moment or two. He set his arm down, and sat next to the dog hanyou. "But what am I to do with my wound? If it doesn't stop bleeding soon, it won't be Sango's wrath I'll be worrying about."

Inuyasha remained silent. His ears twitched with the sounds coming from the forest around them. The smell of Miroku's blood and that of the demon melded together with the scents of the forest.

Miroku had a point. They were nowhere near a body of water, at least from where Inuyasha can tell from their location; and there was no village nearby the hanyou could scurry to with the monk in tow. They had nothing to stop the bleeding on their persons, and Inuyasha knew little of herbs, let alone what kinds of herbs grew in this particular forest.

And moreover, Miroku is human. He does not heal as fast as the hanyou, and without proper medication, the wound will become infected and Miroku could be bedridden for days, if not, weeks.

They were running out of options.

Inuyasha's ear twitched, his yellow gaze lowered to the grass-covered ground. "Hey, Miroku, I got an idea," The monk turned to his friend, intrigued to hear more from the hanyou, but the hanyou quickly added, "But you gotta promise me you won't say anything to anyone. Ever!"

Miroku blinked, studying the hanyou's body language. Whatever the idea was, Inuyasha was screaming nervousness and embarrassment, but most of all, discomfort.

He spoke slowly. "Inuyasha, if you're uncomfortable with this idea, then perhaps–"

The dog hanyou shook his head and shot a glance to Miroku. "I'm not! It's just that…" Another shake of his head and Inuyasha fully turned to Miroku while sitting on all fours. "Just close your eyes and turn your cheek towards me, okay? It will be over quickly. And I mean it when I said anyone, monk. Not even Sango, got it?"

The monk briefly wondered what the dog hanyou was up to, but he nodded and turned his face away from the dog.

He heard movement beyond his closed eyelids, along with some low breath mutterings from the hanyou. His eyebrows quirked at what he thought he heard of lips smacking.

Then, a familiar but oddly strange sensation travelled over his open wound. It was warm… and wet… and…

Miroku's eyes widened and glanced over to Inuyasha, who had backed away from the monk, looking terribly mortified and embarrassed. A deep crimson blush covered his face, and the hanyou refused to make eye contact with the monk.

"Did you just lick me?" Miroku faltered over his words, his mind racked with shock and utter astonishment.

"Y-yeah, I did."

Miroku couldn't help but keep his gaze on Inuyasha. The hanyou was embarrassed by what he has done, and the only question on Miroku's mind was, "Why?"

Inuyasha glanced at Miroku, but turned away quickly, finding the ground more interesting than his companion. "Well, how else was I supposed to heal your wound? Sure ain't gonna piss on you." Catching the confusion etched on the monk's face, Inuyasha quickly explained. "I'm a dog demon, Miroku, and before I meet all you guys, I used to lick my own wounds. They healed pretty quick that way. That's why I thought if I licked your wound, it would heal faster."

Miroku touched his wounded cheek, and sure enough, the bleeding had stopped and the wound felt like it was healing. Or perhaps it was all his imagination, and he had fainted from the loss of blood, and he was being carried to the village right now.

"Inuyasha," Miroku had to smile when the dog hanyou looked at him with wide eyes. "This is a dream, yes?"

"Feh. Not even close."

"Then, you actually licked me?"

"Stop stating the obvious!"

"Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha flinched at the sound of his name called. "Yeah?"

Miroku looked thoughtful when Inuyasha looked to him. "Thank you."

Inuyasha was flabbergasted. Surely his ears weren't working properly; he must have heard the monk wrong. He expected endless teasing from the monk, not an appreciative thank you.

Still blushing, Inuyasha crossed his arms, tucking them into the sleeves of his fire-rat robes. "D-Don't mention it."

"I mean it, Inuyasha. I know it was an uncomfortable thing for you to do, but thank you."

"Keh."

Standing up, Miroku curiously touched his wound on his cheek. "I have to say though, who knew that a dog's saliva had healing properties?" Grabbing his shajoku, Miroku spared a smile to his friend.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and started on the path out of the forest with Miroku at his side. "Don't get used to it, bouzo. It's just a one time thing. You better bring medical supplies the next time you're hurt like this or else."

Miroku looked hurt, his hand clasped over his chest. "Why, Inuyasha? Would you leave me on the ground to die if I didn't bring any?"

Inuyasha smirked. "Yup."

"I'm hurt."

"Yeah, well you should listen to your wife more."

Miroku simply laughed as the two made their way out of the forest and onto a path back to their village. When they reached their village after a day's walk, and walked on the path leading to their homes, Miroku paused to look at his dear hanyou friend.

"Again, my friend, thank you."

"Again with the thanks? Geesh, Miroku."

Miroku laughed again and looked at the hanyou sincerely. "My apologies for my repetitiveness, my good friend, but I just want to be humble with you. You have my many thanks."

Walking towards his own home, Inuyasha raised a hand to wave good-bye to Miroku. "Just remember not to tell anyone, bouzo, or I will come and hunt you down."

"You have my word." And sure enough, when the monk entered his home, greeted his lovely family and was subjugated to answer Sango's questions about the light scar on his cheek that wasn't there before, Miroku had kept his word.

A/N: My first Inuyasha one-shot featuring the famous half dog-demon and the loyal but lecherous monk. (And my first complete story too.) I have to admit, when I thought of this one-shot, I was a bit skeptical about writing it. After all, it came to me when I was examining a wound my dog had. I wondered, "Huh. Inuyasha is a dog, and rumors say that letting dogs lick your wounds makes your wounds heal faster, so what would happen if Inuyasha licked someone's wounds?" Then, the next logical thought was who would be that someone, and *poof* Miroku entered the picture. I've always admired their friendship in the series and I know it had grown stronger within the 3-year time-skip and afterwards. (And knittingknots wrote some of the most amazing InuMir friendship fics ever. Kudos to you, knittingknots!) So alas, this one-shot was born. Hopefully, I kept the two in character and that you lot enjoyed this one-shot, Until next time!

A/N 2: I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes.