Just a quick note to say, THANK YOU very much for the great reviews! I had just posted the story, and thought I should add different points of view, and it seems so did most others... so here's the second. I hope you enjoy!
A/N: I do not own Inuyasha.
What the Hell Happened Last Night? - Miroku's Story
The first thing I felt was a foot shoving my shoulder. I didn't want to open my eyes. My head hurt, and my mouth felt like it had been used for things best left unthought of. I groaned, and tried to open my eyes. That damn foot wouldn't stop.
"Get up, Houshi-sama!" I heard the love of my life repeating over and over. I had to open my eyes. I couldn't let her think I wouldn't do whatever she asked.
I rolled over and stared up at her. I tried to smile but my lips stuck to my teeth. Oh great! I felt gross. No wonder she was kicking me. Sango was still watching me. She gave me a strange look and walked off. I sat up slowly trying to remember. It was hard, my head hurt so much. My eyes wouldn't stay open, and when they did, my vision was blurry. I rubbed a hand through my hair. What the hell happened last night, anyway?
When it felt like my head wasn't going to go spinning off, I looked around the common room of the hut like I'd never seen it before. Sango seemed to be working on the fire. I could see Shippou in the corner on Kagome's sleeping bag, but didn't see either the girl or her constant companion, Inuyasha. Somehow that made me think something important happened. I'll be damned if I could remember though.
"Ah! My head hurts!" I cried out, clutching the aching member, wishing lopping it off would get rid of this pain!
Sango looked over at me and snorted. No sympathy that girl. I gave her my best grin, trying not to worry that it was more like a grimace, and rose to my feet.
Oooohh… bad idea! Now my stomach is in on the rebellious act! I closed my eyes, and my head started spinning. "Aaaahhh!" (I'm so eloquent!) I fell face forward, barely keeping my nose from hitting the floor. I laid with my eyes closed, trying to catch my breath, and wishing someone would stop the world from spinning. Whatever gods were listening, please, never again. Just make it stop! I'll never take from the cup again. Hell, make it stop and I'll never touch another woman's .. uh. let's think about this again. Ok, make it stop and I won't touch another woman's uh…. assets for the rest of the day. Please? Yoohoo? Anyone listening?
I hear her kneeling down next to me, and feel her soft hands on my cheeks. I can't open my eyes, if I do, I'll make a bigger fool of myself. She begin wiping my face off with a cool cloth. Oh Kami Sama! She's an angel. I open my eyes just a bare slit. I have to see her. She is kneeling close to me, and I see concern on her face. I also see exasperation, and possibly anger, but I won't think about that. She's concern about me, and that's all that matters.
"Do you think you can sit up now?" She asks softly. "I have some tea made, and a potion for your head." I nodded slowly, not daring to speak. Her nose wrinkled and her brows knitted together. "Houshi-sama, you smell. I think you need a bath right now."
Oh great! My angel, my heart just told me I reek! I wanted to be upset, but how can I? She's right. I manage to pull myself into a sitting position and took the tea she offered me. It's warm, and the fragrant scent isn't too bad. I sip cautiously and find my body can handle it. My stomach seemed to calm the more I drank.
Sango handed me another cup, a smile playing about her lips. I had the cup to my lips before I smelled it. "Ugh!" I cried, pushing the cup away from me. "What is that stuff? It smells awful!"
My angel just smiled and pushed the cup back into my hands. "It's a potion to stop your headache and help settle your stomach. I need your help today. You promised. Besides, Kagome and Inuyasha are still gone, and I'm worried." She did look worried.
Being the kind man I am, and wanting to please my lady more than anything, I swallowed hard, took a deep breath and drank. Oh never again! After fighting for control to keep from gagging it back up, and just barely winning, I wiped the tears from my eyes and stared hard at the wench who was trying to poison me. "What was that? Demon piss?" I drank more tea trying to get rid of the taste, and ignored her small laugh.
"You know, you wouldn't feel this bad if you had gone easy last night. You acted like you had to drink that whole bottle. Idiot!" She had tears in her eyes, and I had no idea why.
"I didn't drink the whole bottle on my own. Inuyasha had some. Besides, I didn't mean to drink as much as I did." I mumbled my protest. I really didn't mean to drink that much. I wanted enough, just enough to ask my girl something I knew I could never without the help of sake. Now I could feel my face flush. Just great! Head hurting, stomach rolling, world spinning like a lazy top, best girl trying to poison me, and my face gives me away. What a wonderful day this is turning out to be.
I stood, and started to walk out of the hut. I needed some air, and a bath. I had to come to grips with what I'd done, and figure out just what the hell happened last night.
"I'll have breakfast ready when you return, if you want some." Her quiet voice called out to me. I hesitated. She sounded… oh I don't know. Kinda like a lost little girl or something. Unsure, and so very un-Sangolike.
I turned to look at her. She wasn't looking at me any longer, but seemed to find something interesting about the cup I had just left. She was swirling the tea leaves left in my cup, looking so forlorn. Huh? What's with this? Sango? Sad? I came back to her, and peered into her face.
"Sango? Are you okay?" I asked softly.
She shook her head, not wanting to look at me. She didn't answer, and rose to her feet. I jumped back on the platform, and pulled her around to me. Damn the bath. Damn the headache. She came first, always. Lifting her chin in my hand, I could see her eyes swimming with tears.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did somebody hurt you?" I demanded urgently.
She shook her head, not looking at me. She closed her eyes, and her tears streaked down her face. She was really upset, and I had no idea why. I hugged her close. What had happened? Why was she acting like this? She didn't hug me back. As a matter of fact, she was pushing on my chest to get out of my embrace. I could feel a good smack coming, so I released her, confused and worried.
Sango walked to the fire, and began to heat more water. "I'm fine. I just... I just had a thought is all." She looked at me, no longer smiling, but at least the tears were gone. "You should go take your bath. If the others do not show up for breakfast, we'll have to go look for them." I nodded and walked out of the hut.
I didn't like it. Why was she behaving like that? It didn't seem like her, and she never treated me that way... well, most of the time she didn't. I walked down to the river, dreading the cold water, trying to remember what happened last night.
My clearest memory was opening the sake bottle, and trying to get Inuyasha to drink with me.
~~The Night Before~~
"Come on Inuyasha, I thought demons liked vices of the world!" I teased the hanyou. He was acting entirely too serious, and needed to relax. After all, didn't we just defeat the world's worse most evilest villain of all? Granted it was a couple of months ago, but none of us were in shape to do any celebrating. We were lucky to be alive! I downed my second cup, and could feel it affecting me already. I really hadn't drank much since joining Inuyasha and Kagome.
I could see Sango frowning at me, and I gave her one of my most suave smiles. I scooted a little closer to her, my hand itching to make her feel as good as I did. She glared and lifted her hand to bop me.
Suddenly she cried out, "Inu DON'T!!" I blinked. I'm not Inu. What's she talking about. Looking around, I see Inuyasha swaying slightly, and trying to put my sake cup down. Damn! He took my drink. I gave him an irritated look and turned back to my lady love. Great… now she's yelling at me!
She hit me on the head and yelled, "Don't you know you're not suppose to get hanyous drunk!?! The alcohol effects multiply rapidly for half breds, especially human/demon half breds." She looked worriedly at Inuyasha sitting across from her, like she was expecting him to grow another head or something. "He could do anything, and there's nothing we'd be able to do to stop him."
Oh... shit. I didn't know that. I looked back at Inuyasha, and it looked like he was going to kiss Kagome. Lucky dog. Literally! I laughed and nearly fell over backwards when he got the same response I usually do. It's too bad he was able to follow through with that kiss in the next few minutes. I scowled, and poured another cup of sake. Must be the dog ears.
The hut got quiet after Inuyasha and Kagome left. I didn't want to drink the next cup that fast. It seemed like I'd just opened the damn bottle and now it's almost empty. What the hell happened to all my sake? Try as I might, my two cups and Inuyasha's one didn't add up to a full bottle. Maybe I had more than two cups? Maybe?
As I sat pondering the mysteries of the universe, or at least the evaporation rate of sake, Shippou plopped down next to me. He looked up at me, and down to the cup in my hand. "What does it taste like?" He asked.
I grinned down at him. "Isch't gud." I said. At least I think I did. I could have just thought it, but the kit seemed to understand. He smiled up at me and asked for a drink. I might be drunk, but I'm not stupid. "Nope. keds lik youse shoddna dink." I lifted my cup, but it was empty. I blinked. What the hell happened to my sake? So of course I poured more.
I was about to raise it to my lips when Shippou told me, "Sango needs your help." I looked at him, seeing his words dance around his head. Oh.. my angel? Needs my help? I brightened up, and looked over at her with a smile. She had her back to me, bending over putting stuff away in Kagome's bag. Well, well well. I could help her with that!
I rolled to my feet, and in my best manly swagger (What? It can happen! So I stumbled a little, and kinda didn't walk a straight line to her... it was still manly. Sort of.) My hand caressed her backside before I even realized what it was doing. I looked at that hand, and it didn't look like it was part of my body. I even looked around to see who it belonged too, but no one was there but me.
"Houshi-sama, just where do you think your hand is?" My angel love growled. She growls? Must remember to ask Inuyasha to stop giving her lessons.
The next thing I know, I'm flat on my back on the floor and my face stings. Interesting how the thatching looks when you really think about it. It has this mesmerizing pattern to it... those straw lines seem to dance, coming closer, then farther away. Oi! I'd better stop looking at the ceiling chorus line or I was going to get sick.
I rolled over and crawled very slowly back to my seat. I was able to pull myself back into a sitting position and looked down at my cup. Damn, empty again. It must be an awfully dry night for the air to be sucking that much moisture into it. I poured the last cup, and pondered it. Why is it that I wanted the sake to be able to say what I wanted to my lady, and all I've done so far tonight is make her mad at me? Why me? How come nothing good ever happens to me? I felt the tears behind my eyes. I'm a man, I can't cry, for heavens sake! That's sAk, not sa KEY. I closed my eyes and watched the blue and purple lights dance in my head.
Sango was saying something, but I really couldn't hear her. I opened an eye, just to make sure it wasn't important. It seems she was talking to Shippou. Poor guy. Kagome must have given him too much candy because he was getting sick. My angel helped him after giving me a dirty look.
I felt really good. Very mellow, just on the edge of sleepy and feeling no pain. The only thing that would make it better would be my lovely Sango sitting on my lap. I smiled just thinking of it. She has such pretty lips. I wondered if they've ever been kissed. I just had to see those lips again. I opened my eyes but she was still fussing with the sick rat... er.. kitsune. Oh well, might as well finish off...
The door to the hut burst open, and there stood Inuyasha with Kagome in his arms. I jumped to my feet, ready to fight off whatever creature was chasing them. Well, I did get to my feet, and I'm sure I could have done some damage to whatever chased them... if I could have seen it.
Inuyasha stood in the doorway, grinning this wide toothy grin (must remind him not to do that. Makes you think he wants to eat you more than anything else.) demanding to get married. I blinked. Married? Inuyasha? I looked at Kagome. She was blushing, and looking very pretty, I might add, being held in his arms. What happened to those two?
Hell why not? I could do it. I grinned and told him, "I'd be happy to marry you my friend!"
I laughed when Kagome was suddenly on the floor and then Inuyasha on top of her. That lucky dog! Literally! I looked over at my lady love, wishing we could be in the same sort of circumstances. She didn't look to be in the mood for love of any kind.
She hauled me over to the other side of the room and told me, "You cannot marry them! Inuyasha is drunk and has no idea what he's doing or saying. There's no way I'll let you do this to Kagome-chan!" She was waving her boomerang around, and I already knew what that meant.
I gulped. I was drunk, but not stupid.... yet. "I'll fake a ceremony. But what do you think will happen on their marriage night?" My thoughts turned to wedding night bliss, and what those two would do, and how that pretty little miko would look... OUCH! Did she have to hit me so hard? I was just thinking about it, not actually going to do anything.
Sango bit her lip, looking uncertain. She seemed to be thinking something serious. She called Kagome over, and gave me a pointed look. You know the kind, the 'Get out of here, you're not wanted any more' kind. So I sat next to Inuyasha to see how he did it. Getting lucky I mean. I could hear the girls holding a whispered conference, but not what they were saying.
Inuyasha wasn't saying much either. He just kept grinning. Gah! He looked like an idiot. He couldn't keep his eyes off of Kagome. If he's such an idiot, how come I feel so funny. Like I want what he has, but know I won't be able to. I sighed and wait for the girls to join us.
I don't remember much about the wedding. I mean, I remember Kagome smiling in such bright and shining way it made you think the sun was out. And Inuyasha, he grinned through the whole thing. I mumbled some words, mostly nonsense about loving and caring and being together forever kind of stuff. I added some prayers and blessings from something I remembered from my apprentice days and told them they were married.
Inuyasha turned to Kagome, picked her up and flung her over his shoulder. They were out of the hut faster than either Sango and I could gasp, let alone try to stop him. She looked at me, eyes filled with worry and concern, and went outside.
About then, the world was feeling a little woozy and gray. I have a feeling something happened, something warm and soft, but honestly I don't remember.
~~~~~~~~~
My bath was cold, and drove the hurt right out of my head. That potion my angel made for me did the trick. I guess she wasn't poisoning me after all. I'll have to give her something special for that. I was feeling pretty good, and dressed quickly. Already the day was looking better.
Entering the hut, I noticed neither one of the 'newlyweds' had appeared. ummm... I wonder what that meant? I could tell my lady love didn't like it. She had been pacing, and wringing her hands. When she saw me, she stopped and glared. Was it my fault? I didn't do anything... well, I sort of did, but I didn't know what it would do to Inuyasha!
Just to make amends, I presented her with a small bundle of flowers I picked on my way back from the river. She took them from me, but didn't say anything. I had bowed when I presented them to her, and desperately tried to keep from staring at her breasts, I mean, they were eye level, and oh wow... they were staring back at me! When she didn't say anything, I looked up at her. She was crying again! What the devil was wrong with her?!? I began to wonder if she was... uh... well, if it wase her womanly time, and she had been affected a little worse than normal. I just couldn't figure it out.
I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but she turned away, and settled down in front of the fire to begin dishing up breakfast. I had no sooner sat myself down to my lady's left when Inuyasha and Kagome walked in. I took one look at them and my jaw dropped to the floor. OH MY!! What had those two been up too!?! Inuyasha's chest was bare as Kagome was dressed in his clothing, and looking a lot better than that dog demon ever did, I might add too. Both had wet hair, and I swear, that girl looked so happy, blushing and radiating love, just like a bride the morning after. Inuyasha didn't though. He looked like hell, and a lot like a lost dog.
I grinned slyly looking from Kagome and to Inuyasha. Winking rakishly at the hanyou, I asked "So how was your night, ne? Have fun?" I couldn't help the yelp when that wench tried to kill me again. Why is it always my head?
Sango jumped to her feet, and pulled Kagome behind the changing screen. Those two were giggling and whispering. I could see Inuyasha blush. Have you ever seen a dog demon blush? He looks so cute! Hey now... you know what I mean, cute like stuffed fuzzy bear cute.
"Oi, Inuyasha, where did you and Kagome-sama disappear to after you took off?" I asked gesturing for the hanyou to take a seat. "I mean, it's kind of fuzzy to me, but I do recall you throwing Kagome-sama over your shoulder and making for the trees."
He groaned and replied. "I have no idea."
What? What the hell did that mean? I glanced at him. "Huh? What do you mean?" Like I said, I'm real eloquent.
I could tell he looked really upset, like he could tell something important happened, but he just couldn't remember. ummm... sort of like me.... I wonder if there was something more in that sake?
He looked at me, and answered so low I could barely hear him, "I don't remember anything after you handed me that cup of sake. I don't know what happened."
Before I could say a word, Kagome came into the room saying, "I said I'd tell you after breakfast, and not a minute before. Besides, that bouzu was almost as bad as you. If he tried to tell you anything, it would only confuse things, and make it worse."
What?? Bouzu!?! I wouldn't confuse him. Honest I wouldn't. Of course since I barely remembered more than Inuyasha did himself, I probably would have. I sure was confused about the whole night.
I was startled out of my musings when Inuyasha started groaning and growling at the same time. I looked at him, wondering if I could make it to the door before he killed me, when he ground out, "Don't ever give me sake again!"
AMEN to that brother! Not another drop…. nope, nada, never. Well... maybe one drop, but not for a long long time. Years even. Well…. maybe months.... unless of course there's a party. Or someone happens to stop by with a bottle. I couldn't let him drink it all on his own, now could I?
I was lost in my musings once again, eating breakfast quietly, at least until Shippou woke up and found his beloved Kagome returned. He did what he usually does when he sees her. He flew at her and buried his face in her shoulder. He wiggled and hugged her in his excitement, causing the girl of his affection to giggle and pet him. Sigh.... I wish I were a baby kitsune. I looked at Sango my love, and yearned.
A sound caused me to look around. Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. What the hell? I looked at him, but he only had eyes for Kagome snuggling with Shippou. I looked thoughtfully at Inuyasha and back to Kagome. What the hell happened with those two last night?
I helped Sango clear the breakfast things up, and looked around to hear Kagome say, "I think we probably should take a walk, or something. There are some things I don't think you want everyone to know about." I looked hopeful. Sounded like a lot had happened between them. She looked apologetic, though before saying, "After I tell him what happened, if he wants to share, then it'll be up to him."
Inuyasha started for the hut's door, and snatched up Kagome's hand as he passed.
The moment they left the hut, I looked at my lady. She had a blush on her cheeks, and a wistful look on her face. I was just about to ask when Shippou let out a little whimper, and fell right over, clutching his head.
"Shippou-chan!" My angel cried out and knelt by him. She held his little head, as he groaned and rubbed his belly. He started crying and saying something about Kagome hating him, and how he was dying. Sango glared at me (WHAT DID I DO??) before getting some of the same potion stuff she gave me earlier that morning.
I pulled up a wall, and leaned my head back. Closing my eyes, I wanted nothing more than to contemplate the morning's events and try to make sense of what could have happened the night before. I could make sense of a lot of it. And looking at it in the morning's light... well.. near afternoon's light, I had acted like an ass last night. I most likely said and did things that caused my love to be upset. I needed to apologize, and set things right.
Sango sat rubbing Shippou's temples, and speaking to him in a low quiet voice. (I'll have to remember to ask what candy it was Kagome gave him and stay away from it!)
I cleared my throat. "Uh.. Sango-sama?" She looked up at me. "Could we... uh.. could we go for a walk?" She frowned and looked down at the kitsune. "It'll only take a moment. I need to talk with you about last night. Please?" I put on my best pleading look.
She nodded and rose to her feet. We walked out of the hut, and started down the river path, walking slowly. I was still trying to figure out what I could say to make it up to her when she asked, "So you remember what you said last night?" She looked so hopeful, and apprehensive at the same time.
Uh oh... now I was trapped. I couldn't remember a damned thing, but I couldn't say that to her. So I nodded, and cleared my throat again. "Listen Sango-sama, I …. I'm sorry." She turned startled eyes on me as I stammered out, "I'm sorry I said those things to you. I didn't really mean it. I mean, I was drunk, and didn't know what I was doing. You know how it is.." I had been looking down, embarrassed at whatever my words and behavior had done to cause such sadness in her.
I glanced up at her to see such a devastated expression on her face, it broke my heart. NOW WHAT? She looked at me with such horror, and .… shame? What the....? Then she took off. She ran.... "Sango?" I whispered, "What'd I do now?"
~