CHAPTER TEN

*

"Here, Kagome, let me handle that," Miroku offered. "Why don't you untangle Shippo?"

"Help!" came a high, thin voice from a massive tangle of Kagome's yarn. Looking slightly startled, Kagome handed the cooking spoon to Miroku, and went to work extracting the little fox-demon from her knitting.

Inuyasha was crouching by the fire, watching the boiling kettle intently. More intently than normal, given that he had downed a fair amount of sake. Miroku gave him a nudge in the shoulder. "Inuyasha, your ramen won't be ready for a few minutes. And please don't stare at me like that while I'm preparing it."

Inuyasha wandered off. He was acting far more pleasant than usual, Miroku noted, but not enough to go much further with Kagome. With a slight smile, the monk emptied the remainder of the sake into the dried ramen cup, then filled it up with the hot water from the kettle. After a few minutes had passed, he announced, "Inuyasha, your ramen is ready. Girls, the fish are finished."

"... I'll just have to cut you out, that's all," Kagome said to the tangle of red yarn. "Just start eating without me, everyone.

Inuyasha landed next to Miroku and sniffed his ramen. "Smells funny, Kagome."

"It's all in your head, Inuyasha," Kagome said distractedly, cutting long loops of yarn. "That's the same brand as last week. Just eat it."

Inuyasha sniffed suspiciously at the ramen, and poked it with a finger. Miroku held his breath, half-afraid that the smell of sake would alert Inuyasha to what he had done. But after a moment, the half-demon started shovelling in the noodles with loud slurps.

Miroku breathed a sigh of relief.

After he had finished the ramen, Inuyasha sprawled out at the fireside, resting his chin on his fist. His eyes had taken on a slightly glazed look, and he seemed to be wobbling. His usual scowl had softened, and when Shippo bounced onto his head, he barely noticed.

Good thing he's not a belligerent drunk, Miroku thought. If he were, they would have been in deep trouble. He had met -- sometimes wrestled with -- men who reacted to liquor by trying to beat anything moving to a pulp. The idea of a drunk with demonic strength wasn't a pleasant one. Fortunately, Inuyasha seemed to be mellow enough.

"Inuyasha, I know it wasn't your fault..."

Miroku broke out of his thoughts. But when he glanced back at Kagome and Inuyasha, he found that they were hardly in an amorous embrace. Instead, Inuyasha was clinging to Kagome in an almost smothering manner, with his head resting heavily on her shoulder. "I don't know why she hates me so much, it's not like I did anything wrong," he was rambling in a choked voice. "Do you know why, Kagome?"

"No, I don't," Kagome said, patting him on the head.

Miroku wanted to groan, but didn't dare to let it out. Inuyasha had to bring up Kikyo, he thought. The one thing that would have the reverse effect on Kagome.

He watched glumly as Inuyasha continued rambling unhappily about Kikyo's fury with him, his brother's hatred of him, his mother, and a variety of other unhappy or dark subjects. Kagome continued cuddling him in a manner more in keeping with a lost puppy than a potential lover. She looked annoyed at having Kikyo mentioned, but said nothing about it. After awhile, Inuyasha seemed to get over his melancholia, much to Miroku's relief.

Instead, the younger man was crouched beside Kagome with a slight smile on his face. He was still wobbling a little. Kagome seemed blissfully oblivious to this; she just started gnawing on her very cold dinner.

"Inuyasha's acting a little strange," Sango said.

"Yes, I had noticed," Miroku said.

Sango shot him a suspicious look. "What exactly were you two doing?"

"Just drinking a bottle of sake."

"One bottle?"

"Yes. Why?"

Kagome was starting to look nervous. Inuyasha was leaning closer and nuzzling her neck playfully. But much to Miroku's frustration, he showed no inclination to go any further. Finally Kagome set down her plate and announced, "Inuyasha, you're drunk."

"Hmm?" Inuyasha murmured, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I can smell it on your breath. Just how much sake did you drink?"

"Less'n'Miroku." Inuyasha draped one of his legs over Kagome's lap and leaned heavily against her. Having gotten over his unhappiness, he seemed to be less amorous than sleepy.

Sango rounded on Miroku, her eyes sparking. "Just how much of that bottle did he drink?"

"Half," Miroku lied.

His genuine dismay apparently convinced Sango. "I guess he just can't handle it," she said, looking at Inuyasha.

The half-demon had somehow managed to curl up in Kagome's lap, and was now snoozing happily. Kagome called quietly, "Sango! Help me get him off!" The demon-slayer crept over to Inuyasha and slipped her arms around his chest. But as she started to lift him, there was a loud ripping sound.

"Quick! Put him down!" Kagome called. Inuyasha's claws were tangled in her school uniform. Sango hastily dropped him, and Kagome made a strangled, pained noise as the drunken half-demon landed on her legs. Inuyasha just snuggled against her and mumbled something in his sleep.

No wonder he's still a virgin, Miroku thought, sighing. Even drunk, he doesn't lose his inhibitions. On to the next plan -- but it will have to wait until we get to the next village. Fortunately I know the innkeeper quite well...

TO BE CONTINUED