Here goes readers...

The party was loud with conversation and music and the apartment was stuffy from it all. There was nothing in it, just a few stools, an open bar, a fake tree, and some Christmas lights strung up all over the ceiling. It was very packed, hence the heat. Sango and Miroku had been there for an hour. She had met all of his friends, including Mushin. Hachi was playing bartender at his own birthday party again after Miroku had tried to take over.

Sango sipped her long island iced tea as she watched the two men battle over bartending territory.

"It's your damn party Hachi; you aren't supposed to serve any one!" Miroku spoke over the loud music. He was feeling the wine, the three beers and the one shot of Vodka he had.

"I know, but just let me do it! It's my birthday wish!" Hachi began laughing hysterically. He had obviously felt the effects of his drinks.

Sango watched from a nearby stool and couldn't help but giggle. She felt an arm slip around her shoulders and could smell strong Sake on the person's breath.

"You are very…" hiccup, "very good looking. Do you want to…" hiccup, "go to one of the rooms?"

She looked up at Mushin; he was too old to hit any anyone under forty.

"You don't remember me? I came with Houshi…you know as his date." Sango said

"I'll take that as a no?" Mushin laughed… "Sorry Sango." He hiccupped away

Sango laughed, Miroku was the product of bad influences.

The people at the party were not as drunk as the hosts. They were businessmen, workers and of course women as well as some people in the production industry. Overall it was an interesting crowd. Sango had made a point to socialize with some of them and had a few conversations here and there before settling down and watching Miroku and Hachi fight.

Miroku looked across at Sango. He glared at her, and singled her over with his finger.

She walked over to the bar, "I finished this drink bartender, how about another one?"

Hachi looked over, "Better yet Sango, how about some shots?" He said placing two small glasses on the table.

"Wait! Wait! None of that, Sango is my responsibility tonight!" Miroku had gotten protective all of the sudden.

Sango laughed, "How about…Cherry Bombs?" Her college days were coming back to her, she always like those because they were on fire before you drank them.

Hachi winked at Sango, "Miroku sure can pick them."

Miroku looked at Sango, "What did I just say?"

"Only some over protective nonsense, I am a big girl Miroku; besides I don't think you should be the one protecting me you can't even handle yourself." She smiled as she and Hachi clinked glasses and took a shot.

Miroku looked on; he definitely wanted to touch her now.

……………………………………….

Kuranosuke was alone in his hotel room. He had just come from dinner with Mia his secretary. She had insisted on coming into his room, business to discuss or something like that. He refused and took a long shower instead. He had settled into a robe and into his bed and like always his thoughts shifted to his soon to be fiancé. Kuranosuke was older than Sango by a few months. He felt as though he was five years older than her though. His responsibilities and career aged his mentality and he was in a rush to make her is wife, and mother of his children. He had been settled on it since the first time he laid eyes on her. He remembered when they moved into the residence with Sango's father as live in security. She was beautiful; she had swept him off his feet.

She however was not so in love with Kuranosuke. Even when they were little he would try and hang over her, like a shadow. She was more interested in playing with her little brother or watching her dads every move. As they grew older Sango was no as afraid of the Takeda family. They had all bonded when the families went on a boating trip. Kuranosuke remembered holding her hand as she climbed onto the boat for the first time.

The teen years made them as close as ever. They spent time together at school and at home. Kuranosuke remembered when he tried to kiss her once under the mistletoe. She blushed so fiercely she was as red as the bows and stocking hanging from the chimney. Much to his dismay, she said that Kuranosuke could only kiss her on the cheek; she was Naraku's girlfriend then.

Since that relationship ended in shambles, alleged this and stolen that, he gave Sango time to recuperate both in mind and body. She began working at a small paper, she was so stubborn and refused job after job with Kuranosuke. After becoming a blossoming writer in her own right, he made her an offer again, this time with no strings attached. She could work for him in a separate department, under a different boss. From there she mainly earned her position up to the ranks she was in today. Kuranosuke did have some objective and say in her promotions, he loved having her close to him.

Never the less, he had become stronger in his pursuit and she had become more and more cleaver in her denial. Kuranosuke knew they would end up together; there was no way he would let her go without a fight.

He set the television timer and closed his eyes, knowing that everyday that passed brought him closer to seeing her again.

……………………………………………….

"Okay, Okay" Miroku said turning red, "stop it both of you! Sango doesn't need to know any more embarrassing childhood stories about me!" He directed his feelings toward Hachi.

"Aw Miroku, don't get embarrassed!" Sango pinched his cheek and tried to picture him in a fourth grade talent show as the ugly duckling. She busted over with laughter.

"Quiet you! Miroku grabbed Sango and pulled her close to him while placing his hand over her mouth.

She struggled, and tried to tickle him. They both squirmed in an awkward dance before calling truce. It was 2:30 in the morning Miroku had stopped drinking the moment Sango said he couldn't handle himself. He wasn't one to make bad impressions. Sango however was becoming more intoxicated and had let her guard down immensely.

'Normally Sango, you tense up when I touch you. You have so much tenseness around you but the more and more I see you the less defenses you have. Now, you have none at all' Miroku thought. He saw her giggle along with Hachi as they sang out lyrics from a song playing over the stereo. "I think that should be your last drink Honey." Miroku said to Sango.

She looked back at him, "Honey? Bears like honey, you are a duck remember?"

"An ugly duck, yes I remember," Miroku hit Hachi over the head, "I hope YOU don't remember though." He directed that towards Sango.

"You aren't ugly Miroku, you are the opposite. I find you very…" she hiccupped, "attractive." She said this so matter of factly.

'Definitely your last drink Sango, you have become totally defenseless.' He thought

"OOOO Miroku I think she likes you." Hachi said mockingly, "surprise, surprise a beautiful woman likes Miroku."

"Hachi, shut it!" Miroku gave him one more birthday hit on the head.

The party had died down significantly. A couple of close friends lingered and enjoyed Mushin's talk about fine Sake and Wine while Hachi, Sango and Miroku sat around the open bar.

"Happy birthday Hachi! You know, you are very funny. You and I will have to go out together so you can tell me all I need to know about Miroku." Sango whispered loudly

"We will have to go out a week straight for me to tell you all you need to know about my friend and former boss Miroku."

"Former boss? That's right! Miroku has so many secrets you know that is the only thing I don't like about him." Sango looked at Miroku, "that and the wondering hands, but sometimes I don't mind those so much."

Miroku couldn't believe his ears, she liked to be touched!

"Ah Hachi, don't let this little reported dig up anymore dirt on me." Miroku said patting Sango on the shoulder.

"This little reporter knows enough dirt to make her very wary of any pick up lines you may have." Sango smiled she hadn't lost her wit.

A few laughs later, and Hachi was beginning to dose off.

"I think I am going to call it a night," Hachi said, he stumbled towards Mushin and over to the 'bedroom'. "The great thing about renting a loft for a party is that your own place doesn't get trashed, the bad thing is that your furniture isn't included," he said as he shut the door behind him.

"Miroku, I'm ready to go." Sango said

……………………………………………………………….

Miroku stumbled into down the hallway of his apartment, he grasped Sango's hand, her arm was slung over his shoulder and she leaned on him for support. Her weight on him threw him off balance as he tried to fumble for his keys in his pocket. He had reached his door and tried his best to maneuver the key into the hole. Sango in a half conscious state began to giggle, "Houhsi-sama…that is what I will call you. Where are we Houshi-sama?" She slurred out her question before laughing softly.

She had laughed about the snowfall, and told Miroku that they should have a snowball fight later all the way to his apartment. Sango had already tried taking off her coat, she felt very hot.

"My apartment," he whispered hushing his friend. He opened the door, entered and kicked it closed while clumsily holding on to his balance. Tossing the keys on the floor he stumbled towards the couch and tried to set Sango down. She tossed her coat on the floor. The still dark apartment was lightly lit by the large window over looking the city, a distant street light offered a mild view of their silhouettes, and as he lay Sango down on the couch he inadvertently collapsed on her. For a moment he was on top of her, on the couch in… the dark.

'This is not exactly how I thought this would happen.' He thought to himself cursing the fact that Sango was drunk and not in her normal state of mind. The sober Sango would have protested to even being in his apartment at all and given him a slap or two.

"Houshi-sama? She questioned him, her eyes opened and looking into his. Miroku gulped, and with all his moral strength he said "Sango, you're drunk. It wouldn't be right."

She blinked away his comment, only hearing the first three words, "Hachi, it is his fault, he gave me too much to drink…"

Miroku laughed to himself before realizing he was still on top of her and extremely close to her face. "I'll get you some coffee." He pulled him self up, brushed himself off and clicked on the lamp. Making his way to the kitchen he quickly began to brew a very strong and black batch of coffee. Running his hands threw his hair and sighing deeply he began to commend himself, he was proud that he didn't give in to temptation. He had refused her, in all her beauty, his mind flashed back to her eyes…her look of longing….. 'whoa' he snapped out of it, 'be good!" he reprimanded himself he had done so well the whole night to ruin it. 'Don't be a lecher, not tonight' he thought of the most unattractive thing…Inuyasha in a nightgown….that'll do it. Any moment of arousal disappeared in that visual, so much so that Miroku shuttered at the extraordinary talent of his imagination.

"Houshi-sama?" Sango sat up and had called to him. And taking what coffee there was in the still brewing pot he poured it in a mug, and whisked it off to his very intoxicated friend.

"I'm here Sango," he walked into the living room and sat next to her, "here drink this." He grabbed her hands and placed the cup in them. She was so stubborn, she was his responsibility and he had let her get into this state. Sango looked down, trying to focus on the dark liquid in it, she looked up at Miroku and he explained, "Coffee will help." Sango smiled, placed the mug to her mouth and drank, wincing at the strength of it.

"I know it is strong but, trust me it'll sober you up." Miroku chuckled at her face. In almost one gulp she had finished it, placing the cup on the table she collapsed on his chest. Miroku was taken by her action she rested her head over his beating heart, closed her eyes and sighed.

In a whispering voice she spoke, "Houshi-sama? No…Miroku…" Her hands moved towards the back of his neck.

Goose bumps took over his body "Sango, please, don't tease me like this." He grabbed her hands and moved them off of him placing them innocently on her lap and trying once again to set her back on to the couch.

She looked up at him with a confused look "What's the matter? This is what you want isn't it? " She asked, leaning in "It's what I want…" she pulled Miroku close to her.

"What do you want?" Miroku asked in a whisper, she had become so forward, and his resolve to refuse her had all but completely disappeared in an instant.

Sango looked at him intently, "I want you to kiss me" she tilted her head and softly touched her lips to his, Miroku was stunned. 'So much for being good' he thought. He was caught so completely off guard he hardly met her kiss with his own, it was so soft, as though she wasn't there at all. Giving in to the moment he began to kiss her in return, wrapping his arms around her waist and back in an attempt to pull her closer. Her hands moved over his back reaching the nape of his neck, then finally his hair, she pushed him closer pressing her mouth eagerly and passionately again to his. They fell back, he was on top of her as their mouths opened to one another. It carried on only for a moment and as much as Miroku was enjoying this heated moment he was suddenly hit with guilt, he wanted this so much, but he wanted her in the right state of mind. The fact that he didn't know if she was doing this out of true feelings or intoxication bothered him. He quickly pulled away from her, to their mutual surprise.

"Sango, I am so sorry, believe me I am. But there is no way you and I can… continue."

He got up.

His body regretted the victory his mind had acquired, He turned away from her and faced the door, "I can't do this to you, not when you don't know what is going on. There was a time in my life when this was easy, but not anymore. I value our friendship more than the world, and I wouldn't trade it, not even for one night of pleasure with you." He would have continued had it not been the soft sound of Sango sleeping, her breath had evened out in her slumber.

He turned to see her eyes closed, she was completely knocked out, Miroku sweat dropped, he had spilled his heart out to her and she didn't even hear it, 'even if I wanted to do anything with her she would have been asleep for most of it' He laughed at the ridiculousness of it all.

He went to his room and readied his bed, coming back to the living room he picked Sango up, carried her to his room, laid her down and tucked her in. Looking at her peaceful face he couldn't resist kissing her innocently on her forehead.

"Good night Sango." He stepped away and closed the door it seems he would be sleeping on the sofa that night, but not without a cold shower first

…………………………………………………………..

Sango opened her eyes, she was groggy. She shut them again, her head hurt. She was disoriented for a second and looked up again at the ceiling. Instantly she thought "WHERE AM I?"

She could her movement outside in another room, maybe the kitchen? Then utter panic, she was obviously not home. She did a quick memory scan, not Inuyasha's…not Kuranosuke's, "what was the last thing I did?" Then an even worse fear, she looked down, she was still dressed. Good. She sat up…scanned the room, it was cold. She moved, and her head spinned with her sudden movement. She went over to the restroom and looked in the mirror.

Needless to say, she looked terrible. Her mascara was smeared, "the raccoon look," she thought. She had major bed head, she washed her face and fingered through her hair before tying it back with a tie from her purse. Every thing was clean, maybe she was in a hotel or something. Where ever she was she would be leaving instantly…then she remembered. Miroku.

…………………………………………….

He had a terrible nights sleep. The couch was strictly for looks, not for comfort. Miroku was dressed in his pajama pants and a white thermal shirt and glasses. All the money spent for his apartment and the heater still went crazy. He had checked in on Sango at about 10:00am, she was still passed out. He didn't want to wake her up, she was snoring. He made some more coffee and tested out some of his appliances, he apparently had a waffle maker he had never used.

It wasn't too late, about 12:30 but the overcast sky and thickening snow made it seem like an endless morning. He walked over to check on her again. He knocked on the door and heard a weary "who is it?"

"It's me…Miroku can I come in?"

The door opened immediately. "Miroku?" Sango looked mortified.

"Yes. Sango? Are you okay…you had…"

His sentence was interrupted by a hard slap to the face.

"How could you!" Sango began her accusations.

He looked at her confused.

"How could I what?" He rubbed he cheek

"Don't play dumb with me Miroku, how did I end up in your bed? We didn't…you know…what am I saying of course we did you're a lecher!" She began to talk frantically

"Wait, wait…Sango no. You had too much to drink. I brought you here because my place was closer and I wanted to take care of you. I didn't touch you, trust me," 'it was quite the opposite,' he thought.

Sango calmed herself… "So then you and I didn't…" She blushed

"No. No we didn't you know. To put it frankly I am offended you would think I would take advantage of you." He pouted

Sango thought it over.

"Oh Miroku, I'm sorry…hey when did start wearing glasses?...Never mind um how can I make it up to you?"

Miroku was embarrassed, he never wore his glasses in front of anyone. "You can make it up to me by getting out of those clothes and having breakfast with me."

"Excuse me?"

"I know, I never thought I could make waffles but it turns out I have a waffle make…"

"No, you want me to get out of my clothes?" Sango raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, no…yes. I meant you should change, I have sweaters in the second drawer and some sweats in the bottom one." He pointed. "Actually you are welcome to take a shower…"

"I think I had better go, Inuyasha and Kagome are going to be worried.

"Actually they called earlier, I explained everything to them…"

The mortified look came back to Sango's face…she was going to get it from Kagome.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

One nice shower, two Aspirins, and about two big waffles later Sango finally felt the cold evil cling of her hangover leaving.

"I would have gotten those pancakes for you but I think we are kind of snowed in." Miroku said looking out the window.

Sango got a chance to look around, he had three big windows overlooking the city. A large living room area, a hardly used kitchen, computer/office room, his bedroom and an additional restroom if she had seen his apartment earlier she would have known he was rich and more than a grocery cashier.

"Your home is very…"

"Yeah, I know I went overboard but I bought it in my cash burning days." He smiled and adjusted his glasses over his eyes.

She was wearing a baggy navy blue sweater and some extra pajama pants. She felt weird wearing his clothes because she was surrounded by his scent.

"I didn't know you wore glasses or that you were rich or that you could cook anything other than pizza. So, anymore secrets?

"Not that I can think of. Sango you are quickly figuring them all out."

"Actually there is one thing I haven't asked you…about you and Kuranosuke."

"We are back to that again?" Miroku looked disappointed.

"Kuranosuke said, that you stole his girlfriend as long time ago. He said he caught you two together," Sango paused, "is it true?"

Miroku took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "Somewhat, you see she had been dating

Kuranosuke for a while when she started having doubts about their relationship, she leaned on me for support and advice. We had become friends and one night she and Kuranosuke had an argument. She talked to me and I took her out, she ended up coming on to me and…"

"And what" Sango said getting an upset stomach filled with jealously

"I was different back then, so I didn't refuse her advances. Kuranosuke saw us together and, of course he was upset. I explained things as best I could to him and we worked things out. Then the whole fiasco with my father and his began."

"Kuranosuke said he saw you two together after, he said that you and her were having an affair behind his back?"

Miroku was quiet, as though he was trying to remember anything that happened. "We did go out a couple times before she left, but I told her it wasn't going to work, I had no real feelings for her and I was trying to rid myself of any reminders of Kuranosuke Takeda." His voice sounded upset

The room was filled again with an awkward silence and then Sango's phone rang.

She answered the phone.

"Sango?" Kuranosuke spoke

"Hello, Kuranosuke?"

"Hey" There was static and she couldn't really hear his voice between the interference, "I am snowed out of the city and I have to wait till tomorrow to get a flight."

"You have been delayed?" She asked

"Yes, where have you been? I called Kagome and she was cut off before she could tell me where you were."

Sango began to panic, "I am in a hotel. You know to clear my head."

"What?" Kuranosuke began to talk louder, "I can't hear you!"

"I AM IN A HOTEL!"

"Which one? I can call you there."

"NO! I mean, it's okay just call me on this number."

Kuranosuke couldn't help but feel suspicion. "Well just give me the number in case… or at least the hotel…"

"WHAT?" Sango could barley hear Kuranosuke at all before the line clicked.

She looked up to see Miroku looking at her, "What?"

"You lied to him, why didn't you tell him you were with me?" He seemed strange

"Because, that would lead to more questions and an argument and I don't want to deal with that." Sango explained

"I see."

"What does that mean?" Sango became defensive.

"Nothing, but you are acting as though you are engaged to him for real."

"It bothers you?" Sango huffed

He stayed silent and like most men with enormous pride he lied, "No. Not at all."

Sango mentally reminded herself why she didn't want to be involved with either man as if this example of jealous had not been enough.

"Sango you don't remember anything at all from last night?" Miroku asked

"No, I don't remember anything except…the ugly duckling." She began to giggle

'Of all the things to remember…note to self…hurt Hachi!' Miroku thought and stared into the distance

"Hello Miroku?" Sango waved her hand in front of him… "You awake?"

He shook his head and looked at Sango.He would have to tell her sooner or later about what had happened last night, but inSango'sown words 'that would lead to more questions and an argument and he didn't want to deal with that'

For now he waited, and hopefully, like the piling snow around them, her guarded emotions would melt with time.

……………………………………………………………

Happy Holiday's readers…that was a little gift to everyone and I wouldn't mind a review or two for a Christmas gift… 3 Nina

ps. Thanks for the support! (Drunk Sango based off of one of the episodes when she gets drunk and tries to kiss Inuyasha…yup that really happened!)