Vices

Miroku quietly knocked on the door, and waited for the hanyou to open the door. The short silence was unnerving and the stale smell of alcohol hung heavy around him. ‘This had better be important,’ Miroku thought, ‘I was about to get laid by this beautiful and mysterious woman. Damn I didn’t even get her name.’ was the last thought to cross through Miroku’s mind when the door swung open and a clawed hand drug him in.

“Damn, Inuyasha what has gotten into you? First, you make me come over here in the middle of the night and then drag me in as if someone is out to get you. Wait have you been crying?” Miroku asked when he saw the tear stained cheeks of his friend. The look that crossed Inuyasha's face was that of embarrassment and rage, and Miroku took it as a sign to shut up unless he wanted a punch to the face.

“Shut up Miroku! We have to talk so do not give me 100 questions, okay? However, yes I have been crying, Kagome left me. I came home in a drunken stooper again and did not even notice until I took a shower. When I saw the bed empty, I freaked. I thought I had to have another drink,” Inuyasha said pointing at the glass, “but that is when I found this,” with the same trembling hands that picked up the note he passed it to Miroku.
Miroku’s eyes widened when Inuyasha admitted he had been crying but his mouth gaped when he was told Kagome left, and the note in his hand was proof.

Inuyasha watched as Miroku’s eyes scanned the piece of paper and widen at the end, “well,” was all Inuyasha could say when his friend stood there dumbfounded. Inuyasha could feel the tears threaten to pour again but closed his eyes and willed them away. He could not let Miroku see him cry.

“Damn, Inuyasha I am sorry this happened,” Miroku said with self accusation in his voice, “What do you plan to do now?”

“That is why I told you to come over, we need help Miroku. Our partying is taking over our lives and stealing away the things we love.”

“Inuyasha?” Miroku started to ask if he was crazy. He did not think they had a problem, just because Kagome did that does not make it true, but he dare not tell that to Inuyasha.

“Look Miroku, I have lost the person I have ever loved due to my drinking and I know you have never loved like that but I believe if you quit looking in bars for women you just might find the woman you were meant to be with. With everything that has happened, I have come to believe life is too short not to spend it with that one special person. Please, understand we do need help.”

Miroku could not believe what he was hearing. Inuyasha has never worn his emotions on his sleeve but here they are in all their glory. He knew he liked to party and meet women just for sex. He has never once thought about settling down.

“Okay Inuyasha you win. Now what are we going to do?” Miroku asked with a defeated sigh. He could not believe this, no more drinking no more sex, ‘what in the hell have I just agreed to.’ Miroku thought hanging his head in disbelief.

“First we need to throw away all the alcohol in our houses. We will start with mine since we are already here, and in the morning we will head to your house to do the same thing.”

“What do you mean in the morning, I did not intend to stay the night.”

“Well you are now; if we are going to do this we need all the support we can get. Besides that, I know I cannot trust you to go home and NOT drink so you are staying here in the spare room. And so help me god if I wake up in the morning and you are not there or I smell fresh alcohol on you, you will wish you were never born.”

Miroku was not surprised by the threat in fact he knew Inuyasha would do whatever he had to do to make him listen. Once Inuyasha had his mind made up and you agreed with him you had better abide by it or there will be no tomorrow. “I know, I know. However, what about women, I met this beautiful girl tonight and she was not like the others. There was something pure about her, almost insecure. I did meet her at a bar she was there with Kagome's cousin. We started talking and immediately I fell for her. Since you made me kick her out she is all I can think about.”

“Damn Miroku are you insatiable or what. Look after we do what we have to do then you can call her but until then women and alcohol are off limits. We need to be sure we will not relapse so we have to take extra precautions. That goes for groping women too you damn Lech.”

“You know sometimes I am so misunderstood.”

Inuyasha could not help but laugh at his friend. He used to tell him his hand was cursed that is why he always groped women first, but that soon fizzled out when Inuyasha started ignoring him or giving him a stern look. Inuyasha knew since Miroku was a young boy he had infatuation with women, especially their asses, and he knew he had to control him or one day he would grope the wrong woman. That day came soon enough. Miroku and Inuyasha were at a club and this beautiful red head walked by the table, and before Inuyasha could react Miroku’s hand was attached to her ass. The woman turned and bore a hole through Miroku with emerald eyes and stormed off. Half way through the night the girl returned only this time, she was not alone. She had brought her boyfriend, this wolf demon with long black hair and searing blue eyes. That was the night Kagome had to come pick them up from the hospital, because Miroku had disrespected the mating code of demons. Inuyasha knew Miroku could not smell or sense the mark but Inuyasha could, however he never said a word to Miroku about it. This was the perfect opportunity to cure Miroku of his cursed hand. However, when the wolf demon showed up Inuyasha knew immediately that Miroku would not be able to talk his way out of this.

“Look, whatever your name is, my friend here did not know you were mated. He is only a mere human after all, so why don’t you just go back to your table and have a round of drinks on me.” Inuyasha ordered he knew this was a hanyou vs. a youkai but he had to protect his friend.

“Inuyasha, why didn’t you tell me she was mated to a demon?” Miroku asked with fear in his voice.

“Honestly Miroku do you think it would have done any good?” Inuyasha responded as a fist slammed into his gut. With a loud oomph, Inuyasha crumpled up on the floor.

“Listen mutt this is my woman and I don’t let anyone touch her. I have to protect what is mine and my beef is not with you so back the fuck off.” The wolf demon growled lunging for Miroku and grabbing him by the throat, “by the way the name is Kouga so don’t forget it.”

“Listen here you flea bag,” Inuyasha grunted picking himself up off the floor, “what part of he is a human did you not understand. You would have more joy fighting me than a weak human, so bring it you cock sucker,” Inuyasha yelled as he plowed into the unsuspecting demon with enough force to break the table behind them, “Miroku get out of here, unless you want to get killed.”

Miroku ran out the door and told the bouncers outside that, a wolf demon attacked them and that his friend was still inside.
A few minutes later three bouncers and a cop rushed to the table and pulled Inuyasha off Kouga. When they pulled the fighting demons outside Kouga was immediately cuffed and taken to jail while Inuyasha and Miroku were ordered to wait for an ambulance.
Sitting at the bar in the kitchen, Inuyasha absent-mindedly rubbed the small scar from that altercation. Then he looked at his friend and saw how perplexed he looks.

“Miroku, I appreciate you doing this with me.” Inuyasha whispered. He knew Miroku was apprehensive about this whole situation but he had hoped they could live full and healthy lives.
Miroku just nodded his head, he could tell this meant a lot to his friend and would do anything he could to help him, since Inuyasha was always rescuing him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Okay Kagome tell me what is going on,” Sango said breaking the nonchalant chitchat they were engulfed in, “Tell me exactly what happened. I know you told me about his drinking but what finally drove you to leave?”

Kagome hung her head and told Sango about all the late nights he spent at the bar with his friend. She also told her about all the times he came home smelling of cheap perfume and liquor. She knew her friend was worried about her relationship with Inuyasha ever since she saw another woman in his lap but she also knew how much Kagome loved him.

Sango lowered her head she knew how much Inuyasha liked to party but she never knew how deep it actually went. She had told Kagome about the other women but also told her that Inuyasha was drunk and that she never seen him touch her. Actually now that she recalls it, she also told her that Inuyasha was very uncomfortable with the whole situation. Kagome was enraged at the time but soon she buried it deep in the back of her mind that is until she had enough and left him. Then everything came out.

“Sango do you think I made a mistake?” Kagome asked wiping a tear off her cheek, “Do you think I should have stayed and tried to work this out?”

“Kagome this is not about what I think. You have to stand up for what you believe and if you think that you could not be happy with the way Inuyasha is acting then I believe you made the right decision. However, if you have the slightest bit of doubt then you have to act now. I am behind you 100% and if you chose to go back I will be right there with you. Nevertheless, you have to make that decision; all I am here for is moral support. Why don’t you just stay here tonight and think about it if you still feel you have made the wrong decision then go to him in the morning. I just want you to make sure you are doing the right thing and staying here away from him is the best way to do so.”

Kagome let the tears fall freely. She knew Sango was right, she did have to think about her relationship and if it could work if Inuyasha kept doing what he was doing. After they ate almost a gallon of ice cream and watched a few good tearjerkers, it was almost sun up. Kagome was tired and decided to go lay down and get at least a few hours of sleep.