Dance In The Dark

Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha. Piss off.

Author's Note - I know . . . I know . . . I know. I have to work on my other fics. I'm sorry! I just couldn't help myself . . . my friend Gigi just randomly said, "Inuyasha and Kagome should dance together," so I said, "What the hell. Fic time!" Sorry. I really couldn't help myself . . .

On with the show!

***

"You can't start a fire

You can't start a fire without the spark

This gun's for hire

Even if we're just

Dancin' in the dark"

--"Dancin' In The Dark," Bruce Springsteen

***

Kagome penciled on her dark eyeliner carefully, sighing, glancing down at her cluttered vanity. Teenage students in Japan didn't usually have proms, but her school had decided to try the American tradition. Naturally, Houjou had asked her to be his date, and rather than further loading her conscious with guilt, she agreed.

She stepped back to inspect herself in the mirror, tilting her head. Her long, violet-coloured dress was simple and modest, yet flattering to her image. It stopped just at her feet, enough to show her matching shoes, and it shone in the dim light of her room, glinting off the glass of the mirror. Her raven hair was pulled back into a low ponytail, allowing the strands to fall onto her shoulders and back. She frowned, reaching up to toy with it.

"Dammit," she murmured. "This hairstyle . . . makes me look like Kikyo." She sighed, frustrated, adjusting it a little. "Oh well. Not much I can do about it . . ."

The doorbell rang from downstairs and Kagome sighed, stretching before entering into the hallway. "Coming!" She called down the stairs, making her way to the living room.

Houjou stood there, holding a fresh bouquet of flowers. "Hi, Kagome! Wow, you look nice . . ."

Kagome sighed and nodded, forcing a smile. It was going to be a long night.

~

The dance itself, Kagome found, didn't turn out to be as interesting as she'd hoped. The gymnasium of her school had been decorated with cheesy balloons and streamers, and the music was none to her liking.

She leaned against the punch table, sipping her cup of water with a bored expression. She glanced up at the clock above the door. When was she going to get out of this hellhole?

~

Houjou had walked her to her doorstep and bid her goodnight, kissing her on the cheek before departing. Kagome shook her head and rolled her eyes, wiping off her cheek as she made her way inside and up the stairs to her room.

The house was dark, and it was obvious that everyone was already asleep. She sighed, closing the door to her room silently.

Not bothering to turn on the light, she made her way over to her dresser, groping around for her radio. She found the dial and turned it on, tuning in and out of different stations, trying to find a suitable song for her mood.

She caught a glimpse of a song being sung in English, and she frowned, taking her hand away slowly.

"Why is it in English?" she murmured to herself. "Unless they're picking up a station from Hawaii or California . . . or maybe Alaska." She shrugged, turning to face her bed, sighing again.

~

I get up in the evening

And I ain't got nothing to say

I come home in the morning

I go to bed feeling the same way

I ain't nothing but tired

Man, I'm just tired and bored with myself

Hey there, baby, I could use just a little help

~

Kagome sat down on her bed delicately, leaning back against the wall, only to feel flesh and clothing instead. She squeaked, standing up quickly.

"Who's there?"

Kagome leaned forward, trying to feel her way around, only to grab a hold of a fistful of silver hair. She gasped.

"Hey, watch the hair."

"Inu . . . yasha?"

He stood, glaring down at her. "Where were you? I've been waiting all evening!"

"I . . . I went to a dance," Kagome answered, flustered. "At my school. Is that okay?"

"No, it's not okay! You can't just disappear for hours on end without my permission!"

"I can and I did! So deal with it!"

Inuyasha growled, stepping forward a little. Kagome squeaked and backed away. He reached forward and grabbed hold of her ponytail.

"You look like Kikyo."

"I know I do. I was just about to take it out."

She reached up to undo it and her raven strands came loose, spilling onto her shoulders freely.

Inuyasha's eyes softened and he stepped forward again, his hands wrapping around her waist.

"Kagome . . ."

~

You can't start a fire

You can't start a fire without a spark

This gun's for hire

Even if we're just

Dancin' in the dark

~

Kagome gasped again, blinking. "Inuyasha . . ."

He purred softly, placing his fingers on her lips to silence her as he pulled her close against his body, taking her hands in his as he began to lead her around the room in a slow dance.

"Inuyasha . . . what are you doing?" Kagome murmured, blushing.

He shook his head. "Please, Kagome . . . don't say anything." He buried his face in her neck, running his fingers through her hair. "I don't want this to be ruined . . ."

They continued twirling around the room, both lost in their own worlds as the radio continued to play on in the background.

Kagome glanced over at her mirror as they passed it, frowning prettily.

"Inuyasha . . . is this all about me looking like Kikyo?"

"No," he whispered back. "This doesn't concern Kikyo at all."

"Then why are you dancing with me?"

"Because I feel like it."

~

Message keeps getting clearer

Radio's on and I'm moving 'round the place

I check my look in the mirror

I want to change my clothes, my hair, my face

Man, I ain't getting nowhere

I'm just living in a dump like this

There's something happening somewhere

Baby, I just know that there is

~

Inuyasha hugged her closer, nuzzling her neck, sighing dreamily. "Is this what your dance was like? At your school?"

Kagome shook her head, dazed. "No . . . it was nothing like this . . ."

Inuyasha smirked. "Then why'd you go?"

"I thought . . . I thought it might've been fun. But it wasn't. Not really."

He nodded. "Well . . . is THIS fun?"

Kagome smiled up at him. "Yes . . . this is nice. We should do this more often . . ." She giggled. "I didn't even realize you knew HOW to dance."

"I don't. I'm winging it."

She sighed happily, burying her face in his chest, allowing his strong arms to hold her close, protecting her from all of her fears.

~

You can't start a fire

You can't start a fire without the spark

This gun's for hire

Even if we're just

Dancin' in the dark

~

Inuyasha glanced down at her. "Do you honestly think that I'd mistaken you for Kikyo?"

"Inuyasha . . . you always do." There was a hint of sadness in her voice, and he bent down to nuzzle her.

"Well, I didn't this time. And I didn't like the way you'd did your hair . . ." He ran his fingers through it again. "I like it down. I like it when you're just being Kagome."

Kagome smiled, blushing. "You've never said anything like this before . . . did something happen while I was gone?"

He shrugged a bit. "I . . . I saw Kikyo again." He paused. "She won't . . . be interfering anymore."

She blinked. "How do you mean?"

"I . . . I destroyed her."

~

You sit around getting older

There's a joke somewhere here and it's on me

I'll shake this world off my shoulders

Come on, baby, the laugh's on me

Stay on the streets of this town

And they'll be carving you up all right

They say you gotta stay hungry

Hey, baby, I'm just about starving tonight

~

"You . . . what?"

Inuyasha's fists clenched a bit. "I had no desire to follow her anywhere . . . and I knew that it wouldn't stop, no matter what. So, I got rid of her. Besides," he added with a snarl, "I think she'd joined forces with Naraku, anyway. That's the last thing I needed."

Kagome blinked. "But . . . there's another reason, isn't there? Another reason that you killed her?"

He lowered his eyes. "Yeah . . . there is."

"What is it?"

Inuyasha sighed. "Dammit, Kagome, you know what I'm going to say. Don't make this hard for me."

A smile crept across Kagome's face. "I think I'd rather hear you actually say it." Inuyasha's ear twitched. "You're evil."

"I know. Now say it. Tell me why you really killed Kikyo."

He looked away for a moment, glancing at their reflection in the mirror.

"Gods, Kagome . . . why do you have to put me through this?" He smiled wearily, taking a deep breath.

"I . . ."

~

I'm dying for some action

I'm sick of sitting around here

Trying to write this book

I need a love reaction

Come on, now, baby

Give me just one look

~

"You . . . ?"

"I . . ."

"Go on . . ."

"God dammit, Kagome!" Inuyasha grabbed her shoulders, pushing her back against the wall, before loosening his grip. He gazed into her eyes, his iris flickering with a rare emotion.

Love.

Kagome drew in a deep breath. "Yes, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha closed the distance between them, so that all she could see was his eyes.

"Kagome . . ."

"What, Inuyasha? Just say it, already."

He sighed wearily, his breath hitching in his throat.

"I . . . I killed her . . . because I'm in love . . . with you."

~

You can't start a fire

Sitting 'round, crying over a broken heart

This gun's for hire

Even if we're just

Dancin' in the dark

~

Kagome gasped softly.

"That . . ." she blinked. "That wasn't what I expected to hear . . ."

Inuyasha smiled sadly. "Do you hate me now?"

"No . . . no, I . . ." She smiled, placing her hand on the back of his neck, bringing his lips down to hers.

"It's what I wanted I wanted to hear."

Inuyasha purred softly, further deepening the contact of their lips before pulling away, gazing into her eyes.

"This'll be our own little dance in the dark . . . okay, Kagome?"

"Yes, my love."

~

You can't start a fire

Worrying about your little word falling apart

This gun's for hire

Even if we're just

Dancin' in the dark . . .

~OWARI~