Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor do I make a profit from writing fanfiction. I also don't own "A Mistake" as sung by Fiona Apple. Enjoy!
The spotlight shone dead center on the stage; the track lighting fading out to the sides. It was a small wooden stage with a bow front, set with a piano and a microphone perched atop the instrument angled towards the pianist. The background consisted of a thick curtain of crimson velvet, the color deeper in the shadows of its waves. The bar itself was small with no more than ten tables for two scattered around the floor. He had come here before, but it wasn't this busy then.
"It's a good thing we got here early," his companion said. "It's always packed on Wednesday nights."
"Hn," Sesshomaru intoned, taking a sip of his drink.
"She's the best show this place has going," his co-worker, Kouga, continued. "I'm surprised she hasn't made it to the big time yet. I've heard she also works here, but I only come here when she's on stage, so I've never really met her. All the other workers say she's really shy, which I can't imagine her being shy with the amount of..." he paused, looking for the right word. "Gusto she performs with. I mean...wow."
"Silence," Sesshomaru ordered, not wishing to hear his ranting anymore. Just as Kouga made to open his mouth again, the announcer's voice blared from the stereo system.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please for the lovely Miss Kagome Higurashi!" The crowd applauded and whistles flew through the air as a small woman, probably no older than twenty-one and definitely no taller than five feet situated herself on the piano bench.
"Would you look at that?" Kouga asked, making the question seem more like a statement than anything else. "Such a cute little thing...until she opens that mouth of hers."
Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, pondering the possibilites behind his cohort's statement. Although, he did admit, albeit to himself, that she was pleasing to his eyes. Her azure eyes sparkled in the intense lighting. Long midnight hair was held back and out of her face by a lock from each temple that met at the back of her head where they then melded into a narrow braid. She was fair-skinned, slim, and with curves like that, obviously feminine. She was dressed simply, creating a relaxed look. A pair of sandal flats, white capris, and a lavender paisley print tunic. And she wore it well. She scanned the audience, giving a shy smile as she did before placing her fingers on the ivory keys.
I'm gonna make a mistake
I'm gonna do it on purpose
I'm gonna waste my time
Her voice was smooth and sultry. Seductive and, no doubt sending shivers down each male member of her audience, him included. She swayed lightly in time with each key stroke, her eyes closed.
'Cause I'm full as a tick
And I'm scratchin' at the surface
And what I find is mine
And when the day is done
And I look back
And the fact is
I had fun fumbling around
All the advice I shunned
And I ran
Where they told me not to run
But I sure had fun
So
I'm gonna fuck it up again
I'm gonna do another detour
Unpave my path
By now, her crystalline eyes were open, looking out into the crowd but not seeing through the heavy lighting with a secret smile adorning her lips.
And if you wanna make sense
What'cha lookin' at me for
I'm no good at math
And when I find my way back
The fact is I just may stay
Or I may not
I've acquired quite a taste
For a well-made mistake
I wanna make a mistake
Why can't I make a mistake
Sesshomaru, out of the corner of his eye, could see Kouga leaning forward on the table in a peaceful trance along with a majority of the rest of the audience.
I'm always doing what I think I should
Almost always doing everybody good
Why
Right about then was when Sesshomaru felt the languid fingers of her voice settle into every knotted muscle and he, too, began to relax. If only slightly.
Do I wanna do right?
Of course
But do I really wanna feel I'm forced to answer you?
Hell no
I've acquired quite a taste
For a well-made mistake
I wanna make a mistake
Why can't I make a mistake
The passion in her voice burned like the evening sun. Even though it was setting, it still hurt to look at.
I'm always doing what I think I should
Almost always doing everybody good
Why
After a short outro, the music stopped. And everybody roared. Some lifted from their seats with more force than necessary, causing the chairs to skid on the hard flooring. Besides the clapping, the hoots and whistles overpowered the sound of the singer's small thank you as she made her way off stage into the small room off to the side.
Kagome sat in the small room, wringing her hands together. She was always nervous when she went on stage. No matter how many times she had done it in the past, everytime was a new experience for her. She knew the crowd wasn't the same, nor were her songs. She had been doing well with creating new songs as to avoid repeating one she had already performed. Kagome hung her head as she tried to stabilize her breathing.
"A mistake?" a male's voice floated to her ears.
She smiled her secret smile as she did not long ago and looked up. Her breathing went to the wayside once again, as it always did when she saw him.
"Mmm," she intoned, raising herself out of her seat. "But one I've gotten quite a taste for."
"Is that so?" He didn't so much ask as he did tease stepping forward to close the gap between them.
"Sure is," she answered as she circled her arms around his midsection.
"Hn." Without another word, he lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss directly proportionate to that of her singing. Passion-filled and hungry. The man kicked the door closed with a foot, and that was the last Kouga would see of him that night.