If You Wanted A Song Written About You All You Had To Do Was Ask, an inuyasha fanfic

*everyone is human*

There are some song lyrics in this fic! They are very minimal, just small blurbs I think add to the emotions of the characters and the overall story. Here is a playlist in order of appearance if you want to listen along:

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

My Immortal - Evanescene

Breath - Breaking Benjamin

Affections Touch Across Time (check out the Michael Tai piano cover)

Roses - Jean Michel Blais

I'd Hate To Be You When People Find Out What This Song Is About - Mayday Parade

Title is also a song by Mayday Parade, enjoy!

If You Wanted A Song Written About You All You Had To Do Was Ask

"Cheese?" The simple word broke Kagome's concentration. Slamming her hand on the piano, an awful mix of notes ringing out, the young composer glared at her Aunt.

"I'm lactose intolerant." She said in a stale tone, "of course I don't want any cheese." Kagome had half a mind to smack the repulsive tray of dairy from her sight, but she reasoned with herself and decided against it.

"Sorry." Sango said, contrite. "You've been locked in here for days it seems. I just wanted to make sure you were eating. You forget to take care of yourself when you're working on a new piece."

The raven haired teen ran a heavy hand through her tresses. "I'm sorry too. My audition for Juilliard is coming up in a couple months and I feel like nothing I write is good enough. It all just feels...empty. I need to be the cream of the crop if I want to get in."

Kagome stared down at the large instrument before her. The only constant thing she had, besides Sango, in her life. Growing up was rough. Loosing your family in an instant was rough, accidents tend to be pretty unexpected. Music was always there. She remembered the sound of her dad's guitar, the melodic tone of her mother's voice, the dance routines she and her brother would collaborate on. Memories washed over her, soothing her like balm on a burn.

"I know you'll get in Kagome, and if for some reason you don't then shame on them. When you play the piano..." Sango closed her eyes as she tried to think, smiling as she began to remember the feeling she couldn't describe.

"Thanks Sango. You're right about one thing though. I'm gonna step away and get a snack, maybe take a walk? The juices just aren't flowing like I need them to."

Kagome soon found herself in her room, changing from her soft sweats into her favorite jeans. It was a beautiful fall day in New York City, and her favorite donut shop was only a few blocks away. With her hands stuffed into her coat pockets, Kagome was off. Her headphones blaring one of her favorite composures.

twelve minutes later, the small bell signaled her arrival. She pulled out her headphones, stepping up to the counter with her usual on the tip of her tongue. Then the most god awful sound distracted her. The notes were piercing, strung together haphazardly and with little care. The source of the cacophony was a young man - maybe her age, but his eyes seemed older.

His hair was done in much the same manner as the music he played, haphazardly. Just a sloppy bun placed on the top of his head. He was dressed in black from head to toe and no way that platinum hair was natural. The dark eyebrows gave him away. His eyes were dark too, though the color was hard to describe. His face was relaxed and carefree until they locked eyes. he looked her up and down, the corners of his mouth turning down as his eyes traveled back towards her face.

"You got a problem with me?" His tone cold and defensive. His voice startled her from her inspection of him. Despite his current frowning, he was pretty dreamy before he opened his mouth.

"The only problem I have is with that ruckus you're making. Mind turning that crap off?" She gestured to the bluetooth speaker he carried in his hand.

She watched his eyebrow twitch in irritation. He stepped closer to her, his movements tight with the effort to restrain his anger. If he was expecting her to flinch or back down it wasn't going to happen. She stood taller as he approached, the blasting of those awful chords still as loud as it ever was.

"What'd you say?" He said it low, and if she hadn't been looking at his face she never would've heard him over this disaster he called a song.

"Turn. That. Crap. Off." Her words were loud and pronounced. All eyes in the small donut shop were now sharply on them. Even the young cashier leaned into the drama. Suddenly the notes that had filled the air in the shop were gone.

"Who the fuck do you think you are? How dare you judge my music, you don't know a thing about it!" He yelled.

"Oh trust me, I know a bad song when I hear one. Please tell me you didn't write that." He blushed and for a moment she felt bad for embarrassing him, though it had been his own choice to approach her.

"And if I did? Why don't you give me your critiques o' goddess of music. Give me a sec while I bow down to your highness." He made a show of curtseying before her.

"If you must know, the lyrics were decent but that melody is god awful. The chord progression is weak, almost boring." She wanted to laugh at the startled look on his face. He clearly hadn't expected her to reply or sound like she knew what she was talking about.

"You're kind of a bitch." He said matter of factly, "that should be discouraging me, but..." He let his sentence trail off as he shrugged a backpack off his shoulders. He tossed in the speaker and pulled out a flyer in a smooth motion. He all but shoved it in her face before she got the good sense to take it.

He turned and was gone before she had a chance to say anything. She wanted to chew him out for calling her a bitch. All she did was tell the truth, who did he think he was to talk to her like that? The flyer was for band auditions. An impatient clearing of someone's throat brought her back to reality. She quickly ordered her usual and scurried away from the counter.

She carried the flyer in her hand the whole walk home. One: because she didn't have anywhere else to put it, but also because she couldn't stop reading it. By the time she opened her front door she'd memorized the address. She loved music, but the only people she'd ever shared that with was family. The thought of playing with others, kind of scared her.

Yet there was a giddiness at the thought she couldn't explain. If Sango noticed her fidgety behavior, she didn't comment. She sat at the piano after dinner. Hands hovering above the keys, but never making a sound. She was still uninspired and the trip to the donut shop, that was supposed to bring clarity, turned into a huge distraction. The audition was tomorrow evening. What should she wear?

Kagome shook her head at her own thoughts, it didn't matter what she wore. She would dress how she always did. Jeans and a tee were more than enough for her. The young pianist felt her pinky grow heavy, and she laid the tiny finger on the white key. Suddenly she was playing a song she'd played a thousand times. Recently she'd spent so much time just sitting at the piano, her fingers frozen by the creative block in her mind. When the tune ended Kagome felt a little lighter. She decided to ease away the rest of her tension with a hot bath, excited to lavish herself with her favorite soaps.

Kagome didn't feel nervous until she got off the train. As she arrived upon her destination, she paused in front of the door to take a calming breath. "Shoo butterfly." She whispered to the flutters growing strong in her belly. How could she ever hope to audition for Juilliard if a local band audition made her this nervous?

As she walked in, she was grateful that only a few eyes turned to look at her. Most were too busy setting up instruments to care about her entrance. She made her way to the front of the small auditorium, taking a seat and removing her coat. She had run through a few options for what to play. Hopefully she wouldn't go first so she could feel a vibe of what they were looking for. Her attention was grabbed when she noticed the boy from the donut shop appear from backstage. He had a mic stand in his hands and without looking out into the crowd, he began to set it up, attaching a microphone at the tip and adjusting the height. More people appeared behind him, a girl with dark hair setting up a keyboard and a boy with red hair taking a seat behind some drums.

"Ugh, he's so fucking hot." Kagome turned her head quickly as she never noticed the girl come and sit beside her. Her aesthetic was pretty grungy, with her all black outfit covered by a dark colored flannel. Her lips were painted in burgundy, and her ruby eyes were smudged with black liner.

"Which one?" Kagome said finally. She had wanted to ask about her eyes, a unique crimson the backdrop to her black pupils. Were they contacts?

"The front man obvi. I've been following them for awhile. They're still pretty new, but they've made quite a splash in the underground scene." Kagome nodded as she didn't have anything to add to the conversation. It made her realize that she probably should've listened to some of their music before she auditioned.

"Yo!" Boomed a loud voice over the speakers, it was the front man. "Thanks for coming to audition. Even if you don't make the cut, we're happy you came. Just to soften the blow of rejection for most of you, we're gonna play a couple songs first."

Cheers rang out through the auditorium but quickly evaporated once the first few chords rang out. Kagome sat back in her seat as she watched some of the others begin to stand and dance to the music. A few even sang along. She tapped her foot to the beat as she listened along. It was better than the one she'd heard in the donut shop - wasn't enough to get her out of her chair though.

One thing she was enjoying, was watching everyone come alive on stage. She watched the drummer bang his instrument with everything he had. Shaking his head and letting his ginger locks fall in his face before flipping them away in a show that probably made a few panties drop. Her eyes continued to roam and landed on the bass player. His hair was the shortest of them all, still coming to a rat tail at his nape.

The girl was the most reserved of the group, the small smile on her face the only sign of her enjoying herself. Her hair was pulled back neatly behind her and her outfit was all black. Her only makeup appeared to be the thick winged eyeliner that turned her almond eyes to slits. Every so often she would make eye contact with the drummer and they would make a silly face at each other. She seemed to blush any time she made eye contact with the one at the mic. The song came to an end and everyone gave a round of applause, Kagome included.

"Hope you ain't too bored yet." The front man joked. "This one's new, let us know what you think." The one with the platinum hair began to play, the first chord already drawing Kagome and those around her in. The drums came in with the bass guitar following next and everyone went wild. The boy in front took a few steps back to jam out with his friends, feeding off their energy before the intro slowed and he began to sing.

Load up on guns, bring your friends

it's fun to lose and to pretend

she's over-bored and self-assured

Oh no, I know a dirty word

The lyrics might have went over her head if the boy hadn't been looking directly at her. Was he talking about her? His voice became rougher as they moved into the chorus. He ran up to the bass player so they could bump guitars before the tempo slowed again.

I'm worse at what I do best

and for this gift I feel blessed

Our little group has always been

and always will until the end

They made eye contact as he sang the second verse. There could be no denying, he was definitely talking about her. Maybe she had been a bit harsh with her critique at the donut shop. Who was she to tell anyone their songs were no good? Right now he seemed every bit the rockstar as girls flocked to the front and the guys started a mosh pit in the back. She would take the jab on the chin, at least this song was actually good.

The instrumental break had everyone screaming. You would have thought they were attending a concert in an arena. When the song ended the applause was thundering. She stood on her feet as she clapped her hands. He looked over to her, a little shocked to see her standing. She smirked at him and gave him a curtsey. The grin on his face as she looked up at him was priceless.

"Thanks for listenin'. The auditions will start in 5 minutes." He left the mic as his other bandmates left their instruments on stage for people to use.

"What was that about?" The bass player asked, a knowing smirk already tugging at his lips.

Rolling his eyes, the platinum boy continued getting ready for auditions, "What you gettin' at Miroku?"

"Come now Inuyasha, I've seen girls do a lot of things and make a lot of gestures towards you. I've never seen one curtsey though. It's the girl from the shop isn't it?"

"You asked her to audition after she tore one of your songs to shreds? I didn't think degradation was your thing." The ginger drummer was too slow to avoid the blow to the head.

"Fuck off Shippo. I already told ya, she's kind of a bitch but she's got a good ear."

"Hopefully her playing is as good as her ear," came the soft feminine voice. "She must be something to have inspired you so quickly, everyone loved the new song."

Inuyasha's face heated a bit, but he choked the embarrassment down. "She ain't inspired shit Kikyou, don't get ahead of yourself." No one looked convinced and he quickly covered his embarrassment with anger because, well, he did angry better than any other emotion.

"Let's just start the fucking auditions already."

So far, the auditions had been painful to sit through. Multiple banshees had come through thinking they could sing. Miroku had to be restrained when one person popped a string on his bass. A few people had thought simply beating the hell out of Shippo's drums would get them somewhere. They were wrong.

They were half way down the sign in sheet and no one had attempted to play the keyboard. Then it was her turn.

Inuyasha watched as her name was called and she made her way to the stage. Kagome Higurashi. She was dressed plainly compared to some of the other girls that'd already auditioned. Though they had been hot they lacked significant talent, and looks wasn't gonna you into this band.

"Hi Kagome, thanks for coming." Kikyou started nicely. The smile Kikyou sent seemed to relax her, "what will you play for us today?"

"Um, something on the keyboard if you don't mind?" Kikyou gestured her hand in a way that clearly meant go for it. Kagome sat at the keys, took a deep breath, and pulled up her hair. Just a small ritual she always did before she played. Even as she sat at the keyboard she hadn't fully decided what she would play. Her fingers hovered over the keys a moment before the index finger on her right hand felt heavy. She let the digit drop and after the first note she knew what she wanted to play.

I'm so tired of being here

suppressed by all my childish fears

and if you have to leave

I wish that you would just leave

cause your presence still lingers here

and it won't leave me alone

Her voice was melodic as it began to fill the empty space. It had been awhile since she sang. When she found she enjoyed playing classical music, she had little need for lyrics in the songs she wrote. This song was an old one. One she penned right after her family passed. It hurt a lot to sing this song, old memories and feelings she pushed back coming to the surface.

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone

but though you're still with me

I've been alone, all alone

Her fingers continued to glide over the keys. Her eyes closing as they did every time she got lost in her music. Finally the tempo slowed as the song came to an end, and she let the last few notes float away and carry through the air. When she opened her eyes 3 of the platinum boy's bandmates were standing and applauding. The guy from the donut shop remained seated, but there was a look in his eyes that made her feel exposed. It felt like he could see right through her, and if she was honest, she had just bared her soul to everyone in the room with that piece of music. She smiled at him, genuinely happy that he had understood her even for a few minutes.

After Kagome left the stage Kikyou went to call the next auditioner, but Inuyasha stopped her.

"Unless you're that girl," he said pointing boldly to Kagome, "go home. Auditions are over." A murmur of words filled the auditorium and people hesitated to move. They couldn't tell if he was serious, they definitely didn't want him to be.

"Are ya deaf?" He yelled as he turned to the crowd. Silence immediately following his words, "this ain't little league! No trophies for participation, she won, the rest of you scram!"

"Seriously?" Kagome began incredulously. "There were so many people left, you sure don't want to hear them all?"

"No need." He said as he walked up to her and grabbed her hand. She didn't notice he had a pen until he began to write on her palm. He made eye contact when he was done. "No one is going to do anything close to what you did, why waste my time?"

Kagome blushed at his praise. "Th-thank you." She stuttered. His mouth moved until it formed this half smirk, half smile, that she knew only he could do. She hated how her cheeks burned.

"Call me no later than tomorrow. We'll organize times that work for practice. Welcome to The Band Kagome."

"Any reason you're staring at your phone like it's gonna bite you?" Sango said from across the table. They were having a late lunch together. Even though she'd been dying to call him all day, she didn't want to seem too eager. She wanted to play it cool. She was clearly having a hard time achieving that.

"I'm not." She said defiantly as she flipped her phone face down. Her eyes darted to her plate, as though she was going to resume eating, but they were back on her phone before she could think to take a bite.

"Kagome, what's going on with you?" Kagome sighed at Sango's concerned tone. Sango had been the only family member willing to take her in after her family died. No one had wanted the responsibility of raising a child who was not their own. Sango had done it though, and saved her from 7 years in foster. She remembered having to fly to New York to live with her, how scary everything had been. Then she remembered how kind and understanding Sango had been. She remembered that Sango was her rock.

"I auditioned for an underground band last night." She said casually. The brunette, looked up at her charge mid-bite. Deciding after a moment to put down her fork, in lieu of finishing her spoonful.

"Okay, why make it a secret?"

Kagome shrugged before she replied. "It's not something I was trying to hide...I wasn't sure I was actually gonna do it you know? I wasn't sure how my sound would mix with theirs, plus the front man is kind of a dick."

"And yet you auditioned for his band." Sango said matter of factly. It made Kagome want to hide her face. "Is he cute?"

The heat rushed to Kagome's cheeks and she cursed how easily she became embarrassed. "He's not bad to look at, I guess. It's his mouth that's the problem. Called me a bitch the first time we met."

Sango went from aghast to angry faster than Kagome could blink. "He did what?" She all but screamed.

"In his defense, I told him his music was bad...and boring. I was being a bitch, not his fault he had the balls to say it."

Sango still looked off put by the idea of someone speaking to her that way. "And he somehow convinced you to audition? After you criticized his music?"

Kagome shrugged. She wasn't sure either, "gave me a flyer, I went, I got in, now I have to call him." Kagome's brain slowed to a crawl as Sango casually reached across the table and took her phone.

"What are you doing?" Kagome said, brain finally catching up.

"I'm gonna call him." Sango's brow creased as she continued to scroll through Kagome's contacts. "Rocker from the donut shop?" The brunette questioned.

"I don't know his name, yet." The heat of embarrassment, once again settling on her cheeks. She watched as Sango held the phone to her ear for a moment.

"It's ringing." Suddenly the phone was back in Kagome's hands and she knew there would only be a few more seconds before he either answered or she went to voicemail. She wasn't sure which one she wanted more.

"Yo." Came the voice from the speakers. Oh god, she was panicking. "I hear you breathing." She didn't need to see him to know he was rolling his eyes.

"Sorry!" She squeaked. "Uh, hi, it's Kagome...from the auditions yesterday."

Inuyasha sat up a little straighter in his computer chair. He'd been making some tweaks to a song the band had just recorded, waiting for Kagome to call but pretending he wasn't. After everyone had left the auditorium last night, the others had been a bit weary of his decision to end the auditions early. But he stood his ground and defended his choice. No one had gotten his attention the way Kagome had. The song she sang...was beautiful. The way she played the keyboard gave him goosebumps. There was no one in the auditorium like her, there was no doubt about it.

"Hey, glad you called. Guess this means you really accept the offer, huh?"

"Yeah...I'm excited to be a part of this." He smiled at her softly spoken words. He was excited too.

"We usually practice on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday nights. Usually around 7, does that work for you?"

"Yes." Kagome said automatically. She'd been going to school online for awhile now, really wanting the time and flexibility to work on music, to get into Juilliard.

"Perfect, we have a show coming up in a few weeks. I think that'll be plenty of time for us to practice and get you ready to be on stage with us. You know what, there's a show tonight a friend of mine is putting on. You should come. The rest of the band will be there, you can get to know them."

"Uh yeah, sure, sounds, cool." Kagome smiled.

"Cool." There was small gap in their conversation while Kagome gathered some courage.

"This might be weird to ask, but what's your name? Kinda crazy we've met multiple times and I don't know it." She laughed.

He laughed too, cause it was a little strange. Especially because he knew hers. He wondered about what his name was in her phone.

"It's Inuyasha." He listened as she repeated his name to test in on her tongue, he liked the way it sounded coming from her.

"Okay, Inuyasha. I'll see you and the others tonight them. Text me and I'll be there." He confirmed that he would do just that before hanging up. Sango popped her head in as the conversation ended. She'd slipped away while Kagome was busy stuttering, thinking the girl would do better with some privacy.

Kagome turned to see that underlying spark in Sango's eye. She was up to something. "You going to meet everyone tonight?"

"Yeah, help me pick out an outfit?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

The butterflies were back when Kagome stepped off the train. She took a deep breath and shooed them away. She heard the music before the doors even opened. The sound of guitars and drums and a deep throaty voice filled the room. The crowd jumped in time to the beat, some throwing their bodies at each other and swinging their heads back and forth.

Kagome was happy she'd decided to let Sango dress her. She would've stuck out like a sore thumb in her old jeans and plain t-shirt. Sango's ensemble wasn't too far out of her comfort zone. Her jeans were black and distressed, her tank charcoal and cropped. Her hair was in a ponytail pulled away from her face. It was a concert so she decided to be bold and let Sango paint her face with eyeshadow and lipgloss. Her boots were black and comfortable to walk in.

She scanned the crowd, but it was dark and there was really no hope for finding someone she recognized. She headed over to the makeshift bar. She ordered a simple drink confidently, hoping the bartender wouldn't ask her for I.D.

"Kagome?" She turned at the sound of her name, almost spilling the drink she put to her lips. It was him.

"Inuyasha." She said smiling, her tone filled with relief at seeing a familiar face. She followed him towards his friends and bandmates and immediately found one of her hands in the palm of a stranger.

"Kagome! We've all heard so much about you, your audition blew us away. I was so happy to hear such a beautiful voice come from such a beautiful woman. Bear my children, let's create a band of musical geniuses."

She blushed and didn't have the chance to reply before the handsome stranger received a harsh blow to the head.

"Can it Miroku, you fucking perv. If you scare her off I'll kill you."

"Sorry Inuyasha, I was unaware you had some sort of claim on her." Inuyasha began to stutter incoherently, but the threat of ringing Miroku's neck came through loud and clear. At least Kagome had put one more name to a face.

"I'm Shippo." As he shook her hand, she recognized him as the dummer.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Kagome."

"You really did kill it during your audition. I'm excited to play with you." He said genuinely. Kagome went in for a hug before she could help herself. He was just so dang cute.

When Kagome pulled away she made eye contact with only other girl in the group. She was pretty and her eyes were a little cold, the air about her a bit intimidating, but then she smiled.

"My name is Kikyou." The girl reached out her hand, a firm grip encasing Kagome's limb. Kagome smiled to hide her wince and told Kikyou she was pleased to meet her.

"I don't want to sound like a broken record, but you really did blow us away. How old are you if you don't mind me asking?"

"18, a senior in high school, hopefully auditioning for Juilliard in the fall." The words tumbled one after another. Still nervous she took a sip of her drink.

"Juilliard?" Inuyasha piped up, momentarily forgetting about Miroku's head locked between his arms and giving the dark haired boy the chance to escape.

"Yeah, I've always wanted to be a composer."

Inuyasha laughed to himself, "no wonder you were able to rip my song apart."

"Sorry about that." Kagome looked away, ashamed of being so mean. Inuyasha shrugged it off and the group walked back towards the bar to get another round of drinks. After a few, the nervousness began to fade and soon they were dancing and bouncing with the rest of the fans. Kagome wasn't sure how Shippo had ended up surfing the crowd, but she passed him down the line of hands with a laugh. Even Kikyou danced with her, as they whipped their manes at each other.

Inuyasha observed Kagome as she danced and got to know his friends. He wasn't sure how he missed her getting closer to him, seeing as how he couldn't keep his eyes off her.

"You don't want to dance?" She shouted over the music.

"I don't dance." He scowled. Kagome only rolled her eyes. Of course Inuyasha would be too cool to enjoy himself at a rock show. "You want another drink?" He asked.

She agreed, mostly so they could talk further away from the stage and not have to shout at each other.

"So the guys playing are your friends?" She asked before taking a sip of her tequila and sprite.

"Something like that, can't really stand Kouga. The one at the mic. He's a douche-face." Kagome almost spat out her drink, the childish dig catching her by surprise and making her laugh.

"Come on, he can't be as bad you?"

"Hey!" Inuyasha said offended. She laughed again, and some of Inuyasha's annoyance faded from his face.

"You know, I should probably head home soon. My aunt doesn't like when I'm out too late."

"Let me walk with you?"

Kagome smiled, "sure." Both were unaware of Kikyou watching them leave.

It was a crisp night as Kagome and Inuyasha took their time getting back to her house. They talked about everything and nothing on the journey. Kagome learned that his dad had been the one to get him into music. He played the guitar all the time for him as a kid. His dad was even in a band of his own. They had toured and had a bit of a career before Inuyasha was born.

"My dad loved music, but he decided to slow down for me and my mom. Taught me everything I know about music and the guitar." Kagome smiled as she listened to Inuyasha speak, but when she turned to watch him, his eyes seemed a lot farther away than the rest of him.

"Do you guys still play together?" He took a deep breath and cracked his neck.

"Nah, he died awhile back. It's just me and my mom now. She just likes to listen." He had his head completely turned to the side as he spoke, but her soft touch on his arm brought his eyes back to hers.

"I used to play with my parents too. Me and my little brother would sing while my parents played the instruments. There was an accident, now they're all gone. The song I sang for my audition was one I wrote for them."

He nodded, a gesture of appreciation for her sharing and understanding for her plight. Kagome barely contained a gasp when he grabbed her hand, his touch unexpected but not unwelcome.

"You wanna make a pitstop before you go home?"

They arrived at a small building that was still on the way to her house. With a small silver key, Inuyasha let them into the space. She walked in first, only taking a few steps in because it was dark. Soon she was covering her eyes as the bright fluorescent lights blurred her vision for a bit. As her eyes adjusted she noticed all the musical equipment set up.

"This is where we practice." Inuyasha explained. Kagome explored the room as her companion watched her. Her hand ghosted over the keyboard, before she sat down behind the drums. She gave him a look he wasn't sure how to interpret, before she started banging wildly with the sticks. It quickly became clear why the piano was her instrument of choice. By the time she was done she was laughing hysterically and red in the face.

"Stick to your day job." Inuyasha jabbed.

"Yeah? Let's see you do better." He confidently took the sticks from her, although he wasn't as good as Shippo, he wasn't as bad as she thought he would be. "Alright Mr. Showoff, anything you aren't good at?" She stated in jest.

"Kinda shit at the piano, too soft for me. I wanna be loud and bang on stuff."

"I could tell by the song you were playing in the donut shop." Inuyasha rolled his eyes, while she set herself up on the guitar. It was the only other instrument besides piano she felt proficient at. She played the first few chords of the song he'd written about her and introduced at the auditions. He came in with the drums and they sang and played most of it together.

"You think I'm bored and self-assured?" She said laughing as they wrapped up the song.

"Eh," he started with a shrug, "more of know it all." He quickly dodged the pick she threw at him.

"Jerk." There was no real bite in her tone.

They jammed for most of the night, playing covers and switching instruments throughout the night. At some point Kagome ended up sitting back to back with Inuyasha on the floor as he fingered the guitar in his lap. She let her body be supported by his, her eyes closed as she listened to him strum. His fingers danced over the same chords, clearly hearing something he enjoyed. She began to hum along, words floating in her head.

"You take the breath right out of me," she sang, "you left a hole where my heart should be." She continued to hum to finish the line, no more words coming to her brain.

They continued to sing and strum until Kagome's phone rang. She picked her phone from her pocket and noticed Sango's name flashing across the screen. She answered and was met instantly with her aunt's screeching.

"Thank God! Where are you? I've been calling all night!"

"Uh, sorry I'm still with Inuyasha," Kagome spoke into the phone while making eye contact with the silver haired boy. "We were playing some songs, must have lost track of time."

"Get home now." Before Kagome could apologize again the line was disconnected. She sighed as she stood and stretched. There was going to be a lot of groveling to do when she got home.

"I didn't mean to get you in trouble." Inuyasha said as he also got to his feet. He checked his phone and the time was almost 3 am.

"She'll be fine in the morning. She was just worried." Kagome reassured. They put the equipment back the way they found it and continued their journey back to Kagome's place. Once they arrived it was after 3:30 and Sango looked livid. Inuyasha shrank back at her glare, deciding that walking Kagome fully to the door might have been a bad idea.

The brunette looked him up and down, sizing him up. He was about to ask her what the fuck she was looking at when she said, "Thanks for getting her home safe."

He nodded dumbly before Kagome turned to him with a smile, "I'll see you tomorrow? For practice?"

He nodded again, for some reason not trusting his voice. She shut the door gently and he stood there for 5 extra seconds before turning on his heels and making his own way home. He tried not to give much thought to the goofy grin that was plastered on his face the whole way.

Once she had closed the door Kagome let out the breath she'd been holding and leaned against the glass panel of the door.

"It's hard to chew you out properly when you look so happy." Sango said, staying to observe their goodbyes.

"I really am sorry for worrying you. We just lost track of time."

"I believe you. Next time just pay attention to the clock yeah? Or call?" Kagome agreed and hugged her aunt before saying goodnight. As she finished putting on her pajamas and settled into bed her phone vibrated.

Meet before practice and finish that song?

Kagome smiled as she replied.

Yeah! Can't wait :)

The next day Miroku, Shippo, and Kikyou were surprised to find Kagome and Inuyasha already practicing.

"Sup, losers." Inuyasha greeted fondly.

"You guys sure are up and at 'em." Miroku commented while he made his way over to his bass.

"Yeah Inuyasha and I kind of started something last night, we couldn't wait to finish!"

"Did you guys need some more time? Wouldn't want anyone to feel rushed." He wiggled his brows suggestively and Kagome blanched at the insinuation.

"Not like that!" She squealed. Kikyou and Shippo rolled their eyes, while Inuyasha placed a well aimed slap to the back of Miroku's head.

"Just set up so we can show you the damn song!" Soon they were all playing together. Finding their way through the music and coming together to make it come alive. Kagome felt exhilarated every time she looked at Inuyasha. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on stirred every time they made eye contact, usually on the vocals they sang together.

When they were done, Inuyasha turned to the band and asked for their opinion.

"I think it's sick!" Shippo exclaimed. Everyone chorused their agreement and they continued to practice for a few more hours, teaching Kagome the older songs the band had already performed and were known for. As the clock approached 10 the band decided to give it a break, and meet back up to rehearse more in a few days.

Kikyou eyed her new bandmate as she laughed at something Shippo said. The girl was wearing a plain t shirt and jeans, her hair down now that she wasn't playing. Her face was makeup free and it made her look younger than she did at the show last night. Kikyou watched as she took a strand of her dark hair and placed it behind her ear. Her eyes also noticed Inuyasha. She paid attention to how his eyes always looked up to find Kagome while he put away his guitar. Kagome put her hand on Shippo's shoulder when she laughed at his joke, and the platinum boy looked irritated at the gesture.

Kagome left Shippo's side with a wave, and Kikyou couldn't ignore the way Inuyasha seemed to relax the closer she came to him. Her heart began to beat strongly in her chest as Kagome blushed at something Inuyasha said and swatted at him playfully. It was almost as if the organ wanted to escape the confines of her ribcage.

"You okay, Kiks?" She gasped and turned to meet Miroku's concerned gaze.

"Don't sneak up on me like that." She whispered. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, knowing everything she wasn't going to say. Though he loved to joke and kid, Miroku was a pretty in tune guy. He was a deep thinker when he wanted to be and had a knack for reading people. In moments like these it was a pretty annoying trait for him to have.

"I'm fine." She said, finally turning to her friend and trying to give him a convincing smile. She knew it didn't reach her eyes, but he let her be and she was grateful. Everyone made it to the door and Inuyasha locked up as the band took their leave.

As she turned to head home, Kikyou's heart fractioned a little more when Inuyasha and Kagome walked off together. She'd known Inuyasha for a long time now. Since they'd been in middle school. They met in band class. She played the flute and he played percussion. His hair was long and dyed jet black back then. His clothes were always black and torn, but in a way that was meant to be fashionable. She remembered the day they finally spoke to each other.

He'd bumped into her on the stairs and almost sent her tumbling down. She'd dropped her binder, but Inuyasha caught her and saved her from breaking her neck.

"My bad." It was a short but genuine apology. The rest was history as they say. She had liked him for as long as she could remember. They used to spend so much time together, just the two of them. He would play her his favorite songs and make her CDs of all the stuff he thought she needed to listen to. A lot of the band's most popular songs were ones her and Inuyasha had written together.

'Now he's writing songs with Kagome. Writing songs about her too.' She groaned which was uncharacteristic of her. She was usually very composed and she didn't wear her emotions on her sleeve ever. Probably why the relationship she had with Inuyasha never progressed beyond friends. She could never find the courage to say or acknowledge how she truly felt.

As Kikyou trudged up the stairs and ran her bath water, she let out a heavy sigh. Kagome seemed like a nice girl, a sweet one, but Kikyou couldn't help but hate her. The thought of her and Inuyasha together made her sick. Stepping into the hot water Kikyou felt like a lobster being boiled alive. It only served to make the fires of her jealousy grow stronger in her heart.

What did Kagome have that she didn't? What was so intriguing about her that Inuyasha couldn't keep his eyes off her?

'Nothing!' Kikyou thought savagely, sinking lower into her bath. There was nothing special about that girl, and she would just have to prove it.

Before they knew it the show was upon them. Two weeks of grueling practice all boiled down to this moment. Kagome was nervous about her debut. What if the fans didn't like her? What if they hated the songs she wrote? Her mind came to a screeching halt when she felt a heavy hand rest on her shoulder.

"Calm down, it'll be fine." Inuyasha soothed. She took a deep breath then smiled reassuringly, her small hand coming to cover his.

"Yeah you're right." She turned at the sound of their group being called. The crowd was thunderous and Kagome felt blinded by the lights. One more calming breath, then she was putting her hair up in it's customary style. Looking to his right Inuyasha sent her a sly wink before walking up to the mic.

"Sup fuckers, welcome to the fucking show!" The crowd grew loud and they played a fan favorite. The energy of the fans and her bandmates had Kagome feeling on top of the world. The first three songs were all ones that had put their group on the map, and now they would play the new song. Kagome closed her eyes, shooing the butterflies away and telling them not to come back.

"Now this...is something new. Hope you enjoy." Miroku came in with the bass for few chords before he was joined by Shippo and Inuyasha. The Platinum boy moved away from the mic to jam with Miroku and headbang simultaneously with Shippo.

The verse of the song was haunting, dark. Describing what happens when the one you love turns out to be someone they're not. The bridge and chorus were her favorite, not just because she got to sing with Inuyasha, but because she got to tell him how she felt.

so sacrifice yourself and let me have what's left

I know that I can find the fire in your eyes

I'm going all the way, get away, please

Kagome felt vulnerable as they moved into the chorus and Inuyasha made eye contact with her. Did he know it was about him?

You take the breath right out of me

You left a hole where my heart should be

You've got to fight, just to make it through

Cause I will be the death of you

Inuyasha...left her breathless. When he was around she felt the most at ease, the most like herself, and when he was gone it would always feel like something was missing. A hole where her heart should be. It might sound a little dramatic, but it was true. These past few weeks felt like years. If anything ever happened...losing Inuyasha would be the end of her.

The song came to an end and everyone seemed to enjoy it. They closed out with another popular song and soon the her first gig with the new band was over.

"So what do you think?" Miroku asked Kagome as they moved off stage.

"It was amazing!" She said energetically. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so alive. Miroku laughed at her enthusiasm. He remembered when he first started gigging too. The adrenaline was like no other.

"Everyone loved your song!" Shippo gushed.

"You mean our song?" Inuyasha corrected as he placed an arm around Kagome's shoulders. She blushed but didn't shy away. As they loaded Shippo's van with their equipment, they all headed back into the venue to enjoy drinks and a show from another band. Inuyasha and Kagome stayed close together throughout the night, while Kikyou sat at the bar mindlessly stirring her drink.

"If looks could kill those two would be six feet under." Miroku said coming to sit next to his bandmate. She rolled her eyes and finished her drink before setting her gaze back on them.

"I just want him to look at me like that, just once. Then I'd never ask for anything again in my life." Kikyou said, maybe it was the alcohol making her feel the need to overshare.

"It's not too late you know, to try and win him over."

"I don't wanna look like a fool. I'm a realist Miro, I know when I'm beat." Kikyou turned to order another drink to drown her sorrows in.

"Well how about we dance and forget all about it then? Even just for moment." Before she could sip her new drink Miroku was pulling her to feet and twirling her around like they were at a ball instead of a rock show. It was a sweet gesture to make her feel better and she laughed as he allowed her to twirl him this time. Miroku dipped her down low and brought her up quick, her hair fanning all around her and making her giggle.

She looked up and she made eye contact with Inuyasha from across the floor. For a second she thought she saw in his eyes something she'd been dying to see.

Jealousy.

Before she could fully decipher his gaze, his attention moved from her and Kikyou was left to wonder.

Kagome laughed out loud as Inuyasha recreated some of his favorite moments from the show, bringing out the air guitar and all.

She reached for his hand and gave him a soft smile. "What's your biggest dream?" She asked. It was a little random and caught him slightly off guard but he recovered quickly.

"I wanna tour the world. I wanna feel the way I feel when we gig, but times 1000!"

"What places do you wanna see?" Inuyasha scratched his head and took a minute to think.

"Anywhere, everywhere. I've never left New York, never been outside the city. There's so much out there and this place is all I know." He looked down at her, and asked what her biggest dream was.

"I want a song I've composed to be played by Phil Harmonic Orchestra. I want to travel the world and play my music, like you." Inuyasha stopped as she trailed off. They had finally made it back to her house.

"I think you will. You know, travel the world, get into Juilliard. You'll do it all." He placed one hand on each cheek and Kagome felt like the world was slowing to a crawl. Was he getting closer? She stood up on her toes to meet him half way. Their lips met softly at first, gently exploring. They parted for only a second before coming back for more. A fire now between them that had their tongues tangling and Kagome's arms coming around his neck.

His hands left her cheeks, one going up into her hair and the other coming down to grab her butt. She moaned softly into his mouth and Inuyasha felt like a starving man who'd just had his first bite of food in days. When they separated, they were both a little breathless.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll meet you right here." He nodded and gave her one last kiss before he was off. Kagome went to sleep that night dreaming of dark eyes and Platinum hair.

Kagome was up early the next morning even though she'd had a late night. There had been a twitch in her fingers the moment she woke up, and for the first time in months, Kagome felt inspired to play something new. Her fingers glided over the keys with expertise and confidence. The song started off softly, so melodic and nostalgic. Everything about it felt old and new at the same time. She felt like she had played this song a thousand times, and even if she never played it again, she'd never forget it.

She played the song over and over until her phone buzzed. Inuyasha was letting her know he was on the way. She smiled as she stood from the piano, heading back upstairs to shower and dress for the day. When she returned to the first floor, Sango was still in the kitchen having her morning coffee.

Her aunt gave her a knowing look before commenting, "I liked that song you played, is it new?" Kagome blushed a bit, not understanding why she felt so shy about someone overhearing.

"Uh yeah, the notes were dancing around in my head all night."

"You think you'll play it for your audition?" Kagome stiffened a little at the mention of the audition. Ever since Inuyasha had come into the picture, she'd been - distracted. A quick check of the calendar told her, the audition was coming up in just twenty-eight more days.

"No, I think this one...is just for me." She smiled before she could help herself. "I was thinking of names in the shower. I settled on Affections Touching Across Time."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful song." The doorbell rang and she watched Kagome bound to the door like an excited puppy. Sango kept her distance as she watched the two teens greet each other, kissing and grabbing one another like this was the last chance they'd ever get to do so. She couldn't help but smile at the thought. She remembered what it was like to be that young once, to feel everything so intensely you thought it would eat you alive.

Kagome ran back to give her a hug and grab her bag.

"I shouldn't be gone too long!"

"Be safe, please." She commanded softly. She walked towards the door to close it and the boy gave her a shy wave. Sango returned the gesture before closing and locking the door. Kagome had been working her whole life to get into Juilliard, and though her niece was young Sango trusted her to make good decisions. She just hoped this boy wasn't the start of a life full of distractions.

It was a non-practice day, so Inuyasha and Kagome spent time doing random touristy things that locals never partook in. They did a city bus tour and Inuyasha bought her a "I heart New York" t-shirt. They went to the 3 story Mcdonald's in time square and took a walk through central park.

Deciding it was a nice enough day, despite the chill the two decided to sit for awhile. Inuyasha pulled some blankets from his backpack and made a cozy spot for them. They both found themselves on their backs, Kagome's head resting on Inuyasha's shoulder as he used his arm to keep her close.

"Can I say something cheesy?" Kagome started, ending the comfortable silence between them. She angled her head so she could look at him and he let out a sound that she took as confirmation that he was listening.

"I like you so much it's scary. I've never felt this way about anyone, ever." Her heart raced at her confession. Never in her life had she been so honest with her feelings. Not even in the therapy sessions that were meant to help her deal with the loss of her family. He didn't say anything and she felt herself pulling away from him, but he tightened his grip to keep her in place.

"I'm not good with words when I have to say 'em." He started. Inuyasha turned on his side and Kagome followed suit, both of them resting their heads in their hands. "But I like you too. I didn't think I could feel this way about anything except music."

She smiled and the amount of sheer happiness in her gaze made the teen boy blush. Kagome leaned in to kiss him and the world fell away.

Kikyou couldn't help but mentally gag at the way Inuyasha and Kagome couldn't keep their eyes off each other. Or their hands. The two had obviously made it official as they were never more than 5 inches away from each other. They had just finished another kick ass show, the largest venue and crowd they'd played so far in their careers. They should be celebrating together, as a band, but Kikyou found herself nursing a drink on her own.

"Hey, you and your bandmates put on a pretty sick show." Kikyou turned at the sound of the masculine voice. He had long dark hair that fell down his back in waves. She couldn't tell if he was tall or if she was just sitting down, but the man had a presence about him that made her feel small. His eyes were a strange crimson color and there was no way they weren't contacts.

"Thanks." She said curtly, not even pretending in the slightest to be interested. He seemed too old for her anyway.

"I'm Naraku Onigumo." Kikyou found herself choking in an effort to keep her drink in her mouth.

"Onigumo? Like, Hell Spider Entertainment, Onigumo?"

"That would be me." He said, clearly more confident now that she knew who he was. No way was the CEO of a major record label talking to her right now, about The Band!

"What are you doing here?" She blushed when he laughed, because of course he would. She sounded like an idiot.

"I've heard nothing but good things about 'The Band'. Thought I'd check you guys out for myself and I wasn't disappointed."

"Oh my god," She had to push on her chin to close her mouth, "please let me go get the others? They'll never believe this." Before he could answer she was off darting into the crowd, shouting the names of her friends over the music. When she finally found them she was panting.

"Slow down Kikyou, the fuck are you even saying?" Inuyasha questioned.

"Naraku Onigumo is at the bar and he likes our band. He said we put on a sick show and that is a quote! We have to go back!" She turned without making sure they were behind her. Miroku, Shippo, Inuyasha and Kagome all gave each other curious looks before following.

"Holy shit." Shippo was the first to say as they approached the older man, eyes wide and starstruck.

"Hey." Naraku said cooly, holding out his hand for everyone to take. They all did so robotically, still unsure if they'd eventually wake up from this dream. "I was telling your friend here how much I enjoyed the show"

"Uh, thanks, thank you." Inuyasha stumbled, trying to find his manners. He didn't usually care about being polite, but this was Naraku freaking Onigumo. The same Naraku who put the greats on the map, all the rock legends Inuyasha looked up to were signed to his label at one point.

"Listen I'd love to hear more from you guys. Here's my card, bring me some original pieces in two weeks and we'll talk some more."

"Yes, of course!" When the CEO was out of their sight, the group erupted into whoops and hollers. Inuyasha picked Kagome up around the waist and spun her around, both of them laughing in pure delight.

"Fuck guys we just got scouted by one of the biggest labels in the industry!" Miroku stated. It still didn't feel real to them.

"We should start practicing right now." All nodding in agreement, they left the venue and made their way across town. They stayed up all night, singing words that didn't make sense and finding different ways to make the chords flow as they began to write something amazing.

One by one the group began to drop like flies. Miroku and Kikyou left first, with Shippo trailing behind them not too long after. It was approaching 4 in the morning. As Inuyasha and Kagome put away the last of the equipment, Inuyasha could feel the air grow melancholy around his girlfriend.

Kagome sighed and rubbed her face as she turned off the keyboard and unplugged it from the wall. Strong, lean arms found purchase around her waist and she leaned into the touch. Letting her body sag and relax against her boyfriend's hold.

"You okay?" He asked, his nose and the majority of his face finding solace in the space where her neck met her shoulder.

"That's a loaded question." Kagome responded. She wasn't sure if she wanted to get into it, deflection seemed the best course of action.

"What's wrong?" His question emphasized by a gentle squeeze meant to comfort. She could tell him the truth about anything.

Kagome sighed once more and turned in his arms to face him. He looked down at her and her tiny hands came to rest on his cheeks. She rose on her toes and took his lips for her own. She let out a breath through her nose as he pulled her closer, his larger hands running up and down her back and over her bum.

Two moans mixed as the kiss deepened and wondering hands continued to explore. Inuyasha moved his lips from hers, down her jaw and towards her neck. He could feel her pulse quicken under his ministrations and he felt emboldened to place a hand under her shirt. His fingers and palm skimmed across her lace covered chest, before reaching into her bra and removing a breast from its cup. He palmed the fleshy mound gently, letting his palm create a delicious friction on her nipple that had it hard and aching under his touch.

"Inuyasha..." His name no more than a breath between her lips. She felt a cold gust of air touch her belly as she lifted her arms so Inuyasha could bring her shirt over her head. He admired her for a second before reclaiming her lips, pulling down her bra straps with one hand and unclipping it with the other.

"You're, so beautiful." His words had her blushing.

"I want to see you too." She whispered shyly. He placed a finger under her chin so she could watch him. Her blush only grew hotter as more tawny skin was revealed to her. Once his shirt was out of the way, nimble fingers quickly made work of the button and fly on his jeans. Inuyasha did the same and within seconds they were both standing in the middle of the studio in only their underwear.

Grabbing hold of her hand, Inuyasha brought her over to the only piece of furniture in the whole place. A couch that wasn't that nice but had been a hot spot for naps once upon a time.

Kagome laid on her back as Inuyasha crawled over her, giving her a languid kiss before moving down her body much in the manner he'd been doing before. As his mouth found a nipple, his unoccupied hand came to give her other breast much needed attention. Encouraged by her sounds Inuyasha switched breast, and brought one of her legs up wrap around his waist.

Her arms came around his back gripping for dear life, as he ground his clothed erection over her sopping crotch.

"Please...touch me more." She asked, still shy but needing more than what she was getting now. She had never felt like this before, never known what she needed to make this particular itch go away. Kagome had never been colder than when Inuyasha moved away from her. She was about to ask him what he was doing when he pulled her so she was sitting on the couch and kneeled before her.

His eyes met hers as he reached to loop his index fingers in her panties and slid them down her thighs and claves. "You want me to touch you?" His question sent her blush down to her toes, but she nodded. He pulled on her ankles and her butt came from under her, her knees resting over his shoulders. "Like this?"

His tongue made contact with that little button that Kagome had just found herself not too long ago. She gasped and her hands flew into Inuyasha's hair, almost as a reflex.

"Yes, please, like that!" Her wish was his command and Inuyasha devoured her with abandon. Adding a finger and stretching her before adding another. He grunted as she dug her heels into his back for leverage so she could hump his face. Praise at his work raining from her lips to his ears. "Ngh, it feels so good..."

He needed to breath, but she was so close. Her hips moving wildly to find that blessed release. He gave her clit a hard suck and she came undone over his lips and fingers. She went boneless against the cushions, needing to catch her breath as she came down from the ultimate high.

"You okay?" She nodded and slowly cracked open her eyes, opening her arms as an invitation for Inuyasha to get close. They kissed and she could taste herself on his tongue. It made her wanna lick her juices from his cock when they were done. She widened her legs and Inuyasha settled in between. He pushed his boxers down and removed them before positioning himself at her entrance. He looked at her again, telling her without words to let him know if she wanted to stop. She nodded in consent and slowly he stretched her as her wet heat surrounded him like the coziest blanket.

"God...Kagome." There were no words to describe how she felt. How they felt in this moment together. His hips moved back and forth, slow and steady. He kissed her then, his tongue slow and languid like his thrusts, his hand exploring her body while the other kept him upright.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" She cried out. The rhythm building until he was growling in her ear and pounding her into the couch. Her cries grew in volume and octaves until she couldn't take it anymore. His thumb found her clit, trying to push her over the edge just before him. The tightening of her walls and rush of her climax found his own end drawing near. He pulled out and finished on her stomach, grunting as the hot jets of seed landed as far as her chest.

Kagome moaned at the feeling and appreciated when Inuyasha used his boxers to wipe her clean. They cuddled like that on the couch, naked and sated. Inuyasha covered every inch of her, keeping her warm and making her feel secure. All the worries she had about The Band and Juilliard could wait for another day.

Inuyasha squeezed Kagome's hand as they stood outside the fancy skyscraper. Inside this building lied all their hopes and dreams. Their future rested in the hands of one man. It was a terrifying, but exhilarating feeling - knowing that something great was just on the other side of you.

He looked down at Kagome. Her smile wide and her eyes bright. She turned to him in that moment and Inuyasha realized as long as he was with her, he was right where he should be.

"This is the chance of a life time guys, we've got to go in here any give it everything we got!" He encouraged as he turned towards his friends. They all gave their sounds of agreement and inside they went. The elevator ride felt miles long as they slowly made their way to the top floor. The doors opened and before them was an office with large glass doors. Gingerly they made their way inside, finding a young woman at the front desk who noted their arrival and asked them to take a seat.

They all took the time to look around. The walls were covered in plaques and accolades. One wall was entirely dedicated to the Grammys Mr. Onigumu's artists had won. Inuyasha wanted to be a face on that wall - have a Grammy with his name on it.

"Excuse me, Mr. Onigumo will see you now."

The teens stepped into the room with bated breath. Naraku sat behind a large desk, two other men on either side of him. He gave them a small smile and gestured for them to set up as they pleased. Once they were ready, the air in the room seemed to grow still and Inuyasha gave his bandmates one final look. It was now or never, it was time to put everything on the table.

They played three songs. All them new and freshly written. When they were finished it was hard to tell how Naraku was feeling. He gave nothing away and simply told them he'd be in touch. It left the group feeling a little deflated, but Kagome was the one to rally them as they left the building.

"Listen guys, I don't care what Naraku has to say, we kicked ass! At the end of the day, he scouted us, asked us to play for him. That means something!"

"Kagome's right," Miroku chimed in, "no matter what lets all keep our heads high!" They all nodded in agreement and Shippo suggested they go somewhere for lunch.

"I should be getting home actually." Kagome said, falling behind the group. "My audition for Juilliard is right around the corner and I'm still not sure what piece I wanna play."

"You want me to walk you?" Inuyasha offered. She smiled and jogged to stand next to him, placing a quick kiss to his cheek before turning away.

"Nah, I'll see you guys later. You're still coming to the audition right?" His head nodded in affirmation and she beamed. "Okay then, later!"

As the group minus Kagome made their way to find something to eat, Kikyou was the first to break the silence. They stopped in the first diner they found and sat immediately. Her question was deafening in the quiet that had settled over them. Miroku and Shippo looked on as they settled into the booth. They were shocked that Kikyou had the balls to say what they all were thinking.

"If Kagome is applying to Juilliard, what does that mean for The Band?" Kikyou asked, her attention solely on Inuyasha.

"What do you mean?" The waitress came and took their order for food and drinks, interrupting the flow of conversation for just a moment.

"I mean Naraku could call us back and tell us he wants to sign us. How is Kagome going to go to Juilliard and be apart of The Band?" As the waitress dropped off their drinks, Inuyasha awkwardly twirled the ice in his cup with his straw.

It was a question he and Kagome both had been tip toeing around. They both had big dreams, ones they weren't willing to give up. It was hard to face the fact their dreams didn't align together and eventually, pursuing their dreams might mean them going their separate ways. It was something that Inuyasha never wanted to think about.

"I don't know." He said solemnly, still looking at his cup and wishing Kikyou would drop the subject.

"Maybe you should just let her go now, rip the bandaid off you know?" Kikyou took a sip of her milkshake as the air was sucked from the lungs of everyone at the table. Shippo and Miroku spared a quick glance at Inuyasha. Preparing for a response that might get them kicked out of the restaurant.

"Are you seriously telling me to dump her? What's wrong with you?" Inuyasha said, his tone a mixture of hurt, surprise and anger.

Kikyou shrugged as she took another sip, she was tired of dancing around the subject of Inuyasha and Kagome. She was tired of being nice and putting her feelings on the back burner. They were too different and it was time Inuyasha realized they would never work. He didn't need to hold onto her, not when she was right here and fit into every facet of his life much better than Kagome did.

"I'm just saying, we all know what's going to happen. Especially if Kagome gets into Juilliard, she's not going to turn that down for us, for you. Just like you're not going to turn down Naraku for her, so why make things harder than it needs to be? You don't need her, you have us. You've always had us. It's time you remembered that."

By the time Kikyou was done, the waitress had passed around their food and Inuyasha had lost his appetite. He threw some cash on the table, just enough to cover his meal and then he was sliding from the booth.

"Fuck you Kikyou." He walked away without looking back. The bell chimed and they watched as their platinum haired friend disappeared around the corner.

"That was harsh Kikyou." Shippo started.

"Truth hurts." She said unforgivingly, though she would never admit the way he'd walked away left a bad taste in her mouth. It was a hard pill to swallow, but they all knew the truth, they knew the moment they met her at Kouga's show and she spoke about becoming a composer. She wasn't what Inuyasha needed. Though they'd been up each other's asses the last couple months, their romance was unsustainable and unrealistic.

Miroku gave her a pitying look as he took a bite from his burger. They finished their meals in silence.

Not even the cool air whipping Inuyasha's face could smother the heat of his ire. His blood was boiling in his veins and he needed to do something, anything, to cool off. Kikyou's words, had stung him to his core. There was a reason he and Kagome hadn't talked about the future. It was scary and uncertain. Her wanting to go to Juilliard meant she'd be in the city at least another four years. While they both longed to get out, it seemed his timeline was moving a little bit faster than hers.

This deal with Naraku could really take them places. Put them on the map for real. He would never ask Kagome to put her dreams on hold and he knew Kagome would never let him turn Naraku down. So where did that leave them?

Long distance was hard. Too hard. What if Naraku moved The Band? What if he put them on tour? Could he and Kagome handle the strain? Did he want to try?

That question rocked him to the core. It was only him and his thoughts right now, so he could be honest. He loved Kagome. In the few months that they'd known each other, he'd never felt closer to another person. He never felt like someone understood him quite the way Kagome did, not even Kikyou. Yet here was the moment for him to truly put his heart on the line, to take the biggest risk one could take, and he was...second guessing.

Maybe Kikyou had a point, he couldn't be the one to hold Kagome back. He wouldn't be. Her heart was too big for her own good and if he knew her like he thought he did, there was one thing Kikyou had been wrong about. Kagome would give up Juilliard, she would put her dreams on hold for him. Not because he asked her, but because she just loved him that much...and because he was a selfish prick he would let her.

Inuyasha winced as he realized another thing Kikyou had been right about. Maybe he should just rip the bandaid off and get it over with. He wasn't sure how he ended up at her front door, but here he was. He knocked a few times and waited. Soon the woman with the brown hair opened the door and stood patiently waiting for him to tell her what he was doing there.

"Hi, is Kagome home?" Sango eyed him a bit, but decided to take a step back and allow him in.

"She's practicing upstairs." He gave her a quick nod and dashed up the stairs taking two at a time. He followed the melodic sound that he knew only Kagome could produce. Not wanting her to lose focus he slowly opened the door and crept inside. He thought he was the perfect picture of stealth until he closed the door and she looked up from the keys.

"Inuyasha? What are you doing here?" It was a good question, one he didn't have the answer to so he shrugged. He took a seat next to her on the bench, scooting her over slightly.

"I missed you?" He said, his tone leaving room for a question mark.

"We were just with each other like 2 hours ago." She laughed. "You know I'm supposed to be working on my audition."

"Am I distracting you?" His voice lowered and he moved a bit closer into her space. She didn't move.

"A little," she said breathlessly. He closed the distance between them with a kiss. His lips finding purchase over hers and moving in a way that would hopefully convey everything he couldn't say.

"Will you play it for me? Your audition song?" He asked after pulling away. She blushed, but nodded.

Getting comfortable again before positioning her hands over the piano. First it was one note, then two, the space between them long but fading into one another seamlessly. Soon her fingers seemed to be gliding over the keys. Her eyes closing as the melody picked up speed and carried her away. The tempo slowed after awhile and her fingers came to a crawling halt. She looked at him, expectant but patient. He knew in that moment without a shadow of a doubt.

He had to let her go.

"Well?" He hadn't said anything yet. It was making her nervous. Did he think it sounded terrible? She knew he was no classical expert, but he still had ears. Why wasn't he saying anything?

"It's beautiful." He said, and the breath she'd been holding finally released. "I...I think they'll love it."

Her face glowed with his praise and she pressed herself into his side. The tension melted from him at her touch and he brought his arm around her shoulders. Kagome sighed happily when he seemed to relax. They hadn't talked about anything yet, hadn't ironed out any details about their relationship. Her audition was fast approaching and with Naraku showing interest in The Band, it felt like they were nearing the edge of a dangerous precipice.

Kagome would leap if she had to, but she couldn't help the anxious thoughts that told her Inuyasha wouldn't follow. If she got into Juilliard that meant staying in New York until school was over. If Naraku gave them a deal, the band could easily leave the city. Kagome held onto Inuyasha a little tighter as she fought the war between her brain and her heart.

The organ in her head told her to follow her dreams, go to Juilliard and do all the things she said she was gonna do. Yet the muscle locked behind her ribcage told her to follow Inuyasha, because without him what did it all mean? A hole where her heart should be, an empty space that couldn't be filled.

"I gotta go, Kagome." She pulled away and placed a finger under his chin when he wouldn't look at her. She searched his face for a moment, meeting his eyes and suddenly feeling suffocated by what she found there. The hand on his chin moved behind his head and she pulled him down for a kiss. She loved him and he had to know.

Inuyasha felt the twist of something painful in his chest at Kagome's kiss. The gesture filled with things they both refused to acknowledge, the words they couldn't say. It all felt less real if they didn't say it out loud.

"I'll see you later?" She questioned as they pulled back for air. He never replied, just stood from the bench and placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room without looking back.

A few days passed and Kagome sat on her porch waiting for Inuyasha to escort her to practice like he always did. When the start of practice came and went Kagome began to feel irritated. Was practice canceled? Did everyone forget to tell her? If Inuyasha thought he could just blow her off he had another thing coming!

She stomped all the way to the tiny space where they practiced. She walked in as they were in the middle of a song. Shippo was the first notice her. Her presence throwing him off and his drumming faltering.

"What the fuck Shippo?" Inuyasha stated, a sharp edge in his tone. The ginger drummer cleared his throat and Inuyasha turned to find a seething Kagome at the door. A hand on her hip and a fire in her eyes he hadn't seen since she ripped him a new one the first time they met in the donut shop.

"Why didn't you come get me for practice?" Kagome started.

"Practice is for members only." He said matter of factly. The sharp intake of Kagome's breath rang out through the room.

"I don't understand." She said quietly, making her way towards Inuyasha and the others. She looked around, trying to see if everyone was on the same page except for her. Miroku and Shippo looked away in shame. Kikyou had a touch of sympathy in her eyes, but mostly she looked relieved. As if she'd seen this coming and had just been waiting for the day it came to fruition.

"Your days in The Band are done Kagome. You should focus on Juilliard."

Kagome had never felt the urge to faint in her life, not even when the police picked her up from school and told her she couldn't go home. Not even when she watched strangers pick through her house and take things that had once belonged to the people she loved. She couldn't believe what he was saying, she didn't want to believe. How could he run from her like this? The first sign of trouble and he didn't even think what they had was worth fighting for?

"Don't you think it's a bit early for this? I haven't gotten into Juilliard yet, you haven't heard from Naraku. We don't know what the future holds."

"Actually we heard from Naraku yesterday." Kikyou chimed. Her tone a little too eager for Kagome's liking. "We'll sign the contract on Friday."

Inuyasha looked away, not being able to stand that look in Kagome's eyes. The one that told him her heart was breaking right in front of him, and it was his fault.

"So that's it then? My audition is Friday, are you not planning to come anymore?" She shouldn't have asked, she didn't really want to know.

"You should focus on your dream and I'm gonna focus on mine. I...we- we never should've thought this could work."

Kagome stepped forward, still not wanting to believe this was all happening. She reached for him and he didn't move, but she saw him tense in anticipation of her touch. Her hand stilled and fell to her side. Her eyes watered, but she wouldn't let them fall. Not here, not in front of everyone.

"Right, s-sorry." She whispered, turning and leaving The Band behind.

Inuyasha's shoulders slumped as the door clicked closed. His deep breath was shaky and his nose burned with the tears he held back. He would not cry. He felt a light touch to his arm and found Kikyou's eyes staring back at him when he looked up. They were filled with sadness for him, but there was a glimmer of hope in there as well. It made him angry, to think she would dare to hope when he'd just given up something, someone, so precious to him. Without Kagome, what was there to hope for?

"Ripping off the bandaid right?" He said sarcastically as he shrugged her hand from his arm. "Lets get back to work."

Wednesday and Thursday passed with a blur and Kagome felt like she was moving on auto pilot. She'd come home from the practice space sobbing, falling into Sango's arms and unleashing all the feelings she'd bottled up while Inuyasha broke her heart in front of everyone. Her aunt stroked her hair and rocked her until her sobs quieted to small hiccups.

"H-he didn't even try!" She had screamed into Sango's chest. They both knew as the days drew nearer to her audition that they didn't have many options, but she never thought he'd give up so easy. Had what they shared really meant so little to him?

Coming back to the present, Kagome looked up as her name was called by the professors. She'd started by playing a classical piece. One where she felt comfortable, but could show her knowledge of the music. They interrupted her playing, asking her to play certain sections and show off certain skills. Then it was time for her to play her original piece, the one she'd named "Roses" because of how the song budded slowly before growing into something beautiful. The song had never reminded her of Inuyasha before, but now, now that he was gone he was all she could think about.

The song felt like their feelings for each other, slow to start then blossoming fully, taking them both by surprise at its magnificence. Just like all flowers, their love was beautiful but doomed to die. No matter how much they cared for it, the once rosy hue would fade into a crunchy brown. She closed her eyes as her fingers moved across the keys and soon tears she couldn't hold back were slipping down her cheeks. When she was finished she looked out into the crowd, only the faces of the professors and Sango looking back at her. He was supposed to be here, he was supposed to be supporting her.

You focus on your dream and I'll focus on mine. Kagome wanted to laugh bitterly. What good were dreams when you couldn't share them with the one you loved? Kagome never thought she could feel a loss as great as the one she'd overcome when her family had been killed. But losing Inuyasha, having him give up on her - on them - it was almost too much to bear.

"Thank you Miss Higurashi, we'll be in touch with you within the week." Kagome thanked them as she moved off stage. Sango was chatting excitingly in her ear, probably praising her and congratulating her on a job well done. Kagome couldn't hear a thing, not over the sound of her blood pumping in her ears and her heart ripping to shreds.

On the other side of town, Inuyasha and the rest of The Band sat in Naraku's office. In front of them stood a music deal - 20 pages long and just waiting for them to sign on the dotted line. Albums and tours outlined, the career he'd always wanted finally in his grasp. He looked around and he saw the grin on Naraku's face, the happiness that shone brightly in his friend's eyes and he wanted to feel it too...but he couldn't. Not when she was missing, not when she should've been by his side to share this moment with him.

Miroku placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. Knowing how he was feeling in the moment without having to be told. He hadn't seen Inuyasha this down in a long time, maybe not ever. He had thought what Inuyasha shared with Kagome was frivolous, something that started so quickly it was likely to end the same. Looking down at his bandmate and remembering the way Kagome had left practice that day, he wasn't so sure now.

"You okay, son? This is a happy occasion, yet you look like someone just shot your dog." Naraku joked. He did notice that the other girl from last time wasn't around, but shrugged it off. Bandmates come and go and at the end of the day, as long as he had Inuyasha he didn't care who backed him. The platinum boy would be a star, with or without the tag alongs.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Where do I sign?"

Kagome looked down as an unknown number flashed on her screen. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart pounded painfully in her chest. Her thumb shook as it connected the call.

"Hello? Yes, this is she." Kagome listened intently. Her eyes going wide as she turned at the sound of footsteps behind her. Sango poked her head into the kitchen, hearing Kagome's formal tone and deciding to be nosey.

"Thank you, thank you so much!" Kagome hung up and hugged her cell phone to her chest.

"Well? Who was it?" Sango asked impatiently. "Was it Juilliard? Did you make it?" The teen nodded and was soon swept up into her aunt's arms. They both screamed with excitement, jumping up and down like they'd just won the lottery. In a way, Kagome felt like she had.

"We have to celebrate! Congratulations Kagome." Though she smiled and was beyond grateful for her acceptance, the moment felt bittersweet. She hadn't spoken to Inuyasha or anyone from the band in over a week. The only other person she wanted to share this news with, seemed so far beyond her reach. It made her heart ache.

"Maybe later?" She asked solemnly. The only party she was in the mood to throw was a pity party. Sensing this, Sango wanted to argue. She wanted Kagome to remember what life was like before Inuyasha. She had survived without him once, she could do it again. Though this was clearly something she needed to feel. In her years on this planet Sango had learned that breakups were a lot like grieving, and you had go through every step of the process before anything got better. With that in mind, she allowed Kagome to go upstairs and wallow. She'd force her to do something special tomorrow.

As the black haired teen made her way upstairs, she moved her keyboard in front of her window, sitting gingerly in front of it. The snow had just begun to fall as the crisp autumn faded into a bitter winter. It was the first snow of year and she knew it wouldn't stick, but it was still pretty to watch. Every flake gently floated to the ground only to land on the concrete and melt. She hadn't been in the mood to play when she came up here, but now as her fingers ghosted over the keys she wondered how many more times she could play this song before Sango tossed her keyboard out the window.

It felt cathartic to play Affections Touching Across Time. The song she'd heard in her head after the first time she and Inuyasha kissed. The song that would never age. She smiled to herself as she played, to think, her and Inuyasha had created something so timeless. Even if she never got to see him again - she would have that, at least.

For the first time in a week, the heavy feeling that had settled over her chest was lighter. For days she had been trying to push what she felt for Inuyasha away. In a moment of clarity, Kagome realized more than anything she was scared. Inuyasha was scared too. He was scared it would be too hard, that loving each other, even with everything else going on - would be too hard. She had the same reservations but even in knowing that, she still had the courage to try. She wanted to be by his side, in every moment, in every way, big or small.

Her heart fluttered at the thought. She wouldn't give up. She wanted to stay with him in any way he wanted her. Taking her phone from her pocket, she scrolled through Instagram coming upon her settings and unmuting everyone from The Band. Suddenly her feed was filled with their posts, the app trying to feed her all the information she had blocked out.

Shippo had posted 2 days ago about a party they would be having at some club, a celebration of their signing. Taking a deep breath Kagome looked outside, watching the snow fall once more. She would go, and she would find Inuyasha. After that...she wasn't quite sure.

Inuyasha sat in his room, the space dark with his blinds closed and the sun hidden away by clouds. It was snowing finally. The trees had been bare for awhile and it was only a matter of time before the first snow began to fall. He'd been holed up in his room for a few days now. Soon it would be a week since he'd last seen Kagome. A week since he blew her off and she left the studio looking more sad than she ever deserved to look.

His guitar sat in his lap. His fingers plucking lightly, the chords of a song he'd written ringing softly. The song was sad, a letter to Kagome that was half goodbye and half an apology. As he continued to play Inuyasha inhaled deeply. The lyrics he'd written to accompany the melody dancing in his head.

But I never told you everything

I'm losing hope and fading dreams

and every single memory along the way

Memories. It felt like that was all he had now. Memories of Kagome, her smile, her touch, and their time together. He gave her up so she could chase her dreams, and he his, but everyday letting her go felt more and more like a mistake.

But what could he do now? Now that he'd already pushed her away and crushed her? How could he look her in the eyes and ask for her back? It wouldn't be right, all he could do now was keep going. Take everyday as it came and make the most out of this sacrifice. His bandmates, his friends needed him. He wouldn't let them down.

And then we both go down together

we may stay there forever

I'll just try to get up

and I'm sorry, this wasn't easy, when I asked you believe me

You never let go

But I let go

There was a soft knock on his door and Inuyasha gave verbal permission for them to enter. His mother poked her head in, her ebony locks spilling over her shoulders as she tilted her head to get a look inside the dark room. They made eye contact and she took that as permission to fully step into the room and make herself comfortable on his bed.

She looked at her son with sad eyes. Unsure of how to comfort him in the best way. She had been giving him space, allowing him the room he needed to feel his feelings and process them without her asking too many question or hounding him to tell her what was wrong. But it was going on days of this hermit behavior and she could only listen to him sing so many heartbreaking songs before she had to check on him.

"What's up mom?" He asked when his mother's pitiful gaze was becoming too much for him.

"Are you okay sweetheart?" Her tone genuine and full of concern. Inuyasha turned away from her. No he wasn't okay, but he would be - one day.

"I'm fine."

"I'm worried about you. When's the last time you've opened the blinds in here?" He couldn't help but roll his dark eyes.

"Mom..." he started to say dismissively. The small squeeze she gave his ankle made him pause. As his mother looked at him, or looked through him more like, Inuyasha never felt more small. Placing his guitar by his bedside, he turned around and laid his head in his mother's lap. It'd been a long time since he'd done this. Probably not since the day he found out his dad died. He remembered spending the whole night like this, crying and letting his mother run her gentle hands through his hair.

"You told me Naraku Onigumo likes your band. That's a big deal, you should be celebrating, yet you seem to be mourning instead."

"I am celebrating, The Band is having a party tonight. To celebrate."

"I'm glad." Izayoi said gently as she continued to massage her son's scalp. "Will Kagome be there?" The boy stiffened in her lap and suddenly every suspicion she had was confirmed.

"No, I don't think so mom." His tone soft and subdued. His arms came around his mother's waist and he gave her a squeeze, a tear slipping down his cheek without his permission, then another. Before he could control it, he was crying into his mother's lap and once again he felt thrown back in time. No longer was he the confident and capable young man he pretended to be, but instead he was a child, scared and wanting nothing more than his mother's comfort so everything bad could finally go away.

Kikyou turned as she inspected her reflection. She nervously smoothed her hands down her black mini skirt, and adjusted the stockings and thigh high socks she wore. She gathered her hair in her hands, pulling the strands up and off her neck. No, she would wear it down tonight. Moving away from the mirror, she turned towards her jewelry. One by one she layered up her silver chains, her favorite chain with the angel wing pendant going on last.

Nervously she ran her liquid eyeliner over her already thick wing. She put the pen down before she could anymore damage. She sprayed on the only perfume she owned. She wasn't the biggest fan of it, but one random day Inuyasha had told her she smelled good. He never commented on her scent after that, though she wore it faithfully in hopes he would say it again. Kikyou sighed at the pitifulness of it all as she turned to the mirror once more.

She racked over her form a final time, wanting to look her absolute best tonight. Not only was she celebrating a monumental moment with her best friends, but she was ready to tell Inuyasha how she felt. Now seemed as good a time as any. They were riding a high from signing their first major deal, even though Inuyasha had been acting like a kicked puppy since he'd ended things with Kagome. It was the perfect time to prove to him that she could make him happy, that she could heal his heart if only given the chance. With a few encouraging slaps to the cheeks, Kikyou sat on her bed to buckle her platform boots.

The music could be heard from the streets as the uber dropped Kikyou off in front of the party. The line to get into the club curved around the corner. She walked up to the bouncers and was let in immediately. Some people in line screamed for her as she stepped inside, giving them a small wave before the door closed. She smiled to herself, soon everyone around the world would know her name. They'd want to take pictures with her and get her autograph.

Her friends were sitting on a couch in the middle of the large lounge. The space was decked to the nines and the music pounded in her ears.

"Finally! You're here! Have a drink." Kikyou chuckled as Shippo shoved something unknown into her hands, chanting for her to chug and catch up. She made a face as she did as she was told, putting down the empty cup with a shudder. When she looked up Inuyasha was staring at her. She threw him a nervous smile and she was rewarded with a small upturn in the corner of his mouth.

She took one more shot before sitting next to him, getting close so he could hear her over the sound of the music.

"This is exciting isn't it?" She said enthusiastically. Their group had been to a lot of clubs, but never anything like this. The decorations were dazzling and she was pretty sure there were girls in leotards swinging from the ceiling. Inuyasha shrugged in reply, taking a sip of his drink before leaning back casually on the couch.

His outfit was simple and nothing outside of what he normally wore, but he seemed extra handsome today for some reason. Kikyou opened to her mouth to say something else, try to further the conversation, but he was so far away from her in that moment. His eyes were more distant than she'd ever seen them and she knew there would no use trying to pull him back from wherever he'd gone.

Giving up with a sigh, she returned to Miroku and Shippo. They danced and they drank and they laughed. They celebrated, all while Inuyasha sulked on the couch. Eventually he chugged the drink he'd been nursing and stood. Kikyou turned towards him, thinking he'd finally come to join, as he gave her his back and headed to the stairs. She frowned without meaning to and Miroku put a hand on her shoulder.

"Why don't you go see what's wrong?"

"We all know what's wrong." She huffed. It was Kagome. It was always Kagome.

Miroku gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze, before going off to look for Shippo. Her gaze went back to Inuyasha, only catching sight of the glass door leading to the rooftop sliding closed. She poured herself a shot from the bottle at their table. She was gonna need all the courage she could get.

Kagome walked into the club, wishing she had put a little more effort into her outfit. Looking down at her sweater, skirt, and thigh high sock combo; she was feeling a bit under dressed. Her Cocoa eyes scanned the room, roaming over swaying bodies and squinting when the strobing lights threatened to blind her. Moving towards the center of the crowd, Kagome quickly and politely cut through the sea of humans. After a couple elbows and shouts of 'excuse me' she ran into a circle of velvet ropes. In the center rested her former bandmates.

"Miroku! Shippo!" She called as she continued to move forward. Their eyes found her a moment later. Though the mirad of emotions that danced across their faces was almost enough to make her turn around, she braved onward. She couldn't turn back now, not when she had come this far. Not when Inuyasha was so close and maybe, just maybe, they could be something again.

"Kagome!" Shippo called first. They both ran toward each other, but security stopped Kagome before she could get too close, "hey, she's a friend!" Shippo told the burly man. With a nod he unhooked the ropes and soon Shippo and Kagome were hugging. It was hard to hear over the music, but she could have sworn she heard the Ginger boy apologizing to her.

"There's nothing for you to be sorry for." She said kindly, ruffling his hair and laughing at his peeved expression. She turned to Miroku next and he gave her gentle smile and a nod, setting down his drink so he could greet her properly.

"Good to see you again." He said smoothly.

"Yeah you too. Congratulations by the way, to both of you." Both boys thanked her and an awkward moment hung in the air between them.

"Uh, what about you?" Shippo said quickly to interrupt the silence, "how did your auditions go?"

"Well, I would say. Juilliard called me today and I start in the fall." Kagome laughed as Shippo picked her up and swung her around as much as he could with the limited space.

"I knew you could do it! Especially if a bone head like Inuyasha could see how talented you are, no way a place like Juilliard would let you go."

The awkward air returned as Shippo shined a light on the huge elephant in the room. He was going to apologize for bringing him up, but Kagome cut him off.

"Speaking of Inuyasha, I was wondering if either of knew where I could find him?" Anxious as she was to see him, Kagome missed the 'oh shit' look shared between the bandmates and guilty shuffling they did from foot to foot.

"I think he went to get some air. He wasn't in the best mood for a party." Miroku admitted.

Kagome tried not to let the knowledge make her heart pound. He'd scored a major record deal, he should be on cloud nine. According to Miroku, he wasn't, and she couldn't help but hope it was because of her. She hoped with all her heart he was missing her as much as she was him, that the moment he saw her he wouldn't want them to be apart anymore. She hoped...he loved her as much she did him.

Looking around her old friends, she found the set of stairs leading outside to the large patio. If he wasn't in front of the building getting air, he must have been out there.

"Thanks guys, I'm gonna try and go talk to him."

She turned to walk away and Shippo reached out wanting to stop her, knowing full well Kikyou had followed Inuyasha out there barely ten minutes before Kagome showed up. The hand on his shoulder stopped him and Miroku gave him a look that clearly said 'it's not your place'. Inuyasha, Kikyou, and Kagome all needed to sort their feelings for themselves, but mainly Inuyasha.

"Let them be."

Shippo caught the sight of sliding glass in his peripheral.

It was times like these Inuyasha wished he smoked. Weed, tobacco, something. Anything to calm his nerves. That room was sensory overload in his fragile state. There was only one place he wanted to be. One place were he would feel content, like all was right in the world.

"It's cold to be standing out here, no jacket or anything?" The platinum boy turned to watch his oldest friend approach. He blew off her comment with a loud 'keh', returning his chin to the palm of his hand and continuing to gaze into the distance.

"Well excuse me for worrying about you." Kikyou said as she sided up to him.

"I didn't ask you to be worried." He grumbled.

"You don't have to ask," she finished with a gentle hand on his arm, coaxing his eyes toward her. "I care about you, I'll always worry."

Though he didn't respond the look in eyes softened. A piece of the wall he'd put up since Kagome left coming down. Hand still on his arm, Kikyou took the moment to get closer. Stepping firmly into his personal space. He looked at her curiously, but didn't move away.

"You do know I care about you right? More than anything?"

"Kikyou..." He turned fully towards her then, moving from the banister to stand at his full height. Without taking the time to think, she placed her arms around his middle. Squeezing him tight and never wanting to let go. She pressed her cheek to his chest, taking in the feel of him and savoring it.

Arms still securely around his waist, Kikyou looked up at him. He was already looking down at her, blushing and confused. As close as they were, they'd never embraced like this. It was different, but to Kikyou it felt right. She pushed up onto her toes, tilting her head and bumping lightly into his nose as she tilted her chin. She looked into his eyes before she made contact, sensing his hesitation and pressing forward anyway.

"Please Inuyasha...let me. Ever since we were kids, I've wanted to."

She swallowed whatever retort he'd been about to give her. Slowly she worked his mouth, her lips moving over his to coax him to kiss her back. His hands came to her shoulders and Kikyou moaned at the feel. Anything; she would take anything she could get from him. She loved him so much, she would be content with scrapes.

The girlish gasp scared them apart. They jumped at least a foot away from each other before turning to the source of the intrusion.

"Kagome? Kagome, wait!"

The moment Inuyasha left her side, Kikyou had never felt colder.

If Kagome thought her heart was broken before, the scene in front of her left her shattered. She'd been so dumb, so naive to the think Inuyasha would be sitting around waiting for a girl like her. Why would he when someone as beautiful as Kikyou was around. Clearly Kikyou liked him too, so it was perfect wasn't it?

He could get everything he wanted, the girls, the money, the fame, and what was she left with?

The image of him kissing someone else. Someone who would always be there, who wasn't going away. Not like she was. She should've never thought or hoped it could be different. The tears blinded her as she desperately tried making it to the exit. She couldn't breathe.

"Kagome!" No, no, she had to leave. She had to get away. The cold air felt freezing on her wet face. It stunned her for just a second too long.

"Please, Kagome just let me explain!" Inuyasha said far too loudly for how close they were. His large hand warm around her wrist.

"Oh now you want to explain?" She questioned, her tone frosty and dripping in sarcasm. "Where was my explanation when you were breaking my heart in front of all your friends?" She yelled, the anger, the hurt, and everything in between bubbling up inside of her.

"I deserve that." He said with his head hung low. "I...haven't been fair to you. I thought I would never see you again."

"Is that why you kissed her?"

"No!" He said quickly, and apparently loudly as everyone in line to get in the club turned their way. "Can we go somewhere away from here?" He pleaded.

Without answering him verbally, Kagome began to walk away. Taking that for a yes, Inuyasha quickly made his way to her side. There was respectable distance between them. Though all he had to do was reach out to touch her, he still felt a million miles away from her. The silence was a bit tense, both of them a little on edge. Only the sounds of cars and their horns filled the space.

Digging her chin deeper into her scarf, Kagome used the warm fabric to shield herself from both the cold and the boy beside her. As they continued on their quiet journey, the buildings around them slowly became more familiar. Until finally, they arrived at the loft where the band practiced.

As Inuyasha stepped forward to enter, the girl behind him paused. Her eyes looking uncertain and a sort of tension in her muscles that looked as if she was ready to bolt at any moment. Maybe it had been a bad idea to bring her back here.

"You okay?" he asked tentatively.

Kagome wasn't entirely sure how to answer that question. The last memory she had of this place was a terrible one. A memory filled with regret, embarrassment, and heartbreak. Then she remembered the first time she came to this place. A time where they laughed and played and already her heart was beating for him. That memory gave her the courage to move forward. She moved around him to step inside first, blinking rapidly to help adjust to the sudden brightness of the lights.

Without taking too much time to think about it, Kagome made a beeline for the keyboard. She tied her up and Inuyasha knew she was getting ready to play. He sat on the couch and made himself comfortable and she got ready. Unconsciously he ran his hands over the worn cushions. Images of Kagome's hair sprawled and her legs around his hips dancing in his mind, her moans ringing in his ears.

The sound of keyboard brought his attention back to the girl in front of him. He'd never heard this song before, but it was beautiful in a way, he'd come to realize, that only Kagome could make it. Her playing was ethereal, the notes sending him to a place of tranquility. The underlying sadness of the piece breaking his heart, but the strength he felt in the notes made him not want to give up, it made him feel like he could weather any storm.

How could you learn to enjoy the sun if there was never any rain?

He approached her as she finished. Squeezing in next to her on the bench meant for one.

"I wrote the song that night after you kissed me on the porch." She started. Her hands continued to dance over notes, as she looked at him. "Will you tell me how you felt when you heard it?"

Inuyasha gulped, feeling a bit put on the spot. Sharing his feelings was difficult, but something he was quickly learning was necessary. He didn't know what would come of this thing he was doing with Kagome. All he knew was that he'd been feeling like shit for weeks and the feeling hadn't let up in the slightest until he saw her again.

"The song...made me feel a little sad. I felt, hope and strength. It kinda felt like the song would give up or end at any moment, but it kept going."

Kagome smiled at his analysis. Happy to hear his interpretation and comforted by the fact he felt a lot of the same things as her when she played.

"I feel like nothing is impossible when I play this. We always feel like we're running out of time, when really time is infinite. As long as you keep moving forward everything will happen as it's meant to be. When we kiss...I feel like even if we're not meant to be together in this life, there is a time that is meant for us."

"Do you think we've been doomed from the start?" He asked quietly, scared of his words and scared of her answer. Her response was non verbal, scooting closer to him and placing her head on his shoulder. She threw her calves over his knees and cuddled the arm closest to her, intertwining their fingers.

"All I know...is that I wanna be by your side, for as long as you'll have me."

There was slight pressure of the top her head as Inuyasha placed his cheek there. Though impossible, he tried to bring her closer to him. He gave their joined hands a gentle squeeze. He wanted to thank her, but he didn't think he knew the words to express this feeling of gratitude at this second chance he'd been given.

"Yeah, I'd like that a lot."

This story was meant to be a cute little prompt that turned into a beast. If you've made it the end, thank you and let me know what you think of the story.

Until next time