Okay, brief note before we begin. I'm sorry that updating has been so out of whack lately, but with Jade's medical issues, it's hard for a big sister to concentrate on anything other than seeing her dear imouto pulling through this difficulty…it's been hard for all of us, but Jade's been really brave about it, I think…Anyway, one of you asked if Kanna was going to be in this story, and the answer is no. Sorry, but she is going to be in my next story, so yeah. Also, one person told me they didn't understand the last chapter…then said something about pairings…it was kinda a grammatical mess so I didn't understand what they were asking. So, Step of Faith, if you're still confused about…whatever you're confused about, please tell me clearly what the problem is and I'll try to clear it up for you personally. Okay, now back to our regularly scheduled questiony-introduction thingy.
Yay! Party time! Does anyone wonder where Christmas went? Does anyone really care at this point? If anyone does want Christmas, I recommend that you go check out If Wishes by Jade. That'll give you all the Christmas you can handle and then some. ~_^ So then, will Nasty Naraku actually come to crash the New Years Party? Or will he just stay home and skin cats, or whatever it is that he does for fun when Kikyo's not around? Will Kikyo stick close to Kagura, or will it be too hard to do with Kagura wandering off to have "alone time" with Kouga? Are Sango and Miroku fooling around all the time, or do they actually take breaks to socialize with other people? Will Sesshoumaru make it back to the party before midnight? If not, will Kohaku generously offer his services as Midnight Kisser to Rin? Will Ayame come to the party to be all skanky around Kouga? Will someone kick her? Will it be Jade? You too can prevent sad authors by continuing through this latest bit of…
*****
Center Stage
Part 18
*****
"Kagome, we're almost out of bean dip!" Kohaku called to the nearby girl, handing her a bowl as he managed to get through the crowd that had filled his home up over the past couple of hours. It seemed that the cast and crew had never seemed so numerous before, but packed into one living room together, there suddenly seemed to be swarms of people even though the total number was really more like twenty to thirty people. There were just about twenty people filling the cast and crew, but with the dates that some of the people had brought along with them, it made the number rise just enough to make the teeming crowd that packed the living room now. "Can you make some more or something? I need to go fix a problem with the second floor bathroom."
"Sure!" Kagome had helped with the original batch of dip, so she knew where everything she'd need was located in the kitchen. And she certainly would rather mix up some dip than fix a bathroom problem of any sort. After all, the party was fun, but she could do with a short break. Pushing past a small group of freshmen girls, one of which she recognized as the curtain operator Ayame, and the rest of which appeared to be friends she'd brought along, Kagome made her way to the kitchen.
"Okay, but don't tell your brother, okay? He'll get pissed I'm giving you these." Inuyasha was in the center of the kitchen, handing a couple of fresh baked cookies to Shippo, who was nearly bouncing in his enthusiasm to receive the treats. "Hey, Kagome. Need something?"
"What, are you the kitchen master now?" Kagome laughed at the slightly harried look on his face as he turned to scoop the rest of the cookies off the baking sheet and on a plate to cool. "Did Sango put you to work?"
"Well, I came in here for some more soda, and then she got me started on digging out a bread bowl for dip, and then she disappeared to go make out with Miroku or something." Inuyasha explained. "And I've been stuck in here since then. No one fucking knows how to do shit here."
"You made cookies?" Kagome's eyebrows arched in surprise as Inuyasha scooped out more of the raw dough from a big mixing bowl to make a new batch of the treats.
"Well, we were out, and there was spare cookie dough from before, so I had to make more." Inuyasha shrugged as if this was all very commonplace for him. "What do ya need?"
"Oh…I was just going to make some more bean dip since we're out." Kagome told him, setting her bowl down and getting the ingredients out quickly. "You know, you don't have to stay locked in the kitchen for the whole party."
"Yeah, I know, but I was out there for a while and…I dunno, its kinda fun and all, but it's way too damn noisy." Inuyasha explained. "Makes me miss the parties we used to have, remember?"
"Like the Halloween party. That was fun." Kagome sighed before gasping in alarm. "Inuyasha, we totally skipped your birthday this year! We didn't even throw you a party!"
"Aw, no big deal." Inuyasha shrugged, scooping out the last cookie and placing the tray in the heated oven. "I dunno, it's been kinda weird this year. Like, everyone's gotten all crazy and shit. We didn't do Rin's either, but you know how Sesshoumaru and her like to spend it alone."
"Yeah, I know." Kagome felt a twinge of sadness. She hadn't really just talked to Inuyasha in so long…they'd been so busy "fighting" that they hadn't said much to each other for months. "You know…I don't…I mean, I guess it pissed me off, what happened and all, but I kinda…you know, I miss being friends, Inuyasha."
"Yeah." His answer was soft, a deep sigh following it as he set the timer for the cookies. "Yeah, I know. It's been so fucked up ever since…ever since the play started." He told her.
"Well, I don't think that just because…some things happened between us…" Kagome struggled for the right words to communicate how she felt. "I don't think we should just…hate each other forever or anything. I mean, I'm really not mad anymore. Just kinda…I don't know."
"So…" Inuyasha stepped toward her cautiously. "Are we friends again?" Kagome looked up at him, her blue eyes watering as she nodded.
"Yeah." She told him, sniffling slightly as one tear streaked down her cheek. She felt happy to know that things weren't destroyed between Inuyasha and her, but at the same time, she felt like she was giving up something very important. "We're friends." Inuyasha's face split into a wide grin, and Kagome's own smile mirrored it as she felt a sob rise in her throat.
"I'm s-such a…silly girl. Always c-crying." She reached up to wipe her tears away, and Inuyasha did something he hadn't done in a long time, except onstage. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and patting her head as she cried into his shoulder.
"It's okay." He assured her, feeling a bit worried, but then again, next to some of the stuff he was dealing with recently, a crying Kagome was no big deal. She really did cry all the time. "I'm used to it." He stood there, stroking her hair over her back and nuzzling against the top of her head as she let the emotions pour out of her.
"S-sorry." She apologized as her tears slowed, and finally stopped completely. Inuyasha couldn't believe how different it was to hold Kagome on the stage when they were just playing out parts in a play compared to really holding her like he was right then. It was something he'd never noticed before, and it gave him a feeling of giddiness that he didn't want to let go of.
"No problem," he took her face in his hands, wiping the wetness away with careful fingers as she watched him through big blue eyes full of trust that he thought he'd never get to see looking at him honestly ever again. "It's so good to have you back, you know that? You're my best fucking friend, Kags."
"Inuyasha," she smiled slightly, but something about the moment seemed too serious for smiling, and it faded as soon as it touched her lips. Inuyasha was still wiping at her tears, and her heart fluttered uncontrollably as his index finger brushed under her chin and his thumb grazed over her lips at the same time. His eyes snapped to hers then, and as her face heated, she realized that something important was happening between them right then. If only he bent down just a little bit…
"Is that bean dip ready cause…oh for the love of everything holy!" Kohaku threw up his arms as he entered the kitchen, looking more than a little disheveled from rushing around the party and keeping everything in order. "Are you two done?"
"Done?" Inuyasha yelped. Kagome and him had sprung apart instantly when they heard him speaking as he entered the kitchen. "Um…the cookies still have another three minutes." He pointed to the oven as though that was his only concern in the world.
"I…almost…I just…um, need to grate this cheese." Kagome shakily got the cheese grater out and set to work finishing her dip before handing it to Kohaku who was staring at them both with his hands on his hips as though to say that he knew exactly what had delayed the making of the dip, and he didn't approve in the least. Inuyasha and Kagome couldn't stop blushing until Kagome rushed out of the kitchen after Kohaku, leaving Inuyasha with his cookies.
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Kouga had decided that this New Years Party sucked. If he was going to have to dress "nice" as Kagura insisted, then have her parading around in that dress she got from her father for Christmas, he should damn well get some action out of it. But apparently, they were to spend the rest of the evening on Kikyo guard duty in case Naraku showed up. Now, Kouga could understand the cause of Kagura's concern and all, but she looked really good in that dress, and he didn't think that Kikyo would get kidnapped or anything if they just took a short break from protecting her. And it wasn't like he could leave Kagura alone until she decided that spending time with him was better then protecting the cold and silent Kikyo, because there was a group of freshman girls that kept hovering near them, looking like they wanted to eat him alive the second he was out of reach of Kagura. It was not a fun time.
"Hey Kouga!" Ayame's perky voice brought him out of his silent sulk, and he realized with mounting fear that she was the leader of the group of scary freshman girls, who had taken advantage of Kouga being lost in his own thoughts to pounce upon the unsuspecting young man. "So you came to the party then! Are you having fun?" Kouga thought that Ayame was a nice enough girl, but she was kind of…clingy.
"Um, sure, I guess." Kouga noticed that Kagura wasn't anywhere nearby and he nearly yelped in shock. Hadn't she said something to him about needing to go to the bathroom? When would she get back?
"These are my friends!" Ayame gestured to the giggling girls that were gathered behind her. "Do you know them?"
"No, not really." Kouga was starting to really hope that Kagura got back soon. Ayame was kind of annoying, and nice though she might be, he didn't really go in for ditzy girls.
"Oh! Well, let me introduce them to you!" all the girls giggled in excited anticipation as Ayame pulled the first one forward, a blushing girl with large dark eyes and short black hair. "This is Ameko, and she's my best friend."
"Hi Kouga!" Ameko all but squealed, and Kouga winced. Just when he was thinking that Ayame could get a little irritating…
"Uh, hey." He waved to her, backing up slightly until he hit the table covered in trays of cookies and other snacks. Where was Kagura?
"And this is Hana!" Ayame pulled another girl forward, but Kouga was hardly paying attention to the newest squealing girl, as he had finally spotted Kagura and Kikyo rejoining the party. Kagura had spotted him already, and was approaching them at an alarming speed.
"Nice to meet you, Kouga!" Hana was blushing furiously, but before he could reply, Kagura was back by his side.
"Sorry I was gone so long, sweetie." Kagura wasn't really one to use pet names, but he had some idea that it had something to do with showing these girls exactly why their presence wasn't welcome. "Oh, look at these cute little freshmen. Aren't they cute, Kikyo?" Kagura wound an arm back around Kouga possessively, and he couldn't have been more relieved to see an angry Kagura in his entire life.
"Adorable." Somehow, Kikyo managed to look like she was considering whether to skewer the girls on a stick or eat them raw. Kouga was impressed. He had no idea that the slightly creepy girl could manage to be so…scary.
"Don't we know you?" Kagura's sights focused on Ayame, whose friends had all retreated to hide behind her. Ayame did not look like she wanted to be anywhere near Kikyo or Kagura. "You're that curtain girl, aren't you? Are these your little friends?"
"I…I was just…saying hi." Ayame sounded utterly terrified, and Kouga couldn't blame her. Kikyo was altogether unpredictable, but Kagura looked ready to skin the girl alive with her bare hands.
"That's sweet of you." Kagura offered Ayame a smile that was somehow more terrifying than the look of cold danger on Kikyo's face. "What was your name again?"
"A…Ayame." She managed after a moment of licking dry lips.
"Well, Ayame, I don't know if you've ever met my dear friend, Kikyo." Kagura made a smooth sweep of her hand that made Kikyo seem very impressive indeed. "Have you met, Kikyo?"
"I don't believe we have." Kikyo replied, and then she smiled. Kouga had to remind himself that Kikyo would not eat his head right off of his neck, as he had done nothing wrong.
"Kikyo, this is Ayame." Kagura made a dismissive gesture toward the freshman. "Ayame, this is Kikyo. Now, shake hands."
"Um…I don't think…" Ayame eyed Kikyo's tilted head and casually extended hand doubtfully.
"It would be very rude not to shake hands, wouldn't it, Kikyo?" Kagura asked the other girl.
"Terribly insulting." Kikyo intoned. Kouga hoped that Kagura was never mad at him. Ayame made a noise of startled fear as one of her friends pushed her forward and she took Kikyo's hand, looking as though she were grabbing a snake by its head. Kouga couldn't tell if Kikyo was putting unnecessary force into the gesture, but from the look on Ayame's face when the hand was released, he assumed that was the case. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice…to meet you." Ayame nearly ran away at that point, her friends following her quickly, and moving as far from the trio as they could before casting wary glances at them from the other side of the room.
"That was handled wonderfully, Kikyo. Thanks for your help." Kagura smiled at her friend.
"No problem." Kikyo seemed herself again, and Kouga realized that Kikyo wasn't really that creepy at all, once he'd seen her in full-on scary mode.
"Kagura?" he wrapped an arm around his girlfriend and she smiled up at him warmly, as though she had not been terrifying freshmen only moments ago. "I love you."
"Me too." She answered, giggling lightly before standing on tiptoes to give him a quick kiss on the lips.
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"Here, help me hand out glasses!" Sango called out to Kagura as she caught the other girl's attention near the table where she was pouring glasses of sparkling cider for the New Years toast. Shippo was hovering nearby, and while Sango was waving to the other girl, he snatched a glass off the table and emptied it in one swift gulp before placing it back on the table and disappearing under the edge to steal more cookies. Kagura was positive that somewhere under the tablecloths, Souta and Shippo had constructed a fort where they were gorging themselves on stolen goodies, but she figured that if they were clever enough to get away with it, she wouldn't stop them. "Oh, Kagura, could you help me hand these out? I've already got Miroku and Inuyasha out there…Kagome! Kagome! Come here!" Kagura snatched up a tray and loaded it with glasses, moving away before Kagome could answer the call to duty. At least Sango and Miroku were finally doing something. Kagura was beginning to think that Sango thought that making out with Miroku was an important hostess duty.
"I'll take one, my sweetness." Naraku grabbed one of her glasses as she handed another to Kouga, who was practically snarling at the other man. "It's so nice to be served by you."
"Hey, asshole, just back off." Kouga looked ready to rip Naraku's balls out through his throat, but Naraku didn't look the least bit scared.
"Kouga, always a pleasure. I take it that your adorable little brother is somewhere nearby, no doubt?" Naraku's smile was purely malicious, and Kagura put a hand in front of Kouga to stop him from lunging at Naraku. She leaned in, going on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.
"Don't worry about him. Remember what we talked about." Kagura kept her voice soft, soothing, and Kouga nodded sharply, glaring at Naraku, but not openly attacking him as the other man walked away as though he hadn't a care in the world. "I love you, Kouga, just remember that."
"Why'd he have to show up?" Kouga grumbled. "Fucking asshole."
"It's okay, baby, it's okay." Kagura planted a kiss on his lips before pulling away to continue handing out glasses. "It's almost over, alright? We'll go home a little bit after midnight."
"Oh…okay…hey, where is Shippo?" Kouga looked around in panic, as he couldn't spot his brother.
"He's safe, don't worry." Kagura assured him before moving on. She sincerely hoped that she was right. And where had Kikyo gotten off to? She'd said something about a midnight kiss…there she was, next to Inuyasha and Kagome. Kagura nodded and decided that Kikyo was safe enough for now, handing out the last of her glasses as Sango and Miroku finished getting cider to the few people who were not holding a glass yet. Souta had somehow gotten a half-full bottle of the stuff, and he wasn't sharing, much to Shippo's obvious displeasure. The two had emerged from their fort as the time reached closer and closer to midnight. Kagura hurried to stand next to Kouga so that she wouldn't get separated from him when the time came.
"Okay, everyone! We've got the countdown ready!" Sango switched on the television, which told everyone in the room that it was only one minute until midnight. Everyone became silent as they waited for the final countdown. Nearby, Rin was looking at her watch and then at the television frantically, as Sesshoumaru had yet to make an appearance at the party. Kagura noted that Kohaku seemed to be ready to offer her comfort nearby.
"Hey! Gimme some of that!" Shippo came tearing through the crowd, hard on Souta's heels as both boys fought over the remains of the cider. Shippo ran right into a freshman girl who squealed in alarm as cider spilled all over her shirt.
"Shippo! Stop that!" Kouga called out as Ayame ran from the room to clean up. Kagura would have congratulated the little boy, but she didn't think that would be very nice of her. Maybe she'd save him some cookies for later. Kagome and Inuyasha had intercepted the two boys, and Sango was helping them pour the cider into two more glasses for the little boys to toast with. Kikyo was looking on with bland disinterest when a flash of movement caught her eye. Rin was running out of the room the back way, as though she had forgotten something, but she had almost tripped over Naraku, who was headed toward Kagome with a look of determination in his dark eyes.
Oh well, it's her own fault for listening to him. Kikyo told herself, but right on top of that, a voice that sounded remarkably like Kagura's sounded in her mind. You swore that you wouldn't let it happen again. You said that you'd protect Kagome. Even she doesn't deserve to have that happen to her. Do something!
I must be getting soft. Kikyo sighed to herself before moving to intercept, stepping in front of Naraku with a look of feigned lust in her eyes.
"Kiss me at midnight?" she asked, as though she wanted it. Naraku's eyes went from Kagome to her, and then he shrugged, nodding.
"Let's get out of here." He pulled her wrist and she could feel the bile in her throat as they slipped out of the room. She knew what was coming.
"Okay! Everyone, thirty seconds!" Sango and Miroku started up the countdown, and everyone joined in, glasses raised. Inuyasha rose from attending to the two raucous young boys to see that Kikyo had disappeared. He never knew what she was thinking. And then he turned again to see Kagome trying to get Souta to settle down when she almost spilled her cider everywhere. He reached out, steadying her hand and she looked up, eyes wide.
"Thanks." She blushed.
"No problem." He noticed that she was incredibly close, as though they were almost hugging.
"Fifteen seconds!" a voice called out in the din of excitement. Kagura had heard once that if you kissed someone at midnight of the New Year, and you both loved each other, then you would stay together forever. It was probably just a fairytale, a superstition, but standing next to Kouga, it seemed like there was magic sparking in the air between them.
"I love you." She told him, feeling a bit foolish. How many times was it okay to say that before it became stupid?
"I love you too." He told her. Her worries melted under the warmth of glowing blue eyes.
"Ten!" the shout came from almost every voice in the room and could be heard in the outside entry hallway, where Rin stood, wringing her hands, when suddenly, the doorknob turned.
"Sesshoumaru?" she knew she must look like a fool, but she couldn't help it. She'd so wanted to spend this moment with the man that she loved.
"Nine!"
"I made it?" he looked as though he'd been in a hurry, and no doubt he had. He knew how important things like this were to Rin. And what mattered to Rin, mattered to him.
"Eight!"
"Just in time." She beamed up at him, rushing forward to let him embrace her. She'd been so worried that he wouldn't make it.
"Seven!" Back in the main room, Sango smiled up at Miroku. How could she be so lucky? A new year, a new start, and she couldn't think of a better person to start out with by her side.
"I love you." She told him.
"Six!"
"I know it." He smiled back down at her, his eyes twinkling. It would be a hard year, she knew, but there could be no better start than this.
"Five!"
Down the hallway, no one could hear the sounds of Kikyo's crying above the din in the living room.
"Four!"
Inuyasha felt like his head was spinning. When had his arms gone around Kagome? Why was she looking up at him like that, with her eyes so wide? Why did he feel like there was something he desperately wanted to say to her?
"Three!"
This is where I'm happiest. How could I forget? She means so much to me. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat as he realized that he was leaning down, and he knew exactly what he was intending to do.
"Two!"
I have no right...will she stop me? But those eyes were so full of trust, and something else…what was that?
"One!"
I love you.
"Happy New Year!" the cry went up as all across the room, people toasted, and four pairs of lips met to bring in the new year with a kiss.
This is a new year, after all. Maybe now we can be happy.
*****
The End (Of Part 18, That Is)
Sap, sap, saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap! Okay, in honor of sap, this chapter is dedicated to Agent Kishuku. You know you liked it, even though it had Naraku.
Oh yeah. If one more person nags me about Kagome and Inuyasha not getting together, I'm going to kill off both characters. I can make it happen. And don't give me shit about being harsh, as I've been warning you guys about this before now. And Chai, yes, she is naïve in the anime. Look how naïve she is here. She would have to be naïve to buy that load of crap from Naraku. I think you're confusing naïvete with being utterly pure, but there's a certain level of gullibility that goes along with it, and she definitely has that. Also, if she's so damn sweet, why does she faceplant Inuyasha all the time? And I know people would like this story more if I ignored the rape victim and her boyfriend in favor of Kagome and Inuyasha, but I would feel like a cheap and petty sellout, so you can deal or go read one of the five kazillion fics that are just canon main couples jumping each other. Go ahead.