Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and I'm too lazy to write a witty comment (makes you wonder what the rest of the chapter will be like...).

Slay The Music

Scene Thirty-One: Less Than Fine Peace of Mind

Sango stretched out on a couch backstage that evening, reviewing her songs in her head. The next concert was the day after tomorrow and she had a feeling it would be interesting.

"How are ya feeling Sango-chan?" Ayame walked in with a cup of coffee.

"Anxious to be honest, I can't wait for this concert," she replied.

"Is there something I'm missing about this one?"

"No, there's no stupid scripts or anything like that but I have a feeling something will happen now that Bankotsu and Miroku are back together—in a band, that is. Do you feel left out?"

"Kinda, but hanging out with wolves is better than demon-strength human Bankotsu. Not that I don't like him, he's just always there..."

"Between you and Hiten," Sango added quietly.

There was a pause.

"...Sango...?" Ayame started as she sat on the floor and leaned her head against Sango's thigh, "Is it possible for scars to heal?"

"Ayame, Hiten died years ago, and if he was selfish enough to kill himself in front of you without any regard for your feelings, let the bastard burn in hell."

Ayame sat quietly for a moment, "I wonder what he's thinking now, if he's watching us. You think he's vengeful, or sorrowful, like we write in those songs?"

"I would say he's jealous," Sango said.

"Why would you say that?"

"A little birdie told me," she smiled.

"Oh?" Ayame brightened up a bit, "And what did this birdie tell you?"

"Aya and Kôga sitting in a tree," Sango teased.

Ayame blushed, "It did not!"

"Did too!"

"Me and him aren't—"

"Aya," her tone became serious, "Kôga's a good man, he knows when to draw the line, contrary to popular belief. He has a lot of feelings that he keeps inside that he won't show to anyone... It kills me to watch him break down."

"Break... down?"

"You know, the frustration builds up and the next thing you know your wrecking your house then crying on your best friend's shoulder," Sango sighed, "he does it to often, and for good reasons too."

"Kôga does? Are we talking about the same Kôga?"

"Have you noticed? He writes most of the songs for their band, he does a lot of promos without Inuyasha, and co-manages the band. Not to mention," She began to whisper, "He has a phobia of being on stage alone."

"Really!" Ayame gasped in disbelief.

"He takes pills for it every day. Well I gotta go, and by the way, you didn't here this from me."

Inuyasha and Kôga sat together in a room backstage smoking over their music.

"Again from the top," Inuyasha said looking over the music.

"Are you sure it's okay to be practicing without the rest of the band?"

"They're fine," Inuyasha said picking up the music and shifting through the papers.

A note slipped out of them.

"Sesshômaru's note..." Inuyasha muttered as he picked it up.

"It's kinda weird not having Sesshômaru around on the tour, ne?" Kôga asked.

"A little bit," Inuyasha said, "I'm not worried..."

"Yes you are. You've been practicing more than usual," Kôga said.

"I always practice," Inuyasha put out his cigarette.

"You've also been smoking and acting like Sesshômaru," Kôga added.

Inuyasha stayed quiet.

"You see," Kôga grabbed the scores from his hand.

"Oi!"

"That's the first 'oi' I've heard outta you since," Kôga frowned, placing the papers back on the coffee table.

"I told you, I'm not worried," Inuyasha gave a cold stare towards Kôga.

"What happened to 'Oi, Wolf-Breath, we've got a concert to prepare for?'"

"I'm tired, that's all..."

"Tired my ass," Kôga rolled his eyes. "You slept like a dead chicken last night for ten hours! Ten! I got two!"

"Shut up, I don't wanna hear it," Inuyasha said as Kôga received another cold stare.

"Well if this isn't about Sesshômaru than it must be about a chick," Kôga leaned back in his chair, resting his bass guitar in his lap and lazily holding the fingerboard. "This is about Kagome, isn't it?"

Inuyasha's face suddenly reddened as he put on a surprised sort of look and then yelled, "What!"

"It's definitely about Kagome," Kôga nodded with his conclusion.

"We aren't doing anything together!"

"Ah, you said 'we.' If you really weren't thinking about her it would've been 'me and her.'"

"You're making that up," Inuyasha growled.

"I've been your best man for what, seventeen years now? You think I don't pick up things like that?"

"Only an idiot would," Inuyasha glared.

"Takes one to know one, right? Besides, you haven't done a great job defending yourself."

"Kagome and I are not together!"

"You said her name... This must be serious," Kôga said with a teasing voice as he leaned in with fake interest.

"Wolf-Dung! You'll regret this!"

"Ah, the endearing nicknames, he's back to normal. My work is done."

"Kôga..." Inuyasha gave off a threatening growl.

"Oh? Stepping on your territory am I?" Kôga laughed.

"Well then what of you and Ayame? Hmm? I smell her all over you, you filthy wolf."

"Oh, you be quiet," Kôga leaned back again, "She's just going through a rough time."

"You playing her then?"

"No! I don't do that sort of thing, man," Kôga frowned.

"Then what are you doing with her?"

"Being a friend," Kôga rubbed his eyes. "Besides, there're more interesting couples to be talking of."

"Oh?"

"Miroku's getting with Little Sister," Kôga smirked.

"Really?"

"What are you blind?" Kôga threw his pick at him.

"I never thought San-chan would actually give in," Inuyasha gave Kôga an interested look.

"Don't tell me you haven't picked up the fucker's scent all over her!"

"I haven't been paying attention!"

"Ah, Kagome, she's really got your attention," Kôga smirked.

"Wolf-Breath!" Inuyasha stood up and threatened to claw his eyes out.

"I'm joking! No! Don't hit me while I've got my bass guitar here! No! Dog-Face!" Kôga placed his bass in its stand and then ran behind a nearby table.

"Come here coward and take your punishment like a pure-blood!"

"Ha! I've got my blood to prove that. Besides, I don't see why you get so riled up when I mention her!"

"You're walking on dangerous territory, wolf!"

"You are obsessed with her!" Kôga pointed an accusing finger at his comrade before ducking underneath the table to escape Inuyasha's claws.

"You wimpy wolf get back here!"

Kôga attempted to trip Inuyasha who jumped just in time.

"Do you know how hard it is to try to get you in tight leather!" Kôga yelled as he ran behind another chair.

"Maybe you shouldn't wear it then!" Inuyasha yelled as he swiped through it.

"My publicist says it makes me look sexy!"

"Like you care!" Inuyasha clawed at him again.

"Boys!" A female voice came from the chaos.

"Shit..." the two muttered as they realized who it was...

"Kikyô..." Kôga offered the word the both were dreading at the moment.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked in a strict voice.

"Nothing," Kôga stood up and rubbed the back of his head as if he were a five-year-old in trouble.

"Doesn't look like nothing to me," she said glancing at the bits of broken furniture about the room.

The two of them just stared back, not offering any explanations—if any could persuade her that it was not their doing.

"Clean it up," she stared back in a professionally pissed manner, "and I'll be informing your boss of this."

"Shi-ma-ta..." Kôga sighed as she left. "At least my bass wasn't harmed..."

"Get to work, this is your fault after all, Wolf," Inuyasha shot a death-glare at him.

"What?" Kôga barked through his teeth.

"You heard me."

"I'm afraid I'm going deaf," he gritted his teeth.

"This is your fault!" Inuyasha yelled.

"And yours as well!" Kôga yelled back.

Inuyasha turned his back on him.

"Inuyasha! There you go again, back to your brother's attitude! What the hell is wrong with you?"

"It's nothing! Would you mind your own fucking business!"

"Dog-Breath!" Kôga yelled in frustration, "Your business is my business! You said we were in this together!"

"Maybe I don't want to be in this together!"

"Then what are you suggesting," Kôga crossed his arms and looked sternly at Inuyasha as he turned to face Kôga.

"I just want to be alone on this one," Inuyasha said after an awkward staring contest.

Kôga continued to face his partner even when he turned for the door, "Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha turned the door handle and then paused his movements.

"If you need me, bro, I'm here for you."

There was a silence...

"...I know."

Aiya! You guys are probably giving up hope on me... aren't you? Don't lie! Okay, so I suck at this whole update soon thing, but stay with me, Sesshômaru is not my topic of discussion (Don't get me wrong, he's one of my favorite characters... he's just so painstakingly difficult to write!). Also I believe the events are falling out of my grasp, I'm having trouble catching them all. And don't worry you Jinenji fans out there, he will get a bigger part in this fic before it all ends... (Falls over) I'm dying here... my computer's beat me to it though it went splat last night so I'm updating from this god forsaken laptop so that you guys don't think I'm dead yet. The next update will probably take as long, and I'm really really sorry and I do really really apologize but there are some things that can't be helped. Don't worry; this fic WILL see an end. Read and Review.

ever free's status: becoming extinct with bipolar tendencies. Yikes.