Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
This chapter will shine some light on Kouga and Ayame's relationship of anyone is confused. Well, enjoy the read, this is another one of my fave chapters:
Overtime
Chapter 16
---New years at Miroku's---
'Ding,Dong' The doorbell to Miroku's house rang for the 23rd time that night. Sango ran to the door excitedly. Almost everyone was there. New years eve. Spirits were lifted as high as the twinkiling stars in the moonlit night sky.
Her boyfriend,Miroku's house was big and he seemed to almost always have it to himself since his parents were scarcly home because of work(how sad).
It was easy convincing Naraku to hold sporsmarts annual new years party at his house since the boss himself couldn't even show.
Kagura,Kouga,Hojo, Inuyasha,Kagome ,Kikyo,Ayame,Sango,Miroku and around twenty other sportsmart employee's were scatterd throughout the ground level floor and the backyard of the house.
Kanna was hired as a cater for the party. As creepy as the young girl may seem, she is Kagura's little sisiter so she might as well be useful if she's going to be there.
Kouga and Ayame sat across from each other on two lawn chairs outside in the backyard. It was around 11:00 pm and quite cold out but most people didn't mind ; the snow was all gone.
There was some people outside talking merrily with drinks in hand but the two sat more secluded by the tall fence that seperated the two properties.
Ayame stared longingly in to Kouga's eyes her words soft white puffs in the night air, and her hair blowing with a short gust of wind.
"B-but you promised Kouga." She breathed. Tears borderd the corner of her eyes. He looked away, unable to face her like always.
"Weve had this talk before Ayame, I never said that-" He turned back to face her. "It was nothing but a verbal agreement between parents o.k? I'm sorry."
He whisperd his apology and started to stand but was stopped by a gentle hand on his own.
"Stop Kouga." She pleaded. "Why do you always walk away from me? Am I that horrible to be around?" She let go of his arm and loked up at him. "Do you hate me that much?"
"No." Kouga quickly corrected her. "It's just..." He hesitated before sitting back down.
"It's because you love someone else isn't it Kouga?"
His eyes widend. Did he love someone else?
"It's not that." He said quietly staring at Ayame. "I don't love her, she's just a friend." He was convincing himself more than her.It was true enough though, after being with Kagome so much he began to see her in a new light. She has become a great friend to Kouga, but hey! Don't get him wrong, as if he was going to stop making jokes about her to piss off Inuyasha. He's come to his senses but he's still the same Kouga.
"Is that true or are you just trying to for once make me feel better? After all this time I waited for you Kouga and you've done nothing but try to get red of me sinc ei've gotten into town!" She wiped her tears away and smiled sadly.
Kouga felt a growing pang of guilt in his stomach.
"But-" She sniffed. "If you really don't want to see me anymore ,I'll just go back home because-"
"Ayame." Kouga cut her off. She stopped and loked up to see Kouga's face. Compassionate and calm, his eyes soft and kind, staring deeply into her own leaving her frozen still.
"Ayame, i'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you and I've-" He looked away for a moment then back at ayame, who's cheeks were flushed from the cold . She clung tightly to the sides of her rasberry colored jacket for warmth.
"I've come to realise that," 'What am I saying? I can't just tell her i'm in love with her when I just came to realize it myself. Am I sure?' He forced himself to speak but before Kouga could even continue Ayame got out of her chair and reached over to him , motioning for him to stand aswell.
"It's fine Kouga." She whisperd clinging titightly to the sides of his jaclket . SHe then leaned into him in a warm embrace. He responded by wraping his arms around her aswell, happy that he didn't have to continue.
Kouga never really realized how much he missed Ayame until she finally came back to town. To him. Just like she promised she would.
"Alright!" Miroku yelled over the living room crowds. "Let's play a game!" Everyone cheered. Kagura and Inuyasha rolled their eyes .
"How about we play tag and all the pretty girls are it!"
"YEAH!" All the guys in the building cheered again, while some lady's crossed their arms angrily and some stared dumbly at Miroku. Before he could continue Sango bumped him out of the way to make a change of plans.
" I have a better idea!" Sango smiled sneakily. Everyone was slient. "How about we play...hide and go seek!"
It was still quiet. A small voice could be heard from the corner. "What was that Kanna?" Everyone shuffled around to face the back.
"It's better in the dark." Kanna's quiet voice echoed through the room. She was as still as the tray of champaign in her pale hand.
"Hide and go seek in the dark?" Inuyasha questioned.
"It's brilliant!" Miroku yelled.
"YEAH!" Everyone cheered again, then all of a sudden every light in the house shut off except for the dim lights that lit the backyard.
"Then let's begin, Kikyo's it!" Was the last thing heard before the sound of a room full of people running around trying to find a agood spot. Kikyo didn't even bother objecting since everyone had already started searching for a spot so she started counting.
Kagome grabbed Inuyasha by the arm when the lights shut off. "Come on quick, Let's find a spot!"
She started pulling him.
"Let me find one, you'll gert us caught!" He started leading her another way.
"Careful," Kagome said uneasily. He was going pretty fast."you might make us run into-" SLAM!
In a second four peoplefell on the floor with a huff and whisperd "Ouch!"'s.
"You idiot!" Kouga and Inuyasha's voices said in uniason. They immediatly realized who each other's voices belonged to.
"I'm so sorry." Kagome said to the dark , standing up. Inuyasha steadied her.
"It's fine, my apologies as well." Ayame whisperd ,feeling for Kouga's hand that would soon help her up.
"Is that you Ayame?"
"Hey Kagome!"
"Anyways, we need to hide." Inuyasha interupted their kind greeting.
"Right." Kouga said pulling on Ayame's hand . "Quick, let's go!"
They felt around the walls and then hid under a table ,wich seemed to be in one of the dining rooms. You could here people in surrounding rooms surpressing giggles of excitment.
"Ready or not here I come!" Kikyo yelled across the house not sounding the slightest bit amused.
Immediatkly everything was silent. She smirked. "As if silence will help you now..."
'I'll find you Inuyasha...'
"Ah! Miroku, that's my nose!" A small laugh could be heard in the neighboring room, she rolled her eyes and kept walking, to proud to degrade herself by catching such idiots.
"Oops, sorry Sango." Miroku kissed her forehead lightly.
"Close enough." She whisperd.
Kikyo walked faster.
By the way, when the four went under the table Kagome and Kouga sat beside each other across from Inuyasha and Ayame.
After feeling around the kitchen Kikyo felt her way into the dining room. Hearing Kikyo enter everyone stopped breathing, scared she would find them.
Kikyo stepped around the perimeter of the room. She saw the gleam from the chandalere and moonilight and then looked to the black outline of the table.
Ayame couldn't hold it and took a breath."Oops..."
Kikyo stopped and Inuyasha nudged the girl beside him.
'That sounds like Kagome...' Kikyo smiled evily. She pretended tyo walk into he table so she could kick the girl in the stomach.
"Ouch, hey!" Ayame grabbed her tummy.
Kikyo bent down. 'I knew it!' "Oh my gosh, i'm sorry! Here let me help you." She reached out for her and accidentally grabbed her hair, pulling on it to get her out of her shelter.
"You bitch!" Ayame slapped Kikyo's hand away.
"Wha-oops!" 'Shoot,that's not Kagome!'
Kouga felt around for Ayame. "Ayame, all you alright?"
"Oh my, I'm so sory, I thought you were...uh..." Kikyo stammerd.
"Who me?" Kagome said flicking on the chandalere light.
"I-I never said that!" Kikyo said defensivley.
Inuyasha blinked ,adjusting to the light.
"But anyways, that's irrelivant." Kikyo turned around and put her hands around her mouth to amplify the sound.
"Ayame is it!"
Shuffling could be heard everywhere again with some "Aw man" 's and "Hurry move!"
Kikyo looked back. "Later, Inuyasha." She then turned and walked casually from the room.
"Yeah, whatever." He grumbled his response standing up.
Kouga flicked the lights back off.
"Let's move out."
Fifteen minutes before the countdown ,everyne crowded around the TV in the livingroom. Kanna passed out champaign to everyon ein the room. Kikyo tried to find a place on the couch.
"Move over Kagura." She demanded impatiently.
"What was that?" Kagura raised an eyebrow. "No please?" She said sarcastically.
"I said move." Kikyo was becomming irritated.
"I'm not going anywhere for the likes of you." That was a slap to the face.
"Move you whore,i'm surprised you even fit in that seat anyway!" Kikyo yelled stealing the attention of everyone in the room. All the quieter conversations stopped, even Inuyasha looked.
'Oh no she did not just call me fat.' Kagura shook her head and stood up, coming face to face with Kikyo.
"I heard you fired your hair and make-up people Kikyo."
Her eyes widend. "What? No I didn't."
"Oh, well you should have." Kagura sat back down and crossed her legs. "Now get lost."
There was a small wave of "Oooooh." that washed over the room.
Kikyo turned around and stalked off. "Stupid bitch..." She mutterd, walking over to stand against the wall by Miroku,Sango,Inuyasha and Hojo.
"Hey Kikyo." Hojo said happily.
"Shut-up, fool." She glared at the wall across from her as all the quiet conversations stated up again.
"I'm going to get some water." Kagome whisperd to Inuyasha.
He nodded.
"Hey,it's on!" An employee yelled turning up the TV so the entire room could hear.
Everybody chanted together. "10...9...8...7...6...5" Kikyo grabbed Inuyasha's arm. "...4...3...2...1..Happy New year!" Miroku kissed Sango, Ayame kissed Kouga on the cheek, Kgura smiled and sipped her champaign after toasting happily with Kanna , Hojo chugged his drink down and Kikyo forced a kiss on Inuyasha. But we all know it takes two to kiss.
Kagome walked back into the room with her drink. "Hey, did the-" She stopped ,seeing everyone cheering and drinking. "Awh." She felt really down all of a sudden. "I missed it..." The next thing she saw was Kikyo and Inuyasha. She looked away in disgust.
"Thanks alot!" She walked over to Inuyasha and them, breaking the two up.
"Hey, I didn't-"
"Forget it Inuyasha."
She walked away angry already. Obviously she knew she was being a little silly. It's not like her and Inuyasha were dating or asnything but she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit betrayed even though you are supposed to kiss the first person you see ... or was she just feeling hurt because no one called her for the new year?
"Who cares..." She mutterd, going over to celebrate with her other friends. 'Let's just make the best of things.'
"Hey Kagome!" Sango said.
"Happy New Year." She greeted her back.
It was a night of new years resolutions and great celebration; cups overflowed with champaign but the kiss wasn't completley forgotten.
End chapter sixteen