Come Out of Ashes Chapter 20, an inuyasha fanfic

I have created a Spotify Playlist of the songs used, so you don't have to go hunting for them. The Playlist will be updated as the fic is updated, so there'll be no spoilers about what's coming down the road.

Songs used in this chapter:
(1) – Love Brand New – Bob Moses

(2) – Save Your Tears (Remix) – The Weeknd & Ariana Grande

(3) – Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande

(4) – breathin – Ariana Grande

(5) – For My Hand – Burna Boy & Ed Sheeran

As bad as it had felt withdrawing from her ray of sunlight before because of his own damned, stupid, and selfish reasons, Inuyasha felt it a thousand times worse when Kagome had walked out his apartment door and he never heard from her for over four weeks.

He'd been willing to give her all the time in the world, but damn if it didn't hurt to be apart from her.

"You are enough…"

That sentiment echoed in his mind for those four weeks. Slowly, he started to hear less and less of Kikyo's harsh and painful words, telling him he was an abomination and unlovable, and it was being replaced with Kagome's words of affirmation and adoration.

Inuyasha let those words sit with him for weeks, and eventually… he started to believe them.

He knew that when he saw her again, he'd wanted to be everything she deserved, because she deserved the world, and he sure as hell knew that was going to be no easy feat. She'd brought warmth and joy into his life that he'd never quite had before. Even when he was with Kikyo, even in the heights of it, he'd never hit this feeling before, and he was uncertain he'd ever feel it again with another.

He knew he was going to see her at the New Years Eve event, after all, they'd been practicing music for her to perform to. Unfortunately, neither were songs they'd worked on together, which he suspected was likely Kouga's call, but he tried not to let that sour his mood.

He was going to see her again, and that was all that mattered.

They started deciding on what song they wanted to play as the opener for the night, and Inuyasha suggested they try something he'd been working on since that night at his apartment, though the others didn't need to know that last bit. The others thought it was a great idea, and they worked on the song together, making sure it was ready for its debut at the party. It definitely helped and gave him something to focus on.

When the night of the party came, Inuyasha got dressed for the event, not bothering to put much thought into his attire, as he knew the jacket would be off for most of the night, and ties weren't exactly comfortable for him. He'd been far more distracted thinking about what he wanted to say to Kagome…

He'd had four weeks to think about it, but even know, and the 11th hour, words continued to fail him.

With a frustrated sigh, he slid on is suit jacket and headed out to the event, getting there a little earlier than he'd intended, but he wanted to make sure his gear was all set up properly, and then have some time to sit and think about what he wanted to say.

But in the blink of an eye, he was shaken from his thoughts by Miroku taking him by the shoulder, "There you are! We were looking for you — the set's about to start."

Inuyasha was so taken aback and had, unfortunately, forgotten everything he'd thought of. He realized he should write this stuff down next time.

"You alright?" Miroku asked, "You seem a little out of it."

Inuyasha stood from his chair and moving to wave off the concern, "It's nothin'. Don't worry 'bout it."

Of course, he could see Miroku wasn't buying it, "Why weren't you out in the party?"

"I needed to be alone for a bit," Inuyasha answered honestly.

"Well… I know someone who was disappointed that you weren't out there," Miroku teased, his insinuation obvious.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder, "Did she ask about me?"

Miroku nodded, "Yeah, but you know Kouga, he had Kagome parading around for everyone to meet, and it looked like she never got a chance to break away for a bit. At least not before we had to start getting ready."

Inuyasha's face lowered a little. He'd honestly hoped he could talk to her before the performances started, but he'd been so wrapped up in his own head, he didn't realize just how much time had passed.

He took off his suit jacket, opting to leave it in the backstage area with the rest of their gear, before he and Miroku made their way towards the stage and meeting with Sango and Shippo, who'd agreed to wait while Miroku went to go find their bandmate.

The lights dimmed, and they were signaled to head on stage to start the show. Inuyasha opted to avoid making direct eye contact with the audience, not wanting to let himself get intimidated by them. He rolled the sleeves of his shirt to hold in place just above his elbows, and slid his guitar on with practiced ease, knowing it was tuned and ready to go.

As the MC announced them, he approached the front of the stage, hearing a few boisterous whistles and cheers from the crowd. (1)

He started to strum, with Miroku, Sango and Shippo coming in just as they'd practiced. He just tried to stay focused on playing. This song was new for all of them, and he wanted to make sure that he played it how he'd intended.

Especially if Kagome was there…

The thought of her popped into his mind, and his throat instantly grew a little drier as he started to sing. He hadn't felt nervous to perform like this in ages, and now, he felt like a newcomer all over again.

He still couldn't bring himself to look out into crowd. He'd always felt more confident when he sang with his eyes closed or downturned. It allowed him to focus so much more on his own voice and his playing. While it didn't always result in an engaging performance for the audience, that wasn't what Inuyasha particularly cared about. He cared about the music, and right now, he just wanted to perform the best he possibly could.

When they reached the bridge of the song, the others silenced their instruments, and Inuyasha started playing solo. As he played, Inuyasha could feel a need to look out into the crowd. Giving into that instinct a little, when he did look up… right away, nobody else in the world mattered as he spotted Kagome instantly.

Maybe it had been the distance between them for the last few weeks, but in Inuyasha's mind, he had never seen her look more beautiful.

The vibrant green of her dress immediately pulled his attention, and all he could do was take in everything about her; her dark hair delicately waving around her features, her lips smiling softly with a slight rouge to them, and her deep ocean-blue eyes looking up at him like he was the only person in the world.

God, did it make him feel alive and like he could conquer the world. He would kill for that look.

He sang from the bottom of his soul, and it felt good to let it out. Whether he realized it or not, this was his confession to the world; he loved Kagome Higurashi.

Even if he could never say it.

The night continued on with song after song after song, and Inuyasha managed to maintain that level of energy he'd been imbued with from her stare alone. He caught himself looking back to her regularly, seeing her almost always staring back, that same light smile on her lips…

Until he saw her starting to head through the crowd. She was heading towards the right side of the room from his position, and Inuyasha watched as she moved before he caught her attention. His gaze must've communicated everything it needed to, because Kagome quickly mouthed, "Getting ready" as she pointed towards the side of the stage.

Inuyasha just nodded, continuing on with their playing. Once Bankotsu finished his first song, Inuyasha started playing the guitar riff for the second. He hadn't expected what came next. (2)

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to change things up a little this evening. Please welcome to the stage, Miss Kagome Higurashi!"

Bankotsu had waved Kagome onto the stage, and she very elegantly made her way over towards Inuyasha. He could hear her vaguely telling Shippo something about explaining something later just before Bankotsu started his singing and Kagome settled onto the microphone stand just a head of Inuyasha.

He saw her stiffen a little as she took the microphone off the stand and moved the stand away. She clearly hadn't anticipated doing this tonight. But when she peaked over her shoulder, he caught her eye quickly. She looked worried… afraid.

Inuyasha's instincts kicked in as he shuffled forward a little to stand behind her, letting her know they were right there with her before he leaned into her ear, "You've got this. Remember; just sing like it's the last chance you'll ever have."

He saw her take a deep breath, and nod slightly, noticing how her shoulders righted themselves as she resumed her posture. She was professional, and he knew she'd kill it.

Her singing sounded effortless, like it was akin to breathing. But Inuyasha knew that took practice, even as naturally talented as someone like Kagome was, her hard work got her onto this stage, and regardless of Kouga's motives, Inuyasha knew Kagome deserved to be recognized for her devotion to the craft.

As the song ended and the applause nearly deafened them, Inuyasha watched as Kagome turned back towards them with a glowing smile as she asked, "Ready to go again?"

Inuyasha couldn't help but let her infectious smile worm its way into his own features, smirking back at her eagerness to continue, "Ready when you are."

With a renewed boldness, Kagome signaled she was ready with the others, in practiced ease, started playing. (3)

The song was much more down-tempo than the rest of the evening had been, and it was welcome change of pace, drawing everyone's attention and getting their notice, especially after that first song with Bankotsu.

Inuyasha's picking was vibrant before Kagome's voice fluttered in alongside it.

Oh, yeah

Don't need permission
Made my decision to test my limits
'Cause it's my business
God as my witness
Start what I finished
Don't need no hold up
Taking control of this kind of moment
I'm locked and loaded
Completely focused my mind is open

All that you got, skin to skin, oh my God
Don't you stop, boy

Kagome sang so impassionedly, Inuyasha was sure he'd only seen her this way in the booth at the studio before, when no one else was around to watch. It was like she was singing with no one watching her.

Somethin' 'bout you
Makes me feel like a dangerous woman
Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout
Somethin' 'bout you
Makes me wanna do things that I shouldn't
Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout

Kagome seamlessly slid into the next verse, and Inuyasha tried his best to not let the lyrics distract him. He hadn't expected her songs to be so… sensual. And given how much he'd been craving her presence over the last few weeks, and the way she was throwing herself into the music, it didn't help him in the least.

Nothin' to prove and I'm bulletproof and
Know what I'm doing
The way we're movin' like introducing
Us to a new thing
I wanna savor, save it for later
The taste of flavor, 'cause I'm a taker
'Cause I'm a giver, it's only nature
I live for danger

All that you got, skin to skin, oh my God
Don't you stop, boy

Oh, yeah

All girls wanna be like that
Bad girls underneath, like that
You know how I'm feeling inside

As Inuyasha smoothly started his solo, Kagome turned back to watch him. He could feel her heated stare. He gave a wily smirk her way, adding some extra swing to his playing, as if baiting her. Kagome smiled back and added her enthusiastic falsetto that matched perfectly with his guitar playing.

His playing and her singing, all in one, moving together, the energy levels matching perfectly — Kagome found herself beside him, with barely a breath between them, laying her arm over his shoulder and leaned into him slightly in a casual manner, before she continued into the chorus once more, with Inuyasha beside her. The rest of the world seemed to fall away in an instant.

Kagome gave him a sideways glance, her eyes half-lidded, and filled with something unsaid. Inuyasha didn't have much chance to explore it further before she, unfortunately, pulled her arm from his shoulder, grazing her hand down his back before moving over a little, back to the center stage. Inuyasha had to do his best to keep his cool, as a shiver ran down his spine.

All girls wanna be like that
Bad girls underneath like that
You know how I'm feeling inside

Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout
Somethin' 'bout you
Yeah, there's somethin' 'bout you boy
Yeah, there's somethin' 'bout you boy
Yeah, there's somethin' 'bout you boy

Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout
Somethin' 'bout you

Her vibrato echoed over the room that was filled with a thunderous applause louder than any previous performance of the night.

Kagome looked quite pleased, and gave a quick bow before turning back again to the others, "Think you guys have one more in you?"

They all nodded eagerly before Miroku said, "Let's finish this with a bang."

The smile that lit her face was blinding as she turned back to Inuyasha with a look of longing and said quietly, "Thank you…"

He didn't have a chance to ask her what she meant before she turned back to the ecstatic crowd of studio heads, executives, singers, and producers. These were all industry professionals who had seen their fair share of talented artists come onto this stage. And none of them had ever been as blown as by an artist as they were that night. (4)

Shippo started playing the twinkling melody, the backing track playing alongside him, as Kagome took hold of the microphone stand, and placed her microphone back into it so she could more steady herself.

Some days, things just take way too much of my energy
I look up and the whole room's spinning
You take my cares away
I can so overcomplicate, people tell me to medicate

Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'
How do I know if this shit's fabricated?
Time goes by and I can't control my mind
Don't know what else to try, but you tell me every time

Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, keep on breathin'
Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, keep on breathin'

Inuyasha listened thoughtfully. Just like the first song, he hadn't heard these lyrics before. But these felt more personal. He could feel her anxiety and stress, the weight of everything on her shoulders, and how it became light as air once… Once she remembered to just breathe.

His head spun towards her.

'Did she… did she remember me telling her that? That night at her apartment?' he wondered.

"It's okay. Just breathe. Keep breathin'."

Sometimes it's hard to find, find my way up into the clouds
Tune it out, they can be so loud
You remind me of a time when things weren't so complicated
All I need is to see your face

Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'
How do I know if this shit's fabricated, oh?
Time goes by and I can't control my mind
Don't know what else to try, but you tell me every time

That had to be what she was singing about. It must've been. Did she actually remember that night? When he kissed her drunkenly on her couch? He was so sure she hadn't remembered, based on how she reacted the next day. But… it had to be the case.

The music cut out and left the room dissonantly silent, as Inuyasha's thoughts ran a mile a minute, and Kagome came in once more, her voice steady and vibrant.

Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'

And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin'
Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin', mmm, yeah

My, my air
My, my air
My, my air, my air
My, my air
My, my air
My, my air, yeah

Inuyasha tried his best to focus on playing the guitar solo, even as Kagome sang with him. Luckily he'd practiced it so many times that it became muscle memory, because without it, he was sure he'd be a mess. He couldn't get the thought out of his mind — that Kagome remembered that night in her apartment, and had written a song about it — and he found himself once again finishing the solo, his gaze back on her, watching as she let herself go again.

Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'

And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin'
Just keep breathin' and breathin' and breathin' and breathin'
And oh, I gotta keep, I keep on breathin', mmm, yeah

Feel my blood runnin', swear the sky's fallin'
I keep on breathin'
Time goes by and I can't control my mind
I keep on breathin', mmm, yeah

There couldn't have been a more climatic way to end the set, as everyone in the room roared with praise for them.

Kagome once again bowed before the MC came out and closed out the set, reintroducing the DJ to play more music between them and the next set. The group headed off the stage together, adrenaline pumping through their veins and their limbs practically vibrating. After making it back to the green room, they erupted in joyful celebration for such a successful evening.

"That was amazing! I don't think I've had so much fun performing in my life!" Sango said, elated with how well everything went.

"Yeah! That was definitely one for the history books!" Shippo agreed.

While the others celebrated, Miroku having run off to grab a bottle champagne for them all, Kagome took a moment to collect herself, feeling that rush wearing off. Her legs were starting to shake a little, so she took a seat by one of the dressing areas, and Inuyasha quickly moved to check on her. He knelt down and asked, "You doin' okay? That was… definitely somethin'."

Kagome nodded, catching her breath before giving him a thankful look, "Yeah, I think I'm good. Just… never had an experience like that before."

"Well, enjoy the moment. You deserve it," Inuyasha replied, taking a bold step to tap his hand on her knee that had peaked out from the slit of her dress.

She looked over his form, seeing the sheen of sweat on his face and neck, his hair still matted to his forehead. She asked, "How about you? You guys were up there for a while. Aren't you exhausted?"

He flashed a casual smirk, and it lit her on fire, "I've got a lot more stamina where that came from."

With the heat of his hand on her knee, and his incendiary smirk, Kagome's cheeks turned bright red at his comment.

He wanted to tell her something, she could see it in the way he was looking up at her. But before he could say the things that had been racing his mind, Miroku came bursting back in with champagne and glasses for all of them.

Inuyasha gave Kagome an apologetic look as he stood and offered her a hand to help her stand as well, which she took graciously, allowing him to lead her back towards the others so they could enjoy the aftermath of the night together.

Eventually, Kouga came back to drag them all back out to the main room, saying there were a lot of people who wanted to talk to them.

They all got themselves sorted; Kagome and Sango touched up their makeup a little, and the boys refreshing themselves by getting their jackets back on to look somewhat presentable. They ended up chatting with a few more producers and executives before the next sets began.

Jakotsu and Bankotsu caught up with them and they all agreed to work together again on a future project before they headed off for the evening to another party. Kouga was still out and about, making the rounds, which left them alone for the remainder of the evening. As the clock slowly got closer to midnight, the performances had all having been completed, and everyone was just dancing and partying, left to relish the final minutes of the year.

The DJ started putting on a few slower songs as the night neared the countdown, some of crowd using the opportunity to get refreshments, others pairing off and dancing with, what looked to be, their partners or significant others.

Kagome finished the last bit of her champagne, placing the glass down on a nearby table. She took a quick look around, watching as Shippo made his way over to grab an extra drink, and saw Sango and Miroku heading onto the dance floor to enjoy the last few minutes before midnight together. She indulged in watching them be alone for a second, seeing how in love they were. You could see it in the way Miroku looked at Sango, and how Sango would hold him. They were truly something special, and she was glad her friend had found someone who made her so happy.

Her stupor was broken, surprised when she felt something warm brush her arm, causing her to form small goosebumps on her skin. She turned and saw Inuyasha standing beside her at the table, his gaze turned away, as if embarrassed to look at her directly.

"Do you… want to? Dance… I mean," his voice was so shy and quiet, Kagome wasn't sure she heard him right.

"You… want to dance?" she asked, seeking his confirmation while giving him a look like he had two heads.

He nodded, but quickly stammered, "I can't promise I'm any good… but…"

Kagome gave him a bright smile, taking his hand in hers as she answered, "Of course! I'd love to."

The songs changed over as they reached the dancefloor. (5) The crowd started to get a bit denser, so it was easier to lose track of people. Luckily, Sango and Miroku weren't too far, as they waved towards their friends who were joining them.

Kagome felt like she could practically hear Sango's thoughts, ''Bout time.'

Inuyasha took a second to find a position that was comfortable, but Kagome just giggled at his bashfulness, deciding to take his hands and place them on her waist, hopefully letting him know it was okay before she placed hers on his chest and leaning into his body to start swaying to the soft rhythm.

Inuyasha stiffened a little, but once Kagome has relaxed into his chest, leaning her head over his heart, he felt himself ease with her so close, and he let his hands settle a little higher on her back, brushing against her smooth skin. They moved together, enjoying the even beat and soul singing that carried the sweet lyrics. It was crazy how quickly they fell into one another, and how a home they felt in each other's arms. Kagome's arms brushed over his chest, while Inuyasha let the backs of his knuckles brush up the length of her arm, causing her to shiver against his touch.

Her scent was barely registering to him all night, but now, with her close to him, she smelled like heaven. She smelled like citrus; bright and stimulating. There was the bit of sweat and her usual scent, but she was happy. She was peaceful. And it gave him the courage to do what he wanted to do next.

As they swayed to the music, Inuyasha took a second to clear his throat before starting, "You were… really amazing tonight, Kagome."

Kagome looked up at him, seeing him struggling to look at her while he spoke. He continued, "I don't think I've ever seen you like that before. It was… somethin' special."

Her cheeks got warm, as she tried to brush off the compliment, as was her way, "I don't think I could've done it if it weren't for you and the others being up there with me. You guys deserve the credit for making everything sound so good."

Inuyasha shook his head, now unable to look away from her anymore. With direct eye contact, he declared, "Don't give us credit for your hard work. You've put in so much work to get to where you are. I'm in awe of it… truly."

Kagome was taken aback by his sudden outburst, "Hard… work?"

"Yeah. You've worked longer and harder to be a better musician than anyone I've ever known. Even with your natural talent, you never take it for granted. You've worked hard to be here, so don't sell yourself short."

The weight of emotion that overcame her was unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Kagome never realized just how much that meant to her. She felt seen… in a way she wasn't sure she had ever felt seen before.

She'd gotten compliments for her singing before, her music. But it was almost always chalked up to her raw potential and talent. It always felt like people congratulated her for being born with a specific skill. Like she never worked hard for it. But over the last few months, with all the hours they put into their work together, Inuyasha got a glimpse into her work ethic. He saw how dedicated she was to bettering herself; as a singer, a pianist, a composer, a lyricist, a musician… as a person.

Kagome felt herself starting to well up with tears, and not wanting him to see, she lowered her head and pushed her face into his chest. Her shoulders gave her away, along with the new scent of salt from her tears.

"Kagome…?" Inuyasha asked, sensing her sudden unease, "I'm sorry. I'm no good at this kinda stuff. I didn't mean to upset…"

"Thank you," he barely heard it, only just being enough for his sensitive ears to pick up over the music. But he was certain, he heard her say thank you.

She continued, lifting her head back to face him and said between sobs, her hands gripping into his jacket in a desperate attempt to keep herself from collapsing against him, "You have no idea… how much that means to me… coming from you."

Inuyasha's heart broke at seeing her cry again. He quickly reached a hand to wipe away her tears with the pads of his thumb.

After a few seconds, Inuyasha continued, "I… also wanted to apologize... for the way I unloaded on you last time."

Kagome gave him a confused look, so he tried to explain, "I didn't mean… to freak you out. Telling you everything that had happened before… with Kikyo and all that. I guess I was just… trying to explain why I am the way I am."

She shook her head, "You don't need to apologize for that. You were being honest, and I wanted to know more about what was going on."

"It… it wasn't too much?" he asked, knowing that Kagome needed the space after wards to come to terms with what he'd told her — his history with Kikyo, how Kagome and her looking similar was the reason for his initial hostility towards her, how he was living with no sense of catharsis after her death, how it was impacting his ability to move on with his life — it was heavy stuff.

Hopefully, that didn't mean she had come to a decision he would find to be unfavorable.

Kagome started, "I mean… it did take a bit to process things. I'm not gonna lie; it was a lot to absorb."

Inuyasha braced himself to be gently let down, to be told that after all that time, she'd decided it was best they stay friends, or worse… go their separate ways. He was sure that would kill him.

There was a lot of buried baggage that he unpacked when they last spoke, and he wouldn't have blamed her for seeing all his shit and saying, 'No thanks'.

Thankfully, she continued, "But ultimately, I'm glad you told me. I want to be open with you, like when my father died. You saw a lot of ugly things with me, but you stayed by me, and helped me anyways. And I hope… that you feel comfortable being open with me about these kinds of things as well."

The music seemed to fall away as Inuyasha's ears twitched, only attuned to what she'd just said.

Before he could say anything, she continued, "Listen, Inuyasha, I know that… given everything that's happened and your feelings towards Kikyo, I'd understand if you don't feel the same as I do right now. But even if that's the case, I don't want to spend any more time apart from you than I already have. The more I thought about it, the more I realized, how much you mean to me and…"

He could feel her grip on is jacket tightening as she struggled to say, "These last few weeks without you… Have been the worst. I missed you so much. And I don't want to spend my life without you near me… even if you don't feel the same way."

Kagome couldn't help but sob again, feeling like a weight was finally off her shoulders, "I.. I want to be with you, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing. She still wanted this… she still wanted him. Even with all his flaws, his baggage, his dirty blood… she still wanted to be with him.

"Kagome…" he could barely breathe; he was in shock and his heart felt like it was melting under her intense, deep stare. His grip around her back tightened, pulling her closer to him, holding onto her like she'd vanish if he ever let her go.

Before he could attempt to speak again, the crowd suddenly cheered as a large display came up showing the countdown to midnight. With only 15 seconds left of the year, everyone started counting down. Miroku and Sango had made their way back over to their friends, Shippo finding them not long after, and they all rang in the new year together.

"5…"

"4…"

"3…"

"2…"

"1…"

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Balloons, confetti, and streamers were released from the ceiling, while others popped bottles of champagne. Some took shots, and couples exchanged kisses, celebrating a new year of love ahead.

Shippo fell into the drinking category, while Sango and Miroku fell into the kissing category. The moment was chaotic, and everyone in their own worlds for a brief moment.

While watching their friends enjoying themselves, Inuyasha decided that after Kagome's admission, he'd be brave and take one more act of courage tonight. He turned back to Kagome, her face a little surprised at his sudden gesture. But once his hand touched her cheek, brushing her hair away as he leaned in, Kagome let herself fall into the moment. She leaned into his chest as he leaned into her, and they shared a warm kiss, filled with passion, intensity, and the potential for more.

Even though it was fleeting, Kagome felt like she was floating. Maybe it was the champagne from earlier, or the love surrounding them with their friends, but she was feeling absolute elation at being in his arms again this way. At knowing that he hadn't rejected her feelings for him — at least not outright — and that there was hope for them.

As they broke the kiss, Inuyasha rested his forehead against hers, letting their eyes focus on one another for a second. She could tell there was something on his mind, so she said rather unabashedly, "Whatever's running through that head of yours, I want to know."

Inuyasha smirked at her, knowing that at this point, she read him like an open book, "I was wondering… if you wanted to get outta here…"

The proposition held so much within it, and Kagome wasn't going to turned down the opportunity to be alone with him. Not after how long they'd waited for this reunion.

She nodded.

With her eyes drawing him into their depths, a smile slowly spread over her lips, "Let's go."

They turned towards their friends, telling them they were going to head out for the night, earning a few looks from them that were questioning, but knowing. Luckily, they didn't spoil the mood by prying or poking fun, and instead just gave their hugs and farewells before watching as the most talked about musicians of the evening left to grab their coats and leave the building, hand in hand.

"I thought they'd never get there," Miroku joked with Sango and Shippo, watching as the pair exited into the elevators.

"I knew they would," Sango said boastfully, "Just didn't think it would take this long."

Unfortunately, the group couldn't bask in the glory of their friend's moment much longer before Kouga came calling.

"Hey guys, you see Kagome anywhere?" he asked hastily, looking around the room in hopes of catching her, now that he was done with all his work for the night.

"Ugh, I think she left a while ago," Sango lied, knowing Kagome and Inuyasha would probably only just be getting downstairs and would still be waving down a taxi for a few minutes. She didn't want to give Kouga the chance to get downstairs and ruin things for them.

Kouga turned to them, looking more than a little irate, "What?! When did she leave?"

"I think she left before the countdown. She said she was tired and wanted to head home early," Shippo added, helping cover for their friends.

Kouga let out a gruff, frustrated sigh, "That's just great! All that work for… for…"

"For what, Kouga?" Sango chimed in, "I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying?"

Kouga ignored the question, and just said, "Whatever. I'll catch up with her in the new year," before pulling out his phone and storming off back towards the party.

The three bandmates looked at each other, with Sango asking, "You guys saw that too, right?"

They nodded, Shippo commenting, "Yeah, that was definitely weird."

AAAHHH! Omg, we're finally here!

Thanks to everyone for being so patient while I write this fic! I appreciate the continued support and hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

I finished the outline for this fic, so I now know how it will end, and how long it will likely end up being, and we're about halfway through, kids! LMAO

Next chapter is gonna be spicy… as in the eventual smut will become actual smut! Hehehe.

I'll hopefully have that done sooner than later, but smut has always been hard for me to write well, so I'll wanna take my time to get it right.

Please be sure to comment/fave/sub/like/etc. It really helps to keep me motivated to write more.

Thanks again for the support and extra thanks for Ruddcatha's continued support as my beta-reader!

Until Next Time…