Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of Inuyasha.
One Chance
"Do you ever think about us, and what would've happened if we hadn't broken up?"
Her stomach twisted at the question. "What the hell are you talking about?" Kagome countered focusing on an errant string sticking up from the shoulder of his suit jacket.
His amber eyes don't waver. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."
"No, I'm sorry, you'll have to elaborate." She felt his fingers dig insistently into her sides.
"I'm saying that if you hadn't dumped me on my ass and ran into my brother's arms two seconds later, would this be our engagement party?"
"You mean if you hadn't been fucking sorority girls behind my back, broken my heart, and if your brother hadn't been there to pick up the pieces, would we still be together?"
"One time Kagome, one fucking time-"
"One time was enough, Inuyasha."
"One time," he muttered bitterly as if he hadn't heard her, "and you leave me for my own brother."
"Sesshomaru and I have been friends for years. And if memory serves me correctly, he's the one who introduced us."
"That's not the point."
"Then pray tell, what is the point? Because as far as I'm concerned, the past is over and done with and there really is no point in dwelling on what could have been."
"But you didn't answer my question." His eyes, burning with an intensity she hadn't been able to erase from memory, caused all logic to flee for a moment. And the music certainly was not helping. Acid jazz streamed from the quartet in defining timbres, cushioning them in a sensual haven of languid sound and motion.
She swallowed hard. "Your question is irrelevant."
"Not to me it isn't."
"Why is this so important to you? Why can't you get over what happened? I did."
The pitch of the saxophone escalated, creating a sweet whining effect that had goosebumps rippling across her neck. Or maybe it was the warmth of his breath.
"It's important," he murmured into her ear, "because I want to know."
She clenched the string tightly. "Stop it Inuyasha. He could be watching."
"Let him. He's the one who wanted us to become reacquainted with a dance."
"Trust me, we've done enough acquainting to last us the rest of our lives."
The corner of his mouth quirked into a familiar roguish half-smile. "I don't think you're so sure about that."
"Oh I'm more than sure."
"Then why can't you give me a straight answer?"
The string snapped. "Fine, you want a straight answer, I'll give you one. Do I ever think about us and what could've been? No, and do you know why? Because I knew we never really had a future together. God Inuyasha, you're a twenty-four year old frat boy. It's been what, three years, and you're still running around, partying it up like you're still in college," she said watching the amused gleam in his eyes slowly fade to black. "Yes, we've had some fun times, but that's all in the past. We're adults now, grow up already."
"And what if I said I would give it all up," he said adamantly, closing all space between them, "the partying, the women, everything, for one more chance."
The desperation tingeing his voice made her heart trip over itself. Once upon a time, to hear those words coming from the mouth of the arrogant playboy would have made her say yes to anything.
"I'd say, too little, too late." She unraveled her arms from his neck as the song ended and backed out of his slackened grasp.