"What are you doing New Year's Eve?" ~A "Miroku, Private Eye" side story~

The band was in fine form that night; the Jazz pianists had played their bits during dinner and made way for the conductor afterwards. The moment the trombones began to blare the tables had cleared as the party guests took off to dance. Only one party-goer stayed back at her table, absently picking at a slice of cheesecake and trying not to look too forlorn as she watched a dark-haired man swinging a curly-haired girl around in the Charleston. She wondered how he'd managed to find time to learn it.

Sango swirled her glass of water around and took a swig, wishing it were something stronger. Since the fiasco of last year's town party, Sango had learned not to risk drinking in public – between almost murdering her partner and making passes at her ex-con friend (to both their utter embarrassment… hers much later), it was just safer for her and alcohol to remain strangers. Still… as she watched guests twirling and swaying and shuffling their feet, their arms around their partners and faces full of excitement, Sango understood why drinks were such a staple on New Year's Eve. It wouldn't have filled her lonely heart or given her any more courage to say what she had wanted to, but… at least it would have been a distraction.

Maybe then she wouldn't have to see her partner, Private Investigator Miroku, never leaving the auditorium floor as he switched from one lovely dame to another with each new song. It wasn't that she even cared to dance with him. Oh, she wasn't nervous or shy; the moves were simple enough and she had gotten used to attention back in her boxing days. Even the crowd didn't bother her that much, as it did their friend Inuyasha. After Kagome had convinced him to accompany her to the party ('for her own protection' she had argued) he had stood by as she made her rounds among the prominent figures then proceeded to whisk her away to the roof for some fresh air and a party all their own.

Sango wished she had the guts to do that same thing; to pull that man with the charming smile and little ponytail out of the throng and ask him the question she'd been waiting to ask for the past week: "What are you doing New Year's Eve?"

She'd wanted to ask at the start of the week, but it felt too soon. She'd tried to the day after, but the moment she opened her mouth to say the words, he'd looked at her with big blue eyes and she'd felt silly for even thinking such a question in the first place. The next day she'd kept her mouth shut as he'd excitedly informed her of their invitation to the town hall party, knowing she'd just lost any chance of having him all to herself on what could have been a very romantic evening. When New Year's Eve arrived, it had simply been too late to try again. Forgoing her usual pantsuit for an evening dress fit for dancing, Sango went through her party preparations with all the eagerness of a child waiting to be picked last for baseball. Kirara had wound around her heels trying to cheer the woman, and Sango mustered a smile that lasted all the way to Town Hall and halfway through dinner before Miroku's flirtatious ways left her scowling instead.

Watching him out on the floor, mixing and mingling with the other guests as if he'd known them all his life, left her feeling more than a little hollow. She couldn't expect him to devote an evening to her when he was surrounded by so many others vying for his attention, and so she was left with the regret that she'd let her chance slip away, and let him slip into the arms of all the rich broads the town had to offer.

This was no way to start a new year.

It was almost eleven at night now, and the swing-dancing guests were starting to lose their steam as the orchestra began a series of slow, jazzy tunes less amenable to Charlestons and Jives. With more than an hour still to go, the party paused as if to pace itself, and many of the dancers returned to their dining chairs. Miroku sauntered back to the table, laughing and tugging at his tie as he flopped into the seat beside Sango and helped himself to her pitcher of water. "They're vultures out there!" He gasped after a drink, "I only managed to escape on threat of collapsing." Sango made a noncommittal noise, and Miroku glanced at her, still catching his breath but noticeably subdued as he registered his friend's lackluster mood.

"Have you been sitting here alone this whole time?" His concern touched her, but she hadn't missed how long it had taken him to notice in the first place.

"I don't feel much like dancing" she stated in as casual a tone as she could fake. Just for show she took another bite of the cheesecake she had been neglecting, trying hard not to pull a face at how soggy the dessert had become in the stuffy auditorium air. Choosing another tactic, Miroku said genially "Have you been talking to Kagome? I know I saw her around here somewhere…" He glanced about the bustling room for their friend's curled head of hair, but turned back to Sango as she responded somewhat tersely "Kagome left ages ago with Inuyasha. You know how he is with crowds."

Nodding his understanding, Miroku replied "What say we go track them down? I'm sure all these high-hats are missing the chance to grill our friend the lawyer on her latest case proceedings, and it's always a ball when she's spotted getting friendly with an ex-convict she helped clear. We'd have gossip for days!" His teasing grin made Sango laugh despite her sour mood, and she found her spark returning a bit as she responded sharply "I'd rather not interrupt whatever those two are up to, thank you very much."

The detective's grin only grew wider as he said sneakily "Why not? We'd have some lovely blackmail to hold over their heads later!"

Rolling her eyes at his wolfish smile, Sango gestured towards the growing group of dancers gathering as the band struck up a snappy tune and said "You'd better get back out there before the vultures start circling."

She was surprised to see him frown, and even more surprised at the undertone of repulsion in his expression, as if he found the idea extremely unpleasant. "Honestly Sango" he began, his voice just starting to carry a touch of weariness, "when you've been to one New Year's Eve party, you've been to them all. I don't think I had a single dance tonight that wasn't just like every other dance I've ever danced since first buying my own pair of shoes." With a sigh he glanced over at Sango who was watching him with astonished eyes, and said softly "Of course… I would be happy to try for one more dance… if you were willing that is."

Sango didn't know what to think. She must have forgotten how to speak, because her mouth seemed incapable of any more than hanging open like a fish at the market. He sat still, watching her carefully, waiting patiently, almost eagerly, for her response.

Out of all the women here, all the women he had already danced with… he didn't want to dance any more unless it was with her?

"Uh… sure."

He held out his hand and Sango was almost ashamed of how quickly she reached for it, but at his bright responding smile she forgot to be embarrassed. Leading her onto the floor, he twirled her once before settling her into his arms, one hand comfortably at her back and the other clasped around her own hand. The band seemed to know just what was needed as the saxophones crooned out over the couple, the piano accompaniment creating a personal, intimate atmosphere. They only said a few words of conversation before falling into companionable silence, Sango smiling brightly at Miroku's gentle guidance and sure feet as he swept her away to the music.

For all her worrying and waiting and wishing of the past week, at least she got a few moments with him in their manufactured solitude. These were the times she treasured most: without distractions or work or other people nosing in on their business, where the two of them could just be friends and be together.

And from the soft smile on Miroku's face and the way his gaze never wavered away from hers, she guessed he must have felt the same.

Suddenly a realization hit her, the thought coming so clearly and with such force that she wanted to hit herself for having overlooked it before. She'd been so caught up in her fears and doubts and those strange jealous emotions she seemed to get whenever he was involved that she forgot one very simple, very important fact: Miroku liked spending time with her too. He liked when they were alone. He enjoyed her company. So why? Why oh why had she not just asked him that simple question? "What are you doing New Year's Eve? Would you like to spend it with me?"

The song had stopped, and after a few swaying steps Miroku stopped as well, still looking happily at his dance partner. An upbeat song began in its place, and Sango glanced round about her at the couples falling into step for another popular swing dance. It hadn't interested her in the first place… and hadn't Miroku mentioned he didn't want more than one more dance? A smile, small but confident, lit up Sango's face as she turned back to her partner and friend and said "Care to do something else for New Year's?"

His whole demeanor changed at the question from quiet contentment to palpable excitement as he said in a rush "Well you know I don't have much room in my apartment, but if you wouldn't mind the couch, we could –" a sharp yet harmless tug to his ear cut him off as Sango said in no uncertain terms (though hiding a smirk) "That is not what I meant… however I'm all for heading back to the office and breaking into that stash of oh-so-fancy cocktail sausages and olives you've been hiding."

Grinning and grasping her hand as he headed for the door, Miroku said teasingly "I haven't been hiding them. It's called rationing!"

Rolling her eyes as they slipped out of the auditorium doors and into the carpeted hallway, Sango responded with her own teasing tone "the day you start rationing is the day I turn in my boxing gloves for knitting needles."

Miroku smiled but didn't say another word as they slipped out into the night and into Sango's car. They passed a few groups of intoxicated revelers on the drive as Sango carefully navigated the dark streets lit by streetlamps; the only fluorescent signs still lit being those of the local pubs. The streets beside the office were empty and gray, but neither the detective nor his partner noticed in their hurry to get inside the building. Finally reaching the floor where their small business was located and letting themselves in, they quickly bustled about to get everything ready for the countdown that would begin in only minutes.

Pulling a can opener from his desk drawer, Miroku prepared their refreshments while Sango grabbed glass soda bottles from the back room. The atmosphere around the two was filled with fervent anticipation as they got set for the arrival of the New Year. The air was full of promise and hope, and there was nowhere else either of them would rather have been. 'If only I had done this sooner' Sango thought before shaking the thought away. Sooner or later didn't matter; she was living it now, and she would make the most of it. Glancing at the clock on the wall, Sango saw the second hand ticking closer and closer to the two large hands poised over the 12 and in a rush informed her partner. Popping the lids off both bottles, Miroku handed one to her as the seconds reached ten and both began their countdown

"10, 9, 8, 7…"

Sango's gaze shifted from the clock to the detective, his attention still on the ticking hands, and she felt herself almost overcome with how right this all felt. Just the two of them, in their shabby office, sodas in hand and canned treats awaiting them, and suddenly she found herself gaining the courage she'd been wanting all week, to do the one thing she'd really wanted to do since she'd first realized the holiday was on its way.

"3, 2, 1! Happy New Year!"

Smiling brightly, Miroku turned to Sango, bottle in hand and ready to toast, but his bottle slipped through his fingers to land with a wet, shattering crash on the hardwood as Sango grabbed him by his necktie and gave him a firm kiss on the lips. She lingered there only a second or two before pulling away with a smile that grew devious as she noticed his glazed over expression. He blinked at her as he regained his bearings, and as a smile quirked his mouth, Sango offered her own "Happy New Year, Miroku" as the deafening bangs of fireworks filled the air outside, their bright colors flashing through the gaps in the blinds and sparkling in the eyes of the two people still staring at each other, neither of whom could stop smiling.

"Just tell me one thing," Miroku began after a moment, his eyes still glued to Sango's, "are there really fireworks going off outside," he was giving her that 'charming' look again that always made her blush as he finished "or are you just that good a kisser?"

Sango did her best impression of indifference as she turned away slightly saying "I suppose you'll just have to find out… some other time." Her grin returned as she glanced back to see his calculating face, as though he were already planning when that other time would be, but despite her sudden bravery she wasn't quite ready to offer more. Instead she jerked her thumb towards the mess on the floor and said cheekily "You may want to pick that up before someone gets hurt. An injury is no way to start a new year!"

Sighing slightly at her brush off but understanding that was all he would be receiving of her affections that night, Miroku dutifully went to fetch the dustpan and rags, all the while wondering if he could convince Sango to share her soda as he no longer had his own. The thought brought an eager grin to his face; it sure wouldn't beat her New Year's kiss, but it was more than worth a try.

*Author's Note: If you're confused, please read my multi-chapter au fanfic "Miroku, Private Eye" for more info on what the gang is up to. I hope you read it before you got all the way down here. :/