Author's Note: It hasn't been too long since I updated, has it? I have trouble keeping track of time lately. Well anyway, here's the next chapter. Oh, and just so you know, I've started a live journal. I've come across other authors who had them and it looked like fun so…voila! You can find it at livejournal.com under the username frameofmind6. I'll put the URL on my bio page (since it wont post correctly if I put it here) if you'd rather find it that way.
Okay, review replies:
Soul of Kagome: I 'fail to disappoint'? Despite the double negative, thank you so much! (I'm obsessed with grammar – just ignore me) I'm glad people like this stuff. Oh and congratulations on being first again! And yeah, I read part of Trapped, but I think I got interrupted and I never picked it up again. I'll have to go back and read it now that it's finished!
firebird5: What story was that you were reading? Do you remember the name, cause I think I might have heard of it. Well, hope I don't disappoint on the 'Inu getting his ass out of this one' front!
Hououza: Thanks, I appreciate the condolences. (And trust me, your typing is waaay better than some people's). Glad you liked the Mir/San stuff last chapter – I was a tiny bit worried about how that one came off. Love ya!
Krystal-Jade: I loved Bottled Genius! And yes, Rozefire definitely rox!
Fallen-Snow: A mother duck? lol, I've never heard that one before! Don't worry, I'm alive and well (you knew that though, from MIA – it's so confusing going back and forth with these review replies). Glad you liked the chapter…even more so because I know you usually tell me if you don't like something (don't worry, that's a good thing!). No, I don't have msn – I have aol instead. My email is Jessygirl6aol.com (I think it's on my bio) – email me anytime if you like. I've been meaning to email you, but if I take too long (which I often do, unfortunately), drop me a line!
Crazyblade: I have the power to dispel bad moods? Yay, now I can control the world! Seriously though, your review totally made my day. As far as the other characters, I'm pretty much keeping it simple this time – I never thought this story would be so popular. To be perfectly frank, I thought I would totally suck at comedy, but I guess not! Anyway, next romantic comedy I do (which should be soon) I plan to make it more complex and bring in more characters.
I love you guys! Okay, now what was I going to…right, the chapter!
Alter EgoChapter 6: The Power of Illusion
The soft blue glow of the television reflected upon the faces of the couple as they sat on the couch in Kagome's apartment. They were watching the movie Sabrina -- not exactly Inuyasha's first choice. Romantic comedies like this one were always so 'talkie' and sappy -- not enough action. But he had to admit he enjoyed the way Kagome was snuggled up against him with his arm draped around her shoulders. He was hardly paying any attention to the movie.
He'd planned to tell her the truth tonight --really, he had -- but somehow he just couldn't seem to find the right moment. How was he supposed to even bring up the subject? How do you just come out and tell someone that you're not who they think you are?
"It was all a lie -- everything I said to you from the moment I brought the champagne into the solarium."
The man's voice on the screen caught Inuyasha's attention immediately. It was all a lie... The words nearly made him cringe with guilt, and the expression of shock and hurt on the face of the woman called 'Sabrina' in response to those words did nothing to ease his conscience -- the opposite, in fact. He felt Kagome's hand twist absentmindedly in his navy blue t-shirt, and glancing down he could see her biting her lip, eyes trained on the screen as the events of the film came to a climax before her.
Unconsciously his arm tightened protectively, comfortingly, around her shoulders, as though in doing so he could spare her the pain he knew was in store for her. He watched dimly, forebodingly as the movie played itself out, and by the end he heard Kagome give a small sniff, saw a single, sentimental tear roll down her cheek. His mouth quirked into a small smirk of amusement as he was distracted from his dark thoughts by the way she was affected by these sappy romance movies.
As the credits began to roll Kagome gave a satisfied sigh and sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes, which only caused Inuyasha to smirk more.
"Kagome, what are you crying about?" he teased, "It ended happily, remember?"
She shot him a glare, but it was belayed by the smile that spread across her lips. "Oh come on, Ryoga, don't tell me you never cry at movies."
"I don't!" he replied indignantly.
"Never? Well then what's the point?" she asked teasingly, snuggling back down beside him, "It's no fun if you don't cry at the end. Seriously, there must have been some movie somewhere that made you cry."
"Never. Not one. Men don't cry at movies, Kagome; it just doesn't work that way," he said firmly, though there was a distinct reddish tinge to his cheeks.
"Well I think that's just silly. I like a guy who's not afraid to cry every now and then. Come on, Ryoga," she twisted to face him, his arm sliding down around her waist as she curled her legs beneath her and scooted up slightly to be on the same level with him, "Tell you what: you tell me just one movie that made you cry and I'll...I'll kiss you well enough to make it worth your while..."
The offer was sorely tempting to him...but no, not even to Kagome could he reveal his most closely guarded secret. Not even for that. But...
His resistance was crumbling under her mischievous gaze, which tempted him, practically daring him to give in. Well, he couldn't back down from a challenge now could he...
"Alright, fine," he grumbled, "I'll tell you. A-a couple of years ago I rented a bunch of movies one time, and one of them had the wrong tape in the box. Anyway, I put it in by mistake, but I just decided to go ahead and watch it anyway since I was really bored and I had absolutely nothing better to do...besides, I was too lazy to get up and turn it off and I couldn't find the remote..."
"What movie was it?"
"It was..." he winced as he said it, his voice gruff, "...Bambi."
Kagome's smile widened and her eyes lit up in amusement at the terribly adorable grumpy expression he wore. Finally she couldn't hold back any longer and began to laugh, dropping her forehead to his shoulder, shaking with mirth.
"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped defensively, "That's not fair! What are you laughing at?!"
"You!" she exclaimed, coming up for air. "You're so incredibly cute, do you know that?" the woman asked, still shaking her head as she gazed at him with laughing eyes and the most beautiful grin he'd ever seen.
He struggled to maintain his scowl, but caved when she put a hand to his cheek and gave him a light, sweet kiss.
"Hey," he growled playfully, when she pulled away again, "That's not good enough. I held up my end of the bargain, now you hold up yours."
She quirked a coy eyebrow in response and said in a suggestive tone of voice that made his insides coil up in knots, "Oh, so you want a real kiss, eh? I'll show you a real kiss..." With that she hooked a hand around his neck and pulled him roughly to her, capturing his lips with her own in a fiery passion, running the fingers of her other hand through his long, dark hair, sweeping his mouth with her tongue seductively, sensuously -- and he responded in kind. It was wild and wanton, so outrageous as to be practically comical.
When they broke apart their gazes met, and both of them burst out laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the kiss -- but when the laughter died away it left in its wake something much deeper, more serious, and neither of them felt like laughing anymore.
She met his eyes for a moment, then found her gaze sliding down to his lips, and back up to his eyes. In them she saw reflected the silent whisperings of her own heart, and almost without thinking she felt herself move toward him once more. Unconsciously he did the same. She reached for him, this time with sincerity rather than humor, the emotions within her building and overpowering her thoughts, her doubts, her inhibitions. In increasing passion, she grabbed hold of the chain around his neck to drag him against her, their lips meeting in a deep and penetrating kiss.
He wrapped her up in his arms to keep her there, as though afraid she would escape, or that something would steal her away. His mouth moved over hers of its own accord, conveying to her what he could never seem to find the words to express, even to himself.
In the sudden, genuine need that had enveloped her she moved to wrap her arms around his neck. But her hand was still fisted around the chain, and with her abrupt movement, it snapped, sliding to the floor -- ring and all.
Inuyasha's eyes flew open as he felt the telltale tingling sensation. Oh my god, he thought, his insides going cold at the prospect of Kagome's reaction when she discovered the truth. Oh my god...
Kagome paused, breathless, a slight frown in her brow as she felt Inuyasha tense. She began to pull back, her eyes opening slowly with concern. Staring back at her, panic stricken, were not the brown eyes she'd expected, but rather amber ones. Very familiar amber ones.
She gasped, pushing away from him and subsequently falling off the couch and onto the floor as her mind tried feebly to comprehend what her sight was telling her.
"Oh my god..." she whispered.
He swallowed, trying to get his voice to work. "Kagome..." he began, but she cut him off.
"Inuyasha?!" she spat in a shocked and furious tone as the surprise in her eyes turned quickly to rage. "What -- what the hell are you doing here? What's going on?!"
She shoved herself to her feet, eyes still locked on the hanyou, breath coming in tense gasps, her entire body beginning to shake with fury. "You'd better have one hell of an explanation, Inuyasha," she ground out, barely managing to control herself. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! I can't believe...I..." Tears were springing to her eyes in her utter confusion, but she fought them back.
Inuyasha stood slowly, anxiety written all over his face. He was at a loss for words. Finally, swallowing, he managed to say, "I never meant for you to find out this way..."
"Y-you mean you've been...all this time?"
He nodded slowly in response.
"And you were going to tell me this when?! Look, I don't know how the hell you managed it and I don't really care. What I want to know is why you-" but she cut off abruptly, the memory of an overheard conversation suddenly springing to life in the back of her mind. 'I'll have that woman in the sack by the end of the week, so you better start trying to figure out how to get your hands on two-hundred bucks...'
The blood drained from her face as she came upon a stunned realization. "It was me...I was the poor sap you were betting on with Miroku...I was the one you were going to trick into bed..." Inuyasha's silence only confirmed her conclusions.
The hanyou closed his eyes miserably and put a hand to his aching forehead. There was nothing he could do, nothing he could say to make it better, to make up for what he'd done. When he spoke his voice was barely above a whisper. "Kagome, it may have started out that way, but-"
"No," she cut him off sharply, cold as ice and hard as diamond. "No, don't even try. If I thought badly of you before, that is nothing compared to what I feel toward you now. You used me like an object, toyed with my emotions and manipulated me to conform to your own sick, twisted little games. I have never met a more despicable, detestable, abominable person in my life, Inuyasha, and I want you out of my apartment this instant!"
"Kagome, please-"
"No."
He was beginning to get frustrated himself. "But if you'd just let me explain-"
"I said I don't want to hear it!"
"Kagome," he growled, "Listen to me for just two seconds-"
"No!" her control was slipping now, a stray tear escaping the fierce barricade she had erected. "I will not listen to another one of your lies, Inuyasha; I've had more than my fill of them."
"They weren't-"
"I want nothing more to do with you! Get out!"
"But-"
"Get out or I swear to god I'll call the police!"
A mix of pain and anger flared deep in his amber eyes at her harsh words, made infinitely more acute because he knew he deserved every single one of them. "Fine," he snapped, lowering his head in defeat and running a hand through his hair as he went to retrieve his jacket from a chair near the door. Just as he grasped the knob, he turned back hesitantly and murmured a simple, low, "I'm sorry..." and disappeared out into the hall.
No sooner had the latch clicked shut than Kagome's control crumbled and she began to cry. At first there were only silent tears, but they soon deteriorated into heavy sobs as she sank to the couch, clenching her fists in her hair. Anger, humiliation, anguish, and a million other emotions chased each other around inside her. She felt as if her whole world had been turned inside out in a matter of minutes, and no matter what she did it could never be righted.
How could I have been so stupid?
It still hadn't fully dawned on her that Ryoga, the man she'd been falling in love with, was nothing but a fiction, a shadow, a...a lie. He didn't exist; he had never existed. And yet he had been real to her. It was as if he had died, and a part of her was likely to die with him.
Inuyasha should be pretty damn proud of himself right now, she thought bitterly. Too bad he'll lose that bet. But he did manage to convince me I was in love with him, didn't he; that's a feat in itself. God damn you Inuyasha!
"God damn you Inuyasha!" she raged, aloud this time, hurling a pillow across the room against the door through which said hanyou had recently departed. So much for the middle ground...
Through her tears she could see a glint of metal on the floor, and reaching down to retrieve the object she discovered that it was the ring that Ryoga, or rather Inuyasha pretending to be Ryoga, had always worn around his neck. Come to think of it she had never seen him without it. Was it mere coincidence that the moment it had come off the illusion had disappeared and Inuyasha had reverted to his true form? That was unlikely. Chances were that this little charm had something to do with how Inuyasha had managed to deceive her so completely. And if she hadn't accidentally broken the chain tonight, there's no telling how long he would have gone on playing her for a fool -- or how far he would have taken the joke.
She closed a fist tightly around the small, strangely luminescent ring, glaring at it bitterly, as though it were the hanyou himself, and then, in a fit of frustration, hurled it across the room to bounce off the door with a metallic 'tap' and land near the pillow.
Once again she descended into tears, crying herself to sleep sprawled out on the couch where the two of them had sat cuddled contentedly together, not so long before.
-- -- --
Inuyasha did not sleep well at all that night. Every time he tried to close his eyes and fall asleep he was assailed with another wave of guilt and frustration. He tossed and turned, trying to put the incident out of his mind so he could rest and attack it fresh in the morning, but his thoughts just wouldn't cooperate.
Finally he threw back the covers with a growl and got to his feet, pacing agitatedly back and forth in the dark, across the wooden floorboards. If only she'd let him explain! Why did that woman have to be so stubborn?! He couldn't blame her for being angry but the least she could do was listen to him for two minutes.
He pushed aside the curtains over his window and lifted the lower pane to lean against the windowsill, breathing in the cool, calming night air. On the horizon he could see the sky beginning to lighten in anticipation of the dawn. Dammit -- of all the ways for her to find out, he thought miserably. I should have told her when I had the chance; then maybe she would have listened.
'Or she would have thrown you out just that much sooner,' countered a cynical little voice in the back of his head.
No, she would have heard me out, he argued back, trying to believe it was true. She's a reasonable person.
'But what you did was not reasonable,' the voice pointed out. 'You know it, and she knows it. Face it, you really fucked yourself over this time.'
But I have to make her understand! I can't just let this go...
'You're going to have to, sooner or later. She's never gonna forgive you after this.'
Fuck you! I'll make her talk to me, you just wait! And with that he slammed the window shut with a bang and marched determinedly over to the phone, snatching it up and punching in her number.
It rang once, twice, and then she answered, "Hello?" There was a small sniffle, and her voice faltered a bit as if she had been crying, though she tried to sound normal -- as if it were normal to be up at this hour in the first place. He felt another pang of guilt at the waver in her tone, knowing he had caused it, but he pushed it aside.
"Kagome, I-"
"Inuyasha?" she interrupted, a hint of ire in her voice now.
"Yeah, it's me. I just wanted to-" click. He was answered with a dial tone.
A frustrated growl rose in his throat as he glared at the phone, pressing the redial button. "Come on, wench, pick up," he grumbled.
"Hello?" her voice answered again, this time with slight suspicion.
"Don't hang up, Kagome, please, just let me-"
"I'm sorry, you must have the wrong number," click. This was getting really annoying by now.
He growled again. "Alright fine. You want to play, we'll play." Once more he redialed her number, waiting for the answer.
"Hello?" This time she sounded more exasperated than anything.
He smirked evilly, putting on his best German accent, and said, "Guten morgen mein fraulein! I vould lie to discuss vit you about purchasing insurance, if it is alright?"
"What?" she asked nonplused. "Who is this?"
"For instance, in se case zat your boyfriend screws up majorly you can receive a two-hundred dollar claim, provided you take se time to listen to his explanation."
"Inuyasha is that you?! You jackass, stop calling me, dammit!" click. Well, he hadn't really expected that to work, but at least it made him feel better.
With a sigh he tossed the receiver onto the bed and turned beck to the window, where the sun was now rising in earnest. He certainly wasn't going to be getting any sleep at this point, he supposed, so he might as well just get dressed -- and try to figure out to do with the twelve or so hours he had before it was time for him to go to work.
-- -- --
The ring of a telephone roused Miroku from a most pleasant sleep, causing him to squint against the sun streaming through his bedroom window. The beautiful, brown-haired woman in his arms stirred slightly, but didn't wake, and he smiled down at her, despite his annoyance at having been awakened against his will.
Another ring from the phone wiped that smile from his face and he reached back to the nightstand behind him to answer it.
"Hello," he sighed irritatedly into the receiver.
"Hey Miroku," came Inuyasha's voice from the other end.
"Inuyasha?" he questioned in surprise, looking at the clock. "What are you doing up? Hell, it's not even ten, and I've never seen you out of bed before noon."
He received a short growl in response. "I couldn't sleep, okay? What do you care? I just wondered if you'd meet me for lunch. I need...I need to talk to someone."
Miroku raised an eyebrow. "What about? Is something wrong?"
"Yes. Look, I'll explain at lunch, but I could really use some advice, okay? Can you meet me or not?"
"Sure, I guess," he replied. He couldn't remember the last time Inuyasha had asked for advice. Then a thought occurred to him: "Does this have something to do with Kagome?"
There was a short pause, and then: "Yeah..."
"I see...where do you want to meet?"
"How about that place on the corner of fifth and Grant -- Mike's?"
"That's fine. I'll meet you there at noon, I just want to...finish a few things." He glanced at Sango again, and that gave him an idea: "Hey Inuyasha, how about if I ask Sango to meet us there as well?"
"Sango?! Why?" the hanyou demanded.
"Because she's a woman, that's why. She'll have much better insights than either of us, don't you think?"
"But...she doesn't even know about the bet. We'd have to explain it to her, and I'm not sure she'd be all that happy with us."
The man had a point, Miroku was forced to admit. He wasn't eager to anger the woman he'd so recently won over with great difficulty...but still... "I'll explain it to her beforehand, well enough that she won't kill us. And after all, it's not as if you went through with it -- did you?" he added incredulously.
"No! Of course I didn't! Alright fine, you can bring Sango, but if she gets pissed then you're the one who's paying for it."
You have no idea, Miroku replied wryly in his head. "Okay, see you then."
"Bye."
Miroku replaced the receiver and turned his attention back to the woman beside him. She was so peaceful like this; it was hard to believe that she'd probably be yelling at him and shooting him glares in a little while, but some things simply could not be avoided. If she didn't find out from him she would undoubtedly find out from Kagome eventually -- better that it be from him.
"Sango," he said gently, nudging her into consciousness.
"Mmm...good morning," she mumbled, turning to face him and giving him a sleepy smile.
He kissed her softly, and then said, "Come on, we have to get up. Inuyasha just called -- we're having lunch with him, if that's alright with you, and there's...well, there are a few things I should probably explain to you before we go."
She eyed him suspiciously. "Like what?"
"Not yet. Why don't you take a shower and get dressed while I make breakfast, and then we can talk."
"Okay," she replied with a shrug as she sat up. But before she climbed out of bed, she turned back to him with a suggestive smile and said, "You know, you could join me, if you like, and then we could both make breakfast..."
Miroku raised an eyebrow at her, a lascivious smirk creeping across his face as he followed her train of thought perfectly. "I think I could live with that..."
-- -- --
A/N: Okay, I'll give you a million dollars (monopoly money, that is) if you can guess what I'm going to say next. Every body got their guesses all ready? Okay, here goes…
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plane. Ha! I tricked you! Oh, and by the way…please review!