The It Couple
Chapter Eight
Kagome glanced over her shoulder, watching Inuyasha get into the car with Kikyou. Well, now it was time to keep herself busy. She reached into her purse and pulled out her book.
"I guess I can just...stand over here?" she muttered to herself with a slight chuckle.
"How have you been?" Kikyou said, her smile distant and serene. Ever the goddess.
"Why, what have you read?" Inuyasha fought to keep the snapping edge out of his voice. Don't get angry, don't get angry.
There was a small moment of silence. Kikyou just looked at him, still smiling softly.
"Sorry," Inuyasha muttered.
"You know, you ought to talk to someone. Get all that anger out of you," she said, laying a hand on his. He pulled away.
"What did you want to see me about?" Inuyasha said, trying to not act like a nervous wreck. He remembered when this feeling had been all he'd ever wanted, that frenetic energy whenever she was around. He wasn't sure how he felt about it now.
"Do I need a reason to want to see you again?" Kikyou said.
Inuyasha blinked, trying to ignore the way his heart had quickened. "Usually you have one," he said, keeping his voice gruff, "How's the boyfriend?"
"Naraku is fine," Kikyou said, "He's working as a personal trainer while he goes on auditions."
"Sounds thrilling."
"You look good," Kikyou said.
"Thanks."
"I see a lot of photographs of you at bars. You've started smoking again." She looked at him like he was a poor lost soul, a child adrift in the wild world. A few months ago that look would have melted his heart. He wasn't sure how he felt now.
"Sometimes that happens when your future wife decides to start fucking somebody else," he said softly.
Kikyou sighed. "I knew this would be a mistake." She flipped her long dark hair over her shoulder. "You're being hostile."
I fucking wonder why, Inuyasha thought but did not say.
"Okay, listen," Kikyou said, turning to him, her smile gone, "I got in touch with you because I want to make sure we're on the same page. It's awards season. This movie is likely going to result in nominations for both of us. I'm just making sure if we're asked about the breakup, we need to have the same narrative in place."
Inuyasha leaned back in his seat, fixing her with a pointed stare. "I see."
"So the story is, our breakup was a dark time, we're working through it together, and we're still close and talk all the time."
Inuyasha snorted humorlessly and ran a hand through his hair. "You are unbelievable."
"Inuyasha." Her tone was approaching sharp.
"Keep your panties on. I'll go along with the bullshit. Just don't think I'm an idiot. I hope you enjoy your precious Oscar you get out of this."
He yanked the driver's side door open and slid out, slamming the door behind him, then all but stomped toward his own car, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets.
Kagome was leaning against the hood of the Lexus, reading, and she closed her book hesitantly as Inuyasha approached. "How'd it go?" she said, smiling.
Oh, man. He looked murderous. She'd seen him look like this only a few times before.
Like that night.
"That well, huh?" she said, trying to keep her tone of voice cheerful.
"That deceptive little-" He cut himself off and sighed, "Well, we've apparently got a game plan for awards season. She got what she wanted. Like always."
Kagome didn't know what to say. Her heart felt like it had dropped into her stomach. She had figured this would happen, and she'd dragged him right into it. Had it been for her own selfish reasons? Had it been because of her obligations to do what Kikyou said when she said it? Perhaps both? Regardless, she felt like a shit.
She tentatively reached out to touch his shoulder, a gesture she'd done time and time again.
He caught her hand gently. "Don't," he said almost snappishly, then raised his eyes to meet hers.
They stood there for what was probably a matter of a few seconds, but to her it felt like ages. He hadn't let go of her hand. Kagome stared at him, scarcely daring to move.
Another honk of the horn. They immediately jumped apart. Inuyasha turned to look at the Porsche, his scowl returning.
"I have to go," they both said in unison, and then grinned at each other.
Inuyasha ruffled her hair as he walked past her to get into his car. "See you Friday, kiddo."
Kagome went back to her own car, unable to resist touching the top of her own head for an instant.
"Did you get it?" Sango demanded. The photographer nodded, but kept clicking even as Inuyasha and Kagome stood there talking.
"Excuse me," Sango said pointedly, "The moment's over. Camera down."
"Just doing my job, ma'am," the pap said snappishly, and put his camera into his knapsack.
Miroku groaned, letting himself fall back onto his ass from his crouching position. Yeah, whatever, it's not like these pants are expensive as all hell. "Can we go home now," he muttered to Sango, who was still watching the pap like a hawk.
"Yes," Sango said, "That should do it. I'll be expecting the photos up by tomorrow morning."
"You got it," the pap said, and left them sitting there.
There was a brief moment of silence. Sango was watching the cars drive away from between the leaves.
"You saw that, right?" she said after a moment, turning to face Miroku.
"I did," Miroku replied, leaning back on his hands.
"That was a moment, wasn't it?" Sango was frowning and looking conflicted.
"Certainly looked that way."
A beat of silence. "What should we do?"
Miroku sighed. "The same thing we've been doing. Our jobs."
Sango stared at him. "You're acting like this doesn't change everything."
"It doesn't. We have a movie to promote. Keep your head in the game and maybe we'll get through this with our heads intact."
"Well, that had to be weird, huh?" Kagome said, trying to make conversation. Kikyou had been sitting in haughty silence for most of the drive home.
Kikyou didn't reply, just looked out the window at the passing city lights.
Just as Kagome gave up, her elder sister spoke.
"So how long have you and Inuyasha been in contact with each other?"
"You know the answer to that already," Kagome said evenly, "I saw him a few days ago with the press people."
"I mean, have you been talking before then."
"No, Kikyou, we haven't."
"Are you lying to me?"
"I would never."
Kikyou sat back in her seat sullenly. "When we get home, I'll need a bubble bath and some chamomile tea."
"Right away."
Friday afternoon was a whirlwind of preparations. The altered dress arrived for Kikyou, along with a whole shipment of others that she'd decided on and then turned down at the last minute. The hair and makeup people arrived about 5 pm, and the house was loud and bustling as an entire entourage devoted their time to preparing the goddess to meet her public.
Naraku, for his part, demanded his own hairdresser and tailored suit, which Kikyou and her enormous salary were only too happy to oblige.
Kagome was able to grab a few minutes in between bringing Kikyou her glasses of wine and running to the store for Naraku's special hairspray with tea tree oil to get herself ready in a simple blue cocktail gown and throw her hair up in an elegant updo. Kikyou's dress had a train tonight, which meant not only was Kagome on purse-holding duty, but she had to arrange the train for photos as well. That meant some comfortable designer flats; there would be a lot of bending and stooping involved.
The limo arrived at 8:30, and Kagome was relieved to see that apparently Sango had found the largest and most obscene-looking stretch vehicle possible. There was enough room to seat twenty-plus people and their party would number only eight. If people needed to be separated, there was at least room to do it.
They all piled in, Miroku looking sharp in his black Armani suit, Sango in Vivienne Westwood, and then the Higurashi entourage. There was always an odd mixing of perfumes and colognes and smoke and champagne in a limo, Kagome mused.
On to Inuyasha's to pick up the rest of the group.
"Here's to the whirlwind starting up again," Kouga said, holding his glass aloft.
Ayame, his flavor of the month, tossed her fabulous head of red hair and wrapped her arm around Kouga's, clinking her glass to his.
Inuyasha obliged, and the three downed their drinks.
"Ayame, go get your fur thing," Kouga said, slapping her playfully on the backside. She giggled and her heels clacked across Inuyasha's living room floor as she disappeared down the hallway.
"This is gonna be a hell of a night," Inuyasha said, smiling humorlessly.
"Eh, you'll be fine," Kouga said, rolling his shirtsleeves down and fastening the cufflinks, "It's not like you have to stand next to her the whole time."
Inuyasha's phone buzzed. It was Kagome. "Elvis is in the building."
"They're here," he said, shoving the phone into his pants pocket and throwing on his suit jacket, "Let's get going."
Yay the premiere is next! Thanks for all your kind love and reviews, I love you all. - meggz0rz