The It Couple

Chapter Twenty

There she stood, her car keys in hand, out of breath, in that navy blue cocktail gown with a string of pearls in her hair. She had this look on her face that was just so stricken, full of pity and friendship and...something else…

"Kagome?" Inuyasha said again, "You're-you're-" He couldn't finish the thought, couldn't even string out a coherent sentence, dammit.

She walked in and shut the door. "I thought so... I thought you'd be drinking. You don't need it, Inuyasha. Not when you're like this. Not that much."

His eyes immediately fell to the glass in his hand, and he sheepishly set it on the bar in front of him like a child who had been scolded.

Without taking her eyes off of his, she slowly approached. He was a full head taller than she was, even with the short heels she was wearing.

"Your hand," she whispered, after what seemed like ages, "Is it-"

"I'll live," he said, wincing as she took his hand in her two small ones to examine it closer.

"There are shards of glass in here," she said, gingerly prodding at the scrapes on his knuckles, "I'd hate to imagine what Naraku's face looks like right now if glass got in the mix while you were punching him."

"Hope the bastard needs a fucking nose job," Inuyasha growled, then sighed, "Sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I mean, I've wanted to do that for months, but to do it in public? During awards season with the press breathing down my throat? It's a hell of a mess to clean up, isn't it?"

"Hey, it's what I do," Kagome said, looking up at him and giving him that sweet smile.

"You shouldn't have to," he said gently, fighting to keep his voice steady and fighting to keep his eyes from the dimple on her cheek.

What felt like an eternity passed until she gently released his hand. "I need tweezers, alcohol, and a shitload of band-aids," she said with a small laugh, brushing past him as she headed towards the east hallway, "Point me in the right direction."

"I still cannot fucking believe you," Sango growled. They were halfway to her house and Miroku had the distinct suspicion that he would not be invited to spend the night tonight.

"I said I was sorry," Miroku mumbled, wincing at the terrifying and intimidating aura emanating from the passenger seat. He wondered as an aside if pure fury would stain his new leather seats.

"He's your client, Houshi," she said, staring out the window, arms and legs folded so tightly he wondered her limbs didn't hurt from the exertion, "So you're going to clean this mess up in the morning."

Miroku sighed. "Understood. I'll make him play ball."

Sango sniffed derisively, then her phone buzzed. She fished it out of her purse and furiously hit the unlock code.

A few moments of silence. Miroku decided to bite. "What are you looking at?"

Her face was impassive. "The Globe nominations just came in."

"Congratulations," Kagome said softly, a bundle of bandages and first aid implements in one arm and her phone held aloft in the other hand as she reentered the living room.

Inuyasha was sitting on the couch, having removed his dinner jacket and rolling up his sleeves (hard to do with one hand quickly swelling up). He looked up sharply as she entered.

"For what?" he said.

She kicked out of her heels, which were making an annoying clacking sound on the finished wood floors, and continued approaching him, now three inches shorter.

"You got nominated," she said with a grin, "for a Golden Globe. So congratulations, though I can't say I didn't see it coming." She held her phone screen out for him to read.

"Oh," he said, looking a little sheepish, "Thanks."

"Kikyou did too," she said quickly, "But she's not answering her texts right now. I did call a doctor to go to the house and look at Naraku, though."

Inuyasha shrugged and nodded.

"And," she continued, wondering why she was telling him this, "I told her I'd be out all night dealing with the fallout of what just happened."

"I'm sure Miroku and Sango are handling it," Inuyasha said quickly, looking guilty as all hell for bringing this down on everybody's heads.

"Oh, I'm sure they are," Kagome said reassuringly, sitting next to him on the couch, dumping all the cotton balls and bandages on the coffee table in front of her, "It's just my way of...well...getting her off my back for a while, that's all."

Inuyasha just looked at her, his face unreadable.

"Alright," she said, "let's get your hand fixed up."

"Kagome's called Kikyou's personal MD to their house," Miroku said upon checking his phone when they pulled up in front of Sango's apartment, "He's going to check Naraku's nose and see if it's broken and needs setting."

Sango didn't answer, just rummaged through her purse for her apartment keys.

"How are we gonna avoid him pressing charges? He's a loose cannon now."

"I know, I know," Sango grumbled, "If Kagome hadn't gotten in the way in there this wouldn't have gone so south. We would have had a public argument and that's it."

"Hey," Miroku said, throwing his hands up, "you're the one who called Naraku's gym with the anonymous tip that his girlfriend and her ex were making googoo eyes at each other at Nobu behind his back."

She glared at him and he felt himself take a step back.

"What," he said, shocked at his own daring even though that fiery gaze made him want to piss himself, "I'm not allowed to call you out for mistakes?"

Sango said nothing but resumed searching her purse for her keys.

"Babe," Miroku said softly, "You've got to realize that not everything is always gonna go like clockwork. These people we manage, they're human beings. Granted, most of them are fucking idiots, but they have feelings."

"That's not my problem," Sango snapped, "What matters right now is getting this whole thing just right."

"You're already doing enough," Miroku protested, reaching for her and stepping back when she snatched her arm away, "You're playing the whole game as it's traditionally done, schmoozing up to voting members of the Academy, making sure press is circulated, all of it. This whole extra drama for publicity's sake is just icing on the cake. We'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say," she said, dropping her purse to her side, her search for the keys temporarily abandoned, hands clenched into fists, "You have a single client who obviously doesn't give a shit how he looks to an entire voting body or to the public. He couldn't care less about winning, so you have it nice and simple, don't you? I have an entire studio to please. Warner, the other executives, the shareholders, everybody. They all want results."

"You say that like I've never been in your position," Miroku felt himself getting angry, "Like you didn't steal your position right out from under me."

He regretted it the moment it left his mouth but there it was, the words hanging between them on that cold, dark sidewalk. Her eyes were almost red with fury, and she opened her mouth to speak, then closed it again, seemingly swallowing a scream.

"Get the fuck out of my sight, Houshi," she finally said, through gritted teeth, turning away and walking up the steps to her front door.

Miroku felt the air rush out of his lungs and wanted to run after her, to hold her and kiss her and apologize, but instead he got back in the car and sped off down the street.

"You sure you know what you're doing?" Inuyasha said haltingly as she took his hand, her eyes fixed on his knuckles.

"Not at all," she said, tucking that same stray curl behind her ear. It always seemed to be the first lock of hair to pop out of place no matter her hairstyle, he mused.

"Great," he said weakly as she positioned the tweezers above his index finger, placing his hand in her lap to get a better angle.

"I promise not to maim you too bad, though," she said, looking up at him with a grin, and he forced himself to concentrate on her making him laugh and not on the fact that her dress had ridden up with her seating position and his hand was resting on her bare thigh.

"Ah! Damn, that stings!" he swore, fighting the urge to snatch his hand away at the first pluck of the tweezers.

"I'm sorry," she said sincerely, but continuing her efforts all the while, "The glass shards are tiny, like powder. It's seriously like you went through the champagne bottle to get to him. I'll go fast but I don't want to miss any. Can't have you on the red carpet with one giant swollen hand."

He chuckled. "It's fine, keep going. Ignore me."

There was silence for the next few minutes aside from the occasional hiss of pain from Inuyasha or sympathetic groan from Kagome. Then she pulled back, satisfied with her work, and just when Inuyasha thought he was off the hook, she was full on splashing rubbing alcohol on his open wounds without warning, ignoring his bellow of pain, and then applying an insane amount of cartoon-print band-aids over the abrasions. His hand looked like a damn kid's show.

"Where did you get these bandages?" she wondered aloud as she finished up, clearly holding back her laughter, "Are these Star Wars band-aids?"

"Laugh it up, dork, these are yours," he said, cracking a grin, "From the old apartment."

"So they are!" Kagome laughed delightedly, "Well, you look very distinguished. It's a good change for you. You're a fashion guy, right? So maybe this will be the in look next season."

"Are you done," Inuyasha said flatly, though he couldn't help the laughter rumbling in his chest.

She nodded but kept laughing and he found himself joining her, his spirit feeling lighter than it had for several days. Eventually she was able to work herself down to just a low giggle at the admittedly ridiculous sight of him, Inuyasha, the biggest male celebrity on the planet, with a swollen hand decorated with such wonderful bright colors it would make Betsey Johnson throw up.

He realized he was staring at her dimple again and mentally shook himself out of it.

"You don't mind if I bunk here tonight, right?" she was saying.

"S-sure."

Okay, now he was stammering with Kagome, too. What was it with these Higurashi sisters?

Kagome smiled again (there went that dimple again) and made to stand up. "Thanks, Inuyasha."

She leaned in as if she were going to kiss him on the cheek.

And then Inuyasha did either the smartest or most foolish thing he'd ever done (he'd figure out which one later, dammit).

He turned his head.

Their lips met.

Kagome's eyes flew wide open and she made to pull away in shock, but Inuyasha pulled gently at the back of her neck with his uninjured hand, pulling her down to him. The kiss was tentative, but sweet, and lasted several seconds.

Oh my god oh my god oh my god what the what oh my god oh my god

Her mind raced. Was this really happening? Was this really fucking happening?

Wait. Is he drunk? No, there's no way, he only got half a glass of champagne before he decided to plant his fist through it. Did he drink before that? Is he on drugs? Does he have me confused with someone else?

That last thought shook her out of her insanity as their lips parted.

Immediately, Inuyasha's satisfied smile turned to a look of terror. "Oh god," he said, "Kagome, I'm so sorry, what have I done?"

She was confused for a moment, then her hand went to her cheek and she realized tears were streaming from both eyes.

Inuyasha continued to stammer out an apology. "So sorry-took advantage-I'm such an asshole-" His hands wrapped around her back and he pulled her close.

And Kagome, like the moron she was, began to sob.

Inuyasha felt her shaking in his arms and knew then that he was the lowest of the low. He continued to whisper apologies, trying to ignore that his own hands were trembling now. From what? Embarrassment? Anger at himself? Or...something else…

Kagome then attempted to pull away and he fought the urge to hold her tighter, as if that would make everything okay, as if that would erase the line he had just crossed.

"I'm so sorry," he said again as she sat back on the couch, legs folded under her, shoulders racking with sobs.

"It's not that," she said, wiping her cheeks with both hands, "I'm not angry."

"What is it?"

"I'm just so...happy," she said, dissolving into heavy sobs once more.

The sigh of relief was immense and Inuyasha fought the urge to laugh. This sweet, wonderful, adorable young woman was, in fact, happy he had kissed her and he had never known the feeling of joy that was now bubbling up in his stomach.

He couldn't help it, he had to let out a chuckle, and in response to it, she started to laugh too, wiping at her cheeks in an exercise of futility.

"I'm sorry," she giggled, "I'm just-sob-so ridiculous."

"You've always been my favorite kind of ridiculous," he said with a grin, and she started to cry and laugh harder.

"Okay," he said in mock annoyance, "Is this going to happen every time I say something from now on?"

She was full-on laughing now, leaning on his arm for support. "Give me a-sob-second," she said, "Lots of emotions-sob-coming out here."

He pulled her into his arms again, leaning his forehead onto hers.

Why did I never notice, she was right here this whole time and now it all makes sense, everything, all of it, it's all so easy…so easy to feel this way about her...

"Can I tell you you're amazing without you ugly crying some more?" he said.

Apparently not. He started to laugh harder.

"Can you at least stop long enough for me to kiss you again?" he choked out, grinning from ear to ear.

Ah, she could do that.

FDLJFLSDFJLSDFJLS My heart is so fulllllll and happyyyyy. I have been waiting for this moment since this fic started. Thought we could all use a break from the typical anguished declarations of love and enjoy one that makes us smile and feel all fuzzy inside!

Rest assured, folks, this is not the end. Not even close. There are still a WORLD of obstacles to get through, and the main one is obvious... Hahahaha they think it will be easy from here on out NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT FOR I LOVE TORTURE AND MAKING THEM WORK FOR THEIR HAPPY ENDING DAMMIT.

Also for some reason it seems the happiness of Inu/Kag's relationship is inverse at this moment to the happiness of Mir/San's... I'm sure that won't always be the case but for NOW, MWAHAHAHAHA.

Also it seems a lot of you wonderful reviewers have VERY strong feelings about many of the characters, whether good or bad feelings... I guess that means I'm doing an okay job thus far? At least I'm not boring you hahahahahaha (fades into hugbox plz don't hurt me) - meggz0rz