The It Couple
Chapter Twenty-Four
"Inuyasha?" Miroku called, ready to duck if something came flying at his head as he stepped into the living room. He was back at the Takahashi palace, holding a bag of In-N-Out (a peace offering, he'd told himself at the drive-thru, but really Miroku was hungry himself) and a really expensive bottle of scotch.
No answer. It was around nine in the evening, so he wasn't asleep, surely. His car was in the driveway (well, all six of his cars were in the driveway, being lovingly tended to by a garage attendant).
Where the hell was he?
Miroku couldn't help the feeling that he was in a horror movie and he was going to get beheaded by an axe as soon as he passed each corner. This was terrifying. He knew Inuyasha was pissed off. The question was, was Inuyasha pissed off enough to try and murder Miroku?
He might be.
Quietly moving through the living room, Miroku stooped to toss Inuyasha's phone (which he'd shamelessly pickpocketed earlier) haphazardly onto the couch and then shove a pillow over it. There. Now it just looked like Inuyasha had lost it.
Gingerly sitting at the kitchen table, eyes shifting to and fro, Miroku set the fast food bag in front of himself and began to open it. "I got your fries monster-style," he called out to the silence, praying that this meager offering would be enough to appease the furious movie god in his home domain.
Still no answer.
Miroku unwrapped a burger and took a tentative bite in the dark kitchen.
The sound of a chainsaw roared to life.
Miroku just about pissed his pants, all but throwing the burger down and standing up, knocking the chair over and backing into a corner. "What the hell?" he cried.
The chainsaw sound was coming from the backyard.
Peering in between the shades and by the light of the numerous outdoor lamps, Miroku saw that beyond the fabulous pool with a built-in waterfall, beyond the meticulously maintained garden, there was a glen of palm trees.
Palm trees that Inuyasha, dressed in a tank top and pajama bottoms, now seemed to be sawing down, one by one.
"Oh god," Miroku sent a silent prayer that this wasn't his last day on earth and stepped out the patio doors.
These fucking trees. They'd been blocking the sunset for god knows how long, and Inuyasha had realized, about four whiskeys in, that he was sick of looking at them.
He'd run out of gas in the chainsaw once already, and had called the garage to have one of the chauffeurs run him over a can (which they had done promptly but with an admittedly bewildered look). Didn't they understand that these goddamn palm trees needed to die?
Revving the chainsaw up once more, Inuyasha set his sights on the next fucking palm tree and turned his face away slightly to avoid flying chips of wood as he cut the sucker clean in half. This felt good, he thought, panting and dripping with sweat.
Stepping out of the way as the tree fell, he realized he might have miscalculated a bit as the palm fell leaves-first into the swimming pool, where it cracked through the finished stone border and sank like a stone.
"Whoops," Inuyasha said to himself, then turned to the next tree.
"Inuyasha!" It was Miroku's voice coming from behind him. Inuyasha turned to see the older man approaching, hands up like there was a gun drawn.
"The hell do you want?" Inuyasha snapped, powering down the chainsaw.
"To talk," Miroku said, obviously hesitating to come within arms' reach, "That's all. I brought you a cheeseburger and some scotch."
"To talk?" Inuyasha was ready to scream, then his own stomach grumbled. He was seven or eight whiskeys down and no food in his stomach. Either he ate now or he'd have a whopper of a headache in the morning.
"Alright, fine, sounds good."
"Maybe leave that out here?" Miroku said, gesturing to the chainsaw. He sounded nervous as all hell. What a weirdo.
"Yeah, okay," Inuyasha dropped the chainsaw like a stone on the grass beside him and stumbled inside. Miroku put out an arm as if to hold him up and he batted it away.
Kagome thought, as she was getting ready for bed, to try texting Inuyasha just once more. Maybe he'd been too busy to answer her; she understood that, of course, he had tons of people clamoring for his attention all the time.
So she sent him one more message.
"Seriously, are you okay? Are WE okay?"
Tossing her phone onto her bed, she sighed and turned on her game console. She needed to be distracted so she didn't just stare at her phone like a pathetic child, willing him to reply.
About thirty seconds later, her phone buzzed and she all but tossed the controller over her head in her haste to grab it.
"Delivery failed. Invalid destination or number blocked at destination."
That was weird. She checked the number. It was right.
She sent another text.
"I know I'm just being silly and overthinking this but you weren't exactly affectionate when I left today. Was it just because Miroku was there?"
Another thirty seconds later her phone pinged. Same error message.
So that's why he's not answering! He broke his phone or had to change his number because some obsessed fan found it again. God, Kagome, quit worrying, girl! You're overthinking things, once again.
With a quiet laugh to herself, she put her phone down and picked up her controller again.
"Kagome!" Kikyou called from the other room, "I need some more pinot grigio!"
God forbid she reach out and pour it herself, Kagome thought as she paused the game once more and with a roll of her eyes walked out of her room.
"Can't find my fucking phone," Inuyasha slurred, patting at himself.
Inuyasha, you're wearing pajamas. No pockets. Miroku fought the urge to roll his eyes as he poured them both a glass of very very expensive scotch.
"I think you left it on the couch. Here," Miroku said, holding the glass out, and Inuyasha took it without pausing and gulped the whole thing down, then coughed a little in surprise.
"Scotch? I wasn't drinking scotch earlier," he said, scratching his head. There were leaves and toothpick-sized wood fragments in his hair, and he smelled like lawn trimmings. Miroku wondered what Sango would have done if she saw him now. Probably just smirk behind her hand and give Miroku meaningful looks. Ugh, there went that ache in his stomach again. Damn grilled onions all over the fries were giving him indigestion.
"I bought it for you," Miroku said casually, "or rather, you bought it, since you pay my salary. You're welcome, by the way."
"For what?"
"The scotch."
"What scotch?"
Okay, maybe any meaningful discussion was out of the question at this point, but dammit, Miroku had come over here with a mission.
"We need to talk about you and Kikyou," Miroku tried, "In two days you have to sit together for a press junket and we have to make sure you play nice."
"I'll kill her with kindness. That's what I'm supposed to say, right? You're the press agent. You say bark, and I ask, big dog or small dog? Then I bark."
"What the hell are you even talking about?"
"Dogs."
"Why dogs?"
"You brought it up, didn't you?"
"No. Inuyasha, I need to know if we're going to have a problem with you sharing a red carpet with both Kikyou and Kagome. If so, Kagome's out. She can stay home."
"No, no, don't do that," Inuyasha's head lolled over to one side and he smiled dreamily, "I want Kagome there." He stumbled into the living room and nearly fell onto the couch. "Oh, here it is. Weird, she hasn't texted me. Oh well." He tossed the phone in the air and onto the couch again, then wobbled back toward the kitchen and the bountiful spread of In-N-Out burgers.
"Okay," said Miroku, pinching the bridge of his nose, "but you and Kikyou are the main attraction of this event. Smile at Kikyou, hold her hand, whisper whatever-the-hell-you-have-to in her ear for the cameras. Got it?" There's literally no point in doing this, he's a hot fucking mess, but I have to be able to tell Sango that I hammered it in as much as I could.
"I got it," Inuyasha said grumpily, eating another fry.
"And Kagome is…?" Miroku prompted, waving his hand.
"Beautiful."
"Off. Fucking. Limits," Miroku ground out through his teeth.
"Sure, that. Yeah."
Christ, this was going to be a weird premiere. Miroku was glad he'd acted on instinct and stolen Inuyasha's phone out of his pocket this morning, because with the amount of alcohol Inuyasha had imbibed, Miroku wouldn't have been shocked to have come here to an empty house and find that he and Kagome had on a whim eloped to Southeast Asia or some shit. He could just feel Sango glaring daggers at him and her voice saying "See this mess? You did this. Well done."
He and Sango would just have to hold hands and pray. Especially the hold hands part. If he could manage that.
"Hello, movie fans! This is Yura Kaminoke once again, coming to you from the press screening of 'The Red Robe' in Los Angeles! I'm sitting here with Kikyou Higurashi and Inuyasha Takahashi, and guess what? Everyone is getting along!"
Inuyasha forced a genial laugh alongside Kikyou, whose smile was only slightly strained as she patted him affectionately on the arm.
"So Kikyou," Yura honed in hard, "It's been awhile, we know you've been asked this question before but, I think under the circumstances it's relevant. What's it been like these past few weeks, being reunited with your leading man?"
Kikyou smiled at the question and kept her hand on Inuyasha's arm as she answered. "It's been like coming home," she said, "There's no scene partner who understands me better than he does."
That's interesting. I remember having to do several scenes in this movie playing against your body double because you were in your trailer "sick." Inuyasha's sarcasm certainly couldn't be voiced right now, but no one could police his thoughts, dammit.
Normally at this point, he would have looked just beyond the camera to where Kagome was sitting with her book (her "battle station," she used to call it), but Kagome was over by the door, obviously juggling several questions at once from studio employees about what color flowers to present the great Miss Higurashi with after the premiere tonight and whatever else. Poor thing. He had thought about calling her and explaining that his not-so-loving goodbye the other day was less of a changing-one's-mind thing and more of a Miroku-is-watching-and-I'm-trying-to-be-a-good-boy thing, but then yesterday he'd been insanely hungover and basically slept about twelve hours straight. Besides, he thought, she hadn't texted him either, so it was clear it hadn't bothered her too much. Or it had bothered her a ton. He wasn't sure which.
"And Inuyasha," Yura turned to him and he mentally snapped to attention, "How has it been for you, after all these months apart, now that Kikyou is finally next to you again?"
"It's been okay," he said, but then a glare from Miroku off camera, so he quickly added on, "I mean, it had been weird before. You know, we were together for eight years, so you don't just move on from that kind of stability very quickly."
Yura nodded emphatically. "Of course," she agreed, "And Kikyou, you were dating someone else until very recently. Was it awkward at all for you?"
Kikyou took the invasive question like a champ. "It was at first. Even though our breakup was mutual and friendly, it can be hard after some time has passed to get back together and rethink things, reevaluate…" She trailed off, glancing at Inuyasha, obviously wanting him to jump in and help her with her bullshit.
"Exactly," Inuyasha agreed with an easygoing smile, "We've both changed. She's changed. I've changed. Everyone's different now. And that's a good thing."
Miroku didn't move but Inuyasha knew he was likely mentally facepalming. What do you expect? You're the bullshit artist, not me.
Inuyasha couldn't chance a look beyond Miroku without the camera catching his eyeline wandering, but he was pretty sure Kagome had paused at that before continuing her fifty conversations at once.
"Okay, hold on," Yura pointed at Kikyou excitedly, "Kikyou, you said 'back together.' Are you two back together?"
Before Kikyou could reply, Inuyasha swept in. "We're both not commenting right now."
"Phooey!" Yura said, then turned to the camera with a wink. "Now then, on to the topic at hand. 'The Red Robe.' Can you explain what the title of this movie means to viewers?"
"There's a red robe involved," Inuyasha said dryly, and both Yura and Kikyou laughed congenially. Kikyou's arm on Inuyasha's sleeve tightened a little.
"Oh, goodness, you are just too funny! How do you live with him, Kikyou?"
"She doesn't!" Inuyasha interjected, and the three all dissolved into almost manic laughter. Kikyou's grip tightened again.
"Oh, Inuyasha," Kikyou said affectionately, brushing his shoulder with her forehead in a loving gesture, "To answer your question, Yura, the film is about a courtesan, that's me, who is involved in a huge epic story of forbidden love. A gladiator, that's him, earns her affections but doesn't want to pay, so they elope across a continent, with a corrupt ruler who will stop at nothing to get her back. The 'red robe' in the title is symbolic of what the courtesans wear in the course of this story, and how my character has to work past all the circumstances of her status and all her built-in self hatred in order to allow herself to love this man."
Succinct enough. Inuyasha let himself nod in agreement.
"So, I think I have time for one more question," Yura said, practically drooling, "Are you going to the Golden Globes together?"
Kikyou leaned forward but Inuyasha stepped on her again. "No comment."
Yura looked disappointed again but didn't let her smile slip.
"And that's five minutes," Sango called from the door, where she was standing with a clipboard in hand, looking most businesslike.
Yura smiled and left them sitting there. Miroku and Sango both shot him an irritated glare, but Inuyasha just folded his hands back behind his head with an easygoing grin and watched Kagome take another phone call out of the corner of his eye.
Just hours later, the red carpet in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre was once again lit up with spotlights.
Sango stood there next to Randall Warner, running the whole thing via text message and quick phone calls while in a slinky black dress and four-inch Jimmy Choos. She could feel the studio head watching her out of the corner of his eye, even as he schmoozed with other bigshots, and she wanted to scream. Yes, I am handling everything, because I'm a fucking badass. Quit breathing down my throat and find your wife; I think she's at the bar flirting with some teenager. Sure, she sounded bitter and annoyed, but lately that was her resting mood so it was fine.
The lesser stars were already walking the carpet, pausing for autographs and photo ops with fans. Only about three hours to go until the big guns arrived. They were likely all getting ready together right now.
There was a strange compulsion in her to text Miroku and see how things were on his end. They'd barely spoken in the last few days, as she'd made it very clear he was to give her space, but now she found herself wondering if perhaps she'd pushed too hard. It really was weird not having him around to vent to, to make evil plans with, or even to just sit in her nice-but-not-too-lavish apartment and veg out on some trash TV nursing hangovers and eating some cheap Chinese food he'd brought over.
She felt Warner's eyes on her again and fought the urge to throw her hands up and yell "WHAT?" at him.
"Miss Kikyou, Inuyasha is here."
Kikyou looked up from the makeup table, where a young twenty-something girl with the most amazing blue and purple hair Kagome had ever seen was seated in front of the actress, working her makeup magic. Kikyou had elected to go with a bright red lip and black winged liner, and it would look perfect with the white Versace dress.
"Have him wait," Kikyou said with a smirk, "Or, better yet, Kagome, you go. Pour him a drink."
Raising an eyebrow, Kagome looked up from her own red-carpet treatment. She'd had to wait for the hairdresser to finish Kikyou before even starting on her, which was a little odd since Kikyou's hair was by far the easier to tame and style, but whatever. Kagome knew where she ranked in the grand scheme of things. She wasn't an idiot.
Kagome's hair was halfway in the process of being styled. The hairdresser had taken one look at her dress and decided on a semi-1940's style side updo.
"Kikyou, I'm in the middle of having my hair done. I can't exactly get up right now. He knows where the bar is, and he's a big boy. He can pour his own drink." Plus, for some reason, Kagome felt like she didn't want to speak to Inuyasha for the first time in three days with her hair only half-braided into a side updo.
Kikyou sighed resignedly and sat back in her chair, holding out her hand again to the makeup girl who was also doing her nails in bright red. It looks like she's torn out someone's throat, Kagome thought with a little amusement.
After about thirty seconds of silence, Kikyou obviously couldn't stand it anymore. "Oh fine," she said with a dramatic sigh, clutching her white terrycloth bathrobe around herself with one hand and allowing the nails to dry on the other. She stood and whisked out of the room like a hurricane toward the foyer.
Kagome watched her go, then caught the eye of the rainbow-haired girl and echoed her exasperated sigh.
Inuyasha had indeed found the bar. Right where I left it eight-and-a-half months ago, he mused, adding a few drops of water to a finger and a half of his old standard whiskey.
He stood, drink in hand, taking in how the decor in the living room had changed. Gone were all the vintage movie posters he'd spent days on end finding, restoring, and framing in heavy mats. There had been at least four here.
"She better not have thrown out that 'Casablanca' poster," he grumbled into his glass.
"I didn't, I swear," Kikyou said from the hallway entrance, and he nearly choked on his drink, "We just moved it to the game room area. I wanted the room redone in pale pink and it clashed."
She was standing there, hair long and loose and curled ever so slightly at the ends, leaning against the wall as if she'd been watching him dreamily.
"Good to see you, Inuyasha," she said softly, "I'd give you a better greeting but my nails are all wet."
"I'm good," he said flatly, shoving his free hand into his pocket.
Kikyou laughed as if he'd just told a joke. He swallowed the rest of his drink and went to make another.
"Don't have too much," Kikyou said in a voice like melted sugar, "I need you awake and alert and present with me tonight, okay, honey?"
"Whatever you say, dear," he said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, pouring a generous amount into his glass, then headed into the game room to locate his old posters without a backward glance.
"He's resisting," Kikyou said as three women helped her into her dress, "but I know him. It'll just take one night to get him eating out of the palm of my hand."
Kagome grimaced, but her own dress was gingerly being lowered over her head by Kaede (who'd had to drop in to help since Kikyou wasn't about to spare any of her hired entourage when Kikyou needed help) so no one could see.
Kagome was well aware of her sister's long-held ability to inspire affection and devotion with a few well-placed glances, but she was pretty sure she and Inuyasha were okay. He still had never texted her back, and during the hours-long press junket this morning Kikyou had kept her so busy that she had never gotten even half a moment with him alone. He was still acting annoyed with Kikyou, so Kagome had that much to hold onto.
Unless it was an act to just get Kikyou crawling to him for once. The thought made her shiver a little, but she shook it out of her head. Positive thoughts, Kagome. Ignore your inner saboteur. She scoffed a little at the thoughts running through her mind; she sounded like some half-assed self help guru.
"All done, Kagome," Kaede said in her grizzled old voice, and Kagome crossed to the mirror to take a look at herself.
She looked good. Damn good. Of course, her Versace wasn't custom Versace, but it would do, especially since she had gotten it tailored to hug her curves perfectly. She'd insisted to the stylist that she be allowed to keep her multiple ear piercings in, but had relented when it came to them being replaced with diamonds. Her entire face glowed like the fire of a star, and it was kind of staggering. Sure, she'd looked pretty darn nice at the HFA's, but there was something different now. She felt...less stiff.
Being head over heels in love sure helps with the inner glow, don't it?
Keeping it a closely guarded secret sure did suck, though.
The open smile she sent at her own reflection was interrupted by Kikyou brushing past her. "Kagome, grab my new white fox fur, will you? Donatella sent it over with her compliments."
Kagome stepped into her silver pumps and went to grab it from its perch on the loveseat, then followed Kikyou into the living room.
Miroku arrived in his simple black-and-white tux and was promptly escorted to the game room, where Inuyasha sat on the edge of a billiard table nursing a small drink and gazing at the posters adorning the walls.
"Are these your old ones?" he said by way of greeting, and Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder briefly, then turned back and nodded.
"I thought they got thrown away," Inuyasha mused, "Kagome and I spent hours restoring these old things back in the day. They're worth a shitload of money, probably."
"I remember," Miroku said quietly, standing casually next to him and folding his arms.
"I know what you're gonna say," Inuyasha said, brow furrowed as he took another sip of his drink, "And I already understand, so don't waste your breath. Tonight is Kikyou's night and I'm going to play the part beautifully."
"It's your night, too," Miroku mumbled, feeling a little awkward and like he didn't know what to do with his hands. He needed a drink too.
Inuyasha apparently noticed him fidgeting and nodded toward a globe in the far corner. "Bar's in the globe."
Miroku crossed and starting preparing himself a vodka soda. It was practically guaranteed with nerves like this that he was going to spill something on himself tonight, so clear alcohol was a must.
"Have you talked to Kagome? Alone, I mean."
Inuyasha shook his head. "I guess I should have texted her, but I was pretty much out of commission yesterday. Besides, you told me not to, and like a good dog I'm barking when I'm told."
Miroku smirked. "What did Nazuna say when she saw your spot of gardening?"
"That I needed to quit drinking." Inuyasha took another sip. "She's probably right."
"So you haven't talked to Kagome since…?"
Inuyasha shot him a look. "No, I haven't. And she hasn't texted me either, so keep your goddamn panties on. We're doing what we're told."
Miroku tried not to look like a shifty raccoon stealing a dog's breakfast and took a drink.
"Inuyasha, we're all trying to win you an Oscar. I wish you would just sit back and say 'thank you' once in a while."
"Oh, I'm grateful," Inuyasha said, "Hell, it's been my dream since I was a snot-nosed kid to be up on that stage someday. And I'll be sure to thank you by name in my speech. A little extra publicity for you, just like you like it."
Miroku sighed. Inuyasha was so good at pointing out the flaws in his character. He took another drink.
"Just know this," Inuyasha continued, his manner calm but his voice deadly serious, "If this shit gets any more out of hand and Kagome ends up hurting, I'm leaving. I'm leaving and I'm taking her with me. Fuck all of you and your Oscar campaign. Got it?"
"Read you loud and clear," Miroku said, trying to hide the fact that he was sweating and hoping that sweet, lovable Kagome didn't decide to suddenly grow a vindictive streak and let slip what Miroku had said to her on the limo ride home three days ago.
"Gentlemen," a maid poked her head in, "The ladies are ready for you in the foyer."
Kikyou stood there, draped in fox fur and blindingly, dazzlingly covered in white diamonds from head to toe. Every inch the goddess.
Kagome had thrown a little lip gloss, a few twenties in cash (for tipping doormen, naturally), and, inexplicably, one of her dime-novel paperbacks into a white oversized clutch (one of Kikyou's hand-me-downs). "Shit," she swore, heading quickly back down the hallway to her room, "I forgot my phone."
She had texted Inuyasha when they started getting ready and got the same error message. Trying not to let it bother her, she had immediately gotten swept into hair and makeup. It was strange, though, wasn't it? Not to have talked once since she'd left his house wearing someone else's clothes with the scent of his shampoo in her hair?
With a quick glance in her tiny bedroom mirror, she grabbed the phone off her dresser and rushed back toward the living room.
And there he stood, with Miroku, being helped into his slate-colored dinner jacket by a very eager and excited looking young housemaid. He shot the housemaid a playful wink (to which the girl might nearly have fainted; she very definitely stumbled on her way back out of the room).
"Kagome," Kikyou whined impatiently, "quit dawdling and let's go."
The two men looked up at that, and Kagome let herself briefly meet Inuyasha's eyes before rushing ahead of Kikyou to open the front door.
After the Higurashi sisters had exited the house toward the waiting limo, Miroku was able to turn to Inuyasha.
"Close your goddamn mouth, Takahashi," he hissed, sweating now more than ever, "You're going to give yourself away."
"Good evening, everyone at home! We're back with the red carpet premiere of 'The Red Robe,' a film that is generating serious Oscar buzz this year! We've seen some amazing red carpet fashion tonight, especially Ayame's fabulous dress that we're flashing up on the screen for you all to view. And now, I'm glad to say, the moment has arrived! Here they are, moviegoers! Your 'It Couple,' together again!"
Inuyasha and Kikyou walked arm in arm, waving to the crowds with huge, winning smiles on their faces. In front of them, Kagome walked side-by-side with Miroku, both hands on her white clutch. She tried to keep a smile on her face and walk demurely with her gaze fixed on the red carpet in front of her.
"Wave, Kagome," Miroku mumbled out of the corner of his mouth, "You're not an assistant tonight."
At the prompt, Kagome raised a tentative hand and tried not to have a seizure from the ever-repeating flash of cameras and the roar of the crowd (though she was pretty sure their cheers were not for her, but the couple behind her).
"Good," Miroku said, smile pasted on his face, "Now get over there. Yura Kaminoke is calling you over for an interview."
"Me?" Kagome said sharply, then remembered herself and waved even more emphatically.
"Okay, cool it on the waving, you look like an inflatable tube man. And yes, you. Go."
He gave her a gentle shove at the small of her back, and she quickly walked up to Yura, whose grip on the microphone must have been amazing because Yura practically threw it in her face. Kagome just kept her smile pasted on and shot a glance back at Inuyasha and Kikyou, who had paused in their journey down the red carpet to sign a few autographs and pose for photos with screaming fans.
"I understand you're Kikyou Higurashi's younger sister!" Yura had apparently been sent a nice little blurb about her ahead of time; Kagome probably had Sango to thank for that.
"I am indeed," Kagome said, fighting to keep her nerves under control and her voice steady, but dammit it was a little difficult when you knew you were broadcasting to thousands if not hundreds of thousands of people worldwide.
"You've made quite the splash lately! Just bursting on the scene all of a sudden! You're gorgeous, by the way. You look a bit like your sister!"
Just look for me in all the rejected press photos of Kikyou with my arm still in the shot rearranging her dress, Kagome thought but mercifully didn't say.
"Thank you very much," was all she could muster.
"And who are you wearing tonight?" Yura asked, and the camera panned up and down Kagome's body. Oh, right, the fashion shot.
"Versace," Kagome said, her hand holding up the skirt of the emerald green gown, "and the shoes are vintage." That was Kagome's key word for 'I don't actually remember where I got these shoes and there's no label, so there.'"
"Beautiful! Just beautiful!" Yura said, though Kagome caught her surreptitiously glancing at Kikyou and Inuyasha, who were approaching ever closer as they made their way from brief interview to interview, "It's wonderful to see you here supporting your big sister on her big night! Have you seen the film?"
"No, I haven't," Kagome said, "I'm excited to!" She would have rolled her own eyes at the answer if Kikyou had given it but she was just ready for this moment to be over.
"You made your red carpet debut at the Hollywood Film Awards last week, didn't you?"
"I did, yes."
"You went as Kouga Okami's date. How do you two know each other? Oh, through your sister, of course. Did she introduce you? Are you seeing each other?"
"No," Kagome fought the blush, "Just friends."
"Well, have a great time tonight! Thanks for stopping!" And it was over.
Three stunted, halting interviews later, Kagome was at the end of the red carpet. Not many reporters wanted to talk to her unless it was to tell her how much like a teenaged Kikyou she looked (gag) or to ask her about Kouga (awkward).
Miroku was there, waiting to collect her. He offered his arm and she took it. "These damn heels," she muttered under her breath, "I don't think I'll ever get used to them."
"You just gotta practice," Miroku said, "Like tonight was practice. You did a pretty good job, kid. A lot of one word answers, but it's not like the questions were any good either."
"The things I'll go through to get my sister an Oscar," Kagome mumbled. She gazed down the red carpet, where Yura Kaminoke was obviously fighting to keep Kikyou and Inuyasha talking to her and not moving on, while Inuyasha was gently trying to lead Kikyou away.
"Hang on a sec," Miroku said, and like an absolute boss he walked over to them and threw an arm around Inuyasha's shoulders like he was saying something super important, leading him and Kikyou away just long enough to reach the next news reporter clamoring for their attention. Once they were situated with the new interviewer, Miroku shoved his hands in his suit pockets and meandered back to where Kagome was standing just inside the doors.
"I've seen you do that a million times," Kagome said, "and it's still impressive."
"Take notes, babe. Now, why don't you go inside and grab a seat? Should be easy to find, since your name's officially on the door now."
Kagome nodded and went into the theatre lobby, where ushers were waiting to escort her to the usual opera box.
Miroku was right. Her name was on the door this time.
How will the film turn out? Will Inuyasha and Kagome ever get a moment alone again? Will Miroku and Sango get a chance to get back to their old lovey dovey selves? Find out next time on "Days of our Lives-" er I mean uh "The It Couple" ;) -meggz0rz