The It Couple
Chapter Twenty-Six
"Kagooooome!"
Ah, there it was. The sound of her life. Kagome looked up from her book from her perch on the chaise lounge in the hotel suite's dressing room. The entire top floor had been rented for Kikyou, Inuyasha, and their respective entourages, though the hotel staff hadn't seemed to realize that Inuyasha's entourage consisted of just one Miroku Houshi.
"Yeah?" she said, looking over to where Kikyou was being helped out of the long, capelike white Versace and changing into a much shorter, body-conforming white dress (also Versace of course) with almost sashlike red accents running from one shoulder and ending at the waist. A 'red robe.' Very subtle, sister darling.
"I need some more champagne." Kikyou's words were slightly muffled as she blotted her reapplied red lipstick on a tissue.
"Right now?" Kagome said skeptically, "You've had three glasses already. Don't you think you should slow down?"
Kikyou pouted and waved the makeup girl away with a swatting motion. The girl with the rainbow hair immediately jumped back. "Kagomeeee," Kikyou said sweetly, "I want another one. This is my night, isn't it?"
Kagome went to pick up the phone and call the front desk.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. With a sigh, Kagome put the phone back in the receiver and answered it. Never a moment's rest on premiere nights.
There stood a starstruck-looking group of bellhops with their heads poking through what looked like a forest of flower bouquets, all different colors but mostly red. "Deliveries for Miss Kikyou Higurashi," the young man in front stammered.
"Come on in," Kagome said, holding the door fully open. The bellhops streamed in, each of them with arms full of flowers.
Wow, ten in a row. Might be a new record.
"Uh, where should we…" The lead bellhop was staring at Kikyou, who still sat in the makeup chair. She smiled and flashed him a flirtatious wink and the young man flushed beet red.
"Over here," Kagome said quietly, "On the coffee table is fine. If they don't fit, just find a surface and stick them there. We'll figure it all out later."
The hotel employees immediately set about arranging the flowers and (Kagome noted) quite a few expensive-looking bags of gifts all over the back corner of the suite. Kikyou certainly had her share of friends in the industry, eager to make it known that they supported her.
"Let me see the bags," Kikyou said, holding still for the makeup artist to add smidges of red eyeliner on top of the black already applied. Kagome, nearly tripping on the hem of her dress and falling headfirst into the field of roses, reached amongst the pile and pulled out the two bags she could get to.
"Here," she said, holding them out to Kikyou.
"Open them up, silly!"
Kagome sighed and opened the first bag, pulling out the card to read it. "It's from Randall Warner," she said, "'All my love to our fantastic star of stars. Love, Randy.'"
"How sweet," Kikyou said complacently, "What is it?"
Kagome pulled out a black velvet box. "I think it's a bracelet." She opened it. It was. Solid diamonds.
"Gorgeous!" Kikyou said, "Here, put it on me. I'll wear it to the afterparty."
"Hell," Kagome said with a smirk as she fastened the clasp, "Wear it forever. It'll keep you safe when you're jogging at night."
"Very funny," Kikyou sniffed, "What about the next one?"
"Begging your pardon, Miss Higurashi," the lead bellhop said hesitantly. One of the young men behind him was still holding an armful of flowers.
"Just put them on the floor," Kagome started to say, then realized the lead bellhop was holding what looked like a...dress bag? With Versace written on it?
"These here are for a Miss Kagome Higurashi," the bellhop read off the card, "Is that her cousin, or what?"
"I'm Kagome Higurashi," Kagome said softly, her brow furrowed, "I'm her sister."
"How cute," Kikyou said in her singsong voice, "You got a few flowers too. I guess you've got a few admirers among the teenybopper set."
Trying to ignore her, Kagome reached out and took the black dress bag. There was a card attached. The message was typed and unsigned.
"Got you this as an apology. Took a wild guess and figured black was your color."
With trembling hands, Kagome unzipped the bag.
Black leather, knee-length with fringe, strapless, and covered in a diagonal spray of...oh my god are those METAL STUDS? It was gorgeous, sexy, flattering, and heavy metal as hell. Completely her style and much more comfortable than the (admittedly amazing) green Gucci dress she was wearing.
He had gotten her an afterparty dress. So she wouldn't keep tripping and falling in the ballroom.
Fighting back the traitorous lump in her throat, Kagome looked up at the bellhop, who held three bouquets of roses, two pink and one red. "Where would you like these, Miss Higurashi?"
"Um," Kagome stammered, "put them in my room. Third door on the right. Thank you so much." She fished in her purse for twenties and gave one each to the bellhops as tips.
"What on earth is that?" Kikyou said, making Kagome turn and hold up the dress, "Ugh. Of course you'd order something that looks like a motorcyclist's old lady. Whatever happened to class, Kagome?"
"I like it," Kagome said softly, holding it to her chest. She didn't feel like saying the dress was sent to her. Too much to explain.
"Whatever. Get changed. I'm sure Inuyasha's waiting for me. Oh, and don't forget my champagne. And strawberries. I want strawberries too."
Kagome said nothing and sidled to her room to dress. On the bedside table there were the three bouquets of roses. Struggling to unzip her dress, she finally managed it and sat on the bed in her underwear, reaching for the cards in the roses.
The two pink bouquets were simple enough. One each from Miroku and from Sunrise Studios (so Sango, really). Both said the same thing to the effect of "Well done, kid. Keep playing ball, please, so we can get our Oscars. Love you etc etc."
The red one was handwritten and she recognized Inuyasha's messy scrawl. "To Kiddo, from Jerkface. Thanks for putting up with all the bullshit. All my love. Inuyasha."
She fought the urge to smirk at the familiar nickname and was instead bewildered. She supposed that perhaps he'd arranged the dress delivery under more surreptitious circumstances, so of course he would have to play coy with the gift he'd actually attached his name to. The worldwide press were no doubt watching. Still, why two gifts?
Kagome shrugged and decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth as she pulled on the good grief absolutely fantastic afterparty dress and fought the urge to run down the hall and thank him personally. After all, they were all being watched like hawks.
"Miroku, maybe you oughta slow down on the drinks, man."
"Fuck off."
"Ah," Inuyasha said sagely, brushing out his long hair without a backward glance, "Sounds like you ran into Sango at some point. What even happened there? Honestly, you two were so lovey-dovey and trying to hide it that it was almost enough to make me believe you have a human heart under there."
"You're one to fucking talk. Trying to flirt with Kagome in front of Kikyou. Are you insane or just wanting to torpedo your career in one fell swoop?"
"Don't turn this back around on me. What happened with Sango?"
"Nothing I can't fix. I said some things I shouldn't have and she got a little angry."
"You? Saying things you shouldn't say? No fucking way." Inuyasha snorted.
"I've already apologized but she seems to want nothing to do with me." Miroku drained his gin and tonic and went to refill it.
"Well, if it makes you feel any better," Inuyasha said, tossing his jacket over his shoulder, "I have to go out there and act all lovey-dovey with a woman that is trying her goddamn best to drag me into hell with her, while her sister who I like a hell of a lot better right now looks on. I think I win on the miserable scale. And before you even fucking say the Oscar will be worth it, I think I'll reserve judgment on that one until afterward."
"Fair enough," Miroku said, raking his fingers over his own face, "Just please don't cause any scenes with Kagome in public tonight. The last thing we need is Kikyou hopping mad and Sango even more mad."
Inuyasha said nothing for a moment. Then, "You said 'in public,' right?"
Miroku choked mid-drink. "Wait a second, Inuyasha, I know what you're thinking and the answer is no."
Inuyasha kind of relished the astonished look on his agent's face. "Too late, buddy."
"What. Did. You. Do." Miroku was looking flabbergasted and furious and terrified all at once. This was a beautiful feeling.
"Nothing like what you're thinking," Inuyasha said calmly, unable to help the smirk on his face, "I just sent Kagome a present. Left it via anonymous delivery at the front desk. She's probably getting it right about now."
"What did you send her?" Miroku collapsed into a chair.
"Just a bouquet of flowers. Roses. I didn't write anything obscene on the card. You're welcome."
"You fucking people," Miroku said, lighting a cigarette, "You sure don't make it easy, do you?"
Inuyasha smirked. "If I did, you wouldn't have much of a job, would you?"
Miroku, from his seated position, leaned forward on his elbows and buried his face in his hands. "I did this," he grumbled, "I pushed you two together and now it's a huge fucking mess."
"You didn't do anything," Inuyasha shot back, "This would have happened regardless. And quit talking like this is some sort of catastrophe that will ruin all your evil plans. I told you I'd play the game and I'm still going to play it for the cameras. But you can't run all of me, Houshi."
"Ugh," was all Miroku said through his hands.
"If you don't like it, walk." Inuyasha was deadly serious and knew his voice was making that clear. "You're my friend, Miroku. So be my fucking friend instead of my bloodsucking agent for once."
Silence for a moment.
"You sure you're not rushing all this? I mean, you're reunited with the girl a month ago and now you're just over the moon? No thought to what Kagome wants, no thought that maybe all this press attention isn't the best right now. Not to mention the complications of who her sister happens to be-"
Before Inuyasha could formulate a response, the hotel room phone rang.
With a sigh, Miroku went to answer it.
"Takahashi suite," he said casually, then without a word handed the phone to Inuyasha. "It's for you. I'm out of here for now. See you at the party."
Inuyasha, the phone in his hand, watched him leave, then spoke into the receiver.
"Yeah?"
"Hi, honey."
Inuyasha felt his stomach tie up in knots at that stupid familiar term of endearment. "What do you want, Kikyou?"
"Do I need an excuse to talk to you? I just missed you."
"Kikyou. Hurry up, I'm busy." It was a lie, he'd finished freshening up, but still.
"Okay, okay, so demanding! I've got a whole tray of champagne and strawberries in my suite and no one to help me finish it all. Come on over."
"Not much of a champagne guy, myself. Have Kagome help you."
"I managed to get her out of the dressing room for a few minutes while she changes for the afterparty." Kikyou's tone was a low purr. "The rest of my entourage isn't here either. I'm all by my lonesome."
"I'm busy."
"Doing what, brushing your hair? Come overrrrr." The last word was drawn out in a childish whine. "Or I'll come over there, if you prefer. I remember how you used to like my opinion when I was watching you get dressed for a party."
"No!" Inuyasha said, "I'll come to you. Just gimme a second."
"Wait til you see my dress. It's killer. See you soon, honey."
Inuyasha sighed and hung up the phone.
"Hello?" Kagome said, struggling into the black minidress with her phone cradled on her shoulder.
It was Sango. "Where are you guys?" she said, sounding a little distracted, "The press is nipping at my fucking ankles. Tell me you're getting here soon."
"Soon enough," Kagome said, pulling a strap of the dress onto her shoulder, "One thing you should know about Kikyou. Full wardrobe change before an afterparty, especially during awards season."
"Of course," Sango said, her tone even, "Is Inuyasha ready to go?" The last sentence had a hint of what Kagome would have mistaken for venom if she didn't know better.
"I'm not sure," Kagome said.
"Alright. Well, get here as soon as you can. This crowd is getting more rabid. I don't want a mob situation on my hands." And Sango hung up without saying goodbye.
With a shrug, Kagome tossed her phone onto the bed and worked to zip up her dress. Sango was obviously having a tough time of it lately and she knew she shouldn't take anything personally.
Kagome looked herself over in the mirror for the second time tonight. With apparently no time to consider it, she contented herself with a sarcastic finger-gun to her own reflection, then left her room quickly and headed down the hall back to Kikyou's dressing room.
The hair and makeup girls were waiting outside, their hands folded in front of them like the loyal servants they were playing at.
"Is she ready?" Kagome said, a little confused.
They nodded, looking at each other shiftily.
Kagome opened the door.
Oh.
Kikyou stood there, helping Inuyasha into his jacket, running her hands over his shoulders. Kagome couldn't see Inuyasha's face, as he was turned toward Kikyou and murmuring something unintelligible. His hand was closed over one of Kikyou's wrists. They both held glasses of champagne. The tray of strawberries was nibbled on, but not much.
Kagome couldn't resist. She folded her arms and cleared her throat. "Ready to go?"
Inuyasha flinched like he'd been stuck with a thumbtack and turned to look at her. She immediately busied herself moving an array of flower arrangements a little further back on the coffee table.
"Nice dress," he said, his voice genuinely sounding surprised, and Kagome didn't reply. This was all a bit too much. Like he hadn't sent it to her. An actor through and through.
"I told her it was a bit much," Kikyou said, throwing her wrap back on and linking her arm with Inuyasha's, "It's almost like she wants the attention of the drooling masses for once. I wonder why?"
"I think we should take the private elevator down," Kagome said quickly, suddenly feeling much more self-conscious in a dress that she had loved not twenty minutes ago, "There's bound to be press in the lobby. Follow me."
Miroku walked into the hotel ballroom, which had been expertly converted (no doubt thanks to the genius of Sango) into a bustling, darkened room full of cast and crew members, all celebrating their apparent (and bewildering) success with the audience at the premiere.
But he didn't give a shit about any of them. There was one person he wanted to talk to. Only one. And he found her near the back of the room, flanked by none other than Randall Warner and his wife Lana.
Of fucking course. Miroku decided this was the time to disappear among the ranks at the bar for a while until he could maybe, possibly get Sango on her own for a second.
And of course he found himself sitting next to Kouga Okami.
"Hey there, Houshi," Kouga said genially, raising a glass of whatever swill he was surely drinking, "Where's your boy?"
"He'll be down soon. What's it to you?"
Kouga shrugged. "I'm not really worried about Takahashi. There's someone else I need to talk to."
Miroku ordered a black rum to change it up a bit and turned to Kouga with a bemused look. "Who the hell would that be? Kagome? Don't tell me your little stunt ended up with you growing a heart, Okami. It would kill your reputation."
"Listen," Kouga said, fist clenching around his drink, "Nothing's ever gotten to me before. None of the partying, none of the women, none of the bullshit. She's different. She's a sweetheart. I need to square things up with her. For real this time."
"That's just precious," Miroku felt himself getting nasty, "Get her purposely drunk and publicly embarrassed in return for a Spielberg movie. I'm sure she'll understand. Classic boy meets girl. Go get her, kid."
"I'm not pretending I'm not a game player," Kouga said, "but I need to at least let her know that I meant what I said to her in the limo."
"And what did you say to her in the limo?" Miroku couldn't help it. Color him intrigued.
"Not that it's your business, but I said I wanted to see her again." Kouga drained his drink.
"Ah," Miroku said, then sipped his drink. "So that would be why that little bombshell who was with you on the red carpet isn't here right now."
"Well, no," Kouga said, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck, "She's here. She just had a few too many and is in the restroom throwing up."
"And the party's been going for all of an hour. Cute." Miroku ran a hand through his hair. Kouga was nothing if not easy to figure out. Not much to him, was there?
"I don't care what you think, Houshi," Kouga said, seemingly sensing Miroku's sarcasm and starting to square up on him. Lovely.
"You might get more than you bargained for if you try and approach Kagome here," Miroku said, "That's all I have to say."
"Oh, what, Takahashi's gonna get jealous again? Great. I don't care. He's finally about to get Kikyou back and he's been a wreck over Kikyou for almost a year. So sorry if I swoop in and pick up his little side project."
"Well," said Miroku, "I wish you the best of luck. I doubt she'll even give you the time of day, and why should she?"
There was a clamoring and a smattering of applause, which erupted into a full roar of the crowd. Both Kouga and Miroku craned their necks toward the ballroom entrance.
There stood Kikyou and Inuyasha, arm in arm, inclining their heads with grace and gratitude to the adoring crowd. Kagome had walked in before them and was already heading straight towards the bar. Towards where Miroku and Kouga were sitting. And what on earth was she wearing? Black leather with fringe and studs. She looked...well, there was no sugar coating it, she looked fucking hot.
"Because," Kouga said, "I bought her that dress."
Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnnn. Love you guys and appreciate all your reviews/support! -meggz0rz