The It Couple

Chapter Thirty-Two

"So," Kagome said to Inuyasha after a very long, very passionate kiss, "Kikyou knows about us."

Miroku coughed into his whiskey, spilling some all over his new Ralph Lauren shirt. God dammit, why is this always happening to me?

Inuyasha just nodded, with a small shrug. "Yeah," he said, tucking a wild strand of hair behind her ear, "Seems like she maybe knew for a while? I'm not really sure. She just sort of came out and asked me about it."

"And you confirmed it?" Miroku dabbed at his shirtfront with his sleeve. Fuck it, he would never have nice things with these people around. "Are you completely insane?"

Inuyasha and Kagome both turned to him as if they'd just remembered he was there. Yeah, hi, I'm the guy whose job it is to fix all your problems and you keep creating new ones? I'm the guy who needs a goddamn vacation? Remember?

Kagome seemed to read Miroku's mood first, and miraculously, she seemed to agree with him. "Yeah, that might not have been the smartest move, Inuyasha."

"No, no, you don't get it," Inuyasha said defensively, "She was happy about it. Like, genuinely happy for us. Coulda knocked me over with a feather."

Miroku buried his face in his hands.

"She was unusually nice to me when I went to get my stuff at the house today," Kagome said with a puzzled-looking frown.

"It's weird, right?" Inuyasha nodded enthusiastically, "But maybe she's realized what a bitch she was being. Maybe getting away from the influence of that Naraku asshole has been good for her."

"Okay, hold on," Kagome said, stepping back from him a step or two, "Did you completely forget her actions last night? When she told me in no uncertain terms how she'd sold me out for press attention? That she wanted me out of her life because of pure fucking spite?"

"Whoa, what?" Miroku looked up from his fetal position.

"She was super drunk. She didn't even remember anything until I told her off about it," Inuyasha said, "And then she cried. She cried so hard, Kagome. She feels horrible. She even said you deserve to get away from her and stand on your own two feet because of how she's treated you."

"Wait," Kagome said, her eyes lighting up with realization, "she made you feel sorry for her, didn't she?"

Miroku would have scoffed at the way Inuyasha's eyes widened with sheer fucking bewilderment, but that might have turned any of Kagome's wrath toward him, and that just wouldn't do. He took a generous sip of his whiskey and remained silent.

"She didn't make me do anything," Inuyasha protested, "but you're right, I did feel a little bad for her. Especially because…" He trailed off, cheeks reddening. "Never mind."

Kagome's eyes narrowed slightly. When she did that, she looked more like Kikyou than she ever did otherwise. "No, I want to know. Because what?"

Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Because she said...the way she acted last night...was out of misplaced drunken jealousy. Which she also apologized for. If she hadn't been drunk she wouldn't have freaked out."

Kagome shot Miroku a brief look, a look that seemed to say "Am I fucking hearing this correctly? If not, feel free to intervene."

"Inuyasha-" Miroku started to speak, but Kagome had evidently decided in that half a second that she didn't need his help after all.

"And did she tell you how much she regretted losing you? Did she tell you she missed you?" Kagome's tone was becoming steely.

"Wait a second, calm down," Inuyasha said, reaching for her. She ducked out of his reach.

I'll take 'Things to Never Say to an Angry Woman' for 2,000, Alex.

"Answer the question!" Kagome demanded, holding up her hands to keep Inuyasha from getting closer.

"She's been going on and on about how much she's missed me for weeks!" Inuyasha spat, "I didn't put any stock into it until-"

"Until last night?" Kagome finished softly.

"Wait a second," Inuyasha said, clearly trying to reach for her again and getting rebuffed at every turn, "What is this? Why are you mad at me all of a sudden?"

"Oh, you know me," Kagome said, "I'm a loose cannon, right? And you're a fucking idiot, Inuyasha."

Miroku wished he had some popcorn. He thought of texting Sango a play-by-play like he normally would, but then he remembered that he was still pretending to be busy right now.

Inuyasha was finally starting to get angry himself. Miroku could tell.

"Just because I said I felt a little sorry for her?"

"She's playing you like a fucking fiddle," Kagome said, "She knew just what to say to get you eating out of her fucking hand."

"That's not what happened!" Inuyasha roared, "I yelled at her for a good twenty minutes this morning over breakfast, and she immediately owned up and broke down over it. I felt like an asshole, frankly. All she wanted was to make things right with you, and I assumed when I left that she was going to try and do it. And then you just said she was trying to apologize at your house, right?"

Kagome pressed both hands to her temples. "You really do have a blind spot for her, don't you? I should have known this would happen. She got you to spill all the details and then turned it back in her favor."

"That's not fair," Inuyasha said, "I'm not stupid enough to-"

"Obviously, you are. And it's fine. I'm stupid too. In that respect, we're really quite perfect for each other."

"Can I say something here?" Miroku said, moving to stand up.

"NO!" Inuyasha and Kagome both shouted in unison. Miroku sat back down. Ah, sweet whiskey, you'll never yell at me like that. I should just drink you instead. He downed his second glass and refilled it.

"We had two months," Kagome said softly, "Two months to try and get through, and then decide if we wanted to make a go of - whatever this between us is. And the second I leave, after pouring my heart out, no less, you immediately start falling for her bullshit."

"She said nothing to me that wasn't about being happy for us!" Inuyasha screamed, "And you're one to talk about falling for bullshit. If I'm such a fool for believing she might be sincere, how come you followed her around like her loyal servant for the months she was cheating on me? Didn't think you could have let me in on it? Or at least come to my defense, as I did with you?"

Kagome's eyes filled with fresh tears. Poor girl was probably getting dehydrated by now, with the events of the last few days.

"Would you have believed me?" she said quietly, "You don't believe me right now. When it comes to Kikyou, you don't seem to believe anyone until the truth slaps you in the face."

"Kagome, listen," Inuyasha said, his voice lowering, "I get that you feel sold out, I do. And you're thinking Kikyou's the devil incarnate and you feel paranoid and persecuted. But isn't it a good thing that you're getting out on your own? At the end of the day, does it matter if she's sincere or not?"

"It matters to you, doesn't it?" Kagome wiped at her eyes with obvious frustration that they were leaking without permission, then continued at his unsure silence. "See what I mean? Palm of her hand, Inuyasha. That's you."

Inuyasha growled, threw his pool cue onto the table, and stomped out of the room.

"I guess that's our cue to leave," Miroku stood up and realized three whiskeys in the span of about twenty minutes might not have been the best idea.

Kagome hugged her arms around her own shoulders and didn't reply.

"Come on, sweetheart," Miroku said, stumbling over to her and looping an arm around her, "I'll get you set up in the guest room."

"Give me your keys," Kagome said, sniffling, "I'm driving."

Kagome was able to bite back the tears long enough to get them onto the highway. Miroku was fiddling awkwardly with his phone, the other hand absently hanging out the passenger window, sailing with the cool winter breeze.

She still couldn't believe what had just happened. Well, she could, but she supposed she'd deluded herself into believing it couldn't be possible. Inuyasha taking sides with Kikyou despite all she'd done to both of them. One nice look and tearful apology and he was back in her clutches again.

"I think Inuyasha knows," Kikyou said, blotting at her lipstick. She sat at the vanity table in their large on-set trailer, still in her bellydance costume.

"Knows what?" Kagome held out her arms, and Kikyou stood up to begin removing the skimpy outfit, draping each piece over Kagome's waiting hands.

"About Naraku and me, silly."

Kagome felt her stomach drop. Her face suddenly felt burning hot. Was she getting sick now, too?

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

Kikyou just gave her a smirk. "Oh, god," she said with a laugh, "Do I have to explain the birds and the bees to you now, too? You're almost twenty-three. I thought surely by this point, Kagome-"

"You and...that weird muscle guy? What?" Kagome knew she looked utterly scandalized. Her arms dropped a little.

"Don't let that touch the floor!" Kikyou said, and Kagome sprang back upright.

"And yes, is the answer to your question," Kikyou pulled her silk robe on and fastened it almost giddily, "I think I may be falling for him, actually."

"But-but Inuyasha-"

"Has been paying me virtually no attention lately," Kikyou said with a small pout as she sat back down. Kagome, her hands shaking, turned to hang the costume on its hanger and then zip it into its protective bag.

"Did you even talk to Inuyasha about how you were feeling before you started going behind his back?" Kagome felt her tone sharpen, more so than it practically ever had before. She never talked back to Kikyou, not ever. She had to be getting sick.

"He's on set practically the entire day," Kikyou whined, "Even when I told him I was sick, he kept on filming. How do you think that makes me feel?"

Kagome didn't reply, just closed her eyes and pictured Inuyasha's huge grin at the joke she'd told him this morning about the bee and the bowl of punch.

"Anyway, I'll break it to him gently," Kikyou continued, "He does deserve to know, but maybe not until we get home."

"You're going to tell him? Just like that? 'Oh, sorry, honey, but I've been messing around on-set behind your back while you worked, hope we can still be friends!'"

"Don't be obtuse," Kikyou said snippily, "I'm just going to tell him I think we're going in different directions and that the wedding's off, at least for now."

"What do you mean, 'for now?'"

"I'm not giving the ring back, if that's what you're suggesting," Kikyou said, "But I want a break from him, anyway. He's always acting so exhausted around me, like I'm some sort of chore to be around. Well, let him go without me for a few months. Let him see that thousands of men would kill to have me. Then he'll see."

Kagome felt the bile rising in her throat. She swallowed and slumped onto the nearest couch. "I feel sick," she mumbled weakly.

"Oh, please," Kikyou rolled her eyes, "Like you have any experience with this sort of thing. I'd be surprised if you did know about the birds and the bees, frankly."

Kagome didn't rise to the bait.

"You're just being sentimental, Kagome. It'll be fine, really, I promise."

"What will be fine?" Inuyasha opened the trailer door and walked inside, his hair covered in dust from the windy desert weather.

"Honey!" Kikyou jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, "I missed you!"

Inuyasha smiled at this seemingly unexpected surprise, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Likewise," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her.

Kikyou gave a small squeak of delight but pushed him away after just a few seconds. "Not until you shower, silly," she said flirtatiously, "You look like a street urchin!"

He laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay, okay," he said, "I'm going, I'm going." He turned to walk to the rear of the trailer where the bathroom was.

"I love you!" Kikyou called after him, then met Kagome's eyes in the mirror and sat back down at the vanity with a scoff at the look on her sister's face.

Kagome fought the lump in her throat and pulled into Miroku's driveway.

Sango was sitting at her desk planning her world domination yet again when her phone lit up. Kikyou, huh? This should be interesting.

"Sango Ryoshi."

"Sango, darling!"

"Hi, Kikyou. What can I do for you?"

"I need your help and expertise, desperately."

Flattery will get you everywhere. "Okay, I'm listening."

"Kagome's - sniffle - left the house. I don't know where she's gone. I tried to talk to her this morning and she wasn't receptive. I'm stuck here - no, no, black tea, Hojo darling, with lemon, and I don't know what she'll do. I think she found out that Inuyasha and I are - well, I shouldn't say anything without asking him first, but suffice it to say I think she might do something rash."

"No, she won't," Sango said with an irritated sigh, "She signed her contract this morning. She's obligated to the studio for the remainder of Oscar season in exchange for a lifetime of obscurity afterwards. She knows what's expected of her."

"Oh, okay." Sango could practically hear the sigh of relief on the other end.

"You were just calling to check that she'd signed the contract, right?"

"Sango, dear, you are way too smart for your own good." A small giggle.

"You could have just said that," Sango griped, "My tolerance for bullshit small talk is very low today. I'd prefer in future that when you have something to ask, just come out and ask it."

"Sorry, Sango. See you tomorrow for tea, perhaps?"

"I'll have to check my calendar. Goodbye, Kikyou."

She hung up the phone and pinched her nose in exasperation.

The phone buzzed again. It was Miroku. Sango ignored the thump of her heart in her chest as she opened the text message.

"Shit is going down. Nothing I can't handle. Fill you in at dinner tonight. Make reservations wherever."

There was a swell of excitement and, if she had to be honest, pleasure in her head as she turned to her laptop and looked up local hot spots. Finally, a date. A chance to get him back by her side. She'd missed him so terribly, not that she'd ever tell him that.

Just as she found the number of a swank little seafood place and was about to dial to make a reservation, her phone buzzed once more.

A little eager, are we, Houshi?

She smirked, picking it up. "Hello?"

"Sango, honey?"

The smile died. "Mom."

"We need you here as soon as possible. He's had another bad night, and we just had another visit from your father-"

"I'm on my way," Sango said, tossing her phone into her jacket pocket and bounding on the door, barely remembering to grab her purse and keys.

"So this is it," Miroku said, dragging two of Kagome's oversized, ratty duffel bags through his front door, "Not the Higurashi mansion, of course, but it's in Bev Hills so it's ridiculously expensive, I promise."

"I like it," Kagome said simply, dropping her third bag near the couch, "It's very you. Especially the Farrah Fawcett poster on that door, there."

"Hey, that's an original!" Miroku smirked. "Come on, the guest room's through here."

"Can I have a drink?" Kagome's eyes went to the bar.

Miroku blinked. "I thought it was too early. That's what you said."

"Well, it's not too early anymore. Can I have a drink?" Kagome looked at him almost pleadingly. She looked tear-swollen and miserable.

"Sure," he said, still a little hesitant, "I don't have any beer but I'll be sure and stock some up for you for the next couple days-"

"Liquor's fine right now," she said quietly, pulling out a highball glass and tossing what seemed to be random ingredients into it.

"What are you even making?"

"No idea. Something with alcohol?"

Miroku sighed. "Move," he said, gently elbowing her aside, "If you're going to get trashed, at least make a good cocktail. How about a whiskey sour?"

"Okay," she said softly, stepping back and letting him expertly select from his vast collection. Watch the master at work, kid.

"I need ice," he said, pointing vaguely over his shoulder, "Get a pitcher from the kitchen. Ice maker's in the fridge door."

"Roger that," she said, sounding more lighthearted than she had for the past half hour and going to retrieve the ice.

Miroku artfully made a full pitcher of whiskey sours and poured two glasses, one for her and one for himself (hey, why shouldn't he partake in his own bartending skills?).

"Thanks," she said with a low-key smile as she took her drink, then almost immediately crumpled into tears, clapping a hand over her eyes.

"Geez, and I thought I was a good bartender," Miroku chuckled, then held out an arm. "Come here, kid."

Still sobbing, she stepped into his one-armed embrace, clutching her drink in one hand and his now utterly-ruined designer shirt in the other.

"I'm-sob-sorry," she mumbled, "I don't know-sob-what's wrong with me."

"I do," he said, patting her gently on the back, "You're in love. I'd recognize the symptoms anywhere."

"I don't want to be anymore," she said, shaking, "This wasn't what I wanted at all. If I'd just kept my big mouth shut-"

"Sweetheart, if I know anything, and I do, because I'm a genius, he's feeling about the same way right now. Trust me."

"He'll always-sob-be thinking about her, and I'll always be-sob-wondering if he's thinking about her, if he's-sob-wishing it were her and not me…" She dissolved into an audible, choking series of gasps.

"Kagome," Miroku used his one free hand to tilt her chin up and make her look at him, "He was with her eight years. And not once have I ever seen him as happy with her as he looks when he's with you. Give it time. Kikyou will show her true colors sooner than you'd think, and he'll realize he's been an absolute idiot. And then you can lord it over him for the rest of eternity. That's what women do, right?"

She gave a weak smile in spite of herself. "In the meantime, I have to go to the most intrusive interview of my life tomorrow and parade myself in front of the masses as the adoring kid sister."

"Yeah," Miroku said, releasing her chin and reaching into his pocket to check his phone. A text from Sango.

"I can't tonight. Something's come up. Sorry. Don't call me. I'll call you."

He grimaced at it, then replaced it in his pocket. "So you've got to whore yourself out to America's Devil Press tomorrow," he said to Kagome, clinking his glass with hers, "In the meantime, let's get absolutely wasted."

Kagome grinned. "Do you have any horror movies?"

God this chapter just poured out of me. I'm sorry guys but this was bound to happen. I can't let happiness last too long, that's BORING. Hahahaha. We're kinda sorta in the home stretch now, though, so thanks so much for sticking with me thus far and trust me that I kinda sorta know what I'm doing sometimes a little maybe!

Also, a lot of you hate Kikyou so much, and with good reason. She's based on someone from my own past, someone who used people exactly the same way, chewed them up and spit them out, never had anything nice to say or do unless they were getting something out of it or unless they could use it as leverage later on. So even if she seems like a cartoon villain at times, trust me when I say that she's based very much in truth. Sad as it is. And the sad part is, I was Kagome in that situation. So maybe this is my weird way of confronting the trauma? Hahaha. Okay. Confession time over.

Also I utterly adore when Miroku and Kagome bro out and I'm sad I haven't done it more in the last several chapters. Love you guys! - meggz0rz