The It Couple
Chapter Forty-Three
Inuyasha downed the entire plastic bottle of whiskey without even bothering to pour it in the glass of ice the flight attendant had provided. He felt it burn down his throat and sighed.
"Inuyasha."
He finally looked up and acknowledged Kikyou, whose stare he had felt since he'd even boarded this godforsaken flight. She was turned around in her seat, staring at him from across the aisle, dressed in a smart tan overcoat and white pants (probably the most comfortable she'd ever dressed in a long time, at least that he'd seen, though she still had on a pair of nude stilettos that couldn't have been comfortable at any time or place), her sunglasses pushed up to her forehead.
"Can I come sit by you?" She didn't smile, just looked very, very sympathetic.
"Free country, isn't it?" He couldn't help snapping at her. It wasn't entirely her fault he was in this situation, but she shared quite a bit of the blame for giving Kagome every reason to not trust her.
Kikyou shrank back for a moment, then sniffed and sat back in her own seat. "I'll just wait until you're feeling more social," she said, sounding like her old self.
Inuyasha sighed and leaned his seat back, closing his eyes.
"Inuyasha," Totosai, on the phone with another client, put his hand over the receiver and motioned at the girl seated on the folding chair in front of him, "This is Kikyou Higurashi. She's been cast as the female lead in this play."
Kikyou stood, her eyes taking him in up and down briefly, before she extended her hand without a smile and Inuyasha took it, shaking it for a moment before she pulled back.
Totosai, clearly seeing that his job was done, returned to his phone call and walked off down the backstage hallway.
"Nice to meet you," Inuyasha said awkwardly. This girl was absolutely gorgeous, probably right around twenty years old, wearing a stylish yellow sundress and a light blue cardigan.
"Likewise," Kikyou said, finally giving him a polite but distant smile, then motioning to the two people sitting next to her.
One was a middle-aged woman with careworn eyes and silver-streaked black hair, who was watching him very closely and with undivided interest. It was clear she had once been a great beauty herself, just like her daughter.
The other...well…
A teenage kid, wearing a Helloween tee shirt and ripped black jeans adorned with safety pins everywhere. Her ears were pierced multiple times, and her hair was pulled into twin braids that were clearly struggling to stay in place. She was sitting in the chair with her legs crossed, a textbook of some sort balanced on her lap, and she was bobbing her head up and down as she wrote some sort of algebraic equation in a notebook in time to the music playing through her headphones.
"This is my mother," Kikyou said, and the older woman stood to shake Inuyasha's hand.
"Nice to meet you," Inuyasha said again with a smile.
"Inuyasha, is it? You're quite the dish, aren't you?"
Inuyasha coughed and laughed a little, running a hand through his hair.
Kikyou's mother just looked from him to Kikyou and raised her eyebrows with a grin. Kikyou blushed a little and shook her head, clearly embarrassed. Inuyasha understood. Mothers were embarrassing sometimes.
"And my little sister, Kagome."
The teenaged girl didn't look up from her homework. Her mother scoffed and nudged at her younger daughter, all while keeping her smile towards Inuyasha.
The girl jumped in surprise, and the textbook dropped from her lap, along with the iPod she was listening to, which disconnected from the headphones and went spinning onto the floor.
Before she could bend to pick it up, Inuyasha had already grabbed the iPod and placed it into her hand. "AC/DC, huh?" he said with a grin, "Good study music."
She looked up at him. Her eyes, unlike her sister's and mother's, were a clear, crystalline blue, heavily lined with black (almost too much so). Her look of surprise turned into a blush, and then she broke into a grin, revealing a mouth full of metal braces. "I think so," she said.
"Kagome," her mother said, "This is Inuyasha Takahashi. He's starring in this play with your sister."
"Oh," Kagome turned to her mom and sister, then back to him, "Well, good luck! She's a handful."
Inuyasha chuckled. Kikyou looked mortified, and her face flushed red.
"Kagome," her mom admonished, though seemingly good-naturedly, "Don't embarrass your sister like that."
Kagome fell silent, blowing a strand of curly hair out of her face.
"Pleasure to meet you," she said, her smile returning as she looked up at Inuyasha, "I'm Kagome."
"So I hear," he said, "Nice shirt, by the way."
She looked down at herself, then blushed again. "Thanks."
"So do you want to go somewhere for dinner?" Inuyasha turned to Kikyou, "We should probably get to know each other since we'll be together practically every waking moment for the next ten weeks."
Kikyou smiled, brushing a lock of straight black hair behind her ear. "I'd like that very much. Mom, I'll be home later, okay?"
"Have a good time, sweetie," her mom smiled knowingly, pulling her purse onto her shoulder and turning to Kagome, who was still staring at Inuyasha, her pencil halted in place on her notebook. "Come on, Kagome, let's get home so you can finish your homework and get that pigsty of a room of yours cleaned up."
"Nice to meet you both," Inuyasha said, and he and Kikyou watched them walk off. Kagome turned around once to seemingly stare at him before her mother ushered her forward.
"Ugh, I'm sorry about them," Kikyou said, laughing softly, "My sister especially. She's utterly ridiculous."
"Eh, she seems like a good kid," Inuyasha said, finding that he really liked the way Kikyou laughed, "So where to for dinner?"
That had been it. The beginning of it all. He and Kikyou had had their first kiss onstage the next day during rehearsals, and both of them had been sort of surprised by how real it felt.
And Kagome was there the entire time, sitting in the auditorium seats, throwing paper airplanes at him and showing him new songs she'd discovered in between scenes. He'd started calling her Kiddo then, and she'd always respond with Jerkface.
The sudden urge to crumple into a ball overtook him, but instead he decided that he'd better excuse himself to the bathroom and upheave his lunch. That last whiskey shot had done its work.
"Are you okay, honey?" Kikyou said, looking up from her phone as he got up.
"Fine," he lied.
This was an interesting standoff, Sango had to admit. Both of them absolutely refusing to speak to each other or even look in the other's direction. The air between them almost felt physically heavy.
"No, no, we have no comment on their reconciliation at this time," Sango said into her company mobile, "but if it is in fact true, we wish them all the happiness in the world."
"They are asking for privacy during this time while they work on their relationship," Miroku said into his own phone, his voice entirely businesslike even though he clearly wasn't paying much attention. That Stephen Hawking book seemed to be super interesting.
Sango hung up, only for the phone to buzz again. It was Yura Kaminoke.
"Just thought you'd want to know, dear, that we got a photo of Inuyasha leaving Kikyou's house this morning! It's blowing up the Internet! Isn't that fantastic?"
"Thrilling," Sango said, "Put out a statement from us that's a general no comment."
"Oh, Sango dear, you're such a tease! Can't I just get one comment from Inuyasha's people on this?"
Sango glanced over at Miroku, who had finished his own phone call and was back to intently reading his book.
"I don't think right now is the best time," she said.
"Well, can't fault a girl for trying, can you? Can I at least get a comment from our dear sweet little Kagome?"
"That's actually something else I wanted to discuss with you," Sango said, kicking back in her seat and crossing her legs, "Kagome will be off for the next two weeks for a photography gig in Europe. I want you to give daily blurbs about her Instagram postings. Warner's special request."
"She - she won't be in New York this weekend?" Yura sounded positively downtrodden. "Shame. I was so looking forward to another red carpet interview with her. So who is Kouga Okami showing up with?"
"I have no earthly idea. Kagome wasn't going with him in the first place."
"Hahaha, very funny, Sango! Those two crazy kids. So cute and rebellious. My readers just love them."
"I'm sure they do."
"Well, this is certainly interesting…" Sango could almost hear the plotting in Yura's voice.
"Yura," Sango said, putting on her sternest tone, "No exclusives on this before the awards. We're trying not to draw attention to Kagome's absence. If we do that, people might think she and Kikyou had a falling out or something." Which they did. Hard. But hey, this is our job right? Spin, spin, spin, until we all fall down.
"Oh, of course you're right," Yura said, "See you in New York, darling!"
"Yep." Sango hung up the phone and glanced at Miroku out of the corner of her eye. He was still buried in his book.
With a sigh, she opened her planner and started going over the gift bag list. Every big name actor and nominee would get one from the studio at the Oscars afterparty, and with Warner feeling so confident this year, he wanted her to go big or go home. She had tons of vendors to call. Might as well get it out of the way.
She glanced up and saw him watching her over the cover of the book. He quickly recovered and yawned to cover it up. She sniffed. Asshole.
"We're taking off in a few minutes' time. Can I get you anything for the flight, sir?" The pretty young flight attendant approached him, hands folded in front of her professionally.
"Well, hi there," Miroku said, putting the book down on his lap and fixing her with his most winning smile, sneaking a glance at Sango across the aisle. Sango was furiously scribbling in her planner, her lips pressed tightly together. "Whiskey and coke, please. And your name."
The girl smiled with a blush. "My name is Tiffany."
"Tiffany? Like the diamonds?" Miroku put a hand in his chin and kept up the charm. "Or Tiffany with an 'i' at the end with a trail of broken hearts in her wake?"
She laughed and waved him off. "I'll get your whiskey and coke, sir. Anything for you, miss?" She turned to Sango.
"Nothing." Sango still hadn't looked up, but her cheeks were a very bright shade of pink.
"Be right back, sir," Tiffany said with a wink, flipping her long blonde ponytail over her shoulder as she left.
Miroku settled back and reopened his book. Oh Joker, you are just too funny. Who puts a flag that says "BANG" in a giant tank cannon? You are the living end.
Tiffany returned a few minutes later with the drink, which she set on his tray table with a napkin. "I didn't know if you wanted a slice of lime or not," she said, reaching out to stick the lime wedge onto the edge of the plastic cup, "but I hedged my bets." She smiled.
"You guessed right," Miroku said, even though he'd never had a slice of lime with a whiskey and coke in his life. He shot her a wink and took a sip as he kicked back and held up his book again.
"Wow, you must be really smart to be reading a book like that," Tiffany said, leaning against the seat beside her.
"Oh," Miroku chuckled, "Not at all. Just a bit of light reading, you know. I like to keep my brain well-fed."
"What issue of 'Batman' is that, Houshi?" Sango said.
He snapped the book shut and shot a glare at her. She hadn't even appeared to look up from her scribbling, but at the obvious feel of his gaze she smirked.
Tiffany looked from him to Sango and back to him, clearly confused.
"Can I get a black coffee? When you get a free moment?" Sango said, still not looking up.
"Oh, of course, Miss Ryoshi, right away." Tiffany scurried off, with that bewildered look still on her face.
Miroku scowled at Sango. "Why you gotta ruin my fun?"
"I can accept that in the last twenty-four hours you've completely regressed into a college freshman, Houshi," she said calmly, sending him a brief smile, "but I can't let that poor girl get dragged into your wicked ways. She couldn't handle it."
"Seems no one can," he said pointedly.
"Okay, listen," she said, smacking her binder closed and turning to him angrily, then faltering just as Tiffany brought her a styrofoam cup full of steaming coffee. Tiffany placed the coffee down, then shot a look at Miroku. He simply smiled in a friendly but distant manner, and she seemed to take the hint and book it right out of there.
"You were saying?" He took a sip of his whiskey and coke.
"What is your fucking problem, Houshi? What did I do this time?" She actually looked both vulnerable and furious at the same time, and it was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen.
"I'm tired of being shut out by you at every given second when all I'm trying to do is help you." Playing coy hadn't worked, maybe being direct as fuck would.
Sango visibly winced. "I don't know what you thought we were, Houshi, but I'm not about to go all bosom buddies with a guy who taught me how to destroy people from the inside out."
"You had no problem fucking a guy like that, did you?" He was being nasty. He knew it. "Or is Randall Warner getting in on that action now, too? Is that why?"
Dammit, Miroku. Worst possible thing to say, ever.
Sango flinched as if he'd actually physically struck her. "I'm trying to do my goddamn job and get paid," she said, her voice trembling, "And I don't need some blacklisted asshole trying to act like he owns me. I get enough of that treatment as is."
"Like I own you?" Miroku wanted to rip the book in his hands in half, but he knew he lacked the strength to do it. Shoulda spent more time in the gym instead of watching reality TV. "Is that really what you think I was trying to do?"
"What else?" Sango said, "That's what everyone's tried to do, my entire life. Why would you be any different?" She sat back in a defiant pose, those beautiful eyes flashing with rage.
"You fucking idiot," Miroku muttered, shaking his head sadly.
"Don't call me a fucking idiot, Houshi."
"You're right," he said with a sigh, "I'm sorry. I misread the entire situation and for that, I apologize. Let's just get this shit done."
Sango looked surprised that he wasn't willing to keep the argument going, and her entire body language softened. "Houshi, listen, I-"
"What the fuck are you guys on about up there?" Inuyasha's voice rang out. Miroku looked over the back of the seat at him. He was looking quite the worse for wear, stumbling back into his seat. He was sweating.
They both paused, looked at each other, and said, "Nothing," in unison.
Inuyasha sat back down, breathing hard, still reeling from having emptied his guts into the toilet bowl.
Kikyou looked up from her phone as he returned, hurriedly finishing whatever text she was sending and getting up to cross the aisle and sit next to him.
"Talk to me," she whispered softly, turning her entire body to him, showing him that he had her undivided attention, "Why isn't Kagome on this flight? What happened? Was she mad? Did she think that we-"
"She's taking a few weeks off," Inuyasha mumbled, "Seems to think that we had a night of intense reconciliation and passion. I can't imagine why. May have been the pap photos, though," he trailed off, affixing her with a glare that could melt iron. Kikyou's eyes widened momentarily before narrowing again as her jaw tensed.
"You can't think that had something to do with me. Did you tell her that we didn't do anything?"
Inuyasha chuckled darkly, like the harsh laugh was the only thing keeping him from laughing or vomiting again. "You try explaining something like that. No, really, I'd like to see you try and spin this one. You're a good actress, but are you that good?"
Kikyou bit her lip, looking hurt, and finally Inuyasha's glare relented.
"...What I'm trying to say is that, no. No, she didn't believe me. Would you believe me if you were her? Would you believe you, if you were her?"
The tears in his eyes began to well as he thought back about her sudden departure. Since she had decided to leave, he hadn't given himself a sober second to let it fully hit him.
Kikyou gently grasped his arm and pulled him towards the back of the fuselage behind the stewardess curtain. Her eyes seemed to be moist too, to Inuyasha's surprise.
"I can't help but feel that I've hurt you even worse since we split-"
"Since you left me, you mean?" he coughed, bitterly. The sour glare he affixed her with would hurt her, or at least he hoped.
"Look, Inuyasha…" She sighed. "Can I just be open? I know we don't really get the chance to say what we actually mean to anyone anymore. Not since we moved here, not since we became famous, not since, well… all of this," she said, gesturing at the luxury surrounding them.
She leaned against the wall, seemingly steeling herself up to continue. "I don't feel great about what I did to you. And honestly, since we went our separate ways, I feel like neither of us have someone, someone who actually understands what it's like to have to live this life, to talk to. And I know I've said it before, and I'll probably say it again, but I am so sorry about how it all ended, and even more for how I've hurt you now."
Inuyasha stared into her eyes, searching for any hint of a lie. Either she wasn't lying, or he was too drunk to notice, as her fingers gently stretched out to grasp his hand. At the touch of the woman he once loved, who may well have just cost him the woman he loved now, a small gasp escaped his throat and he pulled away, pressing his own back to the opposite wall. He fisted his hands in his hair, feeling the telltale burning in his eyes that said he was about to lose it and cry like a fucking child. He took a few deep breaths.
"I don't know if I've said this to anyone," he muttered, "but I dont think I'm made for this. I don't like being famous. I mean, don't get me wrong, the money's nice. And the food. And buying a Lamborghini whenever I feel like it..."
"But you miss when we were kids, wondering where the next month's rent was coming from," Kikyou finished for him, that sweet smile back on her face, "When all you and I had was each other."
"And Kagome," he said, a little forcefully.
"And Kagome," she acquiesced with a shrug, "But you're forgetting who you are, Inuyasha. You're the biggest star in Hollywood. You've got the world wrapped around your finger. You've got every reason to just grab the bull by the horns and take life by storm, and you won't let yourself be happy with the lucky hand that life has dealt. It sort of breaks my heart to see you like this."
"Yeah, well," Inuyasha said as she tentatively approached him again, taking a spot next to him, "You kind of did a number on me when you up and left."
Kikyou winced. "The stupidest thing I ever did," she lamented.
"Kikyou, since we're being all honest and chick-flicky," he said, "Why did you do it? It wasn't because you loved him. I know that much."
She sighed. "I was scared."
"Of me?" He frowned.
"Of all of it. I mean, our wedding was coming up, and I was suddenly having second thoughts and hating myself for it. And then I did a stupid, horrible thing, and by the time it was over, I knew I'd ruined our chances, maybe forever, so I just sort of doubled down."
Inuyasha just stared at her, dead silent. Everything she was saying made sense, all her bizarre behavior accounted for.
"But that's not the issue at present," Kikyou said, wiping away a tear and straightening up, every inch the Hollywood goddess once more, "The issue now is Kagome. I'll fix this with her, if its the last thing I do for you. I owe you that much, at least." Her brown eyes betrayed nothing, and he found it hard to blink at the gaze he had treasured for so many years.
Suddenly her soft lips found his in an embrace so familiar it flung him back eight years to the first night they took stage together. He gave in for a second before pulling back, crashing his head against the wall, and her face fell into into a mask of guilt.
"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," she started, bringing a slender finger to her lips as if to reassure herself that the kiss had in fact happened, "I just - oh god, I just, it's like second nature, my body just acted on its own-"
Inuyasha stumbled backward, fixing her with a suspicious glare. "Do me a favor, Kikyou. Stay away from me right now, okay? I can't fucking think right now and you're not helping." He ducked back through the curtain and stalked back to his seat.
Kikyou stayed behind, fingers tracing lightly over her own lips as they curled into a knowing smile.
Her phone buzzed. "Hey babe, how's tricks?"
With perfectly manicured nails, she tapped out a reply.
"Just working on the Oscar campaign. Miss you, honey."
Oooh, dis bitch. Does anyone else miss Kagome already? I do. It's like a little hole in my heart. Sniffle.
So much angry conversation in this one! Sorry for making you guys wait but hope the slightly longer chapter makes up for it.
ALSO INUKAG'S FIRST MEETING GAWD I DIED OF CUTE, THEN REANIMATED MYSELF TO FINISH WRITING.
Also, since next chapter will be in New York, I would like to apologize in advance to Sango's father from the manga/anime. He seemed like a nice enough guy and I am going to shamelessly destroy his character in one fell swoop. I actually feel bad even though he's not real. Sorry, SlayerPapa-san. Hope he doesn't sue me for defamation of character.
EDIT: I ALMOST FORGOT SONGS OMG WHAT IS WITH ME TODAY
Inuyasha - "Good Grief" by Bastille (sniffle)
Kikyou - "How to Be a Heartbreaker" by Marina and the Diamonds
Sango - "Independent Women Pt. 1" by Destiny's Child (throwback jamzzzz yussss)
Miroku - "Let Me Love You" by Ne-Yo (GIRL LET ME HAAAAALP)
No song for Kagome this week for obvious reasons. I MISS HER SO MUCH YOU GUYS.
Love you guys! -meggz0rz