The It Couple
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Sango got Inuyasha and Kagome to their table, where they sat, both of them looking utterly deflated but trying to put on happy faces for Mayu and Kanna.
Just as she'd decided to sprint for the bar and down herself a nice double shot of tequila or something, her phone buzzed.
"Houshi?"
"Everything okay?"
"Not really. They're at their table. I thought it best to not sic the red carpet on them a second time. God, I could strangle that Yura bitch, I swear."
"What about you?"
Sango gave a humorless half-smile and sighed. "Functioning," she mumbled, "At least I can say that much."
"Can you sneak out?"
"Of the Golden Globes? Ha, ha, very funny."
"Yeah, I figured. But get over here as soon as you can. We've got a lot of shit to sort through, and I can't do it alone."
"I promise," she said softly, pausing mid-stride and taking a second to lean against the wall and try to catch her breath.
"We'll figure all of this out, babe. You and me, we're the dream team, right? And no one's better in a crisis than you are. And I definitely think this qualifies, right?"
"Right," she panted, trying to will herself to calm down just a bit and think. "Let me call you later, Houshi. I need a fucking drink before the grand high bitch herself shows up. Honestly, I might have to start physically restraining people if she makes any shitty comments tonight. Oh, god, I wish you were here. I have to go find Warner and tell him what's going on. If he finds out from anyone but me, I'm shit-canned, and then everything is over and done with, once and for all -"
"One more thing before you go?"
She waited, her heartbeat pounding in her ears a mile a minute.
"I love you."
"G-god DAMMIT, Houshi!" Sango snapped after a moment, feeling the blood rushing to her face, "I'm trying to keep my mind straight and you just throw shit like that at me? You asshole. Don't call me again. I'll see you later tonight."
She pressed the button to end the call, but heard him laughing gleefully before it went silent.
"How long does this awards show last?" Kanna asked from her seat to Kagome's left. Her speech was slightly garbled, as there was a good-sized lollipop stuck in her cheek. Sango had evidently told the girls about the candy bar, and they had raided it but good, their small dessert plates piled high with goodies.
"Oh my gosh, Kanna, can you just stop being a stick in the mud for two seconds and let yourself enjoy something?" Mayu snapped, biting into a stick of red licorice.
"I was merely asking," Kanna said, with that same distant, bemused tone.
"It's about three hours," Kagome said softly, "but it has known to run over that from time to time."
"That's a long time," Kanna murmured, "I wish I had a book with me."
Same here, girl, same here. Anything to take my mind off things. Kagome sent an uneasy glance at Inuyasha, who was sitting three seats away at the round table and thus was nearly facing her. He was flipping a spoon over and over in his hand, his eyes fixed on the white tablecloth, his expression very disgruntled. Mayu, for her part, kept sneaking curious and suspicious glances at him in between bites of licorice.
Kagome picked up a piece of candy and chucked it at him. It fell into his lap, and he jumped and stared at her questioningly.
"Lighten up, buttercup," she said with her most reassuring smile and a wink. She had to be strong right now. For him. She had to show him that it would all be okay.
But will it?
Inuyasha's chances at the Oscar were going to be miniscule. No one, no matter how great the performance, would want to reward such obviously untoward behavior toward the first lady of American cinema. His career was going to take a terrible hit, and sweetheart that he was, Kagome knew that hadn't even occurred to him yet, because he was only thinking of her.
It was that thought that made her want to cry all the more. He'd worked so hard, and now, it could be all over. It would be awful for him.
A hand slammed down on the table, making everyone but Kanna jump.
"Hello, everyone. I think this is my seat, right?"
Kagome swallowed. "Hi, Kouga," she mumbled, as the man in question sauntered past her and sank into the chair to her right. He was looking extra sharp for the occasion, it seemed, wearing a navy blue tux and the shiniest black shoes ever to grace a red carpet. He nodded briefly at Inuyasha, that trademark smirk on his face, before turning in his seat to face Kagome entirely. Inuyasha's face screwed up in renewed fury, but he didn't move.
"You look amazing tonight," Kouga whispered into her ear.
"Little close there, buddy, thanks," Kagome said, feeling her face turn a little pink as she gently shoved him back away from her.
"Who are you?" Kanna asked, the lollipop still in her mouth.
Kagome fought a smile.
Kouga blinked at Kanna, and then burst out laughing. Mayu just stared from Kouga to Kanna and back again, clearly mortified.
"Very cute, kid. I'm Kouga Okami, but you already knew that, didn't you?"
"No I didn't."
"Anyways," Kouga said straight to Kagome, "What's with the preteen daycare anyway? They relatives of yours or something?"
"No," Kanna said, giving him that thousand-yard stare, "We're dying."
"We're not dying," Mayu said insistently, looking like she wanted to smack her hand over Kanna's mouth, "We're just sick."
"Everyone's dying," Kanna said, her eyes drifting up to the ceiling in a reflective pose, "All of us are. Right here, right now. Slowly dying. Some of us go a little faster than others. That's all."
"They're Make-A-Wish kids," Kagome said quickly.
Kouga looked utterly bewildered. "O-oh," he said, "Okay. Sure. Whatever."
The fabulous Kanna, Kagome thought, able to make even Kouga Okami shut his mouth. She was growing fonder and fonder of this kid.
Ayame appeared a few moments later, coming up to give Kagome another hug. "I just can't thank you enough," she said, "I didn't get a chance to tell you back there, but Warner actually loved the photos! In fact, he was saying something about a female-led action film. Of course, nothing set in stone, but, you know -"
"Ayame?" Kouga asked, "When did you two get all buddy-buddy?"
"That's none of your business, Kouga," Ayame said before Kagome could even open her mouth to reply.
"None of my...business?" Kouga seemed utterly scandalized that Ayame would dismiss him in this manner. Probably never happened before, huh? Kagome smiled.
"You heard me," Ayame said, before turning her full attention back to Kagome. "Are you okay?" she whispered, "I've been hearing stuff, they're all talking about it on the red carpet -"
"I'm fine," Kagome said quickly, "It's all just bullshit. Another storm to weather. Don't worry."
"Well, I don't know if it helps, but I just tore Yura Kaminoke a new one when she asked me about it outside. I told her I didn't know anything about it, and that frankly, I find it disgusting when people's private lives are public news."
Kanna leaned forward in her seat and craned her neck up to look Ayame square in the face. It was a little alarming, and Ayame cut her eyes once to Kagome as if to ask, "Uhhhh, what?"
A moment of awkward silence, and then Kanna sat back, seemingly satisfied. "I like you," she said simply.
"I like her too," Kagome said with a laugh to break the tension. Ayame just grinned that million-dollar smile.
"What about Kouga, kid?" Inuyasha chose this moment to pipe up. "Do you like him?"
Kouga grimaced at Inuyasha.
"No," Kanna said simply, "He's got wolf eyes."
Inuyasha burst out laughing, and Kagome followed suit, finding herself actually grateful that Kouga was here right now. It made for some much-needed levity when it felt like the world was falling apart around them.
"He sure does," Ayame said, looking a little subdued all of a sudden. With a final, lingering glance at Kouga, she gave Kagome a quick peck on the cheek, waved to Inuyasha, and went to take her seat at the executives' table. Tonight she was Warner's special guest. Kagome didn't envy her the privilege.
Kouga watched her go, looking utterly bewildered and out of his element. "What the hell was that all about?" he grumbled to no one in particular.
Kagome decided to answer him anyway. "She's a hell of a girl, Kouga. Too good for you, but of course, you probably know that."
Kouga didn't answer, just looked over his shoulder at where Ayame was taking her seat. "She's going to do action films?"
"Why not," Inuyasha jumped in, looking eager to rub salt in any wound he could see, "She's a hell of an athlete."
"And smart as hell to boot," Kagome caught the pass and lobbed it back, sending a mischievous smile Inuyasha's way, "But then, you knew that already, didn't you, Kouga? Just from the time you spent with her?"
The lack of response was just too good to pass up.
"Oh," Kagome said to Inuyasha, knowing her smile probably looked a little cruel but her nerves were just too frazzled for her to give a shit, "He didn't know. He doesn't know her at all!"
"You two are the ones to talk," Kouga snapped, turning around with one final glance back at Ayame, "From what I've been hearing tonight, you guys screwed Kikyou over with hardly a warning. Classy."
"If you believe that," Inuyasha said, the smile disappearing from his face instantly and replacing itself with a cool glare, "You're an even bigger moron than I thought you were."
"Hey, I ain't taking sides," Kouga said with a shrug and a smirk, sitting back in his chair.
"What are you guys talking about?" Mayu whined, "What happened with Kikyou?"
"Mayu," Kanna said sagely, "Let the grownups talk."
"Do I get to meet her tonight?" Mayu demanded suddenly as if she hadn't been listening, slapping a hand down on the table, "And can I get a picture with both of you, Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha looked as if he had no words.
Before any of them could come up with an answer, Sango appeared, looking out of breath as usual.
"She's here," she whispered.
Just as Sango said it, there was a collective murmur around the room, and they all turned to the doorway.
There Kikyou stood, wearing a floor-length black gown, looking subdued. Inuyasha wanted to puke. A scorned woman in mourning, he thought bitterly, what a fucking crock.
Kikyou held the hand of a small, starstruck girl with silvery white hair and deeply tanned skin, who was gazing up at her with pure adoration.
"Damn," Kouga whispered, "that kid looks like she could be Takahashi's little sister, or something."
Or my kid, Inuyasha thought, his hands clenching so hard that his nails were pricking his palms, Doesn't that just beat all. Fucking perfect.
Kikyou was smiling down at the little girl, almost serenely, with enough sadness placed in her eyes that made it look almost longing. Wistful, even.
Kagome's hand went to her mouth. Clearly, she had noticed it too.
Kikyou shows up in all black, clearly mourning our destroyed future.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Sango said, "That was not the little girl I sent to her house. Not at all."
"I know that girl," Mayu said excitedly, clearly not sensing any of the tension around her, "That's Shiori! She's my best friend in the ward! She just loves Kikyou, but she was sad when she didn't get picked! Oh my gosh, I bet she was so surprised when Rin couldn't go!"
"What do you mean," Sango said, her mouth a thin, straight line, "Rin couldn't go?"
Mayu took another bite of candy, talking with her mouth open. "Nah, her mom won a bunch of money or something and they took an overseas trip at the last minute. But yay, that means Shiori is here!"
Sango's eye twitched a little as she ran a hand over her face and took a few deep breaths.
Kikyou and Shiori reached the table, and Kikyou made a big show of helping Shiori into her seat, ruffling the little girl's hair and everything.
Inuyasha just sat there and glared. He felt Kagome's foot slide alongside his under the table, tapping once. He knew she was trying to tell him to calm down and just ignore Kikyou. But how could he? After what she'd done to them? After what she'd done to her own sister?
"Kikyou," he snapped out, unable to help himself.
Kikyou jumped as if startled, and her eyes drifted up the table to him. If he hadn't known what an actress she was, he might have bought it. She was hesitant, almost fearful-looking, as if she had been so scared to face him all evening but had steeled herself up because her public demanded it…
"You," he said, slamming a hand onto the tablecloth and making the silverware rattle, "are unbelievable."
She looked confused for a second. The old who, me?
"Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, "She's not worth it. Not right now."
At the sound of Kagome's voice, Kikyou's head snapped in her direction, and the look she sent her sister's way was enough to curdle blood. Kagome clearly fought the instinctive urge to flinch back and held her sister's glare, her chin set forward defiantly. Proud of you, Kiddo.
"Cameras, guys, cameras," Sango all but begged, her mouth hidden by her hand.
All at once, Kikyou looked to Inuyasha, and then back to Kagome. Her voice when she spoke was halted, trembling. The perfect martyr's voice.
"I hope," she said softly, "that you two are very happy together."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to assure Kikyou that they were, indeed, very happy, at least a lot happier than he'd ever been with a cobra like her, but Mayu interrupted him by bounding out of her chair and rushing forward to give her friend Shiori a hug.
Kikyou's easygoing smile and mannerisms returned like it was nothing. "Hello there," she said, her voice like soft silk as she placed a hand on Mayu's shoulder, "What's your name, sweetheart?"
Mayu looked up at her in awe and answered the question. Kikyou then bent down and wrapped her arms delicately around Mayu's thin shoulders. When Mayu returned to her seat a few moments later, she looked utterly enthralled by the embrace of the goddess.
Kikyou took a seat between Shiori and the remaining empty chairs.
"I'm going to kill myself," whispered Sango, "but first, I need a drink."
"Me too," Inuyasha ground out, finally looking away, "A fucking strong one."
"Kagome?" Sango turned to her, "Beer?"
"Screw that," Kagome said, her steely gaze still fixed on her sister. It seemed that now that Kagome had gotten her tears out of the way, all that was left was for her to be absolutely furious. "Bring me a bourbon. Double."
"And the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama goes to...Inuyasha Takahashi, for 'The Red Robe!'"
The auditorium erupted in applause. Mayu gave a whooping cheer and hugged Inuyasha as he stood up, buttoning his jacket and making his way around the table. As he passed Kagome, he gave her a gentle squeeze on the shoulder and whispered, "Love you, Kiddo."
Kagome smiled in spite of her truly bitter mood. As she looked around the room, taking careful note to avoid looking in Kikyou's direction, she noticed a few people, mostly reporters and Kikyou's close friends, were sitting with their arms crossed, refusing to congratulate him.
It was starting.
Inuyasha, for his part, didn't seem to notice, and if he had, he wasn't paying it any mind as he took the stage and accepted the golden trophy.
"My thanks to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for this honor," he said animatedly, though Kagome knew he was faking it for the cameras' sake, "My thanks to Sunrise Studios, and to my agent, Miroku Houshi, who couldn't make it tonight but is probably eating ice cream and watching this on TV yelling at me to smile more. And my thanks to the cast and crew for helping us to tell this story. I'm grateful to everyone who enjoyed it, and I'm even grateful to those of you that didn't."
A smattering of laughter in the crowd.
"There is one person I have to thank above all others," he said, placing both hands on the side of the podium, his eyes on the wood surface for a moment. There was a whoop from somewhere in the crowd, and Kagome knew they thought he was talking about Kikyou.
She finally chanced a look over at her sister, and right on cue, with the cameras clearly centered on her, she was hunched over a little in her seat, staring at her hands clasped on the tabletop, looking utterly brokenhearted. When the cameraman stepped a little closer, Kikyou gave a small whimpering shudder and made a big show of looking away.
Kagome's face snapped back to the stage, where Inuyasha was looking at her, clearly ready to say her name out loud and give it all up. For her.
But not now. Not like this. Not with Kikyou playing up her sorrows to the crowd. He'd be hated. He'd be vilified. And it wasn't right. It wasn't fair.
Feeling a lump form in her throat, Kagome ever-so-slightly shook her head, her eyes locked with his.
Inuyasha blinked, then sighed, looking a little disappointed but soldiering on nonetheless. "You know who she is," he said, "And she knows who she is. And she's gone through hell and back and still come out looking like an angel."
There was another whoop in the crowd. The Kikyou show was now broadcasting feelings of bewilderment, surprise, perhaps a hesitant smile….oh, no, that was gone, replaced with a stricken look of betrayal once again. Kagome had to give credit where credit was due. Kikyou was giving them poetry in motion. She was playing the part almost perfectly.
Kagome fought the urge to leap at her over the table like a bull in a china shop and returned her attention to Inuyasha where it belonged.
"She knows how much I love her," he said, "And she's worth all the awards in the world to me. Thank you very much, once again. Have a good night, everyone!"
And then he was off backstage.
"Good speech," Sango said as Inuyasha sank back into his seat, "Very diplomatic."
They were in commercial break, so she was now free to move about the cabin, as it were.
Any excuse to get away from Warner, who had raged at her for about fifteen minutes straight before the ceremony, asking her what in the hell her job was if not to keep scandals from besmirching the company name. Sango had taken it all on the chin and resisted her urge to speak out that trying to force people who loved each other apart was about as ridiculous as trying to force people who didn't love each other together. And yes, she was well aware of the irony of that thought. Houshi would have just loved it.
At the end of it all, Warner had calmed down enough to let her know in no uncertain terms that she was on thin ice, and that he would be unhappy to see her go if it came to that, but he wouldn't hesitate if something like this happened again.
Bullshit, she thought with an inward snarl, you just happen to like looking at me day to day. You wouldn't care if I was a brainless ignoramus if I had ever consented to bring coffee up to your office late at night like you've requested oh-so-many times.
At her comment, Inuyasha scoffed and downed the rest of his drink. Kagome held out her hand across the table and he took it, squeezed it once, and let it go.
"Why are you holding hands?" Mayu demanded through a mouthful of potatoes.
"Hey, kid," Sango nudged Mayu on the back of the shoulder, "Didn't anyone ever teach you not to talk with your mouth full?"
Mayu sent her a glare and fell silent.
"You guys okay?" Sango looked from Inuyasha to Kagome, knowing it was a stupid question. Once the word got out and the rumors spread like wildfire, none of them would be okay for a good long while.
Inuyasha stared at his award, then wordlessly handed it over to Kagome. "You earned it," he said softly, then to Sango, "Yeah, as fine as we can be."
Kagome, clearly touched, held the heavy statuette in her lap, then turned to Sango and nodded.
The little bell alarm sounded to signify that everyone should return to their seats, and Sango rushed away, passing by Kikyou, who was making sure to lavish as much affection on little Shiori as possible. Sango wanted to gag.
"And the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama goes to...Kikyou Higurashi!"
Kagome clutched the award in her lap as if to brace herself upright. Here we go. There was no telling how bad this was going to be.
She felt cameras zooming in toward her face, clearly trying to capture her reaction to her sister's win. She clapped and smiled complacently, refusing to play Kikyou's little game.
As Kikyou rounded the table, she stopped at Inuyasha, seemingly wanting to embrace him but obviously stopping short and thinking better of it as she moved around to Mayu.
"Sweetheart," Kikyou said, dipping down to Mayu's level, her hands on her thighs, "Would you like to come up onstage with me? I hear you're quite the actress yourself, right?"
"Would I?" Mayu shot up like a cannon, "Of course I would!"
Oh, this fucking bitch. Kagome turned in her seat and sent a brief but all-too-satisfying look of fury in Kikyou's direction, but Kikyou wasn't paying her any mind as she turned to Kanna. "What about you, honey?"
"No," Kanna said, now on her third lollipop of the evening as she gazed fearlessly up at Kikyou, "You have liar's eyes."
Kikyou grimaced in disgust for a moment, then remembered herself and smiled, shrugging it off. She took both Mayu's and Shiori's hands and led them magnanimously up the stairs to the stage.
Kagome continued clapping so hard and obnoxiously her hands started to sting.
Across the room, Sango and Ayame were looking utterly aghast, but everyone else at their table was cheering and clapping.
She was taking the fucking kids up with her. That was a new low. A new level of manipulation. And everyone was fawning all over it.
"Thank you so much!" Kikyou said when she reached the podium, the two girls' small hands clasped lovingly in her own. She began prattling on, and Kagome finally chanced a look behind her.
Inuyasha looked livid.
And to his credit, so did Kouga, of all people.
"What the fuck?" Kouga muttered under his breath, "She stole your Make-A-Wish kid, Takahashi! Who steals a Make-A-Wish kid?"
"I don't think that's a very honest thing to do," Kanna said quietly around her lollipop, "She's quite clearly a narcissistic personality disorder with sociopathic tendencies."
"She's something, all right," Kagome growled under her breath, keeping her face emotionless.
"A big fucking something," Inuyasha hissed, then whispered to Kanna, "Pardon my French."
"Fuck," Kanna said loudly, the loudest she'd spoken thus far.
The rest of the table glanced at her, as well as quite a few of the tables surrounding them.
"There," Kanna said, "Now you can feel comfortable cursing around me. You're welcome."
"Kid, you can't just yell out curse words like that!" Inuyasha whispered, "You're gonna get kicked out!"
"I'll just say I have Tourette's," Kanna said simply, as if it was the easiest explanation in the world.
Kagome forced herself to turn back around and listen to whatever bullshit her sister was spouting.
"...all of my fans, all around the world, because this is for you, and I really, truly mean it!" Kikyou paused for applause. "And of course, I have to thank my mom, who believed in me so much that she moved heaven and earth to make my dreams come true. I hope I made you proud today, Mom. I hope you're looking down and smiling."
Nice, Kagome thought, biting down on her tongue as she applauded with the rest of them, Gotta get in a subtle dig at me. Bring up the mommy issues. Yeah, no, keep 'em coming, Sister Darling, I'll be here all night. She was dimly aware that her right foot was tapping up and down uncontrollably under the table.
Kikyou put on her serious face. "I want to use my platform here tonight to send a message. To all the women out there who have ever been hurt, who have faced adversity and overcome it, you are my heroes. These young ladies right here," she raised Mayu and Shiori's hands high, "have been through so much already in their short lives, and they are still fighting. That's my pledge, and I hope you will all join with me in it. Ladies, don't ever let a man make you feel less than. Not ever. You are more than enough. Always.
"And to the men," she faltered a little, clearly letting herself tear up, "let the women in your life know how valid they are, how strong, how beautiful, and they will always prove you right. Let's prove them all right! Thank you so very much." She let go of Mayu's hand to grab her statuette and kept her grip on Shiori, and let the two girls follow her offstage, her little hired minions, the rats to her pied piper.
When the applause died down again, Inuyasha placed both hands on the table and stood up as the auditorium went to commercial break again. "Well," he said snappishly, "That was sickening. I'm getting the hell out of here."
"You're leaving?" Kouga said incredulously, "Your movie's up for Best Picture! You can't just leave!"
"What are they gonna do," Inuyasha growled, "Put me in Golden Globes jail?" He glanced at Kagome, and she knew she didn't need to be told twice. Kanna stood up along with them, placing her hand in Kagome's as if by instinct.
Sango caught them on their way out the door. "Where are you going?" she asked, looking frantic.
"We're going home. Feel free to join us if you want," Kagome said, giving Sango a look that left no room for protest or argument.
Sango seriously seemed to consider it, but she grimaced and shook her head. "They're gonna think you have a guilty conscience if you don't stay," she said softly, though she clearly wasn't putting up much of a fight.
"If I had a guilty conscience I'd be sitting through the rest of this bullshit. It'd be some sick form of self-punishment," Inuyasha snapped.
Sango ran a hand through her perfectly styled hair, closing her eyes and heaving a resigned sigh. "You're right," she conceded, "Go home, and as per usual, for your own sakes, stay the hell off the Internet."
Inuyasha nodded, and turned back to Kagome. "Come on, Kagome. Let's go home. I've had enough of this shit."
Kagome was in resounding agreement. She just wanted to go home, have a drink, and forget about all of this until the morning. "Me fucking too," she glowered.
"Me fucking three," said Kanna calmly, grabbing another lollipop to go from the candy table as they all walked out the door.
Kanna x candy is my new OTP. Hah. This story is just rolling along, isn't it? Mayu's a little brat, ain't she? I mean, she was in the show too. I'm sure I'm not the only one who watched that episode and just thought, "LET THE LITTLE BRAT DIE! EAT HER, SOUL PIPER!" ...no? Just me? Okay. Ahem.
SONGS!
Inuyasha - "I Don't F**k with You" by Big Sean (hahahaha)
Kagome - "Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence (a giant kiss-my-ass to Kikyou, naturally)
Kanna - "Here" by Alessia Cara ("I ask myself what am I doin' here..." :D)
Sango - "Broad-Shouldered Beasts" by Mumford and Sons ("...and when you feel the world wrapping round your neck, don't succumb")
Kikyou - "The Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston (GAG ICK BLECH PHOOEY DISGOOSTIN)
Love you guys! Three updates in a day! I feel like a machine. But like, in a good way. Please review if you can! Thanks again! - meggz0rz