InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fade and Flare ❯ Chapter 13 ( Chapter 14 )

Fade and Flare

Chapter 13

Inuyasha (at least the anime, anyway) is copyright Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan, Yomiuri Terebi, and Sunrise 2000. 

Notes: Definitely heed the LEMON WARNING. 

"Next up this morning, double shock at the MTV Asia Awards last night! A provocative dress and even more provocative slip of the tongue--"

Kagome sighed, changing the channel.

"...What everybody's talking about, that super-sexy dress--"

Next channel.

"...Wondering why Higurashi-san and Hojo-san have not held an official press conference as of yet--"

Next.

"...That announcing the engagement on MTV is a calculated move, and others argue it's too sloppy to be contrived, but one thing is certain--"

One more.

"...And cancelled her performance just before the show. In the wake of her new album, is Higurashi Kagome-san--"

This was ridiculous. Turning off the television the pop star rolled her eyes and set the remote control onto an end table before she stood and adjusted her jeans. Sighing again, nervous to be leaving Japan at such a time, Kagome leaned on a single crutch as she hobbled to her bedroom. Though she felt almost no pain in her ankle she didn't want to take any chances yet, taking care not to put weight on her foot when possible.

Sitting onto her bed, checking over her luggage just one more time, she took an inventory of the things she wanted to be sure to bring: Passport and wallet in her purse in a handy, yet secure, place? Yes. Toiletries wrapped carefully in her checked luggage? Yes. Performance clothing in a garment bag? Got it.

...Negligee? Check. Kagome packed three, even though separate rooms had been booked for her and Inuyasha.

"Kagome! You ready? Shippo's waiting downstairs."

From her entryway Inuyasha had shouted, making his way to her bedroom afterwards. Kagome pulled herself to her feet as she heard him coming, just managing to stand as he appeared at her bedroom door.

"Kagome, are you--"

"Yes," she interrupted. "Yes, I'm ready," she reiterated darting towards him, quite nimbly for someone with a crutch. Inuyasha was reaching for a piece of her luggage as she slid to intercept him.

Blinking, her manager stared questioningly at her. "O-okay?" He managed, suddenly blushing as she grinned at him.

With her free hand Kagome cupped Inuyasha's cheek, pecking him on the lips. "Good morning," she said with a bigger smile.

"Morning," the hanyou murmured. Carefully, as if in fear of being punished he returned the quick kiss and moved to pick up her luggage. Kagome frowned as she slung her purse over her shoulder, following him into the hallway.

That was pretty cold, the half demon self-admonished as he carried Kagome's luggage to the entryway. He'd hoped she understood how surreal this all was to him. After talking with Shippo, dealing with threats from Sango to be careful with Kagome's heart, and having a lengthy conversation with Miroku last night Inuyasha was still in disbelief of the situation. Just like Shippo had said, other people had not been surprised at the sudden change. Miroku actually sounded like he'd been preparing for such a contingency for years.

That was it, really-- everyone around them was already used to the idea. Inuyasha was the only one caught off-guard in this situation, having convinced himself for years that a relationship with Kagome was not acceptable. Now that it was a reality he'd been sent spinning, unsure of what to do. Inuyasha, the brash, forceful, and often feared half-demon manager of the legendary Higurashi Kagome was at a loss and terrified.

He knew in his gut what he wanted. All the times he'd lost control and kissed her were clear indications of that. Last night he'd gone into autopilot, because he was feeling so weak, and the most shocking part about his own actions was that he immediately tried to get Kagome naked. If not for Shippo and Sango's interruption that black dress could have been ripped to shreds on the floor of the van.

This was a problem. Kagome wasn't just any girl. He couldn't just treat her like all the other women he'd been with. In silent company with Shippo as the fox demon drove today, Inuyasha was alone with these thoughts and morning radio shows that wouldn't shut up about Kagome on the drive to her apartment. He was reminded that Miroku and the rest of the staff would be up to their ears in press inquiries while they were away. Just hang on for four days, guys.

As he reached the entryway he put Kagome's luggage down and pulled up a chair for her to sit in while he gave her shoes to put on. "I'm going to make sure everything's turned off and locked up, so you sit tight."

With a sad smile Kagome nodded, thanking him. The look wasn't lost on Inuyasha. Mentally pushing himself, he dove down to kiss her softly on the cheek. It was such a small gesture but he'd truly meant it-- he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her cheek with such feeling, trying to remind himself that this was finally okay. Inuyasha was instantly taken aback at how content she looked when he pulled away. He'd put that look on her face. He felt compelled to give her another kiss, this time on the lips.

"You're so damned adorable," he whispered, kissing her a third, and finally a fourth time.

It was a slippery slope from there, the hanyou realized. When Kagome sighed happily, pressing her hand to her heart as she breathed now, he knew he'd erased her little bit of disappointment but wanted to keep going. Unfortunately, they had a schedule to keep. With a warm smile Inuyasha draped Kagome's shoulders with a white peacoat he'd retrieved from a hanger and left for a minute, forcing himself away this time, to briefly inspect her home.

Kagome was thankful for the hired security at the airport, though they didn't seem necessary. Under a pair of dark glasses, and with her hair mostly gathered under a baseball hat not a whole lot of the preoccupied, bustling lot at Narita Airport so much as glanced her way as she was able to roam through the shops with Inuyasha.

As the pop star stopped at a bookstore her mouth flattened into a thin frown at the sight of a photo of her with Hojo behind the podium at the awards show. A pair of chattering teenaged girls startled her when they walked up to the stand, pulling small suitcases behind them.

"No, I didn't see it last night."

"That's terrible, you should have watched! Her dress was so skimpy that Hitoshi-kun spit out his drink!"

"Come on," the calmer one said as she picked up a newspaper, examining a picture of Kagome. "Sure, that thing would get me killed if my parents saw me in it but it's nothing like the stuff Kouda Kumi-san wears."

"Maybe, but this was Higurashi Kagome wearing it. She's too perfect and prissy to wear something like that, you know? I was so jealous, her butt looked cuter than mine!"

"I guess that makes sense, but she probably has a personal trainer and a surgeon on staff, and who knows what else so you probably don't stand a chance. Right, Miss?"

Kagome blinked, gripping her crutch a little tighter. They were looking at her, waiting for an answer. "I-I'm sorry?"

"Higurashi Kagome probably had a lot of work done to look the way she does, don't you think?"

A sideways glance told her that Inuyasha was watching carefully. After also looking at the two hired guards Kagome adjusted her sunglasses and set the newspaper she was holding back onto the stand.

"Oh, I really don't pay attention," she replied, starting to walk away. "All of those celebrities just look the same to me."

"Ah..." they replied, rapidly losing interest in what this stranger had to say.

When Kagome rejoined Inuyasha he smirked. "Nice," he said, as they headed towards customs.

--

"It's so cold," whined Kagome, who leaned into Inuyasha.

"Stop that," her manager scolded, handing his blanket to her. "Those stewardesses have been hovering over you for the last four hours-- d'ya think they're not gonna notice if we start cuddling?"

She grinned in thanks before bundling herself up in Inuyasha's blanket. "I'm telling the truth, though-- it's cold!"

He was fine with the temperature, but knew Kagome always felt a little chilly on airplanes. She got cold pretty easily. When she nuzzled the newly acquired blanket to her nose Inuyasha couldn't help but blush.

"Mmm, I can smell your cologne," she laughed, pressing the blanket to her nose again. "I like it."

"I think you gave it to me for some holiday--"

"O-kyaku-sama, would you like another blanket?" The formality snapped the hanyou out of his sentence, annoying him. He wondered if this woman would still refer to him as anyone's 'honored customer' if he were to spit out the profane reply he wanted to give her. Best not to pick a fight, though. Not before the last meal service, anyway.

"No, but I'd appreciate a beer," he answered. "Sapporo if ya got it. And if possible, can we get some hot towels and also some ice in a sealed bag? For her ankle."

"If you prefer, I can get you a heat pack instead of those hot towels," chirped the young woman with a pencil cut skirt and a neat bun of chestnut hair pinned to her scalp. "O-kyaku-sama," She added, referring to Kagome this time. "Is there anything I can bring you?"

"Some hot tea would be great. I'd prefer the heat pack, too, by the way. "

"Understood," she said with a curt bow, before departing.

"Perfect timing, my ankle was starting to bother me a little again. It's nowhere near as painful as it was yesterday, though."

"I figured you were uncomfortable. You haven't been able to sit still for the last half hour. Not hard to see,"

"I guess not." Pressing a button on her armrest, Kagome reclined in her seat, sighing happily into her blankets. When the stewardess returned with all of their items Inuyasha sipped his beer as he wrapped Kagome's ankle in the heat compress. "Thanks, Inuyasha."

He smirked. 

"They want each act to introduce themselves in English before starting their set. And, he's saying... if you can't you can have your translator do it."

Kagome nodded. A middle-aged Japanese woman, their translator, repeated what a short Caucasian man in trendy glasses and a brunette fauxhawk said to the group of roughly twenty musicians from various countries. Though Kagome had no problems understanding she would have been slow in translating back to Japanese for Inuyasha. She trusted the professional to do her job.

"Got it," Kagome answered in English. "I can handle that." She turned to Inuyasha, whose expression was a little blank. "I'll be introducing myself."

A little overwhelmed for once, Inuyasha took a second before he nodded to show his understanding.

Standing with the other foreign musicians in a rough circle, the hanyou was busy surveying the massive room they were in. What Kagome had not been told was that she was booked as part of an international music showcase for Sony Music investors. Though the label only existed in the United States and Japan there was interest in pushing international artists in America under a new label-- anyone who could sing in English, at first (regardless of whether or not they could speak it). The party in two days would showcase what other countries had to offer.

This is a nice place...

Though Kagome was already signed with Sony Japan, the American and Japanese branches acted independently of each other. She would literally start her career over in this country, but she'd at least have the help of a publicity campaign.

As his eyes ran across the marble floor and chandeliers hanging high from the ceiling Inuyasha suddenly realized that while Kagome was prepared for immersion he was not so ready to manage her here. He couldn't speak English. He wasn't as familiar with the culture as Kagome or Miroku.

For the first time ever the prospect of being a burden to her seemed real. He'd never felt inadequate like this before. It terrified him so much that he did not speak for the rest of the afternoon, only quietly looking around and nodding at whatever the translator said. Silently he watched Kagome interact with all of these people, newly impressed with her. She carried herself so confidently and her good mood was contagious.

He would have to do something-- perhaps take up some English lessons, so that she wouldn't have to worry about him or anything else but her own work. Today the smile on her face was priceless; he wanted her to focus completely on her music if it meant she would be like this from now on.

Once everyone was dismissed for the day, Kagome adjusted her crutch, and linked her free arm with Inuyasha's as they headed to a limousine.

"You seemed a bit distracted today. Something wrong?"

That's really what it comes down to. I've always been replaceable. Something he thought he'd forgotten once again loomed over his shoulder. How could he forget what had been holding him back from her this whole time?

Before he could hold it back Inuyasha sighed. "I'm... uh... just getting used to things." He took Kagome's hand, helping her into the car while the driver held the door open for them. When the limo began to move Kagome curled up next to Inuyasha, resting her head in his lap.

"This feels pretty refreshing right about now. I was almost against coming, but now I'm glad we did."

I can't hold her back.

When Inuyasha's reply was nothing more than a short grunt, Kagome became concerned. She was always a little suspicious when he wasn't yelling or complaining. Sitting up, she spoke to him. "Inuyasha... are you really okay? You're scaring me a little."

What could he say to put her at ease? "Yeah. Fine. Just taking in everything. Hey, wouldja' mind if I stayed in tonight? I know it's a big city with lots to do but I think I gotta just sit for a while. Besides, we should rest that ankle for at least another night."

Kagome stared.

"But if there's something you really, really wanna do I'll take you out. Look, forget I said anything."

This... was weird. But Kagome didn't know what to say or do to get him to talk, so she smiled at him. "No, that's fine. Mind if I keep you company instead?"

Tenderly returning her smile he lifted one hand to caress her cheek. "Keh. Is that a threat?" It was all he said before snaking both hands around her waist. Inuyasha rest his head in the crook of her neck, trying to memorize this moment: the hum of an engine in the dark, and the faint scent of her perfume as he gripped her belly with his fingertips.

I can't leave things this way.

His fingers rose and sank with her soft breathing and he listened to her heartbeat, calmed by its steady rhythm. Bit by bit Kagome could feel him relaxing as he held her. She felt a little less worried than before. 

Room service was fun. Unused to larger American portions Kagome had balked at the size of her steak but she happily ate her fill. It was nice to have Inuyasha there to finish what she couldn't eat. At Kagome's request the couple dined near the windows of her corner suite, staring out at Los Angeles. They talked about mundane things and ended with dessert before moving to another room, sharing a couch for the evening.

They were glad to find a channel in Japanese, and watched NHK News with a bit of interest. Through the weather forecast Kagome smiled a bit. The information was pretty much useless, but at least knowing what the weather was like at home reminded her that she was still on the same planet. In foreign countries it was sometimes easy to forget.

Another reminder stared back at her with a fake smile-- her own face, as she stood next to Hojo at the MTV Asia Awards. She glanced over to Inuyasha, who was already looking at her in concern. Together they turned their attentions back to the television.

"And for some celebrity news, reports are circulating that singer Higurashi Kagome-san has left Japan for the United States. One unidentified person accompanied her, a male youkai rumored to have been an employee. Her boyfriend, popular actor Hojo was unreachable for comment. In the wake of their MTV appearance and news of their engagement--"

Sighing and changing the channel, Kagome tossed the remote control to Inuyasha.

"Assuming that nobody we know leaked that, the only other way they could have gotten the information was through the airline, right?"

"That or the airport staff."

"Argh."

"So we'll boycott both. We dump the plane tickets we've got and I'll have Miroku book a return flight with JAL instead of ANA. And we'll land in Haneda instead of Narita."

"Sounds good." She stretched across the couch, resting her feet on her manager. Not wanting to address the issue anymore, she opted for explaining what was going on in a couple of sitcoms for him as he massaged her ankle.

Inuyasha tried his best to control his temper, hiding his frown as he pressed into her skin. He was terrified again. He wanted to call Miroku for some suggestions; he'd have to call tomorrow anyway.

"I really appreciate this," Kagome started.

"Is that what the lady on the TV's saying? Or is that what you're saying?"

Giggling, Kagome shook her head. "I'm thanking you, Inu-chan. My ankle feels so much better. You make everything better."

He rolled his eyes, laughing a little. "You can thank me by not calling me that."

Leaning towards her he reached out to mess up her hair, but Kagome had other ideas. She caught him by the wrist, pulling until his face hovered over hers. "Oh, I have a couple of ideas about how I can thank you..."

"Ah." Whose heart was pounding in his ears? "W-well, don't go to a whole lot of trouble for my sake," he murmured, and then blinked when Kagome headed to the other room.

"Close your eyes," she said, returning after a few minutes. "I won't come in until you close them."

"Sure..." This was nerve-wracking. He knew exactly what was going on but managed to be terrified. When she sat herself on his lap and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, his mind raced. He felt her lips pressing against his neck, exhaling hotly over his skin as her free hand gripped his shoulder for leverage. "Should I open them now?"

"Only if you want to," Kagome whispered, twisting her body to kneel over his lap. With both knees on either side of his legs, and both arms around his shoulders she kissed Inuyasha on his cheek. She continued to kiss him, waiting for a response.

When he didn't react, Kagome paused. She watched his eyes open slowly and then widen, darting up and down her lacy red negligee.

"Oh my God," he said suddenly, gripping his companion by the waist to lift her off of his lap. "I... you're... my God." Completely perplexed, his head sunk into his hands.

"Um," This reaction was nowhere near what she'd expected. Suddenly self-conscious, she seated herself next to Inuyasha with crossed arms. "If you hate it I can change back. Is it the cut? The color? Am I just... doing this badly?"

"What? No, no!" Get a hold of yourself, Jerk! You're worrying her. "God, I just... I..." He felt the need to stand up and pace. "Look at you. You're fucking amazing... You could be wearing a paper bag and still manage to kill a man with those looks."

"And somehow you have a problem. I'm not adequate for Inuyasha, the legendary woman killer?"

In mid-step he froze. "Really, do you have to ask that?" How could he explain to her how overwhelming everything had been for him in the last couple of days? He'd never been this happy before; he was suspicious. He didn't know what to do. What he'd wanted the most-- Kagome-- had fallen into his lap and in almost the same instance it felt like she'd disappear just as quickly, after today. Not knowing how to cope, the hanyou had relied on his conditioned reactions: If Kagome was acting sexual? Panic. Fight it.

He looked at her, into those clear gray eyes that pinned him in place, begging for him to ease her mind.

Damn it, I'm no better than that fucking Hojo right now.

How was she supposed to know what he was thinking when he'd never told her? It was unfair. Inuyasha pulled her up to stand with him, holding her against his body. Completely enveloping her, wrapping one arm around her waist and another around her shoulders, he brought his lips to hers.

"You gotta understand. I don’t want you to push yourself for me," he whispered when they broke apart. Slowly he collapsed back down into the couch with her, sitting with his legs extended across the cushions and collecting her small body into his lap. "Don't think you have to throw yourself at me just because we're together." The half demon removed his shirt, wrapping it around Kagome as she curled up against his chest, silently staring up at his face.

A few silent minutes had passed as they held each other, before Kagome answered with a low voice. "It's not like that-- I'd do anything for you."

He ran his fingertips along her side, and up further to caress her bare shoulder in soft circles. "Then just lay here with me? Please?"

Nodding silently, she clung to her companion's undershirt as they watched more sitcoms. 

After rehearsals it was Kagome who felt irritated-- not because there was any difficulty with her performance or procedures, but because Inuyasha acted much too... what was the word?

Professional. Though she tried her best to hold his attention, flirting with him each time they interacted (and so much so that everyone around them looked a little uncomfortable, much to Inuyasha's disdain).

They woke up together this morning, having fallen asleep the night before on the couch in Kagome's suite. Inuyasha's cell phone rang and vibrated, snapping the couple out of an otherwise good rest, and after a conversation with Miroku in the other room Inuyasha came back to join his girlfriend for breakfast.

At first Kagome thought Inuyasha looked so cute when he was flustered and blushing as he looked at her, and equally cute after an awkward good morning kiss. However as the day progressed and her half demon manager was nothing but her manager through and through, she grew impatient.

She decided to break their silence in the limousine. "Remember, you promised to go out with me tonight."

He began to flinch, but wisely kept himself in check.

Sure enough, after the last of rehearsals had finished Kagome was on Inuyasha's arm all the way back to the hotel where she told him to freshen up. It didn't take long. He changed into a fresh shirt, something white with pinstripes, ripped black jeans, and a comfortable pair of black boots. When he returned to Kagome's room he laid around on her couch, grinning to the sound of Kagome running back and forth, unzipping garment bags and clamoring for makeup.

"Better not put on too much of that crap-- it reeks, you know?"

"I want to look cute for you!" she yelled, brushing on some light lip-gloss. "I want every man in the room to envy you!"

"That's garbage," he growled back at her. "All you need to worry about is whether or not I think you're hot."

There was a pause, and then it sounded like some bottles were being set down. "Point taken. Just a little bit of makeup to make me happy, is that a deal?"

"Whatever," the hanyou laughed. "Just don't cry if I won't come near that reeking foundation of yours."

"You're no fun." Kagome's voice startled him, as it came from directly behind the couch. As he turned around to meet her gaze he laughed when he met her smirking face, tongue sticking straight out at him as she crossed her arms.

The half demon stood too, taking both of her hands in his as he looked at her. "I'm plenty of fun. For example, I know you chicks go to a lot of trouble with this dressing up stuff. So let's not hide this carefully calculated outfit. Lemme look at you."

"I guess," she sighed, laughing at him. When he looked at her, she watched his eyes fixate on her bare legs, eventually trailing up along them to stop at a silk black miniskirt. They continued up, past a wide belt around her waist, and stopping again at the bit of cleavage that poked out of her fitted, black, collared shirt. Still playful, Kagome placed one hand behind her head and placed the other hand on her hip, sticking it out. "Do you approve?" She shrieked when he suddenly grabbed her by the waist, pulling her over the back of the couch and into his body.

"The hell do you think?" he laughed, burying his face in the curve of her neck. For a few minutes they stayed this way until Kagome moved to pry herself up.

"So. Nao-san says--"

"--who's Nao-san?" interrupted Inuyasha, whose mouth was quickly covered by Kagome.

"Our translator! Really..."

"Keh! I only knew her family name!"

"So," interrupted Kagome, "Nao-san says that a good place for dinner and some dancing is House of Blues on Sunset Strip. All this week is amateur night, so we won't have any problems getting dinner seats, and we'll be able to walk around the place, and people usually dance when there's room to. Sounds fun, doesn't it?"

He was pretty sure it didn't matter what they did. Time with Kagome was all he really cared about, anyway. "Sure," Inuyasha laughed, still a little nervous.

--

Their table was on the second floor, overlooking the stage and dance floor. The excellent view was immaterial. Throughout dinner Kagome was being flirty, touching her boyfriend's face with her fingertips, licking her lips slowly as she ate daintily, and leaning forward just so every once in a while, allowing Inuyasha to better observe her chest as she spoke to him about... what was she even talking about, anyway? It was loud in there.

Damn her, she had all of this down to a science. Whether she knew how to seduce a man or just him so well was something Inuyasha couldn't figure out. At the end of the day, though, her efforts were effective. With a pounding heart and constantly wringing fingers he was literally eating from her hands, as she fed some of her creme brulee to him. When the hanyou miscalculated and got some on the corner of his mouth, Kagome was quick to fix the mistake, kissing the custard away, just barely brushing it with her lips and touching his mouth with her tongue.

"It's good, isn't it?" she winked, taking a bite for herself. She licked the spoon clean, holding her gaze with his as her tongue curled into the corner of her smile.

"Yeah." All distractions considered it was a pretty eloquent response for Inuyasha. He cleared his throat, directing his attention to the band on stage below. They were playing a song he'd heard before-- something in English that he was sure he'd heard on the radio in Japan. The performance was decent but he could still see how rough the band was around the edges. Maybe in a few years he'd consider managing a band like theirs-- hypothetically, of course.

"They're not bad, are they? Not amazing, but not bad."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Inuyasha murmured, "But totally danceable, don’t you think? We'll be gentle on your foot; you up to it?"

Kagome stared at Inuyasha's outstretched hand as he smiled at her, and nodded as she took it. Her lips turned up in a thin smile as she was led downstairs to the dance floor.

Though she did it so often, Kagome often forgot how much she loved to dance for fun. It had been so long since she'd had a partner, and so long since she could revel in the anonymity of any public dance space, as this was nearly impossible in Japan. Here Kagome was just a girl out with her guy, enjoying a night in Los Angeles.

The bass drum pounded mercilessly through the room, as lights flashed in the dark. The air on the dance floor was as dense as its crowd, and it didn't take Kagome long to get comfortable. Shaking her hips, twirling with Inuyasha and writhing to the upbeat song the pop star forgot about the hectic day in store for her tomorrow, and about the reporters waiting for her at home. She grinned up at her dance partner, taking his hands to close the distance flirtatiously before moving away as quickly as she came.

While Inuyasha was not notorious for his prowess on the floor, he was formidable enough to survive with Kagome. Perhaps the hours of sitting through video and tour rehearsals showed in his knowledge of how she moved. Together the pair spun and stepped, weaving through the thick crowd of dancers, yet paying no mind to them.

With each step Kagome lost herself a little more, moving a if it were a catharsis-- as if she could banish every stress in her life by dancing hard enough. She laughed, giving Inuyasha a smile, and he pulled her a little closer, suddenly dipping her low on the floor before using his strength to grip her waist, tossing her into the air. His reward was Kagome's laugh as he caught her. Her head tipped back, hair whipping down behind her as she kicked high, using the momentum of her foot coming back down to come flying back at Inuyasha. She landed into him, arms draping over his shoulders as she pressed roughly against him. The young woman's fingers caught a few strands of his hair and combed through it with a flick of her wrist.

Before they realized it, the floor had cleared around them. Cheers from their fellow dancers rang high over the music, urging them to continue. Inuyasha leaned towards Kagome's ear, speaking as loudly as necessary.

"Let's have them witness a little history here. Too bad they don't realize they're about to welcome their new pop queen to town."

Kagome laughed. "Maybe, maybe not." She winked at him, spinning theatrically away from his grasp. With each high kick the crowd cheered, each maneuver causing applause until the band finished their song. Pausing to applaud at the band, Inuyasha and Kagome linked arms and walked off of the floor.

"I need a drink to continue, sorry."

"It's okay," she giggled. "I don’t have your stamina, I need a break. I could use a drink myself!"

An eyebrow lifted. "Ah," Inuyasha answered, "Gonna have a martini or two, huh?"

"Hell, maybe even three," Kagome playfully shot back. "Thank you so much for coming with me. It's so fun." On an impulse she kissed him lightly on the cheek. He draped an arm over her shoulders as they made for a pair of vacant seats at the bar.

Kagome leaned in towards the bartender, smiling sweetly. Noticing that he was Japanese, she wondered if she should speak to him in her native language. Past experiences taught her that a number of Japanese people in the United States didn't always speak it. Before she could get a word out the man in front of her, wearing a polo shirt with horizontal stripes and vintage jeans, gasped with recognition.

"Hi-Higurashi Kagome-san?"

She smiled, and Inuyasha grinned, leaning with his back to the bar.

"That's me."

"Oh my God, I can't believe this! I love your music! Anyway, what will you have? On the house. Is Hojo-san here too?"

Kagome tried her best to make sure her smile didn't wane. "Ah, no, he's back in Japan. My date for tonight is Inuyasha, my manager." She gestured nervously to her silver-haired companion.

"I've heard your name before. Nice to meet you," the bartender said, bowing slightly in response to Inuyasha's nod. "So, please. Anything you'd like..."

"I think I'd like to try some of that Bacardi 151. A double, if you don't mind."

"Ah, the hard stuff," laughed the bartender. "Higurashi-san?"

"Long Island for me, please." Kagome bowed a little as the bartender prepared their drinks. She watched him deftly pour things, sighing a little. He didn't mean any harm, she knew. Either way her mood had darkened with just the mention of Hojo's name.

Inuyasha sensed a little tension as soon as Hojo was brought up. He fought to suppress his anger, not wanting to make this a bad night for Kagome. Stewing in his annoyance, the half demon frowned a little until they were served. To his surprise Kagome finished most of her drink instantaneously. Not good. He downed his shot, engaging Kagome in some light conversation. Their chatter was idle, consisting of exchanges over food and the flight. He made a point to touch her arm as they spoke, trying to calm her, but in the course of their conversation Kagome had ordered three tequila shots and a Midori sour as a chaser. Inuyasha groaned inwardly with every sip she took. Her cheeks flushed brightly as time passed, and her laughter got a little bit louder. The barrage of double shots Inuyasha had been drinking didn't compare to the beating Kagome was getting. He forced her to drink some water, and though he was worried about her getting dehydrated he preferred the idea of getting Kagome away from the bar.

"Let's dance," he said, pulling her suddenly by the wrist. Kagome stumbled a little, falling into him. As the pair reached the floor, a new song started-- another familiar one.

A smile spread like wildfire across Kagome's face, and Inuyasha was thankful. The inebriated woman was now pulling him, leading him to the center of the dance floor. The two swayed together to the upbeat ballad, as Kagome mouthed every word to the song. Slowly she was lost in a flurry of steps, barely hanging onto her companion.

He noticed that she was overexerting herself. Taking a hold of her hand, he spun her to slow down and pulled her body close. The emotions that whirled inside of Kagome, combined with the alcohol, the hanyou's gentle touches throughout the night, and finally the musky scent of his sweat as they danced together reaffirmed her attraction to him.

Tentatively Inuyasha rest his hands on his partner's hips. The air on the floor, hot and thick with pheromones and sweat was heavy on his cheeks. Yes, just the air, of course. Definitely not the Bacardi. His eyes began to roam over Kagome, slowly becoming entranced in movements that remained fluid, even when dulled by alcohol. As he felt her smooth movements through her hips, his grip tightened unconsciously. Kagome raised an eyebrow.

After a couple of flashy movements, she found herself dancing even closer to her partner. The music pounded through her body persistently. Inuyasha's more feral thoughts tugged annoyingly at the back of his mind, urging him to go further. Meanwhile Kagome responded to her partner's touch by making her moves a little more risque.

She bucked against him, raising both arms in the air as she danced. Inuyasha's surprised expression encouraged her further; this was fun! Turning her back to him, she repeated the moves against his body. Her emotions were beginning to surface more clearly than before, and she enveloped herself in his embrace. She'd put her hands on his as they snaked around her waist, but he only gripped her briefly in order to spin her. He held one of her hands then, placing another one on her back as he tipped her low towards the floor.

For the first time that night Inuyasha was able to hold her gaze with his own. His amber eyes captured Kagome's light gray ones, taunting her as they moved out of the dip. When Kagome was vertical again she slipped her arms around his shoulders, and his expression softened into a smile when his hands moved up her back, touching the tips of his fingers together between her shoulder blades.

With each move it was increasingly obvious how much the pair wanted to take this further. In the back of his mind, though, Inuyasha still felt dull pangs of doubt.

"Kagome, we should--"

"Inuyasha?" Kagome interrupted. She gazed at him with such intensity that her boyfriend could not answer as she brought her face closer to his, closing her eyes as she brushed his lips with hers.

That was enough. Before Kagome could pull away Inuyasha stopped dancing to return her kiss. With fervor, he held little back as his tongue slid into her mouth. He kissed her hard, forcing the breath out of her.

Whoops. It wasn't exactly what he'd intended to do, in front of so many people. "I'm sorry," Inuyasha started to say, but was quickly hushed with a finger to his lips.

Kagome held her finger in place, pulling him down to speak into his ears. "Let's go somewhere quiet."

Flustered and not thinking so clearly anymore Inuyasha nodded in response, leading Kagome outside by the waist.

--

He crushed her gently to the wall outside, in an unpopulated corner of the club's grounds, intent on finishing what they'd started inside. Between aroused gasps, kisses were traded underneath the chilly, biting, night air. Inuyasha's knee slipped between the fork in Kagome's legs; he slid one hand up her thigh, pulling her against him. She writhed beneath her companion, shivering at his touches, and he nipped at her neck in soft bites, grazing her skin with his fangs and brushing her with his lips, moving down until he reached her collarbone.

"Mmm, Kagome," he exhaled. His hot breath pricked at her skin. "Tell me to stop... we should stop..."

"We don't have to," she gasped.

"We should..." As he kissed her some more, her delicate fingers danced around buttons until Kagome had unbuttoned her shirt down to her waist. A black lace bra peeked out from underneath the opening in her shirt, framing the cleavage it held into place. Inuyasha groaned, cursing himself mentally for this lack of control, but his eyes betrayed him by feasting on a heaving chest.

A hand suddenly pulled on the back of his head until his lips were against her neck. Following these unspoken instructions Inuyasha resumed his nipping and kissing, grunting low as he felt her body bucking against his. With sudden urgency he caressed the leg that was hooked around his, pace increasing when she pressed into him harder. With short gasps she ground fervently into him, pawing at his chest with every kiss he placed on her neck. She nuzzled into him, speaking close to his ears. "I'm glad I left him," she sighed.

Inuyasha was snapped violently into reality with the mention of Hojo. That's right, he remembered. As far as the rest of the world's concerned they're engaged now. Pulling back, he cradled her face and kissed her tenderly before completely pulling away.

"So am I, but..." he answered. He was glad his earlier apprehension wasn't unfounded. This was why! "We can't do this out here."

Business-minded again, Inuyasha shrugged her off of him, much to her protest. She moved to pull at him once more, only to be answered with his hand, steadying her at arm's length for a moment. "Button your shirt, Honey. Let's call it a night and go back to the hotel, okay?" When her shoulders slumped, he put his arm around her, flipping open a cell phone to call for their limousine. 

The ride down Sunset Strip started in awkward silence until Inuyasha quietly cleared his throat and pulled out some gum. He held out the pack to Kagome after taking a stick for himself. "Want one?"

"Hm?" Kagome feigned a distracted gaze out the window and raised an eyebrow when met with the gum. Taking a piece, she thanked him quietly, happy to know why Inuyasha'd been holding his emotions back. She was still uneasy, though. Her eyes roamed for a place to discard the gum wrapper. Upon finding no such place her hand dropped heavily in her lap, the wrapper crumpled in the center of her palm. Inuyasha noticed and held his hand out.

"Gimme."

She started to move, but paused a second. Maybe the alcohol was still potent, or maybe she was mad about how things ended. For whatever reason she pulled her hand back and bounced the wrapper off of Inuyasha's face. Her manager blinked dumbly.

A giggle echoed in the limousine. Inuyasha scowled and pretended to turn away before diving over her, pulling her hands together, pinning them above her head, and tickling her mercilessly. "You little brat," he laughed, attacking her.

"Augh, AUGH, no!" Kagome squealed. Her foot kicked high into the air as she slipped down the seat and onto the floor. She kicked at Inuyasha, struggling to free an arm at the same time. She grabbed wildly for his hair, playing dirty to get the upper hand, but didn't quite grasp it. Before they could continue the car halted in front of their hotel.

"Sir, Miss," coughed the driver. "We've arrived..."

The pair froze, Kagome being the first to recover. She sat up quickly, straightening her skirt as she answered his English with her own. "Ah-heh, thank you very much."

--

"The look on his face was great," Inuyasha chuckled as the pair entered the elevator. Sliding his room key through the elevator's console to access the VIP floors, he pressed the button for theirs before they started their ascent. The elevator stopped and Inuyasha put one hand softly against Kagome's back as he led her out into the hallway, escorting her to her suite.

Kagome opened the door and held it. "Come in for a drink?" Their eyes didn't meet until she asked again, more forcibly. "Please. I can't help but feel like something's wrong."

His gaze locked with hers, and they stared at each other meaningfully for a few seconds. "No, you're right," he answered, walking past her to enter the room. Kagome followed, locking the door behind them. Without missing a beat she kicked off her shoes and headed to the bar, loading two glasses with ice and Scotch. Inuyasha sat on a couch, flipping on the television as Kagome seated herself next to him, handing him his drink.

"Thank you" he mumbled, fixating his gaze on the screen. Kagome drank quickly again, gulping her beverage down, to Inuyasha's chagrin. He pulled the glass easily from the woman's grasp before setting it on an end table. "Kagome, this is kinda pushing it, don't you think? You're still tipsy from the club."

"Why are you so distant? Tell me what's going on."

Inuyasha shrank back a little at her question. "Sure, but first I want you to put down the Scotch."

She picked up the glass again, sipping it. "I need a little liquid courage for this, okay? Why are you acting so hot and cold with me?"

"Stop that! I can explain if you just... just give me a bit." Taking her glass away again, he placed it a little farther away this time.

She growled suddenly, throwing him off. "Shut up, it doesn't matter. You're already stalling!" With a strangely alluring arch of her back she climbed across Inuyasha's lap to reach for her drink but was stopped. Inuyasha wrapped one arm around his companion's waist to hold her down. Kagome struggled as Inuyasha tried to focus on the TV, finishing his own drink and then hers as he crushed her into his lap.

"Look, I'm sorry, I changed my mind. I don't think this is so important at the moment. You need to be conscious for tomorrow, all right? Stop and just go to bed, Kagome." Without releasing his hold on her he turned of the TV and jumped backwards over the couch to carry her to bed.

"That’s what I've been trying to do all night! With you!"

Depositing her atop the mattress, Inuyasha dimmed the lights and spun around. "Good NIGHT," he huffed.

"Tell me what's going on. Why do you keep holding back? You just keep turning me on and then pushing me away!"

"Kagome," Inuyasha sighed. "I'm just... it's... I don't want to complicate things for you right now, okay?"

"Complicate things? Inuyasha," she sighed back at him, more and more perplexed. "What I want from you is as simple as it gets. You're the one making it complicated!"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Look, I'm just worried. We have to stay low-key for now, and then figure out how to get over all of this engagement crap with Hojo."

"I know, and I agree with you but... we're alone, Inuyasha! We don’t have to be low-key if there's just you and me around!"

"Please," Inuyasha answered, rubbing his temples. "It's just... I... there's only so much control I can have, and... Please just go to bed."

"Why? You can't make me stay here."

An eyebrow arched and fangs glinted. He'd be damned to let her continue arguing. The hanyou spun right back around as Kagome began to stand, only to be pushed back down onto the bed. "Sleep. NOW," he commanded.

"How dare you talk to me like that, Inuyasha!" Kagome stood up quickly albeit a little wobbly, attacking with a pillow to the head this time. She knew she was being selfish, but was irritated that Inuyasha would go to these lengths to be ridiculous. Her cheeks burned as she gripped the bed's headboard for support. "You're driving me crazy!"

Thanks to his own slight buzz he deflected the pillow poorly, only getting angry now. "Oh, so you see how it is, now? Doesn't feel so good, does it? How do you think I've felt most of the years we've worked together?" He caught her wrists as she reached for another pillow and pressed her against the mattress, restraining her. Though she knew she couldn't compare to his natural strength the young woman struggled against him, arching into his body.

"I don't understand why you have to be so extreme," She growled, trying to push him off of her with any free appendage. "You're worried, or wanting to get back at me, or something! Justtell me what's on your mind and I'll understand! Don't keep things from me!"

"Kagome, calm down."

"When you had a couple of drinks you got real eager at the club, you can't deny it. You want me. It's okay, you know, I'm your girlfriend! Your youkai blood was boiling, just begging you to take me, so why don't you do it--"

"Kagome, you're still drunk!"

"What, you can't handle it?" she retorted with a touch of desperation in her voice. Kagome freed a leg but was unable to do much with it. "What I don't think you understand yet, is that I'm not too prissy to get rowdy like this between the sheets. Don't youkai like it rough? I always thought you would."

"You're crazy!"

"You're crazy! Do you want me or not?" Kagome sighed.

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted this, Honey. But... the more I think about it, the more I'm not so good for you. I can't take you and your career outside of Japan. I'm just not skilled enough to handle other cultures and languages... I'm totally replaceable, but you're something precious."

"Inuyasha..."

"And it's bad enough back home. You're on such a high pedestal that when people find out you're with anyone less than Hojo... you see where I'm going with this?" Inuyasha continued, loosening his grip on Kagome's wrists, but still holding her down.

"You could never be less than Hojo," she whispered.

Inuyasha stood, leaving her on the bed. "Kagome, you... you don't know what you're saying. Good night, okay?" As he began to walk to the exit Kagome stood, running to intercept Inuyasha. Jumping towards the door she stood between him and the exit.

"Wait," she pleaded. Inuyasha sighed and moved to walk around her, but she placed her hands gently on his shoulders. Softly, she pressed her lips against his before releasing him. Before he could respond again Kagome smiled shyly, not concerned with damaging her shirt as she pulled it open, belt and all. Inuyasha's lack of response didn't weaken her resolve. "Please. Please wait."

He gave her an exasperated look, but her gaze coaxed him to stay put. "Kagome," he began, shaking his head. His voice caught in his throat; he couldn't handle much more of this.

She kissed him again, closing her eyes and clutching his hands to her heart. "How can you say you're totally replaceable?"

"You're the star, Kagome. Not me."

"I work in an industry where I'm constantly being replaced by someone younger, prettier, and cheaper. You should know that more than anybody."

He shook his head. "Don't give me that crap. Nobody tacks random photos of me on their walls, but millions of people you've never met do it every day. There's no substitute for that."

"That's no substitute for you. It doesn't even come close."

Inuyasha didn't know what to say.

"There's nothing I can achieve that replaces what you give me."

Inuyasha frowned. "Kagome..."

"Inuyasha. We're alone tonight."

He kept frowning. "Put a shirt on, please. Let's just talk about what to do when we're both a little less drunk."

She unfastened her skirt. "I already know what I want you to do. Make love to me."

"I can't!"

"Yes you can. Sleep with me. "

The hanyou's eyebrows knitted together on his forehead, and he headed for the exit once more. "No. Just not now." She gripped him again, pushing her entire body against his to hold him in place.

"Fuck me." The words passed from her lips and blew over his in a hot whisper, full of promise.

Inuyasha's jaw didn't drop, but it twitched as if it should have.

"How... can you say that? I'm worried about what this would do to your life, I can't just-- and how can you call it such a crude thing?"

"You were treating it like such a horrible thing!" Kagome retorted, still gripping him. She brushed another kiss over his lips. "You're dressing it up like some catastrophic event when all I want to do is be your damned girlfriend. If you just don’t want me, that's another story all together."

"It's not like that!" Shrieked the half demon. "It's just disastrous for you if anyone finds out about this!"

"What happens here is only between you and me." She said the words so quietly that Inuyasha wondered if they were real. Strands of her hair slipped down across her breasts, clinging slightly to her skin as her chest heaved. Her pleading eyes tugged at him from behind her midnight-colored bangs. Inuyasha was visibly uncomfortable, but couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

Kagome stepped out of her skirt, running her hands up her body. "It's fine if we have to keep our distance outside of this hotel room." She shrugged out of her open shirt, moving closer to him again. Two soft hands grasped the back of his neck, brushing the skin and weaving fingers into his hair. "I'd even be happy just to have you use me."

"Kagome! Don't ever say that!"

"It's the truth." As bold and confident as she thought she sounded, Inuyasha knew better. He could hear her heart pounding fearfully. Despite this observation, though, the hanyou's rational thoughts were numbering less and less. Soon after he remembered why it was so rewarding to lose control, as Kagome's gentle fingers pressed and swirled into his scalp.

He still tried to rationalize. She was his now. There was all the time in the world to do this with her. Ultimately, they didn't need to rush-- even though Kagome's breath was soft and quickened at the moment. It probably wasn't that different from how she'd gasp and pant, as she lay naked beneath him...

...Fuck.

With a sigh of resignation he closed his arms tightly around her waist. "I couldn't use you." He kissed her until her knees were weak, continuing what they started outside of the House of Blues. The pair sank to their knees in a storm of heated kisses. Inuyasha slowly laid Kagome onto her back as he took in her scent, tongues mingling as demon fangs brushed over human lips. Clutching the hanyou's shirt, the young woman pressed into her lover as he slid along her body, slowly moving on top of her. Their kiss was broken briefly when Kagome pulled Inuyasha's shirt over his head. When she sat back up to lick the bare skin on his chest, she was coaxed back down onto the floor.

"Lay back," he purred into her ear. Kagome complied, and Inuyasha lowered his lips over hers, endlessly teasing them with his own as one hand wandered up along the bare skin of her torso. The back of his claws raked across her breast, lightly teasing her nipple through her bra, and the hanyou took delight in watching her arch against his hand.

"Anything you say." She wished he would remove the annoying scrap of lace between them, but also enjoyed this sweet form of torture. Already aching for him, Kagome squirmed, situating his body between her thighs, sucking on his lip, exhaling with urgency when he pressed into the junction of her legs. Through Inuyasha's pants she could feel his enthusiasm, and frantically reached for the fly on his jeans, fingers moving clumsily against him as she tugged on his zipper. With a strangled groan he rolled his hips into her hand but pulled her wrist away, gently coaxing it up next to her head as he laced his fingers with hers. He bucked into her as he kissed her, gripping her hand a little tighter.

What they had both fantasized about now played out, miles away from prying eyes, and it would end all too soon. Inuyasha wanted tonight to be nothing less than the sum of his desire for her; he'd make her forget about any other men she'd been with.

Better get to that.

He'd almost forgotten how confident he was with other women, and figured it would be no problem to follow up to Hojo. Though it was a more intimidating task to sleep with a woman he actually cared about he also felt at ease. He'd played a night like this out in his mind, over and over.

Grinning, Inuyasha bared his fangs, nipping at Kagome's breast. When she shivered under him he resumed his kisses, trailing off of her lips and over her neck. His mouth moved down to the clasp of her bra, deftly pulling it open before moving his head to avoid a whip from the elastic. He didn't miss a beat when he kissed his lover's exposed breasts, and she struggled for air as his slick tongue lashed against her burning flesh. Not fully conscious of her actions, her hand flew to the back of Inuyasha's head, grasping his hair as she pressed him closer. She gasped out loud as he flicked his tongue in maddening circles over the sensitive peaks of her breasts.

Kagome couldn't help it-- she whined beneath her lover, reaching for the swell in his pants again. Once more her hands were moved away, and Inuyasha's fingers slid over her waist, then down to her hips, where his claws slashed across the seams of her panties. His mouth moved lower until it hovered over the crotch of Kagome's ripped lingerie. A soft bite startled her, and she gasped when she watched him remove her soaked panties with a smooth toss of the chin.

She was trembling, even more excited and frustrated as she felt his breath over her bare skin. The wait wouldn't be long before Inuyasha slid his hands to her knees. He grasped her legs before pulling them apart, dipping his tongue between them.

With a sharp inhale the young woman raised her head to meet Inuyasha's eyes. "What are you-- No, don't! Ah..." He brushed his lips across her slick skin, eliciting another sharp breath. "Kami-sama," she gasped in between short exhales, and her eyes tipped closed as she writhed.

"Gods can't help you," he whispered before resuming. He couldn't suppress his smirk.

"You're so... nnn..." She bit her lip. Kagome was too embarrassed to reveal that nobody she'd been with had kissed her there before. She was shocked at how focused and intense it felt, barely unable to control her reactions.

"Hn," was all Inuyasha answered, licking along the smooth slit between her legs as she panted deeply from her throat. Feeding off of Kagome's reaction he plunged his tongue into her, closing his mouth over her sweet pink skin. Soft moans in falsetto built with each of his movements as he ate her, pleased at how crazed his lover was becoming. Her voice then crescendoed, lips desperately trying to form his name.

"Inu... Inuyasha! Ah..." Throwing her head back she reached her peak, losing composure as she called his name, arching away from the floor a little as she cried out.

Wordlessly the hanyou rose, running his fingertips along Kagome's cheek as she tried to catch her breath. Without much effort he lifted her, gingerly carrying her to the bed as if any abrupt movement would shatter the moment. Once he set her down he shed his remaining clothes, holding her eyes with his own before walking away to pull the curtains open.

Windows completely lined two of the walls in the room. From Kagome's corner suite so much of the surrounding city could be seen. The room was bathed in dark blue night: a moonlit sky dotted with ethereal pinks and violets, most likely from neon signs. Inuyasha turned towards the bed, back to his lover, and walked to her against this glowing backdrop.

Kagome marveled at this otherworldly sight. Inuyasha, naked and perfect with silver hair tumbling behind him and splashing against the Hollywood skyline, looked like a feral Adonis as he sauntered towards her. In this light his dog ears looked more like devil's horns, and his eyes, splashes of gold piercing through his dark silhouette, bore into her as the half demon climbed onto jumbled sheets to join her.

He said nothing before nudging her legs apart, and trailed wet kisses along her inner thigh. Fangs glinted in a smile as he watched her gasp beneath him again, but she was feeling affectionate. After a smooth shift in position, Kagome straddled Inuyasha. She smiled down at him with amorous eyes and he returned her gaze, gathering his hands at his belly.

There was no exaggeration-- nothing hidden or forced on her face. Right now she was not smiling to pacify or distract Inuyasha, and she wasn't smiling out of spite for any hurt she'd felt elsewhere. In that moment Inuyasha realized that he'd ripped away a mask of Kagome's that he never realized existed. He could see that chains of worry, obligation, work, and the world had lifted from her back in this safe place where they lay alone together.

Entwining his fingers with hers, both pairs of hands rested there as they shared a moment of mutual adoration in the dimly lit suite. "Lean close to me," Inuyasha murmured. "Come here, Honey."

Though it was familiar, the endearment startled Kagome. "Okay," she exhaled. She bent towards him, face hovering over his, moon reflecting off of her flushed cheeks and lips just slightly enough to entice the half demon towards them. Releasing Kagome's hands, smiling at how cute she looked when she flattened them against his chest, he placed his fingers on her cheeks, careful not to scratch her as he drew her lips to his. She loved him; he could feel it in the way she moved against him as they kissed.

Inuyasha's hands rest on her hips briefly, fingers memorizing her shape as he slid them up along her sides, eventually traveling to her back, where he pressed her closer. Before the couple could share any more words the hanyou stiffened an arm around his lover to steady her as he rolled them to one side, returning Kagome to her back. One clawed hand danced along her skin and finally came to rest, sheathed in hair at the nape of her neck. While pulling her in for a deep kiss he entered her.

Kagome's eyes grew large. Tension and sweet release was encompassed in that single movement, and once he was inside her all the couple could muster was a mutual sigh at first, briefly breaking their kiss to do so. They started out moving slowly. There were plenty of reasons to prolong this, though skin against skin was intoxicating as they shifted against each other.

Inuyasha almost couldn't handle being buried to the hilt in Kagome's smooth, pillowy flesh. Their kisses had not broken yet, but grew in intensity as they continued together. Heat built up between them until it melted into sweat. It began to coat their bodies and drip away as the two continued their steady rhythm.

With every brush of her tongue against his, Kagome could feel Inuyasha's control slipping, and delighted in the fact that she was making him lose his composure as they continued. He was doing the same to her-- his size and length were beginning to take their toll. The pain of him stretching her was intoxicating and sweet. She craved more, whining in the back of her throat as he penetrated her, only to be muffled by hot, breathy kisses. The sensation of being filled by him was dizzying. She could feel all of him moving inside of her, and tried not to lose her mind.

Inuyasha grit his teeth. God, she was so slick and tight. The half demon rose upright on his knees for a bit, gripping Kagome's hips as he moved a little faster. If he grew careless he'd lose it soon. Lilting forward over the length of her body, he breathed raggedly into her ear as he sucked on an earlobe, pumping into her at a heightened, albeit steady pace. His lover's back arched; her breasts bounced as she pressed closer to him, answering his movements with a flurry of moist kisses. His hands then moved to the small of her back, intent on deepening their bond. Kagome allowed a surprised yelp to escape her, and from that point she could no longer keep her voice down.

He was reminded of how sensual her voice was. Kagome's wanton cries were melodic, spilling from her lips as he kissed her neck, reverberating in the large room amongst the rustle of sheets and echoes of sighs. Their pace increased again, but this time their thrusts became impatient and messy. The couple, now mutually desperate for release, erupted into a furious tempest of movement. In this ultimate act of affection their feelings for each other clashed and entwined, and Inuyasha's voice finally joined Kagome's as they came to a climax.

When he collapsed on top of her they sighed again together. Kagome was the first to speak, as Inuyasha moved to her side. He gripped her waist with both arms, nibbling on her shoulder as she tipped her head towards his.

"I was..." she took another deep breath, exhaling with a short laugh. "When we were all done I was planning on telling you that it was terrible. Just to see what you'd do."

"Hm?" He raised an eyebrow, not moving his lips away from her skin.

"But I don't think I could even joke about that in good conscience right now."

He began to nibble her neck. "Mmm-hm," he replied, preoccupied in his act, and she shuddered beneath his touch.

"You're awfully quiet," she realized aloud, exhaling softly when Inuyasha's fingertips stroked her breast.

"Hm..."

"'Hm'?"

"Let's talk more when we're done."

Kagome's eyes widened. "There's more...?" A blush crept over her cheeks, and he smirked in reply,

Keh. I've got years of this bottled up for you. "...Not that you'll be conscious afterwards." As he kissed her belly he glanced at her, noticing the shock on her face. He paused, blinking. "Unless, of course, you want me to stop?"

Suddenly her head jolted up, and she met his stare. "Stop?"

Inuyasha placed a kiss on her belly button. "Want me to?"

"Don't..." 

"Stop! Inuyasha, please!" She stood next to him, gripping his arm, trying to push the brunette with glasses and fauxhawk away to safety. "Allen-san, that's very sweet of you, but as you can see I'm dating someone."

Frantic with fear, Allen nodded, scrambling away. "I'm very sorry Miss Higurashi! Very sorry!"

"I'll fucking kill you, you son of a bitch!" Inuyasha hissed as Allen ran to his car. "Kagome's fucking royalty; who the fuck d'ya think you are?"

Sighing, Kagome released Inuyasha's arm, stepping forward to slip her arms around his waist. She was glad Allen didn't understand Japanese.

"If he thinks you're so desperate for that stupid contract... that guy's only an assistant to a producer! I can sense a loser peon bitch anywhere, no matter what language he speaks!"

"Let it go."

--

A dull pain woke Kagome up before the sun could. With Inuyasha's arm draped over her waist she sat up, touching her fingertips to her ankle. Sure enough, it was sore again. She'd been careless the night before, and immediately felt bad that she'd wasted all of Inuyasha's efforts in the past few days to ease the pain.

Eventually, she felt a pair of hands pulling clumsily at her hips, and laid back down with Inuyasha as he mumbled for her in his sleep.

She hoped it would go away once she had to get up, but her ankle throbbed as Inuyasha kissed her in the shower. It still felt tender when he dried her hair afterwards, and throughout breakfast.

The mistake was to pretend that she felt okay. Though she brought her crutch to the party, she spent little time using it, putting more stress than necessary on her ankle. When the time came for Kagome to sing, the pain had worsened, affecting her performance. Her usual charisma wasn't there, in comparison to what she had delivered in rehearsal.

When her performance was critiqued, Kagome was shocked to hear that while coherent, her English was too accented to pass for pop, and that her lyrics sounded a bit awkward.

A woman in a black dress and twenty years her senior held Kagome's hands as she spoke. "I love your look and your sound-- you're so gorgeous and graceful. However, the only problem we have is with your lyrics."

"Oh? Please let me know. I'd like to improve."

"They're grammatically correct, but... a couple of phrases here and there are just things that no English speaker would say. We can't sell this. But if the label takes off we would like you keep you in mind for phase two. We could fly you back out for negotiation when the time comes. You'd be able to sing in Japanese, too!"

Uncomfortable with such casual contact from a stranger, Kagome pulled her hands away slowly and shook the woman's hand, bowing without even thinking about it. "I'd appreciate that very much. Please keep me in mind."

"Aww, it's so cute that you're bowing! I really hope we can sign you later!"

Kagome gave a nervous laugh. "Thank you for your help and consideration." In a way, she was thankful to be in a crowded room-- otherwise, she may have cried. When she returned to Inuyasha she told him what happened, and asked if they could leave.

Her manager was stunned to hear about everything. He knew she was having an off day, but couldn't quite figure out why until they began to head for their limousine. Before he could mention that she'd been walking slower than usual, Allen showed up, running after them.

"Miss Higurashi, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Of course," she answered.

In short, he offered to talk to his bosses in exchange for a date. Thinking that Kagome was only being shy as she declined, he made the mistake of kissing her on the cheek. Inuyasha managed to lift Allen by his neck before Kagome could intervene.

For the rest of the walk back to the limousine, Inuyasha collected Kagome into his arms, carrying her and her crutch. Even as they entered the hotel the hanyou would not allow her to walk, resting his cheek on her head as he brought her to her suite.

When he sat her on the bed, she began to undress, sighing a little to herself.

"Can I have my small suitcase, please?"

"Yeah."

Reaching into a Vuitton bag that Inuyasha had brought to her, she retrieved one of her negligee-- something black and lacy.

"Part of me is disappointed. I can't say this isn't a blow to the ego."

"All of Japan loves you anyway. Do you really need--?"

"Wait," Kagome interrupted. "I just want to get this out, you know? Oh, and turn around."

"Sorry," Inuyasha answered, a little red in the face as he complied.

"So," she continued, slipping her bra off. "I guess I'm not as good at English as we all thought. It's a bit of a shame."

"Yeah," her manager mumbled.

"But I think... I realize now that maybe I wanted to come here for a little change in my life. It was really fun to break the routine-- I had a good time here. Black or red, by the way?" Pulling the negligee over her head, she adjusted it a little, sliding its thin straps up onto her shoulder, before frowning and taking it off.

"People loved being around you," Inuyasha added. "I saw it during rehearsal a lot. Oh, and ...red?"

"That's good to know." Kagome reached her hand into the bag once more, retrieving a tiny bit of red lace-- panties, apparently, that she slipped on. "You know, when we get home I'm not even sure I know what I want to do next, but I feel like I've let go of a lot of baggage now. You can turn around now, by the way."

He turned back to her and froze, standing rigidly as his eyes shot down to the splash of red between her legs, and back up to her bare chest.

"I take it we're staying in on our last night here," he finally managed. "Last chance to tour L.A. You sure about this?"

"No offense, but I'm not too interested in what the city's got to offer right now. Unless you wanted to go out?"

"... Say goodbye to those," Inuyasha practically growled, gesturing towards the red triangle of lace Kagome wore. His lips were already locked with hers, as he began removing his jacket and tie. 

"Forget it," Kagome muttered just quietly enough for only Inuyasha to hear. "She won't go away."

"What?"

Holding eye contact with a stewardess, Kagome gripped Inuyasha's hand and raised the armrest between their seats. Inuyasha glanced at his girlfriend, and then over to the nosy stewardess who'd made little to no effort to hide the fact that she was staring at them for the last hour.

The pop star cuddled with her boyfriend, still staring back at the woman who was now moving her hand over her mouth, beginning to rush away.

"Kagome, what the hell are you doing?" Inuyasha fought to put the armrest back down, but Kagome would not let go of his arm. He didn't have the heart to pry her away while she was busy kissing his cheek.

"She's not getting away that easily. I don't give a damn anymore about what people think on this flight, I just want to lean on you like any normal passenger." Pressing the call button, Kagome grinned as the stewardess turned around to answer her, shoulders a little slumped as she walked.

"May I offer you anything, Okyaku-sama?"

"I'd like a rum and Coke, and my boyfriend here would like a Sapporo, please."

"O-of course," the woman answered, trying to suppress any reaction to Kagome's proclamation. As she hurried away, Inuyasha began massaging his own forehead.

"What was that about?" The hanyou demanded after a few seconds.

"She was so obviously looking for a show that I decided to give her one," Kagome retorted, resting her head on his shoulder. "Hmm, when we get back, I'm going to debunk that engagement. And I want to do some lives, too."

"Like a tour?"

"I don't know," she laughed. "It'd just be nice to sing to people, I think. We don’t need a fully-blown tourn; I can do smaller venues."

"Heh, if the venues are too small ticket sales are gonna result in a bloodbath."

"You flatter me," Kagome sighed, as the stewardess returned with their drinks. 

"Had a good flight?" Miroku looked pointedly at Inuyasha, elbowing him in the stomach before gesturing to a trio of hired security guards to come closer.

"Whatever. When's dinner?" the half demon grunted, reshouldering a couple of bags. "Take these," he muttered, handing Kagome's purse and small suitcase to Miroku.

"How have things been here?" Kagome asked her agent, leaning a little harder on her crutch as she walked. "Insane?" When Miroku got quiet Kagome's walking subconsciously slowed down.

"Does it hurt?"

"Hm? No, no, Inuyasha, I'm okay," she replied, pushing herself to walk faster.

"This way, please" murmured a security guard, linking arms with another guard as he directed the pop star through a doorway.

After Kagome greeted Shippo he helped her into a white van with tinted windows. When everybody was seated Miroku sighed from the passenger seat, picking up something from the dashboard.

"I can't find an easy way to say this, so I just will."

Inuyasha and Kagome looked at each other, and back at Miroku.

"An acquaintance of mine who writes at Shunkan Shicho sent this to me. It'll be out tomorrow." He unfolded a stack of papers that looked like they'd been faxed, holding it so they could see. With a gasp Kagome immediately reeled away from the papers as if they were toxic. Her eyes went to Inuyasha, who was entirely too quiet for his own good.

"How did they get that?" She shrieked. She looked at Inuyasha, who was rubbing his forehead with one hand.

"From that reaction I can assume that this is authentic. Well, as far as we know the images were emailed. That's the most he could tell me."

"Give me that, please." Kagome took the papers, eyeing the headline slowly.

Higurashi Kagome's Secret Lover! A Sudden Trip To America

She stared at the accompanying photos: sequential shots of her and Inuyasha kissing against the wall outside of the House of Blues, including a blurry close-up of their faces in profile. Every celebrity who'd made a mark in Japan knew the day of the week thatShunkan Shincho, a popular tabloid magazine, was released. Kagome cursed the fact that they'd opted for a flight that landed so late in the day, wishing she'd asked for the early morning flight. Would it be too late to arrange a press conference tonight?

Not even bothering to read the article she folded the papers, handing them back to Miroku. "Is there anything we can do to stop them?" 

Notes:

New updates to the Fade and Flare website-- cultural info on sexuality and other random stuff, and a drawing of Kagome's dress from last chapter. As usual, the address for the site is (remove the spaces XD): www. pinku. net/fadeflare

Just wanted to thank you guys for the general quality of reviews this time around! I really appreciate the insight and speculation because it lets me know what you guys are paying the most attention to.

Also, I didn't realize (until fallenangel7583 brought it up) that it's been three years since I've started posting this. WOW; I honestly thought this story'd be a quick little jaunt for a couple of months, tops. For those of you like her, who have been coming back to read since then, I'm very honored. Thank you for remaining interested, and even if you haven't been reading that long thank you for starting! The description is kinda damning since this type of premise has been done so I figure it gets skipped over a lot.