InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ That's Show Business ❯ Love is Murder ( Chapter 12 )

Disclaimer: You know the drill. I DO OWN INU YASHA!!!! Ahhhhh-HAHAHAHAHA! See! I own him! Look, look: `Inu my sweet!'

Inu: `WHAT?'

Ch: `After you're done decorating the house for the holiday season, would you just be a doll and bake me some Christmas cookies?'

Inu: `Hell no! You have no power over me! Do it yourself!'

BBBZZZZTTT!

Inu: `AAAAHHH! Holy frick, that hurts!'

Ch: `Next time you choose to revolt, check to see if I have your electric dog collar remote in my hand, k?'

~*~*~*~

chihiro-san: Uhhhhh…heh heh heh. Um, sorry about the above, but I'm really tired right now, and when I'm tired, I am…uh…*thunk!*(head falls onto keyboard) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz………*snort* uhhh…I'M AAALLLLLLIIIIIIIIIVVVVVEEEEEEE!!! Wha-? Oh, yeah, the fanfic. Right. But before I get to that, I'd like a word with you. In the last chapter I did, I complained about not getting any reviews, and that was just shallow. I'm sorry. I could get, like, no reviews at all and I wouldn't care. I do this because I love writing and I love you all. So, I'm sorry if I came off as rude in my last fic. Okay! That's it and-ooo! The cookies are done! Thank you, Inu Yasha my love!

Inu: `You're NOT WELCOME! Gimmie that %*(#$^-ing remote!'

BBBZZZTTT!

Ps: I tossed in a little Fuzzy for all of you Fuzzy fangirls out there! ;)

~*~*~*~

Sesshomaru rubbed his temples agitatedly. `Where is my no-good half brother? He should have been here hours ago.' He ceased the rubbing and began to drum his fingers on the arm of his chair. Why wasn't he here yet? With his luck, the idiot probably had a few drinks that weekend and would show up completely plastered. `No,' he reminded himself. `Perfect little Inu Yasha never does anything wrong. Well, almost never.' His nerves tightened with every second he had to wait. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"RIN!" he barked. His astonishingly young secretary pranced up to him with a smile on her face. She was about seventeen with silky brown hair and soft, dark eyes. He noted dully that she looked cuter than usual in her "business outfit". She all but saluted in front of him.

"Yes, Mister Sesshomaru?" She pipped.

"Why hasn't my brother arrived yet?" he droned. She fidgeted with her tie and shifted her feet.

"Well, gee, I don't know. D'you think I should call him?"

"Yes, that would be much appreciated. And while you're at it, I- " Before he could answer, the secretary had popped open her briefcase and fished out a new pack of cigarettes. She handed them to her boss and winked at him. He merely stared at her before taking the white package with clawed fingers.

"You know I don't like giving compliments, Rin."

"I know sir." He stuck one of the death sticks in his mouth and lit it. After drawing in a bit, he sighed and released the smoke.

"You're amazing." The smile on her face grew to an unnaturally large size as she tried not to squeal with happiness. A compliment from Sesshomaru was like winning the lottery: It'll only happen once and it feels great when you get it.

"Thank you, sir!" She bounced off to call `that good-for-nothing hanyou', but found that she didn't need to. Just then, Inu Yasha waltzed into the studio. Sesshomaru glanced at him when he came in, but didn't bother moving. Naraku, however, leapt out of his chair like a startled salmon and pounced on the movie star.

"WHERE WERE YOU?!" He bellowed. The stupid, boyish smile on the actors face didn't fade a tick under the death glare of his boss. He handed the enraged director a take-away coffee cup.

"Getting you coffee. Now, where's my brother…Oh! There he is, just killing himself and everyone in the room with his habit." A small crease in Sesshomaru's brow indicated his frustration.

"You're late," he stated.

"When did you learn how to tell time?! That's amazing! I thought you just had your `secretary' do everything for you." Sesshomaru lifted himself out of his chair, waltzed over to his little brother, and stopped directly in front of him.

"Now is not the time to be an ass, brother. We must finish this scene by noon."

"Why? What's going to happen at noon?"

"Nothing, but it would be nice to get this scene done before lunch."

"Well, I don't see how it-" Sesshomaru reached out a swift hand and grabbed Inu Yasha's wrist. He dug his nails into his brother's skin until the actor could no longer conceal the pain that was carved into his eyes.

"We'll finish by noon," Sesshomaru hissed, letting go.

"Right," Inu Yasha grunted. He rubbed his wrist and walked over to Naraku. "So, um, what scene is this again?" Naraku looked like he was about to explode.

"Scene 51."

"Right, right. Hey, do you have an extra script on you?" The director gritted his teeth and handed him a script. Inu Yasha skimmed over it quickly and handed it back to him.

"Okay, thanks." He turned to walk onto the set, but Naraku stuck out a hand and yanked him back by his collar.

"Just where are you going?"

"Um…to do the scene?"

"Oh no, you're not. You're not even in costume yet! And what about your make-up?!" The actor groaned and trudged over to the costume department. After about a half an hour of snipping and adjusting, he walked out in an overly authentic medieval squire's outfit. He tried as hard as he could to sneak past the director and onto the set, but he wasn't quiet enough.

"Make-up, Inu Yasha."

"NO! I don't need it!" He whined.

"Yes, you do. Why do you always complain about getting on your make-up? No one else complains! Look!" He pointed to Sesshomaru. The youkai was sitting back down in `his' chair with Rin bent double. She was applying a pale foundation onto his whole face so that the lights of the stage wouldn't shine off of his brow. Those accursed lights made you so hot that the only way to prevent you from sweating like a pig was constant make-up and turning down the thermostat so you thought that you were acting in Alaska. If having to act like you were hopelessly in love with someone you hated was bad enough, try having to act like you're in love and warm.

"Sesshomaru doesn't complain because his secretary practically crawls on him to put on his make-up," Inu Yasha snorted.

"Sesshomaru doesn't complain because he's a professional. Now, get your foundation on!" He turned and left the actor to scowl at nothing in particular. Inu Yasha slumped over to Sango. He picked her up out of her chair, set her to one side, and sat down in the now unoccupied space.

"Let's just get this over with," he sighed. She rolled her eyes and in about ten minutes he was dolled up and ready for action. It took them a few takes, but luckily they finished scene 51 just as Naraku signaled for a lunch break.

"Okay, everyone! Meet back here at…two thirty." Inu Yasha clasped his hands in mock prayer and bounded over to the changing rooms. He had to have the costume designer help him out of his chain mail vest, but she didn't seem to mind. The rest he could do himself, so he found an open changing stall. `Great, a two hour lunch break. I wonder if that little coffee shop is open?' he thought as he half-hazardly yanked on his jeans. Just then, a familiar voice floated through the curtain of his stall.

"Inu Yasha? Are you in there?" Kagome asked. He picked up his pace and wiggled into his worn-out sneakers.

"Just a second!" he yelped, voice rising higher than normal.

"Don't worry, I'm not coming in." He shot out of the cramped room so fast that he almost ran into her. She looked him warily up and down.

"What?!" he snapped.

"Uhh…"she pointed to his shirt. When he looked down he saw that he had taken off his white squire's blouse only to put it back on again. In other words, he was in scuffed sneakers, brand new jeans, and a poofy white shirt from the 1500's. `Nice, Inu Yasha. Very sexy. This'll come in handy next time I want to pick up any chicks from the Feudal Era.' He thought sarcastically as he growled in frustration.

"One more second…" he popped back into the stall and looked around frantically for his shirt. All Kagome could hear was the throwing of boxes, an occasional ruffling of fabric, and frequent cursing. Finally, she heard something promising.

"AHA! Found ya, you little bugger!" He pulled off his blouse and slipped into a tight, but not too tight, crimson t-shirt. When he sauntered out, he gave her a triumphant smile. She giggled and placed a few fingers over her mouth.

"So, what's up?" he asked. They began to walk out of wardrobe and into the studio. A nervous smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

"I, um, just wanted to apologize about last night." He waved it away dismissively and held the studio door open for her.

"Don't think a thing of it. We were under the influence of soda and house chow-mien. It was perfectly understandable."

"Ha ha. Honestly, though. I feel terrible about last night, and I want to make it up to you. I'll do anything; just name it." He stopped walking and lifted an eyebrow at her.

"Anything?" he said in a sly way. She screwed up her face and smacked him with her tiny Denim purse.

"No, not anything!" She balked. He chuckled and pretended to recoil at her blows.

"But you said anything!" he laughed.

"Anything with some exceptions!" She stopped her Denim onslaught and half-smiled at the half-demon. He looked at his feet, deep in thought, and then his golden eyes shot up at her.

"I've thought of something you could do."

"What?"

"Let me buy you lunch." Inwardly, Kagome sighed. `Oh thank God. I thought he was going to say something completely different. Lunch? What's he planning? Maybe he wants to talk to me about Kouga and comfort me. Or maybe a blue and red striped pig will float down on feathered wings and grant me three wishes. They have the same likelihood. But, he is one to surprise…'

"Alright. Where do you want to go?"

~*~*~*~

`Bach to Basics' was somewhat crowded with the rush of afternoon lunch goers. People bustled about, ordering pastrami on rye and T.T.S. (Tofu, Toast, Sprouts). The atmosphere was warm and steamy inside the café. Kagome and Inu Yasha had somehow managed to slip into one of the booths that were tucked away in the very far corner of the place. The seats were a soft cotton that absorbed the heat around them, making their bums very toasty (because we all know that there's nothing worse than a frosty bum, don't we?). Their food was already eaten and the empty plates were pushed to one side. Their coffee, however, was not finished. They kept the large mugs quick at hand, just in case they needed to prolong answering a question by taking a drink.

"So why did you want to take me to lunch?" Kagome asked. Inu Yasha looked out the window and took a drink. Condensation was beginning to build around the corners of the glass.

"Because I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Kouga." Kagome blinked dumbly at the hanyou. Her eyes scanned the ceiling as she searched for the red and blue striped pig.

"What about Kouga?" She asked, looking back at him.

"He didn't think that we…um…that it wasn't anything more than Chinese food, did he?" She took a sip of mocha and examined the top of her foam.

"I explained to him that it wasn't anything. Plus, he trusts me." Inu Yasha nodded and looked down at his coffee as well.

"Kagome…" he whispered. She raised her eyes a little and looked at him. "I'm so sorry that I couldn't do anything to help you." He reached out a trembling hand and placed it over one of hers. Slowly, he lifted his gaze. Genuine sadness was etched into his eyes.

"It wasn't your fault, and you did help me. But…there is one thing that you could do for me that would make me feel even better."

"What?" She turned her head and stared at the piano in the opposite corner.

"Play for me," she said, without looking away.

"Kagome, I can't." He withdrew his hand and took hold of his mug. His voice was hard and almost mad.

"Please. Play for me please?"

"No."

"Please?"

Why?! Why do you want me to play for you?"

"Because your song is the most triumphant thing I've ever heard. I mean, if you can create something so beautiful through all that you've been through, then anything is possible. Besides, it's so touching. During the dark, low parts I can perfectly imagine the horrors that you went through with your father and your mother. And then in the end, when it crescendos, I feel the happiness that you must have felt when you became famous. It was so-why are you looking at me like that?" While she spoke, a look of utter horror spread across his face. His knuckles were white as he gripped his mug.

"How do you know about my mother and father?" he breathed. `Oh shit. Great going, Kagome.' She inwardly kicked herself.

"Um…well…when you got drunk, you kind of…um…told me." Absolute fury filled his eyes as blood rushed to his cheeks. In an attempt to keep down his rage he clasped the mug tighter. Unfortunately, the cup couldn't take the strain and it shattered under his fingers with a loud crack! Shards of porcelain and hot coffee spread out over the table top. Bits of his cup were embedded in his hand, but he didn't seem to notice. He snarled at her and leapt from his seat.

"Never speak to me about anything ever AGAIN!" He yelled. Turning on his heels, he stormed out of the café.

~*~*~*~

"Quiet on the set!" Naraku called. Every noise was ceased as the director looked around. Inu Yasha was back on stage with his chain mail and make-up on. However furious he was, he didn't let on about it. He was a professional, and professionals didn't bring emotion to set with them. Unfortunately, his emotion was in the same room with him. Kagome sat in a rickety fold out chair just a few meters away from him. Before the camera rolled, he glanced at her from out of the corner of his eyes. She seemed so sorry that it was painful to look at her. She tried to mouth forgiveness, but he just glared at her.

"And…ACTION!"

"Tishina! Wait!" Inu Yasha pleaded, running up to center stage. He panted and looked around the "field" wildly for Kikyo, who just exited.

"TISHINA!" he howled. As if shaken from its position by his yell, a screw fell from the lighting system directly above him. It fell out at an angle and landed about four feet from the hanyou. He stared at the camera and spoke into it.

"Hold it, guys. Keep rolling; this'll be just a second." He walked over to the screw, bent double, and picked it up. "What the-?" No one knows just what he was going to finish with, but anyone could have guessed that it wasn't `what the fuzz'. Just then, the entire lighting structure groaned, and with a loud crack, fell from the ceiling and landed exactly where Inu Yasha had been standing just seconds before. Glass shattered and sparks flew. Many women screamed in fright (and so did a few men). People leapt back and the main camera was knocked over. Amongst all of the pandemonium, Naraku tried to restore order.

"HEY!! All of you just SHUT UP!" It took a few tries, but finally everyone calmed down. However, a blanket of tension fell over them as they collected themselves. More than one person was imagining that a new-age "Phantom of the Opera" was at work. They looked around suspiciously at each other and mentally began to choose suspects.

"Okay everyone, there's nothing to panic over. A screw came loose and nothing more. Let's start this scene over tomorrow at noon. Alright! Pack it up, everybody!" As soon as he said `pack it up', Kagome jumped out of her chair and dashed over to Inu Yasha.

"Inu Yasha! Are you okay?! Oh my God, I was so worried…" She embraced him, but he didn't react. `She was worried about me?' he thought, completely stunned. Quickly recovering, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Gerroff me!" he snarled, pushing her away. It seems that he pushed too hard, thought, for she fell backwards and landed rather roughly on her bum. She gasped and looked up at him with sad, hurt, moist eyes. Those eyes formed an emotional dagger that stabbed him in the heart. He hated to see her in pain, especially if he had caused it. However crushed he was, Inu Yasha put on a brace face and stormed past her.

~*~*~*~

"What can I get you?" asked an overly perky waitress. Inu Yasha glanced up at her quickly and then back down at his claws.

"D'you have anything that'll make me forget today?" he muttered. She sighed in a knowing way and rolled her eyes.

"Girl trouble, huh?" she asked. He was half-tempted to say `no, boy trouble' just to see her reaction, but he thought better of it and simply nodded.

"I've got the drink for you! Be right back!" She chirped and bounded off. `No, you moron! Why are you drinking? You never drink! It's terrible for you and tastes disgusting! Never mind. I know why you're drinking, but let me tell you something: Drinking won't make anything between you and Kagome better. Downing a pint won't make her disappear and you know it. So then why are you drinking?' He would have continued this mental discussion had it not been for the gargantuan mug of beer that was placed before him. My Size Waitress Barbie winked at him and slipped him the bill. He paid it promptly so that if he passed out or threw up then he wouldn't owe anyone money.

"Well, here goes nothing," he sighed and took a drink.

*

After the second mug was finished, Inu Yasha felt his eyes droop and the room become warmer. Everything seemed to be a bit distorted in size and color, and for some reason the music behind the bar became louder. He rested his head on the table and pushed his empty mug away. Suddenly he felt a finger caress one of his ears. He shot bolt upright and turned to the ear molester.

"Kag-*hic*-Kagome?" he stuttered. The girl next to him smiled and winked. `Kagome? What are you doing here? Wait…is that Kagome? It kinda looks like her, but she doesn't smell right. Kagome doesn't smell like an ashtray. But it sure does look like Kagome…'

"Call me whatever you want, Inu baby. What say you and me go back to my place?" If he had been in any condition to make a decision, he would have said no; but this girl that he vaguely recognized looked so much like Kagome that his judgment was clouded. The look-alike took her hand in his and led him out of the bar and into a world that he wouldn't remember when he woke up.

~*~*~*~

chihiro-san: o.0 yeah, I know. But don't worry; things'll be alright in the end. You probably know who it is, don't you? Well, if you are going to review (only if you want. No pressure. It's optional for a reason) the please, no flames. It'll turn out okay. By the by, seeing as finals are coming up, don't expect any updates of a week or so, k? Alright. I love you all, honestly.