InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Behind the Scenes ❯ Take 1 ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I own nothing :(

Summary: Kagome has always been married to her work, namely, running the life of international celebrity Kikyo Hiroshima. But when she begins to unknowingly date her boss' fiancé, things are bound to get messy.

Behind the Scenes

The V.I.P room at the Bungalow was thick with smoke and the bass of the music of the outside club rattled through the room like a pulse, each vibration climbing from your knees to your teeth. Beautiful bodies - beautiful people mingled together in the room, relaxing and basking in the redolence of expensive imported Cuban cigars. Well, almost everyone. Kagome Higurashi's long manicured fingers flew across the keyboard of her sidekick as she weaved her way through the crowd, mumbling apologies and pleasantries when required. After working her way out of the throng, Kagome began to scan the chic leather coaches lining the V.I.P clubroom. It wasn't difficult to spot Kikyo, lounging across the seat, long legs crossed beneath a short, plunging red party dress, half-listening to the name-dropping model beside her. Kagome felt Kikyo's eyes roam across her ensemble as she approached as gracefully as her three-inch patent leather peep toe heels would allow. Black eyes climbed from her heels half covered by dark-wash skinny jeans, and loose fitting bowed white blouse before resting on the handbag on her arm. “That is absolutely fabulous.” Kikyo remarked, reaching out and testing the yellow distressed leather of the bag between her fingers. “Oscar de la Renta?”

“Marc Jacobs,” Kagome corrected, fingers on her sidekick once more.

“Darling, would you mind giving me a moment?” Kikyo spoke to the blonde emaciated-looking woman beside her. Some heavily accented remark of understanding rolled off the models tongue before she turned and began to talk to the man beside her rapidly in French. Kikyo turned her eyes back to her assistant, still typing fervently on her phone, and smiled approvingly. “You look good.” Kagome shut the phone and dropped it into her bag.

Kagome brushed a loose curl off her shoulder and smiled. “Thanks. Listen, I just ordered a new round of drinks from Richard. They should be here any minute and keep everyone busy for a while. I had to remind Kagura again that this is your party and if anything happens tonight, your name is bound to come up, so if she so desperately needs her drugs, please do them in the bathroom. Oh, and I spoke briefly with Elda, the tailor, and she said I could pick up your dress for the premiere anytime tomorrow because she finished the alterations early. I also confirmed with the hairstylist and you are definitely on for “A.M. L.A.” tomorrow morning. The interview starts at eight o'clock sharp and ends about nine.” She paused for a few seconds to take a breath. “I spoke to the limo driver and he confirmed as well. I also relayed to him that the premiere starts at seven, but we will arrive at seven fifteen sharp. He agreed to lap the block a couple times if necessary.” Kagome took a deep breath, silently consulting her mental checklist. She nodded to herself. “Yeah that's all of it.”

Kikyo smiled appreciatively and let out a long sigh she didn't know she had been holding. “I don't know what I'd do without you.” Kagome laughed and accepted a drag of her cigarette.

“Thanks.”

“Don't worry about it, girl. Listen, why don't you take the rest of the night off.” She pretended to ignore the look of shock plastered across her assistant's features. “Tomorrow is a big night, after all. We all need to be at our best. And after all, it is a party.” Kagome nodded mutely and left her boss to her martini at the mercy of another name-dropping gossiper.

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InuYasha had watched her since she first walked into the room. He watched as she marched up to Kagura, who had just begun to pull a mirror, razor, and rolled dollar bills out of her handbag. He watched with amusement as Kagura scowled and shoved her instruments back into her Prada purse. The woman, who had obviously told Kagura to bring her drugs to somewhere else, was small and short but it was tough to tell with her shoes. His eyes followed the long black curls that swayed against her back when she walked. He had seen her before somewhere. She had stopped to talk with Kikyo, bending over and giving him a lovely view of her ass. He had to contain his impulse to whistle. They talked for a while before she left again. So she knew Kikyo. It didn't mean much though, considering it was her party after all. He didn't let his eyes loose her in the crowd. But then she was gone, out of the V.I.P. room.

“InuYasha?” He turned to the long-legged brunette beside him. She stroked his leg affectionately and smiled. “Were you listening babe?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course. Listen, I need to step out for a bit.”

She leaned in and purred into his ear. “Hurry back.” He untangled himself from her long limbs and scoffed quietly as she immediately turned and began to chat up the celebrity on her other side.

Following his mystery woman's example, he found his way through the crowd and out of the party. He watched her slide onto a grungy-looking stool at the public bar and talk casually with the bartender. Quickly asking for directions from a passing waiter, he navigated himself to the bathroom. He leaned over the sink and took a breath. Taking one last check to see if he was alone, InuYasha produced a small beaded necklace from underneath his button-up. He pulled the beads over his head and watched as the black hair tied behind his head turned silver and violet eyes melt into gold. Human ears shrunk into the sides of his head while small white triangles sprouted at his crown. He flashed the mirror a toothy smile before going to the bar. Boy would Hollywood throw a fit if they knew their favorite actor was a hanyou.

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Kagome stared absently at the liquid swirling in her third shot glass as she rotated her wrist. Quickly, she threw her head back and drowned the contents. She grimaced and smacked the glass upside-down on the bar. “Rough day?” a deep, unfamiliar voice asked.

She turned her head to inspect the newcomer. The light of the club wasn't terrific but it wasn't difficult to make out the fact that he was a hanyou, a rather handsome hanyou. “This seat taken?” She shook her head and held up two fingers, signaling Richard for two new shots.

“Want one?” She asked bluntly as she began to swirl a new glass.

“Nah, I think I'll stick to beer.” A corona slid down the bar and into his open palm. He shoved the lime down the neck and took a swig. “So you didn't answer my question.”

“Huh?” Kagome wrinkled her nose as the bitter alcohol burned its way down the back of her throat and disappeared as quickly as the previous.

“Bad day?” He was chuckling, casually sipping his beer. She turned to face him. He was hunched over his stool, much like she was, but Kagome could tell her was probably tall. His silver hair was tied unceremoniously in the back of his head, ears twitching independently at every sound.

She sighed and gratefully accepted a new glass. “Not bad, particularly...” He raised a dark brow at her and she rethought her statement for a minute. “Well yeah actually. A really stressful day. My boss has a huge...presentation tomorrow and it's a lot to handle. A lot of pressure, you know?” he nodded and she shrugged. “It's okay though because I got the rest of the night off.”

“The rest of the night?” He glanced at his watch. “You mean the rest of the morning.” She just stared at him with those big brown eyes. “Its midnight.” She waved her shot glass in the air, the tequila inside sloshing dangerously to the rim, and her face broke into a broad, mischievous grin.

“The night has just begun my friend!” She laughed and swiveled her stool so that her knees were touching his. “So, do I just have to call you `my friend' for the rest of the night?”

“Yash. Call me Yash.” She smiled, almost coyly, and repeated it.

“I'm Kagome.” She leaned in and laughed a little. He smiled back. Obviously, she wasn't one to hold her liquor. Kagome's features suddenly twisted into a frown. “I hope you aren't getting too bad of an impression of me. I don't get out much, with work and all.”

“What is it exactly that you do?” He asked, prying.

She leaned in close to him. Her cheek brushed gently against his. “If I told you I'd have to kill you.” Her voice was low and husky, quick breaths blowing softly against his hair. She burst into a fit of schoolgirl giggles and rocked back on her stool, grabbing a new shot off the bar.

Kagome was funny, entertaining, and getting more and more intoxicated by the minute. She was unlike any of the girls he usually associated with. For one, he hadn't seen her name in the tabloid earlier that morning. She didn't wreak of thick perfume, which his sensitive nose thanked her for. She was witty and sharp, even with a steady flow of alcohol circulating through her system. A relaxed smile played on her lips as swayed ever so slightly with the music playing over the speakers of the bar. He watched her, smiling. She was beautiful. Warm chestnut eyes, beautifully long wavy hair, and a flawless smile...she was perfect. A smooth hand reaching out to him startled him from his admiration. She grasped a lock of his silver hair and twirled it around her finger. “So soft,” she murmured quietly. Her eyes fluttered for a moment, and she nodded sleepily. Suddenly, she slipped off the torn leather of the bar stool and onto InuYasha's lap.

“U-uhh K-kagome??” He hoisted her up and glanced helplessly at the bartender who just shrugged. He tried to shake her back to a state of coherency. “Kagome where do you live?” There was no way he was going to let her get in one of these dodgy late night cabs in her condition. “Kagome?” He jostled her slightly. She moaned and grabbed the collar of his shirt. “Alright then,” he decided, speaking to himself. He wrapped his arm underneath her knees and cradled her gently. She moaned into his chest.

“You smell...wonderful...Yash.” She murmured, inhaling the scent of his cologne. And then, she was out cold.

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“Oh god...my heaadd.” Kagome moaned and sat up, just a tad too fast. “Argh Jesus Christ!” Kagome blinked rapidly, trying to clear the blinding sunlight from her eyes. One hand steadying her head and the other around her aching stomach, she leaned against the backboard of the bed that WASN'T hers. She surveyed the room from the bed, taking in the rather generic whitewash walls and little interior design. She dragged the vermilion comforter up to her chest and spotted a door to her left. Tentatively untangling herself from the sheets, Kagome stumbled to the door and threw it open, hoping to catch her `abductor' unaware. The bathroom was empty though. Slumping her shoulders, Kagome dragged herself up to the mirror.

Her previously groomed ringlets had loosened and fell with sleep and now looked like she was just getting back from the beach. Abruptly, everything she had eaten in the past day jumped to her throat. It was lucky she was near the toilet. She barely had time to throw the seat up before emptying the contents of her stomach. Kagome moaned miserably and opened the cabinet, hoping for Advil. Q-tips, shaving cream, condoms, and toothpaste... not much help.

In the unfamiliar apartment, Kagome navigated herself to the kitchen. There was a man at the table, reading the newspaper casually as she stumbled through the doorway. He looked up and grinned. “Morning Kagome.” Ah! This man obviously knew who she was but for some reason she couldn't put her finger on his. That silver hair was unmistakably the stranger's from last night, but what was his name!

“Uhh...w-who...what..where...ah!”

“Don't get your panties in a twist,” he chuckled dryly, folding his newspaper in front of him. “In case you haven't notice, you're still wearing them.” The blood rushed to her cheeks and she stared guiltily at her feet. Bravely abandoning the urge to climb back beneath the covers and disappear, Kagome slipped into the chair across from last night's stranger. He let her squirm awkwardly for a moment before offering a friendly smile. “I'm Yash.”

“Right, Yash.” The flustered young woman repeated, as if to beat it into her memory.

“So, do you want some coffee?” A look of relief washed over her features.

“Coffee sounds amazing, Yash.”

“Alright! Grab your shoes, I left them by the door.”

Kagome whipped her head around at him (and gave herself a slightly splitting headache in the process).

He laughed. “Hey lazy, where did you think we were getting it?” She could only stare at him incredulously.

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“How far away did you say this place was?” asked Kagome for the third time over a five minute period. She walked on the sidewalk as best as she could beside Yash in her heels and with her hangover.