Hollywood Whore

Chapter 12: Edo Opera House

Saturday, 4PM-ish.

Inuyasha swore at himself for the eleventy-billionth time as he paced in front of the mirror like an irritated lion.

What the hell had he been thinking, inviting Sesshoumaru fucking Musashi to an event for Hollywood Whore that he couldn’t even show up to as himself!?  Not only that, but how did he even get conned into going as his femme-fatal self by those two lunatics he called friends?

Keh, Inuyasha huffed out angrily as he came to a halt in front of the mirror before crossing his arms and glaring hatefully at the feminine guise before him, her own narrowed gaze flying right back at him, just as dissatisfied with this predicament as he was.

Well, it’s not like “she” had any choice in the matter, Inuyasha groaned forlornly, looking down at the attire he was going to wear for tonight’s Event from Hell, nearly shedding a tear or two of pure frustration.

He’d thought it’d been embarrassing enough just having to mention the nearly “hush-hush” Hollywood Whore affair that was going on tonight nearly a week ago, never mind having to “suggest” they go together. But boy, had he been dead wrong if that was the end of all things embarrassing.

Not only did Kouga and Miroku give him the ultimatum of either coming as his girl!self to further along Sesshoumaru’s own ties to the band or suffer by way of Kouga blowing his cover at school, but they’d also made him wear the girly-ass outfit he was currently sporting.

And they had the gall to suggest this had been his entire fault in the first place. Keh.

Inuyasha growled as he adjusted his necklace and picked up his “supply bag” (because he refused to admit he was holding a purse right now), slinging it over his shoulder carelessly.

After all, that’s how men carry their girlfriend’s purses without looking like a pussy-whipped idiot, Inuyasha thought to himself with a satisfied huff. Hold it like you stole it, guys.

The hanyou continued his grumbly-rant as he slipped on his shoes and made for the door. If he left now, he’d probably be able to get to the venue before most of the crowd- and definitely before Sesshoumaru did (aka “Mr. Tall, Light and Lovely” as Kouga had nicked named the youkai).

Opening his door and ready to bolt, the half-demon stumbled in his escape as he let out a low oath that would probably make a hardcore gang member blush.

Because there, leaning against the corridor wall across from his apartment was the last person (aside from Kouga and Miroku) that he wanted to see. Especially NOW. When he was supposed to meet the other at the arranged place of... meeting.

An eloquent, “W-what the fuck are you doing here?!” popped out before Inuyasha could rein in the rude greeting. Instead, he threw his well-practiced glare at the impassive demon- who merely rose an eyebrow at his,... err, her outburst- and slammed the door shut behind him, snapping the lock in place with a quick movement of key and hand.

The youkai moved languidly, standing up straight as they came face to face. Or rather, in the demon’s case, face to narrowed, angry eyes, and easily replied with, “Picking you up” as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Inuyasha had to count to four as he turned away from Sesshoumaru and began walking to Edo Opera House. He’d have counted to ten, but by the time he hit ten he’d have already lost his temper. Four was quicker to get to- especially if he counted by two’s.

Discreetly as possible, Inuyasha whisper-hissed at the youkai following him like a shadow. “I said ‘meet up’. MEET UP.” He took a left and continued down the busy street. “Meet up. As in I leave my place, you leave yours, and we converge at the scheduled place of... meeting.” A sharp turn right.

Sesshoumaru fell into step easily, loathed though Inuyasha was to admit it, and even maneuvered them a couple times when faced with a group of oncoming people that were hard-pressed to NOT take a step or two to the side in lieu of the irate hanyou coming at them.

“It would be considered impolite, never mind improper, for me to not escort you to a place you’ve invited me to,... Inuzumi...-san,” the demon replied, frowning still at “Inuzumi-san’s” glower.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes as they continued to alternately argue (Inuyasha) and calmly explain (Sesshoumaru) this or that as they continued hiking through the throngs of people on the street, gradually getting closer and closer to their destination.

Thank God, the hanyou thought.

One and a half hours later, twenty-thousand-some blocks, fifty-seven million stores, and seventy-three gajillion pedestrian signs later, they arrived at the venue, a line longer than Inuyasha had anticipated already having formed. Around the building... Twice, at least.

They came to a stop at what appeared to be the tail end, and all the half-demon could do was stare. “Well, shit. Stupid fuckers are quick...” Inuyasha grumbled to himself, pushing himself up on his tiptoes to try and see if the swelling mass of fans was moving into the building at all yet.

His inquiry was stepped on and squashed mercilessly as he found that, no, the line was aggravatingly motionless still.

“Why aren’t they moving, damnit!” he groused to no one in particular.

“You expect a quick entry?” the demon behind him said low enough for the hanyou to hear but no bystanders to pick up on.

“Duh,” Inuyasha said, turning his head to throw another glare at the chivalrous bastard before blinking as he noticed the alleyway to their side. His eyes flickered to the left, then to the right, and then behind, making sure no one was paying them any mind, nor was the crowd growing behind them.

Perfect.

“Com’on,” he said, passing the youkai as he started to walk to the mouth of the darkened passage. Before a hand shot out, catching his shoulder and spinning him around.

“Where exactly do you think you’re going,” Sesshoumaru pressed, eyes narrowed as he seemed to survey the alley.

“We’re gonna sneak in the back, duh. Now let me go and we can- Hey!” Inuyasha snapped as the demon pulled him back once more.

“A female? Walking headlong into a dark alley? You’re either braver than I expected or simply as foolish as I originally thought,” Sesshoumaru said, eying Inuyasha carefully.

Inuyasha’s inner alarm system went off (after the initial anger wore off) at the suspicious tone the other held. Damnit all to hel! Okay, so he made a mistake by not acting all meek and shit about just waltzing right into a shadowy, unknown alleyway,... His mind raced for a second before a light bulb turned on (flickering though it was).

“I was just... testing how... chivalrous you actually were, you stuck up demon,” the half-demon said mockingly. Okay, he could do this... just act like a meek girl... Easy.

Yeah, right.

Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed and he stepped in front of the other with an offended snort. “Don’t presume to start on mannerisms now, half-breed, when you have no legs to stand on regarding them.”

Inuyasha snorted in return, noting the fluttering in his stomach at the soft, friendly tone the demon said ‘half-breed’ with. It was no longer cold and condemning as it once had been.

- - -

She was an odd girl, but that was probably one of her defining and winning features, Sesshoumaru thought absently as he walked ahead.

His brow perked when something sounded further down the alleyway, the tapping light enough that the half-demon hadn’t heard it. He came to a full stop as he caught sight of someone he recognized instantly and merely stared at them as they wildly gestured.

What on earth was HE up to?

Sesshoumaru received his answer when a noise, louder and more grating than the first, sounded as the individual kicked a trash bin, causing the girl behind him to bump into his back and grab at his arm.

“W-what was that?” Inuzumi Aiko stuttered, though her tone didn’t seem apprehensive in the least as her eyes flew from side to side. Sesshoumaru pulled his arm away and gave her a look as she stared back at him deadpanned. “What’s a... girl... gotta do to get a little emotional support around here?” she huffed before looking away awkwardly.

“Indeed,” was all he deigned to reply with.

It took only another moment before he grew tired of the person down the alleyway trying to intentionally startle the girl behind him.

“Someone is calling for your attention,” he said, taking a step forward before he was caught by the tail of his shirt.

“Are you kidding me?” Inuzumi hiss-whispered at him. “You hear a voice coming from a dark alleyway and you just wanna waltz right in there like it isn’t some killer waiting for you?”

Sesshoumaru sighed, deciding then and there that he had suppressed the feeling building inside of him for long enough since he’d met the girl at her house, finally permitting himself to just give into it: He rolled his eyes.

“Hardly, hanyou.” And with that the demon maneuvered out of the half-demon’s reach, walking past the line of no return surely. At least according to Inuzumi it would seem.

Sesshoumaru walked a bit down the way, enough, he surmised, to where Inuzumi couldn’t see him with the sun having set and the absence of street lamps. He wasn’t sure how well hanyous could see, but it couldn’t have been very well at all if he considered how often Inuzumi Aiko ran into, fell or knocked over things in her path. Sesshoumaru chuckled softly to himself as he turned around and watched the girl- who was nearly as clear as day to him in the dark- flounder in the spot he’d left her, mumbling irately, as was typical, to herself yet again.

“You have got to be shitting me... This is like a B-rated slasher movie... Any minute the killer’s going to jump you- or ME- and uh... slit your throat and-”

“Good God, Inuk-kukuku... uh, Aiko-chaaaan, you’re definitely watching way too many horror movies!” Mikuni Kouga’s voice finally sounded as he walked past Sesshoumaru and right up to the half-demon, only to dodge a sharp movement of claws. “Easy there, Girl-kun, I was just playing around with ya, I know you like it like that,” the ookami snickered.

Sesshoumaru didn’t see the humor in it at all, despite frowning in consideration of the nickname “Girl-kun” Inuzumi had apparently been given.

“‘G-girl-kun?!’” the female almost yelled, before a tanned hand wrapped over her mouth silencing her outburst. Mikuni Kouga’s other hand slipped around her waist, holding her in place as she tried her best to glare at him from her position.

“Shhhhh, you wanna alert the fans?” he grinned at the girl woofishly.

Sesshoumaru’s brows furrowed. He had never liked the way the wolf looked at anyone with that toothy grin. Especially Takahashi Inuyasha-san. He supposed he didn’t like it when the ookami gave Inuzumi Aiko that look either because of the... hesitant... peace treaty... they’d developed. 

Surely not because he considered her a friend.

Aiko continued to glare even though her limbs went relatively limp in the wolf’s grip as he continued on speaking.

“Yeah, didn’t think so,” Mikuni-san snorted. “Anyway, follow me and I’ll get you guys in through the backstage area. Then you can take another door to the main room. We’d have you in the back with us, but that would show favoritism. And you know how Inuyasha is always bugging us about that; either all the fans get a sneak peek, or none do. So...”

Inuzumi seemed incensed by that and began struggling anew as Mikuni Kouga made to pick her up bridal style.

Before a hand landed on the singer’s shoulder.

“She can walk from here,” Sesshoumaru found himself saying. “There’s no need to embarrass her further.”

The ookami blinked at him for a moment before he pressed his lips together in what looked like a vain attempt to subdue a smirk...

Regardless, the rockstar nodded in agreement and let Inuzumi go, taking the lead down the alleyway to the back entrance, Sesshoumaru not missing the sly wink he sent over his shoulder in his wake.

 

 

 

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Author’s Note: Please let me know what you thought, I’d really appreciate it for inspiring sake! Sorry this has taken so long to get out. I’m working, technically, two jobs, so it’s not only hard to find time to write, but also hard to get inspired to write on this fic (or any fic, really) cause my mind is everywhere else. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Credits-

Eleventy-billionth, courtesy of Kayt and her funnies as usual.

Hold it like you stole it, courtesy of my bf because that’s how he explains why he holds my purse the way he does.