Chapter 14: A Dedication and an Explanation
The auditorium wasn’t nearly as big as Inuyasha had thought it’d be, and in fact was actually quite comfortable for those who wanted to either stand or sit, a small bar and stools lining the back wall. Most of the fans were crowded up front, standing (more like jumping up and down, chanting for “Hollywood Whore!” to come out already), anxious for the band to present the new music video they’d shot here in Edopolis for their next single, “Just to Get High”. After that the band would play a few songs before doing a Q&A with the audience for yet more promotion.
Inuyasha looked over to the only other person who was sitting in the back with him and winced.
Had Kouga NOT punched Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha wasn’t quite sure where the youkai and he would be right now; was Sesshoumaru the type to stand up with the rest of the fans? Or was he more the loner type that would settle in the back like this? He couldn’t really answer that question, but he still found himself curious to know the answer regardless.
While Sesshoumaru seemed like he’d be more the loner type (Inuyasha tried not to think of the fact his imagination could clearly picture the youkai casually draping himself against the bar as he watched the band play), the youkai
had hung out in the crowd, closer to the stage the first time Hollywood Whore had made an appearance in Edopolis. But then again, he’d had Kagura with him too at the time...
So would he be up front, or back here still-
A sharp hiss cut Inuyasha’s train of thought off as his focus was brought back to what he was supposed to be concentrating on.
“Sorry,” the half-demon mumbled sheepishly as he eased the pressure of the cold cloth he was applying to Sesshoumaru’s right eye.
Sesshoumaru merely huffed out his nose, his one good eye looking off to the side in a decidedly pouty manner.
Inuyasha sighed as he tried to pay extra attention to what he was doing instead of thinking up of how he was going to explain what happened backstage to Sesshoumaru...
However, his mouth got ahead of him before he could refine the hazier details.
“I’m sorry about Kouga-”
“You’re beginning to repeat yourself, Inuzumi,” Sesshoumaru heaved a sigh, gaze flickering over the crowed dully, referring to all the apologies he’d received after they’d left the backstage area.
“Yeah, but he requires
a lot of apology for. He’ll do it later himself- I’ll make him.”
“Hn.”
Inuyasha’s mouth pulled up in a half-amused smile.
While Sesshoumaru hadn’t come out directly and asked why Kouga had hit him, he’d still given enough signs that he wanted to know but wasn’t about to ask out loud it seemed (it wasn’t too surprising either, he did seem like the egotistical type where hurt pride came into play, though Inuyasha wasn’t really one to talk either).
However, even if the hanyou could admit to not knowing Sesshoumaru well at all, he could say- without a doubt- that the youkai would’ve been back up on his feet and in Kouga’s face... had he NOT been Kouga fucking Mikuni of Hollywood Whore, best friend number two of Inuyasha Takahashi.
And it wasn’t even that he was friends with Inuyasha (though that was probably a HUGE, HUGGEEE part of it), it was the fact that he was part of a band Sesshoumaru had come to respect and admire in the last few years that kept not only his fist but also his mouth in check.
And that just brought it right back to Kouga, who apparently couldn’t keep his mouth OR his fist in check.
Inuyasha growled to himself at how stupid Kouga had been (and was), despite the ookami’s more than likely “noble intentions” of protecting him. The dope had probably even thought, at the time, that Sesshoumaru had been insulting Inuyasha (despite him being in girl-guise at the time), when the reality was that the inuyoukai hadn’t. Not even close.
The half-demon supposed there was no way Kouga could have known how close Sesshoumaru and he had gotten, or that they had a very strange and very weird understanding of sorts where the term “half-breed” was concerned. And in a very fucked up way, but a way that was
their own, “stuck up youkai” or “stupid half-breed” were sort of like terms of endearment...
Inuyasha blinked.
And then tried not to think of how red his ears, never mind his face, were right now for even thinking that just now, opting, instead, to explain someone else’s stupidity and not dwell on his own.
“Look, about Kouga... I’ve known him and the guys for a long time. And I can’t say ‘Kouga didn’t mean it’, because he obviously did, otherwise you wouldn’t be this... purple and puffy. But it wasn’t... fuck, I don’t even
know how to explain this!
“It’s just... Miroku and Kouga have always been really protective when the word ‘half-breed’ comes up, and it doesn’t even bother me, or Inuyasha for that matter, but they’ve always felt the need to defend it- violently- when it’s used, even if the person who says it isn’t using it as an insult or anything... Not that they’re smart enough to know when it’s a joke and when it’s serious, the idiots.”
Inuyasha continued to dab at the broken skin around Sesshoumaru’s eye as he fell silent, thinking back to when all this “half-breed” business started, not noticing the new music video beginning in the background.
They’d been friends since he could remember; Kouga, Inuyasha and Miroku having been nearly inseparable since they’d been children. Back then, while most people accepted hanyous and other mixed blood types, there were still the occasional whispers of “dirty hanyou” here and there that the ookami and inuhanyou in the group picked up on. However, while Inuyasha was blissfully unaware for a good portion of his young life of what a “dirty hanyou” or “half-breed” was, Kouga was not. He knew what it meant; and he made damn sure their other friend, Miroku, knew as well. And for reasons Inuyasha still didn’t understand to this day, the ookami had then- and even now- caused all kinds of ruckus whenever he heard the word said in regards to his friend. Even back then he never seemed to hold back where his mouth was concerned, usually scaring the pants off any passersby, driving anyone and everyone guilty off with his over the top theatrics. And if that didn’t work, fists and claws got involved then. As did the local authorities. Heh, even so... Inuyasha thought now, it was and had always been a genuine sign of how fiercely his friends cared for him- as he did them- and he wouldn’t trade that for anything else in the world.
Except maybe to change the situation his mother and he were in now.
Inuyasha sighed, gulping back emotions he didn’t want to make time for just yet.
While his mother was close enough to drive to, and even easier to call, he wasn’t ready to do either of those things yet. Sure, fine, it was selfish and stupid of him, especially if she was to worsen suddenly-
No, not going to think of that either- but he just... couldn’t...
In the deepest recesses of his mind he could admit the reason he didn’t call, write or visit her now was because he was weak. And not only that, but he was also pissed as fuck at his mother. Who had cancer. And was dying.
And that, all by itself, was just SO FUCKED UP. To be so angry at her for something she had no control over... for something not at all her fault.
But there it was all the same.
And maybe “finding his father” for her- something she hadn’t even asked him to do nor would have expected him to do- was just the excuse he needed to avoid the whole thing altogether, and get away from the reality and severity of it.
Inuyasha shook his head sharply, putting a stop to all of those thoughts and focusing up on what was going on around the-
“Well, shit, we missed the new video...” the half-demon murmured, snorting at the annoyed growl coming from Sesshoumaru. “Shuddup, if you paid more attention to what was going on around you, you wouldn’t have missed it. That’s your own damn fault.”
“Stupid hanyou,” the demon grumbled.
“Bitchy youkai.”
The mood lightened as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha turned to look back at the stage, the band stepping up to their instruments and ready to play their first song of the night.
- - -
He’d been annoyed the moment Inuzumi mentioned to him that they’d missed the new video that Hollywood Whore was going to present tonight, but he’d be lying if he said he would’ve been able to pay attention to his surroundings despite being taken care of by her.
The truth was there, however, in the deep radiating pain now dwelling in his right temple, reminding him that he’d been too busy biting his tongue to pay attention to what was going on around him as the half-demon girl “tended” to his wound with all the gentleness of a rabid dog going after a raw steak. Sesshoumaru couldn’t help but think she seemed to have no feminine bone in her body if she talked like a sailor and walked like a Yakuza gang member.
Even now he couldn’t quite keep creasing his brow in pain.
But then the deep voice of Mikuni Kouga resounded around the room, and his vision shot to the stage, glaring automatically.
“I’d like to dedicate this first song to my... special friend, inukoro, who you all know and love, but who couldn’t be here with us tonight but wishes you all the best!” the ookami yelled into the microphone as he began the pounding beat to “Next Go Around”
(1). As the song continued on, the wolf proceeded to grind suggestively into his guitar as he effortlessly sang the generously sexualized song.
If Sesshoumaru didn’t know better, he’d have assumed the wolf was taunting him. But there was no way the ookami could possibly know about his little... crush. While Inuzumi was crazy and completely out of control when angered, she wasn’t someone he could see as being careless with pertinent information, nor wishy washy in who she was loyal to.
A sudden snorting laughter- completely unbefitting of any person with female genes- sounded next to him and he shot an annoyed look at the girl in question.
“Guess this is his fucked up way of apologizing,” the girl continued to snort-giggle. Sesshoumaru let out a long pained sigh as he resisted the urge to roll his eyes, and instead focused on listening to the songs despite their very apparent lack of the reason he came here.
Once the final song was played, the band and stage crew began disassembling the platform of the music equipment, Mikuni and Houshi moving to settle in the middle of the stage on the floor with microphones, asking the crowd if they wanted to do a little Q&A.
The fans’ screams could possibly have broken the sound barrier in their reply as the first fan was chosen. It was a guy about his and Inuzumi’s age, Sesshoumaru assumed, that asked, “How do you find time to write songs, perform your current ones and also tour?”
Something sparked in Sesshoumaru’s mind then as his brows drew together in concentration of the memory, and comparing it to the answer that was currently being given by Houshi-san.
“They’re neglecting to mention that Takahashi-san has been slowly withdrawing from being the lead singer for a while now,” Sesshoumaru said quietly, eyes on the stage.
There was a slight, somewhat shocked, pause from Inuzumi before she replied slowly. “How... did you know that?”
“They did an interview last fall in the States…” Sesshoumaru started out, easily falling into the memory of the day he caught it on TV.
“So how do you guys really choose who sings what song?” the man doing the live interview asked as the band was calming down from the last question of “What’s your favorite place been to tour”. Inuyasha Takahashi spoke up first as he casually slung an arm behind his head. “Well, sometimes we just flip a coin. Other times we’ll team up against the other; like two of us’ll go on vacation until a day after the track’s due to be done, kinda forcing the third guy to take responsibility whether he wants to or not,” the half-demon laughed. “Actually, though, we all know our strengths, and have yet to find our limits. What I mean by this is that... well, for example, Kouga here has more of an alternative rock sound when he sings-” Kouga Mikuni grinned over at his friend. “Aww, inukoro, don’t make me blush, we’re on live TV!” “-but when he’s not singing he just sounds like an asshole,” Inuyasha snorted out, bursting into laughter, along with Hollywood Whore’s other band member, Miroku Houshi. The reporter laughed as the guys, all sitting side by side in front of him, started swatting at each other playfully. “And what about Inuyasha and Miroku? What are your styles?” The band, still alternately laughing and glaring, settled down as Kouga Mikuni, the band’s bassist started to answer. “Inuyasha has more of a... light...rock sound, I guess?” the ookami said unsurely. Inuyasha pulled a face at that. “Light rock? What the fuck is that!” Kouga rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat, ignoring his friend’s jibes as he did his best to answer. “What I mean is that he sings really well when it comes to ballads, or emotional shit.” The half-demon rolled his eyes at the wolf’s explanation, shaking his head as Miroku Houshi spoke up next, nudging Inuyasha in a vain effort to get him to stay in his chair and not reach over him to flick Kouga on the ear for his crappy answer. “Yeah, I agree with that. Inuyasha has a voice that kind of... I don’t know what to call it exactly. It tends to resonate with people listening, like he’s able to touch something in people when he sings certain songs. They don’t even have to be of a certain genre; as long as the lyrics of the song have something to say, Inuyasha’s able to sing it in a way that reaches into a person’s chest and directly to their soul. “As for Kouga...” Miroku threw a mischievous look over at the wolf next to him. “Kouga tends to sing like he’s smoking a cigarette, having sex and completely trashed. When he moves on stage, it looks as much in any case.” “Oh man, that’s so true!” Inuyasha gasped out as Miroku and he broke out into another round of laughter at their friend’s expense. Kouga crossed his arms as he tried changing their focus. “Why don’t we move onto MIROKU now, huh?” he grumbled. The reporter perked up as well, knowing the fans were eager to have this question answered in some way. “Yes, we’d like to know why Miroku has yet to record a song for the band. Will he be singing one for the new album coming out?” Inuyasha sobered up immediately, a straight, down-to-business look plastered across his face as he answered in all seriousness. “Hell no. We don’t allow Miroku to sing solo’s during live gigs, so there’s no way we’d let him do one that’d be on our permanent record.” The reporter blinked before his brows furrowed and he strained to ask his follow-up question. “Why is that?” Inuyasha shrugged, looking away and narrowing his eyes at the drummer for something he was about to explain. “Mostly because he has the kind of voice that...” the half-demon faltered for a bit. “How’d Sango say it?” Inuyasha then asked, turning to pose his question to Kouga as the reporter perked up once again. “Sango Hiraikotsu from Dead Corpse Repeat?” Inuyasha gave a quick nod, his focus still on and waiting for Kouga to answer his question. The ookami chewed his lip for a bit. “I think ‘make all genders melt’ or something.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “I think she said it differently, but basically. Anyway, we let Miroku sing a French song with Sango in London during our first international tour.” He paused, sending another glare over at Miroku, who only had the grace to grin right back at him instead of flounder. “That was the one, and ONLY, time he’s sung. And that will never happen again.” Kouga chuckled, further explaining. “The fans went batshit insane. Like, to the point they morphed into sex-crazed psychos and nearly tore apart the stage.” “While we were ON it!” Inuyasha added, growling. “Mhm. And that was about the time we deiced: Never again. Sorry, bro,” the wolf said, patting the drummer on the back. Miroku just snorted, shrugging. “Wow, you remember that from nearly a year ago?” Aiko Inuzumi said, sounding impressed.
“It’s difficult to forget since I ended up skipping school the next day due to lack of sleep,” Sesshoumaru answered.
“Huh?...” the girl said, cocking her head to the side before her eyes brightened and she seemed to catch on. “Oh, since it was live in the U.S. during the day it was probably pretty late here, huh?”
“Mhm,” the youkai murmured. “In any event, that interview was when I knew he was going to focus on his writing mainly, and why Mikuni-san was singing more regardless that they didn’t exactly say it out loud.”
- - -
Inuyasha could only stare in wonder, before catching himself and admitting quietly, “Most fans wouldn’t have seen those signs. Let alone paid attention to little details like that and come to that conclusion.”
A ghost of a real smile curved on the sides of the youkai’s mouth, and this time Inuyasha was really mesmerized.
If only the guy would smile more often... “I suppose I would surprise you with what ‘little things’ I’ve noticed about their music. And them individually.”
Oh, now Inuyasha was really intrigued, not missing the way Sesshoumaru’s eyes lit up as he accepted the challenge. “Like what?”
“Mikuni-san tends to...” the demon chewed on his choice of words before giving up, “wiggle his hips during Takahashi-san’s guitar solos.”
Inuyasha nearly choked on his laughter, bending forward to catch his breath. “Oh my god, he totally does! I don’t get why most people can’t see that!”
Sesshoumaru shrugged, somewhat proudly. “Most people will assume his awkward jutting is alluring, I assume.”
“Okay. Miroku. Go.”
Sesshoumaru took a moment, seeming to consider something then. Inuyasha knew that look, the bastard was determining if what he could answer with would become a problem. He had that “serious Sesshoumaru is serious” look. But what exactly was he battling himself about inside that head of his?
In the blink of an eye the consideration was gone and-
“Pass.”
Inuyasha nearly hurled himself into the demon with his surprise. “What?!”
“I have noticed something, and while I don’t know him or the others personally...” Sesshoumaru actually stopped talking mid-sentence, shaking his head. “Next.”
Inuyasha was gobsmacked yet somehow seemed to fish something out from his otherwise cottony mouth. “What about... Inuyasha?”
“He plays his guitar pickless-”
“Psh, everyone knows that,” the half-demon snorted, not impressed at all.
“Let me finish,” came the other’s dry tone. “He plays pickless for most of the performances he does, however he always has a red pick he does play with during certain songs, ones that I can only assume have great meaning to him. As does whoever he received the guitar pick from.”
Inuyasha stared, eyes widening slowly.
No way... “But... he’s always giving the red pick away at concerts, throwing the one he has into the crowd and-” Inuyasha started saying, not believing what the youkai was saying. There was no way he- or anyone- could have noticed...
As if on cue, Sesshoumaru replied, somewhat invigorated as he shook his head. “Picks are thrown out when it’ll make a good show, however, he has never given away the pick he’s used since I can remember first discovering them, probably since the band itself had formed.”
Eyes now wide enough to swallow his head whole, only one thought past through the absolutely stunned hanyou’s mind-
Holy fucking shit- before he swallowed, struggling somewhat to get his next words out in a somewhat intelligible way.
“W-wow,” Inuyasha breathed out, stunned. “You weren’t kidding when you said you were a fan. And not just a fan-fan, but a devoted one...”
Sesshoumaru turned glowing gold eyes on him then.
“W-what now?” the half-demon stuttered.
“I believe that has been the nicest thing you’ve said regarding me.”
Inuyasha blanched, before a guilty smile pulled up half his mouth.
“That’s kind of sad.”
“Indeed.”
Inuyasha looked off to the side, blushing as he mumbled, “You didn’t let me finish either. I
meant to say devoted in a
creepy stalker way.”
A snort was the only answer he received before a solemn quietness stretched between them despite the uproar going on around them. For all of one minute, that is.
When the youkai was silent... well, it unnerved the hell out of the hanyou like a bad itch his mother told him not to scratch in public.
But scratch he did.
“So... you don’t seem to like the songs even though you’ve got that goofy look on you face whenever you talk about... the band...” Inuyasha cursed himself. How weird was it flirting with Sesshoumaru as a girl but actually doing it as himself... though having to remember he was actually a third party to the whole thing... involving himself.
God, that confused him.
“The only thing
goofy looking here is you, half-b... whit,” the demon said, automatically correcting himself.
“Don’t sweat it about the half-breed thing. When it’s just you and me, you don’t need to worry about that. Kouga can just go suck himself.” Inuyasha snickered harder when he saw the revulsion on the other’s face.
Sesshoumaru spared him a look before shaking his head. “No, despite my less than appropriate manner this past month, I will refrain from referring to... half-demons in such a way.”
Inuyasha had to press his mouth together so he didn’t snicker out loud. “Oh? Cause of a certain rockstar you wanna get it on with might disapprove?” The seam of his mouth finally caved under the pressure and he laughed out loud at the somehow angry-embarrassed look he got.
If Sesshoumaru had ears like him, they’d more than likely be plastered against his skull right now, the hanyou mused, making himself laugh even harder.
“Hardly, though I suppose something you don’t understand can sometimes only be made clear when it involves something you... care for.”
Inuyasha choked on his chuckles then, taken aback for a moment before he coughed out, embarrassed now himself. He looked around at everything else but the youkai next to him as he tried to find something else to talk about, since it seemed like the youkai wasn’t entirely interested in the mundane and recycled questions people in the audience kept asking the males on stage for the Q&A that was still going on.
“So uh... the concert...” he fished around a bit... before a question he’d been meaning to ask popped into his head.
What do you... think of him
when he plays? Truthfully, while Inuyasha was hesitant to even mention his own NAME while in this female guise, he was undeniably curious to know how the youkai saw him when he was on stage as himself but had never gotten the nerve to actually ask...
At least until now after he’d made the mistake of asking Sesshoumaru without realizing it.
The question wasn’t answered right away as the demon gazed over at him in quiet contemplation before taking a breath and –shockingly- vaulting into his answer. Inuyasha could do nothing but stare in a sort of horrified fascination for the next twenty or so minutes, while the Q&A was coming to a close, as Sesshoumaru did nothing but wax lyrical about the statuesque yet fierce presence “Takahashi-san” had when on stage.
While his explanations made the hanyou blush seventeen shades of red, they were by no means like the flowerly or flutterly words girls mostly gushed with when wanting his attention. Sesshoumaru’s words were nearly pornographically poetic... or maybe that was just Inuyasha getting a little too excited about the powerful passion this guy seemed to lace through every goddamn syllable of his idol worshipping speech...
So much to the point Inuyasha could do nothing but stare at the demon’s eyes and mouth as he talked... and then even after he stopped...
And before Inuyasha knew it the Q&A had finished, the screaming fans shouting for Hollywood Whore to come back onstage pulling him out of whatever fantasy he refused to think on now.
The half-demon blinked, looking around as he considered his options; they could either try to sneak backstage again- and risk Kouga pummeling Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha pummeling Kouga, which was more likely what would happen- or they could get the hell out of the vicinity before his friends managed to think something up to get them backstage and embarrass him even more.
While he really wanted a shot at Kouga-Inuyasha would beat the hell out of him later for being such a dumb, though endearing, ass- he wasn’t willing to deal with him just yet, nor was he about to break the weird happy place Sesshoumaru was in right now.
So flee it was.
Inuyasha pulled the youkai harshly, confident Sesshoumaru would follow but not risking losing him in the crowd as he weaved through the crowd out to the darkened streets of Edopolis.
He dropped the demon’s wrist as he made to walk in the direction of his apartment.
“Where are you going,” Sesshoumaru inquired, following.
“Walking home-”
“You shouldn’t be walking by yourself at this hour.”
Inuyasha paused, cocking a brow and ready to retort with a fiery “Oh, ya think so do you?” before bolting down the street like a rocket.
However, his remark was clearly anticipated in the narrowed look the demon was giving him, and the hanyou actually shrank away from his usual course of action when things got a little too awkward.
“I will be walking you home,” Sesshoumaru said then with finality, giving him a look that said the other clearly had no say in this matter.
“...”
At the pointed look, Inuyasha gave in.
“FINE, you overbearing sonuvabitch,” Inuyasha grumbled as they walked side by side down the street.
Only managing to get ten feet before the irritating ring of a phone sounded, both Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stopping and blinking down at their pockets before the youkai fished through his and brought his cell phone (a very manly shade of BLACK, Inuyasha noted) to his ear with an irritated frown after having checked caller ID.
“Hahaue,” he greeted, his voice monotone and dry, his eyes easily conveying to Inuyasha they should continue walking-
Before the youkai nearly tripped over his own two feet as he came to an abrupt halt, a look not unlike one of constipation appearing on his face at what his mother was apparently saying.
Inuyasha could only stare, both highly curious and highly amused at the faces the other was- unknowingly- making in public.
"Yes, hahaue. Yes, I – I can’t be there tonight-”
Inuyasha, still too interested in the expressions of horror filling the demon’s face to laugh, simply stared with large eyes as Sesshoumaru floundered where he stood, looking every which way as if he’d find some answer to whatever it was he was trying to answer standing around him.
And then his gold eyes landed on Inuyasha and something desperate lit up in them.
“No- I- ACTUALLY, Mother, I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND. ...her name? HER NAME IS... Inuzumi... Aiko..." Sesshoumaru said in low tones, head now turning away as he steadily avoided eye contact after that as he was probably nearly deafened by the identical screechings assaulting him from the other side of the phone and to his right.
“WHAT!!!?” Chapter 14 end. Author’s Note: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! 11 pages of chapter for all you whore lovers xD Should have cut it in half but oh well xD Also, I really hope some of you re-read the fic if you think Sesshoumaru’s still being an ass. His words to Inuzumi do NOT hold the bigotry they once did in them. It sucks that I have to explain that but I probably didn’t convey it well enough in my writing.
(1) “Next Go Around” by Nickelback (go listen to it!)
