AN: Hey guys grins sheepishly I'm back to fanfiction again ; I couldn't stay away for long, could I? I just love writing Inuyasha waaaaay too much. There's much more information on my 'coming back' on my bio page, but basically I'm back for good. That does not mean I gave up on my book, however I'm just going at a slower pace with it. I mean, why rush perfection? j/k ;P
And as you'll be able to tell, my writing has improved drastically, partially thanks to my beta-reader, PB :huggles her: I owe a lot to her. Thanks babe! xP I'll work hard to give you the best story I can. Also, I went back and added detail to this chapter to match the detail I gave in the next two chapters up. Don't worry though, I didn't change the plot or any of the storyline.
Disclaimer: I own a black Labrador doggy, a few mangas and episodes of Inuyasha, and a pair of fuzzy ears that came with last year's Halloween costume. Does that count? xD Standard disclaimer applies.
Summary: (AU) Inuyasha is a legendary model and sexy to boot. Given his playboy attitude, what happens when a middleclass girl wins a cruise trip with the esteemed bachelor to an island paradise--and gets stranded together? InuKag
Smooth Sailing
By: dragonfire onna
Chapter 1: Don't Touch That, Ayumi!
"Can't you do anything right!"
Inuyasha roughly snatched the comb from his hairdresser's shaking hands, causing her to flinch away from him. He proceeded to brush out his white tresses before gruffly tossing it back at the trembling woman. He shot her such a look that her wobbly legs froze and her dark eyes widened. The corners of her mouth pulled downward as she tried to fight back tears. But Inuyasha didn't care. Crying women were just an annoyance, a thorn in his side that needed removing. And that was just what he was going to do---remove it. "What's you're name?" he demanded frostily.
"Yo-Yoshida Na-Naoko, sir," she stammered, peering down at the floor to avoid his unfeeling gaze. "I just started yester-" He didn't let her finish, holding up his hand to effectively silence her.
"You're fired. Now get out." The hairstylist was utterly stunned but even more so afraid. She stepped backwards twice as though she couldn't believe it and begged him with her eyes to tell her it wasn't true. No such luck. She stumbled when she turned around and nearly tripped on her own feet while making a hasty exit, almost colliding with another woman on her way in. Naoko mumbled a barely audible apology before sprinting out of the room. The door slammed into the wall as she flew from the room.
"You'll have to start doing your own hair if you keep firing all your hairdressers, you know," said the newcomer impartially, leaning her shoulder up against the door frame. From where she stood she could see Naoko making a mad dash to her car, hopping in it, and driving off as though the devil himself was on her tail. Poor woman, she thought. Never knew what she got herself into before it was too late. "I sure as hell won't do it."
"Whatever." Inuyasha waved her off with a flick of his wrist, indifferent on the matter, while turning to face her. "Why don't you try hiring competent ones for a change, Sango?" He leaned back in his leather chair, hands propping up his head, and closed his eyes, a hard expression on his face.
"Oh, do you mean the busty blondes or the fiery redheads?" asked the woman pointedly, sarcasm dripping from her voice. She straightened and walked over to the renowned model, used to his antics. He was always so stubborn. It was either his way or the highway. She was the only one who was willing to put up with him after meeting him. Perhaps that was only because she knew the real Inuyasha, the one she had met in grade school.
"Both," he retorted dryly, tracing the arm of the chair with his finger.
"I would appreciate it if you didn't fire them faster than I can hire a new one," Sango replied. She sighed, deciding to change the subject because he was not going to give in. She held out a brochure for him to look at. He eyed it curiously, scanning the front cover. "I booked your cruise trip last night on the 'Titanic.'"
"What's with the name?" he asked as he got to his feet, grabbing the pamphlet from his long-term agent. Sango managed everything he did; she was the one who set up appointments and meetings and was the one who had originally started him on his modeling career. She was also a childhood friend---his only one worth remembering at least. Now everyone else who tried to befriend him was only interested in his money or body. Typical, he guessed. He was society's doll, made to play dress up and to walk by the little strings attached to his limbs. That was why he hated being with any his fans, though he was also a good actor and was able to play pretend for awhile around them. Made to tolerate them.
"Well apparently the ship was designed after the original ship-except they supposedly fixed all the problems from the initial blueprint."
"Supposedly?" he said uncertainly, shoving the brochure back into Sango's hands and folding his arms stubbornly across his well-defined chest. "Change ships. I don't like it."
"Settle down, tough guy. Your cruise won't be going anywhere near an iceberg. Besides, didn't you want the cruise that actress Arakaki Kichi will be on? I managed to contact her agent and he says she is willing to give the relationship another try, but you have to meet her on the cruise and talk it out."
Inuyasha's eyes brightened visibly at the mention of Kichi, an old fling of his. They had one of those 'hard' celebrity breakups only a little over a year ago that was top headlines on the news for weeks. It was still discussed sometimes even today. She had wanted him to propose to her and make a commitment but he wasn't ready to settle down, even with her. Why ruin a perfectly good thing with marriage?
Sango rolled her eyes in annoyance. "I always see you swooning over her when you see her picture, even after she left you. You're like a lovesick puppy. Either make her that commitment or get over her---and I prefer the getting over her, to be honest. She's not worth it." Even though Inuyasha acted so tough and rude around people, he wasn't always like this. Ever since he met Kichi and 'fell in love' with her, he started acting differently around his fans, even her. His popularity plummeted a few months back due to his attachment to Kichi and how that attachment had changed him for the worse, it seemed. One article criticizing Inuyasha said he was nothing but a jerk. While she agreed with them to some extent, she could not forget the Inuyasha she met as a child---the nice, curious, willing to stand up for the weak Inuyasha. And she missed him.
Once he and Kichi broke up and Sango gave him a talk about how to make fans happy, his popularity was more than restored. It skyrocketed to even greater heights.
"I do not swoon" he stated doggedly, tapping his fingers onto his forearm stiffly, disregarding the puppy remark.
"Personally, I think you can do better than her. She's a blonde twit who lives up to the stereotype 'dumb blonde' perfectly. I bet that isn't even her natural color, and she only starred in movies because of her body and not because of her acting skills," Sango said pointedly, ignoring his comment.
"And what a hell of a body she's got." Inuyasha shrugged her off. He was far too used to Sango attacking Kichi.
"Have you noticed she has only been in films with male directors? I bet she does a bit of 'behind the scenes' work there." Sango gave a disgusted shake of her head. "And no movie she's starred in has ever made any type of award."
"You're only saying that because you're jealous of her success. She got the part in the movie that you couldn't get." He smirked, knowing he hit a sore spot.
"I'm not jealous of that halfwit bimbo," she declared bitingly, an intense sparkle in her eyes. "And that movie has long been off my mind. You better be thanking your lucky stars that I didn't get the part or else you wouldn't be where you are today. I never would have become your agent." It was no secret that Sango didn't like Kichi. The only reason she put up with her was because of Inuyasha. Sango was the only one who seemed to realize that she wanted Inuyasha only for his money, body, and popularity, not for his heart. She was a drama queen, and Sango could see that once Inuyasha made a commitment to marry her, she would end up breaking up with him---without divorcing him because that would mean other women could get to him and she couldn't have that---and then have a few weeks in the headlines before getting back together as a 'happy couple' for a few more weeks in the headlines.
Sango could see Inuyasha getting deeply hurt with Kichi, and it was her job as his best friend---not his agent---to try to persuade him against it. Unfortunately, Inuyasha was just as stubborn as she was.
Inuyasha snorted but decided to end the conversation. Lazily, he returned to his reflection in the mirror and carried on the task of combing the knots out of his hair.
"Alright, I've got an appointment with the De Juan Corporation. Don't just sit at home all day and admire yourself either." Inuyasha grinned unashamedly through the mirror at Sango. She stifled a laugh at Mr. Vanity himself. That was the Inuyasha she knew. Fun-loving and sure of himself---but not overly confident and arrogant.
"An appointment, huh? Does he know about it?" Inuyasha asked smugly, knowing the answer. They had just met last week on business and when Sango reported back to him, she ranted about a self-absorbed man who had the nerve to make a move on her.
"No, but he's going to make time to see me," she finished in a deadly tone, walking out of the room, the door slamming shut in her wake.
"What are you doing?" inquired a teenaged, raven-haired girl anxiously, glancing over at her older friend in the driver's seat. Her fingers gripped the side handle on the car door and her nails dug into it, leaving marks on the surface. "Are you sure you should touch that?" Her eyes were wide and watching as her friend reached for the key to start the car. She clutched the handle even harder as Ayumi turned the key. Well, so far so good… but for how long?
"I'll have to agree with Kagome there…" an older boy concurred wearily, a finger raised into the air.
"Relax Kagome, Miroku. I've got everything under control…. I'm just going to eeaaasse onto the gas," replied Ayumi, grinning from one ear to the other like a Cheshire cat. Her shoulders were hunched over and she was biting her tongue in concentration. Kagome's intuition told her not to trust the eighteen-year-old girl. "Thanks for coming with me for moral support, guys. I don't really want to do this job interview alone---well, I have to do it alone, but at least you'll be right outside the door waiting for me. That owner of De Juan creeps me out. I hear he's a bit of a player himself." She reached down and rested her hand on the shift stick, getting ready to put it into drive. Kagome hastily fumbled with the seatbelt before forcing it into its corresponding clip.
"No, I really don't think you should touch that, Ayumi! Wait, stop---no! Wrong way, that's reverse! Push it back, push it back!" Kagome's eyes widened when Ayumi shifted gears into reverse instead of drive and stepped onto the pedal. The car lurched backwards, and their bodies were flung forward with a sudden jerk. After a momentary feeling of weightlessness, the back end of the car collided with a large rosebush.
Kagome groaned, rubbing her sore neck. Miroku, who hadn't smartly been wearing a seatbelt, picked himself off the floor of the backseat.
"Oops," Ayumi said guiltily, blinking repeatedly in a slight stupor.
"Oops?" Kagome countered, narrowing her eyes at the older teen. "Oops? You just dented your car, scratched your paint, and ran over your mother's favorite rosebush and all you can say is 'oops'!" Sometimes she couldn't believe Ayumi's attitude towards everything. Always carefree and lighthearted no matter what the situation. Kagome wasn't sure if she should admire her attitude or be deathly afraid of it. Right now she was leaning toward afraid.
"It was an accident, I'm sure she'll understand," Ayumi reasoned thoughtfully before shifting gears to drive. "Alright, let's try this again, shall we?"
"Ayumi, how long have you been driving?" Kagome eyed her hands on the steering wheel, unconsciously clenching her hands around the neck of the seatbelt.
"I got my license this morning," she responded casually, turning the radio dial up with a small twist. She smiled, proud of her accomplishment. Kagome and Miroku sweatdropped.
"Maybe I should drive," Miroku suggested, though he was not willing to give Ayumi any choice in the matter. He pushed her out of the driver's seat and comfortably sat in it himself.
Sango pressed open the swinging double doors with ease and marched straight past the senior secretary chewing on the back end of a pencil, determination shining in her eyes. She was a woman on a mission, and no one would keep her from getting what she wanted. She needed to talk to Juan so she was going to talk to him; no one could stop her.
"Stop, ma'am! You can't go in there right now! Juan is in a press conference!" the secretary called after her apprehensively. She came out from behind the tall top counter and stumbled over her massive weight, trying to run after Sango. But she was too late as Sango vigorously pushed the last set of doors ajar.
"Juan, we need to have a little chat!" Sango bellowed in a dangerously low tone, hands clenched steadfastly at her side. Juan shrunk from her presence but immediately composed himself when he realized the press was still watching him keenly with perked interest at the new arrival. They were murmuring amongst themselves now.
"Oh, yes, well, um…." he stuttered, nervously loosening the tie bound to his neck. "Can't this wait? I'm in the middle of a press conference." Sango shook her head and beckoned him to follow her back into the hall. Or else. He refused with his own shake of the head. For the head of a company, he was acting childishly Sango noted. She was amused.
"Talk with me now unless you want the press to get wind of last week's meeting."
Turning his attention back to the media, Juan hastily announced, "I'll be back in a minute," before leaving without any further explanation, shutting the door securely behind him so they could have a private conversation. After pulling Sango aside, he whispered in a low, hushed voice, "What is it?"
"If you're not willing to up that price by at least another twenty grand and get rid of that outfit you want him to wear, Inuyasha will not be attending your photo shoot. Our deal will be off." Sango lifted her chin and narrowed her eyes at him. The outfit he wanted Inuyasha to wear was humiliating. She'd never wish it on anyone, not even Juan himself---okay, maybe Juan, but that's only because he deserved it.
"You can't cancel our contract," Juan argued, his own expression changing to match Sango's glowering one. Sango paused before speaking. "It's set in stone."
"Try me. I will find a way," she challenged before briskly starting back towards the secretary.
"Wait!" he exclaimed after the agent. "How about we cut another deal? I'm willing to up the pay by twice as much…if you'll join me for an evening dinner." Juan gave her a wink and raised an eyebrow expectantly. He was a very handsome man, one who was hardly turned down for a date, but even she had set boundaries. She was not going to be his one-night stand. It took a lot for a woman to turn down a man of his riches and stature, but she was not a gold digger in the least. As far as she knew, she was the only one to have turned him down before.
Sango's eyes widened at his proposal, but a second later she smiled seductively, going up to him and fingering his chest and playing with his tie… before shoving him backwards onto his rump.
"Not a chance in hell, buddy! And we're through with you! Don't expect Inuyasha on Monday!" Sango stormed out of the room, coming to a brief halt when she noticed a group of three teenagers coming her way. She stepped aside to let them pass by when someone caught her eye. She looked familiar with the hair and the face, but it couldn't be the same person… could it?
"Kikyo?" Sango said uncertainly, squinting her eyes with a slight tilt on her head, but the small trio didn't seem to hear or acknowledge her. They proceeded straight up to Juan, their own uncertainty evident in their faces. They looked confused at seeing Juan on the ground.
"Mr. Juan?" Ayumi asked, bending down to aid the fallen man to his feet with Kagome's help. "Are you alright?" He glanced and did a once-over of the new arrivals and frowned… until his eyes landed on Kagome. A small smiled tugged at his lips.
"Just fine," he forced through gritted teeth grudgingly, glancing over at Sango while straightening his business suit as if it were ruffled feathers. His hungry eye's slid back to Kagome's thin form. He eyed her up and down for a second before Miroku interrupted.
Miroku stood back and surveyed him with a knowing, critical eye. Nodding his head, he said, "Shot down by a girl, my friend? I know that look very well…." Ayumi's jaw dropped at Miroku's openness on such an embarrassing subject. She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow meaningfully before giving the older man her undivided attention. "What?" Miroku gave her a sheepish grin. He didn't do anything wrong, did he?
"Hi, my name's Ayumi. I'm here for that interview about the editing position you have open." She gave a gracious smile, bowing before him out of sheer respect for the older man. She wanted this job and she was willing to do just about anything to get it. Raising herself to normal stature, she continued, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir…." she trailed off, noticing for the first time where his vision was directed. Even though she spoke unswervingly to him, his interest was placed elsewhere, onto her best friend. Undeterred, she went instantly into their introductions. "These are my good friends Higurashi Kagome and Houshi Miroku."
As if finally noticing the others were still there, Juan tore his eyes from Kagome.
"Yes, the interview was to happen on the fifth floor, not the fifteenth," he snapped, a scowl forming his character. Ayumi flushed and placed a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. His expression softened a bit when Kagome comforted her by placing an arm around her shoulders for support. "Why don't I have my secretary guide you to the correct room."
Ayumi nodded sheepishly before Miroku took her by the shoulders and guided her over to the desk where the plump secretary sat once more. Ayumi shook her head to herself. She had just humiliated herself in front of her would-be employer. Her cheeks were bright pink and she still felt the heat of her face rising. What if she lost her chance to get the job?
"You, wait-" called Juan.
Kagome glanced quizzically at the man.
She waved Miroku and Ayumi off so Ayumi wouldn't be anymore late for the interview than she already was. There was no need for her to be there as long as Miroku was there to help her. "I'll catch up with you in a bit." Sango rolled her eyes in annoyance, recognizing this as another one of Juan's lame attempts to get a girl to sleep with him. She half pitied the Kikyo-look-a-like. Few girls would turn down the chance to be a model. Juan had at one point used this tactic to get her, but she turned him down with a vengeance for even suggesting how she would have to repay him. Anger from that incident still boiled deep in her.
"I'd like to make you an offer to become one of my models. One left us this morning because of pregnancy and we have an opening to fill. Are you interested?" Kagome blushed and blinked. Had he just offered her a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? A model, her? Excitement swelled within her and a shy grin spread across her face. Like her friend, she blushed and began to finger through her hair.
"Uh… I-I do-don't know what to say." She was at a loss for more intelligent words. She cursed herself for stuttering.
"You're beautiful, and you have exactly the type of body for a model. Tall, thin, gorgeous…" he tried to flatter her with a charming grin, but Kagome noted that he was no match for Miroku. No one would ever be, she thought. He stepped closer to her and eagerly looked her up and down again. Kagome's smile drastically faded with his next words. "You know," he said, moving closer to her, enough to be within half-arm's length, "we pay for… overtime." He reached out and touched her arm, beginning to stroke it gently with his finger.
Sango huffed; she would have to end this now. The girl was only a teenager and did not deserve whatever the owner of De Juan Corporation had in store for her. The twenty year old made her way across the room.
Kagome's head began to whirl in a dizzying sickness. He was caressing her… he was suggestively touching her. Her mind screamed out harassment while her body stood there in a stunned coma. What should she do? She couldn't think straight… she couldn't even move though her mind was screaming for her to step back and out of his reach. Her body wouldn't, it couldn't move.
Juan's hand rubbed against her cheek now. Kagome snapped out of it, sending him a heated glare. Then three things in quick succession happened, and if Sango had blinked, she would have missed two of them. A loud groan echoed down the empty hall, Juan fell to his knees, and Kagome started to scream at him. Sango came to a standstill, stunned by what she had just witnessed. Could it be that there was another girl like herself, willing to turn down fortune and fame to preserve her dignity and morals? Sango was certain there weren't many of these women left.
"You, you, you….jerk!" came a fiery response from Kagome. Juan was down on the ground again, reeling in pain from the stinging sensation in between his legs. His hands cupped his member as his mouth fell open. Juan crumpled under her hateful gaze and could not look her in the eyes. "How dare you! Just because others are susceptible to your flimsy charm doesn't mean I'm going to fall for it!"
Turning heel, Kagome fled the scene just as the press came through the door, having heard the commotion. Instantly flashes brightened the room and a deafening chatter filled the air. Question after question was sent buzzing after her and a few journalist chased after her while the rest stayed behind to catch Juan's view on this story.
Sango stared in wide-eyed shock. Only when a reporter spotted her did she snap out of her daze.
"You, miss! Tell Sunrise Channel 3 what happened here!" A bit flustered, Sango ran after the perturbed girl. Rounding a sharp corner, Sango ducked into a spare room, quickly clicking the door shut behind her. Slowly backing away from the door as shadow after shadow past by unsuspectingly. She disliked the press because of their instinctively pushy behavior.
The sound of glass shattering and a gasp behind her caused Sango to jump.
"You…." Sango breathed in a sigh of relief, thankful for it not being someone else. The teenage girl looked extremely distressed after what occurred. Smiling inwardly, Sango revealed, "I saw what you did."
If it were anymore possible, Kagome's face turned a deeper hue of red. She had trouble believing what she just did and needed time to think. Not wanting to face anyone, especially people who would hang over her every word like the reporters, she pulled into a vacant room filled to the brink with overused software and computers. Apparently she was located, and by one of his staff no less. She was in for it now….
Opting to stay silent, Kagome swallowed hard. It came as an unforeseen surprise when the woman before her presented her with praise instead of punishment.
"That was very bold of you," she stated admiringly. This girl was brave, and Sango wasn't one to hand out compliments often. This girl could take care of herself against men like Juan, and Sango couldn't help but respect her. If only there were more people like her around to take men like Juan and her client Inuyasha off their high horse. Recalling the many times that Inuyasha had taken on up to six different girlfriends at a time, she grimaced. Only when Kichi had become his summer fling did he drop the other girls and settled onto one. Even though the white haired model had been a childhood friend to her, she still disliked his newly obtained habits and discouraged him from enduring them as often as possible. His ego was going to be his downfall---and hers as well, especially if word got out that he was dating more than one woman at a time. She didn't want her career as an agent to end before it really begun. She had only begun the job just over a year and a half ago with Inuyasha…
Sango sighed miserably. If only there was someway she could make him see the 'light.' She was his buddy and was the only one telling him to knock things off, probably the basis why Inuyasha ignored her: she was the only one. Everyone else was either too afraid of him or too reluctant to say a word to the celebrated model, so possibly he needed someone else to tell him…. Someone Inuyasha didn't know…. Someone who had the guts to stand up to Inuyasha's seductive charm and bring back him down to reality… but who could it be? Did such a person even exist?
Observing her change in facial expressions, Kagome said softly, "My name's Higurashi Kagome."
"I'm Hiraikotsu Sango," she replied simply, pulling out a padded rolling chair before plopping tiredly down in it. Then it hit her; a light bulb went off in her mind. This girl was the solution to her problem! She could bring back the Inuyasha Sango missed. Not only would she not stand for Inuyasha's antics, but she also had the appearance of Kikyo… that would have an affect on Inuyasha as well. A sudden mischievous smile twisted onto Sango's thin lips. Her grin grew wider when she caught Kagome's eyes with her own.
"Excuse me, Sango? Are you alright…?" Kagome asked timidly, shortly waving a hand in front of her face. Sango's beaming grin couldn't get any wider, and Kagome laughed nervously. Her eyes were boring bottomless holes into the girl's face, making Kagome fidget uncomfortably. Snapping out of her trance, Sango grabbed Kagome's smooth hands.
"Did I mention that you just won a competition? I've been sitting aside and watching Juan all day. You were the first girl that resisted him and therefore you won a cruise on the "Titanic" with none other than the infamous model, Inuyasha…!" A little white lie could never hurt. Inuyasha wouldn't agree to this, but what he didn't know couldn't hurt him---for the moment, at least. She'd just have to convince him of the new arrangement… somehow.
"What…?" Kagome was dumbfounded again. No matter how many times she opened and closed her mouth, no other words would come out. Two once-in-a-lifetime chances in one day---how much more could a girl take?
Story Recommendation: Every chapter I'm going to recommend two stories. Many of you would probably have read most of them, but for the few who haven't, I'm doing this.
1) Get a Life! By SnowShadowuser
This is from Kagome's point of view, and it has that sarcastic wittiness to it. I absolutely adore the way she wrote it! It's Kagome and Inuyasha pairing.
2) Kinda Weird by Rogue Pryde
Many of you might know of her and have read her fics. I recommend anything by this talented author, but so far this is my favorite of her fanfics! Though she's a bit slow at updating, these are the types of fics you would go back months later to read. Or at least I would.
AN: Please review and tell me what you think. I promise not to make them 'oh so suddenly' fall in love, and I'll try my hand at a bit of humor in upcoming chapters. Can't have it all serious, can we? I promise to finish this fic as well xD
Oh, I also have a site for my fanfics… well, kinda ; It was free and I didn't make the layout… but here it is if you wish to check it out: http/ dragonfireonna / index . htm (without the spaces). Or you could just got to my bio page and click the homepage link.
So will you please review…:crickets: