A/N: So this is actually the first time I've attempted to write fan fiction, but I thought I'd give it a try as a means to practice my rusty writing. (I used to take creative writing classes in college, but it's been awhile now). This story refers to Chapter 41's beach scene, and takes place in the middle of Chapter 42. Obviously, I kind of cut into the scene and made it so the two couldn't just go to sleep after discussing the fact that they were sharing a room to save money (sayeth Riko). You'll see...
And by ALL means, any comments or constructive criticism would be awesome. 3
The Punishment- Fan Fiction for Dengeki Daisy- All characters and such belong to the talented mangaka Motomi Kyousuke. I merely borrowed them to make some silly fantasizes come true. :P
How did it get to this point? Teru's breaths were coming out in short spurts, her chest constricted far past what she felt was comfortable. The room was dark with the blind fold on, so all her energy was being transferred to all her other senses. These senses which she both loved and hated at the same time. Kurosaki's breathing sounding ragged as he remained sitting in front of her. The heat from his hand as he held up one of her small wrists. The faint smell the musky body soap he'd used in the shower seemingly only moments before. She licked her lips nervously. She shifted slightly so that her foot wouldn't fall asleep, the springs on the bed giving a muffled squeak as she did so.
Currently, Teru felt like she was in quite the predicament. She was sitting with her back against the head board of a wonderful double size bed inside the nicest hotel she'd ever stepped foot in, and Kurosaki was practically pinning her in place, sitting directly opposite her with his legs crossed and folded so that his knees nearly closed around her own (she could hardly sit cross legged in a robe!). Add in the blind fold that Kurosaki rigged after stealing Riko's clean handkerchief earlier during their group meeting, and there you had it. Predicament.
"So, what is this all about, Kurosaki? I still don't get it." Silence, except for that damn ragged breathing. "Grah- say something, or you really will go bald. I'll will it to happen!" Teru attempted to withdraw her wrist from the young man's hand, but his grip tightened on it. "Speak up, Kurosaki, or I'm going to stop playing. I'll take this stupid thing off," Teru reached up with her free hand to pull the blind fold off, but was stopped by the man's other hand. She felt her hand being pulled down to rest on her lap. She let out a loud, impatient sigh, using that as a disguise to draw in some much needed air right after. She felt she must be getting light headed with all this waiting and wondering what the shaggy blond across from her was thinking.
Teru heard the young man take in a long breath as well. "Idiot- heh- seemed like a good idea at the time. Seemed like a good 'punishment' for what you did to me back on the beach, reading all those damn messages from 'Daisy' so loud for everyone around. I did promise to give you one." There was a pause, but Teru swore she could sense the semi-sadistic smile that often appeared on Kurosaki's face, the lips stretched and curled into a wicked grin, teeth gleaming as if they were about become devices for an attack. This smile both fascinated her, and terrified her. So much different from the sweet, soft smile he'd give whenever he was feeling protective of her.
The girl froze in place as she felt those same lips touch down on the veins in the wrist the blond was still clutching. There was a sharp intake of breath- it echoed off the walls of the hotel room- and heat flooded Teru's cheeks as she realized she'd been the one to make that loud sound.
"You know, Riko did tell me I was supposed to show you how I wasn't gonna disappear again. She told me that 'words won't be enough.' So really, it's like killing two birds with one stone here. I can 'show' you I'm chained to your side from now on, and I can 'punish' as well for all the shit you just put me through."
Teru could feel the young man's lips press back down in the same place on her wrist. She could feel the hot breath escaping through his nose and searing into her skin, just above where his lips were scalding her. She was frozen, listening to what must have become a heartbeat- her own heartbeat, thrumming wildly in her ears. She took in another sharp breath as she felt another sensation.
Kurosaki's tongue was now tracing the veins in her wrist, slowly, lazily. Teru's right hand dug into her leg where the man had set it to rest earlier. Goosebumps quickly spread up her arms as she felt him blow cool air over the places he'd just ignited.
"Still," Teru's voice was shaking a little. She swallowed hard to ease the building tension in her throat. "Still, I don't see why I need this stupid blind fold."
"Because, otherwise, I get your accusatory glare, willing me to go bald." The man was setting down her left hand onto her lap, unclasping her right hand from her robe, and bringing it up to his lips. Teru's thoughts began to bounce around the inside of her skull; Dammit, now I'm sure he's noticed I'm this flustered! How embarrassing!
Kurosaki began to repeat the same thing he'd just done to the left. After a pause, his voice came out just above a whisper, "Also, I admit I wouldn't have the guts to do this now if you were staring at me, mouth gaping, like you're sorta doing at the moment." Another wave of heat flooded Teru's cheeks, and she snapped her mouth tightly closed. She'd not even realized it'd gone slack. Damn him! Damn him! Soooo embarrassing! Just go bald, Kurosaki! she mentally moaned to herself.
"And," Teru could hear his voice coming closer, until it was next to her left ear, "considering this is something I've wanted to do for a long time, I figure this 'punishment' is perfectly suitable."
The springs on the bed gave a small squeak as Kurosaki leaned away and returned to his former sitting position.
The young man took both of Teru's hands in his own, flipped them palm side up, and began to slowly stroke the skin above the veins in her wrists. Teru could feel the light callouses of his thumbs scratching against her thin skin, and she was surprised at the surge of heat that had started to climb up from her wrist, and towards her elbow.
A minute ticked by. Another minute. The man's heavy, irregular breaths blended with the girl's short, shallow ones.
What in the hell do you think you are doing? Kurosaki's thoughts were screaming at him. Baka! Have you lost your fucking mind!? She's sixteen, Kurosaki! Sixteen! Do you remember what it was even like to be sixteen? The man could feel his teeth grind together. Yeah- I was a horny bastard, he mentally retorted to himself. Apparently, things haven't changed much.
Kurosaki blinked twice, then refocused his eyes on the girl across from him. She was sitting there quietly, straight faced, straight back, with goosebumps up what part of her arms were visible inside the sleeves of her robe. Such a good girl, Teru. Acting tough and disinterested, even though her body was betraying her with every new set of goosebumps she got- every strained breath she released. His thumbs continued to rub at the sensitive flesh on her wrist. He tried to enjoy it as best he could, despite the increasing discomfort he felt elsewhere. Fucking hormones. How many cold showers do I have to take? It was bad enough that I had to shower as soon as I realized Riko had locked us both in for the night. This shouldn't be so hard. I'm an adult! An adult!
He let out yet another ragged breath. He brought Teru's right hand to his lips, turned it palm down, and placed a chaste kiss on the back; he did the same to her left hand before setting both hands back down on the girl's lap. He then set his own hands on his knees. Teru couldn't see right now, so it was okay to dig his fingers into the denim of his pants. If it hurt, so be it. Anything to distract him from that other discomfort.
You could have her, you know. You could take her right here, and I bet you she'd end up liking it. She loves 'Daisy', right? So she probably loves you too, since you're practically one and the same. You should take her. God, these thoughts weren't going to relent, were they? What had started this anyway? What had compelled him to take Riko's handkerchief, let alone, use it on Teru? Now that he thought back on it, he wasn't entirely sure.
"Are you done now? Can I take this off?" Teru's voice broke through his reverie. She was pointing a slim finger at the blind fold still secured around her head.
"No; we're not done," Kurosaki took hold of her finger, and brought it to his lips. He brushed the soft pad across his lower lip, carefully, nearly salivating at the urge to run his tongue along that lovely digit.
He took in a deep breath, and released her captive hand.
"You know, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you on the beach and all, but I had to do it to keep you from running away again; you know that, right?" Teru's mouth was now set in a grim line, " I don't see why you feel you need to tease me like this. It's kind of cruel, Kurosaki." Now the man could see she had started wringing her hands a bit. "I know we all joke you're just a blond delinquent, but it really is just a joke. But what you're doing right now..."
Teru stopped short as she felt the bed creaking again underneath her. She could feel the bed sink down on either side of her as Kurosaki's hands bore weight. She could feel his breath just inches from her face, and she resisted the fight or flight response that was beginning to build up inside of her. What is he planning now? God, I hope it's not anything else that's embarrassing like before.
"As much as I'd like to just be 'teasing' you, I'm actually feeling pretty serious...That last message you read," Kurosaki's voice was lower than usual; it sounded strained and almost gravelly. "The message from the time Akira kissed you. The words that 'Daisy' said." There was a long pause, Teru could identify every distinct sound that came with each of Kurosaki's inhalations. Then his voice broke the silence again, "I'm very tempted right now to make that message come true."
I'd go to where you are right now and kiss you.
Teru swallowed hard. Her palms were sweating. She knew exactly what the man before her was saying. Admittedly, Teru had had some dreams occasionally where they had actually kissed each other, but she'd always woken up with hair standing on end, her face flushed the deepest crimson possible. She always insisted she wasn't in control of her dreams, and that it was probably something to do with last night's dinner of takoyaki or whatever. Of course- it must have been cooked funny. Why else would she be having dreams about kissing some old guy like Kurosaki!? Well- an adult, anyways, she mentally corrected. And besides, Akira was shocking enough when he had kissed her- it was a horrible feeling- nothing like she'd ever imagined. To be kissed by someone like that- the malice Teru felt when he'd grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her forward towards his lips...
Yet that feeling wasn't the same here. While she was very nervous, she didn't feel disgusted by the thought of kissing Kurosaki. She didn't even feel scared, per se. But what all was he talking about? He'd always been commenting on how she had the body frame of a little boy, that her a-cup breasts were far below par for his tastes, and that she was best of use as his "slave for life" at the school during custodial duties. Where was this coming from?
Teru licked her lips nervously, then blushed again at the thought that her automatic movement might be misunderstood as an invitation. She could still feel Kurosaki's breath pattering against her blind fold, tickling the peach fuzz on the tip of her nose and cheeks, and she could still hear her heart thumbing loudly in her ears.
This was it; this was the deciding moment. "Don't move, Teru." Kurosaki leaned in ever so slightly closer until his nose was brushing the girl's. It appeared she'd started holding her breath. The blond wondered how long she'd manage to hold it before she fainted. His right thumb lightly stroked Teru's bottom lip at the line where her mouth dipped down towards her chin. Beautiful face. A face that hurt to behold every day he saw it. A constant reminder of his failure to her brother, Sou, and of his "sin" that could never truly be forgiven. So many things he'd done, years before while Teru was still in elementary school, completely oblivious to the evils the world was producing. Years of damage when she began to become aware of the possible pain the world had to offer after the death of her brother.
To be this close to her, the girl he'd dreamed of for so long, the girl he'd vowed to protect from afar as "Daisy," the girl who made each and every day worth waking up, even if it was just to receive a cheerful mail from her on his phone. And for those days when the mails were sad and lonely- even then, each day was worth it. And here he was, so close to pressing his lips to hers, to getting a much fantasized taste of the girl he'd come to hold so dear... He used his hand to tip her chin up a bit, further preparing for that sweet moment he'd pictured so often.
His nose ran up the length of Teru's, slowly, his eyes shutting as well, reveling in the sweet agony that he was experiencing. This was the instant when he had to choose if he could disregard his loyalty to her brother in order to take what he'd wanted so badly- he could finally placate the physical pain he was currently feeling. He ran the tip of his nose down the side of Teru's, and began to sweep outward along her cheek, high up towards her cheekbone, intending to plant a soft kiss there when he reached it, but was stopped in his tracks. He blinked in surprise and pulled back, his hand dropping away from its tracing exercise.
His mouth went slack as he took in Teru's face as a whole: tears streaming down her cheeks as it leaked beneath the blind fold, and the small, shaky smile on her lips.
"Oi, Teru, what's wrong?"
Teru began to shake, the previously controlled front of hers melting away. "I'm just so glad you're back here, Kurosaki. I'm so glad you're back, and that you're real, and not just my imagination. My imagination wouldn't leave me feeling..." a small hiccup escaped the girl's mouth, "wouldn't leaving me feeling like-"
Teru couldn't believe she was displaying such weakness right now. Failure! How could I break down like this? So embarrassing I could die. Suddenly, she could see again; the blind fold had been pulled off, and Kurosaki was staring at her with wide, concerned eyes. "The 'punishment' is over, Teru." He reached out, and pulled her into his warm arms. "Jeez, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to- I don't know what's wrong...Teru- I'm so sorry," Kurosaki's words were muffled in her hair.
The room was dark, except for some light coming in from the earlier deemed '"fancy" curtains. Teru could feel her shaking subsiding, and her breathing was finally returning to normal, despite the occasional hiccup. "It's okay, Kurosaki. It's fine. I'm just really happy that you're back, you know? I'm just really," hiccup, "happy, is all." Teru could feel the man's arms tighten protectively around her. She rested her head more comfortably on his chest, and the heart beat rushing in her ears was replaced with an even louder one- Kurosaki's- loud, beating strongly, and kind of fast compared to other times she'd been held by him. She also noticed that her head had an odd sensation spreading on the top- similar to when she stood in a hot shower, though no where near as obvious. Could Kurosaki...
The young man's voice sounded low and choked as he spoke, "Just tell me what you need from me, Teru, and I'll do it."
A small smile pressed at the corner of the girl's lips. "If you can hold me like this- that'd be really nice, though I'm kind of tired."
Only instants passed as she was lifted like a light little child, arranged in the blankets of the comfortable double bed, and pulled back into the young man's arms again. She rested her head back on his chest, listening to their heart beats as they steadied. Her eye lids were growing heavy.
Then she heard it, soft humming from Kurosaki- a song she'd heard before. The words from an old tune she'd heard once in an old, late night movie- "Daisy Bell." The words trickled down into her dreams as she drifted off. Daisy, Daisy, Give me your answer, do. I'm half crazy, all for the love of you...