NO REST FOR THE WICKED
CHAPTER TWELVE: NATSUKI
BY (PLATINUM KUSH)
"Those who never know true pain, will NEVER no true peace."
PAIN, 'NARUTO'
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For some reason my computer refuses to let me spell Reagan's name how I usually do, so please bear with me for the extra letter. It changes it back to 'Reagan' immediately after I type whatever follows.
[]
"I'm back!" Natsuki announced as she lugged the crates of liquor into the kitchen and deposited them on the counter. "Phew."
"Is all of that really necessary?" Her grandmother asked with an exasperated sigh. "I swear, that girl will be the death of me."
Natsuki snorted. "You and me both. What're you cooking?" She asked curiously, leaning over her grandmother's shoulder to try and catch a glimpse of tonight's meal. Her mouth watered just thinking about it.
No one's cooking compared to Namiko's. She was in her own category. There was good cooking and great cooking. Then there was Namiko's cooking. Natsuki remembered coming to her grandmother's after school let out with all of her friends in tow, eager for her grandmother's famous cookies.
"Your favorite," Namiko spared her a fond glance, "Sukiyaki with mayonnaise, on the side of course."
She watched her granddaughter's eyes light up with an amused chortle.
"Sometimes I think you like my daughter better than your own." Reagan said with a despondent pout as she entered the large, traditional kitchen in search of her liquor.
Namiko simply rolled her eyes.
"Oh yeah," Reagan cooed at her precious supply, "Come to daddy. Natsuki, hand me the can opener."
"Obaa-san's using it." The girl called as she abandoned the kitchen in favor of returning to the living room where Shizuru was resting comfortably on the couch with Duran's head in her lap.
With all of the grace and poise of a serpent or a petty thief, Reagan crossed the short distance between her and her mother and easily liberated the can opener from her grasp. Dodging her mother's annoyed swat, she returned to the table to open her first bottle.
When she was finished, she returned it to its rightful owner. Namiko sighed, though the action was teeming with barely suppressed affection.
"Thanks mom, love you," Reagan said, leaning down to kiss her on the head.
"Yeah, yeah," Namiko replied with a dismissive flip of her wrist, "Now why don't you make yourself useful and get the soy sauce out of the cabinet."
Reagan snickered to herself, but did what was asked of her. Her mother was far below average height and the cabinets were positioned so that a person who was of average height could reach them easily.
She got her height from her father, who stood at a staggering five-foot ten and a half even without shoes. The women of the Kruger family varied when it came to height.
Either you were incredibly tall or you were incredibly short, there wasn't really an in between unless you counted Natsuki, but her final height had yet to be determined because she was still growing.
Namiko reached for the soy sauce, but Reagan decided to play a bit dirty and held it high above her head, far out of reach, drawing forth another sigh from her mother.
"Nope, not until you say it back." She said childishly.
"Come now Reagan, are you thirty-three or thirteen?" The little woman rolled her eyes yet again.
"Roll them anymore and they'll fall out of your head." Reagan replied dryly. "Come on mom, don't leave me hanging."
"Fine," She sighed.
She suddenly jabbed her fingers into the sensitive place right in the center of Reagan's belly, causing the taller woman to fold in on herself with a grunt. When they were of relative equal height, Namiko happily liberated the soy sauce out of her troublesome daughter's grasp.
"I love you too, sweetheart."
Groaning while simultaneously trying to regain the precious oxygen she previously lost, Reagan said, "Playing dirty yet again I see."
"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," Her mother replied with a cheeky pat to her daughter's cheek, "I've been ridiculed about my height for years and know I say enough is enough."
"Okay, I'll stop." Reagan muttered breathlessly.
Her mother offered her a beaming smile. "Great, I'm glad we see eye to eye now."
She tried. She really tried. But she just couldn't help herself. Although her boisterous guffaws were cut short by another merciless jab to the gut.
[]
"Duran!" Natsuki exclaimed. "You're drooling all over her skirt."
The husky had the decency to close his mouth and look guilty as his piercing blue eyes briefly darted to the place where his saliva had soaked into his new favorite human's skirt.
"Ara, I don't mind," Shizuru said, "He's adorable."
He perked up at not receiving the reprimand he had envisioned and returned his head to her lap, shooting his former mistress a triumphant glare.
"He's alright." Natsuki sneered playfully.
Her father returned to the room a few moments later clutching her sore abdomen. She'd forgotten her mother was skilled in Tai Chi. She was in the military after all.
But it was nothing a bottle of Colt .45 couldn't fix.
She plopped in the chair with a comfortable sigh. "Want some?" She asked the pair of teenagers, and leaned forward to whisper, "Don't let your grandma see, though. I like having fingers."
Shizuru politely shook her head while Natsuki rolled her eyes.
"Ara, Natsuki?" The brunette tapped her girlfriend's shoulder after a few idle minutes of conversation. "Would your grandmother allow me to assist her?"
"Of course." She nodded.
Shizuru smiled and gently raised Duran's head out of her lap, much to the dog's dismay, and made her way into the kitchen. Duran whined and inched forward, intent on returning to his original position only in Natsuki's lap.
"Oh no you don't," Natsuki said, crossing her arms, "Traitor."
The dog rolled off the couch in exasperation and simply laid on the floor.
"Who's a traitor?" A new voice cut in as the stairs creaked slightly, indicating a new presence.
Reagan smacked her lips loudly. "Well, well, well, look who the cat dragged in on her face. Long time no see." She said to the newcomer, who was slowly being led down the stairs by Nina.
The woman had inherited the tall gene and only missed the six-foot mark by mere inches. Her hair, like most of the Krugers' was long and dark. Her sun-kissed skin gleamed under the dim-lightning of the living room, giving her some type of heavenly glow.
She was beautiful.
She smirked and tilted her head in Reagan's direction, but never truly met her eye to eye. Her gaze remained fixed straight ahead.
"I see you still have your sick sense of humor." She replied. "I'm surprised you haven't drank yourself to into a coma yet."
Reagan took another sip of her liquor. "I'll get there eventually."
"Dad, where do you want to sit?" Nina asked, looking up at the dark-haired woman expectantly.
"Wherever you feel like, baby," She said softly. Nina led her over to the couch where Natsuki was sitting and pushed her legs off from their stretched out position.
Natsuki grumbled something about rude people. "Hey, Riku." She said to her first cousin, who playfully saluted in greeting.
"Natsuki, it's good to hear your voice. How're you?" Riku said. "Your father treating you well?"
"Why does everyone seem to think I mistreat my child?" Reagan shook her head. "If anything it's the other way around. She's already turned my own mother against me."
Natsuki sighed; her father could be so dramatic.
"Dinner is ready." Namiko's gentle voice announced as she and Shizuru exited the kitchen with a plethora of plates in each of their grasps. "Hello, Riku. Are you feeling better?" She placed the back of her wrist on the woman's forehead.
"Alot better thanks to you. You're the best," She smiled charmingly.
"Oh Natsuki, be a dear and introduce Shizuru to your cousin." Namiko urged as she swiped her daughter's beer bottle out of her hand and placed it far out of reach.
"Who's Shizuru?"
"Natsuki's girlfriend." Nao interjected as she seemingly materialized from thin air.
"WOAH, Natsuki has a girlfriend?" Riku exclaimed. "No way. What's she look like?"
Shizuru was a bit confused. She was only standing a few feet away from the woman. "She can't see much. She's legally blind." Nao whispered helpfully.
"Why don't you let her touch your face to get a feel for you?" Reagan said to the honey-blonde.
"Don't listen to her, sweetheart. She was dropped on the head when she was younger. Only blind people in movies do that." Riku replied dryly.
"Anyway," Natsuki interrupted before an argument could take place. These two were famous for their banters. They could go for hours. She wrapped an arm around her girlfriend's shoulders. "Riku, this is my lovely girlfriend Shizuru. She looks like a model. Shizuru, this is my cousin Riku. She is a closeted psychopath." She whispered the last part in Shizuru's ear.
"Ara, it is a pleasure to meet you." Shizuru replied shyly.
"And she has manners! Nina, why couldn't you find someone as polite as she is?" She asked her daughter.
Nao rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm rolling my eyes." She announced.
"I figured."
"How long have you two been dating?"
"Ara, only a few days." Shizuru replied.
Riku felt around for her hand and when she finally grasped it, she gave it a tight squeeze. "Welcome to the family, sweetheart. Anyone who can put up with those two longer than a few hours is great in my book."
"This entire family is insane, just letting you know." Nao interjected. "The only normal one is Duran."
The dog looked up from where he was sneering at his reflection in the full-length mirror near the staircase, and Nao face-palmed. "Never mind."
However insane they all were, Shizuru hoped she would be around forever. Looking at the playful mother-daughter banter between Namiko and Reagan, Natsuki and Nina, and Riku and Nao made her smile.
Would she and her daughters share the same playful, loving relationship? Would she and Natsuki be in the puppy-love stage forever? She placed her hand on her belly as a content smile blossomed on her perfect lips.
She would be adding to the 'insanity' in a few months.
[]
Dinner came to an unfortunate end a few hours later.
Namiko was crestfallen about the family of four's looming departure. It tugged at Shizuru's heartstrings to see the gentle soul in such a state. Reagan was trying her best to cheer her up.
"Don't give me that look," She said as her mother pouted, "You won't be alone. You have the dog, remember?"
"Duran is great and all, but he has a very limited vocabulary." Namiko replied.
"I was talking about Riku."
"Reagan." Namiko chided, jabbing the taller woman in the gut yet again. Reagan sighed; she should be able to see it coming by now. "Come home soon."
She knew her daughter had a rather demanding job and she felt a bit selfish trying to make her make room for her. She was a grown woman after all, with her own pack to take care of nonetheless, but she couldn't help but feel a bit lonely.
Riku and Duran's presence helped tremendously, but she did enjoy seeing different faces every now and then. Especially her daughter's. Reagan meant the world to her.
Reagan's eyes softened considerably as she swept her mother up in a bear hug. "I promise I'll come see you every chance I get. I'll even leave the beer here as a testament of how serious I am. Don't let Kenshi drink it, though."
"I heard that!" Riku bellowed from the living room. "I may be blind, but I'm not deaf."
Reagan rolled her eyes as she finally released the petite woman. "I'm serious," She whispered, "She uses her blindness as an alibi. She's still a threat."
"I'm confident I can take her." Namiko replied with an exasperated sigh as she moved over to her granddaughter and Shizuru. "Feel free to come by anytime, both of you. Shizuru, you're welcome over here anytime, darling."
Shizuru smiled beautifully as she and Natsuki simultaneously embraced the Kruger Matriarch. "Ara, thank you." She said.
"We'll be back soon, Obaa-san." Natsuki promised.
"Yo, granny," Nao said from the veranda. "Is it cool if Nina and I crash here for the night? She wants to stay with her dad and I'm going to savor the feeling of being able to eat something that isn't instant ramen and potato chips."
Namiko giggled. "Of course."
Nao disappeared back into the house with a triumphant grin.
Namiko and Duran walked the threesome to Reagan's Escalade. "I'll see you in a little while," Reagan flashed her a dashing grin, "You have to make my favorite dish then."
"I'll hold you to it." Namiko replied softly.
The Head of the Kruger Clan watched as the Escalade disappeared into the night. "Come back home soon." She repeated to herself, letting her gentle prayer be lifted and carried away by the nighttime breeze.
[]
"Man, I'm pooped," Natsuki said as the threesome finally returned home.
"Now I can get drunk in peace." Reagan said, relieved.
Shizuru yawned tiredly. All of the day's events, despite her mini vacation from school, had exhausted her beyond measure. She knew it was just the pregnancy, though. She excused herself to the bathroom.
Natsuki made a move to follow her up the stairs, but a strong yet gentle hand stopped her. "Dad?" She looked up at her father expectantly.
"Hold on a second, kid." The older woman muttered, momentarily disappearing down the hall before returning with a small black box in her hands. "I have something for you."
She offered the teenager the box, watching rather impatiently as the girl slowly inspected it. Natsuki's fingers glided across the fabric of the gift box for a few seconds before she finally opened it.
Her pretty green eyes widened in awe as she saw what was inside. It was a necklace. The chain of the necklace glittered like white diamonds, each link was specially designed to resemble tiny fangs, and tiny letters were engraved into each and every one. And attached to the chain was a gorgeous pendant that sparkled under the bright lights of the living room.
The pendant was long and curved black diamond that resembled a claw or fang of some sort. She squinted her eyes, trying to piece together the message written in intricate cursive along its curve.
"Ōkami wa kanojo jishin no tame ni teikyō shimasu," She whispered aloud. "The wolf provides for her own. Dad…" She trailed off, unable to convey her gratitude into coherent words.
Reagan scratched the back of her head somewhat shyly. "I know I don't tell you enough, but I'm so proud of you, Natsuki. The person you are now, and the amazing person you'll be in the future."
She swallowed down the rush of emotion trying to break through her nonchalant barriers, deciding to hide the pain she carried inside with a smile. She poked her daughter in the forehead, forcing her own watery green eyes to lock with her own.
And when she did, she tangled her fingers into the hair on Natsuki's head and brought their faces close together.
"Thank you." Reagan blurted out.
Natsuki sniffled slightly. "For what?"
"For letting me be your father. For being my daughter. I'm the proudest dad in the world. Thank you." She chuckled breathlessly. "Thank you!"
"Damn it," Natsuki cursed as a tear slipped down her cheek on its own accord.
Reagan was about to tease her for it, but she found herself in the same predicament when one slipped down her cheek too.
She took the necklace from her daughter's stunned form and slipped it around her neck. The pendant was perfectly tight around it, resting against her collarbone. "Would you believe me if I told you I made this. Took me two whole years, you know."
Like her mother had been doing to her all day, Reagan jammed her two fingers into her daughter's gut, only a lot gentler. "Better not lose it, you hear? I practically sold my soul to get the materials!"
Natsuki did something between a giggle and a cough. "I won't! I promise! Thank you!" She swore.
"Now run along. There's a naked girl upstairs. Don't go missing opportunities now." She grinned wolfishly. Natsuki laughed and darted for the staircase. When Reagan was sure she heard the door close, the cheerful expression she wore morphed into one of tired defeat and sorrow.
Bastard, she thought furiously as a pair of dark eyes on a face nearly identical to hers appeared in her mind, even dead you still manage to somehow ruin my life.
"I wish you were alive so I could kill you myself," The normally jovial woman muttered darkly, "Father."
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End of part one.
Chapter Preview:
Natsuki takes Shizuru to a private clinic for her first ultrasound. Another new student somehow manages to complicate Natsuki's life even further. Namikaze is determined to get Natsuki on her side, Reagan tries not to dwell on the inevitable.
Reito confesses his feelings to Tate, and Shizuru struggles with the anxiety of not becoming a worthy mother.
Reviews are welcome and much appreciated. Until next time.