Chapter 12
She's going crazier
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We mature with the damage, not with the years.
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"Let me fix it." He said. "I have my whole life to make it up to you. Tell me how." He faced her and began to kneel. "esposa. (wife). Te lo ruego. (I beg you).
She motioned for him to join her in the hammock.
And he did.
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He had a very pleasant nap. The best he had in the past 2 years. He lay beside her in a hammock between two large maple trees with the soft evening breeze tickling his cheeks. His left arm snaked around her neck and the hand nestled in her head as he pulled her close to him. He might have been inebriated during his first time with Yue, but he never held the seductress like how he held Kikyo. He held him like as if she'll go away. Like as if she's a fragile glass that would break at the slightest pressure.
No. He will not be that pressure. He felt the shift in her position as she started to stir. Had he waken her? No matter, it will be dinner soon. He was a bit sad that she will not be preparing his meal tonight but it was fine, he supposed. It has been a long time since she was close to him. He could not believe she would just forgive him like that.
Who knows? The girl had always been crazy anyway. To him, at least. Who else would dare tell his otō-sama, the clan head, to leave all financial matters to her? She had just proposed to move their wedding early during that time, saying she had a plan. He thought that she lost her mind when Hiretsuna and Kasai died, but no. She followed through.
She had planned to make the Uchiha self-sufficient and she had been glorious at it. He never understood the Miko garbs, though. Even if it allowed him to find her so easily when they were younger. She wore it so much that the color red had been synonymous to her name.
He was glad she accepted him though. He knew it was not the acknowledgement he has wanted from her for so long, but hey, at least he's making progress, right?
He was wrong. He found out during dinner. It was rather distasteful for him to actually let her go to attend to dinner, but she insisted and so, he allowed himself be led to the dining hall of the main house. He had a content smile across his face that almost had other clan members mistake him for someone else. Madara, the usually scowling clan heir for the past 2 years, was actually smiling. He was escorting his young wife when a choking Nikushimi asked him what happened to his face.
Madara was confused. "I don't understand, otōto. What do you mean?" he threw a glance at Kikyo who sported a very innocent face and shrugged. Izuna was coughing and Tajima had a bored look on his face. Even Kagome who was currently serving the food blushed.
This was suspicious. He excused himself and tried to look for a mirror to check his appearance. When finally found one inside his chambers, he understood what his little brother was talking about.
There were… drawings on his face. Not simple drawings.
Back in the main hall, the head of the clan just raised his eyebrow at his daughter-in-law. "Really, Kikyo?" He had always known that the girl was a cut above her peers in terms of maturity but she is still young, and this might be a burst of youthfulness in her.
The girl giggled, "I have no idea what you are talking about, Tajima-sama."
Izuna just could not comprehend what was the point of the drawings, sure they were funny… but. Yeah. What in the world? Nikushimi, even though unbecoming from someone of his station, kept on holding back his guffaws which came out like weird funny noises.
Just as Kikyo took her seat in the chabudai, the shoji was slid open, revealing her flushed husband. Maybe the term 'flushed' was inaccurate as the boy probably scrubbed his face raw to remove the dicks she drew.
"Why…" His fists were shaking, "How dare you… you… draw those… penises in my face?!" he bellowed.
She did not answer.
"Kikyo!" his voice a lot louder this time. Demanding both her attention and answer.
"I'm sorry darling, I was not aware you were talking to me," She smiled sweetly. "I have not rejected demands for spar in over 2 years, you know. I am rather… cross." She patted the spot beside her, inviting him to sit. "And besides it's a Sunday."
He gruffed but sat seiza beside her, still glaring holes into her head. "And what does that have to do with a man's genitals on my face?!"
"oh? Did you not know?" her voice with a hint of mock, "Sundays are dedicated to Inari-sama." She said. She knew it was just a harmless prank and it was rather difficult to bullshit her way through it, but she'd try. It was a refreshing experience. Who else can say that they have vandalized the Uchiha Madara's face and getting away with it?
"elaborate." He demanded. His anger slowly abating, but it was still there.
She scoffed, "I was informed he was the kami of fertility and a lot of other things." She froze when she saw the expression on his face. She was hoping to see him gobsmacked or pissed, but not that extremely happy smile on his mug.
"Fertility?"
Nikushimi deadpanned, "Mada-nii, you are really strong, but it would be better if you were not deaf."
Tajima and Izuna kept on eating. The former understanding that this was a rather petty prank played by Madara's wife while the latter wondering if this was what could have happened to him had Yanagi been courageous enough to stand up to him. She was after all being taught by Kikyo. She was Kikyo's partner! Oh no! He needs to prepare for these types of stuff… Maybe he should avoid her altogether? He ignored the older teens and continued eating instead.
"Shut up Niku!" The eldest snapped and turned his head to Kikyo. "Fertility? Are you… " He was silent for a moment. As if not able to say what he intended to. Kagome has been dismissed by his father back to the kitchen. Should he say it? "Did you… draw those to my face because…"
Kikyo rolled her eyes and continued eating.
"You are already fertile?" He blurted out.
The girl did not know what to tend first. Herr popping eyes of her choking throat. She tried to force it down via water and lightly hit her chest. "WHAT!?"
Tajima smirked while Izuna and Nikushimi burrowed their brows. It has been well known that children come after nine months in the mother's womb, but the first child can come any time after the marriage. Will Kikyo be giving Madara an heir? Nikushimi did not like it one bit.
"I… apologize," Madara spoke. "I did not realize. There were no symptoms," He shot his father a menacing look, "Nobody had deemed it significant to inform me."
Had Tajima been a woman, he would have rolled his eyes at the boy, "Calm down, idiot. She just played a joke on you. Nothing more."
Nikushimi breathed in relief. His Aneue will not be sprouting babies anytime soon.
The clan heir frowned. It was a joke? Why in the seven blazes would she do that? "I think it's more than that."
"You're reading too much into it." She said.
Izuna decided that his Madara-nii-sama had already been embarrassed enough. "I think it's a symbolism."
The only girl in the table narrowed her eyes at the boy for that stupid comment.
Madara smirked, pranking eh? Well, two can play that game. "I agree, otōto. It seems, your aneue is giving me some hints regarding something."
"I wonder what it could be." The boy's smiles became predatory.
"I can't believe I'm eating with hentais." Nikushimi snorted. Kikyo knew there was a reason this boy was her favorite. Not even Itama came close to first.
Izuna had a knowing smile on his face while Madara had a look telling her, there's more from where that came from.
She hated her life. "I see smoke on the horizon. " She said. "Kami, I hope it's the rest of your common sense burning down."
Her expressionless face saying that was very amusing to Madara.
After dinner, he had expected for her to come with him to their sleeping quarters. She refused saying the room was tainted. There was a reason she requested her own sanctuary in near the lake. She told him. His shoulders sagged and his expression saddened. Even still, he wanted to be with her. He needed to be with her. She will acknowledge him. Even just his presence.
"What are you doing here?" Kikyo asked. She was sure he'd be in their old room licking his wounds. It might have been a harmless prank on him, but it was humiliating. It was bad enough that someone had tainted his skin, much more his face, she also drew vulgar items in there. Namely, penises.
She thought it was fitting. When he insisted for the reason, she simply told him, that if he will think with his dick, he might as well look like one. She thought she was being smart. "I will sleep on the right side. You can stay on the left side." He cut off his musings.
"No. That's not what I meant." She was currently preparing her futon- as she does not have a bed yet in her new home, when he came in and shoved his clothes on the wooden closet near the door. The shoji facing the lake was open and gave them a beautiful scene. His face ruined it. He began to remove his training gear and prepared to retire beside her. Something that shocked her, apparently. "I am asking why you are here. Like here. In my sanctuary. Go back to your old room."
She shook his head and placed the pillows he brought with him on the futon. "You have demanded to sleep on the left side of the bed. I told you that you can only do so if it's beside me."
Kikyo fought the urge of her eye to twitch. It has already been a given that they will sleep together, that's why she claimed the goddamn left side of the bed. If you are alone on a futon there is no 'left' side or 'right'. There is only the futon and you. "You cannot sleep here." She sat Indian sit and folded her hand.
"Too bad." He shrugged and began to lie down.
She repositioned herself and tried to push him off the futon. "I, argh, have not- ergh, forgotten that this body had lied with somebody else. I refuse to be beside you!"
He sighed and pulled her into his embrace. "Shut up and sleep." He felt hollow. She might have forgiven him… wait, she has not expressed her forgiveness. She had only accepted him back into her life. She might also never forget his misdeed. This is rather concerning.
"hmp." She pouted and turned her back on him while he kept on spooning her.
"Can… we talk about it?" He suddenly asked.
"About what?"
"Listen… I hate myself for hurting-"
She scoffed, "You did not hurt me, Madara." She cut him off. "For you to actually hurt me, I have to love you first. Which I don't. My heart belongs to one person."
He shut his mouth. He knew they did not love each other. Despite his obsession with her, he cannot say he loved her. He can't help himself though, who owned her heart.
"…and that is me." She continued. "What you did was… something so against…" She clicked her tongue. Why was it so difficult to explain simple concepts to this idiota?
His gaze softened, "Go on, Hermosa. I will listen. That would be the least I can do." He sniffed the top of her head as she rested on the same pillow he did, his arms entangled over her torso.
"heh. Payaso. I just felt… insulted. I believe in fate, you know. Destinies will be met. In fact, should you know your destiny, you will still meet it." Should she really weave this lie? Was this a lie? Who was she convincing? Nevertheless, she had to continue explaining to the boy whose ears are now fully trained on her. "The road that you take to avoid your destiny will the road where you will meet it. Maybe we can change minor things. Maybe those little changes can make large ripples… but in the end, what's destined will come to pass."
She sighed. Where had she even learned all of this? "Take yourself as an example. You were born to be clan heir. Should Tajima-sama perish, you will step up. It does not matter who ends his life. You will take his place, because that is your destiny."
He frowned at the thought of losing his detached father. "…what if it was me who perished instead of my father?" Destiny? Pffft.
"Then you were not worthy of the destiny set for you." She said firmly. "Destiny… is not set in stone. I told you, the road you take to avoid your destiny will be road where you will meet it. It could also be… that you were destined to fail."
"I do not see the connection of this destiny to… the infidelity I have committed against you."
She sighed. "While there are certain things that are meant to be, there are things that have been bequeath for us to change as we so please. I can give you a necklace. You can say it was destined for you. It has reached its destiny. It is your choice what to do with it. You can keep it, wear it, destroy it or throw it away. The moment Tajima-sama implied union, I knew. I was born for you, and whatever you do with me is my destiny."
He gaped. Born for him? For him? She? "wh-whaa.. I…"
"…and so, I trained hard. I wanted to be worthy of the destiny set for me. I worked diligently to ensure that I will not be a burdensome wife. Whether our marriage was loveless or not, I needed to make you proud. It was my destiny." She had that faraway look again. Not that he can see. There was a reason she was born in this clan after all. Why the boy had been obsessed with her. Why everything was so easy for an intruder in their world like her. Until today she had been struggling with destiny to keep Nikushimi alive. As she knew he was destined to die.
His stomach had… felt weird. Not his loin. His heart was beating… in a much faster pace. Her destiny.
"…and then you do something so degrading as to stomp on my destiny." She evenly said. "I felt like… the dust in the soles of your sandals."
"I…"
She turned to face him, completely encased in his arms, "Words will not give justice to whatever it is you feel. Guilt? I know. I know you are sorry. Never in my wildest dreams have I even thought of having the boogeyman of all shinobi kneel in front of me. You need not say more. I hated you. That, I am sure. But you are a proud and arrogant creature. Had you been insincere, you would have not bent your knees. That is why I forgave you."
He was lost for words. Someone who had a higher station, like himself, is NEVER allowed to even bow first to someone lower. His wife, as per customs, should not be even able to walk alongside him, just behind. Though, he never cared for any of that. It's just that he never expected Kikyo to have so much from his gesture. "I… think there are actual butterflies in my stomach." He winced.
Her eye twitched. Way to ruin the moment. "Then you should not eat caterpillars." She smirked and held into the fold of his sleeping yukata, "…If I ever find out that you did something so… disgusting again, Yue will not be alone in being unable to have children."
He gulped. He understood now. It was a woman's destiny to mother children. Since she believed her destiny was stomped upon, she decided to destroy someone else's destiny. "uh…"
She smiled sweetly. So sickeningly and threateningly sweet, "Are we clear?"
"Yes!"
"hm mm. Good."
His chest was still pounding when she nuzzled her head into his chest. Her breath sending warm breaths of air into his chest. He fell asleep cuddling the warmth that believed it was destined for him.
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He sat seiza a few meters away from her sleeping form.
This morning, he had been woken by curdling screams from her. He did not know what the problem was, he tried to help her but to no avail. He ended up begging Suzekai-ishi to see his ailing wife early in the morning after pounding on her door.
Tajima and Kibishī had left once the girl was relieved of whatever ails her. The clan medic could not find something wrong with her. The chakra levels in her head had been fluctuating and her overall chakra spiked several times. She seemed to be convulsing in pain though they have not observed any wound. Her body temperature had risen through the roof but has subsided after an hour of agonizing on the floor.
He huffed. Last night… he was so sure he wanted to keep her in his arms that way. He hated this morning. He knew. He just knew it could not get any worse. Nikushimi had been glaring at him before the boy left, as he was late- only arriving when Kikyo had calmed down, and thus, he had no reason to stay. Suzekai had tasked the young heir to observe Kikyo for the mean time and report anything unusual.
Thus, his current situation. Observing her. She was still and pale. Had it not been for the small rise and fall of her chest she can be mistaken for a corpse. His mouth felt dry at the thought. They were shinobi. Would he really be able to allow Kikyo to… actually perish while he still breaths? If she believed that she was his. Then so be it. Should destiny be wrong and their stars were not actually in alignment, he would rewrite the heavens.
He would rewrite reality should anything happen to his wife.
This has been his second chance. He will move heaven and earth if that is what it took to keep her safe. He will cut down anyone who even thinks of harming her. If this was not a natural cause, if this has been another deliberate attempt on the life of the main family… He will parade the carcass of the culprit.
She called him the boogeyman of all shinobi. What had she meant? What's a boogeyman? No matter. He will learn in time. Perhaps it's another term in the language she had created. Crazy girl. He patted his knee has he continued pondering.
Ella con su triste canto te acompañará (know that I'm with you the only way that I could be)
Hasta que en mis brazos estés, recuérdame (Until you're in my arms again, remember me…)
He hummed. She sang it so much better than he ever could. He missed her voice. He missed her singing this song for him. He sighed. It has been a several hours after sunrise. He did not take repast as he had lost his appetite worrying about the girl who seemed to be so strong, so indomitable and yet so fragile at the same time.
The only person who owned her heart was her. Heh. We'll see. He had always been fascinated by her. She was always someone who was so sturdy. Someone he wanted to surpass. Someone that, by all means should acknowledge him. HE was so… mad at her casual dismissal of who he is. Destiny. Hah. What a load of crap. Though he would not be saying that to her face.
When his father had asked him why we wanted to be specifically partnered with her, he had a gazillion reasons. Reasons he could not remember. Now all he wants is her.
Her heart.
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His heart.
Something that Yue knew she'd never have. She knew he slept beside her in her sanctuary. Had they consummated their marriage then? She felt a pang of jealousy stab her heart. Yue wanted nothing more than his attention her entire life but she knew the Young clan Mistress was right.
She could not give what she does not have. Perhaps, it's time that she loved herself? She knew that should the mistress ask for his heart, he will not have second thoughts.
She hated this clan, but she will love herself. Maybe then, maybe she'll stand a chance to fight for her love. Maybe she'll finally find happiness somewhere else.
Nah. Who was she kidding? Her only happiness was with the arms of the young master. She spoke with Suzekai yesterday, if the clan medic would take her as a disciple. The aged woman agreed.
If Madara cannot love her for who she is, he will love her due to her likeness with Kikyo.
This sounds like a lame plan. Her head and her heart needs rest.
When she heard that Kikyo had a fit this morning, she was surprised and conflicted. She liked the girl. Really. Great listener, good friend, better friend than she could ever be. On the other hand, she's the reason Madara cannot be with Yue.
Decisions. Decisions.
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Though Madara was submerged waist deep in his thoughts, he did not fail to notice that his wife began to stir. She's awake.
She yawned and stretched and squinted against the rays of the already high sun. It's light gloriously reflected by the lake. Huh? Where was she? Oh yes. She remembered now. She woke up with the mother of all migraines, and she was not referring to the pain she was feeling in her head.
Something in the lake kept on swaying her thoughts. Come to think of it… all of her visions and memories would always be triggered by the lake. That's why she kept on lounging there.
This time, it was a full blown memories of a lifetime. The third life she lived before this one. That's why her head was almost about to explode. It was rather fortunate that the chakra she kept on storing in her byakugou had been enough for her to at least minimize the damage in her psyche. It was like a dam burst and all the water kept pouring in a torrent of floods. A deluge in her own mind that could have drowned her.
She turned her head on the gasp she heard. "You're awake!"
"You're stupid!"
He frowned in confusion.
"I thought we were stating whatever was obvious. Was I mistaken?"
He rolled his eyes and scrambled towards her to imprison her in his embrace. "I was worried sick. Not stupid, woman."
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A/N.
Yes. Tajima said YOUTH. How hardcore is that? Hahaha. Anyway. Kikyo keeps on remembering the lives she has lived. Reincarnation does not happen just once, you know? Or that's what I think.
I am not a native Spanish speaker (I actually do not understand Spanish – I had to google translate it). English is not my first language (It's a tertiary language).
If I am not able to update it's because I'm starving of reviews. Kidding. I'll be busy with the new curriculum for new hires in the company for the next 4 weeks, so I hope I can find the time to write this… I dunno. I think my writing style is on par with a 3rd grade. Not that I cared, but still.
Question : How you want these memories to affect Kikyo, and Madara by extension?