IMPORTANT: Chapter one has been rewritten and replaced in this update. So I'd love it if you guys would read it and drop off a review for it, and hopefully, this one's more attention grabbing than the other one.
X
Chapter 14: A Matter of Sex and Attraction
The night was calm without the slightest gust of wind outside. Inside, however, was a very different story. Neither Temari nor Sakura had left the room for the duration of the day. The sky had already darkened and, although the main floor was booming with laughter from Grandmother's gathering of the most prestigious old women Ino had ever seen, her own room was as desolate as the night before.
Ino had only caught a brief glimpse of the crowd of women in the living room, but all of them, including Grandmother, all had one thing in common--their obvious self-confidence. Each of them stood tall, bearing a smile so cheerful, Ino had doubts about whether or not their lives were anything to smile about at all. These were women who led a long life, mid-to-late-sixties perhaps, pulling through every obstacle in the way and set on enjoying their lives. They were dressed in colours, nothing flashy, but looked beautiful despite their age, as Ino was sure they had been during their time.
I bet they wouldn't be laughing now if they knew Temari was in a gang, Ino thought bitterly. Or maybe they used to be part of it too. Yet despite the thought, she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy inside her. She could only wish to grow up to be one so admirable. Maybe then she would love herself more. She didn't understand it--everyone else loved her, so why does she feel so disgusting sometimes? Was it because of her hobby? She hadn't had any sex in while, she realized (consented sex anyway, remembering Haruno's incident). For the longest time, she figured that men existed to make women happy, that was why she went through so many of them. But all the attention she had received seemed empty somehow.
She shook her head, trying to clear it from her unnatural thoughts. What's gotten into you? She asked herself. You've been single for too long. How long has it been since my last breakup with Kiba? Two months? Yeah, definitely too long. I don't know how Tenten does it, I'm going insane already. But I promised myself to stop fooling around and focus on school. Really, boys just aren't worth the risk of flunking my last year.
But her mind couldn't help but stray. While she sat alone in her room, with Tenten working on her own projects downstairs in the library, trying to take another stab at calculus, she began to question herself. Where was she going in life? She was pretty, yes, she knew that--pretty, but not beautiful--but how far could she go with that? She could be a model. She was a little on the short side but who knows? There was never really something she enjoyed more than prettying herself up with the knowledge that it would be appreciated. She didn't even know what she was good at in the first place.
She sighed and stared down at her homework. She had already spent the past thirty minutes trying to figure it out, successfully accomplishing a full set of two questions. As hard as she tried, she just couldn't grasp onto the third. She contemplated on getting help, but she just couldn't bear asking Tenten, who was still down there trying to figure out her own assignments, mainly her Law presentation as she had heard her complain over the last two weeks. The blonde knew Haruno was capable of helping her, but she wasn't sure she would easily guide her through without a price.
Just then, someone knocked on her door. But before Ino could get up, the door opened itself. Haruno stepped in and flipped on the lights before closing the door behind her. Ino leaned back in her chair, casting a suspicious glance at her. She was still in a pair of overalls, with paint streaks smeared over her face and clothes, a little bit even got in her hair, but amazingly, her hands were both clean. In her right hand, she held a silver platter, just the type of thing one would expect to find in a house of this caliber.
"Serving the hors d'oeuvres?" Ino asked sarcastically with a raised brow.
"Haha, funny," Haruno replied in her usual tone as she removed the lid. She revealed a single square of lasagna--each layer stacked neatly atop one another looked nothing less than perfection. The fresh fragrance that emanated from the dish filled the blonde's nostrils, reminding her that she hadn't eaten in over twelve hours. Haruno motioned for her to stay put and advanced towards her with the platter, gingerly placing it in front of her. Then, from one of the large pockets in her overalls, she produced a can of sparkling grapefruit juice to accompany the meal.
"Y-you made this for me?"
She rolled her eyes. "No, dumbass, I brought it up here to eat it in front of you. And I didn't make it. Just reheated some frozen stuff. Temari figured you'd like something to eat after skipping two consecutive meals. She got me to make something for Tenten, so why not spare some for you too."
"Uhm, it's pretty late for something like this," Ino said with uncertainty despite herself.
"You don't have to eat if you're worried about getting fat. It's just vegetables, no meat."
"Well…in that case…" She grinned sheepishly in attempt to show her gratitude and picked up her fork. Ino didn't hesitate --she was much too hungry for that, and as much as she hated to admit, she loved food and disliked nothing more than see it go to waste. Besides, her lame excuse wasn't even enough to convince herself. She didn't stop to consider if the food's been tampered with as she would've done in any other situation.
"This is really good," Ino said with a child-like smile once she swallowed her first bite, nearly burning herself in the process. She had already known at first sight that this wasn't anything out of a box. After all, she would know with her dad being away on certain nights. She was well accustomed to frozen food. From the way Haruno behaved, she could tell that this was all her doing. She couldn't help but smile again as she shoveled another forkful into her mouth. Who knew the pink bastard had such a cute hobby. Totally wouldn't mind if she cooked for me everyday.
She paused in mid-bite and glanced up at the enigmatic girl.
Haruno leaned against the edge of her desk with her arms crossed, not saying anything, not even paying attention to the blonde at all as she looked over Ino's calculus homework. She really isn't bad looking at all if you take a good look at her, on par with Temari even, just on a different plane. I wonder what gave her such an unattractive personality, Ino thought, a tinge of déjà vu slipping through her mind. That's not the first time I thought that… Jesus Christ I'm losing it.
"I can see you staring. It's called peripheral vision, piggy. If you want to kiss me, just say so. Quit it," she said, flipping a page in her textbook without looking at her.
Then again, she was probably born with it, Ino thought, glaring down at her food in embarrassment. Just when I think I can get a good opinion of you, you always have to go and prove me wrong. Must've eaten too many pink lemons throughout your life.
"I'll strike a deal with you," Haruno said when Ino was about three quarters through. "I'll help you out with these problems. I did this last year, and it really isn't as hard as it looks."
"Wait a second. Last year? What kind of courses are you taking?"
"I'm done with math already, took Calculus last year, but still work some tutoring jobs now and then so nothing's forgotten even if I tried," she explained almost exasperatedly, rubbing her temples. "That's all you need to know if it makes you feel more secure about me tutoring you. So if you want my help, I just need you to do one little thing…"
Ino felt her heart stop in dread.
"Come over to my room later tonight."
X
Tenten pulled a thick and dusty leather-backed book off one of the towering walnut shelves. The amount of books Tenten had found concerning law astounded her. Though they were mostly on the laws of Suna, in no way had she considered any of the three to be the studious types. Smart, yes, but not overachieving. Ah, this one looks to be a hundred years old, she mused as she flipped through the thin yellowed pages. I will never understand why I took Law, too much controversy. Using the index, she found the general section she needed, but seriously questioned her luck. Trying to balance the book at the same time, she quickly moved up and pushed her glasses up with the back of her hand, if only as a brief excuse to rest from squinting at the fading black text.
In truth, she wasn't very sure what she was looking for, nor what she was even doing in the first place. It was an excuse to kill time, she didn't deny it. The idea of handing in nothing seemed tempting to her--at least it'd be a one-time chance at rebellion. Even though she didn't know why she worked so hard, she couldn't find it in herself to turn away. She couldn't afford to lose so many marks.
As she stood there scanning the pages for something of relevance to her project, completely absorbed, she didn't hear the door open and close, nor the footsteps moving towards her.
Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms slink around her waist, followed by a warm body pressed up against her back. She let out a surprised cry and almost dropped the worn book. A low laugh sounded behind her, the sound and accompanied breath tickling her ears.
"You smell nice," she mumbled, burying her face in the brunette's neck.
"This isn't the first time you've gotten this close to me. Either you're really slow or you're full of bull as usual," Tenten laughed.
"To you, darling, I speak only the truth. That was merely just a confirmation. Anyway, are you hungry? You haven't eaten in a long time. You're not sick are you?"
"No, no, it just completely slipped my mind."
"Well if you're not hungry…" Temari spun her around, causing the book to fall to the floor. Tenten looked up at her, catching a small spark in her green eyes. "I am," she breathed, closing the gaps between her and Tenten. The brunette didn't fight back, allowing entrance without hesitation, but kept a tight reign on her thoughts.
Pulling away, Tenten backed up, creating a distance between them. "Enough of that you pervert, I'm behind enough as it is and all you ever do is distract me."
"You haven't eaten in twelve hours and you're more worried about your homework? What do you run on?" Temari asked with a raised brow. "You should set your priorities straight, hun, before you collapse with anemia or something like that."
"It's not a big deal. I'll eat once I've found a direction in what I'm doing," she retorted a matter-of-factly, slipping the book back into its home on the seldom touched shelves.
Temari bent over as she examined the book Tenten had just stowed away. "Law, huh? You should've said something! I don't know if Suna's constitution will help much, though in reality, Konoha's laws are pretty similar. So what's your project about?"
"Er, some little thing in criminal law...it's so complex…and I need to do a PowerPoint sort of presentation."
The sandy-blonde strode to the end of the shelves, beckoning for her to follow. Turning a corner, she walked up and down the isle, picking off a few books and led her to the lounge chairs where Tenten's laptop laid open on a blank document. Beside it was a tray of food, something the brunette did not remember seeing in the time she had been in there.
"Okay, I'll tell you anything you need to know on the condition that you eat while you listen, okay?" Temari said with a grin, moving the tray onto Tenten's lap. The brunette merely nodded, dubious as you whether or not she would be any help at all. The aloof, artsy troublemaker just didn't seem like the type to explain criminal laws to her. Though right now, she was desperate enough to grasp at every chance she can.
"Look, I can see it in your face that you doubt me," Temari said with a smirk. "But trust me. There is no better person to ask."
"Sorry, but I see you breaking laws, not understanding and enforcing them," Tenten said before unhesitatingly helping herself to the plate of lasagna on her lap.
"Good to know you think so highly of me. By the way, Haruno made that. Just don't tell her I told you."
"You know if you had just kept that to yourself, I would've thought that it was your handiwork. She's a really good cook. There goes my respect for you."
"Woah, woah, hold on. You had respect for me? And I just opened my big mouth and lost it? That's unfair, hun. You play dirty."
"Well you could gain it back. If you'd do what you promised and help me with my project."
"Of course, of course."
For the next hour, Temari filled her in with everything she needed to know and more. Her vast knowledge of politics extended to the point where she was able to recite century-old sections of the constitution, numbers and volumes and all. As Tenten listened, taking notes as she followed along, she could even hear distinct differences in her tone and voice when she talked of law, though she wasn't about to break the flow and comment on it. The dirty and reckless Temari Tenten had come to know over the past few weeks was gone, replaced by a woman much like her grandmother--intelligent and mannered like only the most elite in the social hierarchy. And as she explained the controversies surrounding Tenten's topic, the brunette suddenly became very aware of how much for sophisticated and cultured Temari really was. It would've made her feel self-conscious about her own status, but there were a few things that stuck out her.
For one thing, she no longer spoke with contractions. There was no slang, or even colloquialism. There was even a tinge of an accent that Tenten had never noticed before. It wasn't unpleasant, in fact it was quite soothing, but it was strange. It was out of character. The brunette wasn't sure what to make of it, but she continued on, asking questions, as if she had never noticed. In fact, she didn't even know if Temari noticed it herself.
The new dignified side of Temari's voice and speech patterns, rich and deep as it was, felt empty to Tenten's ears. Her enthusiasm was nothing like when she spoke about her cars despite not knowing much about them. No, she spoke as if law was an obligation--her duty.
Tenten wondered about this, all the while paying close attention to her words. She didn't dare stop her and ask. There were just too many sides, too many hidden compartments in her deep green eyes. Yet she was sure, without a doubt, that she would never be involved in an illegal organization. She must know every nook and cranny in the legal system, every law and every punishment, but Tenten knew that she would never break any of them. There was virtually nothing to support this notion. She just trusted her. Period.
X
Ino stared at herself in the mirror. What the hell does Haruno have in mind? One thing's for sure, she'd definitely have to take off her clothes. Maybe she wants to take nude photos. Turning around a few times to examine herself, the blonde concluded that there wasn't anything she could do to improve anything. As arrogant as it sounded, she was already perfect. At least she wasn't vain enough to complain about her looks and just admit the fact that it's perfect. If that was the case, at least she'd look good. It can't be too difficult, right? But what if these pictures will be posted on the internet? What does that make her? A trophy on the Worldwide Web for all the men in the world to ogle at? Ino shivered. She definitely couldn't go through with this. Even promiscuous people had morals! Then again…
She leaned in closer and studied her eyes. Maybe I should put on some make up…
It didn't matter what she had to do, there wasn't anything she could do to oppose Sakura. As long as she lived here, she was only a puppet, controlled by invisible strings and an immaterial ball and chain. Besides, they had an agreement. For the past hour, she had tutored her, just as she said she would. Now she had to follow up on her obligations. Though that didn't stop Ino from questioning herself. Just what kind of deal was this? Math to her was like being able to captivate people to Ino, the only difference being that Ino never had to work hard. Point was, she did it naturally. But for Ino, she could very well lose everything. Just what kind of shitty bargain is this? Ino thought, giving into herself and applying a bit of eyeliner. I feel scammed. Should I just be happy I understand numbers now? She was a pretty good teacher. Gee, that's motivating. Not.
Less than five minutes later, Ino drew a deep breath and smiled at herself. Somehow, she had managed to perfect perfection. Stop it, Ino, you're no narcissist, she chastised herself with a giggle that quickly faded into a frown. Your looks are all you have.
Woah, what was that? Ino thought, her thought train abruptly coming to a stop as she blinked at herself in the mirror. She shook her head, confused and irritated at herself for the notch she suddenly made in her self-esteem. She didn't know what caused her to think like that, but she had a feeling Haruno was to blame. She furrowed her brows in thought. Like hell I'd let that pink weed affect me. Just forget about it, Ino. Losing sleep over this is exactly what she wants you to do. Being single for this long was seriously a bad idea. Gotta fix that as soon as possible. Just gotta wait till tomorrow.
She had the sudden urge to splash cold water on her face. But, remembering the make-up she had just applied, she held herself back.
She shook her head again and reached for the door. Ino immediately noticed Haruno who stood opposite from her. She had her back to her, towering above her desk with her head down, and didn't show any sign of acknowledgement. She looked almost asleep, though her arms were moving. Curious at what she was doing, the blonde took a few long strides towards her. She was almost directly behind her and had her hand out, ready to tap her on the shoulder, but it seemed to her that even the most innocent curiosity got her in trouble.
Within the next instant, she felt a tight grip on her wrist. In one swift manoeuvre, it was twisted backwards, forcibly bent at the elbows, with the rest of her body, held in place by a strong hand. Then, for a brief moment, she felt her body suspended in midair before she felt the air rush out of her lungs as she landed on her front with a thud. A tight grip on her shoulder pinned her on the carpet, disabling her free arm as well.
She didn't know what happened, nor did she know what she did to deserve this. All she could think about was the pain coursing through her pinned arm, held so hard at such an awkward angle, and a very song sense of déjà vu. She turned her neck in attempt to face her aggressor, yet failing to meet her eye. She tried to speak but she had bit her tongue hard as she landed. Her mouth hurt, but felt numb compared to her arm.
"W-what the hell were you trying to do?" Haruno demanded, not loosening her grip. Her voice was shaky and panicked, as if she had done what she did out of automatic response. It became obvious to Ino then that this girl definitely had martial arts training. That would explain what happened during that time in the countryside.
"I-it hurts…" the blonde managed to gasp. The other girl let go abruptly, realizing she still had her pinned down.
With as much strength as she could muster, she rolled onto her back and pushed herself up into a sitting position. She flailed her arm around in attempt to loosen it up. The pain smoothed out a bit within a few moments, causing her to become prominently aware of the sharp sting inside her mouth. She glared up at Haruno, who knelt beside her. She was taken aback to catch a brief apologetic expression on her face. But once her confused green eyes met Ino's irritated blue ones, she quickly reverted back to her hard, nonchalant self.
"What's your problem, Haruno?" Ino said, glowering at her with all her might.
"I should be asking you that."
"What kind of person attacks people like that? I didn't even touch you! I was just trying to see what you were doing," she returned almost angrily, a small pout forming on her lips.
Haruno averted her eyes and picked up the camera she had dropped onto the thick carpet. She examined it carefully to make sure it didn't break. Ino hated to think what would happen to her if it did. "Do that again and I won't be able to guarantee your safety next time," she said distractedly as she pointed the camera at the floor to take a test shot. Watching her, Ino couldn't help but wonder if nude photos were exactly what she had in mind.
"You almost dislocated my arm!"
"You're lucky I didn't shatter it."
The blonde lunged at her, pinning her down by the shoulders, the camera gently rolling out of her hand. A crestfallen expression briefly touched her features when Haruno's green eyes looked up at her, nonchalant without a hint of surprise. Hardening her gaze, Ino smirked, lowering her face closer to the other girl's. In a menacing hostility, she breathed one word: "Apologize."
"You deserved it, pig," Haruno scowled. "For what it's worth, you deserve worse."
"But you wouldn't, would you? Deny it all you want, but you care about me…don't you?" she murmured in a thick, sultry voice. With a flick of her tongue, she lightly grazed the side of her face. She heard her breath catch for the briefest of moments.
Before she could celebrate the accomplishment, however, she felt her right leg being kicked out from under her. Ino felt her heartbeat quicken when she landed right on top of Haruno's front. Feeling her breasts crushed against her own, she flushed a light crimson against her fair complexion, having never experienced such a strange and uncomfortable position with another girl before. Reflexively, she tried to push herself up, but Haruno's iron grip on her wrists prevented her from moving her arms at all. Before she knew it, she was on her back with the other girl in the same position she had been in just a moment earlier.
"Is that what you really think?" Haruno said smugly, tightening her grip on Ino's shoulder. Ino cringed at the sudden stab of pain. "Shall we see how long you stand by that?" With each passing second, Ino felt the pressure increase steadily. Her facial muscles were tightening and contorting in pained grimaces. Even her lips felt like they were ready to explode as she bit them to keep from screaming.
"It's not too late to beg me," Haruno provoked.
But whether it was some foolish pride or simply the annoying way she smirked when she said that, Ino scowled at her. From under her, Haruno's intimidating stares were more effective than ever. The blonde wanted to squirm out and admit she had lost. She understood perfectly that she could've done it quickly and painfully, but she was stalling.
Defiant, Ino relaxed herself despite the pain and said between intervals of heavy breathing and grunting, "I know you won't do it. I don't doubt that you can, but you won't."
Haruno frowned and squeezed her shoulder harder, earning a wince and a strangled noise from Ino. "Really? And exactly what makes you so sure of yourself, Miss Piggy?"
"How would you do that shoot without me?" she replied.
"You knew I wanted you for a shoot…very perceptive. So what? Do you honestly think I'd hold back just for that?"
"Mm, no." Haruno faltered a little in surprise. "But I know you won't break anything."
"You know, Ino, I think a pained expression would work fine for the camera."
"This kind of reminds me," Ino murmured thoughtfully, ignoring Haruno, "I've always been meaning to ask, but I guess I've never really managed to put it into a proper question."
"Are you trying to distract me?" Haruno said nonchalantly. Nevertheless, she loosened her grip on the blonde.
"No, no, I was just thinking that's all. You know, I think this entire thing could've been avoided since day one," she paused and watched the other girl expectantly. When no reply or reaction came, she continued on. "I don't believe you're a dumb person in any way. And honestly, you could've easily gotten away with it. You were the one who presented the option to me…so why?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Why did you let yourself get caught?"
She frowned. "You'd already caught me, so what else am I supposed to do? Knock you out and run away?"
Ino looked at her questioningly. That was when such an obvious realization hit her. "You waited for me. You wanted me to catch you. You set this entire thing up, didn't you? You were looking for every excuse to get us where we are now. You're like…obsessed with me, aren't you?"
Haruno shook her head, a quiet, cynical laugh escaping her lips. "There you go again, always so fucking full of yourself. You just never stop to think, do you? Temari was part of this too, remember? In fact, she was the one who initiated this. Do you honestly believe I would stalk you? I don't have time for that. If you would just put two and two together, you'd have realized that."
"Look, whatever okay? You've got me where you wanted now that you have that fucking video of yours. You don't have to add on to your cowardice by blaming others. I just want to know why, and I believe I have the right to know. Just tell me straight, because a lack of time couldn't possibly have been the case, as you obviously have too much of it while messing up my life."
Haruno flinched, so slightly that Ino would've missed it if she hadn't been searching so hard for a reaction. There was something in her burnt-out jade eyes that Ino couldn't quite place. There was a tired, pained look in them, as if having an old wound resurface like so many times before. It was just like the time she had seen them at Iruka's daycare. She's only seventeen, but she looks like she just hit midlife crisis, she remembered thinking at the time.
"No, Ino. You know what?" she drawled thoughtfully, "You have no right to know if you don't already. If you've been misinformed, that's your problem."
"This isn't fair at all! You keep saying things like you knew me in the past or something, yet I don't recall ever meeting you before the incident with Tenten. You could at least explain that to me first!"
"Life isn't fair," she mumbled, tightening her hold again. She pressed against her right shoulder in an upwards motion with a brutal amount of force, forcing Ino's arm to roll back. The blonde gasped and tried to twist herself onto one side to accustom the pain, but found Haruno's other hand still pinned to her left shoulder. Ino held her breath. There were tears forming in her eyes. She wanted to scream stop, but the words never came. She could only wait until it was over…until one of them loses their mind.
Crack!
She expected to hear it, expected it to be the first to be followed by many. But it never came. Through her blurry vision, she tried to make out Haruno's face despite the pain coursing through her side.
"Life isn't fair," Haruno repeated quietly, slowly letting go. "You don't have a clue what injustice means."
After wiping her eyes, Ino watched as she stood up with the camera in hand. "Two shots," Haruno said warily. "Just pose however you like as you are. Today will only be a trial."
Ino doubted that was the original plan, but she wasn't about to complain. The unexpected turn of events had led to yet another mental struggle between them. Exhausted as she was, Ino knew that she wasn't anywhere close to Haruno's level of fatigue.
X
Ino's eyes shot open. Panic welled up inside her as she jumped onto the other corner of the bed. She pulled her blankets closed to her as she squinted into the dark. She was sure she had felt a hand on her shoulder. Her right shoulder. The very one that was still throbbing in such a surreal way that Ino wasn't even sure if it was all in her head or not. But in the darkness, she couldn't make out even the outline of the intruder. She stole a glance at the small LCD clock beside her pillow, confirming that it was barely five in the morning. Despite how tired she was last night, her mind had kept her awake until 2AM, around the last time she checked. She pinched herself.
"Oh my," she heard a faceless voice say. Almost immediately, she felt her muscles relax, and the rate of her heartbeat slow down.
"G-grandma?"
"Of course! I am so very sorry, dear, did I frighten you?" the old woman said with a laugh. Ino flushed in embarrassment.
"No, I'm just a little…paranoid?"
"Well, I assure you there is nothing to worry about. Sakura-kun has been downstairs since I woke up. Temari asked me to wake you up."
"Where is Tenten?"
"Sleeping soundly in Temari's room. Now, before you say anything, I will let you know that even though they stayed in the same room, no harm has been done to your friend. They were fully clothed when I went to get Temari earlier."
Ino nodded, unsure if the action was seen in the dark. "Uhm, just a question…does this household always get up this early? Because I'll be staying here for the next month…I don't really know if…"
Grandmother laughed again, causing Ino to trail off and shrink back into her blankets, feeling as blonde as ever. "No, no! Gaara and Kankurou are still sleeping. Usually, if nothing special is happening, they sleep until teatime, not that we do that anymore. That includes Temari too."
"Haruno…er, Sakura…does she stay here often?"
"Mmm…sometimes. She usually goes home after dinner though. She comes over almost every day. Her family must be quite complicated. Now that I think about it, I don't really know much about her at all except her name and her and Temari's shared interests."
What? Raping girls? Ino thought with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway," Grandmother continued, "come on, get up, and get dressed, chop-chop! You will not have enough time for a shower, so just change and meet Temari downstairs in the living room."
"Do I wear that…maid thing...from yesterday?"
"Yes, yes, now go, go, go," she said, her voice fading as she left the room.
"Wait!"
"Yes?"
"What did you mean by…special events?"
"Ah, Temari never told you? That girl can be so irresponsible. Their father is going to arrive at around noon. This house has always been hectic whenever he decides to show up…ah, well, a word of warning: just listen to whatever Temari tells you because your role is a dangerous one. Even though he is my only son, I never hesitate to say that that man is not pleasant in any way. I do not know what happened, swallowed by power perhaps, but," her voice was quiet with remorse, "I just wish I had raised him better."
X
"Tenten, wake up already," Temari whispered for what must've been the tenth time. Damn she sure can sleep she thought when she received no response. She was kneeled down beside the comfortably asleep brunette with mix feelings about waking her. It makes me feel kind of bad to have to wake her up…she's so...peaceful and cute! It'd be nice to see her like this more often. Unconsciously, Temari reached out and brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ears. Tenten batted away Temari's hand and snuggled deeper into the pillow, mumbling something incoherent. Temari couldn't help but laugh. She reminded her too much of a stubborn cat in many ways, one who wouldn't hesitate to scratch, yet one just can't help but want to love it to pieces.
"C'mon, wake up before I start doing indecent things to you," Temari laughed in all seriousness as she shook the girl one more time. She bit her lip and hesitated for a second, but deciding that it was her last option, she dove in and helped herself to her soft, unsuspecting lips. She was caught off-guard when Tenten returned her kiss, yet showed no other signs of wakefulness.
"Well since you're such a heavy sleeper, you wouldn't mind if I just…" Temari grinned against Tenten's mouth and let her hand run loosely down the brunette's front before sliding it under her shirt. She caressed the soft skin below her bellybutton, waiting for a response. Receiving none, her fingers scuttled lower until it tucked itself inside the waistband of her shorts.
"Alright, alright, stop already, I'm awake," Tenten breathed, grasping Temari's wrist. Her head fell back and broke the kiss.
"Nuh uh," Temari replied, kissing her exposed neck as she peeled Tenten's hand off her own. "I've been trying to wake you for longer than I care to remember. There is no way I'm going to walk away without so much as a consolation prize."
"No, you've had your kiss already. If that's not enough, then go find someone else."
Temari smirked and allowed her hand to push further until it brushed against its goal. She stroked the cloth that barred her way, and let out a satisfied sigh when she felt a small, sharp movement from the other girl. "No way, hun, you're just not very honest with yourself."
"T-Temari, wait. Wait. Stop," she said, trying to push her away. Temari complied, stilling her hands, and looked at her. She couldn't quite see it in her eyes with the lack of lighting, but she knew she wanted it as much as she did. However, she respected Tenten enough to keep quiet.
"As intriguing as this is for me, I don't want this right now." Temari's face fell. "Tonight," Tenten said, immediately brightening Temari's features with joy and surprise, "that is, if you want to. Its things like this which you tend to do that confuse me. I don't know if you're after my heart or just my panties. You told me before, I know, and I took your word for it, but I don't want myself getting involved in some master scheme of yours."
Temari felt her heartbeat quicken, a sense of guilt immediately taking over her. But she kept her gaze locked tightly with Tenten's. "Tonight," Tenten said her voice low and inviting as she drew Temari closer, "we could do everything your dirty little mind conjures up until the break of dawn if you wanted to."
"I like the sound of that," Temari replied with a wolf-like grin. She leaned forward, but felt a hand pressing just below her collarbone, stopping her halfway.
"Or…if you were truly sincere enough, you could keep up your games and, if luck would have it, I'd fall in love with you and we'd live happily ever after. Granted, the sex and the love might come in a few months or a few years. So what will it be?"
Temari chuckled, "I don't think I'd be able wait any longer than tonight. You've already done your share of messing me up."
Tenten smiled. It was a humourless, almost sad smile, and she was thankful it went unnoticed in the dark. "We'll wait and see then."
X
Ino carefully descended the spiral staircase, trying her hardest to manoeuvre in the tight, almost suffocating, skirt. The chandeliers weren't lit. The only light came from the kitchen, casting menacing shadows across the foyer. She picked up her pace and cautiously floated down each step in the four-inch heels she had been provided with today. There were no sounds coming from the kitchen. In fact, there were no sounds coming from anywhere at all. Her own breathing seemed to be the most distracting noise of all. Grandmother told her to prepare and wait downstairs, but she couldn't be the only one right? She peeked into the kitchen, expecting a gathering of people awaiting her arrival with annoyance. Finding no one, she curiously wandered into the hall and into the living room, the crisp sounds of her shoes feeling oddly out of place. The lights were dimmed to a point where it didn't make much a difference. The curtains were drawn, but Ino doubted the winter morning would provide much light anyway.
Off to the side, she noticed a figure standing in front of a mirror. The figure was definitely too short to be any of the boys, nor could it be Temari who was on par with her brothers. And Tenten was still in bed. So through the process of elimination, it could only have been one person: Haruno. Much to Ino's amazement, the girl was clad in a rather flattering set of androgynous formalwear. Her blue eyes met green through the mirror's reflection, yet neither moved. Ino's outfit was no different from yesterday, yet she could feel her blood boiling at the cheeks as she felt Haruno fully registering her scanty outfit for the first time.
After a long stretch of silence, Haruno finally spoke. "You don't happen to know how to tie a tie, do you?"
Ino blinked. "Of course, I do it for my dad all the time." She strode towards her and planted herself directly in front of the other girl. She found her eyes wandering over her style of dress. There wasn't anything special about it: pressed slacks, a grey and black pinstriped vest atop a plain white dress shirt, rolled up at the elbow, and a strip of red silk hung around her neck, each end hanging almost pathetically in both hands. It was a combination that would've looked rather dashing on any average guy, yet somehow it managed to look exceptionally so on the girl Ino loathed the most.
Ino took the two ends from Haruno. "Why are you dressed like this?" Ino asked, keeping her eyes on her hands to avoid Haruno's watchful eyes.
"It's a big day for Temari so I promised to act as her butler for the day."
"Would that also explain my part in this?"
"Of course. You're automatically in the game once I've joined. However, your part is bigger than mine today, under Temari's orders that is. Apparently her daddy has a…thing for cute, young girls, and she's much too obsessive about Tenten to give her up. She's going to act as her personal maid or something."
"By 'apparently', you're telling me you've never met him?"
"Why would I have?"
"I just assumed that since you two were such good friends…"
"He's visited once from what Temari told me. I can't really remember where I was at the time though."
"Do you know who he is at least?"
"Nope. She never told me his name."
"Anyway, aren't butlers always men?"
"Well I'm trying to act the part. If it doesn't work then I'll just be considered the housekeeper. You on the other hand, don't have much of a choice. You will be running all the errands, and work under my direction. But remember, we all work under the original household so whatever they saw is law. Got it?"
"Even Temari?"
"Last time I checked, she's still part of the original household," Haruno said matter-of-factly as Ino adjusted the tie. It wasn't enough dealing with two troublesome lesbians she'd been enslaved to, so let's throw in a perverted old man. For a minute, Ino considered the situation she found herself in, but seeing as she was helpless in this environment, she decided to drop it and hope for the best. She only wished to know the most painless way of surviving through it. Ino didn't dare voice her thoughts, nor did Haruno say anything more as Ino blankly watched Haruno tucked her tie beneath her vest and pull out a pair of snow-white gloves.
"Hope I'm not interrupting something," a voice said teasingly, startling the dazed blonde. She turned to the doorway to see Temari, dressed semi-formally but femininely for a change. Behind her stood a very aggravated Tenten in an outfit almost matching her own. Her bistre eyes roamed around in awkward embarrassment.
Out of utter disbelief, Ino stomped forward and grounded herself right in front of her friend. Tenten glared at her. Her hair was let loose over her shoulders, a style even Ino had never seen, and the same pair of glasses she always wore made her appear older somehow.
"Don't say anything," Tenten muttered, "I know, I look like you. Ugh."
"Hey, hey, you make that sound like a bad thing. At least your heels aren't as high. And you look great. Really!"
"See, I tried to tell her," Temari chimed in happily, "but she wouldn't listen."
"Looking like some fifty cent prostitute isn't what I'd call great," Tenten retorted with a roll of her eyes.
The two ignored her. "You're pretty amazing, Temari. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't get her to wear even a dress. That's some influence you've got there."
"It just takes a lot of badgering. But in the end it's worth it, isn't it?" Temari said with a proud grin. "Anyway, let's not waste any more time here. We've got lots to do before he shows up and it's almost six. There are a lot of things that need to be taught like etiquette and such, and we don't have much time. My father is a very picky man, and you don't want to get on his bad side."
X
Ino smoothed down her skirt for what felt like the billionth time. They were all standing in the foyer in a loose semi-circle around the crest depicted on the flooring. The original occupants of the house were all dressed in formal business attire, as if readying to greet an important CEO of some major company. They said nothing as they stood in perfect posture accompanied by faces void of any expressions. This man must be serious, Ino thought to herself out of boredom as she stood on the side observing the solemn scene with Tenten almost nodding off to sleep beside her. What kind of dad would want to be greeted so coldly? Maybe he really is some tight-assed businessman. Or an army man? Or maybe…a mobster? She wanted so bad to nudge Tenten and ask for her take on the situation, but she didn't dare disturb. Her eyes shifted towards Haruno, who stood a little ways away from her. For the past ten minutes since they had assembled, she tried again and again to maintain the same posture as everyone else. It wasn't hard to see how badly she was failing as she shifted around in pure boredom.
Haruno caught her eye and casted her an irritated look. Then she directed a slight nod at Tenten, who had her head down. Ino jabbed her elbow deep into the brunette's side, causing her head to snap up in alarm. She would've let out a loud scream if Ino hadn't acted fast enough to smother the sounds with her hand. The two of them froze to make sure they weren't noticed before Ino dropped her hand. Tenten let out a yawn and fell back into the rigid position they were assigned to in the beginning.
Ino craned her neck to look at the clock on the living room wall. 12: 09PM. The bastard was late.
As if on cue, the subtle sound of an engine poured into the room. The three outsiders jumped with a start, but the other four remained nonchalant.
"Sakura-kun," Grandmother said.
"A-ah, yes. Right away, Ma'am" Haruno replied as rehearsed as she rushed towards the door. She flung open both doors and was almost immediately pushed aside by a massive man in black. He ignored her glare and stepped aside, revealing a man who looked to be in his late thirties to early forties. He dressed as refined as Ino had suspected, and could've passed for any sort of wealthy businessman. He had a mix of Gaara's and Kankurou's hair, as well as a perfect mirror image of the siblings' eyes. However, Ino disliked him right off the bat. Everything about him, starting with his scornful smirk, felt sinister.
"Ah, Gaara! How is my favourite son?" he said enthusiastically, waltzing into the room with arms wide open and purposefully ignoring everyone else.
"Fine, Father," Gaara replied coldly. He cringed when his father enveloped him in a half-assed embrace.
"Before anything, let's get some things out of the way. Most importantly, where will I be staying in this run-down shack of residence?"
Seeing Grandmother's annoyed look, Temari spoke up. "Father, if I may speak, we assumed you were going to board at a hotel as usual, so we did not prepare a room for you."
"Temari, are you trying to…kick me out?"
"N-no, Father, I was merely…"
"Of course not!" Kankurou intervened hurriedly, "In fact, we saved a room just for you. Our maid will direct you immediately."
Surprised and confused, Ino stumbled forward and forced a smile. "At your service, Master," she said uneasily.
"Oh, a maid! Finally took my advice, did you, Mother? Isn't she the prettiest thing! What is your name?"
"Y-Yamanaka Ino, S-sir!" she replied with a low curtsey, just as Temari had instructed.
"Right. Now, about that room…"
"R-right this way!"
"Baki, get my bags," he called with a snap of his fingers before he followed her up the stairs. The man who had shoved Sakura aside earlier turned around and headed back towards the empty streets without a word.
Ino scurried up the stairs, trying her best to keep an even pace between them. The man followed her closely without a word. Close enough that, no matter how far she managed to distance herself, he always managed to be virtually glued to her back. She couldn't explain why, as he was clearly a very dignified man, but there was a sinking feeling at the pit of her feeling. Danger? It couldn't be, she was just a maid.
"Here we are," she said once they had arrived at her room. "You will have to excuse me for a minute while I clean up. The young mistress didn't inform me of your stay here, I won't be long."
As Ino hurriedly made the bed, He strode around the room, examining it expressionlessly with his arms behind his back. "You…have been staying here?" He nodded toward the bag of lingerie sitting in neglect in front of the closet.
"S-so sorry, Master, this was the only room available…and I haven't been here for long…," Ino replied, panicked.
He looked at her with a raised brow and stepped towards her. He took a seat on the bed and gestured for Ino to join him. She nervously complied, and sat down a bit too fast. He looked startled when he felt the bounce of her weight. "How long is not very long, exactly?" he asked, trying to put up an indifferent face.
"T-two m-months, Sir."
"Two months! That should be more than enough time for proper training. Mother is too lax, not strict enough indeed," he said with a mocking shake of the head. "Now let us test your basic knowledge, do you know who I am?"
"N-no, Sir…"
"Nemo-chan, when I saw you, I was quite sure of myself that you were more than just a pretty face. However, I seem to be proven wrong. I have heard many times that blondes were not very bright, but as royalty, I cannot shun those who are different. But if the facts remain true, then there is not much else I can do. Alas, it is not to say that a beautiful girl like you cannot be put to good use. In fact, I expect you are quite skilled in a certain trade, correct? You are still young, after all."
gnawing dread inside her grew as her fears were confirmed. Roundabout as it is, I know he won't want anything less than a blowjob. And when he pointed to the floor-space between his legs, Ino knew she was right. "Look, Sir," she began to protest.
"Quiet, know your place and do not speak unless asked. That is the most basic rule. Down," he interrupted calmly and patiently.
Ino stood up abruptly, brimming with anger and disgust towards this man. "I don't care how rich you are, I have morals too! If I fail to please you, Master, then I'm sure Temari will arrange a top-of-the-class prostitute at your disposal. Now if you'll excuse me." She stormed towards the door after having a fair amount of damage inflicted on her pride. There was no way she would stand to be treated like this by some man who was probably three times her own age. Sure, Haruno has called her a whore plenty of times, but at least she wasn't vain enough to demand anything of her like that.
Unfortunately for her, she didn't get far. She didn't know what happened, but within the next few minutes, she felt a strong grip on her arm that jolted her back to the bed so hard that she could almost hear it popping out of its sockets. Then she was lying on the bed with the man on top of her, grinning down at her like a hungry hyena. She felt the déjà vu again, but this time, she knew her position was much more severe.
In a hoarsely vicious voice, he spoke between the gritted teeth of his gruesome grin. "You dare defy the King of Suna?" he challenged almost maniacally. "One more word and I will have you behind bars for the rest of your life! In the unbearably hot deserts of Suna, I believe you will have a good time entertaining the boys."
K-K-K-King…? Ino thought. Her thoughts failed to line up coherently and couldn't seem to register his words. Suddenly, she felt a large pair of hands grope around, seemingly blindly, at her body. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for it to be over. There was nothing she could do to save herself. After all, he was nearly twice her size. Oh god, oh god, I'm gonna get raped, was her constant thought. She felt a draft graze across her chest and realized it had been exposed. If only she hadn't chosen to wear a front-clasp bra. Oh god, oh god, please no. No, no, no…
When she felt a rough hand run along her inner thigh, she felt a dangerous wave of panic overtake her. Further and further up it crept, as she tried harder and harder to block it out with her mantra of "No, no, no, please no", but he was clearly enjoying himself from the way he was "teasing" her. It was the moment that she felt the slightest touch against her panties that she cracked. Something seemed to have grabbed her by the shoulders and force her to defend herself. With a newfound amount of force and courage, she swung her arm over and slapped him hard against the cheek.
The intense glower that followed after cause the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. His eyes were spiteful and angry as he cupped his cheek. "One squeak out of you and you'll wish you've never been born," was his threat. Gone was his gentlemanly pretence and noble importance--the man above her was inhuman, a monster, and for once, Ino truly, truly feared for her life.
He grabbed onto the hem of her dress and tore it open down the middle almost effortlessly, right up to her bellybutton after he ripped off the apron. Ino immediately covered her mouth with her hands to prevent herself from screaming as he pulled off her panties as well. She had never wanted to scream or to cry so bad in her life. Stop! Stop it! She wished desperately. Even though she knew he wouldn't, she found her thought train to be adversely repetitive, reminding her every single moment of the reality around her.
He spread her legs and positioned himself in front of her. Not a fraction of a second later, he entered her, full depth without a word of warning. And he wasn't small in the very least. Despite her efforts, Ino screamed.
He struck her across the cheek. Once, twice, three times, even after she had quieted herself. The mental and physical strain was becoming too much to bear. She could feel herself being split in half, but she was helpless. Unable to control herself, she quietly cried to herself as she waited for the torture to end.
X
A/N: So I realized that somehow, I made Ino get raped again…poor thing. Ah well, too bad. Anyway, drop off a review. Any questions, comments, or concerns. Once again I apologize for the rape and yeah…the time is now 2:41 and I'm too brain-dead to think of anything else to say.
Edit: Okay, the story genre has been changed to drama. As it started out kind of a funny idea, but ended up...anything but. For all of you who are critisizing, flaming, and wtf-ing me, all I have to say is I'm sorry I didn't portray the scene too well. Unfortunately, I'd love to justify myself by revealing the plot but I can't do that.
So yeah, if you're one of those adults with too much time on their hands, read something other than my "tween fantasies", like let's say...a book? A novel, perhaps? And if I detailed every rape event in order to perfect the scene, THEN I believe I'll need to get help, okay Mr. Officer? I apologize for not being morbid enough. And I apologize for being an ignorant teenager of sixteen.
Anyway, I'll try to get the next update up as fast as I can. I'm sorry I created a controversy.