A/N: Almost eleven p.m. now, still the same day as In The Lap Of The Gods; I believe I'll be watching Sleeping Beauty tonight. Interesting titbit though: did you know that all the art was inspired by medieval tapestries, paintings and buildings, hence the stylisation and vertical or horizontal planes of foliage; and that every bush or plant you see took seven to ten days to paint. Why? Because there are roughly four layers of leaves painted on each one. This means you can genuinely pick out most of the leaves.

True dedication to style. Continuous, appropriate style.

Pairing: Naraku/Kikyou
Genre: Horror/Romance/Creepy
Universe: AU
Warnings: Obsessive, disturbing behaviour

Word count: 2 174

The Invisible Man

I'm the invisible man I'm the invisible man
Incredible how you can see right through me

She was the elder cousin to one of the girl's in his class at school. At first he'd thought the classmate was stunning; but oh, when she met her cousin one day after class – some kind of minor family emergency or something – he knew that he had seen true perfection in the form of Kikyou Higurashi.

She walked with such grace, spoke with such soft dignity he felt compelled to follow them. Compared to Kikyou Kagome was but a crude draft sketch, full of imperfections and flaws – she was dating that Inuyasha Taishou for a start!

He followed them all evening, walking past them sometimes so he could look anew upon the passively worried Kikyou with her wondrous soft eyes and firm look. There was a woman who could handle everything. Naraku thought at first that they would go to the hospital to drop off the second – rate girl, or perhaps to Kagome's home; so he was more than pleasantly surprised when he heard Kagome say, "Kikyou, why are we going to your house? Shouldn't we be going home?"

"Measles is infectious and Auntie and Grandpapa have already had it, you haven't even had your vaccination so you're staying with me for a few weeks."

"Oh." Kagome said looking crestfallen, "So I can't see Mama, Souta or Granddad? But I'm going to miss them so much."

"You may speak to them daily on the phone." Said Kikyou gently, "And I think little Kaede would enjoy your company."

"Ah! She's about five now isn't she?" A child? And so young, Kagome was only fifteen, and her dazzling cousin looked now more than twenty – two or three. The brat would be a problem, how could he properly worship such a pure goddess with a sprog around. It was a shame Kikyou was defiled by the touch of another man, but it was of no consequence.

Kikyou would be his, and she would adore him. She didn't even register him in any way yet, but he would be recognised for all his glorious worth and she would belong to him! It was Fate! Why else would she have come to him if they weren't meant to be together?

When you hear a sound that you just can't place
Feel somethin' move that you just can't trace
When something sits on the end of your bed
Don't turn around when you hear me tread

Two months of learning her every haunt, her every action soon resulted in the perfect opportunity to proclaim his adoration. "Nee – sama, can I go to Rin's house for a sleepover? She's going away with Uncle Sesshoumaru and Auntie Kagura because of work. She's going to be gone for two weeks! I'm going to miss her so much, so they said we could have a goodbye sleepover. Please?"

"What have I told you about calling Sesshoumaru and Kagura Uncle and Auntie? They're just very good friends of mine."

"Auntie Kagura said I could." Kikyou's little sister said. Naraku had been so pleased to realise Kaede wasn't his perfect jewel's child. It meant that she was truly pure. It made it all the more gratifying when he realised he would be the one to claim her purity; it would be so tender and sweet to hear her gasp and moan. She would love it almost as much as he could.

From Kikyou's set of the shoulders – one raised in a shrug – he knew that she would give in. He even knew exactly where she picked up that particular idiosyncrasy. The man, Sesshoumaru. She had been so affectionate with him when he came to visit with his daughter just a week ago that it made his blood boil with incandescent fury. She liked another man! It had barely calmed only when that slut – woman Kagura came and revealed that she was Sesshoumaru's wife.

But it wasn't right that anyone else should be affectionate with his woman! Noone! Not her broken cousin, not her friends, not her sister! Noone! He would have to explain to her tonight why it was best to cut off contact with everyone apart from him. And if she tried to defy him, as much as it would pain him to hurt her, he just couldn't bear the idea of sharing her with anyone.

So when the little bitch went to the sleepover he waited outside heaven. Kikyou was alone, and it was getting darker, she'd drawn the curtains some while ago and her could only see the brief tantalising shadow as she went about her nightly routine. It was a Friday so at nine o' clock she'd sit in the front room and watch a movie with the bitch. But the bitch was at the home of the would – be cuckold's with his slut and their brazen little daughter. Naraku knew that if that other man were here he'd already be in the house trailing those hands over Kikyou's precious form.

If he didn't tell her tonight how much she loved him Kikyou would be lost forever! Taken away from the man who truly deserved her most. Towards midnight, with only the bright glare of the TV illuminating the front room he crept stealthily up to the window and stared through the net curtain. There she was, relaxing on the floor leaning her back up against the sofa. "Mmmmm, gorgeous." Her body had a delicious curve to it that made him want her all the more. That pale skin made her an artist's dream, and made her so untouchably ethereal next to her mass of dark hair. How he wanted to run his fingers through that hair, it would be like spider silk. Unbelievably soft. All unthinking he raised his hand to the glass and pretended to stroke his darling's hair; the faint squeak had Kikyou tilt her head in wonderment, before dismissing it and returning to her film.

"Hah hah hah hello."

"Who's there?" she said, face turning towards the slim form pressed up against the window. He was tapping on her window, beckoning her over to him and gazing at her with wanting eyes.

"Hah hah hah OK."

"Who are you?"

"Hah hah hah hello hello hello hello." The lank haired man motioned her over with more fervour and he pressed even deeper into the glass that Kikyou now saw as a precious barrier saving her from a demon.

"What are you doing?! Leave! I'll call the police." Standing up she walked warily to the phone and dialled the police, all the while keeping her eyes on the disturbing picture of a teenaged boy making gestures at her through her window and mouthing words at her. "Tokyo Police, Detective Sango speaking."

"Hello, there's someone at my house. I think he's a stalker or something, he's standing right in front of my window telling laughing and waving at me. Please, send someone over!" Her hushed voice rose to even higher pitches as the terror of her situation overwhelmed her. "He's looking right at me and smiling! He knows I've called someone but he's still standing there; I'm too afraid to look away from him. Please!"

"Miss, we need your address. Tell me your address and I'll send someone right over. I'll stay on the phone with you in case he tries to do something else. Can you tell me your address Miss?" Kikyou drew strength from the detective's calm voice and said the address calmly and clearly so there'd be no mistakes made. "Thank you Miss, someone'll be over directly."

It was a horrible ten minutes before the sight of a police car coming down the street sent the teenage boy running past her house and into her back garden, where a harsh crash told her that the stalker had climbed over her fence and knocked the bin over on his way out. She almost sobbed in relief when she let a young man in uniform –Officer Miroku – into her house and told him what had happened.

"Miss Miyosaki, in light of all this, I suggest that at least for a few nights you stay with your family, or maybe a friend. You think you've seen him before?"

"Yes, once or twice, but I thought he was just any other child. I mean – " She didn't know what to say, a child like that? "He couldn't have been more than a few years older than my cousin, and she's only fifteen."

"Yes Miss Miyoksaki, it's terrible how young people can be when they commit crimes. You do have somewhere to stay for a while don't you? And if you think you see him again, phone immediately."

"My parents are out of the country, and my nearest relatives have left town because my cousin's recovering from an illness. But my friends live nearby, I'll just go pack."

"I'll give you a lift Miss."

It was a tired Kagura who answered the door shortly after one in the morning, holding her dressing gown tightly around her as Sesshoumaru walked down the stairs. "Kikyou?" She yawned, followed by a startled, "Kikyou! Is something wrong?" Kagura was fully awake now and joined by her husband.

"Mr. Taishou, Mrs. Taishou, my I come in for a moment?" asked the officer. They stood aside and showed them into the living room before Sesshoumaru went to make everyone some tea. The situation explained, Kikyou's two friends were more than willing to let her and Kaede stay with them "As long as you need Kikyou. We'll be here to help."

Now I'm on your track and I'm in your mind
And I'm on your back but don't look behind
I'm your meanest thought I'm your darkest fear
But I'll never get caught, you can't shake me, shake me dear

For the next few days Kikyou felt a little safer, and then she went back home with her sister. "I wouldn't want you to delay your business just because of me. Perhaps he'll have left off now." She was as reluctant to leave her haven as they were reluctant to leave for their business trip. "I promise I'll be fine, and if I think something's going on I'll go straight to your father's, okay Sesshoumaru?" He and Kagura certainly weren't, but there was nothing else she could do.

Kikyou didn't really keep her promise. It was almost as if her stalker knew the instant she came home. She felt watched all the time, and a simple trip to the shop had her glancing over her shoulder every other minute and flinching at shadows. When the first note came: 'Oh, how I love you my darling jewel. I'm always with you, please, get rid of those who want to hurt you and keep us apart! Your sister, your friends, they hate me and want me gone. I'm afraid that I may have to fight back. You can't want them to keep us apart. Show your devotion to me beloved and discard the offal that clings to you. YOU ARE MINE AND ONLY MINE!!' she sent Kaede away. She wasn't going to have her sister hurt.

The police started to keep a constant watch on her house and work, but they never saw him.

And during those days Kikyou became increasingly paranoid, hardly daring to sleep or be alone in those terror filled, angry days. He never left her thoughts; he would be caught. That was her hope, he would follow her everywhere. He's said so. But until then she, the innocent one in all this, would suffer the unending torments of paranoia and distrust. He could be anywhere. Watching her. Listening. Pawing through her rubbish and stealing her clothing from the line.

One night, more restless than ever shed gone to get a drink and saw an unmoving shadow in her back garden. A statue that made her faint with disgust and horror. "Why?" she groaned out as she slid down to the floor. "Why, why, why, why, why?"

I'm the invisible man I'm the invisible man
Incredible how you can see right through me
Watch me
I'm the invisible man I'm the invisible man
It's criminal how I can see right through you
Look at me look at me

In her daze she didn't see how the statue unfroze and walked cautiously to the kitchen door. She didn't see how the statue, now revealed to be a young teenage boy reach into a pocket and withdraw a key. A key which he inserted into the lock.

She didn't hear the lock snick open over her anguished monologue.

Hands touched her shoulders as Naraku knelt down next to her and turned her to face him. Now she was frozen, mind caught in an endless horrifying loop and body paralysed. "My darling jewel, look at me, look at me." A warm hand caught her chin and forced it up and she, for the first time gazed into the eyes of Naraku. "Look at me." He whispered.

Post – story A/N: They say every fanfic author has a high school story in them somewhere; this is mine. Well, it's peripherally a high school story. I feel really sorry for Kikyou now. I hope that was creepily horrifying for my readers. I feel dirty after writing that now, but who wouldn't after a distressing stalker story?

I'm so glad I can talk about Sleeping Beauty now. Ummm, by all the Gods, I love Maleficent! The art, the music (all the music is delightful), the action. The climax of the story is powerful and scary. How many evil faeries suddenly metamorphose into evil dragons after declaiming, "And now O Prince, you face me, and all the powers of HELL!!" and petrify the little child within in such a dark and dramatic way? Only Maleficent. One of the best villains ever.

How is it that the film is supposedly about Aurora and Prince Phillip; yet it's blatantly got three good faeries as the (pretty cool) protagonists? Don't believe anything else. The faeries free Phillip from the prison, engineer his escape, show him the way to the castle and enchant his sword with what is essentially a homing device to kill Dragon Maleficent. And they're three middle – aged single women. Yes, they have magic powers, but it's openly stated and pretty obvious that Maleficent is by far the most powerful. Awesome.

Oh, and one artistic thing of merit. You know after Aurora pricks her finger and is hidden by Maleficent's gorgeous cloak/dress and is then revealed? Note how she's shifted from the vibrant and more noticeable foreground animated character into mere background, she's part of the set now. The colours lose their vibrancy and she's faded. That has always been one of the best moments of the film for me.

And her gloating in the prison! Pure irony. Pure and vicious irony. And her 'one hundred years' spiel. The original story has a one hundred gap between her sleeping and the kiss. Maleficent is vicious, intelligent, mean and spiteful. I love her!