Disclaimer:
I do not own Blue Seed, nor any of it's characters...I take no credit for
them...I bow humbly to the copywrite laws...all hail copywrite
laws...heh....i.e....please...please don't sue me.
*I know
this has never been done before, but I have added a suggested soundtrack to the
reading of this chapter. I do this because the music that I listened to while
writing the story enhanced it so very much. I just thought it might do the same
for the reader. Give it a try if you like. If you have a sharing program, all
these songs should be easy to find. Please excuse the typos and
misspellings...I have no checker program at the moment. Enjoy! and
please...please review....this is my first fanfic...well....fic at
all.....EVER....so I NEED feedback...good or bad. Just don't flame too much ^.^
Suggested
Soundtrack:
"Itch"
by Ani Difranco
"When
Doves Cry" by Ani Difranco
"Sexy"
by French Affair
"Gotta
Get Through This" by Daniel Beddingfield
"Come
Into My World" by Kylie Minogue
"Nothing
Could Come Between Us" by Theory Of A Dead Man
"Bother"
by Corey Taylor/ Stone Sour
and
"Bother" again.
give it a
shot...see how you like it...maybe it works...maybe it doesn't...but I figured
I'd give it a try.
*one more
note.... (sorry) this fanfic contains some suggestion and harsh language and
should not be read by anyone who does not wish to hear any profanity.*
*BLEEEEP*
Momiji
reached out her hand and slapped her alarm clock with such a furor one might
think it had insulted her mother just moments before. As her eyes began to
slowly open, she groaned and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Why do I have
to get up?" she asked herself. There was nothing to do today. No monsters
to kill...the Aragami were sleeping soundly. Her classes at college were out
for the summer. There was always Kusanagi, who would most likely show up. He
was her boyfriend after all. Big whoop. Not much had changed except the title.
She kicked her blankets off and stumbled to the bathroom to turn on the shower.
As hot as it was outside, she still loved the water to be scalding. It gave her
an opportunity to slip out of her life and into the quiet and warm crevices of
her young yet wise mind to examine her innermost thoughts. She knew she
shouldn't take too long, as she didn't want Kusanagi waiting. If he had shown
up while she was in the shower he'd have no way in. Momiji didn't leave her
windows open anymore and she'd refused him a key to her apartment when he'd
asked for one. They way she saw it he'd had access to her whenever he wanted
since she was 15...everyone had. And she was damn tired of it. She wanted a
life that was hers to command. Sure she loved him and wanted him in her life,
as she'd told him many times before the start of their relationship. After the
Aragami were put to sleep they had spent a lot more free time together. They
just sort of fell into a relationship. It wasn't at all how Momiji had dreamt
it a thousand times over. There was no professing of love, no passionate
kisses, not even any heated arguments. She felt, no, she knew Kusanagi was with
her for lack of anything better to do. With the mitamas and the green hair, he
must have known that most other girls might have trouble bringing him home to
meet daddy. Sometimes when she slept she could feel him stroke her hair or kiss
her forehead. Every time she would think to herself "yes, this is
it...he's coming around" then there was nothing. No public affection, and
not much private affection either. She knew he wasn't much for cuddling, and
she knew he'd give his life for her in an instant, but then again...she was the
Kushinada. God how she hated that word. It made her feel fragile and weak.
She was suddenly snapped out of her
disective state of mind when she heard a knock. Quickly she turned off the
water, wrapped her hair in a towel and slipped her robe on.
"Just
a minute" she called, knowing who it was already. She could hear him
outside the door mumbling.
"C'mon
momiji, I'm baking out here. You can't still be sleeping".
She took a deep breath and opened the door. He
smiled when he saw her face, as he always had...although sometimes it was hard
for him. Quickly he eased his gaze over her body and noticed her robe....and
that was it.
"Um...you're....naked"
he managed to squeak out.
"Well what do you expect when you get me
out of the shower?" she asked him rhetorically.
"I'll be right back" Momiji stated
astutely, "just watch some tv or something while I get dressed".
Kusanagi
plopped down on her couch and grabbed the remote. He didn't really care what
was on; he just enjoyed the domestic feeling of being with her. This felt like their
house. He wanted it to be their house, but when he'd tried to take the
first steps in making it so by asking for a key she'd refused. It still puzzled
him...she'd never refused him anything. He was so happy that life with Momiji
was so simple. She loved him, he knew that. And he loved her. He'd told her a
few times, he didn't see any need to say it over and over if she already knew.
Some women are so demanding, but not his Momiji. She never asked him for
anything he wasn't ready to give. He could be himself, and she was happy with
that.
Upstairs Momiji gave up looking for
something that was A) clean, B) flattering and C) comfortable. She settled for
A and C alone. Kusanagi never made any comments about her clothes or how her
body looked in them, and looking good was draining. It took effort...so why
waste the time? When they were first together all the time after the Aragami
had been defeated she never...ever...looked anything less than pristine. She
even slept with her make-up on. She knew he'd see her while she rested
peacefully at night. But not once did he say anything. He didn't even flip up
her skirt to look at her panties anymore. And so she stopped being so aware of
how every single hair on her head was placed. She was much more relaxed, but a
"wow" would be nice every now and then.
"You're....naked"
Momiji repeated in a very mocking tone.
That dumbass. For a moment she wondered just
how he'd react if she came running down wearing only her socks and a smile and
pounced on him. "Bad idea" she decided after images of Kusanagi
stuttering with a nose bleed came to mind. "Of all the things I want him
to do to me...bleed on me isn't one of them".
As she came walking down the stairs in her
jogging pants and tank top she stopped.
"What
is today?" she asked herself.
She thought for a moment, trying to remember
what was supposed to be important about today.
"Hmmmm"
she purred to herself for a moment.
"Sweet....angry....jesus"
...today was her birthday...her 21st birthday!
Her first
thought came quickly..."that dolt didn't remember my birthday!"
She
calmed soon thereafter though, realizing it was a moot point to get upset when
she'd forgotten herself.
Once she was at the couch, Kusanagi
looked up at her and patted the seat beside him. "So do I look
different?" she asked him.
"Um....new haircut?" he asked, half
expecting to get a slap for not knowing what was really different about her.
Momiji smiled and said "no you freak....it's
my birthday!"
"Oh"..."OH!"...."oh....shi..."
he half got out his explicative when she just tugged on his shirt "I
forgot too...its okay....seriously".
"Geez" he began, "how do you
forget your own birthday?"
"Kusanagi?" she quipped, "when
is your birthday?" He just stared at her blankly. Momiji smirked inwardly
knowing she'd made her point. "Welp, I'm 21 now...you know what that
means."
Kusanagi
just looked at her. She could tell he was trying hard...but to no avail. He
really was oblivious at times. After a moment she decided she'd put him out of
his misery.
"It means I'm going out."
"Aww Momiji, I don't wanna go out
tonight, it's the weekend...it'll be so crowded."
"Well
then you don't have to" she said rather harshly. She didn't like hurting
his feelings, but lately she felt this need to get little jabs in here and
there. Maybe they'd nudge him into reacting to her a bit.
"Move your ass would you? I need to clean
this place up a bit".
Kusanagi blinked.
"Move...my....what?...did she say ass?" he thought to himself.
Simultaneously
Momiji herself was thinking about how since she had been going to college these
past three years she'd gotten a mouth akin to a sailor's at times. This stuff
just came out of her mouth now...she didn't even blush anymore when she
said...."f....f....fu....okay...maybe not a sailor". She had her
moments though.
She thought back to her first big party and
how she'd practically dived into the alcohol there in hopes she and Kusanagi
could get into some deliciously precarious position in their drunken stupors.
But he just sat in the corner...lips bone dry while she'd made a total ass out
of herself trying to be something resembling sexy. Just as she'd gotten the
nerve to approach him, she'd walked over, her resolve like steel; she opened
her mouth...and threw up on his shoes. For all her effort she'd gotten a mouth
full of embarrassment and more...and a really really bad headache.
She shook
the thought off with a shudder and began to pick up the living room. She walked
over to her stereo and turned on some music to help her clean.
As Momiji
went over to the closet to get the vacuum Kusanagi wondered whether there was
anything he could do to help. Probably not, as she seemed to have it handled,
and he didn't know much about housework. Momiji plugged the appliance in and
reached for the stereo remote. She cranked the volume up so she could hear the
music over the vacuum. Kusanagi watched her as she danced around the room, the vacuum
her partner. Her hips moved so naturally. And as she moved her top worked its
way up to reveal her stomach and accentuated her gyrating hips even more.
"Damn" he thought..."she's really grown into quite a
woman".
He looked
out his window to the street below. His dream was dead...no kingdom of the
Aragami for him. Here he was...stuck in this miserable city...with these
miserable humans. Apparently Lord Susano-oh's punishment for him was to be
forced to live among those he despised. He'd learned a few things while living
among the humans. He needed a few changes of clothes. If you wore the same
thing everyday, people looked at you like you were dirty. If there is one thing
he can't stand...it's to be looked at with anything other than fear or respect.
Secondly, not all humans made his skin crawl. He'd found a few of
them that were quite intriguing actually. But they were few and far between.
Leaning out his window his dark hair hung over his face highlighting his
handsome features. This was new...this was strange...this was quite unpleasant.
Murakumo was.....bored.
The three
girls entered the club with giggles. Momiji had been accosted by Akiko and
Sakura to come out and go dancing. Of course Kusanagi declined to join them.
The two friends immediately dragged the birthday girl to the bar and bought her
a mixed drink and a flaming Sambuca.
Momiji felt the hot liquor sting her insides,
and found no solace in the fumes from the flaming concoction she then sucked
into her sinus cavities.
"What
the hell is wrong with you?" she screeched at Sakura. "Damnit...my
nose is on fire!"
Sakura just gave her a sly grin "Just
give it a second...those fumes are 200 proof y'know".
Momiji was pissed enough from the feeling of
being punched in the nose "I can't feel anything...that was stupid...ugh".
And with that, she got up to go to a table...and landed ass-up on the floor.
Akiko lunged to help her while Sakura laughed.
"Don't say I didn't warn you sacrifice
girl".
From the balcony level of the club,
Kusanagi chuckled to himself. That was his girl. All the maturity in the world
wouldn't change that. He loved that about her. She could talk about anything
and have the most prestigious, intelligent people in the world eating out of
her hand...then she would trip and break something. He followed her here to
watch over her...and...well...just watch her.
It was
true...he had felt something recently, but both he and Momiji had heard reports
that Murakumo had been seen in the area. They also heard he apparently had no
evil plan...for right now. It seemed Susano-oh and Kaede thought maybe he could
learn some sort of tolerance if he was forced to live here. Still, he couldn't
be too careful. He had to watch over Momiji.
Part of
him even wished some sort of danger would arrive so he could swoop down and
save her the way he used to. Since the victory over the Aragami he felt he
hadn't much to offer her. Kusanagi played the hero role quite well...but even
after three years...the boyfriend role was still giving him trouble.
He
watched Sakura single handedly drag the two other girls to the dance floor. To
his surprise Momiji needed no time to adapt. She just started shaking her
thing. He watched her...fascinated. This was not the shy girl from 5 years ago
who squealed when he stole a look at her panties (which he still did,
unbeknownst to her of course). This was a confident and beautiful woman.
Most
people use beautiful as their first term when describing a girl they've just
noticed turned into a woman. However, in Momiji's case, nothing was more
fitting. Her body had become exquisite, she exuded as much grace as
was...well...possible and her face was a trap that many had fallen into.
Kusanagi knew about all the boys at her school that had crushes on her. Akiko
made sure not one went unnoticed by him hoping she could spark some jealousy
out of him for Momiji's sake.
This
beautiful woman...his beautiful woman was out there dancing in the changing
soft sea of red, purple and blue light. And she was doing it well. He noted the
many stares she was receiving, although she seemed not to notice. Her hair was
pinned up, but only partially, it hung around her face and neck. She had on a
black tank top with only a tiny wire-thin strap across the back, her back
exposed to the eyes of all around her. She wore red pants that...he had to
admit...looked like they were made just for her. They were low-cut and when she
raised her arms on the dance floor her stomach became exposed as it did earlier
with the vacuum.
Kusanagi
found himself wishing he had the ability to dance. He'd love nothing more than
to be down there with her instead of up here...alone.
Murakumo
decided that since there was nothing better to do, he'd take a walk. Maybe
something would come to him. As he walked down the street in his knee length
leather jacket, fitted black shirt, black slacks and boots, he caught many
stares of both lust and fear...which is exactly why he dressed the way he did.
Stopping
to light his cigarette he heard some music. The music had a nice beat to it
although it wasn't his favorite. He much preferred Bach or Beethoven.
"Why
not?" he thought to himself.
He noticed a line was beginning to form
outside this club where the music was emanating from. Although he had nothing
better to do, he certainly was above doddling in some line waiting for
approval. So he just walked right up to the doorman, flashed a smile and hoped
it would work.
"Wow...aren't
we dazzling?" the small doorman with oddly cut cherry red hair squealed.
Murakumo could feel the smaller man's eyes
inspecting him.
"Honey,
you go right in...and save a dance for me!" Murakumo jumped when he felt a
hand on his posterior. Normally this would result in someone's beheading,
however he found himself more shocked than anything else and moved away as fast
as his aragami feet could carry him.
Once at the bar he ordered a rum and coke and
leaned back to take a look around. Something caught his eye.
"Who
is that?" He didn't even realize he'd asked his question aloud.
The slobbering lad next to him managed to sputter
out "I...hi-know...she's one hi-hot tam-hic-ale eh?" then jabbed
Murakumo in the ribs a couple times just to drive his point home.
Murakumo
didn't feel a thing. This woman...she wasn't a vision...no flowing hair and
gown...she was sweating and moving in conspicuously tight pants. He could smell
her, his senses being as superior as they are. He felt something moving in him.
For the first time he was actually interested in something in this city.
Kusanagi scanned the room just
people watching he told himself, but he had to admit he was keeping an eye out
for other guys hitting on Momiji. His eyes settled on a dark man at the bar.
He'd have to keep an eye on that one he made a mental note. Can't have any tall
dark and handsome strangers sweeping his Kushinada off her feet.
It wasn't
that Kusanagi wasn't handsome enough. He'd had his share of admirers...a few of
which he'd like to forget. Hanging around Momiji but not being seen by her a
lot of the time before and in the beginning of their relationship put him
around a lot of young girls. Every now and then one would notice him. He
chucked at the memory. "Wow, what a babe!" one girl had squealed
before handing him her number and fluttering off. Sure, a lot of them had been
quite attractive, but he somehow knew that the girl he had chosen would surpass
them all in time.
Refocusing
on the man he had a sudden thought "That looks
like....Murakumo!"." He must be here for Momiji!" Kusanagi leapt
up and was about to swoop down and pull her from the dance floor and proceed to
beat the mitamas out of Murakumo when something occurred to him.
Murakumo
hadn't done anything wrong...yet. Kusanagi himself used to work for the
aragami. Add to that how mad Momiji would be if she knew he was spying on her
while she was out with the girls for her birthday and he decided it would be
better to hang back for now.
Murakumo's gaze had been fixed so
long he barely realized the object of his visual obsession for the last few
minutes was coming towards him. He quickly prepared himself. Murakumo was
handsome, suave, always well spoken...and he knew it. If there was one thing he
did not do it's lose his composure. The woman came to the bar.
"Can
I have another one of those flaming spinach something or anothers?"
He was just about to slide up to her, buy her
drink and order another for himself when he heard one of her companions call
out
"Hey,
Momiji...you sure you can handle another one of those?".
No. This exquisite woman can't be that sniveling
awkward girl that was the other Kushinada. There must be a handful of girls
named Momiji in
Looking down, he saw the woman apologizing
repeatedly for tripping and spilling her water all over him.
"Oh....no" was all he managed to get out.
Momiji looked up, feeling like a
jackass and said "I'm sorry" for the hundredth time. She noticed
first that he was tall....very tall....and dark....very dark....and handsome to
boot. Momiji felt a flush befall her cheeks. She looked up to his face and
began "I'm...um...s....Murakumo?!"
"Well
hello Princess" Murakumo purred, now trying to figure out just how the
girl he thought of only as a tool years earlier had turned out so lovely.
"Just what are you doing here?"
Momiji demanded. Somehow she knew he wasn't there for her, somehow she knew he
wasn't any danger to her world anymore.
"I
was just enjoying a night on the town Princess. Can't a man come get a drink
here in
It was odd...Momiji had never thought of
Murakumo as a man. A monster maybe...but not a man.
He looked
at her for a moment before asking "can I buy that drink for you?"
"Well no...it's already paid for and why
would I associate with you? You tried to kill me, remember?" she spat out.
"Well", Murakumo started "let
me buy you and your friends your next round...as a show of good faith?"
Momiji was not as trusting as she used to be,
but she agreed out of curiosity more than anything. The two walked to the table
where the remaining girls were seated.
If Kusanagi's eyes had been daggers
the club would have served Muraku-bob with grilled vegetables. "What is
she thinking?" he said aloud. He leaned forward staring intently at his
girlfriend and her company. Was she...laughing? She was...with....Murakumo.
His blood
boiled equally with fear and jealousy. He watched as Murakumo offered her
something, and he could tell she accepted. He inspected her as she took the
tube and put it to her lips as Murakumo lit it for her.
She was
smoking.
But Momiji doesn't smoke. At least he didn't
think so. He'd seen her smoke at parties when she drank...and that was rare.
Sometimes she'd smoke during finals due to all the stress...but never casually.
Just what was going on here?
He knew
if he got any closer he'd risk being seen, but he had to know what they were
saying. He moved, as quietly as possible to a closer section. The upstairs
waitress noticing him for the first time slid up and asked if she could get him
anything, making sure her cleavage was clearly in his view. However she was disappointed
when he murmured "
The foursome sat and chatted albeit
nervously through a couple songs when Murakumo leaned over to Momiji and asked
her if she cared to dance with him. She declined, and blushing, told Murakumo
that she didn't think Kusanagi would like that too much.
"That's right!" echoed through
Murakumo's head. He'd been so focused on her that he forgot she belonged to
that cretin Kusanagi. He smirked inwardly "two birds with one stone"
he thought. He refused to take no as an answer to his offer, now doubly fuelled
at the thought of stealing something Kusanagi holds dear while enjoying himself
to boot.
"C'mon
Momiji" Sakura thought she was whispering into her friends ear, but over
the music everything had to be said quite loudly, "You'll never get
Kusanagi out there with you. The guys not asking for you to bear his child,
just for a dance...you said you knew he was here and you didn't think he was a
threat anymore. It's your birthday."
"No...no...no" was all
Kusanagi managed to choke out.
Momiji
reluctantly followed Murakumo to the dance floor and they began to move
together although not touching. Momiji was surprised at what a good dancer he
was, he was very graceful. She absently wondered whether Kusangi had this grace
as he and Murakumo are similar creatures. Quickly she lost her apprehension and
began to dance the way she did when no one was watching.
But someone was watching.
Upstairs the waitress handed Kusanagi his beer
and bent down to his ear.
"You know..." she spoke into his
ear, her words soft as silk, "you don't have to tip me...I get off in an
hour...if you want to wait around" and again her advances were ignored."Suit
yourself cutie...but I'm taking this for all the energy I've wasted on
you" she said as she slipped a couple dollar bills into her top.
"It's a shame" she said "whatever you're looking at down there
must be special...I really could've shown you a good time y'know".
For the first time, he turned to face her,
gave her a half-assed smile and took another swig of his beer. Kusanagi suddenly
felt the need to order another one....or six.
He came up with several plausible reasons for
Momiji's strange behavior. The first and most prominent being her drinking.
Yes, in the morning she wouldn't even believe she'd done these things. But
Momiji wasn't acting strange...not really. And Kusanagi knew that. She was
being herself...with....him. He would take her dancing...he would buy her
drinks....she had but to ask.
Kusanagi
quickly tried to get a grip on himself. She was just dancing with him. Besides,
it wasn't like she met him here or anything. They just ran into each other. It
just...happened.
"Oh
god" he thought. How many explanations for actions that had shattered
relationships began with those words? It-just-happened.
"No" he told himself. This was his
girlfriend. His Momiji and she loved him. He watched. And watched. And
watched.
They cleared the damn floor. And why wouldn't
they? Two beautiful people together moving beautifully to beautiful music. The
whole thought made him nauseas.
He ordered another beer and a double shot of
whiskey. As his vision blurred, he still saw them clearly. Only now his hands
were on her hips. She looked like an angel. The club was closing down and the
lights flickered to signal the last few club goers that it was time to go home.
Sakura
walked up to Momiji and said "Hey, we're going to an after hours party at
Shen's house" as she pointed to the attractive guy in the corner who then
winked at Sakura in a suggestive manner "wanna come?"
Momiji declined "I uh...have a lot to do
tomorrow...I think I'm just going to go home and flop into bed. I hope I don't
wake-up with a hangover."
"Well
do you at least want us to take you home?" Sakura asked hoping she would
accept. There seemed to be nothing up with Murakumo but she still wasn't sure
about leaving Momiji alone with him.
"No...its
okay...to tell the truth I'm still kind of drunk...I think I'd rather try and
walk it off" was Momiji's reply. Then came the very words Kusanagi prayed
wouldn't be spoken but somehow knew would.
"I'll walk you home Princess. I insist.
You really shouldn't walk home by yourself".
Damn him! What did that purple haired freak
want with Momiji?! "If he hurts a hair on her head" Kusanagi began to
curse. But inside him, a chord struck. What if he didn't want to hurt
Momiji....what if wanted Momiji?
Upstairs a waitress could be heard.
"Look cutie, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here. Unless of
course you're waiting for me".
And with that Kusanagi got up and left.
"Didn't
think so..." the waitress trailed off.
Momiji suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
"Kusanagi..." This wasn't right. Sure...he'd not wanted to come, but
really...what would she think if she found out he'd been dancing all night with
"Oh
well...she thought....I really shouldn't walk home alone."
"Are you ready Princess?" purred
Murakumo.
"Listen
Murakumo...my name is Momiji.....I'd really rather you call me by my
name." Momiji was looking at the floor, totally unsure of herself.
Murakumo
tilted her head to meet his gaze. "Okay...Momiji."
Momiji
felt her knees go weak. "Damn" she thought to herself. Why doesn't
Kusanagi do that to her anymore? This must be the desire she'd read so much
about in romance novels. She'd desired Kusanagi for years...and she still did.
He just didn't seem to desire her back. Sure...he loved her. But desire is
something totally different in itself. Not once had Kusanagi looked at her like
he wanted to devour her. The only hunger she ever saw in his eyes was when she
sat a steak in front of him.
"Y...yes.
Let's go. I....I need to get home. I don't feel so good."
Murakumo
wondered to himself how she could be feeling ill when he felt great. For the
first time he didn't feel imprisoned by his existence. The duo set out onto the
street.
Kusanagi knew the way Momiji took
home. He knew he could catch up to them. He stopped at the store and bought
himself a pack of cigarettes.
"Let's see what this whole smoking thing's about" he griped. He lit
one, inhaled and started to cough. "Ugh"..."That shit'll kill
you....bleah" and stamped it out.
He flew to a spot in a tree above a street
Momiji had to walk down to get home. She and Murakumo soon came past him. They
seemed to be having idle chit chat...nothing too serious. After all....they
didn't really know each other. They stopped. They were laughing. "What did
he say?" Kusanagi wished he'd heard whatever it was that elicited such a
laugh from Momiji's lips.
Murakumo stepped in closer. He grabbed Momiji
by the waist firmly. It certainly didn't hurt her. She actually found herself
enjoying it. Murakumo ran his other hand up to the small of her back. It sent
shivers down her spine. "Prin....er....Momiji" he cooed and moved in
closer still.
Kusanagi
couldn't look. He leapt from his spot in the tree and ran full speed for
Momiji's house. As mad and confused as he was...he wanted to be near her.
Wanted to hear her voice. Maybe if he was there when they arrived he could
prevent something even more awful from occurring...maybe.
His eyes
were watering. His vision was blurry. The anger caused his mitamas to glow
bright and they burnt into his skin. He
arrived and went to go in.
"Oh yeah" he reminded himself. He
didn't have a key. Probably so Momiji could bring random men home any time she
pleased without worrying about my bursting in. He knew better than that...but
at the moment it seemed to help to hate her rather than love her as much as he
did. The hate stung....the love felt like it would split him in two. So he
waited. He waited on her porch not giving a damn about the mosquitoes or moths
that attacked him periodically.
"God...just
come home" he sighed.
Momiji put a hand to Murakumo's
chest and pushed him back a bit. Noting how well shaped it
was....like....Kusanagi's. "Look...Murakumo....I don't really know
you....I mean...I had fun tonight and all, I just think this might be a little
fast. Kusanagi'sprollywaitingformeandIreallydon'twanttohurthimorlosehimrightnow"
the last part said with olympic speed.
"I understand" he nodded "I
live just a few miles from here. Call on me anytime you want. When you're ready
of course" He kissed her hand.
"Murakumo"
Momiji began "I live a block away. I think I'd better walk the rest of the
way myself."
"Just be safe Momiji...you never know
what kind of people you'll meet in
"Oh man...I feel like I'm 15 again...I
feel like mom or Mr. Kunikida just caught me sneaking out."
Momiji began her two block trek glad she'd
opted to walk the final stretch alone. She had a gut feeling Kusanagi might be
waiting for her. He rarely gave her a night to herself. Surely...when she
arrived, there he sat, solemnly on her porch. She took a deep
breath..."okay Momiji..." she sighed and prepared herself to approach
him.
Murakumo practically waltzed home.
This feeling was so new to him. It wasn't love...but it was a definite like.
This girl...no...this woman had overheated his senses from the moment he laid
eyes on her he wanted desperately to run back to her apartment, take her in his
arms and do all sorts of terribly naughty things to her. What the hell was his
problem? He thought on it for a
moment...then decided he didn't give a damn. He didn't know how much they had
in common, he had no clue what her interests were or what she studied in
school...but he did know he had to have her. He would have Momiji Kushinada. He
didn't know if he could survive denying himself that. His skin already felt as
though it would burst. He made the journey home to get some rest if he could
after a very...very...cold shower.
"Oh...hey Kus." Momiji
said as calmly as she could. "Been out here long?"
"No...not
really" was his reply.
His voice was either A) empty or B) full of
something she hadn't heard before. Neither could be very good.
He stood, reached out his arm and clutched her
to him as tightly as his arms could hold her. She just stood
there....wondering.
"What in the hell has gotten into
him?" His hold on her became even tighter. "Ow, Kusanagi...you're
crushing me...ow...lemme go okay? What's gotten into you?" she pleaded.
She got no answer. "Look, Kusanagi...maybe you'd better go
home...besides...you smell like a brewery."
She felt
herself partially pushed away from him, suddenly his hands were on her
shoulders and she felt another pair of lips on hers, then, sloppily, he shoved
his tongue into her mouth. He withdrew.
"Well you taste like an ashtray".
Momiji blinked. What the hell was with him?
Her night was confusing enough without this sudden and first burst of muddled
emotion from Kusanagi. "Go home Kus" she told him flatly. "Sleep
it off."
"Momiji?"
he asked, his voice almost a whisper, "did you have fun?"
"What?" puzzled, she began to answer
his question "yeah...I guess....Sakura, Akiko and I just went
dancing...the made me get this flaming something or another and...." She
was cut off.
"Damnit
Momiji!" "I saw you!"
"You...saw
me what....?" she asked him...hoping maybe she could play the innocent
act. She did feel guilty...but she really didn't think she'd done anything that
wrong.
"I
saw you...with him....fuck..." he trailed off and hit the wall, shattering
a few bricks as he did so.
"Kusanagi!
There's no need to destroy my building, if you want to talk, we'll talk...let's
just go inside!" She turned the key in the door and flipped on the light. She
barely had both feet in the door before he began again.
"Why him? He tried to kill you, or did
you forget? I've never done anything but protect you!"
"You tried to kill me once before
too....or have you forgotten that? It looks like someone has a selective
memory!" she yelled back at him.
"Selective?"
His cat-like eyes were now narrowed to small
slits that looked like they could actually pierce her flesh. "I know everything
there is to know about you Momiji...I know every hair on your head....every
fleck of color in your eyes!"
"Kusanagi....I..."
she began....without really knowing where she was going with it.
"Don't!"
he yelled at her. "Do whatever you want...it's your life..."
Now she
was mad. "Oh kiss my ass Kusanagi!" I was just dancing. Jesus...if
you were so concerned about other guys why didn't you just go with me? Oh, I
know why....because you never want to do ANYTHING!"
"Was he a
good kisser?"
"Oh no..." Momiji thought..."he
couldn't have seen.....shit....the tree....." "I didn't kiss
him" she tried to explain but was cut short.
"I
must be seeing things then" Kusanagi said sarcastically.
"He tried to kiss me...but I wouldn't let
him".
For a moment
Kusanagi's bleak hopes were lifted, and then he remembered seeing her face when
he thought Murakumo was going to kiss her. "Did you want him to?"
"What?" she asked.
"I asked if you wanted him to"
Kusanagi spoke softly now...his words calm, yet seething.
"I...I don't...know"
"Well
that's it then...I guess....see you around Momiji...I guess you didn't love me
quite as much as I love you..."
"No...no no no no no no no" rang
through Momiji's head. "Not now....not like this...." these were the
words she'd longed to hear for years...now they appeared as if they may be the
last she would hear from his lips. "I do love you Kusanagi!" she
yelled after him. "I've always loved you...but you....you act more like my
brother than my boyfriend!" "I need more than this....I
need...."
"Murakumo?..."
he finished for her.
Now she was noticeably upset. Just who did he
think he was? Putting words in her mouth. "No!" "I don't even
know him....I just need....more...sometimes..."
He didn't
understand how she could need more than...him. He'd given her everything he
had. He'd lay down his life for her in an instant. Not because she was the
Kushinada...but because he loved her. He'd never imagined anything being more
wonderful or pure than the love he had for her....how could it not be enough?
"Fine..."
he told her finally."Go find more..." and with that he was gone.
Momiji felt like her heart had been ripped
from her chest. Sweet lord she loved him so. This was what heartbreak felt
like. She felt like running after him...but she stopped herself. She did need
more. And if anything was going to be resolved...it obviously wasn't going to
be tonight.
She managed to crawl up the stairs and wash
the tears from her face. She didn't even bother with pajamas...she just shed
her clothing and slipped into bed. Her heart was breaking...she knew that. A
million things ran through her head.
Pain...fear....anxiety....guilt....anger...and possibility.
"Tomorrow" she whispered to the darkness. Right...everything will
seem clearer tomorrow.
Murakumo looked out his
window..."Princess Kushinada" he whispered to no one in particular.
He fiddled absently with the ends of his long hair, his mind far away.
"This
is going to be fun" he thought as visions of Momiji dancing played through
his mind. He smiled a genuine smile. Tomorrow...he thought...he would set about
making her his own.
Fun was the farthest thing from
Kusanagi's mind as he ran full speed home. He didn't want to fly...he wanted to
get some of this bullshit...whatever it was...out of his system.
"Damnit....damnit....damnit!" was
all that could be heard as he sped past. Few people heard him, as it was now 4
in the morning.
He
finally arrived at his dwelling, his system so overloaded that he was now in
his full form. The blades on his back and arms pulsed with so many
unmentionable emotions. He made it to his door and fell to a heap at the
entrance.
"Tomorrow...."
he thought."Maybe this will all go away tomorrow..." Then his world went
black.
This is but one chapter. I am in the middle of chapter 2. The other chapters will move a little faster than this first one. I think I was more setting a mood than anything. I want this fic to take a direction not directly pointed out in this first chapter so PLEASE let me know what you think. If you like it, or are remotely interested in it at all...please keep reading for lots of new developments. I just couldn't help but think of the characters on a deeper level than the original series allows them.