Blood Tastes So Much Sweeter
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde
Part Three: Mutual Courtesy
On the second day of his slumber, the mental clock inside Sesshoumaru's head went off, and he slowly started up his system again. His lungs filled with air and his heart started pumping cleansed blood back into his system. What a fool Naraku had been to allow him to sleep for this long. Now his body was fully recovered, and the poison had been purged out of his system. He inwardly chuckled. What a foolish mistake Naraku had made, indeed. He opened his eyes and looked around the room to find Naraku in his usual spot by the window.
"Foolish, am I? Then you should note the shackles around your wrist and ankles...." He smirked, his back still to Sesshoumaru. Like he would honestly let an enemy into his lair, unbound and at full strength. That's just silly. He chuckled to himself and rose, turning on his heel and looking at Sesshoumaru with fierce violet eyes. Naraku was well rested now as well, making him twice the tough opponent he was two days before.
Sesshoumaru hmf'ed and stood up, breaking the shackles in one fluid motion. "You deeply misjudge my strength, Naraku." he said as he took one step towards the spider--which he noted was also fully healed.
Naraku only grinned. " Planning to kill me now? Sick of my games?" His taunting voice filled the room. Naraku folded his arms, smirking. "You can try to kill me now if you wish.... Unless you still wanted to know more about me first?"
"Who said I was going to kill you just now?" Sesshoumaru tilted his head. "Really Naraku, you are a most paranoid demon." He smirked and walked past Naraku to the door. "Well, Kumo? Shouldn't you be leading the way?"
Naraku growled, choosing to ignore the "Kumo" part of that sentence. He raised an eyebrow. "Lead you where? Here is a perfectly fine place." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Inu youkai.
He gave the room a quick, measuring glance-making sure Naraku saw his mild disapproval. "I think we should go to a place more suitable for friendly conversation. I've never found a spider's nest to be a very comfortable place."
"Inu... don't mock me." He sat down in the spot where he was standing, declaring in a childish way he wasn't going to move or leave until he saw fit.
"Inu--? Did you almost call me by that half demon's name?!" Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku through slits. He'd noticed that calling him Kumo didn't bode too well with him, but if he thought he was going to get away with calling him by his former half-brother's name, he could think again.
Naraku chuckled. "I did not almost call you Inuyasha.... I'm just merely addressing you with the same courtesy as you're addressing me. Mutual respect. Have a seat because we're not leaving." He waved his hand so the walls confining Sesshoumaru were unbreakable and the doors would not open. "Having the Shikon Jewel allows me to have some useful little tricks." He snickered and folded his arms, watching Sesshoumaru with emotionless violet eyes
Eventually, Sesshoumaru broke the staring contest, and with a sigh, he sat down a few feet in front of Naraku. "Well, where shall we begin?" He looked into Naraku's eyes, "Let's start with your lineage, shall we; whom were your parents?"
"Don't remember. I killed them when I was old enough to take care of myself." He said nonchalantly. Frankly, he couldn't care less what he'd done in a former life.
"I see... So what did you do to survive as a child? I've heard you were a thief of sorts; is that right?"
"Heh. It's true enough. And your questions are growing quite pointless. If there's something you want to ask, get to the point."
"Patience...Naraku." Sesshoumaru didn't wish to be called 'inu' again, so he figured he might as well refrain from calling Naraku 'kumo'. "So what happened to you that put you in the state you're in? I'm curious to know, as how I never inquired."
"Be more specific, Sesshoumaru. I can't give an answer if I don't understand what's being asked you know." Naraku was enjoying this game. He hadn't had conversation like this since.... well; he'd never had conversation like this ever actually. It was a nice change.
"I'm referring as to how you acquired your collage of a demon body, of course." It felt so odd to be talking to someone for this length of time, let alone talking to Naraku. He waited for an answer.
"My previous form was weak. So, I sacrificed it to demons that consumed my old flesh and gave me this as its replacement. And now I'm stronger. I don't need those pitiful emotions other creatures have to deal with...." 'Not anymore now that Kikyou is dead.' He though bitterly.
"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" his eyebrow raised slightly.
Naraku smirked. "Nothing that I wish to tell you comes to mind Sesshoumaru. I'll let you know when I have urgent news about something that's already happened." He smirked a big, huge, arrogant smirk.
"Very well..." Sesshoumaru thought of another subject to broach. "So, Naraku, has there been a mate in your previous--or current--life?"
That wiped the smirk right off his face. He forced a nonchalant smile. "Me? Have a mate? That's ridiculous. I could never love anyone." 'Except Kikyou...' He mentally growled at the annoying voice that kept making that cursed woman's name pop into his head. He loved no one.
"So you could never love..." Sesshoumaru smelled the change in him. "But could you lust?"
"No." He forced the smile to stay upon his lips no matter how badly he wanted to glare at Sesshoumaru for even daring to ask questions relating to mates and what not. He was Naraku. He needed no one... loved no one... lusted for no one... anymore. Such a lonely life it was.... he just hadn't realized it yet.
"Come now, Naraku. You must be honest with me; I can smell your deceit already. What do you have to lose that you haven't lost already?" He casually brought up his right hand to tuck his loose hair back behind his pointed ear.
"Kikyou.... I wanted her.... and so did your wretched brother." A low growl escaped from his throat as he fought back snarling. " Now I demand a turn to ask questions from you." he calmed himself... barely. "Since it's only fair...." He smirked.
"I see. Is that all you wish to say on the subject, then?"
"That's all the answers I'll spare you, Sesshoumaru. Now it's my turn. Why do you hate Inuyasha? Its got to be more than family disgrace... what truly made you hate him so much?" If Sesshoumaru was going to stab weak spots, so was Naraku. All's fair...
Sesshoumaru's normally serious face seemed to darken. "Why do you bring that up now? He's dead. He matters not to me; never has." His eyes lost a little of their focus as he recalled events from the past.
"Why bring up my love life? It's just as dead as your brother is. And I answered all of your questions accordingly." Naraku smirked, not afraid in the least bit of the dark look the Inu youkai was giving him. "It's only fair you do the same."
Eyes still not focusing, Sesshoumaru gave in. "Very well. It started the moment that half breed was conceived. My father, Inutaisho, had had a short infatuation with this human woman--who's name I will not utter or hear--and the product of that fateful relationship was that abomination, Inuyasha. I still wonder why father chose to bestow that half breed--and not me--with part of his name. But that is not the reason for my hatred towards my "little brother." The real reason is the fact that he didn't just forget about him. He doted on his human mother and gave him gifts-- all while ignoring my existence. I, Sesshoumaru, his first-born child, was utterly pushed aside to make room for this second half breed child."
Naraku chuckled. "Understandable I suppose. Was there something more? Or is it the child remaining within you refuses to let that bitter hatred go? Because surely, there are better reasons to hate someone."
His eyes regained some of their focus now. "Heh. Yes, I suppose that's not the whole reason I hate him." His line of sight lowered a little towards the floor as he continued, "All the while I was forgotten, I trained in the mountains to become strong enough that my father would acknowledge my strength and perhaps remember that I was his true son. And alas, the day came when my father called upon me, and I was summoned to his castle. He told me that his life was coming to its end and that he wouldn't leave this world without giving his sons a gift to remember him by. He then had me kneel before him and he presented me with a sword--the Tensuaiga. I graciously thanked my father for the sword and wished him the best in the afterlife. It was only soon after that I discovered my sword's powers. I went back to my father to inquire why he would give me such a weapon-- which, in my eyes, is not a weapon at all. But I was too late. He'd already passed the Tetsusaiga unto Inuyasha. It infuriated me to learn that that bastard half breed had received a more powerful weapon than I. And later, I discover that father even chose him to be the guardian of his tomb. I...I think I've hated my father ever since Inuyasha's birth. And I've hated Inuyasha for merely being what he is." He paused. "Does that answer your question?"
Naraku nodded solemnly. "That answer's it." He tried to find an insult to tag on, but, for once, the spider was at a loss for words. So, he merely regarded the inu-youkai. After a long, awkward silence, Naraku spoke. "It's your turn to ask me a question now."
Sesshoumaru hesitated. "Naraku, I am curious. Why is it that you haven't killed me yet? You've threatened to do so endlessly, and even after several opportunities, I am still here." He cocked his head. "Why?"
"Apparently you know nothing about the way I function. Every murder I commit has reason behind it. But there is benefit for me from your death. So, I keep you around for......entertainment I suppose. You and I are almost the same person.... It's hard to come across a person remotely near as corrupt as me. I enjoy that, very much." Naraku fought back a half- smile/ half-smirk as he watched and waited for Sesshoumaru's reaction.
Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed slightly. "How are we so similar? I can think of nothing that we share in common." Putting his right arm on his knee, he rested his head atop a balled fist, perplexed.
Naraku chuckled bitterly. "We share hatred for....the former half breed Inuyasha. We both will go to nearly any lengths to get what we want. We both despised our parents." Naraku inched a little closer to Sesshoumaru, slightly hesitant. "We both have the same look of cruelty in our eyes.... we both do not suffer the burden of human emotions. You and I are very alike.... Down to our poisonous claws." Naraku raised his hand, fingers spread slightly apart as if to show him his claws (which had the light aroma of blood that lingered around them.) "How could you not see the similarities when they are so blatantly laid before us both?"
"Similarities, you say?" Unexpectedly, Sesshoumaru closed the space in between them and took Naraku's chin in his hand. Moving slowly to assure Naraku he meant no harm, Sesshoumaru tilted his head so it was even with his own, and he peered into Naraku's cold, violet eyes, searching.
Naraku looked over the demon's face, placing his hand around Sesshoumaru's wrist. "What are you doing?" It was only slightly a question and more of a demand in spite of his low tone of voice.
"Shhh. Look in my eyes," he whispered, "and be still for a moment. There is something I wish to confirm."
Naraku narrowed his eyes in suspicion but did not pull away. He scanned over the dog demon's thoughts but wasn't able to pick up any clear clue as to the happenings.
Sesshoumaru's cat-like pupils expanded until there was only a thin line of gold iris bordering them. He was very close to Naraku's face at this point, and he could smell the hint of fear emanating from the other demon who did not know what it was he was doing. He finally locked eyes with the spider and suddenly time came to an abrupt halt and all that could be seen by the both of them was darkness. And then Sesshoumaru began the dive into Naraku's mind. He could feel the kumo resisting his intrusion, but he cooed at him until the inner barriers crack a little--just enough for his mind to squeeze through. He dove deeper into the twisted, confusing web that was Naraku's mind until finally he saw it. It was so small--no bigger than a glass shard. Sesshoumaru was looking at Naraku's soul. Satisfied, he ascended back up through the layers of spider web until he was back inside the small, uncomfortable room. His gaze was still fixed on Naraku's as he slowly adjusted his pupils back into the cold, unforgiving eyes of a predator. Slowly, he leaned back onto his haunches and removed his hand from Naraku's face. He wondered what the kumo thought just happened, since the whole time, there was nothing to be seen from the other end.
Naraku shook his head, trying to dispose of the feeling that Sesshoumaru had seen something he shouldn't have. Though he was slightly afraid; no one ever got that close to him of their own free will. And....Sesshoumaru didn't try to kill him in that one moment of venerability. He regarded Sesshoumaru with wide, bewildered eyes. "What.... what did you do?" he asked quietly. The words were hard to form and his body seemed paralyzed with a foreign emotion.
"Well, if you would be so kind as to release my wrist, I'll tell you." Sesshoumaru lifted his arm slightly to get Naraku's attention.
Naraku barely realized he had Sesshoumaru's wrist still. He released it slowly, barely managing to suppress the blush creeping onto his cheeks. He sat back, refolding his legs as he did so. "Now... what did you just do to me?" His composure was once again achieved.
Sesshoumaru merely looked at him. "Do to you? I didn't do anything."
Naraku glared and a low growl was forming in his throat. "You dare lie to me?" His hand clenched into a fist. He wanted information, and he would get it.
"I'm not lying. I didn't actually do anything to you. What's the matter; you don't believe me?"
"Tell me!" Naraku all but roared. Such a reaction to whatever Sesshoumaru had done must never be repeated. "I demand you tell me Inu!"
Sesshoumaru tilted his head, a childish grin playing on his lips. "No."
They say, curiosity killed the cat, well now it was going to drive a spider to kill a dog. Naraku brought back his fist and lunged, punching Sesshoumaru hard across the face. "TELL ME!"
Sesshoumaru sat up from sliding across the floor and gave Naraku the most wicked grin he could muster: "Make me."
"Your wish," Naraku said wickedly, grinning so devilishly it smothered Sesshoumaru's with no problem, "Is my command." He leapt to his feet, leaping as high as the ceiling would allow. He put one of his fists into his hand and began to bring his fists onto Sesshoumaru's skull.
Rolling out of the way of Naraku's fists, Sesshoumaru sent his boa up to meet Naraku as he came crashing down on the spot his head had once occupied. Sesshoumaru thoroughly enjoyed the look of surprise on Naraku's face as his whole body was now being constricted by a soft, billowy wrap that now felt like a vice. Not wasting any time, Sesshoumaru manipulated the boa and threw Naraku against the opposite wall, his boa returning safely to his side. As Naraku was scrambling to free himself of the wall, Sesshoumaru lunged at the youkai, his claws ready to be put to use in Naraku's flesh.
Naraku growled. His eyes flashed dangerously as Sesshoumaru charged. When the inu-youkai was too close for comfort, (which took a mere three seconds), Naraku vanished completely from sight, reappearing behind Sesshoumaru. He grabbed onto the youkai's hair. "Too slow," He hissed before hurling Sesshoumaru into a brick solid wall. A few silvery strands of the Inu's hair remained in Naraku's claws.
Sesshoumaru was upside down, and after a couple seconds, hit the floor with a sounding 'thud.' He managed to stand up straight again and rubbed his head where some of his hair had been yanked out. He looked up at Naraku through slits as he laced his next words with venom: "You're gonna pay for that." And with that, he drew out his glowing energy whip and proceeded to slash at the spider's new barrier he'd put up until he could get closer.
Naraku grinned as Sesshoumaru approached the distance of 5 feet away from him. He seemed to disappear from sight all together and the reappear holding Sesshoumaru's wrist above his head as he tackled him to the ground. He held the inu-youkai's wrist firmly in place and put the palm of his hand on Sesshoumaru's throat, threatening to crush his windpipe from all the pressure. "Tell me...."
There was a rumbling deep inside the inu youkai's chest that slowly made its way to his throat and then burst out his mouth before Sesshoumaru even realized what was happening. It was only after he heard the sound of a male's low tenor voice echo off the walls that he finally recognized the sound of his own laughter. Even though this was not the time, nor place, to be laughing-and with Naraku's hand firmly pressed over his windpipe- Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself as he continued to fill the room with his pleasant-sounding laughter.
Naraku was expecting a glare, an attempt to be thrown from the inu.... or something like that! His violet eyes widened in bewilderment. He sat back, straddling Sesshoumaru's torso, still managing to keep him pinned. "What in the hell are you laughing at?!" He roared.
Trying to answer him in between spurts of laughter, Sesshoumaru managed, "You.. me.. this whole thing!" The laughter died down to a chuckle as he admitted: "I haven't had this kind of fun...well, ever." He grunted as he sat up, causing the bewildered Naraku to slid onto his stomach. "Heh, heh. Alright, I'll tell you."
Naraku's mind was racing a billion miles a second. He hadn't even noticed his grip had relaxed on the youkai's limbs. 'Why hasn't he shoved me off? Is this a trick? What's going on?!'
"FUN?!" He shouted. "YOU THINK THIS IS FUN!?"
"Hahahaha...Yes, very much so," he blinked and tilted his head, "Don't you find this whole situation amusing?"
Naraku blinked in more than mild confusion. He shook his head, placing a hand to his forehead. 'It's the poison....' he told himself over and over again until he regained his composure. "No..." he said in a low voice. "Tell me what I asked to know."
"Heh, very well, Naraku; I will tell you what I did," he took a breath and straightened his face. "You mentioned earlier that you and I were very similar. I'd wanted more proof of that than our possession of poison claws, so I looked into your mind and found another thing we have in common: a soul." He studied Naraku's features. "Are you angry at me now for having seen something so personal to you?"
Naraku opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He didn't know how to react to someone telling him he had a soul when so many, MANY others insisted that he didn't. And suddenly the awkwardness of their position slapped him hard across the face and he quickly moved off of Sesshoumaru and stood, glaring down at him.
With a small grunt, Sesshoumaru got up off the floor and stood an arm's length away from Naraku-who seemed not to know what to say at the moment. After a minute of awkward silence, he walked up to him and looked him in the eye, "Did you honestly not know that you had a soul?" his eyes searching the other youkai's face for an answer. The kumo's face seemed darkened with thoughts of denial as he still did not answer him. Hesitantly, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to reality, "Naraku?"
Naraku glanced down at the floor and then to Sesshoumaru uneasily. He put his hand over Sesshoumaru's, hesitating before gripping it and removing it. He looked away, face darkened. "A monster like me cannot possess a soul. It defies all laws of nature," he said so quietly, he doubted Sesshoumaru could even hear it.
But he did hear it. Sesshoumaru raised his rejected hand up to his hair and swept it back over his shoulder. "Feh. That's what I'd told myself for the longest time; that a murderous demon, such as me, who killed his father and tried to do the same to his half brother for something as worldly as a sword, couldn't possibly have a soul." Naraku looked up at him, questioningly. Sesshoumaru glanced back at him as he clarified what he'd just said, "Yes, I was the one who killed my father...I guess I failed to mention that in our little conversation earlier; I suppose I just didn't think you needed to know." He smirked at the other demon, but his eyes betrayed his face as he quickly turned around and walked over to Naraku's favorite spot by the window.
That same unknown emotion tugged at the dark rift where a heart once belonged. A hand went to his chest in a feeble attempt to subdue it. What he felt was... sorrow? Regret?...compassion? "Impossible..." He whispered to himself. Violet eyes darted to Sesshoumaru and narrowed. 'Unfeeling people are not supposed to do this to each other.' He growled subconsciously. "Where are you going?"
Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down on the windowsill. "Nowhere." He gazed out at the starless sky. 'What is going on?!' his primal voice yelled at him. 'Why are you being so...so nice to another being?! You should be ripping the throat out that baboon, not comforting him!
Naraku didn't trust his answers, so he scanned Sesshoumaru's thoughts.... He was torn between growling and smiling. So instead, he did neither and strode over to his spot, seemingly ignoring Sesshoumaru as he sat. But in all truth, he was monitoring his thoughts nonstop.
Sesshoumaru watched Naraku sit opposite of him at the window out of the corner of his eye. He didn't know what to do about these strange, human- like emotions he was feeling; they felt so foreign to a demon such as himself, like an intruder that didn't belong. He glanced up to spot Naraku looking his way--and quickly turn away. 'I wonder what he's thinking...if he's feeling these strange things as I am.' 'Gah, there I go again!' Inwardly frustrated with himself, Sesshoumaru made an odd noise in the back of his throat and dipped his head to rest on his propped up knee. Why wouldn't these 'feelings' just go away! They simply did not suit a murderous demon like him. If he could just-
"Sesshoumaru...." Naraku's eyes showed no emotion but his voice did. "You're not alone....." That was all he said; all the reassurance he could offer without loosing his dignity and acting like a human woman. But surely, it was enough. Naraku slowly looked away, still monitoring the inu's erratic thoughts.
His mind now silent, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and looked up at Naraku, who was looking away off to the distant mountains. "What?"
The edges of Naraku's lips twitched, as if he were going to smile. But the demon side, which prevailed over most of his judgments, crushed the smile into nothing. And so, Sesshoumaru's question remained unanswered as he stared off into space.
Not liking being ignored, Sesshoumaru thought of something that would get Naraku's attention.and maybe make up for his mind-prodding earlier. He sat up straight and once more cocked his head in that way of his to one side. "Hey, kumo," he said mildly just to get his attention.
Naraku looked at him. "What, Sesshoumaru?" An eyebrow raised at the sudden speech that had no pretense.
He opened his mouth and closed it again, not quite sure if he really wanted to go through with it. He looked away and then back at Naraku before continuing: "Would you.care to see my soul?" There was no backing out of it now. He then hurriedly added, "Just so we're on an even level with each other." He nervously glanced away and waited for an answer he didn't expect to get.
Naraku narrowed his eyes in slight suspicion. No one willingly opened up to him. After a long silence, in which Naraku's violet eyes never left Sesshoumaru's face, he finally gave a response. "Yes...." He was more than mildly curious. "Just to be on level with each other."
Sesshoumaru whipped his head back around to face Naraku. He hadn't expected for him to say yes; he hadn't really expected him to answer at all. He finally looked up into Naraku's eyes and saw not a mocking glare, but a gaze that resembled curiosity. Wanting to confirm the sincerity of Naraku's answer, Sesshoumaru asked, "Are you sure?"
Naraku gave his oh so characteristic smirk. "Of course I'm sure. Its ridiculous that you should even have to ask." He repositioned himself so he was closer and leaned forward a bit more. He locked eyes with the youkai before he had a chance to look away again. "Show me... "
A/N: ooooOOOOOooooo.. So how did ya like part three??!!! And for all you fellow yaoi fans out there, just wait 'til you read part four!!!!
By: The Gifted Ten & DerrangedBlonde
Part Three: Mutual Courtesy
On the second day of his slumber, the mental clock inside Sesshoumaru's head went off, and he slowly started up his system again. His lungs filled with air and his heart started pumping cleansed blood back into his system. What a fool Naraku had been to allow him to sleep for this long. Now his body was fully recovered, and the poison had been purged out of his system. He inwardly chuckled. What a foolish mistake Naraku had made, indeed. He opened his eyes and looked around the room to find Naraku in his usual spot by the window.
"Foolish, am I? Then you should note the shackles around your wrist and ankles...." He smirked, his back still to Sesshoumaru. Like he would honestly let an enemy into his lair, unbound and at full strength. That's just silly. He chuckled to himself and rose, turning on his heel and looking at Sesshoumaru with fierce violet eyes. Naraku was well rested now as well, making him twice the tough opponent he was two days before.
Sesshoumaru hmf'ed and stood up, breaking the shackles in one fluid motion. "You deeply misjudge my strength, Naraku." he said as he took one step towards the spider--which he noted was also fully healed.
Naraku only grinned. " Planning to kill me now? Sick of my games?" His taunting voice filled the room. Naraku folded his arms, smirking. "You can try to kill me now if you wish.... Unless you still wanted to know more about me first?"
"Who said I was going to kill you just now?" Sesshoumaru tilted his head. "Really Naraku, you are a most paranoid demon." He smirked and walked past Naraku to the door. "Well, Kumo? Shouldn't you be leading the way?"
Naraku growled, choosing to ignore the "Kumo" part of that sentence. He raised an eyebrow. "Lead you where? Here is a perfectly fine place." He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the Inu youkai.
He gave the room a quick, measuring glance-making sure Naraku saw his mild disapproval. "I think we should go to a place more suitable for friendly conversation. I've never found a spider's nest to be a very comfortable place."
"Inu... don't mock me." He sat down in the spot where he was standing, declaring in a childish way he wasn't going to move or leave until he saw fit.
"Inu--? Did you almost call me by that half demon's name?!" Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku through slits. He'd noticed that calling him Kumo didn't bode too well with him, but if he thought he was going to get away with calling him by his former half-brother's name, he could think again.
Naraku chuckled. "I did not almost call you Inuyasha.... I'm just merely addressing you with the same courtesy as you're addressing me. Mutual respect. Have a seat because we're not leaving." He waved his hand so the walls confining Sesshoumaru were unbreakable and the doors would not open. "Having the Shikon Jewel allows me to have some useful little tricks." He snickered and folded his arms, watching Sesshoumaru with emotionless violet eyes
Eventually, Sesshoumaru broke the staring contest, and with a sigh, he sat down a few feet in front of Naraku. "Well, where shall we begin?" He looked into Naraku's eyes, "Let's start with your lineage, shall we; whom were your parents?"
"Don't remember. I killed them when I was old enough to take care of myself." He said nonchalantly. Frankly, he couldn't care less what he'd done in a former life.
"I see... So what did you do to survive as a child? I've heard you were a thief of sorts; is that right?"
"Heh. It's true enough. And your questions are growing quite pointless. If there's something you want to ask, get to the point."
"Patience...Naraku." Sesshoumaru didn't wish to be called 'inu' again, so he figured he might as well refrain from calling Naraku 'kumo'. "So what happened to you that put you in the state you're in? I'm curious to know, as how I never inquired."
"Be more specific, Sesshoumaru. I can't give an answer if I don't understand what's being asked you know." Naraku was enjoying this game. He hadn't had conversation like this since.... well; he'd never had conversation like this ever actually. It was a nice change.
"I'm referring as to how you acquired your collage of a demon body, of course." It felt so odd to be talking to someone for this length of time, let alone talking to Naraku. He waited for an answer.
"My previous form was weak. So, I sacrificed it to demons that consumed my old flesh and gave me this as its replacement. And now I'm stronger. I don't need those pitiful emotions other creatures have to deal with...." 'Not anymore now that Kikyou is dead.' He though bitterly.
"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" his eyebrow raised slightly.
Naraku smirked. "Nothing that I wish to tell you comes to mind Sesshoumaru. I'll let you know when I have urgent news about something that's already happened." He smirked a big, huge, arrogant smirk.
"Very well..." Sesshoumaru thought of another subject to broach. "So, Naraku, has there been a mate in your previous--or current--life?"
That wiped the smirk right off his face. He forced a nonchalant smile. "Me? Have a mate? That's ridiculous. I could never love anyone." 'Except Kikyou...' He mentally growled at the annoying voice that kept making that cursed woman's name pop into his head. He loved no one.
"So you could never love..." Sesshoumaru smelled the change in him. "But could you lust?"
"No." He forced the smile to stay upon his lips no matter how badly he wanted to glare at Sesshoumaru for even daring to ask questions relating to mates and what not. He was Naraku. He needed no one... loved no one... lusted for no one... anymore. Such a lonely life it was.... he just hadn't realized it yet.
"Come now, Naraku. You must be honest with me; I can smell your deceit already. What do you have to lose that you haven't lost already?" He casually brought up his right hand to tuck his loose hair back behind his pointed ear.
"Kikyou.... I wanted her.... and so did your wretched brother." A low growl escaped from his throat as he fought back snarling. " Now I demand a turn to ask questions from you." he calmed himself... barely. "Since it's only fair...." He smirked.
"I see. Is that all you wish to say on the subject, then?"
"That's all the answers I'll spare you, Sesshoumaru. Now it's my turn. Why do you hate Inuyasha? Its got to be more than family disgrace... what truly made you hate him so much?" If Sesshoumaru was going to stab weak spots, so was Naraku. All's fair...
Sesshoumaru's normally serious face seemed to darken. "Why do you bring that up now? He's dead. He matters not to me; never has." His eyes lost a little of their focus as he recalled events from the past.
"Why bring up my love life? It's just as dead as your brother is. And I answered all of your questions accordingly." Naraku smirked, not afraid in the least bit of the dark look the Inu youkai was giving him. "It's only fair you do the same."
Eyes still not focusing, Sesshoumaru gave in. "Very well. It started the moment that half breed was conceived. My father, Inutaisho, had had a short infatuation with this human woman--who's name I will not utter or hear--and the product of that fateful relationship was that abomination, Inuyasha. I still wonder why father chose to bestow that half breed--and not me--with part of his name. But that is not the reason for my hatred towards my "little brother." The real reason is the fact that he didn't just forget about him. He doted on his human mother and gave him gifts-- all while ignoring my existence. I, Sesshoumaru, his first-born child, was utterly pushed aside to make room for this second half breed child."
Naraku chuckled. "Understandable I suppose. Was there something more? Or is it the child remaining within you refuses to let that bitter hatred go? Because surely, there are better reasons to hate someone."
His eyes regained some of their focus now. "Heh. Yes, I suppose that's not the whole reason I hate him." His line of sight lowered a little towards the floor as he continued, "All the while I was forgotten, I trained in the mountains to become strong enough that my father would acknowledge my strength and perhaps remember that I was his true son. And alas, the day came when my father called upon me, and I was summoned to his castle. He told me that his life was coming to its end and that he wouldn't leave this world without giving his sons a gift to remember him by. He then had me kneel before him and he presented me with a sword--the Tensuaiga. I graciously thanked my father for the sword and wished him the best in the afterlife. It was only soon after that I discovered my sword's powers. I went back to my father to inquire why he would give me such a weapon-- which, in my eyes, is not a weapon at all. But I was too late. He'd already passed the Tetsusaiga unto Inuyasha. It infuriated me to learn that that bastard half breed had received a more powerful weapon than I. And later, I discover that father even chose him to be the guardian of his tomb. I...I think I've hated my father ever since Inuyasha's birth. And I've hated Inuyasha for merely being what he is." He paused. "Does that answer your question?"
Naraku nodded solemnly. "That answer's it." He tried to find an insult to tag on, but, for once, the spider was at a loss for words. So, he merely regarded the inu-youkai. After a long, awkward silence, Naraku spoke. "It's your turn to ask me a question now."
Sesshoumaru hesitated. "Naraku, I am curious. Why is it that you haven't killed me yet? You've threatened to do so endlessly, and even after several opportunities, I am still here." He cocked his head. "Why?"
"Apparently you know nothing about the way I function. Every murder I commit has reason behind it. But there is benefit for me from your death. So, I keep you around for......entertainment I suppose. You and I are almost the same person.... It's hard to come across a person remotely near as corrupt as me. I enjoy that, very much." Naraku fought back a half- smile/ half-smirk as he watched and waited for Sesshoumaru's reaction.
Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed slightly. "How are we so similar? I can think of nothing that we share in common." Putting his right arm on his knee, he rested his head atop a balled fist, perplexed.
Naraku chuckled bitterly. "We share hatred for....the former half breed Inuyasha. We both will go to nearly any lengths to get what we want. We both despised our parents." Naraku inched a little closer to Sesshoumaru, slightly hesitant. "We both have the same look of cruelty in our eyes.... we both do not suffer the burden of human emotions. You and I are very alike.... Down to our poisonous claws." Naraku raised his hand, fingers spread slightly apart as if to show him his claws (which had the light aroma of blood that lingered around them.) "How could you not see the similarities when they are so blatantly laid before us both?"
"Similarities, you say?" Unexpectedly, Sesshoumaru closed the space in between them and took Naraku's chin in his hand. Moving slowly to assure Naraku he meant no harm, Sesshoumaru tilted his head so it was even with his own, and he peered into Naraku's cold, violet eyes, searching.
Naraku looked over the demon's face, placing his hand around Sesshoumaru's wrist. "What are you doing?" It was only slightly a question and more of a demand in spite of his low tone of voice.
"Shhh. Look in my eyes," he whispered, "and be still for a moment. There is something I wish to confirm."
Naraku narrowed his eyes in suspicion but did not pull away. He scanned over the dog demon's thoughts but wasn't able to pick up any clear clue as to the happenings.
Sesshoumaru's cat-like pupils expanded until there was only a thin line of gold iris bordering them. He was very close to Naraku's face at this point, and he could smell the hint of fear emanating from the other demon who did not know what it was he was doing. He finally locked eyes with the spider and suddenly time came to an abrupt halt and all that could be seen by the both of them was darkness. And then Sesshoumaru began the dive into Naraku's mind. He could feel the kumo resisting his intrusion, but he cooed at him until the inner barriers crack a little--just enough for his mind to squeeze through. He dove deeper into the twisted, confusing web that was Naraku's mind until finally he saw it. It was so small--no bigger than a glass shard. Sesshoumaru was looking at Naraku's soul. Satisfied, he ascended back up through the layers of spider web until he was back inside the small, uncomfortable room. His gaze was still fixed on Naraku's as he slowly adjusted his pupils back into the cold, unforgiving eyes of a predator. Slowly, he leaned back onto his haunches and removed his hand from Naraku's face. He wondered what the kumo thought just happened, since the whole time, there was nothing to be seen from the other end.
Naraku shook his head, trying to dispose of the feeling that Sesshoumaru had seen something he shouldn't have. Though he was slightly afraid; no one ever got that close to him of their own free will. And....Sesshoumaru didn't try to kill him in that one moment of venerability. He regarded Sesshoumaru with wide, bewildered eyes. "What.... what did you do?" he asked quietly. The words were hard to form and his body seemed paralyzed with a foreign emotion.
"Well, if you would be so kind as to release my wrist, I'll tell you." Sesshoumaru lifted his arm slightly to get Naraku's attention.
Naraku barely realized he had Sesshoumaru's wrist still. He released it slowly, barely managing to suppress the blush creeping onto his cheeks. He sat back, refolding his legs as he did so. "Now... what did you just do to me?" His composure was once again achieved.
Sesshoumaru merely looked at him. "Do to you? I didn't do anything."
Naraku glared and a low growl was forming in his throat. "You dare lie to me?" His hand clenched into a fist. He wanted information, and he would get it.
"I'm not lying. I didn't actually do anything to you. What's the matter; you don't believe me?"
"Tell me!" Naraku all but roared. Such a reaction to whatever Sesshoumaru had done must never be repeated. "I demand you tell me Inu!"
Sesshoumaru tilted his head, a childish grin playing on his lips. "No."
They say, curiosity killed the cat, well now it was going to drive a spider to kill a dog. Naraku brought back his fist and lunged, punching Sesshoumaru hard across the face. "TELL ME!"
Sesshoumaru sat up from sliding across the floor and gave Naraku the most wicked grin he could muster: "Make me."
"Your wish," Naraku said wickedly, grinning so devilishly it smothered Sesshoumaru's with no problem, "Is my command." He leapt to his feet, leaping as high as the ceiling would allow. He put one of his fists into his hand and began to bring his fists onto Sesshoumaru's skull.
Rolling out of the way of Naraku's fists, Sesshoumaru sent his boa up to meet Naraku as he came crashing down on the spot his head had once occupied. Sesshoumaru thoroughly enjoyed the look of surprise on Naraku's face as his whole body was now being constricted by a soft, billowy wrap that now felt like a vice. Not wasting any time, Sesshoumaru manipulated the boa and threw Naraku against the opposite wall, his boa returning safely to his side. As Naraku was scrambling to free himself of the wall, Sesshoumaru lunged at the youkai, his claws ready to be put to use in Naraku's flesh.
Naraku growled. His eyes flashed dangerously as Sesshoumaru charged. When the inu-youkai was too close for comfort, (which took a mere three seconds), Naraku vanished completely from sight, reappearing behind Sesshoumaru. He grabbed onto the youkai's hair. "Too slow," He hissed before hurling Sesshoumaru into a brick solid wall. A few silvery strands of the Inu's hair remained in Naraku's claws.
Sesshoumaru was upside down, and after a couple seconds, hit the floor with a sounding 'thud.' He managed to stand up straight again and rubbed his head where some of his hair had been yanked out. He looked up at Naraku through slits as he laced his next words with venom: "You're gonna pay for that." And with that, he drew out his glowing energy whip and proceeded to slash at the spider's new barrier he'd put up until he could get closer.
Naraku grinned as Sesshoumaru approached the distance of 5 feet away from him. He seemed to disappear from sight all together and the reappear holding Sesshoumaru's wrist above his head as he tackled him to the ground. He held the inu-youkai's wrist firmly in place and put the palm of his hand on Sesshoumaru's throat, threatening to crush his windpipe from all the pressure. "Tell me...."
There was a rumbling deep inside the inu youkai's chest that slowly made its way to his throat and then burst out his mouth before Sesshoumaru even realized what was happening. It was only after he heard the sound of a male's low tenor voice echo off the walls that he finally recognized the sound of his own laughter. Even though this was not the time, nor place, to be laughing-and with Naraku's hand firmly pressed over his windpipe- Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself as he continued to fill the room with his pleasant-sounding laughter.
Naraku was expecting a glare, an attempt to be thrown from the inu.... or something like that! His violet eyes widened in bewilderment. He sat back, straddling Sesshoumaru's torso, still managing to keep him pinned. "What in the hell are you laughing at?!" He roared.
Trying to answer him in between spurts of laughter, Sesshoumaru managed, "You.. me.. this whole thing!" The laughter died down to a chuckle as he admitted: "I haven't had this kind of fun...well, ever." He grunted as he sat up, causing the bewildered Naraku to slid onto his stomach. "Heh, heh. Alright, I'll tell you."
Naraku's mind was racing a billion miles a second. He hadn't even noticed his grip had relaxed on the youkai's limbs. 'Why hasn't he shoved me off? Is this a trick? What's going on?!'
"FUN?!" He shouted. "YOU THINK THIS IS FUN!?"
"Hahahaha...Yes, very much so," he blinked and tilted his head, "Don't you find this whole situation amusing?"
Naraku blinked in more than mild confusion. He shook his head, placing a hand to his forehead. 'It's the poison....' he told himself over and over again until he regained his composure. "No..." he said in a low voice. "Tell me what I asked to know."
"Heh, very well, Naraku; I will tell you what I did," he took a breath and straightened his face. "You mentioned earlier that you and I were very similar. I'd wanted more proof of that than our possession of poison claws, so I looked into your mind and found another thing we have in common: a soul." He studied Naraku's features. "Are you angry at me now for having seen something so personal to you?"
Naraku opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He didn't know how to react to someone telling him he had a soul when so many, MANY others insisted that he didn't. And suddenly the awkwardness of their position slapped him hard across the face and he quickly moved off of Sesshoumaru and stood, glaring down at him.
With a small grunt, Sesshoumaru got up off the floor and stood an arm's length away from Naraku-who seemed not to know what to say at the moment. After a minute of awkward silence, he walked up to him and looked him in the eye, "Did you honestly not know that you had a soul?" his eyes searching the other youkai's face for an answer. The kumo's face seemed darkened with thoughts of denial as he still did not answer him. Hesitantly, Sesshoumaru placed a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to reality, "Naraku?"
Naraku glanced down at the floor and then to Sesshoumaru uneasily. He put his hand over Sesshoumaru's, hesitating before gripping it and removing it. He looked away, face darkened. "A monster like me cannot possess a soul. It defies all laws of nature," he said so quietly, he doubted Sesshoumaru could even hear it.
But he did hear it. Sesshoumaru raised his rejected hand up to his hair and swept it back over his shoulder. "Feh. That's what I'd told myself for the longest time; that a murderous demon, such as me, who killed his father and tried to do the same to his half brother for something as worldly as a sword, couldn't possibly have a soul." Naraku looked up at him, questioningly. Sesshoumaru glanced back at him as he clarified what he'd just said, "Yes, I was the one who killed my father...I guess I failed to mention that in our little conversation earlier; I suppose I just didn't think you needed to know." He smirked at the other demon, but his eyes betrayed his face as he quickly turned around and walked over to Naraku's favorite spot by the window.
That same unknown emotion tugged at the dark rift where a heart once belonged. A hand went to his chest in a feeble attempt to subdue it. What he felt was... sorrow? Regret?...compassion? "Impossible..." He whispered to himself. Violet eyes darted to Sesshoumaru and narrowed. 'Unfeeling people are not supposed to do this to each other.' He growled subconsciously. "Where are you going?"
Sesshoumaru sighed and sat down on the windowsill. "Nowhere." He gazed out at the starless sky. 'What is going on?!' his primal voice yelled at him. 'Why are you being so...so nice to another being?! You should be ripping the throat out that baboon, not comforting him!
Naraku didn't trust his answers, so he scanned Sesshoumaru's thoughts.... He was torn between growling and smiling. So instead, he did neither and strode over to his spot, seemingly ignoring Sesshoumaru as he sat. But in all truth, he was monitoring his thoughts nonstop.
Sesshoumaru watched Naraku sit opposite of him at the window out of the corner of his eye. He didn't know what to do about these strange, human- like emotions he was feeling; they felt so foreign to a demon such as himself, like an intruder that didn't belong. He glanced up to spot Naraku looking his way--and quickly turn away. 'I wonder what he's thinking...if he's feeling these strange things as I am.' 'Gah, there I go again!' Inwardly frustrated with himself, Sesshoumaru made an odd noise in the back of his throat and dipped his head to rest on his propped up knee. Why wouldn't these 'feelings' just go away! They simply did not suit a murderous demon like him. If he could just-
"Sesshoumaru...." Naraku's eyes showed no emotion but his voice did. "You're not alone....." That was all he said; all the reassurance he could offer without loosing his dignity and acting like a human woman. But surely, it was enough. Naraku slowly looked away, still monitoring the inu's erratic thoughts.
His mind now silent, Sesshoumaru opened his eyes and looked up at Naraku, who was looking away off to the distant mountains. "What?"
The edges of Naraku's lips twitched, as if he were going to smile. But the demon side, which prevailed over most of his judgments, crushed the smile into nothing. And so, Sesshoumaru's question remained unanswered as he stared off into space.
Not liking being ignored, Sesshoumaru thought of something that would get Naraku's attention.and maybe make up for his mind-prodding earlier. He sat up straight and once more cocked his head in that way of his to one side. "Hey, kumo," he said mildly just to get his attention.
Naraku looked at him. "What, Sesshoumaru?" An eyebrow raised at the sudden speech that had no pretense.
He opened his mouth and closed it again, not quite sure if he really wanted to go through with it. He looked away and then back at Naraku before continuing: "Would you.care to see my soul?" There was no backing out of it now. He then hurriedly added, "Just so we're on an even level with each other." He nervously glanced away and waited for an answer he didn't expect to get.
Naraku narrowed his eyes in slight suspicion. No one willingly opened up to him. After a long silence, in which Naraku's violet eyes never left Sesshoumaru's face, he finally gave a response. "Yes...." He was more than mildly curious. "Just to be on level with each other."
Sesshoumaru whipped his head back around to face Naraku. He hadn't expected for him to say yes; he hadn't really expected him to answer at all. He finally looked up into Naraku's eyes and saw not a mocking glare, but a gaze that resembled curiosity. Wanting to confirm the sincerity of Naraku's answer, Sesshoumaru asked, "Are you sure?"
Naraku gave his oh so characteristic smirk. "Of course I'm sure. Its ridiculous that you should even have to ask." He repositioned himself so he was closer and leaned forward a bit more. He locked eyes with the youkai before he had a chance to look away again. "Show me... "
A/N: ooooOOOOOooooo.. So how did ya like part three??!!! And for all you fellow yaoi fans out there, just wait 'til you read part four!!!!