Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Blink 182's 'Asthenia'
Painted
VI. A Hint Of Her Mystery
-
This room is bored of rehearsal
And sick of the boundaries
I miss you so much
-
September 1945
Following that night, there had been an uproar when Kagome had turned up missing the next morning.
Of course, Naraku hounded Sango first. But she played the innocence act well. And while she had been the recipient of most of his frustration, she was inwardly relieved that at least Kagome had another chance to start a new life.
Everyone deserved a chance.
She missed her. Of course she did. The atmosphere in this place was dreary at best, and not many of the girls had the will to be friendly and reach out to others. Life here just put a strain on feelings, on actions, that at the end of the day, everyone would rather sleep away their troubles than relate them to others.
But Kagome had the gall to laugh, even joke about her situation, and was able to identify and provide the appropriate sort of comfort someone needed at any given time. Not to mention that Sango could hardly clean wounds on her back by herself.
Luck had been good to her and hopefully she was safe and well. However, fate had been unkind to Sango, who was still stuck in the same predicament she had been in for years.
Though it had been a few days since Miroku had been here, Sango was somewhat relieved because it at least gave Naraku time to calm himself. Her punishment had recently ended, and as always, he acted as though she had received a mere slap on the wrist for calling out an answer in a classroom.
Thankfully, Miroku had the brains not to pull another stunt like showing up, outside, in the middle of the day. She hoped that he wouldn't, for both her sake...and his.
She didn't want to admit it, but after the initial relief that Miroku wasn't quick to return to this place, she had begun to hope he'd come. And even ... miss him. Yes, she had admitted it to herself. She missed him. It contradicted every thought in her mind that said he shouldn't have gotten involved with her, even that night as youths when they had met by chance. It was safer for him to sever ties with her, but try as he might, he was drawn to her, and hadn't been shy in telling her that.
Even though a tiny part of her brain screamed for her to still be angry for his loss of control, the rest of her head was too tired to listen to it. Frankly, she had never realized how much she had come to rely on him.
The kiss. Even with the life she had led, and the confusion and anger clouding her senses, he had broken through it all with just a single kiss. It was completely different, a parallel to anything she had ever felt before. Something done in pure regards to her feelings, and not of selfish desire. It felt so...real.
When she was thrust back into the vicious cycle she followed night after night, she began to wish for the times he would come to see her, not demanding, not forceful, not violent, but to see her.
She'd taken Naraku's death threat to heart. Killing someone for defying him; she wouldn't put it past the bastard. And even though there were a few days that she'd rather herself dead than living this pitiful excuse for existence, there was a nagging feeling in her stomach that told her she wanted nothing more than to see her family again, and start a new life, a real life, maybe even with...
She shook her head. She liked to consider herself strong and independent, and despite Naraku's attempts to destroy that, she adamantly refused to go to pieces over the newfound freedom of her friend, or the returning feeling of loneliness.
Though she truly wished for him to come, she also knew circumstances had become extremely dangerous.
As much as she didn't want to, refused to, believe it, Naraku was her proprietor. If she was able to get to a law enforcer of her country, the effects of the war were still great and with her status being that of a woman, a slave even, her demands would be low priority, or even dismissed. That was not considering the fact that Naraku was resourceful and could easily manipulate his way out of problems. After all, he had been able to operate this place for a substantial amount of time without being discovered. A simple statement from him that she was lying and her entire effort would go down the drain.
She held on to the hope that once order had been restored, his arrogance would be his downfall and he would get what he deserved.
--
It was ironic how the day she had finally begun to let it sink in that maybe Miroku had given her up for good, was the day he chose to return.
"Well. I haven't seen you...in a while," Naraku remarked as the profile of the would-be monk surfaced to the top of his memory bank.
"Yes, life has been...a bit more disruptive as of late," Miroku said with a tight smile. "I haven't been able to see Sa - Emi, for a while now."
"Pity that is," Naraku said calmly. "If you want her, she's double the price."
Miroku looked unfazed. "I'm sure you'll find that this is a good enough amount," he said, in an equally bored tone. "Enough to perhaps...purchase her for good?"
Naraku looked down at the money in his outstretched hands. "Where did you get that?" he asked in a low voice. "Been travelling overseas lately?"
Miroku continued to stare determinedly at Naraku. "I don't think it concerns you how I make my money, though I am sure I acquired it in a slightly more honourable method. But I digress. Please, consider this offering."
The establishment owner hid his frustration, swiftly turning to the side. "She is not for sale."
Miroku drew back his hands, full of notes, and tucked half back inside of his robes.
"Then I will give you this, double the rate, and have her for tonight."
"Kagura, take the money, and Kanna, inform the wretch she's got a customer," Naraku commanded, relinquishing all pleasantries. He turned to Miroku again, crossing his arms and tapping his fingernails along his forearm.
"What is your interest in her, a common whore? She is only a woman."
As he handed Kagura the money, Miroku's lips formed a slight smirk.
When the white haired girl returned to show Miroku down the corridor to a room, he gave Naraku one last penetrating stare.
"Exactly."
--
Sango stood outside the screen door, staring anxiously down the corridor at the pair approaching. She fought to maintain a calm countenance, though inside her stomach was flipping with both anxiety and excitement.
As they came closer, Sango bowed in courtesy, remaining bent over until his two sandal clad feet were visible on the ground in front of her. She rose, and tried to remain inconspicuous as Kanna looked between the two of them.
"Would Miroku-sama be so kind as to wait inside the room?" Kanna asked quietly. "I have a few words to exchange with Izumi. Please forgive the inconvenience."
He looked confused, but nonetheless complied. Sango bit her lip, why couldn't these damn people just regard this as a normal session?
"Yes?" Sango inquired, trying not to sound uneasy. It was lost on Kanna, who was painfully observant yet equally as ambiguous.
"Masuyo-sama has left me specific instructions regarding this patron," she said in her monotonous tone.
"He is carrying a great sum of money with him. It is Masuyo Naraku-sama's order that you steal it."
"What?" Sango gasped in disbelief. "That - That's uncalled for! He could easily find out!"
"Another condition," Kanna continued, disregarding anything Sango had said. "If you are caught, you are to take full responsibility."
Without another word, she was making her way back down the corridor, leaving Sango open-mouthed outside the door.
--
"Sango," Miroku said quickly, standing up from where he had been sitting on the side of the bed.
"Miroku-sama," she replied quietly, sliding the door shut behind her.
"It's been-" he couldn't seem to find the words. "It's been a long time."
"Not that long," Sango insisted. "Perhaps a week, or maybe two."
"A week and two days," Miroku clarified with a slight smile.
There were so many things she wanted to ask him, tell him, but she couldn't seem to speak at the moment, nor look at him.
She tensed as she felt hands on her shoulders.
"How have you been Sango?" he asked gently.
Slowly, she brought her hands to grip onto his arms.
"It's been...the same. How better could it get here anyway Miroku-sama?" she said in a small voice.
"But Naraku, he hasn't been hurting you lately, has he?"
Sango's eyes darted every where but his face. "Miroku-sama, you know he always...reprimands me. It's okay. "
A flash of what Sango recognized as anger flitted across his features.
"It's not okay. That's not okay at all, Sango. Don't ever for one second, believe that you deserve that."
Quickly, before Sango could even respond to his statement, he had moved his hands from her shoulders to the small of her back, encircling her fully with his arms. She wanted to do the same, but as her hands were halfway from holding onto his back, there was a pressure that stretched her lacerations, which were still healing. Her hands balled into fists and she whimpered into his shoulder.
Alarmed, he pulled away from her and took in her grimacing face.
"What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
"No-" Sango said shortly before drawing in another breath. "I mean yes."
"Where?"
"Don't concern yourself, Miroku-sama," Sango argued, all the while sinking to the ground.
"It's your back, isn't it? What did he do? What did the bastard do?"
"Please, keep your voice down," Sango pleaded. "I just got a lashing."
"Your robes," he demanded. "I need to see your back."
She shook her head immediately. "It's nothing."
"Nothing isn't you sitting on the ground clutching your hands in fists while groaning," Miroku retorted. "In respect for you, Sango, I will not rip your clothing off you, but rather, I ask that you show me your wounds, if you still trust me."
'If I still trust him,' Sango thought to herself. Who else was there left to trust?
Defeated, she faced away from him and dropped the layers of fabric to her waist, holding some of the fabric against her chest to cover it. She heard Miroku's quiet gasp as he took in the scabbed red skin, and the clumsy bandaging.
He fell to his knees behind her and kept himself from reaching out to touch the wounds.
"Why?"
"Why what, Miroku-sama?" Sango responded bitterly as she drew her kimono over her shoulders again.
"Why did he do this to you? This was a punishment wasn't it? For what?"
She whispered something under her breath.
"Sango, slowly, and clearly."
She breathed deeply. "Because Kanna, the girl with the white hair and the black eyes, saw me with you when you last came. We're not allowed to see men outside of the rooms and outside of Naraku's knowledge."
His face faltered. "It was my fault, wasn't it?"
"No, it was mine for not acting sooner," Sango insisted. "Miroku-sama, I'm worried about what Naraku might do if he catches us again. Not just me, both of us."
"It was my fault you got hurt this way," he repeated.
"No, don't blame yourself, please," she begged. "It's nothing, really."
He stretched his legs out from under him and leaned heavily against the bed frame.
"You know, I'm really hurting you more than I'm helping you, aren't I?" he thought out loud, tight lipped.
"No, no, Miroku-sama, you aren't listening to me," Sango said, a little louder than necessary.
"You coming here to see me, to give me a break, all that is helping me, though you don't think it is. And everything, who you are, what you do for me...Even now, just sitting here...all of this makes me happy," she confessed, feeling slightly warm on her cheeks. "And I'd take Naraku's torture if it meant that I'd still get to see you."
"Sango...you make it sound as if you take it for my sake," Miroku began. "You know how much seeing you means to me, and I want nothing more than to see you free from this.
"It's things like that, Miroku-sama. It's like, you blind the darkness, just with who you are. And when you...when we-"
"Kissed," he offered.
She was thankful for the paint that masked the blush she was sure covered her face.
"When we kissed," she reiterated, convincing herself that it had indeed happened. "It was so - It felt so..." she struggled to find words.
"Real," he filled in again.
"Yes...Something I've never felt...A kiss in all its simplicity, has never felt so real to me. It's always been someone different every night, for so long. They've always wanted something else... And I... I've never had-"
The words stopped coming.
She looked away, fidgeting with the embroidery on her kimono. "I want to be free," she whispered to herself.
"Sango," he said, almost startling her. "Could you do something for me? Just for tonight."
She tried not to look like she grew uneasy at his words, and instead preoccupied herself with pulling pins from her hair, a brown that appreared black in the darkness, letting it fall section by section to cascade past her shoulders and down her back.
"Take your makeup off."
A pin dropped to the floor and she reached up to touch the delicate paint adorning her face.
"Why?"
"I want to see your face...as it's meant to be seen."
Her hands fisted in the fabric of her robes. "Naraku always told me that even this makeup didn't hide how unsightly I was," she reminisced.
Miroku offered her his sleeve, which she reluctantly took and began to swipe at her cheeks.
"Naraku says a lot of things. Most of which are either lies, or complete piles of bullshit."
For a few more minutes the only sound was that of Sango rubbing her face against the fabric of his robes.
Silently, she tipped her face up to his, slightly red from the friction, and she flushed again with embarrassment and nervousness under his gaze.
"I apologize, Miroku-sama. My appearance is-"
"Shh," he interrupted, silencing her. "You're beautiful."
Without a word, he reached his hand toward her closed fist and it loosened at his touch, allowing his fingers to twine around hers.
"Everything just feels...different with you. I don't know how to explain it," she confessed, confused.
"I think I have that same feeling," he admitted with a smile.
"Miroku-sama," she said, squeezing his hand. "I think...I think that I'd like to feel this way all the time."
She didn't know it, but she had been unconsciously leaning towards him as she spoke those words. He shivered as her breath grazed his lips, and he waited intently for her to close in on him.
It never happened. She had paused halfway to him, her lips slightly parted and breathless.
He smiled inwardly. She was so tainted, yet so innocent. As he regarded her flushed, beige toned skin, deep brown eyes and felt the warmth of her breath on his face he knew that he was witnessing true beauty.
Should she?
His eyes seemed to say yes.
He placed a gentle finger under her chin and eased her forward, until finally her mouth came in contact with his.
She seemed to pause at the feeling, suddenly extremely aware of their position and uncertain of what to do. He coaxed her with his lips, moving the hand under her chin to rest along her jaw line and in her hair.
A small, shaking hand rested on his shoulder while another snaked around to gently press at the base of his neck, under the small tail that was his own bound mass of hair.
Her lips met his, again and again in the same manner, until he sharply angled his head and she gasped in surprise, opening her mouth to him. His tongue captured hers, softly at first, coaxing her, accustoming her to the rush of her senses as they all sent several messages to her brain at once.
How he so wanted to please her, to make her feel loved. She had had enough of selling her body, she deserved to experience a true kiss, a true caress, and he was going to be the one to teach her, even though he was still learning as well. He wanted her to know that this was so much more to him, that every kiss should bear much more meaning than what she had known all her life.
He could feel how she struggled to control her breathing, how her body was growing ever so warm under his touch. Their bodies were close, though he had an inkling that that wasn't the reason he felt so hot.
As he trailed gentle fingers across her back, careful not to irritate the damaged skin, she seemed to melt into his embrace. Slowly, he pulled away from her and reached to brush her bangs away from her eyes, which were closed under long lashes. Her breaths came short and erratic.
"My heart," she whispered, now regarding him with half-lidded eyes. "It's beating...so hard."
Her fingers gripped loosely onto the front of his robes as he reclaimed her mouth yet again. Immediately, her tongue plunged into his mouth and she kissed him, with renewed vigour and passion. Her mind was everywhere at once, but focused on him, as she grew delirious with the sudden onslaught of emotion.
When they parted, she softly pressed another feather light kiss to his lips as she relaxed into him, her head falling onto the front of his shoulder and resting just underneath his chin.
He drew a long breath and exhaled deeply, entwining his fingers with Sango's once more.
The sound of her steadied breathing eventually lulled him to sleep.
--
A quiet knocking at the door the next morning startled Sango awake. She looked above her and saw an already awake Miroku looking towards the door and back to her curiously. Pressing her index finger to his lips, she straightened and composed herself before sliding open the door.
She looked down to see Kanna, calm and silent as always.
"Izumi...step outside for a moment," she whispered, looking past Sango into the room to see a 'sleeping' Miroku. She closed the door quickly.
"Were you able to take it, Izumi?" the pale girl asked, staring at her emotionlessly.
Sango bit her lip. "No...I was unable to."
"Why," Kanna demanded. "It was Naraku-sama's order."
"Aren't you forgetting Kanna? She doesn't follow the rules."
The voice sent a thousand chills up her spine and poison through her blood.
She whirled around, coming face to face with the man that haunted her nightmares.
"Naraku!" she exclaimed. "What - What are you doing?"
Ignoring her question, his hand shot forward and latched onto her wrist painfully. "Look at you, I had almost forgotten how plain and unsightly your face was."
"Let - go - of me," she spat, wincing. "I have a patron right in this room!"
"I know exactly who's in that room," Naraku said icily. "I should have know something was suspicious when someone would reduce themselves to laying with you."
"What are you talking about?" Sango responded angrily, trying to pry his fingers apart. Her hand was fast turning purple.
"So you want to be freedo you?" he laughed. "And he wants to take you away from here? Away from me? Why, I'm the best thing that ever happened to you!"
"No way in hell," Sango spat, glaring. "You are the worst thing that has happened in my life, and to every other girl here. You'll burn in hell for this."
Sharply, he twisted her arm into the air, and she cried out, feeling the pain shoot up her arm and into her shoulder.
"I know you helped that other wench somehow. And because of that, I'll make sure you never leave this place, at least, not alive." He threatened, eyes glinting. His hand raised.
Sango grit her teeth. Surely he wouldn't...not in the middle of the corridor.
An arm swung out of nowhere and knocked Naraku's to the side.
"Shit," he cursed, dropping Sango's arm and grabbing his own.
"Sango!" Miroku exclaimed, catching her as she was thrust from Naraku's grasp.
"Miroku-sama, no, you shouldn't have done that," Sango said weakly, gripping onto his sleeve.
"She's right you know, that was a dire mistake," Naraku said, reaching under his blazer.
"Leave," he said silkily, the barrel of the revolver aimed on the space between Miroku's eyes. His finger tightened on the trigger.
"Miroku-sama, do what he says!" Sango cried, trying to block the path between Naraku's gun and him.
"I'm not leaving without you," Miroku argued, sweat forming at the back of his neck.
"Yes, you are," Naraku cut in, his voice smug. "Leave her."
He took a step forward.
"Please, Miroku-sama, go," Sango repeated, frustrated. "He'll kill you!"
"I don't want him to kill you instead!" Miroku countered.
"If you don't leave right now," Naraku interrupted, shifting the gun towards Sango's head, "I'll kill her right in front of you, and then kill you. Would you like that better?"
"Naraku...you're a sick bastard..." Miroku said, backing up a few steps.
"Or so I've heard you say. If I ever see you here again...I'll kill her on the spot," he threatened, as Miroku eventually moved out of sight. "Kanna," he addressed the girl standing silent and stiff throughout it all. She bowed with a nod and left in Miroku's direction.
"And you," Naraku said, now turning to Sango. She fisted her hands again as the hilt of the pistol connected with her cheek, immediately drawing blood. He seized her arm, and jerked her forwards in the opposite direction towards the back of the house, and outside.
Sango felt sick to her stomach as she was pulled towards the cellar doors, which were normally locked and chained. Now they were anything but, and lay open, as if waiting for something to be thrown in.
He grabbed her with both hands, and leaned forward so that their noses nearly touched.
"If he comes back here again...I will kill him. It isn't like it would matter to anyone...except you."
He abruptly pushed her through the cellar doors. Her back collided painfully with the steps down, and she slid along these until she met the dusty, dirty cellar floor.
He looked down at her one last time, satisfied, and then both heavy wooden doors were slammed shut, leaving only two or three slivers of light shining through.
The sound of chains being wrapped around the handles echoed in her ears, until she slowly fell out of consciousness.
She didn't fight to stay awake.
Painted: A Hint Of Her Mystery - July 21st, 2004
Fireblade K'Chona - I'm wondering if she'll escape too...Oh yeah, I'm the one who's supposed to work all of that out. Thank you for another review! This chapter was a teeny bit longer.
Lady Sango 7 - Oh, Trojan Horse viruses are pretty brutal. I hope you're able to get your computer fixed. You know, I recently reviewed all the chapters of one of your stories (Depths of the Damned) and I left such short one-liners and stuff like that, and now I feel totally guilty. I don't deserve all your praise really, thank you so much!
animefreak808 - I must...finish...this...story. Well, the truth is it's for the YtN fanfiction contest, and I've never entered a contest before so I thought it would be fun. Unfortunately, there's the problem of deadlines, which lead to 'I must update' moments. Heh, sorry for my rant there, but I'm just assuring you that this story will be done by July 31st.
LiL psYch0 - Filipinos unite! Yeah! Alright, okay, enough about that. Technically it is Naraku's own doing, but he's a silly bumface so his solution is torture/violence/ etc. Thank you for faithfully reviewing. =D
Sango lover 123 - Ah, apology accepted. I thought I was overly rude when replying to you, but thanks for apologizing, that just made my entire day. I'm glad you also like my story, I was pleasantly surprised when you said that. Thank you for reviewing.
firebird5 - I know, women put up with so much. Good thing equality rights are now very important. Makes me grateful to live in the 'future.' Anyway, disregarding my weirdness now, thank you for being such a good reviewer! Because those are so rare these days. =D
Rin the Kitsune - Thank you! That comment really meant a lot to me, because I was really trying to string events along as semi-realistically as possible, though I wasn't sure I did just that. Thank you for your review!
SangoLancer200 - Well, I don't mind your age as long as you enjoy my writing. Sorry if this came too late (which I think it did) but hopefully you'll get to read the finished product when you get back. Have fun in the Philippines!
Katrina5 - Every review gives me a good feeling because at least people thought enough of my work to actually sit down, type out a comment, and post it. You've supported this story from the near beginning and I'd like to thank you for all that you do to help me out.
Aamalie - I think I should've named this chapter, "The Act of the Dancing Tongues," and it would have ruined the entire chapter because I'd laugh. And laugh. Man, I need to grow up. Anyway, thanks as always for your beta work although I distracted you with guides to writing trashy romances. And I look forward to your makeout scene as well.