Ears By: Skittlez and OtakuSailorV
Chapter TwoAyame wasn't at school the next day. None of her new friends were at school. She didn't get why; maybe they all caught the flu. Needless to say the lack of people to talk to bored Kyoyume to death.
She had wanted Ayame at least to be present when she was wearing a hat for the first time in months. Frowning, she tugged on the brim of the hat thoughtfully. 'Hope she'll be back tomorrow.' She thought wistfully.
Lunch was something she wasn't looking forward to. She sat alone until a familiar smiling face greeted her, along with 2 people she didn't recognize. "Hi." Jakotsu greeted, his voice was a bit duller than it had been when they had met earlier. The two braided boys beside him gave her small smirks.
Kyoyume raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Hello." She replied, looking from one smirking boy to the next in question.
One was smaller, a tad stockier with blue eyes that glittered deviously. The other was taller and leaner with dark red eyes. "Hi." They chorused.
Kyoyume raised her hand in greeting. "Hey." She said brightly, smiling at them, though she was slightly nervous. "I'm Kyoyume, and you are?"
"I'm Bankotsu." The blue eyed one greeted. "And this is Hiten." He added.
Kyoyume continued to smile. "It's nice to meet you."
They nodded a bit and Hiten made a face. "Did I hear you and Renkotsu screaming again last night Ja?" He asked boredly. "I coulda sworn I did."
Jakotsu frowned, sitting down across from Kyoyume. "Yeah, we fought again." He shrugged. "He's just an asshole."
"You say that every night you guys fight. Which is every night practically." Bankotsu pointed out.
Jakotsu shrugged again. "Well, it's the truth." He grumbled.
"I know Jakotsu, I'd let you move in with me but my parents are a little less-than-accepting."
Jakotsu sighed. "Nah, it's ok. He can be a jerk, but he's tolerable most times."
Kyoyume looked on a little curiously.
Jakotsu took the chance to change the subject immediately. "Hope you don't mind that we sit here." He said, though they had practically already taken over.
"Oh, no, I was kinda lonely anyway." She muttered.
Bankotsu grinned at her. "Don't act so shy." He said cheerily, though he knew it must be overwhelming for the girl since she was new and all. It was only her second day at this school and from her earlier reactions to things, he was sure she had never been to a place like this before.
She smiled at him. "I'm naturally shy and this is a weird school." She noted laughing a little.
"Still, just act like yourself. Everyone else does and no one really cares." Bankotsu urged, still smiling helpfully.
"Oh, I'd never act any other way!" Kyoyume laughed.
"That's good." They giggled in unison.
A girl walked coolly by the table and stopped to smirk at Bankotsu and Jakotsu evilly before walking away again. "Gr...Tsubaki." Bankotsu growled.
Kyoyume felt her ears try to perk under her cap, but they, fortunately were unnoticed by the others around her. Cocking her head to one side, she watched the rather sleazy woman leave. "Who is 'Tsubaki?'"
"My brother's...uhm...ex-girlfriend/prostitute person?" Jakotsu said, struggling for the right words.
"Oh." Kyoyume said vacantly, bringing her eyes away from the woman as she disappeared among the crowd. "She kinda looks it."
"She is."
"She's a real bitch too." Hiten spoke up for the first time, his red eyes shining with distaste.
"Aren't all Renkotsu's girlfriends?" Jakotsu asked him, throwing his plastic spoon at said taller man as he walked by.
Renkotsu easily knocked it aside, carelessly throwing a glare at his younger brother as he passed.
Jakotsu stuck his tongue out at him.
Renkotsu just rolled his eyes before he disappeared into the crowd, not wanting to give Jakotsu the benefit of irking him on such small infractions.
Jakotsu giggled. "I try not to make him blow up in public." He noted. "It's not fun getting beat up in front of people I don't know."
Kyoyume remembered one of the rare occasions she had been discovered in public, and the many foreign eyes that had scrutinized her like she was an animal in a cage. "I know what that's like. . .kinda." She sympathized, smiling despite the grim feelings that came with the memory.
"Yeah...it sucks." Jakotsu agreed.
"But at least you can always be rescued by the police, ne?" Kyoyume joked.
"Hah, not from my legal guardian that can lie himself out of anything."
Kyoyume giggled nervously. "Well, that's the pits then."
"Hah, not when I have a perfectly capable boyfriend to save me."
She laughed again, noticing that the bell was about to ring. Frowning, she wished she could have spent more time with her new friends, but there was no arguing with time.
"See ya around ok?" Jakotsu told her, standing up.
Kyoyume nodded. "See ya." She called before she disappeared among the crowd.
She got to her last class of the day, sat down and remembered Naraku was in the class with her. She groaned at the idea.
'Just perfect.' She thought, hoping that he would fail to mention her hat or hair.
He walked in just before the bell and sat down. "Nice hair." He noted. "So, how are you?"
Kyoyume frowned inwardly, noting that he indeed had mentioned her hair and that he seemed intent on striking up a conversation with her. "Fine."
"That's good. I noticed Kouga and his friends weren't here today. Know why?"
Kyoyume turned toward him slowly, one eyebrow raised. For some reason, she feared the worse if such news was coming from his lips. And he seemed rather excited about telling her. "?"
"I was just wondering. Really I don't know, I think Kagura might know though..." he noted. "But, I saw you hanging about with Bankotsu and Hiten, so you've met them right?"
Kyoyume nodded. "Yes."
"They're good guys. Not my favorite people."
'I'll bet.' She thought. "O...k...." She said slowly, shaking her head to show that she didn't understand what he was getting at.
He smiled. "Friendly conversation, Miss."
She shrugged. "Fine by me."
"Hm..."
Kyoyume turned back away, considering the conversation finished since he had no more to say to her.
"You doing anything after school?" He asked boredly, beginning to sketch again.
Kyoyume was taken aback by the question, but answered in a level tone nonetheless. "Not really."
"Wanna go get coffee?"
Kyoyume didn't know how to tell him no. "Uhm. . .well. . ."
He laughed. "No big deal."
Kyoyume felt like a heel, though she knew it was probably dangerous for her to go anywhere with him. "I just don't know."
"Okay, whatever."
Kyoyume turned back away, for class had just begun, and the teacher was commanding their attention in a harsh tone.
After some blurry shapes drawn on the board and dull talking class was over.
Kyoyume sighed to herself, gathering her things and making her way slowly to the door.
Naraku was again sitting where he had been yesterday, but there wasn't a crowd around him today. Kyoyume briefly wondered why but shook it off
A sudden shock of remorse hit her. Maybe she should have agreed to go with him after all. But she quickly shook it off, giving her mental self a good hit over the back of the head. 'How can you think that?! He hurt Kouga, he doesn't like any of your friends for the fact that they are nice, and he mentioned something about his goons hurting you!! Fool!' Kyoyume gave herself another mental swipe for good measure, hoping that she had terminated any more thoughts of him for at least the rest of the day.
She started walking, and just like that smack into a wall. "Are you okay?" Someone asked, seriously but with no worry.
Kyoyume shook her head, reminding herself to never stand by walls thinking ever again as she straightened herself out. "Uh, yeah, thanks." She mumbled, wondering how she had missed the rather wide brick building.
Naraku bent down. "You uh...dropped your hat."
Kyoyume rubbed her head, taking the hat from his hands. "Thanks." She mumbled again when suddenly it dawned on her what she had in her hands. Eyes wide, her hands reflexively and quite quickly moved to her head to cover her exposed ears. But it was too late; they had already flagged out on top of her head when they had been freed from under her hat. A sinking feeling hit her gut hard. It was only her second day!!
Naraku furrowed his brows. "Walk with me."
Kyoyume numbly shook her head at him, her lips parted but no sound coming out due to utter shock. Who had seen? She put her hat back on, making sure not to crumple her ears that had been hidden underneath her hands.
"No one saw but me. Now I wanna talk to ya. Just walk, I'm alone, you're alone. Nothing's gonna come of it."
Kyoyume felt her eyes narrowing, but she had no idea what emotion was shining in them as she frowned. Great, so he was the only one who saw.
"I won't tell." He insisted. "If. . ."
Kyoyume was instantly on her feet. Despite her cowardly fears, she had never liked being pushed around at any point. "'If' what?" She demanded in a tight tone, aware that her face was red from too many mixed emotions.
"Well, if you don't annoy me. I mean, stay on my good side." He replied smirking. "Lets be friends." He added in a slightly sarcastic tone.
Kyoyume felt her fists shaking in indignation, gritting her teeth against her raging anger. How dare he!! "Never." She proclaimed angrily.
"Then I'll just have to tell everyone your little secret." He taunted softly.
Her face went red again with her inner turmoil. She knew that she had no choice, she wanted to keep her friends here, but she definitely didn't want to give in to his blackmail! Fighting with herself, she felt her muscles tightening so much she was sure that one of them would cramp up in no time. ". . ."
He smiled a little. "I mean, I'm not holding anything big over your head. Not like other people."
"Other. . .people. . . ?" She questioned slowly, not sure what he meant by that.
"A few other people doing really, really bad things."
Kyoyume narrowed her eyes at his smirking face. She still did not like this at all. But she truly did not see any other way out of it besides changing schools again - maybe a new country - and she refused to accept that as the only way. Swallowing, she sighed submissively.
He sighed. "You're the last person I woulda wanted to do this to, new kid."
"Then don't." She snapped, overlooking the 'last person' comment in her edgy anger. "And my name's Kyoyume."
"I like that. Well, that's the thing. It's just what I do."
Kyoyume frowned, turning her eyes away. It was no use arguing anymore. He had his mind set, and had proclaimed that it was just his way to do things, and she certainly couldn't force him to change for her. There was nothing between them that she could demand such a thing, though she doubted he would have stopped if anybody asked him to. "Fine." She said, her mind screaming as the word formed on her lips.
He smiled. "Trust me. There are worse. Now...how about coffee?"
Trust? How could she trust him when he was blackmailing her? Fuming inwardly, she nodded her head slowly. "Fine." She repeated.
He walked into a quaint little coffeehouse, she followed. "What do you want?" He asked her quietly.
Kyoyume looked over what was to be had dully. "Coffee with mocha." She replied in an equally soft tone, though hers lacked spirit behind it.
He ordered and led her over to a booth in the corner. "The people in this town are nosy as fuck."
She smiled faintly. "Tell me about it." She grumbled, mostly to herself.
"Not me, surprisingly, I find things out by accident and use it to my advantage."
Kyoyume wanted to roll her eyes at that comment. 'Yeah, accident.' She thought bitterly. "Mm. . ." She replied, finding that nothing else really fit into what he was saying.
He shrugged. "Okay, I'm nosy I admit it."
'Well, at least he's admitting it.' Kyoyume watched him, trying to act like she was interested. "Ok."
"Bah, I know everything about everybody at our school. Trust me on that one." He laughed.
"Hm." She said thoughtfully. "That must be. . .convenient."
"Yeah. It is."
Kyoyume decided that she definitely, definitely did not like that smirk of his at that moment. Though she kept that thought to herself.
"No wonder everyone hates me."
She again felt the pang of sympathy, but this time artfully dodged around it as soon as it sprang up. She refused to feel any form of pity toward him, especially now. And if he expected her to comment on that. . .She dropped the threatening ideas, knowing that they were useless.
"You move a lot?"
Kyoyume shifted uneasily. "Yeah."
"That must suck. I've lived here all my life."
She shrugged. "You get used to it."
"I wouldn't, too many siblings to move at one time."
'Oh, so those guys were his family then?' She pondered, but did not ask. "I see."
"Yeah. . .they're. . .weird."
Kyoyume smiled faintly again, though she wasn't sure what kind of smile it came out to be as it crossed her lips briefly. "I see." She replied again, not sure what else she should say.
"Are you an only child?"
She nodded affirmatively. "Yup."
"You're unlucky. Siblings are the best."
"I guess." She shrugged indifferently. She had never put much thought into if she wanted siblings or not.
"Maybe you'll meet mine one day." He added.
She didn't like that idea, especially if they were anything like him. "Maybe. . ."
"I have four. . .all very different. Only one's anything like me." He replied, as if reading her mind. Then a waitress walked up and handed them their orders, finally.
"Mmm. . ." Kyoyume nodded as she sipped at her drink. She could believe that, possibly.
"It's good isn't it?"
She nodded again, putting her glass down. "Yes."
"That's odd." Naraku noted, looking at his watch then at the door.
Kyoyume tilted her head to one side curiously, following his gaze. "What?"
"Jakotsu and Bankotsu usually come in about now and talk to me. But they aren't here yet."
Kyoyume's teeth clenched slightly, a muscle in her jaw moving as she heard their names. What would they do if they saw her here? "Oh." She said dismissively, trying to act as if her other thoughts were not disturbing her.
"Oh dear, the fabulous four." He snorted as Jakotsu, Bankotsu, Renkotsu and a brown haired man approached the table.
Kyoyume felt a sinking feeling in her stomach as they came. She knew she had no excuse for why she was present, and she was slightly frightened by Renkotsu.
"Hi." Jakotsu and Bankotsu greeted her, sitting beside her.
Kyoyume gave them a soft, genuine smile in return. "Hello." She replied.
They didn't ask questions. "So..." Jakotsu started. "What's up?"
Kyoyume was glad they had not asked and sipped a little bit more at her drink, though she had long ago quenched her thirst.
"Oh, that's Suikotsu, and that's my brother..." he told her, pointing each of them out.
Kyoyume nodded and smiled, though Renkotsu only gave her a cold look. "Hello." She greeted the man called Suikotsu.
He smiled back with a nod. "Hey, Naraku, you think Kouga and Inuyasha got into another fight, and got each other hurt or somethin'?" Bankotsu asked him.
Naraku shrugged, sipping his drink. "Probably. Idiots."
Renkotsu laughed. "Better than Kouga picking a fight with me. . .again, and gettin' himself killed."
Kyoyume watched them all intently, her head cocked to one side a little as she listened, though it was harder with her ears masked like they were. No one challenged Renkotsu's threat, but could somehow tell that several of them were doubtful as to Kouga's death by the man's hands.
"You know Kouga's waaaay too fast for you to actually kill him, Renkotsu." Naraku spoke after a minute.
Renkotsu narrowed his eyes and sat back in his seat. "Tch, maybe. But he's still no match for me."
"Right, he just runs his mouth."
Renkotsu smirked to himself. "Inuyasha has got the same damn problem." Bankotsu said.
"Sesshoumaru's the one ya gotta watch out for, right Jakotsu?" Naraku laughed, though his eyes were shining with distaste.
Jakotsu frowned at him. "Shut up." He grumbled.
"Don't you still have the scars?" Renkotsu asked him mockingly.
Jakotsu swung a fist angrily at his head. "Shut up!" He repeated tersely.
Kyoyume giggled at their actions, it was childish.
Everyone turned her way at the sound of her laughter. "?"
"I dunno." She replied grinning. "You act like 4 year olds, maybe?"
Jakotsu and Bankotsu wrinkled their noses, Renkotsu turned away, and Suikotsu smiled his agreement. Naraku, however, stayed impassive, his red eyes shining slightly.
Kyoyume gave a little shrug and rolled her eyes. "You guys are so sensitive."
Suikotsu glanced her way again, amusement in his eyes. 'Ignore them, they always act that way.' He mouthed to her.
A phone rang and Naraku hurried to answer it. "Hullo? Hakudoushi? ...You...did what?" He asked, his voice turning sour in a second. "Why exactly?" He nodded. "I see...I'll be home in a little while, try cleaning up."
Kyoyume was relieved that she would be allowed to go soon. Well, at least she assumed so. She watched intently, wondering if this 'Hakudoushi' was the one that was the most like Naraku.
'Well, that answers my question.' Kyoyume thought, continuing to sip on her drink contentedly.
"What did he do this time Naraku?" Jakotsu asked giggling.
Naraku continued to grumble angrily to himself. "Nothing, stupid brat is just causing trouble and breaking shit again."
"God, why couldn't he be like Kanna? Instead of you!" Bankotsu laughed.
Naraku rolled his eyes, as if he had been wondering the same thing at that moment. "Yeah, yeah." He grumbled, shooting a glance at Bankotsu. "I gotta get going before he hurts himself, or worse, somebody else."
"If he hurts himself again, can we baby-sit him? He's a little dear." Jakotsu asked.
Naraku raised his eyebrows, but asked no questions. "Yeah, sure, whatever."
"Ya just gotta let him stay outside in the barn with Entei and bring him sweets." He replied.
"You may do that, but with me it just spoils the little psycho." Naraku informed him. "Besides, he wouldn't take candy from me, he'd be afraid I'd poisoned it."
"Well, that's you."
Naraku chuckled before he went to the door. "Bye." He called.
"Bye." Jakotsu and Bankotsu called back.
Kyoyume didn't bother, she was still angry with him over blackmailing her, and she didn't intend to be happy with him any time soon.
Jakotsu sighed. "Blah, poor Naraku."
Kyoyume sighed, ready to leave if Jakotsu and Bankotsu were going to leave as well. But what did they mean by 'poor Naraku?'
"He gets more shit from Hakudoushi than anyone else put together. Must be stressful."
Kyoyume watched as Naraku disappeared from sight, and pushed away sympathy, leaving only curious thoughts behind in its wake.
"Though sometimes Naraku deserves every bit of it." Renkotsu informed his brother, who nodded.
'Sometimes.' She thought harshly, still keeping to herself.
"What do you think, Kyoyume?"
Kyoyume frowned, not wanting to be confronted about it. She shrugged thoughtfully, wondering how she should word it. "I dunno. . .it's kinda early for me to be very judgmental." She said slowly, thinking it over herself. It indeed was too early, but still she could not hold her icy thoughts toward him.
"It's never too early with Naraku." Renkotsu muttered under his breath.
Kyoyume briefly wondered if she should have come right out and said what she thought, it was always easier being truthful about things. Yet she could not bring herself to say such harsh things in front of them.
"Wanna walk with us?" Bankotsu asked as he stood up. "It's usually pretty eventful."
She shrugged, standing as well. "Sure, why not?"
"Okay." He replied and they started walking.
Kyoyume dumped her drink, making sure to leave a tip for the waitress before following them out the door. She followed quietly; hoping that her hat would stay mounted on her head for the rest of the day.
They walked along, and someone's cell phone rang. Renkotsu answered. "Hello?" He answered dully. "Uh-huh...okay...what's up?" He asked. "What?" He asked, a smirk forming. "Oh really? Be over in 20 then." He replied, hanging up.
"Who was that?" Jakotsu chided him.
"My girlfriend." Renkotsu replied shortly.
Jakotsu and Bankotsu exchanged glances and burst into laughs, though they half-tried to conceal them. "Oh, really? Who is it this time?"
"None of your business, vermin."
Jakotsu and Bankotsu exchanged glances again before bursting into laughter, this time they didn't even bother to hide it.
"What? It isn't your business, idiot." He snapped, thumping Jakotsu. "Besides. You wouldn't know her."
Jakotsu rubbed his sore head, rolling his eyes at his older brother. "I'll bet I would." He replied, giving Renkotsu a return punch to the arm.
"Hahaha, you barely know anyone YOUR age."
Jakotsu pouted, glaring at him. "And I'll bet you know more than I do?"
He smirked. "That's for me to know."
Jakotsu rolled his eyes again. "Fine, whatever." He growled. "Now don't you have to get going? If you're not punctual she'll be angry." He teased.
"She does have a temper. But who cares? She knows I take my time."
"Then why give her a time when you'll be over? Why not tell her: 'Yeah, I think I'll walk as slow as possible since you mean so much to me.' Or something like that?" Jakotsu questioned, knowing that he was irking his brother further.
"Hahaha, I wouldn't say that. She's not that important. I'll be gone all night too so it'll make up for it if I'm a little late."
"Must be Tsubaki." Jakotsu whispered to Bankotsu before replying to his brother. He wrinkled his nose. "Ew, I don't think I needed to hear that."
"It's not Tsubaki!" Renkotsu snapped.
Jakotsu jumped to attention. 'Sharp ears. Probably as good as mine.' Kyoyume noted to herself. "Then if she's not important and she's not Tsubaki, who the hell is she?"
"A girl I met."
"A girl you met? Like, just a little while ago?"
"A few weeks ago."
"Uh-huh. . ." Jakotsu replied, waiting for more details. Bankotsu seemed just as eager, though he was smiling brightly. Suikotsu was as quiet as Kyoyume, both of them exchanging glances every once in a while.
"What? I explained this Jakotsu, you don't know her and its none of your business."
"I don't care! I wanna know anyway! I'm concerned about you!!"
"Concerned?!"
Jakotsu laughed, seeing as Renkotsu had not picked up his sarcasm. "Oh, of course my dear brother. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Faggot." he growled.
Jakotsu acted as if he had been struck before swinging a fist into Renkotsu. "Don't call me that you asshole!"
"It's true!" He retorted.
"Just like you being an asshole is true!" Jakotsu replied in the same fashion.
"I know, I'm proud of it!"
Jakotsu rolled his eyes. "That's not something to be proud of!" He roared.
"Well I AM!"
Jakotsu opened his mouth to speak again, but Suikotsu interjected. "Renkotsu - the time." He said, pointing to his wrist and indicating that it was time for the man to leave.
Renkotsu nodded, walking away.
Kyoyume watched him with slight interest. He was levelheaded enough for a man that was supposed to be a teacher in her school. But she couldn't help but hate their arguments. The sound hurt her ears, and she hated that she could not relieve them.
"Hmm, here we are. Home sweet home." Jakotsu grumbled. "Later, Kyo!"
Kyoyume nodded and waved before heading to her own home. "See ya tomorrow."
She locked the door behind her. She just realized how good that coffee had been she would have to go again.
'But not with Naraku.' She thought bitterly, taking her hat off after she was sure that all the windows were closed.
She yawned to herself, thinking over her day and how bad it had sucked.
Her memories slowed they reached the spot where Naraku had given her the hat, and she had so stupidly just taken it from him as if nothing were wrong. She felt like she wanted to cry, but held back the tears. It would not do to cry about such a thing. Sniffling to herself, she decided that maybe she just needed to rest. Today had indeed been long, and she didn't feel like thinking about it anymore.
She flopped down on her bed, and tried to fall asleep.
Kyoyume tossed and turned, trying to calm herself, but the single memory kept replaying over and over again until his red eyes were burned into her memory. Shaking her head, she let out an audible, protesting groan before snuggling into her pillow and closing her eyes.
End Chapter