o.O.o.O
dArKnEsS iS mY bLoOd
Hints at Bankotsu/Kagome. ONE-SHOT, probably with a(nother) sequel.
darkenedmoonlightflame
Hints at Ban/Kag. The greatest tragedy is not that we fall in love with someone who won't love us back, but that we cease to love at all… Sequel to dArKnEsS iS mY lOvE. Bankotsu/Kagome bias eventually.
(A/N: Alright! So here we are, with the sequel to dArKnEsS iS mY lOvE. Hopefully the pairing Bankotsu/Kagome will come into play a bit more in this one than the last. A word to the wise, this may or may not also have a sequel (sort of like a three-shot story, possibly). Pretty sure about the sequel, though.
(So once again, just read, review, and…
(Don't get mad, get GLAD! Have a happy (belated) Turkey Day, people.)
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dArKnEsS iS mY bLoOd
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Eyes closed.
My darkness. Surrounding me. Cold, frozen, arctic.
Solitude.
Beautiful.
'Oi, you awake?' Rough hand shaking my shoulder. Eyes fluttering open. Glaring.
Reality calls. He 'helps' me forward. Tall man, calm eyes, restless mind, and I can't trust him. No. But Bankotsu wants me to? Why?
'He can fix your arm. Can't you, Sui?'
The man nods. He smiles kindheartedly.
That's fine. But I can see another side to him.
Killer. Murderer.
I can't trust that.
But…
Caution, caution.
Painful… white hot pain drives me insane. Crazier than before.
I trust him. Hold my arm out gingerly.
His hazel eyes glint. Is he as insane as I am? Or am I worse? Who? Choose, they glitter. Speaking to me…
I can't see what they say. Impossible.
Before my eyes. Intent, catlike. Swiftly, he dabs, cleans, disinfects. Impressive. Yet no gauze covers it. A ripping noise is heard.
Bankotsu smiles, coldly reserved, and hands the sleeve of his (probably expensive) haori to 'Sui'. Still smiling.
Sui nods. Absence of gauze.
Instead there is only the lingering fragrance of Bankotsu.
Not entirely bad, compared to my swimming head.
Another sleeve is torn, Sui wraps around my neck, tying the two together. Primitive, but a sling all same.
'How's that, ne…?'
He doesn't know my name.
I feign surprise. I'm quite the deceiver, especially to myself. 'K… K…' Freeze. 'I'd rather not say.'
'Oh, why's that?'
'Too many… memories. Instead, you may call me…'
'…Hai?' I hate interruptions. But at my current state it would be unwise to snap at my benefactor. He seems amused.
'Black Kurogari. Kuro, for short.'
Seems satisfied. 'Black darkness. Very suiting.'
I don't ask how so.
'Oi, Jakotsu!' I hear sake mentioned before I foggily ignore them. '-…want some?' Directed to me.
'I haven't the faintest idea of what you're talking about.'
The expression on his face is so utterly hilarious, I want to actually smile. But, being me, and not me at the same time, I don't. I just add, 'I was serious.' Staring like I've lost my mind. It's…
Unnerving.
'Anou… food.'
'Oh. Suppose so.'
The corner of Jakotsu's mouth twitches. Immature frown. Something about being useless is said. I tune out, thinking. In my shattered way. But of course.
What would my family think?
'Oi?'
'Nani?' I whip my head around. Utterly ignorant.
'Open up! COME ON!' Jakotsu bellows. Very… malignant. If calling a human that is okay. It is with me. I'm force fed something.
It's warm, and burns my throat. Coughing, hacking, I lurch out of the room in a flash. Retching outside. Sui is there, patting my back. 'Maybe a bath would do you good,' he suggests calmly. So calmly. It soothes me. 'Shall I accompany you?'
'Hai.' Words are out before I realize we're opposite genders. 'Anou, I meant iie.'
Frowning. Brows furrowed. Firmly, almost sadistically passionate in annoying me. Tyrannically. Bankotsu. 'Suggesting,' 'You shouldn't be alone. Suikotsu is going too.' Bankotsu's demands make things a bit complicated.
Sui is muttering something. Philosophical rubbish. Lost me. I shrug. Confounded.
Sighing, never losing patience. Handing me several towels. White, soft. Like snow. I grasp it. Tight. Like…
Him.
Reminiscing. Makes me remember… His hair.
Moment is fleeting, I dislike the towels now.
'I see, you have a mercurial temperament, too.'
I blink.
'Means you change your mind a lot.' He whispers under his breath, so as not to embarrass me.
He guides me, I follow. Blindly, taking in emerald. Swimming vision.
Glorious.
I close my eyes, and everything seems so much better. I can hear my heart throbbing in my ears.
I think I'm addicted.
To darkness.
It's in my blood.
I wave away Suikotsu, ducking behind a rock. Gray, bleak. Hopeless. My state of mind compares to a rock. It's funny, actually.
Something bubbling up in my throat, I clutch at it. Try to stop… the laugh. It's so small. Quiet, strained when it emerges.
Satisfaction. It rules now.
I strip.
Plunge into the water straight off.
Cold. Encasing me. I duck my head in too.
Dirty strands float about. Concealing my form. I see Suikotsu, resting against another rock. I forget to breathe again.
I gasp in air. Only it isn't air. My mouth is underwater.
Instead, I choke.
Suikotsu stretches hastily, concerned. Cutting through water, thumping my back. I wince, and close my eyes again. Waiting…
Adrenaline pumps through. I can hear my heart. Pain fades away. Washed off the canvas of my body.
I see the dried swirls of crimson. Twirling off my long legs. Wrapping around the stream. I half smile.
…
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…
Lucky. Suikotsu doesn't notice my… obvious differences. I half wonder if he's stark mad. Think better of it.
So what?
He probably thinks the same of me.
…
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…
We have nothing to say to each other. Silence…
Not even a comment on the tanned ivory of my skin. Too fair for a man. He either doesn't notice, or doesn't think much of it. Blames my 'ill' state.
Silence…
Bankotsu welcomes us back with a dismissive wave. He's intoxicated. Sake. Hiccuping, chuckling, boyish grin. Apparent. Even to me. I shake my head.
Wordlessly, I spot a wraith in the shadows. Leaning over a cup, sipping quietly. Instinctively, I tense.
'Renkotsu? Have you a spare haori and hakama?'
The man, I realize it is, nods. Reaching behind him. Throwing something at my face. Intercepted by Suikotsu's callused hand. Wordlessly I thank him with my eyes. Said orbs glinting steely at this Renkotsu fellow.
Shifty eyes.
I don't like him already.
Reminds me too much of myself, in a way.
I exit the room, silent footsteps. Bankotsu doesn't even notice. I change in the hall, wringing out my sopping hair with those horrid Inuyasha towels.
'I abhor you.' I say to them, plainly.
I suddenly start squeezing them. Tighter, tighter.
Until somehow all the droplets of water have fallen to the wooden floor. I glance down, then at my completely dry towel.
I guess I have repressed hostility.
I mop up the spill. Returning. Sitting. Staring into the small fire.
Staring out the rice paper window. The glaring sun is setting. A bloody disk falling across the sky, dropping in defeat. Sinking on the horizon. Lower, lower…
I watch my reflection. Taking in the plainness of the haori and hakama. Navy blue, twisting figments of white. Blurry. Like my mind.
A feeling of such tiredness sweeps over me. I close my eyes once more.
Savoring the darkness, although I can see the licking flames through my eyelids.
…
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…
I don't know when it happens, but I start awake to a loud thump. My entire body feels like I've just been pushed into that lake again. Chilled. Shivering.
I look around me, at the snoring Shichinintai. One is missing…
Bankotsu.
The fragrance of crushed pine needles. I follow it. There. I see him.
He fell on me.
And is snoring like a great big baby, head dropped onto my shoulder. Sake bottle dropped flat in his lap.
I feel…
Yes. I can feel it. Remotely.
Disgusted.
I shove him off, and turn back to staring out the window.
'Grmuglum!'
At least, that's what I thought he said. I shake from impact again. Just when I was about to fall asleep, too. I glare. Death. And shove. 'STOP IT!' He half shouts, half murmurs. 'WhadIdo?'
And with that, I grumble, "You KNOW what." And promptly turn away, half-lidded eyes.
Slowly slipping into slumber. Before I do…
I catch a smirk etched upon Jakotsu's features, before he yawns and rolls over, feigning sleep.
…
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…
Days fall into patterns. Learn 'tricks of the trade' from each remaining member of the Shichinintai. Eat, sleep, wake up and train more. I'm rather surprised that they haven't noticed about my… 'condition' yet. I'm not complaining.
After all, bathing regularly, being disturbed via Bankotsu at night. I still see Jakotsu's smirk.
But I'm seeing other sides to them all. How they don't kill for minute reasons. Close-knit. Untrusting. Bankotsu is cocky and annoying as hell. But…
Sometimes he knows just what to say. To make me feel better.
About… everything.
It's nice.
Gazing in the firelight. I still retch after intaking a bit of sake. That won't change. Eventually I feel the almost-familiar warmth on my side.
Bankotsu.
His head buried in the crook of my neck, warm breath tingling. A thrill of excitement. Arching up my spine. Danger. Adrenaline. I love it.
Feels like my darkness. I close my eyes.
Open them, furious.
Darkness is fading.
Fading…
From sight, far…
His warmth still surprises me. Considering he was reanimated. His flesh has a tan glow, accentuated by the firelight. Soft cheek, burrowed just under the shoulder of my haori. His Banryuu forgotten in the corner. 'Under hazy influence,' I want to tell myself.
I can't, though.
A healthy blush tinting its way up my cheeks. Flames licking at them. I gather courage.
Glancing down. Try to be angry…
His face. So angelic. Beautiful… No trace of malevolent smirk he usually dons. Innocent. Bankotsu…
My heart accelerates… Throbbing in my ears. My flush increases.
Strands of silken ebony stray into his face, framing the heliotrope star on his forehead. His long braid draped over his shoulder.
STOP!
I want to scream at myself. Shout, slap, run. Away from here.
I want so hard not to believe this.
But…
I just can't push him away. Looking away, wistfully. At the window. Somehow I miss the smirk on Jakotsu's face.
I feel…
I feel.
Like I did with Inuyasha. With my family.
Dare I say. L… Lo…
No. I'll call it infatuation. It'll pass soon. Right?
Perhaps.
But…
Darkness may have a bit of competition, after all.
A/N: I'm RUSHING! Confused on a word, review! Need any help understanding? Go on ahead and review. But this one isn't quite as good (maybe I'll edit it). It has a lighter overall tone. THERE WILL BE ANOTHER SEQUEL! (I'll eventually end up merging it all into a group of oneshots, ne?)
But, word to the wise (HINT) there WILL be confrontations in the next one… With WHO I'm not saying! (sing song voice)
So, sorry this is so rushed. All I can do is smile, wave, and sign my name!
o.O.o.O darkenedmoonlightflame O.o.O.o
And company. My adorably annoying muses. (Sesshy and 'Kotsu. Bow down!)
WHOOPS! Turns out, I loaded the wrong one. Heheh.