Well now, here's yet another chapter and since I don't really feel like typing more than I have to I'll try keep my notes and my "thank you"s short.
For people who get annoyed that I don't update as often as they'd like here are my reasons:
I am an eighteen year old who has two jobs right now. I work at Game Stop which doesn't take up much of my time and requires little physical labor. However, my other job is working for my mom and sister in their cleaning business. Now that summer is here, we are busier than ever and because I live in Florida it is NOT fun to spend time in 90-something degree weather cleaning apartments with BROKEN air conditioning. Also take into account the fact that some people who move out of their apartments were apparently NOT taught how to clean up after themselves. Add to that the fact that I am the ONLY employee and since I'm family, I am at the beck and call of my mom and sister at almost all times. In other words I don't have a choice.
In connection to reason number one. Even I get drained from all that exertion which is saying a lot because anyone who knows me is aware of the fact that I have sugar for blood. My brain likes to shut down after all that work and sometimes it's a struggle to go to the computer and expend non-existent braincells to type. Not only that but my typing skills are trerrible and I can eaisly spend three days typing a ten page chapter. Also I have the attention span of a kitty, which is not long as those of you who own cats know very well.
That said, here are my thank you's:
Kerichi, Lin Yao Fang, drake220, evil squeede, Mini Nicka, hm, KitKat07, LunasStar (for reviewing both stories and not abandoning me completely), chandra16, S A K U R A22, Yuki Haitani, lyerial, Obsessive-Starchaser, Retta, Tsume Yamagata, Shiranai Yukino (to answer your question about updating see reasons one and two up above), Ryn, RosieB, CometsChaos, New Fan, UgLyDaRkFaErIe547, aishiteru-inu (I really owe you for all of your support), Haruya, friendlyreader, choco-coco, SG, Mitsuki-kun, diana, and Naoko2
Special thanks to: Rikou Suiyou for correcting the last chapter and putting up with me. She has been a great help because aparently the Grammar Gods didn't see fit to bless me.
Thread Bound
Chapter Fourteen
The Time Of Betrayal
The former Mrs. Widow reclined on one of Mr. Mantis' chairs, chatting happily to her friend.
"And what happened next, dear Mrs. Widow? Was he so very scrumptious as all that?"
"Of course, sweet Mantis. My husband was so delicious that I would not mind taking another just to have that taste again. Though I must admit that my stomach is greatly unsettled in digesting the poor fool."
Her friend turned intent eyes on her and brought a claw up to tap the side of his head.
"Then perhaps it was not so wise of you to have devoured him after all."
"And why do you say that Mr. Mantis?"
"Because other bugs can see your fatness and contentment and you just may wind up being devoured as well."
"How amusing," replied the widow flippantly. "And how would that be accomplished, dear? Who would dare to get close?"
"Some one who wishes to teach you a lesson, dear Widow. Alas—" he walked over to the door and locked it, "I have a lesson to teach and I'm very afraid that you will have to go."
"And how do you propose I do that, Magnificent Mantis, when you have locked the door, leaving me no escape?"
"Because, my lovely, I'm afraid that you are the one that must be taught a lesson. Your husband trusted you—for all the good it did him—and I shall teach you that you must never trust a predator greater than yourself, sweet, sweet, Widow."
Her eyes widened as he walked towards her, claws outstretched.
"I am sure that Mr. Widow would want me to do this and I agree only too well that you are not to be trusted, but even more so is the truth that your enemies should remain closer than your friends. Come now, delectable Widow, is it no longer the time for talking."
She had nothing left to utter before death's embrace caught her up, and only before the world faded to black did she allow herself to feel regret.
"Where exactly did Rin say she was going, Kagome?"
Three sets of concerned eyes thrust themselves into her face and she staggered back, annoyed by the violation of her personal space.
"I would appreciate it if you would take a seat before I beat the lot of you," Kagome growled, crossing her arms defensively. Miroku and Sango, who were staying with her family temporarily, obeyed and reclined on the couch.
"A wench like you couldn't beat me no matter how hard you tried," Inuyasha said with a derisive snort, opting for the Piss-Off-Kagome road to pain.
He's your husband and you love him, Kagome, she reminded herself. Although if he makes one more rude remark he's going to be sleeping on the couch for the next month.
"Inuyasha...SIT YOUR BUTT DOWN!"
As if by magic, or maybe it was just terror, he sat down and folded his hands in his lap, muttering something about bossy witches who didn't know their place.
She narrowed her eyes at him and he shut up.
"Anyways, to answer your question, Rin is safe for the time being although I don't know for how long if Frost...I mean Sesshoumaru is the real target."
"Oh, she's with Mr. Denial?!" Miroku beamed, sending a knowing look towards his wife. "I told you, Sango. He's probably had his way with her by now. Ah, sweet Rin is becoming a woman, all grown up. You owe me for doubting my male intuition."
Kagome swore that she saw a tiny vein pop out on Sango's forehead before a resounding smack was heard and Miroku quieted down immediately, muttering something under his breath in much the same way Inu had not a minute earlier.
Clearing her throat, she began again.
"Now I know you all want to go rushing out to see her, however...the situation is a bit complicated. Kagura is not going to let them get away so easily and I would bet my life's savings that she going to be keeping a close eye on us because Sesshoumaru just might come here."
"If Frosty comes I'm going to toss his sorry behind back out through the door. Rin's okay but he could do us all a favor and keep us out of his problems with that slut he married. Better yet, why don't both of them just kill each other and the world'll be a much happier place without them."
With the barest shred of will, Kagome restrained herself from punching him out for being so insensitive and not stopping to remember that his "beloved" aniki had been so depressed that he tried to kill himself not one month ago.
Deep breath. Relax, relax, release.
"Inuyasha, you are of course aware of the fact that Rin would likely kill you if you so much as harmed one hair on Sesshoumaru's head."
"Bull, no one's crazy enough to like my bro except that hag he calls a wife. The freak has way too many issues. He's always been like that, even when we were little."
"And did you never wonder why that was? Maybe he had a bad experience in his past."
"Like what? So his mom died, he needs to get over it and himself. Frosty's just sore cause he thinks he's alone but it's not like we didn't try, he's just got too much pride."
"Again with the Frosty name. That really pisses him off you know Inu. Where did you get it anyways?"
"From this American Christmas song about a talking snowman. I thought it fit 'cause his whole personality is just cold and he's so freakin' pale. Guess I need to come up with a name for Rin too."
"Don't you dare," she grabbed a lock of hair and tugged it, making him yelp.
"Yamette, 'Gome..." he pulled the lock away, wincing as one of the long strands caught in her wedding band.
"Can you not think of yourself for once, Inu, and use the little brains you have to think of a way to help both of them? You KNOW what Kagura is like when she gets mad."
She felt him shudder before he pushed her hand away.
"Okay, okay, let's call my mom and ask her, she might know where he went."
She nodded and went to go get the phone, praying that nothing bad happened to her "little sister" and the cold man who was slowly opening his heart up to her.
Naraku Kagewaki was going through the different company accounts in his office. A glance at the clock showed that it was almost midnight and he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, frowning at the blurry outline of words on the papers in his hand. He wished in a small part of his brain that Rin were still here to help him organize but he wanted to keep his business even more and Mrs. Toyotomi had been quite persuasive. Besides, it wasn't as if the girl had been the life's blood of his company, he could replace her easily. A yawn escaped and he stretched, spreading his arms wide.
His fingertips brushed something, or someone rather, who hadn't been there before and a silky voice that he knew all too well said, "Hello Naraku...or should I say Onigumo. It's been a long time."
"There were four blue cars, Sess. I've got you beat and don't even try to pull that 'it wasn't quite blue' crap on me. I have better eyes than you old man," Rin grinned as they walked up the driveway to a rather ordinary looking two story house. They had played a rather interesting game made up by her to see how many cars of a designated color could be found within a ten minute time limit. He had naturally refused at first, but after crashing nearly two times because of her antics followed by a hug attack that she got away with only because he had to watch the road and steer he gave in.
"And I am telling you, little girl, that there were five blue cars. Remember that hideous Toyota."
"I don't know what the heck color that was but it wasn't blue. Don't be such a sore loser."
Her words were tempered with a beautiful smile that did odd things to his stomach and he conceded to himself that maybe she got away with her hugging and back talk because he thrived on her presence. Besides, he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the attention.
Rin stopped in the middle of the driveway to stare at the house. It had been built in a more western style although she did notice a few definitive Asian touches here and there such as shoji doors and the abundance of wood as well as the large Sakura tree standing tall, it's braches overshadowing the house which was by no means a small building. Sesshoumaru came up behind her and it didn't take any particular sensitivity to his moods to know that he was uncomfortable here.
Turning to face him, she took his arm, linked it with hers, and gave him a reassuring smile. He looked down at her and gradually the tenseness in his arm melted away and his face lost the stony expression that it had held for those few brief minutes
"Relax, Sessh, I didn't come here for you to revert back on me. If it's that painful to be here then we can find someplace else."
He let out an almost inaudible sigh before cocking an eyebrow at her and saying haughtily, "so says the girl with nary a yen to her name. Aren't you little miss self assured."
She stuck her tongue out at him before sauntering up to the door and putting her hands on her hips.
"Open up brat."
He followed Rin, flicking the side of her head lightly and giving her a look of long suffering before pulling out his key ring and deliberately going through each key, moving as slow as humanly possible just to make her wait longer. She gritted her teeth and silently swore revenge on him for torturing her with curiosity. At last he came to the right key and opened the door, motioning for her to precede him into the house.
She looked around at the various decorations, most of which looked very old. It was surprisingly clean for a place that was currently unoccupied by anyone and she wondered at that until he spoke.
"My father liked to collect antiques. That's the only similarity between us," he said as if reading her thoughts.
"'Liked?' Is he deceased?"
"Yes," he replied, and the tightness in his voice told her that this was a sensitive subject for him.
"So how does it stay so clean," she said, trying to change the subject.
"That woman probably comes to clean it."
"Who is that?"
"My step-mother. The person who gave birth to my idiot brother after father remarried."
This was another sensitive topic for him, she could tell so she simply nodded in understanding and said, "Where will I be staying Sessh?"
"In the guest room upstairs, but first...," he inclined his head towards the front door and for the first time she became aware of the fact that a car door had slammed outside and the sound of high heels moving over the concrete towards the house was very audible.
"Rin, go upstairs and wait for me."
She was about to argue but the look he sent her was scary enough to command her total obedience and she quickly disappeared up the steps.
Sesshoumaru waited until he heard her door close before going over to the front door and opening it to reveal the startled visage of his step-mother, hand poised to knock.
Izayoi was just as he remembered. A petite woman with her long black hair pinned up, very little make-up and so pale that he found himself wondering once more if she were a ghost. She was dressed in a flower print sundress and her slender ankles were enclosed with straps belonging to modestly high sandals. In some way, although he would die before he ever admitted it, he could understand why his father had chosen her to be his second wife.
They stared each other down for a few minutes before she turned away and asked quietly, "May I come in?"
"It's your house, Izayoi. I'm just the problem child of your husband and his first wife, so who am I to deny you the joy," he sneered the word, "of being in your old home."
Her hands fisted in automatic anger before she remembered that this was how her stepson had always behaved and forced herself to relax, shifting the book tucked beneath her arm to keep it from falling.
"I'm sor..."
He held up his hand. "It is far too late for apologies and not soon enough for you to leave. Come in and don't bother with petty apologies for something you never had the strength to help me with. I just want to hear what useless thing you have to say before you leave."
"Always so rude, Sesshoumaru. I thought that girl Inu-chan told me about would have changed you."
"So it was the idiot who told you to find me? You are in no position to mention or even see her for that matter. She has nothing to do with you."
"But we might be family soon if it's true that even you did something as selfless as bringing her here to protect her."
"Your asinine speculations couldn't be further form the truth. Have you forgotten that I'm tied down by that despicable woman? It seems I inherited my father's pathetic taste in women."
She took a seat, opting to ignore his last comment and a silence fell between them as he watched her much like one would a piece of road-kill. And despite it all you still love him like he was your own, she reminded herself, a smile playing on her face.
"You wanted to know what I came here for, right, Sesshoumaru?"
He nodded, folding his arms across his chest.
For a second, he looked so much like his father that she had to blink back the tears that rose automatically. Clearing her throat, she took the book that she had brought with her and held it out to him.
Eying it suspiciously, he took it and read the cover, giving her a blink to indicate his surprise.
"Do you remember how you used to like that book when you were little, Sesshoumaru?"
"Have you lost your mind? Why would I care about something so old, woman?"
"Because of what's inside."
Flipping the cover open, he felt his eyes widen as he riffled through the papers tucked inside the book. Giving her an incredulous look he opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. She struggled to hold in her laughter. He definitely doesn't look like that often.
At last he managed to get out, "Is this real? How...? Why...?"
The number of emotions blazing through those golden eyes were too much for her and she blushed, casting her eyes downwards to avoid their molten intensity. He was his father's child alright.
"I have a lot of connections, Sesshoumaru, and I...I want you to be happy even if it means a life without me or Inu-chan in it. I ask, no, beg of you to move on."
Sesshoumaru just stared at her, eyes shielded just as quickly as they when had revealed his feelings not a moment before. At last he bent his head downwards, about half of his torso following its wake in the smallest of bows and she smiled. It wasn't much, but for him to bow to anyone was a miracle in itself and she moved forward, catching him a brief embrace that was quickly broken out of by him.
"Don't push it, Izayoi," he growled.
And she gave him a bright smile before heading for the door, stopping about half-way.
"By the way, can you tell the girl that her friends say hello?"
With a scowl he nodded and she exited with a little wave.
He waited until he heard her pulling out of the driveway before glancing down at the papers in one hand and the book in the other. Two things that were very precious to him.
His lips twitched into a half smile and he went upstairs. He needed to see Rin.
It was a dream.
Rin knew it was a dream as surely as she knew what would happen next.
She knew that as soon as she confessed to him, as soon as she told her lord and master what she felt for him...she knew that the dream would come to an end.
He disengaged her arm, moving her distasteful humanity away from him, golden eyes shutting out the love that she had seen reflected in them so often. Yes, she knew that as soon as either one of them put those simple yet all important words out into the air...someone was going to get hurt.
How easy it had been to pretend that they could fall in love and that as soon as she confessed they could have a happily ever after.
How easy it had been to believe that she could make the illusion real and to think that they could surmount the barrier between human and youkai.
Even the simplest tapestry was woven of many threads.
He moved further into the shadows until she saw nothing but his eyes gleaming at her and a tiny hint of the soft boa he had once told her was really his tail.
Then he said the words that brought an end to the dream.
"Leave me, human. If I see you again in my lands your life is forfeit."
He didn't even deign to use her name. No goodbye, not even a hint of emotion in his voice. She moved forward and was stopped by an audible growl.
The breaking of her heart might as well have been audible, and she lowered her lashes to set the tears free. Each running down her face and exulting in their new found freedom before dying swiftly on the polished wooden floor.
Slowly she turned and fled.
She had nothing now, no family, no home, and no love. And yet, still her heart longed for him.
"Wake up, Rin."
Soft fingers were tracing her face, brushing away the tears that had been shed in her sleep and she opened her eyes to look at the man hovering over her.
"Don't you know better than to wake crying maidens," Rin whispered, feeling as if something would be ruined if she talked any louder. She was mildly apprehensive that he was laying next to her on the bed where she'd decided to doze while she waited for him upstairs.
Sesshoumaru didn't stop smoothing her cheeks, opting to give her a small smile instead of answering. Oooookay, this is weird. He's acting normal, which is abnormal for him.
"Are you okay, Sessh?" She put a hand on his forehead to make sure he wasn't running a fever or something.
"I'm perfectly fine, Rin," he said, voice free for once of that dark undertone.
"Then why are you grinning like an idiot?"
"Because of this." He placed a sheaf of papers in her hand and she glanced over them briefly. They had something to do with divorce and she gasped when she got to the last page and saw two signatures. One was in Sesshoumaru's bold handwriting and the other was more feminine but no less familiar to her style.
"How did you...? But didn't she...?" There were so many questions that she had no idea how she was going to get them all out.
He scooted back on the bed, resting on his side with his head pillowed on his hand.
"Is this real, Sesshoumaru?" she asked even though she really wanted to ask "Is it okay for me to love you now?"
"I called my lawyer and he says it's real, although I am unclear as to how Izayoi managed this between Kagura screwing you over and us getting here. I'll ask her next time."
"Izayoi?"
"My step-mother. I suppose I owe her something, don't I?" He sighed in a ridiculously long-suffering manner. She tapped him lightly and he sat up. "I know, you're going to say something silly like 'you need to love everyone in your family and its unhealthy for you to carry on like this, Sessh', right?"
Sticking her tongue out him, Rin spread her arms out till they reached the ends of the bed. "I wasn't. I was just going say that an obnoxious, self-centered fool like you doesn't deserve such a huge favor."
He mock pouted and said in an exaggerated tone, "Oh, you wound me with the mediocrity of your words. I dearly hoped that my brilliance would have rubbed off on you by now."
"Forgive me, great lord Sesshoumaru-sama, I know not what I would do if ever you left my side. Perhaps I would be happier?" she chuckled before she noticed that he was no longer laughing with her. His face had grown serious as soon as she called him "Sesshoumaru-sama" and she reached up, shaking him gently.
For a second, he mused, she had reminded him so much of the dream and for some reason he knew that his answer to the woman therein had been something hurtful.
He felt it coming on, another one of those moments that should only come once in a lifetime, except this time there would be no interruptions.
"Are you alright, Sessh?" he heard the mild panic in her voice and felt something beautiful gripping his heart when he looked into her eyes. Had her lips always looked as inviting as they did now? It occurred to him that the other Sesshoumaru had been a great fool to deny the girl in front of him. To deny the light and love in those deep, brown eyes. To ignore the temptation of that exquisitely curved neck.
"I...am quite alright Miss Hattori. But I think that now is the time for you to pay me back for all the trouble you've put me through." He bent down over her, long hair providing a curtain between them and the outside world.
"But I don't have any..." He placed a finger against her lips, shushing her effectively before he took it away, only to replace the digit with his own mouth.
She tensed very, very briefly at the contact before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and returning the gesture eagerly.
It felt right, so very right that he was the one to give her her first real kiss. It was soft and unique, hard where he nibbled lightly on her lips, and joyful as he teased her lower lip with the tip of his tongue. It wasn't heavy or sloppy, nor was it overly deep; no, it was sweet and revealing and light and a veritable rainbow of other things.
For those long minutes, he and the sensations and the emotions that he evoked were her world and she never wanted it to end. And when he pulled away at last, her lips chased his and planted one last quick kiss.
In a pleasingly breathless voice she asked quietly, obviously still awed, "What's the balance now, Sesshoumaru? How much do I owe you?"
His arms found the curve of her shoulders and pulled her close, exulting in the feel of her small frame against his the possessive feeling coming over him.
"Nothing. I consider it paid in full with interest."
He could feel her smile before settling against him with a contented smile. "I think you can expect much more interest from my end, if you don't mind of course."
"Funny, I was about to slap more debt onto you anyways; we still have to get you clothes, after all."
They smiled at each other and their lips met once more.
She downed the shot glass quickly before slamming it down on the table and pouring another.
How she hated them. How she despised them. How she wanted them dead. Every single one of them. Sesshoumaru, that clingy brat he was fond of, Hiten for getting himself beat up by said clingy brat and thus unable to perform him usual duties to make her forget..., but numero uno, number one at the top of her list of people who needed to die was that meddling wench Izayoi. Everyone thought that she hated Sesshoumaru too and that she was weak, washed up. Ohhhh how wrong she'd been. That tiny woman's spine was made of pure steel.
Early in the morning that woman came and said in so many words that if she didn't giver her idiot son what he wanted, her little secret was going to come out and there would go her career.
She looked at the half-full glass before throwing it away in disgust, hearing it shatter somewhere in the room.
"What did I tell you about that temper of yours, Kagura-chan?" The voice that came from the darkness behind her sent a chill down her spine and she saw something flash in the half-light before she felt a searing pain followed by darkness.
The ringing of the phone pulled Hiten out of his sleep and he fumbled around, growling a drowsy hello into the speaker.
"Emergency, Nii-chan."
"Do you know what time it is, Manten?"
"That's not important, Nii-chan. I just received a call from Souten at the hospital. Kagura's been stabbed!"
Whew. That took me foreeeever to get out. More and more stuff coming up. What about that book Sesshy's mom gave him? What's going to happen with the whole Kagura situation? Is Sesshy ever going to finish his book? More coming up. Please read and review. Also, for anyone who likes Hana Yori Dango my sis has posted one up on the site. I can't remember the name but since it's her only one I'll just give you all her pen name. It's Xyjah. Ja ne.