Disclaimer: Bang, bang, he shot me down. Bang, bang, I hit the ground. Bang, bang, that awful sound. Bang, bang, my baby shot me down. What was that? I don't own Kill Bill? … alrightey then… O.o

A Cool Kind Of Punishment

- Chapter Eleven : Not So Icy

Sesshoumaru had just walked out of the gates from talking to Mr. Filna about fencing, one of the few extra-curricular activities that actually interested him, only to find a couple making out against the stone wall surrounding the school.

He felt only slight irritation as he walked past, but it was until he was a fair distance away that he had realized that there was a peculiar way the boy had leant against the fragile girl…

… who had hair that came down to mid-back with two sections in ponies and the ends cut as though hacked at with a knife…

"Rin!" He whispered, eyes wide. He ran as fast as he could back to the school gate only to stop suddenly.

Naraku.

To what purpose had he come back? And he looked as though he were leaning in for a kiss… with Rin?

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and his slight shift in body language was enough to have Naraku turn his head.

"Yes?" Naraku asked lowly, a hint of a threat in his voice. "Is there something wrong?"

"Besides the fact you are posing a threat to a student at Port Street?" Sesshoumaru answered. In reply, Naraku's posture stiffened and he moved away from Rin, taking one of her hands in his and he kissed it softly.

"Thank you, Rin" he said, just as softly, "I look forward to seeing you again"

His eyes on hers, he began to walk backwards a few metres before turning around and walking away, smirking at Sesshoumaru as he did so.

Rin looked quite shocked and she turned her head towards him.

"I didn't mean to -" she started, before he cut her off coldly.

"Mean to what? Disturb the peace? Ruin your good-girl reputation? Make me regret ever knowing you?" At the last rhetorical question she paled even further so than she already had. Rin opened her mouth to defend herself, but Sesshoumaru had already begun walking home, disappointed he had turned down the offer of his chauffeur to pick him up.

Sesshoumaru refrained himself from clenching his fists, refrained himself from letting the girl see how much she really got to him.

Her. Rin. She had no idea how disappointed he was in her.

He had thought her different from other girls. Stronger, better, smarter and… worth something.

And yet, at one look, lean and almost-kiss from Naraku, she had lost herself.

She had gone weak. And Sesshoumaru was more disappointed than he had ever been. The one time he had expected something, and it had failed him. Rin… had failed him.

And so Sesshoumaru continued on his home to the estate, against the cold, bitter winds. Distantly he heard a pitter patter behind him but he ignored it. But the one thing he could not ignore were her thin fingers grasping his hand.

"Please," she whispered, "I'm scared"

Dear Diary,

Do you know the feeling where you'd do anything not to lose what you care for most? But at the same time your brain is so numb for shock, that you can't think of anything that you can offer? And as a result you're susceptible to so many suggestions?

Desperation can cause us to do so many things and sometimes I wonder… how far would I go for the people I loved.

As my mouth sputtered, desperately hoping for some orders from The Brain, I watched Sesshoumaru's back fade.

It gripped me. Fear. I licked my dry lips, my mind not grasping that if I didn't do something to attract Sesshoumaru's attention that the teetering line of friendship between us would soon become a non-existent teetering line of friendship.

Images came to me - cold looks from the other side of the classroom, indifference…

In a heavy panic I quickly paced after Sesshoumaru, clenching and unclenching my hand, willing myself to reach out and place mine in his. I chickened out at the last minute and stopped, watching as his back receded again.

Cold looks… indifference…

With a sudden burst of determination I lunged and tugged at his hand.

"Please," I whispered, "I'm scared"

Something flickered in his eyes and for a few strained moments he and I stared at each other, oblivious to the cold.

"Come," he said gruffly, "I'll walk you home"

A smile lighted up my face and I felt such an overwhelming sense of relief that I laughed shortly and held onto his hand even longer. As we passed his house I began to feel slightly confused and I shyly asked him why he didn't go into his own home, that I would be Ok for the rest of the way (even though we both knew that I would probably run home in several pieces after he left me alone).

"I told you I would walk you home and there's no point in saying that just to leave you alone after reaching my own house, nor would that be so gentlemanly. And I think we both know leaving you alone for the next while may be dangerous, considering what just happened" Inwardly I sighed, glad he would walk me home. I walked quietly by his side all the way home, slightly behind him, quickly glancing at his face, devoid of any expression. I realized with a sharp pang of sadness that I had never seen even a small smile on his face. Resolutely, I promised myself to make him smile at least once before I died.

Quite morbid, I know.

Something in my mind kept niggling at my conscious thoughts, something about a smile and I frowned in thought until it finally came to me.

It's funny how the mind can forget things that happened only fifteen before, but that was what happened to me. I had forgotten the amazingly cold voice in which Sesshoumaru had spoken to me - no, spat at me and I knew that I had deserved everything he verbally threw at me, ever.

And it had all happened because of Naraku.

God, what had I been thinking?

Not only had I considered getting kissed by Naraku, I had actually wanted to be kissed by Naraku. Why, though? I didn't know but there was just something that made me want to… right in that moment.

I felt a sharp but dull thud against my hairline and I looked up at Sesshoumaru before noticing that I had made it all the way to my front door without noticing, hence him flicking me. I fumbled for my key and slotted it into the keyhole before having the door open and I walked in slowly, my eyes on the ground. I turned around, hiding behind the door and I shyly looked up to thank Sesshoumaru for walking me home.

I was surprised to be facing only his chin. I took a step back and looked up at him.

"Why? Why didn't you resist him? Why were you going accept him touching you?" I was aware that he used the word 'touching' rather than 'kissing' and I wondered why the latter seemed to offend him so much. I blinked a few times in confusion at why he would even care and as my vision cleared, what I saw in his eyes shocked me.

Despair and wretchedness.

Although hardly noticeable, I noticed the slight crinkle at the corner of his left eye (or was it his right?) and I sensed the slight desperation in his voice in which he asked his questions. I parted my lips slightly, preparing to say 'I don't know' but instead I popped out something rather mushy and hormonally depressing.

"Because no-one has ever looked at me that way."

Both our eyes widened in surprise and I quickly hastened on to explain my out-of-the-blue whisper. "I mean, at school, it's like, as if I'm just the nice girl, just someone to befriend and moan to, but not to actually care for. I'm stuck here with this stupid personality of mine, that is more like a defect, and I'm scared that maybe I'll be forever envying everyone else…" I drifted off and I felt an unacquainted blush freely flow over my cheeks. I bent my head and all of a sudden, I felt like just curling up on the floor and covering my eyes with hands. Be alone.

Just alone.

I didn't respond as he tilted my chin up. But I shivered and blinked as he leaned past me and whispered into my ears "And you think I don't feel the same way?"

My eyes widened and I stared back at him before he swiftly turned around, closing the door behind him as he left me alone in my home. I sank to my knees and leant my forehead against the wood of the door, before filling the house with the sound of my dry sobs and heavy breathing.

I eventually slid from my position against the door, onto the soft, new carpet, so exhausted I had fallen asleep.

And that was how my father had found me.

A/N: wipes sweat off forehead WOW! I usually end up finishing the majority of these chapters really late in like one hour, for some strange psychological reason. Next chapter I promise to be more… um… of a positive Rin/Sess writer? With lots of POSITIVE interaction? Beware, I'm being drowned in all these tests and assignments again, so it may not come out for a WHILE (whichever-deity-is-'up-there' forbid!). But hey, next chapter is a MUCH lighter chapter, therefore easier to type up, so it may come out sooner than expected! Anyways, I'm sure you all want to just review now, and I'm not one to complain about THAT!

I noticed a lot of "Ewww, Naraku! Ewww! Scary Bad Man! ALERT! Scary Bad Man in the vicinity!", so in reply to THOSE reviews, yeah I know it's weird and icky, but I think of Naraku as a somewhat alone yet devious, cunning and evil man (and you just GOTTA love the evil man thing), not sleazy and… um… weird. Although those 'corrupted' thoughts of Kikyo do worry me. I hope that you are all happy that he has not stolen Rin's first kiss (but will he? Future chapter teaser!) and that you won't all stop reading and reviewing because Sesshoumaru didn't bash the crap out of him. But come on, from the anime, Sesshoumaru comes across to me as a bit of a lazy bum, I mean, he only fights when he has to, he didn't bother to learn to master the Tenseiga, and he is so lazy, he can't even put on some facial expression. Honestly! Do you expect him to fight Naraku just because he almost kissed a willing girl that he has almost no attachment too!

KitKat07: I'm really glad to hear that! I mean, just to know that a lot of people take the time and effort to review really does gratify me and on your advice, I'm trying really hard to appreciate my own story, but I guess I'm just trying to improve my style as I go along considering this is my first that is from the first person that is so long! About the jumping up and down thing, I tried to make this story as real as possible and we all know how everyone has their really shitty and/or childish days. I'm following your stories pretty closely and you definitely form the characters well, especially Rin and her modesty with their money.

Chandra16: Yeah, I guess after reading all these stories where Rin is a nerd and has THE most popular guy in school fall in love with her (and turn into a sappy kinda guy) then die and Sesshoumaru is forever lonely does get slightly yawn-worthy after the third story, so I try my best to make Rin as original as I can without digressing from her younger character in the anime.

CometsChaos: Really? Confusing? Hmm… lemme think… I guess it was just a chapter explaining how Rin was getting back to normal, only to get thrown off by Naraku… O.O I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Naraku Fan: gasps another Naraku fan? tears up I thought I was the only one! Skipping the diary entries? Tsk tsk tsk… but I can sympathise with you there, it's only really just a minor teaser to the story, but I hope you read today's entry! Hehehe…

C'fay: "P in Ti?"? Care to explain? Yeah, well isn't that what a good author does? Keep you in the lurch? XD

Dolphin-Slam: Well why wouldn't you be in the thank-you list? The reviewers are half the reason why I continue to update this fic so regularly and faithfully! And an added plus is that you regularly review!

Niichan626: O.O At first I thought you were flaming me and I was about to cry but then I read the rest of your review was like "Phew!" hehehe!

Sesshoumaru's Fluff Is Mine: I had a nice quiet chuckle at your nickname - it says it all, that it does! Yay! You really like? gushes awww shucks… I guess you were an insomniac for about three weeks then, eh?

Anuri-chan: It's always great to see someone complimenting me about my shocking "Jakken Revelation", as it's so affectionately called, as well as my writing style and humour, I'm glad you enjoy it so much!

Chibi-yumi: You know what? We should check if there are any Rin/Naraku stories… Yeah, I came up with that little twist right at the last moment as I realised that in all the Rin/Sess stories I've ever read, Naraku was a compulsive stalker, sleaze and weirdo. What can I say? I decided to be a rebel!

Trinity: I always enjoy replying to your reviews, they're always so long and in depth, it's so hard for me to know where to start. Well, I guess I get the same thrill that you get when I reply to your reviews as when you review me. Yours is always the one I look forward to most. About your nickname, yeah, I still get confused but it's pretty funny and I always smile when I remember that 16 children in the world have been name 'Zion' (or is it 'Xion'?). Does that mean your first name is Trin? And it's always cool to have my reviewers tell me something about themselves. Surprises are always good, and I found it so cool to write the Jakken/Ms. Kentlyn bit. I hope you were satisfied with this chapters ending. Originally I was going to have Sesshoumaru shove orange down her throat but then I got carried away and decided to just use a simple cookie. Jumping on the bed is always a good thing to get your emotions in check, so I decided to put that in for Rin's benefit, although unfortunately I didn't have Sesshoumaru kick Naraku's ass for Naraku's own benefit. I figured if Sesshoumaru DID bash him up, it wouls seem somewhat possessive and somewhat dangerously unstable (more so than he already is). Also, it's getting alte on my side of the planet, so I better stop and go to bed, then post this tomorrow.

I'm handing out Baskets of Love to:

Lynn-Minmay

Angel Trainee Flonne

Lucy Loo

IceSugarHigh

Mewchild (love the stick throwing!)

Chel Bel

Next Chapter: OK, I realise I didn't have anyone say "Sesshoumaru! You're my hero!" and I apologise for that… I was gonna have Rin say it to him after he saved her but I think I wanted a 'Sesshoumaru isn't as icy as we think…' thing going around through your heads. SO tomorrow! We will have SHOPPING! We will have CHEESY LOVE SCENARIOS READ OUT! We will have DANCING! Until then, have a happy life!

Outtake #1

"Rin?" My dad came up in a panic, probably scared I had ripped one of my stitches open. Upon seeing the room in disarray and my mouth in a sulky like, he sighed and walked over wearily (and warily) to my bed. "Rin, what is it this time?"

"I don't wanna go to school" I had a strange sense of déjà vu from the third grade but I quickly shook the feeling as my dad gasped.

"Oh no, you mean it's not Saturday today!"

Outtake #2

"Rin! Are you alright?" my dad asked in a panic. If I had not been so busy rubbing blood back into my posterior I would have rolled my eyes so instead I glared at him reproachfully.

"Well maybe you should have thought of that BEFORE you injured my nice, pert butt! I hope you know you're paying for my butt-lift when I turn 30!"

Outtake #3

Sesshoumaru had just walked out of the gates from talking to Mr. Filna about fencing, one of the few extra-curricular activities that actually interested him. And why wouldn't it? It was sexy, it was refined (without being to girly) and those pants really did show off his thighs!

Hehehe… you know what's so funny? The review bit takes up almost half the chapter… hehehe… if you want YOU want YOUR name on that list, then review! If you want more plot that review, than review ALSO!