Disclaimer: If I owned Inuyasha, trust me, you'd know it.
A Cool Kind of Punishment
- Chapter Thirteen :: The Izuki Alarm
Naraku saw red.
No-one touched what was his.
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Dear Diary,
There has only been one time I have ever seen a knife covered in blood, only once that I have heard a gunshot.
The night my parents were killed.
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In the background, soft music played and the lights dimmed to a soft glow.
I pressed my cheek against his shoulder, wrapped my arms around his neck and slowly moved with him. As we slowly made a whole revolution, I noticed our fathers grinning like maniacs from across the room. Frustrated, I rested my other cheek against Sesshoumaru, my head resting nicely within the crook between his chin and his collar bone. I stared blankly at his buttons. Distantly I was aware that someone had either just exited or come in and I shivered when the cold night air blew in. His hands moved to the small of my back and I immediately shuffled closer to his body to avoid the tickling sensation his fingers brought. I blushed straight away and pushed at his chest and I stood apart from him. I looked down to the side and stepped further away as he put out one of his hands towards me.
"Is there something wrong, Rin?" he said quietly. I looked up at the mention of my name and into his serious face. My nose began to tingle and I knew I was ten seconds from crying.
"Don't say my name! Don't say Rin!" I rasped out harshly. "Call my Tsuyame or- or idiot! Anything but Rin!"
Didn't he know how I felt?
No, of course he wouldn't. He was Sesshoumaru, the guy I hated, the guy who made my perfect life un-perfect and the guy who messed absolutely everything up.
Me most of all.
In that moment I felt such an up welling mix of emotions I had to dig my nails into the palm of my hand to get a hold of myself. I let out a shaky breathe and looked back up at him.
Him. The boy who managed to change everything about me in less than a week. The boy who had no idea what he meant to me. The boy who had somehow crept into my life, and who had somehow endeared himself to me.
Him. Sesshoumaru.
"Geez, Tsuyame, anyone would have thought that with even your limited experience, you wouldn't have gotten flustered from just having your name said out loud" Sesshoumaru said.
I scowled at him and stormed out of the room into the garden. I stepped out listening intently to the clicks of my shoes against the cool stones, in an attempt to quell my thoughts, my blood… and strangely enough, my heart.
I shook my head and started on a slow stroll through the Izuki's famous maze, rubbing my shoulders as the cool night air pervaded my senses. There was something so surreal about the moonlight and the small waterdrops on the leaves of the hedges and my mind immediately went blank and when I came to, I found myself already sitting on a small sandstone bench, my palms flat on the frosty surface, fingers curled over the edge.
I suppose that the words epiphany or enlightenment were a bit strong to describe what I felt.
Clarity, I think, was the word I was looking for. Because there, in that maze, alone with my thoughts I didn't think I could deny it to myself any longer.
I had a crush on Sesshoumaru.
I couldn't help but notice what kind of cliché situation I was in; guy hates girl, girl hates guy, girl then grows feelings for guy.
But would Sesshoumaru and I have a happy ending?
I refused to let myself turn into a Theresa (no offence to her) and start to giggle over ways to bend Sesshoumaru to my womanly wiles. Instead I breathed in deeply, mentally gathering reasons why I shouldn't even give Sesshoumaru the time of day.
He insulted me (and still does)
He was conceited and arrogant
He was probably with Kagura (the closet-bondage-gear wearer) right now
He was my academic rival
And… and… and… and the fact that him saying my name made me get this tingly, heavy feeling at the pit of my stomach
Of course, I pointed out to myself; I could also have a crazy infatuation for one week and fully exhaust my feelings for Sesshoumaru, at which point Sesshoumaru would be secretly known as Mr. Sesshoumaru-One-Week-Infatuation-Oh-My-God-What-Was-I-Thinking?-Izuki.
And although that kinda made sense, I would prefer not letting myself go gaga over a guy. Any guy. And that included the great and very highly sought-after Sesshoumaru. I breathed in deeply and rubbed the entire length of arms once again, scowling at my lack of shawl.
I stood up, brushed non-existent particles of dust off my buttocks and started towards the door into the ball room, pausing only to admire a small red flower and let the petals brush the tops of my fingers.
I gasped as the flower snapped off in the cold and fell to the damp grass. I let out a small laugh at myself and bent over to pick the flower up and pin it on my dress and dropped it again as a resounding bang cracked through the crisp, cold air. My breathe hitched, my muscles tensed as I heard a woman scream and some shouting.
All of a sudden I was back in my old neighbourhood, at the age of six, watching it all over again.
The blood… so much blood…
Why is mummy bleeding? Daddy? Why won't you say something?
Mummy? Daddy?!
"Not again!" I breathed out, my eyes wide.
Not again. Please, oh please, not again. Don't let me be alone.
Not again.
Not again.
Not again!
"DAD!" I screamed, pulling my skirt up around my thighs and running towards the white doors. I fervently thanked the Fates that I wasn't wearing stilettos.
Never again would I be alone.
Never again would I be an orphan.
I had already let my first set of parents go, and half of my second chance - my adoptive parents - had died of cancer; I wasn't about to let my dad go too.
"DAD!" I screamed again, increasing my pace, sighing in relief as I saw the golden glow emanating from the two open doors. I paused a moment to mentally gird my loins and clench my fists before striding inside.
I was only a few metres in before I halted, my eyes wide.
Everywhere there were people, women hitching up their skirts and men… stealing bottles of expensive wine? I shook my head looked toward the podium where Inutaisho was valiantly trying to calm people… but where was my father? Or Sesshoumaru? My chest began to heave violently and I closed my eyes and forced myself to slow down…
…be the ant… be the ant… I chanted to myself. I breathed in deeply one last time before opening my eyes.
In that moment, I was the ant and I weaved my steady and hurried way through the throng of people, my eyes flitting from side to side, searching for my father… Once again Inutaisho's voice boomed over the room and my eyes instantly shot to the microphone he was holding. If I could get up there…
I hefted my skirts up just above my knees and ran up to the podium, standing beside Inutaisho. I tapped his shoulder and mouthed 'my father' to him, not bothering to waste my breathe shouting over the top of the pandemonium.
"Tsuyame!" he said breathlessly. "Thank God you're safe – your dad just ran out of here, looking for you!" I sighed in relief and turned around, running back down the small steps. On the second step I paused for a few seconds, then putting my fingers to my lips and whistled very, very loudly. Instantly the room quietened and Inutaisho threw me a look of complete gratitude. I grinned at him before swivelling around and running back into the garden.
"Dad!" I yelled. I shivered and rubbed my arms in a vain attempt to stop the goose-bumps from coming up. I ran on, slowing down as I entered the maze reluctantly. I walked quickly through the maze, conscious that I was going deeper than I should have, that I was likely to need saving myself.
Black.
I turned around quickly to try and follow the dark shape that just passed behind a small hedge. My breathing began to quicken again and I licked my imaginary-chapped lips. I tried to retrace my steps to get out and heard a rustle behind me. I spun around. I chewed on my bottom lip.
"Just a stray… just a stray…" I muttered, even though I knew that it was near-impossible that a stray could have made it passed the Izuki Gates. I walked on, purposely slowing down so that I wouldn't panic and lose my way.
Snap.
I shut my eyes tightly, trying to ignore the fact I had just heard a twig break.
"Just a fat chicken… just a fat chicken…" I squeezed through clenched teeth.
"Not just any fat chicken my sweetling… this fat chicken…" I gasped and sought to find a place to hide when a surprisingly warm hand clamped over my lips and an arm slid around my waist, holding me back again a crisp-feeling suit.
I felt my torso touch the arm as I breathed and I smelled the soft scent of expensive cologne. I closed my eyes and slowed my breathing, trying to ignore the sweet smell, then opened them again as I began to struggle against my subjugator, the result being that he only tightened his hold on me. He leant forward, his breathe tickling my baby hairs and lightly kissed the back of my neck. I shivered slightly and I chocked on a dry sob.
I couldn't believe that I was enjoying this.
This. This feeling of terror and desire all in one thrilling moment of danger. I felt so sickened at my reaction that I went completely limp in his arms, letting him support my weight against himself. He tenderly turned me to face him, his elbow against my spine, his hand against my shoulder blades, the fingers of his other hand brushing the apple of my cheek.
"Naraku…" I breathed.
In this moment, there was only him and myself, and I was currently lost in the whorls of his ears… the lacklustre of his onyx eyes… the slight curl of his hair… the bridge of his nose… the colour of his lips…
I leaned forward slowly, completely lost in the rapture of wanting him…
He laughed, a deep and rich chuckle and tilted his head so that I only touched his cheek. I blinked once and came back to myself.
"A little eager aren't we…" he whispered as his fingered the line of my jaw.
I was torn – on the one hand, I wanted so badly to just stay here with him… and on the other hand, I knew that there were other people. Ones with no history of stalking, obsessing, murder… but there was something about Naraku, something so dark, that I was swallowed up in the intensity of it…
"Rin!" a voice called out and the next thing I knew, I was standing alone, standing in the light of a full moon in the Great Maze of the Izuki Garden.
"Naraku…" I whispered, before turning around and greeting my 'saviour', "Sesshoumaru"
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"Is the tea to your liking, ma'am?" asked Jakken in his greasy voice.
"It's fine, thank you very much" I said, turning to the midget butler. I readjusted the scratchy blanket around my shoulders, sipping from my mug of hot tea.
"How are you, Rin?" Inutaisho asked me kindly.
I blushed and turned away. "Fine… just… please don't tell Sesshoumaru…"
Inutaisho put his hand on my shoulder, and the look in his eyes told me that although he wouldn't, he really wanted to.
Really wanted to what, you wonder.
Well you see, after my little lust-filled rendezvous with Naraku, I had collapsed in Sesshoumaru's arms, pressing myself so close to him just so that I could know that I was there, that I wasn't lost, that I wasn't crazy. Within the calamity of my mind I decided to tell him that I loved him and that I just wanted to be in his arms forever and never to be such an idiot again…
… only to find out that it was actually Sesshoumaru's father that I had just told.
Embarrassing? Tell me about it.
And of course I don't want Sesshoumaru to know what I had said to his father because of course I didn't love him. And besides, with all the confusion and with everything that had just happened, I was just a little befuddled in the senses and I just needed to say something. Something incredibly stupid and moronic albeit, but still, I maintained the fact that I didn't love him. Because I'm only fifteen and I was still a little mucked up in the head and because I was a little overwhelmed by the dance with Sesshoumaru and because I was still inexperienced and because there was Naraku…
I held my head in my hands and looked up when someone pulled up the blankets around my shoulders, glad to have someone to distract me from thoughts of Port Street's ex-bad-boy.
Only to see that Sesshoumaru had been the one to pull the blankets up around my shoulders. Port Street's current boy-of-the-year.
I blushed and turned away. "Thanks" I muttered stiffly.
Oh the wonders of being a girl who has never been in love.
Or not.
"Are you alright?" he asked and I nodded. With a certain amount of difficulty (not that it really showed, but I could see it), he continued. "My father told me you were out there in the cold without your shawl…"
"I'm fine" I said, a little forcefully.
He cast me a quick glance from the corner of his eyes and went on. "He said that there had been someone had been holding you before he had called out your name… and that you two looked quite… cosy"
My eyes shot up to Sesshoumaru, who was staring at me unwaveringly. "Your father hadn't told me he had seen him…"
"He didn't think it was anything of importance. Perhaps just a man helping you back on your feet after you had tripped"
"It was. You think otherwise?"
"I think you're hiding something"
"I'm not. The guy's married to a jealous and overbearing wife. If any female's name popped up in the same sentence as his own, his wife would castrate him" I lied, realising that Sesshoumaru had also lied about his father thinking that it was unimportant.
If it was so unimportant, why did he tell his son?
"Hmm…" Sesshoumaru mock-pondered. "Strange, I don't remember Naraku being married, let alone having an overbearing and jealous wife that would castrate him if his name popped up in the same sentence as another female's"
I stared back at Sesshoumaru. "And even if I was with him? What could you do about it?"
"I don't believe he was on the guest list, Rin-" again, there was a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach "- and if that were the case, I would have had him thrown out and charged with trespassing"
"That's where you're wrong, Sesshie" a voice called out from the middle of the ballroom. A boy around my age walked through the small crowd of people left in the ballroom and as he came closer I realised with a shock his hair was just as white (but not as long) as Sesshoumaru's and his father's. His face was younger than Sesshoumaru's, his eyes larger and brighter, his nose not as sharp… and were those fangs?!
"It's Sesshoumaru, you illiterate piece of junk" Sesshoumaru said superiorly. Even as he sat down and the other boy was standing, Sesshoumaru gave the impression the other boy was kneeling at his feet as he looked down his nose. "Rin, meet Inuyasha, my illegitimate brother. Illegitimate brother, meet Rin, Tsuyame, your superior"
Inuyasha scowled at Sesshoumaru, "Naraku was on the invite list, he is, after all, heir to Youkai Corporations and all its glory…" he then thrust his hand towards me. "'Name's Inuyasha, I've heard all about you from Sesshie here – he never stops talking about you, you know"
I cast a quick, shocked glance at Sesshoumaru before putting out my hand delicately and shaking Inuyasha's proffered hand. "Rin, pleased to meet your acquaintance" I mumbled, looking after Sesshoumaru as he sat up abruptly and moved away. I turned back to Inuyasha as he spoke.
"You know you have the exact same eyes as Kagome?" he said abruptly.
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
Inuyasha opened his mouth to explain, but a pair of feminine hands came from around his head, and covered his lips. He turned around and grinned as looked on Kagome's face. I envied the way a person could touch another so familiarly, and know exactly who they were with no indication of voice or sight.
"Hey, Rin. I've seen you around school, but I don't think we've ever met" Kagome chirped.
"Mm… I don't think we have, but hi anyway" I laughed. We all shared an awkward moment where we stared at each, smiling like idiots before Sango and Miroku (both dressed rather snazzily) entered the little ring.
Inuyasha coughed once or twice before speaking seriously. "Rin… we heard that you were out there tonight… with Naraku." I swallowed, about to deny it when Kagome broke in front of me.
"Rin, we know that you may not want to admit to something like that, but it is imperative that you tell us everything that has ever happened and probably will ever happen between you and Naraku…" Kagome paused, sharing a hesitant look with her boyfriend. "More than your life depends on it, Rin"
"What?!" I gasped. "It's my business whether or not I have been seeing Naraku! And I know that he hasn't got the cleanest record, but I don't see how I am endangering anyone!"
Inuyasha tittered in frustration and impatience before pulling me up by my elbow and dragging me up the stairs. Kagome pushed at me from behind and I yelped as I felt one of my butt cheeks get pinched. "Miroku!" I heard Sango's voice cry out in mortification.
We made it to the third landing in the Izuki mansion, and had the circumstances been different, I would have admired the décor. As it was, Inuyasha jammed a key hidden on his self into the lock on a rather shady-looking door and pulled me in quickly. He looked around the landing before shutting the door smartly behind us.
"Is this some new form of peer pressure?" I asked shakily.
"Sorry" Kagome said apologetically. "But we can't risk being overheard"
"I didn't think Naraku was that sensitive to what other people thought about him" I replied rather dubiously.
"Feh. There are more things at stake than just Naraku's feelings" Inuyasha said gruffly.
"You see," Miroku said, with a very cheesy grin (and was it just me or was he getting a little too close?), "it has come to our attention that Naraku has taken a liking to you"
To me it seemed a bit like a cheesy movie where the lights seemed to dim and everyone moved several inches closer, intent on my reply.
I stared back before spluttering "Mrooble!" effectively ruining the moment.
The lights came back on (not that they ever went off) and everyone went back to their respective positions within the cramped room.
"Look Rin," Sango began soothingly, "we know for a fact that Naraku paid you a visit a while ago, and that he was with you in the maze earlier this night. We also know that he was coming onto you"
"Ew" Kagome put in helpfully, then upon noticing me said "Not that you shouldn't be flattered, I mean, he is a very cute guy -" then upon seeing Inuyasha's scowl said "but he's not really my type"
"I would hope that psychopathic maniacal killers weren't your type" Miroku said cheerily.
"Back onto topic…" Sango interrupted hastily, "Naraku. Right. He's so into you"
"You're back off topic again" Inuyasha growled.
"Right! Err…"
Kagome laughed nervously. "OK, Inuyasha, I think we should tell Rin"
"I don't"
"Why?"
"Because that means that she'll have to get involved"
"Um, in case you haven't noticed… she already is involved!" Inuyasha cowered in the face of Kagome's anger and mumbled a 'yes, ma'am'. Kagome turned back to me. "Rin, do you know why Kikyo was killed?"
I blinked and knew that this was a sensitive subject. Kikyo had been Kagome's twin sister. Kikyo had pretty much been arranged to Sesshoumaru and Kagome to Inuyasha. Of course, by twisted fate, Kikyo had fallen for Inuyasha, and he kept confusing one with the other. Sesshoumaru, it seemed, was a lot closer to Kikyo than he was to anybody else. Oh! The deranged relationships of the rich!
Of course, that didn't stop me from wondering what he saw in Kikyo exactly and whether I'd match up to Miss. Perfect…
"Um… I heard that Naraku was a little too obsessive in his love for her… WAIT!" I cried. "This doesn't mean that Naraku is gonna kill me! I can take perfectly good care of myself, I mean, it wasn't even proved that he killed her!"
At this point, I shut up, finally taking notice of Inuyasha's dark look.
"Rin… you don't really believe that do you?"
I shook my head slowly.
"You don't have to be sorry… it's just… we couldn't exactly tell the police everything, it's our fault he wasn't properly convicted…" Kagome whispered slowly.
"What?" I asked, bemused. The situation was getting weirder and weirder.
Kagome shared a conspiratorial look with Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha before taking a deep breathe.
"You see, Rin, Kikyo was set to inherit a family heirloom called the Shikon No Tama…"
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A/N: AAAAAAAARGH! rips hair out DAMMIT! I wanted to put the entire plot HERE, but I just got some major block at the last 20 lines, and I left this story rotting in my folder for about three months before giving you that serious anti-climax if I ever heard of one! GAH! But I am honestly so working on the next chapter pronto because I've got a major holiday coming up and I'm typing my Rin-alised butt off! Ah maaaan, this was one pathetic chapter I wanna kill myself…. SO sorry for the majorised wait… so so sorry… may the law fiend get one day….
Jade Eyed Neko: Well I'm thinking of introducing knifesticks or knorks or spives in the next chapter…
Sakura1221: Thanks! I was really aiming for something different and humorous, but with an actual plotline so I'm glad you think it's great!
Aninaig (or GERRRRR!): Well I think he said Tsuyame coz they're still kinda enemies, and hey! It might be something that makes their love/hate relationship great!
Dragon Eyez: I hope I didn't keep your from your homework and your bed this time…
Andromeda Black: Sorry I took so long with this chapter!
Retta: Naraku and Rin never kissed, I don't think lol
Des: Fruits Basket is so mad, but Shigure is my favourite actually!
TRINITY!: Argh I've been such a bad girl for not updating and not emailing you! Forgive me! YOU MUST!! About the Law Fiend, I have NO idea! In the fever-pitch of my starting a new chapter, all these ideas just burst from fingertips like swear words from South Park. What exactly is SHOUJO Manga? I don't get the Shoujo bit… -.- But I've bought a lot of manga during the few months that I haven't been typing this story hehe. Yeah, I'd like to think of Dad's as pretty embarrassing and always dorkishly wanting to tease their kids, it's a great concept, ne? Oooh, even though I'd like some good comic relief in this story, Naraku won't be it. I'd fall out of love with him if he turned goofy! Not that there's anything bad with being goofy, but I have a bad boy and pretty boy complex. Right now I'm kinda with a pretty boy. Behind my parents back. Eep! Awwww, well I'm thinking that after this story I'm gonna try and finish my other story on and also my Harry Potter one, which I haven't worked on since end of January lol! Then maybe I might work on a one-shot or two. Really, it's all depends on whether or not I feel up to a lot of angst and another ongoing story. It's so easy to run outta steam at the crucial moment! Hope to see your review for this chapter!
Demon-Cat-Snowy: I would change his name, but there's no point because the name's already there so shrug
West FullMoon: The winds may change between this male and yourself… Wink
BurntAlive: Yeah, it is pretty horrible but after I retyped everything and got stuck, it just became a pathetic excuse so I wouldn't have to admit that I was failing as a writer… sniff
Many sorry's and thanks to… : Shaun, Karma's Haven, Lucy loo, imyourbutterfly16, CometsChaos, Reality Introvert, Kawaii-ish, Dolphin-Slam, Sesshy's Girlfriend (How come YOU get to be his girlfriend?!)Aneue Sango, Unknown Fool, Lynn-Minmay, C'fay, Sarah (that's my name too!), Chibi-Call (cool-ass name!), Polaris-Fire-Star, Annouyms, Tigerose08 (glad to have helped with the bad-day bugs!), Otter-of-Stuff, Rein Rin, Angel Trainee Flonne, g27 and Choco Coco!!!
I wanna give a special thanks to those who have reviewed me in the last month because it really encouraged me to get off my comic obsession and get back to the story-writing…
Outtake #1
What a way to wake up.
Getting slammed in the head with a big rectangular prism covered in cow hide.
Mmmm… cow hide… yummy…
Outtake #2 (Dedicated to the Ayame and Shigure fans out there!!)
"Rin, I told you I liked two sugars! And I know I told you that I liked to stir my own coffee?" At that moment my dad noticed Inutaisho Izuki - THE Inutaisho Izuki! - and set down his mug then familiarly clapped the white haired mans hands in his own and shook them. Mr. Izuki smiled genially and chuckled.
"Like to stir your own coffee, Tsuyame? Just like I hope you like to personally handle my file?"
"Oh, I like to handle more than just your file…"
Outtake #3
"Rin, we know that you may not want to admit to something like that, but it is imperative that you tell us everything that has ever happened and probably will happen between you and Naraku…" Kagome paused, sharing a hesitant look with her boyfriend. "More than your life depends on it, Rin"
"Love lives getting a little dull are they?"
Outtake #4
"Rin, we know that you may not want to admit to something like that, but it is imperative that you tell us everything that has ever happened and probably will happen between you and Naraku…" Kagome paused, sharing a hesitant look with her boyfriend. "More than your life depends on it, Rin"
"What?! So this is how you gather gossip?"
I also just wanna ask: judging from my writing, do you think I'd be a major dork in real-life? And if not, then what kind of person would I be?