Disclaimer: I do Not own YuGiOH!
The roar of the water filled the room. Tears dripped down the shower's walls; one after another. Before joining their friends in a vast river of oblivion.
How long had it been? Ten minutes? A hour? But the water was still warm... But no matter how long the water could run over her, the grime wouldn't disintegrate, it wouldn't be forgotten. It wouldn't leave her alone.
Maybe... Just maybe, she thought, that she could wash away everything. Everything that she'd done.... But there was no such luck.
Strange how things could appear out of nowhere. The marks on Mineko's legs seemed to disappear, but after warm water hits them, it became a canvas of yellow and purple.
They still marked her from that night...
That's why she couldn't leave. That's what she couldn't forget. Even if, outside, she looked as normal as ever with the same clothes and smile as anyone else. It was the inside that she couldn't change.... right...?
Mineko sat on the far wall of her cell, letting the turrets of the warm water cascade down her hair and naked form. Her arms rested on her knees.
Could she rid herself of the grime that was her life? Could she really change and leave it all with a dark shadow following her, everywhere?
Parting from the life she had, would also mean leaving you friends behind... 'Tomo...'
She was more than a friend, she was family, her only family. Tomo took Mineko in after Kaira's death, or murder... either way, her mother passed. A sigh escaped, was that day a good or bad day?
---
"Really Matsuku-San, I can find my door fine. I'm not going to fall down the stairs." A teenaged grumbled as she walked with an older man. He had a tall frame, with dark features. He wore rich cloth and a heavy jacket against the wind. He looked quite young, his late thirties or early forties. His tone of voice was always light, and sounded joking, but everyone could tell the heir of authority around him. Everyone but the young girl that stood in step beside him. She knew him by Matsuku San, a man that ever since she could start remembering anything, always appeared.
He was always kind to her, giving her presents for the holidays, taking her to the diner down the street whenever she hadn't eaten, and just talking to her. It was a nice change from her mother, who was always yelling at her.
But Matsuku San was always very nosy about things going on with Kaira and her. He'd asked who'd been in the house, if Kaira looked sick or healthy, if she was sleeping enough... The list would go on. He was also protective, always making sure that she returned home safely when he was with her.
Matsuku smiled down at her as he ascended the stairs with her. "It's better that I do. Besides, it's common courtesy to escort a lady back to her home."
"Matsuku-San!" The little girl whined, shaking her head from left to right, and back again. Her purple ponytail wagged right along with her movements. A small tint of pink became evident on her cheeks. "I'm not a lady..."
The man just laughed lightly before they both reached the landing. Matsuku glanced at a door with the number 209, in rusted metal numbers, down the hall before landing down to the girl's height.
"This is where I leave you. I'll watch you go in, okay?"
She nodded, like she always did. The man smiled again, patting her shoulder a few times.
"Do good in school, it'll only get harder. And... watch your mother, she's in a confused state." She nodded again, in understanding, recalling past quarrels between him and her mother.
"Wakatta, Matsuku-San. Jane!"
She turned down the hallway with a small smile, school bag in hand. They didn't know that it would be the last they saw of each other.
She opened her door, but paused and saw her mother on the floor. She ran towards her, dropping her school bag at the entrance.
"Kaa-San!"
Matsuku stopped midway down the stairs, retracing them back up.
The child shook the woman, but nothing happened. "Kaa-San?" She moved the purple hair out of her mother's face, her eyes were dilated. "Kaa-San..." she plead again. Tears staring to form. She wasn't moving.
"Who do we have here?" The voice startled her and she turned to face a man. He stood on the other side of her mother's body, shirt undone. More men appeared behind him, checking to see what the commotion is about. Tears now fell.
"Hey, Boss. Looks like we got another bitch on out hands. Think she's pure?" The man behind him laughed. A teenage girl peeked out from the row of men, looking tiredly at the child.
"Oi, Boss, looks like we got's some company." One of the men jabbed his head in the direction on the door where Matsuku now stood.
"Kaira... you didn't..."
The man, that's name was presumably "Boss" glanced at Matsuku indifferently.
"We don't need witnesses, get rid of him." Two men immediately hopped on Matsuku, grabbing him and forcing him down the hallway.
"Mineko!"
Matsuku called out to the child as he struggled against the two men's grip. Mineko continued to cry, "Matsuku-San..."
The blond teenager made her way to Mineko, looking at her with interest. She crawled on the ground next to the child, wrapping her arms around her.
"Now there, what are you so sad about?"
The teen pressed Mineko's head against her half clothed form, "There there..."
"Kaa-San..."
The blond looked down at the corpse innocently, eyeing the needle that protruded from the arm. She pat Mineko's violet hair with a fondness of a mother.
The calls of the child's name become more distant.
"Don't worry, I'll take you home with me. We can be friends. I'm Tomo and I'm betting you're name is Mineko, ne?"
Mineko just stared at the teen's warm eyes before collapsing into her torso, letting tears fall freely into Tomo's shirt. She returned the child's embrace, patting her head affectionately not unlike before.
"Don't worry... I'm here for you..."
Itsumo...
---
Her head hung lower, the water had finally run cold. A hand reached up and stopped the water. She still sat on the floor of the shower, but ever so slowly, he head started to tilt up. Her violet orbs met the all too familiar azure gaze.
'When had he returned?'
His eyes glanced over her form, but her exposed form didn't seem to effect him in the least bit. Soaked locks of hair hung in her line of vision; yet his eyes were brighter than anything.
Maybe, with some light, she could move onto a better future...
'Why did she always look so pathetic?' Seto returned her gaze. If he looked hard enough, he might have been able to see his reflection in her large eyes. Or, at least they looked larger...
"Welcome back..."
Her voice was always so soft. If you didn't pay attention, you might miss it...
His hand tightened on the shower's frame. Miss her....
"Get dressed..."
He went out of view of her, but not before throwing a white towel over her form. Mineko peeked out from under the plush cloth, nearly catching the last glimpse of him.
Maybe...
---
Mineko straightened out her hair before fixing the short, satin night gown. It was still slightly damp, her hair. The evidence in the evident waves, with slight curls at the end. She finally exited the restroom and located Seto in the office room; working, as usual.
She almost hesitated on disturbing him, watching from the doorway, but in the span of a few seconds, lightly rapped on the door's wooden frame.
His gaze didn't immediately turn away from his disarray of paperwork. In the mean time, Mineko started to make her way over to his side behind the desk.
"Tomorrow night there's a formal party that I'm under... obligation to attend." No shred annoyance was hidden. Mineko gave a short nod, leaning, more than sitting, on the desk as she pushed strands of hair out of her face, leaning back against the desk.
"I'll be here around five and we leave by six thirty."
His grip on the pen tightened to a point where it might have broken.
The gown not only showed off her flesh, but seemed to showcase her long legs as well. Did she know this? Did she understand his weakness? It almost irked him at how clues she was...
Mineko's head gave a nod, giving the movement needed to release a small stream of hair from her ear. She didn't really seem to notice until Seto's hand pushed it back, having their own intent and lingering for a few seconds, taking in the texture.
She seemed to lean into his touch.
She had soft skin.
His thump traced her lower lip, it was soft too. She moved closer to him, answering his silent request. His other hand found its way to her wait, moving across her lower back.
She heard his breathing. Did he know it was becoming more ragged? Mineko wound her hands around his neck and puled herself up to his eye level, with the help of the chair.
Her lips graced his brow, moving to his ear and neck. As she reached, Seto felt her chest push into him. His hand, no longer lingering on her lips, fell to her shoulder, tracing her outline, down her shoulder blades to join his other hand around her waist.
He felt her breath stop short at the edge of his shirt collar. Looking downward slightly, he met her gaze. If there was one thing that he admired about the girl now in his arms, it's the fact that he's not afraid.
Mineko's hands moved to the edge of his shirt, stopping at the connecting button. Her gaze momentarily glanced at her hands before returning to his. Was she really asking permission?
The answer should have been obvious...
Without another thought, Seto pushed her against the desk. He still towered over her small form. Cranking her head back, she still kept her gaze connected with his.
Seto's hands traced down her waist to her hips, where he could feel the bone through her thin gown. They didn't stop at her hips, they moved behind, at the top of her thigh under he butt.
Before she knew it, Mineko was lifted onto the desk roughly. A pen rolled onto the ground, forgotten.
Her gasp was heard, an opening note.....
The left strap of her night gown fell off her pale shoulder, resting along her arm. The neck of the gown lowered further. Now showing of twice the amount of cleavage as before. And before was quite a good amount. Seto's eyes became slightly hazed. She never wore anything under her night gown....
Slowly, but surely, her hands began to weave through the buttons of his shirt, exposing more flesh with each button release.
Seto's hands were planted on either side of her legs, upon the desk. He leaned her back slightly, she easily complied. With her this close, he could smell her scent. Insane....
He heard her breathing, faster than usual. Her mouth was slightly parted as she finished with his shirt. The pair were a pail pink. They were soft to the touch, but a thought occurred to Seto.
'How would they taste?'
Sweet...?
Seto caught himself as he was leaning in. Was he out of his mind? He pulled back, until she wrapped her legs around his torso. Seto froze, watching as her dress rose higher up her thigh.
His hand found its way through her hair. He brought himself closer to her. She was warm....
Seto pushed Mineko down on the desk further. She held herself up with her elbows.
It wasn't long before he was over her, making her gasp and move her body. He enjoyed how she arched her back, dance, made her make music.
The show eventually moved from the desk of the office to the bed of the sleeping room. Where a sequel happened. By the end, Seto was sitting on the right side of the bed, just... resting....
It always happened with her... All starting with a touch and ending in bed. He let out a sigh. He will admit, though, it would likely not be the last.
Mineko lay inert on the left side of the bed, seemingly sleeping soundly. Her arm lay across the bed, hand falling off the edge. Seto still felt Mineko's ankle across his legs. She was still close.
He gazed around the dark room, the gleam of the moon peaking through the edges of the curtain. Still night....
Seto also noted that his clothes were.... somewhere... And Mineko's nightgown was.... somewhere...
He brushed his hand through his hair, inhaling a breath of air. He smelled her....
Seto thought back on his action... s.... He realized that he was quite a bit different with Mineko, compared to other woman that have shared a bed with him, even if it was only for a single night.
With normal women, he was always walking on eggshells. There was always the possibility that they would run to the media and get paid a sum to talk to ruin his image. With whores, it was the same problem... sometimes...
But it was different with Mineko. At least, it seemed different. Like despite his efforts to keep in seclusion, she kept beckoning him out with her smile. It was different with her. Seto spared a glance at the purple haired woman, still sleeping peacefully. It would be different without her...
He tried to kiss her.... Why? If he hadn't caught himself... If didn't... It was a wonder why he held back. Why he denied himself what he wanted.
Seto watched her breathing, her chest rise and fall. She should give it to him...
Seto set his hand down on the sheet, or at least he intended to. It landed on the curls of her hair. Soft...
Mineko seemed to awake a bit. She turned to face Seto with half lidded orbs. Seto slid back into bed, lying his head back on his pillow. She moved closer to his form, near the warmth.
He folded her into his arms, before wondering why he did so. Mineko settled beside him, wrapping her hand around his. Fingers entwined.
It was strange, yet perfect, how she just seemed to fit in his arms. Seto's chin barely grazed the crown of her head.
He inhaled her scent once more before closing his eyes. Sleep would do him some good.
But now was Mineko's time to think. Her gaze steadied on her hands wrapped around his. His hand still loosely held onto hers, even after his breath had evened into a soft rhythm, telling her he was fast asleep.
But how long would he hold onto her hand?
Being with him felt different... She felt something when he was there. Unlike other clients, she didn't find herself just lying under them and taking it with a straight face. No, she really felt something inside. It was her first time feeling anything like it.
Mineko closed her eyes, she could feel his breath tickle her ear. A smile formed onto her lips.
'I'll hold onto you as long as I can...'
Her breath evened and sleep finally came to her. He, nor she, would remove their grasp on one another, for that night.
Thank you very much for reading. Special thank you to aurdox, bjjoke, and Captain Sparky for reviewing in the last chapter. I would love to hear from more people!
I think the climax is pretty near, but please keep reading as I am still working out some kinks in the story.
-Sin