Chapter 16

Pride

A/N: I mention the Awakusu family in this chapter so if you are unfamiliar with them get on the wiki. It's a manga thing that I can't avoid. I also like the second half of the chapter way better than the first and may even re-write it.

"You can't just go in there!"

"I need to see my cousin!"

"Stop her!"

"She's got Shizuo Heiwajima with her I'm not doing it!"

Shiki sighed as the door to his humble office was pulled off the hinges to show an irritated Shizuo Heiwajima. The blonde put the door down and rubbed his head. "Sorry."

"Shiki!"

"Nai, why is your friend tearing apart my office?"

She was out of breath for whatever reason and started walking the office, running her hands along the walls, "I'll pay for it. Has Ojiisan been here?"

"No why?"

"She's convinced someone is after the family." Shizuo answered for the young woman. She had rambled very animatedly and quickly to him that someone was up to something.

"Nai what is going on?"

"Did you not just hear Shizuo?"

"I heard him but why are you worried?"

"If every Hagane can no longer run Ikebukuro the minor family takes over. Ojiisan might pass it to Mikiya-nii and so on. If someone wanted to take the city both factions of the family, major and minor, need to be taken out."

Shizuo shoved his hands in his pockets as she stopped rummaging through her cousins desk, "Find anything?"

"No. Shiki I think you should double your security and don't hold any meetings or run jobs anytime soon."

The man put a hand on her shoulder, "Are you sure something is going to happen to us?"

"Yes!" She shouted, annoyed and exasperated.

His gaze softened on her, "Alright alright."

"I mean it Shiki, be careful."

"Where are you getting this information anyway?" She frowned and he shook his head, "Don't say Izaya."

"It was Izaya and Nora."

"Tezuka?"

She nodded and it was Shiki's turn to frown. The previous Ojo of the Noramibu was still alive although on his death bed and he was still very hard on his son. He wouldn't appreciate learning that the boy was co-signing with Orihara, the old man hated the informant the day the families "hired" him out of high school.

"I just want everyone on their toes."

"What about your uncle and father?"

She took a deep breath, "I'm headed home next."

"You don't know what you'll find."

The young woman nodded, "Yeah, I know. But I like to think I'm prepared for whatever I do find." She pat Shizuo on the arm as she passed him and he followed close behind.

"What are you about to get me into?"

Nai barely glanced over her shoulder at him, "You can go if you want. I didn't say you had to stay with me."

He huffed, "I knew you would do something stupid."

"Really?"

"Really."

The heiress reached her car and climbed in. She waited until Shizuo was as comfortable as possible then turned to him, "Look. I just plan on telling my uncle what's happening. Izaya said they planned to kill me. How is killing me enough?"

"Who said they would kill you?!"

"You and this not listening thing is getting old fast. At least three of the five families want me dead. But think about it, just me dead will only free up the head seat in the next cycle. Why not free it up now? Why not kill me and the current Ojo."

"You think someone plans to kill your uncle?"

She started the car, "Now you're listening."

It did make sense. Kill her, kill her uncle, and maybe even kill her other cousins to be sure the seat would go to the right person. Now he understood. This was the world she grew up in. Behind the formal meetings and treaties, these families were constantly at war with each other.

"You don't think it's your dad do you?"

"Thats too easy. My dad wouldn't have waited until I was old enough to fight back. He would have taken me out while I was younger and taken my seat when it was time." She shook her head, "But make no mistake. He's involved, he's just not the brains."

"Would marrying that guy help?"

The car lurched, "Well..um..."

He felt his brows knit together. A sort of frustration at how she blushed and avoided the question. "You going to answer?"

Nai sighed, "I was always supposed to marry Tezuka. But I changed my mind a long time ago. It might save me but there's no guarantee for the rest of my family."

"What made you change your mind?"

"I don't love him." she smiled and nudged Shizuo, "I should marry for love right?"

The blonde nodded, "Yeah."

"House looks empty."

Nai sighed as she brought the car to a stop under one of the many lamps littering the drive. "Good."

Shizuo looked her over as she put her forehead on the steering wheel. "What's gonna happen to you?"

"I don't know. I'll deal with it tomorrow."

He grunted at her, "You sure that's a good idea?"

"Well what the hell else am I supposed to do?" she sounded tired, "I'm doing the best I can here."

Shizuo climbed out of the car and followed her to lean against the trunk. She took out her half empty pack of cigarettes and fumbled lighting one before taking a long drag and unintentionally blowing the smoke in the blonde's face. He lit one soon after.

"I'll take you home." She finally said after a moment.

"I can walk."

"I'm not letting you walk home Shizuo, I live on the edge of the city."

"So?"

"You live in the middle."

"You need to go lay down or something, you're tired."

The young woman tilted her head back and opened her mouth. The smoke just drifted out and mingled with the night air before it blew away, "I'll be fine. It's the least I can do for dragging you around all day."

"Then I'll stay here." he looked over at the huge house and was sure they had an extra room or something..

"Shizuo..."

The blush on her tanned cheeks made him realize what he had said, "I didn't mean it like that!" he shouted, his own cheeks burning.

She finished her cigarette and reached for another one, "You can stay if you want."

The driveway was quiet save for the bubbling pond by the front gate and a frog somewhere in the bushes. It was a nice atmosphere, close enough to see the lights of Bukuro at night but far enough away for it to be quiet like this.

"...thanks."

"Uh huh." she mumbled around another cigarette as she fussed with her lighter, "Dammit."

"Here." the blonde extended the flickering end of his lighter to her and she grabbed his wrist to steady his hand.

She took her first puff and tugged his wrist removing her cancer stick and his with the same hand once he got close enough. He exhaled, the smoke billowing over her features before she smirked and pressed their lips together. The lighter hit the trunk of the car with a clink and the cigarettes fell silently to the paved drive. The car dipped under their combined weight as Shizuo placed his palms on either side of Nai's waist.

"Waisted a cigarette..." she tried to say around his mouth.

"...your...fault..." he replied.

She giggled a bit and he pushed a bit harder. Shizuo didn't even know he could do this, but it was practically natural. Feeling her so close to him, her heart pounding...or was that his? Regardless he enjoyed her taste, her touch, and the way she bit his lip every so often. How long had they been like this? Barring their feelings out here on the drive where anyone could see? Five minutes, ten, an hour?

Nai forced her hand between their bodies and gripped his vest, "Sh-Shizuo."

The night wind blew and he shivered, pulling back and breathing hard. "What?" he asked gruffly.

"This is bad."

He huffed, "Seemed like you were enjoying it to me."

She blushed, "No! I mean here, outside. We should go in."

"Why?"

"A million reasons I don't feel like listing." she slid off the car and grabbed his hand, heading to the large, double, front doors of her traditional manor like home. She slipped off her heels with her free hand and waited for him to do the same with his own shoes. They tiptoed the vast halls and the blonde squeezed her hand as the portraits of feudal lords glared down at him.

"Hold on."

Nai stopped at a door and pressed her ear to it. Smiling slightly after listening for a moment. Shizuo's expression was a questioning one so she shook her head and whispered, "Kida's room."

"Oh."

They continued down the hall and into a vast room and both pairs of shoes hit the floor with a dull thud. She looked up at him, "So?"

She had initiated before so he took his time; reaching out and gently touching her cheek before cupping it and leaning in. It was slow, soft, and he wasn't too surprised when she took the lead but kept his gentle pace. The blonde's mind was reeling, was this too soon, were they moving too fast? She finally reached out after a moment and curled her slim fingers in the hem of his vest and he reciprocated, his mind letting go of such silly questions, reaching around her tiny waist to place a large hand on the small of her back.

But he felt it.

Hard and cold, unlike the soft warmth he expected from her cotton shirt. He pulled his hand back and unceremoniously broke the kiss.

"Shizuo what's wrong?"

He stared at her. Maybe Tom was right, the thought of her as a criminal ruined it for him. It wasn't something he could handle. He hated violence, and being with a woman who embodied it, no matter how badly he wanted her, was impossible.

She reached back and pulled her gun from her pants, "I always keep it there."

"Hmph."

"Shizuo this is nothing new. I'm still me, you know that."

"Do I?"

Nai started, her eyes widening and it looked like she shivered, "Excuse me? Are you fucking kidding me?" she shoved him harshly in the chest and he fell back on her bed.

"Hey! What the hell!"

He was pushed back down rather roughly and the blonde found himself nose to nose with the woman. Even in the dark room he could see her eyes. The moonlight came in from between the shades on her window and illuminated the water in her big green orbs, "I'm not interested in tricking or trapping you Shizuo. You said you didn't understand me, but you still looked at me like you cared about me."

"I do but..."

"But what Shizuo? What changed? Because I'm the same girl you met at Raira that day. I haven't changed at all." His silence went on for too long so she rolled off him. He stayed on his back as the rustling of clothes sounded next to him and the bed rocked as she climbed under the covers.

She wasn't the same. That's where Nai Hagane was wrong. She was a murderer any way you looked at it, she was a criminal, but at the same she was honest and passionate. Shizuo sat up and untied his bowtie, slipped off his vest and shirt soon after. He stood and unbuckled his pants, watching her curled up form on the bed. She was living the only way she knew how.

Almost like an animal; living on instinct or maybe even fear.

Shizuo entered the bed and reached out for her, she struggled just a bit but lost against his strength as he pulled her back to his chest, "I think I get you."

"Oh really?" she sniveled.

"Yeah."