𝐵𝓇𝑜𝓀𝑒𝓃 𝒞𝓁𝒶𝓎 𝒟𝑜𝓁𝓁

Naraku nearly stopped in his tracks, his wretched heart nearly leaping in agony from his chest. Rejection… a bitter emotion of loneliness that spared no man. He made no response to the priestess, teeth gritted behind thin lips as he continued to move forward. The demons writhed within him, screeching in protest and yet… they could not overpower the cries of that bandit’s heart deep within.

The spider entered the temple, glancing around the confined room. Ruby eyes finally landing upon a small velvet pouch. He loosened the drawstrings, checking inside  to spy a powdery substance speckled upon the inside like snow. The gears turned in his mind, turning to glance at the now cold tea upon the veranda. Then it clicked. 

【★~桔梗~★】::                She remained where she was for the moment, watching                              him silently. Tangled in trying to figure out her conflicting emotions                              Which in all honestly-she figured she probably should not have...H                              er soul was only a shard. All that was left after 500+ years within th                              e shikon no tama, and the last fifteen the tama inside a girl from an                              other era...And her body was that of a broken clay doll. Should she                              even have emotions to conflict? Other then the hate and thirst for r                              evenge that had driven her thus far....She’d come back a revenant.                                              Now what was she?                                              And how, and why had her motives suddenly altered? Sh                               e chewed on a clay lip and turned away for the moment...Unable t                               o keep looking upon the creature that had killed her, taken away h                               her chance at a normal life, and yet had given it meaning and purp                               ose too. It was a thin line between love and hate. Very thin. 

Naraku was half way to the temple, stopping at her words. Dark brows furrowed as a twinge of anger rushed through him, glancing over his shoulder to leer at the priestess. “Yet if our positions were reversed I highly doubt you would be able to swallow your pride to reveal such things toward the man you despise” he mused darkly. No, Kikyou would have been more likely to shoot him through the heart than reveal her own feelings if she was in his shoes.

“Why would I be afraid when there’s nothing to fear?” he replied simply, carefully concealing his bitter annoyance through his steady tone. How presumptuous of this priestess, assuming she had a right to know his most private thoughts. A foolish notion indeed. Without another word, he looked away and continued walking. The clack of his sandals echoing on the wood as he strolled up the veranda’s steps.  

【★~桔梗~★】::                She smirked a bit, and slowly turned to face him,                               though he wasn’t facing her. He was probably right, except                              right now, she felt that was not the case...It was weird, but                               she couldn’t not go with it for the time being.                                                                                                “Probably because                               you fear rejection.”                                             She answered his second question with a straight                                face, and a matter of fact tone. That was what most people                               feared anyhow. Rejection. Being alone not by choice. Hear                               t ache. She’d been human once too. She knew those fears.                               They could eat away at anyone. And clearly they could eat                                away at the “Great” Naraku as well.

Naraku stared at her for quite a while, perplexed, his features cold and stone still. Naraku’s heart lurched at her words of agreement while the demons writhed in discomfort at the very notion. They tried to overpower his heart’s influence… however, it remained strong within him, like a flame that refused to be burnt out. It longed to be close to the priestess… while the demons willed for him to flee. To escape his heart’s fleeting desires. However, as much as he tried to deny his desires, his body remained rooted to the spot.   

The spider hated how Kikyou had the uncanny ability to see right through him, the secrets he tried so hard to deny crystal clear for her viewing. It was unnerving… the way she could expose his every thought and move. 

“Afraid?” he finally scoffed. “No… I’m merely pointing out that this sudden change is unlike you” his gaze slowly traveled to the veranda past the treeline, falling upon the teacup that lay abandoned upon it. Finally, his legs began to move in effort to approach it. The soft fur of his baboon cloak unintentionally brushing against the priestess’ arm as he attempted to move past her.

Perhaps that temple would hide a clue into Kikyou’s mysterious behavior. 

【★~桔梗~★】::                She watched him. She knew he knew she was right.                             Whether or not he refuted it. Like he just did. He was afraid. A                              nd was afraid to show he was afraid. What a hypocrite. She’                              d already admitted that this wasn’t like her...And she couldn’t                              explain it....A smirk formed on her face.                                                                                               “Yes, I am well aware.                              I already admitted that I don’t know why I feel this way-but that                              also shows that I’m facing this head on. Unlike you, who is far                              to busy trying to deny things that are written all over you.”                                            The miko responded, her eyes turning to follow him as                              he managed to move himself at last--but not to run away; but to                              move toward the hut she was staying in while she was in and p                              art of this village. She did not miss the fact that he was close en                              uogh to brush his baboon pelt against her clay skin.                                           She turned slightly, her hand clasping over where his pel                              t had touched her, keeping her sepia irises on him as he approa                              ched the veranda.                                                                                                     “So now that you’ve                               repeated what I already admitted-maybe you can answer me st                               raight. Why are you afraid?”

Naraku’s cold eyes narrowed inquisitively. Why was she thanking him, the demon who had drove her and that wretched half demon apart? Why was Kikyo so nonchalant about the events of fifty years ago? There was no rage or sorrow within chocolate depths. What did she ingest that would cause this sort of reaction?

“Heh… are you thanking me? Thanking me for driving you to detest that worthless half demon?” a wicked smirk flitted across his features, hoping that his words would receive a reaction. Be it anger, sadness or hate, he didn’t care. Kikyo’s gentleness was uncanny and it wasn’t helping to relieve the constant nagging of his heart.

“Was your love for that fool that weak? I suppose it was, wasn’t it? As it was child’s play to deceive you both” 

【★~桔梗~★】::                She continued to gaze steadily at him, even as he tried                              to get a rise out of her. Which somewhere she knew that was all                              he was trying to do. But rather then take a chomp on that bait, a                              nd regress into cruel quips herself, she wound up taking another                              path...She had no idea why--but for some reason--she didn’t hav                              e it in her to get resentful at him this time...                                           So when he was done, she canted her head a bit, and p                              ressed her lips together for a moment before she replied.                                                                                               “And why are you recoil                              ing from this...? Are you afraid of feeling yourself? Hiding your fe                              ar in trying to pick on a ruined past relationship I had? If Inuyash                              a and I were meant to be--we would have held more trust in eac                             hother.”                                         Was she kind of saying she and the hanyou were likely a                             doomed couple from the get-go? Maybe...She hadn’t really known                            the hanyou for long enough to actually be able to trust him thurou                            ghly. But that wasn’t what she was getting at here...                                                                                                “Are you so scared that                            you’re trying to make me feel negative?”                                          Of course a better question was--why didn’t she? But she                             decided that perhaps that answer would come to her in time...

Naraku frowned, eyes narrowing further in as he contemplated her words. Kikyou’s words rang true for the most part. But yet he was still skeptical, his features showing he was more than a little confused. In the rare chance the priestess was telling the truth… then what ultimately occurred to change Kikyou’s behavior toward him? Did she happen to ingest something? The spider mentally shook his head to clear it, shoving his alternate theory to the back of his mind.

The spider stepped toward her, cold ruby boring into Kikyou’s chocolate gaze. “I find it challenging to believe that you would let me approach you like this, for you to be so gentle toward me when you know I was the one who killed you once before. Don’t you remember the events of fifty years ago, Kikyou?”  

【★~桔梗~★】::                The scarlet miko stood her ground as he stepped closer...                            Somehow knowing that he wouldn’t harm her, never mind the fact th                            at she had Onigumo’s soil within her clay bones. Her sienna irises lo                            oked right up into his boring blood red ones, even as he asked her th                            is question.                                                                                                                        “Yes. I rem                           ember. I’m well aware. Though I also remember telling you I felt freer a                           s I am now, then I ever did when I was alive...In a way--I do have you t                           o thank for that....”                                               Maybe it was her potion addled mind, not that she knew sh                             e’d ingested one, but she felt kind of like she could put the reason for                             her death behind her...And perhaps actually learn to feel something e                             lse--for somebody else...like him. 

Naraku continued to stare, dumfounded at Kikyou’s words. Did he hear her right? Did she say he was attractive? The spider covered his surprise with a scoff, a look of disbelief and skepticism appearing on his features on more. It was so unlike Kikyou to attempt to flatter him… was this a ploy to get him to lower his guard? To make him, Naraku, give into his wretched human heart? It was either that… or something enchanted her. But he saw no evidence to the latter option as of now.

“Whatever you are scheming, it’s fruitless to attempt” he dismissed her coldly while keeping a tight reign on his frantically beating heart. Would Kikyou really compliment him, dare to get this close to him or even brush against his cheek while knowing he was the one who made her existence a living hell? No.

It couldn’t be…

【★~桔梗~★】::                The miko stood stony faced, and stoic. Emotions were                            never high on her list of priorities. Particularly since she’d been r                            evived...Her soul was scarred and broken. Eroded by time and th                            e time 500 years it had spent rotting in the shikon no tama...But w                            hether that was the case or not--something stirred in her when sh                            e looked at him...Though she did not show it outwardly.                                              Especially now. Her sepia gaze lifted up from her hands                            to look at him again, and his scoffing, yet unsure features. He didn’                            t know what to believe. Sad thing was--if this was a ruse...she figur                            ed it would have been a pretty good one, but it wasn’t. She had no                            clue where it had come from.                                                                                                            “Believe you me,                              if I were scheming something-I would have told you about it. Like                              I have every time before...”                                                 She spoke true....Every time she’d had a plan for takin                              ing him down or out--she had told him about it. First hand. Becaus                              e she was certain there was nothing he could do about it...But this                              time-there was no scheme. This wasn’t a ruse. And she was just a                              s genuinely miffed as he was.

The spider’s lips parted slightly, blinking with surprise as Kikyou’s smooth, warm touch caressed his check ever so briefly. What was she…? he finally spoke, causing the priestess to hesitate and remove her hand. Ruby orbs soon narrowed, eyeing Kikyou as she formed her response.

“There’s something about me?” he repeated incredulously, his heart twitching within him at the mere thought. What was she going on about? Kikyou detested him, why would that change now? The spider did his best in shoving those thoughts to the corner of his mind. This wasn’t possible.

“Don’t fool yourself, Kikyou” he finally scoffed, suspicion evident in his tone. 

“What would someone like you see in someone like me?”

【★~桔梗~★】::                The miko looked at her hands, and curled them lightly                               fists as he asked her these questions. Questions-she did not kn                              ow or understand the answers to. She hated him, didn’t she? If                              so-why did she feel like this?                                              Sepia pools lifted back up to the blood red ones that w                              ere boring down on her with that incredulous look. A look that sh                              e had - sympathy for...Because she felt it as well. But--despite he                              r own confusion, she couldn’t help it....                                             She bit her lip.                                                                                                              “Well--you are g                             ood looking, despite whatever else...But-otherwise--I-don’t know...?                              at least--not off the top of my head. But there is--something. I can’t                             describe it...or--explain it...”

Naraku waited for her response to his greeting, but it never came. The silence between them persisted… until Kikyou began to move. Ruby orbs narrowed suspiciously as the priestess set the teacup down, slipped off the veranda and began to move toward him.

What was she planning?

The spider’s jaw clenched, his heartbeat quickening the slightest bit. His gaze never left hers as a feeling of heaviness and apprehension coursed through him. He willed his body to move, not even getting a full step back before the priestess stopped before him despite the writhing of the demons within him. What was going on with his body? Why couldn’t he get away?

“You seem to have a knack for sensing my presence. So I took a venture. It’s as simple as that” Naraku remarked nonchalantly. The spider’s breathing almost stopped, eyes widening ever so slightly as Kikyou reached out to remove his mask. Something in him prevented him from moving, letting her do as she pleased. His gaze once again narrowed, staring skeptically at the priestess standing just feet away.

“What do you think you’re doing, Kikyou?”

      【★~桔梗~★】::                The miko did not see a point in answering the greet                                   ing. Nor would she ever...It was weird enough that she seeme                                   d to be doing something caring and gentle toward him....But-fo                                   r whatever reason....She couldn’t stop herself...                                                   And for whatever reason--the Spider-Monkey remain                                   ed stock still-where he was--and allowed her to do so...It sent a                                   strange jolt through her; a jolt that she’d never felt-even with the                                   inu hanyou...And a jolt that just got stronger and more pronounc                                   ed as the baboon mask fell away from his -- admittedly very han                                   dsome face...                                                 She also couldn’t seem to stop her hand moving from re                                    moving the mask letting her digits trail down his bony cheek. Wh                                    en he rasped out the question of what she thought she was doin                                   g--she stopped...and dropped her hand away...                                                                                                “I-I...don’t know...Suddenly                                   there’s--something-about you...”

“As perceptive as ever, Kikyo” Naraku drawled with a mocking air, leaves crunching beneath his feet as he stepped out from his hiding place. Ruby orbs glinting with a malicious air from under his baboon mask. His gaze transversing her person from head to toe before meeting her piercing gaze. 

The demons within him squirmed uncomfortably, the spider’s mind a haze between the opposing forces within his person. However, he pushed the matters from his mind, careful as to not to reveal his innermost thoughts. A wicked expression developed on hidden features, masking his emotions from prying eyes.

“It’s been too long, hasn’t it?”

    【★~桔梗~★】::                The miko turned her head after taking a sip of the tea,                               as he stepped out of the forest making his presence solidly know                               n. Though she had not said anything...Nor given an indication tha                               t she had sensed him. Though, she didn’t know if it was the tea-or                               what...but looking at him now--she felt--something stirring in her.                                                    She set the teacup down, and slid off of the veranda,                               taking a few measured steps toward the baboon pelted man. She                               canted her head to one side.::                                                                                                       “How did you know                               that I had noticed you? I gave--no indication...”                                                    For the time being she left the other greeting alone as                                she looked at him, her sienna eyes trailing from the hem of the bab                                oon pelt up...And before she knew what she was doing, or before s                                he could stop herself-a slender pale hand reached out to push the                                 baboon mask back off of his face....

Naraku’s fiery gaze seemed to bore into the priestess, a quiet and disinterested  scoff leaving his lips at the unruly child’s wails. How Kikyou had the patience to deal with such an insolent child was beyond him. Regardless, he continued to watch as Kikyou tended to the human. It was unusual for him to even humor the desires of Onigumo’s heart and even he, himself didn’t have an answer of why his body was acting on its own.

Kikyou was nothing but a threat to his plans. A threat that would cost him everything if he didn’t act to rid himself of her existence. But he couldn’t find the desire within his dark heart… a result of that fugitive Onigumo no doubt. The spider cared little for the crowd the was starting to gather, nor the tea sitting on the veranda. His cruel gaze remaining fixed on the woman who proved herself to be the bane of his existence.

     【★~桔梗~★】::                Was she a threat? Well-it wasn’t her fault that he had                               hidden desires for her. To be quite honest-she did not really care                               what his plans were. Or how he wanted to carry them out. She w                               as free. As far as it went anyhow. She was glad enough to just be                               a woman. Even if it was just a clay pot version.                                                   Finally the child’s arm was set, and she smiled at the                               parents and nodded for them to take the boy away. She exhaled s                               ome, and stood up, brushing her hands across her hakama as she                               watched them leave. And then turned to her tea pot.                                                    At last. A moment for tea.                                                    She moved to the veranda of her hut and picked up her                                teapot, pouring herself a cup and breathing it in--before sipping it, a                                s she looked around the forested area...Now-that she had a momen                                t---she was getting that--sensation again....Naraku....