InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 4: Justification ❯ Bellaniece's Date ( Chapter 17 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Cain crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at the young man Bellaniece had introduced as Raidon just before she'd slipped off to finish getting ready for her date.

"Tell me, Raidon . . . just what do you think you're going to do with my daughter?" Cain demanded in an overly reasonable tone.

Raidon shifted from one foot to the other, hitching his shoulders and straightening the collar of his white dress shirt.  "Dinner and a movie," he answered almost tentatively.

Cain nodded slowly.  "And you'll have her home by eleven."

Raidon winced.  "Well, the movie—"

Cain snorted.  "Pfft. Eleven or you'll never see Bellaniece again."

"Eleven's fine, Zelig-san," Raidon agreed quickly.

Tapping his index finger against his lips, Cain regarded the young man for a moment before cracking his knuckles and adding, "And just so you know: if you try anything with my daughter, I'll rip it off."

He wasn't surprised to see the young man gulp, eyes wide, and when Bellaniece breezed around the corner from the hallway, Raidon didn't look at all relieved.  Satisfied that he'd made his point quite clear, Cain pasted on a tepid smile and leaned down so that Bellaniece could kiss his cheek.  "I'm ready . . . Sorry to keep you waiting," she said to Raidon.  "I'll be home early, Daddy!"

"You bet you will," Cain muttered as Bellaniece wiggled her fingers in parting before slipping out of the apartment.  Raidon gulped again and bowed before scurrying off after Bellaniece.

'Talk about a power play,' Cain's youkai scoffed.

'Nothing wrong with ensuring that my daughter's safe on her insignificant little dates.'

'Insignificant?  What if that was her future mate you just scared the shit out of?'

'If that was her future mate, he'd have had the balls to stand up to me, damn it.'

'Balls, Cain?  Really . . . I think Bellaniece's slang is starting to rub off on you.'

'And just when has my daughter said, 'balls'?'

'You know what I mean.'

Grimacing as he thought about Bellaniece's penchant for being way too blunt, Cain sighed.  'Too much like her mother . . .'

Striding toward the window to gaze down at the street below, Cain watched through narrowed eyes until Bellaniece and her date disappeared around the corner at the end of the block.  Raidon kept a respectful distance from her, and Cain couldn't help the little smile.

'I thought you wanted her to find a mate.'

Cain wrinkled his nose, shook his head as he pulled a cigarette from the rumpled pack in his pocket and lit it.  'There's no rush,' he countered.  'She's only seventeen . . . She just finished high school.'

'She's almost eighteen, and you're not doing yourself any favors by prolonging everything.'

'I'm not prolonging anything.  I'm being realistic.  Bellaniece hasn't met her mate yet.  That's all.'

'This doesn't really have anything to do with Bellaniece, does it?'

Cain drew a deep drag off his cigarette.  'I don't know what you mean.'

'Don't be stupid, Cain.  This is about Gin, isn't it?'

'Not following.'

'Because you don't want to . . . Listen, I like her too, you know?  I really like her.  I might like her a little too much . . .'

Cain shook his head, tapping his cigarette in the empty ashtray on the window sill.  'That's impossible.  She's just a nice girl—a friend.'

'And this morning?  What was she then?'

Cain closed his eyes, willing himself not to remember, not to think about how it felt, to wake up on Gin's sofa with her cuddled against him, with her fingers twined in his hair . . . 'She was scared, remember?'

'Sure, she was scared.  You got to be her hero, didn't you?  You saved her from the ghosts and the monsters that only she can see, and only when she's human, right?  The trouble is you've already said that you're going to keep your promise, so are you?  Because Gin . . . She doesn't know about that, does she?'

'Of course she doesn't.  She doesn't need to know.  Gin and me . . . It's not serious.  There's nothing more to it than . . . than . . .'

'Than what, Cain?  You don't know, do you?  You . . . You do still want to keep your promise, right?'

Cain winced, crushed his cigarette in the ashtray and turned away from the window.  'I've never wanted to keep that promise, but I have to.  I owe her.'

'If that's the case, then do us both a favor and stay away from Gin Izayoi.  She's . . . dangerous.'

'Gin's harmless.'

'Is she?  Then tell me something . . . Why couldn't you leave her last night, and why are you wearing that shirt she bought you?'

It was easier to tell himself that he couldn't leave her while she was so frightened, wasn't it?  She'd relaxed in his arms, had acquiesced so easily, as he held her close.  She had the blind faith of a child, trusting him to make sure she was safe through the night, and he had done that for her—just for her.  She hadn't even stirred when he'd moved her so that he could stretch out on the sofa, too.  She sighed contentedly and tangled her fingers into his hair and had cuddled a little closer to him, her hand resting on his chest, over his heart.

He'd taken entirely too long, just staring at her.  Her hair had spilled over him, the stark contrast between her black hair and her pale skin striking, remarkable.  Her fragrance had lost some of the wilder, more untamed undertones, and the absolute sweetness of her was both terrifying and welcome.  She called to him in the deepest part of her spirit; he could hear her, and he wanted to answer.  He'd never encountered a woman like her before, and he knew he never would again.

Waking up in the middle of the night and finding himself still on Gin's sofa with her nestled as close as she could, he had tried to get up, to move her so that she wouldn't miss him.  Whether it was because of the loss of warmth from his body or the subtle movement, she whimpered softly, her brow furrowing as she tightened her hand in his hair.  Cain hadn't had the heart to wake her, and in the end, he'd fallen back to sleep, too.

He wasn't sure what woke him just before dawn.  A cool breeze was filtering through the window, and Gin had nuzzled a little closer, seeking his body heat as she burrowed deeper against his side.  The guilt of having stayed with her all night was tempered by the wonder of her as he watched the first rays of dawn filtering through the windows, hitting her hand; a sickly, pathetic attempt at a pale, watery gray light.  The rising sun had been kind, however; creeping across her skin as the light changed from grayish to a warmer shade.  He stroked her arm gently, buried his nose in her hair, inhaled the evolving scent of her, and when he slowly opened his eyes, he watched as the black hair faded, as wisps of silver infiltrated the darkness.  For just a moment, her hair was both shades, and in the blink of an eye, the hanyou he knew best was lying in his arms where the timid human girl had been only seconds before.

Leaving her was the last thing that he wanted to do, but he also knew that Bellaniece would be waking up soon.  Wincing as a guilty pang ripped through him, Cain sighed softly and sat up, lifting Gin in his arms without disturbing her sleep before he carried her back to her bedroom.  She whined when he put her to bed.  The cold sheets spurred a violent eruption of gooseflesh on her diminutive frame.  He tucked the comforter under her chin and couldn't resist touching her hair again, the silky locks falling through his fingers like rain.  She smiled dreamily as she snuggled deeper into her pillow, and Cain stared at her for another moment before he turned to go.

"Cain . . . shirt . . ." she murmured.

Cain saw the shirt draped over a chair.  With a half-smile, he grabbed it, bringing it to his nose and inhaling the scent of her that had permeated the fabric.  "Thanks, Gin."

"Hmm."

Bellaniece was still sleeping when he returned to his apartment.  She probably hadn't missed him at all.  Guilt that he'd forgotten about his own daughter warred with the sense of melancholy that she really wasn't the little girl he used to tuck in at night.  Cain stood in Bellaniece's doorway for several minutes, watching over her as she slept before quietly pulling her door closed and heading for the bathroom.

The tepid water did little to dispel the conflicting thoughts that tumbled around his brain.  He never should have gone over to Gin's apartment last night.  There were a lot of things that he shouldn't have done.  From the moment he'd met Gin, he'd known she was different.  She could make him forget his resolve, could change his mind a hundred times with little more than a smile, could twist his emotions with a word or a touch.  She was all the things he wasn't; she was everything he could never, ever have.  If he could remember that last part whenever she was around, he'd be one step ahead of the game . . .

He pulled the shirt on after his shower.  He hadn't stopped to question it.  Gin's scent was too prevalent, too comforting.  Cain breathed deep and sighed.

Gazing around the empty apartment, he slowly shook his head.  His eyes lit on the statue he'd never finished, and he winced.  It was a painful reminder: a bitter, hurtful thing.  'Isabelle . . .'

'Isabelle never did that, did she?  She never held you like that . . .'

Cain walked over to the sculpture, frowned as he ran a claw down the silhouette.  'No, she never did.  She let me hold her, but . . .'

'But it isn't the same, is it?  Isabelle never needed a hero, did she?  Isabelle never . . . but Gin . . .'

'Don't say it, okay?'

His youkai sighed.  'Okay.'


"Go on; have fun!  They'll be fine!" Kagome insisted as she propelled Sierra toward the door.  Coral and Cassidy's laughter rang out from the living room as InuYasha followed them into the foyer with both girls hanging onto his back.

Sierra smiled at her daughters and shook her head.  "Coral, Cass, be nice to Uncle Yasha, all right?"

Coral's tiny black puppy ears twitched as the nearly five year-old made a face.  "Keh!  Mama, I'm fine!"

"Yeah, fine!" three year-old Cassidy agreed.  "Keh!"

InuYasha grinned at the girls' affectations of him.  "Oi, you heard the pups."

Sierra rolled her eyes as Kichiro opened the door.  "Come on, already.  The movie will start whether we're there or not," he grouched but not unkindly.

"All right.  Gin-chan, are you sure you don't want to come along?" Sierra asked, leaning to the side to peek around InuYasha at the girl in question.

Gin wrinkled her nose and waved her hand dismissively as she pulled Cassidy off InuYasha's back.  I'd love to, but I have to sketch a tree for class tomorrow.  Have fun for me, okay?"

Sierra nodded.  "We'll be back soon."

Kichiro quickly kissed Kagome's cheek before following Sierra out of the house and closing the door.  Ryomaru was in his car, revving the engine impatiently.  "He's going to break it again," Sierra commented.

"Yeah . . . I think he does it on purpose nowadays," Kichiro agreed as he opened the car door for Sierra.

"I'd rather run," Ryomaru grumbled as Kichiro strode around the car to climb in.

"We can't," Nezumi pointed out reasonably.  "Toga would flip if we didn't take the car."

"Well, Toga-chan ain't here, is he?" Ryomaru shot back.

Sierra tucked a strand of strawberry-blonde hair behind her ear and shrugged.  "If Toga were here, I'd be in bed, not going to the movies.  You'd think I was on death's door instead of just pregnant."

Kichiro grinned to himself since he knew that he was about to instigate a war.  "Hmm, well . . . Ryomaru'll probably feel the same way when you're pregnant, Nez."

"Yet another reason not to have babies," Nezumi grumbled, her cheeks pinking as Kichiro tried not to laugh.  She and Ryomaru been mated for five years, but Kichiro supposed some things would never change.  Nezumi hadn't ever been comfortable discussing 'girly' things, and babies . . . Babies were very girly.

"Oi!" Ryomaru growled as he pulled out of the driveway and onto the tiny road that led to the city.  "No one can be as bad as Toga . . ."

"So, you wouldn't try to tell me that I couldn't do my normal stuff?" Nezumi asked.

"Well . . . balls, no!  Like you'd listen to me, anyway . . ."

"You're proud of yourself, aren't you?" Sierra accused as Kichiro watched the escalating argument.

"Who?  Me?  No . . ."

She wrinkled her nose.  "You are . . . Anyway, I guess this means you're my date for the evening."

Kichiro grinned.  "Sure . . . Does that mean I can put my arm around you?" he asked, snaking his hand along the top of the seat.

Sierra snorted and slapped his hand away but winked at him.  "Just because Toga's out of town on business doesn't mean that I'm that kind of girl."

"Damn."

". . . You'll have to buy me dinner, at least—and maybe movie snacks, too."

Kichiro chuckled.  "I could do that," he assured her with a conspiratorial wink.

She laughed.  Ryomaru and Nezumi kept arguing.  Kichiro sat back and turned his attention out the window.  'This . . . might be fun, after all . . .'


Bellaniece waited patiently while Raidon bought tickets for the movie and tried not to wonder how rude it would be if she suddenly came down with a headache.  Dinner had been a dismal affair.  Raidon—she'd at least hoped he'd be a little more interesting than watching paint dry on a wall—had blushed and stammered when she smiled at him once.  She hadn't been too put off by that until he gave her a strange look when she ordered a big, juicy hamburger that hadn't tasted at all like the ones she was accustomed to in the United States.  Then he'd walked so quickly that she had to hurry to keep up with him once they left the restaurant.  He barely spoke to her at all, and when he did, it was stilted conversation.   The entire date was a waste.

'Yep, this guy . . . Wow, Belle, he's just . . . ugh.'

Bellaniece frowned as she clasped her hands and absently studied the movie poster hanging in the waterproof display case.  'Yeah, he is,' she agreed listlessly.  There wasn't any real point of trying to convince herself otherwise.  'It wasn't at all like dinner with Dr. Izayoi.   He was so smart, so articulated . . . At least, he was until he turned nasty, anyway . . .'

'So you do like him.'

Bellaniece sighed.  'Of course not.  I was simply stating the obvious.  Kichiro Izayoi isn't the man for me.  I'm not that sadistic.'

'Face it, Belle: the only thing you don't like about him is that he makes you second-guess yourself.  He makes you look at those parts of yourself that you don't want to see.'

'Maybe.  Even then, there just isn't a middle ground with him, is there?  Either he's entirely mean or he's way too charming . . .'

'What is it you're looking for?  You're not going to find a perfect man, you know.'

Bellaniece glanced over her shoulder.  Raidon was still in line.  She caught his eye and offered him a tentative smile.  He reddened a little and quickly looked away.  'I don't want perfect.  I'd be happy with someone who lets me be me.'

'And how will you find him when you're always hiding behind fronts?  Belle, do you even know who you really are?'

'It's a moot point now,' she insisted.  'I'm much too young to be mated.  It's not that big a thing.'

'Oh, the little girl is back, isn't she?'

"Well . . . Isn't it past your curfew, Belle-chan?"

Bellaniece gasped and stiffened as the unfriendly sneer snapped her out of her musings.  She'd been so deep in thought that she hadn't sensed anyone's approach, least of all his.  Slowly pivoting to face him, Bellaniece carefully cleared her expression.  Kichiro was glowering down at her like she was little more than dirt beneath his expensive shoes, and she smiled insincerely.  "Ah, the ever-pleasant Dr. Izayoi.  Fancy meeting you here."

Kichiro's grin was just as tight as hers.  "So your father isn't wise enough to keep a leash on you at night?"

"I'm on a date," she replied, her gaze flicking coolly over the hanyou.  Dressed as immaculately as ever, the only real difference was that he had his hair out of that God-awful braid he normally wore, and the effect, she had to admit, was remarkable.  Lending him a dangerous air, the loose, thick strands lifted and flowed with the breeze.  "I'll thank you not to criticize my father."

"So don't thank me," he countered.  "You mean you found some baka willing to date you?  Where is the poor fool?"

"It's really none of your business, is it?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

Kichiro smiled insincerely.  "Not in the least.  Just thought I'd warn him about your tricks."

"Oi, Kich . . . Oh, it's the grabby wench.  What the hell is she doing here?" Ryomaru snorted as he and Nezumi along with a third woman that Bellaniece didn't know stopped behind Kichiro.

Bellaniece stifled a sigh.  "Do you own this theater?"

Kichiro snorted.  "Of course not."

"Then is there a reason that I can't be here?"

"I don't care if you're here or not," Kichiro replied.  "Why would it matter to me?"

"I don't know.  You tell me."

"It don't matter," Ryomaru cut in.  "Come on, Kich."

"Where's your manners, baka?" Nezumi cut in as she elbowed her mate in the ribs.  "I'm Nezumi."

"Keh!  Whatever.  I'm going to get the tickets."

"Pleased to meet you," Bellaniece answered with a nod as she turned her attention away from Kichiro and ignoring Ryomaru completely.

"And I'm Sierra," the second woman said with a friendly smile, "Kich's 'date' for the evening."

"Date?" Bellaniece echoed, ignoring the flare of irritation inspired by the claim.

"Yep, my date," Kichiro added.

'She smells vaguely familiar,' Bellaniece's youkai muttered.  'Not her, exactly, but like someone we've met before . . .'

'Yes, she does, but I have no idea why.'

"I'm Bellaniece."

"Oh, Kichiro's new secretary?"

Bellaniece nodded.  "That's me."

"Hmm . . . Is it true?  Are Ryo's ears really softer than Kich's?"

Bellaniece blinked in surprise, and she couldn't help but smile as she shifted her gaze back to Kichiro again.  He was a little flushed though she couldn't tell if he was embarrassed or angry.  Either would do, she figured.  He deserved just a little comeuppance, didn't he?  She didn't seek him out to start another round of their war.  "Absolutely," Bellaniece stated.  "Much softer . . . like comparing silk and sandpaper."

Kichiro couldn't contain his indignant growl.  Bellaniece squelched her amusement as Sierra tried to grab his ear.  "They're the same, little girl—the same!"

"To humans, maybe.  I've told you, humans can't feel the difference," she pointed out in a sugary tone.  "If you don't believe me . . ."

Sierra sighed.  "I really want some fried chicken."

Bellaniece shook her head.  "Fried chicken?"

"Yes . . . I don't mind pregnancy as much as I mind the odd cravings . . ."

"Pregnant?" Bellaniece repeated though it seemed obvious to her now.  The woman was too slender for the slightly distended belly not to be the sign of pregnancy.  Curse Kichiro Izayoi for not telling her that sooner.  "You're dating a pregnant woman?"

Kichiro shrugged but didn't answer.  Nezumi rolled her eyes.  "She's married to his cousin," she explained.  "Kich's being an ass."

"You're married to Toga, right?  That's why you smell familiar . . ."

Sierra looked surprised but smiled.  "Yep, I'm Toga's wife . . . mate . . . keeper . . ."

Bellaniece digested that for a moment before she smiled insincerely at Kichiro again.  "That's so sad . . . You can't find a date of your own so you have to date your cousin's wife?  No wonder you're always in such a bad mood."

"Toga's out of town," Kichiro snarled, "and Sierra wanted to see the movie.  I'm nice like that."

Bellaniece's arched eyebrow left little doubt as to what she thought of his claim.

"You've met Toga before?" Sierra asked before Kichiro could muster more venom.

"No, but Daddy was fostered with parents.  It's been a long time since we've seen them, though."

"So, your father's friends with Inutaisho-san?" Nezumi questioned.  "Wait . . . Your father must be the North American tai-youkai.  Ryo mentioned that he was coming here.  Guess they were worried about security."

Kichiro snorted.  "Yeah, that's enough small talk, isn't it?  Are you sure you have a date, little girl?  You wouldn't just be saying that so you don't look pathetic, would you?"

"Pathetic?  Who's running around saying his cousin's wife is his date?" Bellaniece countered sweetly.

"At least I have a date," he shot back.

"Or maybe it isn't pathetic?  Maybe . . ." Bellaniece trailed off, eyes widening as she pointed at Kichiro's chest.  "Of course!  I get it now!  Oh, it was so obvious, how could I have missed that?"

His gaze narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest.  "What's that?"

"You're gay, aren't you?"

Nezumi laughed before smashing a hand to her mouth to stop it.  Sierra choked and cleared her throat loudly.  Kichiro looked like he was ready to lose what little control he had over his temper.  Bellaniece waited patiently for the tirade.

"Who said—? I'm not—That's not—I'm not gay!"

"That would explain your wardrobe," Nezumi said reasonably despite the strain to keep her face from registering her amusement.

"That's true," Sierra agreed.  "I mean, he has more clothes than most women . . . not to mention his always-perfect hair."

"Oi!" Kichiro growled.  "I'm right here, and I repeat: I'm not gay."

"It's not healthy to live in denial, Dr. Izayoi," Bellaniece added.

"Don't forget his affinity for musicals," Nezumi remarked.

"This explains so much!" Sierra marveled.

"It does not, because I am not!" Kichiro argued.

"Are you anti-gay?" Bellaniece asked.

"No!"

"Then why are you so upset?"

He opened his mouth and snapped it closed a few times, unable to form words as he fought back the violent wash of color that infiltrated his skin.  "Because, while I have nothing against gays, I am not one, got it?"

Bellaniece shook her head slowly, clucking her tongue as she did it.  "You know, Dr. Izayoi, you're a little too vehement in your denial."

"Belle—"

"Bellaniece-san?  Are you ready?"

Bellaniece smiled as Raidon hesitantly approached with movie tickets in hand.  "It was so nice meeting you," she assured the women.  "Bye, Dr. Izayoi."

Kichiro growled as Bellaniece grabbed Raidon's hand and led him into the theater.  Her smile widened.  She was sure he'd try to find a way to get her back for her statements.  Then again, maybe he'd think twice before he sought her out to target with his nastiness in the future.

'That wasn't very nice, Belle,' her youkai spoke up.

Bellaniece scooted into an empty seat inside, adjusting her skirt.  Raidon mumbled something about being right back and took off again.  'Well, Kichiro wasn't very nice, either.  How much of his insulting behavior do you think I'll stand for?'

'You hit him right in the ego, you know.'

'Yes, well, that never stops him from doing the same thing to me, does it?'

'Belle, you're playing with fire.'

'Maybe.  He is, too.'

Her youkai sighed.  'All right.  Don't say I didn't warn you.'


"Wow, Kich . . . she was something," Sierra commented as Kichiro growled at Bellaniece's retreating form.

"Hmm, yeah . . . If I didn't know you better, I'd say she had some pretty valid points," Nezumi said slowly.

"That isn't even remotely funny," Kichiro snarled.

"Of course it isn't," Sierra said soothingly.  "We all know you're a man-whore."

"Oi!"

"Don't worry, Kich . . . Just because Ryo's ears are softer—" Nezumi began.

"The hell!" Kichiro grumbled, hot color flooding his features as he swung around and stomped away.

"Oh, no!  You can't stand me up!" Sierra giggled.

"Keh!"

Nezumi laughed as the women watched the hanyou's angry retreat.  "I can't say he didn't deserve that," she admitted.

"That's true . . . He was being rather obnoxious, wasn't he?" Sierra agreed.

"Yeah, he was . . . Weird."

Sierra's laughter died away as a calculating grin surfaced instead.  "You know, Nez . . . Those two really hated each other, didn't they?"

Nezumi took a ticket from Ryomaru and shrugged.  "Sure."

"Hmm . . ."

"What are you thinking?" Ryomaru demanded.

Sierra stared at her ticket for a few moments.  "Well, you know what they say: it's a fine line between love and hate."

"Are you talking about that grabby wench?" Ryomaru grumbled.  "Forget it.  Kich can't stand her, or didn't you notice?"

"What I noticed was your brother who never, ever loses his cool, completely losing it over that girl."

Ryomaru made a face.  "She called him gay . . . Kich might overlook a lot of things, but . . ."

"And he called me a lesbian," Nezumi pointed out.  "Kich'll get over it."

Ryomaru snorted.  "Lesbian, my ass."

Sierra rolled her eyes.  "All right, don't believe me, but I'm telling you, there's something there . . ."

Nezumi shrugged as Ryomaru yanked the door open and held it.  "Yak about it later, okay?  We're gonna miss the movie."

Sierra trailed after the couple as they entered the theater.  Bellaniece might have tweaked Kichiro's pride, but she hadn't been mistaken.  Kichiro's reaction to Bellaniece's date hadn't been disguised at all.  'Interesting . . . very interesting . . . Kich is . . . jealous . . .'