Loving the Rain
Hiei hated the rain. It was cold, wet, and kept him from going out to train. Being a fire demon, his hatred of it was not that unusual, but this went beyond his blood. Most of the bad things that had happened to him had happened when it rained. He stared out the window of his room, lost in memory.
It had been raining when she left.
"Aconite," a soaked, angry kajihenge growled, "Stop playing around!"
"Oh stop being a hardass," the low, melodic voice of his companion teased.
"I'm leaving," he grumbled turning back towards Genkai's temple.
A pair of pale, clawed hands encircled his waist, "No you're not," she said quietly in his ear.
"Hn, tell me why I shouldn't, Onna," he growled, tense from the sudden contact.
"Tell me why you want to," she retorted, silver locks falling in bright eyes.
"It's raining," he grumbled slowly, as though speaking to someone stupid.
"So?" she asked grinning.
"I. Hate. Rain," he bit out, closing his eyes.
Aconite gave a soft laugh, "So that's what this fit is about!"
Hiei opened his eyes as he felt the rain cease it's pattering against his skin. A thick shadow hung overhead blocking the cold water from hitting him, "Hm?"
"There, now just raise your body temperature and you'll be dry and warm in no time," she grinned again as she released him and stepped back into the rain, "Why do you hate the rain so?" she asked as an afterthought.
He stared at her deadpanned a moment before answering, "Bad things happen when it rains." He raised an eyebrow when she started to laugh at his answer, "Why do you like it so much?"
"Hm...well," she mumbled, "It soothes me. The rain...washes everything away," she sighed and looked up into the cold torrent falling upon her, "It makes me feel that the blood on my hands is slowly washing away, little by little. Like if I try hard enough I can become a new person, a better person," she glanced at him before turning back to the sky, "Does that answer your question?"
"Hn," he stared at her contemplatively.
"Come on Hiei!" she smiled suddenly looking at him and holding out her hand, "Dance with me!"
He refused adamantly until she finally gave up and began dancing in the storm as though she had forgotten all else. All he could do was watch in amusement as she made a fool of herself, smiling all the while.
As time passed, he began to look forward to the rainy days they spent together, talking and sometimes just enjoying each others presence. In time, Hiei's cold attitude dulled and became slightly warmer under her influence. However, nothing good lasts forever.
"Hey Hiei..?" she said one day when the rain was particularly cold.
"Hm," he mumbled, opening his eyes and sitting up on his low hanging tree branch.
"What would you do if I left?" she sighed, "If I had to leave and there was the possibility I would never come back?"
"I'd stop you from leaving," he replied simply.
"I...have to leave," she swallowed turning away, "To the Makai."
"What?" he growled, "Why?"
"The Flame-Kuro war is drawing nearer to my packs lands. I have to go protect them I don't know how long I'll be gone," she said softly, "I leave tonight."
The ominous 'if I come back' still hung in the air as he said quickly, "I'm going with you."
"No," Aconite replied, "You have to stay here. If I die, there's no family for me to leave behind, you have a sister to take care of. This is my responsibility as alpha of the pack."
"Don't you get it?! We ARE your family; you can't leave us here with no way of knowing if you're a dead or alive!" She clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry, "At least ask Koenma to let us help!"
"This is my fight," she growled suddenly, "Even though they didn't want me, they're still my people and I want to avoid death as much as possible," she let out a sigh as she calmed, "I know you'll worry, but the best way to do this is to try and stay hidden and wait for it to pass, only fighting when absolutely necessary."
"I still don't like this," he sighed.
"I know," she turned to face him and smiled softly, "I don't like it much either, but this is something I have to do."
Suddenly the sky lit up as a flash of lightning split the clouds. In seconds Hiei was holding her against him beneath the cold fury of the storm.
"Thought you hated the rain," she teased as thunder sounded above.
"I do," he informed, "Consider this my 'until we meet again' gesture."
She laughed and held him even tighter, "Sounds like a plan to me!"
She spent the rest of the night with the entire group laughing and teasing them all. She hugged them extra tight when they headed for bed, and informed Hiei she'd decided to leave in the morning instead of her previous decision. They could not have known that she left the moment she knew they were all sleeping. When Hiei entered her room at the time she'd said she would be creating the portal he found the note she'd left behind.
I vow on the Forbidden Blood that runs in my veins: I will return to you all someday. I promise. I love you all,
As Hiei stared out the window, drowning in his memories, he failed to notice a shadowy figure standing in the doorway to his room. Piercing golden eyes, hardened by years of battle and bloodshed stared at him from the darkness and softened at the sigh that escaped him.
"Look at you," the figure said softly, "Still brooding over things you can't change." Hiei tensed and his eyes widened in disbelief.
He turned slowly, his crimson gaze searching and coming to a rest upon the pale, battle-scarred female before him, "Aconite."
"You know, I could use a dance right about now," she said softly, her lips quirking slightly as she faded into the shadows.
Hiei threw open his window and leaped out into the storm, seeking out the one place he had never once visited in her absence. It hadn't felt right without her. He landed at the edge of the clearing they had spent so many rainy days in before she left, praying this was not a dream. She was already there, staring into the sky silently.
She turned back toward him, golden orbs meeting crimson ones as she held her hand out to him, "Dance with me?"
For the first time, he took the hand she offered, pulling her into his arms and breathing in her scent. She smiled and buried her face into his neck as they danced in a slow circle.
"Thought you hated the rain," she teased quietly.
"Not anymore," he whispered holding her tighter.
"What changed your mind?" she asked leaning back to see his face as they came to a stop.
He leaned his forehead against hers and said, "You are my rain," before pulling her into a gentle kiss.
The rain continued to pour down, unnoticed by the two lovers who danced until dawn lit the sky, wrapped in each other completely and praying the night would never end.