Laughter filled the room as Yusuke finished a humorous retelling of their adventures in Maze Castle. Hiei didn't recall the events being so funny when they were actually happening, and this whole festive mood was getting on his nerves.
The only reason he'd even come to this stupid party was because Kurama wouldn't quit bugging him until he'd agreed. So here he was, at Genkai's temple, along with Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Keiko, Botan, and Yukina.
Keiko tossed an affectionate arm around Yusuke's shoulders when the laughter died down. "You four are just a bunch of heroes, aren't you?" she asked lightly.
"What's a hero?"
Everyone looked at Hiei, apparently surprised that he'd spoken; Hiei was even surprised that he'd spoken. The words had seemed to come of their own free will.
"What?" Keiko asked.
"What's your definition of a hero?" Hiei pressed.
Keiko seemed confused by his line of questioning, but she answered him anyways. "A hero is someone who does for others. They sacrifice and give of their own free will, not expecting anything in return. That's a hero."
Hiei snorted. "If that is your definition of a hero, then you can leave me out."
"But of course you're a hero too," Botan protested.
"Hardly," Hiei said. "Are you forgetting that the only reason I'm a Spirit Detective is to avoid going to Spirit World jail? I'm not doing anything out of the 'goodness of my heart,' or some other crap like that."
"Hiei," Kurama started, but Hiei cut him off.
"Don't start, Kurama," Hiei said. "Your reason isn't any nobler than mine. You're just doing this to avoid prison too."
"Why do you hate for people to think well of you?" Keiko asked.
Hiei glared at Keiko. "What nonsense are you babbling about now?"
Yusuke's eyes flashed with anger, but Keiko restrained him simply by placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Whenever someone says that you're a good person, you get upset," Keiko said. "Why? Why do you hate the idea that you might actually be a decent person?"
"You're forgetting that when we first met, I was trying to destroy the human race," Hiei pointed out.
"I didn't forget," Keiko said. "I doubt I'll ever forget that experience. But you've changed since then. All of us have seen that. Why won't you?"
"If you think I actually care about any of you, you're a fool," Hiei snapped.
"No," Keiko said, not once losing her cool. "You're the fool if you think you don't."
Hiei had had enough. Not bothering to reply, Hiei escaped from the room, moving faster than most of them could see.
Stupid, aggravating woman! Why couldn't she accept that Hiei wasn't like them? He was nothing like any of them.
There had been a time when Hiei had thought he and Kurama were alike, but now even Kurama had changed. Kurama liked to think of himself as a goody-goody, savior of the world now. He liked to think of himself as a hero. Hiei sneered. At least Hiei was honest about what he was.
Hiei paused and waited at the edge of Genkai's property. He was certain that Kurama at least would come out to try and reprimand him, and Hiei was in the mood for a good, stress relieving spar.
Minutes ticked by in which no one came, and Hiei grew more and more annoyed by the minute. Apparently no one was going to come after him.
Hiei turned to leave. There was no point in staying any longer.
Just as he was about to go, he stopped. He sensed a sudden flare up of power from Genkai's temple. That couldn't be good.
Hiei dashed back to the temple and saw that somehow or another, a group of yokai had managed to sneak onto Genkai's land and was attacking the temple. Genkai, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara were fighting them, but they were badly outnumbered.
Well, if no one will spar with me, this is good way to relieve stress too.
Hiei drew his sword and jumped, decapitating a yokai that was sneaking up behind Kuwabara. The tide quickly turned, for though there were many yokai, they were weak, and they were soon all dead.
Hiei cleaned the blood off of his sword with a flick of his wrist and slid it into its sheath.
"Well, what do ya' know?" Yusuke drawled sarcastically. "Looks like Keiko was right. You do care about us."
"Don't be foolish," Hiei said. "Killing people is merely a good stress reliever."
"Does anyone else find that statement really creepy?" Kuwabara asked.
Kurama chuckled. "I believe there is more of a hero's spirit in you than you're willing to admit."
Hiei snorted in derision. "You're all idiots."
This is part of a sort of series that Syco and I are writing. Each segment is a one shot focused on each of the Spirit Detectives, revolving around the theme of heroes. We have already posted one about Kuawabara (Unsung Hero) and one about Kurama (Hero). We'll get one up about Yusuke eventually.