Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's characters. I own that one chick, Ieka. C'mon, I don't even own my soul anymore, the Army does. Show mercy…Don't sue me. I ain't making any profit from this.
Please, Make it Stop
Chapter 1: Freedom Into the Night
The wind whipped his face as he left the cave in which his prison resided. The prison, formerly known as the sinning tree was left in a small pile of writhing wood that could probably only live up to being firewood in the near future. His body ached and exhaustion tore at his limbs. He felt as though the wind in the crisp night air by itself was going to take him down. There was only a dusty red road traveling through heavy woodlands before him. The red sand on the road was thick and firm, like rain had attacked it recently, but it made no difference to the demon. His breath came out in short, quickened rasps as he trembled lightly against the cold. His vision was blurred and he felt as though he was floating. He had assumed his usual appearance of 5'4 with waist length steel grey hair. His gold eyes were sharp as ever and his pallid skin was slightly pink from being whipped by the wind. His blue trench coat didn't have much to offer against the cold, but it was better than nothing. With nowhere to go, or anyone to go to, he was utterly alone.
"Fuck…" He managed to croak out, falling to a knee. The crickets chirped peacefully in the night as he proceeded to drag himself out of the road and into the trees. Right now, the last thing he wanted to see in the world was a tree, but seeing as to how he had no other means of any kind of shelter, it would have to do. He managed to find a large bush that grew alongside a medium sized boulder. He found that the boulder deflected the wind while the bush made a decent shelter. His hands were torn and bloodied from hacking and tearing his way from the limbs of the god awful tree, and he didn't even have the strength to save himself. He felt his world plummeting into the darkness and his consciousness was slowly slipping. "Goddamnit…."
"Can you move your arm for me?"
"Mm…Hn?"
"Hey, are you cold, you still shaking…"
"Brother?"
"Do I sound like a man?"
"….n-no…"
"Hey, can you open your eyes?"
"….Am I a-alive?"
"Barely. Who in the hell did you piss off, babe? They tore your little ass UP…"
"Ngh…I can't…move…"
"Open your eyes…"
"What?"
"Open your eyes…" The voice was so soft, so comforting. It was kind and tinkling. It was hard not to obey it. He opened his eyes, fighting the urge to close them again. He focused his gaze on the source of the angelic voice. She was a pale young woman, her lips were full and red with glossy lipstick. What caught his attention were her eyes. He had never seen mismatched eyes before, but one of her eyes were a icy silver, and the other was a light shade of violet. Her hair was swept back into an elegant bun and shone in the gentlest hues of white and silver. Her pointed ears adorned with sparkling jewelry gave her away as a demon of some sort. She had high cheekbones and a widows peak. Her forehead was broad, but not large and her features were delicate.
"There you go…" She said, breaking into a smile,
"Aw shit…" He coughed. He wearily looked around the room to see he was on a large bed in what looked like an ordinary bedroom. He could see out the window and saw the forest he had collapsed in. Billowy puffs of snow fell peacefully outside, accumulating on the window sill outside.
"Hey…My brother's making you something…You need to eat something…ok?" She soothed. "Are you in pain?" She asked, smoothing his hair from his eyes.
"No." He said. He was surprised at himself. He wasn't even in pain as he had been when he had passed out cold. Literally. However, he was still shivering as though he were still out in the cold. The woman pulled the blankets up tighter around him.
"I have injected you with one of my herbal remedies. You shouldn't be feeling much, but you're already healing quickly. Do you have a name?" She asked.
"Toguro Ani." He replied. He was the woman wince and rub her temple. "What is it?" She shook her head.
"It's as I thought, I thought I recognized your appearance. I watched you from the Dark Tournament. Quite a talented guy you are…" She noted. "My little brother recognized you too. He was a fighter in the tournament. In fact, he was on your team…" She quietly noted. Ani felt his whole body tense.
"Who?" He rasped. "They're all dead…" The lady smiled, shaking her head.
"Nah, Bui's good. He's alright…" She shrugged. She poured warm water into a basin from a pitcher on the bedside table before dunking a cloth in it. She wiped his forehead and cheeks, frowning.
"You have a fever…" She quietly said.
"Explains why I'm freezing." Ani replied, still shaking even under all the warm covers on him. "What's your name?"
"Ieka." She replied. "Most people seem to have a problem pronouncing 'eye-ay-kah', so most people just call me Ai." Ani smiled. How could people be so retarded as to know NOT how to pronounce that. Then he remembered the world he lived in was filled with mentally incompetent and impaired individuals.
"I like Ieka." He said, turning his head to look at her. She smiled good naturedly at him. "And, thanks for bringing me here. I truly thought I was done for…"
"You would have been. I notice you have regenerative powers. But you were too badly injured and the severe weather didn't help." She said. The door to the bedroom opened and to Ani's horror, Bui entered the room. His hair was longer, down to his shoulders now, and his eyes still held the silent curiosity.
"Oh, he's finally awake?" Bui asked, handing a small bowl of white rice with steamed squid. It smelled delicious, but Ani's stomach churned at the thought of eating.
"Unh, please no food yet…I don't think I can handle it…Not right now." He requested. He closed his eyes and turned his face away. Bui shrugged.
"Ok." He simply said. "Toguro, you're not going to try anything are you?" He asked. Ieka looked down at Ani, almost as if she was awaiting his response.
"No, I have no reason to." He replied. "And even if I did, do I look like I'm in any shape to defeat you all over again, I don't think so. I just want to sleep." Bui shrugged again.
"Ok, then I guess it's ok to keep him here, sis." He told Ieka. She snorted.
"Please, like I need your permission?" She joked. Bui chuckled as he exited the room, quietly closing the door behind him. Ieka turned back to Ani.
"So, are you still cold?" She inquired.
"Y-yes." Ani replied, his teeth chattering. Ieka lightly blushed. She turned away and locked the door before returning to his bedside.
"Ok, I've read this in cheesy romance novels, but I hear it actually works." She said.
"What actuallu wo- whoah!" Ani began. His eyes went wide as Ieaka untied the sash around her winter yakata and let it fall to a puddle around her feet. She now wore nothing but a pair of light blue lace panties with a matching bra. What caught Ani's attention was the massive scar running from her navel down under the band of her panties. Traveling down her entire left leg was a thin tattoo of a vine and she had the kanji for 'love' on her left hip and the one for 'hate' on the other. After the initial shock of her stripping right before him, he was unfazed as she blew out the candle and crawled into the bed next to him, pressing her warm body against his. He felt his skin prickle and his arm twitched as her large brests pressed against it. She laid her head on his shoulder, nestling her forehead against his jaw.
"Um." Was all he could say.
"Hush, it's nothing." She calmly said. "I'm just lending you some body heat. It'll be ok." She soothed. Ani closed his eyes, but his mind was still working.
"Why are you helping me?" He asked. Ieka was silent for a moment.
"You have the same eyes as him." She said, her voice growing tight as she nestled into the crook of his arm. He mustered whatever strength he had and put his arm around her, pulling her close.
"As who?" He asked.
"My late husband." She replied. Her breathing grew even and steady and Ani knew she was asleep. He wasn't about to press the matter so he too, fell silent, closing his eyes.
"Ok…" Was all he said. He felt the fever wracking his small tired body. Ieka's body against his was helping, but rest was what he needed. His head felt swimmy, but he felt as though he was getting closer to the brink of sleep. Letting go of his thoughts, he gave in, letting the sleep take him.
AN: My first Yu Yu Hakusho fic in FOREVER. My former pen name was Frost Toguro, but that was years ago. I like to think I have matured as a writer and left little 14 yr old Frosty behind. Hope you enjoy it.
