A/N:
Another So Cliché side-fic one-shot! This time it's in Hiei's POV!
It takes place not too long after the scavenger hunt.
Please enjoy the fluffiness! ^^-
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"The one thing you love the most."
Those words had echoed without cease in my head for months, now.
I couldn't even face her. I felt ridiculous. Not only that, but it pissed me off.
How could a single human girl manage to not only declare her immediate love for me, but also wriggle her way through my emotional defenses just enough to make me do this?
By "this", I mean spying on her so that I can try to figure her out.
I sighed. Not an easy task.
About two weeks after the game, she'd involved me in, the category I'd been placed in had really started to gnaw at me.
When this woman had first declared her love, I hadn't taken her seriously. I'd even kissed her at that time just to humor her. I had no intentions to be involved with her after that.
But then, her reaction had surprised me. Sure, she blushed, but who wouldn't after being kissed like that?
No, what surprised me was, once I'd left Kurama's, I looked back and she was still standing there.
Her fingers were lightly brushing her lips as though she were cherishing that brief moment our lips had touched.
I had watched her in wonder for a long time until, finally, she shook her head as though she were being silly and smiled as though she were the happiest girl in the world.
That smile had taken me completely off guard, so I decided to test her.
Kuwabara had walked up to the house around that time and I smirked. An opportunity had arisen.
If she knew anything about us, she would know how stupid Kuwabara is.
Also, if she had any chance in me even coming close to liking her, she would hate Kuwabara just as much as I did.
She had not disappointed.
The very first thing she'd done? She'd called him a moron. She even tricked him into allowing her to smack him over the head.
She had even managed to make me laugh by saying that it'd made her feel great.
She had put me in good enough spirits that when she'd asked if I wanted my hair cut, I allowed her. To further herself on my good side, she'd expressed her dislike for the ferry woman as well.
The woman had even gone as far as to defend me from one of Kuwabara's "short" remarks against me. A trivial matter to me, but it seemed to bother her.
When she finally got me under the faucet to wash my fair for the cut, her fingers had moved gently over my scalp and somehow managed to extract a pleased sound from me.
I had been glad that no one could see my face for I had been sure I was red.
I had left soon after she'd cut my hair.
My curiosity had been piqued.
I still wasn't sure what had possessed me to tap on her window later that night.
I know what I'd told her, but, to this day, I still wonder at the true reason.
Just like now. Why do I continuously sit in this tree, just outside her window, watching her.
I stared at her currently dark window, searching through my emotions and thoughts that I had learned to automatically push to the back of my mind.
I struggled. Nothing was making sense. I was unfamiliar with this kind of thing.
The light turned on suddenly.
Without the curtains drawn, I could see Sadie perfectly.
She was wrapped tightly in a dark red robe; a towel turban perched precariously on her head.
She went immediately to the window and closed the curtains.
I waited patiently until she pushed the curtains aside again and opened the window.
Every night, without fail, Sadie would open her bedroom window and leave it open all night.
A purposefully inviting gesture, I was sure.
Just as sure as she would open the window, every morning she would have a disappointed frown as she very slowly closed and locked it.
Did she silently hope that I would take her open window as an invitation and sleep in her bed with her?
Problem is, I don't sleep much.
I don't need to. Because of this, I have a great fascination in watching her sleep.
Her hope was granted every night without even knowing it. Minus the "sleep" and "in her bed" parts. I was very careful not to touch her. Ever.
Sadie opened her window, and, with a heavy sigh, slumped over the sill.
I straightened on my branch. This was new. She'd never done this before.
She softly began to sing, a sad, but sweet melody drifting from her. She sang soft enough that I couldn't tell the words, but I didn't have to know them.
Just listening to her voice eased my heart and I felt like I could just grasp the reason why I was so seemingly obsessed with her.
Sadie ended the song with another heavy sigh, "Oh, Hiei…" she muttered.
I blinked. What? I was the reasoning behind that sorrowful melody? But, why?
I hadn't even been around her, other than like this, or spoken to her… it dawned on me.
Sadie missed me.
Was it possible that she was just as obsessed with me as I was with her? I felt my breath catch in my throat. Something about that thought was pleasing.
Her chin was resting on top of her folded arms as she stared straight at me.
I knew she couldn't see me through the dark, but my heart raced anyway.
Sadie's lips pressed tightly together, then, very quietly, she said, "Why won't you come see me?"
I do see you. Every day and night. You just don't see me.
Moron. She sees you perfectly clear.
My eyes widened at that thought.
Why hadn't I realized it before?
Idiot. You knew, but you denied it.
I was on the brink of discovering something about myself when a door inside Sadie's room opened.
Kurama walked in. Damn bastard didn't even knock. I suddenly felt another new emotion fill me.
What if she had still been getting dressed? Why should he get to see something that I don't?
I shook my head quickly, appalled at myself.
Their conversation drifted easily to me through the open window.
"Sadie, what are you doing?"
She smiled at Kurama, "Just singing a little."
"Hanging out the window? I wish I could have heard you," Kurama smiled softly back at her.
Sadie frowned at that, "It was a song for Hiei. I wish he could have heard it. I miss him."
My heart skipped in my chest. I'd been right. I almost couldn't believe it.
I suddenly wanted Kurama to leave. I wanted to tell Sadie that I had heard her song. I wanted to tell her that I would always be with her, whether she knew it or not. I wanted her to smile at me and tell me she loves me.
Another realization hit: I like it when she says she loves me.
My attention turned back to the scene before me.
Kurama's smile remained intact, but his eyes had saddened.
Was it possible that Kurama had fallen in love with Sadie?
I decided yes.
That meant if I ever wanted to claim Sadie as my own, my window of opportunity was limited.
She could very easily fall in love with Kurama and turn to him in my absence.
I frowned. I didn't like that.
"Don't worry, he'll turn up eventually. I'm sure you've caught his attention, and Hiei is the type to follow his curiosity." Sadie missed his meaningful glance out the window.
Kurama knew I was out here. He could sense me and he probably knew just how often I was out here.
It was amazing, though. If Kurama was truly in love with Sadie, he was still supporting her love interest in me. He was too good of a man as to steal her from me before I had a chance. I was not that decent.
If I continued showing a disinterest, though, he would not hesitate.
Stupid. You're showing a lot of interest by following her like this.
It made sense.
"Thanks, Kurama," Sadie smiled at him.
He opened his mouth to say something as he stared at the place I sat, but seemed to change his mind and instead said, "I'm only speaking the truth."
Sadie laughed, "I know, but I need you to say it. If you didn't, I'm not sure if I could stay positive."
Kurama laughed this time, "Yes, you could. It's in your personality. You're always seeing the best in everything."
She perched herself back on the window sill, "I know. I just wish…" she paused, and, after a while, yawned, "Never mind. I'm tired. I think I'll go to bed." She got up and gave Kurama a hug, "Good night, Kurama."
He hugged her back, "Good night, Sadie." Kurama went back to his room.
Once he was gone, Sadie turned her bedroom light off and, rather than getting in bed, settled back on the window sill.
I leaned forward. What was so special about tonight that she was being so uncharacteristic?
Sadie began humming, the same melody as before, and finally fell asleep where she sat.
I sighed. She was an interesting woman, that was for sure.
I jumped into her room over her head and landed without a sound on the floor behind her.
If she slept all night like that, she would wake up with a very sore neck.
Being careful not to wake her, I leaned her back so that I could cradle her against me and carry her to her bed.
As I pulled the covers over her, Sadie stirred and, before I could disappear, looked up at me through groggy eyes.
"Hiei?" she mumbled. She was still mostly asleep.
I didn't respond. Instead, I turned to leave before she would remember me being here.
"Please don't leave me," she whispered.
I froze. Her voice was pleading me and so full of tears that threatened to flow.
Slowly, I turned back and went to her. I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I am always here."
I disappeared.
Sadie stared out the open window, arms raised above her head to close it.
She was hesitating; a confused frown darkening her features.
A shout from the ground below caught her attention.
It was Kurama telling her to hurry down. It was time to go to school.
Hesitating only a second more, she slammed the window shut and locked it. Moments later, she appeared at the front door and joined Kurama on the sidewalk.
I half followed them, having memorized the way by now.
The two of them spoke, but I was unable to hear what was said as I kept myself at a safe distance.
Once they entered the school, I went to my spot in the tree outside her classroom.
It had taken me two days to find it. Why couldn't all their classes be in the same room?
I watched Sadie interact with her classmates. She was rather popular and I couldn't help but notice the stares other boys were giving her.
I viewed those boys as lust-crazed children who barely knew what an erection was, let alone know what to do with it.
I was shocked to find myself growling at them even though they didn't know I was here and couldn't hear me.
The rest of the school day was spent trying to lower a dangerously high blood pressure. I was unusually tense whenever a boy approached my Sadie.
My Sadie? Since when did I start thinking of her as mine?
I shook my head. I could not make that mistake again. She was far from being mine.
Two days out of the week, Sadie would walk home alone while Kurama stayed late for extra study practice.
Today was one of those days.
We made it about half way without incident.
Until a group of three college boys approached Sadie with stupid grins that I was sure meant they thought they'd just got lucky.
Wrong.
The guys circled her as they laughed, somehow managing to sound even dumber than Kuwabara.
Sadie hesitated mid-step, unsure if she should try to run.
"Hey, baby," one of them said, "Where are you going?"
She sneered at them in disgust, "You guys are disgusting."
I nearly laughed, but those guys didn't like it too much.
Another guy grabbed her arm. I lurched forward, ready to intervene.
"What did you say, you little bitch?"
Sadie glared at him, "Don't make me scream. Someone will save me and you won't be too happy after that."
She was right, even if I wasn't here. They weren't too far from the school that Kurama would hear her. He would be on the scene in a minute flat. But was that fast enough?
The three guys thought this to be funny, "You're all alone. Face it!"
Sadie only smirked, "Fools."
They stopped laughing.
One of them pulled out a knife, "Are you sure you want to keep calling us names?"
I felt a low growl work its way up my throat.
She stared at the knife emotionlessly, then stared up into the guy's face, "I don't think you have the guts to use. You're a coward."
"You little whore!" The guy raised his knife, Sadie didn't even flinch.
What was she doing?
The knife came down. Time to interfere.
I leaped from the tree and reappeared in front of Sadie.
I punched the guy with the knife in the gut and sent him rolling a couple times.
I straightened, "Just who's girl do you think you're messing with?"
The two others who weren't on the ground brought up their fists.
"You're going to pay for that!"
I snarled, "I think not."
Two guys charged me, two guys went down unconscious.
"Hiei!" I turned just as I was tackled by a hug.
Her face was buried in my chest and I felt heat creep into my face.
"I've missed you so much, Hiei." She almost whispered.
I didn't hug her back; I didn't know what to do. I cleared my throat.
Sadie let go and stepped back in one rushed movement, "Sorry!"
I stared at her for two seconds before looking away, "I'll walk you home, so this doesn't happen again."
I could feel the happiness roll off of her in waves, "Okay!"
She fell into step beside me and I glanced down at her swinging hand between us. I wondered briefly what it would be like to hold it.
"Um, Hiei?" I looked away again, the heat returning to my face.
"Hn?"
"Thank you."
Silence.
"For saving me, I mean."
I sighed, and, without a second thought, took her hand in mine experimentally. Still, I said nothing and still, I would not meet her eyes.
I sensed a mixture of emotions from her, all of them taking turns or even sometimes all at once. Confusion, happiness, nervousness, shock. I mostly sensed the happy emotion, though.
It was strangely nice to not have to hide from hr.
Inside my chest, my heart beat wildly and I found myself staying a half step in front of her protectively.
I wasn't about to let anyone near her.
I faltered slightly; it wasn't enough to catch her attention.
I couldn't understand why I was so protective of her.
Why had I wondered what it was like to hold her hand? It was so soft and fragile under mine.
I was so full of questions that I didn't have a better answer for than: I just did.
"Hey, Hiei?" her voice was hesitant.
For the first time, I face her.
Her bright blue eyes bored into mine, her eyebrows scrunched together in concern. Sadie's lips lifted slightly into a smile.
"I dreamed of you last night."
My eyes widened. So, she thought she had dreamed me.
"Did you?" I faced forward again.
"Mmhm," she affirmed, "I dreamed you were leaving me and I asked you to stay."
She paused as though waiting for me to respond.
I obliged, "Did I stay?"
We reached the front of Kurama's house and she let go of my hand.
My hand felt strangely empty without hers.
Sadie took two steps towards the front door, then turned back to me.
I stood perfectly still as I watched her. Finally, she spoke.
"No, Hiei, you didn't stay, but…" she looked down and pressed her lips tightly together, hesitating.
I found that gesture adorable on her and the urge to kiss her suddenly emerged in me.
It was undeniable.
I took the steps necessary to reach her, grasped her chin between my thumb and forefinger, and whispered over her lips, "I am always here."
My lips crashed into hers, unbridled passion meeting hesitant compliance.
She would never complain about me kissing her. She would never tell me not to touch her.
Sadie welcomed whatever I had to give her and I knew that I would never find another woman like her.
She wasn't perfect, but she was perfect for me.
This sudden revelation scared me and I broke the kiss.
Her eyes were locked on mine, wide with surprise, "It wasn't a dream."
I ran, disappearing into the nearest tree that I could still see her, but far enough away that she could not see me.
When I looked down at her, my heart stopped.
She had the warmest and most beautiful smile I'd ever seen.
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A/N:
I'm not sure how I did with this…
I was trying to capture Hiei in the midst of a transformation. I wanted to show his confusion at why she affected him in different ways, until, finally, he starts to see why without going through the whole transformation. There will be more of that later.
Well, let me know how I did! Review, review, review, please! ^^- OH! Don't forget the cookies! XD