No, I can't live this way. My life was never meant to be. If it wasn't meant to be then why was it made? Why do they torture me by being there, by making me hold on? Do they enjoy making me scream? Hearing my silent pleas for a new life? Or do they not even know?
Hiei's mind raced as he sat in the large oak tree by Kurama's window. He had often questioned himself like this, but now it was coming to his mind more often. He gazed up into the starry night sky, the moon being the only light around him and continued his questions. Before long dawn arrived and he watched as Kurama awoke in his room and left for the restroom. The constant questions in his mind were eating away at him, slowly, but they still were. He hadn't slept in over two weeks, but he kept it from everyone around him. The last thing he needed now was everyone huddled around him worried.
He decided to say good morning and waited for Kurama to come back in the room, fully dressed before knocking on the window. Kurama smiled and opened up the window for his friend, and closed it behind him.
" Did you have a nice sleep?" he asked kindly.
" Not really." Hiei replied. He always said that, and Kurama never asked, so Hiei never had to explain.
" Really? Why not?" the kitsune asked worriedly. Hiei's bowed head shot up quickly in surprise. He had to come up with something fast.
He finally returned to the truth.
"I didn't sleep at all." he said, fearing Kurama's reaction. Great, now the fox looked worried.
" You must be tired, lay down." he said as he hurried to prepare his bed.
" No, I'm fine. Where are we going to meet the two morons about the new mission?" Hiei asked quickly trying to change the subject. Kurama looked at him intently. "What?" Hiei said in defense.
" Nowhere. Not until you get your rest." the fox answered stubbornly. Hiei was shocked. Kurama had never been this persistent.
" But they'll be waiting and you will get in trouble with Koenma for being late, so we'd better go." the fire demon retorted. It was a good enough excuse right?
" I can always call them and have them come here while you're sleeping." Kurama explained, content with his thought out plan. Hiei was surprised at Kurama's quick thinking and thought of what to say next.
" Maybe I don't want to sleep. Ever thought of that?" the fire demon retorted, content with his answer. It wasn't a full lie. In fact he was longing for some sleep, but as soon as he was about to fall into his dreams those questions and images from his past came up. He didn't want to go through it again, especially since he usually woke up either screaming for his life or crying heavily.
Kurama smirked and headed downstairs without a sound, leaving Hiei alone in the room. The kitsune came back up a few minutes later still smirking.
" Now you have to sleep Hiei. I just called the others and they're on their way." Kurama announced.
"Wait! What did you tell them?!" Hiei jumped at him.
" I just said that you didn't get any sleep since 4:30 yesterday morning till now, which is true, and so you were too weak to come over there." the red-head explained. Hiei gave Kurama one of his more vicious glares.
" I am not! I could run straight over there and back if I wanted to, but since you won't tell me where there is, I can't!!" Hiei shouted angrily.
Just then the two heard the doorbell and Kurama rushed to open the door. Hiei was once again all alone in Kurama's room, left to fume about the present situation. He heard the group come up the stairs gradually, chatting about what had happened during the week and such. Kurama opened the door for the others to enter, each glancing at Hiei as they passed by. The fire demon ignored them and kept his deadliest glare that he had ever given on the kitsune. Kurama walked over and sat on his bed, turning to the group.
" One question first Kurama." Yusuke started, already giving Hiei a headache, " Hiei doesn't look tired, so why did you say he was?"
" Yeah. Was it that you didn't feel like walking to the park?" Kuwabara joined in. Kurama bent down to whisper something to Yusuke.
" Well, it is true what I told you. Hiei keeps saying that he doesn't want to sleep, and I told him that we weren't leaving until he slept. He is putting up a front because he doesn't want to look weak, but trust me, you can really tell that he's very tired if you look at his ki." Kurama whispered softly. " Tell everyone else please so I won't have to." Yusuke nodded and whispered the same thing to Kuwabara and the rest. Then he closed his eyes and looked for Hiei's ki. He found it, a dark red flame, that flickered in and out of existence.
" What the hell are you doing?" Hiei asked suspiciously at the group as they were finishing their whisper round. His eyes held a deep anger as he glanced at Kurama for a moment.
" oh, nothing Hiei, just little chit chat." Botan covered for them.
" Right…" Hiei said, still eyeing the fox.
" Well, why don't we all have a snack before we get to the mission." Kurama suggested.
" Good idea! I'm starving!" Kuwabara shouted in glee. The group headed downstairs to the dining area, closely followed by Hiei. They all sat down, except for Hiei and Kurama who was in the kitchen getting the food. The kitsune soon called Yusuke and Botan for a talk. Upon arriving there they asked Kurama what the problem was.
" Keep your voices down. I have a plan to make Hiei get his rest." the kitsune explained.
" Boy, you really want him to sleep today don't you Kurama?" Yusuke said.
" Well, his ki isn't doing too well and I don't want him getting hurt or ill in his state." Kurama stated.
" So what's the plan?" Botan asked quickly, understanding the other's concern.
" Okay, " Kurama started, " One of the things that I'm going to put on the table is ice cream, Hiei's favorite. Now you have to let the others know that I'm going to give Hiei the first scoop, which will contain a sedative. If anyone else eats it then they'll be knocked out for at least four hours, and since Hiei is stronger it won't completely knock him out, but it'll make him tired enough to sleep for a while. Got it?" Yusuke and Botan agreed happily and left the room, telling the others quietly as not to have Hiei hear. They returned shortly and helped the kitsune bring out the chips, sandwiches, drinks, salad, and of course, ice cream.
The others sat down at the table, each slipping in a glance at the fire demon, who stood against the wall silently. Kurama took his seat at the head of the table, motioning for Hiei to sit to his left.
" I'm not hungry." was the fire demon's answer. Kurama's face saddened.
" But Hiei, " Botan started, getting Hiei to look at her strangely, " just one bite… There's sweet snow." The last statement caught Hiei's interest. Sweet Snow? The most delightful treat ever created? He couldn't miss that…..
Hiei slowly sat down to the left of the kitsune and watched as Kurama served Hiei a bowl of vanilla ice cream. He then passed out everyone else's food and started to eat, looking at Hiei when he was done.
" What?" Hiei said staring back at Kurama.
" You haven't touched your sweet snow yet." the other stated. All eyes shifted quickly to the two.
" I told you I wasn't hungry, baka." Hiei stated. Botan stood up rapidly and marched over to the small fire demon, looking very pissed.
" You. Will. Eat. Sweet Snow." she demanded slowly glaring at Hiei.
" Iie. " Hiei replied stubbornly.
Botan quickly grabbed the spoon and picked up a large portion of the sugary substance, pinched his nose, and jammed it in Hiei's mouth roughly. Everyone was shocked, but not as much as Hiei. They stayed like that for a few minutes.
" Um Botan… I think Hiei's passed out." Koenma said slowly. Botan blinked and backed up, letting go of Hiei, embarrassed at herself.
" Gomen nasi Hiei." Botan apologized. Hiei was still sitting up, but his eyes were unable to be seen since the shadows were covering them. Slowly and quietly, the fire demon fell back out of the chair, unconscious. Kuwabara rushed over to him and picked him up, carrying him to Kurama's room on the Kitsune's orders.
--------------------------------------------------30 min. later---------------------------------------------------
The entire group sat in Kurama's room, all looking at the sleeping Hiei in the bed, which had just started to mumble things in his sleep.
" Is he going to be okay?" Koenma asked. Kurama nodded and they all relaxed. Hiei slept, well, mumblingly.
" Monkey's got my money…" he said softly as he slept.
Yusuke tried not to laugh at the comment. I mean you usually never would even imagine the 'Mighty Hiei' saying ' monkey's got my money'.
" Yes, I'm a natural guy…"
Yusuke found it harder to keep his giggles to himself, and found that he wasn't alone. Kuwabara, Koenma, Botan, and Kurama were in the same situation.
" Sporks are in cheeseburgers and you can't deny it Kurama………your head's on fire…"
Their laughter came through all at once. Even Kurama was finding it hard to stop his giggles. After about ten minutes of rolling- on- the- floor laughter, the group regained themselves and watched Hiei again.
Slowly Hiei opened his ruby eyes, sitting up in the bed to find everyone in the room. Carefully he looked at everyone.
" What's going on?" he asked.
" You fell asleep Hiei, so we brought you up here to be more comfortable." Koenma explained quickly.
" I didn't fall asleep on my own then. What did you do?" he questioned more dangerously this time.
" Um…." Kurama struggled with the answer. He couldn't tell Hiei, ' oh yeah! We drugged you when you were weak cause we care about you' Oh yeah, that would run real smoothly. " Well what do you remember?" he finally asked, trying to change the subject a little.
Hiei thought, and thought hard. You could tell because he was looking up to his right at the ceiling and had his finger to his chin. This lasted for a good two minutes. Hiei's eyes finally moved, shifting back to Kurama in curiosity and he smiled. " Can I help you?" he asked kindly. Uh. Did he just forget what I asked him not two minutes ago? The kitsune thought.
" Yes. Can you remember anything?"
" Who are you?"
" It's me, Kurama. Now answer the question."
" Oooooooooooo. Your buttons are shiny. My uncle had a big shiny collection of shiny stuff…… I think he did…….. I wonder where he is…… do I even have an uncle?……"
" Um.. Hiei? Are you okay?"
Hiei looked up and smiled again.
" Ooooooooooooo. Your buttons are shiny. My uncle had a shiny collection…." he was stopped by Kurama's hand over his mouth.
" Stop. With. The. Shinys. Now can you remember anything? And why are you acting so weird?" Kurama's questions were the exact ones that ran through everyone's at the moment. What was going on with Hiei?
"Oh. I already said that?" Hiei said innocently and thoughtfully at the same time. He paused for a few moments. "Well you see, when I don't have enough sleep I get short term memory loss." he explained. " At least I think." he added.
Everyone anime fell.
m-d: I was too bored and had too much time after watching Finding Nemo. Do you agree?
Hiei: yes.
m-d: I agree.
Hiei: no you don't.
M-d: yes I do.
Hiei: Nu-huh
M-d: yea-huh
Hiei: nu-huh
M-d: yea-huh
Hiei: nu-huh
m-d: yea-huh
Hiei: nu-huh
m-d: yea-huh
Hiei: let's just leave it as no.
M-d: Yes.
Hiei: do you mean yes as in yes we will, or yes as in we should leave it as yes.
m-d: No.
Hiei: Screw it. *leaves.*
