Ayane: I feel as though the tone of my story has shifted.
Kurama: A bit mysterious this time, hm?
Ayane: If that's how you wanna see it…
Even the Best
Chapter Three
The lodged ball she tried to swallow refused to go down as the tiny child standing on the intricately designed oak table glared at her with his beady little eyes. Somehow, the small ruler had always managed to make her feel like a rotten brat.
"It's been a while, godfather," she mumbled, her eyes finding anything but his to rest on; the familiar shape of his pacifier sufficed. It had been nearly twenty years since she had last seen the spastic Koenma. Somehow, in her trips between the worlds, she had successfully avoided the ever watchful eyes from her past.
"Ayane," he prompted after clearing his throat. The room held only three,with the third silent companion sitting quietly in the most hideous armchair she had ever laid her eyes on. Her eyes trailed desperately over the redhead's face; even an untrained eye could tell he was far from sleeping. When Koenma cleared his throat and repeated her name, she finally met his eyes. "Why are you here?"
"I could ask the same of you," she retorted, crossing her arms and pouting. "I was under the assumption you wouldn't be visiting these fights." She rested against the back of the couch and traced the edges of her shorts with her eyes, her teeth tearing open her lower lip again as she debated how much of the truth she wanted to tell him. "I didn't have a choice in the matter, really. Shou would have made me go even if I didn't want to."
The air was thick with silence. Rage rolled off Koenma in waves; he knew about Shou. A few years before she had disappeared from his protection, Koenma had introduced the pair. The charming golden haired demon had found himself entranced with the young apathetic woman he had known nothing about; he had decided that day she would become one of his possessions. For nearly a decade after that, he pestered Koenma incessantly about the girl. It had occurred to him, when he saw the list of names for this tournament, that he would run into her. The level-headed fox proved to be a useful ally in the procurement of the information he needed and the moment he had word of Ayane wandering the island, he, ever so reluctantly, postponed his meetings until his return. Part of him had hoped that the girl would not be the one to sit in front of him when Kurama brought her up.
"You're finished hiding from me then?"
"What's the point? I can't keep running from it." Her voice was hollow; bright green shone through mostly closed lids at the change. The redhead had never heard the bubbly woman sound so empty. "Running from the past got me where I am now."
The tiny ruler frowned and met Kurama's eyes briefly, a warning passing through the glance and the latter excused himself. A few moments later, Koenma stood by Ayane's knees, peering up at her. "I'm sorry I let this happen to you. Your parents would have my head." A scowl formed on his lips as he saw her tremble, knowing tears threatened to fall.
"It's not just that," she whispered. "I didn't just come here because of Shou."
"I know." The ruler beamed at her surprised expression. "You really think I don't know you, Ayane? I did help raise you. You're not difficult to read, either."
She fumed at him; he knew she hated when he told her that. "You're lucky you're so much smaller than I am right now... I would love to kick you in the teeth." Her voice dripped honey and malice.
Loud noises from the hallway and Kurama's relaxed greeting caught their attention and Ayane stood awkwardly, excusing herself. Before she reached the door, though, it flew open and the two walked in with Kurama in tow, greeting both visitors with confused looks.
Yusuke was the first to ask, "What's the baby doing here, Aya? Are you an outlaw or something?"
"I am here, Yusuke," Koenma bristled, glaring up at the taller man.
Ayane took the opportunity to escape down the hallway to her room, relieved by the solitude. She paused with her hand on the knob and shook her head as she twisted and pushed, locking eyes with the man that stood in her room once the lock secured again behind her. "We should stop meeting like this," she murmured weakly. She wished she could think of something else to say, but her throat always tightened and her words disappeared before they formed every time those pools of red pierced her own eyes.
He wished she had remained silent; her voice had grown as intolerable as the rest of her. It seemed everything about the woman before him was created by some higher form to drive him insane. A step towards her preceded her hurried movements to diffuse the tension and move away from him. A small curse echoed in his mind as he stoically watched her move around him and blubber something about Koenma and that wretched room he spent time in with the other fools. He found himself unable to tear his gaze from her moving form.
"Stop."
The word must have come from him, as she stood as still and silent as physically possible a split second later. He addressed her with a grunt, pleased by her instant reaction.
"I know you," he muttered.
His words threw her; they were not what she had expected next. "I...I don't know what you mean. I've told you that we've never met, Master Hiei." Again, she missed her slip up then grew defensive. "I don't think you should be in my room, at any rate." She balled her fists at her hips and frowned at him. "This is private, you know!"
Her mind grew hazy as a rush of heat passed over, surrounded, and nearly suffocated her. Knees weak, she stumbled for a moment before the balls of her hands rested against the wall behind her. By the time her thoughts cleared, he had disappeared out her window and to the furthest reached of the island. She felt his soul even stronger after that and she mused over that to distract herself, as no one really knew how the soul sensing worked. The only one she could ask, after all, was half the reason she had not just vanished from Shou the way she had her godfather.
The remainder of the week passed by slowly but without incident. Koenma had left soon after a few quick words with the guys and a warning, to her chagrin, that he would return to check on her. Hiei stayed out of her line of sight, his energy masked, and never offered to spar with her again. Kurama accompanied her most times, assisting her sparring and offering advice now and then.
The first time he approached her after Hiei's visit, his eyes widened considerably and he covered his nose quickly. "Lady Ayane, why do you smell like that?"
She frowned at him. "I don't appreciate that one bit," she informed him, arms crossed. "I just had a long bath before bed last night, I'll have you know. Not all of us can have the keen senses of a fox."
He blinked, her words made no sense to him. Could she really not smell it?
"Lady Ayane, you smell like you've been claimed. I recognize this scent, too. What has happened?"
"Claimed? Like I'm marked territory?" She lifted her arm and brought it to her face; deep inhalation proved she was not the crazy one. "I smell like lilacs, Kurama." A distant look passed over her and she grabbed his arm to yank him inside the room. "He'll be near enough to hear us soon, Kurama; he does this every time any of you gets near my room..."
The redhead frowned as he watched her scurry around to make sure all accessible locks were secured. He cleared his throat but bit back when he caught her warning gaze.
A smile split her face and she offered him a seat. "It's not as comfortable as the Urameshi Lounge, but it's cozy enough for me. I don't need much space, see. I'm not that big anyway." She rambled on, unintentionally ignoring the confused stare from the settled redhead. She planted herself across the tiny coffee table from him and leaned forward, continuing her mindless banter as she stared pointedly at her window from the corner of her eye.
Kurama understood, also feeling the familiar glare of the spiky haired demon sitting just outside of their line of sight. He nodded and commented on her monologues from time to time, pulling himself further into his own chair, away from the claimed girl. With the ever watchful eyes of the accused, he wondered if he would ever get the chance to talk to her about what happened, or if she actually knew.
They chatted for a while, Kurama attempting to explain something he had learned in one of his course he would test for when the tournament ended, and Ayane staring wide-eyed and doing her best to absorb it.
"I think it would make more sense to me on paper," she admitted, scratching the back of her head. "I was never good with lectures, after all. I had an instructor who explained everything perfectly to me, though! She was this wind demon who taught me history." She noticed him lean curiously forward and stopped herself. "I would love to borrow some of your books, if that would be all right with you?"
The redhead smiled politely and leaned back in his seat once more, aware of his friend still resting just outside the window. He changed the topic from his studies to a few small anecdotes since meeting the other three; a subject he knew would bore their drop-in companion.
The time for an appropriate departure arrived much sooner than her guest had intended, as she could no longer bear the accusing glare that pierced her soul from the perch on the tree. She hurried Kurama out after affirming she would join them for lunch.
She knew he would be gone by the time she opened the window, but she went to it, a faint hope she would deny that he would still be there. Her eyes traced the forest again before she straightened and lifted her arms to shut it again. An impish grin fixed itself on her face as she lowered her arms back to her sides, intent on driving him at least as mad as he had driven her. With a proud nod to herself, she left her room, though she secured the lock as an afterthought.
As it had somehow every other time, she knew the window would be shut and locked by the time she returned to her room.
The time meant for the teams to arrive came much too quickly for her; she had enjoyed her freedom from the ever vigilant eyes of her "keeper", although those eyes had been replaced by another set. In a cynical moment, she wondered if she would ever be left to her own life. She sat next to Yusuke in the "Urameshi Lounge" the day before demons flooded the hotel. She sat quietly, smiling at them from time to time, as he and Kazuma berated each other and bragged about their individual accomplishments. She caught herself tempted to look over at the familiar soul that stared out the window across the room. A soft breeze drifted from the semi-open window and circled the room once; the strange scent caught their attention.
"They're not supposed to be here until tomorrow," Kurama murmured, eyes narrowed.
She had sensed his sour soul long before the demons around her smelled him. Red eyes met hers knowingly in the reflection in the window; she let out a tiny noise of disapproval and averted her eyes, unsure of when she had allowed them to trail to his. "Of course he decided to show up early – I'm here," she mumbled before sipping her tea. Confused stares met her cool one.
"Shou must maintain a firm grasp on his property at all times, were you unaware?" Her tone took a cynical turn when she placed down her mug and recited, "'Failure to obey this rule results in varying punishments, directly correlated to the severity of the crime.'" She stopped when the souls around her flared dangerously; she had said too much. "There's nothing to worry about though!" she hurriedly reassured them. "Shou won't be able to do anything to me with Koenma watching."
A firm, cold knock at the door caused the guys around her to do something she had not seen in a while – circle protectively around her. She even felt Hiei's eyes burning past her, his threat attempting to pierce through the door. The footsteps of the redhead echoed in her ears as Yusuke and Kazuma sandwiched her comfortably enough between them.
"How may I help you?" Kurama's voice oozed with a sickening combination of hostility and hospitality.
"Ah," that simple word mirrored Kurama's tone. "I would say it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, but it appears as though you have something that belongs to me." Shou's narrowed eyes pierced her over Kurama's shoulder. "Come along now."
Shivers wracked her body and she shrugged off Yusuke's comforting hand. "I'm not a thing," she protested, her voice bitter as she met him, her own eyes stubborn. "Koenma will be and is watching this entire tournament, Shou."
"Stupid child, did you think I wouldn't expect him to be? I put your name in on purpose." He glared back up at Kurama. "Return her to me at once, you filthy beast."
"Tch. Prissy little thing, ain't he, Aya?" Yusuke grumbled.
The moment the giggle left her lips, Hiei had made his way across the room and stood between the redhead and the uninvited blonde, relaxed. "I suggest you turn and find your room," the much smaller demon said coolly as he rested against the door frame. "Urameshi."
"Shou, huh? Come on, buddy, let's go. Kuwabara, let's guide the man around!"
The awkward carrot top leapt at the chance to accompany the two. Ayane's eyes were as round as dinner plates, likely similar to the absolutely bewildered expression on her team leader's normally composed face. As the trio walked – with the outer two dragging the inner one – down the hallway, the other three stood silently in the room.
"What are they gonna do?" she asked, breaking the silence.
"Not enough," Hiei growled, mostly to himself.
Kurama took note of his friend's words before he turned back to Ayane, a smile planted on his face. "They're leading him to the maze of the basement with the other guests who attempted to arrive early."
"I thought they were just normal, shady hotel people from the demon realm! I wondered why they were down there the whole time!" she exclaimed before she thought it through. She balked under the intensity of their stares. "I shouldn't have known they were there, huh?"
Hiei's searching eyes asked his question: how?
"So I'm safe tonight?"
Kurama kept pace with her, nodding. "One of us will guard you just in case, of course, but I highly doubt you're in danger. He approached her as she stood and stretched. A brief whiff of the scent rolling off her caused him to flinch and stop suddenly. "Hiei will lead you around as I prepare to station myself outside your room."
"That's ridiculous, Kurama! I can protect myself – I sleep with my weapons next to my bed!" The glance Hiei shot her almost read "liar". "At any rate, I don't need to be a thorn in any of your sides. I'd much rather handle my own problems."
"Take the help, fool," he growled, his eyes narrowed at her.
"I'd rather not," she huffed, crossing her arms. "I'll be able to come to you if I need you."
It took her a moment to react to him placing himself firmly in front of her and grabbing her chin. A smug look crossed his face as he took her hopelessly dazed expression in. "Take the help, fool," he repeated, quietly and far more dangerously.
"Fine," she responded. A swear bubbled in her throat as she heard herself sound more breathless than defiant. She jerked her chin from his hand and cleared her throat before trying again,"Just make sure you're gone when Kurama gets all set up then."
"He will be, Lady Ayane," Kurama interjected, taking a reluctant step towards them. "I'll be there in under ten minutes. Lady Ayane, please go with Hiei while I prepare." Before either could argue, the uncomfortable redhead shuffled through one of the side rooms, shutting the door behind him.
The air in the room seemed to go with him.
Her slippers, complete with bunny ears, seemed ridiculous under the circumstances and she slid one behind her under the guise of scratching her other leg. Her brain seemed to melt under the intense look he pinned her with. "I'm not happy about this," she grumbled, her gaze settling on a tiny crack in the wall to the side.
He grunted, almost asking if she thought he cared, as he walked away from her. He told himself he was far from being thrilled about watching over her. At the door, he paused and glared over his shoulder at her. "Move your feet, girl."
She stuck out her tongue as she shuffled towards him, undermining his vicious demand. A low growl from his direction caused her to stop dead in her tracks and shrink away from him an inch. "Don't do that," she whispered.
The red orbs searched her face, unsure of how to soothe the worried expression he found there. "Let's go," he muttered, opting to turn away from her. Emotions were in no way his strong suite and he would not try to change that for her. Once he confirmed that she followed him, he made quick work of locating her room and securing them both inside.
"I don't need you in here," she mumbled as she took a seat on her bed, unsure of what to do. She followed him with her eyes as he strode over to the window to stare out of it, hands shoved into his pockets. "You can stand outside," she insisted, annoyed at the shrug off she received. "In fact, that's exactly what I want. Get out of my room." A sidelong glance in her direction told her he would not leave anytime soon. She silently prayed for Kurama to make it there soon.
"Their spirit energies are completely masked in the basement," he mentioned, breaking the tense silence. "I'm unable to even force my way into your mind."
"I can't explain it," she whispered, stared at her joined hands. Knowing that to be far from the response he desired, she gnawed on her lower lip. The fierce beating of her heart echoed in her ears as the silence blanketed them once more. "Wh-what's taking Kurama so long? I could have sworn he'd be here by now."
"He's not coming."
His words fell heavy on her ears. "What?"
With a grunt, he returned to glaring out the window. "Rest."
"Not with you in here!" Having him in her room at night seemed like a bad plan for her. Having anyone in her room as she slept seemed like a bad plan, once she thought about it. "You need to go."
He let out a chuckle.
"Please get out. I need to change."
His hand lifted and he pointed towards her bathroom.
A frustrated cry left her throat and she stomped over to him. "Get. Out. Of. My. Room!" Despite a voice in her head telling her better, she felt the need to push him even further, jabbing a finger into his arm with every syllable.
She was still caught off guard as he wrenched her hand in midair, pulling it above her head and watching her struggle to pull it free. Something in him snapped when she let out a surprised little yelp and whined at his firm grip. He watched her struggle to free herself, her body wriggling and doing such painful things to him. The gasp, then subsequent pout, as he tossed her backwards onto the bed, awakened things he was embarrassed to think about.
"Rest, idiot girl," he warned.
"Make me," she hissed, unsure of what in him caused her to push him so.
The next moment startled both of them to the extent of him disappearing out of her window. As she stared, wide-eyed, after him, her fingers snaked up to trace her mouth. It had been brief, but she was sure his warm, rough lips had pressed against her own. Her head was dizzy with the intensity the tiny connection held.
Ayane shivered as she slowly raised herself to a seated position. Slowly, carefully, she slid the window shut. Aware of the hell she would receive otherwise, she secured the lock in place and stood there for a moment longer, wondering if it had just been her imagination.
His eyes had shown her so much when they widened in surprise; why had he been surprised? He had been the one to kiss her, after all. She curled into her bed after switching her light off, leaving her clothing for the morning. Something told her she had a long night of tossing and turning ahead of her.
Author's Note: Hopefully, all NBNA fans have found this by now! Hope you're enjoying it!
