A/N: I am so so so so so so sorry I haven't updated in like a month! I feel so bad about it but I got a new art tablet and I've been just so into playing with it that I've spent majority of my free time playing with it :) I know if yall hate me... :( but I'm gonna post another chapter after this which is going to be Hiei's POV from the last chapter to make up for it... I've also found a new obsession which is the Hayao Miyazaki film Howls Moving Castle... So I think I might work on some fanfics for that eh? Anyways enough of me, leave a review so I can get inspired to update!

Chapter 8: Shopping Trip


"Chiyo it's time to get up!"

I felt Yukina shake me though I only tightened the blanket around me and groaned. How much sleep had I gotten last night? I felt groggy and wanted to sleep longer. A lot longer.

"Fifteen more minutes," I groaned and heard her chuckle.

"No we don't have time!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm taking you shopping today!"

I shot out from under the covers then, memories from last night flooded through my brain. Hiei had told me that Yukina was planning a shopping day today with someone else. Who was it again? I couldn't remember as I tried to push the memories back for now, I had to concentrate on the present second. Yukina wanted to take me shopping, which meant I had to leave the temple. I hadn't left the temple since I arrived! I had no idea what to expect so I began having an internal panic attack. It must have shone somewhere on my face because Yukina patted my back reassuringly.

"Don't worry, it'll be fun!" She smiled and placed some clean clothes in my hands before leaving to give me privacy to change. I sighed, staring down at my hands, I really was tired but I got up despite myself. The sooner I got out of bed, the sooner I could get back in.

./././

"I'm Keiko Yukimura! It's nice to finally meet you!" A young woman with long brown hair smiled warmly at me extending her hand. I didn't have to think twice about taking it, her personality was so warm it rivaled Yukinas and I knew instantly I could trust her. I had walked into the sitting room that was filled with a few new faces and she was the first to approach me. Soon though, she was snatched to Yusuke's side for a brief kiss, and I saw my first impression of what people call love must be like. She was all blushes and smiles and when they looked at each other I thought it was so private that I wore a blush of my own and looked away.

"Hey, I'm Shizuru Kuwabara," A tall woman with long dirty blonde hair extended her hand after taking a long drag on a cigarette. I took hers but even though she seemed nice, she intimidated me. My attention was diverted by the same bubbly blue haired girl that was with Koenma that one day, she had tackled me in a hug and wouldn't release until I awkwardly patted her on the back.

"Oh we're just going to have so much fun today!" she bounced up and down before practically dragging Keiko from Yusuke and the other girls all the way to the bottom of the temples stairs. She was babbling something about no boys allowed to Keiko who pointed out that Kuwabara was allowed to come which I assumed was due to the fact Koenma had probably told her to make sure her "protector" was by her. He looked like he was taking his job very seriously, how he hovered around her and held onto her hand with a tight grip that I was worried it hurt her. She would occasionally squeeze his hand reassuringly and Shizuru would just roll her eyes. Which reminded me that I hadn't seen Hiei at all this morning but something told me he was keeping a close eye somewhere in the trees. Not for me of course, but Yukinas safety I knew was always on Hieis mind.

We caught a bus to take us into town and I felt uneasy about being around so many humans but soon calmed down because none of them posed any threat to me. We went through various clothing stores, according to Boton you could never have enough shoes… or pants… or clothes… Also we had to get me some training clothes as well, Yukina told me that Koenma had suggested to Genkai to begin to train me properly. Shizuru told me it would be hell but honestly I was excited, now I wouldn't be so weak anymore, or at the very least bored. We stopped to get lunch and between carrying so many bags around and not getting enough sleep last night my fatigue was really setting in.

I rested my head against my chair feeling the sun on my face. We had decided on going to an outdoor café and my eyes felt heavy as I halfway listened to the other girls conversation. Suddenly though, my moment of piece was interrupted by something crashing into my side and knocking me on the ground. Confused, I looked around to see a rather grungy looking man running away from me. I looked to see what he might be running from and could find nothing until I notice around his shoulder was the bag that Yukina had lent me for all the spending money Koenma had given to me.

He had stolen my bag.

My first instinct was to freeze, to not go after him because he was male and he could hurt me. I was terrified, but against everything in my mind screaming at me to not do it I ran after him.

"Hey!" I heard Shizuru yell after me but I didn't stop. He was far ahead of me but I pushed forward until my legs began to ache and my chest hurt. He would occasionally look back and seeing his face would make me stumble.

"Stop!" I cried after him, and surprisingly he did. I thought that he had heard me and felt a streak of grace and would give me back my bag, but that was before I saw him fall flat on his back. I saw the same shadowy figure that haunted my dreams, standing over this unconscious man as he did my dead mother in my nightmares. I stopped several yards away before shaking my head to clear my thoughts. This wasn't a dream, this was real. This was Hiei. He didn't kill my mother. He won't hurt me. But he hurt this man… Did he kill this man?

"Hn, I really wouldn't expect you to say thank you, rude woman," He reached down to get my bag and hand it to me but I just stared at him and he sighed.

"Don't worry, he's just unconscious. I didn't hit him hard enough to kill him."

I nodded my head and reached to grab my bag but he didn't let go. Slowly I looked up to meet his eyes, watching me intently, and we stood there for a moment. It wasn't until I heard rushed footsteps behind me and heard Yukina calling my name that he let go and I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"Hey! What happened? We were all just planning to go to another shoe store and suddenly you fell and just took off running! Oh, Hiei? When did you get here?" Boton babbled grabbing at my arm.

"Leaving," was all he muttered I watched him walk into the crowd of civilians, leaving me confused as the others caught up each wondering what had happened. I had no answer to give any of them.

./././

Determination is what led me to the tree that night. I was still so tired from last night but I pushed through the fatigue. I scanned the tops of the trees , finding the tallest one and started to make my way back up. I hoped he would be there, on the branch that was as close to the sky as you could get without it breaking. I hadn't seen him since earlier when he had caught the man that had stolen my bag. I like still felt his eyes on me wherever we went though, but even when we came back to the temple he hadn't even shown up for dinner and I found myself looking for him in the trees. I was almost to the top now and I began to feel dizzy from how tired I was. I settled on the branch that was only a few lower than the one I had sat on the previous night.

"Hiei?" I called and saw a rustle of leaves before a shadowy figure appeared in the branch above me.

"I hope you're not making this routine, I rather enjoy peace." He muttered as he lazily lay on the branch.

"What the hell was that today?" I yelled, or at least I wanted to yell but it came out more a whisper as I stared at his face. He ignored me though, he looked as though he were asleep but I knew he was just trying to get me to fight with him just like the night before. I wouldn't let him get to me tonight, I was too tired, so I situated myself on my branch to where I was comfortable. Soon though, my weariness began pulling my eyes shut of their own accord. I jumped awake a few times before I unwillingly fell asleep. The last sound I heard was a soft chuckling but I didn't know if it were real or a dream.

Sunlight awoke me late the next morning in my room, and I had no idea how I had gotten there.

A/N: This is a shorter chapter I know, but I really couldn't make this any longer with my future chapter ideas... Aww Hiei saved Chiyo! Good! It's his job! Leave a review telling me how I did! Even though I know this chapter kind of sucked...