"Tsuki? Tsuki, are you here? Answer me, Tsuki, please, answer me!" Hiei trudged through one of the many elaborate gardens surrounding the old castle. The castle, owed by the former rulers the Ryu's, was now abandoned since only Tsuki was truly left. All of her brothers, sisters, and relatives had left behind the name Ryu after the Black War, also called Jehovah's War. No one came to this place anymore; it was alone but still in all its glory. At the edges of Makai, time had left the place as new as if it were first built.
Why Hiei came here, he wasn't sure. He was just drawn to this place.
"Tsuki! I know you're here! Now where are you?!" then he thought back to the days when he had lived in a palace. He envisioned Tsuki in his mind and said 'go.' He felt the familiar 'whoosh' and opened his eyes. He saw Tsuki's crumpled form laying next to her bed.
"Tsuki?" Hiei rushed over to her.
"What?" she sat up quickly. "Oh, hello, Hiei. What are you doing here?" Hiei just stared at her stunned. "What?" she asked.
"You're supposed to be injured," Hiei said.
"Oh, this?" Tsuki looked down at where her hand lay over blood soaked cloth. She breathed deeply. "It's only a scratch. It should heal in a day, maybe two." By the time she finished speaking she was out of breath. Hiei walked over to her side. He looked at the wound then picked Tsuki up and set her gently on the bed.
"H-Hiei?" Tsuki said surprised.
"Hush. Let me see it," he commanded. Tsuki clutched her side and tried to get up. "Lay still."
"No."
"What?"
"I said no," Tsuki repeated. Hiei was taken aback. "Leave me alone. Go away. I don't need you or your help." Tsuki stared at Hiei defiantly. Hiei turned his face towards the floor.
"No," he whispered. Tsuki's defiance faltered. She could see something glitter on Hiei's cheek. Then she saw a pure black jewel fall on the sheet followed by a few more. "No, I won't lose you, too. I won't go. I won't stop. I can't. If I lost you, then… then everything that ever meant anything to me would be gone. I wouldn't be able to live again. I would be all empty and gone. I would die." Hiei paused. "I…I love you, Tsuki Ryu! I love you and I couldn't stand to lose you. No matter what I do, what I say, where I go, the truth remains, I love you." In the next few minutes the world seemed to stop. No one said or did anything and nothing seemed to move or breathe. It was silent as a grave.
Hiei slowly turned back towards Tsuki.
"Tsuki, I—umph." Tsuki launched herself at Hiei and buried her face in his shirt. Hiei, startled by her actions, took a moment to react, then he wrapped his arms around her. He could here her muffled sobs as she cried into his shirt.
"Shh, it's alright. I'm here and I'm not leaving you. I will always protect you," Hiei whispered into her hair. Tsuki pulled back a bit.
"No, you're wrong," she said softly. She had a hard time holding back her tears. "You're lying! You're lying. They said the same thing. All of them said the same thing. I love you. I will always protect you. You are mine. I will always be with you, always protect you. All lies. All of them they all lied. They always promised to be always at my side yet they always left. I was always left alone. All of them promised it. My mother, my father, my family, my relatives, Sesshomaru, Takashi, Eclipse, …and Jehovah. They all…they…they all promised, but they all…" Tsuki's sentence trailed off as she broke down and bawled her eyes out.
"Tsuki," Hiei said softly. His arms drew her close.
"No!" Tsuki screamed. Her hands clawed at his back. "No, let me go! Let go of me! Please, let go, please, please, hold me tighter. Just hold me tighter." Tsuki gave herself up to Hiei at that moment and just closed her eyes against the world outside. All that mattered right then was her and the man that was holding her not just with his arms but also with his heart and all the love he had.
Tsuki looked up at him with big watery eyes, her face stained with tears. Hiei gently wiped her face clean. He leaned down and stopped an inch from Tsuki's face unsure. She quickly pushed herself up and closed the gap.
Their first kiss was passionate; this kiss was desperate.
Hiei lay Tsuki on her back and climbed on top of her. He ran his fingers down Tsuki's arms, then back up. Tsuki shivered under him. He smiled into the kiss. Then he ran his hands down her front. He gave each of her breasts a quick squeeze and then continued running his fingers down her body. Hiei smiled again at the stifled moan that escaped Tsuki.
Suddenly he felt her grip in his hair loosen.
"Tsuki?" Hiei sat up and looked at the girl under him and found she had passed out. "Dammit," he muttered remembering her wound. He straightened her out on the bed. Then he set to cleaning and bandaging the wound.
Tsuki woke up in her old castle room. Was it all a dream? Tsuki thought of Hiei. It must've been because the Koorimen was no where in sight. Just thinking of him sent a shiver down her spine. She hugged herself tightly.
"You're awake," Hiei slid into the bed behind Tsuki and gathered her in his arms. "Did you sleep well?" Hiei had felt the dragon stiffen when she had seen him and now she wasn't relaxing. Maybe she thought last night was a mistake. Hiei leaned down and whispered into her ear. "Tsuki, what's wrong?"
"It wasn't a dream?" she asked, disbelief clear in her voice. "Youlove me! You love me!" Hiei lent over and kissed her firmly on the lips, as if proof that, yes he loved her. Then he pulled away.
"Come on, dragon," he said playfully. "Time to go home. The others are probably worried sick." Tsuki leaned up and kissed him quickly. Pulling back she smiled.
"Sure, let's go," she replied. Then they were gone and the Ryu palace was again left empty.
"Where the Hell are they? Dammit!" Yusuke yelled. He paced the hallway for the fifth time that minute. "Kurama, any sign?" he yelled.
"You don't have to yell, I'm right here." Yusuke jumped as Kurama materialized beside him.
"Dammit! Don't do that!" Yusuke yelled. "So, did you find them?"
"They're coming," Van Fanel answered walking into the kitchen with Hitomi. "They are on their way up to the door right now." Everyone in the vicinity raced to the door. They all took a collective breath as the doorknob slowly turned and then finally swung open.
"Everyone, we're home!" Tsuki yelled as she pushed open the door. She stopped as she saw the gathering in the hallway. "What a welcoming!" she exclaimed. Then she was whisked away to be questioned and healed, then fed, bathed, and put to bed.
Hiei let her hand slid out of his unnoticed by anyone but Kurama. Once the hallway was empty, Kurama walked up to him.
"Did you two have fun?" Kurama drawled teasingly. The usually unemotional fire demon turned a bright pink.
"Shut up," Hiei mumbled. "We didn't do that much."
"Oh!" Kurama's eyes lit up. "So you did do something." Hiei went from pink to red. "Now, my fire Koorime, excuse me, I mean, Tsuki's fire Koorime, tell me all about it." Kurama took Hiei's arm and walked him down the hall.
The next morning, Tsuki and Hiei walked together on their way to school. Kurama watched them carefully, as did Yusuke and the others. Seeing the change in the two was easy; only a blind idiot, like Kuwabara, for instance, would have to ask.
"Psst," Kuwabara whispered in Yusuke's ear. "What's with those two? They going out?" Yusuke hit him really hard.
"Shut up, you idiot! You know how those two are! It you say anything, Hiei might get embarrassed and pound you. Same with Tsuki."
That day, Tsuki no longer avoided Hiei and the others.
"I gotta go!" she yelled as she went of to another class. "See ya later!" Then she was gone in the crowd. Hiei walked into his classroom and took his seat. Andy and his goonies walked up to him.
"Hey Hiei," he said casually. "How ya been?" Andy paused as if expecting an answer. When he didn't get one he took a breath and continued. "D'ya remember that lil' talk we had in gym a little while ago? The one about Tsuki?" Andy's voice changed from the pleasant tone he had been using to a gruffer, more threatening one. "Well, since you seem to have forgotten, I'll give you one last chance." He leaned in close, invading Hiei's personal bubble. "Leave Tsuki Ryu alone." Hiei stood up quickly startling Andy.
"No. You're the one who should leave her alone. She's way too good for the likes of you." Then Hiei turned and stalked off.
"Don't walk away from me!" Andy shouted. Picking up a chair, he took off after him. He caught Hiei off guard and hit him in the shoulder. Hiei turned and punched knocking down Andy. Then all of Andy's goonies jumped on him and Andy joined in.
A teacher had to call in eight seniors and five teachers to pull Andy, Hiei, and the other seven guys apart.
"You stay away from her! You're just a freak! If she way too good for me, then think how bad you are for her, you stupid bastard!" Andy shouted as he was "assisted" to the principle's office. Hiei wiped a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth.
About an hour later, Tsuki was called to the office.
"Ms. Tsuki," Mr. Yagashi greeted her as she entered. "Please, come in and sit down." Tsuki quickly took a seat in front of his desk. "I believe that you and Mr. Hiei are friends."
"Yessir, we are," Tsuki answered cautiously, not knowing where this conversation was leading.
"Would you like to tell me how you two met?" Mr. Yagashi questioned.
"I don't see how that is relevant to anything," Tsuki replied defensively. Mr. Yagashi chuckled.
"You're right. I'm sorry. It's just that ever since you have arrived, Hiei has been…well…different." Mr. Yagashi sighed. "Anyway," he continued, scribbling something on a piece of paper. "I expect you to take him home and help him to heal. He took quite a beating from Andy Surgoh and his friends. Take care of him, Ms. Ryu." He sat back in his chair. "Good day."
Knowing a dismissal when she heard one, Tsuki got up and left, taking the excuse with her. It excused both her and Hiei from classes for the rest of the day. She made her way quickly to the nurse's office. The nurse was no where in sight so Tsuki just laid the note on her desk. Hiei lay on one of the clean, white beds. His black hair and clothes were a stark contrast with the pure white.
"Hey," she said softly as she walked over to his side. He opened one of his eyes and looked at her. "I've come to take you home. You took quite a beating." Hiei didn't say anything, just looked away. "Alrighty then, let's go home." Tsuki slung Hiei's arm around her neck and they began the stumbling journey home.
"Don't move," a scratchy voice commanded. Tsuki stopped dead in her tracks as she felt the cold steel pressed against her throat. Neither she nor Hiei had sensed the demons approach. "Lord Mau is very displeased with you. You are continually screwing up all of his plans. Time to die!" he yelled. He moved the blade to make the kill, but Tsuki was gone. She side stepped and mumbled "Lina, Queen of Saturn, Planet of Storms, lend me thy weapon. Long sword of Storms!" Lightning flew into Tsuki outstretched hand. And when the light faded a beautiful sword was clutched in Tsuki's hand. She made short work of the demons. The last one she pinned to a tree.
"Where is Mau?" She demanded.
"Where it all began," the demon answered. Then Tsuki slit its throat.
"Thank you, Queen Lina," Tsuki whispered and the long sword disappeared. Then she went back to Hiei, helped him up, and they walked home in silence.
She seems so serious, Hiei thought looking at her as she settled him on his bed. "Tsuki?" he asked grabbing her hand as she went to leave. She sighed and rolled her eyes.
"What, Hiei?" she asked shortly. Hiei drew back. "What? What do you want?! I thought I knew, but ever since we've gotten back you've been distant and unemotional." Tsuki began to cry. When Hiei was silent for a while, Tsuki wrench her hand from his grasp and began walking out.
"Stop." Hiei's voice was soft but strong. "Please, don't leave. I'm sorry." He got up and walked over to his dragon. He wrapped his arms around Tsuki, surprising her. He buried his face in the crook of her neck. After a few seconds she felt her neck getting damp.
Tears?! Is he crying? Why…I know he's crying because of me, Tsuki thought.
"Please, please don't leave me, Tsuki. Please, don't die. I love you. I'm sorry, Tsuki, please…" Hiei trailed off. So under that rough exterior you truly do have a good heart, Tsuki thought. I always knew you did. The second I met you I knew that your cold surface held something deep within. Oh, Hiei, my love. What am I to do? Jehovah guide me. If I love you then it will throw everything off. You were never…I was never…He told me never to become attached. To become attached secretly is different. But to show…it's dangerous, both for me and you, my love. Damn you Hiei! Why do you…love me? Is this my destiny? To lose the ones I love? Eclipse is now only a ghost, a memory, of what he was before, all because of me. Leeran Akealiana is a hateful child, who foolishly chases after a man who cannot love her. Sesshomaru, a fall from glory for me. Taka, a wanderer doomed to die at the side of his hated mistress. And Jehovah, my brother…Hiei, I couldn't live with myself if I hurt you, too, but I can't…can't stop loving you.
Tsuki twisted around in his arms so she could see him.
"Hiei," she whispered sweetly. She brushed a stray hair out of his face and wiped away his tears. "My love, I will never leave you and I will always love you." She leaned up and kissed him. "I promise," she added. "Now," she pulled back slightly. "You need to get some rest." She led him back to his bed and laid him down. "Now sleep," she commanded, then she turned to leave. Hiei grabbed her arm and pulled her into the bed.
"Stay with me," he said as he kissed her.
"Of course." Tsuki wrapped her arms around him and snuggled against his chest. Soon they were both fast asleep, each comforted by the others steady breathing.
