Author's Note:

Greetings everyone!

I've got another chapter in less than a week! That's because I was fairly free the last few days, though I can't say the same about tomorrow and probably the few days to come. Sigh... school is such a hassle sometimes.

This chapter is suggestive, like most of the chapters that will be soon to come. I think I'm quite good at writing suggestive chapters. Will you tell me your opinion in your review, pretty please? It helps a lot, you know.

Oh, and I want to thank the people who reviewed. Sadly, no one new has favourited or followed T^T But that okay, no use dwelling on the past. I hope I can get more readers with this new chapter! And thanks for the people who are still reading this! Please, keep supporting me, okay, beloved readers?^^

Well then, please enjoy the chapter 10 of A Key to His Heart!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho


A Key to His Heart

Chapter 10: A Bit of Teasing


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Twitch

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Twitch

"Hiei, stop twitching your eyebrow like that. And stop frowning. You'll get wrinkles."

Hiei's eyebrow gave another annoyed twitch when another exaggerated slurping sound came from the man across him, which he knew was made just to irritate him. "I can't help it, Onna. Not when you invite this thing into the temple and serve him tea." Hiei said with obvious resent in his voice.

"We've got some left-overs cakes from last night too," Kyoko added with a smile, placing a slice of a blueberry cheesecake in front of Hibiki. "Enjoy."

"Thank you, princess." Hibiki purred giddily, his grin so big Hiei thought his face might split. Good then. Because it was either that or his sword which would do the splitting.

Hiei growled, feeling itching to slash this man in front of him open with his trusted katana. But he stopped short when Kyoko placed a pint of ice cream in front of him. From the smell, it's chocolate chip cookie dough. He glanced at her and she flashed him a closed-eyed smile, "You like ice cream, don't you? Kurama told me."

A tiny speck of pink dusted his cheeks and he shrugged her interested looks off, picking up the spoon and began eating his cold treat. Kyoko seemed to find the sight of him eating ice cream somewhat amusing because she chuckled and began ruffling his hair like what she often did.

"Eeh? What's with that?" Hibiki, across them, pouted, "Princess, why aren't you paying attention to me anymore?!" whined he, much to Hiei's annoyance.

"Shut your mouth and eat, thing. You should be grateful you even got anything from us."

"I didn't get this from you, three-eyes. I got this from my princess."

Kyoko sweat-dropped when they began throwing insults and exchanging sharp glares, electricity cracking between the two. Sighing tiredly from their childish antics, she sipped her green tea and savoured the fantastic smell and taste.

A soft vibrating came from the pocket of her skirt and Kyoko took her cell-phone out. Checking on the caller, her face lit up wholly when she saw the caller ID. "Mom." She breathed out, standing up. Looking down at the two males, who had their attentions turned to her the moment her phone rang, she informed, "It's my mom. I'm going to answer this. You two, be good and enjoy your treats."

And with that she left the two hostile males alone with only each other presences.

They glared at each other, lips both thinned to a straight line and energies slightly flared. Hiei, surprisingly, was the one who broke the silence first.

"Don't go near that Onna." he ordered in a firm, threatening growl.

Hibiki scoffed, "Yeah, like hell I won't. Who do you think you are three-eyes? Her daddy?" Hiei's growl turned fiercer and Hibiki smirked, "ooh, scary… what will you do, three-eyes? Punch me? Kick me? You know my princess will get angry if you're being bad."

Hiei's eyes narrowed in distaste, "Listen here, thing," he emphasized on the 'thing', his new nickname for Hibiki, "I am the one appointed to watch over that Onna. I will not let you go near her, not until you are proved to be safe." Then he went quiet for a moment before continuing, "On another thought, maybe not. Even if you're proved to be safe, you are still dangerous to me."

"How protective," Hibiki sang, "do you have any special feelings for my princess?"

Fangs bared; Hiei snarled, "I don't!"

"Hmph! Liar, liar, pants on fire!" the whitehead broke off a big piece of his cake and ate it with a disbelieving huff, "If you like her, just be honest! Princess seems like the type who likes honest people," He ate another piece, "besides, what's the point of hiding anyway? Princess is very observant, she'll notice sooner or later. Probably sooner."

He remembered the incident just hours ago when they almost kissed. Or maybe he almost kissed her. But he just couldn't help it. She just looked so delectable at that moment, with her hair slightly messier than usual form the wind, the frameless glasses she was wearing, the tight white camisole she wore that day and her wet lashes. And those lips; slightly parted and pink. He just had to taste them.

"Crap, I'd recognize that kind of look any day."

He snapped out of his haze and blinked, glancing up at Hibiki, eyes still dark and full of lustful passion.

"Clear your head, three-eyes. I ain't gonna let you attack my princess the moment she steps into this room." Hibiki growled menacingly, "You listen closely three-eyes. I don't care if you've got a Jagan, a dragon, a second mouth or anything. But one wrong step towards my princess and you're dead. Got it?"

"Don't you speak as if she's yours."

"And don't you speak as if she's yours." Hibiki countered, "because believe me, she'll never be. Don't you think you can take advantage of her kindness because she cares about for just a little bit, three-eyes."

And with that, the tension turned thick in another blink of an eye.

Kyoko walked in on them in another glaring contest and sighed tiredly to herself. Sitting down beside Hiei, she asked, "What's wrong now?"

Hibiki's cold face broke into a smile, "nothing, princess. We're just having a fight over food. Like normal men."

"More like boys." Kyoko muttered as she poured more tea into their cups. Noticing Hiei's melting ice cream; she picked the pint up and put it in his hands. "You should hurry and finish this, Hiei. Look, it's melting."

"Hn."

She smiled. When she turned back front, Hibiki was pouting at them. She raised an eyebrow at him but he only sighed and shook himself, going back to his cake.

After a while, they finished their treats, silently. The only conversations they had are when Kyoko asked Hibiki how the cake was or when she asked Hiei if he wanted more tea. The tension between the two was so thick; she could cut it with a butter knife.

"So," she began, putting her cup down, "why don't you tell Hiei about that, Hibiki? Hiei can help you."

"What?" asked Hiei, his head turned to face Kyoko in an instant, incredulous.

She smiled. "You can, can't you, Hiei?" He didn't give an answer and she clapped her hands once, satisfied. Turning to Hibiki, she motioned him to start.

Hibiki didn't look like he want to share even the tiniest bit of whatever it was he planned on telling to him. The whitehead was glaring at him and he could make out something. Something red and glimmering from behind the sunglasses he wore.

With his inhuman speed, Hiei removed the sunglasses from Hibiki's face and threw it away, revealing a pair of glimmering scarlet eyes staring right back into his crimson ones. Kyoko gasped beside him.

"My, Hibiki! Your eyes are gorgeous!" she exclaimed in awe, "if I've never seen Hiei's before, I probably would have gouged yours out for decorations." She joked, laughing to her own joke. Hibiki laughed also, although slightly uncomfortable.

"Onna, you've got the weirdest sense of humour."

"It seems like you've rubbed off on me, Hiei." Another flash of smile and Hiei knew when to shut up. Hibiki snorted and Hiei heard the whitehead murmured 'lame-ass' under his breath. "Anyway, why don't you continue Hibiki?"

"Ah, right." he shifted awkwardly, "Uh, princess? Maybe we can do this some other time? When the other people of your team are here, I mean. I, uh, feel uncomfortable telling this to three-eyes. You know how mean he is." He pouted, his lower lip trembling and his scarlet eyes watering, causing them to shine.

Kyoko's heart stopped a beat at the adorable puppy eyes and she smiled warmly, hand reaching out to cup Hibiki's tanned cheek. "Oh, of course we can. You are welcome here anytime."

Hiei's chest gave a painful tug and he glared at Kyoko's hand, which was resting on Hibiki's cheek. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand back to her side, still holding it to keep it in place. Kyoko blinked and gave him a questioning look to which he ignored. Instead, he focused on glaring at his new enemy.

Hibiki didn't give him any mind as he drank the last bit of his tea and stood up, dusting his pants. "Well, gotta go back to work. I've got no doubt they are in frenzy without me there. They're such hopeless people sometimes."

Kyoko stood up also. "Then, let me walk you out."

Hiei moved to his feet, his silent way of saying that he's also going.


"But really Hiei, you shouldn't be so rude to a friend." Kyoko scolded as she hung a shirt which clearly belonged to Yusuke out on a clothesline. She then pinned it to keep it from flying away with plastic clothespins. "Hibiki is a nice person."

Hiei listened quietly throughout her scolding, sitting on the grass beside her and the laundry basket full of washed laundries. He didn't understand why she didn't just use the dryer but he wouldn't ask again. When he asked not a few minutes ago, she had explained to him, in great detail, how drying clothes out was much better, something about making the linens and clothes smelt fresh and sunlight being good for sanitising bleaching agent. She also said that it helped her exercise, by stretching her arm muscles or something along those lines, and the list still went on and on.

When Kyoko was done with Yusuke's shirt, she opened her palm to him and he sighed, picking up another shirt and handing it out to her. She hung and pinned it to place, smoothing the fabric and making sure it was hung right. She was the perfect epitome of those old-days housewives. Who enjoyed doing laundries and cleaning nowadays?

"And also, you shouldn't have called him a thing. It's very mean. After all, Hibiki is just a normal human… Oh, wait he is a demon."

"Hn."

"Okay, then. Well, he is just like you, Hiei. You should be kind and tolerance to your own kind. Besides, I think you will get along just fine with him. If you will stop being an anti-social, that is." He gave her another cloth and she did the routine.

The scolding went on until the last piece of clothing article was hung. Hiei listened silently and only spoke when she was asking him. Talking back to her would probably land him in hot water. At least, that's what Kuwabara, Yusuke, Shizuru and Keiko said.

"Alright, I'm done." She announced, plopping down beside him, massaging her bare upper-arms. "I haven't done laundry in a while. I guess I'm getting out of shape."

"How can someone get out of shape of doing laundry is beyond me."

She chuckled. "Why don't you try helping me with laundries sometimes Hiei? It's a great training for your arms muscles." He gave her a look that said, 'Are you serious?' and she laughed. "You should try. It'll be a great help for me too."

"I helped. I carried the basket and gave you the clothes."

"Of course, you do. Thank you, Hiei." She ruffled his hair and gave him a warm smile. "Without you, I wouldn't have finished so fast."

Light pink dusted his cheeks. "Hn."

Retracting her hand, Kyoko placed it on the grass and leant back slightly to look up at the clear sky. "It's going to be summer soon, right?"

Hiei grunted.

"It's actually been a season since I came back. Things go by so fast. It feels like the welcome party was only last week." Her smile was forlorn, "times always tick by so fast when we're having fun." Turning to look at him, she asked, "Do you have fun?"

"I don't do fun, Onna."

"Then you haven't live yet."

"I'm not dead."

"I mean, truly live."

"I don't understand your human ways of thinking."

They continued to talk, every dialogues short and didn't hold any sort of meaningfulness, but Hiei found himself not disliking it. Usually, small talks were a waste of time for him, but this time, somehow…

"Anyway Hiei," Kyoko began, "I always wonder about that headband of yours."

"What about it, Onna?

She scooted closer, eyes glinting with deep curiosity, interest and excitement. "Isn't that your Jagan? The third eye that is very powerful?"

"Who told you that?" he asked, a bit awkward with the sudden closeness between them. He could feel Kyoko's body heat radiating off of her pale skin and her floral scent surrounding her. Being this close to her in a long period of time, he was sure he would smell like her the moment she moved away.

"Yusuke did." She answered honestly, eyes fixed on the white piece of cloth around his forehead. "Will you show me?"

He was dubious for a moment but at those pleadingly curious look in her warm chocolate brown eyes, saying no was nearly impossible. God, having a ward could be so troubling sometimes. And having a ward you fell in lust with doubled the trouble. Somehow, it made him felt like a paedophile, considering the big gap in their age. He was an apparition, almost up to a hundred while she was a human woman in her early twenty.

And God, he was in lust with a human. If his soldiers ever found out about this, somehow, all respect they held for him would evaporated in a blink of an eye. Worse if Mukuro found out about this. The female king would probably come to the Ningenkai, reasoning that she wanted to see the woman he was sexually attracted to but in truth, she would probably threatened her about being too close to him. It was frightening how possessive Mukuro was of him, when they were nothing more than friends. She was unhealthily obsessed with him.

He wouldn't lie and said that he found himself unattractive because he did find himself incredibly stunning, something females of all species would die for. Like Kurama, he got a naturally beautiful complexion and built figure, although he was more to the rough, jaded side. He had the appearance which had been to his advantage the moment he reached the age, when his sexual drive went on overdrive, and with his status and strength, who wouldn't want to be, at least sleep, with him?

Although Kyoko… she might be different. Such a shame she was a human.

Sighing, he moved a hand to the headband around his forehead and tugged it loose, pulling it off. His Jagan opened almost immediately and he turned to Kyoko, letting her see the eye she asked to see.

"Oh my, it's beautiful, Hiei!" she gasped, awe twinkling in her eyes, "Do you mind if I look closer?"

"Do as you like."

"Thank you." and with that she went to her knees in front of him, her hands on his shoulder and her face inches from his, staring right into his Jagan. While she was busy examining his Jagan, he stared at her eyes, with all his three-eyes. They were the perfect colour of chocolate and held such warmth and kindness. Looking closer, he found there were tiny gold flecks around her pupils.

They were so human. Yet they were beautiful.

"What ability does the Jagan give you, Hiei?"

"Clairvoyance, remote-viewing, telepathy, telekinesis, hypnosis, mind-resistance, heightened-senses, energy-manipulation," he explained absentmindedly, "It also gives me the ability to channel my dragon, Onna." the reason he was patiently telling her his abilities was because he wanted her to know what he's capable of as her guard, he assured himself, not because of the hypnotising brown of her eyes.

"That's very useful!" he could feel her breath on his lips and almost shuddered when he tasted her breath, which tasted and smelt like sweetened tea, "So that's how you talk with me in my mind that day. How very interesting."

She moved away, sitting down in front of him, right beside his leg, while the other was bent for him to rest his arm on. "Isn't it very worth it to have such useful eye? I wish I had one too."

"You won't survive the operation, Onna." he snorted, "besides it's not compatible with humans."

"That's unfortunate." But she didn't seem sad in the slightest. "I guess it'll be okay since you have it. Maybe you can demonstrate the abilities to me sometimes?"

He shrugged.

She chuckled. "Is it okay if I translate that grunt as 'fine'?"

"Hn."


After dinner, Kyoko was alone in her room, preparing for a bath. She chose a simple baby blue nightgown with spaghetti straps and criss-crossed back, trailing down to her ankles like how most of her nightgowns were.

When she was making her way to the bathroom, she saw Yusuke and Keiko. They seemed to be heading towards her room. "Oh, onee-san!" Keiko smiled.

"Keiko! What is it?"

"I stopped by at home today and look what I got you!" she gave a big bag full of CDs to Kyoko, whose eyes were shining pleasantly, "They're your favourite Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Donny Hathaway, R,Kelly, Aretha Franklin and Michael Bublé CDs."

"Thank you Keiko! I really missed these CDs! You are such a lovely sister!" Kyoko exclaimed in happiness, hugging her little sister.

"Hey, what about me? I helped too!" Yusuke complained with a box of stereo in his arms.

Kyoko chuckled and gave Yusuke a hug. "Of course. My little Yusuke is always there to save the day!" she laughed when Yusuke blushed lightly at being called her 'little Yusuke'. But that's normal as he was her younger brother.

The two left soon to their room after Yusuke put the stereo in her room, and yes they were sharing a room, just like Botan and Kurama. But Botan and Kurama stayed in a room on the first floor, along with Shizuru and Genkai. Yukina and Kuwabara, separate rooms, stayed on the second floor.

Wanting to quickly go back to her room and listen to her favourite music, Kyoko went for the bathroom. Placing a hand on the doorknob, she twisted it and pushed the door open. She didn't expect the sight before her though.

Hiei was there, naked with only a small towel around his waist while he used another to dry his hair. Droplets of water were trickling from his hair while some landed on his chest and began trailing down his peach-tan skin. Kyoko gasped.

"Hiei! You should quickly dry yourself or you'll catch a cold!" she closed the door behind her and placed her things on the rack before going over to him and taking the towel he was using to dry his hair. "Here, I'll help." She sighed.

Hiei was in shock. Kyoko had opened the door to the bathroom, saw him almost naked and had calmly waltzed in and offered to help him dry himself. Was that the usual reaction of a woman? Usually, they would squeak, apologize and left. Or some horny ones would lock the door and try to seduce him.

This was the first time he got that kind of response that he didn't know what to do.

Finally, after a moment of internal shock, Hiei regained his composure and cleared his throat, "Apparitions don't catch cold, Onna."

"Well, you can never be too careful." She sang, wiping at his chest, "Although of course, not to the point of overreaction." She winked at him after saying the words she told him right that afternoon. Damn woman and her weird way with words.

"Ah, by the way Hiei," he raised a waiting eyebrow, "I called Hibiki and invited him for dinner tomorrow night. With everyone."

"What?"

"I want you to stay tamed, okay? Like how adorable you're acting after he left. You're unusually manageable today, after all." She wagged her finger at him, "no glaring, no insulting, no bickering and no arguing. You have to be well-behaved and courteous, alright?"

"Onna, why must you be so blind?" he growled, grabbing her shoulders, "that thing is dangerous. He is the twin to our number one suspect. Why do you have to befriend him?"

"Hiei, Hibiki is a good person. I'm sure of that. I can tell, you know, like how I can tell that you're a very nice person, which has proven to be true." Her lips curved into a gentle smile in amusement at the disgust and surprise in Hiei's usually guarded eyes, "and don't worry. I think we can trust him. He told me this afternoon, about himself and Hakua. It's a very useful information."

"What is it?

She shook her head, "I can't tell you that. It is Hibiki's to tell. It won't be fair if I told you about that."

He growled. "Onna." his tone was warning.

"I'm sorry, Hiei, but no matter what, it's not my place to tell." She placed the towel on top of his head and dried his hair gently, "Be patient until tomorrow. And I don't really worry if my intuition was wrong and Hibiki was proved to be dangerous. After all you will protect me, along with everybody else right?"

So that's what she's trying to do – getting him to agree by stroking his ego. And she knew that strength was the right button to push. Cunning woman.

Although he couldn't say that it didn't work. Because along with the ego-stroke were that gentle smile and look along with the gentle massaging of her hands. It's hard not to give in.

Sighing tiredly, he finally said, "fine." She's damn good at the art of persuasion.

"Great!" she stopped drying his hair and clapped her hands once, "A very well-made decision Hiei. I always know you're a smart boy." Laughing, she walked past him and removed the beige cardigan she put on before dinner.

Watching as the knitted fabric slipped from her skin like liquid, he felt desire rose. "Why are you stripping, Onna?"

"I'm not. I only removed my cardigan." She replied innocently. Then her eyes landed on his almost naked state and they turned mischievous, "And why aren't you dressed yet, hm?" she approached him and pushed him so he was sitting on the very edge of the sink. She stood close in front of him, a hand on his chest while the other on the inside of his elbow. She trailed the tips of her fingers lightly down his chest, "don't tell me… are you planning to accompany me in the shower, Hiei?"

"w-what?" that clearly threw him for the curve. He didn't expect her to suddenly be so bold.

"You naughty, naughty boy…" her hand landed on the top of his towel and she tapped the skin above lightly with her index finger.

"Onna, what are you-"

"Hush, now." She smirked, "Be quiet and just enjoy yourself." She whispered, leaning closer to him. He could feel the sudden quick rush of his blood when her lips grew nearer to his and his whole body tensed. His eyes dropped and he closed them, waiting for her lips on his.

"Hehee…"

That soft giggling got him to snap his eyes open. Blinking, he stared at the laughing human woman before him, a hand on her mouth as she laughed merrily.

"Oh Gosh! Hiei, I can't believe you fell for it!" her laughter increased in volume, "You must be really lonely, Hiei." She joked, nudging him, "I haven't really the best seducing skill yet you fell for it so easily."

Haven't the best seducing skill? What bullshit was that? She was absolutely amazing! Her movement was subtle yet bold. It was very clear and straightforward yet modest and gentle at the same time. If that's not good, then he didn't know what word he had to use to label her seducing ability.

"Onna, that wasn't funny." He growled; his cheeks pink. How many times had this woman managed to make him blush in one day? He had never blushed because of a woman before. Kyoko was the first.

"S-sorry," she breathed out between her uncontrollable laughter, "t-that was wrong o-o-of me. Heehee… b-but it's so funny."

"No, it isn't!" he hissed, embarrassed.

"But y-you're so embarrassed. It's really cute, Hiei!"

"I'm not cute!"

"Fufu…"

After a moment, her laughter finally died down to light giggles. Hiei was scowling, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrow twitching.

"Stop frowning, Hiei. I said I'm sorry." She smiled apologetically, mirth still in her eyes.

"Hn."

"Oh, don't you grunt at me now. At least, not with that tone." She uncrossed his arms. He placed both his hands on each of his sides, on the ceramic counter behind him. "Alright then, I'll make it up to you. But only one kiss, alright?"

She closed her eyes, her long lashes brushing against her high cheekbones and she stood on her tip-toes, leaning closer and closer to him. His breath caught and he didn't dare close his eyes, cautious if it was another joke. But it didn't seem like it because it was just another three inches, now two…

BAM!

The bathroom door slammed open and none other than Yusuke stood on the doorway, his eyes and mouth the size of a saucer. Kyoko opened her eyes and she stepped back, giving more distance between Hiei and her. Hiei was glaring at Yusuke, a bit angry that he was disturbed for the second time that day.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"


To Be Continued…


This chapter is longer than usual. I wonder if you prefer shorter or longer chapters... Sometimes I get disappointed when a short chapter is updated but sometimes I get annoyed when it's really long. It depends on my mood, I guess. But what about you guys? Should it stay about this length? Should I shorten it? Or should I lengthen it? Leave your opinion in your review, people!^^

Well then, like usual, I'm going to bed as it's really late. I still don't understand why I always type my stories so late at night. Probably because I'm a night person...

Thank you for reading and let's meet again in the next chapter! Leave me lots of loves, 'kay?