Author's Note: I'm not going to be able to update for a while. I'm not sure how long... Depends on how long I'm gone, which is completely dependant on my parents and... yeah. You get the point, ne? If not, it's basically that I'll update when I can. Ja minna!

Written

Conversational Thoughts

Kumiko

I've decided to put random song lyrics here because... well, quite frankly I can't get them out of my head. Maybe it'll become a regular thing, ne? I know! 'Tis now a game. You must guess what song it is! If you get it right... I haven't figured that out yet. Any suggestions? Let me know!

You're love is nothing but a bitter taste. It's better if I walk away. Away from you. I can't stop the rain from falling; I'm drowning in these tears I cry. Since you left withouta warning, I face the dawn with sleepless eyes...

And there you have it! Take a guess and win a mystery prize!

Chapter 21

"Happy Birthday!"

Most of the rest of the day passes uneventfully. Most.

After a while of complete boredom, what with Yusuke and Kuwabara watching wrestling on TV, Kurama studying, and Hiei gone to who-knows-where, I sigh quietly and make my way up to my room to find something to do.

Nope. Nothing at all. In the least. Not even any homework to waste my time on. With a frustrated growl, I flop face-down onto my bed, uncaring as Kira yowls in agitation at being woken up and stalks away angrily to find a more peaceful place to rest.

"What happened to your room?" a slightly bored sounding voice asks from the general vicinity of my window.

I don't even bother to get up, my voice muffled by the covers. "Boredom. You need something, Hiei?"

Aforementioned being seats himself cross-legged on my bed. "No. Come on, we're going to get something to eat."

I look up, startled. "Are you… asking me on a date?"

He glares.

Which I, of course, took to mean something along the lines of 'I am not asking, and if you tell anyone I will deny it'.

I sit up, pushing my hair behind my ears. "Sure!"

Hiei smirks, leaning forward and kissing me lightly. "Then let's go," he whispers in my ear.

"Where do you want to go?" Hiei asks, glancing in my direction.

"Um…" I stare up at the sky, thinking. "Maybe… I don't know…"

A growl escapes Hiei's lips. He stops, almost making me run into him and catching one of my elbows in his hand to steady me. He doesn't let go, instead gripping my other elbow tightly, searching my eyes as though he thinks he can find an answer there. I blink, confused.

"What kind of food do you like?" he asks finally.

"Greek, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mediterranean, Korean, Spanish, American, South American—"

"Italian it is," interrupts the Jaganshi, pulling me across the street to an Olive Garden he spotted while apparently tuning out most of my list.

"Ok!"

We enter and, with a little 'persuasion' on Hiei's part, were seated immediately despite the rather long waiting list and the many people sitting or standing in the entryway.

Glancing at the menu, I can hear Hiei muttering something about 'baka ningens' and 'stupid restaurants'. I grin in amusement, hiding the fact behind the menu.

"I want…" My nose wrinkles in confused thought. "Spaghetti!"

"How original," Hiei drawls.

I giggle. "It's good. What about you?"

"Probably the same."

"Now who's being original?" I tease.

"Shut up."

"In fact, that's doubly unoriginal, 'cause you're just copying me!"

"Kitten…"

I laugh quietly but uncontrollably.

"Rika…" Hiei's tone holds a light warning.

"Sorry, but it's funny!" I exclaim, still laughing.

A moment later, after Hiei is finally fed up with the teasing laughter, I find myself stifled by his hand. And me being who I am, I continue laughing while trying to pull away. Hiei grips my shoulder with his other hand to stop me from escaping, his palm still pressed against my mouth.

"Ahem."

Hiei lets go and I quit laughing with some effort.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" the waiter asks.

I shake my head. Hiei asks for some lemonade.

"And I assume you are ready to order as well?" he says.

"Spaghetti," I answer quietly, slowly regaining my composure.

"And for you, sir?"

"Same," Hiei replies stoically.

"Very well; I'll be right back with your drinks." The waiter leaves.

"Hn." We sit back, talking of randomly pointless subjects as first out drinks, then our food is brought out.

…Ring…

…Ring…

"Hello?"

"Rika, darling. I gather you've heard about my little tournament?"

"Oh." I glance at Hiei, watching him as he sits on a bench while I continue swinging; we went to the park after dinner. "Yeah."

"You don't sound too thrilled. Why don't you come over for a while and we'll talk it through."

"Sure. Be right there." I hang up and stand, walking away. "I gotta go. Sorry!"

"Rika!" Hiei is up and in front of me in an instant. "You wouldn't be going to see Kiyoshi, would you?"

I avoid his eyes. "Maybe."

"He's dangerous."

"I know. I'll be fine."

"No."

Looking up into his eyes, I sigh. "If I'm not back in an hour you can slaughter everything in sight, but at least give me that much time."

With a slightly annoyed look, Hiei steps aside and I continue on my way.

"Kiyoshi?" I whisper timidly.

The demon looks up from his work. "Ah, my little song bird. What is it about my tournament that bothers you so?" he inquires.

I shrug. "Nothing, I suppose."

"Don't lie to me."

"I… I don't know. I suppose it just feels weird to fight against you instead of for you," I answer quietly.

Kiyoshi stands with a slight frown and moves to stand just in front of me like he usually does. I stare at the floor until his rough fingers tip my head up to face him. "Against? No, my dear, you're coming back to our side for this. I thought you understood that."

I shake my head. "No, I didn't. And I can't."

"Why would that be?"

"Koenma—"

"Can do nothing to you. He has no evidence, we made sure of that."

"He has Takara. And I am officially guilty by association for working with you. There was something else, I think, but I can't remember. He said… twenty or thirty years in spirit jail. Do you know what they could dig up on me in twenty or thirty years? I'd be at the execution block in a month."

Kiyoshi pauses, releasing my chin. "Very well. I shall make due without you. Run along."

I nod and turn away.

"Rika?"

I stop without facing Kiyoshi. "Hai?"

"Sing for me?"

I glare over my shoulder and continue walking, passing through a portal nearby that deposits me almost at my front door.

You really should fight for Kiyoshi, Rika.

You have no say in the matter.

Like hell I don't! This is my body too, you know.

But it wasn't originally. You're stuck with my decision. I can't very well back out and just get thrown in jail to await execution. You wouldn't like that either, would you?

No, especially since that would kill me as well. But that doesn't mean you can just betray Kiyoshi like that. We can avoid the Reikai Tantei and Koenma's other idiots easily. Or at least I can.

But I can't and I'm not letting you go on a massive killing spree.

But it would be fun, Kumiko coaxes.

I open the front door and walk to my room without a word to the others before I answer her.

No. And knock it off; you don't have that kind of control.

Wanna bet?

My left arm twitches and lifts against my will.

Been practicing? I ask angrily, gritting my teeth.

What else do I have to do?

The arm grabs a dagger that is lying on my desk, clumsily removing it from its thin leather sheath.

Hm… what can I do with this?

Knock it off!

No… I can do so much more with a dagger than 'knock it off'. Although, if you're talking about someone's head…

I'm not going anywhere. You're not that powerful.

You don't have to.

The cold metal pierces the flesh of my side missing any vital organs, though it still hurts like hell and is already bleeding profusely. The weapon is removed and plunged into an area just above the first wound.

What are you doing? You'll die if I do…

But if you're weak I take control. See, it works perfectly! I'll just heal our body and go about my business.

No…

"Rika? You in here?" Kurama asks, opening the door a crack.

Oh, this is going to be good!

Don't touch him…

Kurama's eyes widen, staring at the dagger and the blood. "What are you doing?" he shouts, rushing towards me. My arm twitches, preparing to switch positions to stab Kurama at the last moment.

"Don't!" I cry, latching my free arm onto the controlled one to try and stop it. "Don't come near me; Kumiko…" I start to sway on my feet; the blood loss is getting to me.

Fine, I won't touch him. Yet. For now, I just need to get that bracelet off and go back to Kiyoshi to get that necklace of his. Very handy little trinket, that is.

Not again…

The hand drops the dagger and starts to tug on the bracelet.

"Stop it…" I whisper weakly, dropping to my knees with the effort. "…Help me…"

"What?" Kurama kneels beside me, holding my wrists to keep them apart.

"Don't let her… the bracelet… please," I beg, falling forward into Kurama, unconscious.

"Mmmm…" I open my eyes wearily. "What?"

Yusuke looks up from his comic book. "Kurama said something about needing to watch you, so I volunteered."

"Oh…" I sit up, my right hand pressed over the wound in my left side. My left arm, I note with slight amusement, is handcuffed to the bedpost. "Can I… get up?" I ask.

Yusuke starts. "Oh, right!" He jumps up and unlocks the cuffs. "I swear, that arm has a life of its own."

I rub my wrist with a sigh. Such an experience… I'll have to be more careful about Kumiko now.

Yes you will.

Not now.

Suit yourself.

I look up at Yusuke. "Where is everyone?"

"Downstairs. A girl showed up earlier. Said her name was… Dalli, I think. They're all talking to her. At least, they were when I left. I don't like her that much; she's got a weird vibe about her."

I smile. "That's my sister for you." Ignoring the incredulous stare, I get up and skip down the stairs. "Dal!"

Dalli looks away from the TV. "Ri, my most wonderful sister, what the hell did you do to yourself?" she demands, standing suddenly with her hands on her hips.

"Um… I didn't. That was Kumiko…" I reply, meaning the injuries in my abdomen.

Dalli shakes her head. "And you haven't been eating either, huh? It's a good thing Ember loves to cook. And hates it when you starve."

I laugh lightly. "I suppose. Happy birthday, by the way!"

"Oh, same to you!" she cries, rushing over and enveloping me in a hug.

"IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY?"

I giggle. "Maybe."

"Of course!" Dalli agrees. She pulls out a cigarette and lights it happily.

I frown. "Not in the house."

"Right," she mutters. Dalli races up the stairs and outside to sit on the roof.

Kurama raises an eyebrow. "Why didn't you tell us?"

I shrug. "It's no big deal."

"Yes it is," insists Kuwabara. "We could have thrown a party or something."

I shake my head. "No way. I'm gonna go talk to Dal for a while. See you in a bit." I start up the stairs and into my room to climb out the window.

"Kitten."

I shift into a seated position on the windowsill, turned to face Hiei who just walked into the room.

"Yeah?" I inquire with a bright smile.

Before I know it, Hiei has me locked in a deep kiss. I tense, surprised, but slowly relax against the heat radiating from his body. "Happy birthday," he whispers and then he is gone.

"Sure…" I shake my head to clear it and finish my climb up to the roof. "You really should quit," I reprimand softly as I take a seat next to Dalli.

The girl glances at me and blows out a stream of smoke. "I know."

We sit in silence for a while, watching the clouds above and streets below.

"You shouldn't be getting involved with him."

I start, staring at my sister. "What?"

Dalli closes her eyes for a moment. "Hiei. You should just back off."

"Why?" My tone is suddenly icy, my gaze fixed on the sidewalk. "You jealous?"

"No," Dalli snaps back, glaring at the roof. "You know how relationships are in this family. They turn sour fast; he'll die and it'll most likely be you hand that kills him."

I sigh and wrap my arms around my legs loosely. "I know."

"Here." Dalli hands me a cigarette and a lighter.

I take both and light the cigarette, absently taking a puff and handing the lighter back to her. "I shouldn't be encouraging this habit."

"You'd do it anyway."

"Shut up."

Dalli laughs.

Another long, comfortable silence stretches between us. It is Kurama's voice that breaks the quiet.

"Rika, there's another girl downstair—" The kitsune stops mid-sentence, staring at the cigarette in my hand.

"Another girl?" I ask vaguely, not really paying attention. "Ember, huh? She's early."

"Sure. Are you going to come down and meet her or what?" Kurama gives me a strange, almost worried look before turning away from the window.

"I suppose." I put out the cigarette, stand, and dust myself off. "Coming, Dal?"

"In a bit," Dalli responds, reluctant to see her other sister.

Downstairs a few minutes later, Ember takes a moment to stare at me. "Where do you get off?" she demands, hands on her hip, glaring with all her might; it strangely reminds me of what Dalli did when I greeted her earlier. "You haven't been eating properly. And sitting up there with that… that slut while she's smoking is most definitely not good for your lungs!"

I shrug. "What can I say? Old habits die hard." I flop down on the couch, leaning against Hiei. "Happy birthday."

"You too."

"You smell like smoke, kitten," Hiei mutters just loud enough for me to hear.

I smile and whisper just as quietly back, "That's what happens when you sit next to someone that's smoking."

"You've been smoking yourself, haven't you?" He looks down at me, eyes calculating.

I remain silent for a second. "…Maybe."

"It's not good for you."

"I don't do it very often."

"It doesn't matter."

"Can we talk about this later? I kinda want to talk with my sister."

"Fine."

I get up, cursing my excuse. I really don't want to be in the kitchen when Ember's cooking; she'll rope me into some pointless chore that I desperately want to avoid, and I'll have to do it and have to put up with her complaining about Dalli and… and shit like that.

"Rika, could you help me with this? I need all these apples peeled…"

Sigh. Here we go…

Author's Note: Well, there you go. Hope you enjoyed, yadda yadda yadda... (too tired to really pay attention) Um... review please,I suppose. If you don't, I refuse to update. So there. I'll just write the story for myself and my friends and not post it here. Ha!'

Oh! Don't forget to guess the song in your review! Or suggest a prize for getting it right...

Ja minna!

Miichiko