In Time, Death

By Alesyira

Summary: With a kitsune in the mix, it's hard to tell the difference between matchmaking and flirting, especially when it might just be both.

AN: This one is pretty long. Enjoy it while you can, because... (see end for why lol)

Plus One

"Okay, this time I'm going to fire off a tiny burst, and I want to see if you can follow its path and drop some extra energy into it before it hits."

The dark shape perched high in a tree overhead, glaring down at the two as they practiced. The hair on the back of his neck rose in silent warning as the fleck of light slung across the courtyard, flaring into a burst of bright pink before it exploded in a shower of sparks against one of the training posts that had been set up. As soon as their current exercise concluded, both pairs of eyes flicked upwards at his hiding spot. Somehow he was not surprised to be so easily sussed out by both of them. The fox slid his gaze to the side with a smirk. "Hey Kagome, look what I found for you!"

She rolled her eyes and turned to walk back to her starting position.

He didn't bother trying to hide how irritated he was with the kitsune's actions. "I've been looking for you for weeks." His voice wasn't much more than a whispered growl.

"Shoulda come here first, then."

Hiei's eyes narrowed. Something had changed. He had anticipated being unable to read the girl's mind, but now the kitsune had done something that rendered most of his thoughts a fuzzy blur.

"I'm glad you're here, though, I could use the practice." Shippo waggled his fingertips in his direction with a cocky grin, and Hiei's mouth curled into a displeased frown as he glared harder. "Why have you been looking for me?"

"We need to talk."

"We're talking," Shippo obstinately crossed his arms.

Kagome glanced back at the two males in concern. "I'll just go see if Mama needs help with dinner. Hiei, there will be plenty if you'd like join us." She didn't ask or wait for his response, hoping he'd accept the invitation but knowing he probably wouldn't. Too social. Just before she was out of their sight, she called over her shoulder, "I'd appreciate it if you do not leave blood all over the courtyard."

"So, talk." Shippo flopped to ground with his legs crossed and closed his eyes, apparently meditating. Hiei thumbed the hilt of his blade and eyed him in contemplation. What was this little upstart thinking, dismissing him like he wasn't a threat? What had he done to block him out? His gaze flicked toward the house where Kagome had disappeared. Maybe she'd had a hand in it, whatever it was.

"Stewing angrily in that tree isn't getting you answers any faster, you know," he muttered. "Shall I begin, instead? Whatcha been up to?"

He scowled, ignoring his question. "Why did you shout about her return like it was something of note? Why not keep it hidden?"

Shippo flexed his fingers against his knees and rocked his head to the side, apparently listening to something Hiei could not hear. "Anything that should remain a secret never does for long. I'm curious," he paused, and a strange shiver of energy danced up Hiei's spine. "How would you have explained away that massive glowing pink tree? We've been planning for her return for centuries, you know. I imagine you've been looking for me long enough to find a few of those plans."

Shippo sensed his tightly restrained burning aura drop from the tree to land a few feet away. The scent of woodsmoke and cinnamon drifted toward him with his silent impact, curling pleasantly through the air. He briefly considered asking him to roll around in Kagome's bedding before he got too angry to stay.

Would he still smell like woodsmoke if he weren't constantly on the verge of bursting into flame? He could sense the magic itching to break free.

He took a deep breath, savoring the scent. He could be mistaken with his initial impression. His connection to fire magic was still very much an unknown. He peeked up at Hiei, wondering if he'd be around long enough for him to practice.

Hiei stared down at him in irritation. Something about the expression on the kitsune's face made him want to grab the older youkai by the throat and shake.

He'd spent the last two weeks scouring the Makai for any sign that her life might be in danger. The kitsune's theatrics when he'd announced her return like it was some legend come true had seemed like the most idiotic thing he could have done. And yet, he kept hearing strange rumors that the ghost of a legendary miko had appeared to bring solace to the people and right wrongs that had been done. Apparitions of ghostly women of various ethnicities could be found scattered all over the Makai. He'd spotted blondes and brunettes, tall and short, dark and light; a hundred appearances that looked nothing like the real girl, with dozens of strangely skewed interpretations of the ancient legend being passed in whispers around pubs and campfires.

Shippo unfolded his legs and stood with a stretch. "Misdirection is my middle name," he boasted. "Anyways, I've got this place covered. You can go, now." He flicked his fingertips in Hiei's direction and turned to head inside.

Hiei wasn't sure if the kitsune meant to goad him into staying or fighting. He narrowed his eyes. "What did you do?"

"I'm not sure what you're asking about now, because I've done many things." Shippo looked back over his shoulder and met his eyes with a slowly spreading grin. "You might have to learn how to use your words if you aren't going to be plucking thoughts from my mind anymore."

Hiei clenched his fist at his side but maintained his carefully neutral expression. "Her life is in danger."

Shippo scoffed, his hand on the door. "Her life is always in danger. You're just new to the club. Look around. This place is so packed full of protections that even if some idiot managed to find us and cross our barrier, anything they'd try in their pathetic attempt to harm those living here would be nullified well enough that even the humans could take them out."

"She can't spend the rest of her life here."

Shippo shrugged. "We know. She practices to keep her skills sharp, and I'm teaching her some stuff." He paused, considering his words before he turned to face the dark youkai with a half-smile. "You gonna stay and teach her a few new things, or are you too busy doing whatever else is more important to you?"

Hiei met his eyes with an even stare. What was more important to him right now? His sister was safe. The Makai was (mostly) at peace. The Reikai could catch fire and burn until the end of time for all he cared. He owed them nothing anymore. His only objective was more personal than he'd have liked to admit.

"Shoes there, and your sword can be left here," the kitsune indicated a stand holding a few umbrellas.

'He's out of his mind,' Hiei thought, staring daggers at the back of the possibly oblivious (but more likely intentionally irritating) male.

Shippo turned to face his glare with a mischievous expression, "or you can hide it up in her room if you'd rather it be out of sight. We don't usually bring weapons to the dinner table."

Hiei clenched his eyes shut and counted to five. He could avoid bloodshed for one evening. Probably.

"I hope you didn't—Oh!" The two turned to glance at Kagome. She stared at the unlikely sight of Hiei standing in her home's entryway. Her face turned pink. "Um," she trailed off, whatever she'd been planning on saying completely forgotten.

"We didn't get any blood in the courtyard," Shippo grinned. "This time," he added, smirking in Hiei's direction. "What's for dinner?"

Kagome's mother was delighted to meet another of her supernatural friends and placed an extra chair to squeeze in at Kagome's end of their too-small table.

"Aiko-chan, I'm gonna get you a bigger table," Shippo announced.

Hiei eyed the kitsune in distaste as he settled into the offered seat. Kagome sat next to him and leaned into his space to quietly explain, "They've been friends since before I was born." She caught his slight nod from the corner of her eye.

She was a little surprised that her brother was perceptive enough to pick up that the newcomer didn't seem very inclined to chat, and only briefly introduced himself with a welcoming smile before turning to Shippo with a dozen questions about what they had practiced that day while he'd been away at school. Souta was terribly disappointed that he'd missed so much 'action' on the shrine grounds, but she smiled when Shippo promised he'd be able to participate on the days he had free from classes.

She couldn't believe that Hiei had accepted her offer to join them for dinner. She glanced at Shippo, who laughed at something Souta said before he met her eyes with a saucy wink. 'What the heck is he plotting?' she wondered, pressing her next bite of food into her mouth.

Her grandfather leaned into her from her other side and said a little too loudly, "Granddaughter, should I start keeping my banishment charms in the house again?"

She laughed. "No, please don't waste your stock. Shippo and I have warded the grounds thoroughly against evil spirits."

"If you're certain…" he hedged, leaning forward to give the newcomer a closer look.

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover, Grandpa," she chastised.

Hiei was slightly mollified that at least one person at the table considered him potentially dangerous, although he'd have thought anyone looking as suspiciously cheerful as that irritating fox should be the true threat in this household.

"Hiei, will you be staying as well?" Kagome's mother asked.

Kagome immediately turned red as Shippo burst into laughter. "The more, the merrier!" he cheered. Souta rolled his eyes as he snagged a bite from Kagome's unguarded plate and Grandpa sipped his tea, muttering about his home being overrun with young people.

Hiei stared in silent concern at the unusual interaction. Surely there was some inside joke he was missing.

Kagome cleared her throat and glanced too briefly in his direction with scarlet cheeks. "Um, I suspect something might be happening soon, so Shippo and I have been shoring up the shrine defenses and putting in extra time for practice and planning, just in case. You're welcome to stay if you'd like."

That made sense, especially with the potential for problems with her jewel, but not her immediate reaction to her mother's question.

As dinner ended and the table was cleared, everyone shifted into the family room to sit more comfortably and visit. Conversation was mild and mundane for the evening, as the elder Higurashi told a story about an old enchanted blade that had to be heavily exaggerated while Shippo encouraged him by adding in details that couldn't possibly be accurate. Kagome and Souta listened with thinly veiled amusement. Kagome's mother served a round of tea and sat back with a genuine smile of peace.

This felt right.

Hiei wondered if any of his teammates had experienced something like this yet. Her home, the relaxing atmosphere, the pleasant scents and sounds, and that appealing blush on her cheeks every time she met his eyes.

The grandfather left first, needing his sleep. Hiei vaguely recalled Kagome's concerns about the elder's failing health during their brief journey together in Makai, but it looked like he'd recovered from whatever had ailed him.

The younger brother begrudgingly left next, his schoolwork needing attention before the hour grew too late.

The mother paused in the doorway with her tray of empty cups and looked back at the trio remaining. "I'm very glad you have people here that you can trust and depend on, Kagome." The woman had an interesting expression in the set of her eyes, both thankful and threatening at the same time. He didn't need to read her mind to understand that she'd seen her daughter's pink face and knew exactly what it might mean.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality this evening," he said, the only words he'd spoken since he'd stepped inside. This home, this family, this peace, all of it was little reflections and extensions of the girl sitting across the room. There was much he would do to keep it all intact.

"You're welcome," she smiled before leaving the room. A tense silence fell over the three. Kagome attempted to hide her face behind her teacup as she took another sip.

"So," Shippo hedged, an absolutely wicked smirk on his face. "You gonna stay the night?"

Kagome choked on the liquid in her mouth and barely stopped from making a mess. "Shippo! Why are you being weird?"

He leaned back into his seat with a grin. "I didn't ask anything strange. You're the one making it sound like I'm asking him to join us in bed!"

Her mouth fell open and she turned a horrified gaze to Shippo first, then to Hiei, who sat frozen in his seat. When he vanished a moment later, she made a strangled noise and glared at her friend. "If you've run him off, I will murder you," she said, her voice not much more than a hiss.

She stood without another look in Shippo's direction and walked quietly up the stairs. He rubbed his hand down his face with a mutter and a sigh before he jumped up from his seat and slid outside. Hiei hadn't taken his shoes, so he expected he hadn't gone far.

When Kagome stepped into her room to fetch her pajamas with an angry scowl on her face, she jumped in surprise at the dark figure sitting in her open window. "I'm not so inclined to believe every word that fox likes to sling about," he said quietly, staring across the short distance at her expression as it melted from angry to relieved.

"Sorry about that, he's…"

"A trickster? Nah, just the best friend you never realized you needed." Shippo materialized on her bed with a short laugh. He rolled over and stared at the shorter youkai. "She has nightmares from the possession. Usually I'd say no big deal, but her nightmares," he pointed in Kagome's direction with a grimace, "involve bursts of magic that might damage something or draw the wrong kinds of attention. Someone's gotta stop them before they get started."

She sighed and strode across the room to collect her things.

"I wasn't kidding though." Shippo rubbed his face in her pillow. "You gonna stay the night? We can make room."

Kagome's mouth fell open and she turned beet red. "I'm just… ah… gonna go change." She fled from her room, horrified. "Yeah, change. And sleep on the floor. In the downstairs closet," she muttered, walking quickly away from her bedroom. She wasn't sure, but he might just be causing mischief to get a good giggle, or he considered Hiei to be some kind of new toy he wanted to play with or he was trying to hook her up. Any way she looked at it, she was not ready to deal with whatever his intentions were.

What the heck happened to the plan that he'd put in place to keep her from doing anything stupid with Kurama? She slowed as she reached the bathroom. Was it only that he worried about Kurama because she worried about Kurama?

She mentally panicked and slid into the bathroom. A toothbrushing. She needed a good toothbrushing to really think.

"What the fuck is your deal?" Hiei asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"She likes you and you haven't freaked her out, yet. I figure this is gonna go one of two ways. Either you do something stupid and make her wary to hang out around you and I'll happily kick you to the curb at that time, or you're gonna hit it off the right way and we can just skip the lengthy and awkward will-they-or-won't-they."

Hiei stared at him like he'd grown a second head.

Shippo grinned, flashing a set of fangs as he slid off her mattress and stalked toward him. "You must know, though, that the only reason I'll be leaving her side is if she makes me go, so if you're gonna stick around for her, you're gonna have to deal with me." Shippo stopped about a foot away and stared down into the face of someone who could ruin everything with his extensive knowledge of their carefully kept secrets. The tiny charm he kept in his pocket now had been something he should have thought about sooner to keep a telepath out of his head, but there was nothing he could do about what had been revealed earlier.

If Kagome decided she didn't like this one after all, they might have to do much more than just kick him to the curb. He knew too much. His fingers twitched as he wondered exactly what his newly inherited powers might be capable of with the fire magic he could sense burning within the shorter youkai's chest.

Hiei smiled tightly. He'd seen enough of her heart when the power gave him a taste of her time. He'd probably never get rid of this one standing before him like he owned the place. "We'll see."

His attention was drawn downwards and he followed the brightness of her light with his mind. "You might want to go fetch her from wherever she has hidden downstairs, though. It seems you have upset her."

Shippo found her sitting on the floor of a downstairs closet, hiding her face in her hands. "Aw, c'mon, Kagome. I don't see any reason you need to be upset." He squeezed into the tight space beside her and sat down, his knees drawn up to his chest. "Are you mad at me?" he whined, nudging her with his shoulder. "I figure if I give him a hard enough time now, he'll know what he's getting into if he stays."

"You invited him to sleep with us. With me," her voice was muffled against her hands.

"Well, yeah. Sleeping. It's nice and safe here on the shrine and it's really hard to get a good night of rest in the Makai. You've been there. Remember? It's shitty and scary and a damned nightmare."

"Somehow I don't believe that's all you were thinking about."

"Nah, but like, I've been around the block a few times. I did get tail number four from my extensive adult experiences. It really shouldn't be that big of a deal."

She peeked at him through a gap in her fingers. "Wait, you…you got one of your tails…from—" she couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence.

Shippo snickered and leaned close to whisper, "Fucking. Yes." She was so adorably embarrassed. "I can kind of understand the human mentality to enjoy life at a slower pace nowadays, because seventy years is long enough to experience a lot of the stuff life has to offer mundane folk, but you aren't mundane. I can't imagine any other human living life at the edge of death so frequently like you have and never taking things for herself." He nudged her with his elbow. "I can understand you being nervous about Kurama. He knows nothing about our history and the unique dangers of our lives. I'm not certain how he'll react once he knows everything."

She sighed. It wasn't the only reason she was nervous about Kurama. His magic had been unexpectedly delightful, and she didn't like that loss of control. "Didn't you just advise me, this week, that I shouldn't just run with the first male who flirted at me?"

Shippo gave her a serious look. "Did Hiei flirt with you?"

She thought back to all their interactions. "Um, I'm not sure. Maybe?"

"Better question: did he take advantage of you when you were vulnerable?"

She pursed her lips. "I don't think so."

"Have you had any reason to feel nervous in his presence?"

"Well, yeah. When we first met he really really didn't like me."

Shippo rolled his eyes. "I doubt that was actually the case, but I'll humor you. Do you have any reason to feel nervous around him now?"

She shook her head, then considered it for a moment and changed her mind. "I don't know what to do," she admitted.

Shippo rolled his head backward. "Man, and here I was, trying to skip the lengthy and awkward stuff. You're an absolute novice."

"I do not want your kind of help with relationships, Shippo!" she warned, barely keeping her voice down.

"Meh, you might not want my help but you're probably gonna need it unless you plan on beating around the bush for the next year." He looked at her sideways. "I can help you understand how the mechanics work so you're ready for whatever comes your way."

She glared at him. "I know how sex works."

He sniffed, turning his nose up. "Knowing how something works and actually doing it are very different things. I'm available if you want to practice, that's all." He peeked from the corner of his eye at her wide-eyed expression. "If you'd rather practice on him, I can hold him down," he offered.

She gasped and slapped her hand over his mouth. "Oh my gosh, he isn't still here is he?" He nodded and she felt his lips curl under her fingers. "You're unbelievable," she muttered as he slid the flat of his tongue up her palm. She wiped her hand across his cheek and then stared in the opposite direction, hoping her face would go back to a normal color sometime in the next week.

He sighed. "Okay, forget I said anything."

"Are you kidding? How am I going to forget any of that?"

"Well," he looked at her sideways. "I could try some of that kitsune suggestion on you and see if I can get you to believe it never happened."

"Oh, um, no. No, we really shouldn't try that." She laughed nervously, clutching the fabric of her pajama pants in her fists. "I'll just deal with it." There was no escaping it. She just had to accept the fact that her face would be permanently on fire.

He stared at her. "I told you the other day that it works just fine holding hands. You sure you don't wanna try?"

"Mmhm," she said with false brightness, standing quickly to escape the tiny closet before she embarrassed herself further. It was already bad enough with Hiei suddenly showing up and Shippo trying to be helpful, but now she had to deal with the idea that maybe kitsune magic did stuff it wasn't supposed to be doing to her that she certainly didn't want be testing out in a closet with Shippo.

She wasn't surprised to see Hiei sitting cross-legged beneath her window, his sword propped on one shoulder. "I can get you a pillow, if you need one?" Her voice only squeaked once in mortification. She hoped his sense of hearing was not as advanced as some of the youkai she'd known in the past.

He blinked placidly. "I won't be sleeping."

She hummed and dove under her blankets.

Shippo sidled into the room after her with a smirk. "Eh, suit yourself. I won't be either, but cuddling is amazing." He climbed over her and curled around the lump of her body under the comforter, then propped his head on his palm so he could stare over the mass of her hair at the male sitting less than ten feet away. He flicked his head, indicating he should join them.

"I also won't be cuddling."

"You say that now." Shippo snorted. "You're probably bad at cuddling, anyways. That hair might put someone's eye out."

Hiei rolled his eyes.

Kagome buried her face in her pillow. This was not happening.

Perhaps it was the stress of the evening, but when she eventually dozed off, she did not sleep well. Two nightmares crept up on her over the course of the night.

The purification burning her alive…

The tearing and stabbing pains of deadly vegetation ripping free from her flesh…

Shippo did his duty diligently and nudged her awake before either got bad enough to cause problems. When the sun came up over the horizon, she was already staring at the side of her nightstand, examining the barely discernible patterns in the wood.

"Sorry," came a quiet voice buried in her hair.

She sighed. "Maybe I should barrier my room tonight and you can just let the nightmare happen."

She felt the chuckle more than she heard it. "If you want to try that once, fine with me. Just might wanna put away anything breakable, yeah?"

Silence filled her room. Surely it couldn't be that bad. She closed her eyes and buried her face in the cool fabric of her pillow. "Is he still here?"

"I am."

She was too tired to be embarrassed that he'd stuck around for the whole evening. "Sorry if I kept either of you awake."

Shippo snickered quietly. "We don't sleep much."

"Did you glare at each other all night, then?" she asked, humor warring with the tiredness in her voice.

"Nah," he whispered. "I've nearly won him over with my charming personality."

She heard him laugh suddenly, felt a brief shuffling at her side, and then the warmth of her kitsune vanished with a muffled curse. She leaned up on her elbows to stare blearily in the early morning light at the ruffling of her curtain in front of the open window. Hiei stood alone, staring out through the gap. He glanced at her briefly before he took his place on the floor once more. "You should try and get some more rest."

Shippo appeared on the windowsill a moment later, and she flopped back onto her pillow with a sigh.

"I didn't do anything to warrant being tossed out a window," he muttered, slinking back into her room.

Kagome smiled into the darkness of her bedding. He probably did something daily that deserved being tossed out a window.

Shippo sighed loudly. "Aiko's already up. I'll go see if she wants help with breakfast." He paused in the doorway with a grin that Kagome could hear in his voice even without picking her head up off the pillow. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

She buried her face deeper into the fluff and tugged her blanket up over her neck. She didn't need to look to see he still sat beneath her window. She could feel his energy like a quiet simmer, closer to peace than she'd detected from him before. "Why are you here, Hiei?" she asked. It sounded rude, and she knew a few people who would huff in irritation, take it the wrong way, and storm off after a rough response.

"Do you want me to go?" he deflected.

It seemed like a good idea to have another powerful ally present on the shrine grounds in case everything went south like some tiny foreboding indicated might be on the horizon. But even if things stayed fine and she'd been overreacting… she was glad he was here.

"No."

"You just gonna sit up there and watch? Never would have pegged you to be a voyeur," Shippo muttered. "Thought you'd be the hands-on kinda guy, do what you want, fuck first and ask questions later."

Kagome gave him a funny look. "I think the phrase is shoot first and ask questions later…"

Shippo shrugged. "Same difference."

"Hiei, you might actually have to go. I don't know if I can focus if Shippo is going to flirt with you nonstop."

Shippo laughed as he walked back to his starting position.

"I'll participate in training only if he does." Hiei nodded in Shippo's direction.

"What do you mean?" she asked, glancing between the two. Shippo was obviously participating, already sporting a pink streak across his face from getting too cocky with a fancy dodge maneuver.

"He's blocking me with something. It's difficult to train with my hands tied behind my back."

Shippo rolled his eyes. "He's whining about my charm."

"Okay, you're charming, we all get it." She poked him with the end of her bow. "Let's just get on with it. Mama needs me to help sweep the shrine building for this weekend."

Shippo snickered. "Thanks, but I mean the charm I keep in my pocket. It keeps him outta my thoughts."

"Oh." She glanced at Hiei before frowning at Shippo. "Um, you only have one of those?" She couldn't imagine the random tidbits of blush-worthy thoughts he might have been picking up.

He tapped his forehead. "Had to keep the company secrets safe. It wouldn't have done you any good, anyways. Anyone can read you like a book, Kagome, even if they can't get into your thoughts."

She turned pink and turned away from both of them, clutching her bow in embarrassment. 'I really need to work on my poker face…' She slid her bow over a shoulder and pressed her free hands to her cheeks. Maybe she should call it quits for the day and just go meditate on the benefits of a clear and peaceful mind.

Hiei jumped down from the branch where he'd been lounging. "I haven't been able to see into your thoughts for a while. Your mental protections may have only been disrupted during your brief possession."

Her mind flashed back to moments that had felt more nightmarish than real.

"Stop," he said, coming to stand in front of her.

"Like a book," Shippo sang.

Hiei closed his eyes, barely repressing a sigh of irritation. "Your expressions are not a weakness, as my lack is not a strength. These are merely aspects of who we are. The day I freely show my feelings is the day you'll know something is very wrong with me."

Her lips twitched as she tried to stifle a giggle. The thought of him dramatically whining or laughing like Shippo did on a constant basis was comically bad.

He tilted his head as he looked at her. "One day, you might trust me enough to realize that hiding what's on your mind is unnecessary." He glanced down, then cautiously held out his empty hand. She reached without thinking and placed her fingers on his palm.

Her hair barely fluttered as the power balanced between them. What did it mean that there was such a small reaction this time? She looked at their hands as her fingertips slid over his callouses. His warm fingers curled lightly around hers, and she looked up to meet his gaze.

*As I expected, I'd need to be touching you to ever see into your mind again.*

She felt warm and a bit short on words as she searched his eyes. She didn't understand what he wanted from her. The corner of his mouth twitched.

She felt like the answer was there just within reach, like she could sift through his thoughts and feelings as easily as he could her own if she just tried, but the thought of knowing someone else so easily, so thoroughly, terrified her. She liked her safe assumptions, the distance, the not knowing something that might break her understanding of the world around her.

Shippo crouched nearby, grinning up at them in amusement. "You two look really weird just standing there staring at each other."

Hiei slid his gaze away from her eyes and focused on the fox. *Your charm ceases to work with her aid. What are you trying to keep hidden from me?*

'Not necessarily from you, but having you in my head made me realize I needed to be ready for others with similar abilities. There is too much at stake right now to be caught off guard.'

With his attention elsewhere, it was easier for her to allow her mind to wander away from the mysteries of Hiei as they casually held hands. She closed her eyes and reached elsewhere with her magic, flowing easily past the edge of the shrine and out into the surrounding neighborhoods. She had to pull her attention back to feel for the edges of the shrine with careful restraint. Her range had drastically increased.

"Hey, wait a sec," Shippo said out loud. "Kagome, aren't you wearing a seal right now?"

She opened her eyes and frowned in confusion, then slipped her fingers beneath her shirt to feel for the edge of the little slip of paper that should be present. "Yes."

"But-"

She shrugged. "Maybe that's why there was only a little reaction. Or maybe I can still share even with a seal?"

"But it didn't do anything that first night we tested it," he murmured. "Maybe if you aren't trying to share? Or maybe it's just me…" Shippo stepped close to her other side and held out his hand with furrowed eyebrows. She took his fingers with her other hand and gasped as the magic jumped between the three of them.

Magic swelled, pressing uncomfortably against the seal over her abdomen. She shut her eyes and focused on intentionally forcing it back down. "Um," she started, repressing a shudder, "I think this is something I need to practice more." She swallowed and shivered against the force of the energy. "This feels important." She opened her eyes, wondering why neither of the two standing with her had said anything yet.

Hiei's eyes were closed, and he appeared to be deep in concentration.

Shippo stared at her with a small hint of wonder.

"What?" She asked.

His hand gently squeezed hers. "Your eyes are glowing." His expression brightened with mischief. "It takes two of us to bring out your inner light. I wonder what happens if we find a third?"

Hiei opened his eyes to glare at him. Her mouth dropped open before she let go of both of them and walked away, her face on fire again.

Shippo gasped in mock outrage. "I didn't say anything dirty. You keep assuming my thoughts are all in the gutter!"

"Shippo," she said without stopping her brisk walk to the house, "Hiei can read your mind."

"Are you helping her?" Shippo growled, clutching his side.

"She hardly needs help against the likes of you," Hiei said with a tiny smirk.

Shippo scowled at the interference, but readied himself for the next time a pebble rocketed his way. He turned into the slight impact and thrust his hand out, seeking with his magic for that tangible flame burning within the shorter youkai. He found it and yanked, dragging Hiei from his perch in the tree to sling him into the path of her attempted strike. Kagome almost didn't notice in time to twist away, barely missing both males.

Shippo's control slipped and Hiei leapt to his feet to retaliate with a swift punch to the gut, but he missed by a hair as Shippo leapt backwards with a mischievous giggle.

"Shippo, that wasn't very safe. What if I'd hit him?"

"Sorry Kagome, I thought Hiei wanted to participate."

She sighed and walked away. "I'm going inside for a drink."

*I am participating. External distractions can be deadly if you cannot stay focused.*

'I've been fighting and surviving for longer than you've walked this earth. If you want to participate so badly I can show you just what her magic does.'

*Anyone with eyes can see what it's doing to you. She's just blind.*

'She needs to practice before she goes. If anything, you should be distracting her. Are you going to take one for the team and let her beat up on you?'

*Goes where?*

Shippo froze, not intending to reveal that. He instantly regretted leaving his charm inside the house. Now that Hiei knew what he'd been avoiding thinking about, the thoughts and plans fell out into the open, clear as day.

*Have you lost your fucking mind?* Hiei leapt at him again, fist on fire as he swung for the kitsune's face.

Shippo flipped backwards and had to roll sideways to dodge another blow. 'It's not my idea! She wants to help him!'

Hiei flashed forward and hooked his leg around the kitsune's knee. He twisted sharply, pulling him into a tumbling roll that ended with the red-head pinned face down beneath him with an arm twisted up against his spine and his hand over the back of his neck. Hiei pressed his face into the stone as he glared down at him. *Have you considered that this weird little human psychic might be an enemy? You could be sending her right into a trap!*

'You act like we haven't examined this from every angle for the last five hundred years! You know what?' Shippo shifted slightly in Hiei's tightening grip to peer up at him from the corner of one eye. 'Go ahead and forbid her from going.' Shippo smirked, flashing the point of a fang.'Try and convince her it's a bad idea. Suggest a thousand other ways for her to appease her need to help people.'

Hiei narrowed his eyes. He could feel Shippo's growing amusement. 'Time finds a way. If she's meant to go, chances are good she's just gonna fucking vanish one day, and maybe we won't have prepared her for whatever bullshit she ends up facing.'

He let go of Shippo's arm and scowled down at him in irritation. 'So I should take this as you like being on top?' Hiei punched him in the back of the skull and stood, ignoring his whine about rough handling.

Later that night, the trio stood in the shadowy interior of the tiny wooden building, staring down into the dark depths of the ancient well.

Kagome whispered, "It feels like the well is sleeping. The magic is far away."

Shippo hummed in agreement. "When the others had to do that spell to get you home again, do you remember what was involved?"

Kagome shrugged. "Three youkai and a miko, they did some ceremony that looked like a retelling of the aspects of the jewel, held hands, and the magic woke up. It was just enough to get me through." She hugged her arms to her chest. "I was a little upset about everything that had happened, so I didn't pay close enough attention before I made that final trip home."

"Out of curiosity, can you hold our hands again, for just a moment? I want to see if it does anything."

She looked to Hiei to see if he'd participate and jumped when his fingers slid around her wrist. He seemed irritated but resigned to the idea that she might be going somewhere dangerous that they would not be able to keep her safe. She reached out a hand for Shippo next, shuddering when the magic woke with that strange intensity. Something deep within her abdomen ached, and she worried what would happen if she tried this without the seal to dampen the effects.

A dim flicker of light danced from the depths of the well, and Kagome felt Hiei tense.

Shippo's usual joking attitude smoothed into a serious frown at this sign of change. "We should get your supplies packed in case something wakes the magic unexpectedly. Your window to return might be short."

Kagome smirked and looked at him sideways. "You keep saying time finds a way. I'm not sure why you'd be worried about being so prepared for what sounds an awful lot like fate."

Shippo looked grim. "I'd really hate to discover that failing to prepare or missing a window of opportunity shows us some darker side of destiny. I'll contact Sesshoumaru to see if he can be our third for the next test."

"Should I mentally prepare myself for further antics once you've gotten him here, or can I consider him neutral territory?"

Shippo snickered. "I'll let you figure that one out yourself."

Kagome groaned in misery. She didn't even want to imagine how bad that might end up being.

She pulled free of their hands and crouched next to the wooden rim, peering carefully down into the faintly flickering depths. The magic was just barely there, a gentle call tugging at her spirit. She smiled as joy bubbled up from within her at the thought of returning once more, even if only briefly, to the source of so many old memories to fix one last problem.

The magic remained for less than a minute, and she nodded to herself as it faded and fell back to sleep once more. She bit her lip as she stood, staring down at the now-quiet portal. Would the magic wake fully again one day, some long years after they'd all moved on from this world?

Both Hiei and Shippo agreed that Kagome needed more time with the touch-related power boost from the jewel so that she could learn its limitations and discover if there was a way to control or contain the effects. After dinner that evening, the three sat on her floor in silence.

"Did you wanna practice without the seal?"

She touched a hand to her shirt with a frown, pressing the fabric in until she could feel the paper tucked out of sight. "I don't think I'm ready for that, yet. It's already bordering on overwhelming. Maybe with more exposure and understanding I'll be ready to go further."

Shippo cracked his knuckles. "Let's do this!"

She turned her gaze to the side, pinning him with a warning look.

"What?" He waved his hands against her accusatory glare. "I'll be good."

Kagome glanced between the two of them. Hiei had closed his eyes, clearly irritated to be sitting within ten feet of the troublesome fox. "I wonder," she muttered. He cracked open one eye to peer at her in question. "I wonder what would happen if you two completed the circle. Holding hands, or touching in some way?"

She noticed his jaw clench briefly before he closed his eyes again. "If it becomes necessary to test such a thing, I will do so."

Shippo tapped his fingers lightly against the wall and she felt a barrier drop into place.

"You think it'll be that bad?"

"Better safe than sorry. Who knows what either of you are gonna be doing with all that power." He grinned. "I know what I'm gonna be doing…"

"Barrier control," Kagome muttered, holding out her hands.

"Fire control," Shippo announced, taking her fingers with no small measure of glee.

"Mind control," Hiei glared at Shippo in challenge as he slid his fingers around hers.

Kagome sighed in irritation, sensing the brewing conflict already. "Let's try and be civil, okay?"

Ten minutes passed in relative silence, but Kagome started to get a little nervous as the hands she held began to feel warmer than what she considered to be normal, even for them.

"Tell me if you can feel this."

"I have a sword and can stab you. You will feel that."

"Oh, don't be such a pussy. I'm just askin' can you feel this," Shippo's eyebrow twitched.

Hiei sucked in a short breath.

"Doesn't hurt, does it? I'm trying to keep it a light touch."

Shippo tilted his head as he slid intangible fingers around the brightness of Hiei's internal fire. He'd haphazardly yanked it around earlier that day in reckless retaliation for his interference, but there was no need for so much force if only a small amount of direction were necessary to—

He mentally cursed. Another flare of Kagome's magic rippled up his arm, dragging his attention away from his self-appointed task. Swallowing, he nudged Hiei's fire, attempting to lift the youkai into the air. The potential during fights if he could levitate others—

Shippo shuddered. Hiei was using his stupid third eye to poke around in his head. He could feel it sliding around into corners he didn't relish being exposed, but it was a small price to pay for this greater effort. What they did, what they worked toward, was bigger than any one of them. He just wasn't sure what the greater thing was yet.

Hiei nudged into his control of fire, and Shippo's grip on the magic faltered. He felt amusement rippling through his thoughts as Hiei turned the magic back on him right as Kagome's power flared again. Shippo shuddered violently as his concentration broke and Hiei dropped with a slight thump back to the floor.

"You're both getting very warm. Can you dial it down some?" She whispered, her eyes closed as she focused on the details of her barrier around the shrine.

*Yes, tone it down some, you 're burning up over there.*

Shippo's face turned red. 'I'll show you burning up if you don't stop going on about it.'

*I 'll rip off your arm and beat you with it if you dare touch me.*

He leaned forward and met Hiei's angry red gaze, biting his lip as he grinned. His fang drew a droplet of blood and Hiei's eyes flicked down to the crimson spot. 'Would you put your hands all over me to tear me apart? I'm sure she'll put me back together again, but she might be angry at you for making a mess. You'd like that, though, wouldn't you. Getting your hands dirty for the simple pleasure of it.' Shippo could barely restrain his glee at the way Hiei's pupils dilated, betraying his interest even as he sneered in disgust.

*What is wrong with you?*

'I'm special.'

"Okay, that's the exact opposite of what I requested, Shippo!" She released both of them, waving her hands as though to shake free of the burning heat lingering in her fingertips.

*You really need to tell her what her magic does to you before you dig yourself into a hole so deep that you can't escape.* He paused, watching as Shippo turned his gaze aside and licked the blood from his lip. *Or fucking leave already. She and I can practice without you here.*

'No damned way.' Shippo scowled. He wasn't going to reveal anything like that if he didn't need to. He didn't want her to hold back from her practices just because he was uncomfortable.

*Uncomfortable is a hilarious understatement. I don't remember the last time I saw someone fight against their own nature so hard.*

Shippo scowled at the younger youkai. He plucked his charm off the bedside table and stuffed it into his pocket, ready to shut the irritating fire youkai out of his head. If he wasn't careful, he'd end up doing something he'd regret.

Kagome in pajamas, curled in his arms and fast asleep, and all was right once more.

He brushed his fingertips over her forehead, curious why the magic remained dormant.

"It's either in her hands, or simply that she's the one reaching," came Hiei's quiet observation. "She's been worrying about it most of the day. About accidental activation, or her enemies finding a way through her defenses."

Shippo sighed, nuzzling his face into the hair behind her neck. "We'll just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

Hiei stared at what little he could see of bright red hair peeking over her neck and shoulder. "Will you always be by her side?"

Shippo moved just enough to peer over her. "Will you?"

Hiei stared at him. "Neither of us can follow where she plans to go."

"Guess we better make sure she's ready, then."

Shortly after breakfast the next morning, Shippo presented her with a cute little pouch (yellow, in honor of her well-worn backpack) laced with sneaky kitsune magic that hid a much larger interior. Souta snickered and said it was like a bag of holding from one of his video games. Kagome absolutely did not understand the reference.

"Even if you're only going to be there for a single afternoon, I want to make sure you're prepared for something unexpected. With you, Kagome, nothing is simple."

Dried foods, a first aid kit ("But I don't need those anymore!" she argued, to which he replied with a cocked eyebrow, "Who says it's for you?" She let him tuck the box away without another word), a fancy water purifying device, and a few changes of clothes just in case.

She grumbled the entire time. "You know, this won't be my first foray into the unknown."

He shrugged and smiled. "This is the first time I can help you prepare, though! I don't know who will be around to support you, and what if you're stuck somewhere awful for months?" He stared at her with all teasing wiped from his expression. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best." He opened her box of seals and put an entire handful of the small slips into a side pocket.

"You're right." She pushed an extra pair of socks under the changes of clothing.

He laughed and ruffled her hair so hard that she tipped over sideways with a giggling protest.

The trip-readied pouch was unbelievably lightweight. "Magic," he explained. It was not much of an explanation.

"If the magic breaks, will I be left with a terribly heavy and humongous pouch held up by a single strap to lug painfully around the great unknown?"

He seriously thought about it for a moment. "It's possible. Don't worry about bringing it home if something horrible happens. Just bring yourself." He hung it in the wellhouse next to her quiver and bow, ready to go whenever the time came.

Sesshoumaru declined to come for their tests, stating only that completing the circle should be all that they'd need to get her going. How he knew that was a mystery he'd try (and likely fail) to pry out of him at a later time.

The trio continued to practice over the next week as Kagome grew more and more nervous. Something was coming, she'd say. Some unknown force, a nagging sensation, occasionally tugged at her heart and made her feel antsy. "I wish you'd stay long enough to meet Angara," Shippo pouted. "Surely you can wait another week?"

Kagome frowned with a hand over her heart. "I don't know."

"But if you leave me here alone with him we might get into a fight," he whined.

Kagome rolled her eyes.

"When you leave, I have a task I must accomplish. I will return within a few days. Do not fear for the kitsune's life in your absence."

Shippo gasped. "You're both leaving me? What the heck am I supposed to do?"

Hiei glared. "Practice. Meditate. Protect this land."

"Well, duh. But who am I gonna play with?"

Kagome pressed her hand to her face. "You can't self-entertain for a little while?"

His shoulders slumped. "I guess I can."

She laughed. "You're such a child!"

He stuck his tongue out in response.

Kagome woke on Thursday morning to a sharp pain in her chest. She rolled onto her back, gasping as she clutched the fabric over her heart. Shippo had already scrambled back to give her space, staring down into her face with concern. "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, staring above her as a weird light flickered in her vision. Another sharp pain thrummed, and now that she was awake, she could feel it was pulsing through her in a specific direction. She sat up and waited for it to come again, confirming her suspicion.

"It's time," she said.

"What? How do you know?"

"This—" another pulling pressure, less painful but no less insistent. "It feels like something is pulling on my heart toward the well. It's really weird but impossible to miss."

Shippo sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "Shit."

Her pouch had been packed and her quiver and bow were waiting by the door. "Do you have time for breakfast or are you leaving now?"

"Quick breakfast after I change."

Shippo pressed his lips together and fetched her outfit before heading downstairs to get something for her to eat. Hiei paused at her window, looking back at her for a moment before he dropped out of sight.

Kagome raced to the bathroom to get ready to go. She'd tried on the bodysuit with the priestess garb a few times before to get used to the fastenings, so it wasn't too much trouble to throw everything on even with the energy tugging at her to go. She pocketed the strange silver communicator that she still had no idea how to use and walked quickly downstairs.

Her mother sat quietly at the kitchen table with a mug of tea held loosely in her hands, a worried smile on her lips. "I'll pray for your safe and quick return," she murmured, standing to press a kiss to Kagome's forehead.

"Thanks, Mama." Kagome threw her arms around the older woman to give her a tight hug. Shippo handed her something to eat as they slipped out the front door. "You'll say bye to Souta and Grandpa for me, in case I'm not back right away?"

Shippo nodded. "I really wasn't expecting this to happen so suddenly. This sucks," he muttered.

She laughed and poked him in the ribs with her elbow. "We did what we could with our time to prepare. I feel like I'll be able to handle some trouble."

Hiei stood with his arms folded in front of the closed well house doors. He frowned a little at her appearance. "Your hair is a liability. You might consider pinning it up so an enemy cannot catch hold of it during a fight."

She grinned. "We've been practicing combat all week and you just now thought to suggest that?"

He shrugged, turning just a bit pink as he looked away. "The white of your outfit draws attention to your hair." He withdrew something from his sleeve as Shippo pulled open the doors to step inside the darkness. Hiei held it out for her to take, and she palmed the dark metal with a curious expression.

"A knife?" She pulled it free from the sheath and admired its charcoal coloring.

"A good knife. I do not expect you to fight with it, but I've heard humans sometimes find them useful when they are far from home."

She smiled brilliantly at him and tucked it into her sleeve. He stepped closer, nudging his presence into her space as he quietly stared at her.

"I'll try to come back soon," she said.

"Feel free to murder on my behalf any that would harm you."

She laughed.

"If you two are done kissing goodbye, can we get on with this?"

"We aren't kissing!" she protested.

"You should be!" came his reply. "I'll kiss him for you after you go, you chicken!"

"I will not be around long enough for him to try," he muttered.

She stared at him, a blush rising on her cheeks. He stared right back, motionless.

Shippo poked his head out of the building and groaned in exasperation. "Kagome, you are hopeless. He's obviously waiting for you to make the first move!" They both turned to glare at him. He tsked in exaggerated disappointment. "Looks like I need to teach both of you a few things." He sighed and shook his head, disappearing into the darkness once more.

Blushing furiously, she folded her arms over her chest and peeked at Hiei. He thrust his hands in his pockets and watched her from the corner of his eyes. "Um, next time," she whispered, looking away.

He hummed and strode into the darkness ahead of her.

With only three of them, they couldn't circle the well like the others had done to help her get home, but after seeing the magic lingering for a minute after they'd attempted this earlier that week, she knew they'd have time. Shippo held out her pouch and she slung it over her back before shouldering her quiver and bow.

"You have your thing from Koenma?" He asked, and she nodded, patting the small lump in her pocket. "Alright then, let's get this show on the road." He held out his hands for theirs with a smile.

She wasn't sure what she'd expected to happen when they completed the circle, but this was definitely not it. The magic jumped in pressure and she shuddered as it pushed hard against the seal she wore. The light within the well flared brightly and the sound of ghostly chimes tinkled from deep within the ground. A pleasantly addicting warmth slid up her arms and through her body as echoes of thoughts from the two that held her hands bounced through her mind, and then someone let go, snapping the circle of power. The glow around them remained, and she blinked in confusion at the other two as they looked at each other.

"That was new," Shippo remarked before he glanced over his shoulder. "You better get going while the magic's still good."

He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead before skipping back a step. "Don't keep us waiting too long."

She nodded, her eyes wide. She licked her lips. "Um, let's try that again when I get back," she said, looking away from them both.

Shippo snickered.

Hiei still held her hand. *Stay safe.* His eyes glowed in the darkness. He squeezed her fingers gently before letting go and stepping back.

She took a breath and stepped onto the rim, looking back at them with a little smile. "Be back soon!"

And then she dropped into the light.

AN: (cries) Shippo and Hiei will be on vacation for the next six or so chapters :( :(