Chapter Fourteen

Stuck Together

"Come back inside."

The line was quiet. A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, the resulting thunder reverberating in her chest seconds later.

"You're drenched," she tried.

"Your point?" His words were abrasive, but she didn't break eye contact. It was Saturday morning, over twelve hours since Hiei had fled the apartment: face blushing just the barest amount, as he turned tail.

Ashley watched him from her porch sliding door. It was hard to see though, she could admit, from the downpours of rain that ran down the glass, but she could see Hiei's hunched form in the tree just outside her flat, trying to stay as close to the trunk as possible to hopefully avoid the rain.

It seemed he'd run out of luck. Even with the distance between them, his usually poofy hair was as wet as a dog, and the long sleeved shirt she'd lent him was sticking to his body. There was no way he wasn't wet at that moment. The typhoon had indeed made landfall.

"You're going to get yourself electrocuted," she was talking to him via cell phone, and in the current state of the weather it was practically as if he was talking to her under water. Logic stated that that phone should not still be working.

He didn't answer. But he didn't hang up, either. That seemed to be progress.

She decided to try a different tactic.

"I have food and your clothes are now dry and warm."

He made a sound of frustration in the back of his throat. Ashley quirked a smile as she imagined him rolling his scarlet eyes, throwing his whole body into the movement. "I'll keep the back door unlocked if you change your mind."

She knew he would. Or rather, she hoped he would.

Turning, she hung up the phone, praying that the seven thousand yen she'd spent on his new phone wouldn't be a waste of money, and sat back down atop her futon. The tv was on and fixed on the local news. It was in constant repeat of what was going on outside her window, but in predictions, too. The storm should be over within the next twenty four hours, but honestly it couldn't end soon enough. As much as she enjoyed the rain and getting the ability to read for hours at a time without being disturbed, the constant pouring noise of it, sounding like uncooked rice pouring into a bowl at all hours of the night practically had her pulling out her hair.

As it were, she made sure her hands stayed very far away from her hair so as not to tempt the idea, and opened the third Harry Potter book once more, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. She was in chapter nine, right where the Griffindor Quiddich team was about to have a match against Hufflepuff in the pouring rain, when there was a heavy shove and a squeak that came from her patio door, just a few feet to her left from where she sat.

Trying not to spook the poor guy, she barely glanced up and instead ignored him as Hiei slipped back into her flat and padded his way across the flat to the bathroom, dripping rain across her floor as he did.

Without a word the bathroom door shut with a soft click.

Finally glancing up, Knox was staring at her in curiosity, his expression matching her thoughts. Reaching out to scratch him behind the ear, she admitted, "I know, he's weird." Hauling herself up as the shower turned on, she muttered, "Let's fix him something though, yes?"

She placed her bookmark in her novel and set it aside.

Ashley didn't much feel like cooking at that exact moment, but Hiei had been outside getting drenched overnight, and if it had been her, she would have been ravenous. Yes, it was his fault for going out there in the first place, but perhaps she shouldn't have pushed him so hard? She'd just wanted to get a glimpse, after all, of whatever it was beneath his headband, but really, upon looking at the whole situation again, Ashley cringed. It hadn't been her business, and it was obvious she'd made him uncomfortable.

Setting those thoughts to the side before she dwelled on them any longer than was necessary, Ashley set about making a nice spaghetti. Surely he was amiable to that, and it was late enough in the morning that it wasn't too strange.

To be quite frank, she wasn't even sure what types of food he enjoyed eating. Now that they weren't necessarily a couple, fake or not, and he was more like a house guest that she couldn't get rid of, even if he usually kept to himself outside the flat, it occurred to her that she should at least ask him about his favorite foods to know what to feed him when he did come around.

Ashley knew it wouldn't be very often since he was more of a loner, but it was the least she could do to thank him. With the water boiling, she dumped the pasta into the pot.

Having talked with him that night at the diner, she knew she had been right: she really could die at any moment. Having some legion stalking her or some other nonsense put her a little on edge, but really, she was right. She really could keel over just by crossing the street, and there wasn't a damn thing anyone could really do. It was kind of him to do this, sure, but it wasn't like she could thank him in any way. And how long, exactly, was all this supposed to go on? Three weeks was virtually nothing, but what if it was still going on in a year when her teaching tenure was up and she went back to London? Would Hiei just go with her?

Cringing, she realized she didn't want that at all. He was nice enough, but whatever feelings she'd had all those weeks ago toward him she'd buried deep. She didn't want someone around her all the time who she liked like that and couldn't dream of having. As much as she was able to ignore it now, it would be torture if it was a long-term arrangement. Although, she realized, she would like to get to know him further, even if it was just to know his favorite food so she could try to cook it for him as a thank you.

Reaching up into her cabinets, Ashley tried to grasp the spaghetti sauce. It was all the way a the back. She knew she should probably get a chair to reach it, but stubbornness set in and she worked to reach it on the tips of her toes.

And really, her thoughts wandered back to the demon in her shower, if the two of them went back to London together, she'd rather it be-

A hand snaked around hers and pulled the spaghetti sauce down to eye level for her.

Pure surprise interrupted her thoughts; she hadn't even heard the water shut off or the door click open as it did.

But there was Hiei, holding out the jar of spaghetti sauce. The crimson in his eyes nearly matched the crimson in his hand.

The thank you was nearly out of her mouth when her stubbornness set in. "I could have gotten it, you know. I'm not that short."

Hiei quirked a corner of his mouth. Almost a smile. "You looked like you were struggling," he replied, stalking back into the other room and leaving her to the pasta making.

Without glancing back at him, she muttered a quiet, "Thank you," and briefly wondered how good demons were at hearing things said beneath breath.

He'd changed back into his now-dry cloak and black pants. His hair was still wet, but not nearly quite so drenched. It stuck up in a way that looked like he'd taken a towel to it. "Hungry?" she asked over her shoulder, pouring in the sauce and stirring, not paying Hiei any mind with what he might have replied with.

Really, now that she was making this, she realized just how hungry she'd become as well. Even if he didn't eat, she would. She'd woken up before the sun that morning, or rather, pulled herself from the bed that she'd barely slept in after being kept up by the storm all night, and made breakfast early. It was now nearly six hours later, and even though spaghetti wasn't a traditional morning food, it would do.

By the time she forked the spaghetti into two bowls and brought them out to the kotatsu, Hiei was already sitting there.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ashley realized Harry Potter had been mis-placed. She'd left it with the book closed. Now it lay open, pages fluttering in the soft breeze that her standing fan created in the room.

Last she checked, Knox hadn't grown thumbs.

And Knox hadn't been there the last time she'd had this happen, either.

It was in that moment that a couple details clicked together, and an idea began formulating in her head.

"Do you mind if I read?" Ashley asked.

"Don't you have food to eat?" He didn't even ask what it was; just picked up the fork and started eating.

"I can multi-task," she replied evenly, going ahead and scooping up her book and sitting down opposite Hiei at the kotatsu.

He snorted in derision. "It's your home."

She didn't glance back up at him as she opened the thick novel back to where her bookmark was placed. It was one page off, but she didn't bother correcting it, knowing Hiei was watching her as she discreetly watched him.

They ate in relative silence, minus the weather report on the tv and the rain pounding the building around them. A few times Ashley chuckled, knowing she drew the attention of a certain demon across from her, but she ignored him completely.

By the time her spaghetti was gone and Hiei had decided to retire from the kotatsu to lean against the far wall, one leg extended and the other bent at the knee in his signature way, Ashley spoke. "Oh, I always forget how great this book is." Bookmarking her page, she rose to her feet, gathering the empty dishes with her and took them to the kitchen to place in the sink. "I took the Pottermore test once; it said I'm a Hufflepuff, and you know, I think that's right."

She was careful how she acted, how she spoke, and how she glanced at him. He was watching her intently, like a cat watching a mouse, and at that thought, her stomach did a little flip.

Continuing as she sat back down, she said, "Have you ever read it? Harry Potter?" She'd never been any good at acting, but she needed to get good, and fast. Or she might be found out.

Hiei did not move from his position. His eyes never left hers, but she knew he was studying her.

Finally, "No."

It was a soft no, almost thoughtful, which was a complete 180 from his usual brusque manner, but she didn't comment on it.

"Then can I read you this? I think you'll really like it." She squirmed on her cushion in excitement, which was real. This wasn't acting. She was truly excited to share something she loved with this boy that was so hard to read.

He didn't respond, so she read.

"Resigned to the fact that he would be the only third year staying behind again," Ashley began reading, translating the English to Japanese. She was now in the middle of the Marauder's Map chapter, where Harry received the map from Fred and George. It was difficult, reading the sentence in her mind and then translating aloud, and the story telling came out broken and staggered, but Hiei didn't comment on it.

Eventually, she made herself comfortable against the far wall, and Knox settled down with his head on her lap.

Time passed slowly as she made her lumbering way through the words of Harry Potter. By the time she got to Harry's first lessons with Lupin to conjure the patronus, nearly an hour later a quick glance to the clock told her, Hiei finally interrupted her.

"That's not originally written in Japanese, is it?"

Surprised at his question, Ashley stuttered a quick, "N-No, it's not."

She couldn't read anything behind his expression, only that a moment later he replied with, "What does it sound like in the language it's in?"

That question caught her off guard. But no matter how many ways she turned his question over in her mind she couldn't figure out why he was curious about that.

Instead, she flipped a few pages back and read a few paragraphs in Japanese again. Then, she changed tactics, and read the same few paragraphs in her native tongue: English.

His expression didn't change, even as she did the right voices for her characters, and her own received pronunciation accent slipped out.

Mum used to read the books to her and Sophia before they went to sleep. Oliver swore he was too old for the books, but a few times when Ashley had to slip off to the loo she found her brother leaning against the wall outside their door listening.

She could feel a blush slipping across her face as she listened to her accent as she read. While speaking Japanese she had nearly eliminated it completely. Speaking the language she grew up with, however, it was like an old friend had come calling.

Ashley finished with, "'She doesn't know,' said Ron, staring resentfully after Hermione. 'She's just trying to get us to talk to her again.'"

She glanced up. Hiei's expression hadn't changed. He continued to stare at her intently, watching her, and if she didn't know any better she might even say he wasn't thinking about anything behind those eyes of his. However, having spent the last three weeks with him flitting around, and then before that when they pretended to date, she'd gotten to know his expressions at least, and had an idea to what he was feeling at least.

And right now, she was nearly positive he was trying to figure her out.

Which only made her blush deepen.

"A-Are you liking me reading? Or would you rather me stop?" She asked, trying not to look at him and instead looked down at Knox who was dreaming on his back. Truthfully, she hadn't expected him to let her read aloud for as long as he did. She was almost positive that as soon as she had started he would have jumped in complaining about not wanting to hear her voice and to keep that to herself.

He hadn't though.

He'd let her read for almost an hour, and then had asked her to go back and read in English.

With the way he kept looking at the books she had around, she briefly wondered if he knew how to read at all.

She knew that demons came from a place called Demon World, but that was about the extent of it. Was it as developed as Earth was? Did he go to school as a child and then get this mediating job? Or was it more rural in nature?

She didn't dare ask.

"Keep doing whatever you want; it makes no difference to me," Hiei brushed her off, glancing back over towards the porch sliding glass doors.

That, however, told her he was okay with her continuing to read. So she did.

"Do you never listen to anything else?" Hiei's harsh tone caught her attention immediately, and she glanced up from the papers she graded. She'd put Harry Potter away hours ago; Hiei had let her read aloud to him for almost two more hours before he'd casually muttered about her not having anything better to do than grate on his nerves. Trying to hide a knowing smile, she'd put the book away and taken out her students' work that she still needed to grade from the week before.

Gradually, she removed one of the earbuds from her ear, wondering if she'd left her music playing too loud again.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked, keeping the music playing in her left ear.

He narrowed his eyes infinitesimally. "Every time I'm around you and you're listening to music, it's that instrumental stuff… that…"

Ashley knew immediately what he was talking about. "Piano?" she offered the word and he latched onto it.

"Yes! That. You're always listening to it."

His tone felt like an accusation, especially since the music was so dear to her.

"I'm sorry?" Ashley offered. "Could you hear it? I thought the volume was far enough down-"

He huffed a sigh. "Demons, if you don't already know, have excellent hearing." He sat forward, his straight leg curling under him. Shaking his head, he finally glanced up, his gaze softened. "You just… you always listen to it."

Communication really wasn't his strong suit. She didn't remove the last earbud from her ear, but she did put her pen down. The piano continued to play its sweet melodies in her ear, reminding her of pleasant memories.

The secret felt heavy within her, and a part of her wanted to keep it all to herself. But this person who sat across from her… maybe he could hold her secret, too, and not break it?

"That's because it's mine," she admitted, a blush immediately blooming across her cheeks. His expression, mixed between confusion and frustration, immediately told her he didn't get it. "It's my music. I made it. Or rather - I played it," she knew she was starting to ramble, but found herself unable to stop. "I'd been playing all my life, and Mum wanted a record of some of my award-winning pieces so I recorded them, and then made me a copy."

Ashley trailed off, remembering the absolute joy her mother had had when she gave the CD to her at Christmas that year. One year later, she played her last competition.

Her dream came back to her: the one she often had where she sat at the piano for the last time and touched the keys one last time. She'd known it would be her last competition; school had gotten too crazy and she needed to focus on her degree. On top of that, living at the dorms provided no extra room for a piano and the music hall was all the way across campus. This would be the last time she sat at a piano in a while, she knew. Mum and Dad had one at their home; it was the one she used to practice on, but she wouldn't be going home any time soon, either. She needed to stay and focus on her grades.

She'd come in third that day at the competition.

Hiei never responded, or commented, so Ashley placed the earbud back in her ear and turned her attention back to grading.

"Why don't you play now?" he asked, his tone sharp. She really didn't want to remove the earbud again, so she didn't.

"It's been too long," she replied, her words equally as sharp. It really wasn't a topic she was comfortable talking about.

"That's no excuse."

"It's not an excuse!" she replied, pulling the earbud from her ear again and slamming her fist on the table. The sudden action surprised Hiei and his brows shot upwards, disappearing behind his headband. She forced herself to take a breath. "Sorry. But really. It's not an excuse. It's been too long, and I probably wouldn't be any good at it anymore anyway. Besides; it's not like I'm going to go out and buy a piano. I'm only going to be here for another nine months or something. It's fine."

"You can't hide behind your absurd fear of failure," he snapped, but his words were quieter, softer. Not gentle. Never gentle. Ashley was sure that "gentle" was not part of his vocabulary at all. But he said it in a way that told her he didn't mean to insult her, even though it was slightly insulting.

Not answering, Ashley put her earbud back into her ear, her lips pressing together to form a hard line.

He was right, of course. She knew that. But she didn't want to acknowledge what he said at all. He was just an annoying man who liked to make her life hell.

Try as she might, she couldn't find the concentration to grade.

Sleeping was an interesting arrangement.

By the time it had grown dark outside - or at least darker than it was at noon with the heavy rain falling - Ashley and Hiei had reached a point that neither of them had given any thought about as the day wore on.

Ashley realized what was about to happen as she started turning the lights down for the night.

"Um," Ashley stuttered. No way in the coldest reaches of Hell was she about to share a bed with this person.

"I'll take the floor."

Hiei made the decision before Ashley could even argue, taking an extra blanket and pillow and creating a little spot for himself over by the tv. He turned on his side, facing the wall, and that was the last Ashley heard from him.

He didn't snore, but Ashley was still wide awake long into the night, listening to the rain hammering against her patio door.

She was sure Hiei wouldn't try anything with her. Up to that point he rarely touched her at all; something told her he wouldn't try to touch her while she was unaware, but it was still an odd feeling to have the guy in the same room with her and so far away.

Eventually the rain slowed enough that she found peace, and sleep welcomed her into it's gentle embrace.

By morning, nothing of the typhoon remained except a light drizzle. Neither of them expected the three light knocks that came to her apartment door by ten.

Hiei was immediately at the door, tense but opening it.

Minamino stood on the other side, a light smile gracing his features.

"Minamino, what-?" Ashley began, but was immediately cut off by Hiei shutting the door in the redhead's face. "Hiei, there's no need to be rude!" she immediately stepped around him and opened the door again. Minamino looked massively embarrassed, so she invited him in, Hiei skulking off to one of the few corners she had in her flat like a pissed-off cat.

After making sure Minamino wasn't hungry and offering him tea, which he accepted, Ashley put the pot on and the two of them sat at the kotatsu. Hiei was still in a corner, sitting in his signature way.

"Hiei, you can't do this by yourself," Minamino chided over his shoulder. Eventually Ashley had asked what brought him out that way, to which he explained he might have a way to ease the burden on Hiei.

Hiei, of course, was pretending that the conversation did not exist. Even though it was taking place barely four feet from where he sulked.

"I don't even know what you're referring to," Ashley finally admitted. Minamino mentioned he could set up some sort of barrier around the apartment tower that would tell him when an intruder was near. Either he was a whiz at technology, or he was…

She immediately stopped that thought. Just because Hiei had turned out to be a demon didn't mean all his friends were, too.

Minamino turned back to her, a brow quirked. "Hiei, have you not told her?" His only response from the demon in her corner was a glare that could have melted stone. Minamino seemed either entirely used to Hiei's antics or unaware that Hiei offered such a scathing glare.

"I am a demon, Ashley. I'm sure Hiei has told you that he is as well-"

"Well, if I didn't she sure knows now," he scoffed.

Minamino continued, not bothering to acknowledge that Hiei had interrupted. "You may call me Kurama, Ashley. As Hiei has an affinity for fire, I have a talent for plants."

Fire… demon? Ashley turned to look in Hiei's direction. He met her gaze, almost like an indignant child caught in a half-truth.

Moving her eyes back to Minamino - no, Kurama - she put the two together: plant demon?

"So, are all your friends demons?" Ashley finally asked Hiei, expecting some sarcastic reply.

What she got was Hiei sucking in a breath through his nose and looking away. "Not entirely. At least not in the sense you're thinking of."

"Wait."

Thinking back to his friends at the festival: Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, Yukina… How many of them were demons?

"So who all have I met is a demon that I didn't know about?" The question had slipped past her lips before she was able to think twice about whether that was appropriate. "Argh, sorry. No. That's not the right question; I'm sorry."

"No apology necessary, I can assure you," Kurama replied evenly with a gentle smile. He always seemed to put her at ease. "I'm sure this is all quite overwhelming. But I'm sure you are aware of why it's difficult for most of us to lead an open life."

She nodded, looking down at her hands. "I'm sorry for that, you know. I know it doesn't mean much just from me, but I'm sorry on behalf of humanity. I wish things were better."

Ashley couldn't bear to meet Hiei's gaze, which she could feel, but instead looked back up at Kurama as she twisted a loose thread on her sleeve.

He smiled in that gentle way of his. "Thank you for your kindness. But as I was saying, I can place a barrier around the apartment complex. By infusing the ivy with my own energy, I will know immediately when anyone passes through it that shouldn't. And it will allow you, Hiei, to get back to a normal life."

"Koenma convinced you to come, didn't he." It wasn't a question. Ashley was left wondering who, exactly, Koenma was, but didn't pause the conversation again to ask.

"Actually, it was Genkai." Another person Ashley wasn't familiar with. "She needs you working on the Legion and can't have you here as well."

"The old bat can use the others."

"You know you're the best at it."

The two were going back and forth for what felt like forever, referencing people that Ashley had never heard of.

Finally, she had had enough of it. "Hiei, I think it's a great idea." That shut the two of them up. "No, really, think about it. Apart from last night, you've been sleeping in the tree outside my apartment for how many weeks now? You need decent sleep. Besides that, you shouldn't have to look after me all the time. I can take care of myself, you know."

"Actually, against Dion, you can't," Kurama replied, looking a little abashed. "I have a solution for that too, however. It would grant you your freedom again."

Those words were a little too constricting. "I've been free this entire time. Hiei knows he can't control me."

An awkward silence spilled over the three of them until Kurama cleared his throat.

"I've got a way for us to know where you are. And it would allow for Hiei to be able to complete his work as well."

If it allowed Hiei to have a life again, and she could go and do as she pleased without having to report to anyone, it seemed to be a good idea. At least they would know if anything happened to her.

"I'll do whatever I can to help. This Legion stuff shouldn't put your entire life on hold, Hiei," she finally looked back at the demon leaning against her wall. It was odd to think of him as a fire demon. The color of his eyes seemed appropriate, however. "I can't take up your entire life. You do whatever you need to; I'll be fine."

Somehow, however, Kurama's comments regarding the Legion and Dion had put a doubt in her mind. Maybe they were as dangerous as Hiei let on. So as she said the words, they were as much for Hiei as they were for her confidence.

"Do whatever you want," he growled instead, looking away from her. The words hurt, much more than she thought they would. Hiei pulled himself to his feet and went to collect his sword, which he'd left next to the patio door. "I'm going to see Genkai, then." He pulled open the patio door, paused for a moment, just a brief moment, and then disappeared, blurring out of sight.

Literally fucking disappeared.

The look on Ashley's face must have been amusing, because Kurama chuckled. "He has incredible speed, doesn't he? I have a feeling he hasn't shared much about himself with you yet?"

Steeling herself, she turned back to Kurama. "You could say I need a crowbar to pry him open."

The smile Kurama wore told her that he knew exactly what she was talking about. "I'll get the plants set up on my way out. But you shouldn't worry about Hiei. He usually likes to shoulder things on his own."

Ashley pulled herself to her feet and shut the patio door behind where Hiei had last stood. "I've noticed," she muttered.

- End of Chapter Fourteen -

First, I am so sorry this is a week late! (Follow me on tumblr, (o-dragon05) for updates if things will be late. You can search the tag On Dating a Demon to see updates related to the fic.) But I'm going to make it up to you guys and post Chapter Fifteen tomorrow. So, two chapter update this weekend! Last weekend was a mess and this week was a mess so I figured two updates were in order this weekend. Plus, it keeps me on schedule for the fic as a whole.

I'm so happy how this chapter turned out. After I wrote it back in November (which ended up combining several scenes I'd had in my head since this fic was first imagined back in August), I realized I needed a lot of editing to make it what I wanted it to be before posting it. I also have been wanting to share Harry Potter with Hiei since the beginning, AND I was able to find a way to insert the little tidbit of information that Ashley is Hufflepuff! I don't think I've mentioned that before. I picture Hiei as a Slytherin, too, and I've reblogged some Hufflepuff x Slytherin interactions on my tumblr that I love and can totally imagine Ashley and Hiei saying.

This chapter makes On Dating a Demon cross the most words of any fic that I've written on this site! My other long fic was One Night (an Avatar: The Last Airbender fic that I wrote back in 2005. Please don't go read it; I plan to re-write it eventually and you can read that version if you really want to), and Lordy, this fic is going to be so much longer than that one ever was. I mean, I've reached chapter fourteen with ODAD and passed One Night, and that fic took me 20 chapters to reach 58K. So.

Thank you to WistfulSin, Oddity Empress, Kristy Himura, LostinThought, JohnGreenGirl, and Guest for reviewing on Chapter Thirteen! I also received some amazing fanart from the lovely WistfulSin that she did of Ashley, and I want to give her a shout out. THANK YOU! You guys are literally the best and make my day every time I hear from you.

And now I'm going to go watch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and drink some hot tea. See y'all tomorrow!

I do not own, in any way, the characters, places, or ideas of the Yu Yu Hakusho universe created by Yoshihiro Togashi. I only own my own characters and plot.