**Content Warnings: Sexual harassment**

Chapter Sixteen

Protecting Your Back

Being a demon, Hiei had always had stronger senses than his human counterparts. Some demons had a greater developed skill in a few senses or all, but in general, all demons had been born with slightly better senses than humans.

It was common knowledge that demons had better hearing than humans, their hearing more in the range of a dog's. Although, to compare a demon to a dog was an insult, but if he had to bring up an example to a human who didn't quite understand, that was his go-to example. Demons had excellent sight. Some were able to see in the dark. He, personally, was not, but he was able to see well in low-light situations. Beyond that, he was able to see precise details. His spiritual sense was strong, as well. That was more of a practiced sense, but a sense nonetheless. Truly, there were six senses, but most humans were not able to access the sixth. And his spiritual sense along with his hearing, sight, and what he knew about humans, allowed him a greater skill in picking up on humans' behaviors. Even his sense of touch helped on occasion, picking up on the heartbeat of an enemy if he really felt like messing with them.

Or, if he needed to gauge the reaction of a certain human girl.

Just as they heard his footsteps echoing off the hallway beyond, Ashley tensed, her heart beating into a gallop of nerves and anxiety. However, it was as if she knew what was happening with her body and tried to keep her posture relaxed, but there was no mistaking the shifting of her weight from her right food to her left as she leaned closer into his side, or the way her hands came together to try to find a loose thread at her wrists only to find that her dress was sleeveless. She made do with picking at the skin around her nails instead. Her breath came in shorter gasps, and he knew she was likely feeling the instinctual pull to run at that exact moment.

However, Ashley stood her ground as the man came around the corner, speaking that same slow language that Ashley sometimes spoke herself. It was completely foreign to him, although a few of the words sounded familiar, at least, even if he didn't understand what they were saying exactly.

The man just behind him, standing casually with his weight resting on his dominant foot chimed in on something. Hiei recognized the man immediately: he was the same person who had been operating the camera and conducted the interview with Ashley earlier that day. The man eyed Hiei with a look of excited curiosity. Again, the language was such that Hiei didn't understand.

Ashley replied, this time so that Hiei could understand. She had taken on a mask he hadn't yet seen her wear. It was armor almost, as she gathered herself to stand straighter. "Gentlemen, I know you can both speak Japanese. Why don't we speak a language that all parties understand?"

The man who'd whistled chuckled with a roll of his shoulders, as if that was the most preposterous idea. He was definitely older than either himself or Ashley, older by decades, and while he looked strong for human standards, it was obvious his body was weakening: his skin had lost its elasticity, and his hair was nearly completely shot with white. He favored his left leg, as if he harbored an old injury. He said something again, in that same excruciatingly slow language that was Ashley's first language.

Ashley, however, was having none of his bullshit. Her eyes flashed, a challenge hidden in their depths as she replied evenly, "I know you travel to Japan quite frequently, Bradley. Surely one night conversing in a language you are often utilizing will not be a hindrance to you."

The composure she kept was astounding, really, especially when he could feel her quaking next to him.

"Well, then, let me repeat myself," the attitude he injected into his words told Hiei that the man did mind that he had to repeat himself. "What a beautiful young woman you've turned out to be." Ashley didn't move next to Hiei, her body tense from stress. "Beauty and elegance, whether in a woman, a building, or a work of art, is not just superficial or something pretty to see. Wouldn't you agree, Jacob?"

So this piece of work was Bradley Eckhart. It was no wonder, then, that Ashley had lost the color in her face when she'd been speaking on the phone to her mother a week prior.

Back in demon world, in the rural lands of Tourin, Alaric, and Gandara, there were few laws, and even fewer societal rules. If you had a problem with someone the general rule of thumb was to battle it out until the issue was resolved or the offending party was dead. Mutual respect was earned between demons, but there was little to no sexist classes based on genitalia alone. After starting to take cases outside Japan after Shono's problematic reign, Hiei had quickly learned that was not the case in human world. And although he had been able to ignore it for the most part - this was not his world, and these were not his people - the protective instinct to shove his blade through the torso of this disgusting human was almost unbearable. Thankfully, they had left his sword at Ashley's flat, or he might have indulged in that idea.

Suddenly, he realized a part of what Ashley must be feeling.

Eckhart, completely unaware of Hiei's inner thoughts, turned to him. "And what did you say your name was?"

He struggled to answer lightly and not close the gap between them and feel his hands wrap around the man's neck.

Ashley brushed Hiei's arm, pulling him out of his murderous thoughts, and her stormy gaze met his, like a rain in the middle of a drought.

"Watanabe Hiei," he replied stiffly, bowing in the way that the Japanese did. They'd discussed in the abnormally-small car ride over to use a common Japanese name to hopefully avoid any recognition. Eckhart often worked closely with governments and might recognize him.

Eckhart returned the greeting, introducing Jacob, who awkwardly bowed and then offered in hand in a western-style greeting. Hiei, not impressed, merely stared at it. He'd seen people initiate the western handshake in the past and had never been particularly fond of it. Why offer a stranger - and possible enemy - your dominant hand? Did they want it to get cut off?

Awkward silence descended upon the four before Jacob cleared his throat and motioned to the table. "Shall we sit?"

As Hiei and Ashley took their seats at the circular table, Ashley replied to the younger man. "And to answer your question, Jacob," this must be in reply to what Jacob had said previously in English, "yes, I lied during our interview. Hiei and I have been keeping our relationship quiet for some time now and would like for it to remain that way." Her tone was hard, and while she glanced up beneath her lashes at Jacob, it was less in the playful way that she often used with Hiei and more along the lines of a threat. Truthfully, it reminded Hiei of Yukina, and the way she often hid threats and ill-wishes beneath well-meaning words.

Even as she replied to his question of earlier, Ashley touched her knee to Hiei's beneath the table. Her meaning was clear, as well as her gratitude for him coming with her tonight, although she shouldn't have been grateful, in so many words.

Since Kurama had installed the boundary around her apartment to know if anyone other than the team were to try to approach her, and Hiei was no longer needed, he'd found very quickly that he'd actually begun missing the girl who wasn't afraid to stick up for herself. The girl who loved to read and loved to share her passions. The girl who was self-conscious about the silliest of things. Embarrassingly, it seemed the feeling had been mutual. As soon as he'd received her message he returned, hoping she would never bring it up, and thus far she hadn't. Still, he could feel her trying not to get attached. Everything she did was like she held him at arm's length.

He'd never seen this coming. Not from the first time Yukina had dragged her along to that dinner at Yukimura's, or the time Kuwabara and Yukina tried to set him up with her. Not when she was trying to stupidly converse with the monkeys, or when she'd tried to snatch his headband off his head.

But somewhere in between each of those times, he'd somehow become attached to her, and she had inadvertently become someone important to him.

Even as a human she had her own kind of strength to her; a stubbornness that wasn't easily extinguished. And that, more than anything else about her, was what drew him to her the most.

So even as she touched her knee to his in apology, and as she removed her knee from his, he made sure to close the distance between their knees in a sort of hidden secret beneath the table. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye as he turned his attention to the menu, he could see her blushing with just enough color. To hell with what the other two men thought. If they had a problem with it, then he'd made sure they didn't have a problem again. Even if he didn't have his sword on him, he could still kill them if the need arose.

A server approached their table, and Eckhart leaned back to him. "Can we get a bottle of your Sassicaia for the table? There's a good lad."

Ashley seemed to only catch the last of what Eckhart said before the server disappeared again.

"Thank you so much for ordering for me, Bradley. I would never have known what to order if it wasn't for you."

The disdain dripped from her voice as she turned her attention to peruse the menu.

He ignored the jab, instead leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table. "Don't you play the piano, Ashley?" His question didn't sound like a question at all. "I picked this restaurant precisely so you could play for us."

Ashley smiled a tight-lipped sort of smile. "I agreed to dinner tonight, Bradley, not to be the entertainment."

"Agreed!" Eckhart chuckled, as if it was the most ridiculous idea in the world that someone would have to be forced into having dinner with him. "This will be a nice evening, Ashley, I guarantee it." Eckhart turned his attention to the waiter who had brought a dark red liquid to the table and had begun filling the glasses. Ashley glanced up from the menu, barely-masked annoyance filling her gaze.

"I'm not playing," she muttered beneath her breath.

Once more, Eckhart tried to order for the table, Ashley quickly interjecting, "Actually, sir, I will have the grilled salmon."

Just as quickly, Eckhart interruped her. "No, don't listen to her; she has no idea what she's saying. I know you're known for your grilled steak, so just order it for the four of us. That'll be all."

Now it was Ashley's turn to have murderous energy rolling off of her in waves. Discreetly, Hiei slipped his hand beneath the tablecloth to brush her hand with his. Slowly, she relaxed.

"So, Hiei, was it?" Eckhart turned his attention back, swirling the liquid in his glass around before finally taking a small sip. "Are you a demon?"

The question was innocent enough, even though Ashley choked on nothing except the openness of his question, but Bradley was anything but innocent. An expectant glint had formed in his eye as he held his wine glass to his upturned lips. Even though he was polite about the question, the undertones of disappointment and prejudice colored his words. Hiei could not only hear it in his voice, but in his body language as he tilted his head as if challenging Hiei to speak out against the rude question.

Even with their attempt at keeping his identity a secret, apparently Eckhart had been able to piece it together anyway. The question hung over the table.

"Yes," he finally answered, his expression guarded. Instinct and experience told him not to let his guard down around these two men. "Although, I can't imagine why you would need my confirmation when you seem so sure of the fact that I am."

"Oh, I just wanted to be sure. Need to keep our Ashley safe and all that. Now, surely you're being safe? We don't need any sort of halflings running around when we have enough problems of our own."

"Bradley," Jacob chided under his breath, but Hiei could still feel Ashley's heart rate rise, even without touching her. His own anger rose with every word the man spoke, and he was about to rip the man a new one, but Ashley's hand found his beneath the table, squeezing a warning.

"Well don't look at me like that, Jacob. You can see for yourself. She's in such good shape; I'm sure they can barely stay off one another."

Heat rose to Ashley's cheeks, her heart rate quickening, as she drew in a shaky breath and patted her lips with her napkin as Hiei snapped, "That is none of your concern." What satisfaction it would bring to force his blade through this man's torso, hearing the squelch as life itself drained out of his body. Or better, how might it feel to choke the very breath from his lungs? "You should count your blessings you are still breathing in this moment." Hiei growled.

"Oh, threats. Now things are getting interesting. Tell me, is that your demon part coming out, or are all of you this uncivilized? You can certainly save it for the bedroom, either way." Eckhart looked like he was spearheading the most interesting conversation of the modern age while Jacob merely tried to catch Ashley's eye and offer an apologetic smile. She pointedly ignored him.

"Now, Bradley," Ashley began. Hiei tried to catch her eye, but she cradled her own wine glass in her hand, swishing around the wine in the glass like a seasoned connoisseur. Perhaps she was. The edge in her words sharp and quick as his own blade, and at a complete contradiction to her thoughtful countenance. "I don't see how it's hardly any of your business what we do or don't do in the bedroom. If you would like to discuss healthy intimate relationships," she spoke each word specifically, "might we discuss your own marriage and why Annette isn't here to dine with us tonight? What might she be up to that you and she haven't lived in the same house for six months and you're seen with a new working girl every time a camera is at the ready? I'm sure she knows about your hobby, but if she didn't, wouldn't that be a shame?" Within each word she held a warning; a threat. Like this, she was a queen.

The man on the receiving end of her words merely smiled a tight-lipped, empty smile. His cheeks didn't redden, however he did begin tapping his pointer finger on the table.

The tension in the room was palpable. They were the only four occupants besides the servers, but Ashley was toying with starting a war. If it had been Hiei, he likely would have carefully insulted the man's competence or intelligence, not go so far as to insult him and his partner. That was a bad idea all around. But as the minutes ticked by and Ashley sipped on her wine, prematurely thinking she won, Hiei could see him calculating his next move, his eyes finally landing on the piano in the corner.

It was the last thing in the world she would ever want to be used against her, but he didn't need the Jagan to see the plan weaving in Eckhart's mind, even as he didn't say anything. The worst of it was, he couldn't even warn her. He could slip into her mind with the Jagan, but he hadn't broached that subject yet at all and she had no idea he could do that. Even the idea of it left him feeling queasy. No, in this situation, that would be a bad idea. All he could do was protect her, as best he could, if Eckhart's plan came to fruition.

Dinner eventually lightened, with Ashley asking Jacob about the family he had back home: a wife and a young child, barely a year old, and Jacob asking Hiei about his time in human world and the differences between this world and his home world.

As the waiters brought out the meal that Eckhart had ordered for the table, Ashley turned her attention to Eckhart, and asked him how his traveling had been as of late. It was the first time they had spoken directly since Eckhart had commented on their sex life and Ashley threw it back in his face.

"Oh, it's just been. Greece has been unseasonably warm, and London hasn't been much better. America keeps getting hit with disaster after disaster. Between the weather and the…" he paused, trailing off for just a moment as he choose his words, "incidents that keep occurring," Bradley looked straight at Hiei for a moment before continuing. Glancing at Ashley to his left, Hiei knew she didn't miss the near glare that Bradley had shot at Hiei. "And all the governments trying to incite one another, the world might as well be coming to an end. If your kind don't bring it around first, we'll do it to ourselves eventually. Might as well go back to where you came from now before you get caught up in it as well."

Ashley snorted in mock laughter as she cut into her food. "I highly doubt the world is coming to an end. We've lived through how many wars? How many 'incidents' of our own? We'll survive fine and we'll pick up the pieces wherever they fall. Demons will likely save us from ourselves at this point. They're the only variables that haven't been tested with humanity's constant mistakes. Who knows? Perhaps our integration is the missing link we need to finally achieve peace?"

How idealistic her words were. From what he'd seen in his life thus far, especially since Takayo was overthrown by Shono, peace was a long ways off, and demons would never be the ones to help the change. The death of the demon near Sendai several weeks back was testament to that. At least, it would never happen in his lifetime. Humans in general were too vile, and too discriminatory towards others who were different than they were. Peace was a pipe dream.

Eckhart took a bite of his dinner, chewed and swallowed, and then sat back in his chair as he cradled his wine in his hand. At this point, Hiei knew he was about to bring something dirty to light. This man was not quiet in nature, and although Hiei hadn't participated much in the conversation up until this point, he tensed, readying himself for whatever it was that Bradley was about to unleash on them.

What he didn't expect was Eckhart's next question: "Have you spoken to Oliver recently, Ashley?"

Next to him, Ashley also seemed confused by his lack of ambush. "Not recently; perhaps in the last month or so." Even though she answered in a statement, her words lifted upwards in question.

"Well,is he doing alright?" Eckhart's voice was concerned, but his body language was not. Everything that humans did to show concern, even down to leaning forward in their chair, he was not doing. He was thoroughly relaxed, as if he knew the answer to the question before he even asked it.

Ashley slowed in chewing her own food, rolling his question around in her mind. Whatever had happened with her brother, he wasn't aware of yet, but obviously it was something to put this big of a dent in her confidence. "Last time I heard from Sophia he was," she replied evenly. If Hiei hadn't been spending so much time with her lately, he might have thought she was telling the truth. As it was, he could still hear the wavering undertones and hesitancy that wove its way through her words.

"He won't be in the article, you know," Jacob spoke up then, spoon halfway to his mouth. That caught Ashley's attention. Visible concern was written across her face. Hiei knew a thousand questions that were flickering through her mind. From what she had told him, her brother was supposed to take over her father's company. If he wasn't in the article, the article that was about the company itself, something was wrong. He made a mental note to ask her later.

Ashley had stolen her hand back from him to eat her dinner when it had come out, so Hiei reached under the table to squeeze her thigh. A quiet reassurance. She settled almost immediately. "If he's not in the article, there must be a reason." She paused over her next words, unsure how to proceed. "A reason of which I am not privy to. I am over here in Japan, after all, not within the inner workings of the company."

"I've heard," Jacob quietly said, as if they might be overheard sharing rumors, "That he holds some pretty controversial opinions that Wright United is not favorable to. If you know anything, Ashley-"

"As she said," Hiei nearly growled at the man, catching him off-guard as he leaned back in his chair in surprise. With everything he had he tried to maintain his composure that Kurama had outlined for him as acceptable to humans. "She has no idea what's happening. You'd be wise to let the conversation drop." Hiei was sure that if Jacob could scramble backwards away from the table he would in a heartbeat. The instinctual fear that humans still possessed at their most basic level swept through Jacob immediately and without pause.

This dinner was stretching on much longer than he originally thought it would. Once he knew what Eckhart had been in Ashley's childhood, he'd hoped it would be quick and without incident. Now, he knew that had been too much to hope for.

An awkward moment descended, although Eckhart didn't let it persist for too long.

"Why don't you play for us?" he asked, motioning again to the piano in the corner. The musician who had been playing had, at some point, abandoned his post. Hiei wouldn't be surprised if Eckhart had paid the man to play up until dinner so that he could force his will onto Ashley. He was obviously determined to get Ashley to play. "I'm sure that's what we could all use to relax, and you were always so great at those tunes."

To call them simply tunes was disrespectful and disgusting in and of itself. Beyond that, the color promptly drained from Ashley's face as she smiled tightly. "You shouldn't have," she muttered, entirely to herself and for Hiei's amusement.

It was apparent to Hiei that Ashley was entirely clued in on what Eckhart was doing: to throw out her brother haphazardly to catch her off guard, and then throw out the piano: he was punishing her. He was punishing her for speaking up to defend herself before.

"I disagree; I was never fantastic at it," nerves tore through her voice where only Hiei could hear. Their conversation a week prior came back immediately. Even as she lifted her water glass to her lips, her hand was shaking minutely. "There's a reason my room was always decorated in bronze."

The reference went over Hiei's head, but Jacob smiled, excited. "That's not what I've heard," he spoke up. "You got into the Dean's College at only sixteen. That's nearly a miracle in and of itself."

Ashley was already shaking her head. "Not at all. Charlotte Brealey joined at fourteen; two years before myself. I'd say her skill is much better than mine. Especially now that I haven't played in however many years it's been. Five? Six years? You really don't want me to play; I'd be absolutely terrible and your ears would likely bleed."

"Nonsense!" Eckhart nearly bellowed. "Go on and play; we'd all like to hear you! And besides; if you do this, I'll owe you a favor. Fair?"

A favor from a powerful man. A disgusting and powerful man. If it had been Hiei, he'd have declined. As it was, he could see Ashley rolling it over in her mind. "If I play, will you shut up about it?" Eckhart nodded, taking a sip of his wine. Eventually, she pulled her napkin from her lap, folded it, and placed it on the table next to her plate. With a pointed look and sharp words, she reiterated, "You owe me," each word as clear as a bell.

She turned to face Hiei, taking him in, and he let her, finding her hand beneath the table and squeezing it once more for reassurance, before she rose from the table.

It was like watching a fairy tale come to life as she strode over to the waiting piano. Carefully, hesitantly, she sat at the piano, which was parallel to their table. Hiei couldn't necessarily see her expression clearly from where he sat, but could watch her in profile.

She touched the keys softly, not daring to press them down to make noise, as she sucked in a soft breath.

Before she could begin playing, Eckhart leaned over the table to Hiei, once he was convinced that Ashley was no longer watching them, and was instead lost in her own thoughts. At that moment, Hiei knew that the three men to her right, including himself, had ceased to exist.

"Don't get too comfortable," Eckhart purred the threat. "She's one of the best ones there is, and you certainly don't deserve her. At least do her the favor and end things before they begin."

Hiei, who was entirely knowledgeable that anything he said could otherwise come back and harm her, chose his next words carefully, "You don't get to dictate what we do," he began, his glare sharp and his words painted with an obvious threat. Kurama would be embarrassed. "And I'd be careful of how you conduct yourself around her in the future. With what I've seen here tonight I'm not pleased. Know this: if you ever come to harm her, I will find you, and you will suffer. Slowly."

Hiei fully expected Eckhart to make his own promise, but instead he merely sat back in his chair. He was obviously not happy with Hiei's threat, but shut his mouth anyway, if only because Ashley had begun playing.

The notes that reached their ears were blissful, hopeful, and pure. It may have been years since Ashley had touched a piano, but the joy that was written on her face as she played the sweeping melodies couldn't be overlooked. Yes, she missed keys every so often, but truly, it was as if it was the same person who played the tracks on her iPod that he always listened to had come alive in front of him again.

She had looked like an absolute vision the first time that he had seen her step out of the bathroom in that blue dress, but after she had finished playing, the absolute joy that shone from her created a vision he'd never seen from any other being: human or demon.

The ride home, however, she had slipped into a subdued mood, biting her bottom lip and staring out the window. It was only once they had reached her flat and she was unlocking the door that she finally said, not looking up at him, "I'm sorry for tonight, you know. I thought his focus would be on me; I didn't mean to drag you through the mud, too."

The lock clicked back, unlocking the door.

"You were incredible tonight, you know." She finally glanced up, meeting his smoldering gaze. Whatever had happened in the past with that foul creature, she'd been prepared for it, which had made her stronger, in his eyes, than he'd ever seen her. That alone, to show strength and dignity when the world itself tried to tear a person down, was attractive.

The natural fire in his veins only burned hotter.

Pink flushed her cheeks as she led them inside. Knox barked around their feet, but neither paid him any attention. Hiei locked the door behind them, only coming to lean against the door frame and taking her in.

She hadn't tried to get out of the dress yet, or even let her hair down. One of the first things she always did when she returned home from anywhere was to change her clothes.

Turning towards him, she finally responded, "You think so?"

He nodded once, eyes on hers. Slowly, she closed the distance between them until just inches remained. This close, he fought the urge to pull her close and rip that dress from her body.

Her lips parted, just barely, as she breathed. Her heart beat quickly, and he almost smiled; how very human of her.

"Hiei, I-" she stuttered off, fumbling for her words. After being so confident at the table and after playing, to see her stumbling now, that he was so close to her, was endearing. "I like you. A lot." The embarrassment that flushed to her cheeks at that admission lit a feeling of warmth deep within him. "And I…" she trailed off.

Silence reigned. He could barely stand the distraction that she proved to be. It took every ounce of self-restraint to bend down to her ear and mutter, "I'd like to try something, if you're comfortable with it." The gooseflesh rose along her collarbone and arm as he found her zipper in the back of her dress and slowly began to pull down her zipper.

"Oh please," she whispered back, her hands reaching around behind her and gripping his. "I've been wanting to rip that suit off you since I first saw you in it. Don't tell me you've just wanted to unzip me?"

As if that were a switch, something flipped in him and she was immediately pinned beneath him against the wall, their bodies pressed together as heat rose between them. She stayed true to her word and ripped the black shirt away, popping the buttons and exposing his chiseled body beneath.

He caught her lips beneath his, kissing her deeply and tugging at her bottom lip with his own teeth. The dress came off easily beneath his hands, the fabric stretching until it tore away like tissue paper. Warmth gathered in his belly as they stood there, just a moment, as they took in one another.

She was easily the most beautiful thing he had seen in years.

She gasped as he pinned her to the wall once more, pressing his body against hers and he felt every contour of her. Keeping a firm grip on her wrists above her head, he kissed her along her jaw and trailed down her neck, only to go back to find her lips again. He released her wrists, only for her hands to rove across his skin, eventually reaching down far enough to make him pause in a gasp. Ashley smiled as he did, and caught his lips for a kiss once more. As they kissed, she came alive like bottled lightning, and he didn't dare stop.

Slowly, her hands reached back up and wound themselves around his neck. Hitching her up, and wrapping her legs around his torso, he carried her to her futon, where they spent the rest of the night.

- End of Chapter Sixteen -

THEY FINALLY KISSED. AND DID OTHER THINGS. It only took sixteen chapters...

I was really hoping I wouldn't have to re-write the entire chapter. However, I re-wrote the entire chapter today, which is why it's being posted so much later than I wanted it to be, and I apologize.

I will admit, my "lovely" president gave me inspiration for most of Eckhart's interactions in this chapter. Not all, but a few quotes were taken directly from Trump in interviews he's done over the years.

Thank you to WistfulSin, ProperEnglish, Oddity Empress, and Kimimakku for reviewing on chapter fifteen! As far as this chapter goes, I ended up re-writing most of it. I'm still not one hundred percent happy at where it ended up, so I would truly love any constructive criticism you can give.

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. I also do not own anything that President Trump may (or may not, according to him) have said at any time during any interview.