A/N: Hello once again, Readers!
I wanted to issue a warning for this chapter, though I will preface it with NOTHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS, but: if this sort of thing bothers you, know that there is a near-rape scene that occurs, though it is in fact interrupted before anything terribly graphic occurs.
Symbols Guide:
* : Written by CM; She writes for Akari and Hiei
3 : Written by Star (supposed to be the 'heart' symbol, but FF doesn't like the 'less-than' sign, so it's a 3 instead); She writes for Toriko and Kurama
~!**!~ : A universal transition between scenes or characters, sometimes used to indicate a passage of time, but most often used to transition between major scenes that are happening. As the story progresses, this will evolve into mainly separating the (usually two) scenes happening between authors/characters.
As a general rule, anything in italics is thoughts.
Unless it's used in a sentence like this, which merely indicates emphasis.
"Quotations are usually reserved specifically for telepathic dialogue being transmitted from one being to another, but sometimes this can also mean a character isn't being careful about what they're thinking and anyone with telepathy in the nearby vicinity can listen in without taking any effort."
The only exception to that last rule is for the Shiba Inu dog, Nabu. All of his "spoken" dialogue will be in italics and quotations, but is communicated through body language or dog-like noises, so unless a character is able to translate those they are unlikely to pick up on what he is saying any more than the average person might understand his general moods like aggression (bared teeth, ears back) or excitement (wagging tail).
Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!
After Akari finishes with her day of school, her and Nabu head to the park.
~!**!~
Embarrassed at breaking down in front of Kurama, Toriko leaves the school grounds as quickly as possible,
trying to avoid another "tutoring" session with the redhead, only to be followed once again by Otento.
Once home, she tries her powers on Maneshi, catching Hiei's attention who reprimands her,
but also steps in to talk with Kurama when the avatar drops by to ask Toriko about tutoring her.
Hiei expresses his concerns about Otento to Kurama and the two of them agree Otento's actions are rather suspect.
The next day...
Akari sat back in her desk, completely and utterly frazzled. She'd been this way for the past ten minutes, and nothing seemed able to put her in such a state near as often as the very class she was sitting in. The students were chattering about how they thought they did, all the while Akari was rubbing her temple and doing breathing exercises to calm herself. School, of all things, will be the actual death of me. she thought, causing her breath to hitch in frustration.
"Alright, quiet down," the teacher suddenly called, instantly silencing the room as he moved around his desk and began passing out the tests that they had concluded a while ago. As he paced down the rows and along the lines of students, his voice rang clearly. "Like usual, Shuichi has the top score, but that is about all I can say about this test. There were more low grades than any other test I've issued this semester, and I can't tell you how disappointed I am." When he passed by her and handed her the test with her name on it and a number written in red, circled, he paused. "see me after class," he said under his breath before continuing on. "There are a few of you who did very well," he paused again, this time in front of Toriko, who sat a row across and several seats behind Akari, muttering the same words under his breath to her despite the high grade she had been issued, "but others… You've left me baffled. Stunned. I don't even want to allow retakes on this one because you did so poorly, but then the parents would complain. So, tomorrow morning, I will be holding a small review session for those of you who are required to take the retake." His eyes flickered around the room, and here is where Akari stopped listening altogether.
She clenched her teeth in irritation as she glanced at the red fifteen on her paper and thought about the meaning behind him requesting her audience after class. It took everything in her power not to simply let her head fall and collide harshly with the wooden surface of her own desk, but the action would likely only get her into more trouble.
Suddenly, the bell rang, and the teacher was calling farewell to his students as he settled into his chair at his desk again, this time his eyes watching the people move about in his room until it was almost vacated. *
Kurama accepted his paper with a nod at the professor, and his ears caught both instances of a 'see me after class' comment, the first to Akari, the second to Toriko. When he glanced briefly over his shoulder to see how Toriko took the news, he saw her cheeks turn pink and her eyes quickly scan her own test, searching for the grade. Her expression held only a slight bit of relief, so Kurama assumed the grade must have been high, but that only led him to wonder further as to why she would be needed after class. Surely...surely she was not meant to...
Kurama turned back to face forward, unsure if he would be able to contain his amusement at the prospect. He wouldn't be called for tutoring in this instance as he already had three different math students to tutor for, two below them in grade and another in a different class period, but the thought of poor Toriko being stuck with the fiery Akari struck him as funny.
When the last bell of the day rang, Kurama began gathering his things together as he customarily did, though more methodically this time, standing up and trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, not willing to miss the opportunity to hear the news for himself.
Out of the corner of his eye he saw Toriko, her things already in her arms or placed deep within her messenger bag, scurry through the students to the front, in a hurry as usual to get home.
The professor rumbled something at Toriko about waiting until Akari shuffled her way up there, her entire being radiating annoyance at the bother of it all.
"Toriko. I know I would normally delegate something like this to Minamino, but he has a lot on his plate, and your score on this particular test was the second highest in this class, so I'm assigning Akari seven hours of tutoring with you before the re-take."
"Y-yes, sir." Toriko stammered, bowing.
"Ouch. Seven hours with her." Kurama wouldn't have wished that on anyone, especially Toriko, and he felt as if he'd stalled as long as reasonably possible in getting his things together, so he headed out the door.
Toriko didn't really know what to do or say to the demon girl who walked with her the entire way out to the school grounds, so she stayed quiet and let the girl vent as she needed to.3
Akari had taken her sweet, dear time gathering her things, being extra sure to stuff the test out of her sight and into the very recesses of her bag before slowly shuffling to the front of the class- not that it was too far, since she sat on the first row. She had given a small huff at herself merely to keep herself in check before she stood in front of the teacher, bag in her hand and dangling at her side almost lazily as she listened silently. By the time he was done talking, her shoulders were stiffened with anxiety and frustration. Defiance. However, she bowed her head respectfully and moved to leave the room as quickly as possible without giving herself time to grumble something under her breath and cause more issues for herself.
The moment she felt that she was out of earshot of the classroom, Akari let her expression shift to one of complete and utter irritation, to match the air around her, and her mouth opened immediately. "I will not be staying today. I have better things to do than sit around and read ridiculously large textbooks, especially for seven hours." Her tone was quietly angry, though her eyes smoldered with the feelings she'd been cooping up for the past few days. between repeatedly testing her illusions and completely failing in the school she'd allowed herself to be enrolled in, her stress had been mounting up until she felt buried in pent up anger that she wouldn't be able to release without a human bearing witness, or even drawing attention from other demons in the city- namely Koenma's team. And now that this had been added to that pile, she felt ready to pop. "And do not expect me to simply sit around patiently while you give me the same load of crock that the professor gives." She hadn't realized she was venting until she reached the main hallway that stretched to the main doors, and when she did realize, she clamped her jaw shut tightly, only for another comment to escape through her teeth. "This is ridiculous."
As she continued down the hall, not even noticing she was still keeping up pace with Toriko, she made incoherent sounds under her breath that, if clarified, would have been words that she didn't use very often, yet she found them saying them more and more each day. Before now, she'd never seen the purpose behind the colorful language the humans had used, but now she found herself unable to use any other type of vocabulary to express herself.
"Stop it," she growled at herself as she pushed the front doors open, her stride picking up so that she sped her pace up just a bit, intending to leave Toriko behind. But something caught her attention, bringing her out of her thoughts and silencing her altogether. Her eyes searched for whatever was bothering her until they landed on a figure she hadn't seen in a couple of days. She eyed him, momentarily remembering the words he had spoken to her about invitations and scars, etc. She took a step in his direction, momentarily considering going after him.
But again, she paused and made noise under her breath. I don't have the patience for you today. As much as I'd love to let my energy loose on you, the time just isn't right. Her eyes shifted to Toriko, who was only just catching up to her. Without so much as another thought, she reached out and grabbed the girl's wrist and yanked her forward, taking the lead as she walked across the grounds with purpose, her eyes momentarily flickering to the blonde before turning forward again.
She said nothing to the small girl as she lead Toriko down the sidewalk, remembering which house Otento had stopped in front of and watched. She stomped her way through the busy crowds of the city, never once releasing her grip on the poor girl or even looking back at her. If Toriko had protested in any way or said anything, it fell on deaf ears as Akari ignored her entirely, intent only to get the girl to where she needed to be for now.
As soon as the house came into view, she turned down the sidewalk and marched straight up the front steps, pulling the girl all the way to her door before releasing her. She rounded to meet Toriko's gaze, her expression as serious as possible. "Now go do whatever it is you do on your evenings off." she said sternly, indirectly telling her to stay inside, though she didn't mean it as a sentiment to show she cared for the girl. "And don't do anything stupid." With that, she turned and walked down the sidewalk, only pausing to see the door shut behind the girl before she continued her way through the town.
"Wow, a new friend already?" Nabu suddenly barked as he pranced out of a bush nearby and caught up to her. When no response was given, the dog gave a small whining sound and lowered his head. "That's too bad… I bet she's nice." he paused and looked over his shoulder, as if suddenly reading the air around him and Akari. "What's wrong?"
"What have I told you about babbling, Nabu?" *
The hum of the insects and the quiet night-bustle of the city were company enough for Otento that evening as he meandered his way towards a very specific section of a very specific neighborhood.
Seeing 'Toriko' after school had done nothing to satisfy the ache he felt, having not gotten to be near her, to talk to her, having her dragged away by that other demon girl.
A growl started to rumbling deep in his chest, but before it could bubble into any coherent noise past his lips, Otento closed his eyes for just a second to take a breath in his nose and let it fly past his lips, feeling no better for having done so, but losing the desire to growl into the air around him.
The sun had sunk well below the horizon and by the time he spotted the house the stars were a gentle light in the night sky.
He picked up his pace, drawn to the occupant of the house he knew would reside within like a moth to a flame.
He almost groaned out loud when he reached the edge of the sidewalk leading up to her front door, knowing that just beyond the threshold, somewhere inside, the demoness he desired lay sleeping. He closed his eyes as the image of her former self in the radiant glory that the recesses of his mind afford her lay sleeping on a bed, his bed.
He could not contain the growl this time and it softly vibrated past his lips into the warm night. He stalked to the right, taking a quick glance around with both eyes and unseen senses to make for certain he would not be bothered.
Otento prowled along the outside of the house like a rabid wolf around the trunk of a tree where its prey had just run up for safety, his nose flaring and eyes twitching about, constantly making sure the area was clear.
And then, when he rounded the other side of the house from the back, he stopped and stood up, immediately aware of something different. He searched almost desperately, looking around the yard, at the tree next to the house, his eyes following the branches until they would just scrape the siding and his heart jumped in his chest.
He could see curtains from the inside billowing in a slight breeze.
Without another thought, his hopes rising, Otento broke into a jog and reached the side of the house in a few easy strides, gathering himself into a coil and jumping up, easily clearing the windowsill, landing just on it in fact. He doubled over in order to duck inside, feet being greeted by soft carpet that muffled any noise he would have made.
His eyes only took a second longer to adjust to the slightly gloomier darkness of the room, and he swept its contents from right to left, the bed and woman he longed for just to his left.
A breath hitched in his throat as he stared. Though she looked completely different now than when they first meet, his eyes still drank in her sleeping form, long hair filling the pillow with dark, soft waves, face free of those awful glasses and etched by the darkness. Her blanket lie discarded at the end of the bed, her legs twisted in the sheets as though she struggled in a dream not too long ago. As a delicious smell wafted over his nose, his eyes closed almost of their own accord so that he could drink it in unhindered by sight, but they opened again just as quickly to stare longer.
He knew it was too early. Knew he was not to move forward yet, but...now that he saw her, it became harder and harder to resist touching her skin, pulling his fingers through her hair, and just those thoughts nearly drove him mad, and so he moved. Moved forward, moved towards her, ever-so-softly getting onto the bed near the wall and climbing the foot or so it took until he could lay next to her on his side.
Memories flooded into his mind now that he was closer, and suddenly, it was not this 'Toriko' laying next to him, but the demoness from eons past. His demoness. Their time had been brief, but he had never forgotten. Never relinquished his possession of her within his mind. He knew she was only doing her job, and when she had gotten the information from him, he should have been killed, but here he was and there she lay. He reached over, hesitation only in place to be as gentle as possible, and drew the back of his hand down her cheek, sending a thrill jolting down his arm and causing him to tremble.
Her arm nearest to him was thrown up over the pillow on top of her hair and he leaned closer to softly plant his lips on her skin just past her elbow and up to her wrist, finding that his heart had started to beat wildly in his chest as he did so, his lips tingling as they touched each time, throwing his emotions even farther out of control until he could barely contain himself.
He sat up more, starting to tangle one hand in her hair, unable to resist tugging at it. He sensed her being pulled from her slumber now and before she was fully awake, he straddled her thighs and pinned down her left wrist with his right hand, smiling viciously into her face as her eyes fluttered open, their green color vibrant and captivating without her glasses, even in the dark.
Just as she realized what was happening, just as her eyes started to widen further at the sight of the man over her and her lips began to form a terrified question, he leaned down and let his mouth cover hers in answer, not caring if she recognized him or not.
Her body was so small that any struggling she did was akin to a beetle in the paws of a tom cat. When her legs started to kick, he moved one of his own and put enough pressure on them that they could not move. When she tried to reach up and claw at his face with the arm not already pinned by the hand he tangled up in her hair, he laughed into his kiss and caught it, holding it back down onto the bed easily before breaking away from her to look into her face.
For all her attempts, she only egged him further on, and she started to sheen with sweat at the stress, her demonic energy scattering to fill her body erratically, the usual shimmer coating her eyes and her scalp tingling underneath her hair, but these things did nothing to help protect her, instead only mesmerizing him into bending his head down and planting his lips several times down the line of her jaw.
Breathless and scared, Toriko could not so much as cry out, desperately trying to not get pulled under the waves of energy that swept over her from head to toe, but only just able to stay afloat in her own body, not wanting to give in to his attentions but in dire distress while she resisted. Her energy begged her to stop fighting and simply enjoy what they could offer one another even as she tugged and pulled against it. The waves smoothed through her time and again in wave after wave of power until Toriko could see no way out, her mind beginning to sink beneath the tide…3
Hiei moved about the dying crowd of the city, the amount of people on the streets much fewer in numbers than normal, which made him simply wander the sidewalks back to Toriko's. He hadn't meant to stay in Kurama's company for so long, talking about several things for a while before he had left, and then dozed off for a small nap near the park. His hands were in his pockets, clenching and unclenching as if he were in pain. In reality, he felt a sense of anxiety, a small sense that he needed to be somewhere, and be there as fast as possible. However, not one to rush himself, he simply meandered his way lazily across town. He ignored the humans as he walked, though a few nodded in greeting out of courtesy, which he didn't understand nor care to reply to.
A few moments passed and he felt the feeling in his stomach strengthen, causing him to glance around himself to ensure he wasn't being followed, but he knew it wasn't the case. Again, he brushed it away and continued forth until he saw Toriko's home just down the road. The premises seemed normal, all of the lights turned out and quiet for the most part. He searched for the bedroom window as he closed the distance to the house, and for a moment it all seemed normal, peaceful.
But as soon as he stepped onto the grass of Toriko's yard, he caught sight of a shadowed figure that moved behind the billowing curtains of the open window. He paused, multiple emotions berating him at once simultaneously with Toriko's energy. It was frantic, reaching out almost as if to protect her, but it didn't seem like it was working in the least. His normally bright ruby eyes became darkened with anger, his expressions mirroring the rage he felt tearing through his entire being as he moved, in a moment's notice standing in the top of the tree nearest Toriko's window.
His energy billowed out around him, exploding into the night air and practically swirling with the warning he was giving to the blonde he could now make out in the room. His hand held his katana at his side, his arm shaking with the desire to do nothing but disassemble the demon's head from his shoulders, but if he attacked, he feared he would strike the small girl who was struggling beneath. At first, he spoke nothing, letting his angry, torrenting energy be his warning, but the angry part of his mind made him speak. "If you do not step away, you will find that you will have lost the ability to do so on your own, and you won't have to worry about breathing for very long." His tone was murderous, his eyes continuing to darken as his expression continued to form lines and shadows that seemed to emphasize the killer thoughts that ran through his mind. *
The hairs on the back of Otento's neck began prickling the instant Hiei's energy exploded furiously from beyond the window, but it took the words he released into the night air for Otento to actually be able to pull away from Toriko's neck.
He glanced over his shoulder to see the dark-cloaked fire demon, whose rage was almost palatable, standing in the tree Otento had hardly noticed earlier, but the smell that surrounded him so completely drew his eyes back to Toriko, whose chest moved rapidly up and down underneath him, her eyes wide and the shimmer begging him closer while at the same time screaming at him to go away. He could feel her energy encircling him in ribbons of winding power, an embrace he did not wish to thwart, nor one he would willingly depart from. She held all his deepest desires and they became too much for him to resist, pulling him back down and out of the awareness of the situation around him. 3
Hiei glared daggers at the blonde who glanced only briefly over his shoulder at him. He held the demon's gaze for a moment, to convey that he was one-hundred percent serious about killing him, and wouldn't hesitate to do so if necessary. He waited, watching every muscle twitch of the blonde, and as soon as Otento turned his back on him again, the fire demon's anger mounted to an all-time high. His energy began swirling even more, surrounding not only him, but a good ten-foot radius around him, creating the space around him to darken along with the rest of his being. Without second thoughts, he moved, his feet carrying him swiftly through the window and into the carpeted room, his hand automatically reaching out and grabbing the collar of the demon while his blade pressed into the male's neck, the tip of his katana piercing the skin enough to draw just a bit of blood. With his left arm, Hiei pulled the demon away from Toriko, using his katana-wielding hand shooting between Toriko and Otento so his arm stopped Otento from pulling her with him, tossing the intruder mercilessly into the wall behind them before turning on him. Hiei brandished his sword and took a single step forward. *
At the abrupt displacement of himself from Toriko, Otento immediately felt his mind clear, the bump of his head against the wall doing most of the work, though his nose flared, still full of her scent. He could nearly see the ribbons of energy that had been around him moments before floating around the space he had occupied, but broken apart, still moving slightly as if alive.
The pain in his neck further brightened his eyes into the severity of the situation and when forced to choose between Toriko and life, he knew it was his time to go.
His eyes glanced over at her, seeing that she had sat up and scooted back against the wall with her knees near her face as small as she could make herself, tears now falling silently from her eyes, but she still stared at him from across the room, nearly coaxing him closer once more. He clenched his eyes shut at his mistake, a growl vibrating his chest as he fought for his very life and against Toriko's unwarranted hold over him. He felt Hiei's aura flare dangerously over his body, but only a half a second had passed between being thrown off and looking up, so he gathered his legs underneath him.
"I guess my fun will have to wait." He flashed his eyes at Hiei, making sure to memorize every detail of the swordsman's face for later vengeance at interrupting him and then he uncoiled his body, grabbing for the windowsill and swinging out into the night.3
Hiei felt his chin tip higher into the air as Otento shifted his gaze to Toriko again, the fire demon extending his blade to the demon in preparation of beheading him. However, as soon as he moved, Hiei knew he was leaving before he even spoke; any normal demon would flee if their life were in danger and it was as clear as it was now. His crimson orbs followed the motions of Otento, his ears catching his words just as he disappeared into the darkness of the night world outside the window. Hiei waited, anticipating the demon to come back for an attack, but after a few silent moments, he sheathed his katana and stepped to the window, immediately closing and securing it from the inside. He checked to make sure it wouldn't open without being broken, which would buy him an extra second if the demon returned, and when he was at least reassured, he turned to Toriko, his expression now blank and his energy slowly fading to be hidden once more. He eyed the crying girl for a moment, and the energy he could see moving about in the air around her, and he considered her for a moment, searching for any visible sign of injury.
"Did he harm you?" he said suddenly, his tone flat with the anger he was still trying to suppress. After a moment, he took a careful step forward, making sure to give her time to tell him to stop before he got too close; after all, he wasn't sure how she'd react to another being coming close to her at the moment. *
Toriko stared at the spot on the floor the blonde had occupied moments before, unbidden tears falling down the side of her face leaving silent streaks of distress. She sat up against the wall on top of her pillow, her knees drawn up to her chin underneath her nightgown and her arms encircling them to get them as close as possible to her body, her chin resting on one arm.
Her energy brimmed over her entire body, unchecked and free, but she hardly noticed. The ribbons of demonic energy that had fluttered around Otento were still calmly, gently moving above the bed.
She didn't see Hiei so much as feel his presence, even once he pocketed his energy away.3
Hiei eyed the female warily, wondering if she had even heard him. He took a few more steps closer, stopping before he reached the bed and standing within arm's reach of the edge, though not moving any closer, despite his desire to do so. He felt that caution here would go a long way, not because she was weak, but because he knew that she was upset. So, he blocked out his own energy, his own emotions, and watched her curiously, patiently, silently. He waited for a few more minutes, eyeing the tears that streamed down her face, his mind bringing up the mental image of crying Yukina.
He twitched just a bit in his expression and he gave a small sound that said he suddenly moved forward, surprising himself by sitting on the edge of the bed, his back to her and eyes forward, silently enlightening her of her presence. *
Toriko felt the bed shift slightly under new weight, and she finally blinked, eyes flickering over to Hiei's back as the fire demon sat down. She watched silently as the tendrils of energy still hovering over the bed slowly began to gravitate towards him, starting to circle his body, staying a foot away from him, but circling nonetheless. The movement mesmerized her, coaxed her, until she blinked again and realized she had moved forward, on her knees now and reaching out her right hand towards Hiei's far shoulder. She completed the gesture all at once by moving forward to envelop his shoulders with her torso, slipping her right hand over his right shoulder and pressing up against his back, putting her left arm over his left shoulder and connecting it with her other wrist to rest in about the middle of his chest. She set her chin against the white fabric wrapped around his neck, her lips barely apart and sending her breath over his dark cloak. She let her weight rest onto him, his strength holding her tiny frame up easily, and took a deep breath, finding that he smelled of something like cloves and fiery cinnamon.
She wanted to say something to him, anything, but her mind kept trying to return to the recent encounter and she squeezed her green eyes shut, trying to forget as two more tears slid quietly down her cheeks. 3
Hiei listened to Toriko's breathing pattern, waiting for any sign of her calming down, even if a bit. His thoughts drifted from one thing to another, the block he held on his own emotions keeping his thoughts away from what he should have done, every so often feeling a flash of anger and bloodlust for a single person's death. As the thought crossed his mind, he felt arms wrap around his shoulders, warm hands pressing on his chest lightly as a small, frail body leaned on him completely.
Of two things he was sure of. One, Toriko had no defenses. Two, as she leaned on him, he recognized the smell of tears, and it left him almost unable to function. How did he deal with tears? How did he deal with someone who was emotionally scarred and likely even scared to be near people now? How did he reassure her that no harm was to come to her?
What should he do?
What should he say?
As he sat there, he realized that maybe he didn't have to say anything, and something within him stirred, causing him to lower his head just a bit to tease the end of her nose with his hair. He didn't know Why he felt the need to show Toriko that she was okay, or why he felt the need to ensure her safety, but at that moment, it was all he knew, and he didn't question it.*
Hiei felt warm even through his cloak. That's what Toriko noticed first as she collapsed against him without the strength to move farther. She needed to be near him, needed to feel his solidity and his steadfastness. Didn't know why. Perhaps she felt safer. Yes, that was it. From the instant she felt his demonic energy explode into the night air, she knew she no longer had to worry. And now, here with him, she felt absolute security. Her protector. Her savior. She closed her eyes…
The demons had become feral, tossing her back and forth between them while they each did as they pleased. Her body was tired, her demonic energy nearly spent. She had tried defending herself before, but she knew it was no good, it just made things that much worse for her.
And so, as they used her within an inch of her life, it was all she could do to hold onto a single shred of her sanity, blinking back tears that made streaks in her muddy face as they tracked down towards her jawline.
This time, that sanity came in the form a single, white, Demon World bird, whose deathly song she clutched onto as she floated adrift within her own mind, on the brink of madness. As she looked up to catch sight of its pure wings once more, the tiniest flicker of light returned to her eyes when she realized the bird was getting bigger, flying closer, directly towards her and her oppressors.
And then it wasn't a bird, but a fox, and then not a fox, but a male demon. His song was not a song, but a vicious growl that tore through the ruckus of the demons around her and turned their indulgent cries into cries of pain as he struck them all down around her, the one that held her dropping her body to the forest floor, where it was all she could do to lay there and watch, hungrily needing to see them die and to watch her savior do it.
When the last of them had fallen, he came over and squatted down, seeing her chest still breathing and her eyes glaring at him, green and dangerous. The thought that she still had the strength to appear ferocious in her current state made him stay his hand.
"H-have you come to kill me, too?" She croaked, her lower lip cracking as she spoke. She didn't have the strength to lick it and clean the blood.
The demon's silver ears twitched, his tail flicking in amusement. He put his face in hers, nose centimeters away as he sniffed at the blood that was threatening to drip down her lip.
"Do you wish to die?" He wanted to know, glancing over into her eyes before looking back at her lips and quickly snaking his pink tongue out of his mouth to lick up the blood that pooled over her dry lips.
She did not answer him at first, feeling her breath washing over his face and some of it falling back against her own, so close he stayed.
He sniffed again, "You do not smell like death. Tell me, how good are you with your abilities?" He pulled back from her ever-so-slightly to look into her eyes again.
He rocked back on his feet for a moment and pulled the tunic of his yukata off over his head, laying it so that it might cover some of her body.
"I was taught well." She said after a moment, gathering her strength just to take enough breath to speak.
"How well?" His eyes narrowed, prepared to kill her then and there if she did not give him a straight answer.
She searched for the last ounce of her energy and shimmered it into her eyes, the only part of her not desecrated, staring into his yellow irises and simply saying, "Pick me up."
"I don't see how that's going to convince me not to kill you."
She said nothing, only raising an eyebrow up at him.
He blinked and realized he had stood up with her in his arms.
He almost threw his head back to laugh, but settled for merely a bark of laughter, "Ha! Very well."
He felt more than saw that her reserves were depleted and her eyes were fluttering closed.
"All the better." He mumbled, "Can't be having you do that to me again."
He made sure his fingers held his tunic firmly against her skin so that it did no fly off, and then he dashed off into the trees, unsurprised that her body seemed to be hardly a burden at all for how badly it had been treated.
He glanced down to see that she finally shut her eyes and had leaned her head against his chest to rest, but she stirred after a moment.
"Thank you." It came out as a murmur.
"Don't mention it."
The wryness of his words made her lips twitch as if to smile, but they began bleeding again.
This time she licked the blood away herself.
Toriko tightened her eyes, already closed, as the memory shot across her mind, flickering past in almost an instant of time before leaving her in peace once more, her breath coming more steadily as she held herself around Hiei's shoulders and followed his intake and exhale of air to calm her own.
Something brushed against her nose, and she twitched her nostrils, eyes slowly opening. When she saw a spike of dark hair that tickled her again, her eyes widened and she felt her chest heave, pulling quickly away from Hiei to sneeze violently onto her arm into the completely silent room. She froze in place, arm over the lower half of her face and staring with her eyes wide at Hiei, unsure how he was going to react. 3
Hiei paused when Toriko moved, for a moment thinking she had flinched away. Then, he heard the small sound of her sneeze, completely shattering the quiet of the room. He glanced over his shoulder at her, a sneer on his face as if he were mocking her. For a moment, he merely let her take in the sneer, then he spoke up in a low voice, quiet as a whisper but as demanding as a shout. "That was pathetic." *
Toriko frowned and lowered her arm, scooting farther away from him to lean back against the wall again and looking away, her nose in the air just long enough to make him think she wasn't going to move again, then she turned and stuck her tongue out at him. 3
Red orbs followed the female as she moved away, his expression never wavering as she scooted further and further from him, ending up in the spot she had started in. With her nose so high in the air, he wasn't sure what to think other than the fact that she looked as if she smelled something appetizing and had the mere thought of following the scent. Like a canine, almost, but he brushed the thought away. When he saw her tongue snake between her lips and aid in forming the most childish expression he'd ever seen on a demon, he raised a brow and turned his eyes away, towards the window to estimate the amount of time he'd spent here, as if checking a clock that was mounted on a wall. By the shadows that the moon created, he hadn't been here near as long as it felt he head, but it didn't matter. He turned his eyes to his feet for a moment in thought before deciding Toriko would need her space, and if possible, some rest. So, he stood once more and turned to face her again, his tone flat but his words a warning. "Remember to lock your windows." He didn't want to make her recall the moments from before, but he felt it needed to be said, as if it would reassure her in some way when he knew it wasn't possible.
Then he turned and stuffed his hands in his pockets, slowly sauntering his way to the windowsill, giving himself time to check the outside of the house before leaving. *
"D-don't leave me..." Toriko pleaded quietly, almost to herself, half-hoping he would not hear her. She could already feel the night closing in around her, and she hugged her arms around herself as if very cold, trembling, but finally looking up to see if he had heard.
"Please...don't go..." Her chin dropped to her chest and she fought back more tears, wishing the tingling over her skin would stop as each prick brought back flashes of blonde hair and her useless struggle. 3
Hiei paused, the small voice taking him off guard. With a blank expression, more to conceal his conflicting emotions than to get away, he looked over his shoulder at Toriko, who had positively sunk into herself by the time his crimson orbs found her in the darkness. She appeared so small, sitting in the corner, folded into herself the way she was. If he hadn't known any better, he would have thought she looked just about as human as could be, and it sparked more conflicting emotions. By the time she looked up, he had a frown set into his face, as if it had been etched there millions of years ago. When she repeated herself, he felt his resolve crumble and he finally turned to face her again, wordlessly making his way back to her, sensing the way her energy moved about the room, pulling away from her into the air and then moving freely again.
"Picture a rope." he said suddenly, deciding imagery would not only help her with her concentration, but it would keep her mind busy as well. "Imagine pulling on it, pulling it towards you. Concentrate, and watch your own energy as you do so." *
When he started to move back towards her, Toriko felt that perhaps he might stay, perhaps he might keep her darkness at bay.
She hardly heard his words about a rope, a meaning that escaped her altogether at that moment, but at his suggesting she 'pull,' that's exactly what she did. She sat on her knees and reached out towards him with her hands, calling to her demonic energy that had all but released its hold on him and it sparked back to life, beginning to both visibly and invisibly wind around him once more, ribbons and tendrils drawing him closer, coaxing him back to her, until he stood at her bedside, still looking into her eyes.3
Hiei raised a small brow at the female at the expression that crossed her face momentarily. It was an odd expression to him, but he found that he had felt rather odd about causing the expression on her face, an expression of hope. No one had given him that look before. Shock, yes. Fear, all the time. But hope? Never. When she reached out, he thought the gesture strange, but figured perhaps in moving towards her she might explain, finding himself at her side next to the bed and looking down at her quizzically. Her hands looked so empty and, her eyes looked so welcoming, that before he knew it he had reached up as it to take them in his own, but stopped, hesitating and wondering at the emotions that were stirring inside him at the thought of voluntarily touching her skin.*
Toriko could feel her eyes shimmering as she did not look away from him, and she gave in to the tingle of her body most willingly if it would persuade him to stay. Her lips twitched into a near-smile as he hesitated, wondering at his hesitation.
To her knowledge, there had been no one to refuse any request she made of them. Not for a long time. She drew her power around the room in to surround them both, slowly weaving the two loose circles of ribbons of energy closer together until there was only one circle slowly rotating around them, then drawing it farther inward until it just barely floated above their skin, molding to their bodies. With one last pull, Toriko drew the energy through Hiei and into herself, and at the exact moment it passed through him, he placed his hands within hers, the power disappearing from the room into her body and increasing her strength.
She tossed her head slightly, and her scalp tingled as her hair released a smell into the air of something he desired, "I am tired, Hiei."
Her voice almost did not sound like her own, slightly deeper and laced with her demonic energy, coaxing him, lulling him closer, "Please stay with me. I need you."
She tilted her head to the side and made sure to look him full-on in the face, trying a small, coy smile as she scooted back towards the other side of the bed. "Lie down?"3
Hiei stared at his hands as they landed in Toriko's, registering that her touch was warm and welcoming. His eyes slid up to the female again, catching her gaze in time for her to toss her hair and tilt her head at him, her lips slowly parting to release a sound that soon formed into words. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he registered the change in her voice, but right now, all he knew was that the air smelled sweet, and her voice was telling him that he needed to move, to lay on the bed and relax. So that's what he did.
Hiei moved and stretched out on the mattress leisurely, his legs stretched out in front of him and his head on the pillow that supported its weight. His eyes still lingered on Toriko, watching to see what she'd do next. *
Once he lay on his back, Toriko almost shyly scooted as close as she could to him, laying on her side with her head resting on his shoulder and one hand at his chest.
She could feel her demonic energy fading from the overuse of the night, but his warmth overpowered any reservations her usual self would have with staying this close to him. She found herself nuzzling the side of his face with her nose, and ended up pressing her lips against his cheek once in a small kiss, smiling and feeling wonderfully safe even as her eyes fluttered closed. She frowned and fought back the tiredness that began to overwhelm her, needing to ask him something, needing to hear his answer.
"Hiei...will you promise me something?" She whispered ever-so-softly, lips not far from his ear as she pulled her eyes open into slits.
"Will you...promise...to protect me? Always?" She struggled to stay awake now, desperately wanting to hear his answer before she completely faded away, nudging at his cheek affectionately twice more with her nose and blinking sleepily. 3
Hiei raised a brow as Toriko moved closer, then it settled back into place when she settled against him. He broke his gaze from hers and turned his eyes to the ceiling, as if something there interested him, but in reality he was merely unsure of what to do, suddenly feeling odd that she was so close. His mind reeled, suddenly feeling as if he was clearing of any fogginess, a few thoughts crossing his mind at rapid pace until they drifted away, unimportant.
When he felt her nose brush his face, he closed his eyes as if she were coaxing him into sleep, her lips moving to replace her nose in a gesture he hadn't expected. He eyed her with a single open eye, feeling extremely relaxed now that she seemed relaxed as well, acting as if the blonde demon hadn't been here at all.
When her breath washed over the side of his face and her voice rang in his ears, he continued to eye her until the words, the question that seemed so important to her, registered with his mind. He hesitated for a moment, watching her as she blinked slowly at him with the obvious effort of fighting sleep. He considered the night's events before answering, both eyes now meeting her gaze again as his lips released the words he knew she wanted to hear. "Of course." *
Shuichi - Given name or forename (gender not specified)
Minamino: (wiki) Southern Field
Shūichi: (wiki) Excellence First
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star
