~*~*~ Eye of the Midnight Storm ~*~*~

By: Rogue Angel Barton

Um... I got home late so this chapter might be kind of short. I don't own the animes, so laterz!

Hotaru ran a hand through her hair. It was already Wednesday, time sure pass quickly when you had 2 tests a day with huge projects. She barely thought about Heero Yuy, unless that was, she was bored in class and started staring at his cute nose, or full red lips, or beautiful stormy Prussian eyes...

Hotaru snapped out of it once the teacher called on her. The usually best student found herself blanking on the question asked. What did he say? What class was this? Oh, Mr. Honer, history. Now what were they studying...?

Hotaru mentally slapped herself; she'd been daydreaming all day. She didn't know whether they were on the Boxer Rebellion of China in around 1900 or the Cuban Missile Crises in America in 1962. Jesus!

"Miss Hotaru, I don't know what's been going on but I suggest that you pay closer attention."

Hotaru looked down and a blush tainted her cheeks. She frowned. Damn it, since Heero Yuy showed up in her life, everything had been so hectic. Just ignore him, yeah that's it. It'll work. From now on, Heero Yuy was just another student in this school campus. And she wouldn't see him at all.

"Hey Hotaru, the bell rang. Where should we go to do the project?"

Hotaru heard his husky and impassive voice. She felt another blush rise up on her cheeks. She had forgotten that they were working on the project together... how thick could she get! Argh... so maybe the avoiding thing won't work.

"Hello? Earth to Hotaru, are you there?"

Hotaru snapped her head up and glared at Heero. Heero back off slightly, kind of thrown off by Hotaru's sudden harsh glare. However he caught his crumbling defenses and quickly put up his usual impassive face.

"Come on."

Hotaru frowned at his cold and emotionless voice. What was up? Ignoring the questions in her head, she quickly packed her things.

"Library?"

"No, my house."

Without another word Heero continued to walk. Hotaru paused. Her expression expressed her worry and uncertainty. Heero sensed her halt and turned around, an impatient scowl on his face.

"Why'd you stop?"

"Why can't we just do it in the library?"

Hotaru cursed herself. Damn it, that didn't come out right, especially with how hot her neck and face felt. She gulped. Shaking her head she regained her image. Heero noticed the blush that came onto her cheeks, and for a second, he realized how cute she looked. Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, Heero grunted.

"The library has insufficient speed on their computers."

"Why not my house then?"

Heero noticed the desperation in her voice. He didn't know why but he could tell she really didn't want to go to his house. It was just his house. He saw the pleading look in her eyes. He sighed and he felt his resolve breaking.

"Fine."

Heero couldn't help the smile that escaped as her eyes lit up. Her desperation turned into relief as she smiled thankfully at him.

"Cool. Let's go."

Heero smiled again as he followed the bouncing girl out the door. Hotaru turned to him with an amused gleam in her eyes.

"Have a ride?"

"You know it."

Hotaru felt herself blush again at the sexy smile that Heero had on. Looking down she quickly tried to hide it. Damn, it was just Heero Yuy, why blush? Okay, she just answered her question, it wasn't just Heero Yuy, it was Heero Yuy.

Hotaru felt her feet carrying her to Heero's car. She looked up to see it was another car. Damn, he must be loaded. This time it was a simple silver BMW convertible. Hopping into the car, Hotaru looked at the scenery speeding by. IT wasn't the most beautiful street in the world, but anything to not look at Heero.

Heero noticed that Hotaru was really quiet. She was usually quiet and kind of cold, but she was just looking at the scenery. He shook his head, it shouldn't matter. He couldn't afford to think about it now, not how she effected him after Saturday.

~*~ Flashback (a.k.a. Rogue's fun time) ~*~

Soldier couldn't get Hotaru out of his mind. A vampire slammed into him, as he was distracted. Cursing himself he picked up the vampire easily and threw him into a nearby mausoleum. Two vampires rammed into him on either side.

Shinigami grabbed done of the vamps and quickly sliced off its head with his scythe. Shinigami frowned before continuing with his work.

Soldier sighed. HE was at his worse today. How could he let a girl effect his performance? Heero gasped. He looked down and saw the silver blade coming from his stomach.

"NO!"


"SOLDIER!"

His friends let out a shout before hurrying towards him. Heero turned around to see a hooded figure. He closed his eyes as he heard a gasp nearby. Without thinking he walked back into the blade, letting it dig deeper into him.

'Yes feel the pain, feel it unlike what you've felt for 200 years. You've been perfect...'

Heero head bunted the guy behind him.

'Damn these emotions. Realize, they are why you are weak now.'

Heero ignored the blade still embedded in her stomach and started to kick the vamp that dared hurt him.

'You missed him. You, the Perfect Soldier, was hurt. Are you not ashamed of yourself?'

Heero dusted the vamp without another thought.

'You let the girl get to you. You know what you must do.'

Heero pulled the blade from his stomach, pain never registering in his mind.

'You must kill the cause of this.'

Heero felt his friends fusing over him, each wanting to make sure he was safe.

'I can't kill Hotaru.'

Soldier turned to see the huntresses standing nearby. He knew they were disappointed that he was fine.

'Fine, but you must do what is best for you... and her.'

Heero walked past his friends and the huntresses. He ignored the set of violet eyes that followed him with slight amusement and worry.

~*~End Flashback~*~

Heero touched the bandage on his stomach as he noticed that they were in front of Hotaru's house. Getting out, he followed Hotaru to the door.

The two walked through the house and into the library. The two started to work immediately, not wanting to think about their partner.

After about an hour, the two were tired. IT was about noon, time for lunch. Hotaru's stomach growled loudly. She looked down as a deep blush escaped onto her cheek. She heard a soft and low rumbling from near by. Hotaru turned around to see Heero's eyes twinkling with slight amusement and that low, sexy rumble was the beautiful sound of his chuckle.

"Hungry Hotaru?"

Hotaru blushed once more and looked away from Heero. True, she was hungry.

"Can we go to the kitchen to grab a snack?"

Heero nodded. The girl was hungry, big deal. Hotaru smiled and walked past him, brushing against his stomach. Pain rippled through Heero's body as the simple touch agitated his wound. Against his will his fangs sprouted toward, reaching 1 ½ inches in length. His eyes became a dark silverish blue as his power flared momentarily. IN the one second of his vampire senses coming out, he could smell her.

Heero could smell her sweet blood, coursing through her veins. He could tell that it was sweet, sweeter and better than any other he has ever had. But it also picked up a strange power flowing through her veins.

"Heero?"

Before Hotaru could turn around Heero returned to his normal self. HE looked up at her as he smiled slightly.

"Are you okay?"

Heero nodded. HE shook his head, her blood; he could almost feel it in his mouth, the warm thick life giving liquid... 'No! I promised... not her.'

"Come on! I'm starved!"

Heero smiled as he followed her. IT was okay to have those thoughts, he was hungry. He hadn't fed in a week.

'I must feed tonight... or no telling what I will do.'

Heero watched as Hotaru skipped into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, she pulled out anything that was editable. Heero's eyes widened as Hotaru made a fruit salad, a huge hero with everything on it, some juice, and some meat. He sweatdropped as she carried everything to the nearby long table.

"Um... are you going to eat all that?"

"No, the hero's for you. I'm only going to have the fruit salad."

"And the um... unusually big piece of meat?"

"For my two tigers."

Heero smiled sheepishly.

"You're kidding right?"

"No."

Heero gulped. Hotaru whistled as purring came from the distance. A minute later, two cats came running into the kitchen. Heero felt a smile tug at his lips. The first one was not yet full grown, only a small orange kitten with black stripes kitty, about three months old. The other white cat was a kitty as well, about four months. Heero glared at her.

"Hardly vicious tigers for meat."

Hotaru laughed before putting the meat away. She grabbed a bag of Kitty Chow and poured it into two huge bowls. The two kitties began eating at once.

"Here. What soda do you want?"

Heero caught himself before saying blood. HE shrugged casually.

"Sprite."

Hotaru nodded and gave him a bottle. Heero grabbed the sandwich and ate it. A blast of heaven it him. IT was good, god only the best chiefs have ever given him anything close to it. HE smiled at her.

"This is great."

Hotaru giggled as Heero dug in. She ate some of her salad. She never ate much...

"You don't eat much."

Hotaru looked down.

"I never eat much."

Heero nodded. HE felt something tugging at his baggy black jeans. Looking down, he saw that the two kittens were playing tug-a-war with his jeans. A small scowl formed on his face.

Seeing Heero's expression, Hotaru glared at the two pups.

"Alright you two, quit it."

The two kittens whimpered slightly and backed away ever so slightly. Heero frowned. Bending down, he picked up a kitty in each hand. With the orange one in the right, and the white one in the left, he looked at the two of them.

Hotaru laughed. Heero looked up and her and pouted.

"What's so funny?"

"You look like you've never seen cats before!"

"I don't usually see them."

"You don't have a pet?"

"Yes, but not cats."

Hotaru nodded. She watched as the Heero made faces at them.

"Let me introduce you. The orange one is Flame."

At that time Flame purred and licked Heero's nose. Hotaru laughed again.

"The white baby is Death."

Heero cocked a brow at the names. Hotaru shrugged and returned to her salad. She smiled amused as kittens playfully meowed and licked Heero.

"Flame, Shadow, lay off. He's gotta eat."

As if understanding English, the two hopped off Heero's hands and landed on the floor with ease. Death curled at Hotaru's feet, while Flame laid down next to Heero's foot.

"Flame likes you."

"I don't know why."

Heero continued to eat in silence, as Hotaru looked at him surprised and puzzled. What was that suppose to mean? She saw that Heero had closed himself off once more. Sighing, she returned to her lunch. Minutes later, the two finished.

"Should we continue?"

"Sure."

Dumping everything into the kitchen, Hotaru continued to the study. To her surprise, Flame and Shadowed followed Heero. They never liked anyone before. Looking at Heero, she smiled. HE was different.

^^^
After another two hours, they finally finished. The two sighed with relief as the 32-page report printed. They looked at each other and smiled. However, they both caught what they were doing, looked away and blushed.

Suddenly a phone rang. Hotaru looked around; there were no phones in the library. Heero however dug into his bookbag and pulled out a small cell.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

"Hello? Hey Trowa. Yeah, yeah, I'll take care of it. Okay, later."

Heero turned to Hotaru.


"I have something to take care of, sorry."

Hotaru nodded and showed him the door. Heero smiled.

"See ya tomorrow. I trust that you'll hand in the paper alright?"

Hotaru nodded.

"We only have one class tomorrow."

Heero nodded.

"Tomorrow then."

"Yeah."

With that Heero left and Hotaru closed the door. She walked to her room and sat down on the bed. She felt Flame and Death crawl onto her bed.

"He's nice right?"

Flame and Death seemed to have smile and then simply close their eyes. Hotaru sighed.

FINISHED! REVIEW PLEASE! I'M BEHIND SCHEDULE GOMEN!