Kurama sat on the edge of the bed, watching his youkai lover toss restlessly. After a hasty meal, Keiko and the rest of the girls had dragged Yuusuke and Kuwabara shopping and sightseeing, unaware of what had taken place. Sumireina had gone to her room. The youko stroked a spiky lock of hair away from Hiei's forehead. In sleep, all of the youkai's defenses melted away, leaving an angelic face that had 'innocent' written all over it.
Kurama frowned worriedly. While it was true that Hiei did enjoy a nap, this sleep seemed somehow unnatural; the only time Hiei ever slept so deeply was after he used the Kokuryuuha. Even then, he did not toss as he was doing now, as if caught in a nightmare.
Hiei made his way cautiously through the cool forest, easily dodging the mossy stumps he occasionally encountered. He had no idea how he had gotten there, or where the others were. The only sounds were the birds and that of his own breathing. The scene seemed eerily familiar to him; caught in his dream as he was, he heard the sound of a woman's voice, singing a captivating melody.
Caught by the siren sound, Hiei stumbled towards the sound. There, like earlier that day, was the beautiful young woman in whit. "Come to me," she husked, holding out her arms to the fire demon.
Something ancient within Hiei answered the plea. Against his will, the youkai took a halting step forward then stopped, his limbs trembling with the effort of resisting the goddess's pull. In a tiny corner of his mind, Hiei saw a flash of bright red, like the fire that was his nature. Brilliant forest-green eyes came next, filled with laughter and mischief. Eyes that had looked into his dark soul and accepted, without reservation, it's other half. Kurama. Soulmate.
With a tremendous wrench, Hiei forced his body to turn away from Pele, escaping into the dreamscape. He was safe for the moment, but for how much longer? Hiei hunched his shoulders as he pressed himself up against a tree limb. Fire called to Fire, and the dark youkai knew that it would only be matter of time before the Call would start again. He wasn't sure if he could resist; sooner or later, Pele would wear him down - and then he would be Hers.
The black Koorime moaned softly in his sleep, curling his body into a compact ball. Kurama continued his vigil, emerald eyes never once leaving the childlike face.
Down the hall, another youko stood out on her lanai, brooding. Slender fingers toyed with the ocarina around her neck; a habit she had fallen into over the past hundred or so years. Her green eyes darkened with worry as she contemplated the situation at hand.
In Hawaii, pairings were made because the two were opposites; the Polynesian version of the Oriental ying-yang. Sumi frowned. Fire and Fire did not go together - there was no balance. Sooner or later one would overwhelm the other, not keep them in check, like Kurama did Hiei...like Hiei and Yukina...like herself and Suren.
Sumi inhaled the salt-scented air, feeling a cool wetness slide down her cheek. Nearly a hundred years, and the memories still hurt. She scrubbed away the tear tracks, brushing away the gold strands that clung to her damp face. Fire called to Fire, and in doing so, cancelled each other out, leaving nothing but ashes...and jagged halves of a whole.
Clutching the ocarina fiercely, Sumi looked out over the beautiful island she now called home. "I promise, Suren-oniichan, I'll find a way to save them. Kurama-kun won't ever be alone again." Sumi hung her head, the last words a thread of sound. "And Yukina-chan will never have to know what it's like to feel her twin die..."
Kurama frowned worriedly. While it was true that Hiei did enjoy a nap, this sleep seemed somehow unnatural; the only time Hiei ever slept so deeply was after he used the Kokuryuuha. Even then, he did not toss as he was doing now, as if caught in a nightmare.
Hiei made his way cautiously through the cool forest, easily dodging the mossy stumps he occasionally encountered. He had no idea how he had gotten there, or where the others were. The only sounds were the birds and that of his own breathing. The scene seemed eerily familiar to him; caught in his dream as he was, he heard the sound of a woman's voice, singing a captivating melody.
Caught by the siren sound, Hiei stumbled towards the sound. There, like earlier that day, was the beautiful young woman in whit. "Come to me," she husked, holding out her arms to the fire demon.
Something ancient within Hiei answered the plea. Against his will, the youkai took a halting step forward then stopped, his limbs trembling with the effort of resisting the goddess's pull. In a tiny corner of his mind, Hiei saw a flash of bright red, like the fire that was his nature. Brilliant forest-green eyes came next, filled with laughter and mischief. Eyes that had looked into his dark soul and accepted, without reservation, it's other half. Kurama. Soulmate.
With a tremendous wrench, Hiei forced his body to turn away from Pele, escaping into the dreamscape. He was safe for the moment, but for how much longer? Hiei hunched his shoulders as he pressed himself up against a tree limb. Fire called to Fire, and the dark youkai knew that it would only be matter of time before the Call would start again. He wasn't sure if he could resist; sooner or later, Pele would wear him down - and then he would be Hers.
The black Koorime moaned softly in his sleep, curling his body into a compact ball. Kurama continued his vigil, emerald eyes never once leaving the childlike face.
Down the hall, another youko stood out on her lanai, brooding. Slender fingers toyed with the ocarina around her neck; a habit she had fallen into over the past hundred or so years. Her green eyes darkened with worry as she contemplated the situation at hand.
In Hawaii, pairings were made because the two were opposites; the Polynesian version of the Oriental ying-yang. Sumi frowned. Fire and Fire did not go together - there was no balance. Sooner or later one would overwhelm the other, not keep them in check, like Kurama did Hiei...like Hiei and Yukina...like herself and Suren.
Sumi inhaled the salt-scented air, feeling a cool wetness slide down her cheek. Nearly a hundred years, and the memories still hurt. She scrubbed away the tear tracks, brushing away the gold strands that clung to her damp face. Fire called to Fire, and in doing so, cancelled each other out, leaving nothing but ashes...and jagged halves of a whole.
Clutching the ocarina fiercely, Sumi looked out over the beautiful island she now called home. "I promise, Suren-oniichan, I'll find a way to save them. Kurama-kun won't ever be alone again." Sumi hung her head, the last words a thread of sound. "And Yukina-chan will never have to know what it's like to feel her twin die..."