This story, Stay With Me, was written for one of my best friends, who is currently very ill. I hope that when she reads this, she will remember that I still think of her.
A side note: 10-13 is being referred to a hospital for homicidal/suicidal/maniacal behavior.
Story: Stay With Me
Rating: PG-13 for language, innuendo, and romantic scenes
Summary: They knew that they were meant for something greater, but when that something greater finds them, do they have the guts to take it on?
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THE SUN was shining, the birds chirping pleasantly, but she was oblivious to it all. Her mood was so dark that the sun was nothing more than a shadow.
Why would she waste her time basking in the sun's glory? She had no reason to be happy or joyful. Thus, she continued on her way through the dying park.
Who gives a damn about the weather, anyway? she pondered, kicking a rock, nearly hitting a little boy. Where the hell are all these people coming from?!
She kicked another rock as hard as she could. It went flying and nearly hit a big, fat, ugly head of bright orange hair.
Dammit all to hell! Why'd it have to hit him?!
She slinked into some shadows, trying to avoid being noticed as the one who had hit him.
"Goddammit, Shorty! What was that for?" yelled Ugly.
He, obviously, was speaking to the short, ebon-haired boy in front of him. A redhead was laughing at their antics and sighed tiredly as they began to argue.
I do not have time for this, she thought as she walked away, never noticing the pairs of eyes following her every move.
One was emerald, the other a muddy brown.
Jennis-I'm going to be away for a bit. Do whatever you normally do. I'll be back in about a month. And I'm not taking you back if you run again. I'll have you 10-13'd.
MargretteThe note greeted her as she entered the cheerfully blue house. It neither too big nor too small, but Jennis knew that she didn't belong here. Didn't belong anywhere.
Sheesh, Margrette, nice to know! Jennis thought as she plopped herself down in front of the TV. Hope you weren't bitchy enough to disconnect the cable. '10-13'd' indeed!
As she flipped through the channels absently, she pondered her dark past.
Jennis Macinacho knew nothing of her past, her parents, and her childhood before the juvie facility where she'd met her best friend, Teisha Karasaki. She didn't remember them, have any information on them, or anything.
She'd been in and out of detention facilities, group homes, foster homes, hospitals, and homeless shelters for teens for more years than she cared to count. And Teisha had been beside her every time.
Sure, she'd ran a few times, but that gave Margrette no reason (or right) to threaten her with a 10-13!
She only keeps me for the dubs. Stupid money, she thought sourly.
She dragged out her poetry book when she realized that the best thing on was that stupid show 'Newlyweds.' She shuddered in horror and pressed the 'off' button on the remote.
Little known was her sentimental side. The side that desired a family of her own, a true mate, and all of the good things life had to offer. She only showed that in her poetry. She only showed her poetry to Teisha.
She was an amateur and never planned on being published, though Teisha tried to encourage that kind of thinking. It provided a necessary release for her. Just like Teisha's drawings.
The ones that were dark, deep, and usually came true.
She sighed and decided that it was time for a shower and an early night. Something told her she'd need a lot of rest tomorrow.
"Papa! Where are you!?" cried a slight voice. A childish voice. "Please, Papa, don't leave me!"
A little girl was crying at the base of a huge tree. She walked over to her slowly.
She shivered from an odd cold, even though she knew that it was Midsummer. The girl lifted her head when she heard footsteps.
"Do you know what happened to Papa?" she queried, voice pleading. "I miss him. He said Maman goes bye-bye and now he leaves!"
"I'm sorry. I don't know. Perhaps we can aid each other. I don't know what happened to my parents, either."
"You don't? You'll help me?"
"No, I don't. And yes, I will help you. What's your name?"
"De'Zhane. You can call me De'Zhane."
She picked up the girl and noticed tiny fox ears and equally small foxtails. Five of them. They were wrapped around her, warding off the unseasonable chill.
"Do you think Papa dead?"
"I don't know. Anything is possible."
"He is dead, isn't he? You know!" The girl leapt from her arms. "No! I have to find Papa!"
De'Zhane dashed back into the forest. She followed the little girl.
Jennis bolted straight up, breathing as if she had just ran through a forest.
"De'Zhane!!" she yelled. Then, she noticed that she was in her bedroom at Margrette's.
It… It seemed so real. I felt her in my arms. Smelled the scent of leaves. I… I don't understand.
She fingered her necklace. It was an old crucifix, worn by the touch of fingers and time. It comforted her, though she knew that she'd need to get a new one eventually.
She was told that it had belonged to her mother, but she didn't really believe the worker who had told her that.
She rolled to her side. The bag she had packed yesterday, or she presumed it was yesterday, was still there.
Why run now? I have nearly a month before Margrette returns. Why not enjoy what I can and leave the day she returns? She can't have me 10-13'd.
She jumped at a loud noise from the backyard. She ran to the window and saw a person retreating into the forest.
De'Zhane?! No, that was just a dream.
"What the hell is someone doing in my backyard at this hour?" she queried aloud.
Jennis grabbed the loaded gun from her bag and a knife from the kitchen. She didn't care that she was wearing a long, flowing, white gown that would give away her every motion. That would shred like paper.
She spotted the trail. Judging the footprints, she determined that the trespasser was male and huge.
She followed anyway. It was probably some punk who merely needed to be shouted at and have the knife waved at him.
She just hoped she hadn't grabbed a butter knife by mistake.
Teisha ran through the woods that connected her property to that of her best friend, Jennis.
She heard panting and realized that she and Jennis were in serious trouble.
Great. Just what we both need. A jump. God! When do these punks ever learn that we aren't what they want?
They met in the clearing they had cleaned out when both had discovered it. They used it for training, but it was also where they stored some weapons.
Such as my swords!Teisha stayed in the shadows, gently drawing her favorite weapon as arms wrapped themselves around Jennis.
Lord, great in power, terrible in majesty, grant me the wisdom and the speed to do this right.
She recited that little prayer mentally as Jennis proceeded to dig herself into a deeper hole.
She stopped running in her favorite clearing. The one she and Teisha had cleaned up to use for sparring.
Just as she saw Teisha, who gestured for silence, a pair of arms came around her.
"'Ello there, li'l missie. What's a purty thin' like ye doin' out so late?"
"This is my property. I should be asking you that. I should also be asking you to leave immediately.
"Nah, missie. There's somethin' my master needs ye fer and I plan on deliverin'."
"I have no idea, nor do I care, whom your master is. You're to leave now and tell him that if he desires to speak with me, he can come himself."
The man laughed. "Tha's funny. The master comin' 'imself to see ye! I don' think ye could get th' time o' day from 'im."
"Then, there is no need for him to send you after me. I won't come unless he comes to see me himself."
"Oh, aye, ye'll come. Or ye'll pay."
"She's not coming with you, sir. Now, leave our clearing," Teisha ordered, stepping from the shadows. "She will come and go as she pleases. And she doesn't please."
"Tindoreil!" she greeted.Teisha bowed her head. "Yes. I am here."
"Oh, there be two o' ye nows, eh?"
Teisha was holding her swords, balanced carefully for a quick attack. She was, as always, calm, cool, otherworldly. She was beyond human, and Jennis knew it.
Suddenly, the man sprouted wings. His skin became grey and leathery. Tiny fangs protruded from his mouth. He took a now taloned hand and ran it down Teisha's cheek, drawing blood.
Teisha felt the blood stream down her face. He grabbed her by her black tunic and lifted her to his face.
"Did you ever hear of a tooth-brush?" she queried. "You most certainly could use one."
He chuckled. "Oh, aye, I imagine I could. 'Owever, ye're about to die, so's ye shouldn't be real worried."
"Who said that death was an option for me?" She inclined her head to Jennis. "Run, Recka. Leave now."
"No. I won't."
"Leave them be," said a deep, all-male voice.
Kurama was impressed by the newest arrival's bravery.
-She actually insulted Kayangele. Amusing.- commented Hiei.
Kurama ignored the comment and signaled to Hiei that he was to go to the other exit of the clearing. They really didn't need their mark trying to run away.
"Leave them be," he ordered.
"The 'umans be mine. Find yer own, purty boy."
"I told you to leave the humans alone," he repeated.
"I told ye to fuck off!" the demon replied, charging him.
He blinked and suddenly the demon was missing his right arm from the elbow down.
-You're welcome.-
-You didn't give me time to say thank you.-
-Hn.-
"Recka, let's retreat now. They're busy. They'll never know we left until it's far too late to stop us."
"You're right, Tindoreil. C'mon. I know these woods better than anyone."
Kurama flicked a glance, nothing more, at Hiei, who suddenly appeared in their intended path, katanas drawn.
One of the girls gulped.
"Well, there goes that," one sighed.
"Yes. It seems escape is impossible now, Tindoreil."
"Not quite."
Hiei looked slightly bemused, though most couldn't tell the change of expression.
They were trapped and Teisha knew it. All of their possible exits were blocked.
One by a short guy in all black, katanas drawn and looking dangerous. The other by a redhead in a nice, clean school uniform fighting Mr. Trespasser.
There was a crack! of a whip and both of the girls spun to the monster's head go flying.
Jennis grabbed her hand and squeezed. Teisha slipped the gun that Jennis had hid in her gown pocket into her hand and aimed it at Redhead.
"Don't move!" she ordered. "I don't want to have to hurt anyone."
The short one in front of her tensed. Jennis whimpered.
Great, Jennis! Freeze up now!"It's not loaded, Hiei."
"It is so," she counted, cocking the gun and preparing to fire as Redhead stepped closer.
"We're not going to hurt you, Teisha. Nor you, Jennis."
She didn't know how they knew their names, but, after a long moment, she relaxed and released the hammer.
"Good. We're making progress. Listen, please. One of you is in grave danger. My name is Kurama. He is Hiei. We were assigned to protect you."
"I believe you," Jennis said. "Why are we in danger?"
Teisha sighed. Then, Jennis stiffened.
"You're the laughing guy from the park!"
"Indeed I am. I can't tell you why you are endangered. Honestly, I can't answer any of your questions. I can take you, though, to someone who can. If you would come with me."
The girls looked at each other and said, "Like Hell we will!"
They ran.
"Baka!" Hiei said, glaring at him. "Now, our mission is more difficult. They'll be watching for us."
There was a dull thunk!
"I don't think so, Hiei. Actually, I think they just ran into a tree."
"Dumbasses," Hiei muttered. There was a slight pause. "I want sweet snow after this."
Kurama sighed. "It's ice cream, Hiei. Not 'sweet snow.' Ice cream. And I'll talk to Genkai, see if she has some."
They walked out of the clearing. About twenty yards away, the girls lay at the base of a tree, knocked out cold.
"You take the dark-haired one, Kurama."
"You'll get the other?"
"Hn."
Kurama picked up the ebony-haired girl. 'Tindoriel' she had been called.
The other, 'Recka', was the one he thought they were assigned to protect. He glanced at her.
She was slight, an inch or so taller than Hiei, fair-haired, and with extraordinarily long lashes. Kurama rolled his eyes.
Our typical weak beauty.
The girl in his arms was equally slight, though built, maybe five-ten, fair-skinned and possessing delicate features. Unconsciously, she shifted until her face was buried in his chest.
He looked at Hiei, who was wearing a stunned expression and blushed.
"Let's get them to Genkai's. Then, I'll take you out for sweet snow."
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Kurama: You know I hate you, right?
Me: Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way.
Hiei: *sigh* I get the feeling that this will be a long story.