Warnings: another chapter one must read slowly.… alright, nothing bad in here. No swearing even! 0.0. I know!
The Welder of BlackFire:
Thorn's New Life-The Legend Lives
Chapter Twenty-Three: Uneasy Rest
Kurama turned toward his window as he entered his room, looking out into the fading sky. He had walked around the city for over an hour before deciding to go back to his home. Dusk was just beginning to come about and heavens were just starting to darken. But mostly the shadows were just lengthening their hungry yawns, doing little more. Looking into the tree beside his window's shadows, he could just make out a more heavily shadowed form sitting there, staring off into unseen space, although it was clear that it had heard him enter.
"Did you find any answers to your questions, Hiei?" Kurama asked as he observed the youkai from the other side of the window pane. Hiei did not move, so deeply engrossed in his thoughts was he. Kurama gave a small smile and shook his head, walking over to his desk and sitting down. Apparently, Kurama thought, he was still brooding over his questions, trying desperately to find their illusive answers.
Hiei ignored the kitsune's question with a sense of almost relief. He had heard it of course, but it did not register in his mind as his thoughts wandered around the recess of his mind. He questioned what exactly she had meant by saying that she enjoyed his company, questioned what he had meant when he had said the same. Agg. He was in such a confused state. All of his questions had been answered, yet he felt more questions rise within him like a dammed river, begging to burst free, only to be held in place by a barrier he could not break. Questions that had no words. Questions that were like his dream, fleeting, yet long-lasting in the deepest recess of his mind, only feelings making them evident. Questions he could not ask, yet he wanted to desperately. He fell asleep countless hours later after trying to place the questions, to bring words to their blank and unreconizable faces. He failed to do so and slipped into the darkness of slumber.
*
Hiei's sleep was restless and unnerving. He twitched and mumbled in his blank and empty sleep. Kurama awoke late that night to the sounds of his fidgeting outside the window and sat up in bed, unsure as to their origin, his eyes casting around the room suspiciously. Never before had he heard Hiei so much a mutter a word in his sleep, nor had he ever seen him move. But for tonight... He got out of bed and went over to his window, carefully peering into the inky darkness from which Hiei lay as a deeper shadow on the tree branch. The youkai's face was contorted strangely, a mixture of emotions that Kurama had never seen grace his features.
"Hiei," Kurama said gently, trying to wake the youkai from his uneasy rest. The fire demon's eyes flew open, glancing around him quickly, his hand instinctively bolting to his katana as he jumped to his feet and unsheathing it with a menacing metallic hiss. But it was not as quick as it used to be, when he had been in the demon world and his training peaked. His skills, sadly, seemed to have weakened just slightly in these months of being in the human world with little to challenge him but small, insignificant cases that Koenma put him on. Yet tonight he was faster than he had been in a long while. He was on edge about something, the fox could see.
"Kurama," Hiei said, sheathing his sword and sitting back down as he recognized the voice that had spoken to him. He gave a silent sigh in relief. "What is it?" he asked darkly, his gaze turning out into the darkness of the night.
"You were talking to yourself in your sleep. It sounded like you had a bad dream." Hiei snorted, looking off toward the streetlight that flickered on the road in front of the Minamino house.
"I don't dream, Kurama," he growled, putting his right wrist on his right knee and again gaining the same blank stare that Kurama had seen when he had returned home earlier.
"Hiei. You cannot hide it any longer. There is something wrong with you," Kurama said gravely. Hiei glared at him, showing just the tips of his fangs as he expressed his opinion of the kitsune's prying. But Kurama did not waver at this apparent sign of annoyance and aggression.
"You don't seem to know what it is that is bothering you. I don't either. But you had better find out what it is, or it will haunt you until you do," Kurama said wisely, his face pale and smooth in the straining starlight.
"I don't need your advice, Kurama. I'm just a little... confused. That's all. Go back to sleep. I'll be fine." Kurama gave him a yeah-right-like-I'm-going-to-buy-that, skeptical look. "Don't worry about me. Go," Hiei said to the look, letting his tones darken slightly. Kurama sighed in defeat and retreated into the shadows of his room after giving him one last, respectful, look.
Hiei looked up into the clear sky, watching the stars as they smiled gaily from their places. It reminded him of the lonely nights in the demon world. The coldness that had seeped into his body as he dozed, forever ready for an ambush that might come upon him in his youth. The ice was always in his blood then, constant and persistant. Especially at night, when the stars bared their fangs in evil glee and the moon mocked his loneliness with its taunting grin as it moved across the sky, always watching him like the eye of a blind, yet determined mother who was destined to pester her son about his short-comings. But here, suddenly the nights seemed warmer, more comforting. At least, they had in the last week and a half or so, perhaps longer. That night that he and Thorn had watched the stars and the moon drift across the sky had made him feel different about the night. Her joy in it made him realize that he had always hated the night for the potential dangers it could bring. But she had loved it, smiling happily, as if nothing else mattered but enjoying the freshness that it brought and the beauty that came with it. But the morning. She had dreaded it. Why? Because it was the ending of the night, of course. And she didn't seem to want it to end. He had learned that night that the darkness, no matter how many dangers it might hold, could still be enjoyed for its beauty. She had been sitting next to an enemy for countless hours, not caring about the danger she was currently in as she watched the sky dance about in it's beauty. So free and uncaring.
Hiei shook his head. No, she wasn't trusting him. She couldn't have been. No doubt she could have jumped up at any moment and caught him off his guard. But his guard had been tough that night, he had ensured it with painstaking carefulness. That must have been why she did not attack, because she knew of his tight defenses. No, she had just been using a mask to give the image of being careless in hopes that he would loosen his defenses. Rose had been a good actor, she must have picked up that trait from her. That's it! She was acting. Nothing more. Well, that answered a lot of questions.
Hiei settled back against the tree trunk, closing his eyes as he became comfortable. Well, if it answered so many questions, then why did he have the feeling there were still many that went unanswered?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Authoress' Note: I know I know! Don't hurt me! -random people throw random objects-
J: -dodges- It was a short and almost meaningless chapter, but I had to be posted sometime! Just be happy I did it so soon after a nice, long chapter! -opens clenched eyes-
All: -hide random objects-
Kuwabara: -hides kitchen sink-
J: -eyebrow twitches- YOU GUYS!!!!!!! -chases-
A: eep! -runs-
J: -gets out magic spoon- -twirls it and lassos all YYH cast who were throwing random objects- you should know better! Grr…
Kurama: now, now, J-chan, you need them for the next chapter. -sweet tone- -stands next to J-
J:-glare- don't make me put you in there too, Foxy.
Kurama : ^_^' -sweat drop- -backs away-
Hiei: baka! Get off my foot!
Kuwabara: I will when you get off my elbow!
Gen Kai: shut up! -grumbles- this is what I get for being with these oafs.
J: well you wouldn't be if you weren't throwing stuff at me.. -huff-
Gen Kai: I wasn't!
J: oh… whoops. ^_^'
Yusuke: Keikoooo…. Nice panties today
SMACK!
Yusuke: gaaa @.@
Kurama: he'll never learn.
J: nope. Alright, now that I've stopped getting pelted with random crap… -glare to all-
All: -gulp-
J: let's get started!
Reviews:
Tomboy(Tomboy@satx.rr.comT): Thanks for yer review! I appreciate it. Well, this isn't even close to the most suspenseful part! You just wait, my friend! Was it obvious that Rose and Thorn were the same person? Well, you'll have to keep reading, because there's a twist to that part of the story too!
Midnightdream51: Yert! I live in NY. Brr, it's freezing though! Like, 28 below zero windchill! But no school for Five days! -does happy dance- yay! No school this past Thrus or Fri, sat or sun, and no school Mon! ^_^ No school is awesome, because it makes me update more! Aww, hope you feel better. I know what you mean about the not a lot of stories at one time thing. I only have this one posted, but I have five or six others that I'm writing on the sidelines, including the sequel to this one. But I'm nearly done with that one, so never fear! Yes, they do take up a lot of thinking time. That's what I'm pondering about during Math and Global! ^_^ fun! fun! Yes, must have gooooood plot. Everyone loves a good plot! I'm the same way with the stories I'm writing. It'll be a while before I post any of them. It took me all summer to write this one! Literally. From early June before school ended until like the first three weeks of school. Then I started on the sequel, which I have yet to fully type! Grrr.. And I know the feeling about not being able to write from scratch at any time. That's why I always at least get to the final scene before I post my stories, that way I know I will be able to finish it even if I do loose interest. Wow, yer ways of thinking out the story are.. Different I must say. I think them out start to mostly finish. Normally I end up having the beginning and end and just fill in the middle with whatever comes to me at the time. ^_^' crazy, we authors are. And I still would like to read the story about the wolf. As a fact, I have one kinda like what yer describing in the works. I started it in 6th grade and just have yet to finish it because I don't know exactly how I'm going to end it other then everyone dies. ^_^' I know, I'm crazy, but that's how my mind works. I too hate the 'happy ever after' crap that a lot of people write. Yes! Hai! You muumuus e-mail it to me! ^_^ oh, Hiei was originally for rent, but I changed it because I don't think I'd be able to part with him! -glomps Hiei- Me loves reviews! It does help guide me as to what questions need to be answered. But, no worries! I don't change my story line around for anyone. Hey, ya don't like it the way it is, I say, then don't read it, right? -grin- don't worry, I've put the wooden spoon away for now… but if you don't update by next month it comes out again! ^_^ Connections kick butt! I love reading and finally discovering, 'oh! Look, they're going to conspire together against the king, but he doesn't know that she…' blah blah blah, ya know? -pounds head on desk- damn slip-ups! Grrr! Don't worry, I don't take much personally. ^_^ yer not imposing, so dun think you are! I love yer questions, they really do help! As well as the questions from my other reviewers! Lol!!!! Me too! I love embarrassing parts! Oh, well, halfway between now and the end Hiei is put in a VERY embarrassing place. -snicker- oh geez, "What a girl wants" is sooo easy to figure out it's not even funny! I saw it in the theater with my dad and thought it was kinda corny and way too predictable. And like I said earlier, don't worry about this being a 'happily ever after story' because I hate them as well. If it was happily ever after, there wouldn't be a sequel, which also ends in tragedy! Okay, giving too much away here… happily ever after is NOT realistic and I really do hate it. Lol, rambling is GOOD! All good writers ramble. Geez, I do it aaaallll the time. I'm the rambling queen! ^_^ Kurama always brings up an interesting point… ^_^. Alright, the thing about Rose will be cleared up in later chapters. I've had to read A LOT to find out (basically to the end of the story) but I did find out where it is, which is in about six chapters. @_@ gaaa, I know! So much more! But there can't be more than a dozen left, I promise! Yay! You got a kitchen utensil! -does happy dance- now just find out what one! Spatula? Spagetti spoon? Ice cream scoop? Crap, that reminds me, I owe Hiei some sweet snow. Darn! I only have like two scoops left! Grr…
And the romance doesn't come for a bit longer. Please be patient. And I wont tell you! ^_^ thanks again!
SilverKnight7: BlackFire/ the Black Blaze will make an appearance, well kinda, soon. Next chapter I think it is… oh, and the final battle isn't too far away either! Only two or three more chapters until then! Yay! Finals are done! Good fer you! Glad to hear it! Hope you did good on yer tests!
Miyako14: glad the chapter cleared some stuff up for you! Thanks again!
Teaser:
Thorn looked at him again and gave the quietest of chuckles. Her hand rose up and brushed away a stray lock of hair that had fallen into his eye, obscuring their brilliant emerald depths. She smiled again, but it wasn't her smile that made the kitsune want to shudder, and not just in fear, for sure. Her fingers were eerily gentle as they brushed against his skin. Kindness seemed to drive them, although he knew how deadly they could become with just a simple manipulation of her energy.
"If I didn't know any better, I could swear you were an innocent," she said quietly, her eyes deep and wondrous, flowing softly into his own. Kurama continued to look back at her stiffly.
"I could say the same," he replied. Thorn's fingers stopped stroking his long red hair and slowly retreated.
"Yes. Yes, you could," she said simply, quietly. Kurama stood there rigidly, as she turned away, her features tracing just a hint of sadness.
J: alrighty then! Now, onto the disclaimer, which I seem to have forgotten the past few times. U_U. whoops. ^_^ alright guys, take it away!
All who were throwing random objects but for GenKai: J-san does not own us. She owns Thorn, BlackFire/the Black Blaze, and Rose only. Thank you for reviewing.
Kuwabara: man, these ropes are giving me a rash.
Gen Kai: suck it up you wuss.
J: Please review!
All who were throwing random objects: Git us outta here! Help! Ouch, yer stepping on my elbow!