I think we know that I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho
Chapt. 5
Issues, a Message and a Freezer
I wake up, head throbbing still. I open my eyes slowly; something is different. I sit up cautiously, looking at the figure in my bed. My eyes grow accustomed to the darkness and I see a boy. His bare chest was firm and tanned...my eyes saw white scars against the bronze coloring of his skin. His abs were toned perfectly with a strong six-pack etched into his fit body. The same familiar scent filled my nose.
Wow, he's perfect. But who is it? I can't make out his face. I can't worry about this now; I have to get home. I carefully slip out of the satin bed. Wearing the same clothes as yesterday, I creep to the door. I finger the brass handle and think better of opening a door.
I pull my hand back and picture the forest I train in. I open my eyes and see the bright slivers of light piercing the canopy. I walk around for a bit, taking in the scenery. It looks the same as it always does. Oak trees line an unbeaten path; ivy leaves crawl up the trunks and weave in and out of branches above. Bushes skirt in and out of the massive trunks; birches stand tall and slender in the shadows and spotlights the forest casts; maple trees litter acorns across the floor, making sure you wear shoes when you visit. A pond nearby lets off the smell of fish and cattails. I love this forest.
I stop at the pond and kneel down on its bank. Trout and goldfish dart in and out of my shadow. I stick my bare feet in the cool water. I sigh in relief and lean back on my hands, staring up at the blue sky. It was a perfect baby blue, devoid of clouds. I kick my feet in the water a bit and remember something: my shoes are still in that hotel-like place.
"Damnit!" I yell, throwing my fists against the water. I close my eyes and picture Hiei's room. I open my eyes and see a tiled floor. I hear water running, but I can't see anything threw a thick, sticky fog. "What the?" I stand up and step forward only to immediately fall back to my butt. "OW!"
"Who's there?" a voice calls from within the fog. The water stops running and the moving of plastic can be heard.
I look around, carefully standing up again. I feel a wet hand touch my shoulder. I jump ten feet in the air and land, once again, on my ass. I rub it gingerly, trying to find the source of the hand. A door opens and cool air rushes in. The fog dissipates quickly.
"What are you doing in my bathroom?" a skeptic voice asks from the doorway.
I look up to see a wet Hiei half wrapped in a black towel. Water ran through the crevices of his perfect muscles. "I guess my teleportation abilities are a bit rusty. Haven't used 'em in a while and I guess your bathroom was the easiest destination. Though I don't know why," I ramble, standing up once again.
"Shut up," Hiei said, covering my mouth with a warm, wet hand.
I cross my eyes and look at his hand. I wrinkle my nose and pull away from it sharply. "Whatever you just used, your hand smells like dog shit," I say in pure disgust. I walk out of the bathroom and start to search for my shoes.
"What are you looking for?" Hiei asks, now at my side.
"My shoes," I answer, looking under the bed for the fifth time.
"They're downstairs."
"How far downstairs? We are on the sixth floor right?" I ask, sitting on the soft bed.
"Yes," he sits next to me, "we are on the sixth floor. But I don't think I'll tell you where your shoes are. I think I'll let you hunt for them." He smirks in a sarcastic 'good luck' kinda way.
"You wouldn't dare Hiei. Now tell me where they are!" I snarl at him.
"No, I don't think I will."
"Why the hell not?!"
"You didn't tell me where you were, why should I tell you where your shoes are?" Hiei looks at me, expecting an answer.
"What are you, my dad? I don't have to tell you shit!" I yell at him. "Now, where are my shoes?!"
He sits there and grins at me. Yea, grins. You know like a Yusuke or Kazuma grin...just not that stupid.
"Damn oni, why you gotta be difficult all the sudden?" I ask, leaning back on my hands.
"Heh, it's kinda fun to see you get mad," he says, a hint of amusement in his seductive voice.
"Mad huh? Mad was when I gave you those." I point to the visible scars.
He runs his hand over the indentations. "You weren't mad, you enjoyed giving me these," he states calmly, looking into my eyes. He takes my still pointing hand and presses each finger in its appropriate claw rivulet. My eyes widen for a second at the sudden contact with his warm chest. Then a smile slowly spread across my shocked face as I remembered how he got them. "See?"
"Huh?" I pull my hand away quickly. I hold it close to my chest and stare at the oh-so-interesting floor.
"Don't worry about it. That's how a demon feels. I'm just glad you're different or I'd be dead now." He puts his arm across my shoulders and takes my chin in his silk fingers. "I know the feeling."
I just stare at him. I couldn't believe this. He wasn't the Forbidden Child I'd read about. He is supposed to be a cold, heartless demon that feels nothing for anyone. I was bewildered. "I, I don't understand," I stutter, locked in his blood red gaze.
Silence.
"Where are my shoes?" I ask, breaking away from him and moving for the door.
Nothing.
I finger the brass handle. "Fine, don't tell me. Someone has to know where they are." I turn to the black door and try to turn the handle. It wouldn't budge. I turn back to Hiei.
He produces a silver key. I stare at him skeptically.
"Why can't I leave to find my shoes?"
"Take the key and you can leave." He puts in his wet hair.
"You're weird. And stupid. You think I can't get that easily?" I lean against the door and cross my arms over my chest.
"Without using your telekinesis? No, I don't."
"Oh, so you expect me to get the key without using powers huh? And who says I need a key to get outta this place?"
He gives me a questioning look.
"Well, you'll see what I mean in a sec." I smirk then close my eyes and picture the living room from last night. I remember the dark corner and concentrate on that. When I open my eyes I see the boys sitting around doing various things:
Yusuke was flipping channels, Kuwabara was trying to play solitaire and Kurama was sitting in his chair reading a book called "Wolf To Fox; Can They Cooperate?" I thought Kurama's book looked boring, but hey, I've never been a fan of that kind of book.
I stepped out of my shadowed corner quietly. I snuck up behind Yusuke. Kurama's eyes looked up from his book slightly, not enough for anyone else to see. I put a finger to my lips and he went back to his book. I took a deep breath, in a quiet manner, and yelled in Yusuke's ear, "MESSAGE FOR YUSUSKE URAMESHI!!!"
He jumped ten feet in the air and landed on the couch with a thud. He looked around madly. "What? What?" he asked continuously, finally laying his eyes on me.
"Pick a channel," I say sweetly, moving around the couch.
He glared at me.
"Oh yea, and, have you seen my shoes?"
"Uh...no."
"Kazuma?"
He looks at me. "No, but I think Hiei put them in the freezer." He points over his shoulder to the kitchen.
"Thanks!" I say, patting him on the head and heading for the kitchen door. I get ready to push it open when I stop. I turn back to Kazuma. "Did you say he put them in the freezer?"
He nods.
"I'm gunna kill that oni!" I rush into the kitchen and yank open the freezer door. Sure enough, there were my tennis shoes. Frozen. I sigh angrily and pull them out.
Darkfire? a female voice comes into my thoughts.
Speaking.
You know who this is right?
Yea, just get on with it Osadyro.
Your mom will be here to get you in ten. You might want to get your butt over here now.
Yea, yea, be there in a sec. I close the freezer then my eyes. I concentrate on Osadyro's bedroom. I open my eyes and see her sitting on her bed.
"Hey chica," she says calmly.
"Yo," I reply, setting my shoes down.
"What happened to your shoes?"
"Hiei...he put 'em in the freezer."
She cracks up with an uncontrollable laughter.
"It's not that funny," I say coldly, setting a small fire atop my frozen sneakers. They thaw immediately, water evaporating in seconds. I sit down and put on my shoes. "So...how's he doin'?" I ask to break the insane laughter.
"Ok I suppose," she answers, calming down into a serious face. "I don't really feel like talking 'bout him."
"Whatever, my mom's here anyway. Thanks for covering for me."
"No prob, it wasn't a big deal."
I nod and head downstairs to see my mom waiting at the door. "Hey Mom."
"Hi Honey, ready?"
"Yea, see ya later Sam!" I call back to her.
She waves and I walk out to the green Malibu waiting outside. I got in the passenger side and buckled up. My mom got in and the ride home was silent.
We pulled up to the gray house with black, plastic numbers that read '7989'. I got out and looked at the dead grass. I walked silently to the door and went into my home. Walking down the stairs, I pet the cats absent-mindedly.
I shut the door to my room, turned on "Big and Rich" and lay on my bed. The pillow smelt like me...and like foam. I turn over onto my back and listen to Six Foot Town. The lyrics play and I hum to the melody that I've come to learn so well.
The song changes to Holy Water. The music starts and I sing with the song:
"Somewhere there's a stolen halo / I use to watch her wear it well / Everything would shine, wherever she would go / But lookin' at her now you'd never tell / Someone ran away with her innocence / A memory she can't get out of her head / And I can only imagine what she's feelin' when she's prayin' / Kneeling at the edge of her bed / And she says take me away, then take me farther/ Surround me now and hold, hold, hold me like holy water, holy water / She wants someone to call her angel / Someone to put the light back in her eyes / She's lookin' through the faces and unfamiliar places / She needs someone to hear her when she cries / And she says take me away, then take me farther/ Surround me now and hold, hold, hold me like holy water / She just needs a little help, to help wash away the pain she's felt / She wants to feel the healin' hands of someone who understands / And she says take me away, then take me farther/ Surround me now and hold, hold, hold me / And she says take me away, then take me farther/ Surround me now and hold, hold, hold me like holy water, like holy water, like holy water, like holy water"
The song fades into Saved and I sit up. I take up Osa, the stuffed wolf that Osadyro gave me for my birthday. I looked at his big eyes and wished he were real. I kiss his head and put him down.
I lean over the edge of the bed and grab my algebra homework. I only had a few more problems to do so I finish them quickly.
