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Fighting
Back 2: Makai Mayhem
Chapter 2: Problems Arise Already?
Kagome was still staring in the direction Hiei went close
to five minutes after he and Tori had left.
"Wow...things really haven't changed between them, have they?" she asked, partially to herself, and partially to her mate sitting in the chair next to her.
"Yes, you'd think Tori would have learned her lesson about obeying him after what happened the last time we saw them."
"Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of Hiei learning his lesson about her being too uncontrollable."
"I hate to disagree with you, but Hiei positively loves challenges. He'll make her submissive soon enough."
"Why are you supporting him? Don't you think Tori can shake off his attitude?"
"Actually, no. Hiei is not to be taken lightly, Kagome. Don't forget, he's no ordinary male. He's not a man, a human who will give in to his raging female. He'll shut her up some way or another."
"What is wrong with you?" said Kagome, standing up, "Don't you think Tori has the right to have a free will?? Why do you think she's better suited as a compliant little girl?"
"That's just the way it is, Kagome, with all demons," said Kurama, noticing his mate's distress. But for once in his life, the genius Kurama had said the wrong thing...the ENTIRELY wrong thing...
"Oh...with ALL demons?" said Kagome, not caring she had a smart tone to her voice. Kurama realized his mistake just a bit too late. "I see then, so you're going to try to do that to me, too?" snapped Kagome.
Kurama looked up at her, worry in his eyes.
"That's not what I meant at all, Kagome..."
"Then what DID you mean??? HUH?? You're a demon, too, Kurama! Your exact words were 'With ALL DEMONS'!! I'm not about to let you try something like that on me, Kurama!! GOT IT???"
With that, Kagome turned and stormed out of the room, grabbing some spare blankets Tori had pointed out before heading towards the far living room, leaving a dumbstruck fox demon to seriously think some things over.
Kurama indeed thought. He really hadn't meant all demons...or had he? Yoko had been acting extremely dominant of Kagome recently, and it was making her uncomfortable, obviously. It had only taken those three words for her to supposedly confirm her own horrid suspicions. He sighed. And now she was pissed off. She thought he'd turned into Hiei. Kurama closed his eyes, trying to think of some way to disprove her thoughts.
Kagome curled up on the soft couch, fluffing the cushion. She wouldn't sleep with him, never again. She closed her eyes stubbornly, and fell asleep to images of her leaving Kurama, ironically depicted as chains, to achieve her dreams.
-Meanwhile-
"Perfect. Phase 1 is completed," snickered a sinister voice, watching the two through a mist. "Now for the other two...and then the master plan can be put into action..."
-The next morning-
Tori woke to something nibbling on her neck, and she opened her eyes to greet Hiei's half-sleeping face.
"Hiei, it's too early for that," she mumbled, gently shoving the pyre off, only to trigger his arms to tighten around her, a playful growl emitting from his throat.
She rolled her eyes as she tried to slip out underneath him, but a firm grip on her waist and a leg pinning both of hers down prevented that. She squirmed, but Hiei continued his original feat of nibbling at her neck, acting as though she was lying perfectly still.
Tori groaned. "Gods, just get off already. We have guests, you know!" she said. Hiei smirked.
"I'm aware of that." Tori noticed huskiness in his voice.
"Are you ok?" she said, a bit more awake now.
"Why wouldn't I be? I got you, remember?" said Hiei, his voice dropping to a whisper. Tori smiled softly. She liked when he was acting romantic, but only when they actually had time for it. She once more tried to push him off.
"Yes, that's all sweet and everything, but Hiei..."
She felt her lips grabbed by his and massaged, his tongue slipping in to silence her.
As he broke away, he rolled off of her, leaving her with a surprised look.
"Get
up. We have guests, you know," said Hiei tauntingly. Tori rolled
her eyes, clambering out of bed.
Hiei left for his daily
training, and Tori walked towards the kitchen to make breakfast and
wait for the others to wake up. What she didn't expect to see what
a sleeping Kagome on the couch.
Her eyes widened.
"Kagome? What're you doing out here?" she asked, poking her friend. Kagome opened her eyes slowly.
"Oh...hey, Tori." She yawned. Tori cocked her head.
"Somethin' wrong, Kagome? Don't you usually sleep with Kurama?" she asked. At the mention of her mate's name, Kagome's face darkened, and she was awake.
"Don't worry about it. I've decided to sleep by myself for a while," she said stiffly, getting up. Tori watched her cautiously. Something was wrong if Kagome was throwing a hissy fit against KURAMA. No one she knew ever got mad at him...maybe they just needed some time alone.
She shrugged the matter off and followed Kagome to the kitchen. She made them both some breakfast while they continued their conversation from the night before.
"Now, about this demon marketplace..." started Kagome lightly.
It was a good hour before Yusuke and Kuwabara came in, dressed and dragging their feet.
"Morning, guys. Coffee's in the pot," said Tori, barely acknowledging their presence. When they'd finished breakfast, the girls headed back to their rooms to get dressed, and Tori took Kagome for a tour around the territory Hiei had marked with his aura.
The girls spent most of the walk catching up on what they'd missed over the years. Kagome and Kurama had been in an apartment in Tokyo for a while now; Kurama had gotten a job as a secretary at a major company. Kagome was a fashion designer.
"I brought some of my stuff to show you. I know you've never liked this kind of thing, but I was hoping you'd grown out of that phase," she said. Tori sighed.
"Sure, I'll look at them, but don't expect a professional opinion."
The girls continued on, and Tori eagerly squeaked and dragged Kagome to one of her favorite spots: a small lake, complete with hot springs a few yards away. "I come here when Hiei gets on my nerves," said Tori, "It's nice to have some alone time from him for a while. The fun part's when he comes hunting for me. I usually hide somewhere, but it's fun to try to outrun him, and then when he catches me and tickles me...oh, I love it out here, Kagome!"
Kagome smiled.
"I'm glad things have improved for you two. Last time I saw you, it was like whenever you two argued, it was a battle for dominance, and sadly, Hiei usually won."
Tori scoffed.
"Yeah, but that's behind us. We have those little contests still, but they're just playful. Sometimes, Hiei lets me win, and I get mad," she giggled, "but overall, yeah, life's been pretty good."
There was silence for a while. "What was that all about this morning, anyway? You're mad at Kurama, I can tell, but what for?" asked Tori.
"It's just an argument we had last night. Nothing big, really," said Kagome.
"It was obviously something bad for me to have caught you on the sofa," said Tori.
"Seriously,
just drop it. It'll resolve itself in time," said Kagome, and
Tori caught the angry tone in her voice. Naturally not wanting her
friend to be mad at her, she fell silent.
They headed back
towards the house, where Hiei had been 'showing' Yusuke and
Kuwabara the porch...
Tori glared.
"HIEI! PUT THEM DOWN, NOW!" she yelled. Hiei jumped, obviously not expecting that, and pulled the two up from their hanging positions in the balcony, apparently grumbling. Kurama was standing near him, amused by his actions, but his face fell when he saw Kagome enter the clearing.
When Tori came up to reprimand her mate for his little practical joke, he smirked playfully.
"You know I haven't been able to do it for a while, I kinda missed torturing them," he said, brushing off her irritation.
Tori steamed. Kagome laughed, and Yusuke and Kuwabara cowered near the corner.
"I completely forgot he could do that," said Yusuke.
"Me too," muttered Kuwabara.
That night, Kagome took her blankets out to the couch again. She could hear Tori and Hiei arguing over the fact that Tori had wanted to accompany her friend so she wouldn't be alone, but Hiei refused. Kagome rolled her eyes as she set out the blankets, until she felt a warm hand on her shoulder.
"Are you coming?" came the soft voice. Kagome sighed, turning to look her mate in the eye.
"...No."
Kurama smiled softly, before sitting down on the couch.
"Go on, then. If we're not sharing the same room, it's only fair you get the bed," he said in his usual mellow tone that was impossible to argue with. Kagome stared at him. It DID get cold out here late at night...
"Hmm...fine, but don't think this changes anything," said Kagome, turning and going off to the guest room. Kurama watched her, shaking his head. Her independence was almost as fiery as Tori's, and when she held a grudge, it held...but not for long.
All he had to do was mellow her out, and she'd be fine. He lay down on the couch, turning to face the wall and going to sleep.
Tori tip toed to the door an hour later, when she was sure Hiei had fallen asleep. She cracked the door open a bit, peering into the hall with her ligress's eyes. Nothing unusual here. She slid out, creeping down the dark hall of her home, heading for the living room where Kagome was.
She came out, seeing a sleeping figure, but noting the lack of light breathing, it wasn't her. The breathing was deeper, and only a male could make it. Tori smiled. Things were getting better for them. She turned to head back to bed, but upon entering the hallway she felt two arms swiftly pick her up, and a hand clamp tightly on her mouth, silencing her.
"Thought you'd sneak out, did you?" came Hiei's obviously pissed voice. Tori relaxed, and to piss him off further, nodded.
He swiftly carried her back into the bedroom, closing the door and dropping her on the bed.
"Jeez, what is it with you and dropping me?" whispered Tori, before Hiei climbed in next to her and put his arms around her.
"Sleep," signaled the end of all discussion.
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CHAPTER
TITLE PREVIEW: Goin' to the Market
