Disclaimer: I don't own the YYH characters, but I do reserve the rights to Takashi Ashitare. She's my little mystic.

A/N: Another short Chapter! Sorry!

Of Mystics and Youkai

Chapter 9

Ashitare awoke before sunrise and tried to perform her morning ritual, but thoughts of Hiei kept distracting her. She was starting to let guilt over last night take over. She should have gone back to the catacombs after leaving Yusuke. But she had been so wrapped up in her own desires, she forgot the promise she made to her friend.

So here she was, in the dimly lit catacombs, painstakingly tracing references to casts or incantations involving non-healing wounds, energy barrier spells or fire spells. She had brought food and drink with her so she wouldn't be tempted to leave.

She didn't know how long she had been down here, but she was getting hungry and all her supplies were gone. She had looked through half the library and only found two possible remedies. Disheartened, Ashitare decided it was time to take a break. She grabs the books and heads back up to the temple. When she opens the door, the temple is dark and silent. How long was I down there? Ashitare sighs and heads for the kitchen to grab a snack before going to bed. As she walks to her room, she hears a faint noise coming from outside. Peering out the window, she sees a shadowed figure practicing with a sylvan sword in the courtyard. She leans against the window frame and watches Yusuke go through the various stances and attacks. His technique isn't the best, but it has promise. Didn't even know he knew how to hold a sword. Ashitare watches him for a few more moments, her eyes lingering on his bare chest beaded with sweat, and his strong arms tense with gripping the sword. Ashitare lets out a small sigh and quietly goes off to bed.

Yusuke had noticed Ashitare's ki signature as soon as she came upstairs. Genkai had convinced him to leave her be this afternoon. He had barely slept the night before. After Ashitare left him, he had to find a way to get rid of all the frustration built up inside him from being around her, so he worked out for the rest of the night, then went for a run in the woods first thing in the morning. He didn't like what she was doing to herself, but he supposed distracting her for his own selfish reasons wasn't the best plan either. So he let her stay cloistered all day and trained with Genkai. But even a full day's training with hardly any sleep wasn't enough to tire him out. He still had pent up energy. He was relieved when he felt Ashitare leave the window. Being around her right now would not help.

He didn't know what was going on between them, but once they left for the Makai, he was sure things were going to come to a screeching halt. He had to be back at Raizen's and she would be working on a remedy for Hiei. There would be no time together. Probably just as well. His life was a lot simpler when it was just him. Look what happened with Keiko. But Ashitare was different. She was a demon, like him. She could take care of herself. And when he was with her, he was completely at ease, and happy. To say nothing of the physical attraction.

Maybe time spent away from her would make him realize it's just an infatuation. Maybe he would forget about that beautiful face, silky white hair, and those eyes. Those blue eyes that sometimes seem to see right into him. He would forget about caressing the smooth, hot skin…Ash….

"Aaahhhh!"

Yusuke threw the sword aside and began gathering as much energy around him as possible. The entire courtyard was awash in a pale blue light as Yusuke's ki glowed brighter and brighter. His body was so tense, he was so frustrated. He aimed his hands above his head, ready to use his shotgun.

Ashitare felt the surge immediately. She had just laid down when she felt Yusuke's presence slam into her mind. He was frustrated, tense and his ki was becoming volatile. She leapt out of bed, robe in hand and raced towards the courtyard. Just as she reached the doorway to outside, Yusuke released the stored energy into the night sky. It took a few moments for Ashitare to blink the brightness from her eyes. She slowly made her way towards Yusuke. She found him lying on the ground, staring blankly up at the sky.

"Yusuke? Are you alright?"

She kneels down next to him and brushes a few damp strands of hair from his forehead. Damn, I can't escape it. Even that small touch gives me shivers. He looks up into Ashitare's beautiful face, full of concern for him now. If only she knew…Yusuke sits up and kneels in front of Ashitare holding her hands in his, lightly running his fingers across the back of her hands. So soft…

"Do you feel better now?"

Her voice had a hint of humor in it, but Yusuke couldn't manage the same tone. He just mumbled his response.

"Well, I definitely don't feel worse."

"What was that all about?"

Yusuke didn't know what to tell her. He was frustrated over having to go back to the Makai and not seeing her? Even though he said take it slow all he could think about was bedding her? He can't look at her, and all the thoughts in his head are overlapping. Ashitare lifts Yusuke's face to hers and gives him a soft kiss.

"It's ok. You don't have to tell me."

"I wouldn't know what to say even if I wanted to."

"Then I'll just be here for you. If you want me."

Yusuke starts at her words. If you want me. Yusuke runs his fingers through Ashitare's hair, following it down her arm, until they come to the exposed leg coming out from under her robe. He watches his hand slowly slide from her knee up to the opening of her robe. He stops when he hears Ashitare gasp, but he doesn't withdraw his hand.

"Yusuke…." Ashitare waits for a response, but he won't look at her or speak. "Please look at me."

Yusuke refuses her request. He just sits there, mute, with his hand sitting on her thigh. She doesn't know what is going on, but she's tired, and doesn't want to wait around and find out. Ashitare gets up and walks back towards the temple.

A voice inside Yusuke's head is yelling at him to stop Ashitare from leaving. But he has no idea of how to explain himself. He has no idea how to tell her---

"I think I'm falling in love with you."

Ashitare stops. His voice is just a whisper, but she hears it clearly. I think I'm falling in love with you. She turns to face him, but he is still on his knees, head down. She walks over and kneels down behind him. She lays her head against his back and wraps her arms around him.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

"Then why did you say it?"

"Because….it's how I feel."

"Yusuke, you should never be sorry for how you feel."

"I…I've only loved one other woman. She was my best friend throughout childhood and we kinda just fit together at the time, ya know? But you?" Yusuke turns around and looks at Ashitare, holding her face in his hands, "I have never met anyone like you. You make me feel……everything. One look from you sends me up to the stars or down to the seventh level of Hell. I want to spend all my time with you and when we're apart, my body aches. I know we only met a few weeks back, but it feels like I've known you my whole life. Ash, I…I…"

Yusuke's eyes plead with Ashitare to read all the things he can't put into words and not think him totally insane. Ashitare runs her trembling fingers over Yusuke's lips.

"Why are you shaking?"

"I'm scared too."

"Of what?"

"That this will be just another dream and I'm going to wake up tangled in my sheets, alone."

Yusuke can't take it anymore. He grabs Ashitare and kisses her passionately. His mouth is so hungry for hers, his hands roam over every part of her body. He grabs a handful of Ashitare's hair and pulls her head back, allowing his mouth easy access to her neck. He feels the heat building in her body. He hears a soft moan escape Ashitare's lips and he brings her mouth back to his. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls Ashitare onto his lap. Ashitare immediately understands the extent of Yusuke's passion as she feels his rigid sex urgently pressing against his pants.

There is no question in Ashitare's mind now of Yusuke's feelings for her. She kisses her way down his neck, tasting his salty skin. Her mind reels as Yusuke pulls down one side of her robe and roughly fondles her breast, pinching a nipple. She bites down on his shoulder to stifle a moan. The bite blows away any willpower Yusuke had left. He lays her down on a nearby bed of grass and completely opens her robe. Ashitare watches Yusuke remove his pants, his body outlined by the moonlight. As the full length of their naked bodies meet, Ashitare shudders despite the heat Yusuke's body is giving off. Ashitare and Yusuke become oblivious to their surroundings. Neither one of them is thinking about anything other than how much they crave each other.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Ash? You can't fall asleep. We can't stay out here. Ash?"

"Mmm? Why not?"

"Because the sun is coming up."

"Can you reach my wrist and untie the taraa please?"

Yusuke removes the taraa from Ashitare's wrist and hands it to the half-conscious mystic. He watches in wonder as the small piece of fabric grows exponentially to a more appropriate size that will fully cover their bodies. She had done the same thing to cover four of them on the mission, but it still amazed him. He feels the fabric rest lightly on his body and face, and then it slowly fades away. Confident that they wouldn't be discovered come daylight, Yusuke kisses Ashitare on the forehead and falls asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey, I found something!"

Ashitare disentangles herself from the pile of books she managed to bury herself in and makes her way over to Yusuke. When they woke up in the courtyard this morning, he said he would help her research in the catacombs if she promised to spend the night with him in the temple. She had agreed on the condition that there would be no playing around and only research was to be done. She rounds a corner to find the stack of scrolls she had given him sprawled everywhere. She gingerly makes her way over to Yusuke trying not to step on any of the ancient papers. She finally reaches Yusuke and peers down at the scroll.

" What did you find?"

"I found two of the symbols in this scroll. Fire and non-healing wounds."

Ashitare moves the scroll closer to her and examines the writing. Some of the symbols are faded and tough to make out, but it definitely mentions two of the three key symbols. There is something else about, what? Water? No, not just water, but…a water compound perhaps? She furrows her brow trying to pull the meaning of the ancient symbols from her brain.

"I can't quite make everything out, but it's worth looking into. Put it in the pile to take with us."

Ashitare turns to make her way back to her pile of books when Yusuke grabs her wrist. "Hey. Don't I get a reward or something?"

She leans in and gives him a deep kiss, brushing his hands away as he repeatedly tries to pull her into his lap. She looks down at him, a stern look on her face. "You promised."

"I know."

Yusuke turns his attention to the next scroll. Ashitare hesitates before rounding the corner. "Hey Yusuke. Thank you."

She smiles and blows him a kiss. Yusuke gives her a wink and looks back down at the ancient writing he can't read. As he scans for the assigned symbols, he feels a light kiss in his cheek. He jerks his head up, expecting to see Ashitare standing there. But he's alone. She actually "blew" me a kiss! He returns to his scanning, a smile on his face.

To be continued…