Sosaku awoke with tears in her eyes. She quickly shut them again, wanting to deny reality entrance to her thoughts. But, as usual, she was too late.
"We are friends- nothing more."
She slammed a pillow over her head so hard that it hurt, telling herself that she had just had a nightmare: it wasn't real.
"You are a child, and know nothing of love."
She gritted her teeth and it started a headache. She just sat there a moment, trying to dispel Kurama's enchanting gaze. No luck. After five- or was it ten?- minutes, she got up, throwing the pillow on the ground. She was in her little house, the one Koenma had gotten for her with a little divine intervention. She was glad of that. In a brief moment of panic, she looked around to see if Hiei or the fox was watching her. Finding no one, she headed for the bathroom. She quickly undressed after she started running the bath water. Today she would treat herself to a chamomile-scented bubble bath. The chamomile would help her calm down a little, and soothe her headache. That was something she needed badly. Maybe she would even fall asleep under the scent of chamomile... and drown.
She shook her head, eyes widening. Suicidal thoughts? When had Kurama started to mean so much to her? When had his smile gripped her like this? Why did his rejection hurt so badly?
She thrust these questions from her mind and poured the bubble bath liquid into the water. She thought for a moment, clicking her tongue when she realized she had left her change of clothes on the bed. She sighed and, assuming that she was the only one in the house, walked into the other room without bothering to cover herself. She squeaked and fell back a few steps when she found Hiei standing there. His eyes were closed, and he didn't move except to hold up her change of clothes. "Here..." he said quietly.
She took her clothes from him, unable to resist a smile. "Thank you..."
"Can we talk? I know it's not like me, but I promised your mother I'd take care of you. I don't think she merely meant for me to keep you from physical pain, but from emotional distress as well. And I intend to keep that promise."
Sosaku blinked. "Uh... thanks. Talk... now?"
He opened one eye, looking directly at her face. "If you don't mind. I have no ill intentions as far as your being naked, anyway."
Sosaku blinked again and went back into the bathroom, Hiei following. She slipped into the bathtub amd he sat on the floor, facing away from her. She made sure the bubbles covered her body anyway.
"You're in love with the fox, right?" Hiei asked suddenly.
Sosaku blushed and nodded, then remembered that he couldn't see her. "Yes, I am." she said hastily, trying to cover the silence.
He sighed. "You know that's a bad idea, don't you?"
"Well... It isn't like an idea, Hiei-san. I don't know if you could understand..." She trailed off, hoping he wouldn't take that as an insult.
He was silent for a while, then sighed again. "I DO understand. I... I loved your mother. She loved me too. That's why she trusted me to watch over you."
"Then how come you two didn't become mates, o-or have children or something?"
"She died so soon. She died before I told her I loved her, you know. We had almost no time..."
"Why was she married to father? Why was she married to someone other than the one she loved?" she asked, sitting up a little.
"That's hard to explain. There are things you don't know yet, because you are so innocent. You couldn't understand people... hating one another..."
"Don't tell me you're going to treat me like a child too! That's what Kurama did! I'm not a baby!" she snarled, frustration obvious. She grabbed the soap and lathered it in a washcloth, beginning to wash herself furiously.
Hiei's brow furrowed. "Being young isn't a bad thing. You have lighter responsibilities- an easier life- than Kurama and I will ever have. You should count yourself lucky."
Sosaku rinsed the soap from her body and began to massage shampoo into her hair. "Why can't Kurama even give me a chance? Just one little chance? Can I not earn his pity, if I can't earn his love?"
"That's not fair to you. You should love and be loved in return."
"But Kurama doesn't love me!"
"Kurama isn't the only guy out there. You have to get over him and move on. Find someone your age: someone with the same interests as you. Preferably someone who wasn't on Reikai's most wanted list for several hundred years."
Sosaku dipped her head under the water and ran her fingers through her hair, rinsing out the shampoo. She sat up again quickly, running her hands over her face to get the water off. "He's not Yoko anymore!"
Hiei scoffed. "Shows what you know..."
She glared at the back of his head indignantly. "He hasn't even let Yoko OUT in FOREVER. I haven't even SEEN Yoko!"
Hiei fell silent, his eyes widened as he stared at the floor. She didn't remember.
She stared at him. "Wha-at!"
"Nothing." he mumbled as he stood up. "We can talk more about this later. I have to leave."
Sosaku sat up. "Why?"
"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to Kurama for you, okay?"
She smiled. "Thanks, Hiei-chan. You're the best!"
He gave a "hn" and left.
Sosaku splashed the water happily and got out of the tub, wrapping a towel around herself. Maybe she had a chance after all!

Eri stalked up to the empty room on the third floor and closed the door behind her hard. She leaned against it and sighed. She had pulled it off. Acting normal around Edan was getting harder and harder by the day... She walked over to the bed and flopped onto it unceremoniously. Good thing they had found an old building to stay in... She had picked out the biggest room on the highest floor. A big room made it easy for her to see everything if someone dared to invade her privacy... And she could get away easier, if she needed to. She went to the center window. This room had three large windows in it, and the one in the middle had a window seat that she planned to make use of. Watching the sun set was a privilege she hadn't enjoyed in a long time.
She mentally cursed herself. That didn't matter now, so why was she thinking about it? It would soon be over. Vered would die. Rhys and Edan would protect her. She was going to be watched over for the rest of her life.
That realization was almost enough to make her smile, but she didn't. The battles hadn't even begun yet...

Rhys glanced at Edan for a moment. "What's our first move against Vered?"
"We need to find Sosaku again... If Vered gets a hold on her, the tanteis won't be able to do anything." Edan replied, sitting at the table.
Rhys turned down the stove a little. "Who cares about the tanteis?"
"We have to get Sosaku back anyway, Rhys... Vered wants her for his plan, and if WE have her, he'll come straight to us. That gives us an oppurtunity to kill him quickly."
"Using the girl as bait? And here I thought you had a crush..."
"As if that's any of YOUR business."
"It may not be, but you should be careful. You might end up hurting someone. Maybe someone you would never expect to care about you."
Edan raised an eyebrow. "Rhys, are you straight?"
"Yes! I'm not talking about ME, you idiot. I'm talking about a GIRL. I love her and she loves you, so if you screw up and hurt her feelings, you'll have me to deal with." Rhys muttered darkly. "God help me... Go away so I don't get angry..."
Edan blinked and stood. "Er... whatever." He walked out of the kitchen and headed for Eri's room. Maybe she'd know about this girl with a crush on him...

End Chapter Six