GOMEN! I'm sorry it took so long to get this next chapter out, but I had so many papers due. I had two stories due for my fiction class on the same day. Talk about sucky. But I think most of the papers are behind me, so now I will thank my dedicated reviewers!

Forbiddensoul562: Thank you so much for the kind review. I'm going to have to read your story when I'm done with this chapter. .

kikira-chan: Sorry, I didn't mean to depress you, but hey, I love writing angst and I'm good at it. And as far as him getting the short end of the stick, they say you hurt the ones you love most….though I don't believe it in all cases…anyhow, hope you like the next chapter and it doesn't depress you too much.

Animefouryou: Thanks for the good review, I thought the opening was kind of weak and confusing since it kind of threw you into immediate action. But popular demand is beginning to show me that I was wrong!

Laurencia: Another person praising the beginning…apparently it wasn't as bad as I thought…any way…here's more for you!

Shinoga Hibiki: Hope I'm keeping the story interesting enough for you!

Yamistar: Piece of art? That's the first time anyone's called my work a piece of art. Makes me all happy and excited. Thank you and here's the next chapter! Sorry it took so long!

Fallen Angel Akane: As far as the jagan torture goes, I wanted to take an approach that showed it really wasn't a natural part of Hiei's body so it could be used by multiple sides, if you get what I mean…great…now I'm confused by what I was trying to say… ;;; Any way, I have another story in the works that involves Hiei and his jagan that I think will throw you for another loop…and I'm taking Hot-Wheels-rickty-track-larger-then-needed-cars-normally-fall-off-kind of loop. Hehe…

Yamistar: Thanks for the second great review! And I don't have a beta of anything like that, I just read my stories afterwards. And what I meant is that there won't be any official pairings in this story. Only 'rape' scenes between Hiei and Kakuzo, and if you want to look at in terms of uke/seme…Hiei will most defiantly be the uke, seeing as he the abused.

Forbiddensoul562: What's going to happen next? Read and find out! .

BlueUtopiah: Yes, I noticed that all Hiei based fictions tend to end up revolving around the kitsune. I mean, don't get me wrong, Kurama's awesome…but I'm much more of a fan of the Hiei angst.

laly-abaly: You like Kakuzo? Now there's a first, but don't worry…there will be plenty of Hiei angst to come. I'm not done with jaganshi yet!

kara mcpherson: Librianian? I am I causing misbehavior on school grounds? AWESOME!

Anyway…thanks for the awesome reviews guys and I'm sorry to keep you waiting, but here's chapter three, I hope it's to your liking!

Under My Skin

Chapter Three: Hidden Lies, Forced Secrets

"Is he waking up?"

"It's about time! I can't believe he would let himself get attacked so easily!"

"Yeah and what's up with his creepy eye? Why's it acting all strange? Eek! It's looking at me!"

Hiei wanted to tell the voices to shut up, but the mere thought of talking caused his head to throb. So it was decided, he would stay quiet for the time being. A shiver ran down his body. Why was he so damn cold? And why did his head throb? It felt as though he had been caught in a youkai stampede. His fingers twitched slightly in an attempt to move up to rub his throbbing temples. But much like the idea to talk, the gesture was decided if it was better left alone.

The feeling of dirty air suddenly filled Hiei's lungs as he was overpowered by a familiar tainted ki. It was then he remembered Kakuzo and his plot. No it was game, this whole thing was a game to him.

"Kuwabara it's not looking at you." The kitsune's voice came out in a scolding tone. "The jagan is not a normal eye, and can't move around and look at things. It's powered by Hiei."

Hiei flinched inwardly. Right now the jagan wasn't under his control. It was under Kakuzo's, being used as though Hiei had never mastered it. He wanted to open his mouth and tell the others what really happened, why Kakuzo was playing so nice and what he planned to do to the small group. The shadow youkai in hiding was the one planning on hurting his friends and Hiei knew that come the end, he would be blamed for it. Unless he spoke up now. He tried to open his mouth to speak, but found his lungs frozen and for a moment, he couldn't even pull in air.

Kakuzo! Hiei knew that was what was happening. Kakuzo was using his powers to Hiei from telling the others the truth just long enough for him to spin another web of lies, drawing the Rekai Tentai deeper into his trusting web of lies. He screamed out in his head, trying to break free but was only rewarded by a flash of pain that needled through his jagan and spread out. Hiei's head reeled at the pain, and he decided that at the moment, it would best to remain still, lest he wanted his head to explode.

"It was an ice youkai." Kakuzo finally began his lie of a story, turning the other's minds away from Hiei before he would even get the chance to explain his side. "Hiei was arguing with me, saying I shouldn't have joined the group because I would slow you down. Then the youkai took us by surprise. I think Hiei was so mad he didn't sense him because he got a nice shot off, freezing Hiei's side. I believe Hiei wanted to use his jagan to summon more power, but have time before the ice took effect. When you guys came running the youkai fled. That's when you found us, well actually me caring Hiei. I'm sorry I couldn't help him sooner. I don't know why he hates me. I tried to help."

Hiei was now trashing about, even though his body remained still. His mind was throwing out threat after threat, curses break free in every language he knew. The jaganshi was seeing red and he wanted nothing more then to break free of this wretched hold and wrap his hands around Kakuzo's neck. It would feel great to slowly squeeze the life out of him.

"Hiei's an asshole." Yusuke suddenly spoke up. "He doesn't like or care for anyone but himself. He's a selfish little bitch, so don't let it bug 'ya. He's never showed an ounce of concern for anyone but himself."

The fire apparition suddenly stopped in his mental ramblings, his whole body going colder then the ice could ever make him. Was that how Yusuke truly felt? Even after all that time he spent helping him, risking his lives with the saint beasts and at the dark tournament, being called countless names of rejection from his fellow youkai? Hiei felt a part of him go silent as the walls around his heart slowly began to rebuild themselves.

It was apparent that Kakuzo was pleased with this response because Hiei felt his hold loosen at the moment. His eyes snapped open, crimson flashing in a moment of fury and sadness, while his lungs kicked back into action, pulling in the dirty air that surrounded the shadow youkai. A pain flared up in his midsection and Hiei flinched, arm moving quickly to wrap around his stomach as his form hunched over.

The other's in the group blinked, startled by the jaganshi's sudden return to consciousness. The only one who managed to seem some what calm was Kakuzo, but this went unnoticed by the others.

Hiei looked down at his left side, pulling the shirt up gently. There was a large patch of raw skin that looked as though someone had burned his flesh. Which was in idea, what had happened. The ice Kakuzo has used on him was too cold for the skin of a fire apparition and had burned his very flesh. The wound ached, and the slightest movement sent a tingling sensation of pain across the area. He let his breath hiss out between his clenched teeth. Turning to the others, he was somewhat shocked to find them all starting at him, Yusuke with a cruel gaze.

"Why the hell are you all staring at me for?" He grunted. Hiei knew perfectly well why they were, but he had to play along with Kakuzo's little plot for now, hoping it kept things from getting too ugly.

"Hiei, you need to relax." Kurama moved to his and Hiei to hold back on his sigh of thanks. At least Kakuzo hadn't been able to turn the fox's mind yet. "You took a direct blast from an ice youkai. You know that's dangerous to you. You should have been paying more attention."

Hiei grunted and turned away from the fox. He had been paying attention to the one who had done it and still wasn't able to stop them. His crimson orbs to settle a glare on Kakuzo who just gazed back innocently, as though he were attempting a friendship and not a hostile take over.

"Hey asshole." Yusuke suddenly called, snapping Hiei's attention to the fuming spirit detective. "What the hell were you doing yelling at Kakuzo like that? He's a part of this team now, more so then you I think. If you weren't so busy playing high and mighty maybe you would have been able save your own skin!"

Hiei flinched from a mixture of the barb in Yusuke's words and the stinging sensations caused by some medicinal herbs Kurama had begun applying to his wound. But his features soon grew stiff and he glared back at the detective. He wasn't going to play into Kakuzo's trap and beg for their forgiveness and understanding.

"You have no idea what you're talking about detective, as usual." Hiei's voice was low as he rose to his feet, pulling his injury out of the worrying fox's grasp. He moved a few steps away from them on legs that felt like rubber. In the back of his mind he prayed that his body would hold out long enough to allow him to make his point and end with a dramatic escape.

"Bitch." Yusuke bristled at Hiei's comment, rising to his full height and looming over the jaganshi. His brown eyes were dark. "You think you're too tough Hiei, that's your problem. But you're nothing more then a scared little outcast with no trust left. I thought that when you first joined us, we could help you. But you only fought by our sides for the joy of killing! It would mean nothing to you if we had all died in that tournament as long as you got out!"

"Yusuke…" Kurama's voice was distant, as though he couldn't believe the outburst he was hearing. But the detective ignored it and kept on going.

"I trusted you enough to protect you, help you, even keep your secrets from my best friend and all for what! So you could turn into a stone cold prick when you felt you didn't need our help anymore! You don't care about anyone other then yourself, Hiei!"

"You know that's not true Yusuke." Kurama was now standing, wanting to end this before things got really out of hand. "Hiei cares. What about Yu-" The fox stopped immediately and turned his head away, refusing to finish the statement with Kuwabara in ear shot.

"Yes." Yusuke voice now took on a sinister tone. "He does care about someone, just not enough to tell her the real truth she's been searching for all these years. You dance underneath her nose, taunting her with all that she's wanted to know in her life, she even entrusted you wit her tear gem, the one meant for her brother that would be returned when he found her. Yet you still hold it like the selfish bastard you are. Why haven't you given it back yet and made her happy? Do you truly care too much about your image to make her happy?"

Hiei's body had long sense lost feeling. His crimson orbs drifted to Kuwabara who was sitting there, mouth a gape. His small eyes were shinning with anger and tears as he fought his lips to move with speech. "Yusuke…what are you saying?" The tall ningen asked in a shaky and distant voice.

But the detective never removed his steely gaze from Hiei's frozen form. But this time it wasn't Kakuzo's doing that held him still, it was his own betrayed mind. Yusuke sneered and continued his ranting.

"What I'm saying is Hiei here is Yukina's real brother." He hissed. "And he won't tell her because he doesn't want her to find him."

Gasps rose up in the camp, but Hiei wasn't sure who they came from. His head was spinning as the truth was revealed once more. But now to Kuwabara who would most certainly tell his love the minute he saw her next. Hiei's hands gripped into fists as he closed his eyes. He could feel it coming and he wasn't going to stop it. He knew he deserved it.

Kuwabara's fist slammed into the side of his face, tossing the jaganshi's head to the side and knocking him to the ground. Hiei made no move to get up, just lay on the ground beneath the two ningens, hearing the sound of tears trailing down Kuwabara's face. The tall orange haired one finally managed to speak in a tone more hateful the Yusuke reached in all of his yelling.

"Bastard." He said, the hate dripping from the word and coating Hiei in its darkness. "How could you do that to Yukina, knowing how hard and long she's looked for you? She can't return to her island and it is all your fault. Yet you try and act as though you don't care for her?"

Hiei said nothing, just lay in a heap on the ground, eyes looking down at the ground. His breathing was quiet, and for a moment it seemed he wasn't breathing at all. His mind had long sense shut down, leaving the only thing that reached him being the hateful words from his teammates. There was the sound of feet crunching near his head and he picked up on Kurama's distinct ki.

"Stop it right now." The fox demanded, voice full of a motherly concern. "Hiei had his reasons for not telling her. But what were ours' Yusuke? Both you and I knew as well and we never said anything, when he had the full ability to. And Kuwabara, you are too quick to jump to awful conclusions. The reason Hiei said nothing was because he cared too much for the Koorime. He had the jagan implanted just so that he could find her, and we all know that that is one of the most painful operations to undergo. He never told her because he didn't want to shame her by having such brother with a history and record like he does. Yukina doesn't picture her brother's hands drenched in blood, and Hiei never wants her too. It's a noble reason, more noble then ours!"

Hiei's hands balled into fists, catching tufts of grass between his fingers. He couldn't stand how they were talking about him as though he weren't there. Growling into the dirt, he slowly began to push himself to his feet. But the three above him were too involved in each to notice.

"Kurama, you knew it wasn't our place to say anything!" Yusuke shouted back at the kitsune. "Just like we all know your true self but say nothing to your mother! It's not our place. If you want her to know, you'll tell her the truth!"

Hiei was now on his knees, still fuming silently.

"Yes but you don't despise me for not telling her!" Kurama shouted back, not liking the fact that his mother had now been brought been into the whole idea. "Yet you chastise Hiei for making the same decision as me?"

Hiei was standing, but being a good head shorter then the others, remained out of their cross firing scopes.

"This is different Kurama!" Kuwabara was now yelling at the fox. "Yukina's been searching for years, she knows her brother is out there somewhere. But your mother doesn't know the truth or even an inkling of it so she doesn't search for the truth! Yukina does and it breaks her heart not being able to find him, when the bastard was under her nose the whole time! The least he could have done was given her back her tear-"

"Enough!" Hiei suddenly shouted, a burst of his angry ki rushing past the others and silencing them. His crimson orbs were set in deadly slits. "Just shut up, all of you. You're fools to think you understand any of what is going on. You're all being played and it's not by me." He stopped when he felt a familiar tingle of ki run down his spine. It was time to change his approach. With a grunt he turned from the others and began walking towards the woods.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Yusuke snapped after him.

"Why should we care?" Kuwabara raised his arms and crossed them over his chest, walking to the other end of the camp site. "Let the bastard run off, it's what he's good at."

Hiei snarled and turned around, leveling his team with one stare. "I'm going where ever I want." He said pointedly. "And don't try and stop me. I'm in no mood to listen to you all fight like a group of silly ningen school girls."

Hiei blurred and was gone. Kurama was the only one able to see running at full speed from tree top to tree top. The kitsune sighed, feeling his heart go out to his teammate. The team was turning against him one by one, and no matter what Kurama tried to say, they weren't listening. But the fox knew that if this didn't stop soon, Hiei would close up all the doors he had begun to open and disappear from them forever.

And yet, Kurama couldn't shake the feeling that there was something Hiei was trying to tell him. Something that the others just wouldn't listen to.

"What is it Hiei?" He whispered into the woods after the fleeing jaganshi.

Kakuzo suddenly appeared at his side, not making a noise as he moved. Kurama jumped slightly, not having expected their newest member to move so fluidly.

"I will go after him." The shadow demon expert said in a sad tone. "I feel this is my fault, I'm making him feel threatened. Please try and let me work things out with Hiei."

Kurama nodded and Kakuzo moved into the woods, running after Hiei. When he was out of distance of the others a smile graced his lips.

"I'm coming Hiei." He chuckled, allowing his body to shift into the shadows for faster transportation. "It's play time again."

Hiei stopped on a branch, tired body not wanting to move forward any more. He sat back against the tree's trunk and sighed. Moving slowly, he tied another ward around his jagan. When ever the third eye was open, it caused his head to throb. And the idea of having a constant headache did sound to alluring to him. Once that task was done, he turned his eyes on the darkening skies. Night was falling over Makai, and Hiei welcomed it. In the mask of darkness, he could hide from everyone.

His thoughts drifted to the scene that had happened at the camp only short minutes ago. So now that baka new the truth about his beloved's missing brother. The oaf must have been sorely let down. He had known that Hiei had sister after Yusuke had questioned him in the House of Four Dimensions about his sister's name. Even then, Kuwabara had been too foolish to put it together. Even though it hadn't really been the fool, he knew Genkai had been allowing him to watch the whole ordeal. Now that secret was out. Hiei knew the oaf wouldn't be able to keep his mouth closed for more then a split few seconds before bursting the whole story out to Yukina in some high squeaky voice and then apologizing for not having found out sooner.

And then there was Yusuke. Hiei had only seen Yusuke point that hatred at few others, and he knew it was a list he did not want a permanent spot on. He had said Hiei didn't care. If truly didn't care then why had he risked his neck saving Yusuke from Sniper that one time? The very memory caused a snarl to rise up and he turned, quickly punching the tree and leaving a dent.

"Damn them!" He shouted. "Damn them all!"

"Now is that really a way to talk about your team members my little firefly?"

Hiei whirled around at the voice and was hit with the same tainted ki. Except this time he didn't feel the tingle, and his body didn't freeze. Free to use his limbs this time he rose to his feet and lunged at the shadowy form that was Kakuzo. But the fist that had been aimed at his jaw slid right through the shadow as if passing through air. Hiei whirled around with a growl. "Astro-projection." He hissed.

A pair of arms suddenly slid up Hiei's sides, wrapping over his shoulder and allowing the hands to clasp behind his neck, locking him tight in a restraint. Hiei yelped and tried to pull forward, but he couldn't move. He hadn't felt the ki from behind him, it had come from his front. So what or who the hell was behind him? He turned to look and saw that vines had grown out of the top layer of the tree and were now holding him firmly in place. His crimson orbs went wide with fear.

"You forget, I fought your friend Kurama." Kakuzo chuckled, slipping out of his hiding place among the shadows with a predatory grin. "I think this is much more elegant then my little paralyzing trick. I like it more when my target can struggle."

Kakuzo moved in close and Hiei tried to pull back. But the trunk of the tree stopped his retreat. Hiei looked at the vines and smiled. Plants…so easily burned. He closed his eyes and began to summon the mortal flame when Kakuzo's hands suddenly clamped down on his wrists. A strange chanting came from his lips and seemed to fill Hiei's head.

A sharp pain suddenly flashed in each of Hiei's wrists, killing the flames and causing a strangled cry to brush past his lips. When Kakuzo let go, Hiei looked to see two marks written in black, one on each wrist.

"W-what the hell did you do?" His voice was low and deadly.

"It's a simple ward to keep you from burning my beautiful plant." Kakuzo purred. At seeing Hiei's angry face, he sighed. "It's temporary. It will fade, but it will be here long enough to allow me to do what I wish."

Hiei raised a brow, not liking where this was going at all. What moron had let Kakuzo come after him when he specifically told them not to?

"And what do you wish to do?" He asked bitterly.

"You'll see." The shadow youkai taunted, taking a step back and observing the trapped fire demon before him. "You know, you look very vulnerable like that. I find that alluring."

"Well too damn bad for you." Hiei snapped, suddenly not liking this feeling of fright that washed up over him. Kakuzo was right, at the moment, he was vulnerable to anything. Even an obsessed youkai. "You come near me and I kill you when this ward wears off."

"We will see." Kakuzo chuckled, still keeping his distance for the time being. "I must remember to thank Yusuke later. His big mouth did the job of turning Kuwabara against you for me. Makes my job easier of turning on the kitsune's trust."

Kakuzo then turned to Hiei, moving in close and grabbing a hold of his chin, forcing the jaganshi to look at him. Hiei snarled at the cold touch of his hands and quickly averted his eyes. He didn't want to look at the crazed youkai.

He was suddenly shocked back into reality when the shadow demon's lips crushed down on top of his and a hand snaked its way up his shirt. Kakuzo's fingers flitted across the raw skin, drawing a gasp from Hiei. But the apparition found out too late that that wasn't a good idea. Kakuzo's tongue snaked into his mouth, worming against Hiei's as though he could tempt it to fight back.

Hiei shuddered, feeling disgust and contempt run through his body. How could he allow another to touch him like this? He wanted to fight back, he wanted to maim, he wanted to kill, but he was trapped like an animal in a cage. And as so, fright took over. He pulled his head back with gasp as he tried to reach for the hand under his shirt and pull it out.

But the vines moved, sliding down Hiei's arms to grasp his wrists and pull them up over his head so that his hands could not reach Kakuzo's arms. But he wasn't done fighting. As one hand found one of his nipples, he raised his foot, planting it firmly on Kakuzo's chest and kicking. The shadow demon was stunned and took a few step backs. But his composure soon returned with his grin. Two more vines snaked down and grabbed Hiei's ankles binding them to the tree along with his arms.

"Kuso." Hiei snarled, trying to kick out a leg but finding it would no longer move. His crimson orbs turned on the advancing shadow youkai. Hiei was stuck and he knew it. "D-don't touch me." He attempted to snarl.

"I'm afraid you're in no position to be making idle threats Hiei." Kakuzo smirked. "So why don't you just be quiet and enjoy this."

Hiei snarled again and went to comment when the vines tightened, eliciting a scream as thorns sprouted and cut into his flesh. His eyes grew lidded as he growled at the shadow youkai.

"I swear to what ever god it is you worship." He said in a weak tone. "If you so much as look at me the wrong way I will kill you."

"With what, this?" Kakuzo taunted pulling the katana from its sheath and digging the tip deep into the wood above Hiei's hands. "Or your trapped ki? Face it firefly, for the moment you are mine."

Rape Scene here has been deleted due to the rules of I can e-mail to you if you ask nicely in the review ;) But I warn you…it is graphic…and it is man on man…that's your warning…make your decision wisely!

The shadow demon then kissed his dried lips, stepping back and redoing the clasp on his own pants. He left Hiei, tied to the tree by vines, naked for all but the pants pooled around his ankles. The jaganshi's body had gone limp, his breath coming in barely hearable pants. Blood had begun drying to the back of his thighs. Tear tracks created rivets in the dirt on his cheeks.

Suddenly footsteps were heard in the nearing distance and Hiei's eyes cracked open, some of his normal fire gone from them. His dried lips parted slightly as a word passed over them like passing over sand paper.

"Kurama?"

Kakuzo smiled before slowly reaching down and dressing Hiei again. He redid Hiei's pants but sighed when he held up the shredded remains that had been his shirt.

"Tsk." He muttered. "You can't very well wear this. Well, no need to let the fox know of this encounter, so down you go Hiei! We will play again later my little firefly!"

The vines suddenly undid themselves and Hiei's dead weight shifted. He soon found himself falling from the tree, the wind rushing past him. The ground reached him with a brutal punch, knocking the wind from him and leaving him gasping for air on the ground. His whole body hurt and he was sure that that was the only thing he would be feeling for a long, long time. He heard the voice gently soothing the parts of his mind that could no longer fight the tainted ki that entered.

"Until next time my little one." He whispered. "Until next time."

Hiei could sense more of the green slowly being buried beneath the black purple as his eyes closed. It was then he felt himself being lifted gently from the ground and a voice from far away calling his name. But he couldn't answer them, his own voice had been silenced. With a weak moan, he leaned into the chest and slowly drifted away into oblivion.

Kurama held Hiei close as he rushed back towards the camp. He knew the others wouldn't care that Hiei had been attacked. He was the only one who had left when they heard the jaganshi's screams through the forest. Both the ningens were still wallowing in their selfish loathing of the more distant partner.

Holding his bleeding friend close, Kurama ran through the Makai forest, mind a whirl of thoughts. Who could have done this? Why? What was going on in Hiei's head? The kitsune sighed in frustration. He had no idea what to do anymore.

All he could do was run towards the camp, trying desperately to hold the broken pieces of the group together.

Okay, this chapter is done and in the books. Sigh I'm never happy with a chapter once I'm finished. I guess it's part of the old saying: a writer is their own harshest critic.

And I'm sorry I cut out the rape scene…but you can get it from me…it's just that I'd rather cut it out then have delete it, those blimey bastards.

Anyway…I hope you enjoy this chapter!