Well I've updated. I'd feel bad about taking so long but I didn't get any refviews from my last chapter so yeah. Here's chapter 5. Oh and I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. But I do own my own set of stylish Yu Yu Hakusho chibi keychains. So Kawaii!
Chapter 5: Tearing Down Walls
The sound of Hiei's soft footfalls echoed through the long corridors at the back of the mansion. His small form, only visible in the places where the soft moonlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the hallways dark floor. His body movements displayed his feelings of confusion and frustration. His facial expression mirrored his thoughts as he silently brooded on his current situation.
This was the fifth time in two weeks that he had found himself aimlessly wandering his homes empty halls. He only traveled like this when he couldn't think clearly or something was bothering him that he had no control over.
Wait…had he just called this place home?
Hiei whirled around and punched the closest wall with all his might. He succeeded in putting a hole through the wall and injuring his right arm. He winced slightly as the pain shot up his arm and waited until the pain became a dull throb. He watched as the blood flowed freely from a one of his many cuts.
Nothing helped him focus better then a little pain. He turned to continue his 'walk' when he sensed that he was being watched. There at the end of a hallway stood the unmistakable form of that girl.
Ashley realizing that she had been spotted started to walk away, very slowly. There was something seriously wrong with this guy. He'd just punched a hole in the wall and he looked a little too happy about it. When she seen his gaze turn from slightly ticked toa move-anymore-and-you-die glare she stopped moving.She could feel herself shaking as he started to walk towards her.Why was she so afraid of him all of a sudden? It was like he'd transformed since she had seen him that first time.
He slowly traveled the distance between them and stopped a few feet from where she stood. "Why are you here?" Glaring at her he watched as she shook with fear and waited for an answer.
He was only slightly taller then her normally but right now she felt like a piece of lintthat wouldn't go away."I-I was just looking around." She heard herself speaking but it sounded nothing like her.
"Who gave you permission to come up here?" He spoke with a quiet fury as he tried to keep his spastic emotions in check.Hecould feel hiscontrol slipping ever so slightly around her. Ever since she hadcome here everything he had achieved in this weak form had been forgotten.
"I came on my own. I needed something to do so I came here and..." She paused to swallow because her throat had mysteriously becomeverydry. "I was exploring, sir." She felt so uncomfortable under his firey gaze. If he'd had a sword she was sure that he would have gutted her by now.
Hiei growled slightly at what she had just called him but even more so atthis feeling of wanting to reach out and touch her. Where was all this coming from? "Get out of my sight and don't come back here ever again," He commanded in his controlled tone.
Needing no more persuasions to leave she did her best to leave with any dignity she had left. She bowed slightly and walked away as fast as she could.
Hiei waited until he could no longer hear her footsteps and then turned to another wall and took out all his anger and frustration on it. Thanks to that girl there would probably be no wall there by tomorrow morning.
Kurama had searched almost everywhere for Ashley. He decided it would be easier if he had some help and went off to acquiresome. He found Yusuke sitting on the couch directly in front of the fire place.
"Yusuke, have you seen Ashley anywhere today? I need to speak with her." Kurama placedhimself infront of Yusuke blocking his veiw of the fireplace.
Yusuke grumbled and tried his best to ignore the annoying figure blocking his only source of entertainment.
"Yusuke, it is very urgent that I find her. You know as well as I that there are places in this house that need to be avoided."
"I don't know, ok" He yawned and dug his finger in his ear. "Why not ask Kuwabara, he might know. Now how's about moving, I'm missing the best part." His voice was monotone as he spoke.
Kurama sighed and walked off in the direction of Kuwabara's room. He didn't get very far as he was immediately bowled over by a fast moving object. Kurama's backside made contact with the floor and the object made contact with his gut.
Kurama's eyes widened as the air escaped his lungs a little too fast. "Gah" he attempted to speak and only managed a strained cry. Tears formed at the end of his eyes as it became increasingly harder for him to breath.
Ashley blinked repeatedly as she tried to see what she'd hit through her tears. "Kurama...?"
All she got was a strained gasp and a dry cough.
She slowly got up and then tried to help Kurama breath again.
Yusuke peered over the rustic colored couch to see what was going on. He raised an eyebrow at the scene as it unfolded before him. He frowned as he watched the two interact. "Oh sure" he thought, "I can't make any moves on her but Kurama can flirt with her till his hair falls out." Yusuke watched on, his brown eyes scrutinizing Kurama's every move.
"Sorry about that Kurama." Ashley quickly wiped away her tears and tried to make herself look like she hadn't been threatened only moments before. "I geuss I wasn't paying attention." She forced a smile and giggled nervously.
"It's quite alright",he smiled reassuringly."I was little preoccupied myself." He stood up with a quick effortless movement. His green eyes studing her as she fidgeted nervously. She was hiding something and she smelled of fear. "Ashley, did anyone inform you about the areas of this house that are off limits?"
Ashley stared at the floor and shuddered slightly. "Yes"
Kurama sighed, relived that she had known about the boundaries. "Then you know to stay away from the High Hallways?"
"Yes"
His facial expression took on a pained look as he watched her walk away. She had reverted to her old habit of looking away and speaking quietly.
Yusuke sauntered over to Kurama's side and joined in watching the troubled girl walk mindlessly across the room. "So Doc, what's the Diagnoses?"
"The diagnosis Yusuke, is that she paid an unwelcome visit to our good friend Hiei."
"Yeah she looked miffed to me too fox boy. So, now what?" He stared at Kurama with a truly interested look. Something his face had been devoid of for a very long time.
"We wait and see what happens Yusuke. That is all that we can do at this point." Kurama's gaze left the girl and focused on a dark stairway not too far off.
"I hate waiting," Yusuke grumbled his thoughtful expression being spoiled by a sour glare. "Why can't we just play match-maker and hook the two up?"
"It's not that simple Yusuke, we are not even aware of how to get this light. I do believe, however, that he was not meant to do it alone."
Yusuke grunted whether it was one of acknowledgement or lack of interest, Kurama didn't know.
"Oh boys, dinner's ready!" Botan's chipper voice floated through the room.
Yusuke made a face then glared daggers at Kurama. "I can't believe you let HER cook. If I die, I'm so gonna haunt your room."
"Oh goody food!" The unmistakable voice of Kuwabara echoed from one of the four hallways into the room. His form came bounding in seconds later.
"Huh, I thought there was food." Kuwabara looked around for the food that was usually set on the dining table. Nothing. He scanned the table a second time just to make sure. His beady eyes then started to wander until they stopped on Kurama and Yusuke.
"Hey you guys…where's the food?"
Botan came into the room as soon as the question had been asked. With Botan like grace she flounced over to the table with a rather large pot and set it down. "Eat up boys, there's plenty to go around." She smiled broadly and waited for them to advance towards 'dinner'.
Yusuke walked slowly towards the pot and eyed it skeptically. Hestarted tolift the lid with all the caution of a brain surgeon.
Kuwabara, who had earlier been starving watched patiently as Yusuke carefully, lifted the right side of the lid. He winced when some of the steam escaped it.
Kurama also seemed apprehensive to see what lay inside the pot.
Botan watched as the three boys treated her food like it was a disease. "You haven't even looked at it yet!"
Yusuke grimaced and lifted the lid all the way off. A large cloud of steam floated up hiding the food for only a few seconds.
It was a long few seconds to the boys as they all squinted at the meal through the steam.
"Hey it's normal." Yusuke said surprised as the steam dissipated. "It's just some rice balls and chicken."
Kuwabara, stunned that it wasn't burnt, still wasn't satisfied. "I've seen plenty of decent looking food and it doesn't always taste good."
"Yeah I think your right Kuwabara, someone should taste it and see." Yusuke gave Kurama a sideways glance and snickered. "Age before Beauty."
"Impulse before knowledge."
Kuwabara interrupted Yusuke and Kurama's conversation by speaking loudly. "Why don't we have Hiei try it. He eats anything."
Yusuke smiled and patted Kuwabara on the back. "Great idea! Better take it up to him now."
Kuwabara's face fell when Yusuke elected him to go. "No way Urameshi, I'm not doing it. He wants to kill me!"
"Oh yeah, that must have slipped my mind. Hey how about we send Ashley up instead?" Yusuke grinned at his new plan.
Kurama's face looked grim as he watched Kuwabara and Yusuke try to think of ways to trick their houseguest into doing their dirty work. He should stop them but what if Yusuke was right, for once.
Kurama walked away hoping that whatever they had planned would work.
Botan stood in the middle of the room growling.Of all the nerve!No one even paid any attention to her anymore!It was always about Ashley! Well she'd show them!She stomped off in a huff that was barely noticed by the schemeing teens.
Ashley sat quietly on the window seat trying to shake off the chill that had settled in her bones. The sun was setting and the stars were starting to shine. She once again found herself in envy of their light and freedom. Her thoughts were interrupted by Yusuke's approach.
"Hey Ashley are you ok?" Yusuke used his most sincere voice. "You know we've got some food out here if you're interested."
"I'm not hungry" she replied. Her answer was short and sweet. Most people would have taken the hint but not Yusuke.
"Come on you gotta eat something. Hey I know how about you help me carry some food upstairs."
Ashley stared at Yusuke and glared. "Do I look that stupid?"
Yusuke smiled nervously and backed away. "Never mind I'll get Kuwabara to help."
Ashley stood and escaped to her room. She still felt so strange and her heart was still heavy with grief from losing her adoptive brother. She flopped down on her bed and cried herself to sleep.
Meanwhile,Kurama traveled slowly up the stairs as he processed what he was going to say to Hiei.They needed to have a long talk about his behavior of late.
Well there you go it's done. PLease review. Thnx