Sweet Dreams Are Made of These:
Summary: They thought the war was over, but they were wrong. Alongside our favorite fire apparition, Kiya will try to overcome depression, furious officials and the everyday life of a teenager. But, who is the demon bent on destroying Kiya? HieiKiya
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Previously:
Kiya inhaled deeply……this was it…..before stepping onto the ground and out into the opening of trees where Hiei was currently destroying the poor, innocent foliage.
Kiya's breath caught in her throat as Hiei stopped immediately, his panting and sweating form freezing, its back to her.
Hiei turned slowly as Kiya stood still, unable to move as Hiei's crimson eyes found her blue ones.
Eyes widened…
…gasps were heard…
…and a certain Elemental was tackled- for the second time.
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Chapter 2: Together Again:
One can imagine how startled Kiya was to one moment be standing and staring at the youkai who had declared himself as her intended, then to find herself being crushed to a firm chest by two gentle albeit un-yielding arms. Her face automatically burrowed into the crook of her attacker's neck and her arms held him in a return embrace.
There were no words; neither of them knew what to say at that moment. So there they stood, in each other's arms, reveling in the amazing sound of each other's breathing…
…until almost as immediately as he had enveloped her in a hug, Hiei released Kiya almost roughly and stepped away from her.
Confused, Kiya looked to Hiei quizzically as he took another pained step away from her.
It was then that Kiya noticed how warm Hiei was…because she was freezing in the chilly air without his arms to protect her from the cold.
"Hiei…."
"You are to forget what has just happened." Hiei's voice was cold and firm. His eyes shone with hatred….but for whom, Kiya couldn't tell.
"Hiei…" Kiya gaped. What had she done?
"Hn." His grunt broke with a hidden strain, and Kiya saw it in her koi's eyes immediately.
Hiei gripped his katana with a sudden fury and his crimson eyes averted themselves from the hold Kiya's demeaning eyes had kept on them. Kiya saw that he planned to flit out of the clearing, away from the area…..away from her.
As quickly as she could, Kiya grabbed onto Hiei's arms (and the fact that she was able to catch Hiei in the first place was a direct indication that something was wrong.) Hiei would not look at Kiya, instead he was looking at something beyond her shoulder.
Okay, now she was starting to get a little aggravated. "Hiei what the hell is going on with you?"
That got his attention.
Hiei's crimson eyes shot back to Kiya's, his lids narrowed and his stare icy. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again. Instead of trying once more to answer, he removed himself roughly from Kiya's hold and prepared himself to jump into one of the closest trees for a quick departure.
Something inside Hiei; a certain realization, was making being near Kiya almost unbearable.
Kiya, who was becoming more and more confused by the second, saw that Hiei intended to run away again. So, she came to a quick resolute: it was time to play dirty if she planned to get any kind of answer out of the stubborn kajihenge. First thing she needed to do, though, was keep him there.
"Coward." The word was stoic and placed behind a hard look on the Elemental's part.
Hiei turned around slowly, his eyes narrowed even more than they were a moment ago.
"I didn't know you were the kind to run away from your problems, Hiei. I guess it just goes to show that you are nothing but a little 'ol tough coward." Kiya crossed her arms.
"Onna…"
"Oh don't onna me Hiei, the name calling has never worked on me and you know it. Now, either you are male PMSing or something's wrong, and since I'm pretty sure it's not the first one, I suggest you start talking."
Wow, they had just been reunited about 3 minutes ago, and already Kiya was signing her death wish.
She swore that had to be some kind of record.
"Onna, you forget to whom you are speaking."
"Jaganshi Hiei, fire apparition from the koorime island, famed master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and stubborn jackass extraordinaire. Nope, I think I remember pretty well. Now start talking, Hiei-" Kiya paused for a dramatic effect.
Hiei fumed. What was this small Elemental doing?
His subconscious scoffed. Being her normal obnoxious self, that's what she was doing.
"-Or I tell Yukina something she's been dying to kn-"
And Kiya's back had a very unpleasant meeting with the closest tree…
…which happened to be a very rough Oak.
Tree… meet spine…
Hiei's arms were on Kiya's upper arms and she was being pressed into a tree; their faces were inches apart.
Kiya found his soft spot- she could use that later...
But now all she cared about was finding out what she wanted to know without losing a limb…
"Tell me…"
A low growl started deep within Hiei's throat. This pained him more than he dared show: he cared deeply for Kiya- almost losing her made him realize that he…dare he say it?…loved the girl…but…she deserved more than him, she deserved someone who could protect her if she were in danger.
And he hadn't been able to do that…
…but he had no intention of telling her that he didn't deserve her.
Or—he didn't until she added one more word to her demand.
"…please."
Kiya's voice came out as barely louder than a whisper, and her eyes were pained. She wanted to help Hiei- she wanted him to be happy that she was alive, but instead he was colder and more distant to her than he had been since they had first met that fateful day 3 months ago.
Hiei saw this. He looked into her newly darkened eyes and saw her desperation, her love for him…and he snapped.
"I do not deserve you." Kiya could feel Hiei's hands on her arms begin to shake as he forced those words from his mouth.
Kiya breathed a sigh of relief. So, he wasn't mad at her- he was mad at himself. This she could handle.
Kiya rubbed her upper arms unconsciously as Hiei released them and took a step away from her, his eyes again focused on that object beyond her shoulder.
Before Kiya could reassure Hiei like she planned to (water beings are very good at calming others down), Hiei began to shake and his fists clenched. His eyes snapped back to Kiya's so suddenly and with such fierceness that Kiya had to stop herself from gasping.
"I could not protect you! You deserve someone who can keep you safe-, " his words were cut off as Hiei cut through the trunk of another tree with his already marred fist.
Kiya was quickly at Hiei's side, trying to hold his arms at his side.
"Hiei! Play nicely with the trees!" Kiya, still holding Hiei's arms, moved to the front of him to look him in the eyes. "It's not your responsibility to baby-sit me, Hiei. I'm a big girl, I'm supposed to be able to take care of myself-"
"That is the duty of the mate."
"Well that's too bad. Like I was saying, it was my fault I got caught in the first place; but the whole thing is done and over with and right now I'd just really like to focus on how happy you're supposed to be that I'm alive and well."
Kiya's hands moved down Hiei's warm arms to hold his hands…
…and her own hands were soon coated with a warm, sticky substance.
Kiya's eyes fell to hers and Hiei's hands to see them covered in blood. Hiei's blood.
"Oh, kami Hiei. Way to go…" Kiya grumbled to herself while she retracted her hands and immediately began looking for something to wrap his wounds up with. Her eyes fell on her shirt. If she ripped it just right, she could get the bottom of the tank top off without making the shirt too…revealing, and still manage to have enough to make temporary bandages.
Kiya got right at ripping her shirt carefully, and soon it was off- only leaving about 2 inches of her mid-drift showing.
"What are you doing?"
Kiya shot Hiei an incredulous look. She tore the piece of her shirt in half the long way to give her two make-shift bandages. She took one of his hands in her own, tried to wipe some of the excess blood off, than began wrapping the black cloth around the wound.
"I'm playing nurse. It's the mate's duty to see to the well being of their significant other." Kiya stated in a mock-tone.
She could've sworn she heard Hiei scoff.
So she blew him a kiss. She smirked when he scowled.
Once she was done wrapping up one wounded hand, she moved to the other; Hiei's right hand. Again, she began by wiping off as much as the extra blood as possible, then was about to move on to wrapping the wound when something else caught her eye.
It was a soft and steady purple glow, dimming then growing with it's intensity as if it were breathing…
…and it was coming from beneath the bandage on Hiei's arm: the one that concealed his dragon tattoo.
Kiya hadn't even been aware that she was staring until Hiei suddenly yanked his hand out of Kiya's and hid it within the folds of his cloak.
Kiya blinked. "Hiei, you're arm was blinking…" she sounded ridiculous even to herself.
"Hn. Acute observations, onna." Hiei smirked. He was making fun of her!
Talk about mood swings.
"Thank you, baka oni." Kiya kidded right back, playing his game- but her eyes remained on the bulge of his cloak that was his hidden hand.
Why had it been glowing?
--------------------------HIEI'S POV---------------------------
Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
Of course, I knew this would happen eventually; there was no preventing it, so why was I so taken off guard?
Hn. I have no answer to that.
So, the dragon I had conquered so long ago at the dark tournament has finally awoken within me…
…grand.
I must have a visit with the kitsune to see if I can stop this….blasted….thing from happening. Now that Kiya is here, I do not want to have the dragon take over; she may be harmed.
…I can already feel my arm altering…
Damn it. Damn it all to hell.
---------------------------------NORMAL POV-----------------------------
After making it quite clear that he was not going to show Kiya his arm, both the fire apparition and the water Elemental made their way back to the temple.
Once arriving in the living room of the temple, Kiya was given large grins, high fives and hugs, but the actions stopped when a familiar teenage ruler popped into the room in a puff of blue smoke, and the usual loud 'POP!'
Kiya merely jumped; a fact that she was very proud about, but Yusuke squealed and Kuwabara choked on his own gasp.
"You freakin' binky sucking punk! I don't wanna die…again!"
"Oh shove it, you big baby," Kiya laughed.
"Kiya's right Yusuke. I have some things I want to discuss with you all." Koenma's face was serious and everyone got the clue that now was not the time to screw around.
Figuring this was going to take a while, Kiya leapt onto the windowsill and pulled her legs up beneath her chin. She watched Hiei as he kept an eye on her, then went to stand by her window, both of his arms in his cloak.
Damn it, she wanted to see that arm!
"As you all already know, the procedure was a success and Kiya is---well---no longer dead-"
"Hm, no shit, short-stuff."
Koenma shot a glare at the spirit detective.
Genkai smacked him across the head.
"Ow! Damn it, grandma!"
"Shut up and pay attention, dimwit."
Koenma nodded to the old psychic in thanks and continued. "As we all also know, Botan…" he paused out of respect to the late ferry girl, "is no longer with us in body or spirit, thus leaving me short one ferry girl. Kiya will fill Botan's place; both because it is convenient and because if Kiya becomes my right hand ferry girl, she will also become immortal-"
"Yes!" Kiya couldn't help her happy exclamation from leaving her lips.
"-I will give her the elixir tomorrow." Koenma turned to Kiya. "Are you sure you want this? To be immortal is a huge burden and cannot be reversed easily."
"I'm sure Koenma." I'll be able to stay with Hiei for a long time…
…Hey, where the hell is Hiei?
Kiya began searching the living room for the small fire apparition, but didn't see him anywhere. She shrugged. Hiei could take care of himself-
-she hoped.
"Alright then. I will come to pick you up at noon." Koenma looked around. "and although I have no clue where Hiei is, I'm sure he wont allow you to go unless he's with you."
Kiya nodded.
Now more than ever, Kiya realized, Hiei was going to be stalking her everywhere; especially because she had already died once, and Hiei blamed himself for it.
Call her crazy, but Kiya wasn't very bothered by that idea. Her subconscious scoffed.
Pervert, It scolded.
----------------------------------------WITH HIEI----------------------------------------
Birds flew from the trees in a flurry as another muffled cry filled the forest.
A small black clad figure was stumbling amongst the trees, bent over and clutching his right arm with his left hand. He ground his teeth together as he fought back another cry of agony.
Hiei had left the living room as soon as he had seen –much to his annoyance- a pitch black scale surface from his skin right near his tattooed dragon's head.
This damn dragon had surfaced quicker than he had both expected and wanted.
Hiei ripped the bandage from his arm just in time to see more black scales showing themselves as they turned his forearm completely black and shiny. He keeled over once again and bit his lip bloody to keep the pitiful screams back.
"I see it has begun," A smooth voice came from behind the trees.
Hiei who was in too much physical agony to speak aloud, scolded the redheaded kitsune mentally with his Jagan.
"Kurama, I have neither the time nor patience for you."
Hiei would be damned if he'd say it, but right now he didn't need Kurama to talk, he needed him to help!
Thankfully, Kurama was smart enough to figure this out. He stepped forward quickly, holding a bright pink, bowl-shaped flower in his hand.
"Your arm, Hiei."
Hiei hesitated, but then held it out for Kurama to pour the yellow, heavy substance onto his arm: specifically onto the dragon tattoo that had turned itself silver as to be seen past Hiei's new black scales.
The pain slowly numbed. Hiei was able to stand up straight while he galred at his arm.
"I see the dragon has begun to make its presence known."
Hiei glared at Kurama. "Hn. Do not point out the obvious, it's pitiful."
"My apologies." Kurama knew it was better right now to not tick Hiei off any further by arguing with him. "What do you plan to do?"
"Hell-" Hiei bit back a groan as his arm throbbed. The scales continued up his arm and across his shoulder. "-if I know."
"I see." Kurama thought for a moment, then said, "I will go inform Koenma-" Hiei shot Kurama a heated look. "But no one else. I will tell Kiya that you have gone on a special mission so that she will not worry. Please wait here."
Kurama turned to walk back to the temple.
Hiei watched after the retreating kitsune. He suddenly felt the scales moving to his neck and left arm. He ripped off his cloak with his left arm (A/N excuse me while I faint…) and tossed the piece of clothing to the side as he held up his arms to inspect them both.
Both arms were now completely covered with shiny, black scales and on his right arm where the dragon tattoo had once been in black, it now was imprinted in silver and glowing slightly.
Hiei held up his fingers to see them all tipped with bright silver claws each about an inch and a half long.
And they were gonna get bigger…just like the rest of him.
He was going to turn into a dragon. The dragon.
-------------------------------------BACK AT THE TEMPLE--------------------------------------
Koenma's 'meeting' had been dismissed and now everyone had been scattered throughout the living room. Genkai couldn't stand being in the crowded room any longer and Kurama had disappeared as well, so besides them, everyone was just watching Yusuke and Kuwabara banter.
"Shut up Urameshi! I could beat you down any day!"
"Yeah, why don't you prove that, you big ape? Right now!"
"I would, but Yukina, my love, is here and I will not kick your butt until she's- oof."
Kiya laughed as Yusuke tackled Kuwabara to the ground.
"You were saying, Mr. I-Suck?"
"Urameshi……" Kuwabara fumed.
Kiya looked to the back door just in time to see Kurama walking in, looking quite worried. She turned to the two loud-mouths.
"Hey you two, shut it!" She jumped off the windowsill when the two wouldn't stop and smacked them both.
"Ow…" Kuwabara whined.
"You know what Kiya, for someone who just died, you sure are being bitchy." Yusuke rubbed his head.
"My feelings, they are hurt." Kiya clutched her chest mockingly and turned to Kurama as he sent her a small smile, then turned to Koenma. He bent down to whisper something in the young ruler's ear.
Kiya watched with raised eyebrows as Koenma's eyes widened and he said to Kurama, "Already?"
Kurama simply nodded, then Koenma turned to everyone else in the room. "I have to…erm…leave. I'm taking Kurama with me."
Kurama turned to Kiya. "Don't worry, Hiei's on a brief mission for Koenma and should be back soon."
You see, any normal person would have fallen for Kurama's lie immediately, but Kiya wasn't normal…as we've already established.
"Yeah, uh-huh. Don't lie to me kitsune."
Kurama's calm façade nearly faltered. How had she known? He quickly put his game face back on and said, "I can assure you that I am being perfectly honest."
Little did Kiya know that behind Kurama's back, two fingers were securely crossed in the infamous 'lie' knot.
Without giving Kiya a second chance to question him, Kurama turned and disappeared into the blue portal behind Koenma.
Kiya's brows lifted. What the hell?
---------------------------------------WITH KOENMA--------------------------------------
As soon as the portal behind them closed, another opened as Koenma created one to go to the forest.
Kurama was impressed. Koenma had thought of this sly move himself…creating the first portal to throw the others off.
This portal dropped Kurama and Koenma right into the middle of the forest right outside Genkai's temple.
Right where Hiei had been, too.
…Notice the 'had'.
Kurama looked around and sighed. That obnoxious apparition was nowhere to be seen.
"Well?" Koenma asked.
It was then that Kurama felt the sudden incline of youkai energy coming from about 20 feet to their left. He also felt another…older presence.
"Looking for him?" It was Genkai and she was standing beneath a large Maple, looking over her shoulder at a dark…and very large figure…moving behind her.
"Oh my," Koenma managed to gasp as the large figure stepped into the small clearing in which Kurama, Genkai and Koenma stood.
Kurama's eyes widened. "It happened much faster than I had anticipated…" His sentence died on his tongue.
Kurama felt a tug on his pants and looked down to see Koenma cowering behind him, looking up into his green eyes. "Um…yeah….how are we going to explain this to Kiya..?"
Kurama didn't answer…because he had no answer. The kitsune could only look back at the creature that used to be Hiei and sighed again.
All we can do is hope this isn't permanent.
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I am so sorry about the super long update, I am ashamed beyond belief. But I have a good reason!- my computer broke down (damn thing) and I was stranded with nothing to do for 2 weeks! To try to make up for the ridiculously long update, I made this one a little longer than usual and added some fluff.
Way more fluff to come- let me tell you. Ah, I can't wait, I absolutely adore fluff.
Also, there will be no more authors' notes because fan fiction is starting to get on my ass about those, too. So, if you'd like to ask me a question, send me a review and I'll respond and some little 'blogs' (along with jokes!) will be posted after every update in my profile.
Love you all! (even though you all probably hate me right now…….believe me, I feel you: I hate me right now, too.)
Oh, one more thing. Please notice that I changed my penname. That is all…
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Kendra a.k.a. Toxic Mist
-Don't knock on death's door…ring his doorbell and run, he hates that!