A/N: Hello once again, FanFiction Dot Net Users and Anonymous Readers alike!
Yeah, I got nothing. Enjoy!
Symbols Guide:
* : Written by CM; She writes for Akari and Hiei
3 : Written by Star (supposed to be the 'heart' symbol, but FF doesn't like the 'less-than' sign, so it's a 3 instead); She writes for Toriko/Shikiyoku and Youko/Kurama
~!**!~ : A universal transition between scenes or characters, sometimes used to indicate a passage of time, but most often used to transition between major scenes that are happening. As the story progresses, this will evolve into mainly separating the (usually two) scenes happening between authors/characters.
As a general rule, anything in italics is thoughts.
Unless it's used in a sentence like this, which merely indicates emphasis.
[Anything written in italics inside square brackets is Youko speaking to Shuichi/Kurama inside their mind and is private conversation, unable to be picked up by telepathy.]{Anything written in italics inside curly brackets is inner dialogue by Shuichi/Kurama to Youko, and is also private conversation, unable to be picked up by telepathy.}
"Quotations are usually reserved specifically for telepathic dialogue being transmitted from one being to another, but sometimes this can also mean a character isn't being careful about what they're thinking and anyone with telepathy in the nearby vicinity can listen in without taking any effort."
The only exception to that last rule is for the Shiba Inu dog, Nabu. All of his "spoken" dialogue will be in italics and quotations, but is communicated through body language or dog-like noises, so unless a character is able to translate those they are unlikely to pick up on what he is saying any more than the average person might understand his general moods like aggression (bared teeth, ears back) or excitement (wagging tail).
Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!
Isamu, a dog demon from Akari's home pack, has apparently been searching for her,
the daughter of the former Alpha of their pack. He insists she come back,
at least for a week, and upon her refusing, he decides he'll stay with her for a week.
In the midst of their conversation, Kurama leaves his briefcase for Nabu to watch
and comes inside the sundae shop, fighting against Youko who is insisting Kurama let him out.
The other two do not notice Kurama, but Youko becomes more assertive at the sight of them,
and wrests control out from Kurama. While Youko is eating the treat Kurama ordered,
Kurama points out a heart-shaped marking on Youko's ankle,
and Youko realizes his being upset with Akari's situation
didn't actually have anything to do with her or her situation.
Youko does actually go over and interject on Akari's conversation,
leaving the pair in the shop as Isamu places a shadow in Akari's wrist to keep tabs on her.
Both Youko and Akari end up in Youko's meadow, and eventually Youko lets Kurama out.
Eventually Akari and Kurama begin talking about buildings that are able to exist on all the layers,
and Kurama asks Akari if she is able to go inbetween without her shadows.
~!**!~
As Hiei and Shikiyoku lay in the tree in the Ninth Layer and talk,
Shikiyoku starts hearing a voice calling out to her and urging her to come home.
She is eventually unable to ignore it, but neither does the voice appear to be holding an actual conversation with her either,
only urging her to come back 'home,' and continuing to repeat 'I miss you.'
Eventually, Shikiyoku and Hiei start to head back to Toriko's home on the First Layer,
Hiei deciding to reintroduce Shikiyoku to 'sweet snow,' but when they arrive,
they both realize someone else has been in the house since they left it.
A cat demon strangely reminiscent of Youko, tall and slender, complete with black hair and yukata,
begins coming down the stairs, calling Shikiyoku 'Yoku' and telling her he means no harm.
Upon actually seeing her, he rushes the rest of the way down the stairs and kisses her,
claiming that his deepest desire is for her to never have to be in such a state.
The kiss results in Shikiyoku's pain-form slipping away and restoring her to sound mind and body,
immediately remembering the cat demon, whom she at first calls 'Iro,'
her second Champion, but quickly after recalling Hiei,
and all that he had done for her from the first days of his meeting Toriko up to the present,
and she reminds him that he told her she could do whatever she wanted as she tackles him in a hug
and tells him that she can finally remember.
The sound of the Ice Cream tub and the spoon clattering to the floor went unnoticed by Hiei, not even earning a glance to the floor where they landed. Instead he was taking a very apt inspection of the rooms, looking for any obvious signs of an intruder, which was easily proved the moment Shikiyoku stepped in front of him, drawing his eyes to the stairs when a voice rang out in the silence.
The fire demon also tensed, a hand reaching for his katana, but not drawing it immediately. The voice spoke so familiarly to Shikiyoku that it gave him pause, made him realize she had been referring to this voice speaking to her, calling her Yoku.
And he too knew this voice, which made the next moment very, very odd to him.
Because in his mind, all he could see was the feline form of this demon.
Which had him releasing his hold on his sword's hilt and settling back on his heels, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his eyes away in mild irritation, even considering leaving were it not for the shift in the air, the change in the energy that charged Shikiyoku's being.
The change that brought his eyes back to her form, to see her hair full and shining again, her scars disappearing and her skin glowing with its natural color. To see her standing up on her own two feet with the strength she deserved to have at her disposal.
So many emotions bombarded him at once: awe at seeing Shikiyoku at her full height, full power again. Awe at seeing her hair with volume as it always had, at her shoulders straightening and her spine holding her taller than he'd seen her in… a long time.
Surprise at how quick this demon, whose name was not Maneshi as his former form had been called, had drawn her back to her usual self.
Irritation at the fashion with which he did it.
And so many other emotions. Some he didn't care for, some he didn't understand, some he didn't even acknowledge.
All of this was before her lips parted with his name and her brilliant green irises turned to him, and then her asking his forgiveness. Forgiveness for what? He blinked when she brought up him telling her to do as she wished, and his lips twitched slightly, though whether into a sneer or a frown, he wasn't sure.
And when she took a step forward, he dropped his arms, foreseeing her next bounding steps just before she issued them. By the time her arms were around his neck and her cheek against his, he'd relaxed fully, resigning himself to let her stand there as long as she so desired because, after all, he'd given her permission.
And, though he wouldn't exactly admit it to anyone in particular, he didn't mind it. Not at this moment.
His hand twitched with a slight urge, but before he could follow through with it, he was aware of a warmer sensation on the left side of his torso, beginning a few inches below his shoulder and extending in several directions, even up to his shoulder and a little over it, a small bit of that same warmth moving along his collarbone, extending a few inches until it settled there.
An alien feeling to be sure, but perhaps it was related to her closeness and for the moment he ignored it and raised his left arm up and over Shikiyoku's shoulder, returning her gesture as he'd wanted to do earlier. His lips parted in a small huff, his eyelids sliding closed as he took in a small breath of her scent through his nostrils.
"You're on a time limit, woman." he grumbled, though his lips twitched in amusement at his so-called 'warning'.
~!**!~
Akari raised a brow at Kurama curiously now, eyeing him for a moment before letting her eyelids slide close in thought. She thought of each and every time she'd ever moved between the layers, and realized that there'd only been once when she had done so without the use of her energy.
When her eyes opened again, she was concentrating on her being, testing the ability and making an attempt to fall from one layer to the next without her energy.
A few minutes ticked by, and she was still sitting there, in the meadow, on the sixth layer.
She finally gave a shrug. "I did once, but doesn't seem like I can now." *
[I can actually attest to that, Red. She could do so at one time.]
Kurama didn't comment, eyes closing in thought.
{How could a building go from resting on one layer to living between them? Or on more than one?}
[Valid question. For which I have little in the way of an answer.]
"I wonder," He began, "If in the same way as you have found yourself unable to move between layers, there are buildings which exist that could at one time be approached on any layer, but are now confined to one."
~!**!~
"Mm, is that so?" She murmured back, "Then I suppose I should quit while I'm ahead." She started to pull away from him, finding that her feet had actually left the floor. She'd forgotten how young he had been when they first met, so upon reflection it wasn't surprising to find that he was taller than before. 3
Hiei let Shikiyoku pull away and let his arm slide away from her shoulders, now more aware of the warmth spreading over his skin beneath his clothing before it dissipated all over, leaving him puzzled and curious, but not giving any indication of anything out of the norm.
"Wise decision."
~!**!~
Akari gave a shrug. "Not sure, but I do know that some of those lands have relics on them, some of the building have simple bricks, but the common entity is a sequence of markings- I assumed tribal but haven't had the time to look in Koenma;s library- that are engraved in the surface. If you remove each and every one, the building loses its ability to exist on the levels and settles on one. IF you leave only, say, one of those relics or one brick, it exists on a couple of layers, but eventually the energy in it diminishes."
For once, Akari wished she carried a bag of the objects around with her, to show the redhead. But, oh well. "It's actually pretty fun to mess with, but if you try to order them in the sequence, which is different every time it seems, and get it wrong… Well, let's just say I'm not fond of enchantments or anything even kin to it." *
[Sounds like there's a spell or something someone is casting on the buildings]
{Yes, but...why so many? Wouldn't that be a knowledge one would covet?}
"Need to get whoever is marking the buildings to Genkai's then, it seems." Kurama murmured.
[Red...I...You've tarried here long enough. Do you not have anything worthwhile to say to the pup?]
{It-}
[Then say it and be done with it. I have things to do.]
Kurama tried not to let out a sigh, having just felt comfortable enough to actually relax.
~!**!~
"She isn't known for her stupidity." The cat-demon in the room replied. "At least...not well-known for her stupidity."
When Shikiyoku finally set her feet on the floor and stepped back from Hiei, she looked at him for a moment, smiling, truly happy to see him.
She did turn to give the cat-demon a look, though.
"As if you would know."
"I know quite well, thank you."
"Is that so?" She actually turned to face him, moving over and glaring up at the demon, who met her gaze with an even-temper, his head bent down to look at her. She frowned.
"You're much taller than I remember."
"You always appeared larger-than-life to me when I was in pet-form." He admitted, towering over her with a wry smile. "It appears I was mistaken. Didn't you used to at least reach my eyes? You're quite petite now. Still can't return to demon form?" His face was fairly unexpressive, as a cat's usually is, but he blinked slowly at her with a tease gleaming in his eyes. 3
Hiei took to watching the two curiously, though most of his mind was preoccupied, wondering if that odd warmth would return. He waited, and wasn't really surprised to find that it didn't return, though the urge to leave the room- or even do it right there- and peel away his cloak and shirt to see what had happened was a strong one. Had she done that?
An urge he resisted for the moment. He drew his thoughts to the demons in the room, to keep his eyes from focusing on his shoulder and stay focused on Man-
Iro.
His name was Iro. Odd..
Wasn't she Iro?.
Now his entire attention was on their interactions, on the way they spoke and looking for anything that could give way to any sort of hint to their past.
Because he was sure that her being called Iro, and his name being the same, was any sort of coincidence.
~!**!~
Akari raised a brow at Kurama's mumblings, then gave a small sigh at him. "We nothing. As fun as it would be to team up, I rather enjoy figuring this one out as I go." She gave a lopsided, toothy smile. "I'm afraid if you want something other than office work, you're gonna have to haggle for it, fox." *
"When did I ever say 'we,' hm?" He wondered, eyes remaining closed, "It was merely a suggestion. Perhaps you simply wished I said 'we?' So you could shoot me down even though you'd already wanted my help?"
At that his mouth did end up smiling, teasing her as he was.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku scrunched her nose up at him in mock-irritation, eyes glimmering.
"Don't make me send you sprawling to the ground screaming in pain."
"What? Just so I have to kiss you again?" He appeared to consider it, "I'd call that a fair trade for how long it's been since I've had the privilege."
She growled. "I take it back."
"I'm hurt." He moved his right hand up to his chest to express his emotional pain, "And here I thought you were trying to come up with an excuse to get me to kiss you again. You know you only have to ask."
"I didn't ask for you to kiss me in the first place, Kit." It came out similar to her growl from before, if belied by the smile her lips pulled up to.
"Well, then, I suppose sometimes my kisses are free." He stuck his nose in the air loftily.
"Most of the time they come with a price, if I remember correctly." She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Never for you, Yoku."
"Debateable."
It was hard to miss the marking on his hand that swirled a ways up his forearm passed his elbow, pressed to his heart as he had it, and her eyes rested on it, him following her gaze and pulling down the hand in front of the both of them.
His smile turned softer, losing any of the teasing it had formerly held as he inspected the heart-shaped mark.
"As I once marked you, so you now mark me." He murmured pleasantly, "Fitting. Don't you think?"
She did not answer. She could feel within the mark that a portion of her energy resided within it, hidden from anyone but herself, a sign of his eligibility to become her Consort. The fact that it already had embellishments came as no surprise to her, for this was a demon whom she had known for a very long time.
"I do miss seeing my whiskers on those cheeks though." He reached up with that hand underneath the veil of her hair that had come free from behind her ear when she leaned over his hand to look at it and he brushed the backs of his fingers lightly where she once had his markings, the markings passed from the Champion to the Ward.
At his touch, she remembered vividly the bite he had given her, injecting with his fangs a portion of his demonic energy directly into her veins in much the same manner that a partner would do as a part of the mating ritual. A burning ache had flowed through her body as his energy had spread to mingle with her blood and her own energy. It was meant to seal the bond between them, but instead of scarring into his Mark in the place he had bit her like if they had been life-mating, the wound healed and a mark appeared at her cheeks, a symbol of their unique union. She recalled the feeling of when the three marks like whiskers on either cheek would glow with his energy when she was in danger, effectively breaking her unintentional spell more than once. And she remembered how she used to mute that power, so that she could work under his protective eye and still gather information for them.
All of this passed over her thoughts in an instant, even as his fingers left her skin and moved her hair back behind her ear.
She started back, feet shifting a little away from him as if aware of his proximity.
He peered questioningly down at her, but said nothing. Not here. Not with...another present. 3
Hiei stood there for a few more moments, his fingers twitching slightly at his side with the returning urge to peel back his cloak. But he paused as his eyes caught sight of the mark on this demon's hand, very similar to the one Shubou had had on his forehead before Shikiyoku had relieved him of it.
Somehow, he felt as if that mark was very symbolic of something he should know the meaning of. As if he'd known once, but couldn't remember. But he was more than fairly certain that he'd never come across something like this before, where two demons had very similar marks and that they were related to one single demon.
Both marked demons having eyes for Shikiyoku.
…
…
…
What in the hell.
The longer he stayed here, the less comfortable he felt.
So the fire demon turned and slipped from the carpeted room to the kitchen, and towards the back door.
~!**!~
Akari's lips twitched and she narrowed her eyes at Kurama a bit in a playful manner. "I had called upon your wits mainly because I'd been goaded into work-mode. Dangerous thread you're traipsing across, fox." She leaned forward a little, eyes sparkling with mirth. "and what I wish is none of your concern." *
Kurama opened his eyes to look at her, taking on a more melancholy expression, "I'm terribly hurt you would say such things." He resisted the urge to smile quite well. "You're not very nice."
~!**!~
Shikiyoku heard him move away, and even twitched her head in his direction, but when she opened her mouth to say something, it came closed again, feeling that he desired to remove himself from the situation.
"He seemed eager to leave." The cat-demon murmured.
"You make him uncomfortable." She pointed out.
"And why on earth would that be?" He leaned down and started to kiss her cheek.
"Kitoushi..." It didn't come out quite like a warning, but more of a sigh.
"What? You know what I desire, do you not?"
A wrinkle appeared inbetween her eyebrows.
"It's been a long time, Yoku." He kissed her again and this time she did actually step away, leaving him standing with eyebrows raised.
She still looked to the side, refusing to meet his gaze.
"And for you as well, if memory serves." He commented, eyes flickering towards the exit the fire demon had just made before he took another step.
"Don't-" She held up a hand between them, "Just...don't, Kit."
"Shikiyoku-"
The doorbell rang and she looked up at him and he down at her, after which he promptly gave her a shrug.
"Strange..." She said to herself as she turned to answer the door.
When she opened it, there was a lanky demon standing there, wringing his hands together and looking surprised when she appeared before him.
"A-are you..." He fumbled to speak, but held out his hand, palm up to her, blushing and looking to the side. "P-please, I don't..."
Her confusion turned kinder. She recognized the demon, though she doubted he actually remembered her.
She took the hand as she peered at him, "Can you get home on your own?" If he didn't live on the first layer, she didn't think he could get back to his own layer unless she took him herself.
He nodded, still too flustered to say much.
Without further hesitation, she pressed her lips to the mark that adorned his palm and the energy she could feel within it released into the air and returned to her.
They both gave each other a small smile, the demon nodding his thanks before he turned to leave, disappearing beyond the wall at the end of the sidewalk leading up to her home when he turned to go down the street.
She watched him leave, frowning, and as she went to shut the door another demon appeared, coming up the walkway, leaving Shikiyoku standing with her jaw open a little as she could easily make out the mark that he wore on his cheek.
You've got to be kidding me.
A second demon followed that one, and then a third and Shikiyoku put her hand up to her forehead and started rubbing her eyebrows with her fingers.
You've gotta be fucking kidding me. 3
Hiei left the house on silent feet, his steps just as quiet on the grass as it had been on the wood and carpet. He glanced over his shoulder only briefly before he folded himself between the layers, leaving her to.. whatever was going on. His body blurred from the first layer and to the second, then from the second and to the third, where he stalled and took a brief glance around.
It was the proper layer, but as to the direction he needed to go…
He couldn't remember exactly, now that he was standing here. He took another glance around, noted a demon that passed him by, then turned and set off in a direction he vaguely remembered taking.
And as his feet moved, he found familiar territory, a layer he had completely ignored when he'd gone through Demon World. A level he hadn't paid any attention to then.
A layer he now wanted to seek refuge in, where no one could interrupt his personal inspection of whatever it was he'd felt earlier.
~!**!~
Akari's smile widened to show all of her teeth. "Being nice hasn't gotten me very far. If you wanted nice, you should've met me twelve years ago, sir." She rolled her eyes to the sky. "Well, that isn't exactly the truth. Nice got me places for a while. Made trade easier, along with exploiting other territories."
When her eyes came back down to rest on Kurama, her gaze softened. "What's on your mind, fox?" *
"Only that I'm glad I have met you now and not twelve years ago." His face brightened into a small smile.
[It's not the only thing.]
{Like I need you to remind me.}
[Apparently you do.]
~!**!~
Shikiyoku glared at the back of Kitoushi's head, which she could easily make out over the back of the couch.
"Why won't you hide me like I asked?"
The doorbell rang for the umpteenth time and Shikiyoku twitched.
Kit did not so much as move in any indication that she had heard him, an ear only flicking back to take in the sound of the doorbell, his eyes fixed on the television he had on and was watching intently.
"Because you know it wouldn't matter, my lady." He finally replied into the silence between them. "They will find you no matter where you go. They are drawn to you."
"I hate you." She said firmly as she turned to go back to the door before it fell in on itself.
"Love you too, Iro." He called after her with a smile.
~!**!~
Taka stalked through the trees on the Fourth Layer, grinding his teeth together.
He'd given up on flying.
Until a few hours ago, he had not known about the existence of these 'layers,' as he had privately started calling them.
Until a few hours ago, he had been blissfully unaware.
Until a few hours ago, he had not been dragged across these 'layers' relentlessly, without so much as an inkling of control of where or when the dragging occurred.
Oh, he knew exactly what it was that drove him forward. The image of her in his head had not so much as flickered since his upheaval started. Each time he blinked she was there, whether in her true demon form as he knew her from the beginning or in the tinier, more human-like form he had met not all that long ago in the scheme of things. It didn't matter.
All that mattered was that flying had not ended well and so he was forced to walk like some sort of idiotic ground-dweller.
Letting out a frustrated noise, Taka stopped in his tracks, rubbing at his neck absently until he realized what he was doing and quickly pulled his hand down. It had become a habit. The thing kept burning right before-
A tug at his midsection nearly had him stumbling, his vision blurring as he felt his body being yanked up from the fourth layer to the third, where, when he landed, his wings popped into existence to help him get steady on his feet, flapping a few times as he caught himself and this time rubbed at his forehead and the dull ache that he now expected since it'd happened after every shift. 3
Hiei continued walking, a hand reaching up and tugging at his scarf and loosening it from the tight coil it had around his neck, his eyes glancing about briefly before he felt perfectly content with checking now instead of waiting.
So with a fluid movement, the scarf was loose and simply hanging down his front, and a hand was sliding to the collar of his cloak, pausing in silent debate to pull the whole thing off or to just peek and see what was going on.
~!**!~
Akari raised a brow. "Yeah, I'm sure if you'd met me twelve years ago, you'd be bored." Her teeth flashed in the dying light of the sun's setting rays. "And would likely want nothing to do with my kind. We're rather dependent upon one another. Usually."
"See you when you get back then, love."
Akari nearly physically flinched, but refrained, the only change in in her demeanor was a slight twitch of her lips that quickly returned to their wide grin. "And we certainly had nothing to offer that was shiney by any standards." *
"Twelve years ago, I would have just been walking and talking." Kurama replied, his expression devoid of emotions. "And quite possibly only just out of diapers, though admittedly I do not recall." He masked his amusement at her, though Youko was indeed laughing from within their minds.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku had gotten comfortable on the couch, her head laying in Kit's lap where he had taken to stroking her hair as they mind-numbingly watched whatever show the TV happened to be playing.
His actions actually had lulled her close to sleep, even more so on the occasions where he would bury his hand in her hair and start rubbing his fingers on her scalp.
So, naturally, the doorbell rang and her entire body tensed up into awakeness.
She let out a groan as Kit took his hand out of her hair and rested it on her shoulder.
"I would answer it, but really it's for you anyway."
She started to get up, sticking her tongue out at him.
"You're so kind."
"I know."
It was difficult not to roll her eyes at him, but the desire was there.
~!**!~
"Yo! Flame-boy!" Taka called out, spotting the fire demon and beginning to move towards him. "You get stuck on the third layer too?" 3
Hiei's entire being froze at the so-called 'nickname' that was shouted at him, and his fingers, which had begun to push away the cloth of his cloak. He saw nothing, but hadn't had a chance to look far enough under the cloak to be satisfied. But he had no choice.
In a single movement, the cloak resettled where it had originally rested and he had his scarf tossed over his neck again, and he was turning to face the idiot who'd called to him in the fashion that left him wanting to skin a demon alive.
And the demon he saw made it very tempting to simply disappear from one layer to the next.
"Stuck?" Hiei repeated, tone filled with irritation. "Hardly." I have no patience for the likes of you today.
~!**!~
Akari's mouth emitted a small laugh to herself. "Right, I forgot. You would've been close to four then, technically." Her lips pursed together, then were pulled inwards as she refused another laugh. She could just imagine the boy this person would have been. And it was just too amusing and, quite frankly, adorable. *
"Allow me to also say that I'm glad you had not met me twelve years ago." He said wryly, thinking of how vindictive and arrogant the spirit of Youko had made him originally, the fox demon impatient with his growth as well as Youko's own slowness at recovery.
~!**!~
Taka wasn't quite sure how to take that.
"Really." He gave the fire demon a bit of a stare. "Don't tell me you knew about this whole 'layer' business?" 3
Hiei's brow raised only a bit in incredulity. He had half a mind to say he'd witnessed the cause of the "layer business", but decided against it, in the end.
"Naturally." He responded simply, impatience growing by the second.
Because in his head, all he could hear was the words this demon had spoken so long ago. Words this demon didn't know the fire koorime had heard. Words that used to be words he would kill over. Words he still fought against, even over a century later.
"Did you assume I simply manifested on this layer, bird-brain? I'm not weak enough to be sucked back and forth."
~!**!~
"Would have been quite the sight, I'm sure." Akari commented, pulling her lips into her mouth again and turning her eyes away. She assumed Youko's spirit would have been a huge factor in his childhood days, but other than that she was stuck imagining the chubby baby cheeks he would have, the messy toddler-hair. The ridiculous outfits.
Stop it, Akari. *
"I was not...nice." Kurama finally said.
His mind was drawn back to the moment that had brought about his change, and within his head he could feel Youko becoming more impatient with the red-head.
The scars his mother wore because of the fall...
The craving for the cookies she had placed on the higher shelf...
The glass and his mother falling...
The memories shifted to a timeframe much longer in the past, and he found himself recalling through Youko's eyes a moment when the demonic form of a female Youko assured him was Shikiyoku took what was basically an arrow for the fox, leaving him, the Champion, feeling useless for the week that it took her to recover from the poison that had been imbedded in the tip.
That someone...a mere human, would imitate such a gesture...needless to say, Youko had withdrawn from the forefront of the boy's awareness, left him to live his own life as his contemplation of the moment actually drew him into a slumber that the boy never really figured out how to break.
~!**!~
"Is that so?" Taka raised a brown eyebrow at the fire demon. "Well. Pardon me for assuming you were here for the same reason as I." He appeared smug at the thought that Hiei wasn't being jerked around, closer to Shikiyoku. Wherever she was.
The mark at his neck started burning again and Taka reached up to rub at it before his hand dropped and his eyes grew wide when he recognized the signs, feeling another pull.
Before he could say anything snarky in reference to him being a part of...whatever this was in reference to Shikiyoku, his vision blurred and his wings spread from where they had been hanging down his back while he was jerked onto the second layer.
When he had landed relatively safely, out of view of the fire demon so he thought, he reached up and rubbed at his forehead again.
"Good gods, sweetheart... Where are you?" 3
Hiei felt his lips pull into a sneer as he noticed the beginnings of the blur around Taka's form, and the words "Good day, bird-brain," slipped from his lips before he could resist, just before Taka blurred entirely, his form nothing more than that in front of him now.
Hiei moved to pass through the blurred form, easily doing so, and only glanced back briefly to ensure the bird didn't return to this level.
Only to catch swirling markings on the back of Taka's neck.
Markings that left the fire demon staring, halted in place. So the words the demon uttered left the fire demon rather temperamental for reasons he couldn't exactly explain.
Fool.
Hiei continued to stand there, to stare at the black ink on the back of Taka's neck.
You don't deserve her.
That thought was the most random, most unexplainable thing to have ever crossed his mind, and at first he didn't notice.
Not someone with as small of a brain as you have, and certainly not someone as ridiculously, foolishly impetuous as you.
With that last thought, he turned and continued walking in the direction he'd been going, destination in mind and the path clear again, as if he hadn't been interrupted in the first place. And this time, he didn't notice the warmth spreading along his arm.
~!**!~
Akari's gaze softened. She knew what he meant; he'd told her, though at the time, she'd merely become irritated at him. Baffled and unable to speak against him, as was his point. At the time, she'd been too mad to care, too… as selfish as it was to admit, she had been too insulted by the way he'd spoken to her, by using her weaknesses against her.
Though, it'd gotten him the result he'd wanted, right?
And what for? A few fleeting moments here and there when they were free? Sitting in a field that slept during the day?
She wanted to tell him it didn't matter, but really, who was she to say that?
So she gave a small smile, suddenly thought of something she hadn't thought of in a while, and reached into her pocket. Part of her routine then had been to keep it on her, in case she randomly thought of it.
And for the first time in months, she'd remembered it, and it just so happened that she'd kept it in this particular pair of jeans. Her favorite pair, which was fitting because… well, reasons.
She pulled her hand from her pocket and pulled it up to her view, eyes resting on the palm of her hand before her smile widened into a toothy one, and the seed in her hand quickly grew, shifting into a rose she'd almost forgotten she'd had.
She twirled the stem in her fingers a moment before holding it out to Kurama, sticking her tongue out playfully. "Niceness comes with time for some people, demons especially. Like wine, most of us tend to get better the older we are." *
Kurama heard her rustling around and opened an eye after a moment, following it with the second one and upon seeing the rose, flicked his gaze up to her eyes and smiled.
"I think that holds truer for some than for others." He replied, his hand reaching out until he caught her chin briefly in his fingers before lowering his hand back down to let it rest over his chest.
~!**!~
The sun had fallen and a light rain had picked up over the house on the first layer.
In an attempt at 'running away' from those who sought her out, Shikiyoku was on the roof of the house, laying out with her arms behind her head and her eyes closed, untouched by the misting water as she sat firmly blurred between the two layers.
So far...it appeared to be working. She hadn't heard the doorbell ring for a few hours. She'd almost ripped the thing out of the wall.
Not that she'd ever particularly had a place outside of the old Ninth Level that she would have considered a 'refuge,' but having her house invaded consistently for the rest of this day had put a major damper on how attached she was to the building.
~!**!~
Taka growled at the rain, feeling his hair matting down to his head and getting in his eyes as he stalked in...a direction...that he thought might be correct.
At least the mark hadn't burned in a while. Maybe he was finally at the end of the layers.
He made for a tree and sulked underneath it, his wings wet and his mood fowl.
Ha ha. Very funny, Taka.
He growled again, rustling his feathers and flinging water off of them, their dampness off-putting and making his attitude worse.
He hated the rain. 3
Hiei walked for what felt like hours, which was very likely on this layer. So, when he reached the clearing he'd been heading to, he was unsurprised to find an untouched hammock, an old set up for a campfire. weapons discarded beneath the hammock, just as he remembered.
Except the trees were larger, a few fallen around the clearing and branches scattered about. Vines wound around each other and covered the ground and barks of the trees, almost hiding the weapons and fire pit from view.
He walked by all of this, almost as if he didn't see it, and took to standing at the ledge of a cliff, looking down into the darkness, just as he had in Shikiyoku's dreams the night before. This time, however, he did not stir the creatures below. The area was anything but peaceful, with predatory creatures lurking around even as he stood there, some large and some small. Each creature's footstep did not go unnoticed by the fire demon, who continued to stare in the lack of silence in the once peaceful area.
And area that used to be enchanted to be a hideaway.
"But I enjoy the view, Hiei. You aren't going to make me pack up so soon, are you? I mean, the area is enchanted; no demon can get by without my permission. Not even you, if I willed it as such."
"Sorcery comes with a price, don't you recall?"
"Of course. Every day of my life. But that's why we should stay, because the moment I revoke my hold on it is the moment karma comes back."
"Suit yourself. I know better than lingering longer than I should. You should learn the same lesson, Haruka."
"Hiei, if you leave with no intention of returning, I can't allow you back in."
"That's what it means to have no intentions of coming back."
A snap of a twig had Hiei turning to look over his shoulder, memories abandoned. "Show yourself, coward."
"These lands are dangerous, demon."
"Only for the fools." Hiei glared at the form that emerged, head bowed and eyes hidden.
"There have been tales of destruction of souls on these lands."
"Only fools believe tales."
With that, Hiei decided he'd had enough of this layer and he blurred between the layers, going nowhere in particular.
~!**!~
Akari gave a huff and turned the rose upside down in her hold, then proceeded to let it drop onto his nose, landing neatly and balancing enough to remain where she'd wanted it. "Shut up and smell the rose." she grumbled, turning her eyes to the side. "You're not fun when you're like that." *
"Oh?" He didn't move, the rose staying in place even as he spoke. "And how am I supposed to be, exactly, to engage in this activity you're referring to as 'fun?'"
~!**!~
This...this was the place. He...he knew it. But...
But then how come I don't feel as if this is over yet?
Taka, hunched over from the rain hitting him, looked the house up and down, seeing lights on, but not particularly feeling as if the direct approach to the front door was the most fruitful.
Perhaps if he could get a look into the surrounding area.
His wings weren't drying anytime soon since he refused to put them away wet and the rain hadn't stopped, so he fluffed them out as best he could and then lifted himself from the ground with a couple of flaps, getting air enough to run up the sloped portion of the roof to the flatter middle.
Feeling his feet hitting the rooftop, Shikiyoku woke herself up, picking her head up from her hands to look in that direction and exclaiming, "Taka?!"
The bird-demon froze in place, eyes darting around the rooftop. Even if he couldn't hear her, he felt a tug and stayed where he had landed, crouched and ready for...something.
Shikiyoku, against her better judgement, unphased and said his name again, earning the demon's attention, whose eyes widened upon seeing her sitting with her hands propped behind her, holding herself up.
He was certain she hadn't been there the moment before.
"You can do that too, huh?" He grumbled, obviously pleased at having found her and he walked the length of the roof to the side she lay on. "Can we...can we talk somewhere else?" He shoulders hunched up again, his pointed ears moving slightly in his agitation.
A bit reluctantly, Shikiyoku held out her hand after a pause, and Taka took it, though his expression reflected his curiosity.
She blurred between the layers, taking him with her and he appeared to turn a little green, attempting to release her hand.
She shook her head and kept her grip, scooting back to lean up against what could have been a chimney behind her, "Not unless you want to drop back into one of the layers."
"I never thought I'd be less happy to hold your hand." His stomach roiled and he moved to sit down next to her, leaning up against the same wall she did and throwing his arm over her shoulders, at which point she let his hand go. 3
~!**!~
Akari gave a shrug, turned her eyes to Kurama again, and smiled at the fact that the rose remained where she'd dropped it, balancing still on his nose and not even so much as wavering. "You could do a hat trick, but neither of us have a hat, so.." She rolled her eyes up as if actually considering it. She stayed quiet for a moment, even when she decided she was tired of sitting and leaned forward, shifting around on her knees until she could lay on her stomach next to Kurama, her hands supporting her chin.
Suddenly, she was thinking about Isamu's words, about returning home and what it would be like if she did choose to go. Would she be able to leave? Would she even have a chance to stay if she so desired?
"For a week, and if you don't like it, I'll come stay with you for a week!"
Idiot.
The thought had her stomach churning and she turned her face away from Kurama, resting her cheek on her hands.
"I'm gonna want that rose before we part ways, just so you know." *
Kurama let the rose rest where she had placed it a few seconds longer before reaching up and taking it between his fingers, twirling it around as he looked up at it.
"Who says we have to part ways?"
[ME!]
~!**!~
"What did you need to talk to me about, Taka?"
As if she didn't already know. As if she couldn't feel her energy in the mark at his neck, couldn't feel where it had expanded to the back between his shoulder-blades.
Taka didn't answer for a moment, his head resting against the wall, blessedly out of the rain. He shifted a little to adjust his wings behind him.
"I...I haven't been able to get you out of my head."
"That's nothing new."
"Shikiyoku." He said long-sufferingly, giving her a look.
At him actually using her name, she let her mouth shut around her next retort.
"And you..." He started up again after another pause. "You've marked me. I think."
Remembering it, he reached up and rubbed his hand at the side of his neck, above his collarbone.
"I-" He took a breath, shifting again, "I think you should remove it." 3
~!**!~
For a mere moment, Akari's eyes widened and she gave a smile, but the expression passed and she was just as quickly giving a bark of a laugh. "I'm sure you'd rather not abandon the reason you've stayed on the first layer for so long, hm?" She retorted calmly, not turning to face him yet. "We both have things to do, remember?"
I don't wanna leave. Not right now. So I won't.
"And I didn't mean this very second, you loon." Hopefully not soon. *
"Things to do?" He echoed, turning onto his side to face her and gently brushing the edge of the rose against her ear. "What things?"
~!**!~
Shikiyoku could hardly believe her ears.
"Come again?"
"Well, I mean," He flushed with embarrassment. "I don't- I don't really know why it's there. And I'm not sure if I should know. So, wouldn't it just be easier for you to get rid of it for me? That way I wouldn't have to know."
"I...I could do that." She admitted carefully. "If you want me to."
Taka nodded, "You should."
His eyes were closed when she looked over at him, so she was unable to read his expression in any case. Her eyes went to his neck, where she could see swirls of the mark from this side, knowing the heart lay on the opposite side, just under his jaw.
Taka lifted his head and turned to look at her.
"Just-" He grinned, "Just take me back to the lowest layer after you do it, alright?"
She laughed, "Why not leave you stranded here?" She poked his side, starting to move.
"In the rain?" His brown eyes grew larger and more pitiful.
"You're so helpless." She informed him.
"Always." He grinned again.
His arm had shifted when she sat up, and she kept in contact with it as she deftly stepped over his leg from her crouch, though he almost instinctively had grasped her elbow as if she might fall. His other knee was raised and she leaned into it, letting his arm go and gently tipping his face out of the way until she could see the black, ink-like heart that had at some point taken shape on his darker skin.
She glanced briefly up at him to see that he was watching her as best he could, then moved her face closer. 3
~!**!~
Akari resisted the urge to bat at the feeling that tickled at her ear, finding she was too comfortable to throw her arm up and over herself. After all, she knew it wasn't an insect, because Kurama had moved, and now this. Wiseacre.
"That thing I mentioned earlier, for Genkai," she began, giving a small sigh of content at just laying there, just being there, despite the continuous tickling sensation. "Gotta deal with-" she cut herself off, giving a small frown and rewording her own sentence, "-problematic situations that arise, because you know those happen a lot." She paused, gave another sigh, "and then check in with Koenma, though he's busy as ever so I'm giving him time to go uninterrupted, for once. At least, by me anyway." There were other, less important things too, but why share those? *
"Those all sound terribly important." He murmured, watching her through half-lidded eyes. He let the rose rest against the side of her head. "So I'm glad you think the best thing to do right now is just lay here."
~!**!~
"Taka, what the hell?! Really?!"
Shikiyoku muttered more curses in his direction, sprinting after the laughing bird-demon who tore down the empty sidewalk in front of her, his apparent dislike for the rain cast aside as he even went so far as to turn backwards and stick his tongue out at her.
It wasn't fair that his wings would occasionally stream-line out behind him, which Shikiyoku knew made him faster on the ground.
At least he hadn't taken to the sky yet, though she could see his feathers were so wet she wasn't sure if he could actually take flight. It also indicated to her that he was flat-out enjoying having her chase him. And honestly, she wasn't positive why she was doing so.
She stopped, eyes closing and an eyebrow quirking in irritation.
Taka came to a halt as well, sending a grin in her direction.
"Giving up so soon, sweetheart?"
She growled at him, then sighed.
"You're not going to let me catch you." 3
Hiei landed on the first layer again, already soaked to the bone from the rain on the second layer, which was just as bad as the downpour on this layer as well. He growled to himself and continued down the sidewalk, walking in no particular direction, but just walking despite his hate for the rain.
He was too lazy to go from layer to layer again.
So his hair stuck to his forehead, cheeks, and the back of his neck. His scarf and cloak had become extremely heavy from the amount of liquid the cloth absorbed, and quite frankly, he was in quite the mood.
Maybe he should've stayed inside earlier, instead of impulsively taking off for reasons he couldn't recall at the moment. He swiped his bangs from his eyes in irritation, the water falling in rivers down his face and making them slide right back where they'd been in mere moments.
At first, he didn't notice the two he was now walking towards, too wrapped up in his ire of the storm to look around himself, too preoccupied with brushing his hair to the side and flicking water away to even notice he passed by Taka wordlessly.
A few steps after he passed Taka, he looked up to see Shikiyoku, soaked like he was, and raised a brow at her. He glanced briefly over his shoulder, grumbled something about a bird, then continued on without pause, walking by Shikiyoku as well.
"I loathe water." he grumbled to her as he passed, nothing more than a mild complaint he decided to voice to show he'd acknowledged her.
~!**!~
"Well, even I need a break here and there, so I'm taking my break now." Akari let the rose stay where Kurama had rested it, too lazy to move a hand and grab it, and too lazy to even make it change forms again. And, she rather enjoyed the scent that wafted to her nose periodically now, more potent than before. "No better place to do so, in my opinion." Your presence is always calming, always… welcoming.
And warm. *
"No better...person to do so with." Kurama mumbled a bit lazily, lips smiling a little.
[Seriously, Red? ...really?]
~!**!~
She really hadn't noticed how her black outfit clung to her even more so than usual until she suddenly realized Hiei was walking past Taka and approaching her, seeing how his hair was lengthened by the water until it hung well over his eyes.
At that point she felt the tanktop hugging her skin, drips of water gathering at her chin and her hair clinging to her neck and shoulders and her cheek as well.
The brief memory of Taka pulling away from the kiss she meant to plant on his neck, instead catching her up in her moment of disbelief to steal a kiss of his own on her lips flashed over her mind's eye.
Maybe that was why she had taken to chasing him. For his impetuousness.
She gave Taka a withering glare and turned to fall in step beside Hiei.
"Then perhaps you should get out of the rain." 3
"Don't patronize me. That's what I'm doing," Hiei retorted grumpily, hands again pushing his hair up and out of his face, only for it to flop back down and smack his skin. He continued to wipe water from his face fruitlessly, uselessly, and even made an attempt to get his hands into his cloak pockets, which was just as fruitless as the other tasks.
"This is ridiculous," he growled to himself, suddenly forgetting she was following him. He even pulled his sheathed katana out from under his cloak and carried it in his hand, feeling the cloak stick to his legs and hug his form in the most irritating of ways. And for the first time ever, he considered ripping it from his body and tossing it aside.
~!**!~
Akari's lips tilted into a soft smile. My thoughts exactly. She drew in a deep, contented sigh and released it through her smiling lips, her eyelids sliding closed just in time to miss the sudden blossoming of the flowers around her, which startled her only slightly, just enough to peel her eyelids open again and watch the unfurling petals around her.
"I hope you don't mind, but I don't plan on leaving this spot any time soon." *
Kurama drew the rose away from her, ending up with it resting against his other arm.
"Well, that's good." He replied, "Because I wasn't planning on giving this back any time soon."
He had felt the energy moving through the flowers and their opening did not disturb him, though the earth underneath him did seem to feel warmer because of it.
~!**!~
She glanced over at him as he removed his weapon and walked with it in his hand, her eyes going up to take in his hair again.
"It won't help anything." She shrugged, feeling his desire to cast off his cloak and knowing it would likely make things worse. "Not until we're inside anyway." 3
Hiei raised a brow at her and turned his unblinking red gaze onto Shikiyoku. "That's new." he remarked, tone still filled with irritation, but not exactly aimed at her. And he had quite the urge to thank her for the obvious fact, but decided against it and simply huffed once, making rainwater suddenly scatter away from his lips and nose in little droplets.
He turned around the block and continued down the street, his feet moving in a set destination that he moved towards simply out of instinct, without even thinking about it.
Suddenly, he remembered the dropped sweet snow and his mood soured even further. Oh well. He was chilled enough as it was, considering the rain and its unrelenting downfall.
Without a single hesitation, Hiei turned and made his way up the sidewalk of Shikiyoku's house, his energy quickly enveloping in a very hot cloud to evaporate any water around him as he walked, to ensure he didn't simply waltz into the house and leave puddles in her carpet.
~!**!~
"As I said, as long as I get it back before parting ways. I rather enjoy it, even if sometimes I forget about it." She made a small sound in amusement. "Sentimental value, y'know?" She made a face, though she knew he wouldn't see it, and shifted her body just a little, extended a hand to poke at the flower closest to her face with sleepy attentions. "So pretty…" *
"Only sentimental value?" He murmured, lower lip pouting a bit, "I had hoped it would grow into something more than that."
~!**!~
New? What on earth was he talking about?
She had to hurry her steps to catch up with him, almost falling behind with the distraction, and ruefully watched him become drip-free in a matter of moments, feeling the water run down the side of her face as her teeth started to chatter, though she didn't feel cold. 3
Hiei felt the water on his skin, on his clothes quickly dissipate into the night air, and each drop that continued to fall near him doing the same before it could even have a chance to touch him. And he withheld this bubble of heat, this rain-free zone around his body even as he walked up the sidewalk to Shikiyoku's house.
He only paused in his lazy saunter when he heard Shikiyoku's teeth clattering against each other, and he glanced at her with a raised brow. He gave an impatient stare, widened the bubble around himself to for at least three people inside, and then pulled Shikiyoku by her wrist into the space of heat. It would take just a minute longer due to her body temperature being lower than his, but it would work much the same way.
"Simple as that," he remarked as her skin began to dry first.
~!**!~
"If it makes you feel better, it's been the only consistent thing in my house aside from Nabu and myself." Akari's lips formed a thin smile of amusement. "Which, by the way, I cleaned up and even had fixed. Pretty nice when it isn't moldy and disgusting." She gave a long yawn. "Still has a way to go, but I like it. I think I'm gonna keep it." *
"That doesn't make me feel any better at all." He mumbled at her, pausing for a second and realize what it sounded like he said, and that he didn't mean it like that. "I mean, not that your house doesn't sound lovely. But you should just tell me you missed me or something."
~!**!~
Having him grab her was a little surprising, though equally so was behind surrounded by his energy, which immediately warmed her and evaporated the droplets on her smooth skin.
She glared up at a strand of hair that fell over her eyes, sending a puff of air at it from the corner of her mouth, only to have it immediately fall back into place.
Making a noise of impatience, she tossed her head slightly, feeling her hair drying and settling around her face and shoulders like normal, minus annoying strand.
"Thank you." She said primly to Hiei, though she did give him a smile after a moment. 3
Hiei didn't respond to Shikiyoku's thanks other than letting his energy focus on her for a bit, forming a hazy ring around her in the air, even as he pushed the door to her house open and stepped inside, turning his head towards the couch where he saw a demon watching the screen of a television, completely comfortable on the couch.
"I assume your real name is far from Maneshi," Hiei spoke calmly to the other, taking to standing over the back of the couch, eyes on the television screen almost curiously.
~!**!~
Akari gave no longer than a second's pause after Kurama was done speaking. "I missed you, okay?" she grumbled, shifting around a bit more and burying her face in her arm. "There. I said it," came her even quieter words, muffled by the ground she was facing. *
"Hm." He smiled, unable to resist the small feeling of victory at her response. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I missed you too. Though, I imagine you already guessed at that."
~!**!~
Kitoushi glanced at Hiei out of the corner of his eyes, but flicked them back to the screen.
"You can call me Maneshi if you like."
"Please don't." Shikiyoku interjected, coming up next to Hiei. "Naming a cat what essentially comes out to mean 'cat' was not one of my more shining moments."
Kitoushi's eyes crinkled at the edges though his lips did not turn upwards to smile.
"Well, then perhaps Iro-"
Shikiyoku held up a hand and interrupted him, "Nope. Not even. Old habits may die hard for me, but there is no reason to continue that charade anymore." She gave an amused snort, "I doubt there is a single being alive on the First Layer that has even heard the name 'Iro,' and there's no reason for me to hide any longer in any case.
"Hiei, this is Kitoushi. Kitoushi, this is Hiei."
"I know the prince of fire well, m'lady." He did turn his head this time until he could see Hiei from over his shoulder. 3
Hiei had to fight the sound that threatened to rumble in his chest out of amusement, though it wasn't a difficult battle. It wasn't difficult to hold in what little amusement he felt in the moment, considering his mood was still clouded by the rain outside.
The fire demon nodded once when Kitoushi finally turned to look at him. Indeed. Had they been standing, facing one another, Hiei would have actually bowed in respect, but from this angle it wouldn't do much good.
And he had nothing to say, so he settled for nodding again and turned to move throughout the house, deciding he'd had enough of his hair and was going to fix that problem.
Preferably with a smaller blade than the one he currently held in his hands.
~!**!~
Akari smiled into the crook of her elbow, then gave a long sigh of content. "Just remember if you're ever bored, I'm always around," she grumbled again, fighting away the very strong urge to let her mind give into the darkness of sleep. Because, really, when was the last time she stayed awake because she wanted to? When was the last time she stayed awake to have basic conversation, and not plan out projects or map out her next moves? "I like you. You're my favorite." *
At that Kurama opened his eyes to look at her.
"I'm always terribly bored. So you should stay around all the time."
~!**!~
Kitoushi turned away after Hiei nodded his greeting and moved off, his expression unreadable.
Shikiyoku had leaned up over the back of the couch, elbow resting on it and face in her palm.
"He would have bowed, you know." She mumbled through her fingers.
"Is that so?"
"If he hadn't moved off so fast, you would have gotten up to do the same."
Kit moved his head again to look at her this time, and she couldn't make out anything within his blue and brown eyes, though she found herself staring back at him.
"He did an excellent job with you." Kit said simply, giving away nothing of his thoughts in a manner even more closed off than Shikiyoku was used to.
He slowly closed and opened his eyes in a blink that she recognized as the deepest of approval for the cat, finding that he had retained much more of his animal form than she ever remembered him having previously, a thought she wondered at even as he turned away.
She'd always had trouble sensing his desires, but now it was almost as if he was closed off from her completely. And it made her want to try harder.
"I...I was stuck for a long time." His gaze lowered. Kitoushi knew better than anyone that he now felt more comfortable as a feline than in his natural form. "Forgive me."
"For what?" She tossed out without expecting an answer, turning away to follow after Hiei. 3
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star