A/N: Hello once again, Audience!
As mentioned previously, updates will be rather erratic.
At the moment, CM and I are, interestingly enough, currently writing on sort of alternate universe to our alternate universe. Ha. We had done this a while back, though what we worked on at that time was more of an OOC sort of set-up, which actually takes place several chapters back, before Shikiyoku had a pain form and while Hiei was still her Champion. I had planned on posting it, though the "scene" has so far never actually been completed. Really, we've moved so far passed where it took place in the story that the characters are all so different where we are now, so the chances of us going back and finishing the scene is a rather slim one.
If I do end up posting it, I'll be sure to let everyone here reading this story know (probably by putting it in an author's notes of a yet-to-come chapter).
I remember wanting to post a "part two" sort of thing with a new story and all when this story reached a hundred chapters because I didn't want to turn anyone away that might be intimidated by how many chapters there are (I know sometimes I skip on reading a ff that has a ton of chapters), but kudos to you (yes, you!) for making it this far! In any case, since I'm not posting on the story regularly anymore, I won't start a new one.
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).
The above rule also applies to Akari's old friend Isamu when he is in his dog-form.
Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!
Still recovering from her near-death experience, Akari and Kurama continue to exchange banter,
Kurama having been taking care of her for an indeterminate amount of time since.
Kurama admits to having pulled some strings to make sure he was the one caring for her,
but the two still strive to keep their relationship a secret from Yomi,
which leads to Kurama spelling things into her palm,
a method that meant Yomi would not be able to hear.
Akari comes to realize she has not eaten in a long while,
and Kurama accompanies her to the kitchens.
She cuts herself an orange,
and finds herself staring at Kurama,
an action which has him asking if she sees anything of interest.
~!**!~
Both Shikiyoku and Hiei needing a bit of recovery from their run through the layers,
and with her hand still in his, Shikiyoku leads the two of them to the Seventh Layer,
and a bath house located there ((that is totally heavily based upon the bath house in Spirited Away))
Upon arrival, Hiei notes that not a single resident of either the town or bath house
appears to give him, The Cursed Child, a second glance.
And he finds himself somewhat relieved.
Going to a side door, Shikiyoku manages to get herself and Hiei inside,
via a demon named Meijin, revealing in the process that she had been here on many occasions,
at the behest of Youko Kurama and usually for a job which he assigned her.
The demon escorts the two of them to a set of rooms called The Crimson Pools,
the three of them silently passing another Cursed Child,
also of ice and fire blood, though much older than Hiei,
on the way there.
When they reach The Crimson Pools,
Hiei is introduced to what is called a "fire room,"
and while Shikiyoku heads out to the hot springs,
Hiei experiences for the first time a room into which actual fire is pumped.
Meanwhile outside in the hot springs,
thoughts which seem too real as a result of the enchantments on the area
result in Shikiyoku's form changing,
though such a change does not go completely unnoticed...
The roaring in the room seemed to suddenly grow louder, as if more fire was added to the already-swirling vortex of flame all around the small space. It intruded, accompanied with the smallest twinge that pulled at his awareness. The smallest feeling that tugged for his consciousness. He didn't open his eyes right away; Hiei was much too comfortable to move. He did, however, take stock of his surroundings.
Beginning in the room he resided in at that exact moment. It was just as it had been before. No one else in the room, no more or less flame dancing on the air. On to the next room, and he felt nothing out of sorts there either. There wasn't even an energy in that room to assess. To the direction of the halls, and he found the same thing as he found with the room next to this one. On to the opposite direction, and for a moment, he didn't register the energy.
But when he did, crimson eyes were open and he was up, pulling his energy closer to himself as he moved to the door, sliding it open and finding himself relieved when the flames disappeared behind him, like a candle blown out by an open window.
He paid no mind to the feeling of the heat on his body slowly rising, seeping into the air that he moved through and distorting the area around his frame just a little. He made no hesitation in heading for the hot springs he could hear, could smell beyond the sliding doors that he moved out of his way. He didn't even bother closing the door, his hand falling from it as he moved to circle the springs, ignoring the flames hovering over the water.
When he was finally able to to see her features in detail, Hiei wasn't surprised to see the scars on her face, the mark from Otento over her lips. The discoloration of her skin that he hated to see.
But he was surprised to see the condition of her skin. Tight over her cheekbones, distorting even the already grotesque scar that covered her features. Her eyes were closed, but he knew she wasn't asleep. He also didn't see any clear reason for the switch, the change from her usual shining self to this odd form meant to keep her safe from harm.
And he knew the power she earned in this form did a pretty dang good job of that too.
So he approached from the rocks, not entering the water. He crouched a foot or so away from her, eyes watching her, hesitant to reach out to her when he remembered the flames he'd just left the comfort of. The air was heavy, but not from the springs. It seemed to cling to his skin, making him feel…
Whatever he felt, he didn't like it. And he didn't want her to feel it either.
But still, he didn't reach to her, too wary of his own body temperature at the moment since he was aware that the air around him actually felt cold to him.
"Shikiyoku."
~!**!~
You.
Akari shrugged as she bit down on the slice of the fruit in her mouth, slowly chewing and savoring the taste. She didn't even so much as blink at Kurama as she reached back for a second slice. "Wan' shome?" she suddenly asked, speaking around the slice in her mouth. "I won' ea' i' all." As if to emphasize her point, she held out the slice she'd just grabbed and extended her hand in his direction. *
Kurama only blinked once at her when she asked him if he wanted some, having crossed his arms loosely over his chest in the meantime as he leaned back against the wall.
He looked at the orange slice, then back to her, and finally lifted one of his arms to give a dismissive sort of wave.
"Too far." The hand lowered back to cross over the other again.
~!**!~
At her name, Shikiyoku's eyes opened, but her head had since entering the water tilted forward away from the rocks behind her just enough so that when she opened them, she only saw the hot spring.
The lids closed again.
"Fire-prince." 3
Hiei felt some form of relief when Shikiyoku's response came, calling him by a name she hadn't used lately. It told him she was able to think clearly and recognize where she was, who was with her. It made him feel a little less pressed about the issue, especially since she didn't spring from the water for an attack.
He waited a moment before speaking again.
"Look at me."
He was still very aware of his own body temperature, but he didn't want her in this form for too long.
~!**!~
"Lazy." Akari swallowed and turned her eyes down to the slice she began to peel, fingers methodically working until she had a perfect slice in her palm, the juice running down to her wrist before dripping to the floor as her free hand grabbed for another slice and repeated the same work of peeling orange from its outer skin. "It's really good." She placed the two peels on the counter behind herself before she pushed herself to stand upright, internally cringing as bones cracked and muscles twitched. She slid one of the two slices in her mouth as she sauntered towards the redhead, not looking up at him until she was standing a foot from him, hand outstretched to offer the slice. "Jus' take i'. I don' wanna washte any." *
Kurama watched her steadily as she moved towards him, eyes unblinking.
This time when his eyes flickered down to the offer they only retreated to her face for a second as she spoke, moving back down to regard the fruit.
With seemingly no hesitation, Kurama leaned forward, only bending from the waist, and took the slice directly from her palm into his mouth, shifting it just enough that he could snake his tongue out and lick the place where it had sat before leaning back up against the wall again, chewing and watching her intently.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku's eyes came open again, only halfway this time, and her head shifted just a fraction of an inch in the opposite direction Hiei requested of her.
Don't look at me.
Just leave me be.
I don't want anyone to see me like this.
Least of all you.
It was entirely beside the fact that even moving a single finger took a great deal of effort.
Her response was rather delayed.
"...do I have to?" 3
Hiei was keenly aware of the way she deliberately turned her head away, instead of towards him. It didn't bother him much, though, which was surprising even to him. Perhaps it was because of his brief nap.
He really, really didn't want to reach out and make an attempt to pull her from the water. Not even when her very late response slid across his mind. His lips turned downward a little. "It's preferable."
Preferable to jumping in and grabbing you, risking an attack.
The thought made his frown deepen.
~!**!~
Akari went stock still at the contact, not even her fingers twitching. Her eyes followed the redhead as he stood upright again, a look of shock keeping her lips parted as if she might say something. And for a moment, she wasn't sure how to recover.
And then her lips pressed together and she narrowed her eyes at him, taking a step forward and deliberately raising her hand to wipe it across his cheek.
And if that didn't work, she'd be perfectly content wiping it on his shirt.
Stupid fox.
You're a pain.
I dunno why I offered.
She scrunched her nose at him. *
Before Akari could get the hand she wiped across his cheek very far, Kurama reached up and grabbed for her wrist, holding it tightly enough that she could not get away, but aware of her pained and measured movements which told him she felt a soreness that had not lifted from her muscles yet.
He kept his eyes on her, stare even and neutral.
~!**!~
"..."
Don't...don't come any closer.
"...I..." Her head twitched the other direction, as if she fought not to look at him. "I do not wish you to see me." 3
Hiei let out a scoff. "You don't want me to see what I've already seen. That seems pointless."
He shifted just a little, but didn't come closer nor did he move further away. "You have no reason to hide from me."
You need to take me seriously.
~!**!~
Akari leveled Kurama with a stare as he grabbed her wrist, much as she'd figured he would do. Don't you do it. Her fingers curled into a fist after a moment and her scowl lessened a little. She continued chewing the slice she still had in her mouth, swallowing after a moment before huffing at the redhead.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" *
His expression did not change, his eyes did not move from her, but neither did he so much as twitch either his hand around her wrist or any other part of his body.
"Is there some other manner in which I should be staring at you?"
~!**!~
There was this strange sort of moment where as the last of Hiei's words filled her mind, Shikiyoku's lips parted to take in a shallow breath as she stared at the rippling water and every bit of skin above the surface of it tensed and she did not understand why.
Her lips came farther apart as the breath deepened as if she might speak aloud, and her head moved again in his direction to where it almost face him, though not quite, but did not lift at all.
No reason to hide?
...is this deviant form not reason enough?
"Perhaps..." She paused, her eyes closing, "...I do not wish to see you see me."
These eyes are...so different. 3
Hiei continued to watch Shikiyoku as she turned her head little by little, and while he normally would have been frustrated by now at her behavior, he found that his patience about it had grown exponentially, that he didn't mind the insecurity she voiced, that he almost felt the emotion he could see on her face now.
He took a moment to think, watching her carefully.
"Are you afraid I will turn you away, Shiki?"
~!**!~
Akari opened her mouth to respond rather quickly, but no words formed on her tongue, and her mind came up with no real answer. No retort. So, she released a sound in the back of her throat as her lips came together again and she forced herself not to look to the side.
She didn't know why, but the stare was… nerve wracking, in its own way.
Her lips twitched as she tried to think of a response.
When she came up empty yet again, she made the same sound in the back of her throat for the second time. *
Gently, Kurama began to pull her closer, moving the wrist he had backwards towards the wall until she would be forced to follow it or otherwise lose her footing.
His face was not guarded. Not in the slightest. He looked neither concerned nor amused.
He simply...looked. At her.
~!**!~
That same shallow breath, that same split-second of tension, though this time her eyes came open again as well, still half-lidded, still only staring at the water. This time she took note that her core had lurched too, unrelated to the sickness and...strange.
Inwardly, she fought again with her energy, the stuff floating about on the air. It challenged her, tugged at her, wishing to expel more of itself from her body and buffet against the nearby demon in a wave of power. Not with the intent to kill, nor harm him. Only to drive him away. To send him to safety...somewhere else.
As if she could not catch her breath, Shikiyoku's lips stayed parted and she breathed through them.
"These...eyes are different. I do not..." She corrected herself, "I cannot see you the same as I did before." There was a hitch, a break in her response, "Do you not in turn look at me differently too?" 3
The response flew across Hiei's mind, and for a moment even he didn't move. His lips parted as if to say the words, and then came closed again as he continued to stare at her unblinkingly.
Of course I do.
"I see a demon in pain."
And rightly so.
He knew pain. Not the same pain she showed now, but he knew it, had channeled it into anger for so long that he hadn't ever really known he'd done so.
"And I'm not leaving."
~!**!~
The fingers of the wrist Kurama had hold of twitched as he pulled at her. She refused to move for a few seconds, until not moving would mean falling into him. She took one step forward, eyes still glued to his stare, and then her lips parted.
"Is there a hole yet? You're staring hard enough."
Finally! A coherent thought!
"I'll be surprised if there isn't." *
Youko almost broke his silence in the moment, almost let the thought 'not the hole I want' shimmer across his attention. But his eyes were just as concentrated on Akari as Kurama's were, and the mutual stillness between them did not rupture.
"There's not." He reassured her, now pulling at her arm so that if she did not give in, did not take the step that would place her up against him, or at the very least standing in the space between his knees, she would fall against him anyway.
~!**!~
Her eyes closed once more, but this time her head leaned back against the rocks behind her, and while the thought did not directly form in the bond between them, there was a definite 'hm' in response to his words.
One tinged with amusement. One that lightened and lifted the eyebrows which had until that moment been drawn over her eyes, and while the circles beneath that had not disappeared, her lips flattened out from the frown they had been in. Which was about as close to a smile in that moment as she was going to get.
"You likely should." Leave that is. "Foolish demon." 3
Hiei continued to stare, his eyes roving over the change in Shikiyoku's expression as she leaned her head back against the rocks and the tension alleviated just a little. He felt the slight amusement pass from her to him, and he felt a bit more relief at it.
He scooted a little closer, watching her a bit more keenly as he lowered himself to a calm crouch, one knee against the rock and the other just a few inches from the same surface.
He knew what she meant.
"No."
He wasn't going to leave, no matter what she said.
He drew in a long breath, and then he drew closer, watching her reaction carefully, but not closing the distance yet.
~!**!~
"I was so sure," Akari grumbled as he continued to pull at her arm, which she huffed at. The more she talked, the more she hoped her brain would start working and come up with something clever, with something witty to say. Of course, she didn't have much faith in that method.
Because that stare was so….
I can't even think of a word for that.
She took the last step forward, deciding she'd rather not fall forward, and she found herself up against him. It had been unavoidable, she realized, but still.
"Whaat?" she complained, that being the only thing her mind came up with. *
He didn't let go of her wrist, and it stayed up near his shoulder, though a sense of satisfaction passed over both he and Youko briefly as she finally complied.
As she stepped forward, before coming against him, Kurama's other arm moved out of the way and circled it behind her, his hand finding the small of her back and resting there, keeping her in place.
One of his eyebrows gave the slightest questioning quirk when her mouth opened the second time.
"You were too far away." Was his simple answer.
For the first time, Kurama noticed that it was almost as if Youko was speaking through him, though they said the sentence at precisely the same time.
~!**!~
The darkness did not return, but her face grew tenser and she struggled against a wave of energy that wished to be released, wished to push at him. To keep him safe.
"Don't..." She said quickly. "I..." Another moment of strain. "...do not wish to harm you." 3
Hiei's lips pulled down into a scowl as he paused, his eyes still watching her and noting the tenseness that returned to her features. He knew it wasn't as easy as to tell her 'then dont'. but he was at a loss for what to do at the moment.
If he drew nearer, she would likely attack.
If he didn't-
The image of the last time she'd changed flashed across his mind's eye, and while he noted she was not in that same state, he also didn't feel like waiting to see if it came about.
His lips twitched again.
He assessed her very minimal movement.
She's not as sick.
The thought had a brow twitching. How?
He turned his mind again to her lack of movement, and an idea crept to the forefront of his mind. He blinked once, and then was assessing the distance between himself and Shikiyoku. Measuring the distance he would need to close even with the Jagan, just in case.
And in the next moment, he was on a completely different layer, eyes closed as he focused on the Jagan, picturing the space he needed to cross and very carefully moving forward before he moved through the layers again, the Jagan closing again as his lips touched Shikiyoku's, just as he'd been planning.
Because he didn't want her in that form if she didn't have to be.
~!**!~
Akari blinked slowly up at Kurama. Seriously? Another blink, and then she was staring up at him again. Not a thought in her head. She only stood there, watching him the way he'd watched her, as if she'd only just realized something.
Her lips pressed together briefly before parting, and she drew in a small breath.
"You're a pain."
But dear lord I missed you. *
[Do it.]
Kurama's gut wrenched as those two words became repeated over and over by the voice in his head, a voice that was strangely mixed in with and had become his own thoughts.
They both knew what he wanted to do.
...what they both wanted him to do.
Aware of Yomi's ears, Kurama refused the growl that threatened to seethe past his lips, but as it would have voiced across the air, he tipped his face slightly and moved forward, his cheek brushing lightly up against Akari's as he pressed his lips at the back of her jaw, just below her ear.
It almost could not even be considered a kiss, for he pulled back just as soon as his lips hit her skin, back far enough away that she would not feel the snarl his mouth twisted into, but still close enough that she would not see it either, his teeth clenched together tightly as he still made no sound.
~!**!~
She knew immediately when Hiei left the hot spring, her senses, which had been so very focused on him, informing her that he no longer crouched nearby.
He was not gone long enough for any sigh of relief or sadness to make it past her lips, for those same senses also told her that he was already moving back at a ridiculous speed.
In the instant before his lips touched hers, Shikiyoku's eyes flew open, their black, abyssal-nothingness realizing what he was doing, but her energy not aware enough to stop it.
No!
And then he kissed her.
Any coherent thoughts were crumbled at this oh-so-willing sacrifice to her hunger, and her eyes widened briefly as if that would make the process faster.
His energy began pouring out of his mouth and into hers, the dry husk of her skin starting to fill back out as if rehydrated.
But at the same time, the ashen color also started to peel back slowly like a newspaper set on fire, beginning at her lips and restoring them to fullness, ridding her face of the heart-shaped scar, and all the others too, as it spread outwards.
No!
This time the word was harsher, and with her dexterity already partially restored, Shikiyoku's right arm shot up out of the water and her hand found and clutched at the back of Hiei's neck, trying to pull him closer as if it would increase how quickly his energy poured into her.
As soon the last of her grey skin shimmered away, the feeding stopped immediately, that same hand's hold became less harsh, instead resting where it lay against him, and Shikiyoku's mind went black, forced into a restart. 3
Hiei felt his entire body go stock still, held in place by the pulling of his energy away from his core, up his throat and out his mouth into Shikiyoku's. His eyelids remained closed, and for the most part, he contained his emotions on the matter, not letting his expression change despite the pain of his energy being ripped away.
He could only wait, a hand just barely resting against the stone beneath him when her hand pulled at him a little more, surprisingly not pulling him into the water.
And time seemed to drag, until he was suddenly aware of the lack of force on the back of his neck and the dulling pain, his energy now free to move about his body again as it had before.
Albeit a little sluggishly.
He didn't move, even though he was aware of the ability to do so. His expression remained calm and though his muscles were tense, he kept his surprise and such completely concealed. And as he took stock of himself from the inside out, began to regather himself mentally, he became aware of the mark growing, moving up higher on his neck instead of further down his arm this time.
It's going to be harder to conceal.
He almost scoffed at that thought. He'd just had his energy siphoned and he still hurt, and the only thought he had was about hiding the mark on his neck?
Well, I don't actually have to. What's the point in it now?
His eyes slid open to stare calmly at Shikiyoku as she didn't seem to move either, waiting for her to release him.
~!**!~
You know, this sucks.
So many thoughts suddenly passed by Akari's mind as Kurama moved closer, breaking the eye contact as his cheek brushed hers, to which her eyelids slid closed. She knew she'd been doing something before this moment, but she couldn't rightly recall.
Because she couldn't tell what exactly to think of this moment. Where she'd been sure Kurama's lips had touched her skin, but it had been so brief that she could have simply imagined it. And he didn't move away again, which made her wonder if there was something he was preparing to say.
Not that it would go unheard.
Ugh.
Her eyelids came open again and she took to staring at what she could see of Kurama's face, curious and yet perfectly fine standing like that.
Except she really, really wanted to turn her head and give another kiss on his cheek.
Or, actually-
Yomi.
Crap.
And for a moment, she realized she'd begun to fidget.
Don't move. Stop that. *
It took a good five seconds for Kurama to gather himself. For the snarl to go away.
He didn't move an inch in the meantime.
Once his thoughts were rightly in place, his lips moved the inch they need to in order to get positioned directly in front of her ear, and he started speaking.
"You know..." His voice was low-most definitely not for Yomi's sake-and as he continued, he slowly moved his mouth until it was over the new scar along her jawline and he pressed his lips against the end of it.
"That this..." Another movement up the marking. Another kiss. "Will definitely..."
With each pause he repeated the movement and kiss, "Be getting... taken off...your skin...as soon...as I...can get...the chance." He paused at the other end of the mark, feeling his breath wash warmly over her skin as it also warmed the little distance of air between his lips and the scar.
~!**!~
Her awareness filtering back in as her mind rebooted, Shikiyoku's eyebrows flinched.
There was this pain around her core that she couldn't rightly describe.
Never felt it before.
She did however feel her energy skitter over her skin, over her left arm in fact-the arm that was not circled back behind Hiei's neck. This one must have at some point exited the water and lay on top of the rocks, helping prop her up so as to better kiss him. Or rather, better steal his energy-this time not on the inside, as if her veins buzzed, but along the top of it, sending a shimmer of power down her shoulder and dancing from there to the tips her fingers before winking out of existence.
The arm behind Hiei's neck was still holding her up out of the water just a bit, the hot steam in the air moving across her wet collarbone making her aware of it, and she wasn't sure how he had not as of yet fallen in.
She didn't not move her hand from the back of his neck, but she did relax it, effectively lowering herself back the inch into the water that flexing her arm had pulled herself up out of it.
When she finally found herself with enough sense of mind, she took her lips away from his, but only just, so that they were not actually kissing any longer.
Her eyes were still closed, and her eyebrows dipped lower with an expression of deep concern, but she tipped her head so that their foreheads touched.
"You could have died," The words were barely a whisper in the midst of the connection between them, "Foolish, foolish man." 3
Hiei still didn't move, a hand braced against the rocks so that he wouldn't fall forward, his knees still placed on the rocks. His stare remained unwavering, fixated on her expression even as her forehead touched his. The Jagan stirred just a little, but otherwise gave no reaction to the contact, or the events that had just occurred.
At Shikiyoku's words, the faintest twitch of his lips almost had him smirking at her. He remembered thinking something extremely similar not too long ago.
His lips settled into the neutral expression again. He didn't have anything to say to her. He could just as easily tell her that he didn't want her dying, he didn't want her to remain in that form long enough for the sickness to ravage at her and push her back to how she'd been before.
But he had a feeling it wouldn't really matter one way or the other.
"I know." Slowly, Hiei pulled away, shifting his balance so that he could get his feet underneath himself. Before he stood, he reached out and just touched the top of her head, and then he was standing upright. "So could you, if the sickness gets worse."
~!**!~
The first contact of Kurama's lips against her jawline had her eyes widening, and then squeezing shut as her hand twitched out of reflex. And as he continued, his voice very easily distracting her from the thought that had briefly passed, she felt her jaw set and her muscles tense- for a completely different reason than the first.
By the time his lips only hovered over the end of the scar, just over her chin, she had her breath held. You don't play fair.
And then she realized what each word had meant, what he'd actually been saying, and she released the breath in a small puff of air. A few seconds later and she twitched her head just a little, turning a fraction closer so when she opened her eyes, she could meet his gaze with a smile.
She kept a little under an inch of space between her lips and his, her eyes still fixated on his.
"No." *
Kurama's green gaze had shifted up to her as soon as he sensed her movement, and at her single word, his eyes narrowed dangerously.
"You seem to think you have a choice in the matter." His voice remained just as low as previously, and he did not otherwise move. "Allow me to make it perfectly clear that you do not get the luxury of 'choice' this time."
~!**!~
As Hiei pulled away, the hand at the back of his neck slipped back into the water, but Shikiyoku didn't otherwise move, the other arm still resting out on the rocks and her cheek laying against the one behind her head.
She had felt relatively fine in the other form. In regards to the sickness.
In fact, as far as that went, she felt better than she ever remembered being. Less...sick.
Damn you, Kit.
If he was right, and the disease did not kick in until activate by what she heard him call the Crusnik...then she hoped desperately that he never acquired the ability.
The vision of his darkened eyes, his lunge for her throat, sent a shiver down her entire body, one that finally had her head moving, her cheek turning until she had her face towards the water.
And then it was Youko.
...then it was Hiei.
And she knew that it really didn't matter which one of them it was, because at each image, her core wavered inside of her and she could almost feel where the pieces of it that were already cracked threatened to come apart.
If one of them went, if any single one of them went...she would go too.
That much she felt with certainty. 3
Hiei stood over Shikiyoku for a moment before he turned and slowly began moving towards the other rooms again, his brain no longer seemingly capable of forming any one complete thought. His energy moved slowly through his body, his core feeling extremely slow in the process of pushing the energy around and restoring more.
He glanced back at the fire that swirled over the water, and for the briefest of moments he considered staying here, moving into the water and-
Except.. water.
He almost made a face at the surface before turning and continuing on. The fire room would do just as well.
"You know where I'll be."
~!**!
Akari's smile disappeared at the look the redhead sent her, and she too narrowed her eyes at him. And like he, she didn't move a single muscle, except for the ones it took to speak.
"And I said no." She paused and blinked once at him, a hand reaching up to pat his cheek. "Because I earned this one." *
Kurama gave the barest shrug of his shoulder and actually leaned back into the wall a little.
"Say no all you like." He paused to stare at her for a second, "It is not one you get to keep."
Yomi will not leave a mark on you.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku said nothing, eyes open and staring at the ripples of the surface as they came into her view.
She didn't want him to go...didn't want him to stay either.
But she didn't think he would understand those thoughts, as she hardly understood them herself.
The only thing that mattered was that they not die because of her.
The screams and chaos of the Northern Tribe moved through her ears, and she could see the fire and the blood.
She was the one with the disease.
She was the one that had brought the destruction upon them.
And it had cost her...
Douji's broken body lay before her, the marking he wore barely visible through his own blood.
...It nearly cost me my soul. 3
Hiei shut the door behind himself and kept moving, one slow step at a time. Each step became slower as he felt an inner confliction. And after a moment, he realized he had stopped in the center of the room, eyes closed and ears listening to his surroundings.
I see a demon in pain.
Right, he'd said that. And as the thought moved across his mind again, a scowl set on his face.
Before he even realized he had backtracked, he was already sliding the door shut behind himself again and was moving for the water, ignoring his apprehension about the substance as he slowly waded in. His eyes watched the flames above the water for a moment before piercing through the haze to look over at the form of the woman across the way.
He moved to the side, deciding he didn't want his back to the door, but he didn't exactly think Shiki would want him next to her either. So when he settled with the water moving around his collarbone, he was a good ways away from her still.
He let his eyelids close.
Not… too terrible.
~!**!~
Akari knew that if Kurama meant it- and it was clear he did- she really wouldn't get much say in the matter. If he wanted to, he could overpower her in every single way possible.
Except maybe her stubbornness.
Which is what caused the smile to form on her lips again and the step backwards. "Cute." She only just remembered the orange across the room, but really, she didn't want it anymore.
...someone will eat it. Hopefully. *
Kurama loosened his hold on her without completely letting go, even though he had both arms around her waist at this point.
He raised an eyebrow at her, thoughts concealed behind the neutral expression on his face.
"Me?"
~!**!~
He...he came back.
Are you afraid I will turn you away, Shiki?
...yes.
The question still made her core lurched as if it wanted to drop in her stomach, but at least this time she managed to assess the question instead of just glossing over it because it made her feel too strange to consider.
A desire flitted over her mind, and as she had not found herself with one of those lately, she went on autopilot before she realized she moved and first slowly swam-crawled over to the opposite end of the hot spring, cutting her way through the heavy fog, her head down a little so that it appeared she was just staring down at the water.
When she reached the edge, she stopped directly in front of where she had set down her towel, and slipped one dripping hand up out of the water as if to grab for it, but she hesitated, back to Hiei.
"Hiei..." The thickness of the air made her voice sound even quieter than she made it. Her fingers twitched. "Can I...sit next to you?"
With you? 3
The heavy air around him was calming, accompanied by the sound of the flames that flowed in the air, moving over the water and actually making him feel as if he might enjoy sitting here. His back touched the rocks, which were almost hot enough to create the feeling of the wall from the fire room against his skin.
Behind his eyelids, he was watching the flames he could smell, hear, and even feel dancing nearby. Yes, he was aware of Shikiyoku moving across the water, but he didn't look to see where she was going or what she was doing.
Not even when he heard his name did he open his eyes.
When had she ever asked? That was new.
With the use of the mental bond that was still intact, he sent a silent nod in her direction- or rather, the impression of one.
~!**!~
Akari's smile widened just a little and she let out a small, breathy laugh. "You? Cute?" She shook her head. "No, I'm cute. And that's why I get away with stuff." By this time, her grin was wide enough to show her teeth. "you're.."
….What word would work best?
Her eyes shifted to the side as she took a second to think. You're…
"Too many things to name just one adjective." *
"And cute isn't one of them?" The eyebrow came back down and his head tilted just slightly to the side. He didn't exactly pout, but he did frown just a little, and it came out to be very nearly the same thing.
~!**!~
He could have said no.
She went ahead and reached for the towel, passing it over her shoulders so that when she stood up, knee-deep in the hot spring, it hung down her back and she was able to tuck the one end into the other at the front.
But he didn't.
And he came back.
Slipping back down into the water and moving in Hiei's direction, she ruefully thought of Meijin's reaction when he found out they had been wearing the towels into the water.
It was untraditional.
Hiei started it.
When she reached Hiei, she moved in front of and around him and sat back down a few inches to his right, staring into the water as she fiddled with the edge of the towel that hung down over her stomach.
I'm...sorry. 3
Hiei listened idly to Shikiyoku's movements through the water, his eyes remaining closed and mind still refusing to create a single, complete thought. He felt as if he'd just left some large battle after calling the dragon two or three times. It made his breaths slowly even out, though he didn't fall into sleep. He'd already had a nap in the fire room, so really, while his energy was drained and his mind was blank, his body didn't need the rest near as much.
So he sat there, lowering himself a little further in the water until it was up to his neck, and he went still again. He didn't know what made him do it, but after another beat he felt his mind pass the feeling of reassurance through the bond and to Shikiyoku.
~!**!~
The only answer given to Kurama was the smile on Akari's lips. And then she moved her hands away from his chest and to his arms, patting both briefly in a silent request to be released.
...Not that she didn't like it, but she could feel that her muscles weren't exactly happy with the amount of movement from the day, and she really, really didn't want to stand still long enough for her body to decide she'd had enough. *
Kurama did shift, but it wasn't to let Akari go, and he instead lifted one foot from the floor and bent his knee to place the sole of his shoe on the wall behind him, just for a second pulling Akari closer again so that when he leaned forward to his right, his lips would be near her ear again.
"You're going to wake up one morning...and that scar is going to be gone."
It was at that precise moment the swinging doors flew inward as a demon stepped into the room.
~!**!~
The reassuring warmth Shikiyoku felt flooding her mind did not in fact make things worse. However, it did release this tide of emotions she so far had kept at bay, but as if through the reassurance they had been given permission, she found she could not longer hold them back. And that had her very quickly pulling away from the connection to wrap herself in her own thoughts.
Her arms came up across her chest, each hand beginning to idly finger the places below her shoulders where there had only minutes before been scars, and unbidden tears fell silently in little streams down her cheeks, pooling only for a second at the bottom of her jaw before sending the tiniest droplets into the water beneath her chin. 3
Hiei felt the retreat, and let the connection tether away so that she may have the privacy she desired. A second later, he could smell the salty tears that began to fall, and he let his eyes come open and turn to her briefly before turning forward again, closing once more.
He wanted to ask, but he didn't.
Why are you crying?
He only sat there, his entire being aware of her without even needing his direction to be as such.
~!**!~
Akari made a small sound of protest when she was pulled closer again, her hands bracing against his chest all over again as she retained her footing. She let her eyes turn to look at the fox's face as he came closer, and she frowned as he began speaking.
She opened her mouth to reply, but the sound of the doors nearby opening had her entire body going still and her eyelids closing. Oh joy.
She sighed a long-suffering sigh and let her eyes open again, cutting to the demon who'd entered the room with a blank stare.
The demon, on the other hand, made a sound of annoyance. "As enjoyable as a change of scenery is, the kitchen is about to be full. Get a better room." *
Kurama's expression as he slowly leaned away from Akari, not letting her go in the slightest, gave the distinct impression as he stared at the newcomer of 'do I look like I care?'
"Enjoyable for you? Or for us? Because if it's the first, you're welcome; why should we go anywhere? And if it's the second, I agree, and my most recent question still stands."
~!**!~
Why reassure?
Nothing is going to be okay.
I almost killed you.
And so she cried because...because...
Because I am tired. Because I am weary, and angry, and-
And a thousand other forlorn, dejected emotions that left her feeling very alone. And very small, as they started to swallow her up into their darkness.
Her fingers clutched at each opposing arm that they had been up to that point twitching over.
-and because you nearly died.
I can't take it.
This feeling of helplessness, of a lack of control, of being so fragile...
She couldn't remember the last time she had actually felt strong. Powerful. It had been more than a decade. Since being torn away from Hiei when the portals between worlds were closed.
...feeling, knowing, that any moment I could fall apart. And there will be no one left.
As if to emphasize the brokenness, her core gave out a single pulse, a weak one, that set what felt like the pieces of itself shaking, held together only by strands that quavered, threatened to shatter and scatter to the winds like little shards of dusty glass. 3
Hiei listened to the silently crying girl next to him, finding himself, not for the first time, unsure of what to do. He really didn't think reaching out and prodding her would work, since neither of them would really get up and run the way she had with Youko. She was too deep in the mood she'd sunk into, and he wasn't really sure he could get up and move if he wanted.
He shifted a little, sitting up straighter and bringing his shoulders up and out of the water as he did so. He reached a hand out and let his eyes open so he made sure to grab at her arm and tug her towards himself.
I'm not going anywhere, foolish woman.
~!**!~
I can't believe this.
Akari fought back the urge to open her mouth, knowing she had nothing to say, and she struggled with the creeping feeling of embarrassment that was trying to pull itself to her features. And at the same time, she felt as if their banter was wearing her out.
You know what, I can, actually.
It wasn't like he hadn't been displaying a lack of Youko-like comments by accident, she assumed.
Which made her make a small noise in the back of her throat.
The demon at the door gave a shrug and moved further into the room, passing by her and Kurama without a second glance. "At least stay out of the way." And as if they'd been called, a few more demons passed through the doors, glancing briefly at Akari, then Kurama, and continuing on without a word.
She prodded at Kurama's chest and pursed her lips at him. I was ready to leave, you stupid fox.
Though, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little amused with his intimidation processes. *
Kurama's eyes watched the first demon pass behind Akari, his head following the action until he faced her again, and then his gaze rested on her and those green eyes flashed.
You're mine.
His ribcage expanded in a silent, resigned sigh.
"Tch." He stayed where he was for a second, as if he had every intention of keeping the two of them right where they were.
[{I don't share well with others.}]
At least, I do not feel like doing so today.
Not...where she is concerned.
Without saying a word, Kurama picked Akari up in his arms and used her feet to push the doors open to take them out and back into the hallway.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku blinked back at the tears that were falling, letting herself be shifted by the demon, but the sudden realization-remembrance?-that she was not alone, that it was Hiei here with her, sent a proverbial steel-door slamming shut on every single thought passing through her mind.
Not now...not here.
Not next to him. 3
As the fire demon pulled Shikiyoku towards himself, he could positively feel the mental shut-down that stopped the tears so abruptly. His lips turned downward just a little before his expression became neutral again, letting her rest next to him with their shoulders touching.
You don't have to hide.
He settled again as well, still watching her briefly before his eyes turned forward once more, watching the fire that danced over the water.
"Were you a fire demon, you would have burned the vicinity by now." Because holding back is dangerous.
~!**!~
The edges of Akari's eyes twitched, narrowing just slightly at the redhead when he released the single sound. And she made a slight attempt to move away before he scooped her up, but she didn't really get more than an inch away, and her left arm reflexively moved up and over his shoulder, her right hand grabbing his shirt as he carried her from the room.
She watched him with that same stare, and when she spoke it was in a low tone. "What are you doing?"
As if Yomi needs another reason to come up with ideas about manipulating things like this.
Are you crazy? *
"Your knees had grown weak. You are still not entirely well." Kurama made no adjustment to his voice, speaking normally, though it was most assuredly a deliberate intention. "Seeing as how your well-being has been assigned to my care, I thought it wiser that we make no hesitation in returning you to your quarters."
His eyes stared straight ahead down the hallway.
"Your recovery is to be as quick as possible, and I will not allow petty interferences."
~!**!~
When their shoulders touched, where they touched, a spark as if of static-electricity-though without the jolt that accompanied such a thing-blinked for a moment before skittering down the rest of her arm, under the water and disappearing at the tips of her fingers.
Were I a fire demon I would not be in this mess in the first place.
Shikiyoku's eyes slid shut.
What can I say to make you remove the mark and leave?
"I could try it." She said as mildly as she could manage. "But I'm fairly certain all I would accomplish is bringing every single demon in the bathhouse upon us." 3
Hiei raised a brow even as his eyelids slid closed again. Where's the fun if there's no danger?
Then again, it wouldn't be fun if he wasn't sure he could get her away from the danger.
The thought made his lips twitch and a small sound hum in the back of his throat, slightly amused. She was probably the only demon he'd do what he'd done for.
...And he wasn't really sure why in the first place.
Perhaps it was because he enjoyed her company. Because he'd spent so much of his time with her before the separation. And then he'd spent so much time searching for her that he'd forgotten much of what it felt like before he'd ended up her Champion.
He couldn't imagine running the layers would be the same if she was gone and he was alone again.
Funny how he'd never cared before now.
"It wouldn't do much good."
~!**!~
A sigh left Akari's lips and she shook her head a little. "I can walk just fine." Even if she didn't like the idea of the two flights of stairs, she suddenly felt odd about being carried too. But, knowing he likely wouldn't let her down, she simply let her head rest on his shoulder and her eyes close.
"But you're not going to listen, so I'll deal with it."
I don't even think I'd make it halfway up the stairs anyway.
Not that you'll let me try.
Her lips twitched; she had her own personal bodyguard for the time being. And boy did it make a difference. *
Kurama gave Akari a pointed look that said much more than the words he actually spoke.
"It would do neither of us any favors should you hurt yourself trying."
Yomi listens.
~!**!~
"What, them coming all the way down here?" She spoke with the same mild tone as before, keeping in careful check the iron cage in her mind behind which her emotions threatened to spill out once more.
She shifted a little until her back rested against the wall of the hot spring behind her, leaning her head just enough that the bottom of her skull found the rocks to rest on as she closed her eyes and continued with, "You're probably right." 3
Hiei didn't respond, his mind wandering away from the little conversation that had begun and to other things. He pictured Shikiyoku how she'd been a few minute ago: covered in scars, skin an ash color, and her head turned away from him. He'd known that she didn't want him there, but really, he hadn't cared.
He remembered how still he'd become once his lips had touched hers, as if he'd been tethered there, like a trap awaiting the simplest of prey. It was a disconcerting thing, to say the least, that one couldn't get away from it of their own accord.
Not that he'd wanted to. He didn't know if his lips had to remain in contact with hers until the change was complete, and he wasn't really willing to test it out.
He pulled his arms from the water and stretched them up and over the rocks, the water running down his arms and to the smooth, warm surface beneath. He let his head fall forward just a little, a deep breath being pulled in through his nostrils.
"You don't have to hide."
He didn't know what pulled the words from his mouth, but that was all he said.
~!**!~
"Yeah, yeah." Akari grumbled, knowing perfectly well what he was saying. She opened her eyes again and peeled her arm away from his shoulder, resting it on her stomach as she watched the demons he carried her by, giving a stare of her own when she was stared at.
I haven't even done much, and I feel drained. This is stupid.
She tried to think about what had happened, to pick apart the reason behind her own ability to become tired so easily. But, really, every time she thought about anything that had happened in that room, the image of that thing flashed across her mind's eye, and she'd retreat from the thoughts just as quickly as before. *
Kurama could just feel Yomi's ears turned in their direction, and unfortunately it led to him taking a longer route than the one that went straight back to her room...and had him stopping in front of the room that had been reserved for her and Takeo.
He said nothing, giving Akari a look that meant she was to stay quiet as he very carefully put her down against the wall next to the door.
Wait here.
He slipped through the door and into the room, opening it only wide enough for him to enter and closing it behind him.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku stayed very still, waiting. Patient.
It was easy to give him an answer.
"I don't think it would do me much good. At that point, they'd likely all be able to spot me without even trying." 3
Hiei didn't reply, because he was sure she wasn't going to let whatever was on her mind be free. Not with him, it seemed. Because she cried around the others, but since that first day, she had been refusing to do so with him.
It was…
He didn't know what to think about it. He didn't know what to think about a lot.
Then again, his thinking capabilities were at a standstill at the moment anyway.
He let it go.
~!**!~
When Kurama rounded the corner, she knew exactly where he was going, and she clenched her jaw together. No. No, no, nope, no. When he stopped at the door and set her down, she took a step away from him, just in case he wanted to pull her inside anyway. I refuse.
When he slipped inside, not urging her to come with, however, her muscles relaxed just a fraction, her eyes taking to looking around the area.
She'd dreamed of Kyu being here. Telling her not to be here. Telling her he didn't want her to go inside, that she shouldn't. And really, she knew that it was just her subconscious telling her what she'd already known: going in there wasn't something she wanted to do. Something she didn't plan on doing.
She crossed her arms over her chest and stepped closer to the wall, leaning against it. I hope he understands I'm not going in there without a fight.
Because with the fox, there was always a reason behind what he did. And she had a feeling this one involved her.
Not. Happening. *
If Kurama had nothing to show for the extraneous time spent with Akari, there would be trouble.
Luckily, it appeared as though the plants he had set to take over the room were doing their job.
He had told Yomi they would need a few days before he could really do anything with them.
As he walked forward into the near-jungle he was reminded of the contest in the mansion what seemed like many, many years ago at this point. The one in which he gambled for everyone's souls. This was rather similar to that.
The blooms at his feet lit up as he moved, the petaled flowers lining either side of the pathway unfurling to release light as he stepped silently through the foliage below, only to curl back up again and grow dark once he passed.
The ones by the door did not bloom when I entered.
It will still need another day.
Kurama stopped and reached out to his left, a plant shifting until it rested on his fingers as he watched it.
He tapped the underside of it and the thing appeared to shiver with delight.
Releasing energy into it, he tested the creation.
"Hm. One more day. Then we can begin."
Kurama's lips quirked a little, almost smiling.
The plant sounded exactly like him.
He turned to leave.
~!**!~
Shikiyoku only just realized his shoulder had moved, but she did not turn her head to search for it, unaware of when it left her.
She closed her eyes, taking stock of the hot water that lapped gently at the exposed skin around her shoulders and the heavy air that move sluggishly around them.
"I guess..." She murmured, "This wasn't a terrible idea after all." 3
Hiei didn't move aside from the motions of his chest each breath made, his eyelids still closed and chin still lowered just a little. With the way his head was tilted, he could smell the water, the steam and such rising from it, overpowering the very slight smell of the fire he could feel and hear moving over the calm surface a good ways away.
And he didn't mind it, oddly. In fact, he felt just as relaxed as he had when in the fire room.
So, when Shikiyoku spoke up, he gave a small sound of agreement.
~!**!~
Akari considered the distance from this spot to her room, eyes pointed down the hall as if she could see a string leading her in the right direction. She considered moving for it, considered beginning the rest of the walk back, but he'd asked her to wait.
So she continued to wait, despite the crawling of her skin and the pit in her stomach.
She considered sitting, but decided against that too. It would mean an extra second standing there when Kurama got back, and the less time she spent here, the better she would feel about it. *
When Kurama exited the room, he pulled the door shut behind him and stood for a moment with his hand on the knob still, eyes closing as he listened.
No rustling of the plant life within, no indication that there was any growth occurring whatsoever.
Yomi would attribute it to Kurama's steady hand and silent work.
Kurama knew there were plants seeping roots just far enough into the walls to make the area soundproof.
Except for what is told to go through.
Namely the Speakers' noise.
Satisfied, Kurama turned to Akari and gave her what was likely the first actual smile he let show on his lips since she left him, moving slower this time to give her more warning as he went to pick her up.
~!**!~
"I am sorry, by the way." Shikiyoku gave a little sigh of impertinence, giving Hiei the slightest of side-ways glances to indicate his current state of being. "...but I did warn you not to come any closer." At that she went ahead and looked at him, wry smirk on her face. 3
Hiei's eyes came open and he lifted his head just a little to look over at Shikiyoku, expression blank but eyes glinting with amusement. "And I ignored you." He saw no reason for her apology. In fact, it had put him here, actually enjoying the substance he generally hated.
The thought had his eyes turning to look at the water, a bit of distaste forming just a little as he became aware of its touch on his skin, of the way the towel around his waist moved just slightly.
He focused on the flames nearby, and his eyes turned to Shikiyoku again. The feeling of the water moving against him was ignored all over again and he became more aware of the temperature of the area.
Meant for fire demons.
"Not bad." he said, his lips twitching before he turned his head away again and let his eyes close.*
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! BOOP! -Star