A/N: Hello once again for the fourth time in a row, Audience!
Just another chapter here, nothing terribly special. I hope you've been enjoying this (mostly) daily update so far! The last of this will occur on the upcoming Tuesday since I missed a day, and then updates will likely go back to their usual once-a-week Monday schedule for a while, again either until I slack off or until we catch up, which the end is in much closer sight than you might imagine.
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 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.
(Words in italics and within parenthesis is dialogue between Hiei and Shikiyoku via the bond between them after Hiei becomes Shikiyoku's Consort. As soon as the 'thought' occurs, it can pass between them, and does not actually have to be formed into exact words-feelings and sensations can pass through as well-in order to be picked up and the meaning translated immediately by the other. For the sake of the coherence by the reader, words and sentences are used as normal. It cannot 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 Nabu Exception also applies to anyone when they are in an animal form, if the dialogue is in italics and quotations, unless stated otherwise.
Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!
Hiei and Shikiyoku make their way to the labs,
Hiei still heavily under the influence of Shikiyoku's energy
and wanting more kisses.
Shikiyoku gets into the routine of what she has been
doing in the labs lately,
which includes going into a different room
and beginning to dance similarly to how
she used to dance for the tribes,
though this time the individuals she wraps
with her energy are attempting to attack her
and she is using her energy to stop them.
It appears as if she has been doing this for a while,
as there are thousands upon thousands of demons
who end up with her energy wrapped around them,
but eventually she runs out of energy
and ends up switching forms out of desperation,
getting access to a completely new pool
of energy but suddenly struggling with not
killing those in her grasp while Hiei looks on.
Eventually she can hold out no longer,
and consumes those within reach of her power,
Rikei and Iketeru explaining to Hiei
that they believe active Crusnik are slow enough
to renew themselves in her pain form
that if she could expel all of the energy of that side
she would be cured, but she can never manage
to get anywhere close before she feeds
and ruins the whole process.
She comes back to the lab,
Hiei having retrieved her clipboard from their rooms,
and while she does more testing with the others,
he looks at her formulas for patterns,
dealing calmly with Shikiyoku's anger
at being unable to control her actions.
When she finishes the testing for the time being
and Hiei shows her a pattern he has found
throughout her work,
Shikiyoku appears to react strongly,
showing the other scientists.
The pattern appears to be a step Shiki
has not intended to leave in the formula
as it is contrary to what she means to do in the dance,
an indication that the Crusnik
are somehow controlling her actions
even while she is in her normal form,
and not allowing her to release her energy as she means.
In return for his discovering,
Hiei casually asks within their bond
if he can kiss her now.
~!**!~
After Kurama and Akari spent the evening together,
they were quickly sent back into their real lives,
Yomi sending Kurama away from the compound
for over a week,
leaving the others behind to guess at what he was doing.
Another two days pass and Akari sits in her room
bored and with nothing to do.
She decides to visit the First Layer,
missing Nabu and wanting to laze a day away
at the park instead of cooped up in her room.
She does not end up finding Nabu,
but does waste some time with a bit of food
and her favorite spot in the park
before returning and heading to a training room.
She is called to a different room by a new individual,
who begins some one-on-one training,
and elsewhere on the grounds Kurama returns
to collapse into a deep rest in his room.
The next day Akari ends up in front of Yomi,
the would-be King informing her he was aware of her escapade,
and has decided she will be sent after other layer-walkers
her assignment to bring them back or kill them.
In Kurama's meeting with the blind demon,
he is told that he will be in charge of training new recruits.
Why had I thought that to be a good idea again?
Akari fought back a sigh and rolled her eyes at herself.
Can't go a week without being a stupid, dramatic kid.
She leaned back in the chair she'd taken occupance in, eyeing the demon across from her. The other female's ears stood at attention, not so much as even twitching when another sound somewhere else should have caught their attention.
"And if I want no part of this war?"
Akari gave a shrug. "I'm not sure that's really an option for you anymore. Think: If Yomi has sent me here, who's to say Mukuro won't send someone for you next- if the king hasn't done so already."
The other raised a brow. "I'd like to think I'm a pretty fast layer runner-"
"Not if I caught up. I'm, quite literally, probably the slowest demon to have been sent after you in that respect." Then again, I didn't use my shadows.
"Will my life be guaranteed?"
The amount of restraint Akari had to use here was rather impressive, to be honest. The scoff wouldn't have been much help here, especially since she had to be back within the hour. "That depends on your own capabilities."
There was a silence.
And that silence stretched on.
And on.
And on.
Akari really, really didn't feel like fighting anyone. Especially not another shadow wielding demon.
"And what would benefit me?"
This time, Akari's lips released the sound she'd earlier restrained. "If I knew that, I would have told you first. I'm just a lackey." She paused. "Though, I'm willing to bet you'll learn a great deal from this." Assuming you live. Assuming we all live.
"And if I refuse?"
The tone the copperheaded female adopted was no longer patient, but dark and threatening. "You die."
Because I'm not returning empty handed.
I don't have the option anymore. *
~!**!~
For a moment, Shikiyoku didn't respond, continuing to flip the pages back and forth until she had at least four or five different groupings of the formulas. She had placed stars on the original pages to indicate what she was copying, and as soon as she finished, she carefully went back over her copies, seeing nothing wrong with them and finally glanced over at Hiei.
Offering him the clipboard, she nodded down to the copied formulas.
"Take a look at these for me. Did I leave out the patterns you were talking about in the ones that I copied?" 3
Hiei waited patiently- or tried to anyway, and ended up repeating the question to himself as it wouldn't traverse the bond again- and watched as Shikiyoku starred a couple of pages and continued copying down numbers.
He wasn't very sure of what she was trying to do.
So, when she passed the clipboard to him, he took it without hesitation, eyeing the very same pattern that he'd seen before, the numbers staring him in the face when she asked if she left out the pattern.
Ah.
The virus is sentient.
Controlling.
Got it.
"No," he said after a moment, taking the pencil from her hand and circling the numbers he'd shown her earlier. "They're still here," he circled another, "here", and another, "Here," and one more, "here."
He leaned the clipboard in her direction for her to look at. And after a brief moment, he leaned it away again and flipped to a new page, beginning to copy down the formula again, minus the pattern.
Which left holes that made it seem incomplete.
But, that was probably only because he'd only ever seen it with the patterns.
"Try copying down my modifications."
I want to test this.
~!**!~
A short nap and a short meeting with Yomi later, and Akari was out again, scouting the layers with an even shorter time frame than the first time. It had her on edge, wishing that it was just as easy as the last to hunt this one down.
Except this one wasn't a shadow wielder, and thus was harder to track down.
In fact, this demon had been marked down as a demon with the ability to refill things. Of course, the concept sounded harmless, unless one considered the ability of the other to refill a person's mind with doubt, anger, grief.
Or to refill a weapon storage of some kind.
Or even likely refill their own energy shortage.
Or endurance.
…
Could be facing a potential super-demon. S class capabilities at least….
She couldn't remember his actual classification.
She could only hope he was in the mood for a nice chat.
Okay, so he hadn't been in the mood to chat, but he had tried to ward her away by refilling the most irritating thing on the planet:
Her bladder.
Wise guy.
She took a deep breath and moved to block the other's path anyway, expression one of impatience. She had tried to tread lightly with this one, but with the thought of Kurama being with Yomi hanging over her head, she had decided that tiptoeing around wasn't really going to work in this timeframe.
She only had four hours left to either lead this one to Yomi, kill him, or die trying.
Which, to be honest, none of those options were preferred.
Because she wasn't sure that even if she herself died, that kurama wouldn't still be-
"That's quite the trick you've got," Akari suddenly commented, realizing she'd been worrying after trying so hard to rid herself of those thoughts. "I'm not very sorry to say that you don't have much choice here. We all have our priorities, as I'm sure you understand."
"Yes, and mine have absolutely nothing to do with the three kings."
"Well then, I suppose we'll have to fight about it."
"If you live, I'll follow you to Yomi."
There had been a moment, a very brief instant in time, where she had genuinely panicked. A moment of weakness where Akari had thought that she'd have to return empty handed, and end up returning only to be informed about something Yomi had done to Kurama in retaliation for her failure.
And in that moment, she'd imagined the redhead strung to a tree, bloodied and hardly breathing. Scarred. Maimed. Unable to do more than simply breathe, and hardly even that. She'd thought very briefly on the scar she'd traced on his skin a couple of weeks before.
And then she had simply…
Lost it.
One moment, she'd been internally screaming at herself to not let the demon get away. She'd been struggling to remain on her feet, to stay conscious.
The next moment, she'd blinked away a darkness to find herself standing over a demon who looked like he'd been dragged through hell ten times over. In fact, she could very easily compare the wounds to the ones she'd remembered to have been inflicted on the very redhead she'd been worrying about some time ago.
And her own injuries? She wasn't sure how, exactly, but she was still standing, still had enough energy to actually pick up the hardly-breathing demon by his arm and fold them both through the layers.
And she felt absolutely no pain.
When she did land outside Yomi's door, to say the other slipped from her grasp would be almost a lie as he hit the tile in a large heap of skin and bones and blood.
A deep breath later, and she entered the room he'd deemed specifically for her returns, dragging the unconscious, half-dead demon behind her and creating a trail of crimson on the floor.
"The demon you requested, sir." Her voice was even, albeit a little gruff from her strenuous day.
The king looked up from whatever he'd been doing and seemed to stare at her for a moment. Had he had the eyes to see with, she would have noticed his sights turning on the fallen to her right.
"I left him alive, as requested."
His attention turned again to her for a brief moment before he turned down to resume whatever he'd been doing. "Good. The rest of the day is yours." He paused to lift a small remote and press a button. "Report here in the morning."
She took that as her dismissal, and for once, Akari actually bowed before taking her leave. *
~!**!~
When Shikiyoku took the clipboard back from him and stared at what he had written down, she frowned.
"Well, I can, I suppose. But they're incomplete. I wouldn't be able to use them. I mean if you put-"
She stopped for a moment, realizing that she had started to copy what Hiei himself had written down, but when she reached the portion he left out she had started to fill in what had been written there before, as an answer to the missing portion.
Dammit.
Her fingers tightened briefly on the pen she held poised just above the paper, blinking twice before resisting a growl and looking up to see what Iketeru and Rikei were doing.
They weren't paying the slightest bit of attention.
Good.
Glancing at Hiei, Shikiyoku silently slipped the clipboard and pen onto the table behind them as she slid off the stool and put a finger up to her lips, her face its usual dark-neutral as she reached over with her other hand and grabbed for his wrist to pull him after her, quietly leaving the room before the other two scientists could notice.
There may have been the barest of onry gleams in her eyes as she quietly opened the door and lead them away from the lab. 3
Hiei had been watching, listening, with apt attention, and was, honestly, unsurprised by the writing utensil that paused, that Shikiyoku had begun to fill in the blanks he had purposely left out for simply this reason.
It seemed she was hard-wired to do… whatever it was.
Which meant that every step in her 'dance' had to be very carefully analyzed and refined. And then… then Shikiyoku would have to figure out how to overcome whatever it was that the virus- was that a good descriptor anymore?- wanted her to do.
The fire demon had turned forward in the midst of his thoughts, so when Shikiyoku moved and grabbed hold of his wrist, he had to blink himself back into reality. His eyes met hers, staring into the muddy, darkened green that were her irises as he slid away from his chair just as silently as she had.
He nodded at her gesture that asked for silence, and let her lead him from the room without even a thought about hesitation.
And as she pulled him along, he loosened her grip on his wrist so that he may grab that hand.
I'll try to remember sooner about physical affections calming her.
~!**!~
"Your blood pressure is elevated."
"Mm."
"And while you're healing as you should be, I'm surprised you're still conscious."
Akari repeated the little humming sound to the demon who she'd gone to for medical assistance. After all, she had to be up and moving tomorrow to do it all over again, and quite frankly, she didn't want a repeat of today.
"Your energy is stable, regenerating quite rapidly, might I add. Elevated adrenaline levels. Are you shaky?"
"No."
"Hm. Headache?"
She repeated the negatory.
"I say you should be fine come dawn. Nothing out of the normality, aside from the adrenaline. Still feeling the heat of your fight, I presume?"
"I guess." Akari slid from the countertop and let her feet touch the floor, shrugging away whatever question had just been asked. "Thank you for your time."
"Well, I'm here all day every day. You know where I am should you need assistance again tomorrow."
She nodded at the black-haired male who smiled patiently at her, his white coat rustling just a little with each step he took behind her. And when she turned to watch the door shut behind her, his charcoal eyes squinted with the smile before disappearing from view.
I have a feeling I'll be seeing you a lot.
She turned and continued her way to her room, head up and eyes forward, spine straight. It was odd how the injuries scattered around her body did not hurt, that when gashes had been cleansed, she hadn't hissed in pain. Bruises that were already purpling didn't even seem to be there to her aside from their angry coloring.
She hadn't ever had such a tolerance for pain.
In fact, she was usually very susceptible to it.
And not feeling it rather unnerved her.
So, with the door to her quarters now shut and locked behind her, she resigned herself to laying face-down on the mattress with her arms and legs sprawled out, trying to remember what exactly had happened.
And the only thing she remembered before falling into sleep was the panic she'd felt before blacking out. *
~!**!~
Once Shikiyoku was clear of the door, she glanced down at the hand Hiei had a hold of and her expression softened a little as she turned back to watch where they were going.
Which she realized she had only picked a direction away from the lab and hadn't necessarily been leading them back to their rooms. At that point she slowed down, not having a particular destination in mind whatsoever.
Shikiyoku spoke gruffly into the silence after a moment, "The...the Crusnik are...Rikei thinks they're more like nanites than a virus. That they have a specific directive and purpose more so than simply 'reproducing' as a virus will." 3
Hiei made a sound that said he'd heard Shikiyoku, but otherwise said nothing. He let his footsteps match hers, his eyes remaining forward as his mind turned over the information, as if he might actually know something that the others hadn't thought of yet. Of course, that wasn't the case- this wasn't his area of expertise. He preferred the fighting and the things that went along with that.
Not the medical things.
Never the medical or science-y things.
Hiei came to a stop after a moment, tugging on Shikiyoku's hand to pull her to a standstill as well, his eyes locking on her face.
"I don't like it."
The virus, the darkness in your eyes, the inability to read you. I don't like it.
He tugged on her hand again, bringing her even closer so it would be easier to simply lean down and just touch his lips to hers.
~!**!~
Akari nodded at the blind demon, still sitting in the chair that occasionally swiveled with her movements. Her elbows remained on top of the table, her fingers laced under her chin as she eyed the other some more.
She felt rather… reluctant. Not with just being in this room, in this palace, on this layer, but about everything.
Twice now, it's happened.
Two different times where Akari felt a surge of anger at the prospect of returning with a failure over her head, and suddenly seeming to come to with no recollection of what had actually happened.
So, with Yomi now telling her she'd be out on this one for a week, running down several demons and only returning when she had them all?
Yeah, she was a little apprehensive.
She almost felt like it was some sort of trap or test.
It sounded about right, to be tossed to something that would inevitably get her out of his way.
She nodded again, though she hadn't a clue what he'd said.
"I trust this is not out of your limitations."
"No."
"Then I will look forward to seeing your progress."
Akari stood and wordlessly left the room, the overly large door slamming shut behind her.
Kill one, recruit five. Got it.
This will be a rather entertaining week. *
~!**!~
Shikiyoku stopped when Hiei did, letting him turn her towards him, but her eyes were shifted to the side as if she didn't want to look up at him.
The emotion came with having an admittance of sorts.
"He...he's been trying to figure out what that directive is." She continued, "He thinks if we know it that we can change it." She paused, taking in a silent breath that made her tense for a moment before she released it and began speaking again, "I...haven't told him the directive." Her voice grew lower, "I know what it is. I've known what it is for a long time. It screams at me every time I'm in that room, every time I have all those demons in my grasp. It-"
She let out a scoff, "They're meant to keep the demonic race in check. That's why almost every single one of us has them in our energy even if we don't know it. Kit never figured out who put them there in the first place, but… Once they're activated, their only goal is to kill off as many demons as possible before they burn out whatever vessel they were in. That's why I was so sick when you found me. That's why I, and anyone else who gets them activated, loses their mind. It's that...hunger. Feeding staves off the sickness to an extent, makes it so we don't burn out as fast. But it's never enough-"
She cut herself off, eyes growing darker for a second as she slid them closed. 3
Hiei listened patiently to Shikiyoku, his thoughts paused briefly as he stared at her with calm eyes. His expression was rather calm considering the topic and his dislike for the object of conversation. He'd even begun to pull her into a hug until he noticed the darkening of her eyes and paused, knowing she needed a moment to reign it in.
If he were honest, he'd say that the so-called 'directive' was rather plain to see, as all she wanted to do in that form, with that energy, was kill and feed.
Which, he realized, didn't truly bother him.
The illness and the burning out is what he hated.
And his hatred for that had him pulling her closer anyway, releasing her hand to place his own on either side of her face and pull her eyes up to meet his- if she opened them again that is- just before he leaned forward with every intention of changing her back.
(Divide pain and multiply joy, yes?)
At least, that's what he remembered about this bond. *
Shikiyoku let Hiei move her, but she forced herself still for a moment as she stood there with her eyes closed, struggling with herself.
You just fed. You're fine. You don't need any more right now.
As she said though, it was never enough.
Finally she opened her nearly black eyes so she could look at him, trying to settle into the peacefulness his own gaze held, giving a little nod in response to his question. 3
Hiei could feel it, the tension, the internal struggle she was undergoing. And while he himself remained just as he had been, he let an image pass through the bond- or telepathically, he didn't really know- of how he'd almost touched her nose the other day without her notice, and also allowed his amusement from that moment to filter through as well.
He thought it would be a good distraction.
and then he closed his eyes and pressed his lips to hers, wishing for nothing more than for her to change back, and to smile again. *
After a second of looking up at him, Shikiyoku's gaze turned internal as she felt him beginning to share a memory with her, one that had her puzzled and not particularly understanding at first.
Granted, that meant the image did its job and it wasn't until the moment she felt him kissing her that she thought, Duh.
Before her mind went blank, as the scars began peeling away, she felt herself reaching up to gently rest her hands over his wrists.
While her pain form may have be sequestered away in a rather short amount of time, the pulse her core gave out once she switched was a slow one, and it took longer for her to reawaken, blinking wearily as she felt herself weaken.
There had not been much time that had passed since she released all of this form's energy and in any case it usually took a while to regenerate it all. Which is why she often fell asleep almost immediately once Hiei had come back from his duties.
Is he still 'drunk?' I don't really remember. 3
Hiei pulled away only after he felt the chill that often accompanied her ashen skin become a warmth underneath his hands and at his wrists, his eyes opening to watch her calmly again.
His lips gave a very minescule twitch at a sudden thought.
"That wasn't my reward."
A pause.
"Your energy is still depleted." And while he'd just pointed out the obvious, it had meant to be the reason for what he did next.
He moved his hands from her face and instead lifted her from the floor, one arm behind her back and the other under her knees.
"They can do the rest for the day."
He turned and began moving for their room.
~!**!~
"You mean to tell me that a King wants me?"
Akari stared at the demon who could be no older than she, and seemed to act much younger. Almost like a middle-school human would act, which would put the demon to be…
Uh…
Forty years? Maybe?
"That's indeed what I just said," she repeated, blinking once at the other, whose smile widened and eyes lit up as if this were the best news on the planet. I wish you wouldn't do that. You really have no idea.
"That's awesome!"
You remind me of someone….
"When do I begin?"
….
"Miss?"
"Akari." She suddenly said, voice even. "My name is Akari. And we won't be returning just yet. You're to be keeping up with me, get some training on the way."
"Awesome! I get to be with-"
The glare she directed at him had him pausing.
"Oh, uh. My name is-"
"Aiko. I'm aware." She turned to lead the other away from the building he'd been in, ignoring the commotion that commenced inside. After all, pubs at late hours always got rowdy.
"So, what will I be doing for this King?"
"That will be disclosed when you arrive."
"By the king himself?"
"By the king himself."
"Dude, I'm going to be royalty! I'll get to boss others around and…" He seemed to go on and on, never really silencing.
Ah. You remind me of myself.
Good luck then, bud. You'll need it.
I'm not exactly an example to follow.
"So, what's my training?"
"First, you have to keep up."
"Wha-"
Akari bounded forward, taking off at a full-out sprint and folding the layers over herself to skip to the third. She didn't glance back to see if the other followed. She didn't have to, since he continued to yell at her to slow down.
Maybe I should have hunted down the other one first and got that fight over with. *
~!**!~
Shikiyoku made an affirming sort of hum through her lips as Hiei picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders as she leaned forward.
(Reward? What reward?)
Before she settled with her forehead against his shoulder, she planted a kiss on his neck and then buried her face against him, feeling her body relax as she gave out a sigh. 3
I suppose that will do for now.
Hiei didn't respond to Shikiyoku's question, only moving a step at a time down the halls in silence even as other demons around them moved around in anything but silence. He wasn't sure when he'd actually become a part of the crowd, but it seemed that no one paid them any mind for the time being, and thus the trip to the room was easy and uneventful.
The door swung itself shut slowly as he moved further into the room, deciding he'd take residence up on the couch. He himself wasn't tired, and the couch was large enough for them both to stretch across if they wanted.
Though, he decided to sit on one end of it and lay Shikiyoku along its length, her head on his thighs.
"You still didn't do it right, by the way."
~!**!~
"Miss?" There was a pause where Akari didn't answer Aiko. And he repeated his call, his tone confused. "Miss?"
She kept walking, attention on their surroundings.
"Mi-"
"Hush, Aiko. Listen." Silence ensued, broken only by the pair's footsteps in the dead grass. Really, for Yomi to ask for someone as unobservant as this one, she thought it would just be easier to kill him and tell Yomi it had to be done.
But she was also aware that that was not her normal train of thinking, that the past several weeks had had an affect on her.
Shadows all around her stilled, even when they should have been mirroring the moving of the branches in the howling wind.
"Akari," the other whispered, gaining her attention. She turned her head to look over her shoulder at him, noting that his expression had gone from his earlier exuberance to focused, as if having realized they were being followed.
She quirked a brow.
"I don't like that smell."
"Good. That's your instincts telling you what I've known for a while."
She turned away and kept moving, now suddenly feeling rather tense about the area. They needed to get out, to make sure and avoid the energies she could feel in the distance- energies that felt heavy and wrong in every way.
She'd never felt energy like that before.
So, when she realized that Aiko hadn't followed after her, she paused and turned around, staring harshly at the other. "Let's. Go."
"But… people are hurting and-"
"Aiko, you can't-"
"I can feel it and-"
Got it. Healer. "Would you like a premature death?"
Something nearby moved, and Akari was silent, listening, motioning for the other demon to come with her, to get moving. I don't like it.
It reminded her a little of how it had felt in the inbetween, except…
Darker..
She opened her mouth to issue a threat to the other, but didn't get it out. The words were cut short by the scent in the area growing stronger, and a new energy permeating the air in a sick, twisted way.
The color, she could see, was muddled and darkened, as if it were supposed to be another, brighter color. Perhaps a brighter red? She wasn't sure.
But every hair on the back of her neck was on end, and she was quickly moving between the layers and running to grab Aiko. The instant she had her hand around his arm, she pulled him into the layer as well and shifted gears, turning and running in the way they'd been going.
Only to realize the threat was following.
Using the layers.
And that made her core skip a little.
"You're going to do me a favor," Akari began in a growl to Aiko, trying to push her feet faster. "You're going to inform Yomi that the area of the five others is infected. Overrun. I'm not sure what with, exactly, but I don't want to be responsible for your death."
"Wha-"
"I won't need help. Just inform him of the circumstances."
She landed on the layer above the previous and promptly dropped the other into a shadow, sending him straight to Yomi's compound even as she herself continued to evade whatever was following.
Because it certainly wasn't a normal demon anymore. Not the way it hissed at her...*
~!**!~
Shikiyoku let out another little sigh as Hiei put her down, coming to terms with the fact that yes he was still 'drunk,' and trying to decide how much she really cared about it at the moment.
As she shifted around for a second to get comfortable, she opened her eyes a little to look up at him.
(Right? ...wha're you talking about?) 3
Hiei thought his response, but it didn't really traverse the bond as he thought it would- which he obviously didn't notice as he sat back and rested one arm on the back of the couch and the other elbow upon the armrest.
His eyes stayed locked on Shikiyoku, watching her get comfortable with the slightest glint in his eye.
And randomly, he heard her voice in his head from earlier calling him her Consort, and that same pride from before swelled, causing his eyelids to slide closed in content.
~!**!~
She ran, and yet the other creature seemed very capable of keeping up. And, actually, there were moments where Akari swore she could see tendrils of energy shooting past her vision, by her face as if a weapon launched and barely missing its target.
And the threat felt very real. Rather scary, actually.
She took a deep breath and a sudden sharp turn, enabling a small moment for her to get a look at her pursuer.
The demoness's long hair was filthy, its original color unknown due to the disgust within the locks. Her eyes were dark; if they had a color, she certainly couldn't see it. And the skin of this one was…
It wasn't right.
Almost as if the female had been in the water for too long and had a case of hypothermia.
The horns on her head? Covered in what Akari knew from experience to be blood and dirt. And they seemed to be peeling, shedding almost. As dead as she feared she would be.
And the tendrils of energy? They were actual bolts in the other's hands, and there were even a few that seemed to leak from her mouth in a smoke-like effect.
What the hell is this?
Akari turned away, deciding not to actually fight, but to flee. How could she defeat a foe who looked like that? Her instincts told her she wouldn't win if she got close enough to actually fight.
Another sharp turn, and she let out a growl.
Whatever pain she hadn't felt the day before, she could definitely feel now as whatever energy was thrown at her struck her upper arm.
And when she tried to drop through a shadow, she learned she wasn't quite quick enough in calling for them. *
~!**!~
As Kurama made his way around the room, correcting positioning here, instructing the next step there, he was most definitely aware of the avid conversation going on in whispers in the corner where a small group of demons was steadily getting larger as more of those in the area got distracted from what they were doing by the tale of the newest arrival.
Which had been retold at least twice by this point.
"And I swear, it just felt weird. Like, the demons were there and then suddenly their energy was gone. Completely. They didn't even know they were dying until they were suddenly dead."
Despite the seriousness of the subject, the kid's eyes were bright in the retelling, and it hadn't taken long for Kurama to figure out the demon had some sort of healing potential given the angle the story always seemed to take.
"What was it?" Another of the demons asked.
"Who was it?"
The kid gave a little shrug, obviously enjoying the spotlight, "I dunno, man. It started chasing us, though. And it-"
"Crusnik."
The entire group of demons gathered around the kid froze in place.
Kurama had approached without their notice and stood behind them in such a way that not a single one of them could have slipped away without being obvious about it.
"What?" The kid asked, his face contorting with confusion, having never heard the term before now.
"Crusnik." Kurama repeated simply. "The demon you came across was no longer a true demon, but a Crusnik. Demons who feed upon other demons."
"Woah."
The rest of the group may have remained silent, but it was easy to see that their eyes reflected the single word the kid managed to breathe.
"I'm sure most of you have realized or been told that it was never actually human souls we fed upon, but instead we process the energy of our food." Kurama let his eyes sweep the group before him. "After all, if we were only sustained by human souls, we would have died out a long time ago."
A couple of the demons nodded cautiously.
"However, it has never been said that we can sustain ourselves on one another. These Crusnik are-"
"Cannibals." The kid interrupted with a grimace of disgust.
Kurama tilted his head a little to allow the title. "-An exception." He finished.
He didn't have to turn around to realize that the rest of the training room had gone quiet, and that every single eye in the room was turned on him.
"How do we fight these Crusnik?" Someone behind him wanted to know.
Kurama shifted himself to take a single step back and look at the demon who spoke up.
"Fight them? You can't be serious."
"But that thing was a layer-runner." The kid emphasized, "And a heckuva lot faster than me. If that chick hadn't been there, I would have had to fight it."
"You don't fight Crusnik." Kurama gave the boy a steady glance.
As if taking his words as a challenge, the kid stood up a little taller.
"Yeah? Well, what if I have to?"
There were various other murmurs around the room, and Kurama let them simmer amongst themselves for a moment or two.
"What do I do?" The boy took a step closer to him, chin raising slightly in defiance.
"You run."
"And what if I can't run fast enough?"
"You run faster."
The boy made a frustrated noise, scoffing at Kurama's answers, but Kurama held his gaze on the other, sizing the kid up.
"You do not let them get close." Kurama advised. "You do not use your energy to hold them off. They feed on energy and it will only make them stronger and you weaker."
"Th-then-" The kid faltered for a second and in that moment looked more like the vulnerable youngling he was than the assertive storyteller he had been earlier. "-what can I do?"
Kurama blinked at him without answering at first.
"Do you truly wish to learn?"
He swallowed, finding himself unable to respond except by nodding a bit hesitantly.
Kurama gestured out to the training room. "Then you'd best come out of the corner and get to work."
~!**!~
Shikiyoku grumbled to herself for a second, poking Hiei in the leg.
(I can't hear you. I don't like it. You're all...you're too...bubbly. It's getting in the way.) 3
Hiei made a sound at the back of his throat in amusement at Shikiyoku's admittance, a single eye opening to look down at her and the spot she'd poked.
"I said, even though the kiss wasn't done right, I'll accept it. but you still have a long way to go before you catch up to my count."
His eyelid slid closed again.
"But we have plenty of time."
~!**!~
Faster, Akari.
She gritted her teeth and pushed her legs to move faster, taking another turn as she tried to call yet another shadow, yet another form of transportation that would get her away from the threat, but it seemed to never really actually form.
And after a short illusion attempt, she'd realized that she wasn't doing anything to help herself.
Actually, the creature had gotten faster, was only a few paces behind her now. Hissing. Growling. Snarling.
Well, at least Aiko got out.
She herself issued a growl as another strike hit her, and this time when her core skipped a beat with the strike, it was accompanied by pain. Pain that felt very similar to the days she'd used her energy up to the extremes.
Which is what made her realize why she couldn't call a shadow, or create an illusion.
And why the other kept getting faster.
This time, when she felt the panic arise, she realized there would be no moment where she'd suddenly black out and come too with a demon beneath her. There wouldn't be a moment that would somehow shut down all the pain she was feeling and take it away completely.
Because she could feel the blood running down her arm and down her back. And those two places hurt like hell. It burned, it ached, and it felt like-
Focus.
Get out alive.
She swallowed and pushed harder, trying to think as she avoided a fourth strike, that one aimed for her core. Maybe if I…
Maybe if I use every ounce of energy in a shadow transport, it will work? Can it devour energy that fast?
…
Only a last resort.
...kind of out of options.
Akari's eyes turned upwards, to the dead trees speeding by, trees that were dark and nothing but.. shadow.
Maybe.
Really, it was her only option, it seemed.
So, with the infected demon hot on her heels, Akari leapt from the ground and to the trees, her core giving a protesting throb when every ounce of energy was gathered there. Please work.
And with fingers crossed, she poured her energy into that darkened area and leapt for her life, and was relieved when the darkness of that realm closed around her, welcoming her and shutting out the threat.
The next thing she knew, she was dumped out into the grass somewhere else, tossed from the realm with enough force that she rolled, coming to a stop in a small opening in a mountainside on a layer that smelled much more like… home. Except it was cold, and the wind howled, blowing snow and ice into the opening of whatever crevice she'd been thrown into.
What luck I have.
And with that wry thought, her world went dark again. *
~!**!~
Shikiyoku started to let out a low chuckle, but quickly turned it into a good-natured growl as she poked at his leg another time before resting her hand there.
(You're pushing your luck, flame-boy. Keep insulting me about not knowing how to kiss and you'll find yourself in more trouble than you bargained for.)
(...I can't believe you're keeping count.) 3
Hiei almost gave a response, but for some reason or another, decided against it and settled for smug silence, his head resting back against the couch.
Well, the silence lasted for a moment, anyway.
"Always have been." *
Shikiyoku blinked a few times before answering.
(I don't believe you.)
He's lucky I'm so out of it right now. Another insult to my kind and I wouldn't be able to be held responsible for my actions.
That time she did let out a small laugh. 3
"Hn."
Hiei suddenly realized that what he felt in that moment was not mere content, as per usual, but actual happiness with where he was sitting and who he was talking to. though, he did have to admit that it probably had something to do with the who and not the where.
"You should laugh more." *
Shikiyoku's initial response had her releasing an amused breath.
You should give me more things to laugh about.
It wasn't necessarily true, but given he was the subject of her laughter, it was the first thing that popped into her head.
(I should laugh more? I've laughed more than you. I've been keeping count. You're way behind, flame-boy.) 3
Hiei made a sound somewhere between a scoff and a huff, though it was in good nature. "I don't laugh, Shiki." He would have challenged her on keeping count, but really, he figured that if she'd ever heard him laugh- which he wasn't sure of at the moment anyway- then she probably would remember it.
Simply because it was a rare thing. *
Shikiyoku started shifting around until she could get her hands underneath herself and start crawling upwards until she could stick her face in Hiei's, her green eyes blank in the way she had learned from her other form, though her lips were stuck in the tiniest smirk that off-set her otherwise unreadable expression.
(Is that so, flame-boy?) 3
Hiei's eyes had opened completely to watch Shikiyoku as she shifted around and began crawling closer, making the amused glint in his eye disappear and become replaced with a monumental amount of suspicion.
I don't like it.
His eyes narrowed and his lips pressed into a hard line, and he didn't reply, unsure of her intentions. *
Shikiyoku moved her face closer until the tips of their noses were just barely not touching one another.
(How come I should laugh more, but you 'don't laugh,' hm?) 3
"Your laugh is…" he paused, unable to think of an appropriate adjective to describe the sound she made when she was happy enough to laugh. But, to be fair, it was hard to actually think when she had gotten so close.
"Hn."
His expression lightened, turning passive, almost bored, as he met her gaze for gaze.
"I like your laugh." *
(Oh?)
A single one of her eyebrows lifted.
(And what if I like yours?) At the last word, she nudged her nose against his briefly. 3
Hiei's eyes instinctively closed with the new contact, his nose scrunching just a little out of reflex. When he opened his eyes again, he made a point to raise a brow, just as she had, and let his lips accompany that raised brow with a single corner raised in a smirk.
And for a moment, he couldn't decide what to do.
He didn't have a reply to her, because he felt it would be fruitless.
And after a moment, he let his eyelids close and his head fall forward just a little, touching his forehead to hers. *
Shikiyoku let out a hum of approval and did close her eyes.
(Sweet. But not an answer. Should I just employ my own methods of laughter-extracting?) 3
"Hn."
Hiei's eyes came open and he leaned his head away again.
And when he met her gaze, it was with a spark of amusement in his eyes and a sidelong smirk of amusement at her. He tilted his head just a fraction to the side and simply… stared at her. Smirking. Both brows slightly raised.
Waiting. *
Something flickered behind Shikiyoku's eyes, and her side-long grin widened a fraction, his candid stare almost immediately making a blush rise to her cheeks and up the back of her neck.
Without sufficient energy pulsing through her veins, that was just about all the stare did, however.
And before he made her a completely uncomfortable mess, she decided that his lack of answer was answer enough for her and she started tickling him, prodding her fingers up his ribs and watching him to see where exactly he flinched. 3
The very instant Hiei felt the evilness from the other end of the bond, his smirk disappeared and his stare turned to a narrow glare. And in the next second, her fingers were skittering around his torso in much the same manner that he remembered the Lur'Mog to do back at the Niiro Kaga.
Which had his entire body tensing and lips pressing into a very tight, white-lipped line.
A breath huffed out of his nostrils in little spurts as her fingers poked and prodded at the bandages around his abdomen, his eyes meeting hers in a show of defiance.
And then a huff from his lips.
and then some sound or another he didn't recognize followed that.
He reacted, albeit way slower than he should have, and quickly wrapped his arms about her upper arms and grabbed hold of his left wrist with his right hand, pulling her closer so that maybe, maybe she wouldn't be able to keep doing that…
Whatever that was. *
For a second, Shikiyoku cuddled closer to Hiei, silly little smile on her face that belied nothing of her earlier, 'evil' actions.
Elbows still bend, however.
(You're not doing it right.)
Not yet.
Not quite.
Hiei's crude attempt at getting her to stop only lasted for the moment she nuzzled her cheek against him, and after that she promptly started tickling him again. 3
No.
Hiei tried to hug her closer, but really, it didn't do much good, as her fingers still had free roam in a way. So the moment her fingers resumed what they'd been doing, another little sound escaped his lips and he tensed again, scooting a little further up the back of the couch as if to make his escape that way.
And then he released her, instead moving his hands and reaching for her wrists, taking hold and promptly stretching her arms over her head to keep her fingers away from his body.
And the stare he pinned her with was glinting with amusement, despite the odd sensation of tickling. *
Shikiyoku's expression turned slightly more coy underneath the slow blush Hiei's stare instigated, tugging her arms down a little to test his grip.
(Something wrong, flame-boy?) 3
Hiei didn't respond, his grip on her wrists remaining firm and unchanging, keeping them above their heads.
He merely continued to stare. *
She leaned a little closer, satisfied that his hold on her wasn't going to slip, her eyes flashing.
(Your attempts are fierce, but your experience is lacking.)
Using his grasp as leverage, Shikiyoku lifted herself just enough to slide her legs out from where they were laying down the rest of the couch so that she could sit on his lap, her knees bent so that her feet were planted on either side of him.
For a moment, anyway.
Because she braced herself up against his hold and started tickling him with her toes right after that. 3
Hiei made the connection with what adjective she used and what it was meant to replace, and his eyes narrowed to slits. His gaze quickly turned to watch her move her legs, suspicions riddling his expression as if it were written on his forehead in permanent marker.
So yes, he saw the moment when her toes twitched and made contact with his torso.
And no, he didn't know what to do other than let out the sound he'd been holding back moments ago.
He was simply too stunned to withhold the laugh now.
And so he laughed, and his hands released their hold on her wrists altogether.
There really was nothing he could think of to stop it at this point. He was simply too stunned. *
At first, her smile had only widened to see the stunned expression on his face, but once he started laughing, she found herself chuckling along with him before she stopped, leaning forward so her knees rested against the couch beneath them.
(That is in fact doing it right, dear fire-prince.)
She gently pressed a finger onto his nose with a calm smile and looked into his eyes for a moment, her lips starting to part as if she meant to say something aloud.
For a couple of heartbeats she said nothing, and only leaned farther forward to his left to plant a kiss on his left cheek amidst the markings that swirled there before pulling back and giving him that same smile. 3
The instant Shikiyoku's tickling came to a halt, so did his laughter, which turned into nothing more than little breaths through his lips as he regained control over his senses. His eyes remained closed, his nose crinkling a fraction when she touched it, but otherwise giving no response to her words nor the gesture.
Though, when he felt her shift, the weight distribution on the couch cushion changing just a little, he steeled himself for more.
Only to be pleasantly met with a gentle kiss.
His eyes opened and he took to staring at her again, his eyes holding an odd gleam of gentleness, though his lips held no smile.
Her smile, though…
I like that one.
When she was genuinely happy, he could feel it now.
And that happiness reverberated through the bond, making him happy too. *
This time his stare made her shift her eyes away, as if she couldn't quite take the expression she saw there.
An expression aimed at her specifically.
The edges of her lips tugged outwards in an almost bashful manner, as if embarrassed to be the subject or reason for such a look.
For a second her eyebrows flickered downwards, because when she looked down and to the left she noted that the objects that had been placed on the table were no longer there.
I wonder if he burned them...
The moment of differing moods did not last long in any case, her expression lightening back up almost immediately. 3
Hiei continued to watch Shikiyoku, his mind centered on the bond that continued to filter her happiness to him. And for the first time, he realized that they hadn't been interrupted, that they had the whole day if they so desired, and it wouldn't be spent sleeping away pain or regenerating energy.
Which suddenly had him thinking of sweet snow.
Which had him moving, placing his hands on either of Shikiyoku's hips and moving her to the side briefly so he could get up and move to the little cooler in the next room.
"Don't move."
He sauntered to the next room and quickly moved to the little cold box in the corner, pulling the door open to see the breads inside and a single tub of sweet snow hidden behind the loaves. With two spoons sitting atop it, Hiei grabbed what he needed- making sure to warm the spoons so they wouldn't stick to Shiki's hand- and proceeded to go back the way he came.
He made himself comfortable on the couch again, holding out one of the spoons to Shikiyoku and tilting the tub of strawberry flavored sweet snow for her to see.
"Got it a couple of days ago." *
Shifting off of Hiei, Shikiyoku obliged with no small amount of curiosity in her eyes as she watched him disappear into the other room.
She certainly recognized what he held in his hands readily enough, and while she accepted his offer of a spoon and scooted closer, she appeared to scrutinize the ice cream when he held it out.
"Hm."
(You know, it looks like it's missing a couple of things.)
She set the spoon down in her lap and grinned mischievously at him as she reached over and appeared to pull a strawberry out from his hair, moving that same hand to brush through her own and coming out with a second one.
Reaching towards her side with her other hand, she pulled out a small knife as well, crossing her legs underneath herself and beginning to slice the strawberries over the ice cream so that they would fall inside. 3
Hiei had the lid pulled from the tub of sweet snow just in time to shift it so she could cut up the strawberries she'd produced. Strawberries that he still didn't know where they came from.
Though, really, he found it rather fascinating.
Just as he had with her tickling trick a few minutes before.
And while she was still cutting, he had no reason to not catch one of the chunks mid-air, tossing it into his mouth. and it was oh-so satisfying. *
Shikiyoku cut up the two strawberries she had in hand until all but the stems were scattered across the top of the sweet snow.
When those stems were on the table, she calmly produced three more and offered one to Hiei as she stuck another in her own mouth. 3
Hiei took the offered strawberry and took a bite from the fruit calmly, savoring the flavor even as he dove his spoon into the sweet snow, swallowing the bite of the red fruit before sliding the spoon into his mouth. the cold made his teeth hurt a little and almost seemed to burn his tongue, but he liked it anyway.
it momentarily reminded him of the first time he'd tried it and how he'd almost spat it right back out.
Hn.
His eyes turned to Shiki again, the strawberry placed between his teeth a second time. *
With an air of serene calm, Shikiyoku cut the third strawberry over the sweet snow while holding the second piece of fruit between her teeth, feeling a bit of the juice leaking out of it and moving over her lip towards her chin.
Ignoring it for the moment, she leaned towards the coffee table to place the stem down next to the others and wiped first one side and then the other of the knife against her pants.
(See something of interest?) She didn't even have to look over to know he watched her. 3
curiosity took hold.
"How many strawberries do you currently have with you?"
And where did you learn to tickle using your feet?
…
He turned forward again, finishing off his strawberry and dipping his spoon into the frozen treat between them. *
Removing the strawberry from her mouth, Shikiyoku picked up her spoon with her free hand and started to partake in the sweet snow as well.
With the same air of primness that she always tended to assume when he asked her about the strawberries, she let her nose lift slightly into the air.
(I don't have any strawberries with me.) 3
Hiei made a sound of amusement at her retort, stuffing the spoon in his mouth and eyeing her from the corner of his eyes. He'd figure it out one day, he was sure.
It just wouldn't be today.
He rather liked the moment, more so than trying to solve the mystery.
"You fascinate me." And then as if he hadn't said anything, he continued on eating. *
(Is that so?)
She answered as if she hadn't the faintest idea he thought such a thing, though really she felt rather pleased by his statement.
Without hesitation she put the rest of the strawberry in her hand into her mouth and seemingly pulled another from her hair, palming it as she reached in with her spoon to get more ice cream and used that hand to steady the tub. 3
"M-mm." The sound Hiei telepathically sent was one of affirmation, meant to go along with the admittance that, yes, he was intrigued with her and her antics, her tricks and gimmicks and all that. And he rather enjoyed them, the challenges she produced and how she always seemed to take him off guard.
And as he swallowed another spoonful of strawberry sweet snow, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye again.
"Hn." *
With that bite of sweet snow, and the spoon besides, in her mouth, Shikiyoku started slicing the strawberry in her hand into the tub.
In the middle of doing so, she paused for a couple of seconds, giving a bit of a frown down at the tub before letting her face even out again and continuing to cut the fruit.
I don't want to go.
You can't make me. 3
If Hiei had seen the pause Shikiyoku made, he didn't indicate as such when his spoon delved through the sweet snow again, catching not only a scoop of the red treat, but a few chunks of the red fruit that fell to the tub as well.
His eyes remained on the tub, staring almost blankly as he realized he hadn't told Shikiyoku of his promotion in ranking yet. Not only had he not had the time to inform her as such, but a part of him hadn't wanted to tell her, to let her worry that he would now very much so be front lines in the battle that was drawing ever closer.
He hadn't told her that he was just under the second in command, even rivaling that spot.
And even now, he found himself unsure if he wished to tell her or not.
Because the moment was just so wonderful without the break in the peace.
His eyes slid to her again before turning down once more.
It could wait another few hours, he decided. *
The second time Shikiyoku felt the itch, the need to go down to the lab, she actually pouted a little, placing the stem next to the others on the table and putting the small knife down near them before scooting closer to Hiei and leaning into him.
They don't need me.
I wanna day off.
She scooped more ice cream out, making sure to get at least one slice of strawberry with it before putting it in her mouth. 3
Seemingly out of the blue, Hiei became aware of Shikiyoku's closeness and the sudden feeling that reverberated from her end of the bond, which drew his eyes to her again and scattered his thoughts entirely.
"They're too dependent. Let them figure it out."
The general understanding of her actually unspoken thoughts was new, but something he wasn't genuinely surprised to find happening at random moments.
"My time." *
Shikiyoku chuckled a little at his last statement, resting her head on his shoulder as she put another bite of ice cream into her mouth.
(They can't exactly run tests without me. It is kind of my body we're dealing with here.)
She closed her eyes as the same call rang in her head again. 3
"Yes, but that body is currently occupied."
This time, when Hiei delved the spoon into the strawberry goodness, he left it there and leaned back just a little, eyes closing as the taste lingered in his mouth. Very much worth the time to grab.
"As I said, my time." *
(Occupied?) Shikiyoku snorted amiably. (I'm not exactly doing anything at the moment.)
On the next bite, she held the spoon backwards in her mouth and slowly drew it out over her bottom lip, giving a minute sigh of contentment as she did so. 3
"If they need you that bad, they'll fetch you."
He made a small sound of bemusement at the thought, though it wasn't a very loud sound. A small breath followed, akin to a sigh, as he let himself lean just a little towards her.
He'd been waiting for a day where they could relax.
"You deserve a break too." *
(I think they would disagree. I deserve a break when I'm cured.)
Another 'ring' in her mind.
A second one came quickly after that.
(They're just going to keep bothering me.) 3
Hiei made another sound in the back of his throat. "Your choice." Though I'll be going with you if you do go. After all, he was still curious about the rest of the lab work, and had actually enjoyed watching.
Well, most of it anyway.
"You decide." *
Well, what else am I going to do?
She could feel the lab tugging at her again.
I guess I should have told them not to bother me.
...though slipping away without them noticing was rather entertaining.
Shikiyoku put the spoon in the tub and stretched her arms over her head.
(I'll go. If only to tell them to stop bothering me.) 3
"hn."
He paused with the lid of the tub poised over the ice cream, his eyes turning to her suddenly, flashing just the slightest bit.
"Will a kiss make it better?" *
At the offer, Shikiyoku's eye brightened for a second as she opened her mouth as if to reply, then her expression suddenly changed, frowning over at him, her lips pursing together.
(Stop making this difficult.) 3
"You're the one being difficult. It was a simple question." Hiei turned away, sealing the lid on the ice cream and slowly moving away to replace it in the little box in the next room. "Woman." *
Shikiyoku narrowed her eyes at him.
(I'm being difficult? You- It-)
An irritated growl vibrated in her throat.
(What are you doing? Sit back down and eat.)
After a pause she went on.
(But don't eat it all…) 3
"I don't quite see the issue."
Hiei paused only for a moment before he stood, pausing again as she demanded he sit down and eat more, before he continued moving without another moment's hesitation.
"And if I want to save some for tomorrow? Or next week?" *
(Well, luckily for you, you have the freedom to leave this hell-hole and get some more.)
Shikiyoku crossed her arms over her chest.
(I'll be right back. If I wait any longer, my head is going to be constantly buzzing.)
She started to phase through the layers, unwilling to take an risks in meeting someone in the hall on the way there. 3
Hiei had placed the ice cream into the little cold box in their bedroom by the time Shikiyoku had taken her leave. By the time the door shut, he was scoffing into the silence. She didn't even answer my question.
And instead of following her as he had been planning to do, he instead planted himself right back on the very couch cushion he'd been sitting on earlier. *
Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off!