Yu Yu Hakusho: An Alternate Reality

by Last of the Star Makers

What if Shinobu Sensui had one more bad guy? And what if Kurama's classmate got caught up in the whole saving the world mess? Starting in the midst of the Chapter Black Saga, Episode 73 of the anime, join CrisicMelody and Star's on-going roleplay full of action, adventure, and a little romance along the way. There's probably gonna be fun too. We think so. AU. OC/Kurama, OC/Hiei.

159. Episode 243

A/N: 'nother "chapter," as it were. Continues right where the last one left off.

Symbols Guide:

* : Written by CM; She writes primarily 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 primarily for Shikiyoku and 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 became 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.

---

He found himself fighting a yawn all at once, and he realized that sometime during their talk, he'd slid both himself and Shikiyoku further into the bed until he was hardly lounging anymore and the blankets were bunched up underneath his legs.

"Did you reply to your letter from Kasai yet?" *

(Rest all you want. I'm just glad you're still here.) She reached up and kissed his cheek, then rested her head back over his shoulder.

She nodded, "I sent it out after you left."

...she stretched up and kissed him again. 3

(If I only rested as much as I wanted, I'd be downstairs right now. But I'm not going anywhere.) He yawned. (Except to sleep. Probably.)

The bond warmed with his amusement, and the next thought that followed suit was one about staying in bed 'because I have to', and it was tinged with that same amusement.

He closed his eyes to enjoy the warmth of her lips on his skin, glad that she had taken his offer and kissed him when she wanted it, though he didn't doubt that she wanted to more often than she had thus far.

He let go of her hand so he could roll onto his side facing her, and he draped that arm over her shoulders so that his hand could play idly with her hair. He imagined its shine from behind his closed eyelids, and the last image he had before he fell into the darkness of sleep was of her sitting in the bar with her hair down, and a smile rested across his face. *

The thought of him having left only to have to be carried back sick had unsettled her and so she had kissed him again in the hopes to remind herself that he was still here.

...she was glad he was here.

She wasn't sure she would be here if he hadn't pulled through. That mattered significantly less to her, however.

She wasn't sure if she could live without him. She was glad she didn't have to find out.

The thoughts kept bouncing around in her head even as he turned to face her and she felt him shifting his fingers through her hair. She stayed quiet, feeling he needed rest as much as anything now, and pleased enough to get to watch over him without worry as he slept. 3

Akihiko sat with his head bent over some papers, a pen in his hand, and a frown on his face. He tapped the ballpoint on the edge of the paper thoughtfully, creating little dots in a cluster.

"Aki, you sure?" Akihiko looked up from the expense report to spy Chisai standing next to his own chair, watching him with a concerned look. "I could take tonight and let you get some sleep."

He waved his hand dismissively. "No, no. I'm fine. You go home and get some sleep. I've got to catch up with this before Hiei's up and around anyway."

"If you say so." Chisai looked around at the empty chairs around Aki, frowned again, and turned away to approach the head bartender of the night.

Akihiko lowered his head over the paper again, looking for the discrepancy in the numbers that had his total so far off. After a few more minutes of him starting from the top and working his way down and finding nothing to help with the lack of money, he set the pen on the table and ran his hand over his face, his thumb and forefinger rubbing at his eyes before coming to rest at the bridge of his nose.

A hand rested on his shoulder and he turned his head until his chin rested in that hand and he was looking up at a waitress. "Hey, dear. It's about that time again."

He nodded and turned to shuffle his papers into a loose pile, the expense report mixing underneath other paperwork as he straightened out the stack. "Thank you, Sachiko." He stored the papers in a manilla folder and stood from his seat, the chair scraping against the floor.

She gave him a look, but her smile seemed to cut through the warning of it. "How many times must I tell you, Aki? Sachi works just fine." She reached her free hand out to take his folder and the hand holding the tray against her shoulder deftly lowered it for him to take. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"No, this is good." They traded and he gave her a small smile. "Thank you for keeping track of the time for me."

"Yes, well, if someone doesn't, you'll never leave that chair." She patted him on the back a few times and moved off to another table.

Akihiko watched her for a few moments before he hefted the tray onto his right shoulder and moved for the door at the end of the bar stations, focused on getting through that door and up the stairs.

He moved silently through the doorway, making sure the door was just as quiet as it closed behind him before he moved up the stairs. He took them one at a time this time, feeling no rush, and half expecting both Hiei and Shikiyoku to be asleep anyway.

He let himself into the first door on the right, but he left it open so that his exit would be quick and silent as well. He approached the bedside table and eyed the one empty plate and the second half-empty one, a slight frown pulling the corners of his lips down. He hesitated for a brief moment, wondering which of the two hadn't eaten as much as he thought they should, but quickly pushed the thought aside and swapped the trays.

He filled the two glasses with water so the first pitcher would be completely empty, and when he turned to make his quiet exit, his foot kicked something that shuffled and jingled across the floor. He frowned down at the letter and the trinket that appeared to have fallen there at some point.

He glanced at Hiei and Shikiyoku, wondering if they'd gotten up and around, and blinked once when he realized Shikiyoku was awake.

He crouched down to pick up the fallen objects in his free hand and he moved to set them on top of the coffee table across the room. "Did I wake you?" he asked once his back was turned to Shikiyoku *

Shikiyoku shook her head, humming a negative through her lips.

She heard him make the trek up the stairs, and probably would have ducked out of the room to meet him if her legs hadn't been quite so tangled with Hiei's.

His face was buried into her chest now and she had her arms curled up over his shoulders to cradle his head, fingers sometimes absently, gently moving through his hair.

"I was already awake." 3

Aki set the letter and the tassel in the center of the coffee table and lingered there for a moment, eyes staring at the items but not really seeing them. The room still smelled a bit of the fox demon who he guessed to have encompassed the entirety of the apartment in foliage, but even underneath that he could just barely scent the offness that he'd come to associate with the infection.

He blinked back to the present and stood upright, the old tray held in one hand and his other finding the pocket of his jacket. His eyes slid to the chair next to the bed before turning to the open door to the hallway, and he made no move for either direction.

"How are you?" *

Shikiyoku did not immediately have an answer, her eyes trained on the bits of hair in her vision when she glanced down. They mostly obscured the face of the demon in her arms from view even as he breathed steadily against her.

In fact, suddenly no answer seemed appropriate as her core suddenly ached a bit with the knowledge Akihiko likely stood there above them considering his own loss, and an understanding of his pain she previously could not comprehend settled over her features as she released a small breath that stirred Hiei's hair.

She thought perhaps she didn't need to answer, then.

"...was it immediate?" 3

He'd thought as much.

The infection itself was enough to worry about, and while he didn't quite know the nature of the Consort relationship Hiei had with Shikiyoku, he imagined her fear and worry and pain had been just as bad as his own during his time with his Mate, and he'd truly needed no answer to his question.

Though, if she'd said she was fine, he'd have worried much more about her.

Shikiyoku's question, however, had him releasing a small breath through his nostrils. He crossed the room and sat himself down in the chair still next to the bed, and he crossed his legs so he could set the tray with its plates and pitcher onto his lap.

"No," he replied once he was comfortable. His eyes fell on her again, and the smallest smile twitched at the edges of his lips in relief that she wouldn't know the full scale of the pain he'd become so familiar with. "I nursed her for over a week," he admitted after a moment.

For the first time in weeks, his eyelids slid closed and he rested his eyes for a moment. *

"..."

Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but did not fall. She just barely managed to whisper, "I'm so sorry, Hiko," before she had to close her mouth again and swallow down her sorrow for him.

Hiei had been bad enough, but to feel the one with whom you had exchanged the ownership of your very soul with slip between your fingers...

"What did she look like?" 3

Akihiko's smile widened for just a moment and he shook his head of the memory that had almost taken his attention from the conversation. He blinked his eyes open so he could stare at Shikiyoku, his gaze softening.

"She looked like whatever she wanted to, really." He shrugged a little. "Or whatever she needed to look like, I suppose. One day she'd be tall and intimidating for a job, and the next she'd be the tiniest creature imaginable to get away." He scratched at his face a little. "When she figured out which form someone preferred, she used it against them. I was no exception, and apparently I'm a sucker for long auburn hair and purple eyes."

His smile faded and he shook his head. "Have you ever had to chase a tanuki? Quite the adventure, that was." *

"Ugh, tanuki are the worst." Shikiyoku complained quietly with a smile and no small amount of fondness for the image of her Akihiko conjured. "They're like kitsune on crack.

"Can you imagine if Kurama the Youko had the ability to shapeshift into whatever form he wished?" She huffed out a breath at the thought. "Silvers are probably the only color that aren't predisposed to practice the art of duplicating another person's appearance, too narcissistic in personality. But if you ever want to get under his skin, send a tanuki after him."

Her smile widened a little, "I'm sure you two were a sight to see." 3

Akihiko gave a little sigh. "As someone whose specialty is tracking, that was the most infuriating few years of my life." He remembered the runaround he'd been given, the many times he'd gotten close to catching her only to suddenly find himself at a dead end. "Bandits I can handle. Tricksters by any other standard, I don't mind. But a bandit tanuki was absolutely my worst nightmare."

He leaned his head back to rest on the back of the chair, his eyes staring up at the ceiling.

"When I finally caught up to her, I knew she was trouble. And that I was in trouble.

"I'm not quite sure how it happened - it was so long ago now - but I ended up somehow roped into whatever heist she was on at the time." No doubt because she knew I'd be able to get her what she wanted. "And from there I was with her. Never even thought to turn her into the guy who'd hired me to track her down."

He shrugged and lifted his head again.

"She was fascinated with the tales of Kurama the Youko, and endeavored to 'improve his methods'." He chuckled. "It's too bad she didn't get to meet him herself." *

"Oh, I can imagine she would have enjoyed tormenting him well enough." Shikiyoku's eyes flashed. "She sounds delightful. I think she and I would have gotten along like kappa and water. My respectability on the First is a relatively new development in my long life, not to mention greatly exaggerated." 3

"I'd like to think so, too." When he closed his eyes this time, the image of her wasn't of her waking from sleep with dark eyes and sunken skin, but with bright cheer sparkling in her gaze, and a mischievous smile that lit up her features as she told him that he was to help her find some treasure or another.

He almost opened his mouth to say something else, but the words died on his tongue and he found himself staring at the hand that Shikiyoku ran through Hiei's hair.

"How did you and Hiei meet?" *

Shikiyoku's laughter was much freer than it had been in a long time, but she immediately stifled it, reduced to chuckles between a lip she was biting to try and stop from being too loud.

She had been reminded by Akihiko's question of Hiei's commentary on the incident with Gamemaster just a day or so prior.

Her eyes twinkled with her amusement though, even as she continued moving her fingers through Hiei's hair, who seemed undisturbed by her outburst.

"We met several times, though it took me a long while to remember him after the second and third. And him even longer than that." 3

Akihiko's lips twitched into a smile, glad to hear the laughter that filled the room for the brief moment it had. It reassured him that she would be okay, given enough time, and that Hiei had likely been doing his own reassuring to her.

"That… does not surprise me," he said after a moment. "He doesn't seem to actually notice someone unless they cross his path in a pretty significant way, and even then he forgets them by the end of the day."

The amount of regular clients they'd had that he'd had to be reminded about had been pretty startling in the beginning.

"He's been doing better about it, though that's probably because he cares more now than he did then." *

"He'd meant to take out everyone who gathered that evening. Kurama's bandit group was throwing a giant revel under the night sky after a successful job." She shook her head. "I can't even remember what level we were on. Or the prize we'd acquired. I'm sure he'd be disappointed in me, but there were just so many.

"This was before Hiei had the Jagan, so he was an extremely powerful, exceptionally dangerous demon, young enough to still believe himself invincible with nothing in his heart aside from white hot anger and a seering thirst for vengeance."

She would know. She'd felt it herself. Knew exactly what he wanted and why he was there. His emotions were so strong that night. Stronger than she'd ever felt them since.

"He was harmless enough in his approach. Stuck to the shadows, darted around the edges of the clearing. No one noticed him, but the party was attracting demons from all over and he didn't seem overly out of place. The desires he had were too overwhelming to keep him hidden from me for long: he meant to kill us all and torture one specific demon of our bandit group.

"I managed to catch his eye in the moments before he struck. I don't think he'd been expecting to find something quite like me in their midst. After all, I had yet to take human form at the time even so much as once in my life, and as underdeveloped as he may have been, I still had the ability to persuade him to leave us alone without saying a single word.

"...well..." She smiled perhaps a bit more wickedly before and settled her fingers against Hiei's scalp. "...almost all of us. I had no love for the demon he sought." Her fingers began moving again, soothing in their touch.

"I also had no doubt he could not have killed us all without death or grave injury to himself, and I-" She sighed. "I had no appetite for the massacre he intended to commit. I had seen enough of them in my time."

She scoffed, "Though I highly doubt he would have gotten particularly far. Cocky little bastard. Maybe some of the weaker walk-ups would have fallen quickly to his blade, but our bandits were no pushovers and even in those days neither myself nor Kurama the Youko were beings with which to be trifled."

She grew quiet and watched her fingers move through his hair, thinking of their next meeting...and then the one after... 3

Akihiko could see the scene Shikiyoku painted for him: a bonfire, demons toasting and yelling and maybe even dancing in celebration around it. Jokes and stories circulating around them, all exaggerations of true events to make the storyteller more embellished.

Hiei, face emotionless as he skirted around the group, blade in his hand as he looked for the best opening possible for his massacre. Him spying Shikiyoku somewhere in the crowd, and veering away to find his actual target, and making off in the night with his prey.

Akihiko shook his head.

"He's a little shit." *

"Always has been." Shikiyoku replied archly, though the fondness in her eyes might have countered her tone. At least a little.

"The next time we crossed paths I-" She frowned a little. "I wasn't myself. Had no memory of him or really much of anything before I'd stumbled into the old Human World over fifteen years or so before..."

"...he really was a little shit." She grumbled. "I don't know why I was attracted to him." 3

"It certainly can't be his charm," Aki commented mildly. He has none.

He shifted in his chair and rested his elbow on the arm rest, and he propped his chin on the top of his knuckles. "I'm sure he simply lived his life proving that he was the 'Cursed Child', and using it to his advantage. Though… I can't imagine that working well around Yusuke Urameshi when that team was formed.

"When I got wind that the Spirit Detective group had the infamous fox thief and the cursed child on the same team, it was hard to keep Henka away from the demon tournaments." Looking back, he'd been relieved to have not been there when the stadium crumbled. "We compromised and watched them from a television in a pub on the Third." *

"I didn't know a single thing about any of that." Shikiyoku admitted. "Though, I heard about bits of it later, and then more as time went on.

"I did hear that this little asshole-" She gently poked a finger into his cheek. "-somehow managed not to lose a single fight during the whole thing." 3

"His pride and ego serve as a great shield to hide behind in battle. Though the dragon spectacle was entertaining enough." Akihiko nodded a few times to himself, a few comments from his Mate floating across the front of his mind.

Akihiko's expression flattened out when Hiei began to shuffle around, revealing none of his thoughts and emotions in the moment, and he watched the fire demon blink a few times at the room. "Wha's goin' on?" he mumbled, and Aki realized that the other was most definitely not fully awake.

"We're talking shit about you. Go back to sleep."

"Mmkay," the other grumbled, and Aki's smile returned, wicked and amused, as his 'boss' kissed Shikiyoku and promptly fell back into sleep.

"We don't give him enough shit," Aki whispered. *

Shikiyoku swallowed hard when Akihiko managed to answer Hiei before she could manage to coerce her Consort back to sleep, trying to keep back any sniggering that might bubble up in the moment.

She kissed him back, settling him up against her again when he shifted a bit in place afterwards.

"That's because you lot are too scared of him." Shikiyoku replied. "Raion's trying his best. He at least seems to think his little forwardness with me actually bothers this idiot." She planted another quiet kiss on Hiei's forehead. 3

Akihiko's brows shot up at Shikiyoku's last line. His smile disappeared and his expression turned more serious. "If you think it doesn't, you don't pay enough attention."

He blinked at himself, a bit surprised that he'd said it aloud when he'd only meant to think it, and he scratched at his nose for a moment. He took a long look around the room, finally taking a moment to see the furniture and things around Hiei's space.

"Though Raion definitely reaps the benefits. I'm surprised you let him get away with it." *

Shikiyoku frowned again.

Why would it?

Before she could say anything, Akihiko had continued and she huffed.

"Demons have been treating me like that for millennia. It's nothing new to me. At least Raion respects me." He reminds me of Kitoushi. "Maybe that's why I enjoy his advances so much."

"Others send me drinks assuming I'll say yes. Raion sends me drinks and hopes I'll say yes and then spends the rest of the night staring at me projecting his desires my direction just to see if I'll flinch." She smiled. "He thinks he's reinventing the wheel, as the humans say, but there's little I haven't done in my day." She shrugged. "It's fun." 3

A silence fell over the room as Aki turned to stare at Shikiyoku, his frown turning thoughtful. He thought about Raion's advances and Shikiyoku's reactions. He thought about Tarou's occasional jabs and her instant rebuttals, and even of the times she'd turned to him just as he'd said it.

He thought about Hiei and his attempts at… whatever it was Hiei thought he was attempting, and he realized that her reactions to him were reactionary in nature.

"You can't sense his, can you?" *

She'd been wrapped up in the recollections, a smile twitched across her face at Raion's antics and how maybe some demons irked her with their boldness when she barely considered them worthy enough to breath the same air at times, but Raion's approach had earned her respect for the mutual return she felt from him.

Akihiko's statement nearly made her body seize up and in any case she froze in place before, in the next moment, she let out a fierce breath which stirred Hiei's hair with its sigh from her lips.

"He doesn't have any." She grumbled finally, too proud to admit she couldn't. "...the little punk." 3

Akihiko let out a long sigh and leaned further to the side, the pitcher on his tray wobbling precariously before it straightened itself out when he stilled. "His being impossible to read doesn't mean he doesn't have them. He's just defective and fumbling through the dark, trying to figure out what the hell he's doing."

He closed his eyes.

"If he wasn't such a damn good fighter, I'd think he was a total dumbass." *

She let out another sigh.

"Look, Akihiko. I have spent my entire life learning how to read people. When you have abilities like I do, you pick up on a few things, and I've been doing it for well over a thousand years now. There are tells. People have ticks. And sure, a lot of times what someone says is completely contrary to what they desire in the moment, but eventually you pick up on the patterns. You can only watch so many people twitch an eyebrow in a particular way when a certain desire spikes across their mind before you start to associate the two. Hell, I made a living from a very young age discovering what people wanted from me. And it wasn't too much longer before I figured out how to exploit it.

"I can count the number of times on one hand this dumbass has ever actually wanted anything at all, and trust me, when we first met it was a Problem with a capital P."

She released the rest of the breath she'd been holding to speak and lost a bit of her ire in the process.

"If he really desired something, I'd know it. Which is why when he tells me things, I can never really believe him, you know? There's always this...this emptiness to him, this absence like..." She frowned, thinking suddenly of the first time she met Mukuro. "Like when you come across a demon who's so much more powerful than you that you can't even comprehend their aura, so all you get is this strong nothing where your eyes tell you something obviously stands. Except it's worse, because even my eyes can't make sense of it either. There are no tells, he has no ticks and I- I just-"

For the first time, she made a noise of wordless frustration at her circumstances and she was quiet for several seconds until she all but whispered...

"...I never know what to do..."

"...and I hate that." 3

"Hm."

He could definitely understand how that would be frustrating. For him, it would be the equivalent of a demon he was tracking being completely untraceable. As if they didn't exist at all. And while he'd had difficulties hunting someone down, not once in his entire life had he come across a target who he absolutely could not find.

He turned and hid his mouth behind his fist, his mind working over that information and what he knew of the fire demon in question. He thought about the times where they'd stayed out too long and Hiei had become unbearably irate and impatient. He thought about the times where Hiei had instantly relaxed once he'd crossed onto the first Level, and how he instantly greeted Shikiyoku once he met with her - whether that was in the bar or elsewhere.

To him, it was plainly clear that Hiei wanted nothing more than Shikiyoku. He could see the demon being damned near happy just about anywhere, so long as she was there too.

He turned his head until his cheek was resting against his fingers. "Well, in any case, it isn't your fault he's a dumbass."

You've got to figure this one out on your own, I'm afraid. *

She let out another sigh, and would have given Akihiko a comforting pat on the head if she'd been anywhere in a position where she could.

He wanted to help her.

The desire had struck him almost immediately.

She frowned down at the demon in her arms and started to move her hand through his hair again, maybe to comfort herself just as much as him.

"...he may be a little shit, but he's my little shit, you know? I just...I just want him to be happy." She closed her eyes and stilled again him. "And I'm never really sure how to do that." 3

Akihiko gave a small smile of understanding. He imagined that Henka had felt much the same way as Shikiyoku, back when he had just started to realize he'd come to love her. He'd been difficult and untrusting, what with her ability to morph and change, and her mischief definitely didn't help.

It'd taken a long time to convince her that he no longer felt those things, and that he didn't stick around only because she'd 'tricked' him into it - however the hell she thought she'd done that. He'd had to convince her that he truly had been happy to steal those little treasures with her, that he did those things because it made her happy, and not because she gave him a cut of the things they sold.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," he murmured. "He'll voice when he doesn't like something."

He shook his head a little, remembering the times Hiei turned down a job when the one hiring them would haggle for a 'better price'.

"Trust me about that one, if nothing else." *

She hadn't opened her eyes, but Shikiyoku frowned and grumbled again, "...he never tells me when he doesn't like something..." 3

"Well, if he hasn't bitched at you, then you haven't done anything he doesn't like," came his instant reply. "He's known for being fearless with words when someone does or says something he disagrees with, even if a little."

He chuckled.

"Ask Raion and I'm sure you'll hear many stories about getting too far under Hiei's skin. He quite enjoys it, even in the more mundane ways.

"We've also lost plenty of clients, though I fully agree with his decision to cut them loose and no longer service those particular demons." *

Shikiyoku let out a breath and finally mumbled, "...Hiko...go home."

After a pause, she continued with, "And I mean it. Home. Don't make me come down there and kick you out." 3

"Fair enough. I've got work to finish anyway." He shifted and got to his feet, the tray in one hand and the other reaching for the door handle on his way out.

He paused to glance over his shoulder at her, his eyes gleaming at her. "Do that, and you might hear him bitch at you for once." He shrugged and continued moving through the door, calling over his shoulder, "Maybe then you'll understand."

The door clicked closed behind him and he finally let out a little chuckle.

Thank you.

He shook his head to himself and turned to take the stairs back down to the bar.

He set the tray down at the station where the head bartender wiped at his glasses and he slid into a stool. He eyed the bottles behind the bar, half contemplating ordering one last drink, but Sachiko's presence at his shoulder when she stepped up to take the tray distracted him.

"How are they?"

"Hiei's still sleeping, and I don't expect him to come down anytime soon," he answered her honestly as she disposed of the leftover food. "Shikiyoku is tending to him, so he's in good hands."

"How is she?"

Akihiko met her gaze and gave a soft smile. "Kicking me out for the night."

"As she should! Why are you still here, then?" She planted her hands on her hips and leveled him with a look.

"Because you've still got my paperwork, Sachi."

"...oh. Right." She frowned at him and shuffled past the bartender, going further down the line of bar stations in search of the folder she'd stored away for him.

"Need one for the road tonight?"

Aki shook his head at the bartender and leaned to one side in his chair, pulled a wallet from his back pocket, and opened it up to spy the currency of the humans inside. "How much do I owe ya?"

He slid a receipt across the bar, and when Aki was done paying, Sachiko passed him his folder from the next station over. "You get home, and you get some sleep, hear me?"

He smiled at her as she turned to tend to a table in the corner.

"I mean it!" she yelled across the bar, and he sighed.

"I'll think about it," he mumbled as he slid from his seat. "See you tomorrow," he told the bartender, who only nodded and watched as the other finally left the bar for the first time in over two weeks. *

Shikiyoku never quite fell back asleep, skimming restfully just on the surface until eventually pulling herself away from it to slowly and carefully unwind herself from Hiei's embrace.

She doubted he would notice her leaving at all.

Slipping out the door first to his room and then to the rest of the bar, there were still enough demons scattered about the place to verify that her initial instincts to keep it open all hours of the day with a rotating staff had been good ones.

No one took notice of her, though she hadn't intended for them to, and while she double-checked to make sure Akihiko had taken her seriously and actually left, she also grabbed for one of the smaller extra bottles of something she liked and told the head bartender not to let in any of the guild until tomorrow evening.

"They'll probably be stubborn about it." He made a face.

"Then you come get me." She replied simply as she headed back for the door out of which she had come. "That ought to get them to leave real quick." 3

~!**!~

Dawn came too quickly for Akihiko. The beginnings of the morning's sun rays cast shadows through the blinds of his apartment, and a clock in the kitchen chimed the hour, making him look up from the papers he'd been bent over.

He blinked away a bleariness that he hadn't noticed falling over his eyes, and the silence of the apartment slowly began to filter into his awareness as he dipped his head down again and finally figured out what the hell he'd been missing on the expense report.

He marked a line through a few numbers and wrote new ones, and when his total balanced this time, he let out a long sigh of relief.

He almost thought he'd have to go to Hiei about it.

He sat back against the edge of his couch and rested his head back against its cushions, his legs stretched out under the coffee table. His eyelids drifted closed, and he yawned.

The ticking of the clock was a steady rhythm that began to lull him into sleep. All of the stress he hadn't known he'd been carrying melted away from his shoulders and his arms came up to rest on the couch on either side of his head, and he sank into the cushions just a little.

The sounds of the world around him faded, leaving only the darkness of his near-sleep state.

"I'm hungry, Akihiko."

He blinked his eyes open and turned to his Mate, sweat covered and pale and quiet in her informing him of her state. He shifted against the couch, pushing his back away and turning so that he could wipe his palm against her sweat-covered cheek. "What sounds good?"

She took a shaky breath, "I'm not sure."

"Well, I'll just make your favorite then." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, relieved that she felt hunger for the first time in days. "You stay here."

"Mmmkay." She shifted a little and pulled the blanket further up her shoulder, and she curled her knees to her chest despite how they hung off the edge of the couch.

"And after you eat, I'll carry you back to bed," he told her as he moved for the kitchen. "So you can properly rest."

"I don' wanna go," she whined. "I like watching outside the back doors. Makes me feel better about being bed bound."

He smiled down at the pot as he began to bring a broth to a boil. As Henka grew quiet, he listened to the ticking of the clock on the wall, letting it tell him how long it had been since he'd left her to start her lunch.

He noticed at some point that she'd fallen back into sleep while he cooked, so when it was done and he was padding to the living area again, he felt a bit sad to pull her from her sleep. He held her bowl in one hand and reached to just touch her shoulder with the other.

"Henka, lunch is ready." When she didn't stir, he gave a little sigh and set the bowl on the coffee table. He brushed her bangs from her face, frowning at the pallor of her skin and the sunkenness of her cheeks. "Henka…"

She shifted a little, and an odd feeling grew heavy in his stomach.

Her eyes snapped open, dark and filled with hunger, and-

Akihiko jerked awake and sat up, his core beating wildly in his chest and his breathing ragged. His bewildered eyes darted around the corners of the room, expecting overturned furniture and broken objects and-

He leaned forward and let his head rest on the coffee table for a moment, staring at the patterns in the wood as he tried to even out his breathing and calm his core. He took measured breaths and counted the ticks of the clock in the next room. He pressed his hands to the wooden floor beneath him, grounding himself in his surroundings. He moved his shoulders back and forth to get the blood moving in his arms and back again.

When he eventually lifted his head, his expression was just as it always was: Neutral.

He looked around the room to see the sun's rays almost completely lighting up the walls. He turned down to the paperwork on the coffee table and he began to gather it up into a neat stack.

Once that was done, he took a cold shower, standing under its water until all he could think about was the chattering of his teeth. He got dressed in the dark bedroom, and then moved through the apartment back into the living room.

He paused at the kitchen, looking at it thoughtfully before he turned and went out the door. He walked the streets of the city, his eyes taking in the whole of his surroundings. From the birds that flew overhead to the feet that passed him on the sidewalk, he took all of that in. He let it overtake the last images he'd seen in his mind, let it purge him of the emotions tied to the memory.

He approached the bar with both hands in his pockets, his mind set on a stiff drink and a good breakfast. His hand closed around the handle of the door and he turned it halfway before he noticed the note on its front.

He blinked at the letters there, a frown breaking the neutral expression he'd mastered.

To all guild members:

You're banned from the bar temporarily.

We will not serve you, and we will not let you in until seven o'clock this evening. No earlier.

Enjoy your day off.

His arm fell to his side and he let out a long sigh and turned to walk back to the city, a particular ramen stand in mind.

If he couldn't drink, he'd go work.

He bumped his shoulder against another, and he blinked up at Tarou as he steadied Akihiko with his hands on his shoulders. "What, no breakfast this mornin'?"

Aki shook his head. "We're banned until this evening."

"Bullshit."

"See for yourself." He waved his hand towards the door of the bar. "I'm going to go find something to do."

"Banned my ass," Tarou grumbled as he tromped to the door, read the sign, and went through the door anyway.

~!**!~

Akari unlocked the shop just before dawn, and her first customers to come through the door were her very own canine companions. She treated Nabu and Kiyoko to a treat each and some love and attention until the first set of customers made their way into her cafe, groggy and quiet.

She served the first wave with her usual smile, though she kept her enthusiasm dialed down for the morning crowd out of respect for their tired faces and lack of enthusiasm to get the day going.

By the time the sun had risen enough to light up the whole room, she was busy bouncing from order to order, her smile growing with each customer she served. As the morning went on, more and more of her customers became chatty, and she made a point to carry conversation with them when she could.

She even saw a few familiar faces, some regular customers and some old friends. Botan even came through, but their conversation had been cut short when another customer walked in.

As things began to slow down, she gave a small smile to Ryouta, who waved a magazine at her as he moved to her office.

"Is that the one about roasting?"

"It is." He stepped into her office, and she smiled at his back.

"Thank you for hunting that one down!" *

~!**!~

Shikiyoku hadn't even tried to climb back into the bed once she made it upstairs, only slipping quickly into her room-eyeing the mess she'd left with a snort of laughter at the memory-to grab a book she'd pulled out from the bedside table when reassuring, or maybe proving to, Hiei that she did not hide money anywhere in her apartment.

The fizzy beverage in her lap which she took sips from every once in a while reminded her of the drink she and Hiei shared at the one stop in Demon World when they were still wandering around together, though this one did have a certain alcoholic kickback the other drink did not.

Knees pulled up to her chest as she curled up in the chair, Shikiyoku flipped through the book for a minute, trying to figure out where she'd left off whenever the last time she read it was before settling in and reading the book in silence. 3

He didn't know how long he slept, but when he felt himself coming to the waking world, Hiei didn't fight it this time. He let his eyelids come open to stare at the wall away from the door, and he blinked away the blur from what he could feel was quite a long and good sleep.

He pulled his hand across the covers and up to his face, scratching at an itch on his cheek. He blinked at that hand after a moment, and then at the space beyond that hand where he'd expected to see Shikiyoku laying, and instead found an empty bed.

He turned inward to the bond, at first wondering if she'd decided to go work or shower while he slept, and instead found that she hadn't gone too far at all.

He turned over to his other shoulder and let his eyes fall onto the woman sitting in the chair, her head turned down and a book in her hands. He stared at its cover for a long moment, at first not wanting to interrupt her reading.

He waited until she turned a page.

"What's that one about?"

~!**!~

Tarou argued with the head bartender for a while, going back and forth about why the guild's being banned was a load of crock and how he wanted to take his usual seat and-

"Do not make me go get Shikiyoku."

That had been enough for him. He sighed and grumbled something along the lines of 'I was just worried', then he turned on his heel and left the bar.

After a few more steps, he altered his course and moved to a different part of the city. He took the lesser-traveled streets, the more discreet paths, avoiding as many humans as he could so early in the day.

He held the door open for a group of ladies stepping out of the shop, giving a little bow of his head at their thanks before he stepped into the cafe, his nose instantly filling with the aroma of the drinks and food and his eyes casting a glance around the room.

"Tarou! Good morning!"

"Hey, 'kari. Mornin'."

She frowned at him from behind the counter, a brow raised as he came to a stop on just the other side of her. "You're here early. Going out on a job?"

"No, no," he waved his hand dismissively. "Kicked out of the bar."

Her laugh was not what he'd wanted to hear, but it brought a smile to his face anyway. "Well, you can't exactly be too rowdy this early in the morning, can you?" She leaned against the counter. "Come to sulk to me, hm?" *

"I mean...I wasn't gonna." He moved for the counter, stuffing his hands in his pockets and glancing around, frustration clear on his features as he stifled a yawn. He met her gaze after a moment and gave her a crooked grin, "But I certainly have things I could complain about."

~!**!~

Pulled from scenes of the Summers and the Winters and the world of Tiamat, it took Shikiyoku a moment to clear her vision, but when she looked up and saw Hiei's eyes were open, her gaze widened in surprise for a moment.

She hadn't sensed his awakening.

She quickly placed the book and her drink on the table next to her and all at once moved over towards him, reaching for one of his hands with hers and a smile lightening her features.

Her mind played back his question and she blinked at him, "Oh! It's, uh-" Her head tilted a little to the side and she bit the edge of her lip in thought, "-well," she laughed, "I'm not really sure yet."

(How are you?) 3

"Well, don't stop reading on my account." He shifted around until he was sitting up, and while it had been easier this time than the last, he could still tell he'd have trouble being on his feet too long if he decided to leave bed.

(Better. I feel more rested.)

~!**!~

Akari glanced at the clock behind her for a moment, and when she turned back to Tarou, her smile was a little softer. "Well, I'm all ears if you feel like venting," she told him as she turned away.

Ryouta stepped from the room and into the back, a frown on his face that Akari ignored.

She set to making a drink for Tarou. *

Tarou, most definitely, did not need twice encouraging.

Besides lamenting missing the breakfast-"No offense, lady, it's just I always get breakfast there"-and Akihiko's blatant disregard for their tradition without so much as a hint of rebellion-"And he just walked off!"-he also went on about how he'd be all but refused service and then they had the nerve to threaten him with Shikiyoku-"and I sure as hell wasn't gonna let them go disturb Mom. Even if I haven't seen her in two days."

~!**!~

She chuckled a little, "Well, I'm not really following too much anyway. Since I never have a chance to sit down and read all that much at once, I can't remember anything."

Shikiyoku leaned over to help Hiei prop up some pillows again so he could sit up more comfortably, and then she had her hand resting gently on his cheek, looking into his eyes as if she would be able to tell for herself yet whether or not he was improved.

And then she kissed him. 3

Hiei raised a brow at her, unsure if she was just telling him this so he wouldn't worry about it or if she meant it. He might have asked her about it, if it weren't for her tending to him and then giving him a once over.

When he noticed that she'd begun to lean closer to him for a kiss, he met her halfway. His lips pressed to hers and he gave a little hum of appreciation for her affections.

~!**!~

Akari nodded her head as he spoke, her hands moving from machine to machine until she had a drink whipped up. She reached and grabbed for a towel to wipe what little had dripped over the sides of the white ceramic, then she turned and set it in front of Tarou.

"Well," she began with that same small smile, "When was the last time you did something outside of the bar? Other than coming here, of course." She leaned her hip against the counter and took a glance about her shop, making sure no customers were coming in, before she returned her attention to him again. "I'm sure she's hoping you all will find something fun to do that you've never done before. So you wouldn't worry so much about someone who can most definitely handle herself." *

Tarou let out a huff down at the drink.

"You're missing the point." He grumbled, lifting to take a somewhat delicate sip of the hot beverage. "First of all, there isn't anything else I want to do, and second of all..."

"...second of all, 'course I'm worried. Boss hasn't been better all that long, and she's been stuck up there taking care of him the whole time."

~!**!~

She hadn't been expecting for Hiei to meet her for the kiss and it made her core stir inside her chest as she sat for several beats there with him, thankful he was still alive.

When she finally pulled back a little bit, it was only to press her lips to his cheek gently before starting to pull away and drop her hand. 3

Hiei let Shiki pull away far enough to kiss his cheek, but the instant he thought she was to go further, he grabbed her hand and pulled her back so that he could give her a tight hug, and he kissed her cheek.

(I'm not going to lie, I'm quite enjoying having all of this time with you.)

~!**!~

"I'm sorry that your routine has been shot for the day," she gave a little sigh. She herself much preferred a routine, so she could understand his frustration with the disruption of his.

"Is there anything I can do to make you feel better? As long as it remains in this shop, of course." *

Tarou's grin was all too telling, "Well, I mean, that last bit is a strange sort of requirement." He gave her a wink. "But if memory serves, you're not quite willing yet to do just anything to make me feel better."

As he spoke, Raion burst through the door in a huff, looking slightly disheveled and moving for the counter.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku hugged him back, thankful now for this warmth he had which was neither too hot nor his skin too clammy.

She chuckled a little, his kiss sending a bit of energy radiating over her cheek.

"Well, I am nothing if not at your disposal at present."

(Whatever do you mean? We spend time together often.)

Her eyes glimmered.

"There is food and drink here. Would you like me to get you something?" 3

Hiei sat with his arms around Shikiyoku and his lips pressed firmly to her cheek for a few moments, enjoying the sight of the golden sparkles that radiated from the point of contact and over the rest of her cheek.

(Yes, but I'll never complain about spending more time together.)

He finally let go and pulled away far enough to look her over, his hands finding her face and he cupped her cheeks. "I'll have whatever you're having," he told her with a smile.

~!**!~

Akari raised her brows at Tarou, a retort about 'making you work for it' forming on the tip of her tongue. She almost reached out to pat his cheek, but the bell above the door pulled her attention away, and she was quickly standing upright and turning to the door.

She opened her mouth to greet the customer, and instead found herself watching Raion as he approached. "I would say 'good morning', but you look like yours is going about as well as his." She tilted her head towards Tarou.

"What can I get for you this morning?" *

"A fucking break." Raion huffed again and stalked across the room, tossing his head a little to no avail as his blonde mess fell back over his eyes. "First the bar, then Yusuke..."

He flashed a charming smile in Akari's direction, "You aren't going to disappoint me, are you sweetheart?"

~!**!~

Shikiyoku grinned back at Hiei, but said nothing in reply to his statement about getting to spend more time together.

Something else, however, gleamed suddenly in her eye as he held her face.

Mm. If only that were the case. Because I'd definitely have you.

"Very trusting of you." Is all she said, an eyebrow raising higher on her face but otherwise unmoving. 3

The gleam that glittered at him from her gaze almost had him considering using his telepathy to see what she was thinking. The eyebrow raise coupled with that and the grin had him curious, because he wasn't sure he'd gotten that look before. At least, not in recent memory.

Hiei quirked a brow at her curiously, his hands still on her cheeks and his eyes still searching her features.

"I've no reason not to be."

~!**!~

Akari's eyebrows shot up at his first response and she gave a quick look over her shoulder at Tarou before turning to the lion again. She fought against the smile that twitched the corners of her lips, realizing that Tarou hadn't been the only one 'kicked out' of the bar.

"Well, a break I can give you at no cost. Plenty of seating, a shoulder to cry on…" She gave a one shoulder shrug. "As for 'disappointing' you," her smile finally won out, "that depends on what you're looking for." *

Raion made a noise of derision at her, but ordered a drink.

"If I'm going to be stuck on the First all day, I might as well have something nice to drink." He commented, his earlier moment of charm replaced with a somewhat broody frown. "Ugh." He went and sat at a table and promptly dropped his forehead to it and remained resting there.

~!**!~

"Then you haven't known me long enough yet." She narrowed her eyes a little playfully at him and leaned forward to plant a kiss just at the edge of his mouth before taking one of the hands at her cheeks, kissing his palm, and then rising to fetch food and water for him. 3

Hiei smiled fondly at Shikiyoku as she kissed his palm and began to move away. He squeezed the hand she'd grabbed, but she was already standing and turning away before he'd had a chance to pull her back for another kiss.

He quite liked the frequency he was getting them now,

(You've not steered me wrong yet.)

~!**!~

They don't leave the bar much, do they?

Akari didn't bother ringing up his total for the drink, though she did smile a little at him when he wasn't looking. She made his drink and set it at his table, and she almost reached out to pat him on the back. Instead, she put that hand on her hip.

"Well, let me know if you need anything else, hm? I'm expecting a shipment soon, so I'll be around and about." *

Tarou shook his head at his guildmate as he watched the other shift his head so his cheek rested on the table instead of his forehead and he stared at the drink, blowing air out between his lips again and not moving for a moment.

This time the door opened calmly and Chisai stepped through, nodding to both Tarou and Raion, but not appearing surprised the latter appeared to be in a mood.

"Hi, Akari." He made his way up to the counter and glanced over at Raion and let out a small huff and said more quietly: "He didn't pay for his drink, did he. Just put it with mine," and then ordered and paid.

"I heard that, punk!" Raion half-shouted.

Chisai shrugged, "Well then, you should have thought about it."

"This doesn't make us even!"

"Never said it did. Thank you, Akari."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku opened her mouth as if she had a reply for him, but shook her head and closed it instead, handing him a plate and drink and sitting herself facing him half-on the bed, one leg bent and resting on top of it and the other hanging off the edge.

She fiddled with the edge of her shirt for a second, staring down at her lap before saying quietly:

"...I didn't stay with Horu the whole time." She paused and let out a bit of breath. "The demon who asked me to be his mate after I danced for the Northern Tribe came and found me." 3

Hiei took the plate and glass from her. He carefully balanced the plate of food on his knee after he'd pulled his legs up to a criss-cross position, and he took a moment to drink at the water first.

He lowered the glass as Shikiyoku began to speak, his eyes trained on her when he realized she hesitated a little about the subject. He lowered his water to the space between his legs and let his full attention be on her.

He frowned a little, not remembering the demon she was talking about. He thought back to what he remembered of the Northern Tribe, who he clearly recalled hunting with and Shikiyoku dancing for and them eating with…

But he didn't remember any specific demons approaching at any given time. He hadn't particularly cared then if someone approached, so long as their intentions were not to harm her.

At the time, he'd only cared about his 'duty' as her Champion, really. Protection. Survival. Sure, he'd enjoyed seeing the Levels with her on some level, and perhaps he'd started to care sometime before then, but he definitely hadn't realized it at that point.

"I don't remember which demon asked to be your Mate," he admitted after a moment. That had been so long ago now. "But he found you on the Ninth." It wasn't a question, simply a prompting to go forward with her story if she didn't want to remind him of who he was specifically.

~!**!~

Akari greeted Chisai in much the same way as she had the others: a welcoming smile and a small tilt of her head, this one a knowing one. She opened her mouth to say that she'd intended to give them their first drinks free, what with their moods, but he'd already extended the proper amount of money in her direction, and she didn't think he'd let her wave it away so easily.

So she rang him up and let him pay, resisting the urge to shake her head at the two demons.

By the time the little squabble quieted down, she had Chisai's drink in front of him on the counter. "Of course. As I'm sure you already know, feel free to get comfortable and stay as long as you like. I enjoy your company in my shop."

Ryouta stepped silently up to Tarou's right and leaned over the counter, papers in one hand and a box in another. "An updated list just printed."

She shuffled to that end and took the inventory sheet from him. She thumbed through the three pages and turned to him with a frown. "Are they out of the chocolate syrup?"

"It's popular this week, apparently."

Of course it is, because it's the week I ordered it.

Ryouta disappeared in the back again, leaving her to lean against the counter and rifle through the sheets again, double checking that all of the other items she was low on would be replenished in the day's shipment.

I bet I can get that flavoring from a store in the city at lunch. *

Chisai sat down with Raion, who still had yet to move, and Tarou went to join them.

"I didn't even think about goin' tah see the mazo." He grumbled.

"Yeah, well, didn't matter anyway." Raion sighed, "Aki couldn't get a job from him for whatever reason. Left him sittin' there waiting for a to-go meal Yusuke was apparently making up for him. 'S not fair." He pouted.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku nodded.

"Lots of frills. High collar. Self-important. He'd seen the ritual I guess and thought I was strong. That we'd make a good pairing." She sighed. "He'd been looking for me since. He...I wasn't the same. But he claimed he preferred it, really. I..." She still fiddled with her shirt and continued more quietly.

"...I wasn't myself. I'd spent years in that other form and I'd almost forgotten anything else, except how much I hated it. How awful it all felt. Nothing mattered. He insisted my company was worthy of his time, despite my reservations. I-" She closed her eyes. "I went with him. To his mansion on the Seventh. I can't even remember much of it. I felt nothing else anymore. He... He treated me well, I have no doubt of that. But he...he fed on me. On my energy. I-I knew that when I went with him. That that's what he'd do. Why he wanted my company. He is...was...a true Crusnik. The Crusnik." 3

Hiei thought back to that night as she described the demon, and for a moment he thought he remembered a demon who'd been sitting next to Shikiyoku by the fire, but he couldn't immediately recall a face or anything that might have been said that night. Maybe a little bit of sarcasm on his part, but he couldn't remember exactly what for.

So when she continued on with her story, he brushed the thought away and focused on her again, listening to her words and her side of the bond. As she worked at the edge of her shirt and kept her eyes away from him, he took the opportunity to reach for her hand and hold it in his comfortingly, still listening, still watching.

He might have been angry about the fact that that demon had fed on her energy if she hadn't admitted to going freely with him after already knowing he would.

But he didn't have time to think about that when the words 'true Crusnik' fell from her lips. He blinked at her once and thought about the way she'd told the story, and the timeline, and-

"He's the cause of the Infection." It wasn't a question, only an observation. When he remembered hearing of a demon running through the levels that sounded somewhat like Shikiyoku, he'd taken off after her, and found her as a Crusnik, and he'd chased her for a long while.

To this day, he still wasn't sure how she'd survived it.

"And you were the first."

~!**!~

Akari tucked the papers under her arm and moved to the register. She tapped a few buttons here and there to find an item number that she wrote on a sticky note. She pressed it so it would stick to the top sheet of those papers, and ducked into her office for a few moments.

She sat at her computer and browsed online listings of the syrup she wanted, and when she found a store closer than the other side of town that carried it, she wrote its address on the sticky note and stared at it for a moment.

She considered asking one of the guys out in her shop to go grab it for her, but the location was heavily populated with humans, and.. Well..

They would stand out.

She frowned and swiveled her chair towards the door and stood, and she got halfway across the room when her cellphone on her desk buzzed. She gave a sigh and turned to look at the caller ID.

She recognized the number as one she'd deleted and shook her head. She silenced the call and moved back out into the main part of the store, and when she saw no new customers to serve and no shipment yet in, she slid into a chair with the few members of the guild who had shown up.

"Don't mind me," she told them as she pulled a pen from her ponytail and bowed her head over the inventory. "I work best when there's noise around me, and it's been slow this morning." *

"You hear that, Rai? Lady needs some noise." Tarou reached over and gave Raion's arm a couple of taps.

"Rawr, rawr. Rawr rawr rawr." He grumbled, coffee untouched and cheek still resting on the table, though he turned his head so it was his other cheek.

Chisai let out a heavy sigh, "I mean you could go and try to bother Mommy, but I really wouldn't advise it."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku shook her head, blinking back tears as she stared down at the comforter and didn't seem to notice he'd taken her hand, though she gripped it tighter.

"...there was only supposed to be one. I...I think there was only ever supposed to be one." She said very quietly. "He...he told me everything. How each Crusnik before him had, when their time came, sired the next, passing on their knowledge, their secrets, their power...and then eventually themselves." She shook her head, "I didn't understand it at first. And I can't remember much of it anymore. Only..." She frowned, "Only that to keep the demons in check, so they would never again overrun their human brethren, a Crusnik was created. If demons feed on humans, then what feeds on a demon? ..."

"The day finally came where he went insane and attacked me, just like he said he would. But all that time...he told me how...taught me what to do, and I-" She swallowed. "-and then I fed on him. He attacked me and I...I killed him. Took every ounce of energy he had, I-I couldn't help it. It all happened so fast, and I-"

Tears began to fall down her cheeks, but she kept speaking, "Something went wrong. I'm still not sure, I-" She blinked and whispered, "I can't remember."

"Nothing happened afterwards like he said. The siring should have been completed. I should have walked away with the memories of every Crusnik running through my veins, prepared for...for something. I don't remember what. But I didn't, I...I ran off, I felt so hungry, and then...well...you know."

"It was me, Hiei. It was me..." She couldn't even finish what she meant to say, but the bond conveyed her feelings. How it was all her fault. How she'd almost lost him and it had been her fault. How countless other demons had fallen to her hunger, and then countless more besides and of course she couldn't get any sleep without him, but she deserved all those nightmares, every single one of them and-

(And please just hold me and kiss me and—-)

(...and tell me you're okay) 3

The pain Shikiyoku had been feeling slowly slipped from her end of the bond to his, as if they themselves didn't want to tell him of their woes. His expression softened and his frown relaxed until he was only watching her with a calm, attentive expression.

When she gripped his hand tighter, he returned the gesture and he let the bond become filled with all of him. His listening silence, his reassuring warmth, his calm acceptance of the emotions that screamed at him of her pain that she'd kept to herself for so many years. Pain he hadn't known she'd carried, and pain he knew she thought she deserved.

As the first tear fell, his free hand reached for his plate and he set it on the bedside table. His glass followed suit, and then he was reaching for hers. He set her dishes, still nearly full, on the bedside table so that when he shifted away from where he'd been propped up, he could pull her closer.

By the time she'd told him she needed it, he was already pulling Shikiyoku into his arms. He settled her on his crossed legs and guided her until his arms were securely around her shoulders. He kissed first at her cheek as if to stop the tears trailing there, then her nose, her forehead, her lips.

His hand stroked her hair from the top of her skull to the very ends, smoothing them down her back and starting again at the top of her head.

(I am more than okay, my Beloved. I am healing, getting my strength back, and I am happy to sit here with you for as long as you need.)

He didn't know what to say about the rest of it. She wouldn't believe him if he told her it wasn't her fault, he knew, and his argument wouldn't be strong enough to settle the emotions she'd been dealing with for over a decade. He didn't know enough about the subject to give her facts that would quell all of her fear and worry and sorrow and everything else.

So he kissed her, and he held her, and he let her feel all of his presence in their bond. He let it freely tell her that he wanted to help her through it, and that he would do so in any way she needed. He let it tell her that he was not only content to do so, but happy to be the one she turned to. He let it tell her that he was glad she'd opened up about it, that she didn't have to carry it alone anymore.

And he let it tell her that he loved her, over and over and over again as he kissed her.

~!**!~

Akari smiled to herself as her pen hovered over the names of the items on the sheets of paper. She listened to the trio around her, though she definitely let herself appear more preoccupied than she was.

"That's perfect. Thanks," she said idly.

The bell above the door rang and she glanced up to spy Akihiko and his paper bag of food. She picked up her paperwork and moved to meet him at the counter.

"And what for you this morning, Akihiko?"

"Just a drip, please."

She tapped at the register's screen. "No sugar or cream, right?"

He nodded and pulled change from his pocket to hand it to her. "Thank you."

For the first time, she looked up at him and noticed a sort of lack of focus to his gaze. She thought about the caffeine amount in a simple drip coffee as she hesitated to take his money. "Have you tried an espresso shot yet?"

He blinked at her.

"It has more caffeine than the drip does. It's quite a bit more bitter, but-"

"I'll try it." He began to pull more money from his wallet as Akari turned the screen towards him.

She took his payment and he turned to join the others. She watched as he pulled his to-go box from the bag, but turned away before he opened it up. *

Chisai sat drinking his coffee in quiet contemplation, staring off into the distance and barely acknowledging Akihiko when he sat down.

Tarou, for his part, frowned at the other.

He'd never asked before, but something about the daze in their lieutenant's eyes seemed almost familiar. Like he'd seen that expression in his own mirror.

Raion let out a large sigh but hadn't shifted again.

Akihiko's phone buzzed in his pocket and the demon returned to the present just long enough to look down at it, shoot off a reply, and turn back to his food.

"Gai's spending the day with his girlfriend." He told them. "She's got the next couple of days off, so I think they're going somewhere together and won't be back. He wants updates on Mom and the Boss. When we have them."

Another sigh from Raion and then they fell quiet again.

"Tarou, you're going to give yourself a headache if you keep frowning at me like that."

Tarou's brow immediately loosened, as did the tension he was holding in his shoulders and arms where they'd crossed over his chest.

Akihiko only kept eating and waited for the other to speak up.

~!**!~

There was no actual grief for the bond to exchange between them. That had been done long ago when he'd become her Consort. While at the time there were other, more poignant sorrows, more easily understood by him, this one like so many others had taken a back seat and gone all but unnoticed by the pair.

She let out a weak laugh after sitting in his arms for a while, reaching up to wipe at one of her eyes, "This is why I never talk about this stuff. I always end up such a mess." She wiped at her eyes a bit more and took one last shaky breath to try and steady herself.

She'd barely held it together when she and Akihiko spoke earlier, and before that she'd ended up crying and in Tarou's arms thinking about not only how he had to fight his way through, but of the abandoned city on the Sixth and the loss of its inhabitants. 3

Hiei hugged her and kissed her and let her simply get it all out, all the while letting the bond be filled with him so that she would be able to do as she needed to in this moment. He listened to her sniffles, her crying, and eventually, to her calming down little by little.

He kissed her cheeks again when she laughed, and he leaned away so he could look at her with that same calm expression, a soft smile resting across his lips. "I don't mind," he whispered as his hand moved from her hair to her face. He wiped at the streaks on her face where the tears had fallen, and then he wiped at her eyes. "I'd rather you talk about it than keep it until you can't hold onto it anymore."

He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her to his chest. He pressed his lips to the very center of the top of her head, and he let out a little breath against her.

(It's one of the reasons I'm here.)

~!**!~

As Akari let the espresso machine do its thing, she watched the liquid pour into a small cup, studying it and considering its caffeine amount. She thought about how many of those drinks she could have before she even felt its effects, and how many times she had tried to find that number before giving up and simply drinking it to enjoy it.

She'd gotten through her sleepless days by going until she couldn't go anymore.

Is there even a brew that a demon would feel? She didn't think so. Is that something that can be made? The bean would have to be…

She pursed her lips in thought as she turned to pour a cup of black coffee into another mug, and when that was done, she took the shot of espresso with the other mug to Akihiko, and she set them next to his little to-go box.

"It won't do much," she told him, "but it's something."

The bell above the door jingled and when she lifted her eyes, she smiled at the customer and called her greeting. Her eyes briefly caught the greenery in the corner near the door, and the thought of Kurama's energy making them glow gave her pause.

...He would have a few ideas. And I could-

She blinked herself back to reality as she felt a redness fill her cheeks. She scurried away from the table of guildies, suddenly remembering a customer had come in the room, and she circled the counter just as quick as she could without raising suspicion. *

Akihiko nodded thanks to Akari as she moved off.

"Yusuke suggested a park somewhere near here." Akihiko sighed. "I might go walk around some once I finished my coffee."

"Is that an open invitation?" Chisai remarked absently, still appearing a bit bleary-eyed himself.

Akihiko nodded again.

"That might be nice." He took another drink.

Tarou was still staring at Akihiko and every once in a while he would open his mouth, but he kept closing it and remained silent.

~!**!~

The bond did the telling for her: there were no words as to how grateful she was to him for his comforting. For the kisses. For holding her. And she was more than happy to sit in his lap and let him tend to her as he was, leaning into his kisses when she could and being more than willing to accept his affections as he gave them to her.

She wiped at her face again and let out a little breath, mostly calm or at least able to get herself under better control.

She leaned against him as he held her closer and reached up to curl her fingers around his arm, closing her eyes.

(I don't know what I'd do without you.)3

(Well, it's good you don't have to think about it then, hm?)

He gave a gentle smile amidst her hair. As he held her, he let his hand against her back rub slow circles - something he'd picked up somewhere and sometime that he'd long forgotten - and his other hand only rested against the small of her back, gentle, warm, and comforting.

(I'm sorry you went through that.)

~!**!~

Akari smiled at her newest regular, a taller man with dark skin and a dark goatee that he scratched at when he thought about his own order. "Can I get a uh…" he rumbled, his accent thick and indicative of his non-Japanese origins, "Americano, double shot? And three lattes, two macchiatos, and two plain black coffees?"

"Of course, Mr. Kobayashi."

He gave a small smile at her calling him by name. "Thanks."

When she turned the little screen around to show him his total, he shifted his motorcycle helmet from under one arm to the other, his leather jacket sounding not unlike that of the sound her hands made as she rubbed them together to rid them of the debris from her work station.

He swiped a card, signed the screen, and then moved to sit at the line of stools to the side to watch her work.

"Seems quiet today," he remarked when she set his Americano down in front of him.

Akari smiled at him and turned back to her work. "It's usually like this in the mornings, but once I get my usual shipment in, I'll be busy. I have plenty to do in the meantime." She lined up the seven other cups and began to fill them up one by one.

He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again when the door opened and a woman moved silently across the room towards him. Akari politely turned away as the customer placed a hand on Kobayashi's shoulder and talked in a low tone, though she cared not to hear what about.

When she turned and set the two carriers of drinks in front of him, she smiled at the woman. "Good morning, Ms. Yamamoto."

The woman smiled politely, warmly even, and plucked a cup from one of the carriers without hesitation. "Good morning." She brushed some of her brown hair away from equally chocolate-colored irises that didn't show the same warmth that her smile did. "Thank you for the wonderful coffee, as always."

"You are very welcome." Akari gave her usual customer service smile. She turned away from the pair as Kobayashi and Yamamoto turned to talk amongst themselves.

She gathered her various paperwork up and moved to the back room, where Ryouta met her at the door to pass her an official count of their current stock. Wordlessly, she looked it over, nodded to herself, and moved further into the room to look at the things he'd specially noted about ordering soon.

"Ryouta?"

"Akari."

"Those magazines you usually buy," she opened a cabinet and crouched down to look at the various spices inside. "Where do you get them?"

"Which ones? Business, Tabloid, or Food?"

Akari made a sound at the back of her throat - she hadn't been able to convince him to stop buying her those silly tabloids that always seemed to have Kurama's face on the front of them - and she shook her head to herself. "Coffee, Specifically."

"There's a website for those. I'll write it and leave that sticky note on your computer."

"Thank you!"

She heard him move to the front of the shop in time to tell Kobayashi and Yamamoto goodbye. *

Raion let out another noise of displeasure as he finally lifted his head up just far enough off the table to actually start drinking what Chisai's had gotten him.

It wasn't just that he hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks...but he hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks. While the haunting vision of Hiei sitting up in bed, pale skinned and obviously weak, remained dancing about in the images in his head, he worried for Shikiyoku nearly as much, wondering how on earth she had managed to stay so strong for Hiei, and what kind of toll on her mental wellbeing the circumstances had taken.

"Hey guys."

The words reached the table of guild members in a sort of questioning fashion and those seated about it looked up to see Raitoningu and Tsundora coming in the door with confused looks on their faces.

"The sign? At the bar?" Raiton had reached up to scratch the back of his head in absent-minded fashion while the pair moved closer.

"OH!" Tarou immediately exclaimed, popping up out of his chair, "Si'ddown, boys. Have I got a story for you!"

~!**!~

"I was so worried, Hiei." Shikiyoku whispered as one of her hands clutched at the fabric of his shirt, her eyes barely open, but still rimmed with tears as she took a shaky breath and tried to speak further.

"If you had turned, I would have never forgiven myself. It would have been my fault. I don't know if I could have managed to lead you away, or, or if I would have just-" Her brows started to frown as the possibilities that she had been holding at bay while Kurama tended to him, the what-ifs and could-have-beens started to play across her mind, "-just let you consume me because I would have deserved it or if I did manage to lead you away if I would have forced myself to let you chase me as long as I could manage it because- because- I-" She blinked several times and swallowed. 3

Hiei might have pulled away to wipe at her eyes if he didn't think his closeness was so much more helpful in this moment. Instead he let his hand continue to rub circles against the center of her back, and he briefly pressed his nose against the top of her head in a gentle nudge to remind her that he was there, and that all of those things she was now imagining were no longer a possibility.

He might have frowned at her talk of self sacrifice if he thought she wouldn't notice. But with his lips so close to her skull, he didn't want to chance her sensing his displeasure, and instead he focused on remaining a source of calm for her.

"None of those things will be happening, my Beloved. You don't have to think about it anymore, because I'm not going anywhere as anything other than who I am now. No infection. No sickness. Nothing of that sort." He kissed the top of her head. "I am here, and you are here, and neither of us are ill with the Infection or turned Crusnik. Neither of us will be leading the other through the levels, or anything like it."

He paused in his comforting rubs to pull her closer into a tight hug. He wrapped himself completely around her: arms, legs, and his nose still amidst her hair.

"We are here. Together. Healthy. Healing. Resting."

~!**!~

Ryouta took a sweeping glance around the room from behind the counter, a pad of sticky notes in one hand and a pen in the other. He eyed the guild sitting at a table, and the two extra demons that pulled a free table up next to the first one to join the others.

From a single glance, he knew just about all there was to know about each of them, and that made it easy for him to turn and make two drinks for the pair of wolves that had entered the building.

He set those two drinks down in front of Raitoningu and Tsundora as he passed on his way to Akari's office, where he stuck a sticky note to her computer and checked something on her computer.

When he left that room again, he stepped up to the table of guildies again, finding a lull that was only long enough for him to cut into their conversation. "Good morning, Gentlemen. Any refills needed?" His eyes swept the cups around the area quickly to assess each one before any answers were given. "And it's good to see you all again." *

Akihiko nearly sighed as Tarou was abruptly out of his chair, but before he had a chance to, the sight of the strange demon with the dark wings made all of them pause.

They weren't really sure what it was about him, but something unnerved every single one of them as he swept his eyes across them all.

Tarou's gesture to the pair who had just come in to sit down still hung in mid-air as his eyebrows turned downwards over his face and he stared at Ryouta.

"...you are one strange motherfucker, birdman. Has anyone ever told you that?"

~!**!~

Shikiyoku took in a deep breath and let it out, turning her head up to kiss whatever bit of face of Hiei's she could reach and afterwards wiping at her eyes again.

"I know." She said softly, letting out a huff of air that might have been a laugh. "I just didn't think about any of it at the time, you know?" She smiled a little as she leaned up against him. "Hard to think about much else when you insist on being held just as closely as I could get when in the midst of a fever." She stretched up and kissed at his neck again. 3

Hiei made a face at the mention of his previous fever. "I hope to never have that again. Being cold was a rather unpleasant feeling," he grumbled into her hair. Finally, as she began to place little kisses of her own, he lifted his head and pulled back from her just enough to look her in the eyes.

His hand that had been rubbing at her back reached up to wipe at her eyes.

~!**!~

Ryouta raised a brow at Tarou and his wings rustled with a movement that could have hinted at either agitation or amusement, though his expression gave away nothing of which emotion it truly was.

"So, no refills?"

Akari stepped to his side, papers in hand and a smile on her face. "You get used to it… eventually."

She pulled the two chairs and passed them to the wolf brothers, seeing that they'd been moving that table and seemed to have forgotten the respective seats with Ryouta's presence. *

"...never wanna meet him in a dark alley." Tarou grumbled, still glancing occasionally at the demon who had him exceptionally uncomfortable.

As if the act of seating themselves might provoke the dark-haired demon nearby, Tsundora and Raitoningu both lowered themselves cautiously in the chairs Akari handed them, the hairs on their ears standing as straight up as the hairs on the backs of their necks as for their part they took to staring down at the drinks they put on the table.

"I...I think we're fine. Thank you." Akihiko managed to say, also avoiding the demon's gaze and finding himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He felt as if at any moment he was going to have to start fighting for his life and he couldn't exactly explain why.

~!**!~

She wanted to cover him in kisses. Smother him with them, maybe. Mostly in an attempt to reassure herself that he had not in fact gone anywhere.

And when he looked down at her with a clear gaze and concern for her own well being peppering his features, she almost did kiss him, but her own breath caught in her throat and she forgot about the notion even as his thumb moved gently across her face.

She couldn't remember exactly when he'd wrapped himself about her, she'd been so distraught, but at present he had practically surrounded her with not only his presence, but his limbs as well and she blinked up at him once and stared into his eyes, surprised at how she could feel her features starting to redden as she sat there and found she had nothing else to say. 3

He'd seen her lean forward just a fraction when he'd moved, and for a moment he thought he'd imagined it. But as her cheeks began to turn various shades of pink, he fought against a smile and leaned forward to kiss each of her cheeks and then her nose, just as he'd done before.

"I'm still here," he mumbled at her.

And then he kissed her gently on the lips again, as if this might prove his statement.

~!**!~

Akari rolled her eyes at the twitching of Ryouta's wings and waved a hand at him to go back to whatever he'd been planning on doing next.

His returning stare was the same as always, though she could make out the faintest of twitches at one corner of his lips as he turned to leave the guild to their conversation.

"Believe it or not, the young human girls love that look," she said after a breath. "He's got a group of fans that stops by once a week." Akari shook her head in disbelief.

The bell above the door tolled and Akari turned to see a man stepping over the threshold with a dolly stacked with boxes, and her excitement to look through her shipment rocketed through her and lit up her features.

She pat the two wolves on their shoulders. "Welcome back. Make yourselves at home."

With that, she moved to meet the delivery man and directed him to the counter, where he stacked the boxes before he moved back out the door to get the next load. While he was gone, Akari began to look through each individual box, checking each item from her list as she pulled it from the cardboard. *

Raitoningu and Tsundora looked at Akari when she touched them with utter confusion, meeting the gaze of the rest of the guild and noticing Raion staring blankly into his cup.

"Who is that?" Tsundora whispered when she seemed far enough away.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow, "Akari?"

"Mom hired us to help set up her shop?" Tarou sat back down, giving a little wiggle of his fingers to indicate the space around them.

Raiton frowned and he and Tsun shared a look of mutual thought and Raiton rubbed at the back of his neck again.

"...it was, like, two? Three? Weeks ago, guys. C'mon." Tarou seemed mildly disgusted at their short-term memory.

"Huh. Yeah, I kinda remember that." Tsundora looked around them and nodded. "Something about a ritual and Tarou losing a bet?"

Raiton shook his head, "Sorry. It's been... Well, I think it's been more like a couple of months for us, if not three or four down below. A lot's happened." He let out a breath and took a sip of what he'd been handed, making a face at it and not liking the fact that he liked it. He hadn't even ordered anything and it just brought up remembrances of the other demon in the room with the strange look in his eyes.

"A lot's happened to you?" Tarou exclaimed, "A lot's happened to us!"

~!**!~

The color at Shikiyoku's face only darkened as Hiei kissed her, and beneath her warming cheeks, tingles of energy began to spread just out of sight.

She couldn't rightly think of anything to say to him when he mumbled something about still being here, and her eyes widened when he bent down and kissed her, making her all the more aware of all the places where they touched, which were also just starting to buzz in response.

Shikiyoku reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck after a moment, her eyes closing just when their depths began to swirl with the same energy that had started to scent the air around her. 3

Even with his eyes closed, Hiei knew her face was growing redder and redder. For the first time in weeks, he could sense the heat moving in her body, gathering in her cheeks and across the bridge of her nose and spreading to the rest of her face until it reached her ears and neck.

To be able to sense it was something he hadn't paid attention to before, but now that he'd noticed, he likely wouldn't ever forget it.

The bond told him of her lack of worries in this moment, and a breath of relief sighed through him. Even amidst his kiss, he almost let out a little breath.

Instead, he kissed her until he needed to break away for air, and then he continued to kiss her from her cheeks to her nose again, and even over her eyes as if to help them recover from the tears they shed.

And with each kiss, the bond wordlessly reminded her that he loved her, and that he was not going anywhere that she would not be able to follow.

~!**!~

As Akari unpacked boxes and checked items off, Ryouta took those items and stored them in their proper place. And the human delivery driver seemed just as happy at their working pace as Akari was to be receiving the delivery.

She pulled open boxes as if they were gifts just for her, and she smiled at the man when he remarked that they were the most efficient customers he'd visited so far.

"Yes, well, it's easy to work quickly when you actually enjoy what you do," she replied as she lifted a fifty pound bag of flour from the floor and onto the counter for Ryouta to take to the back. "This shipment means I can start on a fresh batch of pastries today."

"It's always refreshing to see someone happy to get heavy boxes full of stuff," the man said with a humorous smile. "Not many people look forward to seeing me."

"Well, you're always welcomed here, that's for sure."

"As long as I bring boxes with me, right?"

"Of course," she gave him a lopsided smile. "That's the best part."

When she had the last box empty and everything had been checked off, the man passed her an invoice. Without his prompting, she signed at the bottom and took her copy before she passed his copy back to him. "See you next week?" he asked as he took it from her.

"I'll be here." She glanced at the nametag on his shirt. "Have a good day, Noboru."

"You too, Akari." *

Tarou launched into one of his typical story-telling moments, tempered by both Akihiko and Chisai who chimed in during instances in which he seemed to embellish something one or the other of them thought ought to be clarified.

Shikiyoku collapsing-and Tarou's daring rescue.

Following after her when it seemed apparent Hiei was in danger-and Tarou's brilliant dispatching of the Infected that chased Hiei ("Raion and I definitely helped," Chisai added).

The two weeks spent in fear of Hiei's turning-and Youko Kurama's initial appearance at the bar ("I'm the one who fetched him, at Mom's request." Akihiko told them).

Then, the disappearing of the lily at the doorknob, the all-clear, the scramble upstairs and officially meeting the red-head who had been there to help set up Akari's shop ("Oh, yeah. I remember now. The one that.." Tsundora blinked, but didn't say anything further as they were all reminded of their mixed feelings about Minamino and Mom. Tarou's chest puffed out. "He told me to call him Kurama. He said only his friends call him Kurama." "He said that to all of us, dummy." Chisai rolled his eyes.)

And then, the story of Kurama coming back out into the bar during their celebratory drinks of Hiei's recovery, and his revealing a plan to eventually hire them for a job. ("Akari was there too. Later." Tarou waggled his eyebrows and Chisai shot him down: "He still couldn't get her to go home with him.")

~!**!~

Shikiyoku couldn't help herself as her lips began to move against Hiei's, most other thoughts having fluttered out of her mind aside from those pertaining to the fire demon who held her. As her energy started to filter into the air between them, her hands sought the skin at his neck, one of them reaching up to bury itself in his hair and staying there even when he pulled away.

It wasn't just that he left her breathless as he finally parted from her and sought to plant kisses elsewhere on her face, it was that he took her breath away.

And with every moment filled too with the reminder that he loved her, of the truth of it echoing reassuringly in the bond between them, she found herself wanting to return his affections, and so she began to do so, eyes still closed though it did not stop her energy from weaving into the air around them.

Shikiyoku started to press her lips to Hiei's face, leaving kisses on his jaw, his neck, his cheeks, wherever she could reach without moving too far from his embrace. 3

In the midst of his giving affections, Hiei found himself pleasantly surprised to be receiving them too. More than happy to keep her distracted from her more anxious thoughts, he continued to press little kisses here and there, even miming a few of the places where she kissed him.

He kissed the place just below her ear, then along her jawline, once at her neck, then moved back to her cheek and trailed from there around her face until he found her forehead. He lingered there a little longer than he had in other places, the smallest of smiles twitching against her skin.

He took mental note to repeat this moment when her emotions got high again next time.

~!**!~

With fresh ingredients came fresh pastries.

Akari spent several minutes in the back kitchen of her shop, mixing this and whipping up that, her hands most definitely moving at a speed that a human might have questioned. But with only the guild, herself, and Ryouta in the entire establishment, she let her hands work at that steady pace.

It wasn't but a few minutes later that she had everything in the ovens, where she stood with her hands on her hips and a little satisfied smile on her face.

She dusted her hands free of the flour she'd been playing in as she turned and re-emerged into the front of the store. She opened the refrigerated pastry case and began to take a look at each one and the dates written on the underside of the wax paper they sat on.

She pulled anything that had been there longer than a couple of days, counted those items, then set them to the side to inevitably eat, give away, or throw out. She probably could have kept some of them for an extra day if she wanted - most of them still looked just as fresh as the day before - but she'd noticed that those started to look old once it hit lunch time of the third day, despite their still yummy taste.

She hadn't found a way to combat that yet.

Ryouta snatched a muffin as he passed by and moved towards her office, and he held up a magazine for her to see. As with most magazines of late, this one had a familiar redhead's face plastered across its front, and some bold headline about a fiancee.

"Could you not?" she called after him, frowning at the celebrity gossip magazine. "That one's ridiculously embellished."

"For your entertainment, of course."

"I don't find that one-" the door to her office shut behind him, "-Entertaining!" She sighed to herself, resigned to the fact that she was likely going to read it anyway. I don't understand why you insist on those types.

She shook her head to herself and began gathering one of each of the pastries she'd pulled, then she moved towards the guild. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she began with a small smile, "but I have these pastries and things that I won't be selling today because they don't look up to par. Before I throw them out, do you guys want any?" She held up the muffins - blueberry and chocolate - the croissant, the cheese and cherry danish, the puff pastry with glazed fruit on top, and the golden-brown anpan bread.*

Akari had walked up just after Chisai shot Tarou down in front of the wolf pair, blessedly stopping the latter from firing back a response.

Without ceremony, Raion immediately relieved her of over half the items in her possession when they were offered and stuffed the entire danish in his mouth, one of the muffins toppling out of his grasp onto the table next to his coffee and he promptly growled around the pastry in his mouth when Raiton reached for it.

"That's very kind of you, Akari." Akihiko gave Raion a look, but the other was too far gone into drowning his sorrows in the goods. He hadn't really considered before now just how much Shikiyoku and Hiei being around kept the lion in line. Take away one or the other and he was still tolerable at worst, left to pester whichever he was around.

He supposed, if there was any sort of pride dynamic to be had between Raion and the rest of them, removing what was essentially the matriarch perhaps left Raion feeling more exposed than usual.

Akihiko had never considered their group dynamic before, especially for the more animalistic among them. He wondered briefly what Raitoningu and Tsundora's story was...

"If you leave them here, I'm sure we can take care of all of them for you." Akihiko felt his lips trying to tug into a smile and he quickly resisted.

"And anything else you'd send our way." Tarou winked at her just as a couple of sharp, piercing barks from down the street penetrated the walls.

~!**!~

Without thinking, Shikiyoku shifted little-by-little as she continued lightly leaving kisses across Hiei's skin until she had her knees under herself, eyes half-lidded and keeping the energy swirling within them mostly hidden from view as she sat up a little and shifted one hand from his neck to his cheek, leaning over him and covering his lips with her own only for half a beat before moving to kiss the edge of Hiei's mouth.

All the places where they touched had started to shimmer, his kisses leaving brief sparkles of her energy blooming outwards across her skin before dissipating and only leaving behind a lingering scent in the air.

Still holding the side of his face gently in her hand as her lips left his mouth, Shikiyoku's kisses alongside his opposite cheek became more measured and the bond between them stirred, and while still filled with her love for him, began to swirl and intermix with another emotion, another desire that only seemed to grow stronger as it mingled throughout the love they shared.

Shikiyoku pulled back all at once from the place she'd reached at his neck just behind his ear and forced herself to stop moving.

She did not get very far at first, feeling her breath moving over his skin as she partially opened her eyes and became aware of the way her energy was thrilling through her veins.

Before she couldn't help herself any longer, Shikiyoku sat back on her feet and swallowed, eyes cast downwards but not seeing anything as she clasped her hands together in her lap. She tried to calm the energy singing merrily through her body even as she forced tame the emotions mingling in the bond, not directly leaving the place where they were connected in any way, but slowly fading out the unspoken desires that were hers alone in the same way they had entered: like a low-burning fire steadily consuming its fuel to grow larger in a way that you don't notice its growing brightness, and in the same way as it recedes, its dimming until merely embers.

"His being impossible to read doesn't mean he doesn't have them. He's just defective and fumbling through the dark, trying to figure out what the hell he's doing."

"Hiei..." She started softly, tugging her lips into her mouth briefly and running her tongue over them before continuing, "...if it's ever too much...if I'm ever too much..." Her eyes shifted over to the side, unable to look him in the face, "...you will tell me, won't you?" 3

Hiei hadn't noticed Shikiyoku shifting around until she was sitting up on her knees and he wasn't having to lean so far down to meet her kiss. His hands had at some point found her waist, as if to help her stay balanced, and it was in that moment that he became aware of a new sensation slowly growing in the bond between them.

He'd never sensed that one before, though he knew on some level that it was a sort of want. It distracted him long enough that Shikiyoku was able to pull away without his protest, and he blinked his eyes open at her as she slowly sat back and retracted from him in almost every imaginable way.

He only gave her a soft smile, unbothered by her retreat and instead curious if it was tied to the quieting emotion in the bond.

He respected her want of the distance and resisted the urge to reach forward and kiss her on the forehead. Instead, he leaned back and supported himself with his hands behind him, palm-down on the comforter.

He almost told her that she'd never be too much for him, that there was no way he'd ever tell her that he couldn't keep up or handle whatever she threw at him. But as he watched her, he realized that it wasn't what she needed to hear in those moments, despite how much he wanted to tell her.

"Should it come to that, I will tell you." And as if he thought she might doubt him, he repeated that in the bond so that she would know he meant it.

~!**!~

Akari resisted a smile at Raion as he relieved her of her little stash of goodies. She took note of the things that others reached for so she would be able to give them any spares of that particular goody, but otherwise seemed to not even notice any unusual activity.

"I'll gladly give them to you all. I'd rather them be enjoyed than thrown away," she smiled at Akihiko. "Plus, I'm sure no one but Akihiko here has had breakfast yet." Her gaze swept over the table. "Two birds with one stone, hm?"

Tarou's wink had her smile growing ever so slightly, and for a moment she let her working brain step away from her task list to reply to Tarou with, "Be careful what you wish for. You may not like what ends up in front of you." Her eyes twinkled at him briefly.

"AKARI! PREPARE THE TREATS AND WATER!"

The dog demoness blinked and whatever thought she'd had was gone, replaced swiftly with thoughts of work and now the dog she'd heard barking some way down the road. Her smile turned into a more fond one and she shook her head to herself. "Excuse me, gentlemen."

She stepped away from the table and into the backroom to gather the two bowls she'd bought specifically for Nabu and Kiyoko. She filled the dishes with water and shuffled back into the front of the shop. She set the two bowls down to the left of the door to the backroom, and she was just barely standing upright again when the door was pushed open and Nabu and Kiyoko's claws click-clacked against the wooden floor in their excitement to see her.

"Akari! Akari!"

The dog demoness smiled down at the shiba inu that danced around her feet. She crouched down to meet his excited wiggles with a loving scratch behind his ears. "You're hot," she told him as she felt the heat radiating from his little body. "Must've been a fun day at the park." She rubbed his ears against his head playfully.

"Kiyoko and I played Tag, and then one of the neighborhood dogs joined us and then another, and THERE WAS A PUPPY!"

Akari only scratched at his ears as Kiyoko moved past them and towards the water bowls, panting. "The breeze is cool and it's a lovely day out." She said before she lowered her head over the bowl.

Akari released Nabu so he could get a drink too, and she gathered the last of the pastries and hauled them to the Guild, making sure to pass whatever the others had reached for from Raion before she let the rest be left in the center for the group to divide up however they so wished. *

"I don't think that's possible!" Tarou yelled after Akari as she slipped away.

Raion had his cheek resting against the table again, chewing none too discreetly on the next pastry he began stuffing into his face.

Both Tsundora and Raitoningu exchanged glances and chuckled at the pair of dogs that had showed up.

"They say the park's nice." Raion spoke up with his mouth still full of food, glancing briefly at Akihiko and then letting his gaze settled back on his coffee cup.

Akihiko raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing.

"Indeed." A sultry baritone replied for Akihiko, the Second looking up to see that he hadn't even felt the approach of the silver-haired kitsune who had somehow silently entered the shop and was moving past their table for the counter with the register. "However, I would propose one better."

He stopped when he reached the front of the room, yellow eyes searching the menu before finding the dog demon owner and giving her a smile, "Hello, Akari."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku nodded when he reassured her, eyes still cast off to the side as she reached over and moved one of her hands over her other arm, holding it there.

I'm never sure with you. Never sure what you want or need. Hiko says you're defective and fumbling, but I think it's just me who feels that way. 3

Hiei watched Shiki for a few moments, seeing the way she closed herself off to him in a way that almost seemed subconscious, and most definitely self-conscious, though he wasn't sure he'd ever seen her quite as self conscious as she was now.

He sat up and reached out to gently press his hand over the one she held her arm with.

(What can I do to make you feel better right now?)

~!**!~

Akari had set the pastries down amidst the guild, divvying out pastries where she thought she'd seen someone looking longingly, and then she moved for the front counters with the intent to grab a couple of treats for the dogs.

She opened her mouth to add to Raion's cluing in of the canine conversation when another voice spoke up instead, and she blinked at the silver-haired demon she hadn't heard or even sensed enter the building.

She blinked a few times at his greeting.

"Good Morning," she replied after a beat, her lips forming the usual smile she gave to all of her customers. Though as she contemplated the fox, her smile twitched slightly, "Remind me. Is it only Kurama, or do you still go by Youko?" She stepped behind the counter and reached into a little box under the register, her hand pulling two made-from-scratch dog treats that she leaned over the counter and offered to Nabu and Kiyoko.

"Flowers! Hey, Hi! Good to see you!" Nabu barked around his treat. *

"My friends call me Kurama-" He began, glancing down at the shiba inu barking at him and quickly squatting down to give the dog's face a good ruffling.

"Kurama!" Tarou had got up from his chair and made his way over to the front, arms out wide as if he might give the fox a hug if the latter noticed. "Great to see you! How you been?"

"Fine, Tarou." Kurama didn't even look up from Nabu. "You're looking handsome as ever today." He told the dog in front of him with something of a smile as he scratched at his cheeks.

"Well." Tarou's already slightly pink face darkened just a touch. "I, uh- Thank you." He suddenly noticed Chisai at his elbow. "He remembered my name!" He whispered down into Chisai's ear.

~!**!~

Shiki's eyes caught sight of Hiei's hand as it came to rest on her own and she smiled at it, releasing a bit of a breath.

"It's nothing. I'm sorry." She shook her head a little at herself and let her hand fall back into her lap. "You can make me feel better by continuing to improve your own health." She told him, turning and giving him a smile. 3

Hiei let his own hands find his thighs and he used his legs - still wrapped around Shikiyoku - to nudge her as if to get her attention. "Don't be sorry," he told her with the same small smile. "Just… let me know how I can help, okay?

"I think I can manage that," he nodded. "Though I'm sure that would happen even if you didn't ask it of me."

~!**!~

Akari pet Kiyoko affectionately on the head. "Good morning," she told the dog before the ball of white fluff turned and clicked her way to Kurama. She sat to Kurama's left, facing Nabu, and took to quietly enjoying her little treat while in the presence of the fox demon.

Nabu's tail swept along the floor as he received attention from Kurama, his expression one of outright glee. Akari could just imagine that he thought this day was the best day he'd had in his entire life. "No," the dog rumbled at Tarou, "I'm the handsome one. Always am."

Akari shook her head to herself. "What can I get started for you, Kurama?" *

Kurama grinned at the dog and gave him a wink before standing up, almost towering over the weapons-master of a demon next to him, but not paying him the slightest bit of attention at the moment.

He leaned a hand forward absently onto the counter and appeared to thoughtfully consider her question as he swept his eyes over the menu again.

"Tea, please. If you have the looseleaf variety. Something... white. Maybe...Jasmine? Unless you have something you particularly recommend?"

~!**!~

A peculiar sort of smile scattered across Shikiyoku's features as Hiei nudged her with his legs, the sensation a surprising one that nearly tickled her and definitely startled her just enough to make her expression falter somewhat.

She subsequently stuck her face in his since he seemed so keen on asking what he could do to help, "You can help by never getting sick like that again, you hear?" 3

"Deal," he replied instantly. "It was awful and I'd rather not do it again." He was reminded all at once of the sweat he'd produced, and with that reminder came the sensation of the ickiness he could feel clinging to him.

He felt as if he'd just gotten back from a long job and had yet to shower.

He frowned and ever so slowly began to pull away from Shikiyoku, intent on getting clean. He shifted himself around until his feet were on the floor and he was sitting at the edge, testing his strength and realizing that he felt stronger than he'd thought he would.

He didn't think he'd have to ask Shikiyoku to walk him to the bathroom down the hall.

"I think," he began as he pushed himself to stand, "I'm going to go for a shower."

~!**!~

The menu didn't have much in the way of tea. It wasn't something that was asked about often in her shop, and it didn't sell enough to have a wide variety of flavors. That didn't mean, however, that Akari didn't have stock of it for herself and anyone she thought might enjoy it.

Her personal stock was much more expansive of course, but her tastes usually ended up being popular with people who actually enjoyed teas, especially in the more traditional flavors.

So Kurama's request for looseleaf was no problem. And when he specified a white tea, she turned and began to shuffle little canisters around on the counters across from the register, reading the labels and opening a couple up to sniff before she would put one down and pick up another.

In the end, she settled on her personal favorite. "Hot?" she asked him finally as she turned on her industrial water boiler and let it heat up. It hadn't been used yet this morning.

She procured a little teapot and its corresponding strainer, and she dropped a couple of teaspoons of her favorite white tea into it. Its gentle, honey-like aroma perfumed the air, accentuated with just enough jasmine to tickle her nose and bring a smile to her face.

Once she had the water at its appropriate temperature, she poured it into the teapot and set a timer that she left on the counter when she turned back to Kurama and the register. She tapped a few times on its screen, paused, and turned a genuinely cheerful smile up to the kitsune. "Anything else?" *

Anything Tarou or Chisai had meant to say died on their lips and left the cafe in companionable silence that did not appear to bother the fox nearby, who watched Akari patiently, his nose flaring once when she decided on a tea and already knowing he would like it.

When she rang up his order, he met her gaze steadily and smiled.

He'd forgotten how much he enjoyed her eyes and he took a moment to appreciate them as he shook his head.

Before he could so much as make another move, Chisai was already handing Akari money.

"It's the least we can do." He said quietly, not looking at either one of them and only waiting for Akari to hand back the change.

Kurama blinked down at him, eyes wide.

Tarou was frowning at Kurama, and finally said, "No coffee? I would have thought someone like you might have taken it black."

Kurama raised an eyebrow at the other, and raised and lowered one shoulder, "I find it to be of little to no practical use and I do not care for the flavor."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku nodded, moving out of the way and letting Hiei arrange himself so that he might employ his own two feet.

"I'm not going anywhere." She reassured him, watching his progress, but giving him room to do it on his own if he wished. "I'll be near if you have need of me." 3

Hiei stood in place for a bit, his eyes staring at the opposite wall but not really seeing it as he assessed his strength and balance. When he didn't immediately waver or feel drained, he blinked into awareness of the room again and grabbed one of the two plates and glasses from the night stand. He passed them to Shikiyoku, his movements slow and deliberate in his unsure state.

"I'll eat when I'm done," he told her. "Don't wait on me."

He kissed her on the forehead before he turned and pulled a clean outfit from his dresser and made his way to the door at the far end of the hallway.

Once he was inside the bathroom, he set his clothes to the side and turned the shower on to its hottest temperature. As the water warmed, he shucked the white tank top and his pants, leaving them discarded in a pile on the floor that he scowled in disgust at.

He stepped into the shower and under the hot stream of water, and perhaps for the first time he actually felt its heat soak into his skin and loosen up muscles he hadn't even realized were sore and tense. He stood there under its stream for a long while, taking the time to enjoy the relief his body felt from the heat and the pressure.

It didn't take him long to get clean, though it definitely took him longer than usual. He scrubbed at his skin three times over and shampooed his hair twice, and when he finally felt he'd gotten all of the dirt, sweat, and general grime from his being, a sort of relief sighed through him and filtered through the bond.

He'd gone so long simply working and running around that he'd forgotten what it felt like to be this clean and free of dirt, in the very least. Even when he'd worked at the bar, he'd had something spilled over him any time he changed shirts.

The last time he'd been so clean was probably right after his and Shikiyoku's Saving The World party, when Shikiyoku had been called out and he'd stayed in bed long enough to gather strength and get clean enough to work in the bar.

Now, as he stepped from under the stream and turned the water off, he felt like a whole new person. And when he was able to use his energy to dry his body? Satisfaction joined the relief and any lingering tension at his shoulders simply melted away.

While he hadn't been able to get his hair fully dried with his energy, he didn't mind. He slid his pants on and tossed his shirt over his shoulder, and he took a clean towel to his hair almost absentmindedly.

He frowned at his filthy outfit still on the floor contemplatively, and after a short debate, he scooped the articles from the floor and tossed them into the hamper for later; he'd clean them when he had more energy.

He shuffled from the steam-filled bathroom and into the cool, clean air of the hallway. He filled his lungs with the air so perfumed by Shikiyoku's scent mingling around his own, and he let it out in a small sigh just before he stepped into his room again, one hand still rubbing the towel against his head almost lazily.

(...so much better.)

~!**!~

The last time I saw this form, I think we were in an ice cream shop...

Akari blinked at Chisai's hand for a moment before her smile softened at the shorter, younger demon. Without saying anything, she took the money he extended her way and tendered out the transaction, and she passed him his change.

The timer on the tea beeped at her, and she turned her back onto the room to pull the strainer from the teapot and set it in the little sink nearby. She placed the lid back onto the ceramic and reached for a paper cup. She slid a sleeve over it and carefully poured some of the steaming hot tea into it, her smile softening as its aroma wafted over her nose.

She had thought about pairing it with a fruit tea, but she couldn't bring herself to change the flavors of this one in any way. Not even with a drop of honey.

She placed a lid over it and pulled the tab open so the steam would have somewhere to go. Finally, she turned and offered the cup to Kurama, listening to the conversation.

"Adding cream helps for me," she said mildly, "though it took me a long time to find a bean and roast I actually enjoyed without it." She nodded at the tea. "Jasmine Snowbud Tea, by the way.

"Actually, while we're on the topic," she leaned her hip into the counter, "I wanted to ask you if there was any possibility that a coffee bean could be engineered and grown to be suitable for those of us with higher metabolisms and more sensitive taste buds?" *

Kurama shrugged a little at the mention of cream, "I wish it would enhance the flavor, but instead I find all cream does for me is drown it out. I know of many who drink it as such, but they do so for the benefits and quite frankly I find there are none for myself."

His nose flared a little again as he raised the cup closer to his face, though he had long ago caught its scent.

Kurama's eyebrows rose further over his face at the prospect, "It's...possible, I would imagine." His head tilted slightly to the side.

~!**!~

Once Hiei was out of the room, Shikiyoku absently put down the plate and glass in her hands, mind already on the handful of tasks she wished to accomplish while Hiei was otherwise occupied.

She darted back over to her own room and in a whirlwind of activity had it back in its usual order before she marched back over to Hiei's and grabbed for the pillows, relieving them of their cases before setting them aside on the couch.

Next came all the coverings on the bed into her arms. She had modeled the apartments in a more Western fashion on purpose when originally designing them. After having spent the majority of her life sleeping on mats on the floor, and with these apartments having the luxury of all the room she wished, she had opted for the mattresses and bed stands and the like.

That is to say, she removed all the sheets and covers from his mattress and had them all piled up in her arms just as she turned to leave only to have Hiei reenter the room.

"Oh! Uh-" Shikiyoku peered over the top of the linens, "You can use my bed, if you like?" She offered apologetically. "I thought I could at least slip these into the wash before you were done, but my room took longer than expected." She admitted. 3

Hiei took one step back when he thought he might bump into Shikiyoku, and he looked her up and down. For a moment he frowned at the fact that she'd likely not eaten like he'd hoped, but that frown was quickly replaced with a smile of appreciation when he noticed she had all of his bedclothes in her arms and was most definitely intending to clean them.

He hadn't thought that far ahead himself.

He stepped around her and out of her way so she could go about what she was doing. "Thank you. For pulling those and washing them. I'll sit on the couch while I eat, though." So I don't drop anything in your room.

~!**!~

Akari pushed away from the counter, unable to resist pouring herself a cup of tea as well. She decided against a lid on her own cup, and she turned to lean against the counter closest to Kurama again, taking a sip from her own cup despite its heat.

"I'm not sure how willing you are to attempt it, or if you would even have the time to do so, but would you be interested in engineering a bean I could buy from you and use here?" She gave Kurama a lopsided smile. "Shikiyoku's influence has given me a larger foreign customer base than I'd anticipated, and I think it'd be nice to be able to offer them something that they not only like, but benefit from." *

"I can certainly try." Kurama allowed, "I might be able to come up with something. In the meantime..." He glanced down at Nabu, "What would you say to a day in the meadow, old friend?"

~!**!~

Shikiyoku moved forward when he left her room to go beyond him, frowning in her concentration and only giving him an absent nod that she'd heard him.

She flit forward into the bathroom, grabbing his things and knowing if nothing else his pants could also be done in the same span as the linens as they were all of similar, fire-proofed ilk.

Back out into the hall, back into the doorway, flitting about the room with the machines and then leaving them to their duty, Shikiyoku moved back into Hiei's room to check in on him. 3

Hiei made sure to find the most out-of-the-way spot to be while Shikiyoku did her thing. He grabbed his now-cold plate of food and his glass of water, and he planted himself comfortably on the couch. He didn't mind the pillows being behind and beside him as he ate; they weren't in his way or hindering his movements at all. If anything, they added a little extra comfort to the already comfortable couch.

He glanced around his room, his eyes catching shadows of bags of coins and his mind working over the conversation he and Shikiyoku had about a guild hall with a proper vault.

The organization that such a thing would afford them was more than enough reason to agree to the prospect, and with it he was sure he'd end up having more jobs and clientele.

He'd have to be sure to not let himself take on too many jobs, or he'd end up going too long without seeing Shikiyoku.

He blinked the thought away. Another problem for another day.

He heard Shikiyoku moving for the room, and he looked up to watch her step inside the door, his mind suddenly turning to the information he wanted to acquire about Mates.

Definitely a more pressing matter, he told himself.

~!**!~

Akari sipped her tea as Kurama turned to Nabu, who'd been sitting nearby, watching the conversation happen with avid curiosity. The second the kitsune turned to him, the Shiba's tail began to wag again, and at the mention of the meadow, he came alive in a way that was reminiscent of a coiled spring coming loose.

He bounced and spun in place, barking wordlessly in his excitement.

Kiyoko turned up to Kurama. "Meadow?"

"IT'S THE BEST PLACE EVER! THERE'S FLOWERS, AND BUTTERFLIES, AND GRASS AND- IT'S THE BEST, KIYOKO!"

Akari smiled down at the little white dog. "I think you'll enjoy it. The best part is when it gets dark and the moon comes out."

Ryouta was suddenly at her side, handing her a receipt from the grocery store he'd gone to without her even noticing. "I found the syrup we're almost out of," he informed her. "Since we're not getting any on today's delivery." He looked up from the paper he'd passed over and looked over the silver fox demon. "Kurama," he greeted the other with a nod.

"Are we all going? Can we all go? I think we should all go!" *

Kurama let out a laugh at Nabu's sudden energetic response.

He returned the raven's nod, with a particular gleam flashing in his eye, "Ryouta. Always good to see you're still a free bird."

He let his gaze move over the rest of the guild in the room.

"I rather thought it'd be nice for us all to get away for a day, seeing as how you lot would just mope about the place and ruin the lovely atmosphere our favorite dog demon has worked so hard to establish around here."

Akihiko stood and almost grinned, "Didn't let you into the bar either, mm?"

"I haven't the faintest idea to what you're referring." Kurama replied loftily.

~!**!~

(You're still okay?) Shikiyoku wanted to know, moving a few steps closer, her concern plain on her face.

She frowned a little.

The shower was probably the farthest he'd moved on his own this whole time, and she still wasn't satisfied with the palenes of his cheeks. 3

Hiei blinked his last thought away and a reassuring warmth filled the smile on his face and the bond between them. (I am okay. A little slower than usual, but okay.) He gestured with his head for her to come closer, and he held out a kebab for her to take.

"And you?"

~!**!~

Ryouta's wings twitched ever so slightly, but he didn't reply.

Akari set her tea down and turned to take the flavor syrup from the raven, who relinquished it and watched as she set it behind its almost-empty twin. "Well, mopey or not, I quite enjoy your presence," she told the group. "But I think you'd enjoy the meadow more than sitting in my shop all day. I definitely recommend the field trip."

She glanced through the window that peered into the back kitchens, seeing the timer on the oven getting low enough that she should check the pastries cooking inside, and she turned to make her way that direction.

A hand at the back of her collar stopped her, almost choking her. "And where are you going?"

Akari turned a confused look over her shoulder at Ryouta. "To check the pastries, obviously. They still need to cool and be stocked." *

Kurama gave Ryouta a small smile and gestured to the woman whose collar he'd grabbed, "If you'd like a lavender-free day, my good man, then I suppose you'd best get to reassuring."

He turned and moved to the table where the wolf pair arose as he approached and he nodded to them both, "Tsundora. Raitoningu. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You are free to call me Kurama if you wish." He gave them both a charming smile as he reached down and in a similar fashion to Ryouta, grabbed Raion by essentially the scruff of the neck and roughly lifted the lion to his feet, much to Raion's surprise.

"On your feet."

The steel of his grip got Raion's attention if nothing else, but the fox let him go freely, though not before passing a hand absently through Raion's blonde locks to straighten them.

"Melancholy does not suit you, Raion." He murmured. "You do our 'Yoku a disservice with it."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku joined Hiei on the couch, taking what he offered, though not seeming to particularly see it at first, eyes inward with assessment on Hiei.

She smiled a little at his question and focused back onto his face, "I'll be okay." 3

Hiei eyed Shikiyoku as he pulled a bite from his kebab, chewing thoughtfully as he looked her over. The worry had gathered at her shoulders and between her brows again, and he could see she was perhaps a little antsy about it.

She didn't really sit all the way back in the couch. Instead, she seemed to sit closer to the edge, as if at any moment she might need to go do this or get that for him.

His smile never wavered.

"Do you have the energy to start teaching me to read today?"

~!**!~

Ryouta spared a glance in Kurama's direction long enough to nod at the other before he turned back to Akari, and he raised his brows at her. "You would refuse the kind offer from your friend?"

Her brows shot up. "I'm working. I'm not just going to-"

He tugged on the back of her collar again, stopping her excuse. "I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Ryouta, there's still-"

He tugged again. "It sounded like arguing."

"What on earth-"

A third time. "It sounds like a workaholic who needs a day off is trying to weasel her way out of it." he silenced her with a hardened stare.

"My blouse, Ryouta. You're stretching it." she complained in a strained voice. When he only raised his brow further in question at her, she let out a long sigh. "And the delivery still coming today?"

"You insult me."

She frowned. "Ryouta-"

"I've already called Hideo. He's free from class and is on his way to take the extra shift, just in case it gets busy."

She frowned. "When did you-" His tug of her collar cut off her sentence again.

"Goodbye, Akari." He began to steer her out from behind the counter, his other hand smacking a couple of magazines into her hands. "Have a good couple of days off. Come back after you're refreshed and have had your fun." He finally released her when he had her standing next to Kurama. "Let your Assistant Manager act as such for a bit."

She almost stuck her tongue out at him, but resisted when she thought he might actually grab it. Instead, she straightened her shirt and smoothed out the few wrinkles that had threatened to form. "Yes, yes. See you in a couple of days, Ryouta." *

"Oh, Akari! Did you decide to join us after all?" Kurama wanted to know, a teasing smile passing over his lips. "How wonderful. I'm sure Ryouta needs a break from you and frankly I think I could do with more lavender in my life of late.

"My thanks for the tea, by the way." He indicated the cup in his hand. "And to you, Chisai, for purchasing it for me. Please," He glanced around at the rest of them, "I do not wish for any of you to feel as if you must trouble yourselves any further. I appreciate the sentiment, but I did nothing for him that you would not have done yourselves should you have been able."

"But we weren't able." Raion insisted with a huff, his cheeks still slightly pink as his eyes darted off to the side.

"I was also lucky everything seems to have worked out in the end." Kurama sent him a glance and shook his head, but said nothing more about it.

"I do not know how much luck truly had to do with it...but you have my gratitude." Akihiko told him, grateful not for the first time that Shikiyoku would not have to face the same fate as he.

~!**!~

As if it were the last thing on her mind, Shikiyoku seemed to startle out of her thoughts at Hiei's question and sat blinking at him for a moment, the hand holding the food lowering to rest on her leg.

"Uhm, I...if you...think you have the strength for it." She nodded, "We could do that. We don't have to though." She quickly added with a little smile, "It's not my energy I'm worried about."

I'd do anything you wanted, flameboy. I'm just not sure what that is...

Without being certain of his desires, she would have felt awful doing something he didn't like. It made her hesitant to follow through on a lot of things, like earlier where it didn't seem like he'd responded at all to what had just about turned into more explicit advances on her part.

She stared down at the food in her hand, twirling it back and forth for a moment and unsure if she really could kiss him whenever she liked as he told her to do. It was almost as if their...confession of love for one another just made things worse, just made her want to do even more for him than she usually did. And him being safe and her relief and the feeling of his hands at her waist and her kisses trailing over the swirling markings on his skin-

Shikiyoku's eyes widened suddenly and focused in on the food in her hand, quickly endeavouring to think of something else besides Hiei's soft lips pressing against her neck and cheeks and-

Dammit. 3

"Well," Hiei began with a shrug of his shoulders, "I may not have an abundance of physical energy for moving around, but I have more than enough energy to sit up and learn a few things. And converse." His lips twitched at her. "Among other things."

He pulled another piece of food from the little stick and chewed as he watched her.

(I want to learn, and we have time.)

~!**!~

Akari smoothed the last wrinkle from her blouse before she looked up at Kurama, and she shrugged at him. "I'm sure you're right. He has to listen to my barking orders all day and every little growl when he messes up."

Ryouta was at her side again and he put her cup of tea in her free hand. "It's terribly annoying," he added dryly before he moved off again.

"It's a terrible mess all the time. I just hope he doesn't burn the place down while I'm gone." She sipped her tea. "As for lavender, let me know when you'd like to try some tea with lavender infused in it. I have a blend I haven't tried yet, and you'd be the perfect first customer, what with your refined tastes and all." An innocent smile danced across her lips. "I imagine you tend to grow your own brews, so I'm happy to know you like this one."

"Will you play tag with us this time, Akari?"

She glanced down at Nabu. "Maybe. Maybe I'll take a nap."

"Nope. You're playing!" *

"Indeed." Kurama replied evenly. "I am in fact well-versed in tea ceremony, though I'm sure Shikiyoku would have my hide if she knew I long ago abandoned matcha in favor of my own blends."

Without batting an eye and before he could be questioned on it, he continued, "Is this everyone? Excellent. Come along, boys. M'lady." He moved to open the door for her and lead them out of the shop and down the street.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku gave Hiei a fond smile after gathering her thoughts, "Well...I can't say I'll be a particularly good teacher."

She replaced the skewer on the plate and moved for the door, "Let me see if there's paper and things downstairs we can use. I'll be right back." 3

Hiei made a face as she set the skewer down and slid from the couch. "Wait, wait, wait." He reached out to grab her wrist, but missed her by half a second and instead was left frowning at her back. "I didn't mean right this second."

(Come back. Sit down.) He took a breath. (Please.)

He turned back to the food on his plate and, after a moment's contemplation, his energy fluctuated and a little fireball came to life in his palm. In a matter of seconds, he had the kebabs warm again, the aroma already filling the room as if he'd made them fresh.

~!**!~

Akari might have commented on her own tastes for matcha, but Kurama had already moved on and was leading the group from the store. She glanced back at Ryouta, who stood behind the front counters with a watchful gaze on the group, and he waved a hand dismissively at her. Be gone.

She smiled at him by way of farewell before she followed after Kurama.

Tarou's arm was in her peripherals a second before it came to rest across her shoulders, and she raised a brow up at the grin and wink he aimed down at her.

"Oh boy! Kiyoko, you're going to love this!"

"Nabu, if you don't calm down, you won't have any energy to even enjoy the meadow…" *

The others followed after Kurama, who had casually taken the lead and seemed just as unconcerned about his ears and tail as the wolf brothers, who likewise knew that few humans had enough spiritual awareness to see them.

He found himself flanked by Chisai and Akihiko, the first walking next to him and the second just a few steps behind.

"You said you know tea ceremony?" Chisai piped up after they had begun to move down the sidewalk.

For his part, Akihiko knew they were heading in the direction of the park Yusuke mentioned to him earlier that day and he wondered what the correlation between it and this "meadow" might be.

Kurama nodded, "Shikiyoku taught me. It was something she learned while in the courts on the Ninth."

"She mentioned being from there." Tsundora chimed in.

"She mentioned leaving because she'd gotten into a bit of trouble." Raiton added.

"A bit." Kurama raised an eyebrow. "That's putting it mildly. Suffice it to say my cousin nearly lost his life trying to escape with her and I only barely managed to stumble across her myself before a group of wild demons used her up."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku turned back at Hiei's plea with something of a frown.

When he only asked her to sit back down, she smiled and moved back to the couch, "If not now, then when, Hiei?" She teased as she moved to lounge next to him, making herself more comfortable this time. 3

"After this," he replied as he pulled meat from the kebab and pressed it to her lips, insisting that she eat it. "Because if I let you, you'll go until the next meal or the one after that one before you eat." Hiei gave her a little knowing smile. "Especially since you kicked the guild from the bar for the day."

Tarou had complained very loudly about that in his head. Loud enough that Hiei had dreamt of the fit the demon wanted to throw.

~!**!~

"I never did ask how long you'd known Shikiyoku," Akari piped from behind Kurama, her eyes on the back of his head as she walked under Tarou's arm.

"Mom? Getting into trouble?" Tarou scratched at his cheek. "That doesn't surprise me." He took a breath as if to continue, but decided against whatever he'd been about to say and opted instead to fall quiet. *

"She'd had something of a reputation, believe it or not." Kurama replied with a half-smile. "Still does, in certain circles."

"It's been several centuries." He turned his head just enough to toss the answer in Akari's direction over his shoulder. "I've probably known her over half my life. My cousin and I exchanged letters long before I actually met her."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku's smile grew wider as Hiei pressed food to her lips. She parted them and let him feed her, eyes twinkling at him as she chewed obediently.

(You heard about that, did you?) 3

"I did." He pulled another piece of food from the warmed kebab and held it out for her to take when she was done chewing her current bite. "I wasn't sure when I first woke up if I'd just dreamt it or not, but I'm quite certain I wouldn't dream of Tarou in any way, shape, or form."

His smile turned to a frown.

"Like Yusuke, he's not easy to ignore."

~!**!~

"Your cousin? You mean Kit?" Nabu piped from where he trotted next to Akari. "I liked him. He was a fun cat!"

"I had no idea you two ran together for so long." Akari nodded to herself, as if that answered some unspoken question she'd had.

"Oh yeah? What kind of circles?" Tarou piped, a gleam in his eyes. "Anything she's gotten her hands into has to be fun." *

Kurama gave Nabu a nod, "He wasn't a bad sort. As far as demons go."

"We lost each other for a little while." He told Akari. "When Spirit World's Elite Soldiers, Hunters, we used to call them, finally cornered us. I fled to Human World, fourteen years later teamed up with Hiei, and then a year after that skipped a grade and ended up at the same High School as Shikiyoku herself." He chuckled a little. "Or rather...Toriko, I suppose. But then again, in a way, my demon form was in hiding too at the time."

Kurama laughed, "She spent centuries alone running around with the infamous kitsune thief himself, big guy, and she was at least twice my age when I met her. Still is." He smiled at his own little joke. "Even so. If her time with me is any indication of her dealings in the Ninth, and I am not by any means suggesting that it was, then I'm sure you can just imagine the sorts of circles in which your dear mother inserts herself.

"If you want anything more specific than that, I'll have to ask you to inquire further of her. Those are not my story to tell. And she tells them so well besides."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku continued letting Hiei feed her with something of an amusement dancing in her eyes.

If I had been told years ago this would be happening I think I would have killed myself laughing too hard.

(No?) Shikiyoku asked as if surprised Hiei wouldn't dream of Tarou. (I feel this is news to me.)

Her own amusement fled a little as Hiei frowned and she scooted closer to him, still sitting sideways to face him and placing a hand on his leg.

"I...didn't really know what happened?" She asked, "You just told me the world needed saving." She smiled a little. "And your note wasn't much more explicit either."

Her eyes lit up suddenly and she went on before he could say anything, "Hey! Speaking of which." She looked down just to double check that she'd completely forgotten about her necklace when she got out of the shower the day or so before and her hand left him to point at its being hidden underneath her top. "You haven't greeted me properly just yet!" She leaned a little closer to him, obviously teasing now, "Should I go downstairs so you can pull it out in front of everyone? Or will it be enough for you to kiss me in private this time?" 3

"I dream about work enough as it is. Adding Tarou to the mix is…. Not the most pleasant of things," he said mildly, though the bond told her of his amusement at the fact that the demon had managed to do as such.

His eyes followed her hand as it lifted to the little bump at her sternum, filing away his tale of the hunt Yusuke had sent him on for after this amusing little request of hers.

He tilted his head ever so slightly and his crimson eyes rolled to the ceiling in thought. "Hm. Public display of affection that also shows people that Gouka is most definitely still around…" Hiei's eyes landed on her face again. "Or a private moment all for me to enjoy?"

He hummed to himself as if unsure, though the lopsided tilting of his lips was indication enough that he'd already made up his mind.

After a beat, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, soft and warm and welcoming. He lingered there for a few seconds, tasting the meat he'd previously held against her.

When he pulled away, he hesitated with his hand lingering in the space between them, eyeing the place where his jewel sat under her shirt.

His eyes found hers again, a spark of mischief growing. "If I leave it there, does that mean you'll ask more often?"

~!**!~

"Toriko?" Tarou echoed the name under his breath.

"It's her… Nickname.," Akihiko responded quietly as they passed a group of humans. "I noticed it on her office door some time ago."

Tarou frowned for a second as he processed what Akihiko had said. After a moment, a metaphorical light bulb seemed to click on over his head and he nodded. "Got it."

Akari nodded. "Honestly, I only knew her as Toriko when I first met her, though there were definitely a few moments where it was clearly not the meek girl she seemed to be. It isn't until recently that I actually officially 'met' Shikiyoku herself."

"She's always been Sparkles to me!"

Akari refrained from responding to the dog as they passed a few more humans, and instead took a moment to look around the group that had been following Kurama.

"What about you?" Chisai suddenly asked. "What made you make this place your home?"

Akihiko shot him a look that Akari read as 'we do not ask people that these days', though if Chisai saw it, he definitely ignored it. *

"It's her human name." Kurama provided. "Similarly to how the humans know me as Shuichi Minamino, they know her as Toriko Inyoku. However...in both our cases, for many years we hid behind our human personae almost literally. Two selves. One body."

The wolf brothers exchanged a glance about "sparkles" and Raion stared at the dog for several moments.

"My mother." Kurama immediately replied, as if the question was in no way out of line. "I made for a rotten human at first, believe it or not. I only intended to hide as such until I gathered my full strength back, though I had calculated it would take ten human years. Humans can do strange things to demons who associate with Shikiyoku, though." He had a small smile on his lips. "I recommend avoiding them both at all costs if possible. They'll make you do crazy things like call the First Level your home for the rest of your life."

~!**!~

"Mm." Shikiyoku hummed as he kissed her, her lips smiling against him.

When he pulled away and asked, she met his gaze with a similar sultry look of her own, lowering her voice as if they were sharing secrets, "If you leave it there, if nothing else you'll have an opportunity to fish it out later, flame boy." 3

"Then it stays," Hiei replied immediately with a nod to himself. "Any excuse for a kiss is a good excuse for a kiss." He leaned forward and kissed her again, briefly, and this time when he retreated, he replaced his lips against hers with a piece of meat from the kebab.

He turned down to the plate still in his lap and took a bite from a separate kebab, chewing on it almost thoughtfully.

(And if I want to, I can pull the necklace out in front of the whole bar later. Best of both worlds.)

~!**!~

"You're really going to stay here for the rest of your life?" Chisai asked immediately, as if the prospect was as unbelievable as unicorns and flying pigs. "Won't you get bored?"

"It's peaceful here," Akihiko observed. "Or, I've noticed a growth of peace. I'm sure there's unrest in places we have yet to see, but…"

Akari nodded. With her current shop and all the different ways it could grow and change, she was pretty sure she could stay here for a long time herself. And if she got bored, there was definitely enough to keep her entertained.

Gone were the days where she enjoyed running the levels and working for demons for favors and gold that was inconsistent amongst the levels.

"But there's so much to see, and so much to learn!" Chisai looked behind Kurama and over at Akihiko. "I bet there's places you haven't seen yet."

Akihiko's lips almost seemed to twitch. "I didn't say I wouldn't see those places or learn those things, Chisai."

"Well, I certainly am not going to stay chained to any one place," Tarou burst out. "It's no fun staying in one place too long. I like to be moving. Sometimes at a fast pace. Sometimes at a slow pace. Whatever feels right in the moment."

Akari pat him on the back a few times. "I'm sure you do..." *

"I make my own fun, Chisai." Kurama told him. "Or I'll live vicariously through those I send down to the Seventh to fetch an artifact for me." He winked at him.

"Doesn't like to be tied down..." Kurama said it as if taking notes and as he turned and led them into the park, he let his gaze linger a beat too long on Tarou before leading them farther on, "I'll keep that in mind, Tarou."

"In any case, I take it neither of you have spent much time with humans." He glanced between Chisai and Tarou. "I suggest you keep it that way." Another smile played over his lips. "Nothing good will come of it for you at this point."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku stared at him when he left her the second time and only fed her again, lips pulled into a half-smile.

She laughed a little when he told her as much and shook her head, adding wryly, (I tend to forget it's there, so I'm sure you'll have your chance.) 3

Hiei swallowed. "I enjoy reminding you," he whispered as his eyes twinkled at her. "The highlight of my day is coming home to you. And greeting you." He fed her another piece of food. "Followed by every second I'm able to be with you."

He popped a cube of meat into his own mouth.

~!**!~

An excitement lit up Chisai's face at the reminder of their pending job request from Kurama, though he said nothing about it.

"I'll leave the chain to those that enjoy it," Tarou replied almost loftily, his face tinged a little under his tanned complexion.

"You wouldn't happen to be more of a whip fan, hm?" Akari piped.

"Oh, of course!" Tarou wriggled his brows down at her, "when used properly, they-"

Her smile made him pause. He'd never seen that smile, and on any other demon, it might have been indicative of thoughts she might have been having about him. Instead, her eyes flickered between Kurama and Tarou, and the weapon's master wasn't quite sure he understood the meaning behind it.

"I've worked with a few humans," Chisai said to Kurama, ignoring the conversation happening behind him. "Mostly for contract work, though. I stand out a lot in this country, since my hair is blue and I have this." He turned his head a little and moved the hair at the base of his neck to the side to reveal a red tattoo-like marking. *

Kurama nearly laughed out loud as Akari continued her earlier commentary and subtly included him in it, opting instead to shoot her a grin and a wink when no one else would see it.

"-have exceptional staying power." Kurama finished mildly for Tarou.

Kurama nodded to Chisai, "The Korekuta could easily build an empire up here if they so desired-sorry for the walk, it's not much farther-and you could easily frontline the branch on this level with little effort on your part." He led them into a grove of trees around which the park had been built. "But." He said more firmly, if with a grin, "As I said before: unless you wish to grow roots here, I would not advise it."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku blushed and her eyes fell away from him as she continued eating.

"That's-" She started, speaking around the food in her mouth, "That's ridiculous, flame boy. I don't know how sitting around with me could be considered-" She swallowed, "Any sort of highlight at all." 3

(It's you that makes it fun.)

Hiei offered her the last piece of meat on his plate by pressing it to her lips insistently, too full to eat it himself. "And, while on the topic, I most definitely want to be in the habit of planning more things for us to do than 'sitting around'." He thought of their last date, and how fun it would have been to dance with her as he'd hoped to do.

The next date he'd plan would just be himself and Shikiyoku.

Just to avoid any other world-ending disasters like Tarou, and annoyances like Crusnik.

~!**!~

Akari might have shimmied her shoulders at Kurama if Tarou's arm wasn't still so firmly planted around them. Instead, she only flashed him a brief smile before she slowly turned her gaze away and up to the still-staring Tarou.

"What, cat's got your tongue, Tarou?"

He squinted his eyes at her.

She almost went on to say something about the lasting effects of marks left by whips, but she chose otherwise in light of the very person who'd marked her with a whip.

"Have many experiences with them, do you?" Tarou finally asked after he'd found his tongue again.

"A few." When he opened his mouth to inquire further, she only smiled up at him and wagged a finger between them. "Those are not stories to be told in the light of day."

He threw his head back and laughed.

Chisai shot them a look for their rowdiness before he turned to Kurama again. "I'm the only one in my family who ventured from home right now. My sister was on this level with me some time ago, but she returned home to learn more about the family business. She wants to expand it further. I…" He shrugged after a moment. "I prefer to be out in the field, as it were."

"I don't think I knew you were from the Korekuta family, Chisai," Akihiko said after a moment. "Is that how you came across Hiei?"

Chisai nodded. "I was on the Sixth in that metal district. The family had heard that there were gems left abandoned out there, but they didn't want to chance the Infected hanging around. Hiei was running through back to the first, said I was out of place and should probably 'go home'." He shrugged. "He wasn't entirely wrong. But I didn't want to go home. So I came here." *

The ears atop Kurama's head twitched at the continuing conversation between Tarou and Akari, but he said nothing more, only smiling to himself and thinking of the scar he'd given her all that time ago.

He only came to a stop once they were standing in front of the tree with the widest trunk, the oldest one and in the center of the grove.

Bringing his hands together palm to palm in front of his chest, there was a brief surge of energy between them as something in the tree in front of them responded and he released his hands quickly in a sharp parting motion.

A motion that the tree echoed as with a loud crack the bark almost seemed to pull apart into a rift about seven feet high, a swirling portal the other side of which was mostly obscured appearing in the bark's place.

"Follow quickly. It won't stay open long. And watch your step."

He didn't really even have to duck as he moved through and came out the other side into a similar looking grove of trees that appeared to extend as far as the eye could see in any direction, and he moved forward again once he saw the others had followed, taking a deep breath of Demon World air, the portal snapping shut behind the last one who came through.

~!**!~

"And how do you presume to know that, hm?" Shikiyoku teased, a hand coming up between them to rest against his side.

(I enjoy laying around. Sometimes it's all I want to do when you get back anyway.) 3

Hiei nodded. "Well, I won't object to resting with you any day." He turned to face her on the couch finally, pulling one leg up and crossing that ankle under his other thigh. He set his now empty plate down on the coffee table before he turned and leaned an elbow on the top of the couch, his hand closed into a fist that he rested his head against as he watched her.

"And I know it's fun with you because I've done almost all of those things without you, and it isn't nearly as enjoyable when you're not around. I can sleep whenever I want, but I rest better when you're with me. And I can work whenever, but it definitely has its perks working with you versus without you.

"Even 'just sitting here' as we are…" He gave her a sidelong smile.

~!**!~

"Well, I certainly know of a few dark places where-"

Akari pat Tarou's cheek, though she had to stand on her tiptoes to do it. "Nice try."

He shrugged and turned to watch Kurama when the group came to a stop in front of a tree. Like Akari and the rest of the group, he became more interested in the workings of the fox demon than he had previously been with the conversations.

One by one, the group followed after Kurama, with Chisai being the first and Raion waving Akari and subsequently Tarou forward so he'd be the last. The group looked around themselves all at once, each one looking for clues as to which level they were on and where they might be on said level.

Akari couldn't remember which level the meadow was on, but as she looked around, she thought maybe it was the Fifth. Or the Sixth. It had been so long since she'd run so far down into the levels that she wasn't sure she could identify any of them outside of the First, Fourth, and Seventh.

Akihiko saying something about the "Endless Forest" brought her from her thoughts, and Chisai nodded.

"That was exciting," Tarou commented with a grin as he looked around himself. *

"Yes, well, it seemed like a challenge at the time." Kurama responded to Akihiko noting their location. "The enchantment is intricate, though. Fascinating study."

Nabu let out a sharp bark and darted forward just as the trees around them began to clear.

The meadow seemed simple enough on their approach: plain and grassy and wide and unadorned, open and free just as the last time he visited. Eventually, if one looked far enough, you could see how the trees completely encircled it, but there was more than enough room for an oversized fox demon to frolick.

Kurama spread his arms wide to welcome them, "Feel free to wander about and make yourselves at home as you please." He told them, making sure to be the first of them to step into the awaiting grass, catching sight of a rolling movement of his defenses that settled down upon his presence. "We'll have lunch in a few hours."

He started to move off towards a twinkling spot in the distance.

~!**!~

Her hand still on his side, Shikiyoku gave two rather threatening twitches of her fingers against him as her eyes gleamed but she made no further attempts to actually tickle him.

However, she only shook her head at him with a little smile on her face, "I certainly sleep better when you're around, flameboy." 3

Hiei's eyes narrowed ever so slightly at the movement of the fingers against his side, a playful warning against the threat she made. He didn't forget the last time he'd been tickled, and while it was enjoyable to watch her squirm under its sensation, he didn't enjoy squirming in the least.

...Or maybe that's just what he told himself.

"When I have my energy back enough to be up and around for any period of time, is there anything you want to do? With me, I mean."

~!**!~

Akari couldn't remember the last time she spent a day sitting and lounging in the sun, but as she took a sweeping glance about the meadow, she thought about a nice nap later.

For the moment, she contented herself with being the first of the group to follow after Kurama further into the meadow, other than Kiyoko who stayed right by the fox's side.

When she caught sight of the things shining in the distance, she redirected her route a few paces and made her way off to the side, realizing that Kurama was heading to a couple of haka and wanting to give him privacy in those moments.

Nabu raced past her in his excitement, barking up a storm something about playing a game.

She turned to watch him race up to Raion and circle him a few times. "Let's play a game! We should all play a game!" After one more turn around Raion, he bopped his nose against the lion's leg and then he raced off again, barking, "Tag! You're it!"

Akari shook her head at her friend, glad to see his excitement but most definitely moving away from the game. She settled on the grass not far from where they'd entered the meadow, Tarou coming to stand next to her. "What's he saying?"

She glanced up at him in time to see Tarou indicate to Nabu with a tilt of his head. "Well," she gave him a smile that whispered of the adoration she held for the dog, "He's going to rope all of us into a game of Tag, and Raion seems to be his first target." She turned down to eye the Business Magazine, set it down next to her, and read a few of the headlines of places to travel, beauty tips, and other seemingly random topics. "He's quite convincing when he wants to be." She flipped the magazine open to the first page. *

Raion took a deep breath of the air and hadn't realized how much he missed the scent of Demon World until he was back in it.

Quietly following the others, having polished off the rest of the pastries and his drink and disposing of the trash in the park receptacle, he had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he followed Akari through the portal and felt as much as heard it snap shut behind him.

When he stepped clear of the trees and felt a bit of the wind rustle through his hair and silently move through over the meadow, he scanned the area and only watched as the two wolves and Chisai immediately moved father into the area with exclamations of wonder.

"Gai's gonna be sad he missed out!" Raiton darted towards the center of the meadow with Tsundora chasing after and Chisai trotting along behind them.

When Nabu went racing off in another direction and Raion didn't immediately follow, Tsundora frowned at him from where he stood farther in, but turned to get the dog's attention as he went shooting past.

"Nabu, what's that mean?"

Raion scratched the back of his leg with his other foot and after a moment trailed silently after Kurama and the fluffy white dog at his side.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku only smiled at Hiei as his expression turned more mistrusting and after smoothing her hand over his side once as if placating him, pulled it away.

Her eyebrows rose at his inquiry.

That is a loaded question, flameboy.

"Uhm." She appeared thoughtful, attempting to provide an appropriate response for him. "Nothing comes to mind."

Nothing I think I should say aloud.

"What would you like to do?" 3

He'd thought she would say as such.

Hiei stared at her thoughtfully, considering their last 'date' and the fun that they'd had before it had gone so wrong. He thought about the few times she'd mentioned this or that as something she wanted to do, which weren't really things he'd consider to be 'fun'.

Visiting Kit, for example, wasn't quite a happy sort of fun.

Though as he thought about it, his eyes drifted to the bookcase filled with books, and he considered those for a few quiet moments before he turned to Shikiyoku.

"A bookstore?" His smile turned from thoughtful to almost self conscious. "Since you'll be teaching me how to read, and all…"

He shrugged.

"But that's only if you want to."

~!**!~

Kiyoko trailed after Kurama, only a half-step behind him. She glanced around the meadow, taking in its sights and smells that were so different from the places she knew.

She spotted Nabu following after Raiton and Tsundora, telling them all about the game of tag and how it worked. She noticed Akari shutting a magazine and falling back to lay in the grass, her eyes to the sky that she imagined Tarou blocked her view of as he leaned over to say something, a grin on his face.

She also noticed Raion's following after her and Kurama, which brought her eyes back up to the long-haired individual that she'd attached herself to.

"...I like you." She told him quietly. "And your meadow." She turned forward again. "They needed this." She didn't think she'd have to tell him who she was referring to. *

Kurama gave Kiyoko a soft smile, "Well, I like you too. And my meadow."

He glanced around at the others, watching as Raitoningu and Tsundora began jogging and finally roped Chisai into their game until they and Nabu were leisurely tagging one another back and forth.

He let out a little breath from his nose like a sigh, "I needed it too, I think. Did Akari tell you what happened?"

They arrived eventually at three separate haka and Kurama set about tending to them, tenderly washing the surfaces and replacing the water in the vases so that it was fresh.

All three seemed very similar except for the names etched on their surfaces and the three different bouquets of flowers in the three separate vases: black barlow columbines, earthy-colored black beauty dahlias, and multi-colored tropical hibiscus.

~!**!~

"Only if I want to?" She gave him a little smile. "You know we don't always have to do things that I want to do."

She nodded at his suggestion of a bookstore, though.

"Would you rather we waited until you've had a little practice? It could be fun either way, but you might rely more on the pictures at first if we go sooner rather than later." 3

Hiei made a sound at the back of his throat. "If I only suggested things I knew of, we wouldn't have much of a variety." After all, most of his knowledge stemmed from fighting and survival.

He didn't think she'd find those as fun as he would.

He nodded, "It would probably be more interesting if I had some idea of what I was looking at." His smile turned up at one corner. "And I get to see what interests you too."

~!**!~

Kiyoko let out a small huff and her tail swayed slightly from side to side before it settled into its natural pattern of movement again. She turned her eyes up to him as he sighed, her ear giving an almost concerned twitch as she considered him.

At his question, she turned her attention to the graves instead, not knowing their name or the names on the stones, but knowing their purpose all the same.

"The things I know come from Nabu and his tellings." She responded after a moment. She watched Kurama as he tended to the gravestones, taking a moment to sit just a bit out of the way so he could do as he pleased. "I know that you were around before. And that when she disappeared, you did too. When Nabu found her again, she wasn't really forthcoming with what had happened, and neither of us have asked much about it since.

"She spent a lot of time away at first. First just working, then only coming home long enough to check on us and disappear for the night. Neither of us asked about it, and she didn't seem to want to talk about it."

Kiyoko's ear twitched as Raion hovered somewhere behind her, quietly lingering, possibly listening, but uninterrupting.

"I'm sure she'd talk about it if we asked now, though. I just haven't gotten to it." She turned to look over her shoulder at Raion, seeing his head turned away and his eyes not truly seeing the far side of the meadow. And not too far beyond him, Nabu was zipping by, barking in excitement at Akari, who laughed openly for probably the first time in a few days at whatever was being said. *

Kurama knelt in front of the haka, glancing over his shoulder and seeing Raion just a few respectful paces away nodded that he could come closer if he wished.

He gave Kiyoko another smile, "Well, I meant did Akari tell you why it is we needed this." He gestured airly to the meadow around them and chuckled, "But I suppose when you said they, I thought you meant the guild too."

He sat quietly for a moment as Raion silently knelt next to him and looked at the names on the memorials.

"Who were they?"

"My cousin, Kitoushi. His closest ally, Taka. And..." He let out a breath. He knew little of the third, only what bits he could get out of Shikiyoku. "Douji. A young tribesman from the Ninth. Not even a tribesman. A child. The first and the third fell to the Infection. Taka...Taka, the fool, died protecting Shikiyoku."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku chuckled, "Is that so? I lived among bandits too, you know. There was always something going on."

Her eyes darted to the side sheepishly, "I- I don't really get much of a chance to read purely for pleasure, so I'm not even sure what it is I like. I don't think I've been to a real bookstore in ages." She admitted.

"Did I ever tell you Kit's the one who taught me how to read?" 3

"You probably know more about bandit life than I do." He told her. I spent very little time with the bandits in the beginning of my life compared to the rest of it. Though, a smirk tugged at his lips. "I'm sure you have quite the archive of stories, since you and Kurama 'worked' together." He couldn't imagine the various ways she'd aided the infamous fox thief and his crew. He could certainly make up a few things, but the true stories would likely be far more entertaining.

"You didn't," he told her in regards to Kit teaching her to read. "I just thought you'd learned from being on the Ninth."

~!**!~

Kiyoko's tail swished almost lazily in her amusement, but she didn't answer Kurama. Instead, she shuffled a little closer to the headstones so she could sniff at their flowers curiously, wondering if they somehow told of the people represented.

She listened to Raion and Kurama's talk, her ear twitching at the name and relation of the first Kurama spoke of. She lifted her head to stare first at Kurama, calculating, before she turned to watch Nabu as he raced circles around Akari in the distance.

After a few short beats, Kiyoko quietly stood and padded away from Kurama, her eyes set on Nabu as her trot steadily grew to a canter towards her favorite companions.

By the time she reached the pair, Akari had Nabu in her lap and was rubbing at his head teasingly, her smile wide as Nabu flailed to get free.

"-'kari I give! I give!"

"Yeah? You sure?"

"I GIVE!" She let him go and he tumbled from her lap and to the grass, scrambling from his side to his feet where he kicked grass at her. I LIED!" He barked before he tore off, and Kiyoko stepped into his path, leaving him barely enough room to pull to a stop just before slamming into her. "Kiyoko?"

The fluffy white dog nudged her nose against his. "Nabu. One of the three graves is for your friend."

"My friend?"

"Kit."

"Oh..." Nabu's brown eyes lifted to look over Kiyoko's head and towards Kurama. "Then I better go pay my respects!"

If she could, Kiyoko would have smiled at him in that moment as she watched him trot away and towards Kurama. She lingered behind, watching him go.

"Kiyoko." She turned to look at Akari. "He wants us all to play tag soon."

Kiyoko eyed the smile that Akari gave her. "No argument from you this time?"

"Mmm, I'll argue. But only because he makes it fun."

Kiyoko huffed at her friend before she turned and ran her way back to Kurama, sitting at his side just as Nabu sat in front of the three headstones and lowered his head in respect to those who had passed. *

"Foolish that he died or foolish that he was protecting her?" Raion asked quietly, glancing over at Kurama.

Kurama let out a long breath and for a moment did not answer.

Just before Raion meant to apologize for prying, Kurama replied.

"Both?" He seemed serious enough, even though a sad smile played over his lips as he let out another little sigh. "There are only a couple of people I have come across in my lifetime whom I would consider truly Cursed." He nodded at the haka. "He was one of them."

"Kit enjoyed your company, Nabu." Kurama said as the dog settled down for a moment. "And he didn't really care for dogs."

~!**!~

Shikiyoku's eyes gleamed for a moment at the mention of the stories she could tell, "I always forget how very young you are, flameboy."

She smiled fondly at the remembrance: "Not at first. Tribesmen have no use for it. I'm not even sure if my first Champion knew how. Kit, however, was absolutely aghast when he discovered I couldn't. As if I'd offended him. He took it as a personal offense in any case. And I was the worst student." Her smile grew a little. 3

Hiei watched the smile that bloomed across her features, finding that it lit up the darker edges of her eyes as if her earlier worries were forgotten and replaced by the happy memories she told him of. He committed the expression to memory, as if he might never see it again, and appreciated the warmth that he found there.

He couldn't imagine her being bad at anything, he realized. She'd become so proficient at adapting, and had so many skills built up long before he'd even met her, that it was simply unthinkable that she wouldn't already be proficient in almost anything she picked up, or in the very least able to pick up the knowledge swiftly.

As far as he knew, there wasn't anything she couldn't do, other than fight. But even then, she never really needed to. Not with her ability to turn someone away from her, or coax them into actually enjoying her presence instead.

And most definitely not with him around, in any case.

He blinked back to the present, only just realizing he'd been sitting and staring at her for several minutes in silence.

"And how long did it take you to learn?" he asked her finally, genuinely interested.

~!**!~

Kiyoko sat next to Nabu, letting him be between her and Kurama as he lowered himself further into the grass until he was lying with his chin on his paws. He had his eyes closed, and for a few moments he sat there in silence.

After a few beats, he sat upright and opened his eyes to look up at Kurama. "I'm sorry you lost him. I don't normally like cats, but I really liked Kit."

Kiyoko inched closer to Nabu as he turned to look at the stone again, a sort of sadness just beginning to touch the air around him. *

"I'm glad to hear it." Kurama told him.

"...Hiei nearly died of the infection himself, Kiyoko. I don't think you've met him yet, but Nabu has. He's my oldest friend. And a partner of Shikiyoku's. That's why I brought everyone here. For a break. We spent the last two weeks unsure if he would make it or not and the meadow is a good place to get away from all of that, from everything that reminds us of how we almost lost them." He steadied his gaze on Raion. "We're very lucky we did not."

~!**!~

Her smile hadn't gone anywhere, remembering back to just how trying she had been when Kitoushi sat her down for lessons and she wanted to be doing just about anything but sitting there and learning her letters.

Most of the time she got her way.

"Me?" She repeated, blinking at him. "I didn't really want to learn, so it took much longer than it probably should have. A century? At least? He had a time trying to keep under wraps that I hadn't the faintest idea how to read in the meantime though, but I tried to tell him I'd spent all this time so far without and managed just fine. Something about how he didn't think it was very noble of me and I wouldn't fit in with the rest of the aristocracy if they found out." She huffed. 3