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.

167. Episode 251

Shikiyoku's bewilderment and sudden flushing of her face only just hinted at the turbulence within the bond, from which Hiei quickly pulled away so that his own just-as-turbulent emotions - as unidentifiable as they were to him - would not overwhelm her or himself.

In the next moment, where he finally registered that she had been kissing him, he was left unable to really process the thought as the door to the apartment opened and revealed the demon he honestly had forgotten to be coming by. He turned his head to blink at Kurama, still not fully awake and stunned by his own happiness at how he'd found himself to be woken up.

Shikiyoku's sudden leaving him left him with just as many emotions as her waking him had, and for a brief moment he only lay on his back with the briefest thought of what timing the fox has before he pushed himself to sit up.

His eyes flickered from Shikiyoku to Kurama as the fox moved around the bed, and only returned to the fox when he spoke. Hiei only blinked as Kurama prodded at the spot he mentioned, and for a brief moment the fire demon almost had a retort, if not for the follow-up commentary about his state of still being clothed.

Hiei could only stare, his warring emotions seeming to only grow in intensity as he watched the scene unfold.

Some part of him mused that less clothing meant more skin contact, but he didn't get much further than that before his brain simply shut down, too overwhelmed with information as Kurama not only carried on with his teasing of Shikiyoku, but also continued to not just comment about the buttons on the shirt she wore being buttoned too high, but even going so far as to unbutton more than just a few himself.

As Kurama's hands pulled away from the shirt Hiei had worn the night before, leaving it looking some type of way on Shiki, he found himself unable to do anything more than stare. He didn't understand his own sudden mental crash, or the sudden warmth that flared not just in the air briefly but also bloomed on his neck and face.

He had so many feelings, and so few thoughts.

And absolutely none of them were able to be processed in any way even as he seemed to unfreeze physically long enough to cross his right hand across himself to support his left elbow so he could lift his left hand to his face and rub first at his eyes and then down his face.

Though that motion didn't last long, as he found himself once again sitting with both of his hands in his lap and his eyes on Shikiyoku again, still unable to process even a second of anything that had happened this morning. *

"Are you quite finished?" Shikiyoku all but growled out of the corner of her mouth, though she still refused to give Kurama the satisfaction of looking at him.

"No." Kurama replied, blithely staring down at her for a moment longer before shifting his attention over to his hand atop his marking, a smile most certainly dancing across his features at the look he'd caught Hiei wearing.

After a moment of consideration, he removed the hand and tilted his head the other direction, catching Shikiyoku glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"It seems...stable. Or at least did little more than it had the other night when I refreshed it and sat around to check. Which seems commendable, considering more time has passed." Kurama aimed the last bit at Hiei and did actually wear a bit of the smile he'd been fighting, considering the means Hiei had revealed to be privy to in regards to restricting the flow of his energy in the mark.

Shikiyoku huffed out a breath from her nose and her gaze shifted away again. 3

Hiei let out a breath through his nostrils and rubbed at his eyes again, finally feeling some of the warmth that had gathered on his face cooling off. As a brief silence filled the room during which Hiei finally noticed Kurama's hand on the fox marking, the fire demon found himself finally able to slowly gather himself and shake off the multitude of emotions so that he may have some semblance of thought happening.

By the time Kurama began to speak of the energy in Shikiyoku's system, Hiei was able to turn his eyes to the mark itself as if he could see the energy within it. He managed to give a brief nod at the fox demon when the other turned to give a smile in his direction, and while he did feel relief at knowing the energy had been regulated well enough, he couldn't quite yet form the words to express such relief aloud. *

His hand coming to rest on the bed between Shikiyoku and Hiei, Kurama considered the two of them now.

"If all things remain the same...I'm comfortable waiting longer again if you are." He regarded both of them and gave a small shrug, "I'm not exactly certain what can be done otherwise that I'm willing to risk and I doubt my hovering around constantly will do anybody any good."

He lifted up his other hand and tipped Shikiyoku's face his direction, leaving her blinking up in surprise at him, "Now are you going to promise me to keep your energy active or should I get Hiei's reassurances he will?"

"You know I won't. That's the whole point of this form." She was still glaring at him and when he raised his eyebrows as if to speak again, she continued, "And I'm not changing unless necessary either, so you can stop with that. We haven't the faintest idea if it would even help and it could even make it worse."

"We could test it."

Her expression of irritation with him was met with his usual smug air and a sudden hint of don't passed across her features that he summarily ignored as he turned to the other party in the room.

"What do you think, Hiei?" 3

Hiei listened intently to the conversation, glad to have something else to focus on that wasn't just Shikiyoku and their morning surprises and all of the things that had happened and all of the things he had felt about it and-

He mentally shook himself to refocus on the topic, catching the last half of Shikiyoku's argument against changing and how it could make things worse instead of better. Naturally, Hiei himself wouldn't mind if she changed forms, if only because his first thought was that more of her energy in her taller form would make more sense in combating Kurama's energy.

However, as Kurama turned to Hiei for his own opinion, the fire demon found himself thinking about the meadow and how Shikiyoku's energy had gotten the attention of literally everyone in the area, even if they hadn't done anything out of the norm otherwise. In the end, she had resigned herself to changing forms anyway.

Finally feeling more aware and able to at least feign coherency, Hiei crossed his legs underneath himself and, after a brief glance of consideration at Shikiyoku, met Kurama's gaze.

"I can do as I have been and keep her energy active," he replied, glad to find that his tongue worked as it should even if his voice still held a bit of the morning gravelliness. "As much as I like that form, I'd rather she be in the form she is most comfortable in." *

Kurama made a face at Hiei that spoke of how he'd wished Hiei had taken his side on the idea, but didn't argue or otherwise begrudge him for speaking his mind.

If Hiei wasn't going to agree to it, there sure as hell was nothing he would be able to say to get Shikiyoku to.

"You're no fun. We could at least see what would happen."

"No." Shikiyoku finally looked back at him, trying to just ignore any of the weirdness of the morning-including Hiei having just spoken about keeping her energy active or his words about liking her other form-and at least assert her feelings on Kurama's ridiculously devil-may-care attitude on testing whatever he could harass them into testing, "I change and something goes wrong or I get stuck like that and you know I'll refuse to leave this room. And the entire point of the endeavour was to get as many people aware of my status being that of 'taken.'"

Kurama let out a somewhat melodramatic sigh and briefly tossed his gaze heavenword, "As I said. No fun." 3

Hiei met Kurama's gaze squarely as the other spoke about them being no fun. "I'm afraid I don't know what 'fun' is. I do have someone who's supposed to be teaching me, but I'm a terrible student." *

"I'm fairly certain you're an exceptionally quick study, my friend." Kurama told Hiei as he got up from the bed. "I would argue instead that what you have is a terrible teacher. Let me know if you'd like a better one. I've been told I'm loads of fun."

"Have it your way, though." He added, nodding to the both of them. "I won't wander too far in case I'm needed. I do have a few things on this side of the territory I can contend with at present, but nothing that won't let me be at your disposal should you decide otherwise." He bent down and somewhat gallantly kissed Shikiyoku's cheek, though he got little reaction from her, and turned to go. 3

Hiei almost smiled at Kurama's offer of learning from him, though he didn't form a response quick enough before the fox was out the door and gone from the apartment altogether.

Though as soon as Kurama's presence was no longer there between them, the silence between Hiei and Shikiyoku seemed heavier. He found himself looking at anything in the room that was not Shikiyoku herself, even going so far as to stare at the door as if someone else might come into the room and save him from the heavy silence and the weight of his own emotions.

But he didn't exactly know why the silence was so crushing. What he did know was that all that he'd been feeling before was slowly creeping back into his awareness, accompanied by thoughts like:

Do I tell her that I liked it?

If I do, what then?

What did Kurama mean about my luck and clothes, and-

Thoughts began to whir out of control one after another, unaware that he'd turned to stare at her again as if she held all the answers to all the things. *

Shikiyoku watched Kurama leave, thinking over his assessment with more attention than it particularly needed.

Afterall, for her the assessment meant her energy being more active would keep her in working order, but in this form the idea of that was somewhat jaded by the point of the form to begin with, which Kurama knew and intentionally rallied Hiei for the express purpose of-

And really, she couldn't say she didn't like-

But-

Though she may not have taken direct notice of Hiei's stare, somewhere she did, and a certain prickle started at the back of her neck that she reached up distractedly to rub at, remembering in the same motion the disorder Kurama had left the dress shirt in and absently pulling it back up over her shoulder as she started to get up, letting out an aggravated breath at his antics in the meantime.

He had surprised her just a touch, because she knew his original intention had been to kiss her neck before he left, and she couldn't say what exactly made him change his mind.

Moving for her dresser like she had something in mind to do with it, a drawer was opened and it was all Shikiyoku could do to put her hands on the edge of it and stare as if the contents had changed overnight.

She did manage to speak up as she reached out to rustle through it, now that her back was turned, cheeks turning pink unbidden, "Hiei, I'm...really sorry about...you know..." 3

Hiei blinked and seemed to refocus on the room as Shikiyoku got up and meandered her way to her dresser, his eyes no longly simply staring at her and he actually took the moment to genuinely appreciate her in the shirt as it was.

A quiet part of him thanked Kurama for the adjustment to the shirt, but he quickly dismissed the thought so he wouldn't have to deal with the fifteen others that followed suit, along with whatever emotion he couldn't rightly identify.

He opened his mouth, finally deciding to say something, but he closed it again as Shikiyoku spoke up, her back still turned to him.

He definitely was more aware of the warmth at his ears and neck this time, and he cast his gaze to the side once more.

"...What if I... didn't want you to be?" *

Shikiyoku had reached up as she said it to tuck part of her hair behind her ear, in the moment still uncertain if she should have brought it up at all instead of just trying to attain some sense of normalcy and head downstairs like it hadn't happened.

The time between her speaking up and him saying anything seemed like an eternity, and when he did say something, it wasn't at all what Shikiyoku expected, leaving her blinking down at the drawer and seeing none of it as the hand at her ear dropped to her side.

Her face a mix of confused and curious, bits of her glittering energy still shimmering in the air around her head, Shikiyoku took a step back to look over her shoulder at him, perhaps not as red as he, but also searching for his eyes and not his face, still with the same light blush across her features as had been since Kurama entered as she managed, "...what?" 3

Hiei rubbed at the back of his neck as if that would help with the awkwardness he felt, partly confused as to why he'd said it the way he'd set it and partly wondering what else he could have said.

For the first time, he began to understand what she'd meant in the past about being 'a lot'. He hadn't even been awake half an hour yet and the day had already been a lot.

He sensed her gaze on him before he noticed she'd turned to look at him, and for a moment he couldn't bring himself to tear his own eyes away from the door. He considered leaving to get something from the bar, but he couldn't even begin to think of what he would leave to get.

...except for a breath of air…

He drew in a breath and held it as he finally turned to meet her gaze - on some level aware that that was what she'd turned to him for - and he let his hand fall to his lap again.

"I don't want you to be sorry… because I… liked...it…"

He fought not to lower his gaze from hers, knowing that in this moment he couldn't yet bring himself to say it in the bond due to not understanding his own emotions on the matter. *

Shiki wasn't sure exactly what it was about the way he kept looking at her that made her blush again, but she quickly turned away as she did with an, "...oh, uh..." that had nothing else tacked onto it as she felt like the 'okay' she meant to say was especially lame, like the lack of any other response wasn't.

Hm.

"I'm-" What, like 'I'm sorry you liked it' is gonna be any better? "-uhm...glad..."

Goddammit. 3

Hiei let out a breath through his lips as she turned away, suddenly grateful that she was the one to break the eye contact this time. He similarly was grateful that she didn't turn to the bond and ask him to repeat it there.

Of course, that didn't mean the tension in the room was any lighter.

He glanced at her back through his lashes, suddenly realizing that his own tension was not the only tension in the room, and a sort of relief breezed through him, suddenly leaving his lips in the quietest little huff of a laugh at their circumstances.

They'd never been so awkward together since his first days as her Champion, and even then, he hadn't really been 'awkward'.

He'd simply been clueless.

Not much has changed there, I suppose.

He shifted and slid from the bed, trying to release the tension between his shoulders even as he approached Shiki and came to stand just behind her. He hesitated briefly, but after a beat he reached over her left shoulder to retrieve something from the drawer she had opened. His hand sifted to the back and proceeded to shuffle clothing around until his fingers closed on a folded piece of paper.

As he withdrew the little note, his right hand took hers and he lifted it until it was palm-up in front of her. Only then did he deposit the little note - the contents he remembered to read With all my love, H - as he simultaneously leaned forward to kiss her lightly, his lips just barely touching the skin where Kurama had poked before.

As soon as the paper touched her palm, he retreated, his kiss and touch as brief as he could make it for the sake of both of their nerves, and he turned and moved for the door. *

His arm and nearness startled her when she suddenly became aware of them, staring at the swirls as her heartbeat overtook any other thoughts she might have managed.

It wouldn't have mattered how lightly his kiss came, it still sent goosebumps all along her flesh at having been so recently had attention brought to it and it made her whole body tense for a moment before he left her completely and she stared down at the paper, left in the midst of a cloud of her energy still bubbling through her veins.

Unfolding it as he retreated from her, a noise at the back of her throat when she caught sight of its contents akin to a small sigh remained unvoiced as any of the rest of her awkwardness or tension slid away with it and she suddenly turned.

"Hey, wait, you forgot something." Shiki grabbed for his hand so she could turn him back at least far enough to catch her soft smile as she stretched up to kiss his cheek before settling back on her feet, squeezing his hand affectionately. "Okay, now you can go." 3

For the first time since his waking that morning, Hiei finally let himself ever-so-slightly ease back into the bond, allowing it to feed to her his quieter emotions and the warmth he harbored for her in the moments where he'd been standing with her.

He did pause in place when he heard her move, and he didn't resist when she grabbed him by the hand and pulled him toward her. Her smile brought his own to his features just before she kissed his cheek, and after giving her hand a squeeze in response, he let out the faintest chuckle at her 'letting him go'.

"I'll be in the bar." he told her before he slowly released her hand and turned to head to his room for a change of clothes.

Once he'd changed into his favorite fire-proof outfit, he descended the stairs of the apartment and stepped foot into a mostly-quiet bar, of which he took a second to look around and see who all was around before he turned to grab himself a cup of coffee from behind the bar.

He'd been feeling better lately and more like himself as the days went on, but he still felt himself to be dragging. While the coffee didn't actually do anything, it did serve to make him feel better, if only because it was warm and something other than water or alcohol to drink.

He took no more than three steps from the bar station, took a single sip of his cup, and Sachiko stepped up in front of him with a piece of paper in her hand. "This was left for you at the bar last night."

"Thank you." He took another sip, two steps, then turned to Sachiko again. "Shikiyoku will be down shortly."

She smiled and went on her way, allowing him the freedom to cross the bar and take a seat with Gai, Akihiko, and Chisai.

"Oh, boss! I have an idea for your new sword, if you wanna hear it!" Gai said with a grin.

Akihiko lifted his head from some paperwork long enough to nod his greeting before he went back to it, unbothered by Ikigai's excitement or Chisai quietly leaning over to see what he was up to.

Hiei slid into the chair next to Gai, the note in his hand coming to rest in front of him on the table so he wouldn't forget to read it later. "Show me."

"Ok. So, the metal we're going for? Can absolutely react to the temperature and change from steel-colored to varying shades of darker greys and into black! And I think yours would look cool if we make them black…"

Hiei leaned over the design Gai had already begun to sketch out, eyeing each little detail quietly and sipping at his coffee. *

No matter what happens...he still loves me.

Or, at least, in any case, there hadn't been anything to happen yet that seemed to threaten her losing his affection.

And, really, it was only recently that we-

The idea of the confession swirled around in Shikiyoku's head as she changed, mixing with the memory of the state she'd woken up in and Hiei's subsequent 'I...liked...it...' and for all of his reassurances and the steadiness of the bond between them now, it likely took Shikiyoku longer to get ready than it normally might have.

At one point, she even had to change, exasperated by an absent rub of her hand at her neck reminding her of the events of the morning but also of the strange haze beneath her fingers that needed to be showcased, which she had promptly dismissed as she selected clothes.

Sighing and reaching for something much more revealing than her initial wear, as she carried Hiei's shirt back over to his room to put away, she had her hair over her opposite shoulder again weaving it together in a low braid in the hopes that it might better keep her energy underwraps-having by now completely forgotten Kurama all but ordering her to do the opposite.

She still didn't really feel quite right even as she went to step out from their apartments into the bar, but given the recent happenings, she did her best to dismiss whatever it was and step behind the bar with some semblance of her usual air. 3

Hiei listened to every little detail that Ikigai touched on as he finished the sketch of his katana, and only after Gai sat back with a look of what do you think did Hiei finally nod. "However, I plan to make two of them, if we find enough of the metal."

"Oh?"

Hiei nodded. "And a couple for Shikiyoku."

Gai blinked, but after a few beats of silence, a gleam began to glitter in his eyes. "A matching pair?"

Hiei shook his head. "No, hers will be different. Ideally longer and more durable, but I also intend to talk to Tarou about-"

"-about if we could use charms or something to make them work for both forms?"

Hiei nodded. "If it's possible, yes."

Ikigai whipped out his cell phone from his pocket and dialed a few numbers. The phone rang and rang, but when no one answered, Gai hung up and quickly dialed it again.

Hiei raised a brow. "It's too early for him."

Gai only grinned.

"He'd do anything for Mommy," Chisai piped from the other side of Gai. "Even get up early."

"Hey! Tarou! Get up and splash some water on your face, I need to-"

Hiei didn't quite make out the grumbling on the other line, but he sipped his coffee and let Gai handle it.

"Yeah, well, you want in on making Mom some swords or no?"

"HELL YEAH-" Gai leaned away from the phone -"I DO!"

"Then sober up and get here before I come get you," Hiei grumbled.

"Didjya hear that? The boss says hurry up."

Hiei almost chuckled as he heard the sound of various things falling on the other end of the line followed by curses, and after a short 'on my way', Gai hung up and turned to Hiei.

"So, what design do you think she would like?" *

Tarou almost breaking the doors inward as he burst through them likely came sooner than most at the table would have imagined possible.

Clothes ruffled and creased as he pushed his hair back from his face before tromping through, he meant to yell something at Mom across the way about needing a drink, but something about the look on her face kept him quiet.

At least until he spotted Gai in the next moment.

"YOU!" He pointed rudely at the other as he stomped over, "ARE THE WORST and I hate you." He grumbled something about his hangover as well as the company he'd had to leave much sooner than he would have liked as he collapsed in his chair, eyes suddenly gleaming as he leaned forward over the table in spite of it.

"Now what's this about swords and Mom?" 3

Neither Hiei nor Gai even so much as blinked as Tarou made his noisy entrance to the bar, both still bent over the paper in front of Gai and talking in low tones about this and that.

"You know, the humans have this metal that, when forged, looks like it has swirls in it. We might be able to do something similar on hers." Gai's eyes flickered briefly to the tattoos on Hiei's left cheek.

"Maybe in gold?" Hiei added, completely ignoring Tarou's commentary about Gai being the worst.

Though as Tarou dropped into a chair, both turned to look at him simultaneously, taking in his rugged appearance with no small amount of amusement.

"I want to gift her a pair of katana."

"And we wanted to know if you know anything about enchanting them? Maybe to change size as she does?"

Akihiko, who had been quietly bent over his paperwork until that moment, let out a small sigh and began to gather his things. As interesting as their project was, they were simply too excited for him this morning.

So without so much as a word to any of them, Aki picked up his paperwork and his coffee, and shuffled his way to the bar, where he took a seat at Shikiyoku's silent station with only a glance in her direction by way of hello. *

There was...literally nothing for her to do and quite frankly, it was the worst.

Either the night crew had made for a daring exit strategy of cleanliness for once or the morning skeleton one had cleaned up after them immaculately because it left Shikiyoku, someone who always found something to keep her hands busy with behind the counter, at a complete loss.

Which meant that when Akihiko settled down somewhere across from her, she was leaning up against a safe portion of the wall behind her with her own mug propped up on her other arm staring down at the glasses all neatly stacked underneath the counter trying not to think about anything.

The glance in her direction got a similar one with a nod, but without wanting a drink for himself, Akihiko got little other acknowledgement from her since it seemed he wished for a quieter space at the moment. 3

After a few minutes of back-and-forth discussion between Hiei, Gia, and Tarou - with the occasional comment from Chisai - Hiei lapsed into a silence wherein he let himself sip at his coffee and listen to the unfolding events.

"I don't know what to tell you, Gai. It's too damn early for me to remember how that one guy did it, and it was forever ago anyway! I just know it's possible and-"

"Ok, we'll come back to that after you've woken up some more. What about-"

"You know, gems often are great mediums for enchantments like that," Chisai piped. "And some are just as durable as the metal you're talking about using."

Tarou made a face. "I've never enchanted a gem to use as a medium for a weapon's enchantment."

Hiei slowly stood from his chair and slipped from the table, taking the note he'd received with him and leaving the trio to their own quiet musings and planning. He stepped behind the bar to refill his own mug, then quietly grabbed a few glasses and began to fill each one with different layered drinks.

After the three glasses were filled, he replaced the bottles and finally turned to look at Shikiyoku, realizing in that moment that she had yet to find something to keep herself busy with. Only then did he really look around to see just how neat and clean the place was.

After a beat, he approached Shiki and lifted his free hand to undo the braid that had been resting over her shoulder, and he continued to weave his fingers through her hair even after it came unwoven.

(How are you feeling?) *

Shiki only really moved when she realized Hiei had reached for her, looking down initially and then back up at him with a confusion the bond transmitted even as her scent just started to waft between them, his fingers coaxing her energy out further.

His question was met with a different sort of wordlessness as she tried to assess her answer and did not immediately come up with one for him.

(I'm okay.) She said at the last, lowering her face and casting her gaze off in the direction away from him just as her cheeks dusted pink. 3

Hiei didn't respond at first, his fingers weaving through her hair and occasionally tugging a tangle free that had only gotten there from his own motions.

(Tell me if that changes.)

He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek, his hand still playing with her hair for a few more moments before he finally pulled away and reached for the tray of drinks he'd made for the table.

Or, rather, for Tarou.

He finished his coffee and set his mug down so he could reach into his pocket and unfold the note that Akari had left with the barsman last night, and he glanced over it briefly.

Whenever you're free to talk, meet me at my ?.

Akari.

He tilted the paper in Shikiyoku's direction, showing her the note.

(Can you tell me what the last word is here?) *

It was no secret between them at the time: the bond made it clear Shiki enjoyed...whatever it was Hiei had decided he needed to be doing with her hair in that moment, and she couldn't quite bring herself to look at him again.

She didn't tend to...let people play with her hair, and for good reason given the wisps of her scent that were just starting to curl upwards as Hiei left her.

Leaning forward a little when free of his immediate presence and giving the glasses a look that expressed how the tension at the back of her neck because of it had relaxed, Shikiyoku didn't think a single thing about stretching to put her mug on the counter in front of her and reaching up with both hands to weave the pieces of her hair back together over her shoulder where it had been hanging down the front of her.

Leaning this time in the direction of the note as he asked while she kept working at her hair, Shikiyoku filled in the word Hiei was missing without hesitation, accompanying 'cafe' with an image of the exact building front where Akari meant and how to get there from here. 3

The very second Hiei knew Shikiyoku was reaching up to rebraid her hair, he lowered the tray in his hand back to the bar and waited patiently for her to finish. Once she finished the braid, filling in the word he didn't know on the note that he pocketed soon after, and giving him directions to said cafe, the fire demon leaned in to give her one more kiss - this one a brief peck on the lips - while his hand made quick work of undoing the braid she had only just finished.

He pulled away from her and leaned against the bar behind him, his left hand still playing with her hair idly.

(I know the point of this form is to keep your energy concealed, but since I will be leaving to visit Akari sometime today, I'm asking you to at least leave your hair down.)

The bond told her of the underlying worry that still whispered at him about the energy in her system, and how if he thought she wouldn't be too uncomfortable with all of it, he would have asked her to also forgo her glasses. *

The kiss took her by surprise like it always did, regardless of duration, sending just as many bits of glitter into the air as it did across her face. The flecks twisted and gleamed as Hiei's fingers went back to remaining all but buried within her hair, at which point Shikiyoku realized he had unwoven the strands a second time and set them flowing over the top of the off the shoulder shirt she decided on earlier.

The only other time she had worn her hair down in the bar, she'd been all but exhausted, the threat of her energy releasing a much smaller thought in her mind.

...as opposed to now...where Hiei was summoning it on a whim almost as simple as mere proximity.

His request did at least clear up her confusion as to why he kept doing that, but the pinkness to her cheeks remained even as she reached to push her glasses farther up her nose.

This time she caught sight of the hair tie on his wrist and blinked at it, remembering how he'd taken it down the night before and how in giving it to him she'd all but said how in her mind he would always have permission to do with her hair what he would.

At the last, she nearly smiled at him and didn't quite manage to reach across the way for his hand.

(If...if that is how you feel, my love, I would do anything for you as you thought it best. ...including going without the glasses.) She wouldn't be able to help being extra cautious about her interactions for the day, but she would, if he asked. 3

The smile that didn't quite stretch his lips further instead warmed the bond for Shikiyoku to sense, and for a brief moment that was the only response she garnered from him.

He continued to play with her hair for a silent moment, patiently and slowly coaxing out the energy that she had been trying to contain. Once he felt that enough of it had been released and that she was sufficiently agreeable to his request, he let her hair come to rest over that shoulder and turned to retrieve the tray again.

(One more day should be enough for the mark to do its job, hm?) He hefted the tray up on his shoulder, finding it to be heavier than before as another bartender had been making a few more requested drinks for his table. (If you're sick of it tomorrow, I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult to get Kurama here to figure out how to remove it.)

He certainly didn't like staring at the thing, but he knew that it was entirely up to her on how long she let it rest on her skin. He would help her with maintaining it as long as she wanted. *

The blush at her cheeks deepened, Hiei's attentions just starting to set the rest of her aglow in a way that others would notice since most likely wouldn't see how her scent had started to perfume around her face.

But it did seem to lessen the haze of foreignness across her right shoulder when he pulled away, much to her current form's chagrin.

It made her think about how her other form really might be able to combat the issue without any other effort involved and-

I hate it when he's right.

The thought of Kurama was accompanied by an eyebrow thinking about the smug look he would wear if he knew she had so much as thought it while she moved to get her mug and Hiei left with his tray and commentary on getting Kurama to remove it.

(My guess would be knowledge of such things are few and far between, done by dark people in even darker rooms. Things that are marked aren't so readily unmarked even if they wish it unless the spell holding them somehow unravels. Though I suppose this one in particular is incomplete and perhaps might be easier. In either case, we would have to be willing to give ourselves over to whatever Kurama might cook up, which would likely be experimental and hazardous and include the two of us spending a great deal of our time arguing with him that 'completing' the ritual is completely out of the question.) And the bond seemed to convey how at least Shikiyoku seemed to think that last bit was definitely something neither herself nor Hiei wished to be subjected to of all things. 3

Hiei moved away from the bar as Shikiyoku's response filtered through the bond, and a small sigh left him at the reminder that no one involved in this little escapade really had any idea what they were doing.

He did hesitate for a brief moment at the last of her response, suddenly feeling as if the rest of their conversation about marking and becoming lifemates may be open for continuation since he hadn't known how to continue it the last time they'd talked about it.

The bond briefly told her of his curiosity before another thought overrode his wanting to know, and he instead glanced in her direction as he placed the tray of drinks down on the table.

(...Before calling Kurama, we could see if your energy could naturally purge your system. It already works to contain it in a specific location, and we hardly really let your energy free.)

The suggestion came with the thought that she didn't have to change forms to see if a large amount of her energy might rid her system of Kurama's.

"What's this, boss?" Tarou raised a brow at Hiei as the fire demon set three shot glasses in front of him.

"Thanks for showing up in the form of alcohol."

"Well, shit, I guess you really do care." *

The response to his curiosity was read on Shikiyoku's part as to why they would have to argue with Kurama about it-constantly was her reiteration of the idea, as a thought of the three of them in a room together discussing what could be done about the marking would mostly be spent dismissing every reason he came up with as to why completing it would be so much easier.

(Trust me: him completing the ritual is something neither one of us want him to do. Among other things, he'd be gloating about it for years at best, eternity at worst.) And they'd both be stuck with him doing so.

Hiei's idea was met with a tentative consideration of the notion, not negative. The bond hummed with the busyness of her thoughts, which also conveyed her uncomfortableness that came naturally with this form with even thinking about releasing the amount of energy Hiei seemed to imply, along with the implication that in this form there would only be so much of it she could release due to the restrictions therein.

(I...would Kurama were present, rather. If that was a route we wished to pursue. The only constant we have so far aside from my energy keeping it at bay is his ability to draw it together. And if we were to mess with the one, I would feel more comfortable with the other as fallback.) 3

Hiei took a seat next to Gai again, not truly hearing the conversation around him as he contemplated the meaning behind Shikiyoku's insistence of neither of them enjoying Kurama completing the ritual.

He knew she was right in that regard - he'd rather not have Kurama as her lifemate for as long as she absolutely denied the idea of the subject, as it meant he still had a chance at claiming that post once he truly felt he deserved it.

...and once he knew all that it entailed, of course.

He almost asked her what completing said ritual would consist of, but her continuation into preferring Kurama be present no matter how they tried to rid her system of the foreign energy again took precedence, and the impression of a nod just barely seemed to make its way to her in the bond.

(I agree.) He mulled over the situation for a few moments, wondering how her releasing that much energy in her current form might be different, if at all, from her true form. (In the end, it is your decision. However you want to go about this - and however long you want to keep it going - is entirely up to you. I'll be here to help in any way I can.) *

The desires that had so far swirled across her awareness that morning had been small ones not atypical of the ones pertaining to her she moved through daily life.

Especially with a slight departure of her normal attire, it came as no surprise to her to have felt several of her crew-who would never dare, but could not help the wish-want something to do with the extra skin visible despite the very clear fox marking and their understanding of its meaning.

Even Tarou, who had only given her a passing glance, had in that entering moment felt something similar, but little that morning had genuinely gotten her attention as something she needed to concern herself over.

Leaning back somewhat carefully against the wall behind her again once she filled her mug and stared at the perfection of the glasses again, she blinked down at them and looked up as if searching for something during her silent exchange with Hiei.

It dawned on her the desire of questioning her on something came from Hiei himself after she swept the room looking for the source and she took a sip of her drink as she considered him across the bar.

(Hiei, you...you can ask me anything, you know. If I didn't have an answer for you, I'd tear the nine levels apart to get you one.) 3

"-think about this, Hiei?"

Hiei blinked and turned to look at the paper that Gai had slid his way. He eyed the design with a critical eye, seeing the gold accents on the hilt that seemed to almost flow around it and up to the blade.

The color was great, but…

"This," he pointed at the particularly bulky spot on the hilt where the gold began, "is a bit much. I'm looking for something less…"

"Prominent," Raion said, and Hiei's eyes flicked up to the lion who had quietly come to stand behind Ikigai. "The blade is dainty, but the gold is bulky. It-"

"-wouldn't be balanced," Tarou finished with a nod. "Especially if we're thinking about enchanted gems."

Raion nodded. "Those are easy to embed, but could throw off the balance. Whoever wants these is being a very particular type of pain in the ass."

"I want them," Hiei told Raion just as Shikiyoku's response got his attention.

"My point stands."

"You know how to embed enchanted gems after the blade is made?" Gai asked of Raion.

Hiei turned inward and tuned out the conversation, trusting the guild to work it out without his constant supervision.

He considered the bond and Shikiyoku's offer of information and, after a brief hesitation wherein he pushed away his slight self-consciousness at his limited knowledge on the subject, he admitted:

(I was going to ask you about the ritual itself and what that entailed.) *

(There's...not much to it, as far as I know.) After all, she had never actually done the ritual herself. (The closest thing I can relate it to myself is the binding ritual I used to do with my Champion.) The notion was accompanied with amusement at how this 'partial pact' with Kurama was similar to the one she'd botched with Hiei.

(Anyone who feels brave enough to look closely would likely realize Kurama doesn't have a marking from me on him, though I infused a seed he's currently carrying with some of my energy to try and insinuate as much at first glance. And while in the old days there did used to be an announcement sort of ceremony if the pair had exchanged souls,)-a rare occurrence as she had told him when he asked the morning of her hangover-(-the infusion Kurama did the other day is not usually quite so...public.) For a moment, and with little consideration aside from analytical since Hiei had asked, Shikiyoku let the remembrance, even if somewhat hazy with drink, drift Hiei's direction: Kurama's fangs had sunk into the side of her neck and his energy had responded to their intentions by beginning to rush into her veins. (I would have done the same to him, if we'd meant it for real.) The sensation that Hiei had actually walked in on that day was in this telling also accompanied by a sort of familiarity Shikiyoku had with it. Her first Champion and all the others up to Hiei had marked her in a similar fashion, though as in this iteration with Kurama, she did not do so with them. 3

Hiei 'listened' to her explanation with the occasional impression of him nodding along, taking from it that it was mostly about intent when fangs broke skin that determined what happened next, especially where Shikiyoku was regarded.

That, coupled with his understanding of what exactly he had actually missed out on during his time as her Champion, left Hiei feeling perhaps a bit more determined to become someone who would be worthy to stand at her side in such a capacity.

…

He lifted his gaze to Shikiyoku across the establishment, in that moment realizing that the role of lifemate would likely be starkly different to his role as Consort - and even in his current role, he found difficulty in fulfilling his station. Of course, when he'd voiced as much to her before, she'd reassured him that he was doing well given that neither of them really knew what consisted of his role outside of helping with 'energy management'...

(After exchanging souls, what then happens when one takes on the role of 'lifemate'?) *

(Uhm, well, whatever you want, I suppose.) The bond was filled with a bit of pleasant laughter. She considered his frame of references being that of their previous Champion/Ward bond and now the one where he stood as her Consort. (You would be caretaker for the other's soul, which is a bit more oppressive, I would think, than simply protector of their physical body.)

When boiled down to it, the Champion's job was to protect the physical form when her energy got out of hand in exchange for her service, and Consort, well, while she only knew as much as he, at the very least seemed to be the anchor by which she could revert from the form she now had to protect herself back to normal.

(Having ownership of another's soul might then come with other...) Benefits was the only word she could come up with, but it wasn't quite enough to encompass what she meant. (...but you've exchanged them, so you have to trust them to have the best interest in mind with your own as well, I guess. You'd be bonded, of course, but as to what exactly that entails for either party, I've always been too overwhelmed by the idea to ask anyone myself. Never felt I had any business muddying with anyone's soul, so I left well enough alone.) 3

Hiei took in the information as it was given to him, all the while considering the idea to be less 'oppressive' as she had put it and more 'interesting', at the very least. As he had told her in the past, she already had his heart and mind, and he would be more than willing to give her his soul.

The issues standing in the way of that was that neither of them seemed to feel worthy of the other's soul - though Shikiyoku's sentiment was more broad in that she felt she didn't deserve anyone's soul, not just his.

He almost had a response for her when Raion's hand dropped in front of Hiei's face to snatch the last remaining drink available on the tray, and he blinked back into the present and refocused back on the room that he had honestly forgotten to be in.

"Naturally, it would take someone very skilled to do that, but you know, Aki is a tracker."

"Yeah but do you think he's ever had to track a thing instead of a person? We haven't exactly asked him to do something like that before." Tarou sipped from a tankard that Hiei hadn't noticed being dropped off at the table.

"But it's Akihiko. Hell, I'd be surprised if he couldn't figure out how to track an item - especially one with enchanted gems embedded into it." Raion dropped back into his chair and threw back the shot. "We could ask him-"

"I wouldn't. I'd wait until he's feeling sociable before asking. He's been pretty quiet today," Chisai warned. "There's a reason he is sitting at Mommy's station."

"Yeah, it's because he's sick of us," Tarou said with a half grin. "Right, Hiei?"

"I imagine he's been sick of you all for days, what with how you pester him all day." Hiei retorted with a raise of his brow.

"Yeah, well, if he didn't like it, he'd stay home and be antisocial there," Raion grumbled.

Hiei pinned him with a look. You know as well as I do that he prefers to be alone as little as possible.

The cat shrugged. Not my problem.

"How's this?"

Ikigai lifted a new sheet of paper with a fresh sketch on it, and Hiei almost immediately shook his head. "Close, but…" he slipped the sheet out of Gai's grasp and held his hand out for the pencil.

As soon as Hiei bent his head over the sheet, the table grew quiet. He marked through this and that, wrote what few notes he could on the side, and even began a messy doodle of a longer, thinner sword before he handed it back.

"Something like this, to cover more of her defences."

Gai looked at the various notes and scribbles and, after a second, began to bounce in his seat. "Yeah, yeah! With that decorative gold swirling in the blade, and…"

The demon bent his head over the paper again and continued to work on the designs, murmuring to himself in excitement as he made this change and that, the pencil making furious scratching sounds across the paper.

"Is dad really getting sick of us?" Tarou mumbled to Hiei.

Hiei raised a brow. "I didn't know you were so concerned with getting on people's nerves."

"Yeah, well, you know…" he took another drink from his tankard, but otherwise said nothing more on the matter.

After a few moments of watching the weapon's master, Hiei finally shook his head. "He's not leaving the guild anytime soon."

"Oh good. I tell you, I'd be pretty pissed if he left us before Kurama's job." He lowered his drink a little. "...and after it."

"Sometimes he just needs companionable silence," Chisai murmured across the table. "Sometimes we aren't able to give him that."

Hiei nodded. "Learn to be silent and maybe he'll stick around longer, Tarou."

"That's fuckin' rude." He lifted his mug to his lips again to take another long draw, but paused just before doing so to say into his tankard, "...Little shit."

Hiei raised a brow and almost smiled, though he did his best to keep a straight face and instead turned to Gai. "Do you need anything else from me for this project?"

"Nope," Gai replied without even looking up. "I think we can handle the rest!"

"Are you really letting us participate in making these?" Raion nodded his head at the paper.

"Why not? They only get better after the initial design."

"And I think she'll appreciate that it's from all of us," Chisai added.

Hiei nodded and pushed his chair back. "Just keep the designs quiet until it comes time to give them." He cast a glance at each person around the table before he grabbed the tray and empty glasses and began to shuffle his way back to Shikiyoku.

He set the tray and dirty glasses on her station, knowing that she wanted nothing more than to be busy, and proceeded to move around until he stood with her behind the bar. "I don't plan to be gone long," he told her just as he leaned to kiss her again.

(Do you feel any numbness or other out-of-place sensations?) *

Shikiyoku hadn't exactly stopped contemplatively sipping at her mug, half-tempted to try and come up with something from the bottles behind her, a new drink to serve.

Akihiko watched out of the corner of his eye as she suddenly stared down into her beverage and then turned away from him and reached for what he knew to be one of the more expensive bottles of whiskey on the shelf.

If he didn't know any better, he would have thought she was pouring some into her mug, but...that wasn't exactly...normal behavior for her.

His nostrils flared when she turned back around after the bottle was replaced.

No, she definitely put more than just a single shot in there.

She filled the rest of it up with coffee and then turned back around and caught him staring at her as she lifted it to her lips, paused, and then took a drink of it anyway before offering it in his direction.

"Rough morning?"

She knew him well enough to know he found amusement in the situation more than anything, regardless of the semi-blank expression he wore.

As she swallowed, she lowered the offer, but reached out with her free hand and made a 'gimme' gesture with his coffee as she put her mug down and he obliged her by handing it to her.

"That's...one way of putting it." She replied after a pause before turning to grab something different off the wall to pour into his before filling it the rest of the way with coffee like she had her own. "But then, I suppose you were here early enough to know we had someone pay us a visit."

"I can't imagine what waking up to a kitsune must be like."

"The worst, usually."

It was Akihiko's eyes flickering over to Hiei's approach that clued Shikiyoku into her Consort circling around the bar, and the guild's Second watched his boss plant a kiss on the owner that it seemed she didn't expect.

His affection made more energy than usual linger in the air as he left her behind and she glanced up at him only for a moment at his question as he left her lightly blushing in place.

Aside from me always feeling out of place, never knowing what you're going to do...?

(Uh, no? It's...still there.) A nebulous sort of weight hanging just beneath the marking. (But...no?) 3

Hiei nodded. (Good.)

For good measure, he ran his fingers through her hair for a few moments, quietly coaxing her energy out once more in preparation for his short leave. As he did so, he took a moment to look her over and assess her skin tone, her energy, and even the outfit she wore as if it had some bearing on her state of being.

He did lock onto her glasses again, and a sort of worry twinged at the back of his mind.

(I know you don't want me to, but…)

After a brief hesitation, he let the bond warn her of his intention to remove her glasses, which he did so gently. He folded them together and quietly slipped them into the pocket of his pants, all the while a quiet whispering of (I'm sorry) making itself known to her from his side of the bond.

(I don't plan to be gone long, but I also don't want to take any chances with your health.) *

When he continued moving fingers through her hair, Shikiyoku's eyes closed under attentions that mesmerised her until she couldn't have remembered where she was if asked and in a strange sort of giving of herself in the bond, it conveyed the trust in the moment that really meant Hiei could have done just about anything he wished to her and she wouldn't have protested.

The vaporous aura of her energy he managed to coax from her continued to hang in the air around her and her eyes only cracked open as she felt him taking the glasses from her, the bubbling of her energy through her veins starting to coalesce over her eyes as she blinked and knew without looking the sort of gleam that had settled over her skin.

The little sigh she let out was just as much one of release as it was longing for him to continue with what he'd been doing and before he could leave her space, her free hand reached up to curl around his neck so she could rest her forehead against his own and close her eyes again.

The reluctance inherent in her form was seated in the original intention of the spell, and the acknowledgement of such swirled with her distaste for the other form she had to take nowadays when threatened.

(I could get used to going without...because I know if something happens, you'll be here to change me back.) 3

The complete and honest trust in him that Shikiyoku felt helped relieve Hiei of his apprehension at doing something he knew she didn't really want, and as her energy began to roll along her skin in waves of gold shimmers, the last of his worry seemed to simply fall away, leaving him only with the content that came from her resting her forehead against his.

He let out a soft breath through his lips and let his own eyes close.

(You'll tell me immediately if you don't feel right, won't you?) *

The quiet chuckle she let out between them did little to belie the teasing smile her lips became.

(Why, so you can come muss up my hair some more?) She tipped her face towards him so he could feel her small grin between them. 3

Hiei's lips twitched ever so slightly, (Among other things.)

He met the tipping of her face with his own dip down, meeting her halfway for more than just the pecks he'd been giving her since their wake-up call that morning.

(Since you seem so willing.) *

In a different moment, Shikiyoku's thoughts might have consisted of something along the lines of Hiei having not the faintest idea how willing he seemed to be able to make her at the drop of a hat, but for now most other thoughts fluttered away, including any awareness Shikiyoku had that the two of them were in any other sort of company except their own as she kissed him back.

Akihiko for his part couldn't help rolling his eyes at the two of them-Finally-and he almost regretted getting up from the bar to leave them to their moment when it drew a couple of the other guildies' attention. One started elbowing another and pointing at Hiei's back with a grin, able to see the trinket behind Hiei's ear brushing against a set of slender fingers even if they couldn't see much else of Shikiyoku herself.

Hiko sat down with his back to the pair, himself finding the resolution satisfactory even if he wasn't sure himself what had been resolved, but the longer their kiss stretched between them, the more among the guild's number became aware of the moment as they passed the knowledge of the scene unfolding between one another and once one of them started whistling, others began cat-calling and their reactions snowballed from there.

There weren't particularly any other patrons at this hour to behold their nonsense, and the crew, even as few of them as there were for this shift, knew better than to stick their noses where they didn't belong.

That didn't stop certain members of the guild getting way too excited about whatever it was Hiei had decided to subject Mom to, which seemed to directly result in the increase of glitters they could occasionally catch gleaming into the air.

The jeers continued to escalate in good fun up to and including a shout from Tarou accompanying his now-empty tankard soaring across the room to smack into Hiei's back.

"GET A ROOM, YOU TWO!" 3

He hadn't meant to lose himself in the moment. In fact, he really had meant to simply draw out more of her energy, give her a parting kiss, and then be on his way so that he wouldn't be gone too long.

But somewhere in the kiss, Hiei lost the world. Or, rather, his world became just one person.

Shikiyoku was all he knew for those few minutes: her scent, her warmth, her hands. Even her energy tickled at his senses, and while some part of him quietly whispered about opening himself up to it again, even that thought faded away.

Reality crashed over him when something slammed into the center of his back and a voice cut through the bubble he'd built up around himself and Shikiyoku. He blinked his eyes open and reluctantly pulled away to turn his eyes down to the tankard on the floor at his heels.

After a beat, Hiei's eyes turned briefly up in Tarou's direction. "That's fuckin' rude."

He turned back to Shikiyoku, one hand still buried in her hair and the other resting on her hip. He gave her one last kiss - this one quick if only so he wouldn't trap them both there for the entire day - and finally pulled away and took a step back. *

As the bar faded back into Shikiyoku's awareness, she could hear in a repeat in the back of her mind Tarou's exclamation as well as the thud of the mug he'd thrown hitting Hiei square in the back.

Still whirling in the midst of her energy, she had no answer for any of what had just happened, though the hand she had clutching at the fabric of Hiei's side shifted against him again when he kissed her a second time but she quickly released him and hid them behind her back, fingers threaded together, when he moved from her.

"You ruined it!" Raiton hissed quietly through his teeth at Tarou as they watched the pair disengaged from one another.

"No!" Tarou insisted. He hadn't quite looked away from them yet, "Maybe. Dammit." If she would just take him upstairs it would be fine, but noOOoo... 3

Hiei took a second to look Shikiyoku over head-to-toe, critical in his assessment of her health and finding that her energy sparkled and shimmered along all that he could see of her skin, satisfactorily keeping Kurama's energy from running amok in her system.

A sense of satisfaction washed over the bond for the briefest moment before it was replaced with his quiet promise to not be gone long.

As he turned to make his exit, he made sure to stoop down and pick up the tankard that had smacked into him and he placed it in the dirty dish bin on his way by.

Lastly, just before he passed the guild by, he stopped to glance over Gai's shoulder and peer at the design-in-progress for Shikiyoku's swords. "Looks good," he commented before finally exiting the establishment, his mind suddenly very blank as he took the directions Shikiyoku had given him to get to Akari's shop. *

"Dammit, Tarou!" Raiton cursed at him again.

The instant Hiei was out of earshot, the others bent over the table conspiratorially and many of them glared daggers at the brute.

"You saw the look on her face when he glanced at me! Why the hell didn't she drag him upstairs right then?"

"Because she thinks he doesn't want her." Akihiko mumbled to himself, eyes watching Hiei leaving before glancing back at Shikiyoku.

"When does she ever do anything you expect her to do?"

In a pause where everyone's eyes shifted back to Tarou for his response, they saw him glaring at Akihiko.

"You wanna run that by me again, hotshot?"

"No." I didn't even mean to say it outloud to begin with.

Tarou's nostrils flared and he whipped his head back around to stare at Shikiyoku, who seemed overly unable to do much of anything except pull her lower lip into her mouth to chew on it, expression otherwise unreadable.

Shikiyoku sat for a moment in the midst of her energy, thrilling through her veins at the behest of her core and left to her own devices with Hiei's absence. She knew even the dishes he had brought her were not distracting enough from the state in which he left her, having been on the brink of doing just as Tarou suggested and dragging her Consort behind closed doors.

If she'd had the braincell to spare for it at the time.

Kurama was nearby. He was her first thought.

But the idea of the sort of satisfaction he would get of her running to him for release-she still could not fathom being with him and not being in her demon form-would only be eclipsed by how smug he would be in proving to her that her true form would do her more good while wearing his marking.

And she wasn't prepared to admit that yet.

But unfortunately, she knew as she reached for the dishes she wouldn't be able to stop thinking about Hiei. Already any attempts at shifting her thoughts to anything else were continually thwarted by her own mind, and while she was perfectly aware it was no disrespect to someone like Kurama to imagine the sorts of compromising positions she had experience coaxing him into, something about Hiei's innocence to the very idea of it made her cringe internally and berate herself regardless of whether it was just his hands moving across her skin or more explicit indiscretions.

He was her partner in many ways, but that was not one of them. And she was not about to render herself incapable of being within his presence just because she was unable to think about anything else but getting him into her bed while he was near.

Right now, though, she was unable to think about anything else but getting him into her bed and he was long gone.

"Finish these." She told one of her crew shortly in regards to the dishes, suddenly throwing her rag onto the bar counter, "Don't look for me."

While the other guildies scrambled to hide the notes from her, Tarou only watched Shikiyoku stalk out of the room from behind his latest drink, staring at the door as it shut behind her and considering the set of her jaw thoughtfully.

When he set his drink down and went to stand, he glanced at Raion when the other spoke, "You wouldn't."

Tarou stuck his face in Raion's direction as he got up from his chair, "I'll have you know she does exactly what I expect most of the time. He's just a dumbass."

Raion gave him a long stare which Tarou returned as he pushed his chair away from the table.

"Watch and learn, kitty-cat. If you can."

"You think you know something I don't?"

Tarou gave him a side-long grin as he put himself almost nose-to-nose with Raion and said real low between them, "That the only reason you ain't gettin' up is cuz you know you don't gotta chance."

When that nearly got Raion on his feet, Tarou reached out and met his shoulder with his hand, shoving the feline back down into his chair, "Don't bother."

"Raion."

The cat shot Akihiko a glare, though the Second hadn't bothered to look up from his work.

"Of course you'd take his side." He said through his teeth as Tarou condescendingly gave Raion a pat and then kept moving around the table, ignoring the growl he got in return.

"What're you gonna do, Tarou?" Chisai frowned.

"I'm gonna do the best I can, kid." Tarou gave him a roguish grin.

"You let me know how that works out for you, punk." Raion seethed with the self-assurance of someone confident Tarou wouldn't get none.

"I'm sure you'd just love the explicit details, alley cat, but this is one demon who doesn't kiss and tell." He fired back as he left the bar.

"Details about what?" Chisai looked at the others expecting an answer.

Raiton had his feet up on the table leaning on the back two legs of his chair wearing a shameless grin as he wove his fingers together behind his head, "How sometimes one warm body is just as good as another if you're desperate enough."

Tsundora gave him a good thwack across the chest and Raiton desperately scrambled to lean forward and grab the table before he lost his balance, "We don't talk about Mother that way."

"We don't? Since when."

"Since it's disrespectful." Akihiko replied.

"Woman with a reputation like that? Nah."

"A reputation like what?" Chisai piped up, almost immediately unsure if he actually wanted a reply.

Raion got a glare from Akihiko this time when he opened his mouth to reply, the attempted snark plain on his face.

"She's the demon of desire, yeah? Whaddya think that means?"

Akihiko wasn't quick enough with the daggers he shot Raiton to stop it, quickly missing Hiei's presence as this wouldn't even be brought up except the fire demon wasn't around.

Chisai shrugged, "That she can get you what you want."

"Right, and sometimes what you want is a nice, solid-OW!"

Tsundora shoved Raiton right out of his seat, his chair thundering onto the hard floor in equal measure. When he made as if to scramble up and tackle his pack brother, Gai pleaded, "Please not in the bar? Can you at least take it outside?"

Raiton gave the ice wolf a long look that the other didn't deem worthy of returning, but just made a dismissive noise as he slammed his chair back into place and flopped back into it. 3

~!**!~

Akari passed a couple of white ceramic mugs to the woman on the other side of the counter, her eyes briefly alighting on the laptop bag stuffed full enough that the zipper didn't properly close over the electronics.

"The best seat is the far left one at the laptop station, next to the outlet at the end."

The girl nodded her quiet thanks and turned to carefully shuffle her way to the indicated seat, leaving the dog demon to turn to Hideo. She watched as he cleaned the machine, her eyes finding the places he missed with a critical eye, but saying nothing for the moment as he continued working on this particular task.

She turned away from the college student and moved to the back room, her hands picking up a couple of dirty trays as she went and she gently pushed them into the sink full of warm water as she passed it by.

She ignored the sound of the bell ringing at the front of the store at first, leaving this particular customer to Hideo so she could begin to look over her stock. She looked through cabinets and pantries, taking mental count of each item.

It wasn't until she stepped back out into the foyer with the intent to go to her office that she realized there had been several minutes of silence, and she briefly turned to greet the person sitting at the side counter, only to realize she recognized the demon.

"...Hiei?" He glanced up at her, and for a brief moment his eyes were glazed over and he didn't seem to really register her presence behind him. She raised a brow. "Would you like something to drink?"

He blinked and finally his eyes seemed to clear of their fog. "I don't have any-"

"Don't worry about it." You seem to need it. "Coffee or tea?"

"Coffee."

She glanced up at Hideo to make sure he'd been paying attention, and a sort of amused glimmer lit her irises as she saw his hands reaching for a mug without even so much as glancing her direction, acting remarkably similar to a certain bird she knew. Her eyes flicked briefly to the machine, unsurprised to see it spotless now that he'd finished cleaning it.

Akari turned to Hiei again. "Why didn't you tell me you were here?" Instead of waiting quietly without even ordering something, you goof. When he didn't answer, she tilted her head at him and finally seemed to just give in. Knowing he would tell her whatever he wanted to in his own time - he was here after all - she continued on her way. "Tell me if you need anything."

She did earn a sound of acknowledgement that time, but when she glanced over her shoulder just before stepping into her office, she saw him staring at the counter top blankly, and what she thought to be the slightest tinge of pink at the tip of his ears. *

~!**!~

The fresh air helped clear her thoughts a little, but for once Shikiyoku didn't notice the figure who had been pacing up and down across from the bar on the other side of the street turn and start to follow her direction down the sidewalk.

Tarou came out of the bar just as she made it down the block, and his eyes narrowed as he watched the dumpy guy in the long grey coat dart across the walk to join her, deciding to lean against the wall of the bar and watch instead of get any closer.

"What did you do to me?"

Shikiyoku backed away from the cigarette and alcohol tinged scent of the demon who abruptly invaded her personal space.

When he went to reach forward and grab for her wrist, Yuuichi suddenly found it no longer there, and the demon it belonged to another half step away from him.

"Nothing- Nothing satisfies me anymore, and it was you. I know it was you, witch." He said again with a more focused intensity. "What did you do to me?"

Shikiyoku finally let out a scoff as her eyes narrowed up at him and her lips curled into an unforgiving smirk, "You expect me to be able to tell one cur from another? Sounds to me like you're just like every other mutt who got what they deserved."

His look darkened and he snatched for her wrist a second time, managing to wrap his fingers around it and squeeze as he lifted it from her side.

"What was that kiss you gave me?" He asked more intensely, "Poison?! Tell me!"

Shikiyoku slowly began to lean up and forward into his face, gave him a breath to think about what he was doing, but when he only started to squeeze tighter at her arm, she spoke:

"You walk into my private territory like you own the place, harass the demons under my protection, and now you choose to threaten me?" The energy Hiei had summoned from her whirled intensely in her eyes, though the aura of it would not touch this other one if it could help it. "You're lucky you caught me in such a good mood, worm. Fucking with you further would not be a highlight of my day."

Something about the glint in her eyes had the other reflexively release her.

"Be glad you're only doomed to walk the nine levels cursed by my gift until your death." She told him as she lowered her arm back to her side. "I've done much worse to the likes of you."

The demon she left behind watched her back for a moment, tensing like he might follow before he turned and only took a step, running himself in what he might have mistaken for the wall of the building next to him except it was clothed. His eyes tracked upwards to see a much taller demon having stopped right in his way.

In the next moment he was grabbing frantically for the brute's giant hand that had found his neck and lifted him easily from the ground to slam his back into the actual wall to his left as Tarou brought him up to eye level before sneering into his face.

"She may have let you off the hook, asshole, but I won't. If I ever see your miserable excuse for a hide around this city again, I will personally tear your arms from their sockets, got it?"

Mouth open and gasping for breath, the demon could only nod as he tried to tear away at the fingers around his throat and just as his struggles grew fiercer, Tarou dropped him to his feet and pointed down the street around the corner without saying another word. 3

~!**!~

Akari compared her stock to her last order and her current trend in sales, typed a few things into a document she had pulled up, and decided against ordering anything. She closed those tabs and turned to glance at the closed door between her and the front of her shop, half surprised Hiei hadn't said something to her just yet and half expecting him to have left.

It'll take some time, she thought to herself as she stood and rolled her chair back under her desk. Hiei hadn't ever trusted easily, and she'd done just about all she could to 'weasel' her way into his life just to 'meddle'.

She had to hide her surprise, then, when she stepped back into the shop and Hiei still sat at the counter, his mug half-empty and his eyes staring holes into the very universe.

And his face is red.

She passed by behind him again, still leaving him to his silence and letting herself be busy while he contemplated his very existence in the world.

Several minutes went by wherein Akari quietly asked Hideo questions about his confidence in closing alone, and she filled him in on how the procedures were different now after their reopening than they had been when he originally started, and-

"Akari."

She passed the binder of opening and closing procedure paperwork to Hideo as she cast a quick glance in Hiei's direction. "Everything else you need is here."

"Have you ever… accidentally woken someone up by…"

As he paused, she raised an eyebrow ever so delicately in his direction, amused by the deepening of the color in his cheeks but not wanting to push him into opening up.

"...kissing them?" *

~!**!~

By the time Tarou caught back up with her, her scent had led him to the outskirts of town.

The boss had stirred her up so much, the tracking part was easy enough. Just had to follow his nose. Smelled like everything he ever wanted.

He caught sight of her finally moving around in a little clearing of trees, but as he came closer and realized she had her eyes closed, he stopped instead of interrupting, leaning against the tree next to him and watching her.

Not being a particularly subtle demon himself, Tarou hadn't the faintest idea of the nuances of how someone like Shikiyoku's energy worked or when it was active. Elements were easy to track the result of, like Hiei's fire or Raiton's lightning. Her? Not so much. Not unless she was already three sheets to the wind and Hiei slapped her on the ass. Even he had caught the glitter then.

But Tarou knew there were times like this with Shikiyoku where it was all he could do to sit still and not give into the scent that seemed to call him closer, the urge to go over and run his hands along her skin. But as a general rule he couldn't really see the aura, only smell it. And even then, he wouldn't have quantified her scent as part of her energy anyway.

But right now as he stood and watched her weaving her limbs through the air in a series of steps that piqued at his memory, he could make out tendrils, like strips of yellow string, ribbon, maybe, curling around her body and he found himself rooted to the spot, mesmerized.

The exertion, like most physical activity to the point of sweating, left Shikiyoku glistening even more than usual, so that when she lowered her arms and took a breath, the gleam to her body had increased even as she let go of the ribbons moving around her and they disappeared.

"Damn." Tarou shook his head and cleared his throat in case she didn't know he was there, finally stepping into the open, "Is that dance supposed to make me wanna take all your clothes off or is that just you?"

Shikiyoku let out a snort of laughter as she finally opened her eyes, "You've seen me do that one before."

"Oh?" He looked thoughtful, but kept moving for her, "Have I?" He shook his head, "I don't recall having seen you naked yet, so it must not be the same one."

"You've also seen me naked, big guy."

"What? No."

"Mm-hm."

"How come I don't remember?"

Shikiyoku finally glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, "Because as I recall you were doing everything in your power not to look."

He was within arm's reach of her now, scratching at his chin, "Now, that doesn't sound like me."

"I thought it rather odd at the time myself."

Shikiyoku shifted to face him before he could respond, hands clasped together behind her back as she peered up at him, "Why are you here, Tarou?"

He blinked down at her, taking a breath that similarly dropped the previously mischievous expression from his eyes before he made some sound or another and reached forward to skate the back of his hand across her cheek, "Because you looked like you needed someone to come after you." 3

~!**!~

After a few beats of silence, Akari finally gave Hiei a very matter-of-fact reply, "More than once." She turned back to Hideo. "You've got my cell number, right? In case you have issues tonight?"

"I do." Hideo nodded, sending his usually neat hair falling into his face.

"Good." She turned to walk away. "If it's slow, I don't mind you working on your homework. Just don't leave anything undone."

"And is their reaction usually to…"

Akari glanced at Hiei as she moved through the door to the back room, both amused and slightly concerned about his topic of choice. As his hesitation stretched into a strange silence, she offered, "To kiss back?" She considered the question for a moment before replying, "Yes. Very happily so, might I add."

When she came through the door to the front of her shop again she could have sworn his face had somehow turned a darker shade of red, and there was the slight scent of something burning on the air.

She blinked, considered what she knew of him and fire demons in general, and almost jolted into action. She grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him to stand, then placed his mug in his hand. "Not here."

"Hideo, I'm leaving for lunch. Call me if you need anything."

"Yes ma'am."

"What are you-"

"If you set my shop on fire, I will end you." She turned him in the direction of the front door and finally released her hold on him, only to wave her hands on either side of him and in the direction of the door in a 'shoo' motion. "Out. Let's go find food."

He took a few steps toward the door, then paused to glance blankly down at the mug in his hands. "But-"

"It's fine, Hiei. I'll bring it back when I come back." *

~!**!~

As she leaned her face into his touch and closed her eyes, Tarou let his palm rest against her warm cheek and smiled softly at her as his thumb caressed her skin.

"But, you know, if you'd just taken him up to your bed-"

"Tarou!"

The shove came much harder than he would have expected it to, but he just laughed as he went down to his butt, arms finding her shoulders after getting the breath knocked out of him when she followed it up by tackling him further back.

"You know I'm right." He leered up at her through his grin, eyes flashing, where she'd come to stop with her hair veiling to either side of his head as she glared back at his wicked expression.

"No, I don't, Tarou."

"Oh, come on." He rolled his eyes at her, "I know he's one dense motherfucker, but you're better than that." When she didn't immediately reply, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Aren't you?" 3

~!**!~

Akari stepped out onto the sidewalk next to Hiei and came to the quick realization that she had no idea where to go with a demon who had already threatened to combust once. She turned to stare at him for a moment in contemplation, and he only seemed to quietly linger and wait for her direction as he sipped at his coffee.

"Have you eaten?"

"No."

"...Do you want to?"

He shrugged and Akari let out a looooong sigh. "Alright, come on." She turned on her heel and began making a path down the sidewalk, taking a very familiar route that had no pedestrians this time of day.

After a few blocks of the two of them walking in silence, she finally turned to really look at him. She watched the redness recede to a soft dash of pink across his face and, eventually, his eyes seemed to clear enough for him to take stock of their surroundings. "Where are we going?"

"My apartment, since you're a livewire today." She turned forward again. "Just know, Nabu is going to be very excited to see you."

"That's fine."

She shook her head. Who are you? "So… you kissed her while she was sleeping."

"Yeah."

"And she…"

"Woke up."

"...Well, yes, I think you said as much earlier."

"And then she woke me up, and then Kurama showed up to look at the marking, but then he- and she- And I-"

"Waitwaitwait- Hold on. Breathe, Hiei." She took in a long, deep breath, waited until he did the same, and then they slowly exhaled simultaneously. "One thing at a time. I thought you said you woke her up?"

"I did."

"But then she woke you up?"

"Yes."

She nodded. "Ok, got it. Woke each other up-"

"Yeah."

"-And she...liked it, I assume."

"..."

"And you did too."

"..."

"Ok, good. Good progress." She turned a corner and her apartment complex came into view. "I'm up there."

"Ok."

As she led him up the stairs, one hand fiddling with the keys in her pocket almost nervously, she continued, "I doubt she would have disliked a kiss so early in the morning, since she doesn't dislike the ones in the bar."

"Well, Kurama said-"

"Ok wait, don't go there yet because I'm sure he had plenty to say. And if he had something to say, then I'm missing some key details. What else happened?" *

~!**!~

Shikiyoku scoffed and rolled off of him just far enough to be on her back by herself and Tarou blinked up at the canopy before glancing at her to see she'd covered her face with an arm.

"No, wait, Mom, you can't do this to me." He rolled over onto his side to face her, propping his head up with his hand. "I hate it when Aki's right."

"He usually is."

"That's why I hate it!" Fuming at her a little, his stare didn't get a reaction, so he reached over and lifted her hand from her face, "You can't seriously think that little dumbass doesn't want you."

Shikiyoku's gaze flickered away from Tarou, and he could only gape at her as the edges of her cheeks turned pink.

Tarou let out a giant groan and threw his hands up in the air as he rolled onto his back next to her again, letting out the rest of his breath as he wove his fingers together behind his head.

"If he stripped naked in front of you, would that convince you?"

"Tarou!" 3

~!**!~

"Well, I'm pretty sure she was having a nightmare, which is why I kissed her…?" Hiei tilted his head and cast his eyes to the side as they ascended the stairs, and Akari allowed him the moment to recall the morning. "Yeah. I kissed her because of her nightmare, and when I woke up - I wasn't sleeping, really - it was because she-"

Oh...

"-pushed me over onto my back. When I woke up, she was kinda…" He flashed into place in front of her and placed his hands just off of her shoulders, not really touching her but miming doing so, "...she had her hands like this and was kissing me-"

My...

"-and then she woke up and we both had no idea what happened? Or maybe we did and it was just a lot to process in the moment, but-"

God!

"-then the door opened, and Kurama showed up."

Akari blinked up at him, stunned at the number of words Hiei had just spoken, but also about the fact that he turned red again and several little flames sparked to life around them. Not to mention the fact that he'd almost willingly reached out to touch her just to make his point…

"And then-"

"Wait, take a second to breathe." So I can process. "You'll really explode if you don't get any oxygen." *

~!**!~

Tarou didn't even flinch when she turned over and punched his arm, staring contemplatively at what he could see of the sky, "Well? What would it take? I mean, he doesn't always wear fire-proof clothing. Especially when around you, now that I think about it. You sure he hasn't just burnt it all off just looking at you yet? I know I've had to check more than once to make sure you hadn't made me lose mine."

Shikiyoku groaned next to him and Tarou just laughed and faced her again, scooping her up so her head was pillowed beneath his shoulder and actually relaxing a little himself now that he managed to get her in his arms, sighing out a long breath and closing his eyes.

Shikiyoku only shifted around for a moment, untrapping her arms from between them to rest her palms against his chest and let out a sigh herself here where she was warm and felt safer.

She felt Tarou's lips meet with her forehead, planting a kiss in the midst of her hair as he mumbled, "Why do you think he doesn't want you, hm? What...sign, what has he said, to make you think that?"

After a moment, she answered, "When you've lived your life knowing what people are going to do before they do it-"

"But what if he doesn't know?"

"It doesn't work like that."

"Sounds to me like it's not working at all." 3

~!**!~

Hiei stood in place on the stair above hers, his hands still extended and hovering just over her shoulders. Akari glanced at his hands briefly, then back up at him. "You know, I can't get to my apartment with you standing in my way, Sparky."

He dropped his hands to his sides and moved out of the way, allowing her the space to think and to continue up the last flight. "I think she liked it; she apologized, but she only ever apologizes if she likes something and thinks I don't."

Akari nodded. "I'm not surprised. You're not usually so… expressive."

"I'm trying to be."

"I know." Akari pulled her keys from her pocket as they approached her door and, after unlocking it, swung the door inward and stepped to the side to allow him entrance. "And I'm sure she knows that too."

"It's just-" He let out a breath and Akari could almost see the gesture that he didn't actually make: throwing his hands in the air.

"Sit anywhere you like. I'll make something." She shut the door behind her and listened for the sounds of Nabu and Kiyoko moving around, surprised to find the apartment silent. "Is there anything you don't like?"

"Not that I've discovered yet. And I keep telling her that, but she still hesitates." He plopped onto the couch as she passed by behind it.

...Ok.

"...You meant food, didn't you?"

"I did, but that's ok too." *

~!**!~

Shikiyoku suddenly hid her face in her hands tucked up against him, "I'm just so scared- He doesn't know, but if I did something and then he-"

"So, rejection."

"What?"

"You're afraid of rejection." Tarou sort of shrugged, "You're not alone. A lot of people are scared of being turned away." He buried his nose against her, "Especially when they care about something a lot."

She didn't say anything.

"Sometimes overexposure can dull the pain. But I imagine a woman like you hasn't had to face a lot of rejection in her life."

"I have now." She mumbled.

"What? From who?"

...

"You can't be serious."

There was a slight rustle as Shikiyoku felt him pull away far enough to stare at her.

"I swear on all nine levels if you can name me one time that little shit's told you 'no,' I will go wring his neck right now." 3

~!**!~

"...sorry."

"Hiei, don't apologize. It's completely fine. Just…" She popped her head down the hall in search of the dogs, and when she didn't see them, she continued into the kitchen."...Keep talking. I'll listen while I cook, and you can sit there and relax."

"It's a lot…"

"Just breathe if you get overwhelmed, ok?"

Hiei took a deep breath and lapsed into a brief silence, during which Akari gathered various ingredients she had small bits of and she began to throw them together, hoping she had enough for the both of them.

And then he launched into the rest of his tale. He talked, and he talked, and he talked, regaling her of his story about Kurama coming into the room just as the fire demon had decided he wanted more of whatever had been happening, which segued into Kurama's commentary and various little doings - or undoings - and all the way until Kurama left the two of them in the awkward silence together.

Hiei lapsed into a silence here, and Akari could only lower her head onto the counter next to her stovetop, the laminate cool against her skin. Her brain whirred with all the things Hiei had said, and all the events that he'd been a witness to, and even the events he'd all but admitted to wanting to be the perpetrator in, and-

He was right. It's a lot.

She sucked in a long and slow breath, filling her lungs and using it as a sort of support as she stood upright and finished placing the noodles and various vegetables into two bowls. She reached to turn the stove off and quickly took the bowls in her hands - mostly so she wouldn't pull her hair out - and she shuffled her way to the couch to hand him a bowl.

"Thanks," he mumbled as he took it from her.

She tucked a foot under herself and lowered to sit on the couch, her bowl in her hand and a neutral expression on her face. "You're very welcome."

"It was really…"

"Awkward?" she supplied.

"Yeah. For a bit."

"Is that why you came to me?" She poked around in her bowl with her chopsticks for a moment. "I'm not sure how to break that awkwardness, Hiei. Especially if you left without saying anything, or-"

"No, no, that's fine. I told her I liked it and that-"

"You did?"

He nodded, "I lo-"

"I'm proud of you, Sparky-"

"-ved her-"

"-I doubt you've been in very many awkward situations and-"

"-And we went down into the bar for a while."

"-you handled it very well."

They nodded in acknowledgement of what the other said - Akari not actually having caught the second half - and then turned down to their bowls. Hiei poked around for a few seconds. "I didn't want to leave though."

"The' why di' you?" Akari asked around noodles.

"Because… I needed to process? I don't know, I wanted something but I couldn't figure out what, so…" He fiddled with the chopsticks before finally pulling a heaping of noodles from the bowl and slurping them up.

Akari blinked up at him. "You know-" She swallowed, "-did you try kissing her then? Before leaving?"

"Mhm."

"Hm." She frowned down into her bowl, still reeling a little. "...Hiei, I can't really go into detail in explaining what you want, except that it's her."

"Yeah, I know tha'."

She looked up at him from over her bowl. "Know what?"

"That it's her I want. I just don't know…"

"What it is from her you want."

He nodded. *

~!**!~

"Or you'll try, anyway?"

"What? Fuck, no. I'll do it. Watch me." Tarou started to shift around again and Shikiyoku's hands left her face to grab his shirt like that would hold him in place even as she felt her head lifting off his arm.

Shikiyoku looked up at him, energy too free to not be involved in her, "No, please..."

He hadn't really intended to go, if only because he was pretty damn sure the little punk hadn't ever told her no, but her request to stay was too enticing to dismiss even if he wanted to go and he pressed his lips to her forehead as he settled back down with her.

"You're testing me, you know." A smile tugged at his lips and he closed his eyes again. As if it wasn't obvious in the way this time his hand found her waist where her outfit left her midriff bare.

"Am I?"

The way the question breathed up across his neck like he knew she was looking up at him still sent a pleasant tingle across his shoulders and he suddenly shifted in place, slightly uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Tarou's hand left her skin only to find her jaw and he turned down to open his eyes as he lifted her face further his direction, eyes regarding her with a darkened intensity that was met by a glittering shine to her eyes that he would have sworn was yellow instead of their usual green in this form.

"I just realized I'm in over my head right now."

The slightest curl to her lips told him all he needed to know and without the glasses and without her hair tied back, it took everything in his power not to lean down and cover those lips with his own.

"What gave it away?"

Tarou knew he wasn't going to be able to break this moment. He didn't have the strength.

"When I walked up to the treeline and realized I wanted nothing more than to run my hands all over your body."

"That soon?"

"I don't feel that too often, mind. I'm happiest making someone else swoon. Usually. Except when it comes to you."

"Well, that would certainly be one way to make me swoon."

Tarou's eyes narrowed further, "Don't tell me that. Please."

"What do you want, Tarou?"

The myriad of desires he'd been struggling with came directly to his attention as if she'd summoned them with the question as he leaned closer to tell her.

"I...want you...to bed that dumbass."

Shikiyoku chuckled a little, but hadn't looked away.

"He'll be much smarter for it."

The only thing that stopped him was her fingers coming up to his lips and the slightest shake of her head as something more sad flickered across her features.

"I would not wish this curse upon you. You're much too good for it."

He hadn't the faintest idea what she meant, but the brushing of her fingers against his face kept him unmoving as she disentangled herself from him and got up, relieving some of the pressure around him.

"You're good, Tarou. I'll give you that."

"Ought to be. Was raised by whores."

As she wiped her jeans off nearby, he let out a breath and moved to get up, only to be met with her hand extended for him to grab.

He grinned and grabbed it, "Like a brick house, huh?"

"Do you even know what that means, big guy?" Shikiyoku wanted to know as she helped him to her feet.

"Solid. Like Tsun said." 3

~!**!~

"Well…" Akari let out a sigh. "Here's the issue I'm seeing: you're talking to the wrong person about this particular instance."

Hiei blinked at her over his bowl, his chopsticks poised halfway to his mouth. "When I've told her that I want her in the past, she just told me I already had her."

Akari shook her head. "No, no, not Shikiyoku. She's… a little blinded by her own worries regarding the matter." She pulled a few noodles from her bowl and lifted them to her lips, pausing before eating them to say, "I meant Kurama."

Black eyebrows furrowed and cast shadows across the fire demon's face. "But he also wants her."

Akari cleared her throat and lowered her chopsticks to her bowl, then her bowl to her lap. "Mm… I mean, I don't think you're wrong, except that in this particular way, he does have her."

"What does that even mean?"

He's gonna be so mad when he finds out what I mean. "To put it simply: Kurama is the best person for you to ask about this topic, since it's, uh, different between the sexes. And to be quite honest with you Hiei, the topic of mating isn't one I would be willing to discuss with anyone."

"Kurama is not Shiki's Lifemate."

Akari blinked. "I know that-"

Oh. Right.

"No, no. Mating and being lifemates are very different things, one of which I know very little about and the other I know enough about to direct you to someone more... experienced."

"So then… being mates is not the same as being Lifemates."

"No."

His expression spoke volumes: I'm so confused.

"I'm...hm. You can be mates without being lifemates by simply not marking the other person, but you can't be lifemates without also being mates - or at least mating."

When he continued to stare at her blankly, she could only bring herself to shake her head.

"Like I said, Kurama would be the best resource for you. I'm sure he has plenty of ways for you to discover all of that with or without Shikiyoku." Though I doubt you'll want to experience it with anyone but her. "You did say he mentioned being willing to teach you?"

"Yes, about fun."

Akari chuckled. "Yes, well, I think you'll find his brand of fun to be to your liking once you learn of it and can apply it to your own life." *

~!**!~

Shikiyoku left well enough along with his turn of phrase, but eyed him skeptically once they were standing, crossing her arms over her chest as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"What?"

"You surprise me is all. You genuinely only came out here to help clear my head."

He shrugged, never having been one to particularly hide it, "My methods are a little more direct than what we just did, but, I mean, I would still fuck you right now if you think it would help."

That left Shikiyoku laughing at his candor.

"Your mind seems pretty clear, though." He was grinning and gestured at her face, "Something to do with that dance I saw you doing? You're not as...cloudy as you were."

Shikiyoku turned slightly pink as she went to open her mouth to explain and realized Tarou already knew anything she was in the slightest bit embarrassed about in regards to having used it and nodded, "It, uh, you heard about how I learned that sword technique for my dances on the Ninth?"

Tarou gave a nod and stepped back as Shikiyoku started to lead the way back out of the clearing.

"It's...useful as an outlet for urges you don't wish to have anymore." She summed up simply, "When I was younger, I was not allowed 'relations,' as it were, and if I couldn't arrange for them secretly, the modified version of the Nitenwa served... almost as well." 3

~!**!~

The two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence, each chewing on their noodles and thinking about the conversation that had just happened, lost in their own little worlds.

As Akari considered the different resources Hiei could utilize -some books have pictures, she remembered Tarou saying - she wondered where else she could direct him that might be more helpful than harmful, as Hiei had more than once been reluctant to do something until he added his own idea to it.

"Akari?"

She blinked and lifted her head to look toward the hallway, where two dogs stood peering at her curiously. "Hey."

"You're home early," Kiyoko commented as she circled the couch and came to sit on the floor next to her leg. "Is everything ok?"

She shifted her bowl to her left hand so she could reach down and pat Kiyoko's head with her right. "I'm just home for lunch, and then I'll be going back."

"Hey, it's Grump!" Nabu, appearing more awake than he had before, padded into the room and sniffed at Hiei's knee. "Why're you here?"

"Because he wanted to talk and the shop isn't exactly a good place for demons to converse about demon things." She turned to her bowl again, lifting the last of her noodles to her mouth to finish off her lunch.

"Oh, you're right."

Hiei glanced down at Nabu, and for a second Akari thought he would pet the shiba. Instead, the fire demon turned back to Akari, "Why would Tarou tell us to 'get a room'?"

Akari choked on her noodles.

Nabu sped to her side, his nose bopping against the hand she planted against her knee for support. "Akari?"

She waved her hand dismissively.

"That means she's fine, Nabu."

Hiei blinked and went back to his own lunch, unbothered by her choking. "If you die, I'm not caring for the dogs."

"We wouldn't want you to either, jerk." Nabu huffed. "There's a reason I named you Grump."

"Nabu, that's not very nice."

"He's not very nice."

"I'm fine-" Akari coughed a few more times, "-not dying."

"That's a relief. I thought we'd be homeless."

Akari waved at Nabu again, and after her bout of coughs died down, she took a shaky breath and finally turned her eyes to Hiei. "That… He was basically telling you…" How do I put this? "In short: he was telling you to mate with Shikiyoku."

"...Very helpful."

"Well, it would be if you had a frame of reference for it, I'm sure." She paused. "Actually, you probably could ask Tarou. He may say it pretty crudely, but he'd also be very knowledgeable and trustworthy."

Hiei made a face. "Crude is putting him lightly."

"I have no doubt about that. But, he'd have good intentions too."

"...I'll…consider it."

"But if you'd prefer Kurama's advice, I'm sure he won't withhold anything either." *

~!**!~

"Almost."

She could feel Tarou grinning at the back of her head.

"I'm flesh and blood just like you, Tarou." She found herself mirroring his expression. "Eventually peace must give way to passion."

"And what passion it must be."

He said it roguishly, but when she stopped and turned to look over her shoulder at him, he froze and realized he had the exact same sort of 'I'm in trouble' feeling scatter across his mind as he did whenever the Fox looked at him a certain way, but this one had a weight of experience Tarou was not prepared for.

She could kiss me and kill me right now and I'd be fine with both.

"Be careful what you wish for, big guy. I'm known for fulfilling them."

When she turned to continue walking he let his cheeks puff out and released a silent breath.

Mom was fun, but damn was she dangerous. 3

~!**!~

Hiei turned down to his bowl, and for the first time, Akari realized she hadn't seen the mug he'd left the shop with since sometime during their walk.

"Hiei?"

"What?"

"Where's my mug?"

"Oh." He leaned to one side and reached into his pocket, pulling first a pair of glasses and then the mug, and Akari blinked a few times. "It was empty and I got tired of carrying it." He set it on the coffee table, and she noticed on that wrist he also wore a hair tie.

"Well, I'm glad you didn't just drop it in your excitement."

"I didn't think you'd appreciate it." He tucked the pair of glasses into his pants pocket again, and Akari was stuck between being confused as to why he had them and being jealous that he could carry so much in that pocket. "So, any ideas?"

She blinked at him again. "What?"

"You said you could give me ideas. I'm listening."

"Wha-" blink. "Oh. Right. For Shikiyoku."

"You mean Sparkles?"

"Yes, Nabu."

"Is she coming over too?"

"No, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind you visiting, if you wanted to."

"CAN I?!"

Akari patted him on the head and met Hiei's stare with her own. "So, what have you done? I heard about the smack-on-the-ass incident, and quite frankly, I'm disappointed to have missed it."

"Well, we've gone on a date - but that was cut short by the Crusnik... "

"That's…" She tilted her head. "Unique. Have you been on one since?"

"Not yet. I wanted to, but then I got sick."

"Understandable. I know you've kissed her."

He nodded, opened his mouth like he might add something, then closed it and turned back down to his bowl.

"If you have a question, I'm more than willing to hear it."

"No, not a question. Continue on."

You're withholding information, which is fine, but now I really want to know. "You've at least played with her hair." He nodded again. "Have you, like… hm…" How do I put this? "You remember how you stood over her behind the bar the other day? And purposely, like, didn't touch her?"

"Of course."

"Have you done anything else like that?"

"Not exactly like that. Plus, I prefer to actually have the contact."

"Ah, I get that." When he raised a brow at her, she just nodded. "Being touch starved is a thing, and it sucks once you're aware of it."

"...Yeah. I don't really get enough of it."

"I'm sure she appreciates it too, since you're bound to her as you are." Though she didn't doubt for a minute that Kurama sometimes helped her with that, if she needed it. "Have you tried kissing the places you touch?"

Hiei didn't answer right away. Instead, he kept his eyes pointed down and away, and she could make out the faintest pinkness at the edges of his ears.

"So, no." Still no answer. "Well, there's a thought for you. The shoulder, neck, collar bone…" She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Those are good starting points."

"Ok."

"Also, you obviously have the capacity for creativity, so let your imagination carry you forward. If you get an idea - like you have in the past - just go for it. If she doesn't like it," which I highly doubt will happen, "I'm sure she'll tell you, out of respect for you and your relationship with her."

"Ok."

"...do you need a break from the topic?"

"...yeah. This morning was a lot…"

Akari nodded. "Alright, then let's go. I have to get back to the shop, and you need time to… decompress." She pushed herself from the couch and plucked his long-empty bowl from his hands, then moved to set the dishes in the sink. "You're welcome to hang out in the shop, if you think it's too soon for you to go back." *

~!**!~

Shizuru sat up out of a dead sleep in the midst of her small room in Genkai's temple, blinking at the darkness as she frowned.

Pushing aside her kakebuton and rising silently, she reached for a nearby lantern and lit it, covering the light until she only just had enough to see and starting to move through the silent halls.

Her instincts led her to the other side of the compound and as she padded forward on bare feet, Shizuru spied a shape standing a few feet from Genkai's door, staring at it.

She placed a hand on Kita's shoulder and the human boy looked up at her with concern shining in his blue eyes, himself uncertain as to why he had come to stand at the grandmaster's bedroom door.

He had grown much stronger since Akari first arrived with him all those years ago when he, like all the other Lost Ones, had slipped between the layers. As Genkai had predicted, many of the children from that era grew out of their knack for the Sight, fell away from their training, and returned to their homes the moment they could.

His story, Kita's story, had continued where most of the others did not, only returning to his mother when strong enough to make the trip on his own to tell her he would continue to study here at the dojo, devoting his life to that of self-improvement Genkai could provide and becoming one of a handful of students who followed in Shizuru's steps as a true disciple of the old woman who had found a certain satisfaction in the calling where she had not previously done so.

Something beyond the door in front of them beckoned her forward and Shizuru opened it to step inside, moonlight streaming in through a window so as to make her lower the lantern, put it out.

"See, I told you she'd be along." Genkai's eyes opened just a little and she almost smiled at the other, her hand shifting against her bedding like she might raise it Shizuru's direction in another moment.

Yusuke may have been the one to whom she passed on her greatest power, but Shizuru had come into her own by this time, become a powerful psychic in her own right and had stayed with Genkai the longest and benefitted the most from the old teacher's ways.

Shizuru moved forward at Genkai's indication to truly enter, dropping to her knees next to the shikibuton and taking the hand atop the blankets in her own, moving aside some of the grey hair that had fallen over the old woman's eyes.

"And Kita, too. What a pleasant surprise. You felt it too, eh?"

He had dropped to his knees just short of the door, eyes shining with tears as his knuckles turned white clutching at the fabric of his pants.

Genkai shifted around a little and appeared to be looking at something on the other side of her. "I couldn't let you take me without saying goodbye."

Shizuru blinked and swallowed, "Who are you talking to, master?"

When Genkai's gaze shifted back over to the brown-headed woman, an old spark flashed across her eyes, "Who? Who do you think, girl? I've gotten ancient in case you haven't noticed, and tonight of all nights has me feeling particularly tired. Little surprise to me your dimwit brother showed up, but maybe you can't fathom your own mortality quite yet."

At the suggestion she was in fact dying, Kita made a noise and his hand lifted to try and wipe some of the tears that were falling from his eyes.

"Oh, come now. It's high time I left here. You're a strong kid. And I'm just about done with caring for you lot." Genkai's expression grew kinder.

Kita shook his head and continued crying, "Am I not allowed to be sad you are leaving us, master?" He sniffed as his throat tried to close on him. "After the crash, I would see my papa and brother all the time. Mom told me they left, but they were still with us. But ever since the layers went away, I don't see them anymore. You'll be gone forever."

At the mention of Kazuma, Shizuru looked up across from herself and realized the tugging of her heart had been for little brother and the longer she stared the more clearly the distortion of air on Genkai's other side became, though she could never quite make out features.

She'd recognize that blockhead anywhere though.

"The Celestial Warrior himself gets to take you to your rest, huh?" She grinned even though she continued crying.

She'd never been close enough to death herself to see beyond the veil, but her instincts had never failed her before, "Does he look like he's doing well?"

Genkai scoffed, "If by well you mean 'hasn't been training at all,' then yes."

Shizuru could just imagine him protesting that he didn't have time anymore.

"That's no excuse."

Shizuru's gaze dropped to her hands when Genkai squeezed hers a little tighter.

"You may not have been prepared for this day, but I think I've known it was coming for a while."

"I still have so much more to learn from you." Shizuru whispered, all joviality at the thought of her brother being present gone.

Another scoff.

"You've been teaching me much longer than I've been teaching you at this point, girl."

Shizuru just shook her head, but couldn't get any other words to come out.

Genkai's head shifted a little, "There's a letter in the box in the drawer with words for everyone. I would tell you not to bother with any ceremonies, but you're just as stubborn as any of them, so I'll hold my tongue and let you do as you please."

A nod.

"And screw decorum, if there isn't smoking and drinking at the wake, I will come back and haunt your asses. The least you could do is celebrate that I'm finally gone."

Shizuru sputtered out a laugh and lifted to wipe one of her hands across her face.

The noise seemed to please the old woman and she smiled.

"It's time, sensei."

Genkai blinked and suddenly felt lighter than she had in years, sitting up and very aware of the fact that she had left her body behind, still laying on the futon with Shizuru holding her hand.

The sobs in the room grew dimmer like she couldn't hear them as well anymore and she looked over at the red-headed warrior kneeling next to her who held out his hand for her to take.

"I've got one more stop to make." She insisted as she took his hand and the two of them got to their feet. "Not even the kami can deny me that."

Kuwabara smiled, "Not just gonna scare him with Puu again, huh?"

Genkai scoffed as they started to drift out the window, "He deserves more than that."

Her gaze dropped to the pair still in the room and she smiled again.

"It was a good life." Kuwabara told her.

Genkai nodded.

~!**!~

Yusuke rolled his thumb up on his phone to scroll through his notes and nodded to the mercs who were just standing up having finished their meals, "Yeah, the Second. That's what I thought." He shoved the phone into his back pocket and reached for their bowls, "It'd be a good place to start. There's a couple of smaller towns looking for help."

"Alright. We'll head out there, then. Thanks, Yusuke."

"Yeah, no problem. Catch yah later."

On nights when Keiko needed to be up late studying, Yusuke would keep the stand open well after hours. Mostly his patrons at this time would be more of the unsavory sorts, though occasionally he'd pick up a couple of demon regulars looking for work like tonight.

He'd gotten word of a problem or two from the pair who just left that sounded right up his alley, though, and as he went to wash their bowls, he thought he might close up for the night and look into it.

"Spare a bowl for an old lady?"

Yusuke looked up from his sink just as he finished washing his hands to see a grey haired woman slide into a stool and he smiled.

He knew most of the beggars around here by name, but this one he didn't recognize at first glance, moving over to wipe down the counter for her.

"Sure thing, grandma. What can I get for yah?"

"Surprise me. But sake, too. If you have it."

He smiled and nodded as he turned away.

"You're open late tonight."

Yusuke laughed as he started the prep work and then took over a small bottle of sake with a cup for it to place down at her elbow, pouring the first serving for her.

"My girl's got a big exam coming up," He talked as he kept moving around the small stand, always able to keep a conversation going, "Gotta keep my hands busy or I get into trouble."

The old lady scoffed, "Ain't that the truth. How is she?"

He glanced over in her direction, thinking he saw something creeping behind her shoulder for a moment, but shook his head and turned back to the food.

"Well enough. Busy. Should graduate medical school in another couple of years." He smiled a little down at the bowl as he started arranging everything in preparation for the broth, "Between that and playing maid of honor for one of our friends, she's swamped. But she likes that."

"Make sure Yukina knows I'm sorry I won't get to be there." Genkai said it as much for Kuwabara as she did for Yusuke.

Yusuke paused and looked up and this time he spotted the shape he thought he saw a moment ago: the tall red-head's expression stirred with longing for his bride-to-be even as he stood in the much more traditional faire than Yusuke was used to seeing him in, almost glowing a soft golden color.

"Just a few more months." Yusuke murmured to him, ladle and bowl forgotten in his hands.

Kuwabara nodded, though his gaze shifted off to the side, "It'll be like an eternity for me."

He seemed unsurprised the other could see him in this moment. After all, Yusuke had most certainly died already. Twice, in fact.

Yusuke seemed to understand what was going on without any of them saying anything about it.

"Gonna miss you, yah old bat."

"I'm surprised you even recognized me, halfwit. Haven't visited in ages."

He put the bowl and ladle down to turn and face them, a hand rubbing at the back of his head self-consciously even as he grinned.

"Yeah, well, I've been kinda busy, yah know."

"I know." She started to get up, looking around the stand, "You're doin' good, kid." She gave him a stern look, "Don't fuck it up."

Yusuke just laughed as she turned to go, Kuwabara following after and the pair of them quickly disappearing from sight.

He kept his eyes on their path for a long time, smiling a little.

"Thanks for coming to say goodbye, grandma."

When the phone in his pocket buzzed, Yusuke reached up and wiped his sleeve across his eyes as he pulled it up to his ear.

"Hey, Shizuru. ... Yeah, I know. Just saw her. And Kuwabara too. ... He's looking well. ... I was just about to close up for the night. ... Yeah, I think I can get ahold of them. Or I know someone who can, anyway. By tomorrow evening? ... Ha, sure. If that's the case, then, I bet we can all be out there. ... I'm not surprised to hear it. I'll let the others know. You take care, alright? We'll see you soon."

As soon as he hung up, Yusuke shot a text at Keiko, unwilling to call her if she wasn't at a good place to talk, but knowing she might still be awake to do so.

His next call was to an especially familiar number he had on speed dial and as he waited for someone to pick up the landline, he went back to closing up the shop. 3

Hiei and Akari moved side-by-side down the pavement, neither saying a word as they approached the front door of the bar.

She half thought about going back for Nabu and Kiyoko, but then Hiei pulled the door to the establishment open and she followed him inside, her eyes following what she could see of him even as he slipped through the crowd and appeared next to Shikiyoku behind the bar.

He'll get there, she thought of the still-learning fire demon.

She turned and managed to slip her way through the bar crowd without much trouble, only coming to stop just behind Tarou's chair. She pat him on his shoulder a few times, a not-so-teasing smile just touching her lips as she leaned over to murmur over his shoulder, "You tried, Tarou," before she stood upright again and pat his shoulder three more times, as if to comfort him.

~!**!~

Hiei came to a stop next to Shikiyoku, his eyes quickly roving her form to see if any of her skin looked to be a color it shouldn't be, or if she seemed to have any stiffness in her limbs, or anything else of the sort.

Once satisfied that nothing seemed out of the norm, and even as he let the bond tell her that he wanted to kiss her and be kissed in turn, he leaned over her and pressed his lips to hers in his usual greeting.

(Are you feeling ok?) *

While the dance Tarou had stumbled upon may have settled Shikiyoku's emotions somewhat, the lack of glasses and freedom of her hair did in fact mean that her energy naturally settled into the air around her just off of her skin and glittering across her eyes in a way that meant the rest of her day was spent in cautious interaction.

It even took her a beat to acknowledge Hiei, having spent quite a bit of her time finding other things to do with her gaze than make eye contact with anyone for any length of time.

Hiei's desire made the energy in the air around her shift pleasantly when he expressed it, and with a small smile, she met him halfway.

(I think so. Not any different, at least?) 3

Tarou threw his hands into the air, causing Akari to take a quick step away lest she be smacked in the face by the demon who yelled what she thought to be 'I know!' However, just as quick as he'd thrown his hands into the air, he slammed them back onto the table, sending a few empty drink glasses tumbling across its surface as he finally lowered his cheek to rest on the wood. "If they would just listen…"

Akari patted his shoulder a couple more times. "I know. But I think you'll be relieved to know that he definitely had questions."

"Questions only mean so much if he actually puts the answers to use," the brute grumbled, and Akari only nodded.

"Yes, well, it's a step." She half turned with the intent to move for the bar, but the slightest flux of her energy without her express permission gave her pause, and she took a moment to glance around the room until her eyes landed on the shadow that came to stand in her path, its edges frail and undulating in such a way that its incorporeal form appeared to be made of smoke.

She stared at it, not truly recognizing its particular shape or remembering where she'd dispatched it, and after a few moments of the thing simply remaining in her path, she decided to strengthen it with just enough of her energy to make it solid without drawing eyes of anyone who might have been curious about the energy flux.

Only after it was strong enough did it actually extend a portion of itself in her direction and offer her an envelope, and she took the paper from it.

"What's this?"

My anchor sent me with this for you. Should I return?

After a quick glance up and around, Akari motioned for the shadow to follow her, and she slipped back out into the cool night air with it on her heels so that it could speak freely and she could respond without drawing curious eyes and ears.

~!**!~

Hiei pulled far enough away to look down at Shikiyoku, though he only denied himself a second kiss long enough to pull her glasses from his pocket and place them on her face gently.

(You look good.)

He thought about putting her hair up for her, but after a beat, he decided against it and instead gave her another kiss. *

If Shikiyoku hadn't already been kissed, his compliment would have tinged her cheeks pink.

As it was, she closed her eyes for a moment as he replaced her glasses and it almost immediately muted the energy around her face so that when she looked back up at him it had already begun to fade from her gaze.

His next kiss sent more shimmers of energy scattering across her face despite the glasses and she smiled into it, her hands coming up between them to rest against his chest.

She paid little mind to the phone that rang on the wall nearest to her station, and one of the waiters dropping off his tray answered it in her stead.

"Hai, she's here." He took the phone from his ear and gestured to Shikiyoku, "Za Joie, if you're quite finished, it's the Mazoku."

(Uhm...) Shikiyoku blinked up at Hiei and then gave him a bit of a lopsided smile. (...cover for me?) She asked. 3

~!**!~

Akari stepped to the side of the building and out of sight from the front door, the shadow trailing silently behind her until she leaned against the wall and glanced down at the envelope in her hand.

The writing wasn't familiar, but seeing as her name was on it, she turned it over and decided to indulge the sender and her own curiosity.

Her eyes skimmed the contents, finding the script to be shaky and almost illegible at some points, and even smeared here and there for reasons unknown, but as she read about the event of Genkai's passing and the coming wake, finally coming to the signature, several emotions settled in her stomach at once.

I hope to see you then.

Kita.

She couldn't even begin to guess how long it had been since she'd visited the compound last, much less seen the boy she had left in Genkai's care.

She finally turned her eyes back to the shadow that still waited patiently next to her for instructions, and she gave it a small sigh. "I don't have a note to give to you yet. Hang around, and I'll give you my reply later."

It rippled in place before disappearing, falling into her personal shadow to wait for her call.

After a few moments of contemplation- if I've received word, then Yusuke has - she pushed away from the wall and made her way back into town to pay the Mazoku a visit.

~!**!~

Hiei heard the phone on the wall ring, but he didn't pull away until Shikiyoku did, and only then did he become aware of the energy that tickled at his senses and beckoned him closer, just as it had done that very morning.

His lips twitched, but he didn't actually smile. The bond, however, filled with his amusement and the teasing smirk he didn't actually wear.

(If you're asking, then I suppose I wouldn't mind covering.)

Before she could even move or reply, he took up post at her station and his hands found glasses to fill. *

The coy smile Shikiyoku had for him was only accompanied by a lowering of her eyes as she side-stepped him and took the phone the waiter had outstretched for her, avoiding his eyes as she could tell the look he had in them.

Within the first few lines of the former Spirit Detective, Shikiyoku's face fell more pensive and she reached out to Hiei, grabbing for his hand and blinking up at him as she wordlessly meant for him to come closer, but hadn't quite gathered her wits about her.

The bond was eerily silent because of it, processing Yusuke's news before she managed to respond.

"Yes, of course. I'll see to it myself. I...don't think it would be a problem? ...absolutely."

The phone slipped away from her ear as Yusuke disconnected, Shikiyoku still blinking up at Hiei.

(...Genkai...Genkai passed away.) 3

~!**!~

The streets were quiet enough at this hour that Akari hardly passed by anyone, and the people she did pass were either intoxicated, looking for trouble, or a demon. She paid no mind to any of them, instead making her way through this alley and around that corner, her mind occupied with several thoughts even as the ramen stand came into view just up the street.

She wasn't surprised to see Yusuke closing up shop with one hand while the other dialed numbers on his phone, but she was surprised that her own phone rang as he lifted his cell to his ear.

She pulled her phone from her pocket and flipped it open to answer, and was just lifting it to her ear as she came within earshot of the owner of the stand.

"If you're on your way home, I can walk you there. I'd hate to keep you at the stand just to talk."

~!**!~

As Shikiyoku stepped away, Hiei turned to give his full attention to the orders he put together, aware of the running list of drinks to be made and opting for the more difficult ones if only due to the fact that his own speed meant they got out faster.

But as he stacked the completed drinks on a couple of trays, he became aware of the silence in the bond, and as he passed two trays to a passing waitress, he glanced over his shoulder to check on Shikiyoku.

He caught the second she reached for him and immediately set down the glasses he'd grabbed to fill so that he could place his hand in hers, and he took that extra step to turn toward her and all but shield her from the rest of the bar.

He didn't catch the words from the other end of the line, but he did hear enough of the voice to know that it was Yusuke, and that the topic was not a happy one.

He heard the line disconnect, but his eyes remained on Shiki as she blinked up at him, waiting for her to tell him what she needed.

After a beat, he reached to grab the phone from her hand and he hung it up on its hook so that as he reached around to hug her, he would not trap her arms in an uncomfortable way.

(What do you need from me?) *

Still sort of in a bit of shock, Shikiyoku blinked when Hiei hugged her and after a beat curled her arms around him.

(Um...) The bond hummed between them again as Shikiyoku's thoughts began to pick up speed. (Mind the bar for me?)

She suddenly smiled as she actually took note of his hug and squeezed him once to let him know she appreciated it.

(Some old friends are listed in her will and Yusuke is calling in a few favors in Genkai's name to get them there by tomorrow evening. I promised him I'd see to it myself.)

Shikiyoku pulled away and reached up to place a hand at Hiei's cheek.

(I know you didn't know her very well, but Yusuke asked if you'd come too. There'll be some familiar faces. Including your sister. ...and I'd like you there as well.)

~!**!~

"Home?" Yusuke thought that was a strange way to answer a phone, "Uh, no. I've gotta stick around for a bit yet, but, uh, I have some news for yah."

He blinked and then hung up, putting the phone in his pocket to free up both hands as he ducked below something to shuffle a few things around.

He was silent for a moment as Akari got closer.

"Though, I guess you being here means you likely got told, huh?" 3

Akari hung up her phone and dropped it back into her pocket as she came to stand on the other side of the counter. She only nodded when he said he had a few things left to do, and at the mention of news, she only leaned against the counter to watch him do whatever he was doing.

"Yeah, I did," she finally replied, her voice barely above a murmur. "Is there anything you need, or anything I can do?"

~!**!~

(Of course I'll mind the bar.) That alone was enough information to tell him several things:

One, there was going to be a wake/memorial. Two, Yusuke had asked for her help organizing it. Three, Shikiyoku was going. Lastly… Hiei knew he would be going with her.

Even as she explained that Yusuke had called in a few favors to locate people, he turned and kissed her cheek before slowly standing up straight again, moving as she did so that when she pulled away she had the freedom to either step away if she wanted or to linger.

(Don't worry about me. I'll be ready to leave for the compound by the time you're back.)

He gave her a once-over, thoughtful for a moment before he finally reached up and pulled the hair tie from his left hand and began to work at loosely braiding her hair over her shoulder like she had that morning.

(Come back if you start to feel that numbness or anything else out of the norm, so I can help you do what you need to do.) *

Shikiyoku smiled at him, but hadn't moved away, her energy glimmering across her cheek at his affection.

(I'll be back before sunset. I'm sure I'll need a few things. There'll be a portal opening for us in the park as the sun goes down and we won't want to miss it.)

Silently letting him know she needed to get back to the phone for a couple more calls, she let him go and turned away to pick it up again.

~!**!~

"Mm..." Yusuke made a thoughtful noise and stopped his movements for a moment, standing up. "Nah. I don't think so." He gave her a quick glance and a smile before his face fell, "The old bat was due, I think. I, uh...I just feel like I should have visited more often, yeah?"

"You comin' to the wake?" 3

She gave Yusuke a small smile, knowing well enough that the I'm sorry for your loss line wouldn't really be helpful in much and instead opted to simply let him know she was there.

A part of her wondered if she should have brought him tea or something, but the thought was gone at his question.

"I am. I plan to bring coffee and tea, since I'm sure others will be bringing the booze." Her lips quirked just a little in amusement. "I didn't know her well - especially in recent years - but I figured I could help be there for those who did."

Akari turned her head and let her eyes wander the dark streets, appreciating the silence that the late hour afforded them for such a conversation.

"If you have any special food requests or thoughts, I would be happy to help in that regard too."

~!**!~

Hiei nodded as he finished braiding her hair, leaving it loose enough that some strands purposely fell from the style even as he tied the end with the hair tie. For good measure, he made a point to trail the back of his hand against her skin just before she trailed away, his eyes catching the shimmers of her energy even as his fingers left her skin.

(I'll be here, and I'll help however you want me to.)

As she turned away, he left her to the calls and returned to the bar station, his hands resuming work that had been started minutes before, and finishing that batch in the blink of an eye. *

While on the phone making arrangements for those she knew to be the closest apart from the city dwellers themselves, Shikiyoku pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and sent a few texts to someone else at the same time, cradling the landline between her ear and her shoulders as she talked.

Yusuke's stand was where a lot of transactions took place and tonight would be no exception. The first transport would take place there and when she had confirmation of its expected being on the move, she hung up, knowing finding the others Yusuke asked about would be the more difficult task, but already having in mind a good place to start.

When she turned, she watched Hiei fondly for a breath before moving towards him to let him know she was leaving.

She reached over and put a hand on his upper arm, (I have something for you, Ka-chan.) Her mouth twitched and before she could smile too big, she kissed his lips, and-concentrating for a moment so she wouldn't lose her clothing-her form shimmered around her as she rose above him and one of her hands tipped his chin upwards to follow her as she stayed bent over him, her energy almost immediately caressing across his skin and face and settling warmly into the air around her.

Still wearing the sparring outfit from the other day in the meadow, this form was going to be much more conducive to the sort of work she was about to have to do. (I'm going to want that back later, my little fire.) She winked down at him as she pulled away.

~!**!~

"Yeah, you know...I kind of grew apart from her myself?" Yusuke scratched at his neck self-consciously. "I know I was...her protégé in many regards, but once Shizuru took interest- And you know, I was the worst student anyway." He laughed and then started packing things up again.

"Speaking of whom, I haven't the faintest idea what she'll need, I'm just a messenger boy for the ones we don't need Shikiyoku to fetch. If you wanna know what to bring to something like this, you take it up with Shizuru. She'll be awake the rest of the night arranging things herself. You got her number?" 3

Akari nodded here and there as he talked, ever the attentive listener as Yusuke mentioned his lack of contact with Genkai before her passing. For a moment, she was reminded of Mimi and her grandparents - one of whom had already passed - and how she hadn't sent a letter to them in recent weeks.

Gotta send one when I get home.

"I do," she said of Shizuru's phone number as she nodded her head again. "I was able to nab it last time I was with the girls." She watched Yusuke for a few more minutes before giving a small smile. "Tell me if you think of anything, yeah? I'll give her a call, but it's good to have input from multiple sources."

~!**!~

Hiei knew the moment Shikiyoku meant to move for him, his senses trained on her as they were while he worked, and he set the bottle and glass he'd been holding onto the counter. At the feel of her hand on his arm, he gravitated just a little closer as he turned to face her, meeting her for the kiss that he smiled into at her words.

He didn't expect the tipping of his head as he kissed her, but he followed her upward even without too much prompting and only pulled away to give the tiniest smirk up at her.

The sense of his having enjoyed all of that - the kiss, her shifting, and the promise to want the kiss back from him later - flowed over the bond even as his gaze lit with a sort of mischievousness.

(I look forward to it.) He gave her a look up and down, seeing her energy wafting around her lazily, freely. (...As for this,) he met her gaze again after one last sweeping glance along her frame, (I'm sure Kurama's ego would explode if he knew. It's best to keep it between the two of us.) *

Shikiyoku stood up over him, though she hadn't looked away, and raised an eyebrow at his commentary, seemingly amused.

(You would keep a secret from your oldest friend? You surprise me, Gouka.)

~!**!~

"Booze." Yusuke replied. "That's what I'm bringing."

He gave her a rather Cheshire grin, "I've been told if there isn't drinking and smoking, the kami can 'all go to hell, I'm coming back and haunting your asses.'"

"Just make sure you aren't starting in too early, Urameshi."

He waved and darted out from the back of the stand to give the first of the approaching demons a slap on the back before the second one nearly tackled him dropping out of the sky.

"Akari, you remember Jin! Touya!" Yusuke said after he'd exchanged his own greeting with them.

"It's been a long time, lass!" Jin bounded in her direction. 3

Akari nodded, her smile growing just a little toothy. "I could try my hand at boozy cupcakes to go with the actual booze."

She leaned away from the counter and half shifted away, the idea striking her as a fun experiment, and she might have said a farewell if not for the demon who cut in and the subsequent greeting that followed.

She turned to lean her back against the little restaurant as her eyes alighted on Touya first, and then Jin as the redhead approached first. Her smile grew into a genuine grin as she took a few steps to meet him.

"It's good to see you! This time, we'll be proper drinking buddies instead of hiding away in a secret room."

...Or storming off to find others…

~!**!~

Hiei didn't actually shrug, but the impression of it did fill the bond.

(He'd have to know to ask first. And even then, we'd never hear the end of his 'I was right' boasting.) *

(I never would have expected you to take my side.) She told him. (Though, for what it's worth, I'm also right in this case.) Her eyes glanced down at where the mark was hidden behind her clothing. (I need to go. Remind me later and I'll show you what I mean.) With one last smile, she flitted out the door leaving a slightly golden trail behind that dissipated slowly into the air.

~!**!~

"I'm only sorry that it's under such circumstances we reunite." Touya added.

"Oh, don't be making such a face about it!" Jin piped up, "We're here to celebrate the memory of an amazin' woman!"

"How quickly you forget her treatment of us before we made it to Yomi's."

"And it'll be a story we tell later when we're drinkin'!"

A hum of energy next to the stand made Yusuke take a step back from where he'd come to stand near the side of the little shop and peer around the corner of it as a shorter demon with the hood of his hoodie pulled far over his face stepped closer and caught the former detective's eye.

"I...was not expecting that. Or...you." Yusuke recognized him: the demon who had been teleporting Otento around all those years ago.

The demon almost smiled, his gaze wary between the four already gathered, "I've come to expect the unexpected when it comes to working with Shikiyoku. Including the fact that none of you are involved with the new task force running around."

"Task force?" Touya looked around at the others, who seemed equally surprised.

Terepo scoffed, "Of course you don't know. I'm sure everything you do is deemed an 'insufficient' enough threat to tackle. Meanwhile, they think what I do is access the other side, which they've decided to righteously defend as forbidden."

Yusuke appeared to be thinking, "Oh, yeah, now that you mention it, I guess I have heard of something. About denizens of Spirit World who didn't go with Koenma?"

The other let out a heavy sigh and pulled his hands out of his pockets, "I don't have time to prattle on about the new RKT, but let's just say I owed Shikiyoku a big one for helping me slip away from 'em, and if we dally here too long, they're just as likely to sniff me out. I'd really rather not have to be watching my back every minute, alright?"

"They tryin' tah put you away, boyo?"

"Yeah." Terepo's hands had started glowing as he made gestures in the air around them and symbols began to appear in the air. "They think I'm the prick who ran around opening portals to the Realm of the Dead a few years ago and have been riding my ass ever since."

"You tell 'em it wasn't you?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow.

Terepo only looked away from the symbols in front of him to stare dead pan at Yusuke.

"Yeah, okay. Dumb question."

"Damn right." Terepo muttered, the energy in the air now humming as he brought his hands together and then seemed to push apart a hole into the very air that crackled with purple energy.

"I think I can see why they might think it was you." Yusuke had a hand up to his chin.

"Whatever." Terepo rolled his eyes. "I worked with that guy, but I definitely wasn't that guy. And I could prove it wasn't me, except he's fallen off the face of the planet. Or is likely dead. Since Za Joie can't even find him." He stared at Touya and Jin. "You two coming, or what? I gotta go through last."

Jin gave Akari a quick hug as Touya nodded her direction before all three disappeared.

"We'll see you soon!" 3

Akari definitely recognized the demon who stepped from the darkness and began speaking. She even recognized his voice, though only through distant memory of being stuck in a dark cave with Kurama some years ago.

She blinked and reached up to scratch at her collarbone, the feeling she had pointedly been ignoring the few times she'd been around the demon now on her brain feeling far more intrusive as she remembered Shikiyoku's words: "At least I'm not fooling myself".

She blinked that thought and any other connecting ones away from the forefront of her mind, her eyes refocusing on the demon as he spoke about Task Forces and whatever else he'd been running from since their last run-in.

Though, at his mention of opening 'portals to the Realm of the Dead', the very distinct memory of the thing she'd seen beyond the 'veil' flashed to the front of her mind.

By the time she shook that particular recollection off - and all the residual feelings she harbored about those very vividly-recalled moments - Jin was giving her a hug that she hastily returned just before he stepped through the portal and disappeared from sight.

She blinked a few times at the place where the others had left.

"Well," she said into the silence as she turned to Yusuke with a small smile, "since I've got new recipes to look up and try, I think I'm going to go ahead and take my leave."

~!**!~

Her response about him taking her side was met with the tiniest shrug as he turned back to the orders he'd been working on.

(Why would I agree to do something you're not 100% comfortable about doing?)

His eyes roved her from head to toe again as if looking for anything out of the ordinary, but as she turned to leave, he let himself dip further into the bond just briefly.

(See you soon, my Beloved.) *

Something about the bond between them felt fuller in this form, perhaps fuller of her. Like having only seen a portrait with the upper or lower half of it covered and knowing it was a complete work of art as it stood, but being unable to quantify the parts unseen until the cover was taken away.

Shikiyoku ruminated thoughtfully on his commentary even as she put distance between them.

(Because I probably should have done it, regardless of how uncomfortable it might have made me at the time?)

~!**!~

Part of Yusuke definitely felt like this whole "RKT" thing was none of his business. The other part of him knew that was only because nobody he knew had been chased by them. He tried to make a mental note to bring it up to Shikiyoku later, since it seemed like she was involved or at least knew about it.

"Gonna be baking all day, huh?" Yusuke grinned knowingly as he stepped back behind the counter. "My day will be spent making sure the rest of us on the First know where to be and when. Speaking of which-" He rounded on her, "If you want to save yourself a whole hell of a lot of trouble, make sure you're over in the park before sunset. That's when the last portal is scheduled to take us through." 3

Akari's expression shifted from the small, warm smile she'd harbored for the former detective to a more toothy grin, her eyes twinkling at him. "Technically it is still night, Yusuke, but yes, I will be baking all day - and also all night."

She turned to go, raising a hand in a friendly farewell. "If you need me, you know where I'll be until Sunset."

She took off at a comfortable jog, leaving Yusuke to his task of gathering demons and readying herself for the exciting task of baking for the next several hours.

~!**!~

Again, the bond gave Shikiyoku the impression of a nonchalant shrug in response to her commentary. (Well, now we know.) The sentiment came accompanied with the afterthought of Hiei's retaining the information for any future situations that may be more beneficial for her to switch forms, and how he may be more likely to remind her of this conversation in those times.

As she ran further from him, the distance began to quiet the bond little by little, though his presence remained in their bond for as long as he thought would not distract her even as he himself tended to the orders coming through in the telepathic connection he held with the staff in the bar.

In fact, he remained so 'distracted' by the feeling of existing within the bond that he didn't notice Akihiko's presence in front of him at first, and it wasn't until the second in command spoke up verbally about a drink he wanted that the fire demon pulled out of the bond enough to be able to focus on his surroundings more.

His awareness of his surroundings only grew until he became aware of the rowdier-than-usual guild around the normal table, and as Tarou slammed his tankard on the table, Hiei came to understand Akihiko's retreat to Hiei's station.

He silently set the ordered beverage in front of his second in command, briefly lifting his gaze to meet the other's. "If you're willing to listen, I want to run something by you."

Aki raised a brow as he reached for the glass, a silent 'go on' passing between them.

"It's about a guild hall." *

~!**!~

"Thanks, Terepo."

"Yeah. Don't mention it."

Shikiyoku smiled, "I won't."

He nodded and started to glow purple before disappearing from her sight, likely returning back to whatever anchor he'd placed for himself as an escape route before starting his work for her and once he was completely gone, she turned and stepped back inside the bar, the sun so far down on the horizon that her movement across the floor was more hurried than usual.

(Are you ready to go? Our ride won't wait.) The dark-haired woman asked of her Consort, giving him a glance and a smile as she all but scurried up the stairs with the implication of being right back down as quick as she could.

They were going to be cutting it very close and quite literally needed to dash back out the door once she had things in-hand.3

~!**!~

Akari, true to her word, spent the rest of the night and all of the next day inside her shop, working around the normal goings-on once the doors were open for regular business hours. As Ryouta and her two baristas worked throughout the day, they operated as if she weren't in the shop at all, allowing her to fully focus on her baking and cooling and cleaning as she went on.

As midday turned to evening, Akari began to slow her progress with the intent to wrap up what she was doing within the next hour or so to allow the baked goods to cool properly before transporting.

During that time, she realized she didn't have enough containers to carry the goods in, and took a spontaneous trip to a nearby store to grab what she needed

Somehow, even with the extra time she allowed herself to prepare for departure, she found herself leaving the shop later than she had originally intended, and carrying perhaps far more than she had meant to bring along.

Due to the tower of covered baking pans, cupcake containers, and cake carriers that blocked her view, the dog demon had to make her way to the meetup site by memory and scent.

It was no surprise, then, when she arrived and was aware of several others who were there before her. She could hear the chatter of Botan and Keiko, and the occasional response from Yukina also murmuring something in her softer voice, but it wasn't until she came within sight of the group that she also became aware of Kurama's presence.

She shifted her hold on the various containers in her hands and adjusted herself to hold them precariously against herself in her right arm, and as soon as she was able to see around the tower of goods, she gave a soft smile to the group and called out a 'hey' to announce her presence.

What she didn't expect - and in hindsight, should have been an obvious event that was going to occur - was the group turning to say hello and, upon seeing the not-so-stable pastry containers balanced not-so-perfectly on her one hand, the three girls immediately rushing to her in a flurry of 'oh here, let me help you with that' and 'why did you carry all this by yourself' and other various forms of verbal admonishing and offering of support.

In the next moment, she found her hands completely empty, and she glanced from person to person with a grateful smile. "Thank you! It's good to see all of you, though I wish it was for happier circumstances." She glanced briefly at Kurama, though her attention just as quickly turned back to the girls, all too aware of the emotions she'd been ignoring when in his presence until her most recent chat with Shikiyoku.

"None of that! We are here to celebrate her life, because-" Botan's voice hitched.

"Because that's what she wanted," Yukina finished for her, a gentle hand patting Botan's back.

~!**!~

Hiei dutifully stayed behind the bar for the duration of Shikiyoku's absence, watching the comings and goings of their patrons and even his guild members, who all at some point had taken their leave of the bar late that night and then returned one by one in the afternoon.

Akihiko, always the exception, had purposely stayed behind to keep Hiei company - though the fire demon was more than aware that he was simply an excuse for the second in command to linger instead of going home.

Unbothered by this, Hiei made sure to keep Aki preoccupied with conversation whenever the other seemed receptive, and for the better part of the day, the pair discussed in detail what a guild hall would mean for the group and how it could best be utilized.

The conversation had lulled and developed into a comfortable silence, leaving Hiei to his drink making, when Shikiyoku's presence filled the bar and he became aware of her running through and up to the apartments.

Truthfully, he hadn't done anything to prepare for departure. He hadn't even left his post to change at any point in the day, though he had been rather careful to keep himself clean in the event that she did return so late and they would need to hurry.

Naturally, none of this passed over the bond, and instead he responded with a resounding (I'm ready.)

And by the time she was down the stairs and heading out the door, he'd disengaged from the work he'd been doing and let the guild know he would be gone for a few days, and he followed behind her without hesitation.

Though, as he caught up to her, he made a point to scoop her up from where she'd been running and, with her in his arms, he picked up the pace. He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead briefly before he turned to watch where he was going again.

(Where are we headed?) *

Shikiyoku blinked up at him from his arms, all but startled by the fact that he'd decided to pick her up without any indication for her of his intentions.

Her clothing this time was something much more modest than it had been, the marking Kurama put on her hidden completely by the much higher collar of the blouse she wore.

The kiss to her forehead sent sparkles across her features that settled into the light blush across her cheeks as she fussed with pulling the bag over her outer shoulder onto her lap trying to ignore how he made her feel.

(The park.) A reminder of the tree fox-Kurama had opened a portal into as they headed to the meadow recently showed him exactly where she meant.

With Hiei's speed, the pair made it in more time than Shikiyoku originally projected and as they approached the small clearing, she indicated he could put her down.

After smiling at Akari and the circumstances she found herself in with the other women, Kurama set his own bag down and turned to the large tree here in the park to begin the incantation just as the sun fell below the horizon.

Yusuke, meanwhile, promptly lifted every single box from the others as Kurama finished, and made a big show of letting them slide back and forth in his arms as he waddled first, and loudest, in the direction of the portal. 3

Yusuke's movements around the group, snatching pastry carriers from each person in the clearing, left Akari taking a few steps back to avoid his possible running into her in the midst of his goofing around. For a brief moment, her eyes followed the tilting of the tower of goodies back and forth, but after a second's consideration of the person who so obviously had control of the stack, she simply let out a short huff of a sigh and let her shoulders drop in a sort of tired defeat.

Keiko's following Yusuke through the portal, shouting at his back about not dropping the stack, did make her feel better about the whole thing, though just barely.

Yukina, watching Yusuke's antics and Keiko's response with a quiet fondness, felt a slight pull in the direction behind her and, sensing her twin's approach, she turned to spy Hiei slowing from a run to a walk, finally stopping long enough to lower Shikiyoku from his arms to her feet on the ground, then just as gingerly reaching to take the bag she held from her hand and sling it over his shoulder.

She watched her brother as the two approached, her lips twitching up into a slightly wider smile than before as she remembered the last conversation she'd had with him regarding dates, and as he passed her by, their eyes met for the briefest of moments.

Her smile widened just a little more, and she watched with quiet amusement and approval as his cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink.

The fire demon shifted his hold on the bag over his shoulder just slightly, though he found himself inexplicably giving a brief ghost of a smile back at his twin even as she stepped up to walk alongside him and Shikiyoku through the portal that Kurama had opened. *

Hands glowing the same color as the ring around the door in the bark, Kurama had them lifted at the elbow and pointed in the direction of the portal and smiled as he heard the sigh of Akari next to him. He watched Botan, laughing, follow the first couple through the opening in the tree.

"I can tell I'm going to need a lot more to drink." Kurama said aloud. "My understanding is the others have already started."

Shikiyoku glanced Kurama's direction with a slight smile and small nod of thanks as she and the twins moved through the swirling magics, and Kurama thought he saw some sort of tiredness in her eyes that went deeper than just a lack of sleep.

"After you, my dear." Kurama told Akari when they were the only ones left next to the crackling energy. 3

Akari let her tiredness toll over and away from her awareness, perfectly content with the fact that she had most definitely done this to herself and more than happy with the fruits of her labor.

Though she definitely agreed with Kurama's sentiment as he mentioned drinks, and found herself nodding her head. "Make it a double," she murmured, half to herself and half in agreement with the fox demon.

As the others disappeared into the portal, Akari briefly lost herself in her musings over the next few days, steeling herself for the high-energy celebrations and games that were most definitely to take place.

It wasn't until Kurama invited her through the portal that she blinked back to the present and, after a brief smile of thanks at the other, she stepped through the portal and followed in the direction that she could already hear the others gathered in. *

Slipping his shoes off alongside a couple of other pairs, Yusuke reached up with a socked foot and deftly shoved the door to the tatami room aside, balancing the trays in his arm and proudly announcing the arrival of the "real party" to the sounds of clinking glass both inside the room and the duffle bag slung over his shoulder.

Bodies shuffled around, trays were passed along the table, and glasses and bottles were shoved around to make room for the newest arrivals who made their way into the somewhat smokey environment wafting out the now-open door, one or two cigars having been passed about and Shizuru offering Yusuke a cigarette as everyone made their way in more officially, shoes and extra bags left outside on the covered porch wrapping further along the building.

Drinks were made from a higher table in the corner where the liquor and ice and other things were set down with what had already been gathered, and everyone started to settle back down around the longer table stretching in the middle of the room.

Amongst the greetings and general hellos, Shikiyoku followed the bodies somewhat more quietly than normal, smiling at the others and eventually ending up with a mixed drink in her hand and moving back around to the other side of the table to take a seat on the pillows that had been spread out for reclining.

For his part, Kurama made little ceremony after allowing Akari into the room before him, to going and making the two of them drinks, passing her one with a wink as he too circled the table to have a seat on the opposite side. 3

Hiei followed after Shikiyoku quietly, generally letting her lead the way as his awareness of her tired state left him more inclined to let her make the decisions on where to be and what to do while he silently offered his support by way of his presence in the bond and his quiet offering of his energy to her while in said bond.

As Shiki poured herself a drink, Hiei made a point to pour one for himself before he finally settled next to her at the table with his legs crossed and, all at once realizing he'd missed her in the short time she'd been away from him, he reached over and took her hand in his. After a short, gentle squeeze and a short I'm here flowing to her from his side of the bond, he let himself take stock of the room and where others settled down.

Akari, immediately accosted upon her entry to the designated 'party room' as Chu so put it, smiled and said her hellos and waved away the thanks for the sweets she had brought with, "It's the least I could do."

Before she was even really aware of what was going on around her, she found herself seated next to Shishiwakamaru and Touya, and she downed every drop of a drink that she wasn't even really sure how she'd gotten in the first place.

"Now tha' everyone's 'ere, le's toast to the ol' woman who brough' us together again!"

And just like that, another drink was somehow in front of her and Chu was rallying the group for a reunion toast and all Akari could think of was how long this evening alone would feel. *

As drinks lifted around the room, Kurama stood paused behind Akari where he had slid the mug of coffee and whiskey onto the table for her and lifted his own mug, having risen from his place on the other side of Shikiyoku once the coffee he brewed finished percolating.

He would have made her one too if he thought it would have done any good.

There was a brief silence as everybody took swallows of their drinks, and then conversation picked up again, initially consisting of stories about "grandma" either from Yusuke and his training with her or even many of the others whom-before having gone to Yomi's-spent much time on the compound doing training of their own.

While Hiei's presence with her was certainly appreciated, his voluntary proximity to her was something she still wasn't particularly used to, especially in such a public setting. At first, she thought perhaps his closeness was more happenstance than anything, his shoulder leaning into hers and his crossed leg resting over top of her thighs where she had opted to kneel and then sit more on the hip that ended up closest to him.

The hand-holding was the nail in the coffin of how intentional she realized he was being. Whereas beneath her clothing there were certainly shimmers from his physical contact where he brushed against her, she wasn't quite sure what to do with herself when she felt her own ears tinge pink when he occupied her hand's attention, and in public no less. Thankful he at least had it under the table, she tried not to stare directly at it and the glitters of energy sparkling across it into a discrete fizz. 3

Akari's eyes followed the hand that retreated from the drink placed in front of her until she looked up from her kneeling position to the demon standing behind her, a grateful smile quickly blooming across her lips and she mouthed a quiet 'thank you' in his direction before joining the others in their toasting of Genkai's life.

As the stories of the old woman's adventures and teachings were told and time passed, Hiei sat in silence with nothing to contribute to the conversation, simply letting himself enjoy the contact he shared with Shikiyoku, and being in the presence of her quiet energy amidst the rambunctiousness of the group.

Yukina's turning to him from his right immediately grabbed his attention and he leaned her direction as he turned his head to look at her so that he might hear her.

"I see the date went well enough," she murmured, barely able to be heard over the sudden laughter that filled the room. "Did you have fun?"

Warmth flashed across Hiei's face for the briefest moments before he nodded in her direction, "She seemed to enjoy it well enough, even when I tripped over-"

"OI!" Chu's voice boomed over the group all at once, "Aren't you s'posed to be twins?"

Hiei and Yukina glanced up simultaneously, both answering at the same time with a simple, "Yes."

"Then WHY d'ya," he pointed at Hiei, "look older than 'er?" he pointed at Yukina this time.

Hiei turned to look at Yukina as if noticing her apparent age for the first time and, after some deliberation, he shrugged and turned back to Chu. "The guild and I spend a lot of time on other levels." *

"I'm sor'y, wat?" Chu eventually replied into the bit of silence that grew between himself and the pair across from him. He glanced at Yukina, to whom the news seemed no new surprise, and raised his eyes and caught sight of Jin at the other end of the table beyond Kurama.

"YOU know dis guy gotta guild?!" He jerked his chin Hiei's direction.

Jin's eyebrows raised and he shared a glance with Touya, Suzuki down on the completely opposite end from them leaning forward with a, "Say what?" aimed down at Jin.

"'Ow come you never tol' us?" Chu's head whipped back down the other side where Yusuke sat at the head of the table across from Shizuru. "Seems kinda important!"

The coffee had been a last minute addition to Kurama's bag, and he was very interested in Akari's reaction to it, eyes roaming in her direction every so often to try and see if it would merely be the act of drinking it waking her up or if she would take notice of a caffeine buzz of any kind.

While he had not himself felt quite ready to test his own progress on anyone else, this was the strongest version of the kind the humans made, one that required jumping through several hoops to actually get hands on. Studying the stuff had been quite useful and while he could simply fuse his own energy with it to make it more potent, he found the exercise of attempting to propagate an equivalent more agreeable. 3

Akari sipped at the wonderfully warm beverage, aware on some level of the alcohol mixed in and how it married with the smooth coffee flavor, and she wondered briefly why she hadn't done this for herself on days where she felt she needed an extra kick to her day.

While it didn't seem to really 'wake her up' in terms of the caffeine content - not that she had expected it to - she found that the alcohol mixed with the coffee had enough of a flavor kick to at least make her more aware of the things going on around her.

In the midst of Chu's excited commentary over Hiei's change in appearance, Akari turned to Kurama and raised the mug briefly in his direction. "This is good, thank you. What coffee did you use?"

Yukina gave Hiei an apologetic look that the fire demon shook his head at. "I expected this," he told her quietly even as Yusuke gave some snarky response to Chu's accusation of keeping them out of the loop. "It happens at the bar with the mark."

As if Hiei's murmurings called Chu's attention to them, the other finally took notice of the swirling tattoos that decorated the side of Hiei's face that hadn't been so obvious when the other had been half-turned in Shikiyoku's direction before.

As Hiei turned to murmur something else to his twin that Chu definitely could not hear, the speechless demon nudged Rinku next to him and pointed at the demon across the table. "Wha'..."

Never the one to be shy, Rinku picked up where Chu left off. "Where'd you get the markings?"

Hiei's sharper features turning to eye the younger demon seemed even more pronounced with the swirls that stopped just below the left eye. When Hiei did not immediately answer, Rinku and Chu only continued to stare as Hiei deliberated how much attention would be brought onto Shikiyoku once he indulged their curiosity, unsure if she would be ok with having that attention in her current state. *

"They're mine."

It wasn't...quite possessive of a tone, but as if she had yet to miss a beat in any conversation-when truthfully she had heard little about what happened around her-Shikiyoku's answer firmly vibrated the air between herself and Rinku.

If the various members of the table unaware of Hiei's relationship to Shikiyoku weren't already straining to hear answers, they certainly fell silent as the dark-haired woman spoke up and gave Hiei's hand a squeeze.

The yellow energy within him swirled to the surface of his skin at her call, the tattoos beginning to glow upwards from where she held his hand, until the last bit curled across his face and came to a stop.

She raised her eyebrows in a mild expression of waiting when Rinku, at least, glanced her way.

"The word you're looking for is 'Consort.'"

Shishiwakamaru snapped his fingers in the air next to him, "That's right. Consort to a Kuraku."

Most of the rest of them interested in the conversation made murmurs of recognition, having spent a lot more of their time in the other levels of the word, except for Jin and Touya, who knew her well enough by now to have already known.

Next to her, Kurama's lips twitched, and he looked back towards Akari, "It's called 'Demon's Summit.'" The name certainly made amusement flicker across his features. "There's over thirteen hundred miligrams of caffeine per twelve fluid ounces brewed. Most definitely not for the faint of heart where humans are concerned." 3

Akari blinked, remembering briefly that the coffee she had roasted from a local roaster didn't have nearly as much caffeine as the one she currently sipped at did, though she had no other frame of reference for caffeine strength to go off of.

She took another longer sip this time. "I like it," she said again, making a mental note to look up this particular coffee once she was home again.

A brief sense of satisfaction slipped through the bond between Hiei and Shiki the very second that Shikiyoku spoke up, and it only grew when he felt the warmth of her energy spreading over the dark swirls decorating his skin.

He couldn't quite help the lopsided smirk that stretched across his features, his pride at his station in life shining in his eyes as Shikiyoku supplied the title for the others.

In this moment, he did not mind the gazes that lingered on him as her energy continued to glow on his skin, a part of him glad that Shikiyoku did not mind coming out of her meditative resting mental state long enough to have this moment.

He squeezed her hand back. *