h1span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chapter 23: Someone Else/span/h1
p class="MsoNormal" /p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';" Hiei's hand does not leave my back, his other hand on his sword. Kurama walks ahead of us and neither of them mentions yesterday. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Are you hungry?" Kurama offers politely /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I can eat and walk, just a snack."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Hiei offers me some… fruit? and water./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Thanks." The little oval things are sweet and delicious./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Your welcome." His eyes are different. His hand on me is different. Like… like he's not hiding anymore, like he doesn't care if anyone knows. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Hiei…" I glance at Kurama but he pretends not to be listening. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Hmm?" he looks at me with his soft eyes, red eyes… I never thought they could ever be so comforting. "I love you." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"The corner of his mouth turned upward "I love you too." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Kurama glanced over his shoulder the slightest of bits, Hiei must have known but he didn't spare a glance or pretend he didn't say it. His hand trailed up my back and cradled the back of my head "Your hair is a bit of an awkward length." He notes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I decided to grow it out."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""how come?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I… I don't know… I think…" my head aches. "I think I someone else liked it longer." I rubbed at my temples./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Your head is hurting?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah, I don't know why."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Have a drink of water, I can shorten your hair for you if you like, I think you'll be more comfortable. It's starting to tangle."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yeah." I rubbed the weird ache away "yeah, I'd like that please." I pressed closer to him and walked tucked into his side. He pulled me against him and pressed a hesitant kiss to the top of my head. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I like those." I try to whisper it because I don't really want Kurama making fun of us later. Hiei offers another and his heated demon energy surrounds me. It feels safe. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';" We break near the end of the day. Hiei takes his sword and in swipes I can't even see but I can feel the cold edge of the blades energy chopping away the sides. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""There." Hiei's sword is already sheathed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Already?" I feel the sides of my head, they're shaved like I used to have them./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I saw a picture in your room, I mimicked as best I could. Its's not perfect but that should be more manageable." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""thank you." I grab his hand and pull him down beside me. I wrap my arms around him and rest against him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""is this okay?" I ask. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""perfect." He wraps his free arm around me and keeps the other over his sword. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""if I'm being too clingy just let me know and I'll stop—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""if you ever stop, Nuni, I would be extremely upset with you. You already told me you're affectionate. I expect it from you and… his cheek tinted pink, he looked away like he was embarrassed. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I enjoy it… from you." He clarified as if to ward off anyone else who might try to show him affection. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""promise?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Promise?" he asked "Don't ask me that." He grumbles "I will never lie to you." His red eyes seemed to pierce straight into me. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Okay." I peck a kiss to his cheek. I like that he's so close to my height, I can reach him. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Eat." He commands "and then we'll sleep and be up before sunrise./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Yes sir." I rest against his side and eat and breathe in the warmth of his aura. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strongHiei/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"strong /strongspan style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Nuni's skin is cold but whenever she lays against me like this a strange warmth spread over my skin. I make flames from my aura and yet I've never felt this warmth. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She's doing better it seems." Kurama remarked /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She shouldn't have had to suffer through that to begin with."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""but she did and she has laid all her trust on you still."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""you think I don't know that?" I snap at him. Nuni's hand tightens around my arm, she falls asleep so easily now./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""You'll wake her if you're not careful." Kurama taunted me. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""you're having fun aren't you." I growl at him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I enjoy seeing an old friend fall in love." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"I opened my mouth to deny it mostly on reflex./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""hiei." She breathed my name and I froze./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She's worth it." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""do you really not care how she looks at all?" Kurama watched me curiously. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""what do her looks have to do with anything"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""most men—"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I am a demon remember." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""most creatures, even demons, look for a pretty face first."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""please?" Hiei rolls his eyes "what even is a pretty face?" I shake my head. At the though. "she's a human, if anything my third eye should scare her away and yet she doesn't seem to mind it."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She is truly a mystery." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Why do you say that?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She never reacts the way I think she is going to, she bounces back and yet there are moments where it's almost like she's not sure who she is, like a vital piece of information is missing from her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"I kept eye contact with him./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""you know something."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""She has a gap in her memory. I don't know if her own mind did it or if someone else did it to her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""can you not bring it out. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Not without subjecting her to the things she doesn't want to remember, no."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Did you offer to help her remember."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""no."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""why not?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""theres… there's another male in her memory… I think she loved him first."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I see…"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""do you see?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I understand your hesitation."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""you won't speak a word of this to her.:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""it's between you two."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Good, keep it that way."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"You should tell her, before she finds out. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""she won't find out if you keep your mouth shut." I snap/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""she's highly intelligent, she will find out Hiei." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I know!" I snap at him "I know I just… I just got her."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""How can you have her if she's somebody else's?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""They shouldn't have left her alone." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Perhaps you're right but how well do you think she'll trust you after you chose to keep her own secrets from her.?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""That's none of your concern."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""I am concerned, Hiei, I'm concerned you'll lose her if you keep this secrecy up."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""We'll be at the Pharoah's soon, maybe he has something to do with her past."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""Maybe he is what she doesn't remember… what will you do then."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';""If I have the opportunity." I look down at Nuni, curled into me, searching for strength, trust, warmth from me, no one else, not even Kurama, she reaches for no one else. I can't afford to lose her. "I'll kill him before she sees him."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';" Author Note:/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"Nothing crazy, will just be getting all the chapters up as soon as possible so expect daily updates at least and a few multi day updates. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"thanks for reading XOXO/span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"as always. would love to see your thoughts/span/p