A/N: Are the days blurring for anyone else? I'm too afraid to look at the last time I updated anything. Don't tell me, guys. It's been a while, I know. Things are rough, and the words just aren't coming. I'm sorry x.x
This idea was actually requested by two people, Mrs. HatakePrime and bluerose921, so thank you guys so much! I hope you enjoy a day with Hiei. I know he didn't. Thanks for reading, and stay safe, everyone!
I'd been so sure of myself when I'd accepted Mukuro's invitation to come to Alaric, but standing at the foot of her tower, I'm having serious second thoughts. Aside from the fact that the last time I spoke to her, I was on the winning side of a tournament bout, there's a certain demon here I've been trying to avoid.
The men out front escort me inside, up to the top, and into an empty chamber. It's dark, with smooth stone floors and a row of windows looking out over the ground below. After I've been alone for a few minutes, I start to wonder if maybe I've been stood up. Sighing, I walk over to the windows, gazing out at Alaric. It's not pretty country, at least not this close to Mukuro's. Demon World is such a mess in general, and I can't understand why Hiei wants to stay here. Personally, I think this place is a lost cause.
"She doesn't need to be here," a familiar voice snaps from somewhere beside me as a door opens and Hiei and Mukuro step into the room.
"You don't get to tell me what to do with my guests," Mukuro replies, shaking her head. "Ah, Asaki."
"Tch." Hiei narrows his eyes at me. "Go home."
"Piss off," I reply. "I'm not here for you."
"That's what you think," he growls. "Mukuro wants us to patrol together."
"Patrol?" I wrinkle my nose in distaste, looking over at Mukuro.
"Some things came up that I need to attend to," she says. "Rather than have you sit here and do nothing for a few hours, I thought you two might want to catch up."
"Stop making decisions for other people," Hiei snaps. "You're irritating."
"And you're rude. Now get to work. I'll be back in time for dinner."
"Hag," Hiei says, crossing his arms as Mukuro gives me a wave and leaves through the door I used to enter this room. Once she's gone, Hiei looks me over, curling up his lip. "You haven't been training."
"I've been a little busy," I reply.
"Sucking face with Kurama?"
"You know what, Hiei, I am not in the mood for your attitude. I have a lot going on right now, and you have very much lost the right to comment on my life choices."
"I don't recall needing permission to tell you you're wasting your time."
"You are so...so...gah!" I turn away from him, fire leaping across my skin. "I don't even know why I was worried about seeing you. You're always like this. We never have real conversations."
"We have nothing to talk about," he replies. Maybe he's right. Maybe this isn't working. Can we really be friends if all we do is take shots at each other? "Why were you worried about seeing me?"
"Because I knew you'd be mad."
"Why do you even care what I think?"
"We're friends," I say, turning to face him again. "Or at least, I thought we were."
We stare at each other for a few seconds, my words just hanging in the air. An eternity passes before Hiei lets out a sigh, saying, "Let's go," and turning to leave the room.
"Go?"
"On patrol. I don't like sitting idle."
"Yeah. Okay." I tug on the end of my ponytail, dislodging the whole thing and throwing it up into a tighter one. Old habits die hard.
"Hiei, sir." The men at the base of Mukuro's tower snap salutes as we walk past, which might have made me smile if I wasn't feeling so down.
Hiei doesn't react to the salutes, just walking past and out into a bright afternoon. "Don't slow me down," he says, casting a glance over his shoulder at me.
"I won't." He starts to run, and I keep pace. "What are we patrolling for?"
"Stray humans. Unruly demons. There's been an increase in demon and human trafficking in the area lately. Catching anyone in the act would be ideal."
"Sounds good." Ever since the Demon World Tournament, the barrier between Living and Demon World has gotten weaker and weaker. Spirit World is keeping a close eye on demons coming onto the human side, but when humans accidentally fall through, it's up to patrols like Hiei's to find them and bring them back. Otherwise, if the miasma doesn't kill them, they'll fall prey to traffickers for who knows what kinds of purposes. Between what my father has told me and the occasional visit from Koenma, I've been keeping tabs on the numbers in both directions. It's just a trickle right now, but I know that Enki hopes for demons to be able to live in peace with humans one day.
Fat chance, but it's a nice thought.
Hiei and I stop moving at the same time, and he points to the nearest tree, leaping to the top in one jump. We're not all tree gremlins. I extend a hand, and he yanks me roughly up to where he is. We crouch there, waiting for the energy signals we'd sensed heading this way. Four demons pass beneath us, but their conversation isn't anything exciting. Just talk about being hungry.
"Let's go," Hiei says, hopping down once they're gone. I follow suit, and we set off, taking to the trees a few more times, all to no avail.
"Hiei, if you're looking for human traffickers, why don't we bait them out?" He raises an eyebrow, and I point to myself.
"Absolutely not," he snaps.
"Why not? It's not like I can't take care of myself, and you'll be right there, waiting."
He grits his teeth, and I know he wants to fight me on this. I know it's a dangerous plan, but it's a good one. Even he can see that.
"I won't sit human for long. If the miasma starts getting to me, I'll just change back. Trust me."
"Fine. But if you die, it's not my fault."
"Of course not. Now, go hide somewhere. I've got to get into character."
He gives me a disgusted eye roll before disappearing into the trees once more. I can't see him, and he's dampened his energy, so I can't sense him either, but I know he's there. It's strange, but despite our differences and how often we argue, I always feel safe knowing he's watching my back. This little ploy is just like old times, back when we used to work together for other less-than-noble purposes.
When I change into human form, I have to resist the urge to throw up a barrier. The miasma is thick, and the effect is immediate, filling my lungs and clinging to my skin like a film. My eyes burn, and while I want to fight it, I know a normal human wouldn't be able to. So, instead, I let it beat me, falling to my knees as a haze settles in my mind. Everything feels kind of fuzzy, and I don't notice the demons until they're in the clearing with me.
Dazedly, I look up as one of them grabs my hair and yanks my head back to look in my eyes. He's buff, orange, and has gross breath. I think pieces of his lunch are still stuck in his teeth. Poor soul that suffered being this man's meal.
"Well, lookee here," the orange demon says, grinning. "A live one."
"Careful, Rat. Wouldn't want to damage the merchandise," another demon says, and I have to avoid reacting. This new demon has short gray hair all over his body, a long, worm-like tail, a snout, and whiskers. If anyone should be called Rat, it's him.
"Of course, sir," Rat replies, and the dozen other demons that have circled me laugh.
"Know any buyers interested in brunettes?" the rat-faced demon asks, smiling lazily down at me. "If I had the coin, I can't say I wouldn't purchase her myself." He reaches out to touch me, and I jerk away.
"Stupid bitch," Rat says. "No filthy human disrespects Ollen like that." He tosses me by my hair face first into the dirt.
"Easy, Rat," Ollen replies. "It's good she's got a little bit of fight in her. It's a pity when they die before they reach their buyers."
Anytime now, Hiei. Someone kicks me in the side before shoving me onto my back. It's Ollen, and this time, he isn't smiling. "A few bruises wouldn't hurt, I think."
"That's no way to treat property," I grunt, pushing myself to a sitting position.
Ollen narrows his eyes, putting a hand on his hips. "She speaks. Good to know you understand your position. Human chattel that stink up Demon World serve only two purposes: food or slaves. If you don't keep your mouth shut, you'll end up the former."
"Human trafficking in Demon World?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
He frowns, taking a step toward me. "You should be crying, begging for mercy, not asking stupid questions. What are you-"
A cloud of dust erupts from the center of the circle, and I cover my eyes to prevent being blinded. When it settles a little, I can make out Hiei's silhouette, and I sigh in relief. I'm not keen on getting kicked around anymore, and my human body is struggling with this miasma.
Standing, I shift into demon form, the relief from the miasma almost instant, crossing my arms as Hiei says, "Come quietly, and no one gets hurt." But from the look in his eyes, it appears he's hoping they don't listen.
"Who the hell are you to order us around?" Rat snaps, taking a step toward Hiei. Ollen throws out his arm, holding his comrade back.
"That's Mukuro's right hand man," Ollen says. "I saw him fight in that tournament a while ago."
"Your reputation precedes you, Hiei," I reply, grinning. "I'm almost jealous."
"If they had half a brain between them, they'd be worried about you too," he replies, hand resting casually on the hilt of his sword.
"No one suspects the half-demon," I say.
"They should learn to," he says.
Rat grunts, pushing against Ollen's arm. "Only weaklings would be afraid of mutts!" he snarls.
"Rat." Ollen's voice is sharp, and Rat stops trying to get past him, clearly surprised. "The punishment for trafficking is death." No one says anything at his words, the clearing falling silent. Not even a bird or the rustle of life in the grass breaks the tension.
"I'm not dying here!" someone shouts, dashing for the tree line. I raise a hand, and a circle of flame surrounds us. No escape. Not for people like this.
Hiei draws his sword, a small smirk on his face. "If you want to surrender, now's the time."
"Like hell!" Rat shouts, lunging at the shorter demon. He's impaled before he even gets the chance to swing.
Hiei kicks the dead body off his sword, turning to face Ollen. "Next."
And then everything is chaos. The twelve remaining demons charge at us, determined to do something, anything rather than wait for their execution. I guess if you're going to die anyway, die fighting.
A couple of them take Hiei, but the majority are on me. Apparently they think they have a better shot at taking out a half-demon. Maybe if they were strong at all, they'd be right. However, I make short work of most of them, not even a scratch on me. Just when I think this will be done and over with before I have time to break a sweat, something hits me in the back, and I cry out.
Torching the demon before me, I spin around, one hand on the gash that runs perpendicular to my spine. It's pretty deep, and my fingers come away bloody. Ollen is standing in front of me, his hands pressed together. He swipes downward, and a blade of air whistles toward me. I sidestep it, healing the wound on my back.
"You're absolutely asking for it," I growl, dropping into a fighting stance.
"I refuse to die like this," he hisses.
"How do you think the humans and demons you've sold felt?" I ask, fire sparking at my fingertips. "You destroyed many lives, and you think you get a choice now?"
"What would you know?" he barks, sending wave after wave of wind blades at me. I raise a hand, summoning up a barrier that blocks each one. The expression on his face gets more and more desperate the longer this goes on. "Stupid half-demon! You don't know what I've been through. This was my only choice."
"There are always other choices," I reply. "A difficult past does not exonerate you of a criminal present."
"Shut up!" He launches a torrent of wind my way, but it bounces off, felling a few of the nearby trees. "Someone like you could never understand. You could never understand my suffering."
"Pathetic." Hiei stops behind Ollen, his sword raised and slicked with blood. "Stop whining and face your death."
"SHUT UP!" Ollen's scream sends wind flying at Hiei, and he braces himself, arms covering his face as he lets the gale tear at his skin, leaving bloody gashes in its wake. He lowers his arms, but before he can move, there's a loud cracking sound, and one of the trees nearby begins to fall.
I dash past Ollen and Hiei, raising my hands and incinerating the tree before it can crush my friend. All that's left is enough ash to choke a person. My hair and clothing are covered in it, and no amount of brushing myself off seems to help. "Dammit, Hiei!" I grunt. "Just finish him."
"Tch." Hiei flash steps forward and rends Ollen in two. It's a clean swipe. The rat-faced demon is dead before he has time to react.
"You make everything so complicated," I tell Hiei, walking over to stand beside him.
"Do you really believe that?"
"Yes. You do make things harder than they need to be."
"Not that." Hiei turns to face me, his expression serious. "That your past doesn't excuse your present?"
"Absolutely," I reply. "If you tried to use your past as an excuse to hurt people, I wouldn't forgive you."
"Then redemption is possible?"
"If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be here now." I smile at him, and he clears his throat, looking away.
"Whatever. You took too long finishing him off. I don't want to clean up after you."
"Then don't," I reply, flicking some ash at him. "Here." I reach out, putting my hand on his arm. He stiffens, but he doesn't pull away as I heal him. When I let go, he steps back.
"We should leave before something comes to take care of the corpses."
"Leave them for someone to eat?" I ask, frowning.
"They're traffickers. They don't deserve a proper burial."
I sigh, tugging on my braid. He's probably right. Rolling my shoulders, I say, "Let's get out of here, then. I'm not keen on hanging around dead bodies."
Hiei nods, and turns to head back to Mukuro's. I take a step to follow, and my head starts swimming, almost sending me careening into the dirt. Pressing a hand to my forehead, I close my eyes, leaning over and taking deep breaths.
"What is it?"
"I don't know," I say, opening one eye to see Hiei standing in front of me. "Maybe sitting in the miasma took more out of me than I realized. I feel kind of...dizzy."
"Tch." He looks like he wants to say something rude but changes his mind, which I appreciate. I don't really feel like starting something again. He turns away from me, saying, "Climb on."
"Excuse me?"
"I'm not waiting for you to feel better. Either climb on my back, or I'm leaving you behind."
I'm too dumbstruck to argue. Hiei's grown taller in the past few years, but he's still about three inches shorter than me. Part of me is worried I'll tip him over or something, but when I put my arms around his neck, it's actually a surprisingly easy fit. He stands upright, and I swing my legs around his waist, his hands locking behind my knees. And then, we're flying.
Okay, not really flying, but Hiei runs so fast. I knew he was only keeping pace with me earlier, but I hadn't realized I was slowing him down quite so much. Even carrying me, he's probably slower than he would normally be. This speed is blinding, trees whipping past quicker than I can blink. Every time he jumps over something, a fallen log, a rock, my stomach flips, and it feels like I've left it behind with no hope of catching up.
When we reach Mukuro's tower, he sets me down, and I promptly fall on my backside. "Holy cow, Hiei. How do you even see going that fast?"
"Your eyes are as slow as your feet," he replies, his arm stuck straight out, elbow locked, hand down toward me. It takes me a second to realize he's offering to help me to my feet. He looks so stiff, standing there like that, but I'm not about to ignore an olive branch when I see one. I take hold of his hand, and he yanks me roughly upright.
"I'll take my slow eyes, thank you very much. I think if I'd processed half of what we ran past, I might have gotten sick."
"If you'd thrown up on me, I would have killed you."
"At that speed, it would have just hit me in the face," I say, smiling. He makes a rough sound, kind of like a laugh as a smirk stretches across his face.
"That could have been entertaining."
"Asshole."
"Likewise."
The sound of footsteps draws our attention from each other, and we both look to see Mukuro walking toward us. She raises a hand in greeting, and I wave back. Hiei doesn't, and the smile he'd been trying so hard not to sport falls at her approach.
"Well, I'm glad to see you two getting along," Mukuro says, stopping before us. "Dare I ask what brought that on?"
"Murder," I reply, earning a raised eyebrow from Mukuro and a snort from Hiei. I shoot him a wry smile, and he actually returns it.
When neither of us add anything more, Mukuro shrugs, saying, "All right. Keep your secrets." She turns and gestures for us to follow her inside.
Hiei rolls his eyes at her back, glancing over at me. "You're strong enough for the path you've chosen. At least, for now."
I blink, surprised as he heads in after Mukuro. I think that was a compliment. That sneaky little gremlin.