I chewed on my cuticles, watching in my mind as Gandalf consulted Gimli on where to go within the Mines of Moria. I sat on edge with Frodo and Aragorn and Sam, my nerves on edge with them as they waited longer than usual for Gandalf to reach his decision on where they would go now within the maze that was Moria. This was one of my favorite parts, and it got me on edge every time. The darkness, the danger, the haunting descriptions of Gimli's song...

The leaves on the branch next to me shifted, a breeze moving aside my bangs. I glanced up, feeling someone's eyes on me. It had happened several times now since I had crawled up here, and while I can usually sense when someone comes near me, this presence was masked. Familiar, but masked. It was a little frustrating, but I wasn't prepared to forego my peaceful little spot just because some demon wanted to be an asshole.

I focused back on the Mines of Moria, allowing myself to be swept away once more in the mystery, the pure tension surrounding the fellowship. I could hear the cries of anguish and feel the fear as Gandalf was lost, and waited with baited breath as the fellowship made their way to Lothlórien to meet Galadriel and Celeborn.

I grit my teeth, whipping my head up to try and catch whoever it was that was sitting there stalking me. No one was there again, and that presence was still too close and too familiar. I KNEW whoever this was, but I couldn't place it.

I glanced down at the pages again determinedly ignoring the presence, which I admit was not necessarily the most intelligent decision I had made today, and tore my way through the chapter. I felt a breeze, and a discernibly more bright aura surrounding me, and I turned left to smile at Jin.

"You've been rather distant the last few days." I noted, placing my bookmark in back in the page and tucking it in my cargo pocket. "I thought I'd done something to offend you."

"Nah lass, jus bein respectful o' distance." He landed on the tree gracefully, giving me a knowing smirk. I was confused, and let it show on my face. "Yer lover wit da red eyes. Givin some awful dark looks since we been trainin' together. Didn't want ta start no trouble."

I felt my chest heat up, sure my face was on fire once again. "I don't... what..."

He laughed, ruffling my hair. "Ye don' have ta deny it, lass. Everyone knows, I jus want ye ta be careful if some low life comes round ta mess wit him through ya."

"What do you mean everyone knows? Everyone knows what?!" I demanded, my heart speeding up. He just wiggled his eyebrows at me and grinned. I hit his shoulder, hurting myself far more than I was hurting him. "Get your mind out of the gutter! Why does everyone think that's the only thing a boy and girl can do when they're alone together!"

He just laughed harder and poked my cheek affectionately. "So you don' deny it then."

"There... I don't even... I'm not comfortable talking about this with you, Jin!" I smacked his hand away and started my descent down the tree.

"Don' get defensive, love. Twas jus wondering."

"Hiei isn't going to get involved with a human." I paused on a branch partway down and fidgeted with my braid, frustrated at the fresh bout of reminders that I was hopelessly infatuated with a demon that was way out of my league and who would never stop to look twice at me. "That's all there is to it, Jin. Let's just drop it."

He gave me a funny look, glancing me up and down, and finally put his hands on his hips. "De both o' ya are idjits."

I glared at him, crossing my arms and leaning back into the tree trunk. "You don't know anything about this."

"Pout all ye want." he dismissed. "Ye know I'm right. Ye go abou' starin' and he follows ye around te make sure ye ain't gettin in no trouble. Ye go hidin' up in trees to avoid yer problems and he goes te the opposite side o' the island to avoid his. Ye both need te get yer heads out o` yer asses."

"I am not hiding from my problems! I just want to read my book in peace!"

"O ya, ah course ya do."

"Get out of my tree if you're going to be mean."

"Ye gonna make me?"

One swift kick pushed him off of the branch, and it would have been amazing, except for the fact that Jin just crossed his legs and laughed at me floating in midair. I rolled my eyes, climbing down the branches and wandering down the path. His laughter died to a thoughtful silence, and thankfully he made no attempt to come after me.

Hiei seeing me as anything more than a pest... what a joke.

I sighed, yesterday draining all of my energy away once more. Distraction could only work so long, I suppose. Genkai kept flitting around my mind, her voice telling me that I needed to focus, that I needed to look at all elements involved to understand and to follow my gut instincts. It was terrifying, like she was actually speaking into my mind.

Water surrounded me in a bubble, shielding me as I consciously became aware of the demon leaping at me from a branch on my left. I waved my arm, sending him off behind me.

"I'm not in the mood." I warned her, crossing my arms. She hissed at me, eyes flitting around at my water, and she bolted rather than continue fighting. I sighed, letting the water back into the flask at my hip. I would never understand demons.

"You're distracted today."

I tensed, recognizing that voice. Now I just knew who he was.

"Everyone has their days." I countered, turning to face him. "What are you doing out here, Toguro?"

He smirked, light flashing across his sunglasses. Of course there was no answer. Why should the man who brought my friends to this island to die answer any of my questions?

"You could have just let security hurt me. You didn't have to help me; Why did you do it?"

"You weren't involved in my plans for Yusuke Urameshi." He answered my silent accusation with a casual dismissal.

"And the first day we met?"

"I couldn't ignore such potential." Once more he answered so casually, like he was talking about the weather. I sighed, looking down at the ground.

"Well, regardless of your reasons, thank you. You jump-started this. But I'm not going to be happy about you bringing my friends here to meet their ends. I'm just not."

"I expected nothing less."

I looked down at my feet, scuffing my shoe in the dirt while I tried to think of something else to say. There was nothing really to say.

"She had a good life."

I frowned up at him. "What?"

"Mourning her passing is not what she would have wanted. She was a fighter who fought until the end. Practice what she taught you. Let her live through your techniques."

"What the hell do you know about Genkai?" I snapped, my temper flaring through everything else I was feeling. "You didn't even know her; don't tell me what she would have wanted from me like I don't already know!"

"Genkai and I had history." He stated. I stared at him, waiting for more, and felt frustration rising quicker and quicker with him just smirking at me.

"You're not going to elaborate, are you?"

He chuckled, turning around and meandering into the woods.

Of course, because why wouldn't someone just piss me off for the fun of it today?

I kicked the dirt hard, grinding my teeth and stalking back toward the hotel. Since apparently everyone and their demonic grandmothers are out and about today, that room is the only place I can just be alone and think. My mind was too clouded to think properly; how did Genkai know Toguro? Why didn't she tell us?

"Shut up." I muttered at Jin's grinning face. His chuckle followed me a little ways into the woods, echoing off the trees. I wanted to wipe that smirk off his face in the same breath that I envied his outlook and ability to laugh at anything that came his way. He really was one of a kind, and becoming one of my best friends regardless of how much I wanted to sock him one. I could feel the corners of my mouth quirking at that thought. Who would've thought?