Hiei sat on the roof, eyes closed as the afternoon sky turned to dusk. The newest member of their household was irksome. Even more irksome since her section of the house was right next to his. Whether Botan planned it that way, or not, it still meant that they would see more of each other than either of them wanted. Hiei because he was an asocial demon; her because she feared him.
He wasn't stupid. He had seen the fear in those bottomless blue-grey orbs as he'd threatened to burn her. That was good, obviously. He didn't need anyone else trying to pry into his life like the others did every day. It was bad enough that the blasted fox could read him so easily! He didn't need another person attempting to figure him out.
He took another deep breath and sighed it out. This wasn't going to be any fun. Killing, maiming, stealing—those were fun. Babying sitting a bunch of humans and weaklings, and making sure a stupid wench like Her was able to stay alive was definitely not on the list of fun things in his life. No matter if it meant he would potentially have the chance to kill or maim.
Only the sounds of the natural world around him could be heard as he opened his Jagan eye after pulling away the white headband he wore to cover it. After another deep breath, he turned his attention to the world around him, using it to see where everything and everyone was around him. Kuwabara was ordering in pizza to celebrate meeting his friend and her moving in with them. Yusuake was talking with his girlfriend Keiko on the phone. Botan was gone and Kurama was…
"I'm right beside you Hiei," the red head warned as he climbed up next to him. "I can feel your 'sight' on me. Why do you feel the need for that?"
Kurama was the only one there who could read Hiei, and for that, Hiei always spoke the truth to Kurama—though he never was gentle about it either. But it was far more than he did for the other two idiots he now lived with. Kurama was the closest thing Hiei had to someone he could count on. Dare he say Kurama was his only friend? Pah.
"There is something here. I can't pinpoint it without the Jagan eye being open," Hiei admitted dryly. "Somethings after the girl already."
"My, my, Hiei. Concerned for someone else?" Kurama teased.
"No." It was blunt and swift, a tad annoyed as well. "I just refuse to let her death keep me stuck here longer than I absolutely need to. The human world is disgustingly full of life."
Kurama chuckled before growing serious. "Can you pinpoint it now?"
"If you shut up, maybe."
Kurama fell silent as Hiei once more closed his eyes and focused. There were three mice in the kitchen. Damn it! He didn't want mice! He wanted what was after the water demon!
Almost immediately on those thoughts his vision was filled with an odd perspective of someone in a shower. What the…? It was only as the towel was raised by invisible hands that Hiei knew where and what the thing was doing. Ruby eyes snapped open and Hiei disappeared from his spot. Doors flew open in his wake, giving Kurama a clear path to follow.
Damn it don't be dead!
Hiei threw open the door to the bathroom, staring as the towel ziplined back against Maribella's neck, twisting and tying tight. Maribella gave a weak scream of surprise and then began struggling as Hiei brandished his sword and cut at the air around where the invisible perpetrator had been. Blood could be seen for a split second before a deep rumbling laughter could be heard echoing away.
The towel fell from around Maribella's neck as she stumbled back against the wall of the shower, staring at the towel in horror. Hiei growled, his prey gone now that the laughter had died away. His Jagan eye practically glowed as it tried to find the source of the laughter and attack but … couldn't. He had to be too far away which made no sense to him. They were inside Genkai's dojo. They were in the human realm. The only way they could be too far away was if the demon had gone back to the Makai but that made even less sense since a portal hadn't opened up. Unless the demon was so powerful that he could telepathically reach through the barrier…
His ruby eyes finally turned to the woman in the shower. "He's gone now," He said before well just kinda falling quiet. Holy… It wasn't that he hadn't seen a woman's flesh before. The scars that she believed marred her skin were so … beautiful. The idea made him blink and draw his gaze back up to Maribella's face, though the image would stay with him for quite some time. It took him a moment but then he reacted in the only way he knew how. "Get dressed. No one wants to see that disgusting body." He turned and slammed the door shut behind him as he came face to face with Kurama. He didn't want Kurama to see Maribella's body, but neither did he want to have to explain what he'd said.
"She's going to need protection. Get the others. We need a plan," Hiei grumbled. This was just getting better and better…
Get dressed. No one wants to see that disgusting body. Maribella's gut had twisted at the words. She knew she wasn't beautiful any more but to have an annoying, insulting man like Hiei tell her that… She glowered at the door before looking down at the towel that had almost tried to kill her. Would she ever be able to put her guard down again?!
Two attacks in one hour period. If this was any hint at how the future held, she was not looking forward to it at all.
Stepping out of the shower she went over to the other towel in her bathroom and wrapped herself in it. Before long she had the yellow frilly bath robe which fell to her knees on, and she was stepping outside to come face to face with Hiei again. She met his gaze and tilted her chin a little higher. "If you don't mind, I need to go get dressed," she said, more power behind her tone than she felt at the moment.
Snorting, Hiei stepped out of the way and motioned towards her temporary bedroom. "Kurama is gathering the others. We have to come up with a plan if you can't even be left alone without protection. Your like a baby, defenseless, edible." Had he just called her edible?! What was wrong with him? Damn it he had to get himself under control.
Her nose wrinkled and she glared at him even more fiercely though they both knew she was as weak as a newborn lamb at this point. "Disgusting," she grumbled and pushed past even though she didn't really need to. She slammed the door behind her, glad to hear the soft curse as the door slammed into Hiei's nose. Or almost did if he hadn't stepped back. She quickly clocked the door as well to keep him from getting in. She might have to tolerate his behavior other times during her stay but getting dressed? No. That she was drawing a very firm line.
She opened the wardrobe again and groaned softly. Eventually she pulled out the darkest pair of pj pants (a pair in teal) and the tank top she'd been wearing earlier. Stepping out again she gave Hiei a smug smile as she saw him glare at her. "There's no way I'm going to let you see me change," she warned, "Ever try again and I'll drown you."
"I've already seen everything you have to offer and it isn't much," Hiei snorted back before turning and starting to walk. "I've seen better on women here in the human world."
Maribella inhaled sharply at the barb and she bristled a little before she tilted her chin up again. She had two choices at this point. Did she want to give Hiei the satisfaction of seeing her cover up what she really looked like, or did she want to defy him and walk around like the scars were a badge of honor? Lips pursed she followed him as she was, unillusioned and scarred from cheeks down. Screw his opinions!
