Title: Legally Sane

Pairings: HieixOC

Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho, I own not!

Chapter Fifteen: It's Not Over By A Long Shot!

"Please…?"

"No."

"Pretty please with me on top?"

There was a slight pause, and I waited with bated breath for his answer- Puppy dog eyes all a-sparkle and my lower lip trembling in the cutest pout I could muster. Crimson eyes slid from their contemplation of the waterlogged field, an eyebrow raising at my expression.

"Is there something wrong with your face?"

If I'd been standing up, I would've probably fell to the floor from exasperation- But as I was still in bed, I managed to sweatdrop. Who was I kidding? The 'cute' looks don't work with Hiei; he had no clue what they meant as he didn't really deal with females all that much. Though I always wondered why he gave into Yukina so often, when faced with her smile or tears.

"No, there's nothing wrong with my face!" I snapped, folding my arms across my chest. "Don't sidestep the issue! I've been cooped up in my room for four days after the week long of unconscious slumber! I have cabin fever…"

Seeing where my little self-pitying rant was going, he closed his eyes, fingers rubbing absently at his temples.

"What part of 'No' don't you understand?" he finally ground out, interrupting me.

"…All of it?"

"Onna," he began again, taking a deep breath to calm himself; his patience had been thinning at a ridiculously fast pace since I'd woken up. "You've only narrowly escaped death, and a week and a half of rest is not going to kill you- It's to help you regain the strength you've lost. So why don't you conserve it by shutting the hell up?!"

I blinked; and he seemed to take my temporary silence as me bending to his will, as he turned away from me again to glower at the rainy landscape. I flopped back onto my pillows, an arm flung over my eyes in frustration.

"Stupid mothering demons…" I grumbled beneath my breath; "Bloody hypocrite…Love to see him be babied…Probably decapitate em…"

"Hn. If you value your ability to speak, I suggest you quit while I'm feeling magnanimous."

I immediately stemmed the scathing reply that came readily to my lips, and I lifted my forearm long enough to shoot him a mutinous glare. Just because I wasn't 'allowed' to speak, didn't mean I wasn't allowed to curse him in my mind.

'…Demented munchkin…'

I felt, rather than saw his displeasure.

'Onna…' came the warning growl.

Oops…I'd forgotten that his extra eye gave him the ability to listen in on other people's thoughts.

'Well, if you don't like what you hear, Dwarf-chan…Don't listen in on my thoughts.'

He remained silent, though his back was stiffer than it had been before. Slight remorse at having cut his relaxation short rose in my throat, and I crawled out from between my sheets. Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I padded over to the sill where he was, and took a seat next to him.

"Get back into bed, onna."

I rolled my eyes, resting my back against the wall behind me, my legs straddling the ledge. I ignored his words, and instead voiced the thought that had been running through my head ever since I'd woken up.

"…You're leaving soon, aren't you?"

My question was soft, and held no accusing undertones. Hiei glanced at me quickly, surprised; though his expression returned to its usual inscrutable state, and he looked away again.

"Hn."

Hiei folded his arms across his chest, and he refused to meet my eyes. Gnawing lightly on my lower lip, I too glanced out of the window; the view not what one would call beautiful. The skies were grey, the clouds heavily laden with moisture- The air was thick enough for Hiei to cut with his katana, and I could actually see the heat that rolled off of the grass in smoky wisps. We sat there for what seemed like an eternity in companionable silence, our legs barely touching.

"How long will you be gone for?" my voice sounded pathetically sad, even to myself, and I visibly cringed.

"I do not need to explain myself, onna."

Irritation sparked in me then, and I was about to snap that he did need to explain himself, when the sliding door to my room suddenly caved in on itself; the wood and paper disappearing in a cloud of dust and debris. The two of us turned as one to eye the damage, and my eyebrow rose a notch.

Lying in a tangled heap, were a couple of foul-mouthed teenagers; one in green, the other in blue and they were furiously rolling around my bedroom floor, fists flying and curses hurled. Kurama appeared not soon after, an exasperated hand pressed to his forehead, and an angry twitch at his left eye.

"Do I even want to know what sparked this little altercation?" I queried, giving the fox a sympathetic look.

He merely shook his head, and carefully stepped around the tangle of flesh currently writhing atop the tatami mats, his bare feet silent as he approached the spot me and Hiei were occupying on the other side of the room.

"I am not whipped for the love of God!" snarled Yusuke, his arm around Kuwabara's neck in a crushing choke hold. "So take it back!"

The carrot top grunted in discomfort, his elbow jamming into the other's gut. "Why the hell should I, teme?!" came his sharp retort; "It's true! Keiko has you whipped, and you know it!"

I sweatdropped at this, a hand cupping the back of my neck to relieve the tension building up at the base. Way to ruin the mood guys…But the ruckus certainly did raise my spirits some, and I momentarily forgot my righteous indignation. Shooting the redhead a sideways look, I realised that this had probably been planned, and that the three of them had been eavesdropping.

"Nice timing, red…" I murmured with a rueful sigh.

"Whatever could you mean?" he responded, feigning innocence.

I snorted at this, and rose from my perch; pausing to stretch my arms far above my head. A series of satisfying pops and cracks issued from various parts of my spine and neck, and I groaned in pained delight.

"Well, the testosterone levels have risen considerably in here…I think I'll take a walk."

Hiei shot me a sharp look, his mouth opening to quash any hopes I had of ever escaping this God forsaken room…But Kurama, sensing my need for space and fresh air, clapped a hand over the fire apparition's mouth, effectively silencing him. Giving me an encouraging nod, he told me where I'd find my shoes, and I quietly exited the room.

I can't believe it! After all the warnings I'd given her, the onna still disobeyed me! And what was more, the fox and the two idiots were in on this too, and had stopped me from kicking up a fuss!

Did they not care about the onna's health?

Growling low in my throat, I parted my lips beneath the fox's hand, my sharp incisors instantly biting into the soft flesh of his human palm. A startled yelp echoed around the room, and he snatched his hand back, cradling the injured appendage with a wounded scowl.

"What was that for, if you do not mind me asking, Hiei?" he asked calmly, lifting his hand to his mouth, a pink tongue darting out to lap up the remaining droplets of blood- Most of it having come off on my own lips. I absently licked at them, enjoying the metallic tang.

Before I could even mutter a scathing reply, I felt an arm slung around my shoulders. A face was pressed close to mine, and I could smell the strange substance the Detective insisted he must use on his hair to keep it in order. Personally, I never really understood why he'd want to slick it back like that…His hair wasn't long enough to annoy, or get in the way.

"Kurama, you should know by now…" Yusuke admonished cheekily, wagging a finger at the fox; "…That you mustn't, under any circumstances, feed the animals. It's no wonder shorty tried to take a chunk out of you- Ow! What the fuck?!"

I smirked languidly as the Detective fell over backwards, clutching his means to a legacy.

"What was that about not feeding the animals, Yusuke?" I enquired in a bored monotone.

The boy merely wheezed his reply, his eyes doing all the talking for him. Hn…Served the boy right. Who did he think he was? His friend?

Kuwabara hefted the Detective to his feet, and practically dragged him out of the room, much to the brunette's displeasure. Shrugging carelessly, I went back to my thoughts, hoping my stiff body language would give the fox a hint- And he too would go. No such luck.

Several silent moments passed, and the wood on which I sat shuddered the tiniest amount as Kurama settled himself in next to me. Brushing a few wayward strands from his face, he turned to me with a speculative gleam in his eye.

"You have upset her, you do realise this don't you?"

Well, I guess I should be thankful that he didn't beat around the bush. I knew exactly why he'd stayed behind, and why he'd staged the skirmish between Kuwabara and the Detective, in order to distract me long enough to allow the onna to escape the confrontation that was brewing.

"Hn. I made no promises to her, so she should not be feeling that way."

Kurama sighed.

"Look fox, I don't see what any of this has to do with you. Keep your nose out of my business, or you might lose it, along with your voice box."

I slowly rose to my feet, my hands thrust deep within the pockets of my voluminous cloak, and I hopped off of the ledge, and out into the fresh air. A hand on my shoulder gave me pause, and I glanced over it to meet a pair of emerald eyes.

"You will tell her goodbye, won't you?" When I said nothing, and continued to stare back at him unblinkingly, he ploughed on. "You won't just disappear from her life without saying farewell. You're not that callous."

I bowed my head a moment, my eyes closing with something I couldn't quite name- Though it was discomforting to say the least. Shaking his hand off of my shoulder, I made to continue along the grass, and hopefully off towards a fluctuating portal to the Makai when I heard his voice in my mind.

'It's called guilt- And it's the type of human emotion that consumes everything if you let it.'

Guilt? Ha! Like I'd ever feel such an emotion. I regretted nothing; and I'd definitely not regret whatever happens between me and the onna before I finally leave for good. I did not reply, but merely strode off at a slightly quicker pace, ignoring the weight that had appeared at the back of my mind. Niggling away.

"To deny this Hiei, is to deny yourself!" Kurama called out after me, his voice curling around me along with the breeze that had suddenly picked up.

"Whatever you say, fox." I grunted quietly to myself, before flittering off in a swish of black, leaving him leaning out of the window with his hand outstretched.

"Lydia-san! You shouldn't be out of bed!"

I paused in the task of slipping on one brown loafer, peering over my shoulder to see the crouched form of the mint haired darling. Her voice, though soft, was still scolding, and she toddled over to me at an extremely fast pace for one who was encumbered by heavy fabrics, and little to no leg room for proper manoeuvres.

"Yeah, Hiei said something similar," I replied with a smile.

"The weather isn't good for you," she stated with a worried look as she slipped to her knees beside me. "And your skin hasn't got its healthy flush back yet."

I grimaced at that, knowing she was right. I was still pale as a ghost, and the rings beneath my eyes were dark and scary looking, giving me the appearance of one who'd recently had her nose broken. I reached up to pinch my cheeks sharply, in hopes of recovering their natural rose- Only to end up with my eyes tearing up with pain. Ouch.

Yukina tsked softly at me, and fussed with the bandages that were wound tightly around my still healing wrists.

"You really should take better care of yourself, Lydia-san…" she murmured, "And Hiei-san is right! He worries about your health more than you do, and it's not even his body."

At the mention of Hiei, I frowned slightly, my eyes downcast. Sensing my sudden shift in mood, Yukina peered at me more closely, a small hand tipping my chin up so that she could look me fully in the face.

"Your eyes are sad, Lydia-san…" she said softly, her crimson eyes darkening a shade with compassion. "…Did you have an argument with Hiei-san?"

I remained silent for a moment, debating on whether or not to spill my guts to the koorime, but with a mental shake, I decided against it. Forcing a cheery smile on my face, I waved an unconcerned hand at her.

"Me and Sparky? When don't we have arguments?" I laughed weakly, pushing myself away from her and to my feet. "And if we did, why would this one be so different that it upsets me?"

Dusting off the seat of my borrowed jeans, I spun on my heel, presenting the girl my back so that she wouldn't see the cracks in my positive mask. Keeping the bright tone in my voice, I assured the girl that I wouldn't stay out too long, and that if I felt weak, I'd call out for help immediately.

Even as I sauntered out through the main temple doors with a small backhand wave, I knew that I hadn't convinced her and I silently thanked the ice apparition for being so understanding, and giving me room to breathe instead of smothering me in kindness. It wasn't what I needed right now.

Once I was sure I was out of sight of the building, I picked up the pace, not really paying too much attention to where I was going- Not that I knew my way around even a fraction of the grounds, but still.

Soon enough, and I had found myself in a small clearing, filled with various trees and…Little furry animals; a few of which gave me the evil eyes as I approached their tree.

Squirrels- The bane of my life, and one of my lamest fears.

The chattered noisily, each fixing me with their cute glares of doom. I returned them with just as much ferocity, and took another step forward, determined to claim the spot where the roots were raised, creating a sort of nook for those who wished to sit there.

One threw an acorn at me, and I got 'nutted' right in the forehead- The force causing me to go swirly eyed for a couple of seconds. Once I'd recovered, I flipped the lot of them the bird, and screeched angrily at them- Teeth and all!

The squirrels kinda jumped with fright, and scuttled into a hole near the top of the tree, with their bushy tails between their legs.

Yes! Fear me, for I am your master!

I stalked over to my seat, and sat down with my back resting lightly against the trunk, my arms lifting to fold them behind my head. I stared absently at the darkened sky, my mood sinking below the 'red'.

"I wanted to say that I like you."

"I…Find you…Tolerable, Onna."

Had he really said those words to me? Had that tender look in his eyes been real? Had his lips curved into that gentle smile? Or were those the product of my over active imagination coupled with hallucinations that were part and parcel with severe blood loss and shock?

And if he had said that…Did I put too much stock into his words? Had he really only meant that he found me tolerable, or was that his way of saying that he returned my feelings?

I sighed in frustration, my eyes closing against the sudden glare of light that had appeared from behind one of the more thicker clouds.

Sure, Hiei acted like he cared about my well-being…But what did he actually feel about me? Did he find me a pain in the ass? Had he enjoyed my company over the past few months, despite the unsavoury company that seemed to constantly follow me around?

To say I was completely confused would be an understatement.

But then again…How did I feel about Hiei?

I wouldn't call the feelings I had for him 'Love'- It was too strong a word for an emotion I'd only just recently acquired over such a small period of time. I did not believe in the phrase; 'Love at first sight'. I believed that one would feel such a powerful emotion after one had gotten to know everything about the other. The good, the bad and the ugly- And I cannot say that I have become acquainted with all of Hiei's many faces.

Sure, I found him extremely attractive, and his kisses did things to me that I'd never even dreamed about…Not to mention the other things we'd done when he needed to vent out his sexual frustrations. Hehe…His company was appreciated, and wanted. He made me laugh, he made me mad…And I just enjoyed being around him, whether it be in the middle of a cut-throat fight, or just hanging out in my kitchen with a tub of chocolate Hagen Daas between the two of us.

But that was all going to change wasn't it? Now that his mission of protecting me was over, Hiei was going to move on…He was going to leave me.

How do I feel about that?

I feel…Lonely. He hasn't even left yet, but the knowledge leaves me hollow inside. I would never again see that arrogant smirk; or have the pleasure of poisoning him with my cooking. When I wake up in the night, restless, I won't be able to turn to the oak outside my window and invite him in for some idle chit-chat.

The thought of never seeing him again terrified me; and this I could readily admit to him.

Just thinking about it caused an irritable sting in the back of my eyes, and I glared sullenly at the sky, willing them to go away. I would not cry. But even as I promised myself that, the salty moisture welled up and spilled out; the hot liquid trailing winding paths down my cheeks to pool at the slight cleft in my chin.

I remained silent, my lower lip caught in an unmerciful grip between my teeth.

The snap of a twig drew my gaze sharply to the entrance to the clearing, my eyes widening fractionally. There stood the object of my misery, in all his glory. He seemed just as shocked as I was, and he was the one to break the uncomfortable silence.

"Onna…"

"To deny this Hiei, is to deny yourself!"

The fox's words echoed dimly in my mind; and it seemed like they weren't going to go away anytime soon.

What did he know of my feelings? How dare he assume, on such shaky grounds? A few months babysitting a ningen female does not change a lifetime of emotional isolation…It does not change a person's personality or outlook on the world around them.

I scowled darkly, my Jagan pulsing angrily beneath the bandana I wore as if it had been served a foul insult. I rubbed frantically at my temples to relieve the stress related headache that had been building up since the onna's rescue a couple of weeks back.

Yes. That was what she was. A mere headache; a painful brain spasm that I wanted to get rid of as soon as was demonically possible.

I rounded the side of the temple, almost stumbling into Yukina in my haste. I quickly grasped her tightly by her upper arms as she toppled backwards, jerking her sharply so that she remained upright.

"G-gomen nasai, Hiei-san!" she gasped once I'd released her, a hand clapping over her mouth in apologetic horror. "I wasn't watching where I was going! Lydia-san rushed off into the forest, and I was worried…"

The rest of her words seemed to blend together after that, and I continued to stare into innocent replicas of my own jaded crimson hues. They held a compassion that I could never emulate; they were wide and innocent despite the hardships she had suffered a few years back- Not even a major event like that had changed her, she remained the same, just as I have.

"…Hiei-san?"

I blinked, shaking myself mentally.

"What?" I snapped gruffly, wincing inwardly as she took an involuntary step back. I hadn't meant to do that.

"I was asking if Lydia-san had passed you?"

I shook my head. "No, I haven't seen her."

Yukina nodded, and smiled slightly at me. I gave her a curt bow, and stepped around her, continuing on my way.

"You care for her more than you'd like to admit."

Her words stopped me dead in my tracks. This seemed to please her, as she carried on, humour tinting her voice.

"You don't want to allow her to get too close, for fear of having her find out who you really are. You don't want her to reject you."

…Was I that easy to read? Snorting softly, I gave her an 'I'm not impressed' look- Which had absolutely no affect on her whatsoever. She responded with a serene smile, and a small wave.

"If you're interested…She went in that direction." Yukina signalled with a toss of her head to the right, before disappearing around the corner I had just rounded earlier.

I wasn't interested. The sooner I got out of this miserable place, the sooner I could go back to my normal life. A life that didn't include a ditzy raven-haired girl with a strange sense of humour and a penchant for getting herself in trouble on a daily basis. Things would return to normal, and I would be free to brood in my tree until I was forcibly dragged onto the next mission the pacifier sucking spirit prince decided I should join.

Grunting beneath my breath, I maintained my original destination, my boots making naught a sound on the grass- Though I paid no mind to where I was actually going…Perhaps that was why I had suddenly appeared in the same clearing as the person I was trying to get away from.

I paused at the entrance to the glade, momentarily stunned at the scene in front of me. There sat the onna, her back against a tree- A shaft of blinding white light illuminating her; causing me to think of her as some ethereal being.

I smacked myself for thinking something so lame.

Ethereal being my ass. The light only served to heighten the bags beneath those muddy eyes of hers, her hair was lank and tangled as if it hadn't been washed in awhile, and there were lines around her mouth. She had grown unbelievably pale, and to be honest she looked sickly.

Those imperfections only illuminated that not so classic beauty I had come to admire.

I shifted restlessly, and due to my lack of concentration, I inadvertently stepped on a fallen twig. The sharp snap alerted her to my presence, and my eyes met watery and intensely confused grey hues.

Look away before it's too late! Quick…She hasn't completely registered your presence yet!

A sharp pang in my gut choked off whatever my Sanity had to say, and I frowned slightly. I took a hesitant step forward.

"Onna…"

"How long have you been there?"

I swiped angrily at my eyes, trying to remove all traces of my earlier sadness. Like hell I'd feed that bastard's ego, by allowing him to think I cared one whit about him leaving!

Once I was sure that all evidence of my slight lapse were gone, I rose to my feet with my arms folded defensively across my chest. He shifted slightly from foot to foot, before taking a few steps towards me, his eyes boring into mine.

"Long enough." was his response.

He stopped in front of me, and I found I could not increase the space between us as I was backed up against the tree. What a familiar position…Brings back some fond memories. Note my sarcasm.

Hiei watched me thoughtfully, his face as unfathomable as usual. I sighed deeply, and rested back against the trunk, crossing one ankle over the other.

"So what? Have you come to stare, or have you got something to say?"

"You were crying?" It was more of a statement than a question.

I visibly stiffened.

"In your dreams Dwarf-chan- I had something in my eye, that's all."

Hiei did not look convinced. "Do not lie to me, onna. Nothing escaped my Jagan."

I snorted, and looked away. He caught my chin in a bandaged hand, and jerked my face back around so that he could glare at me. I glared right back.

"Yeah, and it also has some seriously shitty side-affects. So I'd be real grateful if you didn't use it on me."

Hiei cocked an eyebrow at me. "You cannot deny that they were…Interesting."

My glare softened somewhat, and I tried to reign in the smile that so readily wanted to spring to my lips. For the love of God, could I not stay mad at him?

"Yes…Turning my brother into a gender confused mess who wanted nothing more than to ravish Kurama was interesting…"

We both cast our thoughts back to that day when Hiei had used his Jagan to erase my brother's memories of the Cemetery Incident…Only for Keisuke to parade around town in my old ballet tutu, thinking he was a girl. Oh, and who could forget the disaster at Kurama's house not soon after? His parents would've been traumatised if he hadn't have erased their memories too.

It started off with a short snicker.

I clapped a hand over my mouth to stifle the sound, but when I saw the grin trembling on the fire apparition's lips- A snort like giggle escaped from between my fingers. His shoulders shook, and my face turned an interesting shade of purple.

Soon enough, and we were practically on the floor, laughing heartily. The depressing mood lifted, and we sat side by side on the grass; me clutching my stomach in an effort to calm the painful laughter induced spasms; him with a hand clapped over his knee to indicate his mirth at my poor brother's expense.

"…Alright, so it was mildly entertaining…" I agreed, once I'd subsided to the occasional giggle.

"Hn."

The silence that stretched out between us, was once again comfortable.

The sun had begun to set, though instead of the bright array of colours that would've suited the mood perfectly, the sky merely darkened to pitch black, the odd twinkle of a star flashing in the distance. Not the most romantic setting one could have; stuck in the middle of a slightly intimidating forest where demons have been known to roam.

"Onna."

"Yeah, Hiei?"

"…"

I sighed impatiently, and nudged him with my shoulder.

"What is it?…I promise I won't laugh."

He waited for a few minutes, obviously trying to pick the right words to describe what he wanted to say. Perhaps he didn't want to put his foot in it again. I waited patiently for him to continue, though inside I was squirming with the need to know.

"I am…Not very good…At expressing my feelings. These…Emotions are new to me."

I gaped at him in disbelief. But still, he did not look at me, so I guessed he couldn't see it in the growing darkness.

"But what I can do, is reiterate what I said to you two weeks ago. I still find you tolerable, onna. And that should be enough."

Hiei fell silent, and I could see that adorable pout. It made me want to hug this 'vulnerable' demon, but I refrained. I don't know how, but I did. Instead, I shoved him hard, and he tumbled awkwardly to the side as he hadn't expected it.

"Don't get all sentimental on me," I said, jumping to my feet again. "It doesn't suit you. And personally…It's not attractive in the least."

I glanced down at him with a cocky smile, a hand on my hip.

"If you were a nice guy, I would never have given you a second look. Your shitty attitude is what attracts me. So don't go changing. Y'hear?"

Hiei stared up at me with something akin to wonder, and I thrust out my free hand to help him up. Surprisingly enough, I felt his warm calloused hand slip into my own, and I hoisted him up to eye level.

"And don't worry," I added. "I'm not gonna say the 'L' word around you, because then I'd be lying. I'm too young, and the 'relationship' wasn't long enough for that big an emotion to suddenly crop up."

I turned away, rubbing a finger under my nose in a slightly nervous gesture.

"Onna…"

I cut him off.

"I know you're going to go away. Sure I'll miss you like hell, cause you've really grown on me." I paused. "I'm not going to stop you. But could you promise me one thing?"

I sensed his suspicion. "What sort of promise?"

I smiled slightly, and glanced at him over my shoulder. "Promise that you'll come back. I don't mind when you do…Just…Come around and visit me, okay?"

Hiei's face remained blank as he digested this. Then a slow smile blossomed, his teeth a glaring white against his tanned skin. This was the second and probably the last time I'd see it for a long time.

"Hn. I'll think about it."

I heaved a sigh, and started to walk off in the direction of the temple…Or what I hoped was the correct direction, casually waving at him from over my shoulder, though the hollow feeling grew in my stomach.

"Well, shouldn't you get going? The sooner you leave, the sooner you'll come back, right?"

My voice was rough, and with each step I took, the depression started settling in yet again. That is, until I felt a familiar heat engulf me from behind.

I gasped in shock as a pair of muscular arms circled my waist from the back, a chin resting lightly against the space where my neck and shoulder met. His hot breath fanned out across my skin, causing my flesh to break out in goosebumps and I couldn't help the shiver that wracked my frame.

"Don't be getting any foolish ideas, onna." He murmured against my neck. "If I come back, it won't be because of a 'promise' I made. I'll come when I'm ready, and you better be in the same frame of mind when that time comes."

A chaste kiss was pressed to my cheek, and just as sudden as it had arrived, the heat vanished.

Shaking slightly, I reached a hand up to finger the place where his lips had previously caressed, a slight blush tinting my cheekbones. Grinning like the lunatic I am, I slowly walked back to the temple without looking back- Because if I did, I would shatter the illusion that he was still there watching me.

"Sayonara, Dwarf-chan. Until we meet again."

The End…Or is it the start of something new?

Spirit: Omg...Legally Sane is now officially over...I can't believe I finished a story with a beginning, middle and an end! Yay me! Don't worry, to all those fans who liked this story...There will be a sequel! Keep an eye out for Legally Sane 2.