Fear of Fire
Disclaimer - Don't own YYH.
Chapter 4 - Enemy of the Shadowed Past
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Hiei was training in his normal spot, concentration and determination radiating in his aura. Suddenly, he paused but shook his head and continued on. If, indeed, someone was watching him, he wanted the element of surprise to fall into their lap instead of his own. He would continue until that someone felt bold enough to make a move. He wasn't stupid. He knew it was a demon and that it wasn't the foolish ferry onna playing with him.
I've had a feeling...a strange feeling all along but I never thought anything of it. Foolish, how it could come pouncing down on me without my realizing it.
He heard a rustle in the bushes and turned around, standing straight, his katana pointing at the intruder's throat.
"Hello, Hiei."
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Botan grinned when she saw the park come into view. She raced on ahead, panting slightly from her run. She got through the trees quickly enough and finally came near his training area.
"Hiei!"
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"What are you doing here, Kenji?" Hiei's words were cold and bitter. Suddenly, he sensed her...and smelled her scent.
"Hiei!" She broke through the trees and her smile faded; replaced by a look of confusion. The demon Hiei was pointing his weapon at...he was the exact opposite of the fire koorime. Kenji had long red spiky hair that went to his shoulders, onyx eyes, and strange black and white markings on his face and arms.
"What is this, Forbidden Child? This charming little vixen is your lover, perhaps?" Kenji's voice was deep and rich but it was low and mocking, as well.
"Leave her out of this."
"But she smells so sweet... And, what's this? Beautiful, as well?" Hiei's crimson orbs narrowed and he let out a growl so menacing that Botan realized how little she had to fear him all those other times. "Come now, Forbidden One, you know you are not supposed to have a-"
"Shut your mouth, you half-wit." Botan felt her legs begin to give out from under her. She was shaking and her eyes were wide.
"H-Hiei..." The koorime didn't take his gaze from his opponent.
"Just get out of here, Botan. Now." He ordered in a harsh tone. She began to back up, her eyes on the two of them...or rather one of them. Kenji was no longer there.
"But this little one cannot leave. The fun is just beginning." His voice came from behind her. Botan felt horror flood her mind and she ran forward shakily. Hiei could sense her fear and he wasn't liking it. He moved forward and grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him. "Botan, was it? Such a pretty little thing. Probably very delicate...and delicious." The ferry girl didn't want to hear any more and she gripped the back of Hiei's shirt so hard that her knuckles turned white.
"What did I tell you? Leave her alone!"
"Hm, so very protective, aren't we? Reminds me of that one time with the ice maiden...Yukina." Botan closed her eyes, not wanting to see that demon at all.
"Shut up, you bastard!" Kenji licked his lips.
"Forbidden Child, I am here to kill you. Then, once you are dead, I will have your little flower all to myself." Hiei knew he could not let that happen. Not to Botan. He had to protect her. He wanted to protect her...but he didn't know why. It was a sudden rush of feeling. He knew what Kenji would do to her. Botan knew what was going to happen and she let go of his shirt.
"Not if I kill you first!" Hiei made the first move, lunging forward quickly with all the speed and force he could muster.
Why does that ferry onna suddenly mean something to me? Why do I want to protect her? Am I going soft just because of a few damn days with her?
He dodged an attack just barely, still getting cut from the force.
"Hiei!" Botan cried worriedly when he fell. Kenji smirked and used his own speed to stand in front of her. She fell back, into the tree behind her. She sunk to the ground and stared up at the demon who was grinning wickedly at her. Suddenly, he lifted his hand and was about to strike her with his claws but Hiei appeared in front of her and took the hit. Bleeding claw marks ran from his right shoulder to his lower left side. Botan felt tears sting her eyes. He just took the hit for her... The koorime then connected his fist to his enemy's face.
"Get out of here." He said in a hoarse whisper to her. She couldn't leave him but he would only get hurt if she stayed...
"I..." Kenji kicked Hiei aside and grabbed Botan's shirt, pulling her up to her feet.
"You're going no where, my little flower." He backhanded her and she cried out in pain. She summoned her oar and, with shaking hands, hit him as hard as she could in the side. "Now, now, now..." He took it from her and threw it away. "Don't get yourself in more trouble-" Suddenly, the gleaming tip of Hiei's katana appeared through his stomach, dripping with blood. Kenji dropped Botan and clutched at the wound. Hiei pulled it out and supported himself with it.
"You bastard..." Hiei choked; a small stream of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. "I told you...to...leave her alone."
"Hiei..." Botan whispered. The koorime knew Kenji was not done yet but he would soon change that. He steadied himself then ran at his opponent, his katana raising. The koorime attacked, hatred glittering in his crimson eyes.
"You little..." Kenji dodged the attacks, his vision going blurry. He ducked under one and punched Hiei in the gut...but it never connected. The demon felt the katana against his throat.
"Die." Hiei drew the blade across Kenji's throat and watched as the demon fell forward. The koorime wavered on his feet and nearly fell backwards but he felt soft hands on his arms, steadying him.
"We have to get you to the apartment..." She took one of his arms and put it over her shoulder and put one of her arms around his waist. She summoned her oar so that it was floating before her and helped him sit down. She took his katana from his hand and sheathed it then got on behind him.
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"Will you please just sit still?" Botan asked in irritation as she applied more of her healing salves to his wound on his chest.
"Hurry up, then!"
"Do you want to get well or not?" Hiei went silent. She concentrated hard, taking great care not to hurt him. "I'm so sorry... I had no idea he was there and I wouldn't have come if I knew... It's my fault..."
"Damn right it is, onna." He growled. "This may never have happened if I hadn't been protecting you." She looked up at him.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. "And thank you for saving me."
"Hn." He looked away from her, irritated. She sighed and continued her work. When she was done with the salves, she wrapped him in bandages.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'll be fine." He scowled and tried to stand up. A sharp pain made him stumble and she grabbed his shoulders to steady him.
"No, you won't. You're not training until you're healed. Please, Hiei, listen to me." She turned him around and frowned. "I'm only-"
"Don't help me, onna. I don't need your help." He pulled out of her grasp and stalked out of the kitchen.
"Hiei!" She ran out and stood in front of the door. "You are injured. Please..." He stared at her with a scowl on his face then sat down on the couch. Then, she remembered something. "Why did he say...?"
"Say what?" Hiei looked over at her.
"Did he do something to Yukina?" He was silent for a moment.
"He tried." The koorime gazed at her. "But I was there to protect her. I battled him but didn't kill him." He looked away from her, leaning his head on the back of the couch. "I am the Forbidden Child and he was hunting me for the thrill. Ever since that day that I nearly killed him. He escaped from me each time, saying he would be back to kill me and that I should wait. I have been alone nearly all my life. People took advantage of me and betrayed my trust too many times." Her eyes stung with tears as she walked over to him and sat down next to him. "I do not want to be betrayed again." She smiled slightly and took his hands in both of hers, making him look over.
"I would never betray you, Hiei." She said softly. "I promise you that I will never do such a thing." He stared at her, his emotions guarded.
"Hn." She smiled and leaned back, her head falling to his shoulder.
"What do you think?"
"About what?"
"About the apartment."
"Too bright." She laughed lightly. Then she got up and pulled out paint cans and brushes and new borders.
"I thought you'd say that. I was planning on painting it a darker color before you came but with those injuries, you aren't doing any training until they're healed. Probably about three days, I'll estimate." She pulled the top off one and he saw a dark blue. "My room." She pulled another top off and he saw a dark green. "This room." She pulled another off. Medium green. "The kitchen. It'll match the tiled floor." And one more. Another, different blue. "The guest room. The one you're sleeping in." She smiled. "And the bathroom is already that medium blue so I figured I'd leave it alone."
"Am I going to..."
"It would be nice to have help." She grinned. "Unfortunately it would hurt you more so I can do it myself."
"Don't be stupid." She blinked. He picked up a brush and inspected it. "I will help."
"You will?" He nodded. Then his eyes went to her cheek where Kenji had backhanded her and saw a bruise starting to form. He leaned forward and she stiffened when he lifted his hand to brush her cheek. She flinched.
"It hurts you, doesn't it?" She stared at him with a foreign fear in her eyes and nodded. "I could tell that he hit you quite hard."
"There isn't anything I can do about it." She said softly as she pulled away and put the tops back on the paint cans. He frowned. "I'll just have it a while. Not to mention that it will be sore."
"What about those medications?"
"I don't need to take them." She said; frowning. "I think I'm going to lay down. If you want to go to Kurama's, warn me, all right? If you don't, I'll worry sick over you and-"
"I will." He said emotionlessly. She nodded and walked to her room. It must have been a frightening experience for her. She had looked scared of him.
Kenji... Once again you escaped my wrath but this time by death. I should have hurt you much more for hurting her.
He lay down on the couch and closed his eyes.
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Botan lifted her hand to her forehead and sat up. What time was it?
Probably somewhere around midnight.
She looked at the clock and nodded. It was 12:21 A.M. She got up drowsily and went to go to the kitchen for a drink. She passed the couch and froze. Hiei was asleep, stretched out from armrest to armrest. Her couch wasn't large but it was big enough for the taller koorime. She went and got her drink then went to his room and took a blanket from the end of the bed. She went back out and covered him up, staring at his face.
Is this really the cocky warrior that everyone fears? Is this really the Forbidden Child whom is never accepted?
She shook her head and her eyes went to the bandanna.
It is so hard to believe that he is so peaceful in sleep.
His face was carefully guarded but at the same time held a look of peace. She sighed and shook her head once more.
I'm losing it. Back to bed for me.
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Hiei opened his eyes and blinked. He tried to sit up but wound up falling off the couch, tangled in the blanket.
Wait... Blanket?
He sat there untangling himself when he heard light laughter coming from the doorway. He looked up and nearly flushed at the position he was in on the floor.
"Hungry?" He knew she knew that he fell off. "Or do you want some help first?"
"I'm fine." He snapped; looking down at the offending blanket. She shrugged and walked back into the kitchen. He soon joined her and frowned when she slid him a glass of a strange liquid.
"It'll help heal you. Doesn't taste too bad. Just drink it all."
"Hn." He drank it and set the empty glass down on the table. She frowned.
"The week is going by faster than I thought. Four days already. We only have three more and then you can go back to sleeping in your tree at the park." She seemed upset about it. He could sense the sadness. "And I'll be able to stay here alone at night and work at Reikai during the day." She served him oatmeal. He blinked when he saw her tear-filled eyes.
"Why does that upset you?"
"Because...it was nice to have company. Even if it was you and we were fighting. At least I'm not alone." Hiei never thought of it that way. He was only looking on the dark, annoying things and never thought about not being alone.
Because I wasn't for once.
"Onna..." He began. Then he just shook his head and began eating. Three days and he was out of this apartment.
"With those injuries, you aren't doing any training until they're healed. Probably about three days, I'll estimate."
He let out a sigh and frowned. What was he going to do?
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"See? It's that simple." Botan was in the process of showing Hiei how to paint when the phone rang. She ran over and picked it up.
"Hello, Botan!" A cheerful voice said on the other end.
"Hey, Keiko. What's up?" Botan smiled slightly.
"Are you and Hiei doing anything later?"
"We're painting the apartment. We've already started. Why?"
"Well, we were all going to go to my friend's house for a party." The brunette paused. "But if you can't make it or don't want to go..."
"Well...I doubt we could."
"Can we drop by to see you before we go down?"
"Sure, if you want..." Botan trailed off.
"Great! See you then!" The excited girl hung up. Botan stared at the phone and sweat-dropped. Then she set it back in the cradle and shook her head.
"I assume you heard it all?"
"Every word." He replied with a nod. "You don't want to go to that party?" She looked at him and narrowed her eyes.
"Of course I don't. Not while you're injured and I have this bruise on my face. Get real! I'd be a wall flower and stand in the corner while everyone else has a good time." She crossed her arms. "And I'd be calling home making sure you were all right just about every ten minutes." He shuddered and she glared at him.
"I cannot stand that annoying sound. It makes my eardrums bleed." She rolled her eyes. "You could go. You-"
"No!" She pointed her finger at him. "You're just trying to get me to leave so that you can secretly go and train. What if you reopen your wounds?"
"Why are you so worried? I didn't sneak out last night."
"Because you could hardly move and even you have enough common sense to stay in when it's that bad." She glared at him once again.
"I will give you my word."
"You just want me out of the house, don't you?" She asked quietly. He sighed.
"No, I want you to have a good time. You were upset yesterday." He frowned at her. "I saw how you reacted when I noticed the bruise."
"People will wonder..." She said softly. "And I'm not like those other girls."
"Kurama will be there, correct?"
"I don't know." She lookeddown at the floor. "I'm confused about him. I don't know if I like him like that or not." She smiled then and he felt his chest tighten. "I'm a little afraid that the person I like will dump me for someone else, forever destroying my hopes and dreams..."
"Kurama, if he did care, would do no such thing." She nodded.
"I know." She whispered. Then she took her paint brush and began again. "But I don't know how he feels." He watched her for a moment.
It isn't my job to tell her for him. He has to do it himself. But why would she want to stay here with me when she could be going with them?
He mulled over this as they painted. He found that it was a simple task, one that he could do easily while thinking of his problems. Botan bit her lip, thinking of the party. She usually was a wall flower at parties and dances and balls.
They all know who I am. I'm never going to be asked by someone to dance or join their group in a little circle and chat. I mean, Keiko and Yuusuke would but I don't want to intrude on their fun. And Kurama... He probably knows a few of those people there.
She heaved a soft sigh and Hiei couldn't help but notice.
What do I feel for Kurama? I don't know. I doubt it is anything more than just friendship. But who else is there that I like?
She never even noticed the person at her side. Nor did she notice the fact that they were getting along! This was big news and she should have noticed!
"They are coming closer." Botan jumped, not expecting Hiei to speak. "Are you certain you do not wish to go?"
"Yeah." She answered with a frown.
She is lying to me.
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That's all for now, my little readers!
Until 5! n.n Please review!