Fear of Fire
Disclaimer - Don't own YYH.
Chapter 6 - Running Away
XxXxX
Hiei stared at her before he nodded and stood.
"You should get some rest." Botan noticed the emotionless tone and looked in his eyes. They were just as emotionless as they always were. When he left, she turned the light off and got into bed.
XxXxX
"Good morning." Hiei looked up; a little startled to see her awake and making breakfast. He just nodded as a way to assure her that he'd heard.
"What are you doing up?" He asked; frowning at her. She gave him a soft smile.
"After tomorrow, you'll be scrounging breakfast like you used to so I guess these last two days will have to be filled with waking up to a warm breakfast and having every meal ready for you." He had almost forgotten why he was staying with her. But now that he remembered everything, it seemed foggy. This week passed like a blur in his mind. "Now, I'm going to look at those bandages after we eat. Then I have to gather those papers together." Her cheer was short-lived, however. She couldn't help but think of how alone she had felt before his company. Then she shook her head.
I can't be selfish. Hiei's always liked being alone so I guess I'll have to live with it. It's amazing how much can happen in a week.
They ate in silence and she got her medicines and bandages. Then she kneeled down in front of him and helped him remove his shirt. She removed the old, slightly bloody bandages and discarded them. She worked gently, taking her time to clean them to perfection before applying everything anew. Hiei noticed how she bit her lip lightly as she worked, taking caution not to hurt him. Her amethyst eyes were filled with concentration.
"Onna..." He began but stopped when she looked up.
"Is something wrong?" She asked in concern. He shook his head. She blinked but got back to work, wrapping him in bandages. She tied it and ran her fingers lightly over her work. His muscles rippled under her touch. "That should do it for now." She stood up when suddenly he grabbed her wrist in a bold move and she wound up in his lap when the force of his pull to keep her in place caused her to slide backwards. They both looked at each other then blushes tinted their cheeks. "Uhm..." He let go and shoved her gently back on her feet. She blinked.
"Anyway, I don't think the wounds will reopen. I want to train." Botan glared at him, narrowing her eyes.
"Are you nuts?" She cried. "There is no way you're training in that condition. Not today. No way. The day after tomorrow, you can do anything you want but while you're under my watch, you will not work yourself that hard!" He stared at her. She was very bold.
"Why don't you go with me to make certain that I don't over-do it? Then I can train some and-"
"An hour. That's it." She looked down at her watch. "Kurama called me this morning and asked me to lunch. You be back in here sometime before noon when I have to leave." He scowled.
How dare she tell me that I can only train for an hour? I do not need her consent.
"I'm going to make you ramen before I leave so that I know you'll eat. And your ice cream is still in the freezer." He wasn't listening. He was just staring at her, seething.
"I'm leaving. I will come back when I please."
"Oh, no you don't!" She ran in front of him and he pushed her away. "Hiei! You're still hurt-"
"I'm a demon, for God's sake, onna! Can you not see that I am healing just fine?"
"Because you haven't been doing anything to reopen it-"
"Don't bother talking. I'm not listening." She stared at his back as he went to the door.
"Hiei, stop being unreasonable!" He whirled around and glared at her. "What is it that is getting you so mad?" His hand went to his sword and he snarled at her.
"Will you stop it?" His voice was shaking with barely contained rage. "Stop worrying about me all the time! I do not need you to tell me what to do! You worry too much for your own good. One of these days it is going to backfire on you." He turned around. "You might give someone the wrong impression." He left, slamming the door behind him. Botan stared at the door for a long time. It was then that she realized that they had been on thin ice ever since the incident with Kenji.
Oh man...what did I just do?
XxXxX
Botan and Kurama walked in the park after their lunch.
"Kurama? I sort of made Hiei mad at me again." She smiled weakly. "It would be fine if he ran away if he wasn't supposed to stay with me for the week. I just can't lie to Koenma-sama."
"Maybe if you told Koenma what happened, he would understand why you cannot manage it. Hiei is a hard person to be around when he is angry." The kitsune suggested with a shrug. "He is a hard person to find when he is angry." He didn't question why he was angry. Hiei had been edgy ever since he started staying with Botan.
"I-I guess..." She looked down. "I feel so guilty. This never would have happened if..." She trailed off.
But why did he get so angry? What is wrong with him?
"Do not let it trouble you. After all, you do know what it is like to be on the wrong side of his temper." She looked over at him before crossing his arms.
"You're right, as usual." She sighed. "He'll never see me as a friend, will he?" Kurama said nothing. He knew the koorime's mannerisms. He knew that Hiei saw her as either more than an enemy or more than a friend. She was right in between being either. It was not a very pretty balance. Just the brush of a feather and either would crumble.
We will just have to wait and see what the outcome will be.
XxXxX
Hiei was pissed off. He was angry, he was infuriated, and he was just plain disgusted. The breeze blew his black bangs into his crimson eyes and he scowled harshly. He was not in the mood to deal with anything. Not one single thing. He was just sitting in a tree on the border of where he was allowed to be and where he was not allowed to be. Everyone, even those who didn't have a sixth sense, were steering clear of his tree. His aura was that potent.
What the hell is with me lately? I need to go back to Makai before I lose control of my mind and my powers.
He had already taken more than ten deep breaths to try and calm his temper. All prior thoughts of the baka ferry onna were out of his mind and he was considering slitting everyone's throats just to get out of Ningenkai, even if it meant prison. He considered what he was currently in like solitary confinement in a straight jacket with flies buzzing around the room and he was unable to swat them.
"Hn." He only had so much control over his temper. The fight that he had with Botan only added to the annoyance that he had to put up with while with her. He felt trapped. He felt chained. He only wanted to protect Yukina. Was that really so hard to understand? The only person that he was willing to allow in his life was his sister, who still had no idea that he was her brother. He was struggling with it. He wanted to leave.
Right now, the brat's prison looks better than this.
His crimson eyes dimmed. He felt tired from struggling with his outrage. He felt tired of being there, in Ningenkai. He just felt tired.
XxXxX
Yuusuke played with Eikichi's bit of string, dangling it in and out of the kitten's very limited reach. He glanced up at the kitsune every now and then.
"The last time I saw him was that party. That was two weeks ago." The Spirit Detective muttered.
"I know." Kurama said softly. Kuwabara looked unconcerned and generally bored with their topic of conversation. "It is imperative that we find him, Yuusuke. I do not know what he is planning."
"Botan must be going crazy." Keiko said softly. "She was very worried about him after he disappeared." Shizuru sighed.
"I don't know, either. It's like he vanished off the face of the earth." She took out a cigarette and lit it. Yuusuke smirked when Eikichi rolled over on his back and began batting the end of the string.
"He is here somewhere. I cannot say where. He has hidden himself from my senses and eluded me thus far." The kitsune stated. "Not even Koenma has any idea how to find him." Suddenly, the door burst open and Botan entered, panting heavily. She held up a device that looked much like a normal whistle.
"I found this..." She said heavily. "Enma-sama is away and Koenma-sama's office is loaded with papers. He doesn't have time to deal with this right now." She sat down and closed her eyes. "It's up to us to find him." Kurama gazed at her worriedly.
"Where is Yukina?"
"Genkai has fallen ill and she is taking care of her at the temple." The ferry girl looked slightly pale and upset. Keiko smiled.
"Don't worry, Botan. With all of us looking, we'll definitely find him."
"I hope so..."
XxXxX
His eyes narrowed. He looked down to see a rabbit hop obliviously below. He felt his tiredness work its way into his mind and he closed his eyes, falling asleep within minutes.
Botan and Kurama walked through the park, trying to sense his aura or get the kitsune to sniff him out.
"No trace of Reiki or even his scent. Botan..." She held up her secret weapon.
"Cover your ears." He did as he was told and she put the device to her lips before blowing into it.
He fell out of the tree and covered his ears. His expression was pained and he was nearly going deaf. What the hell was that stupid, irritating sound and how could he stop it?
It's that ferry onna...
He stood up and staggered from the pain. The sound echoed inside his mind. It paused then started right back up again. He had to stop it. He was going to go insane!
Botan blew as hard as she could, hoping and wishing that he would show up.
Come on, Hiei! I know that you can't stand this sound!
She took another breather before lifting it once more to her lips. She was about to go another round when the device was snatched from her hand. She looked up to see Hiei standing there.
"H-Hiei..." He glowered at her. She noticed how dark his eyes had become. They were no longer clear crimson but just bordering on black. His lips twitched in a growl. Kurama got in front of her and returned the koorime's stare calmly.
"You ran away."
"Damn right, fox. Now you can watch me as I do it again." His voice was soft and dangerous.
"What is there to run from?" The kitsune asked angrily. He was losing his temper. Botan felt fear overcome her. She had never seen Kurama lose his temper.
"My prison!" The fire demon raised his voice. "When I see any of you, I am only reminded of the short leash that the toddler has around my neck." Botan went out around Kurama and grabbed Hiei's shoulders.
"Snap out of it, Hiei! Please!" He shoved her out of the way and narrowed his eyes. She fell to the ground and stared up at him with wide eyes.
"And you, onna... You're the worst of them all. You keep that stupid cheerful disposition up. You are always so damn happy! Can't you understand for once that life is not a joy ride?" He snapped hotly. She stayed where she was, on the ground.
"I know that." She whispered. "Please, come back. W-We sat there for two weeks waiting for you to come back. We were all worried. I was worried. I-" His sharp growl cut her off.
"What did I tell you? Stop worrying about me! Stop sticking your head in my business and put it back where it belongs!" She felt tears slide down her face. Then she stood up, her eyes hidden beneath her bangs.
"You have a choice. I can't make you come back and I can't make you stay with us. But I can try to make you understand how much we want you here." Kurama was watching the scene with sadness shining in his emerald eyes. He didn't understand why his friend was acting this way. Hiei had always had good control of his emotions. It made him angry to see the koorime and ferry girl reduced to this.
"Don't waste your breath, onna. Nothing you say can make me stay here." Fire flickered in the koorime's eyes.
"Hiei-" Her small protest made Kurama's heart shatter. The pain in her voice...
"Stay quiet." Hiei snapped. "Since I am finished listening to your pathetic attempts, I am leaving." Botan stumbled forward and tried to grab his arm but only fell to her knees where he had been standing. Her shoulders began shaking and her soft sobs reached Kurama's ears. He kneeled beside her and pulled her into his arms. He could not lie and say everything would be fine because he wasn't sure that it would be.
"He was my...friend. I wish... I wish that I could have gotten him to stay..." He felt her arms around him and closed his eyes.
"I wish that he would have stayed, as well. I wish that I could...say everything was fine." Botan saw something shiny out of the corner of her eyes and pulled away from Kurama to reach out for it. The smooth, hot shard of metal from her whistle met her skin. She gasped and pulled her finger back. Crimson blood ran down her hand and only succeeded in making her see his eyes...and how dark they had become. She cried until she no longer had any more tears to shed.
XxXxX
Sad, huh? Yeah, I...well...thought about it a lot. I had not originally planned to have it go down this road but it seemed like just the twist that would fit into the story.
Will Hiei ever go back? Will Botan be able to cope with the loss?
Please review.