Ha ha. I only own Moriko and her children. Here's the next chapter. R&R. And can you believe it? Two updates in 3 days (at least, I think it was 3...) and on finals week, too (yes, I know I'm an idiot who should probably be studying, but this is much more fun :). ) Oh, there is a slight cliffhanger at the end, just so you guys know (my love of cliffhangers is starting to show itself, if it wasn't at the beginning of the story) so sorry right now if you don't like cliffhangers.
When Hiei spoke, it was quietly, as if he wasn't sure if he could speak any louder and still manage to control his emotions. "If you didn't want to hurt me, why did you leave me?" he asked in a whisper.
"Because… Hiei, to understand my motives, you have to realize how lonely I was. My brother only visited for one or two weeks every four months. You were almost constantly looking for your sister. For most of the year, I had no one. Humans are always naturally edgy around me, even if it is a human without a sixth sense to warn them of my demonic nature. So I could not even socialize with them, just to get away from the aloneness. Then Ikano came. My brother respected and trusted him enough to introduce us. So I knew for sure he was strong enough to protect me to my brother's satisfaction if we were to go to Makai. And, if my brother was happy with how strong Ikano was, then I would not have to be left alone. I was lonely, Hiei, too lonely." Moriko answered.
"I-I never realized how much you needed me around. If I had, I would have stayed with you more. Or figured out a way to get you out of your brother's reach." Hiei dropped his eyes to the floor, ashamed, realizing for the first time that he was partially responsible for what Moriko had done to him. "But you act like loneliness was your only motive."
"It was my only motive. I still loved you, Hiei, but you were not around enough to keep it at bay."
"But… if you still loved me, why did you tell me you didn't, in that last letter?"
"You loved me." She said simply. "It hurt so much to write that letter… because I knew it would hurt you. But I figured it might be easier for you to let me go if you thought I did not. Obviously, I was wrong."
When Hiei didn't say anything, she continued, "I can tell you have changed, Hiei. Your eyes and face are more guarded. I remember when they would tell me whatever you were thinking. I remember that you would laugh occasionally, and smile fairly often. I treasured those, and now I fear that I have driven them out of existence forever. I can tell, Hiei. By your face and eyes, by the katana that looks as if it never leaves you side, by your posture and the way you hold yourself, I can tell. You have built a wall around your heart, keeping others out and your emotions in. And I know that it is all my fault." And for the third time in less than twenty-four hours, Moriko began to cry over something that she had not cried about in the previous hundred years.
Yusuke began to reach out to comfort her, but Kurama grabbed his arm in order to stop him. He shook his head and inclined it slightly towards Hiei, as if to say, 'Look.'
Hiei was standing there, with one arm halfway raised, outstretched towards Moriko like he wanted to comfort her, but didn't want to do so at the same time. After a few seconds, he started walking towards her, slowly, as if he had forgotten Yusuke and Kurama were in the room. When he reached her, he put his arms around her shoulders and rocked her back and forth, muttering soothingly all the while.
Yusuke and Kurama were shocked; this was a side of Hiei they had never seen before.
After a few moments, Moriko's sobs subsided. She inclined her head to look up at the demon that was holding her, who, despite his short stature, was still a couple inches taller than she was. And that's when hell froze over. Hiei smiled. Not the smug or malicious grin that everyone was accustomed to, but a smile of true happiness. It was small, and almost shy, but it was a smile nevertheless.
Then he stepped back to look at her. "I still love you, I want you to know that," he said quietly.
"I know," she replied just as quietly. "And I love you, too."
"I just have one question. If you love me, why do you drag some random demon's children around with you?"
For a moment, everyone was confused. Then Kurama understood what Hiei meant. Hiei didn't know Ikano wasn't a fire demon, so he had automatically assumed…
"Uh, Hiei," Kurama whispered in the flame demon's ear, "Ikano was a water demon…"
"Water? But these children are fire demons… Wait… Do you mean…?" Hiei's eyes bulged with what he thought Kurama meant.
Kurama nodded.