Author's Note: OH MY GOD. I am so sorry you guys, this chapter is a bit shorter then usual but it is really starting to push for that Hiei romance which is exciting. I'd also like to apologize for how long it took to make this chapter, I really didn't intend for it to turn out this way and I'm so sorry to you guys for that. At this junction I'd really like to request ideas ideas ideas because you have no idea how much it helps for example this chapter wouldn't have been done if it wasn't for my friend TooBishieForYou who gave me the lovely idea of the couple's moonlight meeting. You guys will understand as you read on. Anyways thanks again Bishie I hope you enjoyed this chapter and as an example to anyone if you got an idea it could get used so please feel free to use message me. Also I got a forum up and I'm a Beta now so please don't hesitate to drop me a line for some advice I love talking shop with you guys lol. Also I love having multiple projects to work on. Oh side note, for those of my fans that also like Sonic (the hedgehog not the restaurant lol) I've got a friend I'm collaborating with on a ShadowxOC/TailsxOC fic it looks to be an Action/Drama/Tragedy hybrid and I'm so excited for it, keep an eye out for that as I will be posting the name of the fic somewhere in the future, I promise you now, the story will be riveting.

I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of its characters.

The Beast and the Bird

It was about two o'clock Saturday morning when Kuwabara felt a strange tingle in the back of his mind. "Something's not right" the boy thought as he leapt from his bed and ran through the living room where Shizuru was curled up on the couch, having long since surrendered her mattress to their guest. Kuwabara was in a state of panic as he threw open the door to his sisters room, marched up to the bed, yanked away the covers and what he saw made his heart sink.

Terryal was gone…

"What the hell was she thinking?" Yusuke grumbled as he stomped back and forth across his apartment floor.

The boys had come together at their leader's apartment seeing as how his mom was a night owl and wasn't home while Kuwabara and Kurama still had family to worry about. Hiei grumbled something from his window spot about leaving her out there.

"If she has a death wish then let her learn her lesson." His monotone traveled across the small bedroom.

"If she gets caught by our suspect then she will not learn anything." Kurama spoke from his cross legged position on Yusuke's tousled bed.

"Except maybe how long she can survive without our help" Hiei's tone was dark, with a light hint of humor.

He allowed a ghost of a smirk to glimmer across his face. The humor was in bad taste but Kurama let it go, knowing that his long time friend was still miffed about the fight the two vertically challenged demons had a few hours before at Genkai's temple. Yusuke hadn't heard about the fight yet so he just assumed it was Hiei being his normal self, the demon's attitude never bothered him. When the detective became friends with the fire demon that was once his target he quickly learned that his shorter companion often showed his like for someone by showing a dislike for them. Kuwabara however, didn't write the behavior off, instead he grumbled something rude in response but Hiei gave his usual, "Your not worth the time it would take to insult you," glance and ignored the human altogether.

"There are more pressing matters at hand Hiei, are you sure you can't find her with your Jagan?" Kurama interjected, he rubbed his temples in frustration. Though the bickering of the two boys usually amused him he knew it wasn't the time for that now.

"No," Hiei growled from between his teeth, the only thing that had displeased the fire demon more then being immobilized by the psychic was knowing he was unable to find her with his Jagan.

With this knowledge the team was left to ponder the girl's likes and therefore the most likely places she was to visit. Eventually the boys assigned destinations to everyone and split, Hiei taking the parks she had visited recently, Kurama and Yusuke to downtown where all the sweet shops and dance studios were, and Kuwabara to Genkai's and her surrounding estate. They had agreed to message each other, via extra communicator compacts that Botan had issued them when the mission began, when Terryal was found.

It was four-thirty in the morning when Hiei finally found Terryal. She was sitting on the railing that separated the grassy park from the lake. The young maiden stared up at the moon as she pondered lord only knows what. Her hair was just as fluffy and unkempt as ever and the light wind was doing nothing to help its appearance. As the fire demon approached the girl he noticed that her skin was clear of all tattoos and as the wind tousled her hair he could see that her ears were that of a human. Hiei recognized the glowing blue studs that decorated her earlobes and he took a moment to be grateful that she was at least smart enough to disguise herself before running off. However, the psychic did not take the time to change out of her pajamas before she left so there she sat on the railing in a park wearing only white baggy sweats and a lavender sports bra. The outfit left her skin open and visible to the light from the lowering moon and rising sun gave her bronze skin a sort of ethereal glow and he was reminded briefly of the way he had envisioned her in a dream after they first met. Angelic and otherworldly, a creature that was not of this earth he almost felt the urge to steal her away like some rare animal and keep her in a cage all to himself.

"You're an idiot," He said before grasping her forearm in a firm grip while he willed his previous images of the psychic to disperse.

"I have found that the color of the sky between night and early morning not only brings me much comfort and enjoyment but it also allows me to think more clearly upon my actions." Terryal kept her face skyward as though she hadn't noticed Hiei's presence. "How do you feel about the early sky?"

Hiei found himself at a loss, the girl he was holding onto didn't speak much but when she did she always had a lot to say, it was as if she was making up for lost time. Though Hiei would never admit it, Terryal's lack of speaking frequently made him keener to listen to the psychic when she did choose to speak and this time was no exception. But now they were at a stalemate, she had asked him something and he had nothing to say in return. Why did this girl always insist on speaking to him? He let go of her arm not realizing he had left a mark but she didn't seem to notice any more then he did.

"It's….calmer…" Muttered the fire apparition while staring at the slowly fading stars and moon above just like his most recent companion, he was at a loss for what to say other then that so he left the sentence to hang where it was.

"I have realized that I am in need of requesting your forgiveness once more. Such anger has never before been conjured in my mind or heart and I became caught up, because of this you were blamed for my state following the event."

Hiei made no change in his expression but inside he was shocked. He could not believe this girl, he tore her mind apart and she was apologizing to him? He honestly felt that apologies from her were due but not quite for this.

"You must be made aware that my state was not your fault, although your attack was powerful I jumped to conclusions assuming you would truly due harm to me. So I shut myself down before you could as a sort of failsafe."

"Hn, what makes you think I wouldn't have killed you?" His eyes never left the sky.

"Because, killing me would hold neither joy nor benefit. In your eyes, snatching life from me would only be eliminating a minor annoyance. You would not waist your time killing one such as I when you know there are better things for you to be occupying yourself with. Plus you are clearly a man of priorities, and your work is of utmost importance. If I were to die that would mean you will have failed and a failure is not what you desire to be associated with, your childish need to perform better then standard allows me to live in relief knowing that I am truly safe with you."

Hiei looked away from the sky to glare at the girl; childish was something he definitely was not.

"Hiei you must understand that having the aspects of a child is not something to be ashamed of as I possess those traits as well as many of the friends you choose to surround yourself with. It has been made abundantly clear by your group that having the strong innocence of a child can only bring rewards and blessings for you in the future."

The boy's glare darkened and Terryal glanced at him before allowing her chiming and melodical laughter to ring from her throat and out along the lake.

"Rest assured Hiei, I have not heard your inner voice speak. I need no psychic abilities to know what angers you. However, that is an explanation for another time." She sighed and the motion changed her face from cheerful to discouraged in a matter of seconds, "It is with a heavy heart that I realize it is time for me to leave, as I have caused you and your friends much worry and trouble. It is a shame for I so desired to watch the sun rise." With a heavy sigh she altered her positioning in order to take her leave with her newfound companion.

While dismounting the metal her foot was caught and she stumbled, in all her clumsy glory, right into the fire demon's arms. While Terryal's cheek rested against boy's chest from the landing she realized for the first time that Hiei had entered the park without his usual coat leaving him in nothing but a black tank and the relaxed pants that he wore under it. At this angle she had a full face of beautifully chiseled right forearm and while staring at the man's perfect skin she cursed herself for being too blind to notice something sooner. Curling majestically around his right arm was a black dragon, not unlike the one that circled her own arm. Terryal pried her face out of the warm chest of her safety net to look up into his crimson orbs and as her heart skipped a beat she thought about how much more beautiful his eyes were now that she knew the answer to the question she had pondered since she was less then half of her over century age. Hiei was the one all along, her other half, her destined partner. Terryal had smelled the traces of ash and pines and recognized his fierce character, how the obvious signs had eluded her was beyond even the psychic's knowledge. Terryal had never felt so stupid in all her years of life.

As she stared up at Hiei, the rising sun causing his eyes to shimmer like the rarest of rubies the young psychic felt a startling erg swell in her stomach. Little did she know, the fire demon before her was experiencing something similar; as Hiei stared back at the psychic in his arms, knowing that her face was a little closer the comfortable, he couldn't help the thoughts wondering through his head.

"She's so pathetic, weak and fragile." He thought.

Even as the Jagan master thought of these traits he despised in her he couldn't help but feel more drawn to the girl. Gazing into her yellow eyes he did not see anything fragile at all, a hidden strength that demanded recognition and respect but her quivering pink lips cut the thought away and brought his mind back to the image of a small child. But then…wasn't that what made her beautiful? Some part of the crimson-eyed demon mused. It was this innocence and fragility that made her something worthy of notice, as though she were a lovely bird made to be protected and would in return sing you the most lovely of songs.

They stood like that for what seemed like forever, until a light beeping echoed across the trees and Hiei swiftly forced Terryal off him and into a proper upright position. The moment had ended as quickly as it had began and the psychic found herself disappointed that she had not jumped at the chance she had in her future mate's arms. As Hiei answered his communicator and muttered the surprisingly relaxing words "I found her" to a distressed Kurama, Terryal swore to herself that, like it or not, Hiei would realize his destiny and become hers forever.

A very sullen, very tan, very tattooed, and very pointy-eared fluffy haired Terryal sat blindfolded in the middle of Genkai's backwoods backyard. It was early afternoon on a sunny Wednesday and she had found herself at Kurama's mercy as he taught her to sense energy the "old fashioned way" as the psychic herself had put it. Kurama, who had already finished High School as he was a year older then Yusuke and Kuwabara, had opted not to go to College, much to his parents' dismay. However there was no worry for the boy regardless of his lack of higher education because thanks to his incredible demon talents he had secured himself in a job at a small nearly out of sight store that sold flowers and other strange herbal curios. Terryal had come to understand that many of the items sold there were not exactly to human tastes and wondered how the boy sustained a healthy living in his own apartment. With some explanation from Keiko, however, the psychic had learned that humans were quite physically oriented creatures and that thanks to the fox's good looks he had accidentally drawn in more customers then the shop had originally gotten so there was plenty of money to be had for all.

"Are you even trying to find me?" Kurama's chuckling voice reverberated of the trees making it impossible, even for Terryal's ever twitchy ears, to discern the demon's exact location.

"I apologize for I find my mind has been running away from me" Terryal called to the void.

"Running? Fleeing is the term most fitting" she thought "How am I ever to improve if all I can muster to into thought is that man?"

Running truly was an understatement. Hiei's crimson eyes had plagued her thoughts before but it was not the same as this. Instead of the horrors that had originally deterred her sleep she now found crimson eyes watching her and warm calloused hands caressing her. She admitted that it was a significant improvement upon her old dreams, which still occurred but had been slowing since she had found herself becoming more connected to the team after that party that had occurred nearly three weeks ago. Though these new ones were less horrifying they were much more embarrassing. Terryal was virgin in physical aspects but her mind, which had been ready to mate forty seven years ago, was riddled with adult content.

Love and sex were not things that were discussed in hushed tones in her village, to love both mentally and physically, was the highlight of a person's life and to accomplish both was worthy of celebration. Of course details were kept in the bedroom and in the minds of the close friends, usually of the wives. Terryal knew many friends that were more than wiling to kiss and tell and because of this knowledge her dreams were not always innocent. It made her embarrassed at the prospect of seeing Hiei in the future because she knew that one look at the boy and she'd see the images she saw in her dreams. Some only featured Hiei whispering passionate and lovely things to her like "You are my heart's desire" and "You are my destiny," both of which were completely uncharacteristic of the demon male but it was better then the other dreams. After waking from the more innocent ones Terryal would fall back asleep only to find herself in ones far more worthy of embarrassment. The fire demon would usually be sprawled out provocatively in some ridiculous setting left in very little or nothing at all beckoning to her with the most sensual crimson eyes the young psychic had ever seen.

Terryal enjoyed that with these dreams she could fall asleep again afterwards unlike the nightmares she had been receiving before but somehow the more promiscuous dreams left a bigger impact on her the next morning. Terryal knew what it was…it was the eyes, the crimson orbs that gazed at her in her dreams somehow regardless of the situation always looking at her with a primal sense of longing. It was a look that couldn't be described to ones who had never seen it, the distinct animalistic look of lust before receiving the desired…a look that could easily be mistaken for hunger. A beast swirling in the depths of any weather human or demon always watching for its next meal and that's what she felt like underneath his heavy gaze: A small bird in a tiny cage with a very large and very hungry cat. The look was intoxicating as well as terrifying, you wanted to see it but you were also afraid to, afraid that it wasn't lust at all, afraid that there really was a beast just waiting to gobble you up.

"Terryal!" Kurama called, placing his hand atop the demoness's fluffy mound of hair.

She jumped and peeped like she had so many times before, the fox had grown fond of the sound but not as fond as Yusuke, who had started making a game out of surprising their guest. Terryal sighed heavily and pulled the blindfold down her face looking sheepish, her cheeks were not only flushed from the embarrassment of loosing herself in thought twice, but from the memories said thoughts caused her. The apparition counted her blessings knowing that her lack of attention was enough shame to provoke her reddened cheeks itself otherwise Kurama would wonder why the psychic was acting as she was.

"I offer up my severest of apologies Kurama as I have brought much shame to myself as a student as well as you. You who have put so much effort into being the best tutor and I am unable to at the very least grace you with my attention." Terryal muttered barely above a whisper.

Kurama smiled and sat on the grass in front of her.

"Clearly your mind is elsewhere. Is it something I can help with?" He asked

"Yes!" she chirped bringing lifting her head to face the boy. "Yes I would be most grateful if you would explain to me the best way to capture Hiei's attention."

He looked at her with questioning green eyes, his brow quirked for a moment before realization struck him and his gentle face twisted into a foxy grin. Botan had been known to be gossipy, it was she who hat mentioned, to everyone able to keep a secret anyway, that Terryal seemed to react strangely well to Hiei despite his words. The reaper had implied all manner of interesting things that Kurama wasn't sure to be true until now.

"When did you start wanting to become close to Hiei?" Kurama inquired, his question was innocent enough but Terryal could hear the hint of something else in his voice.

"I desire only to find greater understanding in him and nothing more. Do you intent to help with this endeavor or will I have to continue on my own?" Terryal's puffy and youthful lips pouted slightly as she turned away from him to hide the blush on her cheeks attempting not to reveal her true motives.

"Hiei won't be an easy target to woo Terryal," Kurama stated coolly, he decided not to beat around the bush any longer.

Terryal's yellow eyes whirled onto the fox and created a look of utter shock and embarrassment, she resembled a child that was caught with her hand in a cookie jar. The psychic didn't want to feel embarrassed, Hiei was her fated partner and these matters were nothing to be ashamed of but those pesky dreams kept invading her mind leaving her thoughts in shambles.

"I have discovered what my fate tells me and I only wish to continue along that path, it is destiny. I assure you that "wooing" Hiei as you put it shall come as no task to his preordained partner."

Terryal tone was slightly huffy, causing Kurama to remember just how much of a child she truly could be but he couldn't help but feel like it might be good for Hiei. Despite this knowledge however Kurama also worried about what Terryal would say if she knew Hiei's past, and if she understood what he used to be like the relationship probably wouldn't last long. These thoughts caused the fox to become more skeptical about helping the girl because; should she actually succeed in gaining his friend's attention, Kurama would be forced to watch as the fire demon's love was thrown back into his face once more when his psychic lover learned of the jagan master's violent past. The thought was not a pleasant one.

"I don't think Hiei is your type." Kurama's tone was brisk and precise as though slicing through the subject and rendering it invalid.

"I care not for what he is like! Since the day I discovered this truth all I have been able to think of is him, my dreams are controlled by him and my health suffers for it. I have not slept properly since becoming one with this world, first it was the nightmares now this. My fate states that the man I desire will steal my heart and Hiei has done just that. Since he has left to seek those most likely to have plotted against my family I have done nothing but ache." Terryal admitted, her voice was wild and nervous. She needed to have Hiei just like she needed food or air.

"Terryal please, it's much more likely that you're desire to find a mate is creating this feeling. I don't want to see either of you get hurt with this relationship goes bad." Kurama attempted to reason with the girl.

"You understand not what I have felt for this man. I have always been drawn to him I have always found him attractive and I know he feels it too. He has offered to stay with me and has shown me kindness in his strange fashion, how could I ever misinterpret this. I plead with you Kurama, from the depth of my heart to allow me the chance to make this attempt." Even her yellow eyes begged.

Kurama sighed and ran his hand through his hair, she was certainly as stubborn as Hiei was the fox would give her that.

"Ok…but as I'm sure you've noticed. Hiei doesn't like those he considers weak, if you want to prove your worth you need to prove your strength. Do you know how to fight?" Kurama asked with a twinkle in his green orbs.

"Of course not, the only thing close to combat we ever learned was the mental defenses and how to evade affectively. Every dance that we learned taught us the agility we would need in the event of a battle." Terryal explained.

Hiei had been gone for a few days, Koenma had requested that he go and scout for the possible suspects to Terryal's incident. Kurama knew the fire apparition would be returning this evening as the Jagan master had taken the time to call him on the communicator hours before. All the fox had to do was make the girl appear to be a suitable fighter in a matter of hours...that couldn't be to hard right? Kurama chuckled to himself; he certainly had his work cut out for him.

Aaaaand CUT Great work everybody I hope you enjoyed it please review and don't forget to send me your ideas and thoughts as it'll help me pump out more chapters faster thanks so much everybody sorry there was only one shout out but those of you who review regularly you know who you are and so do I thank you so much and I love you guys!