InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Tales of the Night ❯ Night XX: Succor ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Title: Night XX: Succor
Disclaimer: I claim no ownership of Sengoku Otogizoushi - InuYasha or Yuu Yuu Hakusho. InuYasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko, Shogakukan, Viz Media, ShoPro Entertainment, and Shounen; while Yuu Yuu Hakusho belongs to Togashi Yoshihiro, Shueisha, Viz Media, and Shounen. No profit or money of any kind is made from this fan-created crossover.
Warning(s): Light swearing.


She stood and placed her hand against the bark of the tree, her pale skin a stark contrast to the darkness that tainted everything else. He could hear the smile in her voice as she said, "You're late, you know. I was wondering if you decided to just leave. Which would be so mean of you--you're the only youkai I know here!"

Hidden by the darkness, Hiei rolled his eyes. He found himself indulging in such trivial acts the longer he hung around the woman. Maybe his life and sanity would be better off if she knew other youkai. Then she could talk their ears off instead of his. That would make his nights much more peaceful. The only problem was that he sought out her company of his own free will.

"So why were you late?"

He did not respond. After a pregnant pause, she laughed, but it was not filled with humor. "As usual, another one of your silences... I suppose I should be used to them by now, but anything would be nice to hear."

He did not like the tone in her voice. Her amusement, though it led to her laughing and chatting more, was a welcome sound. So he decided to humor her. "Hn."

When she laughed that time, it was with humor. "And that's what I get for not being specific. But I'll take that to mean I can come up with my own ideas... Hm. Did you get lost in life? Caught up in training?"

While they both knew he was not going to answer, she had been correct. He had been training. It was all he could do to fill up the days as he prepared with the fox and oaf for the tournament they were dragged into by one botched mission. He looked forward to being able to kill whomever he desired, so long as they were on the opposing team. Though he loathed the humans who had dragged him into it. It was all because the detective and idiot could not finish off one youkai.

"Or maybe you have another human female you bestow your silences on? Hm?"

For the first time since meeting her, he was not listening to a word she was saying. His attention was focused on the sharp pain of a wound to his arm. It throbbed like little else, but he expected nothing less from the fox. It was strange though; he was now ignoring the woman he could not keep his mind from thinking about once he saw the sun begin to set. That distraction had been enough for Kurama to land a hit on him with his whip, and it stung his pride the most.

"Are you all right? What's wrong? You're hurt, aren't you?"

He watched her through narrowed eyes as she climbed up and through the branches to reach where he was at. It was disconcerting to know that her woman's intuition worked so damn well. Hiei was certain there was no way her weak human eyes would have been able to see his healing wound through the night's dark cloak. Yet she still knew he was injured. What the hell had given it away?

However he found himself rooted to the branch he occupied even as she settled herself in front of him on it. He had not been this close to her since he had saved her from being killed by a youkai weeks ago. And he still remembered the way her hand felt against his cheek. She stared at him with her strange blue eyes with emotions he dared not name. Not now, not ever. He refused to admit just how much he anticipated the moments he spent in her presence.

"You know, you're just as stubborn as Inuyasha is... was... Or whatever. You both hiss whenever you have wounds." She smiled, answering the question he had had on his mind and injuring his pride at the same time. He did not hiss like some animal. "What happened?"

He shifted, hiding his healing arm from her view. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with, human."

She surprised him this time. Normally she only sighed sadly after such a caustic remark, but this time... Her eyes flashed with spunk and anger. It was almost beautiful to him.

"I have a name, and I know you know it! What is it with you youkai and your refusal to use names?"

"What is it with you humans and the significance you place in your precious names?"

She paused and tilted her head to the side as she thought over his question. It was a pity; her brilliant blue fire had been replaced with a false one of mellow pondering. Instead of being surrounded by her righteous anger, it was her confusion wrapping around him. "What do you mean? Youkai use names, too... I'm sure you have one, and would probably kill anyone for calling you something other than it."

"If I cared about your name, I'd ask for it. And you know what I mean. You all have to assert yourselves in your world by using names you haven't earned. Youkai tremble in fear at hearing my name, what does yours do? Differentiate you from your family, the rest of you sniveling humans?"

"I... I never thought of it like that." Her voice was low and small. On anyone else, he would have loved hearing it, but it did not suit her. She was bringing him warmth, and not in the way he controlled, but in the soft, human way. The kind of warmth associated with compassion. He did not do compassion.

Her mood swing caught him off-guard as her face took on a smile that seemed too devious to be good. No matter how much time he had spent in her presence, he knew he would never grow tired of watching her changing emotions. "Why won't you tell me what happened?"

He glared at her. She giggled. No one had ever dared to giggle at him. Hiei still stood by his original thought of her: she was a strange human. And it seemed as if she was one with quick movements as well, or perhaps it was he who had let down his guard enough in the face of her giggles and genuine nature.

As her hand reached out to touch his injured one, his free hand went to the hilt of his sword and pulled it free. The scent of blood was one he always savored, yet he could not bring himself to press his sword deeper into her neck and kill her. He was, dare he even admit it, curious as to what she was going to do. Ever since that night where she had touched his face, he had wanted more. He wanted to feel her calloused palms against his skin, touching him in ways he had never had the pleasure of knowing.

He found his desire coming true. The sword against her neck did not stop her hand as she gripped his wounded arm. His instincts told him to kill her before her power had a chance to destroy him. Yet he was too caught up in the feeling of her hand touching his skin, and the warmth that flowed from her fingertips as they ghosted across his wound and healed it faster than his youkai blood could ever hope to.

Her hand fell away from his arm, and he found himself missing the warmth of it. How absurd, a fire youkai missing warmth? Yet he did.

His trepidation gone, he removed his sword from her neck. The feeling that settled in his heart when he saw the thin red line left behind to mar the skin of her throat was not one he liked. He did not miss the look of exhaustion on her face either.

But she still smiled her smile for him. It was unexpected. "I never realize how hard it would be to use my hama no reiryoku after so long... And without my bow."

That was even more unexpected. What kind of idiot uses their rusty ability on a youkai that could kill them for screwing up? And he called her as such.

"Mhm," was her agreement before the exhaustion overtook her. He caught her before her body could fall off the branch and to certain death. Again, he found himself wondering what kind of idiot uses their powers in such a way and on a tree branch, no less.

Though he could not just leave her. Whether or not she was an idiot for doing what she did, especially since it would have been healed by morning, she still helped him out. It would be dishonorable to leave her out in the cold of the night. Yet he was not sure he wanted to know what it would be like to have her in his arms before he had to let her go and leave for another day.

Against his better judgment, he secured her in his arms as he jumped to a higher branch to get to her bedroom window. Opening it slowly, so as not to alert the fat feline that lounged about her room, he snuck in and deposited her on her bed. He needed to get away from her warmth and how she felt in his arms as soon as possible. For the first night since meeting her, he found himself leaving the shrine before daybreak.


A version of this chapter was posted to the livejournal community 30_Nights for their theme #005: Release my darkness; Bring me warmth.
Word count: 1580
Edited: 3 June 2010