InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Tales of the Night ❯ Night XL: A Fire's Beauty ( Chapter 8 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Kurai Mori 
He had never come across a human whose eyes reflected the fires he controlled.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological / Hentai / Angst | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 10.11.2008 | Updated On: 06.03.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 1.5K | Status: Work In Progress
He had never come across a human whose eyes reflected the fires he controlled.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Psychological / Hentai / Angst | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 10.11.2008 | Updated On: 06.03.2010 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.1K | Visits: 1.5K | Status: Work In Progress
Title: Night XL: A Fire's Beauty
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): Murderous thoughts; light swearing.
His nails dug into the thick tree branch as he watched her bestow one of her smiles on the undeserving male. As if a human boy would ever be worthy of her attentions! Those smiles of hers were something he coveted, and he would be damned if just anyone could receive them. He did, however, take a special comfort in the fact that her smile was something strained and not at all like the ones he received.
It seemed as if humans were the cause of all his problems these days. Stealing that damn sword from the vault in Reikai was starting to look more and more like one of his stupidest ideas. It had caused his confinement to Tokyo, thus the reason he had ever crossed paths with that idiot of a miko.
Then there was that oaf he had to call teammate. Kuwabara, he sneered at even the thought of his name. Tomorrow he would be sure to give that idiot the training session of his life for finishing early today. He would make whatever cruel training methods Genkai was using on the detective look like a walk in the park. If only he had not finished early, then he would not have been able to stop by the shrine earlier than normal. And if he had not done that, then he would not be watching the scene that was unfolding before him.
"I must say again, Higurashi-san, that you have recovered so well!"
His glare and scowl deepened all the more when he heard her laugh. "Oh, Hojo-kun, I wasn't that sick."
The branch he had been using to dig his nails in creaked in an ominous way as he watched the human reach out to touch her on the shoulder. Who did he think he was to touch her in such a familiar way? What was she thinking being so intimate and flirty with someone so human?
At moments like this, he wondered why he did not listen to his instincts all those nights ago and kill her when he had the chance to do so. He should just do it and be done with her. Then he would not have to deal with all the strange emotions she caused in him. Emotions like the ones she inspired were what got people killed in battles.
Even though he knew that he should, and had somewhat resolved to, kill her the next chance he got (which would be in about a minute given how the human looked about ready to leave), he knew he would not be able to draw his sword against her with the intent to kill. If just barely scratching her neck caused guilt to eat away at him, then he did not want to know what killing her would do to him.
If he could not kill her, then perhaps he could kill that human who dared touch her? Even if he could not deal the killing blow, he knew it would not take much to find a rogue youkai to scare the puny human into crossing paths with it. In that instance, he would be killing two birds with one stone: the youkai directly, the human indirectly. It was not as if the world would miss one puny little human nor whatever pathetic youkai he found to do his dirty work.
On the other hand, there would be a cozy little jail cell in Reikai waiting for him to rot in. All because of damn toddler-gods and their human pets.
Another one of her laughs reached his ears; he dug his nails deeper into the branch. He knew his fingertips were bloody and that his nails were split, but he could not care. He fast changed his mind: damn humans and their emotions. Yet, even as his anger grew, he found himself waiting for the human to leave so he could have a talk with his miko.
...His miko?
If it was possible, Hiei glared even more at the back of her head when he realized what he had thought. He blamed her for the whole situation he found himself in. If only she could find a way to keep her emotions to herself instead of letting each and every one flow through her and her aura, and latch on to whomever happened to be nearby.
As the human, Hojo-kun, walked away, he lessened his grip on the branch, pulling bark away as well and leaving it weaker than it had been minutes earlier. Before she could turn around to face his spot in the tree (and he knew she knew where he was, just as he was certain she knew he had been glaring at her), he jumped out of it to land behind her. He had never appeared in plain view on the shrine grounds before nightfall, and found he did not care. She made him feel far too weak and angry to care.
"Hiei-san? I thought that was--..." She trailed off as she noticed the expression on his face. Her eyebrows and face were scrunched in what appeared to be confusion. "Is there something wrong? Did something happen?"
Her genuine concern and confusion made him pause. Was it possible she was that oblivious about the one thing he thought she would know so much about?
She huffed and stood akimbo when he did not answer. "I can't know what's wrong if you won't say anything."
"Enjoying the company of humans?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Why wouldn't I be? I find it hard to believe that you've forgotten that I do happen to be human... Since you remind me of that fact so many times." The last part had been muttered, but he heard it.
He crossed his arms and met her narrowed look with a glare. "As if I could forget that fact. Just like the other humans, you can't help but be entranced by anything that gives you attention."
She took a step back from him, her blue eyes wide. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Her eyes widened even more as she came to some conclusion, he figured. "Are you... Are you jealous, Hiei-san?"
So his initial thoughts were right. He was feeling jealousy for the first time in his life. And he blamed it entirely on her. He had never been insecure enough in his standing with someone to feel that weak emotion; then again, he usually killed most everyone he crossed paths with. While her assumption may be true, it was not as if he was going to admit to it, and especially not to her. He was not going to give her that kind of satisfaction.
"Don't push your pathetic emotions on me. You think too highly of yourself if you think I could ever be jealous over someone like you."
Hiei watched as her face took on a stricken quality, as though she had been slapped. Perhaps she had been; it only made him smirk. He wanted her to feel the same way he had felt. It was how he lived his life, and it was not going to change anytime soon. She should know better than to act that way with just anyone, it sent the wrong message. Even though those thoughts were ones he did not want to think about, he was too caught up in his anger and triumph.
When the hurt showing clear on her face turned to anger, he felt adrenaline pump through his veins. It was always the same whenever he pushed her to the limits of her anger; he could not deny the satisfaction he felt whenever he saw the fire flash in her eyes.
"Why you-... You insensitive jerk!" Her eyes flashed with a blue fire as hot as the hell flames he controlled as she shouted at him. Yet he was too focused on watching the sparks in her eyes to listen to whatever rants and words she could think of to throw at him.
If only she had a mouth as vulgar as the detective's or his own, then her fire would truly be like a work of art.
"If you can't be jealous over someone like me then why do you keep coming around here!"
Instead of answering, he turned away from her, knowing it would cause her anger to grow that much more. He knew he should not enjoy provoking her so much, but he had never come across anyone whose eyes would light with such spark.
"Egotistical jerk!"
He stumbled forward as one of her loafers connected with his shoulder. Maybe he pushed her a little too far this time, but he never expected her to act out on her anger in such a way.
Before she knew what happened, he had her pinned to the ground beneath him, one of his hands wrapped around her throat. He knew that she could kill him in a second with how much physical contact there was now between them, and she knew he could kill her just as fast. Yet they knew the other would not do it, no matter how angry and hurt that both might be.
"Get off." Her eyes were ablaze with righteous anger.
In that moment, her blue fire staring him down and her body beneath his, he finally understood a dynamic of thievery he had never been able to grasp before. While he may have been a thief as a child, he stole and killed only for the satisfaction of taking away something precious from the victim. He had never understood why others, such as the fox, stole not for pleasure but to hoard. And it all had to do with jealousy. The need to hide something away because it was far too beautiful for anyone else to be worthy enough to see. It had to come with the knowledge that it was too beautiful for even the thief. It would forever be close and forever out of reach.
That was how he felt about her smiles, her laughs, her angry fire... Her.
He both hated that fact and loved it. If he still had been a thief, he would have said that he wanted to steal her away so he would not have to worry about her anymore.
"If you weren't jealous, we wouldn't even be in this position."
He tightened his grip on her throat before releasing it. "As I said, don't put your emotions on me."
As he left the shrine grounds, he heard her last words: "Things would be so much easier if you would just admit that you have some sort of feelings toward me, Hiei-san."
Word count: 1845
Edited: 3 June 2010
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): Murderous thoughts; light swearing.
- - - - - - - -
Hiei had no words to describe what he was feeling at the moment. All he knew was that it was far too human and soft for him. Moreover, it was entirely her fault. And she was completely oblivious to it as well, not that that fact surprised him. She was oblivious to so many things, some that were so obvious that he had thought only a baby would not get it.His nails dug into the thick tree branch as he watched her bestow one of her smiles on the undeserving male. As if a human boy would ever be worthy of her attentions! Those smiles of hers were something he coveted, and he would be damned if just anyone could receive them. He did, however, take a special comfort in the fact that her smile was something strained and not at all like the ones he received.
It seemed as if humans were the cause of all his problems these days. Stealing that damn sword from the vault in Reikai was starting to look more and more like one of his stupidest ideas. It had caused his confinement to Tokyo, thus the reason he had ever crossed paths with that idiot of a miko.
Then there was that oaf he had to call teammate. Kuwabara, he sneered at even the thought of his name. Tomorrow he would be sure to give that idiot the training session of his life for finishing early today. He would make whatever cruel training methods Genkai was using on the detective look like a walk in the park. If only he had not finished early, then he would not have been able to stop by the shrine earlier than normal. And if he had not done that, then he would not be watching the scene that was unfolding before him.
"I must say again, Higurashi-san, that you have recovered so well!"
His glare and scowl deepened all the more when he heard her laugh. "Oh, Hojo-kun, I wasn't that sick."
The branch he had been using to dig his nails in creaked in an ominous way as he watched the human reach out to touch her on the shoulder. Who did he think he was to touch her in such a familiar way? What was she thinking being so intimate and flirty with someone so human?
At moments like this, he wondered why he did not listen to his instincts all those nights ago and kill her when he had the chance to do so. He should just do it and be done with her. Then he would not have to deal with all the strange emotions she caused in him. Emotions like the ones she inspired were what got people killed in battles.
Even though he knew that he should, and had somewhat resolved to, kill her the next chance he got (which would be in about a minute given how the human looked about ready to leave), he knew he would not be able to draw his sword against her with the intent to kill. If just barely scratching her neck caused guilt to eat away at him, then he did not want to know what killing her would do to him.
If he could not kill her, then perhaps he could kill that human who dared touch her? Even if he could not deal the killing blow, he knew it would not take much to find a rogue youkai to scare the puny human into crossing paths with it. In that instance, he would be killing two birds with one stone: the youkai directly, the human indirectly. It was not as if the world would miss one puny little human nor whatever pathetic youkai he found to do his dirty work.
On the other hand, there would be a cozy little jail cell in Reikai waiting for him to rot in. All because of damn toddler-gods and their human pets.
Another one of her laughs reached his ears; he dug his nails deeper into the branch. He knew his fingertips were bloody and that his nails were split, but he could not care. He fast changed his mind: damn humans and their emotions. Yet, even as his anger grew, he found himself waiting for the human to leave so he could have a talk with his miko.
...His miko?
If it was possible, Hiei glared even more at the back of her head when he realized what he had thought. He blamed her for the whole situation he found himself in. If only she could find a way to keep her emotions to herself instead of letting each and every one flow through her and her aura, and latch on to whomever happened to be nearby.
As the human, Hojo-kun, walked away, he lessened his grip on the branch, pulling bark away as well and leaving it weaker than it had been minutes earlier. Before she could turn around to face his spot in the tree (and he knew she knew where he was, just as he was certain she knew he had been glaring at her), he jumped out of it to land behind her. He had never appeared in plain view on the shrine grounds before nightfall, and found he did not care. She made him feel far too weak and angry to care.
"Hiei-san? I thought that was--..." She trailed off as she noticed the expression on his face. Her eyebrows and face were scrunched in what appeared to be confusion. "Is there something wrong? Did something happen?"
Her genuine concern and confusion made him pause. Was it possible she was that oblivious about the one thing he thought she would know so much about?
She huffed and stood akimbo when he did not answer. "I can't know what's wrong if you won't say anything."
"Enjoying the company of humans?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Why wouldn't I be? I find it hard to believe that you've forgotten that I do happen to be human... Since you remind me of that fact so many times." The last part had been muttered, but he heard it.
He crossed his arms and met her narrowed look with a glare. "As if I could forget that fact. Just like the other humans, you can't help but be entranced by anything that gives you attention."
She took a step back from him, her blue eyes wide. "What are you talking about?" she asked. Her eyes widened even more as she came to some conclusion, he figured. "Are you... Are you jealous, Hiei-san?"
So his initial thoughts were right. He was feeling jealousy for the first time in his life. And he blamed it entirely on her. He had never been insecure enough in his standing with someone to feel that weak emotion; then again, he usually killed most everyone he crossed paths with. While her assumption may be true, it was not as if he was going to admit to it, and especially not to her. He was not going to give her that kind of satisfaction.
"Don't push your pathetic emotions on me. You think too highly of yourself if you think I could ever be jealous over someone like you."
Hiei watched as her face took on a stricken quality, as though she had been slapped. Perhaps she had been; it only made him smirk. He wanted her to feel the same way he had felt. It was how he lived his life, and it was not going to change anytime soon. She should know better than to act that way with just anyone, it sent the wrong message. Even though those thoughts were ones he did not want to think about, he was too caught up in his anger and triumph.
When the hurt showing clear on her face turned to anger, he felt adrenaline pump through his veins. It was always the same whenever he pushed her to the limits of her anger; he could not deny the satisfaction he felt whenever he saw the fire flash in her eyes.
"Why you-... You insensitive jerk!" Her eyes flashed with a blue fire as hot as the hell flames he controlled as she shouted at him. Yet he was too focused on watching the sparks in her eyes to listen to whatever rants and words she could think of to throw at him.
If only she had a mouth as vulgar as the detective's or his own, then her fire would truly be like a work of art.
"If you can't be jealous over someone like me then why do you keep coming around here!"
Instead of answering, he turned away from her, knowing it would cause her anger to grow that much more. He knew he should not enjoy provoking her so much, but he had never come across anyone whose eyes would light with such spark.
"Egotistical jerk!"
He stumbled forward as one of her loafers connected with his shoulder. Maybe he pushed her a little too far this time, but he never expected her to act out on her anger in such a way.
Before she knew what happened, he had her pinned to the ground beneath him, one of his hands wrapped around her throat. He knew that she could kill him in a second with how much physical contact there was now between them, and she knew he could kill her just as fast. Yet they knew the other would not do it, no matter how angry and hurt that both might be.
"Get off." Her eyes were ablaze with righteous anger.
In that moment, her blue fire staring him down and her body beneath his, he finally understood a dynamic of thievery he had never been able to grasp before. While he may have been a thief as a child, he stole and killed only for the satisfaction of taking away something precious from the victim. He had never understood why others, such as the fox, stole not for pleasure but to hoard. And it all had to do with jealousy. The need to hide something away because it was far too beautiful for anyone else to be worthy enough to see. It had to come with the knowledge that it was too beautiful for even the thief. It would forever be close and forever out of reach.
That was how he felt about her smiles, her laughs, her angry fire... Her.
He both hated that fact and loved it. If he still had been a thief, he would have said that he wanted to steal her away so he would not have to worry about her anymore.
"If you weren't jealous, we wouldn't even be in this position."
He tightened his grip on her throat before releasing it. "As I said, don't put your emotions on me."
As he left the shrine grounds, he heard her last words: "Things would be so much easier if you would just admit that you have some sort of feelings toward me, Hiei-san."
- - - - - - - -
A version of this chapter was posted to the livejournal community 30_Nights for their theme #023: Like an art piece.Word count: 1845
Edited: 3 June 2010