InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Cruel Hands Of Fate ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

 

His breath had caught in his throat when she first moved against him. He didn't really want to let her go just yet and was, on some level, scared to do so. Already, he was beginning to feel a sort of protective, if somewhat possessive, feeling steel over him. And, being that he himself was rather inexperienced with all things female, he was unsure how she would react to him and their close proximity. While his intentions had solely been to comfort Kagome when she began sobbing in her unconscious state, the feeling of her warmth and softness pressed against him was starting to mess with his mind…as well as his body.

 

However, when the raven-haired woman on his lap turned her face to his, all coherent thought left his mind. Shocked would have been an accurate description for what Koenma was currently feeling. As he sat staring into endless pools of blue, he found himself lost and confused. Those eyes held more emotions in them than he thought were even possible to experience at once and found that some of the very things he was feeling were reflected back at him.

 

And, as if those eyes that seemed to ensnare your very soul weren't enough for him to focus on, he found that the rest of her would do just as well. As his eyes roamed over her face, Koenma realized that in his lap sat a true beauty. Her skin was a softly glowing alabaster; she had rose-tinted lips that would look good wearing a pout or a smile, high cheek bones and dark lashes that framed those stunning eyes. At that point in time, he was truly thankful that she had shifted her position in his lap and was now sitting more across his legs.

 

When she cocked her head in an unbelievably adorable and innocent way, Koenma could manage nothing but a smile; for fear that his voice might not agree to work properly.

 

Hiei had been watching the exchange between the miko and his boss with barely veiled amusement. Although he was, as of yet, unable to see the woman's face, the expressions that crossed Koenma's were nearly priceless and Hiei found himself wishing he had a camera.

 

He almost laughed out loud when he heard the Prince of Reikai's breathe hitch and then watched as a look of slight relief flashed across his face as Kagome moved away from him to re-settle her sitting position to better regard him. At first, he had though the look of relief was because maybe, just maybe, the girl wasn't as pleasing to the eye as they had thought her to be while sleeping. It was at that moment, that the fire demon caught the musky aroma that was lightly scenting the air.

 

The fire demon then bit into his own tongue to stifle his laughter.

 

Although he was never given to show any emotions really other than anything dark and angry, the situation he was currently in was becoming more amusing, and less irritating, by the minute. If Hiei had known that watching the demi-god squirm because of a seemingly pretty girl would have been so delightful a thing to watch, he would have long ago taken him for a trip to the Ningenkai. This was proving to be more entertaining than watching Yusuke push every button the junior ruler had. And the obvious scent of innocence that came from both beings in front of him only added to the comical aspect of it all.

 

That and the girl seemed to be totally unaware of the predicament that Koenma was now in.

 

`If only the fox and the detective were here to see this.' Hiei thought with a soft chuckle.

 

The slight sound from the youkai behind her brought Kagome out of the eye-lock she was currently engaged in. She wasn't sure whether she was thankful or disappointed by that.

 

While she had been wrapped in his arms, Kagome had been swimming in a feeling of perfect comfort and safety which, although not unpleasant, was something she had only rarely felt. And the few moments when she had experienced such a thing, she could only recall them having been accompanying the hugs her father used to give her. That had given her the impression that she was most likely being hugged by someone who would fit a father figure.

 

She was almost depressed by that thought; she had always hoped to find that kind of solace in a boyfriend or a male that could fill that role or more. Then, when she had finally scrounged up the courage to face the one bringing her such peace at the time, she was shocked to find that he wasn't a father figure at all. Rather, he was an extremely handsome young man, who appeared only slightly older than her, with sparkling hazel colored eyes that bordered on looking like warmed honey.

 

Then he smiled at her and she felt her heart lighten a little more; even as butterflies seemed to begin a dance in her tummy. And then, the other presence in the room chuckled, forcing her eyes from his so she could turn and regard the demon that had been throwing her miko senses into overload. She had thought it would give her time to settle her rapidly beating heart and convince those damned butterflies to go to sleep.

 

Fate however was not on her side, for as she turned her gaze to the youkai behind her, said butterflies decided that dancing wasn't enough and went into a full-on frenzy.

 

Now, while the young man whose lap she was currently situated in was all sorts of pleasing to the eyes, the youkai before her was definitely sexy in that dangerous demon way that always seemed to get her in trouble. While one was warm, loving and comforting, the other seemed cold, dangerous and, if the chance presented itself, passionate. `Must be the elements.'

 

As he had watched the silent interaction of Kagome and Koenma, Hiei became increasingly curious as to what exactly this girl looked like. While humans weren't really his cup of tea, he had found a few of them to be passably good looking and from the reactions that the demi-god was having to the one on his lap, his curiosity was nearly eating at him. `Damn fox is rubbing off on me.'

 

Just as he was mentally counting the ways to make a kitsune pay for passing his annoying habits onto him, Kagome turned fully to look at him.

 

It was then he realized exactly why Koenma was in the state he was. And he was instantly wondering if he could ever recall anyone, youkai or ningen, looking quite so delectable. The idea that he thought her to be beautiful caught on his awareness for a second momentarily irritating him for thinking such things about a female at all, before his anger was once again swept away.

 

For the life of him, he couldn't help the way he was thinking right now. This girl was truly stunning! The look in her eyes was enough to give him pause on its own. As he studied the rest of her face, Hiei found that some rather inappropriate thoughts started creeping into his mind. He had just successfully stuffed them into a closet when he took a breath to calm himself…and caught her scent. `Curses!'

 

The fire demon had already taken note of the innocent scent the girl possessed, but now that her attention was on him, the other aspects of her own personal aroma were hitting him full force. And damned be to the Kami if his traitorous body wasn't going through the same thing as Koenma's. While the godling was effected enough simply by the sight of the woman known as Kagome, Hiei had to struggle with her scent as well. It was tantalizing to him; floating across his senses as a gentle blend of rain and sakura blossoms, with a tint of cinnamon that he could only guess represented her powers.

 

And then, an earthy smell crept into his nostrils and he groaned. The girl was seemingly being affected by them both even as she was throwing their bodies into restless states.

 

While Kagome had studied the youkai in front of her, she became increasingly aware of the veritable silence that had crept into the room. Although she could appreciate silence as well as the next person, it was quickly becoming too much to handle in the small room. So, the young miko decided it was time to break the tension and start in with the explanations. She had seen plenty of questions hovering in both pairs of eyes and knew it would be the best way to start things off.

 

“My name is Kagome, Kagome Higurashi. I apologize for my rather impromptu and unannounced entrance.” She slipped off the lap she was in to better look at the two, before turning her attention back to the comforting young man. “Where am I exactly? I know where I was but something unexpected happened and I ended up here.” She finished, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as a slight blush of embarrassment tinted her cheeks.

 

The sound of her voice was just as sweet and melodic as they had thought it would be and it forced them to shake off their trance-like states so they could become involved in the conversation that she was attempting to start. It seemed they were all just as curious and eager for answers as the one next to them.

 

Koenma smiled at her once more, taking in her blush, before answering “Kagome, my name is Koenma. You are in my office in the Reikai, the spirit world. This,” he gestured to the fire demon, “is Hiei. He is one of the detectives I have working for me currently. If I may ask, what happened that brought you here and where is the Shikon?”

 

At the mention of the accursed jewel, Kagome tensed. Where they after the jewel too? Had she traded in Naraku for even more power hungry beings?

 

Seeing tension gather in her face, Koenma pressed a gentle hand to her shoulder “You don't have to worry, Kagome. We have no intentions of harming you. We in the Reikai have a duty to confiscate artifacts of power that have the ability to cause damage to the human race. When you `arrived' in my office, I was just preparing Hiei and another of my detectives to find the jewel. We weren't sure whether or not it had a current guardian.”

 

Kagome looked to Hiei silently questioning him if this was in fact the truth. When he gave her a slight nod, she visibly relaxed and a small smile curled the corners of her mouth up. “What era am I in then? I have been spending the past four years traveling back to the Feudal Era through a well on the grounds of the shrine I live at to piece together the Shikon.” The young miko then proceeded to tell Koenma and Hiei of her adventures to the past up to and including the defeat of the vile hanyou, though she left out what exactly happened to the Shikon, and her subsequent arrival in the Reikai.

 

If either one had been impressed by the girl in the slightest before, it didn't hold a candle to the level of respect and admiration they now held. This young woman had experienced one hell of a ride that could very well have resulted in the ending of the world as they knew, had her self-declared mission failed. They realized that although she was the one who had shattered the jewel, it was an accident and she had gone above anything that could have ever been expected of her in pushing aside her life to make it whole once more. This brought Koenma to another question that had previously been somewhat unanswered.

 

“Kagome, if you don't have the jewel in your possession and a wish wasn't made, then where is it? If it is out there somewhere, it must be found immediately!” The junior ruler stated firmly. He now was able to understand why it was of the utmost importance to have the jewel secured in the vaults of Reikai.

 

Kagome sighed. She was hoping she wouldn't have to explain all of this now. She didn't fully understand why it had happened at all, though she did know what had happened. However Kagome knew that Hiei and Koenma deserved to know all that she did. After all, they would be sharing one another's company for an…extended period of time.

 

“Well,” she started, worrying her lower lip again, “the Shikon doesn't really exist anymore. Not as the form of the jewel, anyway. Once Naraku was defeated, the jewel was reabsorbed into my body, but, instead of simply reclaiming its place in my side, it fused with me. So, in essence, the Shikon is no longer a jewel…the Shikon is me. I am the Shikon no Tama. Which is why the two of you seem to be linked to me…though that was apparently the jewels decision, not my own.”