Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Born Again on the Full Moon ❯ The Fourth Night ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4: The Fourth Night

there's a thousand reasons

why I shouldn't spend my time with you

for every reason not to be here

I can think of two

to keep me hanging on

-depeche mode, only when I lose myself

***

I shift in my seat. "How did you know something was wrong?"

"Saa," he contemplates. "The spasms gave it away."

"To put it simply," Hiei snorts. "He nearly kicked me out of bed the first night."

*They're together?* I'll come back to that later . . . "So this happened the first night?"

"It happened every night," Kurama says.

-from the memoirs of Shelta Waters, ABN reporter

***

The next day passed by slowly, as all Fridays must because of some unspoken rule of life. Daini both dreaded and anticipated Kit's visit, the fourth time he would show up and jumble all sense of reality. Demons did not exist and yet she could not banish from her thoughts the image of a silver being in white cloth, whose slanted eyes, pointed ears, and fuzzy tail cried out, "look at me, I'm a youko!"

Nakame tried to badger her roommate into admitting she was hiding a secret boyfriend or something, the way she caught Daini time and time again brooding about the fox spirit. By the late afternoon, Nakame gave up and left her alone in the library.

Daini tapped her pencil rhythmically along the edge of her open textbook, staring at the tiny words but not really reading. Every so often she glanced through the window at the fading light. Her palms felt clammy; the other students around could probably hear her heartbeat. The last time she glanced outside, she bit back a nervous moan at the complete darkness swamping the campus. She buried her head into her folded arms and willed the morning to come quickly.

Someone walked past the desk Daini sat at. "Tired tonight?" rumbled an amused voice.

Daini snapped up, meeting the kindling, golden eyes.

"K- Kit!" she choked. "What're you doing here?!"

A hand tossed long silver tresses over his shoulder and then settled on a hip. "Your room was empty save the ningen you live with, so I came searching for you."

"Yes, yes, but not here!"

He grinned wickedly. "I am half in the world of the unawakened, silly Daini, others cannot see me. Calm down before you attract unwelcome attention." Daini noticed the glares she was getting from across the room - including a rather heated one from a ruffled librarian - and groaned.

Kit chuckled merrily. "Ready to go?" Daini opened her mouth to reply but glowered down at her textbook. The youko bent and nuzzled the side of her face, breathing hotly in her ear and making it very difficult for Daini to ignore him. What kind of game was he playing now? "Lay down your head," he murmured. "Close your eyes." Daini did as he requested, unnerved by his near presence. "The ningen will think you are sleeping. Now, follow me."

His voice faded and suddenly she was standing atop a high cliff overlooking a pale green and pink field. Colour swirled all around her and she flicked out a hand to pluck one of the delicate blossoms from the air. It tickled her palm like laughter and she uncurled her fingers, releasing the flit of pinkish wine to its fellows. Daini breathed in deeply and the sweet aroma flowed throughout her body, in and out, peacefully.

"Daini . . ." She turned to find Kit watching her. "This way . . ." The youko leapt into the sky, vanishing over the edge of the cliff. She gasped and rushed to the side; he floated just below, golden eyes laughing up at her. He stretched out a hand, calling, and so she gingerly took a step away from solid ground. Her feet met a cushion of air that prevented her from falling. Kit waited until she drifted down to his level and then grabbed her hand. A rare twinkle in his gaze, he took off toward the wallflower field. They glided, spiraled downward. Their feet finally touched upon the ground once more beneath a lone tree, tossing a shower of pink blossoms around them.

"How . . . beautiful," Daini said, no better word springing to mind.

"It is," Kit agreed. He let go of her hand and lowered himself among the flowers and thick grass, leaning against the smooth trunk of the lone tree. "We won't be bothered here, at least." He patted the ground in front of him invitingly.

"Er . . ." she hesitated.

Kit grinned. "I will not bite you."

Somehow I doubt that. Guardedly, she settled between his long legs, wary of the position she was being maneuvered into. Two strength-laden hands settled on her shoulders and guided the girl to fall backward so her cheek rested on his lean stomach. She could not figure out what to do with her arms so she just rested them on either side of his thighs. Nimble fingers ghosted along her spine and then settled on stroking the ends of ebony hair. A tremble raced up Daini's form and she further buried her face in the folds of his clothing.

"Sensitive?" he teased and her ears vibrated with the sound rumbling in his chest.

"Hair always is," she said, the retort muffled.

"Hmm . . ." He startled her by delving his fingers into her hair, nail scraping along her scalp pleasantly. Those slender appendages brushed through and gently freed tangles. She held still, enjoying the attention despite herself.

"Why are you called Daini?" he asked after a moment.

That was random.

At her silence, he spoke again, "I only wondered. Why would a ningen name her child 'the second'?"

"Because I was her second kid, that's why," she said ruefully and harsher than she meant. "My mother ran off with my flunky father when I was six. She used to call him Niaman because he was her second lover." Daini barked a short laugh. "My mother, a romantic at heart. Too bad she gave all her love to Niaman and left me with a pair of fosters." A heavy mist formed over her violet eyes and she rubbed them into the youko's shirt to hide the traces.

The hands on her hair stilled. "There is not much parenting in the Makai," Kit said quietly. "I understand your loneliness. I lived for hundreds of years without a lasting companion."

Daini raised up, gaping in shock. The way he had said that . . . not boastful or even sad, merely matter-of-fact. "You're old!"

"Not by youko standards," he said, sounding offended. He ducked a finger under her chin and closed her mouth.

"But to be alone for . . ." she trailed off and straightened quickly to lean beside him. "You need this more than I do!"

He stared at the girl blankly and then his eyes widened. Scooting down, Kit curled on his side and rested his head on her lap, twinning his arms round her waist. His tail flayed across her legs. She gulped, not knowing what exactly to do. You asked for it, her mind accused, and now he's showing that he can trust.

Daini rested the tips of her fingers at his temple, where the long sweep of hair began, and slowly trailed them down the expanse. Shiny moonlight seemed to slip between her fingers. Kit made a noise of pleasure, encouraging her to plunge deeper into that amazing silkiness. His eyes fluttered close and his face, his whole body, relaxed. She watched the strands play out across his back and skimmed her fingers over the hem of his clothes by his shoulder, back up to his neck. She brushed his hair aside and at the same time he tilted his head, revealing more pale skin. How long has it been since he was last touched like this? she found herself wondering.

Don't stop, Kit's mind reeled. Inside he was a bit ashamed that he, a great youko, could be so affected by a mere ningen's touch, and his instincts screamed at him to stop exposing his blasted neck. Feels so good. . .I want more . . . damn that moon . . . He sighed when Daini dipped her fingers into the hollow at his collarbone and over to comb through his hair again. The moon . . . damn.

"By Inari, what you do to me," he whispered, voice hoarse. Just a few more seconds. His throat bobbed when he swallowed. "You . . . you had best stop . . ."

"Why?" She let her fingers skim over his back. This new feeling of warmth on warmth . . . she didn't want to stop.

Kid lifted onto his arms, mere inches away. His golden eyes had darkened and his breath came out in little huffs. He wet his lips. "Because I am a dangerous youko."

"O-oh, really?" she stammered. A blush colored her cheeks as she slowly realized what she had been doing to him. "You h-haven't done anything to- to make me believe that . . ."

"I almost did," he breathed. "I'm an evil youko . . ." Kit bent over her, supporting himself on his hands and giving her room to move away. "Daini . . . I want . . . may I . . ?" He left the question unfinished and leaned close enough to brush his lips over hers. When she did not resist, he shifted his knees, bringing himself closer, cupping her face, kissing the girl like a spark of fire.

Oh gods. Oh gods! He's kissing me and I'm letting him get away with it! She squirmed against him and Kit broke away, an almost sheepish grin alighting his face. He caressed her cheek, nipped lightly on her perk nose, then settled back down on her lap like before.

Daini smiled where he could not see and began to play with his hair again. A strange noise rumbled in his chest, a low humming sound. His tail swished from side to side lazily, catching her interest, so she exploringly touched the base.

Immediately, Kit tensed, nails digging into her hips. Daini jerked her hand away and apologized, a bit stunned as his sudden and uncomfortable reaction.

"Not the tail," he said quietly. "It is . . . a youko thing."

"S-sorry." Carefully, she moved back up to his hair and resumed her caresses, a bit more timid than before. Kit gradually began to relax again, and she started to touch one of his fuzzy ears to see if those were off limits too.

But her hand went straight through him.

"K-Kit!"

He snapped his head up to meet her frightened eyes. Her hands were fading away, her arms, legs, everything, like a shadow dissipating before sunrise. Kit smiled gently.

"Someone is trying to wake you," he explained, trying to grasp her arms but not able to. "Tomorrow, ne?"

But I don't want to go. "Tomorrow," she agreed sullenly. The pinkish and yellow field melted away and the black-haired girl awoke.

"Daini-chan!" Nakame hissed in her ear. Daini groggily sat up, rubbing at her sleep-filled eyes. "You've been out forever!"

"Have I?" Daini blinked around at the library. "Oh! Hai!"

Nakame just shook her head. "I swear you're getting weirder and weirder."

My life sure is . . . Daini rolled her eyes at the other girl. "Come on, I'm in the mood for some midnight ice cream!"

"Daini-chaaaan!" Nakame squealed as she was dragged out of the library.

Arishia-chan's Note: Daini's father's nickname actually has a meaning. ^_^ Niaman: 'ni' means two, 'aman' means lover.