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 Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:38 am
Hiei put a hand to his head, looking down a bit as if trying to figure something out. "I—" he began, but then shook his head.
The demon would never admit to his own unsoundness of mind. Though this usually only happened when he was deep in sleep. Maybe the stress really was getting to him. He sat down on the bed, sure that his heartbeat was loud enough for Kurama to hear. The Koorime looked a bit embarrassed, but closed his eyes and breathed slowly.
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:59 am
"Hiei, I am powerless to do anything for you if you don't tell me what the problem is," the fox spoke quietly, taking a place on the bed, and trying to coax an answer from him. Even just a clue would help; he didn't have to admit any sort of weakness, though his actions did enough of that. His current state with eyes closed, slow and deep breaths, and heartbeat told plenty—but not enough, not details.
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:14 am
Hiei swallowed and lifted his eyes to the window, where the storm still had its fun pattering on loudly. His heart seemed to skip a beat at having Kurama close once more, but it immediately began to calm and head towards beating at a normal rate. He now noticed the cold sweat at his hairline and turned his head away from Kurama's.
"I just—forgot where I was," he said in a low, quiet voice. Kurama did have skill when it came to getting some things out of the fire demon. His brick wall was high, but the fox had a secret entrance. "And when I remembered, I didn't know where you were."
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Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:37 pm
"If I had known that you would fall asleep, I would not have left you out of my sight. For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry for not being here," Kurama said gently, carefully choosing his words and making an attempt at eye contact. From the moment the fire demon had started speaking, he knew that he needed to handle the situation delicately, or else he would risk the trust required for him to answer at all. This was one of the rare moments that Hiei left himself unguarded, so he would not do anything to jeopardize that... bond they shared which enabled it in the first place.
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:19 am
Hiei allowed the eye contact for only a second before sighing in an amused manner. "Not your fault, baka," he said coolly, running a hand through his hair. It was his way of thanking the fox. To try to heal any wounds he might've made in their previous argument, the Koorime tried to be light.
"I think this place is getting to us more than we realize. At least I'm here with you. Yusuke might be okay. But Kuwabara would be dead by now."
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 12:04 pm
Hard feelings had already melted away as Kurama tried to calm the spooked Koorime, but his latest words nearly erased the entire episode from his excellent memory. This, the fox thought, might be just as sweet as Hiei could manage to be. And so he smiled, allowing the other to think, if he only scratched the surface, that it was because of his jest.
"I'm sure that by letting it get to us," Kurama said after a moment, "that we are giving Kasai what she wants. Psychics are known for their love of mind games. Perhaps we could play it her way and... turn the tables? It might make our stay more tolerable." He had avoided mentioning his kind words, sure that he didn't want thanks or anything of that sort.
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:21 pm
"Hn," Hiei uttered. Play it her way? "And what's your brilliant plan?"
It wasn't said with an attitude, but in a gentle and joking way. Playing Kasai's way might actually work. It seemed like it might be fun, even. Hiei's heart was finally beating properly so he felt as if he were mellowing out. He tried to concentrate the Eye, but it only glowed dully. He cursed a little bit, shifting to that he was a bit more comfortable, and facing the fox.
"The Jagan worked before. Why is it failing now?"
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Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:51 pm
"It would not surprise me if the reason her power will give out tomorrow is that she is straining herself to repress your Jagan. Perhaps the child or another now knows something and she's trying to keep it from us? Or maybe she is spying and doesn't want us to know," said Kurama, giving possible explanations. It seemed likely because her energy had mostly evened out. Holding up the barrier meant maintaining her power, but with Hiei's efforts at various, unpredictable times, she would easily need and use more than she had. It was a wonder that she could do much of anything with the wound she had sustained.
"I would imagine that," the fox added as an afterthought, "using your Jagan more would weaken Kasai and consequently that detestable barrier of hers."
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Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2007 11:59 am
Hiei considered what Kurama said. What would they have to hide? And if they really were spying, the demon would be more than annoyed. He sighed and shut his eyes, hiding those crimson orbs. Hiei thought that no matter how much he rested, he would still feel so exhausted. But he was tired mentally as well. He sighed again, groaning slightly, as if in pain.
"In turn, though," he said. "using the Jagan exhausts me. And gives me a headache."
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Posted: Sun Jul 22, 2007 5:39 pm
"I would prefer another day here to you being in any discomfort," said the fox, trying to be nice and yet not so much that the half Koorime would scoff and use it as an opportunity to belittle his humanity. Hiei would probably see the alternate meaning—the one implying that his temper was worse than being trapped.
"And that may be our only option, unless you have a better scheme in mind."
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 12:59 am
The Koorime offered a mildly affronted look. For a moment he looked playful and shifted. "Under better circumstances, I might enjoy this little slumber party—"
He stopped short, shutting his eyes and groaning. There was a searing pain in the Eye that seemed to shoot to every nerve in his head. What looked like black smoke seemed to wisp in small but noticeable amounts from his palm. He grabbed onto his arm and clenched both fists and teeth. It seemed like he was going to have some sort of outburst, but the fire demon relaxed and sunk a bit into the soft bed, trying with all his might not to pant, but that wasn't so easy. He barely opened his eyes and crimson was scarcely visible under those dark lashes, who took to the lighting and cast little shadows on the Koorime's cheeks.
"I swear I'll let my Dragon have her."
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:17 pm
Kurama raised a thin red eyebrow at the mention of a slumber party, wondering briefly where he had heard of such a human thing, but soon was overcome with a level of apprehension. It seemed that the dragon was becoming restless, and that Hiei's control was faltering, possibly because Kasai was restraining the Jagan. Though he was certain that Hiei would not turn on him, he did not come nearer to comfort him. In fact, the fox wasn't sure in the least how to calm him. Would he be able to address the issue at all without offending him?
"As much as I would like to see her as only an indentation on the wall, we must be sure that Yukina, as well as my mother, are back to their proper ages—and then we may return for revenge, if you so desire." While he did not think the female was lying about the antidotes, it was possible that they would not work. And somehow, odd as it may seem, some part of his mind wasn't so keen on killing her. The fact remained that, while she had done much to annoy them both, she had caused no real or lasting harm to any of them.
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:57 pm
Hiei did not seem to have heard Kurama's words. His eyes were shut again, though not tightly as they were before. He looked relaxed and serene, mouth slightly open. And suddenly, it was as though the light and warmth had been blown out like the flame on a candle and then there was a small, black flicker of being—the Dragon emergd in a wisp of smoke from the demon's arm, turning it's miniatre and flowy form like a snake. And as gentle as a lover, it seemed to glide to Kurama, curiously, to his face, sending warmth as it caressed, sliding and sweeping its wispy tail across the fox's soft cheeks, equally warm lips—
Hiei's eyes snapped wide and he cried out, the Dragon vanishing as though blown away by wind. There was a flash and the demon had appeared on the other side of the room where his sword lay, and no more than a second later there was a sick and slightly moist schink and then light and warmth returned to the room as easily as it had left.
Hiei was panting on his hands and knees, the katana stuck straight through his arm and blood beginning to pattern the beautiful carpet below him.
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Posted: Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:41 am
Kurama had stiffened at first, not sure what to make of the Dragon's actions, but soon began to relax into the odd touch, the caress. With the warmth of the room suddenly gone, that of the Dragon was fully welcome. But, with green eyes hidden, when the wispy creature brushed his lips, it was as though it was Hiei himself, and the fox couldn't help but wonder just how connected the two were. And then, suddenly, it was gone.
Just as fast, a terribly familiar sound was heard, and his eyes snapped open. Hiei was on his hands and knees, arm pierced with his katana; it was a pathetic pose for someone as proud as him to be seen in. Kurama wasted no time in kneeling at his side, already having a seed in mind that would speed the healing process, and another to dull the pain. The latter, he wasn't sure if the fire demon would accept.
With two fingers, Kurama caught Hiei's chin, raising it to make eye contact, to wordlessly warn him of what he was about to do, but unintentionally bringing their faces—their lips—close. His human heart began to beat faster, but he tried to ignore the strange feeling and broke the link. He ripped off a piece of his tunic, wrapped it around the part of the blade nearest the wound, set one hand on the arm and cloth, and used the other to gently pull out the katana. The cloth's purpose was firstly to absorb the blood and keep the weapon from pulling anything along with it, but once the blade was free, Kurama held it over the wound in an attempt to slow the bleeding. The fox could put nothing on the wound until he was sure that the salve would not be washed away.
He knew better than to ask how he felt, but couldn't help but wonder why. Why had he stabbed himself? Had the Dragon been acting of its own accord and he somehow thought that would put it back in line? Did that mean that they were two separate entities entirely? Or... was the creature acting for him? The last seemed the least likely, but he wouldn't rule out the possibility. Some subconscious part of him enjoyed entertaining the thought.
And then his mind shifted back into reality.
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