Disclaimer: No, I don't own YYH. If I did... actually if I did it would probably suck. HA.

Pairings: Hiei x OC or Hiei x Female of your choice. Don't like, don't read plz.

~*~

Hibernation

The Kokuryuuha.

There were times she feared it above all else, times she revered it as if it were a deity, and times it caused her endless worry for her mate's well-being. But she couldn't deny her extreme delight at the hereafter.

She simply couldn't help herself.

There he was, completely unguarded and vulnerable, sleeping like a baby.

On the sofa of their bedchamber.

Arm slung across his face.

Shirtless.

A lesser demon would have already jumped him, but no. She was his mate. The one he had chosen. She had values and self-restraint.

But he looked so damn cute.

As quietly as she could, she slid to the floor from door she had been leaning against and crawled towards him, hands and bare feet tickled by the carpet. A smirk cracked her face as she got close enough to hear his soft breathing.

Briefly, she took a moment to appreciate her mate's progress. Kurama had told her that years ago -the first time Hiei had perfectly summoned and used the Kokuryuuha without injury- the fire demon had needed six full hours of sleep to recover. The Hiei she knew only needed a maximum of two hours. Sure, he woke up a little grumpy, well, more so than usual, and a little more volatile, but it was such a treat to watch her sleepy mate grumble and whine like a child that she didn't care.

Of course, she thought as she propped her elbows up on the sofa cushions and stared down at her mate, she had yet to be at the receiving end of his wrath. Oh, she knew it would probably happen eventually, she even counted on it. Kurama had talked about it as some sort of right of passage. Hiei wasn't truly comfortable with anyone until he had threatened to kill them.

She smiled. She could wait. They had their entire lives ahead of them. Stifling a small laugh as Hiei's arm fell away from his face, she leaned in even closer to the point where she could feel his breath on her cheek.

Small nose, mouth slightly open with tiny dangerous fangs peeking beneath deceptively soft lips, all three eyes closed and still in dreamless sleep. Mmm.

Her own eyes drifted upwards to the spiky, unruly hair. How many of their firsts nights together had consisted of her continuously and curiously burying her hands in it and him growling in annoyance? It was surprising how soft the bristly looking hair really was. And that the white was natural. Hiei had looked offended when she asked about it and threatened to cut her hair. She smiled even wider. Ah, memories.

As her eyes continued to devour her mate, she couldn't help but wonder why she played this solitary game every time he hibernated. Countless times had she studied Hiei's form, gotten to know quite a few of it's secrets, likes, and dislikes. She liked to assume she knew every curve and bony angle on that body, and yet she never tired of it, and knew she never would. It was just like Hiei's mind. A perfect puzzle that was never finished, no matter how complete she believed it to be.

And yet each time she would watch him, she was taking in everything and nothing at the exact same time. It was a game of temptation. She would look, but never touch. At least while he was hibernating. Which was, of course, the only time he wouldn't notice. Any other time, he would jump up immediately, katana in hand, ready for combat. It was only during his dead to the world hibernations that she could do as she wished. Which she never truly did.

She watched as his bare chest rose and fell gently in slumber. Her eyes roamed down to the slim waist but firmly muscled abs, and then to the red sash holding his white pants up. Red sash. She vaguely remember a human novel where a red sash was worn to signify one's virginity. Well now, she told herself, How humorously irrelevant.[1]

White pants.

She had practically begged him to wear those pants. But she didn't. Hiei's mate did not beg. She certainly came close to it though. How could she not? She had bought those specifically for him! Hiei had given in eventually, but she noticed that he only wore the pants when they were at home. Oddly enough, the self-conscious gesture made her feel special, like seeing him in anything other than dark colors was her privilege only.

The fire demon's small bare feet crossed at the ankle caused a fond sigh to push through her lips. As delicate as they looked, those feet had carried her mate all over the three worlds, and above them, a pair of impressive and well built shins and thighs.

Hips.

A naughty glint lit her eyes. Those were specifically for her to enjoy. The movement of those hips were hers to appreciate, whether in bed or in battle, in stillness or in motion. It didn't matter. No one knew those hips like she did.

And they never would.

Among other parts of his body reserved just for her.

Hn.

In the back of her mind, a voice was telling her that Hiei would wake up soon. Shaking her head, she smirked and let her hand hover right above his heart. How close could she get without breaking her own rules? Biting her lip to keep herself from laughing, she grasped a lock of her own hair and gently tickled the sleeping demon's nose. The laugh almost broke out when the tiny nose scrunched up and bandaged hand went to rub at it before settling back down across it's owner's stomach.

Closer. She could still get closer without be flesh to flesh.

Silently, she pulled herself onto the sofa as gently as she could. Hibernation or not, Hiei would still awaken if roused. She wasn't sure if the motion of the furniture would really be enough to wake him, but she didn't want to risk it and have her irritable mate cut her fun short.

Soon enough she was poised above him on all fours, her knees on either side of his hips, her hands on either side of his face. A tiny shimmer by his left ear caught her eye.

A gold earring.

The very sight of it made her heart skip a beat and her face heat up. The tiny piece of jewelry matched the one she had on her right ear. It wasn't a symbol of love, but a symbol of commitment, which to her, was even better. Love could go in either direction. But between herself and Hiei, there was a guarantee to be loyal to one another for the rest of their long life-spans. That meant no matter the circumstances, they would face everything together, with or without love. A true promise. Those small, matching earrings told everyone in all the worlds, "We are mates, we are forever." [2]

A little annoyed at her misting eyes, she bit her still curved lip, cursing herself for acting like a lovesick youko. Leaning forward towards her still sleeping mate's face so that their foreheads and noses nearly made contact, she breathed in slowly as he breathed out. "I am yours," she whispered, "And you are mine."

Hiei grumbled in his sleep but didn't move, his thankful mate still perched precariously above him. Just as she was about to sit up, her head spun towards the door as it slowly and softly opened. Mukuro stared back at her with amusement, visible brow raised.

"What are you doing?"

Blinking, she sat back on her haunches, still making no contact with the body beneath her. At the former demon lord's light laugh, she smirked in return and shrugged.

"Not touching."

~*~

[1] OH LOOK. A reference from an actual book!

[2] The concept is similar to that of a wedding ring, only less romantic. In my mind, a demon taking a mate is more like an alliance. Like, there doesn't even need to be love involved. It could be for power or to have strong offspring. But whatever the reason, the promise to be committed only to the mate is concrete. Bah. In my stories/ fics anyway.

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