All right, everyone, just so you know this will be a collection of one shots that revolve around Inuyasha and Yuyuhakusho X-overs. At the top of every page I will list the main characters, so that should help. Thanks for reading, and please review! Constructive criticism is welcomed!

KagomeXHiei

I don't think that passenger seat
Has ever looked this good to me
He tells me about his night
And I count the colors in his eyes

Kagome sighed, looking out of the train's window to watch the scenery flash by. She had tried so very hard to avoid the fire demon that was no doubt looking at her with curiosity, but it seemed the gods had something against her. Ever since he and his three teammates had rescued her from a rogue demon while she had been out shopping for supplies, at least one of them had been guarding her while she was in this time.

It hadn't taken her long to take an interest in the crimson eyed male sitting next to her, but at first it had only been curiosity. His features told her he was a fire demon, but his aura was deferent then the ones she had met before. It was thicker and darker even then Sesshoumaru's, but was not so evil to be Naraku's. Still, there was something that was off in his aura, as if he was a mixture between two different elementals. Inuyasha had once explained to her that if two elements were to mix together, it was a one in a million chance that the offspring would survive. Was it possible that this demon was that one in a million?

Then, as Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara had to continue with their schooling, Hiei had become her main bodyguard. Kagome, used to the cold indifference that many demons possessed when it came to humans, remained on her best behavior when he was around. If she was kind enough, even he had to come around sooner or later. That did not stop her from bickering with him when he called her 'foolish onna'. In fact, it had become almost a game between them to see who would crack first.

She could still remember the day that she finally realized that she was in love with the feisty demon. Hiei had been waiting just outside the well doors, as he seemed to always know when she was returning, his arms crossed over his chest with his characteristic frown on his face. For some reason her heart had skipped a beat, and her stomach fluttered in a way she had felt only once before with Inuyasha. The fire demon had then demanded why her face was turning red, and Kagome had wished nothing more than to have another rosary set to wrap around his neck.

It had taken a lot of effort to hide her growing affections from the fire demon, though it helped that he didn't seem to know anything about silly ningen females. Once she had tackled him in a hug, and all he had done was glare down at her and order her never to do something so foolish again. Kagome had agreed for once, more than happy to get as far away from him as her face yet again turned an amusing shade of red.

"Hn. What's wrong with you now?" Hiei demanded, watching her distant face with a frown. Ever since a few months ago the woman had become stranger and stranger, turning red in the face and stuttering like a child. It was puzzling to say the least, but he was determined not to get involved.

" … Nothing," she murmured, feeling the tips of her ears become blazing hot. Even liking Inuyasha had not been this embarrassing; she had never stuttered in front of him, never blushed or got nervous. Why was this so much different? "I'm just… tired, is all."

Hiei snorted at that, but let it go non-the less. He could find out later from the fox if he had to. The woman, though she did not chase after him like most females, found his company enjoyable and often told him her fears and anxieties. Personally the fire demon found no use for a confidant, though he supposed it helped the woman next to him. He had already discovered what she was like if she bottled up her emotions, and did not wish to experience it again. Her cat had still not managed to grow back its hair from the last instance.

"Tell me again why we're going on this farce of a trip?" he demanded. He had no idea why he continued speaking to the girl, when normally such prolonged conversations irritated him to no end. With her, however, he found the experience rather amusing.

"Since Koenma doesn't want me to go with the other kids in my grade for the school trip, you're my chaperone for a week. This way I can still go on vacation with them, but I'll still be 'safe from other imbeciles', as he put it," letting out another sigh. Was being her bodyguard really that horrible? Sure she wasn't that much to look at, and she could be a terrible bore sometimes, but she did have some good qualities, didn't she?

"Great, now he has me questioning myself," she thought darkly. She hated these thoughts that plagued her when she fell in love. Always second guessing herself and thinking about her looks and they way she acted around him.

"Hn," the fire demon snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Kagome had to bit her lip to stop herself from squealing at the sight. What was it about the way he held himself that made her want to act like a senseless fan girl? "So long as you realize that I am not going to mingle with your ningen friends that find it a necessity to squawk like hens."

"They're not that bad," Kagome giggled, losing her fight against smiling. His smart ass little comments always seemed to make her laugh. At his knowing look, she let out another giggle. "All right, maybe they're a little talkative."

"So long as they do not try to pass that ningen boy off on you again," he grumbled, looking out of the train windows as well. He had noticed how the boy, Hojo, was constantly tripping over his own feet trying to get the miko to notice him. It had been amusing at first, but as time wore on the fire demon found that it was grating under his skin more and more. Did her friends not understand that she did not want the boy? He was barely able to prevent himself from getting injured, how did he expect to protect a legendary priestess from the dangers that demons posed.

"Hojo's a nice guy," she protested. "Just… a little uncoordinated."

"Hn."

"He's sweet. One time, he brought me a rose for my birthday. Although, he did slip in the snow and get a bloody nose right after that…" she murmured thoughtfully. "I don't know how the snow around him suddenly melted so much that he slipped…"

Hiei couldn't help but smirk at that. He did know about that incident. After the ningen boy had given her the rose, it was obvious he had been planning to kiss the miko. So, he had raised the temperature around the idiot's feet, and before he could even lean down the fool had fallen flat on his face. What a wonderful day that had been.

The intercom went off just then, announcing their arrival at their destination. "Hn. Let's get this over with." Sighing, Kagome grabbed her carryon bag, following the fire demon out of the train.

He'll never fall in love
He swears, as he runs his fingers through his hair
I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong
And I don't think it ever crossed his mind
He tells a joke, I fake a smile
That I know all his favorite songs

Kagome took a deep breath of the fresh air blowing against her face. It was rare in the modern world to find a place that wasn't contaminated by the scent of mankind. She was standing higher up on the slopes of a mountain, just low enough that she wouldn't need a coat, and high enough to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Perched in a tree not ten feet away from her was the fire demon, his crimson eyes no doubt following her every move. For once, she just wished he would stop following her around for half an hour. That way, she could scream and kick all the trees and other wildlife she wanted. It was so frustrating; constantly being around someone you loved, without him knowing exactly what it was that was making you act like a crazed child. She had almost burst out crying the other day when she crashed onto her bed in the hotel, but withheld the desire because she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was watching her. The only reason she didn't just give into the urge was because she knew how much he valued control. Knew how much he valued strength.

And now, even though she knew she had her mental barriers up, she was worried that he might still be able to catch any stray thoughts of hers, so she was stuck feeling miserable. It was even worse now that her friends had found out who the mysterious 'chaperone' of hers was. As soon as they had seen the apparition, they had dragged her into the restroom and demanded she give them the 'juicy details'.

"Come ON Kagome," Eri had huffed. "There's no WAY he's just a good friend of your moms. He's hot!" Kagome had immediately blushed and denied the accusation, refusing to answer any more questions on the subject. Her friends had then decided to try and make her life miserable by 'suggesting' that she and Hiei go on a date.

And here she was, sitting alone but not alone, on a hill leading up farther up the mountain. No doubt her friends were already planning some devious plot to get them together, and once Hiei realized what was really going on, he'd probably laugh right in their face. Or her own. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that Kagome had not realized that the fire demon had come down from his resting spot, sitting down next to her with his knees crossed underneath him.

"Hn. That is the fourth time you've sighed in half an hour," he grunted, raising an eyebrow as she jumped. It was surprising the miko could be so easily scared, considering the legends spoke of her great and powerful abilities. "What is wrong?"

"No…nothing, Hiei," she stammered, looking out at the landscape apprehensively. She really, really hoped he didn't notice the blush spreading across her face.

"Now you're turning red," the fire demon growled, reaching out a hand to touch her forehead. Her face heated up even more at the contact, and he couldn't help but frown. "You have no fever. What is wrong, onna?"

"I told you, it's nothing," she grumbled. At his skeptical glare, Kagome sighed and scooted farther away from him. It did not help that he was sitting so close to her. "You wouldn't care anyway…"

"Hn. I am here to baby sit you," he said almost smugly. He knew how much the expression annoyed her. "Now, tell me what is bothering you."

"I…" the miko hesitated. He was so oblivious, what could it hurt to tell him the truth? Without revealing the identity of her crush, that is. "I really… really like, this, uh, guy… and he… well… it doesn't seem like he knows…"

Hiei snorted. It annoyed him that he had not noticed that development, and felt something in his stomach clench. Shaking off the strange feeling, he replied: "That is what this is about? Why don't you just go give the man chocolates like Kurama's admirers do?"

"He… I don't think he likes me…" she murmured. "He… doesn't notice when I… flirt, or when I act nice to him… he's really smart, but apparently not when it comes to noticing a females affection."

"It's a wonder you humans have survived this long, with the way you court one another," he scowled. The woman next to him let out another sigh, nervously tugging on a strand of her hair.

"Most people don't find relationships quite as troublesome as me," Kagome muttered almost bitterly. It really wasn't her fault she seemed to fall for the men that were totally oblivious, or the ones that were already involved with someone else. And it wasn't her fault that she seemed attracted to the dark, silent types that had no idea what affection was, let alone show their emotions. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help it as another sigh slid past her lips.

"Stop with that infernal racket, onna," he growled, folding his arms over his chest in annoyance. "As amusing as it is to watch you muddle through your thoughts, that noise will eventually drive even a menacing demon such as myself to become insane."

"'A menacing demon such as myself'?" Kagome questioned, raising an e eyebrow at the comment. "You're joking, right?" At his vicious glare, the miko couldn't help but giggle. "Just remember, Hiei, I'm up against an 's' class demon in the past."

Hiei frowned at that. He had heard of the hanyou, Naraku, and of his evil search for the shikon shards in senjoku jidai. He had also learned of the miko's strange powers, and how she tended to blush at the compliments people gave her about them. Once she had even confided in him, telling him that she almost wished she had not been gifted with the priestess, Kikyou's, powers. She did not wish to be remembered as the reincarnation of the cold woman, but rather as what she truly was.

The fire demon had even met Inuyasha, her protector on the other side. At their first meeting, he had immediately taken a large disliking to the inu. The mutt found it necessary to scream his lungs off at the smaller woman, and for the life of him, Hiei had no idea how she managed to take it in stride. He had, however, liked the way she got angry and made the inu fall face first into the ground when he called her incompetent. Served him right.

"Hn. Is that fool even able to protect you?" he questioned, knowing that she would follow his line of questioning. She did not seem to notice it, but he talked much more around her then he would like to admit. "What with that pathetic excuse for swordsman ship, it's a wonder you've even survived this long."

"Inuyasha's tried very hard to protect me," Kagome defended, sending him a glare. "He's fought for his strength, against all odds. I know his skills are crude, but at least he gets the job done. That's all that matters, right?"

Kagome bit her lip as soon as the words came out of her mouth. She had always held a doubt, deep inside; that the only reason Hiei even tolerated her was because he was obligated to watch over her. That he didn't really care about her at all. Hopefully, the fire demon would overlook the underlying meaning in that sentence.

Unfortunately for her, Hiei did have an inkling as to what she was referring to. Did she care whether or not he stayed with her because of his job? Knowing her, she would feel horrible that he had to stay around her because he was forced to. Did she… want him to stay? Stay because she wanted him to?

"Hn. A man should always take care of the woman he has claimed responsibility for," he grunted. "If he can barely look after himself, how can he expect to protect a miko with priceless jewel shards hanging around her neck?"

Kagome paused, her blue eyes looking into his thoughtfully. "I do not like being a burden to others," she murmured, holding his gaze easily enough. She had found out early on that a lot of people found it a very daunting task to look the apparition in the eyes. Kurama had told her that she was the first human to be able to hold his gaze that long, besides Kuwabara. "I just… can't seem to get strong enough."

"And that is why you have me," the fire demon stated almost smugly. "To come save your ass when a demon gets past your senses."

"Hey!"

And I could tell you
His favorite color's green
He loves to argue
Born on the seventeenth
His sister's beautiful
He has his father's eyes
And if you ask me if I love him
I'd lie

The next day Kagome went with her friends to visit the Tajukai zoo, at every moment aware of the demon that followed her among the shadows. Luckily her friends did not comment on their supposed relationship, instead preferring to squeal at the cute animals they saw. Eventually she had wandered slightly away from her friends and couldn't help but gush over a small baby fox that had wandered out of its hole, reminded of Shippo instantly. "Hn. You like that foul smelling creature?" a voice rumbled incredulously behind her.

The miko let out an undignified squeak, spinning around as she tried in vain to cover her mouth. "Hiei!" she exclaimed, blushing at his amused glance. She tried very hard to ignore the looks she was receiving from the people nearby, but found her ears turning red at their continued interest. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"

"That would be an added bonus," the apparition chuckled, leaning against the cage walls casually. "I see no reason as to why I cannot visit the ningen woman I am babysitting."

"I'm not complaining about your company, if that's what your insinuating," Kagome grumbled, turning to look at the fox again. "I'm complaining about your sneak tactics. Is it really necessary to come up behind me with your aura masked?"

"Hn. Consider it your training, miko," he grunted, smirking at her turned back. "You need to beef up you're powers if you're ever to protect yourself from rogue demons." His eyes slid to the left, and moments later Kagome felt a pair of arms wrap around her, causing the air in her lungs to escape with a loud rush.

"Kagome chaaaaaaaan!" Yuka grinned, latching onto her friend's arms. "You didn't tell us Hiei kun was coming today!"

"Anoo," the Higurashi mumbled, blushing as Eri lifted her eyebrows suggestively. If they kept this up, Hiei might just figure out what they were trying to do, and then he'd laugh at their pathetic attempts to make him notice the ordinary miko. "Mama would feel more comfortable if Hiei san came with me…"

"Why are you chaperoning Kagome, Hiei kun?" Eri questioned, a frown marring her face. "Normally Ms. Higurashi isn't so concerned… this is a school trip, after all."

"I was sent to make sure she does not see that two timing boyfriend of hers," Hiei snorted, smirking at the incredulous look on Kagome's face. "Her mother no longer approves of him."

"Well it's about time," Ayumi huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was so infuriating, hearing about how he kept running off with that Kikyou girl while he was seeing Kagome!"

"But…! Inuyasha couldn't help it!" Kagome stuttered. "He… he really did…. love her, and when she moved back here, he couldn't help himself!"

"Well the least he could do was tell you he was going to stay with her, instead of saying he wanted both of you!" Yuka exclaimed. "I still have no idea how you could stand it, Kagome!"

"Hiei kun, make sure you take good care of Kagome chan," Eri grinned; ignoring the way said girl was pinching her arm.

The fire demon raised an eyebrow at the girls' strange grins. Could they possibly be trying…? No, there was no way they were trying to, as the detective would say, 'hook them up'. "Hn. I will not allow her to come to harm," he grunted, his eyes taking in the blush growing on his ward's face. Did that onna really find it so embarrassing to be protected by him?

Eri looked between at the black clad man, to her high school friend, a slow, knowing smile growing on her face. Kagome didn't seem to notice it, but it seemed the short, red-eyed man liked her just as much as she liked him. It did not seem that either one of them realized the other's affection. "Well, we'll just have to fix that!"

"Well, Hiei kun," Eri continued, winking at Yuka and Ayumi. "Would you mind staying with Kagome for a while? We're going to go to the gift shop, and I'm sure Kagome wants to watch the baby fox a while longer."

"I can go with…"

"No, Kagome," Yuka chimed in, ignoring the strange look she was receiving for the only man in their group. "You and Hiei can stay here for a little while and spend some time together." Before Kagome could stutter out another retort, the three girls had already scrambled away towards the gift shop.

"What is with them?" Kagome grumbled, turning towards the cage again. The little fox was looking straight at them; it's blue eyes shining in the warm sunlight. Kagome couldn't help but let out another giggle, wanting nothing more than to pick up the cub and cuddle him to her chest.

"Hn. What is with you ningen females and strange looking animals?" Hiei questioned, looking at the fur-ball curiously. The animal had a large head and paws, with owlish eyes that blinked at the world stupidly, and its ears were much too large for its head. In his opinion, the puffball had nothing 'cute' about it. "How is that thing 'cute'?"

"Look at him!" Kagome gushed, her eyes sparkling in the light. "He reminds me so much of Shippo!"

"That kitsune cub?" the fire demon questioned. "The one you're taking care of?"

"That's my Shippo," she nodded, smiling at the creature before them. It wagged its bushy tail at them; its body squatting to the ground in a mock attack position. "He's got the same brown-red hair, and has bright blue eyes just like the real ones."

"Hn. Damn kitsune are taking over the world," he grunted, ignoring her giggle at his words. Just the other day he had had to take time from his relaxing spot on the Goshinboku to deal with a kitsune who had found the trail of the shikon. It had taken him perhaps an hour to track down the annoying pest, then another hour to actually kill him. The damn thing even had the audacity to change his form to look similar to the miko he was guarding; taunting him with the face of the woman he had come to care for. Needless to say, the fire demon had made quick work of the kitsune.

"Well, they are mischievous," the girl, agreed, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. He looked rather uncomfortable in this crowd of ningen, and she could only guess as to why he was even bothering to come out in the open in the first place. "But they're rather beautiful creatures, aren't they?"

"Hn."

Kagome ignored his grunt, unsure whether he was through with the conversation altogether or he was just disagreeing. "Have you ever been to the zoo, Hiei?" she questioned, perking her head up to look at the demon in curiosity. She had never really thought about it, but with as aloof as the fire demon was, it was entirely possible he had never gone to one.

"As if I would waste my time going to this ningen farce," he grunted irritably. Really, why would she even have to ask? Even that onna, as foolish and unawares she could be sometimes, had to have noticed how he kept to himself. He wouldn't be caught dead dealing with humans, unless he was forced to because of his Reikai sentence.

"You haven't?" the girl exclaimed, her eyes widening. At the incredulous look on her face, Hiei frowned at her.

"Keep your face in that position too long, onna, and it'll freeze like that," he growled. A smirk crossed his face at the twitch that appeared on her eyebrow, feeling a strange delight in annoying her.

"I think I'll ignore that," she murmured, glaring at him lightly. "And since this is your first time going to a zoo, we need to make this the best visit ever!"

Hiei frowned at that. "Onna, I do not need you dragging me around this filthy smelling park, gushing over all the animals."

Just then her friends returned, grins on their faces as they showed off the small stuffed animals they had bought as souvenirs. " So, what have you guys been talking about?" Eri questioned, raising her eyebrows as she noticed how they had moved closer to one another since she had left them. Oh, they didn't seem to notice what they were unconsciously doing, but she would fix that soon enough.

" Hiei's never been to a zoo!" Kagome blurted, fidgeting under his intense glare as soon as the words left his mouth. The other girls looked at the apparition in astonishment, their eyes widening in horror.

" Never… been to a… zoo?" Yuka squeaked, putting a hand over her heart. " Oh, Hiei kun! You must be such a deprived person, having never been to a zoo!" Ayumi nodded her agreement, preferring to keep most of the glaring he was giving away from herself. To be honest, she found the man fairly frightening.

" Come on, Hiei kun!" Eri suggested, sending Kagome a sharp look. At the look, Kagome latched onto his arm, dragging him after the small group of girls. " We've just gotta make this the best zoo memory ever!"

Growling low in his throat, Hiei glared at the woman holding onto his arm, her body shaking with the giggles coursing through it. " Hn. You're getting it later, onna," he snorted.

"Do your worst," she grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling.

He looks around the room

Innocently overlooks the truth

Shouldn't a light go on

Doesn't he know that I've had him memorized for so long

And he sees everything black and white

Never let nobody see him cry

I don't let nobody see me wishin' he was mine

The miko let out a contented sigh as she sank into the warm, mineral water, the liquid lapping at her neck. It had been a long day, dragging the fire demon unwillingly through the throng of ningens in the infamous Ueno zoo, and then later shopping in the mall with her friends until it became dark. All in all, she was more than ready to crawl into bed and fall asleep, but had decided that a nice soak in the hot springs would be exactly what her sore legs needed. "Ah… just like the hot springs in the past… if only Sango and Shippo were here… at least then I'd have someone to talk to…" She giggled at the thought. More than likely Shippo would have been flailing around the springs, rather than enjoying the relaxing water.

"What's so funny, miko?" his cool voice interrupted. Kagome let out a squeak, diving into the water and throwing her hands over her chest in a desperate attempt to cover herself. "He…hentai!" she hissed, glaring up at him even though the lower half of her face was covered in the murky white water. The fire apparition was perched against the rock wall that enclosed the women's hot springs, a smirk covering his face; that arrogant grin that always made her heart flutter and skip a beat. Kagome was just happy that the warm water gave her an excuse for her face to be red. "What are you doing here?"

"Hn. Babysitting," he grunted, his smile growing at her continued fidgeting. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before, since that one incident when the hanyou had dragged her out of the house in nothing but a skimpy towel, so he had no idea why she was reacting so shyly. He arrogantly strode over to the water's edge, sitting down with a grace she enviously wished she had.

"This is the girls section," she murmured, narrowing her eyes at him even more. She hesitated before allowing her hand to poke out of the water, pointing towards the exit and jerking it towards the glowing neon red sign. "Now get out!"

"It's not as if I can see you," Hiei growled, turning his head to look up at the sky. The stars couldn't be seen from here because of the city's lights, but he decided to allow her a moment to compose herself from her embarrassment. "I'm not like that perverted houshi you associate with."

"You wouldn't even look at me if you were like Miroku…" "I don't care! It's not proper for a man to be near a girl when she's bathing!" Kagome exclaimed, readjusting the towel that was sitting patiently atop her head. "Besides, what if someone comes out here and sees you?"

"I'd be able to escape long before any ningen came near here," he snorted, crossing his arms over his chest irritably. "I'm not as dense as some of your companions."

"I think you just like being able to make fun of all my 'companions'," she accused, letting lose a giggle when he glared back at her. She frowned when he suddenly stiffened, the Jagan glowing from behind its ward. "What is it? Is something nearby?" she demanded, letting her senses reach out. She felt nothing of importance, and looked at him in concern. "Hiei…?"

"Something has crossed the barrier," he grunted, his eyes clearing as he looked her dead in the eye. She could tell from the slight frown that tugged at the edge of his lips that this was serious. "Two youkai, of high levels."

"How high a level…?"

"…A class," he murmured, standing up fluidly. He let his eyes wander over what little of her form as he could see his face set in its emotionless mask. "Go inside and stay hidden. Do not leave, and mask as much of your ki as you possibly can."

"But Hiei…!" she argued, flinching as his eyes narrowed.

"You will not leave," he repeated, resting his hand on the hilt of his katana. His finger ran along the length of his sword, contemplating the strong aura's that were heading this way. Two males, from the feel of it, both with their youki hidden enough so that the apparition could not detect their species. "I will be back after I have dealt with these intruders."

Before she could say anything in protest the fire demon was gone, the only remnant of his presence being the wind that whipped at her hair. "…Be careful…" she whispered.

Kagome silently snuck up into the hotel, avoiding any life she saw on her way to the top floor. She could feel the two powerful youkai auras just to her right, and clenched her hand around her hamaya. "I couldn't bring my bow, but at least I can do some damage with my arrows!" She briefly worried about how angry Hiei would be at her for deliberately disobeying his orders, before shaking it off.

A sound from behind the door made her pause, and she pressed her ear against the wood to better hear what was occurring. It sounded like someone was being thrown to the ground over and over, and the miko tightened her hand around the doorknob. The door slid open without a sound, allowing the small girl to easily slip inside. "Aah…! NO…!" Kagome walked faster towards the noise, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. The voice didn't sound like her fire demon, but there was always the possibility he was in dire trouble.

She reached an archway, and peeked into the room, her eyes widening at what she saw. Before she could scream, a hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her cry. "What in the three worlds are you doing here?" She hesitantly lowered her mental barriers, allowing his familiar presence to fill her mind.

"Hiei…?"

"Who the hell else would it be?" he demanded, leading her silently out of the apartment.

"Where they…?"

"Yes onna, they were," Hiei grunted, pulling her outside of the door. He grabbed her from behind the waist, speeding away to a distant rooftop before the two youkai would notice their presence. "What else did you think those noises were?"

She fidgeted in his hold, a red blush staining her face. " I thought… they were fighting…" she murmured. " I didn't… think they…were…lovers…" The fire demon couldn't help it. He fell to the ground, a chuckle rumbling deep in his chest. "Wh…what's so funny?"

"You're the only onna in the three worlds who would mistake two men fucking for two men fighting," he growled, an amused glint entering his eyes.

"It's not my fault!" Kagome cried, her face staining red. "I'm not… not a big pervert like you!"

"I'm not the one fucking another male," the fire demon grunted, letting gout another chuckle as she let out an undignified squeak at his wording. As he calmed down from his uncharacteristic loss of control, a small frown appeared on his face. "Why did you come after I specifically instructed you not to?" The miko fidgeted under his gaze, pulling at the hem of her skirt as she mumbled something too low for him to hear. "What was that, onna?"

"I thought you might need help," she murmured, glaring defiantly at the ground.

"We've been over this," Hiei growled, pulling himself to his feet. He strode angrily over to her, leaning down to look her in the eye. "I am an A class demon. You are an untrained priestess, who clearly cannot follow orders. There's no need to unnecessarily risk your life when I am perfectly able to protect you."

"…How am I supposed to help then?" Kagome demanded. As she threw her head up to look at him, the fire demon was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "You… you demons never let me do anything…I'm not just gonna sit back and watch you guys fight and get yourselves killed…!"

Before he knew what he was doing, the apparition had her chin held gently but firmly, forcing her to look up at him. "Hn. You are strong in other ways," he grumbled. "You do not need to play hero around me. Let me be the one to take care of you in this time…"

Kagome felt her lip tremble. Did he realize the way he made her feel? The ways his words made her knees go weak and make her mind spin? Wherever his skin touched hers, her body would burn and shiver.

She threw herself into his arms, clinging to his shirt as a small sob made its way out of her throat. It wasn't for the words he said; it was for the entire heart ache he made her feel. She cried for all the times he plagued her thoughts, all the times he seemed oblivious to her feelings. Why was it she always, always, fell in love with the most stubborn, foolish men? Couldn't she find a man-or demon- who noticed her attraction to him? Why couldn't she just be happy?

The fire demon was unsure of what to do. How had he somehow managed to say the wrong thing, again? He really had no idea why the onna was crying. So, after a moment he hesitantly held her to his body tightly, silently enjoying the small gesture. He had never been so close to the miko before, and found himself rubbing her back to calm her. For now, he was going to enjoy the time he had with her.

I could tell you

His favorite color's green

He loves to argue

Born on the seventeenth

His sister's beautiful

He has his father's eyes

And if you ask me if I love him

I'd lie

Eri knew something was up. She just knew. Both Kagome and Hiei were extremely quiet around one another, and she was surprised that her friend was keeping her distance from him. Her face would turn red now and then when she was looking at the black clad male-when she thought he wasn't looking- and then she would just shake her head and mutter before walking off.

After watching this spectacle for a few hours Eri managed to drag both her and Yuka far enough away to talk privately with them while Hiei gazed at a waterfall in the park. "What is going on between you two?" she huffed, placing her hands on her hips. The slightly shorter girl only fidgeted under her glare. "Come on Kagome. You've been staring at him and blushing all day now, and you two haven't said more than one sentence to each other!"

"It's… nothing," the miko stammered, her eyes swiveling around to look at said male. They were not far enough away to escape his demonic hearing, so she had to be careful with what she said.

"You do seem a tad awkward toward each other," Yuka nodded, taking up stance behind Eri. She had been wondering the same thing, but had been nervous of asking in the presence of the rather scary looking man. "You can tell us anything, Kagome."

"I… had a bit of a… a breakdown yesterday…" she murmured, blushing when she heard the fire demon snort in the distance. "It's just… slightly awkward, is all…"

"Well, what'd you do?" Eri blinked, tilting her head at the blue eyed girl. Was that really what was making them so nervous?

Kagome rubbed her arm self consciously, a blush growing on her face. How could she put this without him asking questions later? "Um… I… I started bawling, ok?" There. That should keep the apparition from becoming too curious. Hopefully. She crossed her fingers, just in case.

"About what?" they demanded at once, raising an eyebrow in unison. It seemed they were spending a bit too much time with one another.

The miko sighed in exasperation. Why couldn't they just drop the subject and leave her alone? "Just… nothing. I got really emotional for some reason." She added a shrug to add to the effect. Hey, it happened sometimes. Being a teenage miko who fights demons for weeks on end, only to come back to a butt load of homework had an excuse to become a little bit stressed out now and then.

"You don't just bawl for nothing," Eri scowled, placing her hands upon her hips. She was dancing around the truth, and they both knew it. It couldn't be that bad. "Come on Gome chan! Give us the details about your love life!"

"L…love life?" Kagome spluttered, feeling her face turn beet red. They were implying that she and Hiei were…! "No, no, NO! We aren't…! It's nothing like that!"

"Uh huh, sure it's not," she grinned. The human waggled a finger at her friend, a teasing glint in her eyes. "You would never stare at Hiei kun, or write his name all over the inside of your notebook, or…"

"Shh!" the miko exclaimed, rushing to over her friend's mouth. Looking around, she sighed when the fire demon seemed to be ignorant of their conversation. "I do not!"

"You do too!" Eri cried, dodging her friend's assault. "You like him! Admit it!"

The apparition was watching them now, his head tilted slightly as he observed them chasing after one another. So, the onna had a crush, did she? It didn't matter to him, of course, just useful information. Possible blackmail, if it was needed. A small grin pulled at the edge of his lips as the miko let out a rather loud giggle. She was much prettier when she was smiling. Not that he cared, though.

He was simply here to watch over her, protect her from rogue demons, and, perhaps most important of all, make sure the shikon stayed within her hands. There was no room for affection between them, no matter how much he was drawn to her. No, he would never even hope to receive her attention in such a way that would cause her to become ridiculed or impure. He would stand to the side, ever watchful, but he would not interfere in her romantic life.

He stands there, then walks away
My God, if I could only say
I'm holding every breath for you

It took him a few days to come to a conclusion. He was becoming much too attached to the ningen onna. It came to a point that he could not forget daydreaming about the night she had cried in his arms, her body flushed against his own. His dreams were invaded by thoughts of all the sinful things he could do to her, the things he could teach her about love. Then whenever he was around her, his body would react to the thoughts that plagued him, and it was becoming harder and harder to hide his growing arousal towards her.

So, it was after much thinking that he decided: he was going to step down as her protector. The fox could take care of her just as well as he, if not better. This way he could cut contact between them, and he would not taint her pureness. It would be for the best, even if it did leave an ache in his chest just thinking about it.

He watched her as she interacted with her friends. Whenever she smiled, the room seemed to light up in brilliant light. Every ningen male in the area would marvel at her wherever she went, her happiness seeming to radiate throughout the area to warn them of her presence. The onna was drop dead gorgeous, and she had no idea how much she affected others; how she affected him.

The fire demon was not stupid; he had to admit that he was going to miss the overly bubbly girl. Her voice had always been able to relax him in ways no one else had, so much so that he could almost fall asleep to it. He would miss sitting on her bedroom window as she slept, watching her peaceful face as she dreamed. Hell, he'd miss arguing with the stubborn onna.

"Don't you wanna come swim, Hiei?" her innocent voice broke into his thoughts. She was perched on the edge of the pool, tying her hair up into a ponytail.

"…I do not like swimming," he grumbled, sending a glare to the water.

"That must be your fire blood in you," Kagome giggled, easing herself into the pool. The only reason the apparition was even there was because her friends had yet to arrive to the swimming area, and he had not liked the lustful looks the other males were sending toward her. "I've never seen you swim before. Do you know how?"

"Hn. Of course I know," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "It's essential in tight situations, onna. If you want to lose an enemy, cross a few rivers and they'll lose track of your scent."

"Is that all you think about?" the miko questioned with a huff, glaring up at him as she floated in the soothing water. "It's ok to have fun once and a while, Hiei. It's not all about survival here in ningenkai."

Hiei felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips. "Hn. Fun…?" It took him mere seconds to yank off his shirt and dive into the pool. The girl squealed as he lifted her above the water, only to throw her in moments later. "Is that fun enough for you, onna?" he chuckled as she came spluttering to the surface. Kagome glared at him from between the strands of hair sticking to her scalp, a glint entering her eyes.

"You youkai think you're so full of surprises," she said sweetly. Too sweetly. It was too late when he finally noticed that she held something in her hand. The miko easily slid a beaded necklace around his neck, a grin on her face.

"What is this, onna?" he demanded, pulling at the shining object. He was surprised to find out that it would not come off.

"A subjugation necklace, silly," Kagome answered, playing with the string teasingly. "And the word of subjugation is… freeze!" The apparition narrowed his eyes and tried to move toward her, but found that his body was frozen in place. Luckily, he still had the use of his face, for the most part.

"Release this spell now, onna," he growled, trying to intimidate her with his glare. It failed miserably as the girl giggled and took a step back.

"Nuh uh," she exclaimed, shaking her head. "Not after that little stunt."

"So help me, when this wears off…!"

"Then I'll just say the word again," the miko grinned, placing her hands upon her hips. She looked him up and down, another giggle escaping her lips. "And I think I'll get my revenge while you're still frozen…" And with that said, the priestess pushed him over into the water. It took only a few more moments for the spell to wear off, and he pushed to the surface, shaking the water from his head.

"Onna…"

"Hey, that's funny," Kagome muttered, stepping up to him curiously. "You're hair went back to being all spiky when you shook it." She reached one hand up to touch his onyx spikes. "And it's dry! That's not fair!" The apparition just barely managed to keep his composure as the girl obliviously pressed her body against his in her attempt to play with his hair.

"That is not a play toy…" he growled eventually grabbing her hands to stop their prying.

"Kagome…?" The two friends blinked over at the two girls that had just entered the water. Eri and Yuka were looking at them with tilted head, and, in Eri's case, with a large grin. "What are you two doing?" The miko quickly took a step back from the demon, a large blush on her face. It was an awkward picture to come by, she realized. Hiei had been holding her hands above her head, and they had been standing rather close…

"Hiei dunked me under the water," she murmured, looking anywhere but at their faces. Darn them and their perverseness…! "I was trying to dunk him back, but he's like a freaking rock and won't cooperate…"

"Uh huh," Eri mumbled, raising an eyebrow at the girls growing blush. Whether they knew it or not, both her chaperone and her friend were falling for one another. Hard.

"Er, Hiei san, you're not wearing swim trunks…" Yuka stammered.

"What'd you do, just jump in?" the other girl questioned. "Moving rather quickly, aren't you?" Kagome sent her friends a rather intimidating glare, gritting her teeth when they both giggled in response. What did they think they were doing?

The fire demon waded over to the edge of the pool, lifting himself out with well practiced ease. "The onna needed a bit of a lesson," he said with a smirk, ignoring the immediate whispering that gushed out from the other two females. "She's much too cheeky for her own good." The miko glared up at him, cursing under her breath that she couldn't use the subjugation necklace lest her friends question it. Oh, he was going to get when they were alone later.

"Why don't you come down here and say that to my face, you hot headed…!"

"I will meet you in your room by eleven," Hiei interrupted, smiling slightly when she glared at him. "I have something I need to speak with you about." Before the girl could utter a protest at his abrupt and rather rude orders, he was already inside the building.

"Ne, I wonder what he wants to talk to you about," Yuka mused, floating lazily on her back in the cool water.

"He is so going to tell you!" Eri squealed, barely able to hide her excitement.

"Tell me what?" Kagome questioned, tilting her head in confusion. If anything, the hybrid would lecture her about disobeying his orders, or the thoughtlessness of traveling anywhere, even the pool, without some sort of weapon.

"That he likes you," the girl exclaimed, rolling her eyes as if she should know. "It's obvious! And the way he ran away like that after telling you he needed to talk? He's so nervous!"

The miko slumped lower in the water, trying to cool off her rapidly heating face. It was preposterous. The fire demon she felt so strongly for, the one she couldn't shake from her mind had no reason to like a ningen woman with so little strength. There were surely many other stronger and much more beautiful demons out there that he would be perfectly happy to have a relationship with. He could get anyone he wanted; he was powerful, handsome, extremely protective and loyal to friends and family. There was no way someone as wonderful as him would fall for a clumsy, stuttering teenage girl.

Kagome slipped into her room late that night, exhausted after having splashed around with her two friends. A towel hung loosely around her shoulders, warming her from the night's chill breeze. "Hiei?" she whispered, her voice gliding through the air like water.

"Hn. Over here, miko." As her eyes adjusted to the dark, the girl could see him standing in front of the sliding door that led to the balcony, his back facing her. The door was wide open, allowing the cool air to play with the ends of his spiky locks.

"I have a name," the raven haired girl mumbled, more out of habit then annoyance. By now, she was becoming used to his monosyllable nicknames he had for friends. Standing next to him, she frowned at the rather emotionless look on his face. Now that they knew one another, the apparition allowed at least a flicker of emotion on his face. She hadn't seen him like this since the first week they'd met. "Hiei…?"

"I will be leaving soon," he said abruptly, harshly.

"Leaving…?" Kagome repeated, blinking up at him. "On another mission?"

"No," he growled lowly, turning his crimson eyes to look at the city sprawled before them. He did not want to see her face when he announced his departure. She would be angry, hurt even, that he would leave so suddenly. "Of my own choice."

"W…why?" the priestess stammered. She could feel her face heating up, tears pushing at the back of her eyelids. "Why are you leaving?"

"…I am a demon, onna," he stated, gritting his teeth in his frustration. He could smell her tears, and could just as easily imagine the look upon her face. The last thing he wanted was to make her unhappy, to make her look at him with such a hurt expression, but this had to be done for her own sake. "I do not… mix well with ningen's… nor do I prefer the noise and scent that follows them. I belong in makai, where my own kind dwells."

The girl felt a tear slip down her cheek. She was losing him. The man that she had secretly loved for over a year now was leaving her, and he didn't seem to realize her anguish. "Did I… did I do something to offend you?" Kagome questioned desperately. She reached out a hand to touch his arm, dropping it to her side when he only stepped farther away. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to do anything…!"

"You have done nothing to influence my decision," the fire demon murmured, cursing at himself for his own lies. He had to resist the urge to hold her in his arms, to make her stop crying. It drove him close to insanity to see her unhappy, especially since it was his own damn fault.

"But…! You can't leave!" she cried, shaking her head as if to deny his words. The dam had been broken now, as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Why? Why did he want to leave? What had brought on this sudden decision? Reality seemed unreal to her as her mind ran over scenes from the past week, searching for something, anything, that would hint about his departure. Nothing seemed out of place, he hadn't acted strange at all. In fact, the person that had acted so strangely most likely would have been her. So why was he leaving?

"…Kurama will be watching over you after my absence. I will be leaving after you arrive back home," he grumbled, stepping farther away from her warily. The scent of her tears made him uncomfortable, made him feel guilty. They were his fault, after all. He tainted whatever he came into contact to, and this time, he had allowed himself to become too close to something too precious. And before he screwed anything else up, the apparition silently left her there, tears falling down her face.

"…Why…?"

Eri hurriedly wrapped a towel around her dripping wet hair, slipping into a pair of shorts before heading towards the incessant knocking on their hotel room door. "I'm coming!" Yuka had stayed behind in the hot tub, deciding to stay just a moment longer to continue talking with a college student who was majoring in zoology. So she had taken a long hot shower to rid herself of that rather pungent smell of chlorine. "I said I was coming…!" The girl yanked open the door, blinking at the familiar face she saw looking up at her. "Kagome…?"

"Eri…" the miko murmured. The edges of her eyes were a deep pink and tears flowed freely down her cheeks, dripping down onto the towel wrapped around her shivering frame.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Eri demanded, tugging her friend within the door. Kagome never cried around her, not unless it was something extremely upsetting. What could have possibly gotten her so anxious that she was shaking? "What happened?"

"Hi…Hiei…Hiei's leaving!" the blue eyed girl sobbed. Her arms wound around her small frame as if to ward off an enemy. Eri gently led her to sit on the soft bed, pulling the bed sheet around her to keep her warm and comfortable.

"What do you mean, he's leaving?" she questioned, a puzzled look on her face. "Like, he's leaving tonight and you're scared to be alone, or do you mean…"

"He's leaving forever!" Kagome cried, trying desperately to wipe the liquid from her eyes. "He… He's moving… to another town… really…really far away… and he… I won't be able…able to see him…ever again…!"

"Oh, Kagome…" Eri murmured soothingly, putting an arm around her shoulders. That was just awful. The poor girl seemed to really, really love the strange man, and he was moving far enough away that they had no real chance to interact. "Have you tried talking him out of it?"

The girl shook her head frantically, a hiccup escaping her throat. "No… he won't… he won't listen to me…" It was silent for a moment as Eri chewed her lip in thought.

"Listen… Kagome," she began hesitantly. "I know that you love Hiei kun." The girl stiffened next to her, but did not deny the observation. "You act differently with him then with Inuyasha. He seems to make you… happy. Really happy. And I don't want your happiness to disappear with him. You need to tell him how you feel, before it's too late. And who knows, maybe once you tell him, he'll change his mind. Ok?"

The girl shook her head again, her breathing ragged. "I can't… I can't tell him!" Kagome sputtered, looking at her through blurred eyes. "What if he… what if he… laughs… at me…?"

"Hiei kun would not laugh at you," Eri asserted, rolling her eyes. "Even I know that he's not that mean. He's just rather… quiet, is all."

Kagome was quiet, muddling through her thoughts like a fog. "Do you think…it's worth it…?" she questioned quietly. At least now her shaking had stopped, and her breathing was smoothing out, although slowly.

"I know it is," her friend encouraged. "If you don't tell him, you'll never get the chance again and you'll always regret it. Always."

He'd never tell you
But he can play guitar
I think he can see through everything but my heart
First thought when I wake up is
My God, he's beautiful
So I put on my make-up
And pray for a miracle

It poured for days after that. The ground became so saturated with water that it would suck in any unsuspecting foot into its depths, which could only be freed with much pulling and cursing. So it was with only slight resistance that the fire demon retreated indoors to Genkai's temple, spending most of his time within the room that was set aside for him when he deemed it necessary. He spent most of his day either sitting quietly in the corner of the room, watching his sister, or sitting on a window sill to glare out at the offending liquid that refused to quit falling from the sky's.

While he had all this free time he found his thoughts often drifting towards the one woman he wanted the most to forget. The things he remembered the most were her dazzling smiles, her sparkling eyes as she laughed, and her sweet voice. And then the memory of her tear stained face would intrude upon his mind's eye, and he would retreat to the dojo for a few hours of training to rid himself of such depressing thoughts.

The onna would be better off without him that was for sure. She would be better protected by the fox, and this way no demon would use her against him. This way she would not be tainted by his presence.

After five days of incessant rain, the apparition found himself still stuck inside the house. After a few hours he wandered into the kitchen, quietly conversing with his sister and the fox, who had shown up because of the weekend.

"How has Kagome chan been?" the Koorime questioned, snatching a quick look at the fire apparition.

"She's doing well," the avatar answered. Hiei easily noticed the irritated look he was given, but ignored it in favor of glancing out the window. "Studying for the latest test, as usual. I had planned to help her study today, but she insisted I spend the day 'off duty'."

"I was hoping she would come by soon," the ice maiden admitted. "I do so want to talk with her. We haven't gotten to speak with one another for such a long time."

"I'm sure she'll visit soon," Kurama assured her with a grin. "You never can keep Kagome away from her friends for very long."

"She is very considerate," Yukina agreed. They both took another peek at the fire apparition before continuing their conversation. "You're sure everything's all right? Kazuma kun was telling me just the other day that she had been… rather upset."

"Yes, well, she was down in the dumps, if you will, for a few days," the avatar explained. He shifted in his seat so that his foot tapped against the apparition's leg, not enough to hurt, but to catch his wandering attention. "It took both the persuading of myself and her family to convince her to get out of bed for school for a few days."

"Hn. The onna will get over it soon enough," the fire demon growled, shooting the fox a nasty look. He did not want them playing this game; trying to make him feel guilty so that he would visit the despairing woman. The only thing that surprised him was that his sister was actively participating in the charade. "She is strong."

"Let us get to the point then," Kurama said bluntly, his eyes flashing golden under the pale light. "We both know very well that you purposely left Kagome alone for your own selfish reasons."

"I left for her own sake," Hiei snarled, carefully controlling to whip out his katana. He did not want to frighten his sister, but he would not stand for the fox's lip.

"Whatever you believe," he said flippantly. "It may seem to you that you're 'helping' her, even 'saving' her, but what you are doing is hurting her. Hurting her so badly that Inuyasha was going to search after you, and only stopped from doing so because Kagome found comfort with his presence." The apparition felt a surge of anger inside him. He had never liked the hanyou, both because of his weak strength and his treatment of the onna. The fact that she found comfort in the arms of someone she had previously loved almost made him see red. But he pushed his anger to the side, trying harder than anything to look nonplused.

"It is for the best," he gritted, clenching his fist under the table. The avatar seemed to notice his rigid posture and grinned almost savagely.

"You do realize," he began, allowing a lazy, confident gleam to enter his eyes, "that since you have left her side, she is free game. Kagome is not adverse to mine or Inuyasha's presence. I'd say she rather enjoys our company. Who do you think she'll choose next, Hiei?"

"You dare touch her and you will find your life in the palm of my hand," the fire demon grunted a glint hardening in his eyes. "And I will not be generous with it."

"Then why do you not just go claim the girl?" Kurama questioned, almost curiously. "We have all noticed the fondness with which you regard her. What is stopping you from taking what you want, as you have always done?"

"It is none of your concern, fox," he snapped, his anger flailing against his will. How dare he suggest that… that Kagome would spread her attention to him so flippantly! She was not like those other human women who had more partners then one could count on one hand. She was much too pure for that. He reigned in his anger yet again, striding towards the door that would lead him outside. It no longer mattered if he would be soaking wet; he just wanted out of the accursed place.

"Freeze!" And indeed he did freeze, as much because of the voice that rang through the room. His ears strained to catch the small, hesitant footsteps of her approach, gritting his teeth in anger. The other two occupants of the room fled, whispering excitedly to themselves. So, it had been a set up. They had distracted him with his anger while the onna had snuck into the temple, waiting for her chance to use those damnable words. For a moment he felt a sort of kinship with the hanyou, for being unable to control their every movement when the woman felt the need to lash out the spell's word of subjugation.

He was pulled back to reality as she entered his field of vision, leaning against the wall with a curious tilt to her head. It took him a moment to realize that her form was shaking slightly, the breath escaping her in short little puffs. Her normally sapphire blue eyes were now a stormy blue, such a dark color that he had never seen in her eyes. Little droplets of water fell from her hair, soaking the grey jacket that covered her shoulders.

"…Release me, onna," he growled lowly, his lips twitching in a frown. He most definitely did not like being unable to command his own body. "Now."

The woman seemed to ignore him, deciding instead to take a step closer. Her hand reached out to rest on his arm, lingering there for a moment as she looked up into his eyes. "…Why don't you finish what you were saying?" she questioned quietly.

"Hn. Are you hard of hearing, onna?" he demanded, cursing himself for having to do this. He did not like upsetting her, damn it! "I told you to release me."

"Its effects do not wear off until the spell is complete. I can do nothing to stop it," she dismissed, frowning at his cruel tone. Her hand tightened around his bicep, causing his stomach to flip under the strange gesture. She had never been so bold as to outright touch him in such an intimate way. "Have I done something to upset you, Hiei? Have I said something to make you feel uncomfortable? Are you tired of having to watch such a pathetic human constantly? Am I not good enough for you to spend time with? Am I not…!"

"It is nothing to do with you," he interrupted suddenly, unable to help himself. He had not wanted her to think it was her fault that he had left. There was no way he would allow her to lower her self esteem. He had seen her do so too many times with the hanyou. His body remained rigid, even though he found he could now move his fingers.

"Freeze." Damn. Apparently the onna had noticed. "What are you so afraid to tell me, Hiei?" she demanded softly. Her hand reached up to lightly play with his hair, causing him to growl in frustration. The woman really had to stop touching him, or else he'd do something he would regret later. "Why won't you tell me?"

"It is none of your concern," the fire demon gritted, turning the full force of his glare upon her small form.

"But it is," Kagome murmured, taking a hesitant step forward. The apparition eyed her warily, not likely the sudden change in her demeanor. There was a strange glint in her eyes, as if she was hiding something from him. He did not like that. The girl took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment before looking straight into his eyes. "It is my concern…because I… I care for you, Hiei…" Her fingers trembled on his arm as she bent forward, resting her forehead against his shoulder so that he could not see her tear stained face. "…I love you…"

The apparition felt as if someone had punched the air from his lungs. Had he heard incorrectly? Looking down at the top of her head, as her tears soaked into his shirt, he realized that he had not. How could such a pure, incredible woman come to love him, a murderous demon? All along he had ignored his emotions to protect her, but it seemed the gods had had a different plan for them. As his bewilderment slowly disintegrated, the fire demon felt a surge of emotion swell in his chest. If she could love him, perhaps it was not such a bad thing as he had thought. Why couldn't he have her as his own, if she willingly accepted his troubled past?

It took a moment for the spell to wear off, and when it did, he pulled her tight against his body, murmuring low in her ear. "I won't leave… I won't ever leave you again, onna…" And her tears flowed anew as she sobbed against his chest, clutching at him as if he would bind her to the Earth.

"Hiei…" she whispered, loosening her grip upon him to look up at him with teary eyes. "Does… that mean…?" He took her chin gently in his hand, his lips hovering over hers.

"I love you."

Yes, I could tell you
His favorite color's green
And he loves to argue
Oh, and it kills me
His sister's beautiful
He has his father's eyes
And if you ask me if I love him...
if you ask me if I love him...
I'd lie

"Kagome!" Eri sprinted down the hallway. She stopped at a desk, where a woman in a white labcoat sat blinking up at her in surprise. "Kagome, where's her room?" she demanded, more then a little out of breath. The nurse pursed her lips, looking at a pile of papers on the edge of the table.

"Down the hall, fifth door on your right..." the woman murmured, watching in curious amazement as the younger girl sped off down the hallway. Eri came to a halt in front of the door she had been looking for, straightening her clothes and disheveled hair while trying to hide the colorful bag behind her back. She rapped smartly upon the wooden door, listening closely.

"Come in."

The girl opened the door with a grin, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. "Kagome chan...?" A few more seconds later she could make out the silhouette of her best friend laying upon the crisp, clean hospital bed, her 'shadow' (as she had nicknamed him) sitting by her side.

"Eri!" The raven haired beauty exclaimed, a bright smile lighting up her face. "I'm so glad you could come!"

"Your mother called me as soon as she knew," her friend said sheepishly. "She'll be here soon, too. Traffic, you know." Looking around, she frowned. "Well, where is he at?"

"Right here," Kagome chuckled, pulling the blankets back a bit for her to see. Eri excitedly scrambled over to her friend, gently placing her gift upon the floor so it wouldn't get smushed. A small bundle looked up at her, blue eyes blinking at the unfamiliar face. His small face was topped off with a small burst of black hair that already stook up in a manner similar to his fathers.

"He's beautiful!" Eri exclaimed, holding out a finger for him to latch onto. The baby eyed her almost warily, before yawning and looking away, effectively ignoring her presence. "Just like Hiei kun, ne?" The fire demon said nothing to the comment, only leaning forward to get a better look. "What are you going to name him?"

"...Yoichi. Yoichi Momaru Jaganshi," Kagome answered softly, a pleased smile lighting up her face as her son giggled at something his father had done. Looking up at her mate, she couldn't help but brush a kiss against his cheek. "I love you."

Hope you all liked it! (If there are some inconsistant typing styles, it's not my fault. Tried fixing it, but the edit document wasn't working/cooperating with me)