Ikigai (Hiei x OC)

*MOVING ON*

"You should tell her, Hiei," Airi said, drawing circles on his chest with her finger.

She thought back to the stadium earlier that day, the longest day of her life.

The arena began to crumble around them, what little remained of it. They searched the stands for the rest of their friends, and Airi scanned for the blue and green hair that would be difficult to mistake for anyone else.

"Up there!" she said, pointing.

Kuwabara was already on his way, taking the steps three at a time.

"Yukina!" he called. "I'll save you Yukina!"

Hiei had yet to reestablish his wards, and she felt a most surprising sentiment from him. He loathed Kuwabara, thought him weak and stupid, but he trusted him to protect his sister. It appeared he could not argue with a love that deep, no matter how little sense it made.

They followed him up, and another tremor rattled the walls. Yukina walked towards Kuwabara, and Airi watched in horror as the stone above her cracked. Hiei was gone from her side in an instant. As it fell, Kuwabara cried out, and Airi kicked into a sprint. The dust settled and a joyful smile filled her face.

Hiei was crouched protectively over her - he'd obliterated the stone as it fell. To see them that way sent a terrible ache through her. The way Yukina looked at him... it was as if she knew.

"Thank you very much, Hiei," she said, her voice sweet and soft.

Ignoring her, he turned to Kuwabara.

"You're of no use."

All of the drama had kept him from noticing that Airi still had full access to him. He did not want to leave her side. Prying himself away, a great hollowness filled every inch of him. That, and a renewed disdain for Kuwabara.

"I cannot. You need to trust me."

"But –"

"It is out of my control."

"I don't understand," she whispered, frustrated.

"You could not."

Recognizing she'd hit a wall, she backed off. It was not her intention to ruin their last night together. They had never spoken of what would come after. She'd been too afraid to get her hopes up, the odds of them even making it off the island being what they were. Now, she was terrified to speak with him of the future. If she could not identify what it was that she wanted, how could she expect him to?

She was torn, between returning to Keiko's to resume a normal life, or going to Genkai's complex to carry out the final wish the psychic had shared with her. There was something tempting about heading back to Mushiyori City, working at the restaurant, and pretending to be ordinary. It would be nice to truly rekindle her friendship with Keiko. When she tried to picture it, though, she could not. Her life had been unusual for so long, there was likely no returning.

And then there was Hiei. Where and how could he fit into her life? He was a freer spirit than she, the mere idea of chains enough to send him flying in the other direction. Settling down, as she longed to do in her heart, was not something he would ever want. Rather than bring up this challenging conversation, she rolled on top of him, the bare canvas of her body stretched over his.

He inhaled deeply, pulling the covers up over her back as her lips sank onto his. The touch of them, so lavish, and the shelter she felt in his arms beckoned hot tears from her eyes. They landed on his cheeks.