~Kimi's POV~
I woke to find myself tucked in my bed back home at Nana's house. My head was pounding and there was a sharp throbbing pain in my shoulder from where I'd been struck earlier in the night. My human form was much more vulnerable to pain. I winced as I tried to sit up in bed. A soft gasp escaped me as I felt a hand press into my uninjured shoulder to keep me in place.
Hiei appeared at my side. His deep crimson eyes were filled with concern as he kept me from getting up, "you should rest."
I knew he was right but I was worried about Alexa and Dee and what had happened at the Festival earlier in the night, "where's Alexa? Did Dee and Yusuke figure out who started the fire? Was anyone hur—?" I let my words fall away as he fixed me with an intimidating stern look.
Hiei sighed, "the miniature human has been returned to her home. I haven't heard anything from the Detectives and you were the only one injured."
I let out a soft sigh of relief, "that's goo—." I cut off again as his eyes narrowed into a sharp glare.
"Your life is far more valuable than any humans." He grumbled and I felt my heart skip a beat as I realized he was only grumpy because he'd been worried about me.
My cheeks reddened and I averted my gaze bashfully, "sorry for being reckless and making you worry, Hiei."
He made a strange choking sound and I glanced in his direction. His face was red and he was looking anywhere but at me, "who said I was worried?" He grumbled his voice sounding angry.
Perhaps I'd been wrong...I felt even more embarrassed for making assumptions and pulled the blankets up over my face. "...ah..I guess I misunderstood...I'm an idiot...s-sorry..." My voice shook.
"What are you doing?" I could hear the frown in his voice as he looked down at me trying to hide. I willed myself to disappear.
I didn't trust my voice. I felt embarrassed and hurt, I'd completely misread his words and actions and for some reason I had gotten my hopes up but I didn't completely understand about what and now I just wanted to cry and disappear.
"Kimi?" He tugged at the blankets but I kept a firm hold on them not wanting to show my face. He gave another much more forceful tug and I lost my hold on the blankets. They fell away from me and I buried my face in my hands to hide my tears. "Why are you crying?" He groaned and I faintly remembered him being uncomfortable when I had cried before.
"I-I'm not crying!" I protested and continued hiding my face.
"Your eyes are leaking." He pointed.
"N-No they're not." I sniffled.
He let out a heavy sigh and in the next moment I was being lifted off the bed and into his strong arms. He plopped down on my bed with me in his arms and held me close. I peered through my fingers and noticed the grumpy look on his face. He looked a little childlike, it was cute.
"Fine...I was worried...now stop crying..." He said in a strained voice as he cradled me against him. "You should be resting." He pulled a blanket around us and leaned back against my headboard.
"S-sorry." I mumbled softly.
His deep crimson eyes swept over me, ensnaring my gaze. I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I realized how close we were. "Rest."
I managed a nod, not trusting my voice. I relaxed against him feeling safe and warm in his arms. My eyelids began to leaden and I rested my head against his shoulder as they slowly closed. Just as I was about to drift into sleep, I heard a knock at my door.
Hiei grumbled something incoherently as my bedroom door swung open. I opened my eyes in time to see, Yusuke, Dee, Kurama and Kuwabara stumble through the door.
"Oh, don't you two look cozy." Dee winked in my direction causing my face to flush scarlet once more.
Hiei and I separated, red faced. "D-Did you figure out who started the fire?" I asked in hopes to change the subject.
"Nice segue." Yusuke teased me causing my face to burn more.
Kurama chuckled softly to himself and was kind enough to come to my rescue, "we believe it was the work of a demon."
My thoughts drifted to Kai and a shiver rolled down my spine, "was it...?" I couldn't even bring myself to say his name.
"Not Kai...we think it may have been a fox demon..." Yusuke added.
"Like me?" I paled.
Kurama nodded.
I thought about what Alexa had said about the fox king. "Kurama...is there a fox king?"
He nodded, "there is. He's an Ice Fox, and they've been at war with the Fire Fox Clan for as long as I can remember."
"The fire tonight?" I asked hesitantly.
"Was the doing of a member of the Fire Fox Clan..."
I bit my lip. Was I their target? If that were the case, me being around humans could be dangerous. People could have been seriously hurt in the fire if Alexa hadn't been able to remove my necklace. I paled as another thought crossed my mind, if Alexa hadn't been there to remove the necklace...I wouldn't have been able to use my powers...I probably would have died.
"Kimi?" Dee looked to me worried.
"I think Alexa's dreams might be true, Dee..."
Dee sighed, "I know they are...she's always had these freaky dreams...even when she was little, she knew things would happen before they did, it really freaked a lot of people out." She suddenly smiled, "so you really are a princess."
"Is that why the Fire Fox Clan is targeting me?" I asked Kurama curiously.
"It's highly likely. They hate the Ice Clan and I'm sure both sides cursed your parents' union..." He said with a grimace.
"They want me dead?" I asked after a moment and watched everyone grow tense. They all knew, and confirmed my suspicions, but no one wanted to be the one to say it.
"They won't succeed." Hiei suddenly scoffed surprising everyone. He didn't normally involve himself in group discussions.
"Huh?" I looked to him curiously.
"They'll have to get through me first." He said as if it were obvious. "I'll show them the error in their ways." There was something frightening about the way he said it that sent a shiver down my spine.
"I think the shrimp has a crush on Kimi." Kuwabara piped up causing Yusuke and Dee to snicker and Kurama to cringe sympathetically. In the next instant Hiei vanished for a split second before reappearing exactly where he'd been as if nothing had happened and Kuwabara hit the ground unconscious.
"EEP! Kuwabara are you okay?" I gasped.
"Pay the idiot no mind, Kimi." Hiei huffed.
"Ah...Hiei...did you—?"
He shrugged.
"That's not very nice...Kuwabara is our friend, we should be nicer to him..." I had a strange sense of deja vu, I'd had a similar discussion with Alexa earlier.
Yusuke and Dee howled with laughter as Hiei's face reddened.
"That's the voice you use to talk to the miniature human." He growled looking somewhat flustered.
Kurama was struggling to keep a straight face. Dee and Yusuke were holding each other up as they slumped against one another laughing hysterically. Kuwabara let out a soft snore in his unconscious state.
"Ah...sorry." I blushed and bowed my head apologetically only for my shoulder to protest. I let out a soft gasp of pain and clutched at my injured shoulder.
Everyone stopped laughing immediately, and Hiei was at my side in an instant. "I told you to rest, stupid girl." He sighed and ushered me back into bed before taking up his post in a chair at my bedside to watch over me.
"Get some rest Kimi...we can figure things out in the morning." Yusuke offered me a reassuring smile.
Dee rushed over to give me a quick hug goodnight, "goodnight my little Kimi, thanks for keeping Alexa safe." She kissed the top of my head receiving a scowl from Hiei in the process and scurried out the door after Yusuke who was dragging Kuwabara by his feet.
Kurama looked between the pair of us with a sly smile, "goodnight, you two." He and Hiei exchanged a look and I had a feeling from the sudden spark of annoyance in Hiei's deep crimson eyes that Kurama must have said something to him telepathically that irked him.
"Goodnight." I replied meekly and waved farewell as he left the room and shut the door behind him. "What did he say to you?" I asked Hiei curiously.
His cheeks looked a little red. "Nothing of importance."
Whatever it was, he was annoyed and possibly a little embarrassed, though I didn't think he'd ever admit to it. "Hiei?"
"Hn?"
"Thanks for watching over me..."
"You're supposed to be resting." He grumbled somewhat awkwardly.
"Hiei?" I tried again, softly.
He turned his gaze to me. "What is it, now?"
I blushed, embarrassed. I'd wanted to ask him if we could sit how we were before but it was too embarrassing. I'd felt so safe and secure in his arms, it had been so nice, I wanted to feel it again, but now I was too scared. "Never mind. Sorry. Goodnight." I squeaked and turned my head away to hide my blushing face.
He let out a soft sigh. In the next moment I was being lifted into his strong arms. I let out a muted squeal and threw my arms around him in surprise at the sudden shift in movement. He sat on my bed with me cradled in his arms, just like before, and swept a blanket around us. He didn't say a word but I thought I saw a small trace of a smile on his lips.
I relaxed against him with a smile and closed my eyes, "goodnight, Hiei."
"Goodnight, Kimi."