Ikigai (Hiei x OC)

THE FALL OUT

A week passed without her.

Hiei swung the wooden sword at the training dummy with everything he had, yelling out each time he landed a hit. He'd beaten it so badly that the mold was coming undone, chunks of hard foam falling to the floor at his feet. When there was nothing left of it, he hurled the weapon at the wall, watching as it exploded on impact.

"I can't afford to keep replacing this equipment, kid."

An old, wrinkled hand rested on his shoulder, and he shrugged it off.

"She came to me this morning. She's ready to resume the training."

His stomach turned. Reading the expression on his face, she shook her head slowly.

"She doesn't want you involved."

Cracking his jaw, he looked to the floor.

"I told her no. Just because she's upset doesn't mean she suddenly gets to call the shots around here. She will get over this, eventually. And when she does, she'll need you."

He had trouble believing that. Those first few days, he'd been up all night, waiting to feel her crawling back into his arms. She would be hurt, but if she'd just let him explain, he was sure it could be fixed. By the fourth day, it became clear. Just as he'd done with everyone else, he'd pushed her away. None of them had ever come back. Why would she?

Last night, he'd started packing. Genkai did not need him – she was perfectly capable of teaching Airi what she needed to know. His presence there would be nothing but a distraction, keeping her from completing her training. With her shield reinforced, he could not see her energy. His other senses picked up the cues, like the subtle sound of her door locking at night, and the bowl filled with a half-eaten breakfast before the old man had a chance to clean it up.

She wanted nothing to do with him, and Genkai could not convince him otherwise. As if he needed further confirmation, she appeared at the door, walking slowly towards them, unwilling to look at him. All he wanted was to hold her, to chase away the pain in her eyes. But he was the one who had put it there, and he'd have to live with that.

"Alright, take your seats," Genkai instructed, breaking the eternal silence. "We're headed back to the same place, but there's something we need to do first."

Hiei watched Airi across from him, and she kept her eyes on Genkai.

"You know what went wrong last time we visited – you must learn to leave your feelings behind in the physical world. They do nothing for you in the astral realm besides put you in danger."

She set out a mortar and pestle filled with dark brown clay, a pitcher of water, and a silver plate with a knife on it. Lastly, she slid a folded piece of paper in line with the other objects.

"Seeing your success with that energy-guarding spell, I thought we'd try something a little more advanced. Pick up that paper."

Doing as she was asked, she unfolded it, brows furrowing while she studied whatever was written on it. The life, that was always so present in her, seemed to have drained. He hated himself.

"Memorize the words, and the symbol." A few minutes passed before she continued. "Both of you need to take off your shirts."

"What?"

"Why?"

"Stop being so annoying. Airi, you're going to draw that symbol on your chests, over your hearts. The purpose of the spell is to bind. It will trap your emotions in your physical body, allowing your spirit to roam undisturbed. You'll only have access to your head and your gut. Logic and instinct. It will keep you safe."