My neighbor is a demon! (Hiei x OC)

7 Lies and manipulation (Yuko)

I sniff, wiping at my eyes profusely in the hallway outside our door, but the tears just won't stop falling. "Crap." I mutter, not wanting to go inside like this. I don't know if anyone is in yet, but I don't feel like risking it. I don't want to start explaining....

I put my ear to the door, trying to listen and I do hear someone moving inside. "Crap." I repeat.

Maybe if I'm quiet, I can run past with some silly excuse and hole myself up in my bedroom for a few minutes till I calm down.

"What are you doing girl?" a voice behind me questions, making me jump. I look up to see Hiei standing behind me, his eyes following a tear that just rolled from my check and splashes on the floor before they snap back to my red eyes.

I don't know what to say.... This is so embarrassing. Why did he have to come home just at this moment after having been gone for days, just to see me like this?

"Hn." he merely says, looking uninterested as he turns to his apartment, shoving the door open and disappearing inside. I frown, feeling offended at his lack of interest, even though I don't want to say anything about it. Ugh, I'm such a girl!

But my surprise overrules when he leaves the door ajar behind him. After a minute of staring stupidly at where he retreated, I hesitantly take a step forward. When I hear a noise coming form my own home, I hesitance flies out the window and I sprint the short distance across the hall and disappear inside Hiei's apartment, closing the door softly behind me.

This is....

My tears cease as I look around. This is the first time I've stepped a foot in here. I don't know what I expected of his apartment, but it's rather... empty? I mean, there is furniture and all, which I somehow doubt he picked out for himself, but there are hardly any personal items at all. It's almost like he just moved in instead of a two months ago.

After taking off my shoes, I step further inside the living room, pausing and glancing curiously at the sheathed katana leaning against the side of the couch. The handle looks rough like it has seen a lot of use. He doesn't actually use it right?

"Don't touch it. Knowing you, you'll cut your fingers off." his voice pierces the silence, making me quickly pull back my reaching hand as my head snaps towards the widow. Hiei is perched in the sill, looking outside.

I stare at him a moment questioningly. My curiosity about him rising to the surface again at seeing the inside of his 'home'. I open my mouth to speak, but find my mouth sticky and my throat still tight.

"Can I get a glass of water?" I ask in a rasping voice, moving towards the kitchen as he nods without looking over. The layout of the apartment is mirrored to our own.

I down one glass and take a full one with me to the couch, taking a seat and nestling into the corner where I stay, staring into nothingness as not a word is said.

My thought run back to earlier today; this day of school has been hell I conclude. This morning Rei uttered her frustration with me about not doing anything about Mamoru following me around like a total creep. She accused me of enjoying the attention...

How could she? If anything, he scares me. I thought if I didn't pay attention to him, he would stop, but my tactic doesn't seem to be having much of an effect.

He doesn't seem to want to give up on his feelings for me and the first day of school after he saw me and Hiei at the arcade, he didn't hide how much he disapproved of another boy in my vicinity.

Anyway, as the day continued on with me and Rei not speaking another word to each other, something happened...

After returning to class after recess, Rei sat down at her usual seat, only for it to collapse. She hit her head on the desk behind her, leaving a bleeding cut, staining her pretty black hair.

Miss Natsumi, our teacher, was shocked as she exclaimed that the screws of Rei's chair had been removed. Someone did this on purpose!

As Rei was led towards the nursing office, she screamed she hated me... She believed it was me, trying to get back at her. And although miss Natsumi had no proof, her look of misguided accusation was enough to make me want to skip the rest of the day, but with much reluctance, I stuck it out.

After classes, I of course ran into Mamoru again and being fed up I yelled at him;

"Leave me alone! Don't you get I want nothing to do with you?!" I yelled, breathing heavily.

He only stares back as if he doesn't hear the words or tries to interpret them to his liking inside his head. He has put words in my mouth before or tried to make of what I say just how it suits him best.

"How is Rei?" he suddenly asks, making me startle.

"Why ask?" I question him coldly, wondering what's it to him.

He smiles rather creepily, in a way that gives me chills. "I heard she doesn't want to be your friend anymore. She hates you." he states, seeming to be pleased with this.

My eyes widen in alarm. "I did nothing to her!" I defend myself, making his smile widen.

"I know." he states simply, but it raises another red flag in his behavior. "Yuko... school can get pretty lonely without friends. You can always come to me." he suggests.

I step back, my eyes wide in realization. He did it!

I take another step back. "Get away from me!" I call in fright before turning on my heel and making a run for it, not stopping until I'm a block away from my home.

I shudder as I try to stuff the memory away, my eyes starting to well up again. I feel in over my head. For weeks he has been... stalking, yes, stalking me. And now, he is out to turn my friends against me.

What do I do? I tried to turn to the teachers, but Mamoru is their model student. It's his word against mine and they are not very inclined to believe me. He got called in for a conversation once and he completely turned it in his favor.

My friends are not seeing how much he bothers me, but only because I don't whine and cry over it enough according to them.

My parents... I couldn't tell them. I don't want them to worry or perhaps blow a fuse and cause a scene at school.

I glance at Hiei.... No! I can't bother him with this. He'll think I'm being idiotic for sure.

I blink in surprise when he suddenly turns around. "What?" he asks, his ruby eyes piercing into me as if sensing that his name came up in my head.

I quickly shake my head. "I should go." I say quickly, not really wanting to, but saying it for the sake of hiding my true thoughts. I would like to do nothing but stay in this position, curled up on his comfy couch where Mamoru can't reach me.

Hiei only hums, his eyes following me as I reluctantly slide of the couch. I move towards the doorway with tiny steps, stalling.

I give one final pause before I go, looking over my shoulder. "Thanks Hiei." I tell him. Grateful that he let me hide out until I composed myself somewhat.