My neighbor is a demon! (Hiei x OC)

35 No pain no gain (Yuko)

I sigh tiredly, running a hand over my face as the first sunlight starts to slip into the room. I can't get back to sleep for the life of me. I'm just too sore. Training turns out to be a lot harder than I had previously expected.

The past weeks have been pretty bad overall, but yesterday took the cake. Grandma left me entirely to Hiei's devices, saying she was busy and let me just say, Hiei is a very cruel teacher.

I look down nervously from the rock face I'm supposed to be climbing in the time limit set on me with weights strung to my wrists and ankles. "You'll catch me if I fall right?" I ask him, feeling sweat starting to drip down my back.

He simply scoffs as if I just spewed out something ridiculous. "Of course not. How is that going to motivate you to stay up there? You fall, you get hurt."

I look up at him incredulously. He doesn't really mean that right? .... Right? "Crap."

Needless to say, I took a few tumbles. And that was only in the morning.

I get up and walk stiffly towards the mirror mounted on the otherwise rather bare wall. I lift my hand and pluck at the uneven ends of my locks, reminding me; that wasn't the worst of it.

"Ow ow ow! Hiei help!" I beg him.

"Hn. I'm not really feeling inclined." he rejects coolly.

I huff at him angrily. "You threw me in here, the least you could do is get me out." I tell him as a matter of factually, flinching when the thorny bush pricks into my skin wherever it can. Hiei plays dirty when sparring I noted quickly; kicking me into bushes, how could he?!

He sighs in defeat before finally coming over, pulling me out by my arm. "Ow!" I shout in agony.

"Now what?!" he sighs impatiently.

"My hair is stuck." I pout.

I see Hiei glare down at the bush before his hand finds the hilt of his katana. My eyes widen as he whips it out and I flinch as he swings it just over the top of my head.

Setting me upright, I blink back at the offending bush to see plucks of my hair still entangled in it. I feel my mouth drop open in shock before turning to look at Hiei in disbelief.

"You cut my hair?!"

He says nothing as he puts the blade away, not looking bothered in the least.

"You cut my hair?!" I repeat. "Why didn't you just untangle it?! Or cut the freaking bush?! What the hell Hiei?!" I exclaim.

"I don't know what you're so worked up about. It's just hair." he shrugs. I shake my head, peeved.

"Don't you know that a girl's hair is off limits?" I kick the ground. "Damn, it's the one thing I'm actually proud of about my looks." I huff, not noticing Hiei raise a brow in confusion.

"What are you talking about? There is nothing on you to be embarrassed about." he states bluntly. I feel my ears heat up at the most likely unintentional compliment.

Then I remember something he said before; "I thought you said I have nothing that interests you." I'm not sure why I brought that up all of a sudden, but it got his attention.

Hiei's fiery eyes bore into mine and I can feel my heart pounding against my ribs. For a split second his eyes dart from the top of my head to the tips of my toes and back with a far away look.

"Hn." And with a gust of wind he's gone before I can question him.

"Morning grandma." I mutter once I had gotten myself ready and dragged myself from my room to the kitchen. "I'll go get some groceries later. Get a haircut too." I tell her as I search the cabinets for breakfast.

When I close them after stuffing my face with a slice of bread I suddenly take notice that she's not alone. Sitting beside her are three young men.

Quickly swallowing the piece of bread and nearly choking on it, I apologize, "Sorry, I didn't know we had company." I say quietly, sensing the serious atmosphere.

"What's going on?" I question.

"Sit down kid." Grandma croaks, motioning to the vacant seat.

...........

"There must be a reason for it." I butt in after the she told me that those boys; Kaito, Yanagisawa and Kido sought her help after they suddenly gained powers that normal humans wouldn't have.

"I'm sure there is. You can think about it while you run to the lake and back. Go!" she orders, ushering me out.

"Yes ma'am!" I answer at the sound of her stern voice. Someone stepped out of the wrong side of her bed.

..........

"Here you go miss." the vendor smiles as I take the two bowls filled to the brim with watermelon and strawberry flavored shaved ice from him.

I thank him before finding a table at a more quiet corner of the terrace. "Eat up before it melts." I say to seemingly no one, but the seat opposite me is filled within a flash.

"What's the deal? Shouldn't you be training?" Hiei questions, but doesn't object to the offer of the ice cream.

"I have." I counter calmly; putting the watermelon flavored one in front of him. "And I'll continue later if you want. But we need dinner and I wanted to get my hair fixed."

Hiei eyes my hair, before glancing away. "It's nice." he comments quietly, making me smile. It's a bit shorter than I would normally have cut it, having it drape down just to my collarbone. But I'm happy with the result. I look a bit more mature like this.

I dig into my ice with a happy smile, humming contently. Sitting here on this cozy terrace, eating ice with Hiei... it kind of feel like a date.

I don't think I could get Hiei to go out on a date with me any other way. Not if there isn't a fight involved or anything of the sort. I really can't picture him going out to dinner and a movie. The thought makes snicker.

"What?" he grunts, not looking amused.

I just shake my head. "Just a thought I had. Don't mind me."

"Hn." he hums before staring off into the distance in thought, making me blink at him curiously. What's on his mind?

"Something wrong? You seem a bit... out of it." I note carefully.

He blinks, setting his eyes back on me. "Not yet." he states ominously, making me frown in confusion. "Something is brewing in Mushiyori city. Lesser demons have been appearing more frequently." he informs me.

"An indication of something bigger going on?" I question worriedly.

"Hm, maybe." he hums, seeming uncertain.

"Hiei, can I ask you a favor?" I ask, making him focus his dwelling gaze back on mine. "Can you please check on my parents and Reiji? The area too I mean. I don't want them getting caught up in something." I voice. What Hiei told me and then there is this thing with humans randomly gaining odd powers makes me worry for their safety.

After a moment he nods, making me sigh in relief. If Hiei can keep an eye on them for me, I will feel a lot better. "Thank you."