Komban wa, minna!! Got another story for ya. ^^ I'm
having too much fun with these, I think! I also am
trying something new - first person, present tense.
Like it, don't like it, C&C are more than welcome!!

Warnings: Yaoi, romance, PWP, fluff

*~!~**~!~**~!~*
Windchimes
*~!~**~!~**~!~*


	As I sit in the Makai, in my special tree, I gaze
out over a lake. The night is calm and quiet, and all I 
can hear are the waves lapping at the shore and an 
occasional creature giving it's call. It's very quiet, and
this unsettles me greatly. The Makai is usually a very
violent place, brustling with activity 24/7. But not on
this night. Which is fairly surprising, considering it's
the busiest time of the year.
	Leaning back against the tree with my head resting
on my arms and my legs in front of me, I gaze out over the
lake. Calm decends over me. In this moment of rare silence,
I think about my star. The thought of him always comforts
me, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. It makes me
feel warm inside, somehow, to know that in Ningenkai, he's
probably thinking of me as well.
	Maybe I should go visit him. I haven't seen his
smile in a week. I stand up and brush my pants off, then
jump from tree to tree, faster than any human can see,
faster than most youkai can see, for that matter. Upon
reaching the portal to Ningenkai, the Makai is still silent.
Good. I open the portal, and disappear through it.
	

*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*

	Ningenkai hasn't changed in the week I was gone. 
I run quickly to the Lights` apartment, and land on the
balcony. The door is open partway. They don't worry about
robbers, since they are on the 18th floor. I smile, knowing
that Seiya has left the door open for me. Quietly, I slide it
the rest of the way open, and step in. I close it as silently
as I opened it. The apartment is dark, and I know that the
brothers must be asleep. Slowly, I tiptoe to Seiya's door,
and open it quietly.
	The light is off, and Seiya is curled up on the bed,
sleeping. I closed the door behind me and walked softly to
the bed. Trying not to move him around, I veeeerrrryyy 
slowly lowered myself down to lay beside him. Confident that
I won't wake him up, I put my arms around him and hug
him close. He makes a soft sound and snuggles closer, wrapping
strong arms around me. I always feel protected in his embrace,
knowing that if push came to shove, he would be the one to
protect me, rather than the other way around.
	I gently raise a hand to stroke his soft black hair.
He constantly complains about it, saying how he's going to
cut it someday, but he never has. I think that he leaves it
like it is because he knows how much I love it. Long hair has
always fascinated me. Seiya's especially, because it is the
only long hair I've really touched. True, I was with Kurama
once, but we were never as close as my star and I are.
I love the way Seiya's hair shines in the moonlight. It's
black, as surely as mine is, yet it has a silver tint to it.
If I didn't know better, I'd say he got the silver tint from
wherever Yaten got his hair, but then I remember that they are
not related.
	Seiya stirrs in my arms and opens his eyes. He seems
vaguely surprised, at first, but when he looks up at me,
surprise fades into joy.
	"Hiei-chan!" he exclaims. "I'm so glad you're back!"
	I smile at him. "Hai," I reply. "I wanted to see
you again."
	His face brightens at my words, and he tilts his head
for a kiss, which I willingly give him. He presses his lithe
body against mine, hugging me tightly. "I missed you," he 
says, his voice muffled. "Everyone else's gone."
	"Oh?" I ask. "Where did they go, anyway?"
	He sighs. "They won a trip on some romantic cruise,"
he mumbles. "I was invited, but I didn't want to go.. since
you weren't there and all.." 
        "Baka," I say gently. "You should have sent someone
after me. I would have come home.."
	He shakes his head. "No," he replies. "I didn't 
want to disturb you."
	I have to smile at this. His selflessness really
surprises me sometimes. But that is how he is. He always puts
me before himself. "You wanted to go, ne?" I ask softly.
	He dosen't reply, dosen't make any noise for a 
minute. Finally, he looks up at me. "Iie," he says. I know he
is lying, but I don't say anything about it. He never lies to
me about anything really important, and I am no saint myself.
So, I don't criticize him. His breath is soft against my neck,
and for the billionth time since my star admitted his love for
me, I marvel at my luck. I think back to that night while I 
hold him, and close my eyes, letting myself get lost in memory.

*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*
About a month ago
*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*

	The crowd cheers when Seiya steps onto the platform,
up to the microphone. He speaks, and everyone shuts up and 
settles down immediately. His voice is soft, and I can hear
the nervousness in it. I look around at the others, and I
notice that Kurama is watching me closely. My attention returns
to Seiya when I hear him say something of interest to me.
	".. I wrote this song for someone very special to me.
I hope this person understands what they mean to me.."
	The song starts, and I am immediately lost in a daze.
I cant even dare to think it was me that he spoke of, and I
feel my heart shatter. I keep my face free of emotion, though.
The second the last chord fades out, there is silence. Even 
from where I am, I can see the panic on Seiya's face. Everyone
gets up and starts to cheer, and I am gone, running away
blindly. I will go to him later, later this evening, and find
out for sure.. and maybe that will ease my pain..

*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*
Back in the present
*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*

	I hug him closer, coming out of my reverie. I was so
hurt after the song, but during it I was in a haze. His voice
was enchanting, and I allowed myself to think it was me he 
sang about. And afterwards, I went to him, to find out who it
was. The rest of THAT night, as they say, is history.. I spent
the night wrapped in his arms, as we showed eachother just how
deep our feelings were. I didn't think, then, that I'd ever 
been that happy in my life. And perhaps I was right. My life 
hasn't been perfect, it has been very far from. It started 
looking up when I was with Kurama, then crashed when he dumped
me for Yaten.
	I remember that day clearly, too.. a silver haired boy
kissing him, then running off to school. I had fled, and ran
into Seiya. I snapped at him, and he simply blew it off. That
fascinated me. I saw him change, later, to Starfighter, and
she gave herself selflessly to save a child. Kurama managed
to save her, and I wanted to tell her how I felt as soon as
she woke up. But I chickened out, and acted cold and indifferant.
I am still surprised that, no matter how many times I rejected
him for fear of being hurt again, he still loves me.
	His soft, melodic voice brings me out of my thoughts.
"Hiei-chan?" he asks.
	"Hmm?" I reply.
	He hesitates, and shifts in my arms, so his face is 
hidden in my shoulder. "This is going to sound stupid, but..
I need to know.. do you still love Kurama?"
	The question catches me offguard. "Do I.. love Kurama?"
I repeat.
	"Hai.." he whispers. Something hot hits my bare skin, 
and I realise he's crying.
	"No," I reply truthfully. "I don't, not at all.. why
do you ask, Itoshii?"
	He dosen't reply, just hugs me tighter. "Thanks," he
whispers. "I.. I needed to hear that."
	"My beautiful star," I say softly. "Is that why you
were so quiet the day before Kurama and I left for the Makai?"
Kurama had returned early because he was worried about Yaten,
who'd been ill recently.
	He looks up at me, and the pain and torment I see in
his deep blue eyes tears at my heart. "Seiya," I murmur. "I
know I don't say it.. as often as I should. But I love you,
more than I've ever loved anyone.." My voice trails off. I am
not a man of many words. And he knows it. Some of the pain in
his eyes goes away, and when I kiss him, all of it vanishes.
I smile inwardly to myself. It is my own fault that looking
deep into those blue eyes can make me cry, but I regret nothing.
He is so perfect, and he accepts me for who and what I am,
knowing that I'm a Forbidden Child, a Forgotten Child, who
nobody wanted.
	"Hiei," he says softly. He kisses me gently, his arms
tightening around me until I think I won't be able to breathe if
he holds me any tighter. He acts almost as if I am a life 
preserver, clinging tightly to me. I hug him closer, trying my
best to reassure him.
	I make love to him next, very slowly, very passionately.
My beautiful star never knew what hit him, I think. He is full of
fire this night, and I helped it rise to an entirely new level
for both of us. He was eager to please, but I wanted him to know
how much I loved him, so I did most of it. Now, he lies sleeping
in my arms, cuddled as close as he can get to me. I smile and
tighten my grip on him, loving the laziness I felt. I kiss the
top of his head gently and close my eyes, letting sleep overtake
me. I know when I wake up, he will be there, and that's really
all that matters.

*~!~**~!~**~!~*
Owari ~ The end
*~!~**~!~**~!~*

Tiga Shadow
http://members.xoom.com/PaladinStar
TigaShadow@netscape.net