Shadow Games ~ Hiei ~ One Shot

Long ago in the ancient past
I remember a life when we first met
Through your tears you remembered it all. Remembered? No. It was a part of you. The memories flowed through your lungs with each breath you took. The first time he laid eyes on you he marked you, branded your soul; though his teeth would never touch your skin. How could you have known... no one warned you... they never warned you.
In a dark shadow realm
Under a big full moon
The heavy rain beat relentlessly on your window pane as you stared, unseeing, into the dark, soaked landscape beyond. You had known nothing of their world; of this world. Of your reality. Your life was twisted beyond recognition into a monstrosity; a thing of demons, blood, and war. That fateful night, so long ago but as stark in your mind as though it were currently playing before your eyes; you had slipped. A simple wrong turn of the ankle had been the great climax of your existence. Nothing more. Slamming your hand against the glass, it shattered and the rain pitilessly pricked your face. The memory hurt far more. You had fallen. Not to the ground. Through worlds.
There and then I could tell
You'd try to break my will
Your screams had died in your throat that day. No, not died. For soon your soul would renew them. His eyes had burned into your own; his fierce spirit possessively staking claim to your existence as he stood a short distance from your crumpled form watching you coldly, unbothered by your pleas for help. It was the twitch of his lip that finally silenced you. A cruel smirk; the first of many that would be directed towards you in the times yet to come. But it was then that you knew. That expression of malicious pleasure; the open display of intent. He would be your ruin.

But now watch as I rise
To a whole new height
Did he know then the strength you would gain? Perhaps it was his own design; the puppet master toying with your life as though it was nothing. Of course. He had to make you worth destroying. You had found new strength in your training, but more than that, a cunning callousness that taught you how to survive. The innocence of your past, the joy... A cold shiver made its way down your spine as the rain steadily soaked your shirt, but your vacant eyes had returned to the horizon beyond. Aimlessly watching the dark night; your ears oblivious to the noises of the makai. He had done this to you. He had done this. He had-
And my mad battle cry
Will be heard all night
You stood suddenly, glaring into the emptiness. A scream burst from your lips; a deliberate cry of rage, anguish, torment. A testament to the last seven years.
You keep on playing
Those dark shadow games and
When had fear turned to reverence? You held little doubt that that, too, he had orchestrated. He held vast skill in the art of manipulation; you had been easily molded. He had pushed you to the edge; the edge of what one mind, one heart could handle. Your love for him, your veneration, your obsession... He had driven you to it all.
No I won't be beat again
And then he had left.
You keep on playing
Those dark shadow games and
He had tired of his toy, tired of those sadistic games he would play. He had bored of twisting your sanity, of seeing just how deep your emotions could run. He had brought you to the crest of ecstasy, the heat of your bodies and minds intertwining in an exotic dance. Then he had torn you down to the foulest trench with his derision. Leaving with no explanation, only a few lackluster insults and nothing more. A game.
All this time I've prayed my friend
Are there Gods in this place? In this festering pool of demons? As the night roared back at you, you doubted it. It would explain why your pleas had fallen on deaf ears all this time. At first, pleas for his love, then pleas for your death, and finally for his.
So now you know after time has passed
You can never be sure you're always the best
Glaring, you turned from the window. Fear to reverence. Reverence to love. Love to blinding, all-encompassing hate. The demon had always believed himself to be above you. Above everyone. Damn him. Odium fueled you when he no longer would. It proved to be a far better trainer.
Cuz I'm back from the shadows
Coming after you
Three years. For three years, he had been gone. And all three of your prayers were left unanswered. And now, now you would lay claim to your own fate. The door slammed behind you as you raced outside, the dirt pounding beneath your bare feet. It was time for him to pay for his offenses.
On the brightest day
Of your darkest hour
You had heard he had returned. His sister had died, they said. This was the only place where he could get back to her world. A twisted smile worked its way across your face; he probably believed you had left. This harsh land where he had kept you, you would have left or died. No, you would never leave. Leaving would give up the chance you now had. And death... you wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
So now watch as I rise
To a whole new height
And my mad battle cry
Will be heard all night
A fevered rage worked its way through your mind as you ran. His flippant treatment of your life, his rebuking of the emotions he had created... he deserved what was coming. He earned it all. It was time he see just how powerful this 'weakling' had become.
You keep on playing
Those dark shadow games and
Skidding to a halt, your insides jolted. Those eyes... that was how he had done it. Whatever fog he had encased your mind in for all those years, you now knew the source must have been his eyes. They gripped your gaze with a force you could not name, both abating and stoking the fire of your anger.
No I won't be beat again
They held surprise now. Did he think he had won? Did he think the game was over? It would never be over. Not for you.
You keep on playing
Those dark shadow games and
All this time I've prayed my friend
"Hn." You glared at that. How dare he dismiss you. He would never do that again. Never. All that you were, he had made you. All that you had been, he had shattered. And then he had left. Your fingers weaved around the handle to your blade. This was the moment. This was the moment... As you raised it up, his eyes met yours once more. Only now, holding deep sadness. You paused.
You destroyed the future with your past
You had learned during your time with him of his tormented childhood; of his abandonment. That legacy which forbid him from any happiness in his life. That birthright of pain which led him to murder any cheerfulness that dared cross him.
Forgot the lesson of the test
How his rejection led him to do the same. You looked at him softly now; he had never let go of that part of himself. Had never learned from it.
You never understood the blessed
He had never been able to understand joy. When you laughed once, he had called you weak, foolish. Perhaps he had been right. But standing there, as the rain dropped heavily on your shoulders and drenched your hair, you knew that he had never begun his life, never stepped beyond the very first scene.
Too bad today will be your last
Gripping your sword, a spiteful smirk touched your lips. His past had destroyed your future. His problems were the cause of yours. His happiness was not your concern. Only his penalty.
So now watch as I rise
To a whole new height
Lunging at him, the stark scream of metal meeting metal rang out. Slicing through the thick silence.
And my mad battle cry
Will be heard all night
Again, you danced. A darker dance than the two of you had known; a dance now of pain, of violence.
You keep on playing
Those dark shadow games and
Swords met and parted, your bodies clashed and retreated. Not a word was spoken. The first glance had said it all. Everything.
No I won't be beat again
You swung out suddenly. No metallic noise broke the night. No comforting ring through the stuffy air. No.
You keep on playing
Hiei dropped to his knees before you. You lost your grip on the handle; the blade remained in his abdomen. No.
Those dark shadow games and
You stared. He made a small noise in his throat. But- His eyes closed. Those eyes. No-
All this time I've prayed my friend
You barely felt the ground when your knees crashed to it. This was wrong. The rain batted your frame relentlessly. This was wrong. Laying your hand on his unmoving chest, you sunk down to him; small utterances the only noises you could make. Incoherent prayers made to one who had long stopped listening. This was wrong. He was gone. ...gone...

The End.

Well, there's my one-shot. I know it wasn't uplifting, but c'est la vie. It's what popped into my head when I heard that song. I hope you enjoyed it anyway! :)
And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.