Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Thief in One Life, A Thief in the Next ❯ Yomi ( Chapter 12 )

A Thief in One Life, A Thief in the Next

Chapter Twelve

Yomi

The sun was just starting to set when they reached Konchuu, the city walls of the capital looming above them. Then guards were posted at the gate, and scrambled to open the great door as they spotted Hiei and Kurama among the party approaching. Yusuke landed Puu in the clear space around the walls, helping Quatre and Trowa down from the phoenix. They’d barely stepped foot inside the city when a female voice rang out.

“Onii-san, you’re back!”

A blue-haired young woman ran up and hugged Hiei before he could so much as move. Despite hundreds of years having passed, the fire demon had yet to grow accustomed to Yukina calling him her brother and the title still startled him.

“Good evening, Yukina-chan,” Kurama said with a soft laugh at his mate’s expression.

“We’ve brought your patients.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Yukina-san,” Quatre said, bowing in greeting to the small girl who’d been labeled as their healer. “I’m Winner Quatre. These are Barton Trowa, Yuy Heero and Chang Wufei.”

“And I’m Youko Kuronue,” Kuronue said, bowing as well as one could while carrying an injured person. “It’s a wonder to finally meet you, sister-in-law.”

“I’ll explain over dinner,” Kurama said when the koorime sent him a startled glance. The kitsune’s attention was instantly drawn to a dark figure immerging from the shadows. “Yomi, what are you doing here?”

“When I heard that you’d returned from your vacation early and were heading here, I had to learn why, Kurama,” the blind demon replied, turning toward Kuronue with a frown. “Have I heard right. You’re alive again, Kuronue?”

“You’ve gotten a lot older, Yomi,” Kuronue said, smiling. “It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other.”

Yomi chuckled at the joke. “I see you haven’t changed much over the centuries. You know, Kurama, nearly three fourths of our old forces has massed here and Gondara since this morning. News of our prince’s resurrection’s been spreading quickly. Rumor has it that we’re planning on leaving politics to return to our old lives.”

“Not a chance, as tempting as it is sometimes,” Kurama said, following Hiei as he and his sister led them through the streets. “We wanted power, and now we have it.” Noticing people eying his human companions, he motioned them closer. “Stay near us. Human flesh is a popular dish around these areas.”

“I’m afraid there aren’t any cooks around here that can prepare it quite as nicely as our dear lady of the Gondara kitchens can though. Just a week ago, I enjoyed one of her delicious meals. It was a thigh, I believe. About eighteen years old or so and very tender,” Yomi added, smirking as Quatre gave a small squeak of fear, edging away from Yomi and closer to Yusuke, who, being half human, was much less likely to eat them.

“Ah, cut it out, six-ears,” the hanyou snorted, ruffling the blonde’s hair. “You did the same thing around Keiko and Kuwabara, and it was irritating then. My old man only ate humans.” Quatre’s eyes widened and he abruptly changed his mind to walk closer to Kuronue. With Duo he at least knew he was safe. “You don’t see me going around telling that to every human I meet on good terms.”

“Please stop, you’re bothering our guests,” Yukina asked, pausing in her steps to fix each of them with a look, even the blind Yomi. She raised her voice, sending a glare frighteningly similar to her brother’s toward a shopkeeper who’d been watching them. “That goes for you too, Akito-san. Go tend to your costumers.”

The green skinned demon found himself very busy inside his shop away from his king’s sister.

“You’ve been practicing,” Hiei murmured with a small smile. Yukina smiled brightly in reply to the praise.

“You’re teaching Yukina to glare?” Yusuke asked incredulously. At Hiei’s confirming smirk, the dark-eyed man began to crack up, clutching his side. “Gods, I wish Kuwabara were still alive, just so I could see his expression when he found out.”

Interlude:

“He’s doing what to my darling Yukina?”

Miserable, the young king of the underworld paused in his task of seeing how many times he could pound his head against the top of his desk before it split. “You heard them as well as I did, Kuwabara, and saw the glare itself. She’s quite good.” His piece said, Koenma returned to his important experiment while the ghost of one Kuwabara Kazuma moaned in agony. Maybe he shouldn’t watch TV when other people were there anymore.

Back to the story

Immediately upon entering the castle, the mixed party was set upon by a mob of worried servants, who, frighteningly enough, reminded Quatre of his sisters. Glancing at his employees with wide eyes (an expression that sent them into another flurry of nurturing) Hiei flickered away to watch them from the safety of the high arches that lined the entry hall.

“What just happened?” Wufei asked, dazed, as they were deposited in a large sitting room, a blanket wrapped securely around each of them. A tray with ten cups of tea steamed softly from the table.

“Hiei’s staff happened, that’s what,” Yusuke said, loosening his blanket in order to grab one of the cups. “It’s best to just let them do their thing and try to figure out which way is up later. By the way, did you know that there’s a smiley face on your splint?”

“This is the last time I let you have any say on hiring new staff, fox,” Hiei growled, glaring at his mate, who was curled up in what was easily recognized as the softest of the blankets. His shoes had even been replaced by a warm pair of slippers matching the silk ribbon that bound his hair back from his face in a ponytail.

“I don’t see any problem with them,” Kurama said contently. “They do a wonderful job at welcoming you home after a long journey… or a trip around the gardens.”

“They’re obsessive,” the fire demon growled back.