InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Blue Anshan ❯ Everything Changes 9 - Waiting ( Chapter 46 )

The Blue Anshan

By Alesyira

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho are not mine. I made a few OCs to fill in my gaps.

Summary: the calm before the storm

Chapter Rating: T

-o-

Arc 5 - Everything Changes 9 - Waiting

After he'd draped her in his cloak, he had walked away from them all to nonchalantly slouch against a tree. Whatever needed to happen next, tearful reunions or some stupid kitsune tree-hugging, he wanted nothing to do with that.

He needed to leave to head off the potentially spreading danger, but Shippo had clearly indicated their enemy would likely be returning soon to reclaim what he'd left behind and possibly finish the job. He wanted to be present to have another shot at taking him down, or at least personally witness his demise. Hiei sighed and crossed his arms over his chest before closing his eyes to wait.

Shippo leaned over his mother, staring intently at her face as it scrunched in confusion. Her arm lifted, tremulous with shaking fingers, to touch her lips and cheek as though in disbelief. One eye cracked opened and she looked around, blinking through her blurred vision until she could focus on his unfamiliar features. Her nose quivered as she scented the air and then recognition lit up her expression. Her voice, dry and scratchy from disuse, squeaked out an unintelligible sound before she swallowed and tried again as a whisper. "Shippo? Am I still dreaming?"

His smile was blazing as he sighed in relief and pulled her up into his arms for an overdue hug. When she tentatively hugged him back, he recognized a weird compulsion he hadn't felt in a very long time. Without another thought, he shifted into the small tot-sized form he'd been stuck in for years and curled into her warm embrace.

Her voice hitched as she murmured, "Oh, my little heart." Desperation to hold her son close seemed to encourage the strength to return to her limbs more quickly so that she could stroke his hair, kiss his cheeks, and hold him tight.

He barely held himself together as he rubbed his face against her warm stomach.

Tears pricked Kagome's eyes as she watched the touching scene with a wobbling smile. She'd never have imagined Shippo would ever get his mother back. She sniffled against surging emotions and turned away from their reunion, feeling like an intruder and missing her family.

~Seeing him like that makes me second-guess the vine's images of her little kitsune friend. If he can shape-shift to younger forms so easily, it's possible we were seeing him, instead.~

Hiei kept his eyes closed and feigned absolute disinterest even as he watched through Kurama's view. He made no response to Youko's impressions and remained unmoving from his position against the tree.

~You don't find this all to be just a little bit curious?~

Hiei briefly opened his eyes to glance at his friend with a patently bored expression. *Anyone with eyes would find everything going on the last few days more than a little bit curious.* He knew Kurama was getting suspicious at his lack of speculation and input, but he couldn't play with the maybes anymore. He knew too much, and he'd never been very good at lying to the fox.

'Pretending to be a child to gain the affection and attention of a pretty girl seems a bit odd.'

~Loneliness does strange things to the best of us.~ He grinned and decided it was time for a change in topics. ~You missed an opportunity there.~ Hiei didn't bother looking at him, so he dug in a little deeper. ~You had her in your arms looking like the cover of one of Shizuru's romance novels. You should have kissed her.~

Hiei rolled his head to look at the kitsune sideways. *Then I would have been in your predicament.*

~A kiss saved her life.~

Kurama tilted his head back with a smile and caught his lower lip in his teeth. 'Three kisses.'

*And now she doesn't trust you to not take advantage of her. Had I taken advantage of the opportunity, I'd have been no better. And now she can think about how much she might want me instead.*

~Clever of you.~

*I've had time to consider my options.*

A raised eyebrow was his only response, but he didn't elaborate. Kurama shrugged. 'I'm sure I'll have further chances to win her approval.'

~Our little cousin says the mountain kami is probably coming back for his mother.~

*He's not a kami.*

'Of course. It's just what the locals kept calling him.'

*His name is Youganryuu. Little Miss Statue knew him when they were children. Relationship went bad, some kind of betrayal and other stupidity. What she knows of his abilities is not very helpful. 'Guiding the red water' or something along those lines. One useful piece is that he's weak against the rain.*

They both glanced up at the cloudless sky. 'That's not going to be very helpful unless we can find someone who can whip up a storm for us.'

They stood in silence for a moment, contemplating possible defensive strategies and plans of attack.

~You've been remarkably tight-lipped about anything to do with Kagome since you brought her magic back to her. Surely you skimmed something useful off her mind between then and now.~

*I do not have access to her thoughts.*

Perceptive as always, Kurama called him on it. 'Those were some pretty interesting interactions between you two, then, if you do not have access to her thoughts.'

Hiei watched a replay of what Kurama had seen before Shippo had pulled his mother's soul free. In that complete silence, there was obvious communication between the two as their expressions subtly changed in reaction to their shared thoughts. Seeing his own hand carefully take hold of her wrist to draw out her power with the dragon appeared far more intimate than it had seemed. It had apparently been the only activity in the clearing at that time, and each of his teammates had stared on in shock as Hiei held some strange girl's hand like that.

Hiei swallowed, his mouth feeling incredibly dry as he watched the memory of his fingertips sliding along the girl's forearm.

~Seduction with the least significant of movements. I haven't employed that technique against a potential partner in decades. Well played.~

Hiei thumped his head once against the tree trunk behind him. *Damnit, fox, that wasn't my intention.*

~Don't worry. I see that it worked. I'll be trying my hand at it later.~

Kurama sighed in mild exasperation at the amorous musings that had taken over his thoughts and tried to get their conversation back on to useful topics. 'Any idea what happened to you when we confronted him last time?'

*None.* Hiei didn't know what to tell him. He didn't understand it, himself. Going numb and being pushed off-course had been unexpected, but no explanations were forthcoming.

~I dislike thinking of you as a liability.~

Hiei gave him a long look. *Then don't.*

His friend returned his gaze, calculating and considering. Was he a liability? He ground his teeth together in irritation. When this bastard returned to finish what he'd started, Hiei knew he'd have to be careful.

Kurama turned away from him to approach the reuniting pair. Shippo had shifted back to curl himself around his mother, embracing her with a closeness that made Hiei feel like gagging. A trio of full-grown kitsune. What could possibly go wrong? He rolled his eyes and glanced at the girl standing by herself some distance away.

Maybe he should have kissed her.

He glanced at the others. The three kitsune huddled together beneath the massive tree, speaking quietly about their efforts to repair the damage. Yusuke paced around while grouching at Kuwabara, shooting glares at his watch every few minutes. He probably thought his time shouldn't be spent waiting around for whatever would be happening next. (He was right.)

The girl... Kagome. No one was around to hear him sigh. He watched her standing there with her eyes closed in peaceful silence, her fingers clutching the fabric of his cloak still draped around her. Her scent would be all over it by the time he got it back. He wasn't sure if he looked forward to it or if it would cause him trouble.

He'd been disappointed that the moment he'd released her had also shut him out of her mind. There were no more warm thoughts about the color of his eyes or contemplations about how soft his lips looked or what he might taste like.

He'd almost given in to the urge, even with an audience. But that hint of her uncertainty, the disappointment in herself for giving in so easily to Kurama's advances, even briefly… She might have reason to later regret such a hasty, impulsive behavior.

If —when— he gave in to her wishes, it would be only when she came to him, and not while she was trapped in his embrace due to circumstances neither of them had expected.

He wondered if he only needed to touch her to regain access to her thoughts or if she would need to reach for him again. How had she shut him out? Was this an innate ability granted by her magic? He had shamelessly delved into every aspect of her mind. He hadn't seen any experience in her past of intentionally blocking a skill such as his. (Her training had been woefully inadequate for the trials she'd endured.)

The only thing she knew about him was minimal physical attributes and hints about his demeanor, and it had made her curious. But curiosity wasn't enough. How much trouble would it be to make her want him if he couldn't read her mind?

He had decided that he liked the sound she'd made when he'd accidentally gripped her a little too hard and pulled her hair in his irritation at his teammate. He wanted to hear her make that sound again.

Later.

When they didn't have an audience.

She sighed, and he wondered what put the small smile on her lips. He took a deep breath to center himself and tore his gaze away from her before it became obvious to anyone else where his attention had settled.

She had closed her eyes at first to discourage any further tears of joy for Shippo's reunion, but they remained closed as she savored the stillness around her.

The singular sensation of being alone in her body for the first time in longer than she could remember was such a delight. The possession had been a mere hour at most, but she'd had the vine for nearly a year and it had been in constant motion except the few times she'd almost killed it (which she still felt awful about).

She slid to the ground next to her battered backpack, reveling in the soft flutter of material against the skin of her back. The scent of cinnamon and woodsmoke clung to the fabric, and she tried not to be obvious as she tipped her head forward to sniff appreciatively. She opened her eyes and looked up. Hiei had taken an unobtrusive spot next to a tree across the clearing, directly in her line of sight.

His eyes were closed, his face turned away from them all.

She bit her lip and looked away, trying not to think about the way his arms had felt around her. She sighed and smiled... she'd probably carry that memory around for a while.

How many of her thoughts had he picked up while they'd been so close? She felt chagrined and a little ashamed. Of course he had probably heard everything. Gods, he must have to deal with such constant madness of people thinking things he didn't want to be hearing. She had a new thought and pressed her hands to her cheeks as she peeked at him through her messy bangs. Could he hear her right now? She held her breath and waited, but he didn't reply or indicate that he'd been listening.

She let out her breath, not sure if she felt disappointed or relieved, and pulled open her pack to rummage for a shirt and pants in better condition than what she currently wore. She really wanted to avoid any further clothing mishaps.

A huge weight had definitely been lifted from her shoulders. Her hands were normal, her shoes fit as they should, no tail in the way, no fangs to clip her lip if she wasn't careful, and no more hiding behind a spelled bracelet.

She peered down at the silvery material. It would need to be given back to Shippo. She looked over her shoulder at her old friend as he helped his mother adjust to being back in her own body. Smiling softly, she was glad that they'd succeeded in their efforts.

Absently, she ran her hand over her hip, wondering what kind of trouble she might find next thanks to the jewel. She wasn't sure how the seal had broken. They'd warded it so carefully, and she'd been so cautious…

She closed her eyes and sighed in quiet frustration. They'd probably need to remove and ward it again. Last time, she'd had assistance from Kikyo. Was there anyone she would be able to turn to for help? She bit her lip and glanced at the others. Maybe there was. She'd need to see which of these new people she could trust, but Shippo had surely made a friend or two over the centuries that might have answers.

The three kitsune huddled together beneath the massive tree, two of them speaking quietly about repairing the damage.

"We could just gift it a bunch of our ki. Goshinboku can use it however it wants."

Kurama nodded in consideration, looking up at the damaged branches. "Yes, but there are many gouges in its protective layers. If we want to avoid sickness and further injury, we should patch up the worst of them."

Hananoki didn't care to confer with her son or the strange variation of her adopted nephew. She set her fingertips on the closest root and asked the massive, ancient tree what it wanted from them. Its answer surprised her, and she turned to look back at the strange human girl that had befriended her son. She nodded slowly in agreement, wondering what made that girl so special that the tree's only request was that they ensured she made it home safely.

She watched as the girl wiggled into fresh clothing, awkwardly attempting to stay hidden under the dark cloak encircling her shoulders. Shippo noticed, too, and quickly leapt to his feet to aid her. She stared as he chuckled and batted her hand away from the fabric. With his help she managed to get fully dressed without exposing herself to the others, and she grinned at him in thanks, completely at ease in his presence.

Everyone noticed their interaction, scrutinizing how they behaved around one another, especially when she removed the thin silver bracelet from her wrist and handed it to him with a warm smile. "I've held on to this long enough, now. Thank you."

His hands closed over the returned treasure as he smiled down at her. She recognized the bracelet as the one she'd given to him one quiet night so long ago. Was she turning down the gift of his heart? She narrowed her eyes in protective concern.

He seemed unperturbed as he slid the delicate bracelet over his hand and ruffled her hair in affection. "I'm really glad you're back." Hananoki relaxed only marginally, worried that he was heartbroken and hiding it from his audience.

"Me too," the strange girl replied.

Shippo took her hand and pulled her toward them, a huge grin on his face. "Mother, there's so much I want to tell you about when we have time, but this is Kagome."

The two kept their distance and warily nodded at each other, although for vastly different reasons. Hananoki didn't know if the girl was someone worth trusting, and Kagome sure as heck didn't want to give the kitsune spirit another chance to possess her again.

The tension in the clearing grew thick. Shippo cleared his throat. "Anyways, um… So. Yes." He rubbed the back of his neck as both females looked at him awaiting whatever he wanted to say. "Kagome helped me out, back when…" he coughed and cut off his story as he glanced around at the others. "Well, she helped me out a while back. A lot. I owe her my life more than a few times." He beamed, "She's my favorite person."

His mother's eyebrows lifted, then she glanced pointedly at the metal encircling his wrist. "Yet she returns your symbol of affection."

Shippo gasped and slapped his hand over his wrist to hide the bracelet, stammering, "Uh-! No, no no no… it was used as part of a spell a long time ago. I didn't give it to her like that." His face had turned a suspicious shade of pink.

Kurama touched fingertips to his chin as he considered the scene playing out between them. ~Well, that explains a few things.~

'Her description of the bracelet coming from a friend seems more accurate now than your guess of a lover.'

Yusuke leaned over and muttered to Kuwabara, "You ever feel like you're an afterthought to the storyline?"

His friend sighed and nodded. "All the time."

Yusuke checked the time again. "Look, we have a lot we need to be doing right now instead of waiting around, chatting like a bunch of girls."

"No one's asking you to stay, lackey," Shippo growled. "Go do what you gotta do. We'll hold down the fort and wait for this bastard to come back." He cracked his knuckles angrily. "We'll be ready for him."

Hiei silently agreed with Yusuke but was determined to stay and see this through.

There was so much that needed to be done. The danger of knowledge spreading in Makai of this legendary girl or —even though it was a slim chance any others knew— rumors of the jewel's return… he needed to contain the information and ensure that word spread in a way that could not endanger her. His gaze slid to her kitsune friend. Why had he announced her presence like some prophecy had come true? Surely the rumors of a purity-soaked god tree could have spawned some weird stories and campfire mutterings, but he'd made such an announcement of it all.

Fucking kitsune and their theatrics.

The knowledge Shippo held and his interesting contacts in those pockets of balance throughout the realms should help. And if the news could not be contained… He glanced back at her huddled form as she stared past them all at the dangers that might be lurking and growing just beyond her senses.

They would keep her safe.

The mostly silent mother seemed startled by her son's declaration. "He's coming back?"

"I think so," Shippo confirmed. "Based on the information I've gathered, he's been bringing you with him to each of his targets." He paused and looked at her, carefully masking the raw pain Hiei could detect in his thoughts. "Mother, what happened, all those years ago? Why did you leave us?"

She stared at the bracelet encircling his wrist. "I didn't leave. His magic broke me and then I was stuck." She reached out to stroke the shining metallic leaves and continued in a whisper, "like his magic breaks these… and then they are stuck."

"But… I saw you make this for me, remember? When I was small."

She smiled sadly. "It was his magic, not mine. It was always his magic." She reached up and placed her hand on Shippo's cheek. Her thumb stroked softly over the stripe he'd attained while saving Angara from the fiery assault meant to take the young girl's life. He placed his hand over hers and stared into her shimmering green eyes.

"Mama, what happened?" he whispered.

She shrugged, and the motion caused tears to spill down her cheeks. "Everything went wrong."

-o-

Author's Note: sorry this took so long to post, short as it is. The next few might also take a while unless I fall back into my stride again (there's still much to be written for the upcoming three chapters). If you're enjoying, leave a few words to help nudge me along? it's really encouraging! Super thanks to everyone who has left little notes for me so far on FFN, I really really appreciate it.   also thanks for the kudos on AO3 :) :)  you never know what random question or comment might help remind me of something I've forgotten or spawn an entirely new bit of story I hadn't realized I was missing o_o