Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Well Too Deep ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho - actually I'd rather be a character in it than own it if I was ever given the option.

Anyway, no real warnings for this chapter, just profanity, name calling, etc. Oh, I almost forgot, this chapter also contains shounen-ai. Don't like? Don't read.

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A Well Too Deep: Chapter 1

Kurama sighed softly, a gentle hand resting upon his friend's back, watching as the calm breath of slumber raised the back and hand up and down. Kurama couldn't help but smile sadly at Hiei's current state. He loved this man and the panging of constant worry had settled behind his heart at the danger he was always in. Love, supposedly a beautiful thing, was torture for these hesitant souls. Affection thwarted, their's was, for but fear, though they blamed it upon logical things, each secretly in his own mind.

"Kurama, he'll be fine. Don't expend your energy staying awake. Your watch isn't for another couple of hours." Kurama didn't even glance up at his friend sitting with his back against the opposite cave wall.

"Thanks Yusuke, but I couldn't sleep even if I tried."

"That's your problem - you try too hard."

Kurama smiled weakly at his friends well meant words. A silence fell upon the air broken only by Kuwabara's heavy breathing. Hiei was soundless. It had been agreed that Hiei would sleep the night through leaving the three of them to divide the watch shifts.

"You really love him don't you?"

Kurama's blush was hidden by the dark of night. The territory was too dangerous for a fire past sunset. His light tenor was wistful, contemplative, bitter, "Sometimes I don't know."

"Don't give me that shit Kurama." Yusuke's voice was the water that held a leaf afloat.

Kurama couldn't help but chuckle softly, "Truly...I do, but I often wonder why or how. I'm not new to this love, Yusuke, but I still don't know it. I doubt anyone can."

"Stop that!"

"What?" Kurama was shocked.

"Stop making everything so gods damned complicated. I've learned that everything is only as complicated as you can make it. If you love him, you love him. Now that I think of it, why haven't you told him? All of us around here are getting tired of watching you watch him."

"If he felt differently, the dynamics of our team would be destroyed. I will not be responsible." Kurama knew he was lying. Yusuke knew it too but let Kurama have his way. It was their subtle game. Yusuke would eventually get the truth.

"Personally, I believe he feels for you too."

"It's not as simple as that."

"It never is with you. Now either get to sleep or take this watch and I'll take your later one. Or I can knock you unconscious if you'd like?"

This brought a smile to the redhead's features along with an amused shake of the head, "No need for that, I'll get to sleep. Thanks Mom."

Yusuke's smile broadened to encompass his whole face. "Anytime sugar," then he whispered, "Besides Hiei would return the favor tenfold if he found out I'd hit you. Protective little bastard." It was Yusuke's time to shake his head in good humor as he watched Kurama settle into a sleeping position, his back close to Hiei's and his feet pointing towards Yusuke. Would those two ever learn to stop beating themselves up for other people? It was ironic, that he was telling two ex-thieves to be selfish.

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Hiei cracked open a bleary eye at the firm but gentle shakes rocking his body. "Kurama?"

"Time to get up. It's just past sunrise. Yusuke's already climbing the hill behind us to get a better view and Kuwabara is keeping watch outside. We all just had a little of the dried rabbit from last night for breakfast, but, since you were unconscious at that point, I figured you'd be ravenous this morning so I prepared another one for you. It isn't much, but we're a little short on time." Kurama supplied all the information he knew the fire demon would ask.

"Hn." It was an affirmative gesture. Kurama rose from his crouched position to retrieve the rabbit he had left on their makeshift spit. He had had to threaten Kuwabara to keep him from laying hands on it. The carrot top wasn't exactly happy that Hiei was getting what he considered `special attention.'

Kurama whirled back around to face Hiei, his gaze traveling slowly to where the smaller demon was gripping his arm and then back up to his face. A warm smile graced the Youko's lips. Hiei's face was soft and unguarded, though unreadable to the inexperienced eye. They remained this way for a few all too brief seconds. This was one of their few intimate moments. Where they allowed themselves to just stare at each other, silently communicating their affection and feeling.

Soon, though, Kurama excused himself to retrieve Hiei's breakfast rather than make him face Kuwabara this early in the morning after a Black Dragon Wave induced hibernation.

Perhaps Yusuke was right, thought Kurama, maybe they were making this an all too complex situation. Would it really be so wrong of them to indulge in each other? He shook his head in shame at such thoughts. Of course the taboo held less of a threat for him. He had already condemned himself with his human existence and would continue doing so until his human avatar died. At least Hiei was a true demon. He almost sneered at that phrase, "a true demon." What the Hell was so precious about demonkind? After living on both sides of the fray, it was impossible for Kurama to believe that the lowliest of demons' blood was still superior to that of any human.

Hiei watched Kurama's retreating form with barely concealed longing. He mentally kicked himself. They couldn't, Kurama knew that. They just couldn't. Too many things would be put at risk in their already politically unstable situation. Too many barriers would have to be shattered by both of them; too many demons, both literally and figuratively, to be faced. These roads were not meant to be traversed by demons. The mere fact that Kurama and he were tempted proved that tragedy was awaiting them, that their friendship was not bound to last. And yet, Hiei still couldn't understand why he so highly valued these things when in all other cases he would prove to be the rebel.

The self-pity was nearly overwhelming. Hiei knew that he could become lost in its

wallows. Honestly, he was terrified.

Kurama returned just long enough to deliver Hiei's breakfast before he exited the cave without explanation.

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"- And it looked to me as if we've got another few - oh, hey Kurama! How's the groggy one?"

"Filling his belly. You were saying, Yusuke?"

"I still don't see why Hiei gets to laze around while we're up before the sun rises."

"Because, asshole, Hiei was tuckered out from that dragon attack and needed to regain his energy in case he needs to save all of our sorry butts again. Anyway, Kurama, I was saying how it looked like we have another few days before Morana's Plague army reaches us. The second legion is just reaching the site of yesterday's battle and, with how they like to loot their own dead, we should have plenty of time to return to spirit world with the artifact."

"Good, I won't have to listen to that buffoon's ignorant prattle for too much longer. The quicker we're done with this mission, the better." Hiei had just appeared at Kurama's side. His speed was a token that all of the Urameshi team was used to by now.

"Why you little fucker! Get back here so I can rearrange your face!"

Yusuke moved to interfere, but was beaten by Kurama who, with a dramatic sigh, used his power to entangle the human's feet within the blades of grass carpeting the forest's floor. Hiei kept a perfectly nonchalant expression and looked the other way when Kuwabara came crashing down, face first, upon the ground.

"Right, Yusuke, I believe you possess the artifact do you not? I wished to take a closer look at that, perhaps I would recognize that which Koenma has chosen to cloud, for our benefit I'm sure." Kurama's remark was completely sarcastic. It wouldn't be the first time Koenma had sent the four of them on a life-threatening mission without even the shortest of briefings on any of the important details - such as the powers and levels of the demons they would face.

"Sure thing. Keep it until we get to Reikai if you want."

Yusuke reached down the front of his shirt to remove the necklace and tossed it to Kurama. The artifact was a stag head shaped pendent on a simple rope so that it could be worn by the bearer. The head was of rough, gray stone about a quarter of an inch thick with tiny holes for eyes. A shimmering silver light lined the nose and mouth and the horns were of positively clear crystals secured in place by thick wire. The entire thing could be gripped within a person's palm.

"I cannot recall why, but the gray stone, hollowed eyes, and oddly brilliant glimmer brings to mind things I have past seen. I believe that this is only one piece of a set. My mind will further consider the issue in hopes of placing the details."

"Morana must be collecting these. You don't have any idea what these would be used for?"

"Not really Yusuke. Common sense tells me that something fits into these eye sockets, which means there must be a base board where all of these such items are placed."

"A key?"

"Or pieces of a whole, though I cannot shake the feeling of pressure as if I am running out of time when I hold this item. Kuwabara, Hiei do either of you sense anything?"

Kuwabara took the item and held it right up to his face, scrunching his features in comical concentration. "It doesn't have any spiritual energy, but there is a budding thing like a-a seed waiting for Kurama's energy to force it to grow."

"When seen through the jagan it has a negative appearance. The pendent has black eyes, while the stone is white. That could mean any number of things."

The moment of contemplative silence was broken by Yusuke's easygoing voice, "Well standing around here isn't helping anything. I say we just get the Hell out of here before we really find out what this is all about.

"Agreed," said Kurama, though Kuwabara's findings echoed within his mind. It needed stimulation to really become a force.... He slipped the pendent around his neck, intending to think more on the issue later.

Their fire was put out by Hiei and buried by Kurama, while the other two tantei spent their efforts on hiding the evidence that they had slept in the cave. There was nothing they could do about their residual energy, but it would take a very spiritually aware creature to track it. A sickeningly sweet flower was incorporated into the existing flora by Kurama to mask their scent.

Satisfied, the four of them began running - Hiei always in front, Kuwabara always in back - towards the established rendezvous point. They wouldn't stop again for another four hours.

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Please review! If you hated it, no problem just review and tell me that. All reviews are welcome, including flames. I love feedback! And no worries, there will be later updates. And, depending on how I decide to take this, things could get a little creepy. What's the vote?