Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Between Death and Reality ❯ Helpless ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho.

 

Chapter 5

 

Helpless

 

Shiori looked at the clock and frowned at Suuichi's absence. He was normally awake by now, as it was a school day. Her son was quite punctual… when he had not disappeared for a few days. But even then, there was usually a quick note telling her not to worry. Taking another glance at the clock, Shiori sighed and headed upstairs to her son's room. The door was closed and it was quiet on the other side, meaning he was still asleep. He had come home late the night before… maybe he just slept through his alarm. No, Suuichi was a light sleeper.

 

The sight that greeted Shiori when she opened the door was not one she was expecting. Suuichi lay in bed on his back, eyes closed. His breathing was slow, almost too slow, and his face looked pale against his red hair. Shiori slowly made her way to her son's bedside. His face was not only pale, but covered in sweat. She pressed a hand to his forehead and immediately withdrew it; he was burning up.

 

“Suuichi?” she said softly. Emerald eyes opened slowly and tried to focus on her concerned face.

 

“Mother?” he croaked. Shiori held back a gasp at his weak voice.

 

“Oh, Suuichi. What's wrong?”

 

“Stomachache,” he replied hoarsely, voice barely audible.

 

“You're burning up. And you're pale.”

 

“Am I?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I feel weak.”

 

“I'll let the school know you're not able to come today,” Shiori said. “I'll call the doctor.”

 

“No!” he said, voice suddenly stronger, almost alarmed.

 

“”Suuichi, you're sick. You need a doctor.”

 

“Mother, no,” he protested.

 

“What has gotten into… Oh, Suuichi, he's not going to make you take those pills,” Shiori said as realization hit her.

 

“Mother, really. I just need rest.”

 

“I'll let the doctor tell me that for sure. It could be something worse. I'll bring some water after I call Dr. Hikari.”

 

“Mother…”

 

“Rest. I'll take care of you.” Shiori left her son's room, closing the door behind her. She headed to the kitchen where she pulled out Sousuke Hikari's phone number. She dialed it hurriedly. Please answer. Please answer.

 

“Hello?”

 

“Sousuke, it's Shiori. Suuichi is sick.”

 

“Is it the…”

 

“No. He has a fever and a stomachache. He's pale and clammy and says he feels weak.”

 

“I'll be right over.”

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

As Shiori closed the door behind her, Kurama slumped wearily and painfully back against his pillow. His vain argument with his mother had not only gotten him nowhere, but had cost him precious energy. He sighed and tasted the metallic taste of blood still lingering in his mouth.

 

With Hiei's help, Kurama had changed his pajamas and sheets, so Shiori would not notice all the blood. Actually, more like Hiei had done all the work while the weakened Kurama had supervised. But the offending sheets of cloth were now safely tucked away in the back of Kurama's closet to be dealt with later.

 

Knowing his mother would call the doctor worried Kurama. His wound was almost completely headed, but he had lost a lot of blood. Not only that, but his energy had been depleted by the effort to heal the wound. Thus, the doctor would not be able to find a definitive source of his “illness,” and that would lead to questions. Hopefully those questions would not lead to the hospital, as they would definitely notice his blood loss and that would lead to even more troublesome questions. But most of all, Kurama did not have the energy to play such games. He needed time to recover his energy. Hiei had given him some to spur his recovery, but the fire demon could only give him so much, as not to cause Kurama's weakened system to go into shock.

 

However, he needed to sleep to recover his energy. But the fox was worried that if he fell asleep again, he probably would not wake up. Staying awake was taking more energy than he had. Sooner or later, he would fall asleep, whether he liked it or not.

 

Kurama's bedroom door opened once more and Shiori poked her head in. She smiled when she saw he was awake. She had a glass of water in he hand as she sat down on the edge of his bed.

 

“Dr. Hikari is on his way,” she said. Kurama sighed unhappily. Shiori brushed a few wet strands of red hair from his pale face. “Oh, Suuichi.” As she brushed her hand by his face, the scars on her arms appeared from under her sleeves. A knot formed in his formerly wounded stomach. She had done so much for him and look how he was repaying her: lies and childish actions. For what seemed like a long time, Shiori sat stroking her son's hair in a motherly, comforting fashion. It almost made Kurama forget his troubles. Almost.

 

Finally, there was a knock on the front door. “He's here,” Shiori said quietly, standing up. She left the room to let him in. Kurama sighed. After a few minutes, his bedroom door opened once more to admit Dr. Hikari and Shiori close behind. The doctor made his way to the bedside. He felt Kurama's forehead and blinked in surprise.

 

“High fever,” he muttered under his breath. “Tell me, Suuichi. What's bothering you?”

 

“Stomach,” Kurama replied weakly. Well, it was partly true.

 

“Any vomiting?”

 

“No.” If coughing up blood did not count.

 

“When did it start?”

 

“Middle of the night.” Dr. Hikari frowned.

 

“Did you eat anything unusual?”

 

“No.” The doctor sighed and looked at Shiori.

 

“Without all my tools, I'm not really sure. My best guess is that it is a stomach virus.”

 

“And?” Shiori pressed.

 

“I'd recommend bed rest.”

 

Kurama rolled his eyes. They act as if I'm not sitting right here.

 

“Just rest?” Shiori asked, expression surprised.

 

“Lots of liquids, of course. If it gets any worse, let me know immediately,” the doctor replied.

 

“Alright. Thank you, Sousuke.”

 

“Of course. I'll just show myself out.” Shiori watched as the doctor left and turned back to her son.

 

“It seems you were right, Suuichi.” Kurama gave her a small smile.

 

“I guess I just know myself,” he replied quietly. Shiori smiled in return.

 

“Well, get your rest. I'm supposed to work, but I can take the day off.” Kurama immediately shook his head, his voice gaining strength once more.

 

“No, don't. I'll be fine.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Positive.” Shiori bit her lip.

 

“Alright. If you're sure.” Kurama nodded. “Call me if you need anything.”

 

“Alright,” he agreed, voice weakening once more. Shiori brushed her son's hair back once more.

 

“Feel better,” she said before leaving. A few minutes later, Kurama heard the front door open and close as Shiori left for work. A few moments passed before Hiei came in through the window. He pulled up Kurama's desk chair and sat, legs straddling the back. He rested his chin on the top as he watched his friend.

 

Well? Kurama finally asked.

 

The old hag said she had no idea, Hiei replied. Kurama sighed.

 

It's Karasu, he said. Hiei looked at his friend levelly.

 

That's what I've been trying to tell Koenma.

 

But he doesn't believe you. It was not a question. As such, Hiei made no response. Kurama watched his friend for a moment, then closed his eyes. After a few minutes, he opened them again. Hiei frowned. Out of the corner of his eye, Kurama caught the action. What? he asked.

 

What do you think? the fire demon retorted. Tired emerald eyes stared levelly in response.

 

Hiei. The fire demon returned the stare.

 

What? Kurama merely watched his friend with tired eyes. The fire demon finally relented. You need sleep to recover your energy.

 

If I go to sleep, I probably won't wake up again, Kurama replied. Hiei stifled a frustrated sigh.

 

You'll need to sleep eventually.

 

I know. I'm so exhausted that I won't be able to stay awake much longer. But I'm… I'm afraid of what will happen when I do.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

“A what?” Genkai asked.

 

“A dream blocking technique,” Hiei repeated impatiently.

 

“For Kurama.” Genkai's eyes widened in understanding.

 

“Yes. Now do you know anything?” Hiei pressed.

 

“Follow me,” the aged psychic said, heading into the temple. Hiei had no choice but to do as he was bidden. The fire demon followed the psychic through the temple in a direction he had never seen before.

 

“Are we sightseeing?” he grumbled as they walked.

 

“And I call Yusuke a dimwit,” Genkai muttered as they reached a closed door. “This is where we were going,” she said more loudly, turning to Hiei. She opened the door and walked in. Hiei followed, entering what could only be described as a library. There were more than a few books in this room. Hiei looked at Genkai, mild surprise playing on his features. She shrugged.

 

“I like to read.” She made her way down an aisle near the end of the room and Hiei followed. Making her way toward the end of the aisle, she stopped and studied the book titles at eye level. Finally, she picked out a book. She flipped it to the index. Scanning the page, she found what she was looking for and turned to a new page. She scanned the new page and nodded to herself before turning back to Hiei.

 

“This is a dream blocking technique, the only one I know of for an external source. However, it is quite difficult.” Her eyes flickered to Hiei's covered forehead. “But with the Jagan, you never know.”

 

Hiei took the proffered book with a muttered “Hn.”

 

“You're welcome,” Genkai said as the fire demon disappeared.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

Yusuke opened the door to Kurama's bedroom, unsure and nervous of what he would find. He sighed in relief when the fox looked up as he and Kuwabara entered. However, Yusuke immediately noticed the paleness of the red-head's face and the exhausting in his eyes. Yusuke nodded to Hiei, who was perched on the window sill, then made his way, followed by Kuwabara, to his friend's bedside.

 

“How're you feeling, Kurama?” the Spirit Detective asked. He received a small smile in return.

 

“I've been better, but I'll be alright.” Yusuke was taken aback by the weakness of Kurama's voice. The fox's gaze drifted to Hiei, who was watching him. By the looks in their eyes, it seemed they were having one of their private conversations again. Yusuke exchanged an annoyed glance with Kuwabara, then turned back to his demon friends.

 

“Mind sharing with the rest of the class?” Hiei just looked away, while Kurama gave a sheepish smile that still managed to scream that he was not sorry. Yusuke had no idea how he did it, so just rolled his eyes. It seemed Kurama would be alright. When Hiei had met the two of them at the end of school and told them what happened, he had been worried. Now that he saw Kurama smiling, he realized the fox would be okay. But he still wondered…

 

“How long are you gonna be out?” Kuwabara asked, unknowingly voicing Yusuke's concern. Kurama frowned thoughtfully.

 

“I don't know. However long it takes to recover my energy.” Yusuke did not miss the pointed stare Hiei gave the red-head, but Kurama took no notice, or pretended not to anyway.

 

The pallor of Kurama's face was hard for Yusuke to look at. It hurt him that he could do nothing for his friend. At the same time, Kurama was so strong, yet he was being easily rundown by these dreams. And the fact that Kurama was the most intelligent of the group with his thousand-year past, yet he had no idea what was going on, was unnerving. Kurama looked over at Yusuke, who realized he had been staring.

 

“Yusuke?” The Spirit Detective flushed slightly.

 

“Sorry. Just thinking.” Hiei snorted.

 

“That's a new one.” Yusuke glared at the fire demon.

 

“Funny.” He turned back to Kurama. “So, you have no idea what happened?”

 

“Nothing concrete,” the red-head answered, voice still weak.

 

“Any your mom?” Kuwabara asked.

 

“Thinks I have a stomach virus,” Kurama replied, a small twinkle in his tired eyes. Yusuke noticed a smirk playing at the corners of Hiei's mouth.

 

“Did I miss something?”

 

“No,” Kurama replied smoothly. He looked over at Hiei. “Demon humor.”

 

“Right,” replied Yusuke with a roll of his eyes.

 

“Demons,” Kuwabara confirmed with a roll of his eyes as well.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

As the night continues to wear on, Kurama struggled to stay awake. His body was weak as a result of his depleted energy. Normally after one day, much of the fox's energy would have returned. However, due to his exhaustion, his energy was slow in returning. It would take more than a week at this rate to fully recover. A week that he did not have. He needed sleep. But going to sleep would inevitably lead to another dream; this time he would not be strong enough to recover from a major wound. So, in other words, if he fell asleep, he would die.

 

It's not like you haven't lived a long life, Kurama thought sardonically to himself. Face it, you're overdue for death. But flashes of his family and friends passed through his mind and he sighed. For once, he was living a life he was content with. He was not ready to die yet. He had so much to atone for. And there were those he cared for. He was not ready to leave them yet. Ironic that his life as a human, rather than a legendary demon, would be the one he was least willing to give up.

 

His eyelids began to drop but he forced them open. His door creaked open and Shiori poked her head in. She frowned when she saw he was still awake. She made her way to his bedside and sat down.

 

“What's wrong, Suuichi?”

 

“Can't sleep,” he replied.

 

“You need your rest,” Shiori said softly. You have no idea.

 

“You do too,” Kurama said, changing the subject. Shiori flushed slightly.

 

“I'm fine, Suuichi. You worry too much about be and not enough about yourself.” She smiled fondly at her son. “You're the one who needs the care right now, not me. And stop trying to change the subject.” Kurama gave her a small smile in return.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Don't be. Just rest.” Shiori moved up next to her son on the bed and softly stroked his red hair. The sensation was soothing. Before Kurama realized what was happening, his eyelids were becoming heavy. He found he did not have the power to stop them from closing. As he fell asleep, he could feel Shiori's motherly touch easing him to sleep. His vision faded as he was embraced by the warmness of sleep.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

Hiei watched from his favorite tree outside of Kurama's window as the fox's mother finally got him to sleep. The moment tired and hurting emerald eyes were no longer visible, Hiei closed his own eyes and felt his power transfer to the Jagan. Using what the book had said, he imagined a mental barrier around Kurama and focused all his energy into making it real.

 

The fox better appreciate this, he grumbled to himself as he settled himself for a long stay in the tree.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

It was in the early morning hours that Hiei felt a force attempt to reach through his barrier to the sleeping fox. Hiei could feel that familiar dark aura from Kurama's dreams in the bedroom. It seemed much stronger than the last time. It was battling against the shield. Hiei frowned and put a little repulsion into the energy shield. Almost immediately, the force was thrown away from Kurama's mind.

 

You can't protect him forever, Hiei, a coldly familiar voice rang through the fire demon's head. Sooner or later, I'll get what I desire.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

Bright sunlight flooding through the open window assaulted Kurama's closed eyes. Unable to stand the interference with his sleep any longer, he opened his eyes and was surprised to see the sunlight flooding in. Sitting up, he frowned at the clock, which read 10:23 a.m.

 

Was I asleep? He turned at the sound of his door opening. Shiori looked in, eyes widening when she saw him. She stepped fully into the room and made her way to her son.

 

“Oh, Suuichi! You're awake!” she said happily.

 

“Was I asleep?” he asked, confused. Shiori frowned

 

“For three days.” Kurama's eyes shot wide in surprise. And I'm still alive? He frowned and realized his energy had returned as well. “I better call Dr. Hikari and let him know you're awake.” She left the room, smile wide.

 

“Why do I have a feeling you know what happened, Hiei?” Kurama said softly, gaze still locked on the door.

 

“Hn,” came the familiar response as the fire demon slipped into his room. The red-head turned to his friend.

 

“Well?”

 

“I see you're awake,” the fire demon said instead.

 

“That's now what I asked,” Kurama said, then frowned at the slight bags under Hiei's eyes. They were so slight anyone else probably would not have noticed them. “Were you awake this whole time?” he asked, suddenly concerned.

 

“Hn.”

 

“Why?” Hiei paused a moment, as if debating whether he would answer or not. “Hiei, the truth.” Instead of saying anything, the fire demon tossed a book onto Kurama's bed. The fox opened to the bookmarked page, then looked at his friend in surprise. “A dream blocking shield?”

 

“Yes. And I see it worked. You seem to have recovered your energy.” Kurama was speechless at what his friend had done for him.

 

“Hiei, I…”

 

“Save it. It was getting annoying being around Yusuke and Kuwabara without you to stop their stupidity.” Kurama smiled.

 

“I see,” he said, taking the real meaning behind Hiei's words. “Thank you.”

 

“Whatever. Just don't get yourself killed.”

 

“Of course.” When the doorknob on Kurama's door began to twist, Hiei immediately jumped out the window and out of sight as Shiori came back in.

 

“I let Dr. Hikari know and he wants to come over and examine you later on,” she said. Kurama nodded. “And I let your friends Yusuke and Kuwabara know you were feeling better.”

 

“What?” Shiori smiled.

 

“They came by several times while you were sleeping to see how you were doing. They were worried about you. They're on their way over, if you're feeling up to visitors.” Kurama nodded once more.

 

“Sure,” he said, not quite sure of what else to say.

 

“Alright.” She turned to the door. “I'm glad you're doing better Suuichi. I couldn't bare the thought of anything happening to you.” Kurama felt a weight settle in his recently repaired stomach. She gave him another smile, then headed out his door. Kurama sighed. Hiei dropped into the window once more.

 

“The Detective and the moron are on the way,” he said, gesturing out the window with his head. Kurama said nothing and Hiei rolled his eyes. “Don't tell me you're feeling guilty now.”

 

“It wouldn't be the first time,” the fox replied.

 

“You're going soft,” Hiei snorted.

 

“Maybe,” Kurama replied, not falling for the bait.

 

“Stupid fox.” Kurama gave Hiei a small smile, causing the fire demon to relent. Before another word could be spoken, the bedroom door opened once more to admit Yusuke and Kuwabara. The two boys grinned at seeing Kurama awake and in control once more.

 

“How're you feeling?” Yusuke asked.

 

“Much better,” Kurama replied with a smile, the first genuine one in weeks.

 

“Your energy is back,” Kuwabara commented. Always the sixth sense, Kurama thought to himself.

 

“Yes.”

 

“We're back in business,” Yusuke grinned.

 

I hope so.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

Night had fallen once more, and again, Kurama lay awake. He told himself it had been the three day sleep he had had, but his heart told him differently. It would be another long night.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

Botan sat pouring over books in the library in the Spirit World palace. What Hiei had told them about the first night of the dream shield was spinning through her head. He heard Karasu's voice. There has to be something there.

 

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

 

Author's Note: I'm not quite sure how this chapter turned out overall, but it got the point I wanted to make across, so it works for me. I wanted to get an update in before I head to Colorado for the next week because of softball. Two ten hour drives should give me plenty of time to write, though. So anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Leave me a review and I'll love you forever!