Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 5 )

The four companions sat by Kurama's bedside quietly. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and even Koenma were still too shocked at their friend's state and their inability to help him to speak much, and Hiei was just naturally withdrawn. A beeping sound from Koenma roused them all from their individual thoughts. The demigod jumped, startled, then reached into his pocket and withdrew a small compact.

 

"Yes, what is it?" he asked abruptly as he opened the communication device. A worried, blue face appeared on the tiny screen.

 

"Koenma, sir, more bad news." George's tense voice was heard by all present. "We just got a note from the new demon threat. It says, 'Where are your wonderful spirit detectives now, O Mighty Infant? The weaklings you employ will learn of loss, as I have learned. The ones they hold dear are now mine. If they want to see them again, and their little blue haired assistant, then they must come to me. Their strength lies in their unity, but can even you keep them together when their hearts tear them apart? Revenge will be mine.' There are three pictures along with the letter, two of them have a time and location on the back."

 

George's face was replaced by a picture of a scared looking Botan with a bruise on her cheek followed by a picture of a scared looking Keiko with dirt all over her face, and finishing the show was a picture of a really angry Shizuru, who appeared to be yelling at the photographer. Unfortunately the three spirit detectives saw these pictures.

 

"What the...? Those bastards are going to wish for a fast death when I get through with them!" Yusuke practically roared.

 

"Who the hell is messin' with my sister? I'll pound his face into the dirt!" Kuwabara added.

 

Koenma muttered only one word, "Botan..."

 

"Sir," came George's voice again as his face reclaimed the screen. "There's a ps. It says, 'Tell fox-boy I said hello.' What are we going to do, Koenma, sir?"

 

"I don't know what you're all gonna do, but I'm gonna go get Keiko!" Yusuke bellowed.

 

"No, as the abductor pointed out, your strength is in unity. You can't go off on your own, that's exactly what he wants," Koenma interjected.

 

"I don't care what he wants. A man's duty to his family comes first, and I will go save my sister," Kuwabara said in a tone that clearly left no room for argument.

 

"Okay, fine, go get yourselves killed then," Koenma muttered. "Ogre! What are the times and locations on the pictures?"

 

Both Keiko's and Shizuru's pictures had the same time on them, '11:00pm, tomorrow night,' but each bore a different location. The two sites were across town from each other. Botan's picture had nothing on the back, and the group pondered what that could mean. One thing was certain; this whole ordeal had been pay back for something against the spirit detective group.

 

Angry and restless, the detective group began to figure out a plan of action for the evening. Yusuke demanded that he would rescue Keiko; Kuwabara demanded that he would rescue Shizuru. Koenma was completely at a loss to direct his rebellious employees. Finally he gave in. "I will go with one of you, and Hiei..."

 

"Will stay right here," the hiyoukai finished for him.

 

"Huh?" came three confused replies.

 

"This tormentor knows of Kurama's condition. If he is after revenge, what better time to strike down a member of the group than when he is asleep and alone? What better way to get him alone than to lure off the rest?"

 

"Very true," Koenma conceded. "Fine. Then you are all on your own. I will go back to Spirit World and try to find out where they are holding Botan. I can only guess that they have given no time and place for her 'rescue' because they consider her part of this group. We must find her before they take their revenge on her!" With that Koenma disappeared.

 

"Fine," said Yusuke. "Let's go." He and Kuwabara left the hospital.

 

As the sun set, Shiori slipped into Kurama's empty bedroom with a tray of food in her hands. She placed it on the desk, and checked to make sure the window was unlatched. She had come into her son's room earlier that day to collect some of his things, and she noticed immediately that blankets at the foot of the bed were mussed, as if a child had been sleeping there, curled into a ball. Further investigation revealed the window to be completely open, although she was sure it had been mostly closed the day before. She smiled to herself in realization. Hiei had been there. She wasn't sure where the demon lived, but she wanted him to feel welcome in her home. Leaving a small night light lit she left the food in the room and closed the door on her way out.

 

Hours later, Hiei was very surprised to find dinner waiting for him when he entered Kurama's room to get some sleep for the night. Since the incident he had spent most of the nights on the roof of the hospital, standing guard over his comatose friend. Instead of retreating to the trees in Genkai's woods on the outskirts of town, he had flitted the few miles to Kurama's house and spent a small portion of the night there. He knew Shiori must have caught on to him.

 

He lifted the ward slightly away from his Jagan and scanned the quiet house. The humans were all asleep. He quickly ate the food left for him, and curled into a ball at the foot of the bed to sleep. He didn't want to sleep in the bed the right way because Kurama's scent was strongest on the pillow, and the constant reminder of the fox's absence kept Hiei awake. He fell asleep almost instantly.

 

As usual, the hiyoukai was awake well before dawn. He could go many days without sleep, but the events of the past weeks had put a severe drain on him, physically and emotionally. He knew he needed at least some sleep each night if he wanted to be ready for battle should the need arise.

 

After a quick flit around the rooftops of town to wake up, Hiei went to the hospital, as was his daily routine of late. He entered Kurama's room to find Shiori huddled by her son's bedside, sobbing relentlessly. He approached her quietly, and softly asked, "What's happened?"

 

Shiori looked up at his gentle voice. "Hiei. It's Shuuichi." The fire demon immediately looked at the kitsune, fearing a demon attack. There was no sign of new injury, and there was no trace of youki in the room. The motionless body was still breathing, but seemed paler than before, and his lips had very slightly bluish tint to them. Hiei also noticed that one of the IV bags running into Kurama's arm had a red fluid inside it, unlike the other, clear bags.

 

The small fire demon turned a questioning gaze to Shiori. "He worsened overnight. His red blood cell count has dropped. He's dangerously anemic. They have given him more blood, but the doctors don't think he'll ever...ever... They think that when he lost so much blood so quickly that made his blood pressure drop too low. They think he may be brain dead."

 

Hiei looked at the miserable woman before him, and at his fox in the bed, oblivious to the situation. With a small sigh he approached the bed. He put a small hand on Shiori's shoulder. "Make sure no one enters," he directed her. She was about to question him, but the look on his face stopped her, and she just nodded. She stood and moved to the door, watching the hiyoukai the whole time.

Hiei took a deep breath to prepare, and the slowly reached to his forehead and removed the ward upon his Jagan. Shiori drew a silent gasp as she saw the eye open fully and began to glow brightly. She was terrified of what was happening; she didn't understand what the demon was doing. She was more afraid of interfering, however, and deep down she had begun to trust Hiei. She just watched and waited.

 

After a few minutes Hiei placed the white cloth back over his Jagan and turned to face Shiori. "He's still in there. His body is still too weak to support him while conscious, but his mind is still alive."

 

Shiori looked at her son, and then at the small form in front of her. "You can...talk to him with that...um..."

 

"It is a Jagan. I am telepathic, and it amplifies my natural abilities. Were he awake, yes I would be able to communicate with him mentally, although it would be different that talking to him. In his current state all I can do is probe for his consciousness within his mind. If he were 'brain dead' there would be no trace of him, just a void. When I searched his mind, I definitely felt his presence."

 

"So tell him to wake up, drag him back!" Shiori exclaimed, grabbing Hiei by the shirtfront and almost shaking him. She then collapsed against him, wrapping her arms around his neck and sobbing onto his shoulder.

 

Hiei was too startled at first to react; he barely kept his body from responding in the usual, violent way. He knew that this human was upset, and was reaching out for comfort. He despised ningen in general, but this one had earned his respect.

 

Hesitantly Hiei lifted his arms and laid them gently around Shiori. "I can't do that," he whispered. "I can sense what's in his mind, and I can feel his presence, but the Jagan is not a gentle tool. I cannot coax him to consciousness with it. If I try and fail, his mind may fall even further into darkness, and we may lose him forever. If I succeed and his body is not ready to awaken, he will die."

 

Shiori nodded her understanding through her tears. Hiei led her to a chair and helped her to sit down, then sat in the chair beside her. Several moments passed in silence before Shiori whispered, "Thank you, Hiei."

 

"For what? I have done nothing," the youkai responded, puzzled.

 

"You have given me hope that my son may awaken."

 

The rest of the day passed in silence. The nurses came in often to check on Kurama, and to change the various fluids being pumped into his body. Shiori's thoughts were always on her son's recovery.

 

Hiei's thoughts were tangled. He was unused to emotions, and the past week had been full of strange, new, emotional occurrences. His best friend lay before him in an unnatural sleep. He had not told Shiori, but the presence of Kurama's consciousness was not a guarantee that he would ever awaken. Hiei had felt closer to the kitsune than to anyone before in his dark life. Kurama allowed him to be himself, and accepted him without trying to change, reform or imprison him. He had found similar friendship in Yusuke, and even in the Idiot, but they were born of and raised in the human world. As accepting as they seemed to be, they simply could not understand what it was to be a demon.

 

There was something more to his friendship with Kurama. Hiei had never desired to be close to anyone; he preferred to keep himself boxed away behind thick emotional walls. Kurama had slowly melted those walls. When he had held the fox's bleeding body in the street he had realized what Kurama meant to him. When he saw the limp form in the bed, attached to the ningen medical contraptions he felt fear for the first time, fear of losing the person closest to him. Hiei had actually wanted to exchange his own life for that of his fox. And then there was the possessive feeling he had been having. He had been calling Kurama "his" fox in his mind ever since that night. When he had touched Kurama's mind, even so briefly, the feeling of Kurama's presence had washed over him like a warm bath. He was so relieved, so happy to feel his friend. As much as he had missed the kitsune, he had not realized how badly he needed the other until that tiny contact reminded him. Hiei struggled with his emerging feelings and terrible fears in secret. Outwardly he was the same, expressionless and cold.

 

When the nurse came in to inform them that visiting hours were over, Shiori stood and gave her son a small kiss on the forehead. "I'm right here Shuuichi. I'll be waiting for you," she whispered into his bangs and then moved to the door.

 

Seeing the human walk out the door Hiei moved swiftly to Kurama's bedside. He leaned over the lifeless form until his face was even with that of his friend. He hesitated for a moment, studying the red head, trying to find any sign of life there. He wasn't sure what possessed him to do this, but it felt...right. Slowly he leaned forward. Closing his eyes, he gently pressed his lips to Kurama's in a tender, closed mouth kiss. His breath hitched in his chest, almost like a sob, and his shoulders shuddered. He felt something wet on his face. He remained for a moment, and then drew away just as slowly. Glancing down he retrieved the single dark red, almost black stone from on top of the covers. Holding it in his fist, close to his heart, he again brought his face close to the kitsune's "My fox," he breathed. "Come back to me when you are ready." He withdrew and walked towards the door.

 

Shiori realized Hiei wasn't behind her and turned to summon him from the room. She saw him lean towards her son. She witnessed the soft kiss, and the sob that wracked Hiei's small frame. She did not see the tear gem. She slipped back out of the room before Hiei noticed her. She was too emotionally drained to process what she had just seen. Her heart was already on overload, so she just walked to the elevator numbly and pushed the button and waited.

 

At 11:00 that night three members of the spirit detective group prepared themselves for solo battle. Yusuke approached his destination as a soft rain began to fall. The location on Keiko's picture was in the woods, far away from prying eyes, far away from help. He strode into the clearing and yelled out among the trees, "Okay, I'm here. We can do this the easy way or..."

 

He ducked to the side as a bolt of demon energy sizzled through the spot his head had just been to hit a nearby tree. "I guess the easy way is out, then," he muttered and he tensed for a fight. The three demons that emerged from the forest around him leered with open mouths, revealing many jagged teeth.

 

"Someone hasn't been flossing," Yusuke taunted. "You could lose your teeth because of that. Or you could lose them because of my fist!" he yelled as he launched his attack. The first two demons, pumped as they were with the strange strength enhancing substance were no match for an angry spirit detective. When they lay dead on the forest floor Yusuke turned to the final demon and readied his spirit gun. "I haven't had to use this yet, and my trigger finger is getting itchy."

 

"Go ahead, Detective, shoot." The demon smiled as he drew a bound Keiko out from behind a nearby tree. Yusuke immediately averted his finger.

 

"Let her go, scum. This between you and me!"

 

"So it is," the foul creature replied and threw Keiko at the boy before them. As Yusuke reached to catch her the demon blurred out of sight. Yusuke felt a tremendous punch hit him in the back, and he lurched forward trying not to fall on Keiko. She grunted in pain as his hands dragged her to the side by the bonds around her wrists.

 

"Sorry, Keiko, just stay right here," he said hurriedly, thrusting her into some brush, out of the way of the rapidly escalating fight.

 

As Keiko struggled she realized that Yusuke had loosened the cords around her wrist when he had grabbed them. Carefully she maneuvered her hands free and then got to work on her ankles. Once she was completely untied she looked up to see Yusuke, and he was losing.

 

The rain began falling much harder, coming down in torrents to soak the fighters and spectator alike. The third demon proved to be much more of a challenge than the first two. Although his youki was abysmally low, his speed and physical strength were phenomenal. The demon blurred out of sight just as Yusuke took aim with his spirit gun, and would reappear right beside the detective to deliver a savage blow.

 

'If I could hit him just once with my spirit gun he would be toast, he's just too damn fast,' Yusuke thought groggily. He had already wasted three of his spirit gun shots, and his energy was dwindling fast. He knew he couldn't last much longer. The demon appeared before him to land a hard right that knocked him onto his back. The grinning monster approached him slowly.

 

"Spirit Detective, you are pathetic when you are alone. With no one to slow me down you have no chance of hitting me with your little spirit gun. Now say goodbye to your weak, human life!"

 

Yusuke closed his eyes in an effort to get to his feet. He had one shot left. If only the demon would stop moving for a fraction of a second, he could hit that bastard and go home. He was almost to his feet, dreading the blow that would come before he could take aim when he heard something that both gave him hope and stilled his heart in fear.

 

"Leave him alone, you jerk!" *SMACK*

 

Yusuke looked up to see Keiko standing before a demon who was twice her height and was sporting a bright red handprint on his cheek.

 

"Stupid human bitch!" He roared, backhanding her off her feet and clean across the clearing. He snarled at her form lying motionless on the ground, and then turned to his prey. That snarl was the fraction of a second Yusuke needed.

 

"Go back to Hell where you belong! Spirit Gun!" The last thing the demon saw was a bright blue light and then his vision was forever darkened.

 

Yusuke collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. He turned to where Keiko lay and his blood ran cold. He dragged himself over to her, and turned her to lie on her back, cradled in his arms. A huge bruise was already forming on her face. "Keiko?" he asked, barely above a squeak. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tried to rouse her. "Keiko, please wake up," he pleaded.

 

Relief flooded through him as she began to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, and locked onto him. "Yusuke...the demon!" She tried to sit up, but Yusuke gently restrained her.

 

"He won't be bothering you anymore," he said softly. "C'mon, we have to find shelter from this damn rain." He got to his feet and helped Keiko to hers. As they started to walk Yusuke stumbled a bit and Keiko grabbed onto him to help keep him upright.

 

"There's a cave nearby. They waited there for you to arrive. There's firewood and a blanket. I think we should go there and wait out the rain," Keiko suggested. Yusuke agreed, and they began walking in the direction she indicated.

 

Inside the cave was dry, and the glowing embers of the dying fire sprang back to life quickly when Yusuke blew on them. Keiko gathered the blanket that her captors had wrapped her in to bring her to the rendezvous point, supposedly to muffle any scream for help. She started to wrap it around Yusuke's shoulders when he stopped her.

 

"You're wet, too, Keiko," he pointed out.

 

"There's only one blanket, Yusuke."

 

"We can share."

 

Keiko sat beside him, and they pulled the blanket around them, huddling together until the fire grew and provided enough heat for them. Keiko snuggled up next to Yusuke and whispered, "Thank you for saving me."

 

Yusuke put his arm around her and said just as softly, "I will always save the people I love."

 

Keiko stiffened, and pulled away slightly. "What did you just say, Yusuke?" she gasped.

 

"I said.... I said I love you, Keiko."

 

Keiko's eyes grew wide, and she stared for a moment, too shocked for words. Tough guy, Yusuke Urameshi just admitted openly that he loved her? Of course she had loved him for ages, but she never thought he would return those feelings. Suddenly he looked a lot less like a punk schoolboy, and much more mature to her. She continued to stare until he averted his eyes and closed them.

 

Yusuke had loved Keiko for the longest time. He had wanted to tell her so many times, but it never came out. Instead he resorted to teasing: lifting her skirt, copping a feel here and there, and a few comments about her physique. Now, in this moment he felt confident enough to admit to her when was really in his heart.

 

She looked at him in shock. After a few minutes he turned away and closed his eyes. Who was he kidding? Keiko was brilliant. She had a wonderful future ahead of her. She was smart and sweet and polite, everything he wasn't. She could easily get the attention of any male she wanted, so why did he dare to think she would want him? Why would she want someone who skipped school, got into fights, got involved with demons, and nearly got her killed constantly?

 

His self-hatred was cut short by the feel of lips against his own. His eyes flew open to reveal Keiko kissing him gingerly. He pulled back, startled. "Keiko?"

 

"I love you, too, Yusuke," she said. He gathered her into an embrace and his mouth reached for hers. They kissed, swept up in the moment they had both dreamed of for as long as they could remember.

 

As Yusuke deepened the kiss, he felt Keiko's hands reach under his shirt and start to pull it off. As much as his body screamed to go on, he stopped and took her hands in his own. "Keiko, are you sure that's what you want?"

 

"Silly Yusuke, I have wanted this for so long."

 

Yusuke could not believe what he was hearing. He started to kiss her again, this time unbuttoning her blouse as he did so. When he came up for air he whispered, "Tell me when you want me to stop, I won't rush you." Keiko nodded and continued kissing him.

 

Kuwabara stalked into the alley the picture had directed him to, ignoring the rain that quickly soaked through his clothing. Three demons detached themselves from the shadows and began following him. He stopped abruptly and without turning stated loudly, "I know you're there, I could feel you long before I entered the alley. Now give my back my sister."

 

The first of the demons lunged at his back, and in a single movement Kuwabara turned, spirit sword extended, and lopped of the beast's head. "Next?" he asked with annoyance.

 

The second and third demons rushed him simultaneously. His skill with a sword was nowhere near Hiei's graceful movements, but it got the job done. The second demon fell, severed from shoulder to groin.

 

The third demon smiled; at least it was probably a smile. It was hard to tell with its distorted features. Instead of attacking the creature pointed up. Kuwabara looked above him and saw Shizuru suspended from the fire escape of one of the buildings by a thin rope.

 

"You know what happens if I cut that rope, right?" the demon spat out, raising his hand towards the thin line.

 

"No!" Kuwabara yelled and began to charge. The demon released a ball of ki straight for the cord from which Shizuru's life dangled. "Sword, get long!" Kuwabara bellowed, and his rei ken shot out into the sky, intercepting the blast intended to drop his sister to splatter on the pavement below.

 

"Cute trick," the demon snarled, lobbing another ki blast, this time at the tall boy before him. Kuwabara was knocked to the ground. When he released his sword it disappeared. The apparition again took aim at the rope above.

 

"You thought that was cute, check this out!" Kuwabara challenged as he put his hand palm down on the ground.

 

His spirit sword shot out into the ground, directed by his energy, and erupted through the surface right in front of the startled youkai. His last thought as the sword cleaved through his head was 'How? This one was supposed to be the weak one.'

 

Kuwabara climbed the fire escape slowly, and pulled his sister back over the railing to untie her. "About damn time! Were you here to rescue me or dance with them, baby bro?" Shizuru chided with her typical attitude. Kuwabara said nothing, and simply turned to lead the way back down the metal stairs.

 

"Kazuma," her now soft voice from behind stopped him. "Thank you for coming for me. You did well, I'm proud of you."

 

Kuwabara just replied, "It's my duty as a man." But inside he was ecstatic. He had never gotten praise from his sister. Now if only Yukina would marry him, he could die happy.

 

Hiei stayed on the roof of the hospital for longer than usual that evening, alert for any signs of approaching youki. No one came. The rain fell, muffling all sounds, leaving Hiei and his writhing emotions alone in silence. Around two in the morning he flitted to Kurama's house for some diner from Shiori and a quick nap before he accompanied her back to this hospital to visit.

In a darkened warehouse in one of the less influential districts of Tokyo a demon sat shrouded in shadow. "They all survived?" he asked the minion before him. The small imp only nodded. "Hmm. Guess I'll have to start playing rough."