Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ Brief Reprieve ( Chapter 13 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: This story was written by me, mhmartini, for enjoyment purposes only. All characters taken from a show/series/book/etc. are property of their respective creators; I am only borrowing them. Original characters are mine. The storyline is mine. I am making no money from this endeavor. The only �profit� involved is the joy of writing and the reviews of my readers. No copyright infringement is intended.

Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.20.2004 | Updated On: 06.03.2007 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 1.0K | Status: Completed

Around two-thirty in the morning, Kurama awoke suddenly. He had no idea what had caused him to awaken. He looked around the dimly lit room, until his eyes came to rest upon a small, familiar figure lounging in the window. Turning onto his side slowly, Kurama watched the silhouette for a few seconds before it spoke.

"Fox, you're awake." It wasn't a question so much as an observation.

"Yes, Hiei. I am awake," came the sleepy reply.

The fire demon arose and approached the bed. "Welcome home," he whispered to the kitsune.

"Thank you," Kurama whispered back. After a pause, he continued, "Where were you earlier? I missed you."

Hiei smiled at the fox. "I didn't want to greet you amidst the ningen. I wanted to welcome you home privately. When I got here, you were already asleep. I didn't want to wake you."

Kurama nodded. Hiei looked fondly at his friend in the bed. Not knowing why, only thinking that it was appropriate, Hiei reached out and gently brushed Kurama's hair off his face, much like Shiori had done when she tucked Hiei into bed. He was surprised at the thrill he felt when Kurama turned his head into the touch, eyes closed, and smiled. Allowing his hand to rest gently on his fox's hair, Hiei just enjoyed this small contact. Finally he withdrew his hand.

"Sleep, Fox. I'll be right here when you awaken," he murmured, and resumed his seat at the windowsill. Content, Kurama slipped back into slumber.

When the kitsune next opened his eyes, the room was bright with sunlight. Turning towards the window, he looked at the small form settled there and smiled. "Good morning, Hiei," he said softly. "You stayed."

"Hn. Of course I did, Fox. I said I would," was the reply, as the hiyoukai rose from his perch and approached the bed. "How are you feeling? Up to a walk?"

Kurama nodded, and slowly got into a sitting position. With no assistance, he stood from the bed. As he took the first step towards his closet, he swayed heavily to his left. Before he could brace himself for the fall, strong arms encircled him, and supported him. Looking down at the hiyoukai holding him, Kurama smiled, and amended, "Maybe a walk would be premature." Hiei nodded.

It took a long while, but eventually, Kurama was dressed, and Hiei was watching carefully as he made his way downstairs. After the first near-fall, Kurama's balance had improved greatly. He was weakest when he first got up, but as he began to move around, he quickly regained his strength. By noon, the fox and the fire demon were sitting at the kitchen table of the Hatanaka house, Kurama sipping tea, and Hiei enjoying some hot chocolate.

Around one in the afternoon, a knock at the door interrupted the calm silence of the house. Hiei got up to answer the door, knowing that Kurama would be too slow. It was difficult to determine who was more surprised when the door opened; Hiei, to find the small crowd awaiting entrance, or Yusuke, Kuwabara, Koenma, and Botan, to find Hiei greeting them at the threshold. After a moment of staring at each other, Kurama's voice echoed from the kitchen, "Come in!"

When the entire group was settled in the living room, Koenma began speaking. "We have been searching for the name 'Intaro' since we rescued Botan. We can find no reference to any demon or human by that name that was directly involved with the Dark Tournament. All we have come across is one low class, relatively weak demon, whose origins are unknown. He has made some small trouble here and there throughout Makai, nothing notable. Only one incident was even remotely interesting. He seemed to catch the attention of several Quest class demons that in turn attempted, unsuccessfully, to eliminate him. How they failed is a mystery, as I said, he's relatively weak."

At the mention of the Quest class of demons, Kurama became somewhat uncomfortable. "Is there any record of the identities of the Quest class demons he evaded?" the kitsune asked hesitantly.

"No," replied the demigod.

"Why? Do you know any Quest class demons that would want revenge on you?" Yusuke asked.

"Only one. But he is dead," the fox replied, obviously disturbed by this revelation.

Hiei knew immediately to whom Kurama was referring, but kept his thoughts to himself. If the kitsune chose not to reveal this information, the fire demon would not dispute that decision.

After some more discussion among the detective group, conversation that went completely ignored by the agitated fox spirit, the visitors finally arose and left. As he closed the door, Hiei turned to his fox. "It's Karasu, isn't it?"

"What?" Kurama asked, his head jerking up, as if the question had gone unheard, but merely jerked him back to reality from the privacy of his own thoughts.

"Karasu is the Quest class that would have a grudge, correct?" the hiyoukai repeated. Kurama nodded, a lost, scared look settling in his eyes. "Fox, he's dead. You killed him. He won't be coming back."

"How do you know? I came back, just in my avatar form. Yusuke came back, twice. Who's to say that Karasu didn't come back, and is now seeking his revenge?"

Hiei sat next to the red head, and snaked his arm over the slumped shoulders of his friend. "Kurama, you know that isn't the case. Your and Yusuke's situations were different. You killed Karasu. The only place he can return is in your imagination."

"And in my dreams," the fox whispered. Hiei reached out and gently grasped Kurama's chin, and turned the taller boy's face to look at him. "I have had nightmares, Hiei. I never told anyone, but sometimes...sometimes, he haunts me in my dreams. I can feel the bombs again, hear his laughter, feel his hands on me, touching me..."

"Stop it! Fox, are you listening to yourself? That crow was a sick and twisted bastard. He is dead. End of story. He cannot hurt you anymore. The only power he has over you is the power you give to him, to his memory. This Intaro character is just some crazy, low class nobody. You probably stole something from him long ago, and now he's trying to scare you. Don't let him do this. Besides, I'm here. I will protect you, my Fox." Hiei punctuated this with a soft kiss on Kurama's lips. At the contact, Kurama melted against the smaller form, feeling much more reassured. Only the sound of the front door opening interrupted them.

Shiori walked into the living room with her arms full of groceries. She was somewhat surprised to find her son awake, dressed, and sitting on the sofa kissing Hiei. But, as Kurama's mother, she had seen the evolution of this relationship. She felt that the two before her were a good match for each other, and she had already accepted that this small, dark demon was her son's choice.

"Oh, excuse me," she said quickly, as she turned and rushed into the kitchen to place the bags on the counter, leaving the front door wide open.

"Mother! What..I mean, I..." Kurama sputtered.

"Don't worry about it, Shuuichi," Shiori replied as she returned to the living room. "I have seen the two of you getting closer, and I saw Hiei kiss you at the hospital. You also mentioned a few things to me when Hiei was unconscious in your bed that time. Besides, I am your mother. I know about these things; it's my job."

"You're not upset?" Kurama asked.

"Not at all. I'm glad you have found someone who cares so much for you in return. Hiei even rode in an ambulance and braved a hospital waiting room for you," Shiori replied cheerfully, closing the front door.

Kurama looked at Hiei incredulously. "You did?" he asked softly. The only response was a small nod from the hiyoukai. No one had told Kurama the details of his trip to the hospital.

Shiori sat on the chair across from the boys. "There is one thing that I do want to know. What is the necklace you are wearing, Shuuichi?"

Kurama idly fingered his hiruseki necklace as he told his mother the origin and meaning of the stone. Shiori smiled. "So that is why that young lady at the hospital realized that you knew her brother," she mused. Hiei and Kurama nodded. "Well, I am glad for you, my son. I want you to be happy. I approve of your choice. I do, however, think that we should keep this our little secret until a more opportune time comes to tell our new family. Your stepfather was raised in a very strict household, and he believes very strongly that men and women belong together, and nothing else.

"I won't outright lie to him about you and Hiei, but I would like to 'cushion the blow' as best we can. I believe we should plan to tell him gently. Telling him abruptly could lead to...well, let's not find out. He is also very protective of Shuuichi-kun. I do not want the boy to even get the idea that something may be going on between you two until we have had a chance to talk to his father.

"My husband is on another business trip, and will be home at the end of the week. I think we should plan to tell him then. If the talk goes well, perhaps we could tell him about your demonic nature at the same time. It's a lot to take in all at once, but I won't lie to him." The two demons nodded again. "Now, I am going to make some lunch." Shiori concluded, as she went back to the kitchen and began rummaging through her bags.

"She really is an amazing ningen," Hiei commented softly, for only his fox to hear.

"Yes, she is," Kurama agreed.

The next four days passed without confrontation. Kurama regained more and more strength daily. Yukina visited him every day to check on his progress and to inquire about her brother. She still refused to completely heal Kurama, and she hoped that she could catch him off guard and get some hint as to her brother's identity. But, to her vast disappointment, the fox was rarely caught off guard by anyone.

Yusuke attended school daily, although Keiko still had to drag him to every class to prevent him from cutting. Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura had invited Yusuke over after school a few times, without Atsuko, for some "bonding" time. Usually this bonding time ended in Yusuke waiting tables at the ramen house. But still, he wanted to impress his future in-laws, and he made sure to be respectful of their wishes while still maintaining his own opinions and independence. He just wasn't the type kiss up.

The Yukimuras were impressed by him. Although he still seemed a bit rough around the edges, the fact that he tried so hard meant a lot to them, and they knew that he would be a good husband for their daughter.

The only incidents were the nightmares. Hiei continued to stand watch over his fox at night. Several times each night Kurama's peaceful sleep was disturbed. The kitsune would begin to thrash around in his bed and mumble. Twice he cried out, and once he whimpered pitifully. Each time, Hiei would call to him until he awoke. The fire demon would not touch the fox; he could just picture himself in the jaws of some bloodthirsty plant the unconscious kitsune would be able to summon, even in slumber. Each time Kurama awoke, his eyes shone with blatant fear, and he was shaking. When he finally realized that he was in his own bed, and Hiei was nearby, he would calm back down and slowly return to sleep.

Two days before Hatanaka returned from his trip, Hiei and Kurama were sitting in the living room when Yukina arrived for her daily visit. The three were alone in the house; Shiori was out running some errands. With a stretch, Kurama stood from his chair. "Let's take a walk. It's been awhile since we have been to the park." Hiei nodded, and Yukina stood. They enjoyed a slow, peaceful walk to the neighborhood park.

When they arrived, there was a baseball game in progress. Skirting the edge of the park, the three apparitions entered a small, concealed grove of trees. Unseen by the ningen, Hiei slipped his arm through Kurama's. The two were becoming closer. So far, they had only shared kisses, and a few minor gestures like this one. It was difficult for them to express their feelings. Most demons did not experience love, and both wanted to go slowly, and enjoy every nuance of this rare and beautiful feeling. No one felt the suppressed ki of the six demons surrounding them until it was too late.

With a speed that almost rivaled Hiei's, a small, spindly demon blurred out of a nearby shrub, and hit the fire demon solidly on the back of the head. Without so much as a peep, the hiyoukai slumped to the ground, completely unconscious. Kurama turned to face the attacker, but found his arms restrained by two burly demons, one on each side of him. Seeing her friends in trouble, Yukina immediately flared her ki, chilling the area, and causing jagged icicles to form in midair. The first demon to rush at her found several of these frozen daggers impaled through his throat. Wasting no time, one of the demons holding Kurama reached a clawed hand to the kitsune's throat.

"Try that again, ice-bitch, and fox-boy here dies," he threatened. Yukina instantly withdrew her energy. As the ambient temperature returned to normal, one of the lesser demons struck the koorime from behind. She fell to land in a heap next to her brother.

"Now what?" asked one of the henchdemons, in a stupid, deadpan tone.

"We only need the kitsune, but the master thought the forbidden one would be with him, and ordered us to bring him as well. We'll take them all, so no one can summon help." With a sneer, the leader turned to Kurama. "You made a mistake, boy, when you angered Intaro. He will have his revenge. It will be long and painful, at least for you. You took that which he coveted, and now you will repay him." The last thing Kurama thought as he saw the demons picking up the twins was that if he had been fully recovered he could have broken the demons' hold and freed his friends. Then he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head, and darkness consumed him.

Yusuke had managed to sneak away from Keiko just long enough to reach the staircase. As he opened to door to the roof, expecting his freedom, he was considerably startled to find Botan rushing to the door in her schoolgirl outfit.

"Yusuke!" she called to him frantically. "It's terrible! Something Kurama said the other day bothered Koenma, and ever since then, he has been trying to find out the identities of the Quest class demons that Intaro crossed. It's bad, Yusuke, it's very, very bad." The ferry girl practically hauled Yusuke back into the building in search of Kuwabara.

When the three of them had escaped the school grounds, Botan produced her detective kit, seemingly out of nowhere, and called Koenma. When the toddler's face appeared on the screen, his worry was visible. "Yusuke, Kuwabara, you have to get to Kurama immediately. We discovered who the demons that Intaro evaded were. I don't know how this fits in to our current situation, but the only survivor of the group of Quest class demons that he crossed was Karasu."

"Koenma, sir..." came George's worried voice in the background. Koenma made shooing motions to the oni.

"As I was saying, this is too much of a coincidence. There has to be a connection, even if we can't see it yet. I want you both to go to Kurama's house and inform him of this. Then you stay with him! I believe Intaro will strike again."

"Koenma, please..." came the ogre's voice, again.

"Not now, George, this is important! Yusuke! I'm counting on you to find this crackpot demon and get rid of him."

"KOENMA!" George finally yelled.

"WHAT?" the toddler yelled back. On the screen, Koenma was handed a paper by a blue hand.

"We just got this report. An unauthorized portal was opened in the park on the East Side. Kurama, Hiei, and Yukina were there, but now are gone," George's voice echoed through the speaker.

"WHAT?!?!?" Koenma bellowed. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner! Yusuke, go! Find them!" Koenma ordered, as George just rolled his eyes. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan looked at each other for a mere second, then rose and began running towards the park. Once there, Botan opened a portal to Makai, and they began to trail the demons to the hideout to rescue their friends.