Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ Taken ( Chapter 20 )

[ 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: 01.16.2005 | Updated On: 06.03.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 881 | Status: Completed

Kurama entered his small apartment and hung his keys on the hook by the door. With a sigh he surveyed the tiny living room, noting the freshly vacuumed floors, dusted shelves, and polished furniture. Without paying attention to the sound, he heard the toilet flush. A quick peek into the kitchen revealed sparkling counters, an empty sink, several neatly folded shopping bags (empty), and a large pot simmering on the stove. Distantly, he heard the toilet flush again. Shaking his head and restraining his laughter, he entered the bedroom, only to find it as immaculate as the rest of the apartment. Hearing the toilet flush a third time, he began to get worried. He knocked on the door to the small washroom.

"Hiei, Love, are you alright in there?" he asked through the closed door.

"It's blue," was the only reply.

Sudden panic seized the fox, and he threw open the door hoping no part of his lover was irretrievably hypoxic. He stopped short at the sight before his eyes.

Hiei was standing before the commode, staring intently into the bowl. One of his hands held a newly opened package of toilet tablets; the other depressed the flush lever again.

"I got these today, and I put one in the tank, and now the water is blue," Hiei observed.

Kurama stepped closer to his beloved, and peered at the swirling aqua water. "Yes, Love. That's what generally happens," he commented. "When did you go out?"

Hiei turned to look up at his partner. "I went out today to get some food to make you dinner," he stated.

"You...cooked?" Kurama asked incredulously. The half-koorime had yet to prepare a meal in the four weeks he had been living with the kitsune.

Hiei nodded. He gave the toilet water one last suspicious glance, and then devoted all his attention to his lover. "Welcome home, Fox. How was the test?"

Kurama led Hiei out of the bathroom as he responded. "Easy, as usual. I believe my grades have actually gone up as my attendance declined." Looking around the fastidiously clean apartment, he continued, "You were bored, weren't you?" Hiei nodded absently.

Whenever Kurama left the apartment without him, Hiei got bored. The hiyoukai was reluctant to visit Makai, knowing that if Mukuro found out he were there, she would insist on giving him tasks and training that would take too long to complete. To pass the time, he had begun 'playing games' around Ningenkai, or at least games as he saw fit to play. A visit from Botan with an official writ of warning from Koenma had put an end to that. Next, Hiei began rearranging furniture. Every time Kurama came home from school, the entire apartment was unrecognizable. Unfortunately, in such a small space, the furniture could only be arranged so many ways. Finally, desperate to gain some stability (and not to wear out the carpet from the constant moving of the sofa, bookshelf, etc.) Kurama had suggested that Hiei straighten up when he wanted to kill time. Hiei took to this with a passion, and now the entire apartment was always spotless when the fox came home.

Kurama reached out an arm and pulled his lover into a tight embrace. "Midterms are over now, and I am all yours for the next few weeks." Hiei murmured his pleasure as he nuzzled into the fox's neck. He raised his head, and his lips met those of the kitsune in a passionate kiss. The two remained that way until a delicious aroma caught their attention.

"Dinner's ready," Hiei whispered, disengaging himself from the red head to wash up and head into the kitchen.

Kurama went into the bedroom to change out of his school uniform. When he returned to the kitchen, he was pleasantly surprised. Hiei was just placing the second, fully loaded plate onto the table. As the kitsune approached, Hiei smiled at him, and pulled the chair out for him. As Kurama sat, Hiei slid the chair closer to the table. When the fox was settled, the youkai leaned closer and kissed him gently on the cheek before going to sit in the other chair opposite the red head.

Kurama looked in awe at the feast laid out in front of him. For Hiei's first adventure cooking, he sure did a great job. Two white pillar candles stood on the table, burning brightly. There were also a freshly tossed salad and freshly baked rolls on the table. The main course was a seared steak with a sweet, yet tangy sauce, fresh green beans with almond slices, and twice baked potatoes. The biggest surprise was yet to come. When Kurama began to eat, he was shocked at how wonderful it tasted.

"Hiei, I never knew you could cook like this! Maybe you should make all of our meals," he commented. Hiei just accepted the complement and kept eating. He would never admit to where he learned this recipe. It had taken him all of fifteen minutes to clean the apartment, since both he and the fox were naturally neat and organized people. As boredom set in again, he flipped on the television, hoping to find an amusing, or at least violent program. Unfortunately, the midday television lineup was pretty lame. (One show in particular nearly caused him to incinerate the set; it was an annoying, purple thing with one large upper tooth, running around with children and singing campy songs. After only a few seconds' exposure to what Hiei now dubbed 'It of the One Tooth,' it took over forty-five minutes for the twitching of his right eye to subside.) He did happen across a program with a picture of a table set just like theirs was now. The program apparently showed the viewer how to cook this meal. So he had spent an hour watching an old ningen lady with white hair describe searing and basting, and then he had gone out to get the necessary ingredients in an effort to impress his fox. It worked. Although Hiei had known very little of the human world when he moved in with the kitsune, he was highly intelligent and had quickly mastered using appliances and electronics. Despite his preference to stay away from people (there was nothing quite as revolting as the smell of wet human...) he was able to function among ningen society when absolutely unavoidable.

When the two finished their meal, they placed their now empty dishes in the sink. "I'll get those later," Kurama said, gesturing at the table and dirty pots and pans. The fox took Hiei's hands and led him to the living room. Sitting down on the sofa, he pulled Hiei into his lap. The hiyoukai climbed onto his fox, straddling the red head's long legs.

"That was amazing, Hiei. Thank you," Kurama whispered, brushing his lips over Hiei's. The fire demon smiled, and pushed Kurama down to lay on his back, sideways on the couch. Pausing a moment, Hiei looked down at Kurama's face. Slowly he reached out his hand, and gently traced the fox's lips with his fingers.

"You're beautiful, Fox," he whispered. Kurama blushed pink. "You're more beautiful when you blush," Hiei continued, causing the pink to deepen. Leaning front, Hiei laid on his stomach, on top of the fox, his legs still on either side of Kurama's. After some nuzzling and kissing, the two just held each other close. Hiei laid his head on Kurama's chest, listening to his heart beating.

Kurama held his lover close. The small demon was his life. He loved Hiei more than he had thought possible. He credited Shiori with teaching him to love, but that was only one facet of the amazing emotion. If she had not taught him that, he never would have been able to feel the love he now held sacred. By the same token, Hiei would have been unable to feel this love as well, if not for his enduring love of his sister. The two rested comfortably in each others arms until finally, slumber claimed them.

Yusuke ran into the ramen house, completely out of breath. "Keiko! Keiko, I need to talk to you!" he gasped out. Keiko stepped into the kitchen, about to scold him for being late for the first time, but the look on his face withered her reprimand.

"What is it, Yusuke, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"We have an emergency case," the boy blurted out, then lowered his voice so no one could overhear. "Koenma found out where Intaro is, and he's in Ningenkai. The Toddler thinks he may go after Kurama tonight. I have to go. I'm sorry; I can't stay and work here tonight. What will your parents..."

"A case?" came a deep voice behind Yusuke. "For your detective job?" Mr. Yukimura asked.

"Um, Yes, sir. They want me to go right now, but I have to be here, and I'm..." Yusuke tried to explain.

"Don't worry about it, Son, I understand. I know the detective job pays better, and has more of a future for you. I want you to go work on your case. We can get along here. One of the conditions I laid down for you to court our daughter was for you to be gainfully employed, and I will not interfere with that. Go on, Yusuke. And, Kid, I'm proud of you," the man concluded sincerely.

"Woah, Keiko, your folks are great. What do you say?" Yusuke asked her.

"What do I say? When has that mattered? Dad said to go, now get going," she said.

"It matters to me. I want your approval more than I want theirs," Yusuke said, his voice honest.

Keiko smiled at him. "I want you to go, Yusuke. You're a protector; it's what you do best. Now go do it," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "And be careful," she added softly. With a peck on her cheek, and a grateful smile, Yusuke turned and ran down the street to Kurama's apartment.

Behind the curtain that separated the ramen house from the entrance to their private residence, Mr. and Mrs. Yukimura watched the exchange, smiling. Mr. Yukimura had spoken truly, he wanted Yusuke to be employed, and he knew the boy only worked for him to impress him. He did not want to make the youth choose between the job he already had and the one he took to woo Keiko. The two parents had heard him ask their daughter before he left, even though he had her father's permission. Still smiling at this display of caring, they returned to work.

Botan had already alerted Kuwabara. Yusuke caught up to the taller boy en route to the apartment. "What" puff, puff "Did they tell you," puff, puff "Urameshi?" Kuwabara panted out as they ran.

"Nothing much, just that Intaro has been spotted in the human world, and they think he may be going after Kurama right now," Yusuke replied, his demon heritage allowing him to easily keep pace with the human without losing his breath. When they got to the apartment building they raced up the stairs to the third floor.

The door to Kurama's apartment was open, and hanging on the bottom hinge only. The wood of the doorframe was splintered in; the door had been broken by a tremendous force. The two boys entered slowly, Kuwabara wielding his rei ken, Yusuke's hand forming his spirit gun. The small room was silent. The setting sun cast no light in through the window. As the two crept in, the rei ken gave just enough light to illuminate a still form on the floor, in front of the sofa. Kuwabara stretched out his awareness to feel for any other spirit or demon energy in the apartment. "They're gone," he said, putting away his sword and turning on a light.

Once the light was on, the figure became clearly recognizable. Kurama lay on the floor, a small puddle of blood surrounding his head. He was breathing, but unconscious. The apartment was in good shape; only a few items had been disturbed. It was obvious that whoever had broken in had caught the demon unaware, possibly asleep. Yusuke and Kuwabara did not know that Hiei lived with the fox, as the two kept their relationship a secret. Yusuke approached his fallen friend.

"Kurama? Hey, Fox-boy, can you hear me?" he asked, gently placing a hand on Kurama's shoulder. Slowly, the kitsune opened his eyes. A wave of pain and nausea flowed through the red head as he turned to sit up. Trying to come to his senses, and to keep his stomach under his control, He turned to face his visitors with half-focused, glazed eyes.

"Who? Where? Yusuke? What are you doing here? What happened?" Kurama mumbled with a slight slur. He was weaving back and forth where he sat. Whoever had hit him had hit him hard. He raised his hand to his throbbing head, only to pull it away when he felt something sticky. He stared at it for a few minutes, not fully comprehending that it was covered in blood.

Kuwabara went to the small bathroom and gathered some towels. He quickly returned to the living room with them, and gently held one against the gash in the kitsune's scalp. "Just relax, Kurama," he said, leaning the fox against the sofa, and helping to support him. "Someone jumped you. We're here now, you'll be fine."

"Yeah, we're here," Yusuke reiterated. "Did you see them? The guys who did this? What did they want?"

Kurama closed his eyes. He couldn't concentrate. He heard the words coming from his friend's mouths, but the meaning of the words eluded him. Finally, he began to be able to think somewhat properly again. He remembered one thing with a start.

"Hiei!" he called out, trying to jump up, but failing miserably. Yusuke grabbed his shoulders to prevent him from springing up again as Kuwabara gripped under his arms to break his fall back down. Kurama just slumped as the two of them returned him to his sitting/leaning position against the couch.

"Hiei?" Kuwabara asked. "The shrimp did this to you?"

"No! Hiei was here, with me. I...we...dinner...sofa..." Kurama muttered as he slowly remembered the events of the evening....

***flashback***

Kurama slept comfortably with Hiei's warm weight on top of him. They were snuggled together, just enjoying each other's embrace. A sudden crash at the front door startled them both. Hiei jumped up to face the threat, but collapsed to the ground as he was struck on the head from behind. The intruders had already come in silently through the window; breaking down the door was a diversion.

Kurama turned to catch his lover, but other arms grasped Hiei from behind and pulled him away from the fox. Kurama's eyes narrowed at the demon scum that dared to come between him and his koiishi. Resolutely, his hand moved to his hair to withdraw his rose, but a crushing grip on his wrist stopped him. Someone had come up behind him, and he had not even detected them. The grip tightened, and pulled the kitsune around to face the gripper. Dark, twisted eyes bore straight into his own.

"Hello there, my Little Foxy," a deep voice teased him. Kurama tried to pull his wrist from the hold, but found himself unable to break free. This demon was much stronger than he looked, than he should be.

"You may have heard of me, Kurama. I am Intaro," the other continued.

"What do you want from me?" Kurama spat out contemptuously.

"Only my due. You robbed me of something, Little Foxy. I will have it. I will take it, little by little. I'll start with your friend...your lover." A cold, sadistic gleam twinkled in the demon's dark eyes. Kurama's blood ran cold at this. The thought of losing Hiei was terrible, but losing him to some twisted demon's plans of revenge was unacceptable. Kurama snatched his arm from the other's hold, and prepared to summon his death tree. Intaro just smiled as he struck out, faster than it seemed possible, and spun Kurama around. The last thing Kurama heard was, "Remember, it's all your fault." Then he felt something hit the side of his head, and he knew no more.

***End flashback***

These memories flooded back into Kurama's mind. He shook violently, and lurched to the side, as the nausea overcame him. When he was finished retching, he continued shaking. "My fault," he repeated over to himself. "My fault."

Kuwabara laid one of the towels over the mess on the floor, and asked Kurama, "What's your fault? Kurama, look at me! Talk to me! What is your fault?"

With tears starting in his eye, Kurama's still fuzzy gaze turned to the taller boy. "Intaro was here. He took Hiei. He said it's my fault." With that the fox leaned heavily against the sofa, unable to hold himself up any longer.

Yusuke motioned for Kuwabara to join him in the kitchen, while the kitsune laid his head on the sofa weakly. "He can't stay here. I know his step dad tossed him out, but I really think we should take him to his mom's place. I think he needs a doctor," he said softly. Kuwabara nodded in agreement.

"Why did they take the shrimp?" he wondered aloud.

"It's Kurama's only weakness. His family and friends are the only way to really get to him. I guess they took Hiei because he was here. It must be worse to see your friends get taken away than to just get a note or something. I mean, you saw how sick he got when he remembered." The two then returned to the living room to collect their friend.

Shiori was just finishing cleaning up after dinner when the doorbell rang. She hummed merrily as she went to answer the door. The tune died on her lips at the sight that greeted her. Yusuke and Kuwabara stood on either side of her son, holding him up. Blood was caked to the side of his head, and ran down his clothing. He could barely lift his head, and seemed unaware of his surroundings.

"Shuuichi! My god, what happened to him?" she cried. Yusuke and Kuwabara dragged him inside, and Shiori led them to the couch to lay him down. The towel on his head had come loose, and the wound was bleeding again. Kuwabara quickly began applying pressure.

Yusuke turned to face Shiori. Glancing quickly around the room to make sure it was empty, he responded in a soft voice. "You know what he is, right?" Shiori nodded. "Another demon is after him, and we heard a report that the demon is in the area. When we went to check on Kurama, we found him out cold. The other demon jumped him. The bastard also took Hiei hostage." Shiori's eyes widened at this, and she covered her mouth with her hands. Yusuke continued, "Kurama was unconscious when we arrived, and when he awoke he didn't remember very much. When he finally did remember, he got really sick. Now he's just kind of out of it. We didn't know where else to take him."

Shiori nodded. "You were right to bring him here. He needs a doctor. His doctor should still be in the office, and may be able to make a house call. Would you two take him upstairs to his room?" With that she rushed over to the phone and made the call. Yusuke and Kuwabara gently lifted the fox and carried him to his old bedroom.