Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Demon's Kin ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

Demon's Kin

By: calikocat

Word count: 3464

 

 

A/N: One more chapter after this! Woohoo!

 

XXX

 

“So have you told them about me at all?” Yusuke asked as he attempted to follow his younger brother through the throng of students eager to leave campus.

 

“I might have told them to meet me in the library for something important on a life changing scale.” Xander threw a smirk over his shoulder. “I thought I'd leave the giant blue chicken for you to explain.”

 

Yusuke rolled his eyes. “He's not a chicken, he's a spirit beast, and I'm not gonna tell your friends that I've got a giant pet bird named Puu. I do have my pride.”

 

“Pride is overrated.” Xander muttered. The comment made Yusuke frown and pause in the middle of the hallway, it was a mistake because Xander moved on ahead, leaving him swimming in a pool of unwanted adolescent hormones. He sighed and started walking again when a hand touched his shoulder, lightly tapping it to get his attention. Turning around he met the gaze of the brunette that had checked him out that morning.

 

“I've been looking for you all day! Well not all day, my schedule is too busy to give that much thought to someone as rude as you. What were you thinking looking at me like that and then walking by without introducing yourself?” Her stern tone turned lighter and she smiled at him. “I'm Cordelia by the way, Cordelia Chase. And you are?”

 

Yusuke took a step back, eyeing her warily, he had a feeling she'd be trouble. “Lady, you smiled and I nodded to be polite, then I went on with my day.”

 

Her smiling eyes grew a little harder, her voice becoming clipped. “You seem a little confused; I take it your new here.” She took a step forward, and looked him in the eye, her gaze as cold as ice. “Here's how things work at this school. I rule the scene, I decide who's cool and who's a social leper.”

 

Yusuke smirked, and put his hands on her shoulders to push her away gently and to keep from losing ground. “You're also jail bait, and I'm not a student here, but most importantly, I'm happily engaged, and my fiancée is a hell of a lot scarier than you.”

 

Before Cordelia could verbally attack him Xander zipped to his side. “I thought you could keep up, the crowd of kids too much for ya?” He barely glanced at Cordelia. “Come on, I wanna introduce you to the girls.”

 

“Hey, super dork, we were talking, and who gave you permission to stand so close to me?” Cordelia snapped.

 

“And now you're not.” Xander grinned at her and waved as he pulled Yusuke along with him as he made a semi-quick get away. “I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I left my brother alone to face the deadly verbal sparing that is Queen C.” He continued to drag Yusuke away, leaving Cordelia gaping like a fish.

 

“BROTHER?” As soon as she said it her mouth snapped shut, people were starting to stare, well the ones that barely qualified as people anyway. But a glare sent them scurrying, and soothed her ego a little. “Hmph. I should have known he was a loser, especially if he's Harris's brother.” She turned and stalked back the way she had come.

 

xxx

 

"I'm telling you Giles, something is up with Xander. He was much more Xander-ish today." Giles gave her a look. "He was bouncy, well bouncier than usual anyway."

Willow nodded, her eyes widened. "He has a secret! I should have figured it out before! Xander has always been like that when he had a secret! He even told us to meet him here after last period…"

Buffy whirled on her friend. "A secret? Like a bug lady girlfriend who might bite his head off or rip out his heart? Giles we need to research! What other kinds of demons stalk bouncy Xander-shaped boys?"

Giles took his glasses in his hands and proceeded to polish the lenses. "Buffy, I can assure you that Xander is in no danger, he is simply excited."

Willow looked relieved for all of two seconds. "Why is he excited? Is it a good excited?"

"Is there any other kind of excited besides good excited?" Xander asked as he came into the Library, followed by an older version of himself.

Buffy's eyes bugged and she made incomplete sounds of surprise as she pointed at Yusuke.

"Xander?" Willow looked from her friend to the stranger beside him and back again.

Xander only smiled at his oldest friend before his gaze transferred to their guest. "Guys, this is my brother Yusuke Urameshi. Yusuke these are my best friends, Willow and Buffy. And you know Giles already."

Yusuke smiled at the girls. "Nice to meet you."

Buffy whirled on Giles. "You knew why Xander was especially bouncy today and you didn't tell us!" She pouted.

Giles was unmoved as he returned his glasses to their proper place. "I was sworn to secrecy, I believe Xander wanted it to be a surprise."

The pout eased and she sighed. "I'll forgive you this time, but no more secrets, secrets are bad."

Willow blushed, but nodded. "Because secrets can lead to stalkers."

Yusuke gave them odd looks and Xander shrugged. "We all tend to attract the freaks—“

“Older adult-type freaks.” Buffy added.

“Yeah, the kind that prey on high school kids and pretend to be hu-things they're not. And…and that's just so--”

“Wrong.” Buffy nudged Willow. “You were starting to babble.”

Willow blushed again and looked at Yusuke as if in apology. “I babble when I'm nervous.”

Xander grinned. “Nothing to be nervous about Wills.”

“Unless you're the next victim of someone that doesn't like taking no for an answer.” Yusuke gestured to the door they'd come through. “Does she always do that?”

“Only to any guy she considers good enough to wear on her arm. No offense Yusuke, but you don't look eighteen. That's why she thought you were a transfer, and fresh meat.” Xander grinned impishly. “He had a run in with our resident Teen Queen.”

Buffy and Willow shared a knowing look. “Cordelia is one of Sunnydale's less accommodating attractions.” Buffy grimaced. “It's a shame you had to meet her at all.”

“Well he'll be safe now; Cordelia knows he's my brother. She won't look twice at him now.”

Yusuke snorted. “Works for me, Keiko would kick my ass for leading any girl on, even on accident. And I'd rather not spend my honey moon on the couch.”

Xander and Yusuke moved further into the library to lounge with the others at the counter.

“Did you find anything interesting in your wanderings of the town?” Giles asked. Buffy shot her watcher a withering look. “Oh for gods' sake Buffy, Yusuke was here earlier to talk to me and discuss Xander's well being, since I've somehow managed to become some sort of father figure to all of you.”

“Sorry.”

“You haven't even heard the best part Buff. Yusuke bumped into Snyder this morning, and you know how Snyder is evil in the evil principal sense? My big bro here is immune to evil adult mojo, and Snyder is scared of him.”

Yusuke blinked at the surprise and near worship that suddenly appeared in both girls' eyes. Buffy batted her lashes at him and smiled to let him know she was kidding. “You are my new favorite person.”

He raised an eyebrow at the exchange, but dismissed it and gave the blond a sheepish smile. “That's good, because I somehow managed to get invited to your house for dinner.”

 

“Yusuke ended up at your mom's gallery, and saw the picture of us on her desk. There was a mutual aha! moment and now we're coming to dinner.”

 

“You don't mind do you?” Yusuke asked.

 

“Nah, mom's like that sometimes. And since you're Xander's brother it's cool. What were you doing in her gallery? You don't seem like an artsy-kinda guy.”

 

Yusuke laughed. “I'll agree with that. But my fiancée, Keiko, is big on art and other classy things. I'm a much more simple kind of guy.”

 

There was a moment of awkward silence in which Buffy cautiously glanced at Giles. “So if we're going to have company for dinner, that means I should leave with them.”

 

“We have a while, your mom said to be there by seven thirty.” Yusuke offered. “If you have something to do we can go hang out somewhere else until then.”

 

Buffy looked at Giles, her lower lip already sticking out a bit in the beginnings of a pout. “Giles, can we skip the tr-studying tonight?” The Libraian rolled his eyes.

 

“Not completely.” He shared a look with Yusuke and smiled. “Buffy has some `studying' to do, give us an hour or so then you can all go to dinner at her home.”

 

Yusuke nodded. “Don't study too hard kid; you'll fry your brain that way.” He grinned and clapped a hand on Xander's shoulder. “Let's go Xander, you can show me that club you were talking about.”

 

“The Bronze? That will be a problem, it will be another thirty minutes before they open.”

 

Buffy tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Xander, we have an algebra test next week. Maybe you should study too.” She grinned at the study part.

 

Xander waved her off. “That's a week away Buff. You know Willow will drill us a couple of days before.”

 

Willow rolled her eyes. “I'd better go with them Buffy. If I know Xander they'll end up at the ice cream shop.”

 

“Gotcha, don't want our bestest bud to spoil his appetite.” Buffy grinned and Xander snorted. “I'll see you guys at my house.”

 

“Later Buff!” Xander waved as he and Willow flanked Yusuke who laughed at their questions.

 

Buffy smiled at them as they left and turned to Giles. “Can I at least call my Mom and ask if Willow can come to dinner too?”

 

Giles sighed and nodded. “If you're quick about it.”

 

“Thanks Giles.” She bounced over to the phone on the counter and proceeded to dial. Giles smiled as he watched her.

 

xxx

 

Yusuke wasn't really all that familiar with Western food, sure he'd had fast food, McDonald's was everywhere. But his second home cooked meal was something he'd remember for a long time. The food Jessica had cooked was better than anything his mom had ever tried to do…but Joyce was obviously some sort of expert. As a result both he and Xander practically inhaled their food.

 

“Xander…you do know the pork chop isn't going to run away right?” Willow smiled at her oldest friend. “You don't have to eat so fast.”

 

He grinned back. “Come on Wills, you know how I am around good food.” He glanced at Yusuke. “I think it's a family trait.”

 

“Hey, the only time my mom cooks is when she's wasted, and it's never safe to eat whatever it is.” Yusuke grimaced at the memory.

 

Joyce smiled wearily at both boys, feeling a little heartsick that neither one had had proper nutrition during their childhoods. “There are a couple of pork chops left. I'll wrap them up and you can take them home with you Xander.”

 

Xander blinked at her and was about to decline the offer, but Buffy, who was sitting on his left gave him a nudge under the table. He met her eyes briefly and smiled. “Thanks Mrs. Summers.”

 

Satisfied with that Joyce picked up her plate and headed toward the kitchen. “Don't go anywhere.” She called over her shoulder. “There's ice cream for dessert.”

 

“Didn't you already have ice cream?” Buffy asked Xander.

 

“Yeah and?” He gave her a serious glance. “You sure about the pork chops Buffy?”

 

“Yeah, we don't always eat the leftovers.” She snuck a look towards the doorway to the kitchen before whispering. “And I don't really like pork chops that much anyway.”

 

Xander grinned. “Kay, thanks Buff.”

 

“No problem.”

 

Yusuke smiled as he took his plate into the kitchen. “Hey, thanks for that. Jessica cooked last night but it was nothing like this.”

 

Joyce returned the smile as she wrapped the two remaining pork chops in foil. “I do my best to make sure he always feels welcome here. Willow too, you know her parents are never around. I've at least ran into Jessica at the grocery, but the Rosenberg's are always out of town.”

 

“Poor kids. Good thing you and Giles are around.”

 

“Giles? Oh, the librarian they all think so highly of. Yes he is just wonderful with them. Its too bad he doesn't have children of his own. But I'm glad they have him to look up to. He's a good role model, don't you think?”

 

“Yeah.” He rinsed his plate in the sink. “Hey Joyce.”

 

“Yes Yusuke.”

 

“If you and Buffy ever need anything have Giles get in touch with me.”

 

“Oh, that's okay Yusuke.”

 

He shook his head. “No, I mean it. You're both very important to Xander, so if you need anything you let me know through Giles.”

 

Joyce nodded, touched by his sincerity. “I will.” The moment passed and Joyce moved toward the doorway. “Get some bowls down for me will you Yusuke? They're to your left in the cabinet. I'll go see what kind of ice cream they want.”

 

“Sure.”

 

She left the kitchen and Yusuke opened the cabinet and reached for the bowls that were on the top shelf. A movement on the other side of the window caught his eye. A man was slowly backing away from the glass, trying to blend in with the shadows. Yusuke glared at him and flashed a bit of fang. The man's face changed and Yusuke's glare became deadly as he silently snarled at the vampire, warning him off. The vampire snarled back but continued to disappear into the night.

 

xxx

 

On the way back to the house Xander's babble was a near constant presence; it was sort of a soothing thing that he was still getting used to. But he kept his up his guard just in case the vampire from the Summer's house was following them. But so far so good, the only demons he'd seen had immediately slinked away once they caught sight of him. It was good to be king.

 

“This has been the best day ever…except for the part where you made me go to school. That part wasn't fun.”

 

Yusuke smirked as he walked beside his brother. “You'll live.”

 

They had just set foot on the front lawn when the sound of glass breaking stopped them in their tracks.

 

“Or not.” Xander muttered. “Well…this was the best day ever…now it's gonna be the worst night ever.”

 

A man's voice shouted and they heard a woman shriek before something else breakable shattered inside the house. Yusuke frowned, not sure what to do. He didn't want Xander in there, but leaving Jessica on her own wasn't the best option either. He glanced at his little brother and the sight shocked him. The bouncy youth had shrunk in on himself, his very presence seemed muted somehow. In the back of his mind Yusuke realized that Xander was able to hide his aura, the result of a natural instinct that had been grilled into him from a young age.

 

The sight of his newfound and treasured sibling made Yusuke's choice much easier. “Come on.” He grasped the hand that wasn't holding the pork chops and gave it a squeeze. Xander's empty eyes met his and they regained a bit of their strength. He nodded at Yusuke and they went inside.

 

“Jessica! Get yer ass out here! You stupid bitch.” Tony Harris yelled as he pounded on the door of the downstairs bathroom. “Get out here now!” He continued to pound on the door, occasionally stopping to take a swig from the bottle of cheap liquor in his other hand. He drank the last bit and smashed it against the door. “It'll be worse if you don't come out now Jessie. You know that.” He grunted.

 

Tony looked up and squinted at the sudden appearance of two boys in the hallway. “The hell you doin' bringin' home a boy?” Tony slurred.

 

“You don't…you don't look so good dad, maybe you should go sleep it off a little. I'll clean up the glass.” Xander took a tentative step forward.

 

“You tryin' to tell me what to do boy?” Tony made a grab for Xander but the taller kid pushed Xander behind him. “Get outta my house punk.” He snarled and took a swing at the kid.

 

The next thing Tony Harris knew he was slammed against the wall, he blinked as his legs gave out and he slid down. He put his hand to his face, and looked shocked to see the blood shining in the dim light. He looked up and finally noticed that the kid look an awful lot like his worthless son. But with his blurred vision it was hard to be sure.

 

“Don't ever lay a hand on Xander again. Got it? Dad?” Tony gaped at the kid. “You know who I am now?”

 

Tony tried to nod, but his head hurt too much to move it much. “Atsuko.” He murmured.

 

“That's right pops. I'm Yusuke Urameshi. Atsuko's son.” He leaned down and growled at Tony. “You hurt them again old man, and I'll know.” He grinned, baring his fangs even more as he stood up straight. The grin turned to a smirk as Tony passed out. “Piece of crap, that's what you are.” Yusuke did his best to ignore the urge to kick Harris and turned to look at Xander. The poor kid was shaking and his eyes were clenched shut.

 

A feeling of despair did it's best to surround Yusuke's heart and he pushed it way as he reached for his little brother, hoping the display with Tony hadn't scared him so bad he'd want nothing to do with him. He wrapped his arms around Xander and the boy's legs gave out and he gently sank with him to the floor. Xander whimpered and began to shake harder and Yusuke pulled the smaller boy into his lap and began to rock him back and forth. In the background he could hear Jessica crying behind the still locked bathroom door.

 

“I've got you Xander. I've got you.” He whispered every reassurance he could think of into his little brother's hair and kissed the top of his head, all the while rocking him, even after the kid had stopped shaking.

 

It seemed like hours before Xander's breathing had evened out and his heart had slowed to a steady beat. “Poor kid.” He'd fallen asleep in Yusuke's arms. Very carefully he rose, still holding Xander, who clung to him, even in his sleep. The trip upstairs was slow and quiet and Xander was so still it scared him a little.

 

Xander's room was dark but he had no trouble making it to the bed and laying Xander down on it, though it took some doing to get the kid to let go of him. He removed the kid's shoes and pulled the covers over him and made his way back toward the door.

 

“Pork chops.” Xander's whisper was barely audible but Yusuke still heard it and smiled a little.

 

Back down stairs he picked up the pork chops from the floor where Xander had dropped them and nudged Tony away from the bathroom door. “Jessica.” Silence greeted his voice. “Jessica its Yusuke. Tony's unconscious, you can come out now.” The door opened just a bit and she peeked out.

 

“It's safe Jessica. Go on the bed. Xander is already sleeping.”

 

Her eyes were red from crying and she was shaking a little. Her right eye would be black tomorrow. “Thank you. You're a good brother.” She tried to smile as she hurried past him and toward the stairs.

 

Yusuke made a detour to the kitchen and put the pork chops inside before returning to the slouched form that was Tony Harris. He sneered at the unconscious man and proceeded to drag him by his ankles down the hall and out the front door. Once they were a good distance from the house Yusuke stopped dragging him and crouched down beside him, wrinkling his nose at the smell. He counted himself lucky that Atsuko wasn't a mean drunk.

 

“I'm leaving you out here tonight dad. I hope you get eaten. It would make Xander's life a lot easier. He has enough to deal with. He really doesn't need a bastard like you making his life hell. That kid is a better man than you or I will ever be.” Yusuke stood and walked away, never looking back at the unconscious form.

 

XXX