Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ End of An Age ❯ End of An Age ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Hiei ran across the field, breath coming from his lips raggedly. I'm late! I'm late! Had he been paying any attention to his thoughts, the allusion to Alice in Wonderland would have made him smile. But at the moment, the only worry he had was making it to class on time. Skidding frantically around a corner, he ran straight into another student.
"Hey! Watch it!" She said, scowling fiercely as she bent to retrieve her fallen papers.
"Oh, ah, yeah, sorry! Bye!" And he was off again.
"Hmph! And they say chivalry isn't dead!"

***

"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Urakawa. Please take your seat." Kurama Shuiichi turned back to the board, just missing the fierce blush that marred Hiei's face.
"Nice," Yusuke Urameshi hissed at him.
"Shut up. Did I miss anything?"
"No. You were only five minutes late. And that begs the question, Why?" Yusuke bent over his paper, pretending to take notes.
"That's none of your damn buisness." Hiei watched Mr. Shuiichi write an obscure equation of Quantum Physics on the board, and copied it to his own paper.
"Hmph. If you can't make up a good excuse for me, how are you going to give a good one to HIM?" Yusuke said, nodding at the Professor.
"Hm...uh, my dog got sick?"
"Used that one last week."
"Breakfast caught on fire?"
"Three days ago." sighed.
"What haven't I used yet?" thought for a moment.
"My girlfriend got pregnant and so I had to marry her?" shook his head.
"No good. Don't have a girlfriend."
"Hm. Well, those are all my good ones." The bell rang. "Remember, improv., improv., improv.!"
"Gee, thanks," Hiei muttered as he made his way to the front. The Professor turned and looked at him.
"Mr. Urakawa, you do realize that this is your 12th tardy this term?" The dissapproval was very clear to Hiei.
"Yes, sir," he muttered.
"And are you also aware that this means you will have to stay after classes every day for the rest of the year?"looked up sharply.
"No, I didn't know that." If I had, I wouldn't have slept in so much.....
Kurama's brilliant green eyes reguarded him thoughtfully.
"Hm. Well, since I have no intention of staying here after school is out, you shall have to stop by my home to catch up on your work and receve tutoring." dug around in his pocket for a moment, then pulled out a piece of crumpled paper and began to write on it.
"This is the address; be there by four or I shall have to send someone out to find you. And believe me, Mr. Urakawa, you do NOT want me to have to do that."gulped at the open threat.
"Yes, sir."
"Good. Now get to your next class so THEY can punish you."

***

"Well, this appears to be the place," Hiei muttered, looking back at the piece of paper to confirm it. Then he glanced down at his watch. Good, only 3:50.
"Amazing."jumped and looked behind him to discover a pleasantly smiling Kurama.
"You made it here before I did. I expected you to be late, like usual."
"Hn. You said be here by four. So I am."
"Too bad you aren't that punctual in the mornings, hm? Otherwise you wouldn't need to be here." a key out of his blazer, Kurama nodded that Hiei should follow him. He unlocked the door, and they both stepped inside.
It was rather plain, but quite large, larger then Kurama should have been able to afford on just his Teacher's salary. Noticing Hiei's look, Kurama laughed. Hiei looked at him inquiringly.
"Ah, you noticed. Well, I also happen to be a writer, so it was easily affordable. Please," he gestured to a comfortable looking chair, "make yourself comfortable. I have a few things I need to do before we start, so I'll be along shortly." He left, and Hiei decided to look around.
There were extensive selections of books and CDs littering the numerous book shelves. A few throw rugs were scattered around the room, a particularly large one in front of the plain fire-place.
This is the kind of place I want to live in... he thought, flashing back on his small roach-infested apartment. Repressing a revolted shudder at the thought of his "room-mates", he continued his investigation.
He was looking at an odd print by someone named M.C. Escher when Kurama re-entered the room. He cleared his throat discreetly, and was rewarded with Hiei jumping and stumbling in his haste to turn around. Kurama smiled and nodded to the picture.
"Do you like it? It was drawn by a Dutch artist in the seventies." He seated himself in one of the two chairs and sipped at the tea he had brought with him.
"It's....different."
"That's why I like it. Well, if you'll sit down, we can get started. Do you have your book with you?"
"....Yes...."
"Good. Then open it up to page 374 and we'll get started...."

***

"So, how did it go?" Yusuke asked the next morning.
"It went fine. I got caught up a bit, so now I'm only 6 weeks behind..."flintched.
"Ouch. You mean you have to go back?"
"Every day for the rest of the year. After I get caught up, he's going to tutor me."got a thoughtful look on his face.
"You don't think he....nah."
"What?"
"Nothing."growled.
"Tell me, Urameshi, or you can send Keiko some flowers and a permanant good-bye card."stepped back a bit, but Hiei advanced.
"Tell me. NOW."
"Fine! You don't think he.....likes you, do you?"stopped.
"What?!"held his hands up in surrender.
"It was just a thought, so chill!"
"Damn it, Urameshi, don't MESS with me like that.."
"Sorry!"put his hands in his pockets.
"So, uh...."
"What now?"
"Are you going to ask him out?"
came into class later that morning with a black eye and a swollen lip.

***
Hiei finished the paper and handed it over to Kurama, who looked it over and nodded in approval.
"I'm most pleased, Mr. Urakawa. You're catching up at an amazing rate. Which makes me wonder why you were doing so poorly-"
"Um, Professor?"
"Yes?"
"Do you REALLY have to call me Mr. Urakawa?"
"I'm sorry, does it bother you?"
"Not really, I just don't like it. It makes me feel....."
"Old?" Kurama supplied.
"No, just....odd."nodded.
"Alright then. What would you have me call you?"small voice whispered in the back of Hiei's mind.
Koibito.....
He mentally shook his head and buried that thought in the darkest reaches of space.
"Hiei."
Fine, then...Hiei. If you like, you can call me Kurama. But you should still address me as 'Professor' at school."nodded.
"Okay, you can go home now, Hiei, you're done for the day."rose slowly, almost reluctantly from his chair. Kurama noticed and commented.
"Is something wrong, Hiei?"
"Hm? Oh, no. I was just wondering...."
"Yes?"
"Could I stay for a little while?"nodded.
"You can stay as long as you like."sighed in relief.
"Thanks. It's just that...well....my apartment is being...fumigated."raised a delicate eyebrow.
"Oh? Are you room-mates that bad?" He laughed at his joke, and Hiei began to relax. then, he noticed a slim shadow slinking into the room. Kurama followed his gaze, and smiled lovingly at the cat.
"Ah, Hiei, this is Kohaku. She's MY room-mate."cat jumped lightly into Hiei's lap, and began to purr loudly.
"You don't......live with anyone?"
Like it's any of your buisness, dumb-ass.... shook his head.
"No, it's just Kohaku and I."felt his heart skip a happy little beat without knowing why.
"Oh."
"So, how old are you, Hiei?"question caught him a bit by surprise.
"Me?"nodded.
"Yes, you."
"Oh, um..I'm nineteen."nodded again.
"Good age to be."surprised himself by asking,
"How old are you?"
"I'll be twenty-three in the spring."
"But-! You're so-"
"Young? Yes. I graduated when I was 16, then became a Professor."
"How did you do that?"was amazed.gave him a small smile.
"When I was a child, I was very....intelligent, so my parents had me sent to a school for gifted youngsters. I did well, even beyond their expectations, and decided that I wanted to share my gifts with others. So I became a teacher. I really do enjoy it, but....."
"But what?"seemed to come back to himself and gave a bitter little laugh.
"Oh, well, being so young, and teaching at a College, the older Professors seem to think that I'm incompetent and underprepared. In other words, they don't like me. But why.....why am I telling YOU this?"shook his head slowly.
"I don't know. Um....K-Kurama...."looked up, piercing Hiei with a gaze. Hiei's heart nearly stopped in his chest. Which, he reflected on later, might have been the cause for the stupid things he said next.
"Yes, Hiei?"
"Not everyone hates you."look again.
"Oh?"
"No. In fact...."
"......"
"I like you. I like you.....alot...."lowered his head and looked at the ground, blushing. He jumped a bit when he heard Kurama move and a shadow decended over him. He looked up.
Oh, gods, those eyes.....
Kurama wore a small thoughtful frown.
".....Hiei....."the way he said it made shivers travel up and down Hiei's spine. Not quite sure what he was doing, he abruptly stood up, and pulled the startled taller man into a soul-searing kiss.
Yes, Yusuke was right....this IS what I want..... reverie was shattered when he was pushed away.
"What...what are you doing, Hiei?"what he had just done, Hiei paled.
"Oh, no, Kurama, I'm so sorry-"
"I think," Kurama said, cutting him off, "that you should go."
"I...Kurama...."hearing his name, Kurama whipped around, and pinned Hiei in place with a hot glare.
"Do you have ANY idea what you have just done?"
"No."let out a little growl, and pulled Hiei in for another kiss.
"You have just let loose a very volatile demon."