Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Goodbye, Lady Luck ❯ Heavy Stakes ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Warning: This will contain yaoi, so all you homophobes need to go away. Also, this fic will contain mature themes, but due to certain 'advice' there will be no lemons. Don't worry, I never intended for this fic to revolve around sex anyway. More like remotely orbit.

AN: Sorry that it took so long to dish out the second chapter. I've been a little pressed for time going to a major university whose midterms are this week and all. For those of you who couldn't stand the suspense, I will reveal the pairings…actually, come to think of it, I wouldn't call it a 'pairing.' Ooops, I've said too much. @_@ *sweat drop*
Please forgive me.

Special thanks go to everyone who reviewed. It makes me deliriously happy! *sobb! I need a tissue.* I'm going to work really hard on getting out the next chapter. I'm so excited about this fic. I'm going to try something that I've never seen before (and I've seen a LOT of YYH fics).

Chapter Two: Heavy Stakes

He had to admit, this place rated as one of the worst mud pits he had ever visited. Hiei looked dejectedly up the tree. There was no possible way that he could trust it to support his weight. To tell the truth, he was surprised that the thing could stand upright at all, what with its spindly trunk and branches of half-rotted flesh. Fighting back a sigh, he squished his way along, globs of wet dirt and reeds actually flying along as he went. Despite the sludgy terrain, Hiei set a swift pace through the swamp, as long as he paid careful attention to his footing. First, put foot down, then quickly replace it with its twin to keep oneself from sinking to the eyeballs…simple really…up, down, up, down…his speed surging up waves reminiscent of water skiing…up, down…up…down…he wanted to hurt something.

A grating noise cut through the air.

"EWWW! This stuff is wedging up my pants! Hey! Wait up, Midget!" Actually, he wanted to hurt someONE. For the last two hours, Kuwabara had provided nonstop commentary of the passing environment and the mission in general, involving an articulate array of disgusting expletives and whiny remarks that had Hiei contemplating the different ways to slice ningen. Finally he decided that enough was enough and this particular ningen had pushed his luck too far. Hiei slowed to a standstill and waited with calm patience for the lumbering human's approach until only a few meters separated them. In a seemingly lazy blur of movement, he pressed the tip of his blade to the boy's suddenly very twitchy throat and spoke in a soft, deadly voice.

"If I have to tell you one more time to keep your big mouth shut, I will make sure that you remember by cutting out your tongue and shoving it down your throat with my katana." Hiei smirked into Kuwabara's saucer-wide eyes and pressed his sword deeper, almost drawing blood. "Do we understand?" The dark, anticipatory look on his teammate's face was duly noted, and since moving his head too much did not seem to be a healthy idea, Kuwabara's nod of affirmation and faint squeak were all but imperceptible. Only after Hiei had withdrawn his sword and his lungs lurched in vehement protest, did Kuwabara realize he was holding his breath. He let it out as quietly as he could so that it hissed between his clenched teeth. The fire demon approved and turned away without so much as a second glance.

"Good, now let's go." Once his katana was properly sheathed and they were marching through the marshes again, Hiei allowed himself a small smile in celebration of the blessed silence. In his opinion, he had handled the situation rather well considering if he hadn't, he would have to explain to Yusuke why his human friend was returned lacking in certain extremities. Namely, his head. Tracing his thoughts back to what happened the last time someone had hurt Kuwabara, at the Dark Tournament, his mind flinched. That would not be an enjoyable conversation. Despite his face-saving remarks of inflicting eminent vengeance, Hiei did not relish the thought of challenging the brash young detective because for one, he wasn't entirely sure that the kid couldn't thrash is ass, and two, feelings toward him had changed. Hiei wasn't sure which development he liked less, the fact that the human's strength just wouldn't stop growing, or that his own emerging senses of respect and loyalty wouldn't either.

Only one other person in his entire life had evoked these types of emotions before, so he went to Kurama, the person in question, for some advice. Hiei remembered the moment very clearly. As he lay encircled in the slender arms and bare chest of his lover, with his lovely fingers making smooth, light circles on his back, all of the confusion and emotions surrounding the enigma that was Yusuke poured from his lips. Surprisingly enough, the fox not only understood Hiei's swirled mix of feelings, but mirrored them as well. After the dual confessions, both rested in each others arms in contemplative silence until the fire demon could stand it no longer.

"I know the problem," growling, he burst forth, "the stupid kid is just too damn trusting."

"And he's compassionate." Kurama added with a half-crooked grin.

"And reckless."

"Brave too."

"Arrogant."

"Sexy as Hell."

"…"

Hiei blinked and looked up into Kurama's face. So, the fox knew all along.

"Unavailable." They both slumped somewhat and Kurama tightened his embrace. His beryl eyes darkened before they closed.

"I know."

Fate was a bitch.

Back in the present, Hiei set his memories aside as he had just crested a hill affording a nice view of the surrounding lands. To his relief, he discovered that the moisture of the southlands was receding into rather humid subtropics that sported a sparse amount of well-sized trees, but certainly more than he had seen all day. Along with the woody vegetation, clumps and thickets of stiff reeds obscured the horizon and he could make out the hazy outline of dormant volcanoes. Hiei snorted, 'which explained the smell.' He wondered briefly if there were any fresh water lakes or springs nearby, but quickly dismissed the thought. Any clear water to be had in this gods-forsaken dump would have been long contaminated and dissociated with acids from the igneous rocks of the Sickness Mountains. Or to be precise, the Iuktai Hadiatsa, as they were referred to in Ancient Makai.

Hiei frowned. So why did the Bossy Brat of Death feel that the ancient names of the formations were important, but neglect to mention that the towering ridges were really huge, potentially dangerous, erupting denizens of doom? Maybe he was being overly dramatic…and maybe Koenma was laughing his ass off about now. Anyway, Hiei was beginning to have sneaking suspicions about this entire 'mission.' If this all turned out to be nothing more than a joke, whoever had planned it would not be laughing for very long. Or ever again for that matter.

At this time, Kuwabara, who was always about half a mile behind, finally caught up. Puffing for air and red in the face, he hunched over with his palms on his knees. Hiei favored him with a disgusted look before moving downwind. The fool had once again forgotten to wear deodorant. Kuwabara was either completely oblivious or choosing to ignore him and continued to gasp for oxygen. This would not do.

"Stinking idiot."

Kuwabara's head jerked, "What did you say?!" He was positively livid and understandably so. All day he had been subject to the shrimp's every whim and had been treated worse than dirt on top of it, not to mention he was still put out over the whole threatening-sword incident from earlier. In spite of his lack of spirit strength, his reikai awareness was nothing to josh at. He was Kuwabara Kazuma, dammit! Part of the Team! He wanted respect and he wanted it now!

Hiei, who couldn't give a rat's ass and set out to prove it, gleefully replied with a sneer, "You heard me, reeking piece of filth. I don't suppose that it occurred to your tiny brain that since we are in enemy territory it would be a smart idea to find a way to mask at least some of your scent. But then again, maybe this is a good way to avoid trouble. I know if I had a choice, I wouldn't want to come any closer than a few miles."

At this, Kuwabara rounded on him with a shriek of indignation, "Why you little pipsqueak…c'mere,,,stand still and fight like a man!" Hiei dodged his wild fists expertly and tsked tsked.

"You should really watch your temper, Ningen. Anger will bring you nothing except an early grave." He was actually starting to feel entertained as he watched the human's face turn three shades of red; it made him think of the distant volcanoes and he half expected to see hot magma billow from his ears. Hiei sucked in a quick breath to stiffle his laughter and abruptly all thoughts of the game were lost. He absently felt Kuwabara's knuckles crash into his jaw, but only on a secondary level. The wind brought a much more shocking blow.

Kuwabara, unnerved by the sudden vacant stare of the fire demon, paused in his rampage. "Huh, what's up, Shrimp?"

Hiei started and looked at him with haunted eyes before whispering, "Blood in the air, Yusuke's blood. Lots of it."

Before the teen could fully process the words, Hiei had vanished and he was left alone on the hilltop, echoes of what Hiei had said resounding in his head, making him worry.

After all, it took a lot to make Yusuke bleed.

SB* yah! ^-^ Chapter two is DONE, Baby!*

Babymuse* You rang?"*

SB* Naw, it's four in the morning. I'm going to bed. I hope ya'll are happy now.*

Babymuse* grumbling* I've done all the work, why do you get to sleep?*