Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Love Lost ❯ Murder at Botan's ( Chapter 2 )

If I owned him, you would be seeing this in a bookstore, not online.

 

Hiei: Him?

 

TNHH: Er… heh heh… It! I meant… IT!

 

Botan: *blinks*

 

Yukina: *attempts to understand why Hiei locked Kurama in a closet*

 

Yuusuke & Kuwabara: *snore*

 

Koenma: *hides under his desk from Tsukiko*

 

Tsukiko: *clears throat*

 

TNHH: OH! Right. I DO, however, own Tsukiko. And Shiori's baby. And Tsukiko's baby.

 

(In the closet, Kurama's eye has stopped twitching)

 

*-*

 

 

Last time:

 

Hiei got permission to hurt Yuusuke.

 

Kurama wore a tank top.

 

“I'm Tsukiko, sister to Yoko Kurama…”

 

“You lied to me…”

 

“SISTER?!”

 

*-*

 

 

“Yes, Yuusuke, sister. Where is Kuwabara?”

 

Yuusuke cleared his throat. “I think Hiei locked him in a closet. With Keiko.” He looked faintly guilty.

 

“Hn.”

 

Yuusuke dived underneath Koenma's desk. “DON'T HURT ME!”

 

Hiei gave a semi-amused chuckle and perched on the desk.

 

Yukina came in and sat calmly, folding her hands in her lap.

 

Kurama gave brief introductions.

 

Tsukiko nodded. “Uh-huh, sure… Does anyone have a place I can stay?”

 

Botan's eyes narrowed and something seemed to slip into place. Dangerously, she said, “We have a cell, if you want, Tsukiko.”

 

Tsukiko glared at her, effectively shutting her up.

 

“What was that, Botan?”

 

“I said, Koenma sir, that Tsukiko-chan could stay with me.”

 

Yuusuke came out from under the desk. “I didn't know you had a place.”

 

“Of course I do. Since Koenma usually sleeps here, Yuusuke and Kuwabara are obviously boys, Kurama would be hard pressed to explain Tsukiko to Shiori, and Hiei lives in a tree, Tsukiko can stay with me!”

 

Everyone quickly voiced their agreement and went their separate ways. With the exception of Yuusuke. He stayed in Koenma's office.

 

Kurama fell easily into sleep, not noticing the presence outside his window.

 

Botan, at her apartment, snarled at Tsukiko, “I know who you are! I've seen you on the Makai wanted posters!”

 

“And your point? So I stole a few things, killed a few people. It's not like I did it maliciously.”

 

“Go to sleep. I'm talking to Koenma about this in the morning, and you WILL tell Kurama.”

 

Tsukiko did a fair impression of Hiei. “Hn.”

 

*-*

 

 

The next morning, Botan woke, yawning. She looked at the clock and sighed. “Why am I such a heavy sleeper?” It was already 10:30. She went into the next room to wake Tsukiko and apologize for the night before… And screamed.

 

*-*

 

 

“So, you're saying Tsukiko is dead, the baby is alive, and you have no idea how it happened?”

 

Botan scoffed. “Of course I know how it happened. She gave birth, and someone came in and slit her throat, leaving the baby for dead.” She smiled at her oh-so-obvious conclusion, and Koenma groaned.

 

“Yes, obviously. Kurama doesn't know?”

 

“I sent Hiei to tell him.”

 

Koenma burst up. “Hiei!? You should have sent someone who could have told him with a little compassion! You know what Hiei's like!!!!”

 

“Yes, well.”

 

Koenma froze suddenly. “… Where's the baby?”

 

*-*

 

Hiei knocked on the window, carefully perched on the windowsill. The window opened only seconds latter, and Hiei calmly jumped in. “What is it, Hiei?” Kurama futilely attempted to stifle a yawn.

 

“I have bad news.”

 

Kurama stopped mid-yawn as Hiei pulled a bundle out from under his shirt. A small mewl came from it as it was handed over to Kurama, who carefully unwrapped a tiny baby girl.

 

“Where's Tsukiko?”

 

“That's the bad news. Somehow, someone got into her room and slit her throat, but missed the baby.”

 

Kurama was completely silent. Hiei, frankly, was surprised. He had expected tears, anger, anything but this completely calm creature as he put the baby in his lap and stared at the wall blankly.

 

“Kurama?” Kurama's head turned slowly, and Hiei felt an ache in his chest at the extremely cold, calm, uncaring look in his best friend's eyes.

 

“Yes, Hiei?”

 

“You can cry now.”

 

And, as if that was what he had been waiting for, tears filled his green eyes and he buried his head in his hands, sobbing silently. Hiei didn't know what to do. He was never very good at comforting people. So he sat next to Kurama, who surprised him by latching on to him, holding on as if Hiei was the only thing anchoring him to this world.

 

Hours later, when the sobs had finally abated, Hiei quietly asked, “What will you name her?”

 

Kurama looked down at the baby girl and whispered, “Kogoe…”

 

Hiei nodded. Kogoe, or Whisper, was suitable for the child, who hadn't made a sound the whole time, but was staring up at Kurama and Hiei with silent contemplation.

 

*-*

 

 

“I'm… sorry, Kurama. We'll find out who did this, and-” Kuwabara was cut off by Hiei, who glared until he shut up.

 

“What'll you do now, Kurama?”

 

Kurama looked at Yuusuke sadly. “I suppose I'll raise her. I just hope it will be enough…”