Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Price of Kindness ❯ Of Naps and Windows ( Chapter 4 )

I have heard the plea of my reviewers
And I must comply to their wishes!
Here, from sessha to you...
The Price of Kindness: Chapter 4

Disclaimer: No matter how long I pray, no matter how many chickens I sacrifice, YuYuHakusho will always belong to Yoshihiro Togashi-san. Such is life, sigh.

 

"It's just beyond that cliff, Ma-chan." Kuroune said pointing to a large chasm appearing before them he stood looking at it twirling his red gemmed pendant.

"And then we'll be at your house, Kuroune-san?" Macha asked excitedly, eyes sparkling.

"Yup!" He said, unable to keep from smiling at her openly expressed enthusiasm. "Well, I wouldn't really call it just a house... its more of a large--or a really big... in simple terms I guess you could call it a mansion."

Macha turned around to look at Youko who walked behind her and the bat demon. "You live in a mansion, Youko-sama?"

"Hm?" He muttered as her voice drew him from his thoughts. "...oh yes, you could call it that." he agreed quickly and went back to thinking. Macha frowned and began to walk next to him.

"Is something wrong Youko-sama?" She asked quietly. "Did I do something to offend you?" She bowed immediately and Youko and Kuroune turned to look at her. "I'm sorry Youko-sama--for whatever I have done. Please punish this one in whatever way seems necessary!"

Youko looked at her in some sort of pity. But before he could open his mouth, Kuroune hit him on the head with his red gem and stepped in.

"Look what you've done, kitsune-no-baka!" Kuroune stepped over to Macha and straightened her up and set her head right. "You made Ma-chan fret her sweet little head over you and your stupidity."

Youko stood, gaping. "M-my stupidity! I'll have you know--"

"There, there Ma-chan... no need to worry over the baka kitsune." Kuroune said hugging her and patting her head. Youko fumed in the background. "He's just being himself. He's just thinking. Probably about our next heist." He pulled away, spread his wings and glided over the large chasm.

"Come on, you two," he called, waving his hand at them. He turned and vanished in to the forest.

"Heist?" Macha asked Youko as she peered over the cliff. "What did he mean heist? Are you a thief?"

"I am." Youko responded simply. He looked back and forth between Macha and the cliff. "Can you make it, kiddo?"

Macha looked confused for a minute then 'the attic light upstairs clicked on'. "Oh... umm..." she blushed and looked around. "It...seems to be too large for me to jump. I-I can find a bridge--" she said starting to run off but Youko grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Don't bother," he said, "there's not a bridge for miles, kiddo. The cliff was made to keep people off my territory and few can jump this chasm." Without another word he picked her up: an arm underneath her leg and the other across her back.

"Eep! Youko-sama--!" she blushed as Youko backed up a few steps before jumping in to the air.

"It'll go faster this way." he said as he landed gracefully on the other side. He didn't put her down but continued to run through the forest at the same speed.

"Youko-sama... you can put me down now. I don't want to burden you with carrying me. I can walk." she said as Kuroune began to run next to them.

"I know that, kiddo. But you've walked enough today and I can see your tired." Youko whispered as to not let Kuroune hear. When he said that, Macha's eyes began to droop and she yawned.

"I-I-(yawn) am ok, Youko-sama." she said lazily. "I can stand... walking...a little... longer..."

"No. you'll fall asleep on your feet." he stated bluntly. "Let's just consider it a 'thank you' for worrying about me earlier." He looked down at her and saw his words reached deaf ears. Her head rested up against his chest and her eyes were closed in slumber. She smiled though and her hand held onto a piece of his hair.

Youko smirked then looked at Kuroune next to him. Kuroune quickly averted his gaze and cough-laughed in his arm. Youko glared.

"If I had an arm free, I'd hit you."

"I'll hold her--"

"NO!" Youko said sharply. Kuroune looked at him in confusion. They slowed to a stop in front of the mansion.

"I was just kidding, Youko." Kuroune said seriously. "I didn't mean anything."

Youko nodded at him to shut up. "I know, I know." he kicked the large doors of the mansion open. Two rows of servants (4 butlers, 14 maids on each side, if you want to know) lined the carpet of the entry hall.

"Welcome back Youko-dono, Kuroune-dono!" they greeted cheerfully. Macha stirred and woke up. Youko put her down and she leaned slightly on his arm as the sleep left her.

"Are we there, Youko-sama?" she asked looking around and rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, we are Ma-chan." Kuroune said patting her on the back. Kuroune steered her through the servants and down a hall with many doors twirling his necklace 'round.

Youko looked at the servants and addressed them. "That girl, Macha, you will treat her with the same respect you show me or Kuroune. Understand?"

"Yes sir." They bowed to him and dispersed. Youko called the main maid over to him before she went off.

"Mina, have dinner ready in 10 minutes. We're going to have guests later, so no desert." He turned and walked away down the hall. She bowed at his retreating figure and set out to alert the cook.

Youko stopped in front of the guest bedroom. His keenly attentive ears picked up the voices of Kuroune and Macha inside. He opened the door and stepped inside. Kuroune was showing the girl around the room when he entered.

"Dinner will be in 10 minutes... Kuroune..." Youko cocked his head to the door.

"Ah, of course" he muttered, getting the message. He turned to Macha and swept a large bow. "It seems, dear Ma-chan, that Youko is kicking me out. I shall only hope to see you at dinner."

Macha giggled as he exited and silence fell upon the two. Macha went to the window and looked out.

"You can stay here, kiddo... till your debt is repaid, if you still plan on repaying it." Youko shrugged and stood behind her at the window.

For some reason, he wanted to lay a hand on her shoulder. He recalled how she slept in his arms, an experience he wouldn't mind repeating. She slept like a child and... she was so warm--- he shook his head of those thoughts and mentally hit himself. Suddenly she turned around and he quickly retracted his hand running it through his hair.

"Of course, Youko-sama, I do intend to repay your kindness. Please allow me a little more time." she bowed and he shook his head.

"That's not what I mean. I'm not telling you: you have to be outta here by a certain amount of days if that's what you think. You can stay here ...as long as you like." he added quietly.

"I pray that I will not be a burden Youko-sama. Please tell me if I am so that I may leave."

"No!" he burst out. Macha looked at him in confusion for his outburst and he blushed ever so slightly. "I-I mean you can't leave... Kuroune... He, umm... Kuroune'd be devastated."

No way is she gonna buy that... thought Youko...that's the second time I burst out like that. Sure, I don't want the kiddo to leave, but why can't I just tell her? Sure, she'd die within 2 days if she leaves, with that personality. How is it... that I have no problem when people are skewered and gutted in front of me, but can't bare the thought of this girl dying?

"Oh, ok Youko-sama." Macha responded quietly her face seeming to droop a little. She leaned back and sat on the sill of the window.

They stood in silence as Youko looked her over. Her clothes had been repaired since they met and the small cut on her throat from her enemy's knife was nothing more than a scar. Her kodachi, in its battered case, was still slung over her back giving her a dangerous air Youko and Kuroune knew she didn't have. She was looking down at her shoeless feet covered in dirt and grime. Her violet eyes rarely met his gold he saw. They may have looked at his ears or feet or behind him, but rarely his eyes. Only when he got down to her eye level and gave her a command. Her hair was a mess, full of tangles and knots and dirt from their travel. He'd have to arrange a bath for her later.

He opened his mouth to say something when a knock came at the door. Macha startled and her grip on the sill slipped. Leaning on the sill, her weight was focused on her hands. When they slipped, she fell backwards-into the open air of the second story window. Her eyes opened wide as she fell out.

"Macha!" Youko reached out and grabbed her hand as she dangled. After a moment of letting his heart begin beating again he yanked her up into the room onto the closest object to stop her ascent--him.

Macha's eyes were wide open and her brain was bringing her out of panic. After that second, she realized her position and blushed profusely. His left arm was around her waist and pulled her into his chest. His other arm clutched her shoulder. She could hear his heart beating rapidly. She wanted to say something but couldn't.

Whatdo I say? She thought. 'Let me go'? That would be rude and very disgraceful of me. Then what? 'Don't move, let me stay like this'? Sure I wouldn't mind that, but he might think of me... I don't know, but it wouldn't be favorable... Gah, I don't know what to do!

Thankfully, she didn't have to do anything. She felt Youko breathe deeply and uncurl his arm from around her. He didn't look at her face as he turned to the door.

"Who's there?" he asked.

"It's a servant, sir," said a voice beyond the door. "I came to tell you dinner is served."

"Thank you. We will be there shortly." Youko replied curtly. He looked down at Macha who had sunk to the floor beside him. She was kneeling in front of him, hands on his feet, head on the ground.

"Thank you, Youko-sama, atashi no shukun." she mumbled, she sounded close to tears. "I keep... you continue to save me. I'm sorry that I require your assistance so often. Maybe... it would be best if you do not save me next time my life is threatened."

Youko squatted down and pulled her into a sitting position so they were eye to eye. Her eyes were watery as if tears threatened to pour from them.

"You said you would help me in any way you could, right kiddo?" he stated.

"Yes, Youko-sama, anything." she practically pleaded.

"I want you to help me by never thinking that again." he said harshly. "Never think that you are a burden to anyone especially me... if I thought you would be one, would I have opened my house to you?"

Macha thought, then shook her head.

"You act as if I am forced to save you, by some will of a superior being and that I tire of doing so," Youko continued."I save you by my will alone so don't think that you or anyone can even tell me to stop." He went to stand up but squatted back down after a thought."And also, never think that you are so far beneath me. You are as equal to me as Kuroune is. Got it kiddo?"

Macha nodded, smile slowly coming back to her face. She rubbed her eyes of unshed tears and looked happily at him.

"Umm... Youko-sama?"

"Yes?" Youko answered.

"Umm..." She looked down, as if she dreaded what she wanted to say. She blushed slightly and opened and closed her mouth a couple times. "Umm... it's nothing."

Youko looked at her intently, looking deeply into her eyes. But strangely her eyes clouded up making it impossible for Youko to read them. A big smile crossed her face and Youko smirked, forgetting about it.

"Let's go eat." he stood up and extended a hand to her. She reached out timidly then, as if making up her mind, took it suddenly and he pulled her from the ground and led the way into the hall.

He called me Macha!

 

kitsune-no-baka (keet-soo-neh-noh-bah-kah): it can be translated as "stupid fox" but also as "you stupid fox" Kuroune calls Youko this cause... he can.

baka kitsune (bah-kah keet-soo-neh): basically "stupid fox "

atashi no shukun (ah-tah-shee noh shoo-koon): my lord. "atashi" is the informal way for girls to "I". "no" is a possessive word and when combined with the "I" it becomes "my" (example "sessha no..." means "this one's...") shukun means lord and I think you can take it from there.

 

As always...
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Reviews gratefully appreciated; flames, not.