Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Requited Fluff ❯ News ( Chapter 3 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter 3

Hiei slept for three days straight. During that time, Kurama basically lived at his side, making sure no one tried to hurt his beloved while he slept. An irrational fear? Maybe. But he figured that since one youkai had already gotten through into the Ningenkai once, it could happen again, and next time, it could be someone out to kill the Forbidden Child.

Kurama had, at first, been concerned at the depth of Hiei's sleep. Even when he called the Dragon, he had never slept over a day before. But once he realized that Hiei's ki wasn't dropping—rather, it was rising steadily—he calmed down, and, not being able to wake Hiei, settled for guarding him instead. Shiori sat with him most of the time, and they talked. During these three days, Shiori learned more about Makai, the Reikai, her son, and Hiei than any human ever would again.

And all that time, the dark figure watched them from outside. Waiting…

XXX

He felt strangely heavy, as if he were made of lead. And tired—yes, he was exhausted. But he was warm, which was a good thing. And most of all, he was hungry.

So, even though he didn't want to leave this pleasant, warm cocoon, he forced himself to open his eyes.

He was lying on Kurama's couch, covered by a quilt. It was dark outside. The tree on the other side of the room twinkled, and someone had built a fire in the hearth.

Hiei smiled. He liked that hearth.

And now he really didn't want to get up.

“Welcome back, love,” a voice said softly from the doorway just as Hiei had resigned himself to trying to move.

Hiei turned his head and smiled. “Mm…hey, fox.”

Kurama came over and leaned down to kiss his forehead. “How do you feel?”

“Tired…heavy…what's for dinner?”

Kurama laughed. “Soup.”

“What, that's it?”

“Yep. I didn't feel like making anything else, and I'm afraid you probably can't even lift your arms at the moment.”

“That's ridicu—oh, damnit, you're right.” Kurama smiled. “I hate it when you're right.”

“But you should be used to it by now.”

“Shut up, fox.”

Another laugh. “I'll go make the soup, then.”

“What kind?”

“Chicken noodle.”

“Yech…”

“You will eat it, and you will love it.”

Hiei smiled at him as he left.

And outside, the figure watched…

XXX

“I can eat by myself, Kurama,” Hiei said grumpily. “I'm not a complete invalid.”

“Hiei, you can't even lift your hands. How do you plan to hold a spoon?” Kurama asked, setting the bowl of soup on the end table so that he could slide onto the couch, lift Hiei up, and settle him against his chest.

“I could manage…”

“No you couldn't.”

“Shut up,” Hiei muttered again, swallowing the soup Kurama held to his lips. “So, where's your kaasan?” he asked as Kurama dipped the spoon into the bowl again.

“Out celebrating full use of her legs. Which we have you to thank for, by the way.”

“Didn't you already thank me for that?”

“Yes, but not nearly as profusely as I should have.”

“Only because I passed out,” Hiei retorted. “And who the hel uses the word `profusely' anymore?”

“Me.”

“Really. Well, anyway, I just wish Yukina had been here instead of the Ice World,” Hiei said. “She could have done much better than I did.”

Kurama smiled. “I think you did perfectly. Now, eat your soup.”

Once Kurama had finished feeding Hiei the soup, Hiei felt stronger. “Where's my katana?” he muttered, trying to throw the covers aside.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Kurama said, holding him down by the shoulders. “Where do you think you're going?”

“To train…”

“No, you aren't. You're going to stay on this couch and rest,” Kurama said firmly. “Maybe you can get up tomorrow, but right now you're still rebuilding your ki and you're exhausted. Besides, everyone's coming over soon to welcome you home, albeit a bit late. Don't you want to be here to say hello?”

“Hn. Nope.”

“Well, I'm afraid you don't have much choice in the matter, koi.”

“But fox…”

“No.”

“Damn. How am I supposed to win with you?!”

“You aren't.”

“Remind me why I love you again?”

Kurama smiled, and pressed his lips to Hiei's.

XXX

They were still kissing some time later, when the doorbell rang. Hiei gave a sigh of disappointment. “I'll kill them,” he muttered.

“It's open!” Kurama called, pulling Hiei into his lap and kissing his neck. “Don't worry,” he added softly. “We'll pick up again later…” His eyes widened as Hiei sent him a mental image. “PERVERT! GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER!”

Yusuke laughed at that as he came in, followed by Kuwabara, Boton, Keiko, and…

“Koenma? What the hell are you doing here?” Hiei asked, none too politely. He and the toddler-king did not get along well.

“What do you think?” Koenma snapped. “I'm here you welcome you home!”

“Sit,” Kurama said. “And Hiei, be polite, if you're capable of it. They're guests and they came to welcome you back. They were worried when you went missing, you know.”

“But he always brings a case when he drops in,” Hiei said. “And I don't want to work.”

“No case this time, Hiei. Promise.”

“Huh. Well, that's a first.”

“So, Hiei…” Keiko said as she sat on the couch. “What happened in Makai?”

“Oh, you know, the usual Forbidden-child-capture crap.” Hiei tried to keep his voice emotion-free, but Kurama could tell he was sad, and angry. Kurama slid his arms around the little hiyoukai and held him tight, comforting him in the best way he knew how. Hiei gave a soft sigh and leaned against him, feeling all the lonely, sad, bitter, angry feelings washing away as quickly as they had come, to be replaced by contentment.

That is the power of love, after all.

“How bad did they hurt you, Shrimp?” Kuwabara asked, sounding concerned and angry at the same time.

“I'm all right,” Hiei said. “Now, anyway. Don't worry about it—it used to happen all the time.”

Kurama's arms tightened around him.

“I believe it's more than a simple plan to harvest your tear gems this time, Hiei,” Koenma said seriously.

“What?” Yusuke yelped. “You never told me that!”

“Well, excuse me, but I thought Hiei deserved to be the first to know, since he is the one who actually got captured.”

“What do you mean, `more than a simple plan'?” Kurama asked tensely.

“I'm not sure yet,” Koenma said.

“Then what makes you think…?”

“Reikai Intelligence intercepted a messenger yesterday. The message was to be delivered verbally, so they couldn't just search him. Instead, they brought him back to the Reikai. We have been interrogating him for three days, but the most we could get out of him was `He does not only want the gems. He wants the maker as well, and will go to any lengths to get what he wants.' Now, this could indicate many things—torture, alliance, maybe…maybe death. We won't know until we get him to talk more. But from our captive, we know that Hiei, if captured again, will not be let go. He is wanted, and badly.”

“Well, they aren't getting him,” Kurama said firmly.

Hiei was gripping the kitsune's arm so tightly his knuckles were white. “So…so they found out I was the one after all?”

“Apparently so.”

“And…and they want me to go there? To make gems for them?”

“Yes, obviously.”

“Then…then I have to go.”

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Author's Note: Okay, so that was a pitifully short chapter, but I thought it was a good place to end, okay? defensiveI'll try to write another chapter and update ASAP, but I have to write another chapter of Soul Warfirst, for my friend C-chan, so it may take a few days to get up. But bear with me, all right? I am trying!

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Reviewer's comments:

FluffysBijin05: The whole thing about the figure and him capturing Hiei is part of the mystery. And I'm not sure exactlywho this person is yet, but I have a pretty good idea. Since these stories usually write themselves, though, that may change soon. I don't think it will, but you never know…anyway, thanks for the review and keep on reading!

IceDragonKatana: Thanks for the review! You're always so nice about reviewing…and thanks for the compliment on the gift ideas. And the thing about Hiei's healing power is that it's not actually knownto exist, for sure. It's pretty much fanmade, I think. And about the dark figure: like I told FluffysBijin, I'm not really sure who he is. And also, I envy you about the cell phone!!!

StormAZ: Thanks for the review! I don't have time to respond, because I have to leave, but I'll give a better response next time, I promise!!!