Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Requited Fluff ❯ Old Friend and New Enemy ( Chapter 7 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter 7

“Mukuro, I need your help.”

Mukuro looked up from the papers on her desk in mild surprise. “Hiei. How did you get here?”

“Does it matter?” Hiei asked.

Mukuro nodded.

“Well, it isn't important to me. I need your help,” Hiei repeated.

“Oh?” Mukuro replied, her voice chilly. “Whatever with?”

“Kurama. He's been…captured,” Hiei said quietly.

No trace of emotion appeared on Mukuro's face, and she remained silent.

“And…Koenma isn't going to help us get him back.”

Silence.

“So…so I was hoping you would…help us locate him,” Hiei finished.

“No,” Mukuro said flatly.

“But…”

“No, Hiei. I won't.”

“Why not?” Hiei demanded.

“Because I refuse to waste time and troops on him, when he took my heir from me,” Mukuro said, a bite of anger in her voice.

“Mukuro, I've told you before: it's not his fault,” Hiei said, trying to keep his voice calm.

“And I've asked you before: how do you figure?” Mukuro retorted.

“He never asked me to leave! I decided to on my own!”

“He's the reason you left, though. Don't deny it, Hiei,” Mukuro said.

“I never did deny it! I admitted that I left you to be with him. To protect him. I know you don't understand, and I don't expect you to, because you've never had anyone to protect. You've never been in love, Mukuro, so you can't know how it feels for me to have lost him.”

A strange emotion flickered across Mukuro's face, but it was gone before Hiei could place it. “You really love him?”

Hiei gaped at her. “I told you that!”

“Well, yes, but I thought you were just saying that! I thought you had some kind of ulterior motive!” Mukuro confessed.

“Mukuro!” Hiei gasped. “How could you even think that?”

“Well, that's what it's like here, all right? Relationships are usually formed merely for power or riches. You know that.”

“Well, this is different,” Hiei snapped. There was a moment of silence. Hiei's voice was very quiet when he spoke again. “He's my whole world, Mukuro.”

Mukuro studied him intently, unusual warmth in her gaze. “All right, Hiei. I'll help you.”

XXX

“Wake up!”

Kurama jerked awake, but he didn't jump up or reach for his rose whip. Instead, he just curled up into a tighter ball, wincing as the skin pulled tight over his scarred and bleeding back. “Please,” he whispered. “Leave me alone.”

“Kurama, it's all right. It's me.”

Slowly, painfully, Kurama turned over to face the speaker. His mouth dropped open, and he stared.

“What? Don't remember me? Well, I have to admit, that hurts. And after I'm going through all the trouble of saving your life, too.”

Kurama gasped. “K-Kou?”

The demon smiled. “Duh.”

“But…how…what…you…you're dead!” Kurama spluttered.

“Now, whatever gave you that idea?” Kou asked, still grinning.

+Flashback+

“Come on, let's get outta here!” Kou yelled at Kurama and Hiei. “They're coming!”

“Be careful, Kou!” Yelled Kurama.

“Yeah, there could me land mines or something,” Hiei added.

“Aw, you guys are such wimps,” Kou called back over his shoulder. “Fine, you guys play it safe and get caught. I'll save you in—“

But Kou would never finish his sentence, because right then there was a deafening explosion.

“Kou!” Hiei and Kurama screamed at the same time.

But he would never answer.

+End flashback+

“I didn't die that day, Kurama,” Kou said. “I was captured. By your very captors, in fact. I have pretended to be loyal to them for years, biding my time. But now, I have the trust of the people here. Enough trust that if I were to bring word of an ambush on the boss's allies, I can get rid of at least two thirds of the guards. And then we can escape.”

“But…how…I don't understand!” Kurama exclaimed. “How is this even possible? You being here?”

Kou gave that easy smile of his again. “Just be happy that I am, so I can save your sorry ass…again.” Then his face turned serious. “I'm so sorry, Kurama. I couldn't save you from the worst possible thing you could suffer at that bastard's hands.”

“I don't blame you, Kou. I'm just so glad to see you.”

“Ditto. Just hold on a little longer, all right, Kurama?”

“I will. Just get me back to Hiei, and I will be forever in your debt.”

“Ah, so you two are finally lovers. About time. I have to go, Kurama. But I swear, Iwill get you out of here. Just don't give up.”

“I won't. I never did,” Kurama said softly. “Now get out of here, before the torturer comes again.”

“I hate leaving you in their hands again.”

“I know. But you have to. Now go.”

As Kou left him all alone again, Kurama fought back tears. It was becoming a reflex, by now.

It was also becoming harder with each passing hour.

XXX

“She's agreed to help,” Hiei told Shiori wearily, taking a seat at the table.

“But where have youbeen?” Shiori demanded. “You've been gone for three days! I've been worried.”

“I was with Mukuro, helping her start the search,” Hiei explained, touched by her concern.

“And…?” Shiori prompted.

“Nothing yet. Mukuro has sent out her best spies to all corners of Makai, but they haven't reported back yet.” He gave a slight, fanged smile. “She wasn't going to help me at first, but once I'd persuaded her, she was determined to use only the best of her army. Mukuro does nothing on a small scale.”

“Well, that's good, right?” Shiori asked. “That means we'll find him without so much trouble, right?”

“Well, Mukuro's never failed before in search-and-rescue, and there's no reason to think she will now.” He sighed. “I just hope we're not too late.”

XXX

And at the stronghold Hiei would spend the next days desperately searching for, screams echoed at last down the dark corridor, coupled with the lustful cried of Kurama's torturer.

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