Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Requited Fluff ❯ Stories, Sap and Visitors ( Chapter 10 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Chapter 10

“Y'know, Hiei, twenty years of pretending to be on the other side and going through hell and back was pretty much worth it to see the look on your face right now.”

Hiei just gaped. His hand was gripping Kurama's so tightly that his knuckles were white. Two reunions in two days was quite a lot to handle. He was going to lose his grip on his emotions again, which just…sucked.

“Hey, Kurama, how come I didn't get this kind of reaction from you?” Kou asked, amused.

“I was too tired to think about it,” Kurama replied. “Believe me now, Hiei?”

Hiei didn't answer. He climbed slowly off the bed and walked up to Kou. After a moment of silence, his fist lashed out, and there was an echoing crack as it collided with Kou's jaw. Kou went sprawling.

After a moment of stunned silence, Kou sat up, rubbing his bruised jaw. “Your punch is still as weak as a little human girl's, Hiei.”

“It really is you!” Hiei proclaimed, grabbing Kou's hand to pull him up.

“No kidding,” Kou replied sarcastically. “Good to see you, Hiei.”

“But I don't understand,” Hiei said. “How is this even possible? I saw you die!”

“I'll explain that…after you tell me who she is,” Kou said, pointing at Shiori.

Shiori glared at him and snapped, “I'm perfectly capable of speaking coherently on my own, thank you very much.”

Kou looked at her in surprise, then looked at Kurama, who was shaking with suppressed laughter.

“All right…” Kou amended. “Who are you?”

Shiori rolled her eyes. “Your delivery could use some work. I'm Shiori, Suichi's mother.”

“Suichi?”

“That's me,” Kurama explained. “My human name.”

“Human name…huh. I never did get to ask you about the whole `turned human' thing.”

Hiei shook his head. “He's been that way for seventeen years now, Kou. Where have you been living?”

“Er…underground…” Kou said slowly.

“Oh. Right. Sorry,” Hiei said quickly.

Kou gave a mock gasp. “He said he was sorry,” he said to the room in general.

“Shut up,” Hiei snapped. “And explain your reason for not being dead.”

“After you all explain to me who the rude one is,” Shiori broke in.

“Right,” Kurama answered. “Kou, go ahead and sit down.

Kou sat on the floor, against the wall. Kurama shrugged and turned to his mother without commenting. “As you may have guessed, Kou is a friend from my past life. He and Hiei were the only friends I had. Friends were rare in Makai, you see. Kou, Hiei and I planned to get rich off thievery. We robbed so many people…” Kurama smiled at the memory.

“We were pulling a job that night,” he continued, “but we slipped up that time—we very rarely slipped up, by the way—and while we were running, there was—an explosion, or something. And when the smoke cleared, Kou was gone.” Kurama sighed. “We thought you were dead, Kou.”

“It's been eighteen years, and last time we saw you, you were about a second away from going up in smoke,” Hiei said to Kou. “Would you care to fill in the blanks?”

“I got captured,” Kou said simply.

“Care to elaborate?” Kurama asked patiently.

“Well, the explosion wasn't caused by a land mine or anything of the sort. It was actually an illusion, I guess to mask the kidnapping. All I felt was a blast of energy—not reiki or youki, but kind of a mix of the two. And then everything went black, and when I woke up, I was in the very same cell you were held in, Kurama, and I was alone.

“Eventually, someone came in. He wore a mask. It was the red-eyed man we both hate with every fiber of our beings. He simply told me that he knew of my prowess, and that I had two choices: I could either join him or die.

“I told him to go to hell and burn there, and he said he would give me some time to think it over, and left.

“And I did think. And eventually, after examining my cell, I came to the conclusion that I had no choice. The wards on my cell were too strong, and I had a gut feeling that I shouldn't try to fight them—and my gut feelings are usually right.

“So, the next time he came in, I asked him exactly what `joining him' would mean, figuring I'd escape as soon as possible.”

“But that was eighteen years ago,” Kurama said, confused.

“I know,” Kou said. “But you see, after I tried to escape once, I got to find out exactly how powerful those guys were before I'd traveled a mile. Which, by the way, is very powerful. So powerful, in fact, that I was rendered completely immobile for two weeks. And so I decided that I needed a better plan.

“I hadn't planned to stay for so long. But…my acting skills must be better than I thought, because after a few years of pretending that I had decided to be on their side, a part of the big plan I had been captured over was revealed to me. It couldn't be put into action yet, but…they planned to capture the Forbidden Child.

“I got a shock from that, and I panicked, just knowing that they wanted me to get the information on you. Fortunately, they didn't even know we were friends—or something resembling it, anyway.

“I started gathering info, pretending that I wanted to help them carry out that part of the plan, and I found out that they had no clue what you looked like, or where to find you, or anything, so that was their future goal.” Kou sighed and shifted. “But I was still worried, because I knew, having seen the group in action, that they could capture you. So I decided to stay. I decided then and there that I was going to stick it out, and I was going to pretend to be on their side, and win their trust, and wait until, eventually, they did get you, Hiei, and then I would rescue you, and get out of there. I got a surprise when it was Kurama there instead of you, but…it worked out the same anyway.”

Kou stood up. “And before you start asking me if I have any solid information on the guys…no. It's pathetic, but even after so long, the leader gives out no information to anyone. I don't even know what any of the group looks like. They all wore masks. It's a very top-secret deal.”

“So I guess it's safe to say that you don't know what this huge plan that's taken them eighteen years to progress in is?” Hiei asked.

“Pretty safe,” Kou agreed. “So, Kurama, are you gonna…”

“Yes,” Kurama replied.

Kou got an awkward look on his face, and he said, “All right, then. I'm gonna leave. I need to get back…somewhere. It was great to see you both again. Nice meeting you, Shiori.”

“Wait, come here,” Kurama said. Kou raised an eyebrow and obeyed, and grunted in surprise as Kurama hugged him tightly. “Thank you,” Kurama said. “For saving me. Thank you so much.”

“Um…sure. What else could I do?” Kou smiled at Kurama, clapped Hiei on the shoulder, and was on his way to the door when Shiori stood up, tapped Kou on the shoulder, and, when he turned, hugged him. “Thank you, total stranger to the human race. Thank you for saving my son's life. I'm so sorry I was rude. You really didn't deserve it. I know that now. You went through so much for these two.”

Kou grinned at her. “Kurama and Hiei were the only friends I had,” he said simply.

And then he was gone.

“Well…he didn't stay long,” Shiori commented.

“Kou never stays in one place for long,” Kurama explained. “We won't be seeing him again for a while.” If ever. He heaved a sigh and leaned back against the pillows. “I guess I've stalled long enough.”

“Right,” Hiei said instantly. He moved up next to Kurama, put an arm around his waist, and took his hand. “Go.”

“All right. But…”

“We know,” Shiori cut him off. “We won't say a word.”

Kurama gave her a small smile and began.

For nearly half an hour, he talked, and all the time he did, he very carefully studied the sheets on his bed. He didn't really want to meet Hiei's eyes, because of the fact that a) he didn't want to see the angry looks he knew would be flashing across Hiei's features, and b) he planned on leaving out the worst part of the whole ordeal, and he didn't want to look into Hiei's eyes and feel the guilt he knew would wash over him.

As he spoke, the world around him slowly faded away, transforming into a small cell with flagstone walls and floor, and an evil man with red eyes, leaning over him with a dagger and a whip, and all that anchored him to reality was Hiei's hand, clutching his own and keeping him from spinning off into blackness.

As he finished telling them about Kou rescuing him, he found himself holding back tears for some reason.

There was a long silence when Kurama finished his story. Then, suddenly, Hiei leaned over and pressed his lips against Kurama's. Kurama's eyes widened, and for a moment, he was back in his cell, with the black-eyed demon bastard hovering over him. But then he realized that it was just Hiei, and then he closed his eyes and kissed back.

After a few moments, Hiei pulled back.

“W-what was that for?” Kurama asked breathlessly.

“You needed it,” Hiei said simply.

“Mm…thanks,” Kurama said, leaning back and closing his eyes. “I'm tired…”

“Well, then, go to sleep!” Shiori said, a little too brightly. “I'm going to…um…well, I'll be back.”

As Shiori hurried out of the room, Kurama looked at Hiei, puzzled. “What was that about?”

“I don't know. I'll go find out, though. Be right back.”

Hiei found Shiori moving down the hall at a rather accelerated rate. “Shiori!” he said, flitting up beside her. “Is something wrong?”

Shiori stopped and turned to face him. “Of course something's wrong, Hiei! I just sat in a hospital room for half an hour, listening to my son detail the torment he went through for five weeks! What could be right about that?”

“Oh…that,” Hiei said. “Right.”

“How can you be so casual?” Shiori demanded. “I mean, he told you all those horrible things he went through—the beatings, the whips, everything—and all you did after that was…kiss him! How could you react so calmly?”

Hiei sighed. “Shiori, calm down and listen before you get mad at me. Kurama…is kind of sensitive, as you no doubt know. He wouldn't want us to be upset or angry over him, because then he'd feel like a problem, which he would never actually be, but that doesn't matter. So we have to pretend to be calm…like you've been doing for five weeks.”

Shiori studied him for a moment, then said, “That makes sense, I guess. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I just…I'm so angry at whoever caused Suichi this kind of pain!”

“I know. I am too. And when the time comes, I will truly enjoy making the kill. But until that time, we have to be composed. All right?”

Shiori smiled slightly at him. “All right. I'll try. Listen, will you two be all right tonight if I go home and get some sleep? Not everyone can squeeze into that hospital bed as easily as you can.”

“Of course. Take as long as you need.”

“Tell Suichi where I went. I'll see you in the morning.”

Hiei gave the retreating figure a small, fanged grin and went back to Kurama's room.

“Is she all right?” Kurama asked as he came back in.

“She's…fine,” Hiei said hesitantly. “But you need to rest now, fox.”

Kurama frowned as he burrowed down under the covers. “I don't want to rest! I'm tired of being here!”

“You've only been here for two days,” Hiei reminded him.

“And I'm already bored,” Kurama replied.

“But I thought you were tired.”

“I am, but…”

“Then sleep,” Hiei said simply, joining his mate on the bed again. “Do you want me to heal your arm, though?”

“No,” Kurama said softly. “It would be too hard to explain to the doctors, and it'll heal on its own. You don't need to waste your energy on me.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes,” Kurama said firmly, resting his head on Hiei's shoulder. “I love you, Hiei.”

XXX

Hiei was wrenched abruptly from his sleep when Kurama sat up suddenly, gasping and sweating and shaking, groping at his own neck as if searching for something. In a second, Hiei was sitting up, too.

“Kurama, what's wrong?” Hiei asked softly, brushing Kurama's hair back from his damp forehead.

Kurama heaved in huge breaths and continued to grasp at his neck, looking panicked. “M-my necklace! Hiei, your Hiroseki is gone!” Kurama sounded like he was holding back tears as he searched in vain for the necklace. “I must have lost it when they captured me! Hiei, I'm so sorry—I've felt like something was missing for five weeks, but I couldn't place it! I'm—oh, I can't believe it's gone!”

“Kurama—”

“I can't believe I lost it!”

“Kurama, it's—”

“And now they must have it!”

“Kurama, it's all right—”

“Hiei, I'm so sorry—”

“Kurama!” Hiei said loudly. “It's all right!”

“But—”

“Your necklace isn't lost,” Hiei said. Something had just clicked in his mind, but he pushed the thought away and focused on Kurama. “It's back at your house. So will you relax?”

“At my house?” Kurama repeated. “But how?”

“They didn't take it. They tore it off and wrote some crap on the band. We bought a new one for it, but we haven't put it on yet, which is why you don't have it yet. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you—I was just so happy to see you that it flew out of my mind completely...”

Kurama stared blankly at him for a moment, then sighed heavily and leaned back against the pillows, holding his broken arm. He was very pale.

“Are you all right?” Hiei asked, concerned.

“Yes, love. I just—had a bad dream, is all, and when I didn't find your necklace around my neck…I panicked, I guess.”

“Do you want me to go and get it?” Hiei asked, half-standing.

“No, it's all right. I'll call Mother in the morning,” Kurama said. “Sorry I woke you.”

Hiei put an arm around Kurama and pulled him close. “Don't worry about it. Do you want to tell me about your dream?”

“It's nothing you should worry about it,” Kurama said. “I know it couldn't happen, so…”

“You're worried,” Hiei said flatly. “Don't lie.”

Kurama looked away.

“Fox, tell me what you dreamed,” Hiei said gently.

“You… you left me,” Kurama whispered.

“What?” Hiei gasped, caught off guard for the first time.

“You left,” Kurama repeated. “We had a fight… and you went back to Makai, to work for Mukuro… and I never saw you alive again… I found your body in Makai… you had been k-killed by a youkai… he was standing over you… and then he turned into the one who captured me… and he took me again… and tortured me… and then he said… something… I can't remember what...”

Actually, the figure had told Kurama, “This was for lying to your lover,” but Kurama couldn't reveal that to Hiei.

“…and he took out a dagger. And then… and this is the worst part… he turned into you, and you laughed at me, saying that it was all a lie, that you'd never loved me, that you were just using me… and then you stabbed me… and I woke up.”

Hiei didn't look at Kurama when he finished. He spoke to the wall instead. “And you're scared of me now,” he said dully.

He could feel Kurama's shock. “No, Hiei that's not what I meant at all! I know that you would never do something like that!”

“But you must be afraid of it… subconsciously, at least, otherwise you wouldn't have dreamed it.”

Kurama shook his head violently. “No. Hiei, that's ridiculous! I love you, and I know you love me too! All that dream was, was a result of my torture—I spent five weeks being taunted about the fact that you hadn't found me yet, and…”

“Wait… what?” Hiei demanded. “Is there something you forgot to mention, Kurama?”

“What?” Kurama thought about it, and realized that he had forgotten to mention something—besides the rope, of course. “Oh… I suppose I did…” Kurama sighted. “It's not important, really, but…”

“Neither was your dream,” Hiei pointed out.

“True. Anyway, it was just another part of their fun. They just kept telling me things, like that you couldn't possibly love me as much as you said, otherwise you would have come to rescue me, and that maybe you decided to seize your chance to be rid of me. I didn't believe it for a second, and I never will, but…” He sighed. “Ever since I got back, every single event and bit of hell they threw at me has been ricocheting around in my mind… I guess my thoughts just manifested themselves tonight. It doesn't mean anything, I promise,” Kurama said, slightly desperate. “Please, koi, don't be angry with me.”

Hiei sighed and moved in closer to Kurama, putting an arm back around him. “I'm not mad,” he said. “I've just been so tense lately, worrying about you every waking moment. I'm on edge, is all. And… I'm sorry. I couldn't find you earlier, and because of that, you were tortured.”

“Don't you worry about that, love. I'm back and I'm fine. Besides, don't even think for a minute that you'd ever be to blame,” Kurama settled back again and kissed Hiei's cheek. “Go to sleep, Hiei.”

XXX

“Kurama!”

Kurama groaned and tried to ignore the voice, to turn over and go back to sleep. But shortly after that, a new voice echoed after the first one, and then a third and fourth chimed in, and then all of them started talking at once.

All of them were stifled, however, when a fifth voice growled threateningly, “Shut up. He needs to rest, and if you wake him, you will regret deciding to come here.”

“Mm—`s okay, Hiei. I'm awake,” Kurama mumbled, still half-asleep. He smiled as he felt Hiei take his hand, and forced his tired eyes open, to find out what was going on.

Yusuke, Kuwabara, Koenma, and Keiko were huddled in the doorway, watching him uncertainly. He smiled at them. “Hey, what took you so long?”

Yusuke's features softened into a smile, and he left the group to come over and clap Kurama on the shoulder in greeting. “Hey, sorry, man. Some of us are a little slow in passing out information,” he said, glaring pointedly at Hiei.

Hiei shrugged. “I forgot,” he said simply.

“So how are you?” Kuwabara asked, leaning against the doorframe to make room for the other two to squeeze into the room. “Because, no offense, but you look terrible.”

“I know,” Kurama said, grimacing. “But I'll be fine.”

“Where's your mother?” Keiko asked.

“Home,” Kurama answered. “Asleep, probably.”

Koenma went over and sat in one of their chairs by the wall. “So tell us what happened.”

Kurama looked down. “Wow, you really can get right to the point.” He heaved a sigh. “Well, here we go again…”

Hiei laid a hand on Kurama's arm. “Koenma, he's already told it once, to his mother and I. Don't make him tell it again.”

“But I need to know, Hiei,” Koenma said.

“Why?” Hiei asked. “Maybe he doesn't want you prying into it. Ever think of that?”

Koenma went red. “Excuse me! I am Koenma, prince of the Reikai! You will not speak to me that way! I need to know this to find the guy, and I have the power to make him tell me, whether he wants to or not.”

Hiei didn't react with unleashed rage, as he usually would have. He simply looked Koenma dead in the eye, his face unreadable, and said quietly, “Kurama knows nothing about the identity of his captors. He doesn't even know which world he was held in, since he was unconscious almost the entire time he was being brought here. The best thing I can do is give you the name and possible location of his rescuer, who also happens to be a good friend of ours, and suggest that you go and speak with him. But it is useless to press Kurama for details, and if you force him to relive his nightmare once again, know that I will kill you, after making you resent whatever woman was crazy enough to give birth to you.”

Koenma glared at him, but Hiei glared back, twice as effectively, and after a moment, Koenma resentfully lowered his gaze.

“Good,” Hiei said. “Now, Kurama doesn't want to get involved in this again until he absolutely has to, so he won't be, and neither will I. You will find out everything you can from Kou and the spies I know you have and you will not call upon us until you have something concrete. Then, and only then, will we do your bidding. Is that clear?”

Koenma sighed. “That's fair, I guess.”

“Good,” Hiei said again. “Now, go back to the Reikai and get to work.”

And Koenma followed the order, muttering under his breath and not even acknowledging anyone else, while behind him, Kurama smiled gratefully at Hiei.

XXX

Shiori didn't return until well after noon, but when she finally did breeze in, looking very refreshed, she carried Kurama's Hiroseki.

Kurama breathed a sigh of relief as Hiei slipped the band over his head, and he fingered the gem as if he'd never held anything so wonderful. “I'mnever taking it off again.”

XXX

Kurama was released from the hospital a week later, but they didn't get any news for over a week after that. Finally, though, exactly two weeks and four days after Kurama's return, they got something.

It came at night, as news from the Reikai tended to, and it also happened to come while Kurama and Hiei were engaging in some...illicit activity on the couch.

Unfortunately for them, they hadn't yet gotten past the making out stage, when a pounding on the door interrupted them.

When Kurama finally managed to disentangle himself from Hiei and get the door, he found Yusuke on the stoop.

“Koenma got an ID on the guy,” he reported as Hiei joined them, grumbling. “We're supposed to go to the Reikai…tonight.”

Kurama sighed and said, “Well, it's sooner than I would have liked, but…let me tell Mother, and then…let the chase begin.”

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Author's Note: Well, here's the last chapter…FINALLY! You guys could never imagine the hell I went through to get this out for you, so BE HAPPY AND REVIEW!!! crickets chirpUm…please?

Anyways, yes, this WAS the ending to this installment in my mini-series. One more fic to go and then it's done. Lordy, what willI do to pass the time without any fics to write? cries

But moving on…I'll get the first chapter of the next story out as soon as possible, but my schedule's been so hectic lately, so it may take a couple weeks or so. Have patience with me, all right?

And last but not least, thanks to the reviewers!

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Reviewers' comments:

washio the spacedemon: You have mutant voodoo dolls??? COOL! Anyway, thanks for the review, and here's your update, so don't set the dolls on me!!!runs away screaming

YokoYoukai: Thanks for the review! And see, I didn't torture Kurama toomuch…so don't hurt me! Jeez, next thing I know you and the spacedemon girl/guy/whatever-gender-person will be teaming up to hunt me down! Oh, what authoresses must endure…LOL.

MikaSamu: Thanks for the review! You've reviewed this fic so faithfully…you and IceDragonKatana make me feel so loved! Hope you enjoy the chap, and review, please!

darkspirals: You don't think I overdid it? Really? Yay!!! And I AM up off my butt, even if I'm not typing! Well, sometimes, anyway…LOL. Anyway, thanks so much for the nice review, and I hope you enjoyed the fic!

Jessica: Thanks for the review and here's your chap! Review again!

IceDragonKatana: Yay! You reviewed AGAIN!!! You're the best! I hope you enjoy the third fic as much as you did this one! So…did you like this one? Was it worth the forever-long wait too? I hope so, because I really tried to make it as good as possible…please review and let me know what you thought! And about the fan thing…I don't really have that many. You, MikaSamu, darkspirals, and StormAZ are really my only regular reviewers. But anyone who spares two minutes to drop me a review is a wonderful person in my eyes, as long as they keep to constructive criticism or compliments and avoid flames, and since you have reviewed every chapter to this story, and since your reviews were long and complimentary, and you didn't flame…anyway, I think you're so nice! But I'm rambling, so I should probably stop now…

StormAZ: And last but definitely not least! Thanks for the review! And what do you mean, you're not going to second-guess me anymore? What did you second-guess me about? LOL about the madhouse. Isn't it fun, though, even if it is crowded? Especially when it's crowded with family…audience pulls out handkerchiefs and pretends to wipe away tears of joyLOL, I soundsosappy…anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and that you continue to read and review!