Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadow Fox Tale ❯ The Encounter ( Chapter 4 )

Hey everyone! It's me again.

<crickets>

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Chapter Four: The Encounter

"Another success!" Yusuke said as he high-fived Kuwabara, "Two more rounds before we can fight in the finals and get out of this wormhole."

"Hn. Just won a few matches and they already act as if they were invincible".

The fox demon smirked as he affectionately put an arm around the little koorime's shoulders. Hiei stiffened but didn't pull away. 'Guess he's still not used to the public display of affection. Oh well.' "Ne, koi?"

Hiei casted a questioned look at his friend, "Nani?"

"Do you want to go shopping?"

Hiei lifted an eyebrow, "Shopping?"

"Yes. Shopping."

The fire demon looked at the youko-nigen, the eyebrow still raised, "Shopping shopping?"

Kurama nodded and whispered to the other's ear, "You know, Idea # 4?" All of a sudden that everything made sense to the smaller youkai, his eyes sparkled mischief and nodded as his koibito pulled him away from the other two when they saw four figures coming their way from the opposite end of the dim-lighted hallway. The Shadow Fox team. In their min capes with the hoods pulled up, as always. The tanteis stopped dead in their tracks, staring at the four figures not too pleasantly. The latter stopped in front of them. One figure lowered his hood, it was Shuenn.

"What an unpleasant surprise," Yusuke remarked.

"We meet at last," Shuenn said, completely ignoring Yusuke's comment. He had a deep and rich voice though the tone was emotionless, "Allow me to introduce ourselves, I am Shuenn," he gestured the figure to his left. "This is Shyang," he gestured the figure to his far right. "That's Yih, and this," he said, turning to the caped figure that was half-a-step behind the other three, "Is Ying." Kurama could have sworn Shuenn's face reddened at the sound of Ying's name, the tone seemed to soften to the single word as well, almost dreamy. Almost.

"Yusuke Urmeshi <1>." Yusuke said, stepping forward.

"Kazuma Kuwabara." Kuwabara pointed to himself.

"Kurama at your service." the youko said, bowing a little.

Hiei scowled darkly but muttered in a low tone under Kurama's constant encouragement. "Hiei."

"When are you going to show us your faces? Are you cowards or just plain ugly?" The orange-haired teen was getting very impatient. The youko shot him a warning glance but he didn't notice, the boy continued, "And what's with the silence deal?! Can't you guys talk? Or did Shuenn do all the talking AND thinking for ya?!" He went a little too far.

The hooded figure known as Yih was going to slash whip at Kuwabara if it weren't for the arm extended between them, it was Ying's arm, delicate, well-toned with a creamy color. Enough to make any youkai want to lick and taste it like a piece of meat on the bone of their dinner.

"So you STILL won't talk to us?!" Kuwabara asked in disbelief.

Ying turned to Shuenn, who nodded and blushed, then told the Reikai Tanteis. "It's direct order from Yomi-sama: We may not reveal our identities unless absolutely necessary."

"Yomi's dogs" Hiei muttered under his breath.

Shuenn turned to Hiei's direction," We're not which you accused us of. We are merely helping Ying, that is all. If it weren't for him, Yih, Shyang and I wouldn't even be here," he blushed slightly, "and he is forced to work for Yomi-sama." Shuenn stopped dead as Ying took a few steps forward until he was in front of the Urmeshi team, no, not the team, he was in front of Kurama.

He extended a hand to Kurama's lips then caressed the lower lip softly, almost lovingly, the latter only gasped in surprise. Hiei's right hand was on the hilt of his katana, ready to cut off the youkai's head at any given time. How DARE he touch HIS fox?! Ying's delicate fingers traveled to Kurama's right cheek then it made a unfamiliar pattern to Hiei, Kuwabara and Yusuke but it made the youko's eyes went wide, he was suddenly furious in a degree they didn't know the nigen-youko could be, and he grabbed the front of Ying's cape, shouting in his face, "Where is she? What have you done with her?" he demanded. None of the Tanteis had any idea what was he talking about; on the other hand, the Shadow Fox team seemed to. Their aura showed that they were very calm, as always.

Ying made another arcane pattern on Kurama's right cheek, completely ignoring the clenched fist around his cape collar (is there a collar on a cape?). The youko said though his gritted teeth, "You're on." Then it was yet another pattern made, this time the youko spoke in a language the Tanteis never heard before, it felt old, mysterious and it sounded very beautiful, but they knew it was no compliment. Kurama reluctantly released his hold on the expensive min cape as Ying lowered his arm, once again completely covered by the silver cape. He bowed a little then silently led the other members of his team away.

Kurama sank to his knees, head bowed.

The hallway was once again silent except the dropping of tears which echoed the unspoken words of hatred and regret.

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"Kurama, diajobu ka?" Hiei whispered to the redhead who was sobbing silently; they have never seen him like this, except Hiei. The fire demon knew the youko had gone soft after the eighteen years he spent in the Nigenkai, but he never was THIS emotional; Kurama only acted this way once before and it was when he thought Hiei rejected him when he confessed his love, when the youkai loved him more than anything; he was just too scared to tell him. "Do you wanna talk about it?" Talking had never been Hiei's strong point, but he would do anything and everything in his power to make his itooshi happy. Slowly, the redhead raised his head, there were tears in his eyes and tears streaming down the soft skin of his cheeks; it hurt so bad for the youkai to see him like this, sad, and vulnerable. The youko then nodded slightly and wiped away his tears with the back of his hand and took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking.

"He knows where she is."

"Who knows where who is?" Kuwabara echoed, both Yusuke and Hiei glared daggers at him. He immediately shut up.

"Ying knows where Kiko is." He managed to say between sniffles.

"Who is this Kiko girl? Your girlfriend?" Yusuke asked 'innocently.'

Hiei felt hurt at the comment but remained quiet, 'Whose idea was that we keep our relationship a secret anyway?' he wondered to himself, 'Oh yeah. Mine.'

Kurama shook his head slightly, "No, she's not my girlfriend; she never was and never will be."

"So, is she your crush?" Kuwabara asked, Hiei really wanted to just fry those two up extra crispy, but he somehow controlled his temper. He had more important things at hand right now, like calming the whimpering Kurama. The youko shook his head again but refused to say anymore, so they dropped the subject and went back to their rooms. All the way to their hotel rooms, Hiei had his arm around the kitsune's slim waist while murmuring soothing comforts to the taller demon. In one of the smaller hallways they passed, a slender figure watched the crying redhead.

She cried with him.

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<1>Yes, I put first name first in this fic even though that's not how it's done in Japan.