Chiyo was at Sarashiki High School looking for her twin. She was lonely and he'd said he got out around now. She walked through the hallways, glancing into classrooms. Suddenly she turned a corner and came face to face with the sardonic fire youkai. He did not look happy to see her.
Chiyo didn't know why, but the three-eyed demon seemed to constantly be angry with her. She opened her mouth to ask if he knew where Yoko was, but he cut her off.
" What are you doing here, wench?" He demanded rudely. She stepped back. Then she glared at him angrily.
" I'm looking for Yoko." She replied coldly, not that it was any of his business.
" Why can't you just leave him alone, baka? He's miserable with you here." Hiei retorted.
" What do you mean?" Chiyo asked, surprised. Was it true? Was she making her twin unhappy?
" He cries all the time, he's depressed, and, he said so." Hiei cruelly added. " He said he wished you were back home."
Chiyo stared at him. Her world crashed and darkness closed in on her. Yoko didn't want her with him. She was an intrusion. She was disturbing his perfect life.
" Gonna cry now, bitch?" taunted the sardonic fire youkai. Chiyo bit her lip. She wouldn't let him see her cry. Then she heard a voice behind her.
" Chiyo, what are you doing here?" Yoko, as Shuichi, had come up behind her. She spun and stared at her twin, searching his eyes. There was a coldness in them when he looked at her, a hint of steel. The miserable Ifrit had been right. She dashed tears from her eyes. Her brother's face became concerned and he stepped forward, holding his arms out to her.
" Chiyo, why are you crying?" He asked, reaching for her. She bolted away down the hall, leaving her twin there with Hiei, both demons watching her go. She bolted out the double doors in the front of the school and ran out the gate and down the side walk.
About a hundred feet from the gate, she passed her brothers friends, Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara. She didn't see Yusuke turn and follow her. She kept running until he caught up to her.
He yelled for her to stop and she ignored him. He jumped and tackled her to the ground. She skidded over the sidewalk with the boy on top of her, using her arms to protect her face. By the time they stopped, she was bloody from wrists to elbows. She rolled over under him, glaring up into his brown eyes.
" Why didn't you stop?" He gasped, trying to catch his breath. He was almost sitting on her.
" Because I was trying to get away." She told him. " Baka." Yusuke let that pass. He was concerned.
" Who were you running from?" He asked, curious. She looked away from him before she spoke.
" Yoko."
" Kurama? But . . . You love Kurama. I don't get it." Yusuke was confused. " Why were you running from him?"
" None of your business!" She snapped, trying and failing to keep the tears back. Yusuke sighed.
" What is it with you Kurama's? Getting a straight answer out of you is like pulling teeth. Chiyo, tell me what happened. please."
Chiyo stared up into caring chocolate eyes. Something about them unnerved her. They seemed to see right through her. Their eyes locked and for a moment she forgot how to breathe. How could he have this effect on her? His voice cut through her daze.
" Please, Chiyo. You're scaring me. Don't cry." He really did look scared. Hiei's words came back to her and with them came anger.
" He doesn't want me! I'm making him miserable! He hates me! He wants me to go back! He wishes I never came!" She yelled at Yusuke, giving voice to her pain. Then she collapsed under him, sobbing. Yusuke watched her for a minute, then asked,
" Who doesn't want you?"
" Yoko."
" Did he tell you this?"
" N-no. H-Hiei did." She sobbed. Yusuke's eyes narrowed.
" That bastard! Of all the dirty rotten stunts!" He grabbed her arms and pulled her to her knees, making her cry out. He looked her in the eye.
" Listen to me, Chiyo! Kurama loves you. Believe me, he does. Hiei is jealous of the attention you get from your brother. You are Kurama's world! Understand?" He shook her, making her flinch. She stared at him. There was steel in his chocolate eyes. She nodded and collapsed against his chest in tears. Yusuke put his arms around her, holding her against him, letting her cry.
As the Spirit Detective knelt there, with the sobbing kitsune in his arms, he realized he didn't want to let her go. He buried his face in her hair, which smelled like cinnamon and chamomile. Suddenly a sharp voice cut through his private reverie.
" Chiyo! Thank Kami. Yusuke, you found her!" Kurama dropped to his knees beside them and pulled his twin into his arms. She sobbed into his chest. Yusuke stood and, seeing Hiei a few feet away, stalked towards him. Angrily he shoved the youkai up against a nearby wall.
" You dirty lowlife! You jealous son of a bitch! I can't believe you pulled a cheap, below the belt, childish, idiotic stunt like that! I should kill you! How could you do that? You miserable, cowardly --"
" Yusuke, what are you doing?" Kurama had his sister in one arm and his other hand rested on Yusuke's shoulder.
" Kurama, this lowlife sneaking coward told your sister that you hate her and want her out of your life!"
" What!?!" He yelled. " Hiei, how could you?" He turned to his twin. " Chiyo, I love you. I want you here. Please, believe me."
She nodded and he hugged her, glaring at Hiei over her head. The youkai hung his head. He fought loose from Yusuke and was gone. The leader let him go. He turned back to the Kurama twins. Kurama smiled warmly at him.
" Yusuke, thank you." The red haired kitsune put a hand on his arm. " She is everything to me." Yusuke shrugged.
" All I did was plow her into the concrete and then yell at her, Kurama. It was nothin'."
The fox demon shook his head. " Yusuke, you are such a good person. Thank you for taking care of my sister." Yusuke blushed as Kurama led his twin away. That night the young leader dreamed of crying golden eyes.
Several days later, Yusuke went over to Kurama's. They had a mission from Koenma. Chiyo answered the door, looking exhausted.
" Hi Yusuke." She greeted him wearily. " Please come in." Yusuke entered, removing his shoes. He took in her wardrobe. She was wearing what looked like the shirt from one of Kurama's uniforms over a pair of tight jeans. He looked around to cover his scrutiny. The house was a total disaster. Not Kurama's style.
" What happened?" He asked Chiyo. She sighed and plopped down on the sofa, clearing a space for him to sit next to her.
" Yoko's depressed. Like, really bad. He hasn't even moved since yesterday morning. I think he misses Hiei." She confided to him once he was seated.
" Hmph. Poor Kurama. It's just too bad he had to fall for such a baka." Yusuke told her. Chiyo nodded.
" Anyway, why are you here? Not that I'm not glad to see you." She told him, grinning. For some reason Yusuke's heart leapt into his throat. She's glad to see me! He had to calm himself before he could answer her.
" We've got a mission from Koenma. But I guess he's in no shape for it. Damn. That means its just me, since Kuwabara's visiting some aunt on Honshu and Hiei's AWOL."
" I'll go with you, Yusuke." She smiled at him.
" What? No way, Chiyo. Kurama would kill me." He protested, thinking And if anything happens to you, I'll kill me! Chiyo shook her head.
" Really, Yusuke, it's okay. I can look after myself." She put a hand on his wrist, making the hair on his arm stand up. " And I'll protect you."
Oh dear Kami! Who will protect me from what you do to me? The boy thought desperately.
" I-I don't think that's a good idea, Chiyo. You stay here and look after Kurama."
She frowned and seemed to submit, then she swiped the tape from his hand.
" Hey, no fair!" Yusuke laughed, reaching for the tape back. She danced out of his reach, popping the tape into the machine. Koenma gave his usual introduction, but what they saw next glued their eyes to the screen.
The familiar face of a red eyed youkai stared at them. He had been brutally beaten and tortured. Chiyo gasped. It was a horrific sight. He wasn't even fighting them. He looked just like Kurama, empty and submissive. Not like either of them.
"Kami." Chiyo breathed, turning away from the screen and into Yusuke's chest. He put his arms around her, registering the fluttering of his heart despite the horror on the video tape. A location was given and the tape ended. Yusuke threw it out the window and it exploded. He looked down at the kitsune in his arms.
" The separation is killing them both, Yusuke. Please let me go." She was begging him and it nearly broke his heart. He nodded.
Several hours later they had located Hiei's prison and were planning the rescue. Suddenly Yusuke swore. They were surrounded by Oni Tribesmen.
As they were led away, Chiyo slipped her hand into Yusuke's. He looked at her, but she was looking ahead, and looking scared. He squeezed her hand and gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. She didn't smile back, but she didn't let go of his hand, either.
They were taken into the headquarters and brought before the leader of the Oni Tribe. He was young, blonde and arrogant. Chiyo had met him before. She pressed back against Yusuke.
" Oh Kami. Not him." She whispered, pressing against Yusuke's chest. Yusuke frowned.
" You know him, Chiyo?" he questioned, confused. She nodded, not moving away from him. When the Oni heard him speak her name he looked up. He laughed.
" Well, well, well. What do we have here?" He stood and walked over to them. " Chi, Darling. How lovely to see you again."
" Get away from me, Lucas!" She hissed. Lucas chuckled and reached out to touch her face. Yusuke pulled her back.
" Keep your slimy hands off her!" He yelled furiously.
Lucas frowned. He summoned a couple of guards, who stood on either side of the young detective.
" I don't like you." He told the boy, waving a hand at the guards. They grabbed him and dragged him away, dumping him into the same prison cell where they were keeping Hiei. He crawled over to the little Youkai.
" Hey, Hiei. Wake up, man. Come on." Yusuke shook him, hoping he was still alive. A low moan told him that he was.
" Ugh. What do you want, Urameshi?" Hiei groaned, not opening his eyes. Yusuke grinned.
" We're here to take you home, buddy. Kurama misses you." He told him cheerfully. Hiei's eyes flew open.
" Fox? Is he here?" The firebug sat up, looking around frantically.
" No. It's just me and Chiyo. Kurama is . . . . incapacitated."
Yusuke explained.
" He's hurt? My Fox is hurt?" Hiei demanded.
" Not exactly hurt. More like sick. But if we get Chiyo and go home, we can make him better."
" Chiyo? She came after me?" He asked his leader, bewildered.
" Yeah. She kinda demanded that I bring her. Especially after she saw Koenma's tape. I gotta say, she's a lot more mature than you. She looks after Kurama's happiness, not her own."
Hiei glared at his leader. Then he sighed. He couldn't believe he had behaved so badly.
" I am so stupid. How could I make my Fox so unhappy? You should just leave me here, Yusuke."
" Don't be an idiot. You made a mistake. Everyone does it. You were jealous and you dealt with it badly. But Kurama needs you. He loves Chiyo, but he's in love with you. You should know that." Yusuke reprimanded him.
" Do you think, if I bring her back safe, and say I'm sorry, maybe Fox will forgive me?" Hiei asked, almost afraid of the answer. Yusuke just looked at him.
" Kurama forgave you a long time ago, Hiei. Come on, snap out of it. We need to get out of here. Who knows what that stupid Oni is doing to Chiyo."
This last was said with such ferocity that Hiei raised an eyebrow at his young leader. Yusuke didn't notice. The youkai decided to keep his thoughts to himself.
" Lets go then." Hiei raised a hand and blasted a hole through the door. Actually, he blew away the door, and most of the wall. Yusuke let out a low whistle.
" Remind me never to get in your way, ne?" He told the fire demon, who chuckled. They left the dungeon.
Meanwhile, in a different part of the Oni base, Chiyo wasn't having so much fun. Lucas had taken her to an exquisite bedroom, decked out in scarlet. He pushed her down on the bed and climbed on top of her. He pinned her arms above her head.
" Miss me, Chi?" He breathed in her ear. His hand trailed over her shirt, undoing buttons. She spat in his face and he slapped her.
" Behave, Chi. Don't make me get rough." He warned her as his hand fiddled with the button on her jeans.
" Get the hell off her, you Sonuva bitch!" A voice rang through the room and a blast of fire blazed between them, forcing him to leap backward. Lucas glared at the two Spirit Detectives.
" This does not concern you. Leave." He told them, walking towards the bed again, where Chiyo lay, breathing hard. Yusuke raised his hand, holding it like a pistol.
" Stay away from her." He ordered, drawing in his Ki. Lucas ignored him and he fired. The blast from his reigun hit the Oni in the chest, sending him crashing against the far wall, dead. Yusuke walked over to the bed. Chiyo let him pull her up, then buried her face in his chest, sobbing. Hiei stared at the kitsune in his leaders arms. She had gone through so much to save him.
" Chiyo . . . . ." His voice was quiet. It was the first time he had used her nickname and he wasn't sure how she'd react. She looked at him over Yusuke's arm.
" Thank you for coming after me. I'm sorry for what I did. It was cruel. I should have been thinking of my Fox's happiness, rather than my own jealousy. I would like to start over with you, if I may." He apologized as best he could. Chiyo shook her head.
" No do-overs, Hiei. But I forgive you. After all, I love my brother too." She told him. He nodded. She looked up at Yusuke.
" Can we go home now?" She asked, afraid of what had nearly happened to her. Yusuke nodded. Hiei blew a hole through the wall and they left.
They arrived home to find the house spotless. Shiori had come home. She stared at her new daughter in shock. Her shirt was open, she had several cuts and bruises and her bra was showing. Shiori held out her arms to the kitsune girl. Chiyo let her hug her.
" Mother . . ." She whispered.
" Hush, Dear. Come with me. Yusuke, you lay down on the couch. I'll look after you in a moment." She led Chiyo away. Yusuke did as he was told and Hiei went down the hall to Kurama's room. He entered quietly.
Kurama lay on the bed, arms out to his sides, eyes staring emptily up at the ceiling. Hiei knelt beside him on the mattress, resting a hand on the kitsune's chest.
" Fox, wake up. Please." He begged, putting all his love for the man into his voice. There was no reaction.
Then he leaned down and gently kissed the fox. For a moment, nothing. Then he felt him kissing back. Hiei deepened the kiss as Kurama's arms wrapped around his neck.
Yusuke fell asleep on the sofa waiting for Shiori. He didn't wake until someone sat next to him on the couch and pressed a cold cloth to the cuts on his chest. He hissed in pain.
" Sssh, Yusuke. It's okay. It's just me." The kitsune girl whispered, patting his arm.
" Chiyo?" He murmured tiredly. He felt the cloth on his chest again. She carefully cleaned the cuts on his chest and neck, murmuring to him all the while. She wiped the blood off his stomach. Several times her hand brushed his skin, sending his heart into his throat. He moaned inwardly.
Oh Kami. How do I deal with this? I'm supposed to be in love with Keiko. But every time this girl looks at me, I want to hold her tight and protect her from the world. But she's Kurama's sister. Doesn't that make her off - limits?
His thoughts were interrupted by her hand on his face. She was brushing his hair back.
She pressed the ice cold cloth to his temple. He hadn't even realized he'd been wounded there. As she rinsed the cloth, she took in the strong warrior, lying on the couch, chest bare and eyes half closed. She carefully cleaned the blood from his temple. As she continued her ministrations, her thoughts wandered.
Kami, he's handsome. And strong. Even Yoko respects him. But his eyes. They have passion and soul. He smiles at me and I forget how to breathe. How do I deal with this? I've had lovers. They never did this to me. And he's Yoko's friend. That makes him off - limits. Plus, he's in love with that Keiko girl.
Despite her intense thoughts, her touch was gentle and Yusuke found himself relaxing under her tender care. He closed his eyes, feeling her hands moving over him.
After a moment, Hiei released the kiss, looking into Kurama's eyes. Kurama grinned at the youkai.
" Hiei . . . ." The fox whispered, reaching up and touching his face. Hiei covered the fox's hand with his own. With his other hand he brushed red locks away from Kurama's forehead.
" Fox, I am so sorry. I doubted your love and I was jealous. Then I was a coward. I don't deserve you, but I'm asking you, please forgive me." Hiei looked away. Kurama growled at him and rolled him over so that the kitsune was on top now.
" Hiei, you are, by far, the stupidest youkai I have ever loved. Jealousy is not only understandable, but normal. Cowardice can be forgiven. But don't ever, EVER doubt my love for you." He leaned down and captured Hiei's mouth in a passionate kiss then pulled away. " Ever. Understand?"
Hiei stared up at the kitsune. The ferocity of his declaration scared him.
He had gone most of his life without being loved or cared about. He didn't know how to handle it. Laying there on Kurama's bed with the growling kitsune over him, declaring his love openly, Hiei felt tears slide down his cheeks. He hadn't cried since he was very small. He just let the tears go.
Kurama stared at the sobbing youkai. Hiei was crying? He reached out and touched his face.
" Hiei, please don't cry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He instantly regretted his outburst. Not the words. The words he would never take back. Gently he leaned down and kissed away his Youkai's tears. Then he drew him into his arms and, holding each other close, they slept.
Chiyo drew a soft blanket over the warrior, covering him to his shoulders. He had fallen asleep. She brushed his hair back and leaned down to kiss his cheek. She missed and ended up brushing his lips. Quickly she pulled away.
Kami! How does he do this to me. I can't think. I can't stop. I want to touch him and kiss him and feel his arms around me. What is it that courses through my veins like fire when he's near?
She gazed down at the sleeping fighter. He looked so peaceful. His sleep seemed less troubled than it had earlier. She felt herself leaning down to kiss him again.
Uh oh! I gotta get out of here. Stupid ningen. But he's not just any ningen. Yusuke is . . . .strength.
She stood and, after tucking him in again, walked away down the hall. She peered into her twin's room. He and Hiei lay asleep on the bed, curled up in each others arms. She went down the hall to the room Shiori had given her. She plopped down on the bed and fell asleep, dreaming of half closed chocolate eyes.
