Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho but I do own Genkai's belief that ice cream makes everything better and I do own the little girl.
Note: A drabble that borderlines on a one-shot which will make a lot more sense if you go read Memories of the Lost first!
Warnings: implied shounen-ai; implied mpreg (or implied Yomi Machinery usage - that's just how vague it is)
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Like Father...
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Long, slender fingers grasped the waxed, multi-colored carton, pulling it from the icy interior where it was housed. A small smile – more a smirk than anything – brought curves to the corners of thin, pale lips.
"I have a cure for that little broken heart of yours." A deep, baritone voice filled the room, otherwise occupied only by the soft, quiet sobs of a youth. Silver hair swayed as a figure turned from the refrigerator and over to the counter in the center of the kitchen, the prized carton held tightly in his clawed grasp. "Something an old friend taught me a long time ago."
The child – a little girl – sat across the counter, hunched on a stool with her shoulders wrapped protectively around her sobbing form. Bleary eyes, red from crying, looked up past silver bangs to the fox before her. Sniffling, she wiped her dripping nose on the back of her hand, the pout evident on her cute, heart-broken face.
"Will I ever meet this friend?"
The face across from hers grew closer as the Youko leaned onto the counter, his white-clad chest pressing against the table. He set the carton down on the counter top, prying the lid off as he replied with a sad, but honored tone, "No, she passed away long ago."
The little girl watched as the man took a spoon and scooped several globs of white, semi-solid goop into a bowl. She wrinkled her nose – half in curiosity, half in disgust.
That gelatinous mess did not look appetizing. Turning back to look at the fox, she ignored slowly filling bowl. "I'm sorry, Papa."
Gold eyes looked up, slightly widened in surprise. She'd caught him off guard. "Why are you sorry, my little kit?"
The young girl lowered her eyes, sniffling again as she stared at her hands, gripping the stool between her legs. "Because I'll never get to meet her." Daring, but also sympathetic eyes that were far too young to look so wise glanced up to meet her father's. "And you must have really loved her."
Again, those golden eyes were regarding the child with surprise, but a loving pride that made her glow and feel like the most prized person in the world. She felt like the sun when bathed in that look.
"I knew her well and she taught me many things," the youko relented with a small smile, unable to hold back the sheer delight that swelled in his chest when he looked upon his daughter and what she slowly was growing into.
He put the lid back on the carton. "I miss her dearly…" He instantly regretted letting his sentence drag off into the silence that filled their room. He knew she was well aware of what he was thinking.
His daughter was smart that way.
"Like you miss all the friends you tell me about? In the stories, Papa?"
"Yes," the fox replied softly. He opened the freezer and returned the carton to its home before looking back at his daughter, who was regarding him with a gentle, safe look, as if cautiously approaching a dragon.
He gave her a soft smile, ignoring the irony. "I really shouldn't be telling you such stories, you know. They are not suitable for a young girl to be falling asleep to."
"But I love them!" the girl immediately objected, her head jerking up and sending waves of silver hair flying momentarily. She couldn't imagine not falling asleep to her fathers soft but deep voice. She couldn't imagine not drifting off to the tales of Yusuke Urameshi and the Spirit Detectives.
"And besides," she said, suddenly changing her tone and grinning most evilly for a young child, "you know you can't resist my smile, Papa!"
Her grin was indeed infections as Youko returned to the counter, leaning against it to once more bring their faces level. He reached out, gently taking the girl's face in his hand. His fingers brushed against her tear-stained cheek, brushing away the silver bangs and tucking them behind her ears. Their skin was pale and soft, identicle when placed against one another.
Like father like daughter.
A thumb rubbed the corner of her eye, wiping away all traces of her tears and gold pupils stared into blood-red ones.
Like father like daughter.
"It is your eyes I can not resist, my beautiful little kit." Those crimson pupils stared at him, calculating, trying to discern the meaning behind those words, for it was certainly there. He pulled away, ignoring the pain of lovers lost that came with the love for his daughter and instead pushed the bowl towards her, a spoon resting against the porcelain side. "Eat; it will make you feel better."
"Hn." The little girl pouted once more, but took the spoon despite it all. "How will food make me feel better?"
Hearing the words sent a jolt of déjà vu through the fox and a wide smile crossed his face. He could almost hear his own voice forming those very words…So many, many years ago.
"You are so like your father."
The girl glanced up to him for a moment, taking in the figure who claimed to be so 'like' to her. With a shrug to hide the swell of pride it made her feel, she dug her spoon into the goopy whatever-it-was her father gave her and shoveled it into her mouth.
Red eyes almost doubled in size and caused a golden-eyed youko to burst out laughing. "It's like sweetened snow! It's amazing, Papa!"
The laughter trailed away. Wise, saddened eyes took her in as she gobbled another bite and another – too eager and soon to be suffering from the traumatic effects of brain freeze.
A voice he had not heard in many years – had tried so hard not to remember – filled his déjà-vu this time and the youko was taken back for a moment. Golden eyes were hidden from view as he hung his head. Silver hair swayed back and forth gently and nails dug into the edge of the table.
Then a soft chuckle broke through the silence – the youthful sobs having long ago ended and now replaced only by the scraping of spoon on porcelain. He looked up, his daughter's eyes meeting his – hers in curiosity and his in pride and sorrow – and gave a smile to match his laughter.
"You are so like your father."
The little girl stared at him for a moment – she didn't need her demonic powers or spiritual sixth sense to know that there was more in his words. He was saying something and she had the feeling he didn't want her to know.
"You said that already."
"And I meant it. Both times."
The girl blinked, looking up. "Are…we still talking about...you, Papa?"
Youko smiled again. This time it was a happier smile – it was a smile instead of a breaking heart. She looked down at the ice cream that had been meant to cure the pain caused by some stupid demon boy who had dumped her. She realized it didn't hurt so much anymore.
The little girl looked to her father – her dad who loved her with everything in his soul – and pushed the bowl towards him a little, offering the spoon.
With a grin, he took it and the two shared the sweet snow together.
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...Like Daughter
End
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More than anything, it was written because I had a headache and I went to get food (figuring it was because I hadn't eaten anything in a while). Upon opening my freezer, I spotted ice cream, and couldn't help myself.
After all, if Genkai says ice cream will make you feel better, it's the truth.
And it worked - no headache. In fact, by the time I had pulled the ice cream out of the freezer, I had this entire story written out in my head...wow, my head types really fast.
Please review!
Oh...
Author Note: This is, in no way, a prediction of the end of Memories of the Lost. This was merely a companion piece that was, more or less, an AU ending to that story - something that popped into my head. The main idea behind it is that Kurama left the group at the end of Memories (somehow...with...Hiei's daughter...hadn't figured that one out yet) and this takes place long after the deaths of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Genkai, and Shuichi (which is why it's Youko in the story, and not Kurama - and why instead of MPEG, it's likely Youko went to Yomi and asked for a child similar to how Shura was born).
It's like...a mixture of The Last one Left and Memories of the Lost. There we go! See, it's very AU.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about, both of those are other stories I'm writing...and you should go read them!
Please Review!