Hiei of the Thousand Eyes

Chapter One: Homecoming

Hiei planted his feet on the floor. On the bed behind him Mukuro lay asleep and sated. He fixed his eyes over his shoulders to take in her relaxed form for just a moment before standing and throwing on his clothes. She would forgive him for not waking her. He had border patrol to attend to.

It was a tedious task, one that he hated for its monotony. But if it was the tithe he gave for the excitement and rush of the Makai Tournament every three years, he would pay it. With his world in less chaos, it also led to less interesting moments. Not to say the Makai wasn't still a terribly dangerous place, but he was one of the strongest demons in the realm now, as proven by his ranking in the tournaments. There was less challenge to his life. It almost made him wish for the days he was weaker. Although he did love his status among the demons now.

Hiei gave Mukuro one last glance before leaving their bedchamber.

He had hoped their partnership would garner more… just more. He helped free her from her past, and in doing so trapped himself in her future. The start of their relationship was tumultuous and heated. He never quite understood why she chose to save him, or train him, other than for his potential to be stronger than her then second. He'll never know why exactly. As forthcoming as she had been about so many horrors of her life, Mukuro had never divulged what made her choose him and never would. Still, the fiery, unbridled explosion of their first days together only led to difficulties when the pace began to slow. They had no more personal demons to fight. They had each other, instead, to fight for. But in truth they had only known each other for a year. Half that time outside of each other's company. Now, fifteen years past the first Makai tournament, both of them were feeling the strain of staying with someone out of promise and nothing more.

Border patrol was, at best, boring. Still, it was always his assignment after the tournament. Both for his connection with Mukuro, who's legion took up the arduous task due to their nomadic nature, and for his unique ability to wipe the memories of the foolish humans who managed to find their way through the gap in space. He patrolled some on his own, but mostly Hiei waited for others to call him. It was torturous.

His comm buzzed. They had started adapting more human technologies, which truth be told Hiei was beginning to enjoy. He didn't have to keep the lowly demons running through his head all day.

"We've got that girl again," the voice on the other end said.

Hiei rolled his eyes. This girl. She was becoming the bane of his existence. "Where are you this time?"

Whatever demon was speaking listed his coordinates and Hiei was off in a flash. It took him under a minute to reach them.

The girl looked full grown, but still young. Hiei never did quite understand human aging. Her hair was pulled up into a messy knot at the top of her head this time, a few strands of her long dark curls framing her face. Her wide, brown eyes took in everything with caution and confusion. She seemed less afraid than the first few times they found her. Whether it was because the demon who found her looked more human than the previous ones, or for no reason at all, Hiei didn't know or care.

The only distinguishing mark that let him and any of the other demons realize that this is the same girl was the elaborate coloring that twisted around her left arm like flowers and dragons.

Her eyes widened even further when they spotted Hiei.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "Where am I? Where have you taken me?"

Hiei sighed, his Jagan already pulsing open. "Just go to sleep," he told her. The girl fell limp in the demon's arms and was carried away.

That was the twelfth time that same human found her way into demon world. Even without the barrier, demons still had to know how to travel between worlds. There were still pockets that demon or human could, in theory, fall through. But they were supposed to be few and far between and a second dispatch of the patrol was tasked with finding said holes and patching them up in such a way humans were less likely to slip through them.

Hiei half wondered if that girl knew about demons already and was searching for these holes, but she never seemed to know where she was. Nor did her spiritual energy suggest any type of awareness, even the type as simple the buffoon's sister held. Hiei thought of bringing it up to Koenma. Since it was a human matter the current demon king wouldn't have jurisdiction past what they already did to return them to where they belonged.

Hiei had no direct line to the moronic Spirit Prince anymore. He hadn't been called into help in some doomsday crisis since the first tournament. It became obvious that the only way to address this situation was to return to the Ningenkai and visit his old friends. Hiei heaved a heavy sigh. He hated this type of responsibility.

Kuwabara could feel it the moment his friend reentered the world of humans. Nobody had energy like Yusuke's. It wasn't just that it radiated strength, but the unique combination of human and demon ki. There were other half demons in the world, thousands of them. Unlike Yusuke, their muddled heritage made them weak, some of the lowest class of demon. They often lived among the humans wearing an effortless glamour. Yusuke's ancestral father was a special type of demon, and his first offspring was only human, the blood waiting for only the strongest fighter to awaken.

Other half breeds only made for weak demons. Yusuke was the hanyou. The only one able to possess both energies. He was of both lands.

Unfortunately, this didn't lend well to living in both lands.

Kuwabara took the first train into town and even paid for a taxi to take him to Urameshi's apartment. He raced up the four flights and down the hall to his friend's door, unsure what would be waiting him but knowing it wouldn't be good.

It had been just over two years since Yusuke had been in the Ningenkai. The last Makai Tournament left Yusuke's nation at a bit of a disadvantage due to the number of its denizens who either lost their lives or positions of power against other nation's demons. It was frankly speaking a complicated mess that called Yusuke back to his kingdom despite not competing. Even still, it required him to be a leader for a longer time, reorganizing his command and making sure his denizens who had competed and lived did their duty to the current king of the Makai.

When Kuwabara reached Yusuke, the front door having been unlocked, he was sitting on the end of a king sized bed, perfectly made with crisp sheets that somehow didn't look freshly done. He stared at the TV, remote control in hand. He was oblivious to Kuwabara's arrival as Kieko's image told Yusuke with a heartbreaking smile, "Call me. I want to know when you're safely back." The screen went blank and Yusuke pressed play again.

Keiko appeared on screen again. She was in the kitchen and it was snowing out. Kuwabara knew what the message was going to be. Keiko had asked for his advice on the matter a few times, consulting with Shizuru and Yukina as well. Still, he had never seen the tape.

"Hi, Yusuke. I'm not sure why I'm making this a video," Keiko laughed, "I just have all these thoughts right now that I can't seem to get right in a letter and I don't want to forget them for whenever it is you get back." Keiko nervously pulled at the strands of her hair by her ear. It was short again, a sophisticated bob of sleek hair managed to perfection. She was a sophisticated beauty, all grown up. You could almost miss the crow's feet that were beginning to stomp around her eyes.

"Let me start by saying, I love you. I will always love you. You're my best friend. I've loved you as a friend, as children, as a sweetheart, as a lover. I love you." She looked down to her hands, preparing herself for whatever words she had to say next. "You've been gone about a year now. Before that you were home for a few months after not seeing you for a half year as you helped Kuroko's kids take down that black market. And before that was the third king rebellion you were needed for. And before that was the spirit artifact that fell into demon world that Koenma asked for your help in retrieving. Before that was the crop of new psychics who weren't understanding their powers that you helped round up and train. And I get it. I know you. You try to pretend otherwise, but you care so much. And you have so much power and influence that that caring spreads to anyone who you can reach. And they need it. They need you."

Keiko took a deep breath and tucked her hair behind her ear. "They need you, more than I do. I love spending time with you, but for a long time now, I've worried that being with you was holding you back. I used to not care as long as you came back to me. But now, I don't know. I think it's enough. I'm getting older. You still look no older than twenty. And while we have good time together, I'm a vacation. Not your life. I can't demand that you always come back to me, anymore. I never should have in the first place."

Tears were starting to well up at the corner of Keiko's eyes. She wiped at them gently. "I met someone," she said sharply. "I met someone. He transferred into my branch and I showed him around town and we got lunch together. He's really sweet, Yusuke. He makes me happy. And, and you make me happy," she pleaded, "you do. I don't want you thinking you've done anything wrong. Except." Keiko cleared her throat. "You're not here, Yusuke. And a few months ago Sousuke asked for us to be more than just friends. And while I will always hold a special place in my heart for you," Keiko shook her head, "I need this. I need him, to be there for me, to be there for. All throughout high school and college when boys asked me out, I said no because even though you were gone a lot, I had you. I loved you." Keiko frowned. "I don't feel as if I have you anymore."

Keiko cleared her throat again. "I don't know if I'll even show this to you. I just needed to get it off my chest."

The footage changed and Keiko was sitting in the living room. Her hair was a bit longer and she was dressed for summer. It was the Keiko from the end of the video.

"Hi, Yusuke. I'm sorry to do this to you. I was expecting you home sooner, I suppose. I held off making this video because I wanted to tell you in person, but it looks like I won't get that chance." Keiko held up her left hand, the square cut diamond catching a lens flare. "I'm engaged. Souske and I are going to get married at his family's home in Fukushima and then honeymoon in Hawaii. He's really good for me. I haven't been this happy in a long time. Perhaps ever. I think you would like him. We might be moving after we get back. I've been looking for a new job and he's never really settled into the area."

She took a deep breath and Kuwabara knew instantly what was coming next.

"I'm thirty, Yusuke, and would like to start a family. It's something Souske and I have discussed. I'm ready for the next step in my life. I'm sorry I couldn't take it with you. I hope you don't hate me. I understand if you're angry. Please, please don't blame yourself. You did nothing wrong. I love who you are and if you were here all the time, you wouldn't be the hero that I admire so much."

Keiko smiled as sweetly as she could. "The wedding is the last day of August. It's quick, I know. But a part of me was afraid that if you did come back, I wouldn't be able to go through with this. But I have to move on, Yusuke. We both need to let go. We'll be back mid-September. Even if I'm in Hawaii, Yusuke. Call me." The end of the video repeating itself now. "I want to know when you're safely back."

Yusuke went to press play again. Kuwabara stopped his hand. "Don't," Yusuke seethed.

"Come on, Urameshi," Kuwabara said. "Don't do this to yourself, man."

Yusuke pulled his hand violently out of Kuwabara's grip and tossed the remote against the far wall. It shattered. "I missed stopping her wedding by two days," Yusuke said, voice dead of emotion despite the outburst.

"If you had tried to stop that wedding, I would have done my best to stop you," Kuwabara admitted.

Yusuke's eyes flashed with rage, locking onto his friend's. "How could you say that!" he snapped, standing. "This is Keiko, she-"

"She's my friend, too!" Kuwabara snapped back, pushing Yusuke back onto the bed. Yusuke blinked with shock. "You haven't been here, man. You don't know how hard this was for her, finding someone she loves. Choosing to be with them. Souske's a great guy. I'm happy for her."

"You bastard!" Yusuke yelled, lunging at his friend. In a blink of an eye they were wrestling. Yusuke's energy flaring with every punch, hardly holding back.

"Come on, Urameshi. The neighbors are going to call the cops!" Kuwabara grunted as he tried to protect himself.

It wasn't until Yusuke managed to clock Kuwabara across the jaw and to the ground that he finally let up.

"Shit," Yusuke hissed, dropping to his knees, then his hands. His head hung low and he shook with rage and tears. "How did this happen?" he whispered.

Kuwabara, stinging from the now unfamiliar abuse of Yusuke's punches, sat up and heaved a great sigh. "You were going to get married when you got back from demon world, when you were seventeen," Kuwabara reminded him. "Then you decided to wait until she was done with college. Then you were never home long enough to even pick a date, let alone plan anything. Keiko offered to just elope and you refused. You wanted the best for her."

"But I couldn't even give her my time." Yusuke slammed his fist against the floor. Kuwabara winced for the downstairs neighbors.

"She understands," Kuwabara said, clasping a firm hand on Yusuke's shoulder. "She knows you. If you had given up helping others for her, you always feel guilty that others were in danger. And she would always feel guilty for forcing you to be someone you're not. Even when you were here, you were taking odd jobs out of that ramen cart you sold off."

Yusuke rested his forehead on the cold floor. It was dusty. She hadn't been here in months.

Kuwabara pushed himself to his feet and lowered a hand to Yusuke. "Come on, Urameshi. Have dinner at my place."

They stayed that way for almost a solid minute, before Yusuke finally reached up and let his friend pull him to his feet.

All in all, the event wasn't nearly as bloody as Kuwabara was expecting.

Kurama returned home, placing his bag in its regular spot next to the couch. It was late and Ittoku would be asleep already. He regretted not being able to see his son to bed, but life as Shuichi Minamino took him to working late more often than he liked. He made his way through the house to the back porch where the light was still on. Shizuru was leaned against the doorframe, a lit cigarette between her teeth.

"I'm surprised you didn't go find Yusuke," she said, blowing a puff of smoke into the night. "He must know about Keiko by now."

"Yes. I worry about him," Kurama mused, "but I trust your brother to handle Yusuke. At least for now."

Shizuru dropped her cigarette and stomped it out. "Just make sure he doesn't go toppling any buildings, okay?" She placed a hand on his waist and kissed his cheek, letting her fingers trail over his stomach as she continued on into the house. "Let me know what your friend wants."

As the door slid shut, Kurama looked up into the array of trees that marked the edge of their backyard. "I do have to find myself curious as to your return, Hiei."

In a mere moment, the fire demon stood a meter away. "You look like an old man," Hiei said, his eyes roaming over Kurama's figure. The former fox demon's fiery hair was cropped short, similar to how Hiei first met him those many years ago. The dignified air about him finally matched his outward appearance.

"I'm thirty-two, not seventy."

Hiei turned his head away. "A far cry from when I last saw you. Human aging makes you look ancient. Can you still fight at least?"

"If the need arises. I'm truly not that old by human standards."

Hiei huffed. It was good to see his friend again. It had been a long time since they went their separate ways, Kurama choosing the life of a human and Hiei returning to the Makai. They had only met sparingly in the years that followed.

"I need to get in contact with the toddler. There's a human annoyance I'd rather have him handle."

Kurama nodded. It wasn't something dire, it seemed. He was able to relax a bit. "I'm afraid I don't have a direct line to Koenma anymore," Kurama informed Hiei. "Your best bets would be either Kuwabara or the current Spirit Detective, Fubuki Sato. You can find her easily enough, I'm sure."

"Rather her than the buffoon."

"Although," Kurama interjected before Hiei could dart off. "I'm sure Yukina would appreciate the visit. I know she has, ah, something she wishes to share with you."

Before the second Makai Tournament, the four of them had gathered at Genkai's to train. It was then that Yukina divulged that she knew Hiei was her brother. She wanted him to know that she was routing for his safety, and that she would miss him while still fully endorsing his decision to stay in the Makai.

The whole event came only to the surprise of Kuwabara, who was a bit terrified of continuing his courtship with Yukina for the next few months.

"You should come visit, while you're still in the Ningenkai sorting things out," Kurama offered. "In two days I will be home during the day. You can meet my son."

Hiei stalled, the news surprising the demon. "Son?"

Kurama nodded. "His name is Ittoku. He's four. Fully human. Although between my oddities and Shizuru's spirit awareness, he'll likely have his own set of abilities."

"What care do I have of a human child?" Hiei asked.

"It was merely a suggestion," Kurama smiled. "Send Yukina my regards." He turned and reentered his house, not waiting for a goodbye. Hiei wasn't the type of give those. By the time Kurama slid the door closed again, the fire demon was gone.

Chihiro woke up with a headache. She had been getting those pretty frequently. She groaned, not quite sure how she got home. That also had been happening pretty frequently. Enough to worry her. Chihiro would be out searching and then would lose time. Only sometimes she would wake up with what she was even looking for.

"Damnit," she spat, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Chihiro pawed around her bed for her bag, finally coming across the small item. She turned it inside out to dump out its contents. Her wallet, cellphone, house keys. She reached for the last item to fall out, a shard of crystal about the length of her hand and as wide as her pinky. Despite its many edges it wasn't sharp. The whole thing was a golden color, although too translucent to be gold itself. She didn't know exactly what it was, but it was her fault it was in shards, so it was her task to find all the pieces.

At least she found one before spacing out this time. Whatever it was, this was an inside piece. Chihiro rolled out of bed and padded over to her bookcase. On the second shelf she had a tin lunchbox that she used to keep extra cash in. Now, however, it kept all the golden shards she had collected over the three months. This made twenty.

Most of them were still a jumble, but she always tried to put more and more together. The ones that did match up fit together so perfectly Chihiro was unable to pull them apart again. It was her lucky day it seemed, as she tested out the new piece. The slim shard stuck together with three other pieces, one of which was an edge. A vague shape was starting to form. It had a curve to it, but it wasn't a globe. Based off its size and number of pieces she had already found and put together, she estimated she was about halfway there.

Chihiro sighed and put it back in the lunch box. She was still missing so many pieces. With a giant flop back onto her bed, Chihiro tried to remember how she got home. Her keys were even in her bag still. It didn't make sense.

When Chihiro first started losing time, she would generally just find herself back on the street, maybe a half hour later than she thought it was. Then the time started stretching, but she was always on the street or the park. Somewhere nearby to where she spaced out. The last few times she kept waking up at home. All she had to go off of was the strange dream that would sometimes occur with her apparent fugue state.

Strange creatures, a different world, a man with three eyes.

Chihiro rubbed at her eyes and decided to forget it. She had to or else she'd drive herself crazy. After a quick shower and a nicer set of clothes, Chihiro headed out.

Once she reached the club, a bright squeal called her over. "Chi-chi!" Chihiro rolled her eyes. She hated that nickname. Still, she had to be nice to the boss's sister.

Risa rushed over, grabbing Chihiro by the elbow and leading her into the club. "I am soooo glad to see you," she said. "Big brother's in a meeting and won't let me listen in, and this place is boring when no one will dance with me unless he gives the okay."

Chihiro laughed. She may not care too much for Risa, but she could be entertaining. "You should go over to the Blue Fin bar and dance there," Chihiro suggested with a smirk.

Risa grinned wickedly. "Yeah! That'll teach him. Dancing with the other gang." She giggled and continued to lead Chihiro deeper into the club. "Did you find any more of those gold pieces?" she asked innocently. Risa didn't quite understand what was at stake if Chihiro didn't fix the whole thing by the end of the year. That was how long Risa's brother gave her. The "or else" was silently tacked on.

"Yeah. A big one, too," she said. "If I'm lucky I'll finish it in the month."

"That's great!" Risa cheered. "Then you'll have more time to hang out with meeeee."

Chihiro inwardly groaned. Why her?

Three months ago she was tasked with protecting the boss's new treasure as it traded hands. Of course, the cops showed up. In the chaos, Chihiro had managed to nab the mysterious item, but was knocked to the ground. She could hear it shatter inside its box. Worse, as she was trying to stand, one of the traders rushed her way and the whole thing got kicked away and towards a drain. As the box, weakened from the fall, smashed into the sidewalk, it split open and all the insides dropped into the underground. Chihiro only had time to swipe a few shards that hadn't fallen through the crack before darting out of there, police hot on her heels.

Needless to say, the boss wasn't happy. With a cracked rib, Chihiro went back to the site of the trade the next day and began her search for the broken treasure.

She was fairly well versed in the city's sewer systems at this point in her life.

As they reached the back room where all the elite guests drank, Chihiro caught sight of a certain someone waiting for her. "Sorry Risa," Chihiro said, handing the girl off to one of the boss's trusted body guards. "Your dance card may be empty, but mine's not."

Chihiro stalked her way over to the young man who shouldn't be there but found his way in anyway. He was tall and handsome with a swarmy smirk plastered on his face. "What are you doing here, Sato?"

"What? Aren't we on first name basis, Chi-chi?" he reached out to grab her waist but she swatted his hand away. Kaisei Sato was an annoying asshole.

"Don't call me that," she glared. "How'd anyone even let you back here?"

Kaisei grinned. "Everyone knows you're my girl."

"Everyone knows you're a gambler with a knack for winning. Why would they let you back here?" she repeated.

The grin slipped off Kaisei's face. His seriousness shook her. Chihiro had known Kaisei since they joined the same high school, and he was never serious. He reached up and skimmed his fingers over her half sleeve of tattoos. This time she let him touch her.

"It's about your dad. He's back." Her heart plummeted. "They said I could wait for you as long as I didn't join them at the table."

Chihiro stared at Kaisei for another moment before closing her eyes.

"Well thanks for ruining my night. Let's get out of here before someone asks me to do something."

Genkai's old estate was exactly how Hiei last saw it. Yukina had already taken over household duties by then and was slowly adjusting the personal touches to fit her favor. Now that the old woman had passed on, it was Yukina's home that she unfortunately shared with the dumb carrot top human.

She entered the living room only moments after he did, a brilliant smile gracing her too kind face. Her softness always made a knot form in the middle of his stomach, as if he were something dirty and wrong. He sometimes hated how much he cared for her.

"Hiei," she smiled, "this is a surprise. Kazuma should be back with Yusuke soon."

Hiei looked away. He could sense the two of them traveling closer, but they were still far off. "I should have just gone for the Spirit Detective."

Yukina tilted her head. "Then why didn't you?" She spoke so innocently, but Hiei could feel the slight tease under her voice. She knew exactly why Hiei came to the temple.

"Kurama suggested you had something to share with me," Hiei said.

As if on cue, a cry wailed from the depths of the temple. The first cry started a second cry. Hiei pulled his head back, startled and frankly a bit disgusted. "What is that?" he asked sharply.

Yukina touched Hiei's elbow, her gentle fingers causing him to flinch. "Come. We have time before the boys arrive."

Hiei was led through the temple to one of the guest rooms. The temple was more changed than he had first realized. What had once been a simple guest room was transformed by soft pastels and fairy lights and two cribs. A baby in each.

"Is everyone having children?" Hiei reeled back at the sight. He didn't want to think about the implications of Yukina having twins or that relation she had with the idiot.

Yukina merely chuckled. "They are of that age. Humans want for children once they themselves are grown. Even myself. I would have had a daughter regardless." His sister went over to the left crib. She picked up the swaddled infant that tossed around inside it. A tuft of dark red hair curled up from underneath his little cap. "This is Hiko," Yukina said before thrusting the squirming infant into Hiei's arms. "My son."

Hiei held the thing away from him in alarm. "Why on earth am I holding it?"

Yukina smiled and picked up the other babe. "I can't be expected to cradle two at once, can I?" She looked down at the fussy daughter in her arms. "This is Kazuyo. She is like me. Full blooded ice maiden." The child with the same minty blue hair settled down quickly. Yukina placed the girl back in her crib and thankfully took the squirming boy back from Hiei.

"Hiko is a hanyou. He will not be as strong as you, or perhaps even Kazuma, and he will not have my abilities to heal or control ice. They take after their fathers, you know," she said, her smile softening almost sadly. "Although I have a feeling that since Hiko's father is human, he may also take after his grandfather. It is hard to say, as I do not believe two generations of twins were ever conceived among my kind."

Hiko had settled in his mother's arms, having rocked him as she talked. Yukina put the babe to bed again. Hiei had a hard time tearing his eyes away, even as his sister led them back out to the hallway. Hiko's grandfather. Hiei's father. Would that mean Hiko would be like Hiei? A demon of fire and speed? Hiei had never met his father, never bothered to look even with the grace of his Jagan. He had only cared about finding his sister, someone he considered like him, for all their differences, and not a propagator of his dark childhood.

"Did you ever meet him?" Hiei asked.

"No," Yukina said, knowing without question whom Hiei referred. "The sisters were very quiet on the matter of my mother. Even when they told me about you they revealed little else. It is likely the demon, if he's even still around, does not know of our existence."

Hiei made a quick sound in acknowledgement, no words worth a response.

Back in the main room, Yukina had him sit and brought him tea. He hardly touched it. She filled him in on her life of domesticity. While Hiei truly cared for his sister, it was just another variation of his own life, one that he was more than beginning to resent. She seemed happy, though. He could not fault her for her choices. He could only fault himself.

Soon enough, Kuwabara arrived, towing behind him a decisively drunk Yusuke.

"I see he took the news poorly," Yukina said as she made her way over to greet her husband. She kissed Kuwabara's cheek, an act that still rendered the tall man a blushing buffoon. "Hiei," she said, turning back to him, "could you put Yusuke to sleep? I don't want him waking the twins."

If Yusuke weren't so drunk, Hiei wondered if his Jagan would work against his friend. Hiei was strong, but Yusuke was always something extra. For now, at least, it knocked Yusuke out with little effort.

"I'll go put him to bed. What's he doing here?" Kuwabara asked, nodding to where Hiei sat.

They didn't talk much. Their relationship grew considerably rockier once it became public knowledge that Yukina and Hiei were twins. Hiei hated to say he couldn't claim to hate the oaf anymore. Fighting along side him for so long gained Kuwabara a certain level of respect. His marriage with Yukina simply made things awkward at best.

"I believe he came to speak with you," Yukina said.

Kuwabara gave Hiei an odd look. "I'll be right back."

As he carted Yusuke away, Yukina cleared Hiei's cold tea. "I'll take my leave. I know I need little sleep in comparison to a human, but caring for twins is exhausting work." She leaned over and placed her lips briefly against Hiei's cheek. A chill ran over him, like it always did when their skin touched. Cold, but still comforting. "It was good to see you. You're welcome to stay the night or longer if you wish."

They both knew he wasn't likely to do either.

When Kuwabara returned Hiei got straight to his point. Access to Koenma.