Disclaimer: No, I don't own it. *sobs*

Yeah, I know it's nowhere near Mother's Day, but there's never a wrong time to appreciate your mother/ mother figure :]

~*~

Genkai stared in wonder at the girl pouring tea for her as Yukina giggled behind her hand.

"Why exactly are you doing this? Do you need money or something?"

Quay smiled and offered her a brilliant smile. "Happy Mother's Day, Genkai-san."

~*~

If Kurama's brows rose any higher, they would have disappeared into his hairline. The scene unfolding before him was both strange and sweet. Quay stood before his mother, a box of crepes with a large pink bow on top balanced carefully in her hands. He knew the brand, the sweet treats came from the bakery Quay sometimes worked at during the winter break. He believed the place was called "Zelda's."[1]

He shook his head and sighed, but couldn't help the smile that broke across his face. It looked like Quay out-did him. He had made Shiori a beautiful bouquet with all her favorite flowers and had told his step-father and step-brother to bring her breakfast in bed, and later they would be making her dinner. But he knew it wasn't what Quay had given; it was the fact that she gave.

"Happy Mother's Day, Shiori-san. Oh," She added quickly spotting the flowers on the table. "What beautiful flowers! I bet they're from Shuuichi."

Kurama's eyes widened as she winked at him and his mother began gushing about how sweet he was. He was always surprised how Quay managed to turn conversations away from herself. Chuckling, he shook his head and smoothed down her hair fondly. She had pretty much said to Shiori, "Don't forget! He is your true child."

And although Quay didn't stay long, he was glad she stopped by.

~*~

Atsuko Urameshi spent the day wondering who had left the bottle of sake at her door with a tag that read, "Happy Mother's day." She knew it wasn't Yusuke, because he was never that thoughtful.

*********

"What's this for?"

Mukuro narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the gift the girl had in her small hand, half expecting it to blow up or spray some sort of toxic substance. Quay better not have been trying to bribe her or something.

"It's jus' a present, Mukuro-san. For you."

She stared at the small blue dragon in Quay's palm. "Why are you giving it to me?"

Quay smiled cheerily. "Hiei-san took me to the market one day and it reminded me of the color of your eyes. The vendor said it's made of blue topaz. And well, it's a dragon 'cuz... y'know." [2]

The corner of her lip quirked up. Yes, she did know. Shaking her head, she took the tiny figure from Quay and laughed lightly. "You're definitely an odd one, Quay."

"Thanks," Quay replied proudly. "Happy Mother's Day!"

The former demon lord nearly dropped the gift, mouth opening slightly but no sound coming out. Collecting herself, she snorted and closed her eyes. "Definitely an odd one."

She merely got a giggle in return.

*********

"What are you doing?"

Quay smiled at the sound of Hiei's voice and lit the last candle, her free hand keeping the tiny plastic bowl still in the water. Luckily, the shore on Genkai's property was fairly calm that day. "I'm lightin' floatin' candles."

Hiei snorted, "I can see that. Now why exactly are you doing that?"

"For my mama."

He had figured as much. But, he noticed, there were two candles. "Why is there more than one, then?"

"For you and Yukina-san's mama."

Shocked and speechless, Hiei could do nothing but watch as Quay folded her hands gently and said a silent prayer. Slowly, she opened her eyes and pushed the little bowls holding the candles a little further into the golden water. "You wanna say anythin', Hiei-san?"

Looking away, he shook his head and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He didn't really know what kept him there, she was making him feel incredibly uncomfortable. "Thank you," he heard her whisper, "For watching over us. We love you. Happy Mother's Day."

Hiei sighed and swallowed at the lump forming in his throat as Quay waded knee-deep into the water and pushed the candles forward. He saw her raise her hand, waving the tiny lights goodbye. Then she made her way back towards him, a gentle smile on her face. He avoided her gaze and watched the candles float away until they were barely pin-pricks of light.

"I heard you visited Mukuro today."

"Yeah."

"And Kurama's human mother."

"Uh-huh."

"Among others."

"Yup."

"Why?"

Quay looked at him, head tilted slightly. "Why not?"

"None of them are your real mother. So what business do you have with them?"

He nearly jumped at the feeling of a smaller hand closing softly around his own. Growling, he nearly pulled away but a pair of loving brown eyes stopped him. "Jus' 'cuz we're not family by blood, doesn' mean we aren' one. My real mama might be in heaven already, but I feel like I have a bunch of mamas still here." She turned her focus to the setting sun and giggles. "I'm really lucky."

Hiei stared at the young girl beside him, a mere baby by demon world standards. And yet she spoke with the confidence and strength of someone who had lived five or six times her age. It was beyond him how someone like Quay, who's mother had passed away before she could even get to know her, who's father had walked out on her, and who's beloved older sister was taken away from her so early on in life, could possibly see herself as ilucky/i And yet if at that exact moment she chose to have a contest with the brilliantly setting sun she was watching so intently, she certainly would have certainly been the brighter star.

He felt a slight smile crack his face despite his effort to keep his face still. "Well I'll be damned. Out of the mouth of babes..."

"What?"

The smile disappeared, but the warm, tingling feeling in his chest remained.

"Hn."

And when a warm wind suddenly gusted over them, he could have sworn he heard a gentle laugh and a whispered, "That's my girl."

~*~

[1] No relation to the game. This isn't a crossover XD

[2] YOU KNOW. YEAH THAT. No, really. I dunno.