As I lay dying.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yuu Yuu Hakusho.
As Kuwabara lay drowning in his own pool of blood, he looked at the fire demon with distressed eyes. Hiei really hated him didn't he? Why wouldn't he do anything to help Kuwabara? Hiei just watched the life slowly drift out of the dying human.
"What do you expect me to do?" Hiei asked. Kuwabara opened his mouth to say something. But instead settled on a sad smile
His eyes closed for the last time and he let out his last gust of breath.
Hiei turned and left Kazuma's body lying on the ground.
Five hours earlier...
Kazuma was walking down the street, school had just let out and he couldn't wait to get to Genki's shrine so he could see his beloved Yukina. Or that's what he let everyone believe. He was really going there to see Hiei. They hadn't had a mission to go on in weeks so he wasn't really sure if Hiei would even be there. The demon had this funny way of not being around unless they had just come back from a mission or Yukina was there.
But Kazuma was going to take a chance and hope to high hell that Hiei would show up. Kazuma looked up and turned to the right. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost missed the entrance to the shrine. He ran up the steps two at a time. Once he reached the top he let out a deep bellow, "Yuuuuuuukinaaaaaaaa!"
He ran towards her and enveloped her into a massive bear hug, picking her up off of the ground, at which she giggled . Yukina wasn't a fool. She knew the red headed human didn't really have romantic feelings for her. It didn't bother her, she didn't have romantic feelings for him either. But she was also Kazuma's best friend and knew that he was gay, she also knew who he secretly longed for. Her dear brother, like she didn't even know what Hiei was to her?
Yukina smiled as she slid back down to the earth. "Hi, Kazu-chan," she said, "did you have a good day at school?" Kazuma looked at her and then all around to make sure there weren't any nosey spirit detectives or otherwise lulling about.
"It was ok." he began, he went into detail of his long day. Which Yukina listened to eagerly. They never saw the dark shadow dart across the concrete walk way that led up to the main building. Of course, who would? Nobody ever saw Hiei coming.
"What are you doing?" a cold voice bit out towards Kazuma. "Ahh!" he screamed, jumping into the air. "Where the hell did you come from, pipsqueak!" Kazuma shouted glaring at Hiei. The fire demon looked pointedly as the human and snapped that Koenma had sent him to retrieve he and Yuske. They had a mission and the fox was already in spirit world.
Kuwabara sighed and said his good-byes to Yukina and left with Hiei to find Yuuske-who was only in the building next to them- and then proceeded on to their short trip through the portal to spirit world and Koenma's office.
"Well, it's so nice of you three to join us." the toddler said to the three new members entering the room. "Shut it, binky boy!" Yuuske shot at him. Koenma groaned at Yuuske and then got down to business. "A series of reports on missing children have been reported in the "Tenji" district." he began but was interrupted by Yuuske. "Tenji? What the hell is that?" Koenma stared at him and explained that's what the demons called the downtown Tokyo area.
"Now, if I may continue?" he smarted to Yuuske. Yuuske indicated that indeed he could continue with a swish of his hand. He further explained that a growing number of Ningin children were popping up here and there around Makai as slaves to some pretty powerful demons and there was nothing he could do because of the very laws that his father made.
"So that's where we come in?" Kurama asked in his velvety voice. "Pretty much," Koenma said, "If I send you guys in, then I don't have to worry about the laws." he finished with a smile.
"Why's that?" Kuzama asked. "Because you and Yuuske are human. You're detectives from your own world who heard a rumor and have come to retrieve the missing children. Our laws can't interfere with your rights."
"But-." Yuuske began and was promptly cut off by Hiei. "Do we get to kill?" he asked with a sly grin. "Hiei, have I ever let you down?" Koenma asked taking the binky out just long enough for him to take a bite of a cookie lying on a glass plate. "Botan has your communication devices that you'll need . Next room." he said pointing.
They had decided to start the mission that night. What better cover? It was unusually cold for a summer night in the Makai. They were scaling the outside of a castle wall. There first target was Junpin Ataro. A snake demon. Viper to be exact. Intelligence report stated that he was holding four human children as slaves.
Once the boys got inside and started looking deep into the bowls of the castle they soon realized that it wasn't just human children that he had as slaves, but adult humans and even demons too. Yuuske turned to the team and immediately took charge. "Ok, this is what we're gonna do. Kurama you're with me, Kuwabara you're with Hiei. You go that way," he said pointing to the right, "we'll go this way."
Hiei growled in annoyance at his misfortune. He wouldn't fight Yuuske though; he'd never admit that he respected Yuuske as a leader and if he never trusted his judgment in anything else, he'd always trust it when it came to missions and fighting. "Fine," he snapped, "but you follow my orders, ningin." Hiei started walking down the hall on the right and Kuwabara followed with an almost defeated look on his face. He could just never win with Hiei.
After walking down a couple of halls-and Kazu almost getting lost once or twice-with weak guards at every corner Hiei started to get more and more restless. He wanted to kill something, damn it! Something strong, a challenge. Something worth fighting! Kuwabara was having trouble keeping up with him. "Will you slow down, shorty?" he gasped. "Walk faster, moron."he barked. "Why did the detective have to stick me with you? Why couldn't he have paired me up with Kurama or even himself. I'll never get anywhere with you slowing me down."
"What's your problem? Why do you hate me so much!" Kazuma yelled at him. "My problem is that I got stuck with a weak human, like you. My problem is that you are an idiot and don't know your left from your right. My problem is that I just don't like you and you are going to have to get over that!" Kuwabara stared at him in utter shock. "And further more, ningin, I hate you because you are useless. You can barely fight. All you do is get in my way."
And then they heard a whimper and sniffles. Hiei looked to a large wooden door on his left and realized the sounds were coming from in there. Without a second thought, he kicked the door open, only to reveal a dungeon like room with chains on the walls and two children shackled inside them. He looked to a bed and found the body of a dead boy covered in bruises and blood.
"He drained him." came a sad reply. "Who?" Kazuma asked. "The snake man." said the little girl who had spoken before. Kazuma couldn't figure out where that voice was coming from before but now realized that it came from the little girl sitting in the corner with her knees drawn up to her chest.
"Ataro." Hiei hissed. "Yessssssss." came another hiss.
Before kuwabara could turn around the snake had pounced on the little girl devouring her completely. Kazu stared on in horror and then realized the two remaining children were dead as well. They hadn't gotten there in time. They were all dead, and they couldn't even save the little girl.
"You sick perverted freak!" Kazuma shouted enraged, "I'm gonna fucking kill you!" Kuwabara launched himself at the snake engaging into a full out battle. He punched and kicked, he even bit a few times before he remembered he had his spirit sword. He started plowing into the snake with it when the poisonous fangs bit into his neck. Kuwabara fell to his knees in shock. The demon pulled a dagger out of no where and stabbed Kazuma in the heart. He finally crumpled down and stared at the ceiling. He couldn't move. He was paralyzed and in pain.
All he could do was watch as Hiei ripped the demon to shreds. And hovered over Kazu's body, staring down at him with out a feeling in his soul.
"What do you expect me to do?" Hiei asked. Kuwabara opened his mouth to say something. But instead settled on a sad smile. And then...he drifted away.