Learning to Live Again

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu Yu Hakusho, its characters, universe, or any of that.

Notes: The only pairing so far is Kuwabara x Yukina, though it won't be that prevalent through the story. Possibly other pairings later on, also possible additions of other characters of my own creation. Comments, reviews, suggestions, etc. are greatly appreciated and encouraged! :)

Please comment/review on this so I know whether or not to continue with this story. :)

Thanks and enjoy...

Chapter Two: Lifting the Veil

Hiei insisted that Yusuke sleep for at least a few hours. Not only would sleeping aid the finalization of their link, it would also help to ease the pain he knew the ex-detective was in. Hiei really hadn't needed to insist, however. Despite Yusuke's pain, he fell asleep right where he lay on the floor. Kurama smiled gently at the exhausted young lord. Quietly, he called to one of Yusuke's servants to take him to his room and bed to sleep more comfortably.

When the servant had taken his sleeping lord out of the room and down the hall, Kurama turned to Hiei. "Well?" he asked, more impatient than he usually tended to be.

Hiei nodded. He was silent for a moment, checking and rechecking the very new link. "I am quite certain it will take," he murmured finally. "The hardest part is over. Now I just have to maintain my end of it. Which isn't all that difficult."

Kurama nodded, returning to his former seat on the futon in the corner of the room. He wasn't tired, far from it, in fact, and he didn't particularly enjoy the idea of sitting in the room in silence for a few more hours. He sighed. "I believe I'm going to take a walk. Would you like to join me?" he asked after several minutes of silence.

Hiei didn't respond, but, as the fox knew he would, he followed out of the room behind him. The nearest exit of the massive fortress wasn't far, and Kurama was happy to smell the outside air after just a few minutes. "Why are we going for a midnight walk, Fox?" Hiei asked after they had been walking for some time.

His partner gave a one shouldered shrug and didn't reply. Their walk mostly consisted of silence, which neither really minded anyway. Kurama was thoroughly enjoying the fact that he was in the Makai again, and wouldn't allow much to ruin his fair mood. Hiei wasn't at all in an off-mood himself; he had missed the kitsune's company. Kurama lead them to the garden, near the training grounds, relishing in his element. He had decided some time ago that, since he frequented Yusuke's home, he should grow some useful and necessary plants in case the need arose. They were all flourishing quite nicely, despite his previous absence, and only a few needed his healing energy. "Aren't they lovely, Hiei?" he asked innocently, though he knew the response before it was given.

"Hn," the fire demon grunted, obviously uncaring as to whether the plants were lovely or not. However, even though he wouldn't admit it to the wily fox, Hiei was enjoying this. It was reminiscent of the old days in Human World, which he realized grudgingly, he missed.

Eventually, several hours later into the night, Kurama decided to return inside and retire to a bedroom he had earlier claimed as his own. Hiei took the one adjacent to it. The fire demon settled on the wide windowsill. Carefully testing the new link, he delved deeper into Yusuke's mind. While the other mind was in sleep was the easiest time to explore, Hiei had long since learned. There were less conscious restrictions blocking certain memories and thoughts. Into the wee-hours of the morning, Hiei worked through the other man's mind, hungry and curious to learn all there was to know about the young toushin.

Hours later, Yusuke woke, his pain considerably lessened. He still had a terrible headache, but he was impatient to try out this new link. Yusuke searched his mind until he found what he was looking for: a vague, fiery presence. Focusing on it, he thought, Hiei? He wasn't actually sure how to communicate with the other demon, but figured he would try anyway.

Very good, Detective. Hiei's voice echoed through his mind. Kurama and I were wondering if you'd figure it out on your own. There was a pause before he continued. Come back to the room. I believe you have questions you would like answered.

Alright. Yusuke got to his feet slowly, not wanting to further irritate the pounding in his head. He followed the now familiar corridors of his fortress to the same room of the night before. He found both of his friends in similar positions as when he'd last seen them. Moving through the room, he eased himself onto the futon Kurama currently inhabited. "Alright. Tell me the rest of what I need to know," Yusuke said, turning slightly to better face the fire demon.

Hiei explained everything he felt Yusuke should know that he hadn't mentioned before the linking. He told him that since Kurama also had a link, he would be privy to information in Hiei's mind. While Kurama couldn't actually hear what Yusuke said, he would know because what Hiei knew, well, Kurama knew, also. And vice versa. Hiei explained that Yusuke would be able to find information in his mind that was not his own; information which belonged to Hiei. Their conversation continued for a while longer, until one of Yusuke's officers requested him. Sighing gently, Yusuke got to his feet. "I'll be back in a while. You know the drill, just ask anyone if you need anything." Nodding to them, he walked out of the room, following the other man.

After they were alone, Hiei turned to Kurama. "There's so much I never knew about him," he murmured honestly, his tone carrying an usual note.

The red-head regarded him thoughtfully. Finally, a patient smile brushing his lips, he said simply, "Well, you've never really asked him."

Hiei grunted, but nodded eventually, stating, "I examined his mind while he was asleep."

Kurama's brows furrowed at this. "Was that wise, so soon after the link was formed?" he questioned, clearly skeptical.

A smirk flitted across the jaganshi's face as he said, "Well, fox, I did the same to you."

"I see..." After a long silence, Kurama asked, "May I take a look at what you found?"

Hiei scoffed, "As if you have to ask." Closing his eyes, Kurama looked over Hiei's memories of the few hours previous.

He, like Hiei, had a genuine curiosity to know the ex-detective more throughly. Though many thoughts and memories were already known to the two other demons, there were some that were new. One was a single recurring emotion, carefully hidden away; a dark emotion. Misery seemed to be a good word to describe it. Sheer misery and loneliness. It went back as far as Yusuke had memories. It seemed he had realized young that this emotion was taboo, and so, he had begun to cover up the feeling. But Hiei had found it. And it was everywhere, lurking behind almost every memory the boy had. That he didn't have any idea who his real father was; his mother's many, terrible boyfriends; her drinking problem; the heavy abuse he suffered through the majority of his childhood; his failure at school; his lack of friends growing up. And it only just began with Yusuke's childhood; Hiei, and now Kurama, realized the more recent the memories were, the more heavily saturated they were. The grief he'd cause when he died the first time; fear of failure throughout the Dark Tournament; Genkai's alleged death; killing Togoro; killing Sensui; Raizen's death; leaving Keiko; and finally, the sheer loneliness of his current situation.

Kurama opened his eyes, a shocked expression etched on his face. Hiei regarded him carefully, "You didn't realize it either, then?"

"I," he paused, considering his word usage carefully, "didn't realize the extent of it, no." Kurama shook his head. "He always took the blame... For everything." Worried eyes flicked to catch Hiei's, "This settles it, you know."

"Care to elaborate on what exactly this settles?"

"I'm leaving the Human World. I... will move here, with Yusuke," Kurama murmured.

Hiei's usual smirk returned at these words. "I can't say I'm surprised, Fox."

"You know me well," the fox agreed. There was a long silence. "I never knew he was such a good liar," Kurama mused softly. "I can't believe how well it's been hidden." He paused again before continuing, "You know, Kuwabara told me once, when he looks at Yusuke's aura, it isn't like the aura most people have. He told me that Yusuke's has these... dark, shadowed spots. These," he gestured at the air around him, suggesting aura, "These black obscurities."

Hiei glared at the fox, "What is that even supposed to mean?"

Kurama met his glare with a sad look. "Truthfully, Hiei, I cannot say... I'll admit I didn't give much credit to his words at that time."

Yusuke stalked out of his meeting room. His curiosity was quickly getting the better of him. Carefully, he reached out to the presence he associated with Hiei. Upon his mental touch, the memories burst forth. Careful not to allow Hiei to realize what he was doing, he began sorting through memories. At first, it was nothing he didn't already know. Yusuke's fortress, the Demon Tournament, Yusuke's death (pausing here, he made a mental note to look at this particular memory more carefully later) and battling Sensui with the gang, Yusuke being kidnapped, the Dark Tournament, the first time they met, and so on. Yusuke skipped back a bit more until he found what he was looking for. He believed these were actually Kurama's memories that Hiei had seen, but they sparked Yusuke's curiosity even further. He allowed the memories to take over him, giving into them completely.

Kurama stood, in his Yoko form, in the middle of some Makai forest. He was holding an object in his left hand, his whip in the other. "Did you obtain it successfully?" It was not Kurama who spoke, for he nodded. The one who had asked the previous question stepped forward into the dim light near Kurama, revealing a quite female demon. A beautiful, female fox demon, no less. "Excellent," she hissed. She held out a slender hand, and Kurama placed the object into it. It was a jewel. Something they had just stolen from some unnamed demon. Something said unnamed demon stole from someone else. The other fox looked up at Kurama again, a brilliant smile turning her lips up gently. She tucked the jewel away and stepped closer to Kurama. "You were absolutely exquisite back there, brother."

Yusuke jerked from the memory, suddenly panting. Brother? ! That other fox demon had called Kurama 'brother.' This was news to Yusuke. He had to stand in the hall outside the side room where his two friends were sitting. He needed to control his breathing and hide his shock before he went back to them. He wasn't sure he was ready for them, Kurama especially, to know what he had just stumbled upon.

After a few minutes, Yusuke swept into the room and realized they had immediately stopped talking when he did. "Sorry about that," he muttered, studying them carefully. "Something wrong...?"

Snapping on his normal, calm smile, Kurama shook his head. "No, Yusuke, of course not."

"O...kay." Yusuke murmured slowly, his usual smirk carefully returning. "Well, Kurama, I actually have something to ask you." Slightly surprised, Kurama raised an eyebrow, communicating that he should ask. "Spar with me?"

Kurama chuckled, "Very well."

:-:-:-:-:

Yusuke responded with a winning smile, "Awesome."

"Well," Yusuke sighed, "Kurama has a sister?" Though, it really wasn't a question.

Hiei eyed him thoughtfully. He was impressed at how well Yusuke could navigate their mutual link already. "Yes, he had a sister."

Yusuke stared at him for a while, "She died then?"

"What do you think? Have you ever met her? Have you ever seen her before?" Hiei asked with a bit more sarcasm and sharpness than he had intended to. He was silent for a few minutes. "Yes, she died. Before you were even born, actually."

Yusuke nodded, but didn't say anything else. This was precisely why he didn't ask Kurama himself, in the first place. He had had a very strong feeling she was dead, and it felt safer asking Hiei about it. Kurama had never, ever mentioned a sister in the whole of the years Yusuke had known him. That told Yusuke that it was most likely a sore subject and should be broached with extreme care.

After a long pregnant silence, Hiei smirked, "I'm surprised to say I'm proud of you, detective." Looking over at him, he said, "Even Kurama took longer in figuring out how to see into my mind... Quite impressive."

:-:-:-:-:

Hiei stayed at Yusuke's fortress for a few days more before Mukuro sent for him to return. He bid farewell to both of his dearest friends, telling them he would return at his next opportunity. After his departure, Kurama turned to Yusuke, "There's something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Let me guess," Yusuke muttered. "You're leaving, too?" There it was again, Kurama noticed. Misery. The young man was quick to hide it, but not before Kurama caught a glimpse. How had he never seen it before? He mentally chastised himself. Yusuke's eyes were, and had always been, the windows to his very soul. It gave one a brief look inside him, if, of course, one knew where to look.

"No, Yusuke," the fox demon said, pleased to see the light return to the other's eyes.

"No?"

"No." His smile widened significantly, "Actually, I wanted to ask you if you still had that room available for my... permanent occupation."

"Seriously?" The ex-detective looked almost giddy.

"Yes. I do have to return to Human World tomorrow, however... Just for the day," he added, a bit hastily, noting the look of disappointment spring into Yusuke's eyes. "I need to set all of my affairs in order... and say goodbye to my mother, of course." He smiled warmly at his friend. "You've shown me this is my true home."

"Alright!" Yusuke fist pumped the air, giving Kurama a momentary glimpse at the old Yusuke. "Yes, I'll tell my, er... servants," he still hated that word, "that you'll be, uh, moving in."

Kurama's presence at Yusuke's fortress was an obviously positive one, especially on the young lord. Yusuke needed him, the fox had realized with pleasure. He always enjoyed an opportunity to have his ego stroked. Upon his arrival back to Demon World, he had assumed his Yoko form. It was a truly wonderful feeling for his outer self to match his inner. He occasionally made trips back to Human World to visit his mother, but the majority of his time was spent as Yoko Kurama. The link Hiei shared with both other men was also a positive thing, for all three. Kurama chuckled each time Yusuke would abruptly, without warning, burst into laughter when Hiei provided him with an entertaining thought or commentary. Today, for example, Hiei had said, I believe I found a prefect home for the oaf if he ever lays an inappropriate hand on Yukina. Immediately following that statement, he had sent Yusuke a mental picture of a tiny shack sitting directly next to a tree that looked suspiciously like an evil, human-eating one. Even though Kuwabara was his friend, the Mazoku couldn't help but chuckle at that.

Finally, after a few weeks of Kurama's near-constant presence, Yusuke mustered up the courage to ask him about his sister. He had seen as much as Hiei's memory had of her, but he wanted to hear it from the fox's own mouth. "Fox-boy?"

Kurama chuckled at the familiar nickname, "Yes, Lord Yusuke?"

"Don't call me that! I've told you a hundred times..." Yusuke frowned, trailing off. "Anyway, I wanted to ask-"

Kurama didn't allow him to finish his thought. "You want to know about my sister." He wasn't asking. He knew that he stated fact. He had already known that once Yusuke discovered he could see into Hiei's memories, it would only be a matter of time before he found the fox's own memories. However, that didn't mean he was really ready to discuss this with him.

"How did you know?" Yusuke asked softly. He was clearly now wary of how Kurama was going to take this request.

"I like to think of myself as quite intelligent, Yusuke, and I knew you would happen upon my memories, courtesy of Hiei, eventually." He paused, thoughtful, before he continued, "I'm not quite sure I'm ready to tell you about her, however, to be honest."

Yusuke nodded, trying not to look disappointed. "It's okay, Kurama," he told him honestly.

The fox sighed, a frown beginning to mar his features. "Yusuke," he murmured quietly, "I need to be alone now."

"Right, yeah, of-of course," Yusuke stumbled over his reply a bit as he guiltily turned from the room. He now felt truly terrible for asking Kurama to talk about something he was sure was painful, but he really felt that they were close enough friends to talk about it. It wasn't the problem of trusting him that prevented Kurama from talking about, he knew; it was repressed emotions he didn't really want to deal with now, or perhaps ever.

Yusuke was careful not to discuss anything that had the word 'sister' in it for the next several days following when he had asked Kurama about his. In his red-head form, the kitsune had since went to, and returned from, Human World and now typically didn't leave the fortress's grounds. Yusuke had taken to discussing some of the more controversial or quite difficult decisions he faced as a ruler with Kurama, as he was the most insightful person he knew. Yusuke was well aware of the fact that he was a very young ruler, and many of the decisions laid at his feet were beyond what he was comfortable with. It helped very much to have Kurama to give him input. Especially since the fox was almost always right. About everything.

Today wasn't extremely different than the last few. Yusuke had just finished asking Kurama on some of the general, 'rule-of-thumb' laws surrounding property of demons within his own territory. Now, Kurama sat watching the young toushin lord look over a small pile of this land-ownership paperwork, his brow furrowed. Sighing, the fox got to his feet. "I'll tell you, Yusuke."

The boy looked up, "Tell me?" His brow furrowed further, confusion evident. "Tell me what?"

Kurama's expression remained as neutral as he could manage as he murmured, "Tell you about my sister."

Yusuke nodded, a bit surprised by this as he'd mostly figured the subject would be off-limits for the next couple years, and the two walked to Kurama's room for more privacy. The youko looked out the large window beside his bed. Yusuke sat down and waited patiently for him to begin. Sighing, Kurama closed his eyes, "Yusuke, what you must understand is that she was so dear to me, I nearly lost my mind the day I lost her." After a long pause, he opened his eyes but did not face away from the window, "I suppose the story truly begins with my mother. She, too, was an extraordinary fox. Once, every few hundred generations, give-or-take, a youko is gifted with a rare ability. My mother's happened to be an affinity for the element of water. Somehow, though I do not understand why, that affinity was passed to my twin, in the form of ice. As you may know, youkos in general typically find their affinities to lie in the element of earth, like myself.

"As a small child, my sister showed none of the normal signs of an affinity, earth or otherwise. My mother always stood by her, and tried, though in vain, to convince my father one day it would come forth. He didn't listen. My sister was outcast by him. He hated what he took to be as an utter failure, a disgrace upon our name. However, he couldn't have been more incorrect. As she grew older, strange things began happening. When he would get angry with her, a chill would take to the air, no matter how warm the day. Snow began to fall when she was upset, no matter what time of year.

"Soon, my mother realized what had happened." Kurama grinned slightly, "Her daughter was special; she'd been blessed with a gift. My father began to realize it, too. Though, instead of apologizing, as demons rarely ever do, he merely shunned her more throughly. And when we were old enough, she and I escaped together, just after my mother was killed. From then on, she and I were everything each other had," Kurama paused again, rare emotion shaking his usually calm voice. "I believe you have seen many of the memories, following our escape, from Hiei, so I'll just skip to the end."

Kurama turned, finally facing Yusuke; his face was much paler than usual, "The night I lost her was the very same night I retreated to Human World, some 20 years ago... Though... as you probably know already, she wasn't as lucky. She died taking the blow the surely would have killed me, as it was, it mortally wounded me. She killed the hunter who had been after us. In the last moments remaining of her life, she told me exactly what to do; that in my weakened state, I would be able to pass through the barrier to the other world. She was right, of course. She always was. Not long after that, she... died in my arms." There was strange brightness to the fox demon's eyes as he finished, "I have replayed that night, over and over, in my mind. Every time, imagining what I could have done to have prevented her death... Eventually, I tried to forget it all. I never spoke of it again. Until now, of course." Kurama closed his eyes, knowing full well he wasn't very far from tears. "Gods, Yusuke, I miss her, still," he whispered.

Yusuke got to his feet and walked to his friend. Placing a gentle hand on the other's shoulder, he said, "You have every right to miss her. I'm sorry I asked... I..." Carefully, he pulled Kurama into an embrace. It wasn't awkward or stiff, and Kurama seemed thankful for it. Yusuke sighed, choosing his words more carefully than he usually did, "I am sorry, Fox-boy. Curiosity got the best me, I guess."

A gentle smile and calm expression replaced itself on his pale features as the two broke apart. "It usually does, my dear friend," the fox told him. "It usually does."