Dreams of the Damned
A/N: Centers around Yusuke, Kurama and Hiei. It will include angst, drama, adventure, fighting, romance, torture, graphic violence, blood, gore, character death, etc. For now, the rating is 'T'; it may go up to 'M' at a later date. Also, this will be a KuramaxYusuke.
Disclaimer: I do not own YuYuHakusho, its universe or its characters. I do not make any money off this story. I only own my plot and ideas.
Chapter Two: Waking
Kurama's fingers trembled as they ghosted over Yusuke's cheek. "Kit," he whispered. "Wake up."
Yusuke moaned the kitsune's name. "I'm sorry," he whimpered. He cried out softly and suddenly stilled as a large red stain coated his chest. There was so much blood that it spilled onto the couch and dripped to the floor.
"Yusuke," Kurama spoke urgently. "Wake up."
Yusuke gasped in a lungful of air as he opened his eyes. "Kurama?" his voice was hoarse, quiet. Though he was waking up from a nap, he looked terrible. His face was pale, dark circles scored his dark brown eyes, and his usually bright irises were hazy and dull.
"Yes," the fox answered. "Hiei is here, as well. Do you not remember our phone conversation, not even an hour ago?"
Yusuke clenched his eye lids together and pressed the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. "I... Shit, yeah, I remember."
"We need to talk, Detective," Hiei spoke up finally. "How long have you been having these nightmares?"
Yusuke cracked an eye open, his expression turning slightly guilty. "A while," he admitted. "Two weeks, maybe three."
"And you awake covered in blood you cannot explain every time?"
"Not at first. That started a few days ago."
Hiei seemed satisfied with this answer, or perhaps he simply already knew the answer. "We've had dreams, as well."
Yusuke opened his other eye and looked from Hiei to Kurama and back. "About me?"
"Yes."
"Like... what?"
Hiei shook his head once, "Nothing promising, I assure you." He got to his feet, hissing, "It would seem there's someone after you, Detective."
Yusuke missed the way Kurama's face had paled, the way he couldn't take his eyes away from the ex-spirit detective, the way his fingers still trembled, along with the rest of him. He missed the yearning Kurama had to reach out and pull him close. But he did not miss the fact that the fox still had yet to release the iron grip he had on the bloodiest section of his shirt. He looked back and caught green eyes with his own brown ones, giving his best questioning look.
"I dislike the dreams, Yusuke," Kurama answered softly after a moment. "I confess that your death is not something I wish to witness ever again."
Hiei frowned and turned to face the window. You need to tell him, Fox, he stated firmly through telepathy.
Kurama's eyes sharpened and flickered toward his friend for a moment. Not yet.
"Hn."
Yusuke, familiar with his two closest friends speaking silently, caught on to what had just occurred. "What are you two talking about, and why can't you say it in front of me?" he asked, his tone harsher than he strictly meant it to be.
"Shall I tell him?" Hiei asked, the question laced with sarcasm and irritation.
Kurama, a talented fox, thought quickly, and lied, "Hiei is uncomfortable speaking of your death, Yusuke. You know how he can be with what he considers weak emotions."
Hiei's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Yusuke seemed partly convinced, enough so that he didn't immediately question this answer.
"So, what's the plan?" the ex-detective asked after a long period of silence.
Kurama shifted so that he could lean his back against the bottom of the couch. "We must wait."
"For what?" He frowned, "What will we wait for to happen?"
"The dreams to get worse," Kurama whispered. Though Yusuke couldn't see, the fox closed his eyes firmly.
"To get worse?" Yusuke repeated quietly. "You mean..."
"The wounds will start to become real," Hiei answered. "The blood on your clothing will start having a physically source."
Yusuke took in this information, lifting his pointer finger to his hair just beside his temple and rubbing the spot absently. "Put your hand down," Hiei snapped suddenly.
Lowering his arm slowly, Yusuke's eyes flickered to Hiei. "What's the matter with you?"
All Hiei could see in front of his eyes was the Yusuke from his dream, broken and defeated. Yusuke took that single moment of opportunity between Kurama releasing hold on his body and the being taking over his mind. He powered up his spirit energy and pressed his pointer finger to his temple. In a broken voice, he whispered, "Spirit Gun."
Hiei shook his head in a vain attempt to remove the images from his mind's eye. "Nothing. Just... do not do that again."
"Scratch my head?"
"Just don't!" Hiei snapped sharply.
Yusuke, stunned into silence, turned confused eyes to Kurama. The fox refused to make eye contact. Hiei had already told him of the nightmare, and Kurama had told him his, on the trip over to this apartment. Suddenly, it clicked within the toushin's mind. "What did you dream about me, Hiei?" Intense red eyes gazed firmly into deep brown ones, but no sound came from Hiei's lips. "You already told Kurama," Yusuke reasoned. "You can tell me, too."
After an absolutely silent few minutes, Hiei told the other man the entirety of his dream from the night before. Yusuke, once again stunned into complete silence, sat unmoving and numb on the couch. "So do you understand now, Detective, why it causes me such discomfort for you to make such a motion?"
"Yeah, I got it," Yusuke muttered, staring intently at the wall. "So," he whispered, "I'm gonna die again?"
Kurama's head snapped up so he could see the dark-haired man's eyes. "No," he answered firmly. "I will not allow that to happen again."
For the remainder of the time Hiei and Kurama remained in Yusuke's apartment, they made plans. What they would do from here, how everything should be handled. Hiei explained all he knew of what was going on. He also ordered Yusuke to inform both himself and Kurama should wounds begin appearing. Finally, well after nightfall, the two demons left Yusuke alone in his apartment.
The ex-detective was slightly relieved when they left. Though he enjoyed their company, he didn't want them to realize how tired he was. He was certain this was another symptom of whatever was happening to him, as he never slept so much. He stumbled, only partially awake, to his bed, and he was asleep before his head even came to rest upon the pillow.
:-:
As Hiei and Kurama walked away from Yusuke's apartment, Kurama thought on the situation. The gears turning in his mind were almost visible in his eyes as the silence stretched between the two friends. Eventually, he voiced a concern that had fallen upon him, "Hiei, if this physic is after Yusuke, why are we having these dreams, as well?"
Hiei turned his eyes to gaze at Kurama. The answer was written plainly across his expression. He had no idea. The jaganshi frowned deeply. "I believe I need to visit the Makai," he hissed. "I need to find whoever is doing this before something irreversible happens."
Kurama made a humming noise to the affirmative in his throat. "Yusuke and I will join you."
Hiei considered this, and saw a greater opportunity. "No," he murmured. "I think you should start here and keep watch over him."
Kurama glanced at him, sensing an ulterior motive, but he nodded despite himself. "Keep it short," he replied. "And I want to know all that you find."
"Yes. I'll leave in the morning. I doubt I'll be gone more than a day; two, at the most."
"Alright," Kurama agreed with a curt nod before they split ways. "Meet us at Yusuke's apartment upon your return."
A nod. "Watch him closely, Fox. He tends to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders in silence." With another dip of his head, Kurama parted ways with his fiery friend, deciding he would head back to see Yusuke first thing in the morning.
:-:
Well into the wee hours of the morning, Yusuke woke from a familiar nightmare. It was one he had had many times before. It was also something he lived through once. Hissing in pain, he looked down at his ruined clothing. They were bloody, as he knew they would be, but this time... this time, he actually hurt. Peeling back his soaked shirt, he found many shallow wounds. He touched the one on his chest, the one right over his heart, the one that had killed him that day in the cave those years ago.
When his fingers met the dime sized hole in his flesh, he was thrust back into the memories of the day the ex-detective, Senobu Sensui had ended his life. After what may have been hours lost within those haunting memories, he became aware of the sound of his front door opening. Unsure of who he would find, he stalked out of his room and down the hall toward the front of his apartment.
:-:
Hiei's eyelids fluttered in his sleep. Silence filled the forest all around him. The tree he slept in was one of the tallest and held the most branches and leaves; a perfect place to keep hidden to sleep until dawn.
Yusuke watched as Kurama pulled Yomi close. Hiei eyed the ex-detective carefully. It was so clear to him that the half-demon was in love with the fox. However, kitsune tended to be rather sexual and impatient creatures. Before Yusuke could gather the courage to confide how he felt to Kurama, the fox had taken Yomi as a lover.
Hiei knew this caused Yusuke great pain, and as the ex-detective walked stiffly from the room, he could feel the grief coming off him in waves. Taking a few more moments to study the fox, Hiei decided to go after the heartbroken half-demon.
Hiei found who he was looking for up on the roof. Yusuke gazed heavily out over the land of Makai. "I can't continue going on like this, Hiei," he whispered.
Hiei sat down easily beside him. "The Yusuke I know would never say something like that."
"The Yusuke you knew is already dead," he breathed. "And soon, I will be, too." Since Hiei was sitting so close, Yusuke seized his opportunity and gripped the hilt of Hiei's sword, bringing the tip to his abdomen. "I can't live this way."
"Stop, Yusuke. This is madness," he snapped, jumping to his feet.
The other shook his head, backing up to put space between them. "No, I've given up," his voice was empty of emotion. "This is the only way."
Before Hiei could jump the distance between them, Yusuke thrust the sword through him. As blood erupted from his mouth, he pulled the sword free. Dropping the blade to the ground with a clatter, he fell to his knees.
Hiei stood rooted to the spot as he watched helplessly as Yusuke slipped to the floor and bled out. "Detective..." Tears smeared his vision as he turned away and ran as long and as far as he possibly could.
As his eyes opened, Hiei cursed the nightmares, the damned physic doing this, and Yusuke's weakness. He realized, of course, this wasn't any of Yusuke doing, but he couldn't help the bitterness that welled in his chest. Yusuke never gave up, but if he did... where did that leave the rest of them?
:-:
"Do it, Hiei. I know you have to. It's alright."
Hiei pressed the sharp, deadly blade of his katana harder into the skin of Yusuke's neck.
"I forgive you, Hiei." Hiei's eyes were cold and pained.
A demon had threatened Hiei. Something no one gets away with, but for the moment, the jaganshi could do nothing about it. The demon had made him a deal; the life of the ex-spirit detective for the life of his sister.
"He'll kill her if you don't do this." In Yusuke's expressive brown eyes, Hiei could see the acceptance of his death burning brightly in his eyes. "I forgive you," Yusuke repeated, closing his eyes.
Suddenly, just before Hiei did the thing he dreaded most, someone else entered the room. "Hiei," came a horrified whisper, "What... What are you doing? !"
Guilty crimson eyes turned to meet terrified green ones. "Something I have to do," Hiei whispered as he turned back to his friend lying below him. "I'm so sorry," he told them both as he jerked the blade to the right.
It made a clean cut, deep, fatal. Yusuke, despite his best effort, struggled to breathe, his hands pressed against the wound in an instinctual, and failed, attempt to stay the bleeding. He choked as his eyes widened.
"No! Yusuke!" Kurama ran to the dying man and fell to his knees. "Yusuke, Yusuke," he whimpered. "Please."
Yusuke tried to focus on Kurama's face, tried to understand what he was pleading for, but could do little more than reach for his hand. His lungs burned, and his dark irises filled with tears. He gave the red-head's hand a weak squeeze as he closed his eyes for the final time.
Screaming Yusuke's name in anguish, Kurama jerked awake. Desperately trying to catch his raged breath, he jumped from the bed. Knowing full well how irrational his actions were, he threw on the first items of clothing he could find. Leaping expertly from his window to the garden below, he took off running. He needed to know, needed to see for himself, that Yusuke was alright. He needed desperately to be sure that he was alive.