Disclaimer: I own nothing as usual...
A/N: This is what happened... the strange thing that happend... to two weary hunters who lost their waaaaaaaayyyy ...
/
Chapter 6 I'm Here
"Hey Urameshi have you seen my—" Kuwabara walked into the kitchen to see Yusuke holding his head with one hand, leaning against the counter with his other.
"Urameshi?" Kuwabara softly called. As if the mere breath he used to say the name had been a rush of wind, the raven haired man wobbled then, (Kuwabara swore it was in slow motion) fell to his knees.
"Shit! Yusuke?!" He used his given name with out much thought as he rushed towards him. However the brown eyed man collapsed to the floor, unresponsive. "Yusuke?"
/
Blackness… pitch blackness… Yusuke had always thought death would be more…. Colorful…
He opened his eyes.
"Hey man, welcome back!" A gravelly voiced Kuwabara grinned at him. "You've been out for almost a week."
"You gave us quite the scare." Kurama smiled at him.
"Wha…" Yusuke sat up in the futon and rubbed his eye. "Where am I?"
"We're at Genkai's." Kazuma explained.
"What? Gen—shit.." Yusuke could feel his whole body trembling. "What the actual fuck?" He hid his face in his hands. The two red head's shared a concerned look with one another.
"Are you alright?" Kurama inquired.
"No… no I'm not…" Yusuke answered quickly unable to look either man in the eye.
/
"What's the matter with Yusuke?" Keiko asked worriedly.
"Nothing as far as we can tell. He's just not responding anymore." Kurama answered.
"That must have been some dream…" Koenma mused.
"But he was fine before…" Keiko's voice quivered. "He was laughing with all of us! So why.." She sobbed. "Yusuke!" She burst into the room he was sitting listlessly in and shook him. "Yusuke look at me!" He closed his eyes and grimaced, unable to trust himself not to respond to her demands.
"You jerk!" She slapped him across the face. His cheek stung. "Open your eyes damn it and look at me!" Slowly, he cracked his moistened eyes open but they immediately homed in on Kuwabara rather than the woman in front of him.
/
"You're pathetic…" Hiei glared. Yusuke sighed and shifted slightly, he didn't need the fire demon to tell him that… He already knew…
"You still haven't eaten?" Kuwabara entered the room, making Yusuke flinch. The red head sighed and sat down in front of him. "Here." He held out a spoonful of the rice dish that was prepared for him. Hiei gave him a disgusted look then rolled his eyes and left the room.
Whatever.. Yusuke didn't need his approval… he just needed to find a way back. Brown eyes met grey. He needed to find a way back to *him*.
/
"Don't let Hiei bother you.." Kurama picked up a few things off the floor. "He's just upset and trying to goad you into fighting again." He explained.
"Please Yusuke… help us understand. What's gotten you so depressed?" The fox pleaded.
"You wouldn't believe me…" He sighed and pulled a knee to his chest, resting a cheek on it.
"Try me." Kurama didn't want him to stop now though he did want to scold him for staying silent for so long.
/
"So…" Kuwabara shifted uncomfortably, cheeks red as he held out the spoonful of food for Yusuke.
"Kurama told you…" Yusuke sighed then laid down in his futon and turned away from the red head.
"H-Hey! Wait!" Kuwabara's voice cracked. He cleared his throat and rubbed his neck looking around the room nervously. "I mean.. So the reason…" He gestured to the food. "Is for me to be a replacement for the other Kuwabara… right?" He looked a bit like a kicked puppy.
"There is no *other Kuwabara*…." Yusuke growled. "You're not real. I'm dreaming again."
"So wake up!" Kuwabara suddenly retorted.
He must be talking to me… He realized glancing around then looking down and sitting up to face the other man once more.
"Its not that easy Kuwabara…" He swallowed hard, reminding himself he couldn't really hear him.
"Just wake up already." His friend sounded annoyed.. and tired.
"How am I supposed to do that?!" He shouted, tears freely flowing down his cheeks. "Shit…"
/
One day while wallowing in misery Yusuke thought of something that had happened while he was living with Kuwabara.
"Shit!" Kuwabara shouted in the middle of the night as he fell out of bed, effectively waking up the other sleeping man.
"What the hell?" Yusuke turned a light on and looked at his lover as if he had grown a second head.
"Felt like I was falling in my sleep…" Kuwabara rubbed his back getting back into bed.
"Apparently you were." Yusuke chuckled. "Ya ok?" He yawned.
"Yeah.. but falling out of bed came after I woke up. Like I was falling in my sleep, freaked out, and jumped out of bed."
"And landed on your face." The raven haired man giggled while getting a noogy.
"Falling…." Yusuke stood and got dressed before quietly leaving Genkai's estate.
/
"Urameshi?! What are you doing?!" Kuwabara rushed to him out of breath. A gust of wind blew and the red head shielded his face from the debris it carried with it. He looked to the man standing on the edge of the building's rooftop.
"I'm gonna wake up." He stated calmly though there were tears in his eyes.
"What?" Kuwabara grabbed the dark haired detective. "Stop messing around and—" Yusuke leaned down and kissed the man before him then pushed himself off of his large shoulders, flinging himself off of the building.
"…" Yusuke's mouth moved but Kuwabara was unable to hear his voice. He couldn't hear anything as he moved to grab the other man.
"Yusuke!" As he plummeted to what he hoped wasn't his death, he heard the voice of his lover sob. Hearing such a gut-wrenching cry made his own flood gates burst just before it all went black.
/
Yusuke's eyes snapped open. He gasped for breath, shooting up into a sitting position. Shaking, slowly he looked around.
"Y-Yusuke?" Kuwabara had bolted upright. It was obvious he had been crying.
"Kazuma.." Yusuke panted, using the name he usually saved for bedroom activities. "I'm here." He stated and flung himself at the other man who had began sobbing again, this time happily.
/
"Kuwabara…" Yusuke nearly whimpered in his sleep. The redhead watched him for a moment, when his pained expression hadn't subsided, he reached out and gently stroked his lover's face.
"I'm here…" He whispered quietly. This seemed to do the trick as Yusuke's expression was once more content.
Things like this had happened every so often since then. Yusuke would suddenly cling to Kuwabara or simply wear a distraught expression. When he noticed this Kazuma would softly remind him that he was here for him, that he would always be here for him.
Kuwabara kissed the forehead of the man sleeping next to him.
"I'm right here." He held him close and closed his eyes.
/
Yusuke sighed and furrowed his brow. This sucked. This stupid feeling… this stupid memory of shit that never happened…
"Hey, Yusuke." Kazuma touched the rough hand of his lover, making him lower the menu he was looking at. Brown eyes met grey.
"I'm here." The redhead stated firmly, squeezing his hand tightly, his eyes watching him worriedly. It was then Yusuke realized he had been shaking.
"Yeah…" Yusuke swallowed hard and held onto his hand. "Thanks." He nodded and they released their grip.
"What are you thinking about?" Kuwabara asked, wondering what could make him wear such a face.
"….." Yusuke opened his mouth but the lump in his throat caught the words. "I killed myself." He stated after composing himself again.
"What?!" Kuwabara exclaimed then apologized to the other people in the restaurant for making a scene.
"I…" Yusuke shifted uncomfortably. "I threw myself off a building… to escape my dream." He stated slowly.
"Shit.." Kuwabara covered his mouth with his hand.
"Every so often I'll feel like I'm falling again… my head feels foggy like I'm in a dream…" Yusuke's fingers tangled in his hair. He looked Kuwabara in the eye once more and smiled.
"Then you tell me you're here. The fog lifts and I find my feet firmly planted on the ground." He took his lovers hand in his own.
"Why? How could—" Kuwabara's eyes held tears in them.
"Wake up. Just wake up already." Yusuke repeated the redhead's words pulling his hand closer. "I realized I couldn't live with out you… I didn't *want* to live with out you.." He kissed Kuwabara's hand.
"Yusuke…." The dark haired man leaned forward and kissed his beloved.
"Tell me I won't have to." He sat back down, releasing Kuwabara's hand once more. The taller man looked down at his hand, feeling something linger.
"Y-You..." He blushed brightly, eyes wide at the ring that adorned his finger.
"I thought about waiting until we got home... but the build up there was too perfect to pass up." Yusuke scratched his nose, his cheeks pink as well. Kuwabara chuckled, still in shock. "Will you stay with me?"
"Yes." Kuwabara grinned. A round of applause broke out around them. Apparently people had taken notice of their situation and felt the need to encourage and congratulate them. Both men smiled and blushed sheepishly.
/
"Ryuuji… What do you think you're doing?" A slightly older, raven haired gentleman quirked an eyebrow at the young boy that was climbing up a tree. The boy pointed further out on a branch to a large insect.
"Ah… I see.." He nodded.
"Kazu-tan!" The boy waved excited as Kuwabara approached the two.
"Hey, watch out!" Yusuke shouted as Ryuuji slipped from his perch and fell out of the tree. Thankfully Yusuke was close enough to catch the boy.
"Ryuuji!" Keiko darted toward them. "I told you not to climb—"
"Aw, come on, Keiko. A boy's gotta climb trees." Yusuke chuckled as he set the child down.
"Mommy look at that one!" He pointed at the large insect clinging to the tree. The wide grin on his face calmed her down.
"Thanks for watching him for us guys." She smiled at the two men who gave her a thumbs up.
"No prob!" Yusuke beamed.
"Yeah, the little twerp is no trouble at all." Kuwabara teased, ruffling Ryuuji's hair.
"Come on." Keiko smiled at the boy. "let's go get some ice cream."
"Yeah ice cream!" Yusuke shouted childishly and ran ahead of the gang.
"Hey wait up!" Kuwabara and Ryuuji shouted simultaneously chasing after him. Keiko sighed and shook her head.
/
"You ever think about it?" Kuwabara asked eating his ice cream.
"Hmm?" Yusuke licked the side of his cone that started to melt.
"Kids." Kuwabara stated nonchalantly. Yusuke was quiet for a moment. The redhead glanced over, his eyes catching the ring on one of the fingers that were curled around his frosted treat.
"Sure." Yusuke shrugged and leaned back against the bench they sat on.
"Wha- really?" Kuwabara asked, surprised.
"We've been together for seven years, you really think I haven't consider our future?" Yusuke's tongue ran across the ice cream and Kazuma had remind himself they were in public.
"Well.. I mean.." He sputtered.
"Your ice cream is melting." Yusuke warned.
"Ah! Crap!" The red head quickly ate the rest of his in a few large bites. "Gah!" He held his head. The dark haired man laughed.
/
Kuwabara took his tie off when he walked in the door then took his shoes off.
"I'm home." He called wearily.
"Welcome back Kazu-tan." Yusuke called from the kitchen using the name reserved for their surrogate nephew. Kuwabara made his way to the kitchen and wrapped his arms around his husband from behind.
"What's for dinner?" He looked at the stove. "Omelet rice? Is Ryuuji actually here?" He looked around.
"Nah, I just felt like it." Urameshi shrugged. "Hey, Kazuma…" He leaned his head gently against the other man's.
"I'm here." Kuwabara let him know he had his full attention.
"I think it's time we look at buying a house." He said seriously. "Then once we have the room…" He switched the stove off and turned towards his love. "We can figure out how to go about getting Ryuuji a playmate." He smirked.
Kuwabara grinned and kissed him passionately.
/
"PAPA!" The two year old shouted for the millionth time that hour and Yusuke rubbed his temples longing for the sweet embrace of death.
"Kai…"
"PapAA!" The boy threw himself on the floor.
"What Kai…" Yusuke sighed exhaustedly.
"No!" He whined.
"No what?" The man asked incredulously.
"What happened?" Kuwabara asked when he entered their home.
"Not a damn thing…" Yusuke groaned.
Kuwabara quirked an eyebrow and quickly retrieved a juice box from the fridge. He stuck the straw in the box and held it in front of Kai. The boy took the box and drank from it, quieting down and clinging to the redheads pants leg. Yusuke's eye twitched when his son took the straw out of his mouth just long enough to stick his tongue out at him.
"You spent an hour flipping out over a juice box…" Yusuke groaned loudly and threw himself spread eagle on the floor.
"We talked about this Kai…" Kuwabara scolded gently. "Now you made Papa worry.. I think you should say sorry." He rubbed the back of the boy's head who pouted then stepped forward.
"Sorry Papa.." He said with a puffed cheek and a scowl. Yusuke rolled his eyes.
"Come here ya knucklehead…" A smile tugged at his lips and he held his arms open for a hug. Kai grinned and pounced on him hugging him tightly, unfortunately his knee slammed right between his father's legs.
"Oohh…" Kuwabara whispered with a wince. "Alright now, go play." He told the boy for his husband who unable to speak and the child jogged off to play with his toys.
"It's a good thing we can't have kids anyway…." Yusuke whimpered after a moment. "'Cause after that we wouldn't be having any…" He coughed and Kuwabara laughed lightly.
"Fuck you man…." Yusuke seethed.
"We can do that later if you're not too sore." Kuwabara was still giggling.
/
"Kazuma…" Yusuke didn't look away from his book but the tone in his voice told the taller man all he needed to know.
"I'm here." Kuwabara affirmed and took Yusuke's hand in his own, squeezing gently.
"Kazu-tan…" Even though Ryuuji was older now he still used the childish suffix. He was laying with his 5 year old cousin on the floor while watching tv.
"Yeah?" He cocked his head in the boys' direction.
"Why do you do that?" He asked innocently.
"Do what?" The redhead asked confused.
"You tell Uncle Yuu you're here like he doesn't know." He had noticed. The younger boy looked back toward his parents, curious, but quiet.
"Its… a long story…" Kuwabara rubbed the back of his head.
"And it starts with me kicking Kazu-tan's ass!" Yusuke interrupted excitedly with a grin. "For the what…" He paused thinking.
"156th time…" Kazuma groaned embarrassed. "Most of those were cheap shots Urameshi. No way you'd beat me that many times in a fair fight!"
"Yeah, yeah.." Yusuke waved a hand to dismiss him. To think, just a decade ago they would have been rolling around on the floor wrestling to prove the other wrong.. Now they had responsibilities. Now they had two sets of eyes brimming with anticipation for the rest of the story. Yusuke chuckled and continued with his tale…
A/N: The end. let me know what you think! Thank you for reading!