Part Six: And the Plot Thickens!
Kuwabara immediately leaves the room after hearing Ani's words. He knows that he's going to suffer endlessly now that Yusuke is gone. He sinks down in the corner of the bathroom and curls up. He rests his head on his knees and tries to remember why it was he ever thought he could stand up to the likes of the Toguro Brothers. Seeing them like this just makes him more and more convinced that they haven't shown a fraction of what they are capable of. He doesn't want to know the full extent of their evil. He just wants to go home. 'Damn you, Koenma. Damn you for doing this to us. We never would have let this happen. We would have done what you needed without a second thought had we known where this would lead. Maybe that's why you did it. Maybe you realized that we would have put our very lives on the line before we submitted to the ownership of these guys,' he thinks. He pulls his legs closer to him hoping that it takes Oto awhile to get back. He doesn't feel up to facing them quite yet. He probably never would be up to facing them.
After a while, he calms down enough to decide to take a shower. He hadn't felt clean since the last dose of punishment and it was starting to bother him. He strips and steps into the shower before turning on the water and waiting for the right temperature. Once it's on, he leans against the wall. He knew Yusuke needed to hear that he wasn't giving up but in all honesty, Kuwabara doesn't know if he can keep that promise. After only two sessions with the brothers, Kuwabara is already scared to death of them and they had yet to try and physically harm him. A long-suffering sigh escapes him. It was probably because he had no spirit energy that made it hard to fight them. At least then he would have stood a chance at defending himself had he been able to use his gifts.
He's startled out of his musings as he hears the doorknob to the bathroom turn. His blue eyes widen as he watches the door get pushed open. He pulls back close to the wall hoping that nothing is about to transpire and knowing instinctively that it probably will. He shivers slightly even though the temperature of the water is quite warm. He doesn't want them in the same shower with him though it wouldn't be hard for them to fit.
He closes his eyes as he hears the curtain move and inwardly curses his situation. Why did he have to serve them alone? Why hadn't Koenma just called them in for that damn mission? He realizes the futility of thinking about the past but thinking about his present situation made him want to crawl into a hole and die so either way, it really didn't matter. No matter what he did, he still ended up with a situation that was out of his control that he wishes had never been forced upon him. Trying to hide from that realization well…it was obvious how well that would work.
He's brought out of his musing as he feels a hand on his shoulder. His
entire body tenses tighter then a wound spring at the soft touch. He can tell from the size of the hand that it's Oto and feels even more disturbed then before as images flash into his mind over their first encounter on the bed. He doesn't want to think about it, but to do that forces him to have to open his eyes and staring into the demon's dark brown orbs is not much better. "Don't you two have better things to do then harass me?" he finally asks wrenching away from Oto.
"But you're so much fun, Kuwabara," Ani remarks. Kuwabara scowls.
"I wasn't asking you anything I wanted to hear you answer, midget. Why don't you go and bother someone else because I am just not in the mood for your stupidity."
Ani's golden eyes sparkled impishly. "Is that so? Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I don't remember you having a choice in the matter."
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Hiei watches Bui pace for an hour before he finally is bored enough to ask, "What are you doing?"
Bui almost trips himself so quickly does he stop. "Wh-what?" he inquires.
"What are you doing?" Hiei repeats.
"I'm pacing," Bui answers shortly.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why are you pacing?"
"Because I want to."
"I don't think that is the truth…is it?"
"If it isn't the truth, then I certainly don't have to tell YOU differently. I don't answer to you."
"No, you answer to two demons who have no business being allowed to roam around unchecked. Why are you pacing?"
"Because I don't know what to d…hey, that is none of your business!"
"I almost got you to tell me."
"Cocky little bastard, aren't you?"
"So Yusuke and Kuwabara say."
"They're right, too."
"Maybe so."
"Do you ever speak more then a few words at a time?"
"Not unless I need to. I don't feel the need to use unnecessary words to make my speech seem less coarse. I say what I want and that is it."
"So you're not unsociable?"
"In what respects do you mean?"
"I mean can you converse with people if you had an opinion on a subject?"
"Maybe not eloquently but yes, I can voice an opinion. You're getting off the subject. Why were you pacing? I have never seen you look like you haven't a clue what you're doing."
"That would be none of your business," Bui retorts trying to keep himself in check. It was so hard to be within ten feet of the fire-demon when he was silent, but when he was this talkative and…alive, it made it that much worse. He watches as Hiei tilts his head as if studying him. Bui masks his emotions and hopes that the fire-demon doesn't see through his façade.
Hiei inwardly smiles. If the blue-haired demon believed he was hiding anything from him, he was mistaken. It had taken him awhile to realize the truth, of course, which he had to give Bui credit for. The warmth that crept up his body at the expression he had seen in the blue-eyed demon's eyes had begun to give it away. It hadn't taken him long to discover just what it was the demon wasn't saying. Oh, he might not look it, but Kurama was not the only exceedingly clever one there. Hiei had lived long enough to recognize desire when he saw it. He just wonders how long Bui will fight with himself before he gives in. 'So he is the most honorable of the lot, that doesn't surprise me. It's no wonder Toguro was able to defeat him; he probably never tried an underhanded tactic. Fool, if he isn't going to come after me. I might just have to go after him,' Hiei thinks. "Hn, keep your silence, demon. It doesn't matter much at all to me anyway. I was merely wondering as to why you were wasting time better spent on meditation or training," he finally says aloud. He almost laughs seeing a look of slight relief deep in Bui's eyes. 'Oh, you haven't escaped me yet, Bui. Mark my words, if you don't make a move on me, I WILL make a move on YOU!'
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Mitari had mixed feelings after Yusuke walked out the doors. Part of him was angry that he was safe while the rest of them were still trapped while the other part was relieved that it meant one less person to be worried for. He sits down on the floor before Hagiri's bed. He leans back against it and looks up at the ceiling before reaching up and gingerly touching his cheek. The mark was pretty much gone but Mitari could still feel where Hagiri's hand connected with his cheek. He figured he did deserve it for betraying them though the fact that the blow was administered by the one Mitari was most fond of hurt more then he wanted to admit. He could understand the teen's anger, he just couldn't stand it aimed at him.
Part of him, though, is relieved that Hagiri hit him. Had the violet-eyed youth decided upon the same tactics the others were using, he'd never be able to stand it. Being hurt by Hagiri was bad enough but having his emotions and heart toyed with would absolutely kill him. As much as he would like to be touched intimately by Hagiri, he doesn't want it unless the feeling behind it is love and because the violet-eyed male obviously hated his guts, it would only serve to damage his soul further were he to do it out of spite.
Mitari's musing is interrupted as the door opens and Hagiri steps within. "What are you doing?" he demands.
"Sitting," Mitari answers honestly looking up at him.
"Why?"
"Because I wanted some time to think and reflect."
"What were you thinking about?"
Normally, Mitari would admit the truth but this time, he decides that he's going to stand up for himself so he balks "Things," he answers vaguely.
"What sort of things?"
"Nothing too earth-shattering, I'm afraid."
"That is not what I asked you."
"I don't believe that what I think is any of your business." The moment the words escape Mitari knows he's about to be in for it. The look on Hagiri's face only furthers his conviction.
"What did you just say?" The soft, silky tone Hagiri uses warns Mitari that if he isn't careful, he's going to end up hurt. Unfortunately, he fears Hagiri's reaction to him discovering what he was thinking more than his reaction to Mitari refusing him the answer.
"I said that what I think is NONE of your business." He waits for
Hagiri to hit him but the black-haired teen does nothing of the sort. He, in fact, starts laughing. Mitari is completely befuddled by his reaction and waits for an explanation of why Hagiri thought it was so damn funny.
Finally, Hagiri calms himself down. "Wow, I'm impressed, Mitari. I didn't think you'd have the spine to say something like that. There might yet be hope for you after all," the violet-eyed youth comments. Mitari says nothing though he feels somewhat pleased to have received a compliment from Hagiri even if it was hidden within an obvious insult.
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Karasu, Kurama realizes, has some inane desire to see how far he can push him until his patience snaps like a rubber band and he attacks him. He couldn't win, of course, but that wasn't the point of it. Karasu merely used the altercations as a reason to "punish" the redhead. Kurama was truly beginning to hate the bomb-wielder though his touch caused him no pain. Maybe that is why it bothered him so much. Maybe he wanted the bomb-wielder to hurt him because THAT he could fight against but being stroked and caressed was a whole other story. Karasu was also very fond of observing him without his clothes on, which makes him feel really uncomfortable. Standing in the middle of the room naked while Karasu circles him like a vulture makes him wish the demon had just stayed dead. "Do you mind?" Kurama finally demands after the fifth time Karasu walks around him. "I think you know by now what I look like!"
Karasu chuckles. "Of course I know what you look like, Kurama. I just enjoy watching you panic."
"I am NOT panicking!"
"No, of course you're not. How foolish of me to even think that you would be."
"Don't be snide…it doesn't suit you."
"Well, from what you have said to me, nothing suits me does it, Kurama?"
"Being dead has its appeals."
"Kurama, I think I'm wounded! Surely you don't want me dead!"
"Yes, yes, I do."
Karasu smirks. "Well, that's unfortunate for you isn't it?"
The redhead sighs. Why did he continue to rise to the demon's bait? He should know to just stand there and say nothing to him but he has yet to actually do that. Everything the bomb-wielder did caused him to react before he can stop himself. It was really beginning to annoy him that Karasu knew how to make his calm façade crumble in mere seconds. "Vexing demon," he mutters crossing his arms.
"From you, that's a compliment. I don't think anyone else has been able to make you react like this."
"Yes, well that's because no one has tried harassing me like you do, either!"
"It would only be a matter of time before someone tried to and you know it."
"Shut up, Karasu. I don't want to talk to you."
Karasu smirks looking as if that is what he was waiting for and Kurama mentally kicks himself. Of course, Karasu would be more then willing to stop talking to him in favor of DOING things to him. He'd walked head-on in to that trap.
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Itsuki had not reacted at all to the dark haired demon's departure. It changed absolutely nothing for him and he was not too concerned about Yusuke. The spirit detective was safe and HE wasn't in danger of getting humiliated over and over again by the one person in the universe he loved with all his heart. Itsuki's golden eyes observe the ground before him. He doesn't dare look up at him for fear of seeing the hatred in Kazuya's eyes or worse…the betrayal. He would have brought him back sooner; he had the power. He had just been too scared to face him so he hadn't. In a way, he deserved this. He deserved to be fegraded and humiliated by Kazuya. It was what he deserved for failing the man he loved. "So, 'Suki, ready for more?" Kazuya purrs. The golden-eyed demon doesn't answer knowing that it didn't matter if he was or was not ready. He merely closes his eyes and tries to prepare himself for more humiliation. 'I'm sorry, Shinobu,' he thinks, 'I am so sorry.'
