Author: The Plot Bunny Whisperer
Title: The Price of Freedom
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Adventure Romance Drama
Summary: AU. Harry knows better than to run from his fate, but he'll do his damnedest to try. Slash. Crossover with Yu Yu Hakusho.
Pairing(s): Harry/Yusuke, Kuwabara/Yukina, unrequited Keiko/Yusuke
Warnings: Slash, Language, Violence
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't care, don't sue.
AN: Yesterday sucked. The end.
Enjoy!
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The Price of Freedom
09: Unwanted Guests
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Shuichi went home after breakfast the next day, and Kuwabara took Yukina up on her offer of a picnic in the garden. Harry and Yusuke followed Genkai into a clear field for their first training exercise.
"Hand over Amaterasu," Genkai demanded of Harry once they were there and he reluctantly began to unstrap the holster.
"Do I have to?" he grumbled half-heartedly, already knowing the answer.
"I dunno, grandma," Yusuke said teasingly. "You might want to give him a handicap if he's really as bad as you say he is." Harry growled and handed her his gun. He slipped into a fighting stance and smirked at the other boy who did the same.
"I won't need a handicap."
"Whatever you say, Harry." They stood in their stances for a long moment until Genkai gave them the signal.
"Begin!"
Almost immediately Yusuke disappeared and Harry cursed, releasing his spirit awareness to seek him out. He just barely managed to dodge the flying kick that came out of nowhere, launching himself to deliver a punch to his solar plexus. Yusuke disappeared again and Harry landed in a crouch, back-flipping out of the way as he appeared above him. They went at each other like this for another five minutes, one dodging while the other attacked until Yusuke managed to land an uppercut to his chin. Harry flew back from the hit, managing to use the momentum to land a kick to his jaw. The two landed away from each other, eyeing their opponent.
"Not bad," Yusuke commented, rubbing the sore spot on his chin.
"It gets getter." Harry smirked, placing both of his hands on the ground and gathered his energy. "Shower of Stones!" He released his power and Yusuke gave him a shocked look as the ground erupted beneath him, rocks flying at him from the air. What he couldn't dodge he destroyed with his fists, however a few had managed to hit their mark.
"Not bad at all," Yusuke amended, a fierce grin on his face. "Lets see what you make of this." He cocked his finger as though pointing a gun. "Spirit Gun!"
Harry grunted as a ball of bright blue light crashed into his chest, sending him flying for several meters. He landed on his back, skidding a few more feet until he stopped. He stood up slowly, wincing and rubbing at his chest.
"Okay, I wasn't expecting that." Yusuke laughed, slipping into his fighting stance.
Harry launched himself again, jumping just moments before reaching the other in a fake-out. He kicked out, however Yusuke managed to grab his leg and use his momentum to forcefully propel him into the ground. Harry managed to twist and swept his other foot out, sweeping Yusuke's legs out from underneath him. They flipped onto their feet at the same time, throwing and blocking punches. Yusuke landed a punch to Harry's stomach, knocking the wind out of him, and followed up with a knee to the chin. Yusuke followed him to the ground, crossing one arm over his neck, the other poised in a fist above his face and glowing with blue spiritual energy.
"Yield?" the teen said in the same teasing tone as before.
"Yield," Harry gasped out in agreement, still winded from the punch. He groaned as Yusuke helped him up onto his feet, bending over slightly as he regained his breath.
"You're not bad, Potter, but I see where you could use the help." Yusuke stretched with a happy grin. "Man! This is exactly the kinda thing I need to take my mind offa things."
"You can't escape the girl forever, Yusuke," Genkai said dryly, handing Amaterasu back to Harry.
"Nah, it doesn't need to be forever. Just until she decides she doesn't want to marry me." He thought about that and winced. "Okay, maybe it does need to be forever."
"I don't understand. If you don't care about the girl in that way, why don't you just tell her that?" Harry asked, strapping the holster back on his thigh.
"Believe me, I have. She doesn't believe me." Yusuke crossed his arms and scowled. "Says it's commitment phobia. I don't mind committing, I just don't want to commit to her."
"And you've told her this?"
"Yep. Then she slapped me and ignored me for a few days, but went right back at it. Man, she's hopeless."
"I think a more accurate term would be 'hopefull'," Harry said, amused.
"Che. Whatever."
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Kuwabara and Yukina joined them for the dinner Harry cooked in order to give her more time with Kuwabara. The atmosphere at the table was light-hearted and relaxing, despite the petty squabbles Yusuke and Kuwabara kept goading each other into in between Yusuke teasing Harry about losing the spar and Kuwabara trying to flirt with Yukina.
Despite the tranquility, Harry had an uneasy feeling coiling in his gut. Something was off but he couldn't pinpoint it. He sent out an extremely small pulse out as far as twenty meters. He noticed that Kuwabara shivered as it passed through him and looked around but seemed to dismiss it and return to his argument with Yusuke. He waited for the pulse to return and when it did, he gasped, his spoon falling from nerveless fingers as the rest of his body tensed and straitened.
"Harry?" Yukina gave him a concerned look but his focus was still on the energy signals he could feel outside, far too familliar for comfort.
"Eight of them, no..." he murmured softly, unaware of the attention he had gained from the others at the table. "Ten. Maybe more."
Genkai put her chopsticks down and stood, walking toward the door. "You four stay out of sight, I'll go see who our unwelcome guests are." She exited the temple doors. Harry wasn't willing to just sit and wait, however, and he stood to follow her, sticking to the shadows. He was aware of Yusuke and Kuwabara following him, being equally careful to stay hidden.
The boys stayed in the shadows of the entrance, peering out into the night past Genkai who stood rigidly at the top of the steps, glaring down at the intruders whom had somehow made it past her wards undetected. Nearly a dozen blue robed men stood just within the walls of the inner courtyard, an all-too familiar figure at the head. Harry growled softly, his hand incing toward Amaterasu, trigger fingers twitching in response to his ire.
There before him stood Albus Dumbledore, the bane of his existance and the man who had ordered his capture at any cost, including and preferably his death.
"Who are you?" Genkai demanded. "And why have you invaded my temple?" The old man stepped forward imperiously, a hard expression on his face he did not normally show the world in order to keep up his mask of appearances.
"Who we are matters not," he said in an arrogant tone that reminded Harry of Malfoy at his worst. "We have come for the demon. Release him to us, and we will leave without further trouble."