Chapter 10
Yusuke closed the door to the room and let out a big sigh. Rubbing his face, he looked over to the table to see the others staring at him.
"Well?" Genkai asked, as he made his way over and took a seat.
"He's sleeping." He said, pouring himself a cup of tea.
"What did he say?" Kuwabara asked. There was worry clearly evident on his face mixed with confusion as to what was going on with their friend.
"He said he didn't feel Youko anymore and thought the yoko was gone, he wanted to get home, call his okasan and move on with his life." Yusuke said.
"Did you tell him?" Genkai asked, taking a sip of tea.
"Yeah…I explained." Yusuke said in a frustrated breath. Shuiichi insisted on only talking to Yusuke, so he'd stayed to answer questions and explain that the spirit yoko was not gone. While the two talked, Yukina had come in with a tray of tea and seeing only one cup, the raven haired knew that Genkai must have had her put a sedative in it. He made sure the red head drank it.
"How did he take it?" She asked.
"How did you expect him to take it?" Yusuke huffed, running a hand through his hair. "He's scared and confused. He hates being weak, he hates having a spirit demon in him that doesn't give a damn about him or anything else…he doesn't know what to do…" His voice trailed off as he became more flustered.
"Calm Urameshi…we're all scared and confused too." Kuwabara said softly.
The door to the room opened and Youko walked out. Seeing the looks on their faces, he smirked. "With him asleep, it is my turn, so if you will excuse me." He said then headed outside and disappeared into the woods.
"Damn him." Yusuke said as he watched the yoko fade into the foliage.
Genkai put her cup down and the others looked to her. "Well, now we know one thing, when Shuiichi is asleep Youko's out and vise versa." She stated and got up to head towards a room in the back. "I think I'm going to do some research." She told them before disappearing down the hall.
a)a)a)a
It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon as Hiei made his way to the temple. He was worried about Kurama, after not finding him at the apartment and appeared to not have been there for days. He hoped nothing happened, the mission he was sent on had been a dead end and he was starting to fear that it may have been a diversion so Yomi could go after the fox. He hoped he was wrong and more than hoped the red head was at the temple.
Making it to the porch, he was surprised to see Yusuke and Kuwabara sitting there with looks of despair on their faces.
"What's with you two?" He smirked.
"Hiei." They both gasped when they saw the fire demon.
"Where's Kurama?" He asked.
"Um…uh…you see, something…" Yusuke didn't want to be the one to tell him, he really didn't.
"Where's the fox…so help me…if he is hurt." Hiei growled, his voice rising.
"Calm Hiei, so far nothing serious has happened." Genkai said from the doorway, having felt Hiei's return.
Hiei was staring daggers at the master. "Come, I will fill you in." She said turning, not even waiting to see if he would follow.
Giving the other two a glare, the fire demon walked past them into the temple.
a)a)a)a
What felt like an eternity later, the door slammed opened and Hiei stormed out. Yusuke and Kuwabara had stayed out on the porch to give them privacy. Yusuke gulped as he felt the energy rising off the small demon, Kuwabara was physically shaking from it. The thought 'if looks could kill' came to mind as Hiei glared at the raven haired and then leaped off into the woods.
"Well, he can't be blaming you entirely." Kuwabara said with a nervous laugh.
"What makes you say that?" Yusuke said, gulping again.
"Your head's still attached to your shoulders." The orange haired noted.
"Good point." Yusuke whispered.
a)a)a)a
'Damn it.' Hiei thought. How could he not have seen it? And why the hell didn't Kurama say something, he talked to Yusuke, why not him. 'Wait a minute.' He paused and sat down on a tree branch. Maybe Kurama had been telling him something was wrong and he had been too stupid to figure it out. But why did the stubborn red head not tell him flat out? He remembered the hug before he left. Kurama asked for a kiss, he didn't mind that part, even if the others were watching, but Kurama asked for a hug. He didn't care for those. He knew he couldn't control the look on his face as he hugged the red head and patted him on the back. Kurama whispered in his ear that he would not ask for one again and things would be better when he got back. 'Better.' What had he meant? Did Kurama know then that he was 'going away' as Genkai put it? He didn't understand 'multiple personality', but Genkai said she was finding out more about it. And here he had finally admitted to himself that he 'loved' the red head as he laid alone those cold nights out in the woods of Makai. He wanted the red head beside him and he finally allowed himself to believe he was happy, happy with Kurama, but now…
Feeling a familiar ki, he looked down to see a silver fox laying in a clearing. It dawned on him that this was the same spot he and Youko had sparred at the other day. Youko was laying in a patch of sun, his five tails fanned out behind him. Jumping down, he walked over and waited.
Hiei stared and wondered if the fox was asleep, but then saw blood red eyes watching him. He was about to say something, when he was attacked and found himself on his back with the large silver fox licking him on his face, neck and even his hair.
"Welcome back little one, oh how I have missed you." He heard mentally, as the licking continued.
"Get the hell off me you perverted fox." Hiei all but yelled, pushing the fox off and rolling the other way.
Transforming into his more ningen form, Youko sat there pouting. "I thought you liked my perverseness." He said.
"Where's Kurama?" Hiei growled. He was in a crouched position and ready to draw his sword if needed.
"You might say, he no longer exists and now I am all yours." Youko purred. "We can return to the Makai and live happily ever after…just me and you as my prize possession."
"I am not a possession." Hiei said.
Youko stood and walked towards the smaller demon, saying. "Come now, you like what I have to offer, I also have been offering myself to you. No one else except Kuronue has had the honor."
"Stay back." Hiei growled, drawing his sword.
"What?" The yoko paused. "Are you scared of me? Come now, put the sword away, we have a lot of making up to do." He stood there with the sword at his neck, not afraid and even leaned into the blade, nicking himself.
"I…I…thought you were Kurama." Hiei stammered. "I thought this side of you was the more confidant side and wanted him to be more open in his relationship with me. I didn't know…I never thought…" His hands started to shake until the sword fell loosely from his grip. It hit the ground as the events of the last six months played out in his head.
Youko smiled and pulled Hiei's chin up to look at him. "Let us have some fun and then we will talk." He purred.
"No!" Hiei swatted the hand away and stepped back. "I want to talk now." He growled.
Youko sighed and sat down. "As you wish." He whispered.
Hiei took a seat away from the fox. "What happened?" He also whispered, not wanting to believe what he'd been told.
"What do you mean?" Youko asked and then said. "Have you talked to…"
Hiei nodded. "Genkai." He whispered.
"Well then…you know all of it. Kurama was created to control me and comfort the ningen. Since I was staying out of the way, as you requested earlier. The boy was able to get his life back and now I can kill him so that only I remain." Youko stated.
"What?" Hiei looked up, not quite sure if he'd heard correctly.
"I will kill the boy and we can return to the Makai, is that not what you wanted?" Youko asked.
"No, I wanted Kurama to be more confident with himself, he was having trouble controlling his ningen emotions around me and I thought getting him in his fox form would help him…I…he didn't tell me it was you…I." Hiei's voice dropped.
"Sorry. All you managed to do was make me stronger and for that…I thank you." Youko smiled.
"Don't you care about the ningen?" Hiei asked.
"No, as I told the tantei, I should have killed him when I had the chance." Youko stated.
"Could you have survived killing him?" Hiei asked.
Youko shrugged. "Yes, I believe so. I would have been weak, but I would not have had to battle the boy's mind. I would have just fed off his body until I was strong enough to return to the Makai."
Yukina came around the corner. "There you are. Welcome back Hiei." She said and smiled at him. "I wanted to let you know dinner was ready." She smiled again, getting ready to turn and leave.
"Such beauty." Youko said. "It is really a shame you have not found your brother yet Yukina. I am sure if he knew you were getting mated, he would want to be here for you."
"I would like nothing more than to have him here by my side." She said, holding her small hand to her chest. "Do you know him?" She asked, looking to the fox.
Smirking at Hiei he said. "Why yes, very well, you might say."
Hiei growled.
"Oh please, what news do you know? I do so wish to inform him that I am to be married." She pleaded with her hands clasped in front of her and with hope in her red eyes.
"You need to ask Hiei, has he not been the one looking for him these past several years?" Youko said, watching as the fire demon started to sweat.
Hiei gulped and looked to the girl.
"Well tell her, you still have her necklace around your neck, do you not." Youko said, knowing all too well the fire demon still wore her necklace along side his.
"Hn." Hiei reached up and pulled the necklace off, handing it over, he said softly. "Here, I wanted to give this back, and…I'm sorry…I could not find any information on him." And then lowered his red eyes.
Looking at the necklace, Yukina rolled it in her hand. Something was not quite right about it. "I don't think this is mine." She said, looking back to Hiei.
"It's yours." Hiei tried not to growl.
"It has a different energy to it, kind of like mine, but different." She said, holding the necklace up to the sun, so she could look at it.
"Brother." She whispered.
"What?" Hiei said, his eyes going wide.
"Where did you find this?" Her voice rising. "This is my brother's. See the blackness in the center. Mine is pure, his is not, because he is part…fire." Her lips trembled as she looked to Hiei. He had pulled the other necklace out when she whispered brother. He'd always thought the two gems were identical, but now he felt like an idiot. He watched as she took in the sight of the other necklace before her eyes rolled and she fainted.
Picking her up and taking her to the temple, Hiei placed her on a futon. Genkai came in and asked what happened, while Kuwabara tried not to yell at Hiei.
"She fainted." He said.
"What made her do that?" Kuwabara asked, holding her hand as Genkai placed a cold cloth on her forehead.
"She found out I'm her brother." Hiei said then took off. He had a fox to kill.
"Hiei…wait…we need to talk." Yusuke said, stopping the demon on the porch.
"Not now Yusuke!" Hiei growled. He was going to make Youko pay for the trick he pulled.
"Yes now. Genkai found out some things and I want to talk." Yusuke said, placing his hand on Hiei's shoulder and stopping him before he could flee.
Hiei sighed and turned around.
End Chapter 10
Lyrics to the song: Crawling – by: Linkin Park
(Course)
Crawling in my skin, these wounds they will not heal, fear is how I fall, confusing what is real
There's something inside me that pulls beneath the surface, consuming, confusing. This lack of self control I fear is never ending, controlling. To find myself again, my walls are closing in.
(Without a sense of confidence, I'm convinced that there's just too much pressure to take) I've felt this way before, so insecure
Discomfort endlessly has pulled itself upon me, distracting, reacting. Against my will I stand beside my own reflection, it's haunting. How I can't seem to find myself again, my walls are closing in.
