Summary:

Hiei begins Yona's training. Yarika's bigoted grandparents come to visit. Yukina shops for wedding clothes while Hiei stalks and pranks Kuwabara. Shizuru decides to move out of the family home and Rui sees her opportunity to get closer to her. Rui also startss imagining making a happy home with Shizuru.

Notes:

Warning: This chapter depicts slut shaming, sexism and racism (pureblood Japanese of good social standing vs anyone with foreign blood or a Japanese ethnic minority) This is accurate for Japan which does not have the demographics of a western country.
Chapter also has implied sexual content.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Hiei began Yona's training the next time he had a day off. He saw no point in delaying it any longer than necessary. He would rest easier once she was trained to take down moderately powerful threats by herself. Even a wooden sword could be deadly in the right hands. He began with having the child build some strength by swinging a branch, then spent the rest of the afternoon showing her how to draw and sheathe her sword with strict instructions to practice the moves while he was away.

"Be careful of your scabbard hand when you sheathe your sword, or you'll be cut," said Hiei."

"Okay," said Yona, repeating the motion until Hiei was satisfied. Admittedly she was a little clumsy handling a sword almost as long as she was tall, she would have injured herself if it had been a real sword. He'd never admit to Yarika that she had been right about wanting Yona to start on less dangerous weaponry.

"That's better," he said. "You will practice what I've shown you until the next lesson."

Yona cheerfully promised to practice hard. She thought training was fun and strove to do it right, hoping for praise. She had a definite aptitude for fighting in her blood but lacked much of the bloodlust her father had displayed at the same age. Perhaps this was a result of having the happy childhood he had lacked or it was tempered by her mother's blood. Either way, her fighting was more pragmatic and whimsical than aggressive. When she had killed the demons that had attacked her after escaping her kidnapper, she was simply neutralizing the threat that kept her from her goal.

Hiei gave her the now-customary pat on the head to reward her. Even though the child had a sweet nature much like Yukina, she was like Yarika in her refusal to be a victim and had her work ethic. He didn't feel worried that she'd slack off, the child was willing to do anything he asked of her. As long as his training wasn't unreasonable or harmful to their little girl, Yarika would allow it. He wanted his child to be able to fight if she needed to, training her was his duty as a father. Her mother would handle her academic education and teach her the social skills he lacked. Between them their daughter would end up well rounded as an adult.

He took Yona home. Yarika was probably done with any business she had for the day and was likely already making supper. Hiei had ceased having scruples about eating with the family, he usually liked whatever she was cooking and ate it without complaint in generous helpings. He didn't worry about gaining weight as his rigorous training schedule and romps at the local love hotel with Yarika after Yona was asleep took care of burning it off.

There were two extra people today, ones he had never seen before. Kenji had come home early, and the two were sitting tensely across from a very old human couple. They both looked sour and ill-tempered, very much like the old women on the glacier. Rui served them all tea, but father and daughter did not touch their cups.

"This must be Yona," said the old woman. Hiei instantly hated her, as her icy tone was just like the ice maiden elder's. She surveyed the child the same way the old bitch had looked at him as a newborn, icy and full of contempt.

"And her father," said the old man, his dry voice crackling. "What is it you said he did for a living, Yarika?"

"He's a career martial artist, Grandfather." said Yarika. In a way that was true, he made his living by fighting.

"Leave it to a love child to choose a bum," said the woman. "We sent you to Eien to be trained as a lady and to find a suitable husband, not become a lowly actress and run off with a bum who won't even do the honorable thing and marry you. No matter, I've still found some respectable men who will have you, they're all widowers who won't mind used goods as much."

"Not interested, Grandmother," said Yarika. "I like the man I've got." Yarika huffed at the offensive "love child" and "used goods" comments. She had never let anyone make her feel bad for her demon heritage or having an active love life and was not going to begin now. For most demons that wasn't a deal breaker like it was with humans in a conservative culture like theirs. She also didn't think Hiei was a bum by any stretch. By demon standards Hiei was a pretty good catch, since supreme strength commanded respect in Demon World. If his personality weren't so abrasive, he'd probably be swarmed by groupies.

"And you, you allowed this, undutiful son," said the man.

"Kenji, dear, please see reason," said the woman. "I have said it before, this love child is a disgrace to our honorable family line. I beg you, find a yamato woman and try again for a son to carry on the family name."

Kenji bristled. "As my parents, I respect you for bringing me up. I will not cut you off, but I will not allow you to insult my daughter, her boyfriend, or their child. Miss Rui, please call a cab for my parents."

Rui nodded and went to the phone. She could not bear to watch this kind of scene again. She had finally started to get a little bit of backbone, she would bodily remove these people if she had to.

Hiei held Yona protectively behind his back away from the elderly humans. These were the awful grandparents Yarika had spoken of. She was right about them. They had the nerve to harass the Fujimiyas in their own house, and insult him to boot. They must have no idea that they were dealing with demons or they'd probably die of fright.

The cab came and took away the couple, who croaked out insults the whole way out the door. Rui had rushed them out none too gently, quiet fury on her face.

"Now you know exactly what I had to deal with growing up," said Yarika. "I had hoped that they'd stay put at their big house in the country, but they managed to bum a ride into the city. They somehow heard that Yona's father came back and wanted to have a look."

"I can't believe that those people are related to you," said Hiei. His respect for Kenji had grown by leaps and bounds in the last few months. The man had plenty of common sense and treated Hiei as a family member if not a son. Both Fujimiyas had defended him to the wrinkled old faces of the bigoted couple. He also surmised that "love child" was even more offensive than "half" going by Yarika's reaction.

"They are still my parents and as such I must ensure they are provided for," sighed Kenji, rubbing his temples. "It's pretty much required in our culture to care for aging parents. It doesn't mean I want to see them though."

"They get food and shelter until they take their last miserable breaths," said Yarika. "But they are NOT welcome here and they know it."

Yona's eyes were wet and wobbly. The old people's cruelty had upset her. They were her beloved grandpa's parents, why were they so mean? This made Hiei hate them even more. "If I wasn't forbidden to harm humans I'd put them out of their misery myself," he said.

Rui was quiet, she was thinking. So Yarika has experienced similar prejudice to Hiei, she thought. No wonder they understood each other so well and why she had been so willing to help him torment her people.

"They would deserve it," she said at last.

Hiei got the opportunity to stalk Kuwabara the next day, much to his sinister delight. Yarika, Shizuru and Rui had gone with Yukina to go look at wedding dresses. Yona was spending the day with Kenji, they were off at something called an amusement park. Kenji had thought and Hiei had agreed that the child needed cheering up after the events of the previous day. It had taken Yarika longer then usual to get her to sleep. Yarika herself had been upset that night, although Hiei had succeeded in making her feel better after they'd had their usual alone time afterward.

Hiei followed him, suppressing his presence as much as possible. Kuwabara felt a chill and looked around wildly but Hiei was very good at keeping himself hidden. Yukina had forced Hiei to promise not to harm her dear Kazuma but she had never made him promise not to stalk the sister pawing menace. Hiei had broken into the law office the previous night after he left Yarika and had done a little sabotage. He didn't touch the case files because that would do a disservice to Kenji and the case but he had fiddled with Kuwabara's desk chair. It was a prank, not harm.

It paid off. While Kuwabara searched for the office supplies Hiei had masterfully hidden, a wheel on the rolling chair snapped off, causing the oaf to fall off of it. Hiei chuckled evilly from his perch outside. Kuwabara's pride was more bruised than his backside, so he had kept his word to Yukina. When Kuwabara went to take a bathroom break, Hiei decided to mess with the bento Yukina had lovingly made. He carefully made the little picture made of nori and cherry tomatoes into something creepy looking, then booked it back to his hiding place. He couldn't make Kuwabara sick or he'd be breaking his promise.

"What the..?" said Kuwabara after he opened the lid a little later. Yukina's lunches were tasty and cute and he proudly ate them in front of everyone. This looked like a murder scene in a box.

"Is your fiancée mad at you?" asked another lawyer. "When I make my wife mad she messes up my lunch. This looks like a 'forgot-her-birthday' bento."

Kuwabara teared up. "Oh my sweet Yukina! I'm so sorry!" he wailed. Hiei snickered from his hiding place. Seeing Kuwabara wail in agony was well worth it.

This was quality entertainment. He would have to think of more and better ways to mess with his would-be brother-in-law.

Yukina tried on various dresses, with the ladies giving her their honest opinions. Rui had never seen such pretty clothes, the lace looked like fluffy snow. It made her think of home and new snow. "I like the one with all the lace," she said softly. Rui had been schooled against vanity on the glacier but these wedding clothes with the silk, the pearls, and the lace tugged at her sense of aesthetic. She wondered if she would ever wear something like this, the thought made her blush.

"It's sweet," said Shizuru. "I wouldn't wear that myself, it suits you three much better." Rui's blush deepened.

"I'm more into the plain and simple style myself," said Yarika. "But that's me. I'm good looking enough to do justice to anything." She smiled, showing she was at least half joking. She didn't expect to be married any time soon, she wasn't ready to walk down the aisle yet either.

"How do demons celebrate weddings, anyways?" asked Shizuru.

"Search me," said Yarika. "I only know that when they say 'until death do us part,' they mean it. I also know that in Demon World it's overall more acceptable to marry someone of the same sex."

"I don't know myself," said Yukina. "I wasn't familiar with the concept of marriage until I came to this realm."

"We're from an island of only women and they don't practice marriage," said Rui. "The elders discouraged strong emotions but it was acceptable for women to be in close relationships, since it helped encourage us not to seek out men."

"Not that it prevented it entirely. You can't change someone's sexuality even if society says you should be with one sex over the other," said Yarika. Hiei would not exist if Hina had not been into men and snuck off to meet her lover.

"That's right," said Shizuru. "Just because society expects you to be with one sex, sometimes you realize that you really liked the other instead."

"Or both," said Yarika, the resident open and proud bisexual. Most of her lovers had been women and her only male ones were the first, Rin, and the last, Hiei. She was still in contact with Rin. He had been relieved that Hiei had finally stepped up for her and Yona. He was happily living in America with his wife Angela.

"Go with the lacy one, Kazuma will love it. He wants his bride to be the envy of all," said Shizuru.

Rui envied her already. A wedding sounded so nice and the dress was so pretty. She just didn't envy her Kazuma although the man had been so kind to her that he'd won her over as a good husband for Yukina. She glanced over at Shizuru and blushed yet again.

Yona was much happier when Kenji brought her home. Hiei was in a strangely good mood too.

"I thought you were going home today," said Yarika, filling his plate with stir fry.

"I had some things to do," said Hiei. For cover he had gone to have a chat with Kurama before going to get some supper at the Fujimiya house. "Kurama says hello." He tucked into his meal, smirking to himself. He had upset Kuwabara but had not harmed him as per his promise.

Yarika suspected that he had been stalking Kuwabara again, but said nothing. Yukina had not called her upset, so the wedding was likely still on. She wondered what Kuwabara had suffered that day. She liked Kuwabara and thought he was loyal and true, if a bit silly.

"How was shopping for Yukina's wedding dress?" asked Kenji. Hiei almost choked but played it cool.

"It went well, she picked out one of those snow beast type ones with lots of lace," she answered. "I guess it suits her, being an ice maiden and all."

"It looks lovely on her," said Rui.

Hiei cringed. The good mood was ruined. He glared at his plate like it had done him a great personal wrong. He would have to try harder to get them to voluntarily call off the wedding.

Yarika did her best to console Hiei. After they had finished their romp that night, she held his head to her chest and stroked his hair. Hiei grunted and allowed it, his eyes closing and his grudge momentarily forgotten. He didn't regret making it official with her, he could experience things like this much more often since she was now his girlfriend.

He would make sure Kuwabara never got to experience anything like this with Yukina.

Rui wanted to experience things like that too. She had been watching the couples around her, especially Yukina and her fiancé. Even Yarika and Hiei had affection between them that was hard to see at first glance but was definitely present upon close observation. Her unrequited love for Hina had left her wanting and only recently had the desire resurfaced after her death. Her haircut with Shizuru had kindled feelings that had long been repressed. The desire to share affection with another being. The desire for intimacy. The desire to be loved. Hina had gently turned her down many years ago, and she was afraid to tell Shizuru how she felt. Shizuru was much more blunt with her words.

She went to Yarika, who understood what it was like to love another woman, a taboo in this society. It wasn't forbidden like loving men was on the glacier, but it was not smiled upon. Yarika was brave and ignored society's expectations in favor of following her own passions and dreams.

"I'm in love with Shizuru," Rui admitted.

"I noticed," said Yarika.

"You did?" Rui had thought she had hidden it well.

"It's kind of obvious." Yarika thought it was cute the way Rui blushed around Shizuru. It reminded her of herself at fifteen.

Rui blushed crimson. "Does she know?"

Yarika nodded. "I think she does. I liked her myself when I was younger, but I was too young for her taste. I think she likes them mature. The only guy I ever saw her like went and blew himself up and she hasn't dated one since, so maybe she does like women after all. She gives me that vibe."

"I feel so silly," said Rui, twisting her hands. "We're not even the same species and usually the women here end up with men."

"Shizuru doesn't think you're silly. And so what? It's not illegal to be a lesbian in this country, just not smiled upon. Don't forget that you're not on the glacier anymore. You can have all the things you wanted but couldn't have back there. Yukina is going for what she wants and you should, too."

Rui blushed, thinking about it. She did not think of herself as brave, but she had finally defied the elders and left the glacier. Perhaps Yarika was right.

"Shizuru told me she was going to go find an apartment so that Yukina and Kuwabara would have the house to themselves after the wedding since Mr. Kuwabara usually sleeps in the back room of his club. You should consider becoming roommates with her. You are doing really well with acclimating to human society, perhaps it's time you left the nest."

"Do you think I'm ready?" asked Rui. She had learned quickly with Yukina's and Yarika's help. Kenji had even gotten her legal residence and identification through his connections. The Japanese government was aware that there were peaceful demons living in the country even if most citizens remained blissfully unaware, those with connections could get legal residency and a work permit. The rest had to exist unofficially at places like Genkai's old compound. An apparition who wished to live along humans also had to inform Spirit World and promise not to harm humans or call undue attention to the supernatural. Rui had signed the forms and Koenma had stamped them so it was all aboveboard. No one from Spirit World would hassle her.

"I think you are," said Yarika. "You're much more capable than you give yourself credit for. Even Hiei is surprised you have adapted this well. You're much better at blending in than he is, he lived here for about two years before he went back to Demon World to work for Mukuro."

Rui felt a little more confident. She agreed to talk to Shizuru about becoming roommates, though she needed a little more time to work up the nerve to confess.

Shizuru agreed with the proposition. "I'm getting sick of how lovey-dovey Kazuma is with Yukina lately. I love them both, but sometimes the giggling gets to me. I need to get my own place, but the rooms for rent that I can afford on my pay are all dinky. You get paid decently, we could do better renting together."

Rui couldn't help herself, she imagined herself in the traditional wife role she'd seen on television. She pictured Shizuru just home from work, lounging around smoking with herself in an apron and bustling around. She blushed and smiled. She wanted that to become reality. Maybe they could raise the child she would be producing soon together. First things first. She had to get up the nerve to confess.

"I can't wait," said Rui.

Notes:

In Japan one is expected to revere and care for elders. As Yarika's grandparents are insufferable, she and Kenji provide them with living expenses and in home assistance, but never visit or allow them to visit. It is probably not apparent to readers that while Yarika is being polite by western standards (the most filial piety she can muster for them) she is very rude by Japanese standards.

The Fujimiya family is descended from the peerage that was dissolved after WW2 and even though Kenji grew up in poverty their aristocratic blood gave him the chance to bounce back and become successful as an adult. His parents wanted him to marry a Yamato Japanese and he married the demon Hinoki instead, so they are trying extra hard to get Yarika to marry a respectable upper crust guy because Kenji refuses to remarry.

Love child (ainoko) is a very offensive term for a mixed blood Japanese. It is censored in media. When the movie Rising Sun was shown in Japan the word was muted.

Yarika's free spirited, individualistic and sharp tongued personality (as well as her career choice, open sexuality and love life) is at odds with social expectations for Japanese ladies and as such, she is not desirable to upper class traditionalist Japanese men (except the old creepos wanting a young wife, perhaps very poor aristocrats) Yukina is the kind of lady who fits the Japanese ideal.

LGBT+ culture is fairly underground in Japan as traditional gender roles reign supreme and many LGBT+ Japanese remain in the closet and submit to a heteronormative lifestyle out of pressure to conform. This is slowly changing. Same sex marriage is not yet legal but some Japanese couples have a wedding anyways. Some municipalities offer a partnership certificate but it holds no legal weight. Rental discrimination is common for same sex couples. I once read that there is a loophole sometimes exploited where the family adopts the same sex partner and they go on the family register. A similar but more common occurrence is done in opposite sex marriages where there is no son to carry on the family name, they adopt the son in law into the family and he takes the name.