Summary:

Yarika and Yona take a vacation to the demon-run inn. Hiei saves Kenji's life. Rui and Shizuru's daughter is born.

Notes:

Warning: Depiction of inappropriate touching/sexual assault. Mention of transphobia. Also a mention of rape, torture, slavery and death of innocent demons.

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

The Wisteria Inn run out of the former Fujimiya ancestral home was a modest success from the start. Not all demons were brainless, violent thugs, some craved culture and relaxation. While Genkai's old property was still a popular destination for those wanting safety in the human realm and housed some decidedly non-human looking residents, some merely wanted to vacation in a demon-friendly place closer to a city.

Yotsuba, the friendly tanuki dancer from the troupe Yarika had substituted for a missing member for in Demon World, had decided to take a break from showbiz and entertain in the more classic sense. When she found out about the estate, she had begged Yarika to let her turn it into a classic Japanese inn for their fellow apparitions. Yotsuba, who had mastered transformation magic like many tanuki, was well suited to flit in and out of the world of humans. Taki, her luckless fellow dancer, was tired of being partially eaten by other demons and wanted a break, so she joined in on this scheme.

Kenji consented, as he did not wish to live in his childhood home anymore and thought it was a better use of the property. He had too many unhappy memories of living in the rundown estate, sometimes having to eat what grew in their garden and game he, his late brother, and the remaining servant had snared to avoid starvation. He had been born after his family had lost most of their money under the occupied government after the family corporation and much of their property had been seized, leaving them the house and a pittance. His father became a mere low level worker in the company he'd once proudly strode around in as lord and master and the money was not always enough.

Yarika took Yona with her to the grand opening. As the property owner's daughter and a celebrity apparition, she had one of the VIP rooms waiting.

"Welcome!" cried Yotsuba, bowing and wagging her tail. Right next to her was someone who was semi-human in appearance, with tentacles where human limbs would be, four in all, with a smaller four growing out of her head in a style resembling hair. "Welcome," said the strange apparition.

"This is Taki, the dancer who you replaced at the tournament opening ceremony," explained Yotsuba. "Taki, this is Yarika, who I've told you about."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," said Taki. "please, allow me to show you your room."

Yotsuba and Taki had done their work well. The place was far more welcoming than she had last seen it. The spectres of her grandparents seemed to have vanished with the place being filled by beings they would have feared, hated and disparaged. Yarika smirked to herself, imagining their reaction to seeing the place full of demons. They didn't even like her, even though her appearance was indistinguishable from a human's.

She and Yona changed into yukata and trotted off to meet the other guests in the common areas. Among her fellow guests were the cult trio: Koto, Juri, and Ruka.

Koto waved her over. "Yarika! Come sit by us!"

Juri eyed Yona. "So this is why you dropped off the radar for a while."

Yarika laughed. "Yeah, I got a surprise after that tournament. This is my daughter, Yona. Yona, you've seen these ladies on TV." In recent years, TV broadcasts between the realms had been stabilized, so that average demons now had access to broadcasts from the living humans' world and those staying among humans could receive broadcasts from back home. Previously only the rich and well connected could get regular broadcasts from other realms.

The Demon World Tournament was as popular as the Olympics, World Cup or Super Bowl, so being able to watch it in any realm was a boon for both advertisers and for those abroad. Yarika had arranged to get the family television hooked up, so that they could keep up on Demon World culture and news. She had held a viewing party for the last Demon World Tournament. It worked the other way around as well. Yarika's popularity among demons had increased as they could watch her on pirated human networks instead of waiting for someone to distribute bootleg hard copies of her serials and movies. As demons didn't produce as wide a variety of fictional genres, human ones were surprisingly popular.

"Pleased to meet you," said Yona.

"Who's her father?" asked Koto, every bit as curious as Botan had been. Both demon and human celebrity rags sometimes posed the question. As Mukuro's men were well disciplined and could keep mum, the news had not leaked yet. The only answer Yarika ever gave was that her child's father lived and worked abroad. Hiei was stealthy enough to avoid paparazzi when in public and aided by his jagan, so no one had ever photographed him near them both with the exception of Yukina's wedding.

"They say curiosity killed the cat," said Ruka.

"Let's just say he's a tournament regular," said Yarika, enjoying stringing along anyone who asked her that question as long as possible. They'd likely find out at the tournament that Yona was Hiei's child.

"I'm fighting in the tournament, just like Daddy," Yona exclaimed proudly.

All three were struck dumb for a moment. Juri dropped her magazine. "You're what? Six?" It was rare for a child demon to enter, but not unheard of. Still, Yona didn't look at all like a fighter with those cutesey hair clips and chubby cheeks. A cute little girl demon would be a first and get a lot of attention. The other two child contestants had been Rinku and Shura, who had both since grown up into young adults.

Yona pouted. She wanted to be taken seriously. "I'll be eight when the tournament is held."

"Don't worry. Her father trained her," assured Yarika. "He's survived every single tournament he's fought in, he knows his stuff."

Ruka smiled and flipped her hair. "You have good taste, weak demons aren't worth our time."

Yona beamed. "Daddy is a good teacher." She was a bit biased, as Hiei had far more patience for his own flesh and blood than he did for anyone else, as any hopefuls for Mukuro's service could attest to. He was relentless and terrorized any and all green recruits. With Yona he had taken to heart the practical parenting books Yarika had selected for him, including one on discipline. He had tried positive reinforcement instead of the deprivation and corporal punishment his bandit foster family had inflicted on him, with good results. With praise doled out at appropriate moments, Yona was willing to endure any harsh training he could come up with. As Mukuro's recruits were not children and not his kin, he was fine with berating them, beating them to a pulp and slicing bits off.

"I take it we will be seeing him at the tournament?" asked Koto. Yona nodded. Koto rubbed her hands together with anticipation, the revelation would bring a lot of color to the commentary.

A ruckus arose from nearby. A male guest, a contestant in the last tournament who had a puffed up head over it, had decided to hit on the maids, causing squealing when an errant hand caressed backsides.

"Please sir," said Taki, hurrying over, "don't harass the staff. If you require, uh, companionship in your quarters, please make private arrangements. This is not that sort of establishment."

The guest, a semi beast type demon flushed with sake, ignored Taki and pulled her into his lap. Taki screamed and smacked him across the face with a tentacle, leaving suction cup marks. He took the tentacle in his hands, sniffed it, and bit it off. Taki, kimono covered in blood and in disarray, ran off sobbing. Yarika and Yona followed, leaving Yotsuba to deal with the customer.

They found poor Taki crying and bandaging her tentacle stub. "Why does this always happen?"

"You must taste delicious," said Yarika. "Don't worry, I won't eat any creature that I can have a conversation with."

Yona stared. "Uh… Miss, your boob slipped."

Taki squeaked and slid the errant boob back into place. "Damn this Japanese clothing. The underwear is not supportive." She looked at the two, nervous. "Please don't tell. Yotsuba knows but I don't want the gossip trio to get wind of it. I'm working here to save up to get the surgery."

"Don't worry about it. My ex was like you, it doesn't bother me," said Yarika. "He got his surgery years ago and is quite happy. You pass well, so I had no clue until your little wardrobe malfunction."

Taki looked relieved. "Yotsuba said you were nice."

"I was raised around humans, so I have to keep an open mind," said Yarika, helping Taki secure the bandage. "it's not as taboo to be trans in Demon World, they also have better medical options. I know humans who would be jealous."

"True, but in my species it's taboo since there are so few males who can sire the next generation. Becoming physically female is seen as treason. I don't want my people to find out."

"Yikes, and I thought my extended family was bad. There, all bandaged."

Taki allowed Yarika to help change her kimono while Yona kept a lookout. Yarika, unlike many young people, was adept at it thanks to her upbringing. Many of her lessons as a child to be a proper lady had taken root, despite her fervent dislike of her hoity-toity grandparents.

"This clothing is so complicated," Taki groused.

"It is," said Yarika. She tied Taki's obi in the traditional drum knot. "Being a proper lady is a pain in the ass, although it is useful at times."

Taki, now neat and proper again, smiled. "I'll go tell the kitchen to make you and Yona a deluxe supper, free of charge."

"I look forward to it."

Yarika had not told Hiei that she and Yona were going on vacation for the weekend, so Hiei had let himself into their house as usual, hoping to get a bite and some couples' time after. Immediately he noticed something was wrong. Kenji was hunched over the kitchen table, a convenience store meal forgotten. He looked unwell.

Hiei immediately appeared at his side. The situation looked serious, so he didn't pretend to be aloof and uncaring. He knew humans were delicate and prone to dying quickly, especially a middle aged one like Kenji. "What's wrong?"

"I need a doctor," said Kenji, his voice weak and his face ashen.

Pulling Kenji over his shoulder, Hiei leapt off into the evening toward the closest hospital. He took no time to complain about being forced to save a human like he often did on patrol and that time he had been forced to carry Yusuke out of Maze Castle.

Hiei made it in time, carrying Kenji through the automatic doors of the emergency department. "You will treat this man immediately or else," he commanded. The look on his face was one that he gave people he was about to painfully murder.

The receptionist on duty peed herself, but as a gurney appeared at top speed, Hiei declined to threaten further. As he plopped himself on a convenient chair to wait for news, a thought occurred to him. Fifteen years ago, he never would have dreamed of doing something so altruistic for a human. His cold, aloof nature never would have allowed him to directly render aid unless he had no other choice.

Even five years ago, he might have left a human where they would be found by other humans, leaving it to chance whether they lived or died. He now made a few exceptions, mainly for Kenji and his obnoxious brother-in law, should the oaf need aid. Kenji's death would mean he would get Yarika all to himself in Demon World faster but it would be a betrayal to do anything but help the human who treated him like a son. Hiei did not betray his allies, even the human ones.

After a long wait and a call to Yarika's cellphone that went straight to voicemail, a generic-looking doctor came out to speak with him. "Mr. Fujimiya had a heart attack. He is stable. You got him here fast enough that the clot-busting medication we administered worked, he should recover soon. Are you a relative? If so I can take you back to see him."

Hiei paused for a moment. Kenji was more of a father to him than the bandit chief had ever been. Even though Yarika was not his wife, Kenji sometimes lightheartedly called him his son-in-law. Neither Fujimiya pressured him to pop the question, so he allowed this. It was good enough. "…Yes."

Kenji was conscious, with various tubes and monitors attached. "I should have listened to Yarika and laid off the salt," he said.

"You should take better care of your health, you fool," Hiei said coldly. "Humans are fragile. What would you have done had I not found you?"

"I'd be pushing up daisies," said Kenji. "I'm grateful, Hiei. You saved my life."

"Save it. Not seeing them cry over you is thanks enough." Hiei settled himself into the comfortable visitor's chair. "Yarika would be upset if I immediately ditched you, it would make trouble for me," he said, pretending he was not worried.

Kenji smiled, familiar with some of Hiei's bad habits. He was in a story mood. "Did I ever tell you how I met Hinoki?"

"No. Do I want to know?"

Kenji ignored the last part. "Remember when you asked me how I had gotten involved with those horrible team owners at the Dark Tournament? I didn't want Yarika to know so I didn't say.

When I was young and gaining a reputation as an attorney, my parents introduced me to some of their old friends who needed help getting their kids out of trouble, trouble that they couldn't just buy their way out of. I was going to refuse, but then I saw Hinoki, forced to stand like a statue in the garden as a decoration, she was chained to the pedestal. They told me not to feel sorry for her as she wasn't human. So what? She was a being who could feel just as acutely as we do, and she was clearly miserable in bondage."

Kenji's voice took on an angry tint. "It turns out that they had purchased Hinoki from demon brokers as a slave. The same people who sold Yukina to Tarukane sold her to them, using the same method of capture. They stood at a portal waiting for valuable demons to come through. She had just escaped Dokuto and got caught by them."

Hiei couldn't pretend not to be interested. The old anger rose in him, anger toward the humans that bought and sold demons like livestock, sometimes raping or killing them horribly. The lucky ones were unmolested and kept alive but still tormented.

Kenji continued. "I made a deal with them. I would serve the family absolutely, do anything they asked of me, if only they'd let me have her. They agreed, they didn't care a thing for her."

"You bought your wife?" Hiei knew Kenji well enough to give him a moment to explain.

"Only to free her. She looked so miserable I knew I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try to save her. I ended up in bondage myself, until the family I served as personal lawyer to was killed at the tournament. I never forced her. She went with me willingly, if only for shelter, she was also scared of Spirit World sending a detectve to hunt her down. I married her to shelter her from Spirit World, giving her a human identity and a slot on my family register. I loved her even though I knew she didn't love me at first. Eventually she returned my feelings and Yarika was born. I did my best to make her happy, I know I can never love anyone else like I loved her."

"I see," said Hiei. He could forgive Kenji for buying a demon, as he had done it to save her life. The human slaveholders would have killed her when they got bored of her or sold her to worse humans. From the reverent manner in which she was spoken of and the family photos, Hinoki was well loved and did not seem to be unhappy as a human's wife. Kenji was a good man.

Kenji sighed. "I was lucky this time, but who knows about next time. Hiei, there's a favor I want to ask you... If anything happens to me, could you please look after Yarika? I don't want her ending up like Hinoki did, forced to be with someone she didn't love, sold as chattel, eventually murdered in cold blood. You're strong enough to kill anyone who would want to do her harm." He paused and finally dived into the subject they had been tiptoeing around for years. "If you two should ever decide to get married, you have my blessing. I'm aware that demons don't take it lightly, so I'm not going to try to force you while I'm still alive."

While the idea of a wedding ceremony and its finality was something Hiei was inclined to reject without serious thought, he did want Yarika to stay with him in the future. He could at least promise to look after her wellbeing, however their relationship turned out. "I'll look out for her," he said at last.

Kenji smiled wearily. "You're an honorable man, Hiei. Yarika has good taste." His eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.

Hiei did not tell Yarika what Kenji had said to him, when she finally got to the hospital. Nor did he tell her that he'd gotten in the room under the guise of being his son. He only assured her that the doctors had treated Kenji in time and that he would be fine.

Yarika wiped her eyes on a handkerchief. "I'm so glad. I don't know what I'd do without you, Hiei."

"Hn. I just didn't want to see you cry over a mere human." That was Hiei's way of saying he was glad, too.

When little Rukia was born, Shizuru couldn't have been prouder than if she'd squeezed out the little blue-haired tyke herself. As Yarika was busy caring for her convalescent father and Yukina and Kuwabara could not make it in time, it was just them there to welcome the baby into the world. The only hitch was when an unscrupulous nurse had tried to make off with Rukia's tear necklace. Shizuru had beaten her to a pulp and replaced the necklace around the sweet babe's neck. Rui, not wishing to give her child a name meaning sorrow like hers or any other sad name, had chosen Rukia. It was written with the characters for lapis lazuli, joy, and love.

"Everything about her is perfect," said Shizuru, rocking the baby. "My sweet little demon girl."

Rui beamed as much as she could while exhausted. "She is. I'm so glad that she was born into a place where the people are not cold as ice."

Eventually Yukina and Kuwabara made it, the twins riding on each of his shoulders.

"Baby!" cried Kazuki. Yuuhi, not impressed by her cousin, scoffed. She and Kazuki were the stars of the family, not this little lump in the bassinet.

"Yes, your baby cousin," said Yukina. "But we must whisper. The baby is sleeping." She set the flowers she had brought on the bedside table.

Kuwabara pulled a box out of his pocket and gave it to Shizuru. As a joke, and out of respect for Shizuru's tobacco free lifestyle, he had purchased candy cigars in pink wrappers for her to hand out. "For the proud mom. Dad's handing real ones with pink bands out at his club right now along with champagne."

Shizuru laughed softly. "Smooth, Kazuma. I wanted a smoke so bad during labor, but these will do." She unwrapped one and bit into it.

Rui looked confused. "It's an old fashioned gag where the new dad or grandpa hands out cigars to celebrate the birth of a child," explained Shizuru, having seen it in movies before. "Since Rukia has no father, I'm to do it. My old man and Kazuma have a weird sense of humor."

Kuwabara grinned. "Yup! Dad passed out cigars with the twins, too."

Yukina scooped up the baby with the utmost care. "Hey there, little one. I'm so glad to meet you."

"Her name is Rukia," said Rui.

"Rukia Kuwabara, such a pretty name," said Yukina, rocking her little niece. She had named her own daughter after Hiei. It wasn't a feminine name, but she had deliberately bucked ice maiden traditions in her lifestyle choices and chose to give her children names that fit either a boy or a girl. The only ritual she chose to keep was gifting her children the tears she'd cried at their birth, as those tears were the physical manifestation of motherly love, the only strong emotion allowed by their people.

Yuuhi was extremely emotional and sometimes aggressive. Kazuki was boisterous and loud, but he was otherwise a classic momma's boy. Both twins could be hard to deal with. Yukina and Kazuma tried to redirect their outbursts into a more positive direction, with limited success. Yuuhi showing her ice powers off in the human world could be disastrous, so they doubled down on their efforts to get her to not use them in public at the very least. Hiei had offered to help train them, a generous offer coming from him.

Yuuhi, while still not impressed, deigned to make some snowflakes dance in her hands for her little cousin at her father's urging. Kazuki watched, jealous of his sister's powers.

The baby gurgled, watching the pretty show inches from her nose, clumsily reaching for the snowflakes.

Yuuhi smiled at last. While she wasn't the youngest and cutest ice maiden anymore, she could still be the strongest. Just like her cousin Yona, she would be dropping enemies like flies. That is, if her parents let her. She had overheard Yukina telling Yarika about her plans to one day punish their people, not leaving a single one on the glacier alive. Yuuhi lacked the vocabulary to tell her mother but she understood, she would be glad to help. That is, after she mastered potty training and could tie her own shoes.

Rui took the baby. "I just know she's going to grow up to be something special," she cooed at Rukia.

"I kind of feel sorry for her," said Kuwabara. "I bet she's gonna get caught in an infinite loop of 'go ask your mom.'"

Shizuru laughed. "That's clever, Kazuma."

Kuwabara grinned, he wasn't known for clever quips like Yusuke was but he occasionally hit on one.

Rukia fussed and Rui smiled. "But we won't use that one often, will we?"

Shizuru chuckled. "Of course not. Only when she asks for a pony or something."

Aside from a pony which would be impossible to house in urban Japan, Shizuru intended to spoil the sweet little snowball rotten.

Rukia would definitely get a puppy or kitten, Shizuru thought, smiling at her and Rui's daughter. She wrinkled her nose.

But first, a new diaper.

Notes:

Biz and I headcanon that demons give much less of a shit about sexuality and gender identity than humans do. It is not universal, as some demon clans have their own traditions and prejudices. Yarika doesn't give a crap that Taki is trans.
Note: Taki's status as a butt monkey is in no way related to her gender, she's just too damn delicious.