After writing a slew of H/K fanfics, I decided to try my hand at something else. This one's been done before, most definitely, but I thought I'd give it a try.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, and thank goodness. I couldn't bear all that legal stuff.
Summary: Yukina finds out that Hiei is more than just that "boy with the gifted eye."
Tear Gem
Twilight dawned gracefully on the stretch of land ahead of him. The fire demon stopped running as he approached the open spot of grass. It was slightly hazy out that evening, but the moon was high and he could see clearly the area around him.
He sheathed his sword momentarily, keeping his eyes focused on the display of nature that had caused him to halt in his tracks. It was not often that he stopped to appreciate things such as these. As a matter of fact, this was a new practice for him.
He didn't used to bother with such trivial things as these. What would be the point of staring off into space? It didn't solve anything. It didn't make him stronger. He saw it merely as a useless act, and therefore had never taken part in it.
But there was one night, near a quaint temple, that he had done it. The night was extraordinarily beautiful, but he, of course, would never admit to such a thing. He remembered standing back near a tree, watching the red haired kitsune sitting on the lawn near the stairs.
He wasn't necessarily doing anything, just looking out into the space around him. He would breathe in deeply every now and then, and pause. His eyes were content, and his face was serene. The fire demon was confused at watching this and went to ask the kitsune what on earth he was doing, but then the koorime joined him and they both partook in this activity.
The fire demon's eyebrows lowered fiercely when he saw that they just sat there, breathing in deep, and watching the moon. Sure, he, himself, rested sometimes, but it was never to stare out into space. He'd at least be doing something important: sharpening his katana, preparing himself mentally for the next battle, honing his youki and reiki detecting skills.
He was sure that none of the above was on the kitsune's mind. He looked too at peace to be thinking about killing demons. So, then, what could he be thinking about? And the tiny koorime as well?
He was used to seeing the koorime doing things such as these. She was his sister, an ice apparition and so he concluded that all ice apparitions did things such as her. But the kitsune? Didn't that fox have anything better to do?
He came forward at that moment, determined to hear the kitsune's excuse when the fox turned to him, and smiled.
'Come join us' he had said. The koorime smiled brightly up at him as well.
'Yes...please do,' she said. It was one thing for the kitsune to ask, but he couldn't refuse the koorime. He sat down a few feet away from them, staring down at the grass. He heard the kitsune take in another deep breath.
'It's beautiful, ne?' the kitsune breathed. The fire demon snickered at this, hiding the fact that somewhere deep inside, he agreed. He had caught a glimpse of the moon shining fully on the steep, narrow steps, and saw its wholesome glare on the flowers and blades of grass below.
'Hn.' The koorime smiled.
'I know you like the summer, Kurama,' she began. 'But...at home, when the light shines on the snow...the way it glistens...' The fire demon looked at the koorime, seeing a glint in her eyes, one reflecting her thoughts of home and the freshly fallen snow that covered it. Kurama, the kitsune, smiled at her.
'I know it is truly beautiful,' he said. He leaned and looked at the fire demon, giving him a smile. He turned his attention back to the moon and the fire demon did as well. Seeing it again, he noticed that it felt different looking at it this time. He had a flash run through him, reminding him of the koorime's home. A home that would have belonged to him, but that he was cast away from.
The thought of that ended his memory. Standing on the plains, looking out at the moon, full and bright, the fire demon let a tiny smile emerge on his lips. Another memory peeked through.
He remembered sitting up in a tree, staring down at the koorime as she reached her hand out. A bird settled on her gentle finger and she giggled, letting another bird roost on her other hand. Hiei watched this, stern-faced. He could feel the kitsune, perched on the tree as well, smiling behind him.
'I wouldn't be able to take it anymore, Hiei,' the kitsune spoke out. 'But, perhaps I'm just not as strong-willed as you.'
'I don't see you rushing to tell Shiori that you're Youko Kurama, fox' Hiei, the fire demon, responded to the kitsune, sounding quite peeved. The fox just smiled.
'Mother is not looking for her long, lost Youko Kurama, Hiei,' the kitsune said, his voice calm. 'Mother is not looking forward to meeting him, finally, and receiving his love.' The fire demon scoffed and looked away.
'I don't even know the meaning of the stupid ningen emotion...'
'Neither do I...' the kitsune said. 'No one truly knows. It's not something learned, like math, or language. It is merely something experienced. It will come to you when it's time, and that time will come when you open up your heart to her, and she opens up hers to you.'
'Why would she do that?' the fire demon asked. 'I'm no one special. In fact, I'm one of the worst...'
'Where is your esteem?' the kitsune asked. 'Where is your faith in your twin sister? When I go to tell mother who I am later, I will face it with the full esteem that she will love me no matter what. Yukina once said to me that it didn't matter who it was that was her bother. She is not searching for him just to let herself down in the end. She is searching for him to unite with him. To love him.'
'No one has ever loved me,' the fire demon muttered lowly.
'You don't know that for certain,' the kitsune assured. He leaned over to the fire demon, placing a hand on his shoulder. 'Once you tell her, you'll see. She has loved you all along.'
The fire demon's memory faded at that. He stared straight ahead, having every intention of going to Yukina, the koorime, and telling her that very night. But, watching over the scene before him, he had the nagging sense that telling her would ruin her spirit.
Even after what the kitsune told him, he couldn't possibly tell the girl that he was her brother. He knew he wouldn't be able to bear the look on her face when he did. The disgust...the disappointment.
He knew deep down that he loved the koorime and that was why he didn't want to hurt her. He couldn't explain the feelings he had for her; they were feelings that he'd kept with him since birth, feelings that had increased when he first saw her face. Feelings that hadn't left him since, like he had expected them to.
He was startled to hear the grass crunching behind him. He turned to the approaching form quickly, his sword unsheathed and his face fierce. The koorime looked surprised at first, but then she just smiled.
"It's alright, Hiei-san," she said, giggling a little. "I'm not here to hurt you." Hiei sheathed his sword, ignoring the fact that he felt foolish for what he'd just done.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. He felt warm suddenly, and his heart was beating faster. This was something that he was not used to, for the fire demon did not get nervous very often.
"I don't know, really," Yukina said, walking up to him. "I just felt compelled to come here." Hiei blinked twice in succession and then turned to face the moon once more. Yukina walked up next to him, regarding the moon with the same air she had all those days ago. Hiei made sure not to look at her; her expression was one that he held dear and seeing it hurt was not one he could handle.
"Yukina..." he began, keeping his eyes on the moon.
"Yes, Hiei-san..." The koorime looked over to him, and Hiei became nervous again. He wanted to tell her not to look at him, but he wouldn't. He stepped forward a few steps, urging himself to just let the information out.
"Do you know who I am?" he asked her.
"You're...Hiei," she said, and Hiei could feel the smile on her face.
"Who I really am...?" Hiei asked, lowering his eyes. His heart beat even faster with the passing seconds. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat. Yukina paused in thought, looking around as if the answer were around her somewhere.
"You are..." she began. "A very stubborn demon who...just needs a little affection," she said. "A little attention. Kurama-kun says so a lot. But he knows you're really nice inside." Yukina took a few steps forward, placing a gentle hand on Hiei's shoulder. Hiei tensed, straining to keep his eyes focused on the moon.
Yukina was never one to be afraid of the fire demon. She was actually the most open hearted towards him. Yukina was the one with the purest heart, with nothing to lose by giving other's her heart.
Perhaps she'd never had her heart broken, because she could soothe even the harshest demon soul. Could Hiei really be the one to destroy her by telling her the secret he kept from her?
Yukina pressed down on Hiei's shoulder as she came even closer. She leaned her head on his shoulder.
"I know you're nice, because you do nice things..." she said. "I never thank you enough...because you're never around afterwards. So...arigatou gozaimasu, Hiei-san." Hiei looked down, reaching slowly inside his shirt to pull out the two tear gems that hung around his neck. Yukina stood up straighter, her eyebrows lowering in confusion.
"Do you remember what you asked of me before I last left for the makai?" Hiei asked. Yukina nodded, her eyes hopeful. "Here..." Hiei said, handing her one of them. She stood still, staring at it, her hands clasped together at her chest. Hiei walked the step closer to her and put the gem around her neck. Yukina smiled sweetly at him, looking down at the gem. She rolled it between her fingers, casting her gleaming eyes up to Hiei's. "Do you know who I am now?" he asked, unable to look away from her. Yukina nodded and threw her arms around him.
"Ai shitteru, ani," she muttered through her tears. Hiei tensed tremendously at this, not expecting this reaction from her. So then, was the kitsune right in saying that she would love him even knowing that he wasn't the best brother in the world? Hiei relaxed a little, letting her cry on his shoulder.
He could feel the round tear gems sliding smoothly down his chest and could hear them as they patted the ground around them. He patted her back awkwardly, hoping that that would calm her down.
He felt strange, somewhat liberated. It felt nice to feel Yukina's loving grasp, and to feel her acceptance. He felt an unfamiliar stinging in the back of his eyes and he tensed once more. Was this what it felt like...to...cry? Hiei closed his eyes, not wanting the tears to fall.
"Why...why are you crying, Yukina?" he asked, partially to find out why he was going to cry at such a joyful moment. Yukina laughed, a very cheerful laugh, one that warmed Hiei's heart even more.
"I'm just so happy!" she said, increasing her hold on him. Hiei looked at her, seeing the mounds of her teal hair in view, placing his arms around her in an attempt to hug her back.
"Well, then, Yukina..." he said, clinching his eyes shut tighter. "I'm happy, too."
Not too far away, a star twinkled brightly before shooting across the sky—a mother's soul, endlessly yearning for the happiness of her twin children, but now finally at peace.
Was it any good? Did'ya hate it? Too corny, or something? I just gotta know! Please review and tell me what you think!
J3