Raven's Pendant
WEIß KREUZ-YU YU HAKUSHO CROSSOVER FANFICTION

Part 5 - Of Boyfriends and Big Brothers

Kurama pirouetted in his outfit as they walked through the bar. Tight laced up patchwork black leather pants and a loose emerald green lace shirt graced his bare shoulders over a forest green cotton sleeveless top.

"You're really hot in that thing… Aw, my little brother's all grown up." Schuldig said, wiping imaginary tears from his eyes. He looked hot himself in his blue leather pants with codpiece and sleeveless leather shirt and silver studded arm bracers.

"Don't look now but we've got someone tagging along. " Schuldig whispered as they passed by one of the club speakers, blue eyes glowing with mischief.

"Who?" Kurama asked in the same conspiratorial tone of voice.

"Your Ran-niichan."

"But clubs aren't his sort of fun." Kurama said, pretending to knit his forehead in puzzlement. He had known all the time that the older redhead had been shadowing them.

Really! He'd have to do better than that…

"I know but he's lurking behind 'the bushes' for a while now. Shall we call his bluff?" Schuldig indicated with a toss of his orange hair and sure enough there was his Ran-niichan in a conservative purple turtleneck cashmere sweater and jeans peering over in their direction.

Thank the gods; it's not the orange one at least…honestly…

"Hmmm…" Kurama pretended to think it over.

This is going to be fun…if it doesn't turn out into an outright disaster…

"No, but only if we watch out for him." Kurama added firmly.

Hmmm, I hope someone propositions him so Schuldig can come to his rescue…and in indeed in this place it might happen…

The "Satyr's Clearing" was one wild club that had a tendency to live up to its name.

"Okay, it's show time then." Schuldig perked up, seductively pushing his hand through his hair and straightening up.

"Hai." Kurama replied.

Show time, indeed…I hope Ran-niichan doesn't try to kill me… Nah maybe lock me up in my room and stand guard over me… Reminds me I better ask him again to meet my mother, Shuuichi-kun and Hatanaka-san… He seems reluctant to do so for some reason… But if he's going to try to tail me everywhere he might as well be introduced to them formally…

***

Aya hunched up, hiding behind the booth as he saw the object of his surveillance look his way. He sighed. He wouldn't be here in this noisy bar if not for Youji who told him about seeing Kurama with Schuldig.

I still don't trust him… look at what he's talked Kurama into wearing…

Aya had gotten a good look at Kurama-chan's outfit under the clear light of the doorstep of the dorm. He felt his cheeks burn at the look of the patchwork pants.

I'm only glad he wasn't talked into wearing something like…like…like…like that codpiece…

Aya's thoughts stuttered at the concept. He did admit that the orange-haired German carried the rather revealing outfit well. Even managed to look rather fetching…

Fetching? Where did the thought come from?

"Got a match?" A stranger in green leather asked him as he loomed over Aya. Aya looked up to notice the rangy man with white hair and electric blue eyes with bits of glitter highlighting his hair.

"No." Aya said, glaring at the man.

"My name is Hisoka."

"Hn." Aya's glare turned colder.

"That's rather rude don't you think?" 'Hisoka' purred. He sat beside Aya on the seat without waiting for an invitation.

"Hn." If ice could form in the air from a glare it would've.

"Come on, someone as lovely as you, shouldn't be lonely in a place like this." The rangy man put one arm around Aya's shoulders.

"Hn." Sub-zero glare.

"Hey bub, Red's with me. No hornin' in my territory!" The lazy drawl drifted in. Aya looked up to see the German baka from Schwartz.

I never thought that I feel relieved to see him… Wait! Scratch that! I can't feel relieved to see Schwartz…

"No fair you got that long haired kid already." 'Hisoka' said.

"The kid's my brother. Everyone knows that. Please get away from my date." Schuldig challenged.

"You're alright, lover?" Schuldig asked in a different voice at Aya.

Aya debated for a second before nodding.

It'll be worth it to get away from this moron…

"This lovely? I don't think so." 'Hisoka' swung a fist at Schuldig. The German ducked with his usual speed and took a shot at the man's midsection. The man folded.

"Shall we go, lover?"

"Hn." Dark look.

Might as well, he did rescue me… Maybe, Schwartz is good for something after all…

***

"Wah! Ran-niichan! I didn't know you were around." Kurama said in mock surprise. Aya was giving Schuldig covert glances of admiration that made him want to laugh.

Better keep a poker face…I do want they together…

"Hn." Ran said allowing him to be led to the booth where Schuldig had left Kurama to break off the fight. Then a wave of vertigo hit Kurama. The feeling was faintly familiar.

It's almost the same feeling I felt that day in the park…

The realization hit the redheaded fox like a splash of ice water. He looked around but no one was paying any sort of attention to him except the man that had waylaid his Ran-niichan. Kurama narrowed his eyes and met that resentful stare daringly. His earlier mirth was gone in the face of this threat.

Can he be a youkai…?

But with Ran and Schuldig with him, Kurama could hardly chase after rogue youkai. The man stalked away.

Koenma, you said they were all humans…or is this just an ordinary predator? I'll have to wait another night to find out… Good grief, I have to avoid meeting both Schuldig-niisan and Ran-niichan then! Hmmm…maybe there is a way…

Kurama excused himself to go to the comfort room while his Ran-niichan was distracted by one of Schuldig's antics.

"Kakuei, I have a job for you…" Kurama said into his cell phone.

***

Schuldig watched Kurama leave their table as he bantered with Aya. He worried over Kurama-chan's absence but couldn't leave the Weiß kitten all alone. The malice in the glance the stranger was sending in their general direction was unnerving. For some reason the stranger made his skin crawl, his trigger finger was itching for his gun. There was also a strange feeling pushing behind his head.

I hope he doesn't go for Kurama while the kid's in the comfort room. I can't be in two places at the same time and Aya's the more clueless…

***

Somewhere else, in a dark alley…

"I've met the Lord's true son." A husky voice said in Makai Trade Tongue.

"So how was he?" A whispery voice replied in the same.

"Strong in the blood and power. He will make a worthy Heir and second in command for our Lord when he comes again."

"Good."

The light of a passing car glanced off the glittering scales. Sinuous shapes flashed in a background before melting into darker shadows.

***

A block away…

"Kuso…I lost them. Kurama-sama isn't going to like this." A teenaged boy swore as he landed on the flat top of a building. He shook his long bob of black hair and was about to go on own his business when the shriek of air made him look up. The last thing reflected in his brown eyes were the malicious glitter of reptilian eyes. Then the world went dark.

***

In the Reikai…again…

"Your report is disturbing…youkai interested in the Fujimiya line… Hmm…"

"Could they be Bolshai's fellow Cei?" Kurama did the trouble of researching what kind of demon was Bolshai exactly. He had heard of the guy, of course, in his days as a free thief but what he knew was very little. He had never had much interest in the Ningenkai then. Besides, the guy went down soon enough to the onslaught of the Reikai.

Nasty customer, reptilian with bird wings, kind of archaeopteryx-like, telepath and elemental controller--all four: Fire, Earth, Water, Air -- unlike the regular Cei which can control only one element and no other abilities…S-class, too… It didn't seem important before...after all, we were only supposed to fight its human minions...

"Not possible, the Cei race went extinct during the Makai wars the defined the three current kingdoms of the Demon World. They backed Yuhei and you know what happened to him."

Kurama winced. Yuhei used to be the lord of the lands that currently lay in the northern portion of Yuusuke's domain. He had fought against Raizen and lost.

Keep your mind to the matter at hand…you senile fox…

With some effort, Kurama yanked his mind back to the present.

"In any event, I think you need to get the Sealing Spell from Hinageshi to keep the youkai blood in the Fujimiya bloodline tame."

"What does this Sealing Spell do?" Kurama asked suspiciously.

Ran-niichan's the only Clan I have besides mother…

And kitsune valued their Clan above all else.

So what does this say about my feelings for 'niichan? Nothing really... I love mother but grouping them together may mean one thing or another... Besides now is not the time to muse over such things...

"Nothing harmful. It will just bind his demon nature that's all." Koenma replied, sweating a bit.

That's not a good sign…

"How…? Oh never mind--I wouldn't understand the details anyway. I'll just ask Hinageshi to explain." Kurama said, changing his mind.

Koenma sighed in relief and paused to regroup.

Heh, that's what you think…

A five-thousand-year-old fox picked up things here and there.

Namely an extensive knowledge of High Demonic--the language of most spells dealing with youkai…

Kurama managed not to smirk at that. It was easy. Really, it's not as if he'd have a lot practice.

"Thanks for reporting this, Kurama. About Melaud…"

"What about him?" Kurama asked.

Don't tell me I've got to humor every cub that's got a misguided view of Yoko the Fox…

"Ah, nothing--you may go." Koenma dismissed him.

Hn, there's no arguing with hero worship…besides, I still have that spell to see and modify…

***

"Hi-chan! How's my little black storm-cloud coming along?" Kurama exclaimed as he entered his bedroom. It distracted him from his worry.

Kakuei should've reported in by today…

It had been three days since he had asked the Tengu bird-demon to tail the suspicious looking man.

Unless…the cocky fool got caught…maybe I should have called Ruriko instead…

Kakuei was the current sneak expert of Kurama's Reikai Tantei. He wasn't Kurama's match but he was decent enough when he didn't let himself become over confident. He wasn't very powerful though.

Somewhat like a certain fox…during the first days of the Urameshi Team… Power isn't everything, but maybe he ended up with more than he bargained for… In some ways, he's too like the younger Yomi in personality. Way too cocky for his own good and convinced he could get away with anything…and just as annoying…

"Hn." Hiei said in response as he sat on the edge of the redheaded fox's bed.

"What brings you to the Ningenkai?" Kurama teased. He pushed his concerns aside for one of his favorite sports, Hiei-baiting.

"Some business and…you." Hiei replied, tossing a hatbox to Kurama.

Sometimes it's like pulling teeth trying to get an answer from Hiei…

"That wasn't so hard now wasn't it?" Kurama teased as he opened the box to find, practically enough, a number of Makai plant seeds.

How romantic, Hi-chan! I know how much trouble you might have had to obtain seeds of a Vampire breed or that Flesh Eater…

This is what's to love with Hiei. He was sensible and considerate. He was the type you can rely to make the everyday gestures and adjustments of mated life.

Now Yomi…

Yomi's the type to give grand romantic gestures.

I will lay all the Makai at your feet… Here's the down payment in goodwill, one-third… Just stay with me… Of course, not taking the offer can be hazardous to your family's health…

The Horny One was also the passionate type who'd try to kill you when he's pissed and allow for you trying to off him when you're pissed.

Love forgives everything? Hardly…but mostly… My human life's starting resembling my love life…with Ran-niichan and Schuldig-niisan…but at least they don't insist I chose between them… I wonder if Hiei would like to meet Ran-niichan…

"Hn." Hiei grunted.

It's nice to be appreciated…

"Ne, Hi-chan would you like to meet my human aniki and one of my friends?" Kurama asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Hn."

This is going to be fun… I wonder if I can use this somehow… I better stop worrying about Kakuei for a while…no use fretting what I can't help…I'm fairly certain of the Sealing Spell… I'd better alert the rest of my Reikai Tantei though…

Kurama went for his cell phone, typed out a text message, and sent it to his 'reikai tantei' group.

***

"Ran-niichan and Schuldig-niisan, this is Hiei Jaganashi, my best friend since I was five. Hi-chan, this is Ran Fujimiya, my half-brother, and Schuldig, my friend." Kurama-chan introduced.

"Hn." The indifferent grunt was much deeper than what would be expected come from such a small person.

He must be a midget…and definitely not a kid…

"Nice to meet you." Schuldig drawled. He looked over the man the kid introduced him with interest.

Hiei was on the short and slender side but was obviously muscled. Spiky hair stood up on his head. Red eyes stared with impartial wariness on both Aya and Schuldig. He wore utilitarian jeans and t-shirt but something told Schuldig that this one was dangerous in a fight. He walked with the trained grace of a fighter.

Hmmm…there's something about him that's a bit off… Besides, there something about how Kurama-chan treats him that make me want to grab the kid and head for the hills…

Suddenly Schuldig realized what it was.

Kurama-chan's not only interested in the runt, he's 'interested' in him…

It was in the kid's posture and the way Kurama's voice softened every time the name Hiei was mentioned. The younger redhead was standing much closer than he usually stood, even with Schuldig or Aya. There was always something about every suitor that make older brothers want to cross-question them, Schuldig reflected.

As well as grabbing the said sibling and head for the hills…or locking the kid in a tower and guard him or her day and night…

He tried to read the man and came up against a blank wall.

That's reassuring…

Sarcasm laced the thought. Schuldig's mental alarms went up.

Whoever he is, he's well trained…another agent perhaps? Certainly not Estet's…he doesn't have the signature technique of one...at least that something...

Schuldig had no qualms about warning another Estet agent away from Kurama-chan. Schwartz was top dog amongst the agent teams and only answerable to the Elders for their conduct.

"Hn." Ran gave dark glare at the runt suspiciously.

This we can agree on. He is definitely trouble, Kurama-chan…where do you find these people…? But then, why should I complain. You did pick up…

"So is he the boyfriend you're always going about?" Schuldig asked lightly enough, though his own glare-over number spoiled the effect.

"No. A candidate." Kurama teased back.

Two hn's and identical dark glares met that statement and clashed over Kurama.

"Come now Ran-niichan, Hi-chan's not bad. And Hi-chan, you know you act the same when someone comes a-courting for any of your family."

"Hn." An affirmative.

"Hn." Basilisk glare.

I really don't trust this one...

"So were you two going on a date? Maybe we can do a double?" Schuldig asked, cheerfully.

Both Aya and Hiei sputtered.

Hey, I'm doing you a favor, Bubu…

"And who'll be your date, Schuldig-niisan?" Kurama said innocently.

Why the little scamp…?

Schuldig thought rather fondly.

"Your Ran-niichan. Of Course."

"Of Course?" Aya choked out.

"Hn." The dark glare rivaled Aya's. It made Schuldig chuckle a bit.

***

"That is if he will have me?" Schuldig asked slyly.

"Ha--i." Aya blurted out, finding himself with a lack of words or even grunts for the second time he had met his brother. He had watched the exchange spin out of control with growing horror. He remembered the previous night's incursion into the bar and felt rather faint at the prospect of going into another one so soon.

What am I getting myself into…? Oh well, at least Schuldig would be beside me to protect me… What am I saying? He's Schwartz and a bit of a lech…if I read him right…

Aya was so screwed.

Not yet you aren't and that's your trouble…

The effervescent bubble of thought was so fleeting that Aya thought it nothing but a product of his own imagination. He glared at Schuldig who looked at him innocently.

***

Schuldig watched Aya look at him suspiciously. He looked into the Weiß leader's mind and smiled.

That wasn't me… My, my, Aya-kitten…such a puerile mind under that repression… I think I might enjoy our date a little if I loosened you up a bit… No, that idea is definitely not good…I have to answer to Kurama-chan if I did that…

"What game are you playing Schwartz?" Aya asked Schuldig as they both took their leave of Kurama and Hiei to get ready for the date.

"I thought it was obvious. I wanted to keep an eye on that small man and you did too. Wasn't it a very logical move on my part?"

"Hn… But you better not try anything." Aya said, reconsidering his righteous indignation.

Yeah, do that. It's mostly right anyway…I have no immediate plans of trying "anything", we have to watch Kurama-chan very well on this date, after all...

***

"What are you playing at, fluff-tail?" Hiei asked the moment they were left in the park alone.

The tone emphasized on fluff. Hiei only did it when he was annoyed. A measure of the love the Fox felt for the little fire demon. He was the only one who got away calling Kurama that.

"I just thought it would be nice for us to go out once and a while. Besides, I thought it a good opportunity to match my 'niichan with Schuldig-niisan. He hasn't let me wander off alone since he knew of my existence."

"Hn." Hiei grunted, hand going to his waist in reflex action. It was his standard solution after all.

"Hiei! I like my 'niichan!"

"Hn." He's human…

"Besides, it's not as if you aren't as protective over your sister." Kurama decided to ignore the "just human" part.

That certainly can't be helped…

"Hn." Point.

"I think you'll like my 'niichan when you get to know him. He's so like you."

"Hn." And that's a good thing…

"Aa. It is a good thing." Kurama smiled at him impishly.

"Hn." Hiei gave him a fanged grin but he didn't object when Kurama took his hand to take him back to the apartment to be dressed for their double date.

Kurama forgot for a moment his concern over his missing agent in the problem stuffing Hiei into clubbing attire.

***

Hiei allowed himself to be herded around. Though he wondered if he should tell the Fox now what his real purpose was in the human world while they were still alone. There was more to the "business" that needed attending to than he let on--and it was something that would interest the Fox greatly if the latter had known.

Over my dead body…

Kurama was Hiei's now and Hiei's he will stay.

As I don't know how much he meant to you, Fluff-tail…as if no one would...the legend and that the fight...

Hiei remembered the fight well. It was when they fought Yakumo...*

***

Kurama, you can't just stand there and let him kill you... Kurama!

Hiei had thought then. In the billowing mists, Kurama looked like a beautiful statue of suffering and pain, as he stood unmoving letting that bastard cut him.

No matter who he had been before to you... No matter what your past had been... He's your enemy now... Don't just stand there! Don't you stand there and die, Kurama, there are people who need you, people who love you...I--

I--I love you... I need you...

The thought startled Hiei more than a little, holding him into place and making him mute. He jumped in to intervene but it wasn't necessary. Yakumo's lackey had made a mistake and Kurama had seen through the enemy youkai's fragile illusions. The Fox used bamboo to close in for the kill.

"Hiei?" Kurama looked up as Hiei approached.

"You have poor taste." Hiei spat, panicking for an instant but the Fox had seen through it all and smiled at him.

What a beautiful smile...

***

Hiei clenched his fist on his sword getting a concerned look from the Fox. Reluctantly, he relaxed.

He's mine now, though I have to share with Yomi...so be it... Yomi can't have the Fox's heart like you ever did... I won't surrender him without a fight...

Hiei addressed the absent Chimera. He had to control his hand from clenching again. The doubt was still in him. Kuronue was a tall handsome elven looking man with fine ash-black hair and lanky frame. Sweeping bat wings didn't detract from that, only enhancing the Chimera's height. How could Hiei compete with that? Short as he was and his hair always puffed up...

But still, Kurama is mine now. He has said so in so many ways. He's MINE. And you're the sly one, making disguised moves on him... Acting like you're a friend and almost brother at that...

In all truth, it was Schuldig Hiei wanted to skewer though he tried to redirect it towards Kurama's human brother in the Fox's presence.

If I can find a reason to kill you...if I had found out before the Fox made that deal...

He would find a way to kill the annoying Ningen who had been Kuronue yet.

Before he or anyone can bring you back...

***

You're certainly acting strange tonight, little storm cloud...

All throughout the date, Kurama wondered what had gotten into Hiei. Hiei had been behaving very much like the black rain cloud he had been named for. He hadn't spoken more than to snap 'hn' and glared at both Schuldig and Aya impartially.

He's usually more--er--eloquent than that. He acts almost like he's jealous of Schuldig-niisan... Oh well, it's probably my imagination. He knows me better than that. Besides, it's very clear that I treat Schuldig like an extra elder brother...

Kurama had not the leisure to pursue it though, since the feeling of someone watching them all night had distracted him.

***

Somewhere else…

Kakuei woke up to pain and cold to find he couldn't move. He stared up into cruel yellow eyes and began to scream as the claws descended.

~TBC~

Author's Notes:

* The Urameshi Team fought Yakumo and the Meikai(Netherworld) in the Yu Yu Hakusho Movie where you get to see the tall, dark, handsome AND mysterious Kuronue the Raven. Kuro-sama! *fan-girl squeals * Sorry for the inaccuracies within the fanfic. It's been so many years since I watched the movie. The one about you have bad taste comes from somebody's Chinese interpretation of the OAV…I can't remember ^^; I got it from the Internet as proof of subtext for KxH. They changed it in the subbed version I watched *does a wolfy puppy huff*.

* Kakuei, Kaede, Melaud and Hisoka mine. They're going to appear in the next installments of the fic in the periphery and very seldom. They're just very minor characters. I just needed someone to torture and a villain to vilify… Kaede and Melaud are very essential minor characters with a function…as will be seen later…

* I'm taking the hint from the original Yu Yu Hakusho series and giving my characters mostly K names… YYH examples of K-sound fondness: Kuronue, Koenma, Kurama, Karasu, Keiko, Kuwabara Kazuma, etc.

* I'm not advertising the use of cell/cellular phones…I just got used to my hand-me-down unit, I suppose ^^;

* Thanks for the reviews folks, *does a parody of a game show host* the more reviews you send the more chances of a chapter coming out soon. Just kidding. Feedback does fatten up my heart, besides suggestions are always considered...^__^