Chapter 17: Gone again…

Solaris: Foxglove, I believe our narrator dude has left us.

Foxglove: Not like it's a big loss…

Solaris: Foxglove!

Foxglove: Well it isn't!

Solaris: I guess you're right. None of us own YYH, read on, please!

Foxglove: And please read The Black Ancient: Revised by hedgepod!

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Once again, Rose's parents were gone. (A/n: They have jobs that require them to be gone much of the time, okay?) School had started again and it was becoming easier for Rose to wake up in the mornings on her own. Of course, having Kurama call her house in the mornings didn't hurt either.

On this day, however, something was different. Kurama noticed it right as she said hello. "You're sick, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little. But not bad enough that I can't go to school! It's just a tiny cold! Nothing to worry about!" she said.

"No, it obviously isn't. You're staying home today. I'll send Hiei over to watch you, okay? Sayonara." Kurama said. He heard her sigh, which sounded like a rush of static over the phone.

"Okay. Sayonara." she replied. He hung up and leaned from his window to see Hiei trying to sneak away.

"And where do you think you're going? I told her that I'd send you." Kurama said, tapping his foot.

"I am no babysitter! Send Yusuke, he skips school enough!" Hiei said.

"No can do. Keiko's making him go today," he said. (A/n: I've seen it spelled "Kayko" and I've seen it spelled "Keiko". I'm just going to use the manga spelling and leave it at that.) Hiei was visibly ticked off.

"Then send the baka! I'm sure even he's not too dumb to watch over her!" Hiei protested. Kurama sighed.

"You would really send Kuwabara to watch her?" Kurama said.

"In normal circumstances, no, but now I would." Hiei said stubbornly.

"Face it, Hiei, you're the only one of us who doesn't have somewhere to be today. It's got to be you. And it's not like she's a three-year old. She's 15, capable of taking care of herself." Kurama sighed and pleaded.

"Then why can't she today?"

"Because she's sick and Lexi's after her. We don't know who Lexi got reincarnated as, so we don't know if she'd have somewhere to be at today." Kurama said. "Look, if it makes you feel better, I'll come to her house after school and you can leave. Is that better?"

"I guess." Hiei said before leaving. Kurama silently prayed for them.

Hiei got there quickly and noticed that there was an open window. He jumped in to see Rose shooting suction-cup-tipped darts at the ceiling. "I don't need a babysitter. It's just a cold." she was grumbling.

"Well, obviously he thinks you do." Hiei spoke up. She looked over, said "hn", and went back to shooting darts. He couldn't help but smile. The girl was precocious and had an attitude. Sort of like me. If I were a girl…Hiei thought. Around noon, the girl pulled herself from her bed. "Hey, girl, what do you think you're doing?" he said quietly, yet loud enough to get her attention.

"It's Rose, not 'girl', and I'm going to get some lunch and my Trigun book." she said.

"Lie back down. I'll get it. But all I can get you is ramen." Hiei said. (A/n: It's a reference to another fanfic of mine about when Hiei gets a cold. I'll post it soon.) "That's all the fox would let me have when I was sick."

"The fox? Oh, Kurama. Okay. It's in the bottom cabinet. And the book is on the table." she said. Hiei quickly got the book and fixed the ramen. "Thanks." she said quietly.

That afternoon, Kurama came in the house to see Rose sitting quietly, not sulking or anything and Hiei in the window, reading a Trigun book, which really shocked Kurama. He was relieved, though. Neither of them was hurt, thankfully. Hiei put the book down and left quickly. "Quiet fellow, isn't he?" she asked softly. Kurama laughed and nodded.

"A person of few words, I suppose. I brought your homework," he said. She took it and got started, asking for his help on parts she didn't understand. By the next day, she was well enough to go to school.

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Solaris: This was a fun chappie for me to write, so don't knock it. And the narrator dude is back. Hey, Foxglove, where'd he go?

Foxglove: *Hides rope and duck tape behind her back and grins. * I dunno.

*Muffled thuds are heard from the closet *

Solaris: You TIED him UP?!

Foxglove: He was getting on my nerves!