Disclaimers: Uh, I don't own anything Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did, the point of FAN fiction would be... vanity. I try not to have a negative self-image, yes, but I'm nothing near vain. Sorry. Oh, but I do own something here, the lyrics. (the lyrics are in chapter three at the end.)
Summary: If you hold on to a butterfly, it can die right there in your hands. You'll never get happy that way, loosen your grip and un-blur your eyes... you'll see the horizon eventually. Slash (Kurama/Hiei, Yusuke/Jin, Kuwabara/Yukina) please read, please review, thank you.
Warnings: Some stuff that could be considered violence, slash (as in, male/male relationships) and spoilers for anyone who hasn't seen up to the beginning of the Gateway (a. k. a. The Chapter Black) Saga. If anything in that list bothers you or whatever, then I don't recommend this fic to you.
Author Notes: Thank you Riuki for your help and information. I continue with this story because I don't believe that Yusuke and Jin are related. Also, thank you KittenGrl39 for the tie-breaker and review, and just for reviewing so many of my stories. Thank you to every/any one else who reviewed the first chapter, I apologize for anyone I didn't email my thanks. I am so sorry this chapter took so long, I had a real big problem followed by another one and it just wasn't going great. Most of it was composed from old clippings I tossed for this particular project, and much of it was confusing. I hope it was at least SORT OF worth the wait, as I did make it rather long.
HaPpYnEsS
By ShIoN
ChApTeR tWo
fInAlLy LaNdInG sAfElY
"I think Kazuma is still in his room moping." Shizuru told the two girls at the door. "But come on in, I could at least use the company. Who knows, maybe some different faces will get him to come out." The two girls came in, both with similar coloured hair. One, who was taller, had blue hair tied into a pony. The other had sea green hair, which was currently braided.
"Hey! Kazuma! Come on down and see Yukina and Botan!" Shizuru yelled, getting no reply. She sighed, tossing her light brown hair over her shoulder before walking up the stairs. "Kazuma! Yukina and Botan have come to visit, it'd be nice if you came out and at least said 'hi'!" She yelled once more, then waited.
"I'll be down in a minute." The carrot-top's voice finally came, making his sister smile. She went back down the stairs and nodded to the girls.
"Is Kazuma-kun going to come and visit with us?" Yukina asked, her hands perched in prayer.
"Yeah, he says he'll be down in a minute. Now, how about some tea?"
H4993
Yusuke and Jin were walking down the street back to Yusuke's apartment. His mother was undoubtedly there, but Yusuke didn't care at this point. The two entered the complex, hearing sobbing already.
"That's still running?" Jin asked, oblivious as to what it was.
"It's my Mom. She's been doing that since Keiko died." Yusuke explained harshly. The wind demon was wearing black baggy jeans and a gray tank top, a chain over his hips. He looked something like a punk, except for his clueless expression and accented goofy voice.
"Really now, and here I be thinkin' it was some sorta music..." Jin blinked, still upbeat. "So, shall we be goin' to cheer her up?"
"Why bother? I've tried about everything to get her to cheer the hell up. She just ignores me and sobs, swigging booze." Yusuke walked past his mother, Jin following him into his personal bedroom. "I think, Keiko was not only a friend, but the one hope of me shaping up. At least in my mother's eyes."
"That must be awfully depressin' to be livin' next ta." Jin stated, noticing the noise was still fairly loud behind closed doors.
"Tell me about it. She's the one whining, and it's my girlfriend who died." Yusuke sat on his bed, looking out the window. Jin stared silently at the black haired, a million thoughts buzzing in the room.
H4993
"OGRE! I want those reports on Botan's health now! THIS ISN'T BREAK TIME!" The toddler ruler demanded, having a spasm.
"Here you are sir." The blue ogre handed the tot a sheet of paper.
"No... not another so soon..."
H4993
The blue haired girl coughed, her hands shaking as he sipped her tea.
"Are you okay Botan?" The mild-mannered girl with red eyes asked. "You seem pale and fatigued."
"Oh, don't worry about li'l ol' me, Yukina." The blue haired waved.
"Hey Yukina, Botan." A scratchy, male voice interrupted, an orange haired teen entering the room.
"Kazuma!" Yukina greeted him with a smile. He sat next to her on his knees, grabbing her hand.
"Yukina, will you marry me?" Black, moist, beady eyes looked into the red ones. Yukina blinked, gaping.
"Kuwabara! Aren't you a little ahead of yourself here?" The blue haired girl interrupted.
"No way, Botan! Time is wasting, and I want to have a family before I die!" Kuwabara announced.
"What would Shizuru say?" Botan argued.
"Who cares?" The said brown haired girl said, entering the room, a cigarette dangling from her mouth. "If they want to get married, I'm not about to object."
"So it's all up to you, Yukina. Will you?" Kuwabara looked back to the ice apparition.
"... What's married?" Yukina asked, completely ruining the mood.
"Mate! Do you want to be his mate?! In the human world, mates get married and become husband (the guy) and wife (the girl)." Botan translated.
"Oh!" Yukina blushed heavily, looking at his large hands over her own. "I... I would love to be... y-your wife..."
"Yeah!" The orange haired squeezed the much smaller.
"K-Kazuma-san! You are hurting me!" Yukina exclaimed from within his grasp. Kuwabara released her immediately and apologized.
H4993
It was dark when Shiori Minamino came home from the store. She had several bags, which she put on the kitchen table after switching her shoes for slippers. She put her coat on the chair and began putting things away. The clock read nine o'clock, just as she had promised to get home by. Once everything was away it was fifteen after. She opened the oven and noticed the dinner had been untouched. She pulled one of the separated Odin bowls out and took some chopsticks out of the drawer. She walked up the stairs to her son's room and knocked on his door. No answer. She opened the door, finding the room dark.
"Shuichi? Are you in here?" She questioned, flicking on the light switch. She blinked, seeing black hair before red. "Oh, you have a friend over, you should have told me." She smiled.
"Okasan! I didn't hear you come in. Uhm, this is Hiei, a friend of mine." Shuichi explained, standing up from the bed. The black haired stood up as well, looking the human woman over. He had surprising red eyes, hair on end, black pants and no shirt.
"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet one of Shuichi's friends. Let me go get you a bowl of Odin." Shiori smiled, walking downstairs once more.
"I forgot she wasn't home." Shuichi sighed, his red locks in his pretty face. His bright green eyes had a faint glow.
"Hn." Hiei said simply.
"When did your shirt come off?" Kurama asked the shorter.
"When you threw it across the room, maybe?" Hiei glared back. "And yet, Yusuke swears you're elegant and gentle."
"Aren't I, for the most part?" The fox smiled.
"Maybe for the most part." Hiei rolled his eyes. The two had become "officially" "more-than-friends" after Keiko died. Something about death just made people come together.
The fox chuckled lightly as Shiori returned with a second bowl of Odin.
"Here you two are. Now eat up. Did you finish studying Shuichi?" Shiori asked, looking to her son.
"Yes Okasan. Thank you for the Odin." The red haired smiled.
"Certainly. I'll be downstairs if you need me." She left once more.
"Now that she knows you, it may be hard to avoid her in, delicate situations." The fox sighed once his 'mother' was out of ear-shot.
"Hn, no problem. I come in through the window anyways." Hiei shrugged, adroitly eating the Odin.
"You would say that. Well, I guess it is true..." Kurama sat back on the bed and began to eat his own.
H4993
"Listen to her YOWL." Yusuke growled, kicking the air.
"Calm down now Urameshi, she's just blubberin' 'bout a friend dyin', there's nothin' wrong with that, now is there?" Jin asked, being careful to dodge as Yusuke swung a fist at him.
"She barely even KNEW Keiko! You don't hear ME whining, do you?!" Yusuke yelled, pinning Jin and beginning to swing lefts and rights, all being barely caught by the wind. He went on for a good five minutes, shadows hiding his face for the most part until Jin finally grabbed both hands tight enough that they'd stay.
"Maybe ya should be, Urameshi..." Jin nodded, blinking his wide blue eyes taking in the sight before him. Yusuke's face was filled with tears, his teeth clenched and his cheeks burning red. "Now there, ya see? Ya're all sad too!"
"Shut up." Yusuke said bluntly, trying to break free from the other's hands. Jin sighed, slamming Yusuke forward so their lips connected. Yusuke sat up quickly, grabbing his mouth. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!"
"There, now yer mind's off Keiko, right?" Jin asked, an over-sized grin on his face. Yusuke paused, then shook his head.
"WHY would I resort to having a GUY kiss me to forget about Keiko! I'd rather shoot myself dead!" Yusuke retorted, standing up and looking out his window. His face still watery and his cheeks still red, as he could see in his reflection.
"Now don't go bein' all rash and hooey on me, Urameshi." Jin said, standing up and walking next to Yusuke. "Why da ya torture yerself like that?"
"I'm not torturing myself!" Yusuke snapped, leaning his head against the window. "I'm just... not ready to start up again, you know?"
"Well then, let's get ya ready!" Jin smiled once more.
"It's not that easy." Yusuke replied bluntly, heaving over on the bed.
"Now why not?" Jin asked. He continued questioning the teen long into the night, until they both fell asleep around six the next morning form exhaustion.
H4993
Sometime around noon the Kuwabara crew and Hiei and Kurama met up and decided to visit the Urameshi house. When they knocked however, there was no answer. So, since they could hear Atsuko inside, Shizuru kicked down the door and they strolled in. Once inside, Yukina, Kurama and Botan went to trying to calm Atsuko down, Shizuru went to make tea, Hiei sat down somewhat calmly and Kuwabara went looking for Yusuke. He was to find the teen curled into a ball, his emotional state broken and his ego force-field crumbled. Jin had wrapped his arms around the other, and they slept peacefully.
"Uh..." Kuwabara said, in a state of strange shock. "HEY URAMESHI! WAKE THE HELL UP!!"
The black haired stirred, brown eyes gazing at the still sleeping Jin. He registered his surroundings and sat up with a jolt.
"KUWABARA! GET OUT OF MY ROOM!!" Yusuke screamed back to the orange haired.
"YOU'RE THE ONE SLEEPING IN UNTIL NOON WITH JIN!!" Kuwabara retorted, pointing to the now curled up sleeping wind.
"HE JUST CAME OVER IN A FRIENDLY FASHION AND WE TALKED ABOUT STUFF! IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE INVOLVED!!" Yusuke hollered back. Over all, it was shocking Jin could sleep through this.
"OH YEAH?! THEN WHY WERE YOU ALL... CUDDLY LIKE?!" Kuwabara pointed more, waving his hand. By now everyone in the APARTMENT COMPLEX was sick of this conversation.
"HE ROLLED OVER IN HIS SLEEP AND DID THAT! I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT!! DROP IT! YOU'RE PROBABLY JUST JEALOUS ANYWAYS!!" Yusuke yelled, now rather angry.
"WHY SHOULD I BE JEALOUS?!! YUKINA AND I ARE GONNA GET MARRIED!!" Kuwabara folded his arms and nodded. Yusuke's brown eyes blinked.
"Wow, really? How'd you convince her to marry a goon like you?" Yusuke asked, now poking fun.
"I ASKED. And just so you know, Yukina said she would be 'very happy' to be my wife." Kuwabara said boastfully.
"Yeah right, I bet it was just a moment's madness. I mean really, baboons and cute girls just don't mix!" Yusuke laughed, standing up from the bed.
"Oh yeah?! How dare you say that about my love for Yukina! You're gonna pay for that one Urameshi!" Kuwabara put up his fists.
"Is that a challenge?" Yusuke asked. Soon they were involved in the usual 'manly' wrestling.
"Oh my." Yukina blinked as the boys went by.
"Any peaceful salutations some one would like to add?" Shizuru asked, setting a tray with tea filled cups down on the table.
"Not really." Kurama sighed.
Atsuko's sobbing calmed to a whimper as the group drank tea. That is, after Shizuru kicked Yusuke and Kuwabara away from their 'fight'.
"So, Yusuke and Jin are in a confusing relationship, Kazuma and Yukina are getting married, Atsuko's a mess, so's Botan, I'm still not together with any one and this tea seems sour. Did I miss anything?" Shizuru asked, patting out her cigarette in an ashtray.
"Nah, that's just about it." A new voice entered the room.
"Hey, about time you woke up." Yusuke greeted the red haired demon.
"G'morning ta ya too, Urameshi." The wind grinned back.
"Hm, what about Hiei-san and Kurama-san?" Yukina asked, noticing the two across the table from her and Kazuma.
"Oh, yeah... what is up with you guys?" Shizuru asked, sipping the odd tea.
"Hn." Hiei said simply, looking to the wall.
"Kurama?" Botan questioned, patting Atsuko's back still.
"Er..." Kurama held up his hands, flustered. "H-Hiei, can you?"
"Fine. He's mine now." Hiei stated simply, still looking at the wall. The room remained quiet except for Atsuko's sniffling and Jin sitting down.
"Wh-what Hiei means is we're... dating." Kurama sighed, flushing.
"WHAT?! YOU GUYS TOO?!" Kuwabara shouted.
"Hey that's cool." Yusuke shrugged.
"NO, THAT IS NOT COOL! WHAT HAPPENED TO DATING GIRLS?!" Kuwabara yelled. Yusuke held up a fist.
"Some people DON'T CARE about that stuff anymore! Get over it!" Yusuke retorted.
"Now, now Urameshi, don't go startin' somethin' for no reason." Jin patted the other's shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah." Brown eyes rolled.
"Kazuma-san, Yusuke-san! Stop this!" Yukina pleaded.
"You can just call me Kazuma now, Yukina." Kuwabara grinned. Yukina blushed and smiled.
"I guess everybody's getting together now." Botan smiled. "Well, I better get back to Reikai, Koenma's expecting me." She stood, her oar appearing.
"Okay Botan. Careful flying." Shizuru smiled. The blue haired sat on the oar and left through the glass door, flying.
"Yo." A familiar voice joined. The group looked up to see a foggy image of a special toddler before them.
"Koenma?! I though I was off the hook for a while!" Yusuke yelled, raising a fist to the toddler's face.
"Now, now Yusuke, let's not resort to violence. I came here with news far worse than that of a case." The toddler explained, a hand coming into view.
"What could be worse than a case?" Kuwabara asked.
"Allow me to give a clue. She has blue hair and her life force is being sapped up like an ogre eating my lunch." Koenma explained, his eyes closed.
"Botan's life force is being eaten?" Yusuke questioned.
"Then, her time is expiring so soon? I thought her kind lived much longer." Kurama noted.
"How long does she have? Is there anything I can do to help her?" Yukina asked, standing.
"Calm down princess." Shizuru motioned for Yukina to sit once more.
"I'm afraid not." Koenma sighed. She'll be gone once she walks into my office I'm afraid. But I don't think Keiko OR Botan have died of natural causes."
The room was filled with sudden shock.
"So, we must have a Soul Sucker on our hands." Kurama guessed, looking inquisitively at the table.
"Indeed, I suspect the same. Your job Yusuke, and anyone willing to help, is to find the soul sucker and destroy it before it takes anymore life. My sources have tracked it to somewhere in YOUR apartment building. It's probably got something against you in person." Koenma said simply. "You must find it soon, and BE CAREFUL."
The toddler's image vanished and the room went deadly quiet. Atsuko, who hadn't seen Koenma, was looking at everyone who had talked to him like they were crazed. Hiei remained silent, bowing his head so his hair shadowed his glowing bandana.
"Who's coming with me?" Yusuke asked, looking at the table along with most everyone else.
"I am." Kurama said simply.
"I know where that thing is." Hiei looked up slightly, counting himself in.
"Well, anything that's killed Keiko AND Botan might kill Yukina, so I'm in." Kuwabara said boldly. "No one comes between me and my love!"
"O' course I'll be comin' along Urameshi." Jin nodded.
"I'll stay here with Atsuko-chan and Shizuru-chan." Yukina said softly. "We'll be ready if anyone needs healing afterwards."
"Alright." Yusuke stood up, slapping his palm with a hard clenched fist. "Let's go kick some MAJOR ass!"
H4993
The blue haired spirit girl landed off her oar in front of the large doors of the Reikai building. She pressed the intercom, practically panting.
"B...Botan here..." She heaved. The doors opened and she remounted her oar, unable to carry herself as she floated into the building, the doors closing behind her. She flew the oar to an office beyond where the ogres worked, landing and using all her strength to push the doors open. She fell forward, surprised when strong arms caught her. She looked up to see Koenma in his teenage form, smiling at her. She weakly smiled back, doing her best to stand and hug his neck. "K-Koenma sir... I... I l-...love..." She began. There was a jolt as she squeezed him, then went deadly limp. Koenma hugged her waist, lowering his head so the ogres could not see his tears. He spoke softer than a whisper.
"I love you too."
EnD
And there's chapter two! Finally! Only one more chapter. Wah... I sorta like Botan... but she had to go, otherwise Koenma would have never figured out it was a demon. TT.TT
I tried REALLY hard to keep them in-character... I hope I did okay with that.
Thank you for reading, and I would (as always) love your reviews, your opinions are much better than mine.
(By the way, Botan-haters... you're mean. I like all the YYH characters! Except Elder Toguro... but we all see why... Younger Toguro is at least more noble! And yes, this is a Genkai-less story, because I'm no good at writing her character...)