A/N: Hey everybody! I know I haven't updated in a long time...I wonder if you even remember me...but guess what? I'm not going to apologize for taking so long. Wanna know why? Of course you do! Because I clearly stated back in the author notes in chapter 2 that there was no telling how often they would get updated. On top of that, I had the worst case of writer's block and lethargy known to man kind...or woman kind...whichever, and believe me, you wouldn't want to read the stuff I would've written had I forced myself to write. So. No apologies. Blame my muse...Jocasta....or whatever her name was. See? It's been so long since she stopped by in the middle of the night with Inspiration(her favorite drink) that I can't even remember HER name. Guess that's not saying much for me, then...oh well.
Next off...I'm going to rant a bit here...not at any one of you guys, but at everyone in general...WHAT ARE YOU GUYS THINKING? DO YOU THINK IF THEY AUTHOR(ESS) DOESN'T BEG SHE DOESN'T CARE IF SHE GETS REVIEWED? WHAT IN THE WORLD? I GOT MORE REVIEWS FOR THIS CHAPTER (and some for others somewhat delayed) THAN I HAVE FOR THIS ENTIRE STORY. MIND EXPLAINING THIS BIT OF LOGIC? DO I HAVE TO BEG TO BE NOTICED? I HAVE AN EXCUSE; I CAN'T REVIEW ON MY COMPUTER. IT WILL. NOT. LET. ME. BUT I ASSURE YOU, I REVIEW THEM IN MY HEAD, AND I KNOW HOW TO APPRECIATE A GOOD FIC. EVEN IF I CAN'T TELL THE WRITER THAT. Whew. OK. Done. Sorry if I startled anyone. Seriously, I LOVED all the reviews. Tha,ks a million. But I did find it a little odd that it took some of you so long to bother telling me you enjoyed it. What if none of you had and I had given up in defeat? Well....I wouldn't...because I'm stubborn like that. But OTHER people might. SO. Go out there, all ye bold reviewers, and give some credit where credit is due. That is thy homework.
(shakes head and wonders where that came from.)
Review Responses: U no wanna read, skip through them.
kurama and hieis lover: well...I updated, hope you enjoy this installment as much as the previous ones.
oscar: I am, I am...I have the next few chapters written already, from before...see author note at bottom...glad you like it, thank you.
lilyglass thankyou 2face. I like the Dudu...although it was a typo. he he...U messed up. well. that made me feel better. (rolls eyes) yes, the person who proofed it was awesome, you shameless ....thing. (clutches head) It's to late 2 b thinking up insults rt. now. See u...oh wait...I WON"T see u in school anymore...(is sad) "ur leaving? waddle I do w/o u?" whatever. update urs now.
SilverTiger-GoldenPheonix: Awesome name, first off. I love silver. And I was a phoenix for Halloween too....and I love tigers...not quite as fond of gold as silver, but I guess you can't have everything...I will read your story at the soonest possible date( aka: um...soon, I hope) and type up a review and e-mail to my loyal friend who posts these things for me since my computer won't. And she'll send it to you. So, indirect as it may be, I hope to read and review your story soon. Glad to see I'm not the only one with some pride here. (sniffs)
Anica106 (sniffs) thank you...(beams) i can't tell u how plz'd i am ull never 4get the dialogue now...or how hard we worked on it..i still have it saved and printed out too. :P
netta1029 Thank you thank you thank you SOOO much! You made me happy! No, seriously, I was having a terrible day when I got your review and it made me feel better. Doesn't that make you all warm and fuzzy inside now, knowing that? Even more so, because I REMEMBER that this review made me happy. (grins) (hands over Oreo) thanks a bunch. Hope to hear from you in the future. (P.S.: I love monk and dude, too...they'll keep coming back, never fear.)
Hakudoshi-chan Glad you like it. I rather think s, too. (bows deeply and grins)
Robin-Autumn, Dark-Autumn um, Are you the same person? I got all the reviews so close to each other and the name and reviews themselves were so similar...or are yoo sisters...or something? Or not? (is confused) Anyway...thank you...both....a bunch. I'm glad You find it funny; I hope this chapter is equally so.
Miliko01 Yea!! Glad your enjoying it so much...Hey. Wanna know something funny? ( I thought so, anyways.) When I read your first review...chapter three, I think? You were like, "yeah, this is awesome, I loved it! Is this clear enough? If not keep on writing"' or something...and I sat there for the longest time trying to figure out what that was over. It wasn't until I went back and read ALL my reviews, even the older ones I'd already replied to that I got it. I saw your first one, where I couldn't tell what you thought, and realized it was the same reviewer...and I started laughing so hard...so, yeah. (grins embarrassedly) Thanks for clearing that up.. .but really, I'm extremely pleased that you enjoy it so much. I do plan on writing heaps and heaps of it...although not as many chapters, because in case you hadn't noticed...these are extremely long...especially this last one( see author note at bottom). Over and Out.
maki-sama Yep. if you read the first author note...that's exactly why I started writing this in the first place..I hate Shakespeare, honestly. (Dodges flying missiles and Anica's threats) I do. I can't stand him. I'm having so much fun with this...anyway..thanks a million.
Very important author note! Everyone please read!
OK, this isn't the important part, but if I missed any of the review responses, I apologize; it was not intentional. Important part: As I'm sure you guys noticed, these chapters have been getting longer and longer. It took me well over six hours to type chapter four up, and Anica was ready to kill me after proofing it( a full time job for her, knowing me), but she was too tired. SO. chapters will be shorter in future. But still long. If that made any sense. But honestly, people...that last one was like...sixteen or seventeen pages on Word. How much free time do you think I have? Not that much. Therefore, this chapter is shorter. But still long. (makes cartoon dizzy eye face) AND. These two chapters, this one and chapter four, WERE NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL PLOT. I just added them in after having too much fun with Anica when we got bored. Yes, this is what we do when we're bored. We have no lives. However, before you all despair, I do have the next...either one or two chapters written...and partial ones for two others....so. basically, I just need to get my lazy butt in here to type. So while I make no apologies for taking so long, or promises that this one will be any faster, it is more likely. No writer's block to deal with, you see. Only laziness. So. That's it...um...what are you people still reading this for? Go read the chapter! (coughs) Oh, and review, if you don't mind. That's it. No shameless begging this time. And go review someone else's. We don't want some other poor writer to lose all hope and quit writing, now do we? (coughs again) Anica could always use some, if anyone was inclined...
((Hello, everyone, this is Anica106. It is one o'clock in the morning...again--how does that keep happening?--and I am very tired. So let's get all this said. First of all, if SFD owns Yu Yu Hakusho, it's news to me. Secondly, you know the drill, I proofread, so don't flame her out about grammar; yell at me instead. And lastly, I hope, because my fingers are freezing, she wants me to tell all of you that this is the last time she's going to say it: this is not and never will be a Hiei/Kurama fic, It's just joking around. So, with all that said, enjoy the chapter and review her. (grins) (falls asleep at computer)
Ch. 5--Time to Lock the Mushroom Door
"Excuse me, have either of you seen Hiei?" Kurama's soft alto gently interrupted the duo's peaceful eating of ice cream interspersed with Dude's running commentary of his past girlfriends. They looked up, Dude surprised, and the Friar relieved.
"Dude! You like, came out of nowhere! You wanna sit awhile? We still got some ice cream left." He offered Kurama his bowl of half-melted ice cream, which Kurama declined. He couldn't smell any nefarious toxins in it, but better safe than sorry. Especially after he heard what some of the Friar's "special holy plants" really were.
"Kurama. I have just been speaking with your dragonfly," the Friar interspersed. Kurama raised an eyebrow.
"My...dragonfly..." he repeated.
"Yes, yes, your young dark one." the Friar explained impatiently.
"Ah. Yes, of course. Would either of you two happen to know where he has gone, then?" Kurama asked again, politely.
"I believe he has gone to meditate on your love. I have been talking with him and found some not happiness in you both's relationship," the Friar stated importantly. Kurama looked from the Friar to Dude, who was slurping the rest of his ice cream out of his bowl.
"What exactly was in that?" he asked, sneaking sideways glances at the Friar, and wondering privately what on Earth he was babbling on about.
"Did it make you sick?" Dude asked quickly. "I TOLD Tracey that this sugar, fat free stuff wasn't healthy for you, I TOLD her--"
"No no, it's quite alright," Kurama interjected hastily.
"You," the Friar continued, drawing Kurama's attention back to him, "are like, young stallion." Kurama's eyes widened at this and he surreptitiously sniffed the bowl Dude had just abandoned to see if he could detect any traces of suspicious plants. It smelled like sugar fat free vanilla ice cream.
"No...I believe you are mistaken," he said calmly. "I am a human being. Rather ordinary, in fact."
"No no no, your young dragonfly is seeing you as this. Young, powerful....willful. He is seeing you with these others, and hurting from it. He is hurting because you hurt," the Friar concluded. Kurama watched him carefully for a long moment.
"What do you mean?" he asked, allowing his confusion to come through into the open. Really, what, in all the three worlds, was he going on about?
"Your youngling, he has...much affection for you, yet...no will to express it. He is...reluctant to let you see. Because of your open attachment to these others." Kurama raised both eyebrows now.
"Has Hiei, er...SAID any of this?" he now inquired, wondering if the Friar wasn't, in fact, quite mad.
"He has expressed to me worry for you about this Youko character. He believes he will hurt you."
'He what?" Kurama's normal articulation seemed to have left him.
"He has told me of this Youko man; he sounds not pleasant to be with," the Friar pressed, watching Kurama carefully. He must hear this one's side of it. And get him to see what a downward circle thing he had gotten himself and now the other one into because of his choice in relationships. Surely after getting that other imbecile to understand, this one would be easy. Kurama must be more reasonable than Hiei.
He's mad. He must be. Although he did capture Hiei's personality quite realistically. Although, it's understandable that he should be so closed with his emotions. Anyone would be after the life he's had. Most people probably wouldn't even have survived it. I would have, of course, but other people..... Kurama reflected. On the other hand, it could prove interesting to hear what he has said to this man....no. I will respect his privacy. Hiei has reasons for telling or not telling me these things.
((No! I wanna know! The little [has been censored for my peace of mind] probably wouldn't ever remember to tell you. He wouldn't mind if you found out through other means!)) Youko shouted. Kurama winced at the sudden loud intrusion into his skull.
{(Hello again, Youko.)}
((You don't sound so pleased to see me.)) Youko grinned at him.
{(I'm not.)}
((So cold.))
((Go away.))
((Fine.)) Youko stuck out his tongue at Kurama and retreated back into the depths of Kurama's mind to wherever he stayed when he wasn't intruding on his thoughts with lewd suggestions, all of which involving screwing somebody or stealing something, or both, many of which involved Hiei, and some of which involved chocolate pudding.
"But your dragonfly, he is now learning of your love. You should meet him halfway. Is only fair," the Friar concluded.
Kurama looked at him, feeling a sense of alarm growing in the pit of his stomach. Love? What love did he mean? Surely Hiei didn't think he loved him, did he? Like THAT? The idea was almost too horrifying to contemplate. Hiei would never forgive him if he thought Kurama felt like that. Kurama, of all people, was supposed to know better. Hiei would never accept anyone feeling that way toward him until he was ready. Kurama did think that someday Hiei would find himself someone and live, well, maybe not happily ever after, but definitely interestingly. The person the sullen little koorime did choose at such time would undoubtedly have to be possessed of strong character and mind. Anything less than nerves of steel and willpower akin to that of his death tree plant would be flattened from the sheer force of Hiei's care and commitment.
While he had been thinking all this, Dude had been collecting the ice cream bowls and put them away. He now was walking back, pretending to be wearing roller skates as he did so. The Friar sat, watching the red head in his deep thinking, and warily taking note of Dude's rather sporadic behavior. Maybe it time to lock door to mushrooms from now on, he thought. Kurama looked up suddenly and peered intently at the Friar.
"What exactly has Hiei said?" he pressed. The Friar looked startled, but composed himself quickly.
"You should ask of him yourself."
"What did you tell him then?"
"I told to him only what I felt to be true."
The Friar paused, saw Kurama's warning look in his eyes, and hurriedly continued. "I tell him that I worry for you two. And I see quite clearly that he have feeling for you, but not say to you of it. And he need open up of his thoughts and spend more time with you." The Friar frowned suddenly, leaning forward and poking Kurama in the chest. "He tell me rather concerning things of you two. I worry."
Kurama kneaded his forehead. If Hiei had said something, it was almost certain to have been misunderstood by the language-challenged monk. Or so he could only hope. Could it be, though, that perhaps Hiei felt something about their relationship, something he was not comfortable telling Kurama? Was he upset with something the kitsune had done? Surely he would've said, though? Hiei wasn't the type to let himself be run over, by anyone. And although the fox had a special place in the fire demon's heart, in a way, he very much doubted he'd be allowed to do or say anything that Hiei disapproved of. If he were not already a moral human being, Hiei would certainly have made him into one. HIS morals may not have coincided with most humans, but he had a honor system, and was very strict about it, and often expected Kurama to follow him in his example. The few times they had differed on anything, Hiei had vanished from the ningen world, as far as Kurama had been able to tell, for months at a time, and come back demanding the fox adhere to his code. Although, usually by that time it was academic anyway, as often the situation in question had already passed.
The Friar cleared his throat, drawing Kurama back out from his silent contemplation of the tiny fierce figure he had come to call friend. He looked up, just in time to see Dude go sailing into the broom closet. Mops, buckets and scrubbing brushes flew everywhere. A muffled "ow" could be heard from the depths of the small space.
"Your dragonfly has said you put him the closet," the Friar intoned as once again Kurama allowed his attention to be drawn back to what the plump figure was saying.
"What? Oh, yes, occasionally. Mother would not approve if she saw him in my bedroom so late a night. She thinks he is a friend from school, and would worry if he were not in his own house by then," Kurama conceded amiably. "I tried to have him hide under the bed, but he said it was too degrading of someone of his stature."
The Friar paused. Kurama saying it now made it seem almost reasonable, and he struggled to find what it was that he had had a problem with, exactly. "He is not friend from school?" he asked, hoping to clear their relationship up a bit.
"He contacted me. He had need of my knowledge for something at one point. And we have kept in contact ever since," Kurama continued, smoothly.
"But why is he not in own home so late at night? Surely you can, er...see each other other time?" The Friar forced down a blush before it could make its way up to his face. Kurama looked at him curiously.
"We see each other quite a bit. But Hiei prefers to come to my room at night, when we won't be disturbed." He paused, leaned in as the Friar seemed to choke on something, and added concernedly, "Are you quite alright?" The Friar coughed, spluttered, and nodded.
"But Hiei has said something to me of being put in with force to closet. And there is now a dent from his head in wall." The Friar gave Kurama a stern look.
"Oh, is there? I wouldn't know, I suppose. I need to replace the light bulb in there. But Hiei has a hard head. I would not be surprised if he had dented my wall."
The Friar frowned inwardly to himself. Something here was being missed...but with Kurama saying all this so reasonably, he could not remember what he had been trying to say.
"And your feelings for Youko? Hiei has said you are one person. Surely he means you are close, like to sided coin. He worries about you and him. I see you with your head hurt sometimes. Your dragonfly comes to comfort you in these times. You need say thank you. He try help." The Friar nodded righteously. Kurama watched him, puzzled.
"Has Hiei told you what Youko is like? He is a horrible person, with no feelings for anyone but himself, and wanting only his happiness. He would sacrifice what I have to get what he wants." Especially now with Hiei, Kurama thought.
((If you would just let me have him...one night would be enough...)) Youko thought wistfully.
{No. Hiei would never let you, and he would never forgive ME.}
((I think I could bring him around.))
((I rather doubt that.})
((Wanna bet?)) Youko licked his lips. ((We could make it a bargain.))
{NO. Shuichi does not bet.})
((Prissy obnoxious goody two shoes.))
{I'll ignore that.})
Out loud he said, "Hiei has helped me with that. He knows I am grateful."
"Perhaps you should tell him about your problems with this Youko person. He would help."
Kurama shuddered. "I think not. There are some things even friends shouldn't know."
Aha! he is thinking of Hiei as only a friend. Perhaps this is the real source of problem. He is in denial. As was the other. They are both in denying of their feelings! the Friar realized.
"What things should friends not know?" The Friar peered keenly at Kurama, who forced himself to remain still and not squirm uncomfortably under this intense inspection as his body so wanted to do.
"Everyone has a right to their own privacy. Some things were never meant to be said," Kurama said somewhat sadly, remembering some of the things Youko had done, most of which Hiei did not know of, in fact, most of which no one knew of apart from himself and Youko.
The Friar gazed at Kurama, wondering what could have the young man looking so pensive. "Is these things, do they do with Youko? This horrible man you associate with?" he asked directly. Kurama looked up at him from where his gaze had dropped to his hands, now resting in his lap.
"Yes," he replied softly.
"Things...your dragonfly knows not of?" the Friar persisted.
"Yes..."
"What do you think your young dragonfly would do if he were to know of these?"
"He would overlook it. He always does." Kurama's voice was vague, his thoughts not on the conversation but on the past. Those things...those horrible things....he would never do them again...not now...surely Hiei would know that? But that one thing...Hiei would never forgive him of that. So, he would never know. But that was not what Kurama was worried about now. He knew Hiei would never know, would never pry into Kurama's past like that without his permission. It was not a concern that Hiei would ever learn, but rather a guilt he now lived with. Another secret burden he must now bear, courtesy of his former life. With great self-control, Kurama forced himself to shake it off and smile at the Friar.
"Forgive me, I was rather sidetracked for a moment," he said calmly. "You said Hiei mentioned Youko?"
"Yes." The Friar watched Kurama disapprovingly. Perhaps it would be harder to convince this one than he had first surmised.
Kurama smiled. "Very well. I shall go and speak with him." He started to rise, but the Friar caught his sleeve and pulled him back down. He peered concernedly into Kurama's eyes.
"He is worried for you," he said intently, voice low. "Your dragonfly. He is so young still....how you say...looks up at you." Kurama hid a smirk at that particular slip up in language. "I think is another that worries both you two. Someone else....." He continued to peer into Kurama's face. Kurama shifted uneasily.
It had been a long shot. A guess only, but the Friar had guessed right; he saw that now by the way the red-hair shifted uneasily in his seat on the floor.
"I do realize Hiei cares for me. I also know he would never openly admit it, to anyone." Kurama looked sternly at the Friar, hoping he would get the message. He did.
"Ah, no words shall be said outside of now. Is sacred, talks of self."
Kurama nodded at this. "Well," he said lightly, "if that is all, I should return to my ....dragonfly..." He smiled, nodded at the both of them, Dude prying the mop bucket off in time to see it and return it, the Friar watching pensively. Kurama turned and walked out, heading towards his home where he knew a certain fire demon was almost certainly eating all his sweet snow.
======================================================
Kurama arrived home and went up to his room after ascertaining that Hiei was not devouring his ice cream in the kitchen. Humming softly to himself, he walked into his bedroom, and stopped, surprised at the sight that greeted him. Hiei was sitting cross legged on his bed staring intently at a small rock with a hole in it that he had placed carefully on the Kurama's window sill so that the sun streamed through. Kurama slowly walked over and sat at his desk, watching Hiei carefully a few moments before deciding to speak."Hiei?" When he received no response, Kurama gave him one last odd look, before shrugging to himself and pulling out his school books and getting ready to work. An hour later Shiori called him down for dinner.
"Shuichi? Come on down for dinner, please."
"Yes, Mother, I'll be right down. I need to finish this math problem first."
"Alright, darling. Be down soon, before the rice goes cold."
"I will, mother."
"Kurama?"
Kurama looked over in surprise at Hiei, who seemed to have come out of his trance, and felt his pleased smile appear on his face.
"Hiei? Have you had a good meditating session?" he asked politely. Hiei glared.
"My neck hurts," he snapped waspishly before hopping down off of Kurama's bed. Stretching slowly, he glanced over at the kitsune. "How long was I sitting there?" he asked, voice carefully neutral. Kurama shrugged.
"At least a few hours, since I came home. Why were you, if I may ask."
Hiei shrugged. "The Friar said I should meditate on our love." He kept his face bland.
"Ah," Kurama said, glancing at Hiei a moment before looking over at the rock. He stood, walked over, and picked it up, turning it over. "I suppose, this represents...that?" he asked, looking back at Hiei. Hiei returned the look silently. "There's a hole in it!" Kurama said abruptly, almost indignant as he stared down at the rock.
"I told the Friar that," Hiei said dryly. "He said it was supposed to be there. Something about you and Youko." He shrugged, almost imperceptibly, and turned to the door. " Did I hear dinner?" Kurama nodded absently.
"Go ahead. Tell her you came over to help me work on a report for school and we lost track of time and I invited you to stay for dinner." Hiei nodded, well used to this standard lie, and turned to go. Kurama's voice stopped him at the door. "Hiei....you....why were you meditating on our love?" He turned to look at him, still playing with the stone in one hand absently, a look of vague confusion on his face.
"Don't be ridiculous, kitsune. I wasn't meditating. I was sitting there on your bed thinking how stupid it all was, and I fell asleep." His eyes were carefully mirrored, showing nothing. Kurama looked at him, surprised.
"You...fell asleep?" he asked incredulously. Hiei's eyes shifted away and his stance became slightly more defensive. Kurama continued to stare and then finally Hiei turned to glare viciously at him.
"What?" he asked, irritably. Kurama continued to stare a long moment before finally bursting out into laughter. Hiei's eyes widened at this as the figure before him slumped slowly to the floor, clutching his sides. He narrowed his eyes defensively. "Something you find funny, kitsune?" he snarled. Kurama looked up at the warning tone in the words, and attempted to stop.
"I'm sorry Hiei....I just...I thought...the Friar said something....I'm sorry." He stood up, grinning. "I apologize. I've been slightly worried since speaking with the Friar earlier today. You just relieved that feeling. I thank you." He smiled, seemingly at himself, and walked past Hiei out the door. Sensing the other had not moved, he turned. "I have your sweet snow," he said, remembering the original reason he had come home searching for Hiei. "It's in the freezer. If you behave politely during dinner, I'll let you have it." He smiled at the sullen look Hiei gave him as he stalked out and headed toward the dinner table.