10 Years of Waiting
by Kurohi Tatsaki
Day 3b - Ryu Namida; Botan's Joy, Kurohi's Pain
Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, never will, but I own Kurohi. This story is Yaoi! Male/Male relationshipsX2! Don't like it? Then leave and find something else to read. Oh, and me being a Tan Dragon means I can have a short temper, I love magic, I like treasure, I think humans are okay, and I have a strange fascination for fire and wind! Mmm... smokin'. Oh, and for black dragons? 'Humans... the other, other, other white meat!' Be very cautious with flames: My brother and best friend are Black Dragons, and they don't take things like flames as I do. They like acid flames, love to live in barren wastelands or swamps, and other dragons like me are neat playtoys! Eeep! I'm SOOOOO glad I never get on their bad sides... much. Well, with my best friend, it's completely avoidable, but my youngest brother, a Water Dragon, who loves to toy with guisers, annoys the hell outta her!
"speaking" thinking noise POV change beginning/ending of dreams flashback beginning/endings /Telepathic speech/ passing of time /strange voice/
Minor Kuwabara bashing by his own son, and brief nudity from Hiei ! It isn't that graphic, though if I made it a bit more graphic, I would have to up the rating... and some people's parents are eavesdroppers! (Like one of my friend's mom! Run away!) Not much fluffiness here, but you get to get a glimpse or two of why the little thing between Koenma and Kurohi happened.
Waa! I LOOOVE your reviews! starts walkin' around like Koenma, toddler form, then falls into a 5' pit of snow Feh. wipes off thin-framed glasses I hate glasses. They go up my face and almost off my ears whenever I put on headphones. grrr...
Does anyone want me to throw out some quote that a character says from the fic's chapter? And then maybe a few YYH song translations and the title it came from? How about this, I'll start doing it now, and tell me if it helps any for moods, or anything like that! Kay?
Rose Thorne - thanks for the info! I got the term 'hanyou' from the many, many YYH fanfics I read. Only a few came from FFN, and others came from various other sites. However, what I do know is, that Hiei is one-half fire demon, one-half koorime... but the term wouldn't be 'youko' because that's what Kurama is! (I have poker cards with Youko Kurama on a few! He looks sweet! ...As my brother would put it. As I would put it? Hooooottt...) And about that Yaoi/Yuri thing? I tend to go on what I observe in my area and most males are disgusted by yaoi, and I have a friend of mine (Male, but he's not my boyfriend) who has a Yuri doujinshi, and he doesn't seem to be particularly fond of my Yaoi doujinshis. (He never makes any real comment about them. However, he only saw one of the two that I own.) I do hope my comments haven't angered you, as to the fact that I hate making people angry unless it's for revennnge. Mwa hahahah! straight face You're not on my shit list, so, there's no revenge in store for anyone except for my brother. I think next chance I get, I'll shove some snow down his shirt or in his pants, if I can... and then I'll run screaming bloody murder as he chases me down into my room, then I'll slam my bedroom door in his face and lock it! Hahahahahahahahah!
Scarby - I am pleased to know that you liked the fight. I'm usually pretty horrible with fighting scenes unless I'm very interested, and I guess I was.
Keaira - In this chapter we see Yukina and Kuwabara's kids! I think Hiei's gonna be busy... especially with the son!
Siver-eyes Magician Girl - The way this is going, I'm not stopping soon! Mwahaha!
"Cram it, fox-boy! I'm just going easy on him! Pwah!" Kazuma Kuwabara
"Kurama! I don't wanna take a bath!" Hiei pouted slightly and glared at the fox. (A/N: I think I should make him do that more often!)
"Not to insult you," softly replied Kurama. "but right now you smell bad."
"Oh yeah!" he demanded in almost a loud voice. "Since when have you been sniffing me, fox!"
Kurama raised a slender eyebrow that mirrored the color and shade of his blood-red hair. "You KNOW how keen my sense of smell is. You haven't bathed in a while. At any rate, I'm having you go first because you need it more than I do." After a moment, he added, "You DO remember not to use the whole bottle, right? Because I have to go in right after you get done." The joke was apparent in his voice.
"Hmph, whatever," he answered. The last time Hiei took a bath, he used up ALL the bottles and THREE BARS of soap! "You can't make me!"
"You don't want to be seen by Yukina like that, right?"
"Hn. Fine, I'll go, then." With that, he entered the bathroom. He started up the water to a really high temperature and stripped down, revealing a nearly porcelain, compact torso and powerful legs that didn't quite appear that way. He dropped his ningen attire on the floor, and slipped into the shower. He yelped just a bit because of the slight cold. (A/N: After all, he IS a fire demon!) He tried cranking it up a few more notches, but it was as high as it could go. He cursed softly but soaped up anyway, stifling a wince as the soap penetrated part of the now shallow cut from the Rose Whip.
From outside, Kurama groaned. Hiei always used up all the hot water... (A/N: Like I do in the winter! ') Oh well, he could always delay some time before going in himself. He might as well make breakfast...
A few minutes later, the fire demon came downstairs, dressed in a fresh set of jeans and a baby blue short sleeved shirt with buttons down the front. He entered the kitchen and eyed the kitsune as he prepared breakfast, the scent of food already dragged him downstairs. He smelled of the peach shampoo he used in his hair. Everywhere else, he smelled very, very clean. His hair was down and dripping slightly of the hot water at the tips. The youko's hearing didn't fail him and he asked, "How much hot water's left?"
"Em, gomen, none," he said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.
The emerald-eyed beauty looked at the counter and fiercely resisted the urge to bang his head on the smooth surface.
Still the same old Hiei, at least, in that department.
"Hiei, you about done? It's almost time to get going!"
"Hn. Almost!" came the deep call from the bathroom. Kurama was already in his gray tux, one hand shoved in his pocket, and patiently awaiting Hiei to get the hell out!
"Since when have you taken this long to get dressed?" asked the fox.
"Since I grew my hair out!" came the smart-alecky reply. A moment later, the Jaganshi came out in the black tux. His hair was tied back in a freshly cut, thin white ward. He wore the blue Hirui-seki stone that Hina had given to him since his childhood as well as the one Yukina gave him. 1
Kurama gave him the thumbs up. "You look great, Hiei!"
The fire demon closed his eyes, a small smile playing on his face. "You're starting to act like Yusuke."
"Was that for better or worse?" he asked rhetorically, and not really waiting for an answer from the youkai that he would eventually supply, the youko grasped the doorknob and pulled it open. Once they were out of the house, they drove to the site of the wedding.
It was in one of the parks that Hiei and Kurama used to walk through. Everyone was there, and an orange-haired, red eyed girl bounded their way. Her long, dirty-red hair bounced on her shoulders. "Hi, Kura-ma!" she piped, practically bouncing around in her pretty white dress. "So glad you got here, Kurama! Everyone else's here! Who's he?"
"This is my best friend, Hiei," said Kurama with a charming smile.
She craned her neck to one side to better view the Jaganshi. She wondered why this boyish-man made Kurama so happy. She could feel the fox's ki bouncing around as she was. "Hi, Hiei!"
"Oi! Kurama! Hiei!" chirped Botan, coming their way. She looked very pretty in a white dress. "What a great surprise! Oh, I see you met little Hikina Kuwabara! Hikina, did you know Hiei is your Uncle?" 2
"He is? Wanna see my brother? He's playing with daddy." She giggled when she remembered what they were doing some yards away.
"Come on, Hiei. Let's see? I did say you would be introduced." He approached the playing duo. The child had turquoise hair and dark eyes. He caught a small ball that Kuwabara tossed to him, and threw it back with double vigor, knocking his daddy back a few inches. The man chuckled and threw it back. The second time he did this, it popped him one in the face, making him grunt and slap one hand on his nose.
Kurama laughed softly. "Kuwabara, I see your son has the same 'fight' you have against Yusuke."
"Cram it, fox-boy! I'm just going easy on him! Pwah!" The ball hit him in the face again, knocking him down flat on his ass with a thud.
"Kesumi, what are you doing to your daddy?"
The boy looked up at the woman and put his empty hands behind his back. "Nothin', mommy. Why?" he muttered, stifling a grin.
She led the eight-year-old toward the two demons. "Oniisan! Kurama-san! Kon'nichi wa!" She embraced her taller brother and he returned it. She pulled away and chirped, "This is Kesumi, oniisan. Kesumi, this is Uncle Hiei."
"Heh! Hi, Uncle Hiei!" the child greeted gruffly.
Hiei folded his arms across his chest, eyeing him thoughtfully.
The boy met the glare. Uncle Hiei seemed like an overly shy, arrogant jerk! What was so special about this guy? "Uncle Hiei, what're ya starin' at?"
"You. Why?" He's got my attitude... This is strange...
"You're givin' me the creeps!" complained the half-apparition. "C'mon, sis!"
He dragged her off. The girl grinned at Hiei, but looked back to her brother and started up bits of conversation.
"They're an armful. Kesumi takes the cake, though. Most say Hikina is a lot like me, and they say she's no trouble to watch at all," she chirped, but with a tired sigh.
"Yes, they're probably right," mused Kurama thoughtfully. His green gaze flicked to the Jaganshi's face. "Hiei, do you mind watching the kids for a moment?"
"Sure, I'll watch 'em," Hiei muttered, following the small, turquoise-haired child until he heard a voice above him.
"Yo! Let me help, Hiei-sama!"
Hiei looked up into the tree. A boy stood atop a branch, a grin on his face. He was bent down so he could see the male below him. "Kurohi?" asked Hiei.
He was still wearing the jeans and dragon shirt, which fluttered gently as he jumped down. He landed on one knee, then rose gracefully to his feet, tail lashing gently left and right. "Sorry I look so horrible; I have no suits." I spent all my money MONTHS ago, and I can never find a lasting job anywhere in all the three worlds. It's not that I'm incompetent, but I have to keep running for my life or training all the time.
He smiled. "I don't think they'll mind. You want to help me watch these brats?"
"The only 'brat' is the boy," he answered with a slight chuckle. "Besides, I already offered to help a moment ago."
"So I've noticed."
"Hey! Who's the brown-haired punk!" demanded the son of Kuwabara, standing in front of his shorter sister.
"Kesumi, I know you know me, so don't play stupid," growled Kurohi. "or you'll GO stupid and be no match to help yourself, let alone anyone else!"
The boy flinched and said, "Oh, I think I hear dad callin' me, bye!"
Like a shadow, Kurohi stood in front of the boy. His hands rested on both his biceps as he crossed his arms against his chest. "Hiei-sama and I will be watching you," he said slowly. "So don't try to pull anything, or one of us will know." He smirked, showing off his half-canines. "Just a little... reminder."
After a moment, Hiei asked, "So, what did you need to talk to Koenma about? Or, is it none of my business?" He noted that the pendant's gentle flashing grew irregular but then back to normal.
He was making the boy nervous or upset.
"Nothing in particular." His voice was slightly thick. It had been the latter option, Hiei noted.
The Jaganshi sighed and said carefully, "You don't have to say anything. But be warned: You have competition with Botan."
He blinked and looked away, finding the forest near them interesting to his watery blue eyes. "I'm... that obvious?"
"Only to me. Don't worry. Everyone else is blind to this, it seems."
All he did was nod once, now staring at the ground. No doubt, his mind was reflecting upon that god of hell. He thought of how that body flowed with movement, and how that voice caressed his mind so delightfully. His own body pulsed with the desire for the god, and he found himself whispering rather pitifully, "Please, tell no one."
"I won't," reassured the fire apparition. He noticed the pain, and decided to leave that wound alone for now. "Now, what do you say we keep an eye on Hikina and, more importantly, on Kesumi?"
"Sure..." he replied. He only needed to regain his composure. He had done a lot of thinking about the entire, painful exchange of words, and sometimes, started to wish that he hadn't even asked.
"Had... had it not been a dare, would you still have..." I pause and raise my stare to meet that beautiful gold one. "...kissed me?"
"No, of course not."
This cold reply hurts me so bad I fear heart failure. I close my eyes momentarily; feeling my heartbeat cease and come back up again with pain to boot. I look blankly out the window. "I see..." Waiting a moment, I stand up, shake my head and laugh softly. "You don't like me? I'm too much of a child?" Yes, that's probably what he thinks. Well, then he needs to look up some information about people like me!
"I didn't say that," he says, trying to soften the blow.
"In a sense, you did," I reply, spoken in so soft a tone, so soft a volume, I can easily hear my own heartbeat, half-vibrating and half-beating. Focusing my energy, my ki slowly flares around me, and I bask in the gentle, cold feeling it gives me. "I'm going."
"Where?" he asks curiously.
"I'll go anywhere but here," I reply, running a hand through a few strands of my hair.
"Then, come back to Reikai with me."
I snort softly. "Hn. Doshite? So you can tell me how not fit for a relationship I am? Sorry, but I'd prefer to swallow a thousand needles... though they don't taste as unique as you do." I just said that, and I know I probably stopped all chance of recovering his affections. This will hurt me later, but right now, I'm a little pissed.
But I don't care about how sad this will make me. I want to speak what I think, and I'm thinkin' an awful lot.
Just as a sick part of me predicts, he looks horrified, and I run, tears welling up in my eyes, but they don't fall. Who thought love was so painful?
I sometimes wish I had never loved at all, but now that I've tasted something so exquisite, I never want to forget what love feels like.
He looked at his old, digital watch, which he had attached to the belt buckle loop in his pants, and went elsewhere, a distant look in his eyes.
If today was a day of joy, why did he feel so miserable?
Baka, he answered himself. You love Koenma, that's why.
"Botan-chan, what do you think?" asked Keiko, looking behind her shoulder as the oar-rider applied some finishing touches to her dress.
"It looks GREAT! Just let me finish up here and we can start soon." Her grin widened. "You know, I think you're going to like how Yusuke looks while he waits for you."
The woman brown-eyed woman chuckled, turning back to the mirror. "I can imagine so."
"Yes, and I can agree. Hey, guess what?" she said eagerly.
"What?"
"Koenma-sama and I are engaged!"
"Wow! That's so great, Botan-chan! I can remember when Yusuke did the same... He was stumbling all over his words, then he fixed his face and put the words out plainly."
"I'll bet the look on his face was priceless!"
"Oh, it was! Atsuko-san was recording!" she chirped, giggling softly.
Botan's eyes bugged out. "I hope you let us see it!"
Keiko nodded. "Sure!"
A slight rustle from outside stopped them from talking. "Ladies, it's almost time," said a soft voice.
"Oh, okay Kurohi-san!" She finished up with the dress and left the small room after giving Keiko the thumbs up and words of encouragement.
She exited the room and her eyes locked with a pair of slightly bored blue eyes. She decided to give him the good news. Perhaps it would cheer him up! "Guess what, Kurohi-san?"
"I'm listening," was his only, absent-minded-sounding reply. His small mouth was set in a flat line.
"Koenma-sama and myself are engaged! Isn't that wonderful?"
He now looked very, very tired, and his mouth twitched downwards a little bit. "Oh, that's great, Botan-chan," he said with a weary and sad smile.
"Em? Kurohi-san, what's wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," he answered softly, but with strain. He turned away before she could glimpse the stone he wore around his neck and the tears in his eyes. It would end up giving him away for sure! "Just, be good to him, okay?" He could NOT believe he just said that! No wonder Hiei-sama said he had competition!
No wonder Koenma-sama said what he did. He was in love with Botan-chan.
He couldn't take it anymore! He needed to incinerate something.
He began to stride away as he heard the sound of a tear gem falling to the ground.
Like a blur, he left her. Looking on the ground, a small, dark violet gem pulsated with the rhythm of a strange beat in an eerie glow; a shade lighter than its real color. She bent down and picked it up, clasping it in her palm. Koenma-sama knows about this! I'll talk to him, then! She made her way through the trimmed grass, and saw Koenma talking to Atsuko on one of the benches.
Botan cleared her throat. "Ah! Koenma-chan?"
"Em?" He looked up, golden eyes sparkling in the sunlight. "Botan-chan? What is it?"
"I was talking to Kurohi-san for a bit," she began. "then he ran off and left this. What is it?"
Koenma took it into his thumb and forefinger. Almost immediately, he recognized the object. Oh...! "Kurohi-san... cried."
"Nani?"
"Kurohi-san said that he could cry gems just like Koorimes," he explained. "but he said he never cried, because there was nothing to cry about. Why would he now?"
In his hand, the pulsating of the gem sped up a great deal.
He was running like something worse than hell was chasing him.
"I don't know. He seemed pretty upset when I told him we were engaged."
Yes, that's it... His face seemed to give away his thoughts; his face twisted into a small frown behind his pacifier. Thankfully, the object hid that frown from view.
"So, what was it? You seem to know what's going on. Will you tell me?"
"A personal matter that should not be taken into account," he said, still staring at the object in question firmly. "Today is a day of joy, so that is how it should be."
The stone in question was rather unique. Rather than lie still, it still pulsated at the rate of its creator, even when separated from the master.
The quick pulsating still fascinated him. Partially human, mostly demon.
His eyes narrowed at it; he said nothing more. It was very warm, like blood-warm. His hand closed around it, and the flickering orb seemed to... flinch?
The deity of death didn't like this. Koenma had become rather closed off, lately. Especially when Kurohi came into the office a few months ago. Actually, Koenma had invited Kurohi for a bite to eat during lunch.
"YO! Koenma-sama!" A rather cheerful Kurohi had entered the room, eyes sparkling with his joy. The toddler looked up and was taken aback by the boy's openness. He hardly used this type of approach. The male leaned against the desk, using his hands to support his weight. "Eh, Koenma-sama, you almost done?"
He continued to stamp papers at a speedy rate. "Nearly. Can you wait a few moments longer?"
"Hai, I can wait," he said with a smile.
Some silence took the space when Koenma asked, looking up, "Must you remain there?"
"What, you don't like my presence?" replied the youkai, gaze still fixated upon the toddler.
"I said nothing of the sort," he replied quickly.
"Hn." His eyes readopted that look of passiveness he'd been carrying around with him, but the eyes still looked joyous. Moments later, the stamping stopped, and Koenma jumped off his chair. He placed his hands behind his back and said, "Well, shall we?"
Kurohi chuckled and smiled. "Yes, we shall. May I suggest we go to the Ningenkai and eat there? Some of the places have the best food!"
"Oh, really? Let's go, then!"
Koenma had returned in a better mood - and in teen form - in which he left.
"Had a good time?" asked Botan.
"The best!" exclaimed the teen, pacifier around his neck rather than in his mouth. "He even paid for a few rounds at the carnival that was in town! I really ought to invite him over more often when I get free time!"
"Oh, that's good to hear," softly replied the oar-rider.
He frowned at Botan's now uncertain look and slightly depressed tone. This wasn't right, she was supposed to be bubbly! "Something wrong, Botan?"
"No! No, not at all! Everything's fine!" she covered up.
He let it pass. Though Botan hearing how good Kurohi was day in and day out made her ears hurt and caused migraines. She did something about this - she took up all Koenma's spare time - and Kurohi's visits slowly dropped until he only came when called on duty. All his missions were solo, and the other Tantei didn't see him once.
The sparkle in his eye had died for the worst. He became cold, callous, and indifferent, in a sick combination of Hiei and Kurama. He always addressed Koenma with a cold façade and a monotonous voice instead of his usual, upbeat, "I Love The World" one.
Koenma-sama slowly became miserable as well until she spiced things up a bit around the office, garden, and during spare time with the god.
Maybe getting Koenma to love her wasn't such a good idea... At least, that's what her conscience thought, but at the time, she wasn't listening to its softly spoken words of truth.
And inside a forest, a tree burnt to ashes. The burner of that tree thought to himself, Never again, before the tattoo on his back spoke again. This time, he didn't resist its voice.
Why bother? He doesn't love me, so what else do I live for...? Nothing...
End Day 3's early afternoon.
1 Hina, Hiei's mom, cried a tear gem for Hiei when he was a baby, but during a fight he lost it a few years later. (Hence you don't see it during the first series, at least. That gem, supposedly, reminded him of his reason for being there, and probably why he fights, too.) Then, Yukina found it and gave it back, supposedly, telling him to help her find her brother. He took it and now carries it with him, but he still never told her (as far as I know. After all, the person who gave him the Jagan Eye made him promise never to tell Yukina that he's her brother. He never had any intention of telling her, anyway.) Also, I've heard that Yukina gave him one of her own at one time...
2 I made up the name 'Hikina' from Hiei's mother's name, (Hi)na and Yu(kina)'s name. Don't ask about the brother. Just some odd thing that came to mind. Probably from the PSOne game, Suikoden.
This chapter took longer cuz I kept on getting booted off the computer! I hate having to share the computer with my brothers! Waa... I could just MURDER that dragon! Anyone ever heard of FFVII's JENOVA? Yeah, it's kinda like that... but you'll figure out what it's up to, sooner or later. Heheheh.
Hey, that's a cliffhanger, isn't it?
Started 3/20/03, Night; Finished 3/22/03, 11:45AM
Revisions: 10/11/03, 5/31/03