"Obligation and Duty"

Chapter 22

.oO{Ohh... Rei... ^.^ anyways... I own Rei, Ishida, Kokai and this story.}

#Yukito drops in# You got anything good to eat? #he looks at Author pleadingly#

#Author grins# Yeah, I'm a better cook than Rei. Check the cupboard. I cut my hair like Sakura!! #Author cries# I can't believe I did it. #Author sniffles#

*****

Kurama stepped into the shower as Rei turned her back to him.

.oO{Oh gosh... This is too much! I'm mooning him, too!} Her face was still totally red and she felt him step towards her. To Rei's embarrassment, he pulled her back around towards him.

.oO{Why the hell am I acting like this!? I've already given him a blow job!} Rei growled to herself. For a second, the 'real' Kurama seemed to come back as he whispered, "Would you rather me not do this?"

Rei thought for a second, but her curiousity was getting the best of her. "Only if you'd rather not," she whispered back. Kurama seemed to be surprised that that was her answer but the surprise in his eyes was soon replaced with lust.

Kurama just held her there for a second, as if he was trying to figure out what he was going to do. Slowly, he bent his head towards her and gave her a kiss. Rei couldn't help but compare it to the other two boys' kisses. It was the softest, even though she had kissed Kurama before. He was always the softest.

He stopped kissing her as he had a 'passing thought'. He lightly pushed her to the shower floor and leaned over her.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Go for it," she answered.

***

Hiei was sitting in the living room when he started to hear the noises from the bathroom. A gasp here, a moan there.

"Disgusting," he growled to himself. "Where does Kurama get the idea he can do that?"

Without a second thought, Hiei opened the front door and decided to take a little run. The cold nipped at his cheeks and the wind whipped his black outfit about. His legs started moving, almost as if they knew where to go. He ran to an old building before he realized why he was coming here. It was the same place where he first met Yusuke and Rei.

Hiei growled at himself for letting his mind wander and he finally realized he wasn't alone.

"Hello, Hiei. What are you doing out here?" the voice asked.

"Kurama and Rei were getting gross. I needed a run. What's it to you?" he asked.

"Aww... don't be so mean, I just need you to give this video to Yusuke next time you see him," the voice answered and stepped into the light.

"Why don't you give it to him yourself, Botan?" he asked her.

She stuck out her lip in a pout, "Because I'm busy. And from what you said, so is Kurama. When he's done, tell him to come to Spirit World. Koenma-sama needs to talk to him."

"Hn." Hiei grabbed the VHS tape and stuck it between the folds of his cloak. He was about to walk out of the building when Botan asked, "How's Rei?"

"She's fine," he answered without turning around.

"Is she really, or is that what you want her to be?"

Hiei walked out of the building without answering her. He could wait a few days before giving Yusuke the tape, couldn't he? But, he had been entrusted with something. He couldn't just take his good old time.

"I guess that means tomorrow," Hiei said to himself as he turned off the path towards the shrine. .oO{They probably aren't done yet.} he thought with a grimace, remembering the sounds and what they made him feel. He silently cursed himself for not getting out of there sooner, but he was curious. He'd never seen or even heard Rei when she was having a good time.

A sharp gust of wind blew and Hiei clutched the video tape to his chest. .oO{Whatever was taped on there must be important.} he thought. Tomorrow, he would give it to Yusuke. Hiei looked up at one of the clock lamposts and figured he had a few hours before he had to get back to the shrine. If they weren't done, that was their fault. It was getting cold, and he silently wished he was in the shower...

***

Kuwabara and Yusuke decided to pay a little visit to the 'peeps at the shrine', as Kuwabara kept saying. He knocked on the door, but Yusuke, finding it open, just walked in.

"How can you do that?" Kuwabara asked, sitting on the couch next to Yusuke.

"I used to live here every once in a while. S'pecially when mom was out with her new friends."

Kurama came out of his room a second later as he was drying his hair.

"Oh, wow. How long have you guys been sitting there?" he asked, a droplet of water trickling down his nose.

"We got here barely a minute ago," Yusuke answered. Kurama seemed to sigh with relief; they hadn't been here when the action in the shower happened. Shaking his head a little so the water would stream to the ends for easier drying, he sat down. Turning to Yusuke, Kurama tried to figure out the easiest way to ask him, "Why are you here now?"

Yusuke seemed a little caught off-guard by the question, but quickly regained his composure, "Kuwabara wanted to come."

"Yes. But why are you here? I thought you didn't want to come until you thought some things through. Have you done that?"

"Yeah," was Yusuke's short reply. Rei had walked into the room and was staring at him wide-eyed. All the guys turned to see why Yusuke had stopped talking and Kurama motioned for her to sit with him. He was sitting in his usual chair, so she had to sit on his lap. Kuwabara whistled, "You guys are that close, huh?"

Rei rolled her eyes, "Nah, I just like foxes."

"You lucky dog," Yusuke grumbled under his breath.

"Not dog. Fox," Kurama corrected, winking at Yusuke.

Yusuke smiled and rolled his eyes, "Same kingdom."

Kurama whistled, "Wow, Yusuke. Have you actually been studying?"

"Eh, staying at Kuwabara's and seeing him studying kinda gets to ya. I figured I should do a little catching up because of all the months I missed," Yusuke stretched his arms behind his head.

Rei wasn't as nervous as she had been when she first walked into the room. Yusuke seemed almost the same as he had been when she first met him, but there was still something new. Power? Sorrow? Friends? Rei couldn't tell. She just sat there and listened to the guys' bantering with a contented smile.

Kuwabara seemed to look Rei over and he said, "She has nice legs," to Yusuke. Yusuke nodded, "Yeah, but they're a lot nicer when they open."

Rei gasped, "Oh my gosh! Yusuke!" She would've jumped up and smacked him if Kurama hadn't held her down. The guys all laughed at her embarrassment. .oO{Three words... Guys are Idiots. Why do I like them?} Rei thought with a sigh.

Kuwabara had to go home about 2 hours later, and Kurama wanted to go to sleep, so they left Yusuke and Rei alone in the living room. Rei instantly started blushing, hoping she wouldn't have to break the silence.

"How are you doing?" Yusuke asked.

"Eh, uh, what?" she stumbled. Yusuke smiled at her genuinely and patted the cushion on the couch beside him. Rei stood up and walked over to him. Sitting down she answered, "What do you want to know?"

"How it happened. I mean, did you fall or something?" he asked, asking her why she lost the baby.

"I was hit," she started, and when Yusuke's eyes darkened, she went on, "Not by Hiei or Kurama. It was one of the bug guys. Me and Botan had been beating them up all day and when she left to talk to Koenma, I started walking home. He hopped out of nowhere and punched me in the stomach."

Yusuke nodded slowly, "I see. But you're alright, though. Right?"

Rei looked into his eyes and noticed for the first time that he wasn't mad at her for losing the baby. He was more afraid for her safety at the moment, "Yes. No internal bleeding or anything. I still feel terrible about it, though."

Yusuke put his arm around her shoulder and soothed, "This might sound funny coming from me, but I don't think we were meant to have a kid together yet. I mean, if that infested guy hadn't hit you, something else might have happened."

Rei could see the logic in that, but she still couldn't help but sniffle, "I thought you were mad at me. That's why you wouldn't come over."

Yusuke looked down at her. He finally noticed how helpless Rei really was. She only wanted to be loved. He pulled her close and whispered, "I was for a while, but then I got to thinkin'. I'm not mad anymore."

"But why didn't you come over?" she asked.

"Because, I didn't think we were ready to see each other that soon after all this. But when we met at the grocery, I figured it was about time I explained myself," he blushed.

Rei nodded against his chest, "What about Keiko?"

Yusuke blushed even more, but thankfully she couldn't see it.

"What about Keiko?" he asked.

"You were worried about her, weren't you?"

"How do you know that?"

"Botan said she was meeting her there. She never thought of inviting me to come see you when you were at Kuwabara's."

"Maybe I was a little worried..." he admitted.

Rei sighed, "Oh well. What time is it?"

Yusuke looked over at the clock on the wall and answered, "11:30."

"I need to be going to bed," Rei said as she stood up. Yusuke stood up and said, "Yeah, I need to get home."

There was an akward moment, and finally Yusuke moved. But it wasn't toward the door. He pressed his lips against Rei's and gave her a passionate kiss.

"Talk to you later," he said as he picked up his coat and walked to the door. Rei barely nodded and as soon as he closed the door she touched her fingers to her lips.

Letting out a quiet squeal, she went to her room to get into her pajamas.

She was dressed in her warm, blue, wool pajamas when she heard the front door open. She was sitting on the couch with a book and blanket when Hiei walked in.

"What are you doing up?" he asked. His face was all red and he looked cold. Rei hopped off the couch and pulled the blanket with her.

"You weren't back yet. I wanted to lock up," she said as she wrapped it around him, led him to the couch and made him sit down. He looked very confused by her good mood, but didn't protest. He was REALLY cold.

"I guess fire demons aren't as hot as you would always think," Rei said as she put another log on the small fire she had made in the fireplace. Hiei didn't answer her, but just watched. The only light in the room was from the fire. Rei didn't turn back around at not being answered; she wasn't expecting to be answered. She just straightened up and rubbed her arms as she stared at the fire. Hiei slowly got off the couch and walked up to her.

Standing a few centimeters behind her he asked, "Aren't you usually asleep by this time?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't sleep after Yusuke left."

Hiei backed off for a second, "Yusuke was here?"

"Yup."

Rei could tell that Hiei was thinking. She was starting to get seriously tired, though. And what did Hiei have to do with Yusuke?

.oO{Weird,} she thought. Rei rubbed her arms vigorously and said, "Well, I think I should go try to sleep now."

Hiei nodded, "G'night."

"Goodnight."

Rei had locked the door and gone to her bedroom, but she still couldn't sleep. She heard Hiei go into Kurama's room and wake him up. They talked for a few minutes, but Rei couldn't tell what they were saying because it was too quiet. A few minutes later, she heard the front door open then close. Her eyelids were getting heavy and barely a few minutes later, Rei was fast asleep.

***

The next morning, Rei was the only one in the house.

"Where are Kurama and Hiei?" she asked herself. She walked into the kitchen and found a note on the table: 'Rei, I had to go to Spirit World because Koenma wanted to talk to me. I'll be back soon. Just don't kill Hiei while I'm gone.'

It was Kurama's writing. .oO{Don't kill Hiei, huh? I'm not sure how hard that'll be...} Rei was getting so confused with her feelings. What did she feel for Yusuke? Kurama? or how about Hiei? what about Ishida?

Rei was startled that she even thought of Ishida, but she did consider him a friend. She wondered when she would get to see him again.

Rei poured herself a bowl of cereal as she thought. She hated cereal, but, when there's nothing else, that'll have to do. She was deep in thought when Hiei entered the room.

"Yo," she said through the crunchy cereal. He stopped for a second and raised his eyebrow.

"'Yo'," he said back. Rei rolled her eyes as she swallowed.

"I take it you know Kurama isn't here," he asked as he grabbed an apple out of the fridge.

"Yeah. Why not?" she asked.

"He had to go to Spirit World. I don't know why."

That stopped Rei from asking any more questions. She had a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach. She finished her cereal and stood up, looking at the clock as she did so. It was lunch time, really, so Rei thought she should just walk around town for a while.

"I'm going out. You can come if you want," she said to Hiei as she grabbed her jacket. He didn't bother moving, so Rei just walked out the door. She walked around aimlessly until about 3 o'clock until she ran into Botan, Yusuke and Kuwabara.

"Hey you guys. What's up?"

Yusuke looked at Botan, who just shrugged, "We're going to watch a movie."

Rei could tell he wasn't telling her everything, but she still asked, "Could I come? I'm seriously bored."

"Sure," Yusuke said. She followed the other three to Kuwabara's house and they went up to his room. Rei was introduced to Shizuru barely a second before Yusuke pulled her along.

"Botan! What exactly did you tell Keiko?" Yusuke asked when they had sat down.

"Ehhh... I couldn't tell her everything! Your mission is a secret pretty much!" she shot back.

"But she thinks I was lying to her."

"Hey! Stop fighting. Aren't we going to watch the movie?" Kuwabara stopped them. Botan stuck her tongue out at Yusuke until he turned back to her.

"Besides, I agree with Botan. The more she knows the more trouble she could get into," Kuwabara went on.

"Thanks Kuwa-chan," Botan smiled.

"I'm always on your side, Botan," Kuwabara reassured. Rei rolled her eyes to Yusuke who tried not to laugh with her.

"Just push play already!" Yusuke commanded. Kuwabara did and they watched the opening 'credits'.

"He must not have enough to do," Yusuke muttered and Kuwabara nodded. Koenma came onto the screen and Kuwabara asked, "That's the high-ranking official? That little brat?"

"He said the same thing I did when I first met Koenma," Yusuke muttered. Botan looked a little chagrined, "Don't say that around him. He's sensitive."

Koenma explained to them that the video could only be watched by people with very high Spirit Awareness. Rei heard the door open just a few seconds before that and guess it must be Shizuru. Koenma then went on the explain that an ice apparition by the name of Yukina was being held captive for her tears. It seemed that ice apparitions tears turned into gems that sold very high on the black market. He showed a picture Yukina and explained about her living conditions.

Kuwabara jumped up. He looked very odd, and Yusuke asked, "Kuwabara?"

"I'm in love..." Kuwabara managed to sigh and said, "I've got to go save her!"

"What? I thought you weren't going to have anything to do with Spirit World again," Yusuke smirked.

Kuwabara got in his face, "I can't trust you to do something like this. Sister!" he called.

"What?" They all turned to see Shizuru standing there. "Hey sis, can you give me some money?" he asked.

"Whatever," she said, pulling out her wallet. She threw it to him and he ran downstairs.

"Does he even know where it's at?" Botan asked.

"Don't worry, he'll figure it out and come back in a few hours. In the meanwhile, let's watch that movie again."

Botan and Rei looked at each other and nervously smiled.

"Sure..."