Rowan wanted to write a Koenma/Yusuke one-shot, so this was born. She couldn't help it! She was inspired! The muses have been watching too much YYH lately…what can we say?
This story has no spoilers- completely AU!
Serenade
Chapter Two
The immortal came upon Yusuke as the boy was leaning over the ship's railing, trying to see the fish below.
"Better watch it or you might slip," he remarked, nearly causing the detective to fall into the water when he spoke from the darkness.
"Koenma!" Yusuke exclaimed, righting himself as he turned around. "Damn it, don't do that!"
"Sorry," he said, but Yusuke could tell he felt anything but. "So, Yusuke, what are you doing out in the middle of the night?"
"I could ask you the same thing," Yusuke replied with the old cliché, then frowned. "In fact, I will. What are you doing out here in the middle of the night Koenma? And in your adult form?"
Koenma glanced down at his now nearing six-foot body. "It's easy to trip over things when I'm small," he replied.
"Oh. But what are you doing out here anyway?"
Koenma walked towards Yusuke until he was standing beside him. "Couldn't sleep," he said as he leaned against the rail. "You?"
"Same." He did not go into the details of Kuwabara's illness. "Say Koenma? Why don't you use your grown up body more often?"
Koenma shrugged. "Takes up too much energy," he reasoned simply.
"Oh." Yusuke propped his back against the ship's rail, his face level with Koenma's studious one, his arms draped over the side. "Why can't you sleep?" he asked.
"Nightmares."
Pause. "Tell me?"
"Some other time."
"Okay." Yusuke stood. "Good night Koenma. Don't stay up too late." As Yusuke returned to his room, he scowled slightly. Why would Koenma lie to him? First, that thing about changing into adult form. Yusuke sensed the immortal's energy. Instead of the change sapping Koenma of his spirit energy, it was strengthening it. And Yusuke could tell that Koenma hadn't slept a wink- he was not awake because of nightmares. There was something else troubling him. What, Yusuke wasn't sure. He knew, though, that whatever it was bothering him would not go away in a day. Koenma would be wandering the ship the next night, and the night after, and the night after that. Yusuke intended to get the truth from him. He would be sure to stay awake.
And if Kuwabara's sea sickness continued, Yusuke was assured not to get a good night's sleep.
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"Koenma?" They were walking along the edge of the cruise liner's Olympic sized swimming pool, the moonlight dancing along the tiny ripples as they walked in silence.
"Yes Yusuke?" The immortal was once again in his adult form, something that both made Yusuke at ease and tense at the same time. If asked to explain, he would be incapable of giving a proper explanation as to why this was so. Something about the ruler's vulnerability reminded the detective of Hiei.
"Have you ever been in love?"
Koenma, who was watching the moon's path and her silent flirting with the water, glanced up inquisitively at his companion. "Excuse me?"
"Have you ever loved anyone?" Yusuke repeated.
"No." Yusuke looked over quickly, surprised by the sudden, abrupt response, causing Koenma to flush slightly. It was strange, to see his cheeks turn pink. "I mean…I'm not quite sure. I guess I did, a little bit. But that was a long time ago…we were…well, he was, quite young back then."
"'He'?" Yusuke repeated.
"Does that bother you?" Koenma asked defiantly.
Yusuke grinned reluctantly. "Apparently Kuwabara isn't the only one who doesn't know what happens with his teammates behind closed doors."
"What do you mean, Yusuke?" Koenma asked around his blue pacifier.
Yusuke stopped walking without warning and approached the side of the pool. Sitting by the edge, he rolled his pants legs up and removed his shoes and socks, dipping his tired feet in the cool water. Koenma stood beside him, watching the boy with adamant curiosity. "The first time I slept with a man was about a year ago. We were fighting- I was winning- and then he took off his shirt. Right after I kicked his ass, he…" Yusuke smirked. "Let's just say I submitted to him. First time I wasn't the pitcher, but then there's a first time for everything.
"I think his name was Tsume. We fucked a couple times after that, but they weren't exactly memorable encounters, just some cheap pleasure." Yusuke looked out across the still pool, and started kicking his feet up and down, creating tiny waves that disturbed the surface of the water. "Then Kurama came along one afternoon, wet and dripping from an unexpected thunderstorm. We had a few goes in the sack, but nothing special, though it was a lot of fun. It's not often I let someone get the better of me."
Koenma smirked at this. "Actually, I was vaguely aware of you and Kurama. Botan hinted at such."
Yusuke laughed softly. "Must have been the time we asked her to join us. We wanted to know what it would be like with a girl. She declined."
Koenma shook his head. His ears were red by now. "So after you and Kurama?" he asked, prompting Yusuke to finish his story.
Yusuke paused, hesitating before he continued his story. "Well, after Kurama, things…sex, everything, changed. I fell in love with Hiei." Yusuke blushed softly. "I guess it was his vulnerability I fell in love with really. He needed someone to take care of him. So I did."
"What went wrong?" Koenma queried, then turned his head abashedly the moment the words left his lips. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't pry."
Yusuke chuckled bitterly. "You probably shouldn't, but you don't feel sorry about wanting to know, do you?"
"No," Koenma admitted.
"It's okay. I forgive you. Now where was I again?" Yusuke flexed his big toes absently as he peered at the moon above them. "Oh, right. Hiei and me. Yeah, you could say something went wrong. Hiei got kinky and soon, I knew I was doing more harm than good to him."
"In what sense?"
Yusuke shrugged his shoulders and sighed heavily. "I was holding the demon inside Hiei back. Because I babied him," and here Yusuke smirked up at his companion, "I wasn't allowing the primal demon instincts to take over. Demons, I have found, can be quite horny, kinky little bastards in the bedroom. Hiei, it turned out, is no different. It just took him a while to realize that."
Koenma nodded absently, his eyes fixed on a point over the edge of the deck. Yusuke glanced down at his feet, moving them through the water playfully, creating tiny whirlpools with his toes. For a while, the only sounds were the chlorinated water lapping the sides of the pool and the ocean slapping against the ship. Neither spoke, Yusuke distracted by the ripples and Koenma seemingly frozen stiff standing.
Finally, Koenma sank next to the human and, taking his slippers off and setting them delicately beside him, slipped his own pale feet into the pool, his tiny toes shyly waving up at him. "Do you miss Hiei?" he finally whispered.
Yusuke shrugged faintly. "Sometimes, when my bed feels too big or my arms too empty. Sometimes it's not really Hiei I miss, just the warmth of another body next to mine. The comfort of knowing I'm not alone."
Koenma nodded. "Humans are very gregarious creatures, aren't they?"
"We don't like to be alone," Yusuke agreed. "What about you? Are you reticent or do you prefer company as well?"
Koenma sighed. "It depends on the company," he muttered softly.
Yusuke lifted his head and gazed closely at the immortal. "Koenma, have you ever loved anyone?" he asked once again.
"Yes."
Yusuke nodded. "Okay."
TBC…
Chapter Two is the shortest, but it's my favorite, because I love the dialogue in this part. Another thing I love are…reviews! hint, hint
Chapter Three is nearly finished, I just have one last scene to complete, so expect it (hopefully) by next week!