Disclaimer: the usual. I only claim ownership over the plot.
A/N: So far so good, yes? I sure hope so, it's kind of growing on me.
Comforting Heat
Chapter 2
Kuwabara sat on the bench with Yukina, enjoying the closeness of the Koorime and the sweet smell of all the flowers in her garden. "Um, Yukina?"
"Yes Kazuma?"
"I was, uh, wondering if you would…." He'd fought big powerful scary demons and almost lost his life on several occasions, but he couldn't ever remember being this nervous. "…If you would like to….to go out with me sometime."
Kuwabara's face was blood red and he was sweating as if he'd just sprinted several miles. Yukina thought it was the sweetest thing she'd ever seen. She smoothed invisible wrinkles in her kimono and cleared her throat.
"I would like that very much Kazuma."
"Really!"
Yukina giggled as the enthusiastic redhead clasped both her hands in his and rambled on about the places they could go and how much fun they would have.
"Please stop touching my sister you filthy ningen."
Kuwabara froze as the deep voice fell upon them from above.
"Hiei! That wasn't very nice."
The black clad fire demon appeared in a blur of black before them.
"What? I said 'please'."
Yukina tried to glare at her brother but she failed miserably. For some reason, whenever she looked into her twin's matching crimson eyes, she just wanted to smile.
"Kazuma just asked me out on a date. Isn't that sweet?"
Kuwabara slowly turned to see Hiei staring at him. Why isn't he threatening my life right now? He doesn't even look angry. "Uh, I hope that's ok with you Hiei. I would have asked your permission first but no one can ever find you so I just asked Yukina directly."
"Yukina knows what she wants and I will not stand in her way. Unless you force me to. Understand?"
"Yeah, I think so. Thanks Hiei."
Kuwabara visibly relaxed and let his iron grip on Yukina's hands loosen. He gave her an apologetic grin and she just giggled.
"So what brings you to the temple Hiei?"
"I thought Yusuke might be here."
"No, I'm sorry. He hasn't been by the temple in a week."
"He's probably still at home. When I called this morning I woke him up and he just mumbled something about wanting to sleep. He had a bad feeling about his mom last night. Probably found her passed out again or had to walk her home from some bar."
Hiei didn't wait for any further explanation. He didn't care. He disappeared in a blur of black and headed for Yusuke's house. He didn't care how late of a night the former Tantei had. He'd missed their appointed meeting and there was going to be hell to pay.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
When Hiei arrived at Yusuke's house it was still quiet. He walked around to the window he knew to be Yusuke's and jumped up to stand on the thin sill. He peered in but didn't see Yusuke. He went around to all the windows until he finally found him. He was lying in another's bed, an empty bottle of liquor tightly clasped to his chest.
The fool is passed out drunk! Hiei frowned at the pathetic sight. He'd seen Yusuke drink enough demon liquor to kill an entire herd of elephants and still play a decent game of darts. Something else had to be wrong. Hiei wrapped on the window several times but Yusuke didn't even flinch so he just went around to the back door and 'let himself in'.
Hiei made his way back to the bedroom and showed no mercy or caring in waking Yusuke. He threw a large bowl of cold water on him and smirked as the half demon woke up choking and disoriented.
"Hello Yusuke. Lovely afternoon, don't you think?"
Yusuke sat there coughing out the bit of water in his lungs and then just stared straight ahead. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and hollow.
"Go away Hiei. I'm not in the mood to kick your ass right now."
"Correction. You're in no shape to kick my ass right now."
"Right. Just go away."
Hiei frowned and wondered what was wrong with his friend. He'd expected Yusuke to wake up and start screaming at him, not sit there like a zombie. He remembered what Kuwabara had said and took a stab at his problem.
"Is it your mother?"
Yusuke turned towards him and the fire demon's eyes went wide in shock. The once warm and sparkling brown eyes of the toushin were empty, lifeless and bloodshot. They stared at each other for several silent minutes and finally Yusuke just hung his head again, the effort too much for him.
Hiei wasn't very good at comforting people. Even after years around Kurama and Yukina, he still tended to be a little too gruff. But this was Yusuke. He wasn't exactly Mr. Sensitive either. The fire demon left the room to return with a glass of water and aspirin. Yusuke silently accepted them, drained the glass and handed it back.
Hiei sat down next to Yusuke and looked down at his own fidgeting hands. Kurama has done this to me so many times. What does he always start with? Oh yeah…
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Yusuke just shook his head 'no'.
"Are you physically hurt?"
Again, just a simple head shake.
Hiei was quickly running out of patience. And questios. He wasn't going to force Yusuke to talk. Whatever was going on was his own business and if he wanted help, he knew how to ask for it.
"Hiei?"
"Yes?"
"I need….would you come with me?"
"Where?"
"Mercy Hospital."
"Why?"
"I have to say goodbye to my mom."
Hiei's eyes were as wide as they could get without being round. So it was his mother that was the source of his trouble. But…was she dying, or was she already dead? What happened to her? Hiei shook his head a few times to clear it of the questions that had started to bombard his mind. It doesn't matter. He's asked for my help.
"Let's go."
Yusuke looked up, surprised at Hiei's answer.
"Really?"
"Of course." Hiei stood up and started walking out of the room. "Although I recommend you bathe first. You reek of alcohol Yusuke." He quirked an eyebrow at the bitter chuckle he heard behind him but paid it no more attention as he went into the bathroom to turn on the water.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Yusuke and Hiei walked to the hospital in silence. Hiei didn't care what Kurama and Yukina said, he was going to do things his way and let Yusuke handle his business and just be there in the background waiting. He'd perfected the art of blending into the shadows until needed. Not everyone needed to be handled with kid gloves and not everyone needed to pour their hearts out.
Hiei waited by the constantly opening main entrance doors, desperately trying to get as much fresh air as possible. The smells of the hospital were assaulting his sensitive nose and he felt like he would get sick. But I have to do this. He asked me to be here for him and I won't leave until he tells me to go away.
"C'mon. This way."
Hiei turned towards the hollow sounding voice and followed Yusuke into an elevator, down three levels and through several turns in the hallways until they came to a door that answered one of Hiei's questions. Morgue.
Yusuke placed a hand on the door and then paused. "You…you can wait out here if you want."
"Tell me what you want Yusuke. That's what I'll do."
Yusuke turned to look at the fire demon and was confused by what he saw. Hiei wasn't known for showing emotion. If anything, he let his actions speak for him. And right now, his actions were speaking volumes. He's being so great. But his eyes….there was something in those crimson eyes that he couldn't read.
Yusuke just nodded and Hiei knew what that meant. Please come with me. He'd known Yusuke long enough to be able to read his expressions and Yusuke could probably do the same with him. If I allow it, that is.
They entered the fluorescent drenched room and a small man in a white lab coat approached them, his voice thin and high, befitting his small stature. "You two shouldn't be in here. Get out now before I call security."
Yusuke placed a restraining hand on Hiei's shoulder before the short tempered fire demon could reach the mortician.
"I'm here to see Urameshi Atsuko. I'm her son."
The mortician looked Yusuke up and down and then nodded, silently walking over to a table in the corner. They followed him over to the covered body. He pulled the covering back to reveal Atsuko's head and shoulders. He bowed to Yusuke and left.
Yusuke swallowed hard as he reached a shaking hand out to touch his mother's shoulder. They'd never been very close. He couldn't ever really recall her being a normal mother. But she was still his mother and had, in her own way, provided for him as much as she could.
He let her hair run through his fingers and he thought how odd it was that her hair seemed almost black. She had brown hair, didn't she? Had she colored it since I saw her last? It had been a few days.
"She may not have been the best mother, but she was the only mother I had."
Hiei barely glanced at the dead woman on the table. She was not his concern. It was the young toushin with the big brown eyes that threatened to overflow with tears that concerned him. He didn't know what Yusuke wanted from him, but whatever it was he would give it freely.
"Yusuke?"
"I'm sorry Hiei." Yusuke turned and offered a weak smile. "I shouldn't have asked you to come in with me. You can leave if you want."
"I told you," Hiei stepped into Yusuke, his voice very low. "I am here for you. Whatever you need. But if you want me to leave, I will."
Yusuke was mesmerized by the low voice, the depthless crimson eyes and the close proximity of his friend. Since when did Hiei become so….caring? He knew his cheeks were flushed, but he wasn't sure of the exact cause. He knew it was the fire demon, but was it because of the heat he was radiating naturally, or the fact that Yusuke wanted to just lean into Hiei and rest his head on the black-clad chest?
"I…I don't want you to go."
Yusuke, without thinking, reached out and clasped Hiei's hand within his own. He saw the split second surprise in the crimson eyes as they widened for just that second, but Yusuke ignored it and turned back to his mother.
"I don't know why you left without saying goodbye first, but I'm pretty sure it was a lousy reason. If Koenma doesn't treat you right, you just let me know and I'll come kick his ass for you. Oh, and don't listen to Botan, she's sweet but a little overly dramatic."
Yusuke leaned down and kissed his mother on the forehead.
"Bye mom. See ya 'round."
He squeezed Hiei's hand just a little tighter then let go, walking out of the room that reeked of death. He looked behind him when he didn't feel the tell tale heat close to him and he saw Hiei bowing to his mother.
"Hiei?"
Crimson eyes locked onto his and Hiei slowly approached his confused friend.
"Although I didn't know her, I wanted to pay my respects. She was your mother and no matter what her lifestyle, that title demands honor."
He held Yusuke's gaze for a few more moments before walking out into the hallway. He had to get out of this damnable place before he puked up his entire insides. Being a harbinger of death didn't mean he liked the smell of it.
Yusuke stood glued to the floor. Hiei's words ran through his mind over and over again. Hiei….he's showing me a whole other side of himself. Is this what he's like with Yukina?I feel like…like I've been given a gift or something.
"Yusuke?"
Yusuke blinked out of his reverie and caught up with Hiei and they made their way back to the front entrance. Yusuke smiled and gave Hiei a little push.
"Go on. I know how much the smell bothers you. I really appreciate you coming down here with me Hiei. I can't tell you how much it meant."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. I have boring paperwork to handle here. Go back to Mukuro or wherever it is you go and I'll see you later, ok?"
Hiei didn't want to just leave Yusuke here like this. He knew the young man was still upset and just trying to be accommodating. But he just nodded and disappeared in a blur of black. Yusuke sighed and stared at the empty spot for a few moments, knowing he did the right thing in telling the fire demon to leave, but regretting having lost his comforting presence.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hiei remained with Yusuke for as long as he could. He waited outside the hospital and followed the former Tantei back to his home and camped out in a tree in the neighbor's yard to keep an eye on him. He seemed tired and Hiei was happy to see him go straight to bed. Mukuro was expecting him back soon, but Hiei really wanted to stay for Yusuke. But he knew Mukuro could not be put off.
How can I take care of him if I'm in the Makai?
An idea suddenly occurred to him and he raced through the ningen streets, not stopping until he reached a familiar perch outside a familiar apartment window. The lights were still on and he frowned. What is Kurama doing up so late? He flicked a few pieces of bark at the window and the redhead opened the window with a smile.
"Come in Hiei."
Hiei was past the young man and in the window in a blink of an eye. When he turned to address his friend, he found himself mere inches from sparkling green eyes.
"What brings you here so late?"
Kurama loved it when Hiei cam to visit. Despite his lack of conversational skills, Kurama found the fire demon's presence to be very comforting. Yoko on the other hand, enjoyed Hiei's visits for other reasons. The black bishounen was an irresistible target to the playful kitsune that lived within him. And although Kurama only wanted to be friends with Hiei, Yoko wanted to be much more. He knew the kitsune spirit that he shared a body with wasn't in love with Hiei. It was pure lust that drove him. Not that Kurama could blame him.
Hiei took a step back, wary that Yoko was in control at the moment. "I need to ask a favor."
"Really?" Kurama began to reach out to Hiei, wanting to feel the warm skin of the fire demon.
"Yusuke….his mother has died and---"
"What!"
Kurama suddenly shoved Yoko and his lustful thoughts aside and backed away, finding the edge of his chair before his legs gave way. "How did it happen? When?"
"I don't know how. Apparently yesterday. I took him to the hospital and he said it was ok to leave but I don't believe him. I have to get back to Mukuro and I was hoping you could stop by, keep an eye on him?"
"Of course. I'll stop by first thing in the morning."
Hiei just nodded and headed for the window.
"Hiei, wait."
He didn't bother to turn around. He was hoping that Yoko wasn't awake and wanting to play.
"You said you went to the hospital with Yusuke?"
"Yes."
"Did he ask you to go?"
"Yes." He was growing impatient. His usually short fuse was practically nonexistent at having to leave Yusuke when he didn't want to and now the kitsune was playing stupid? What the hell is Kurama trying to get at?
"And you left him, even though you didn't want to. And now you're asking me to watch over him while you're gone?"
Hiei whirled on the red-haired ningen, his crimson eyes blazing.
"Yes Kurama! Have you suddenly gone stupid! Should I go and ask Genkai instead!"
Wow, he's really sensitive tonight. I think he's developed a soft spot for the Detective.
Kurama smiled and nodded to acknowledge the comment within his head. "Yes, I agree."
Hiei's anger vanished when he realized what was going on. "You're talking to Yoko again, aren't you?"
"Yes, but never mind. Go run along to Mukuro and I'll take care of Yusuke. For you."
Hiei nodded, just wanting to get away. He didn't like it when Kurama let Yoko out. The damn kitsune was nothing but trouble and Hiei had warned Kurama time and again that he was playing with fire, allowing Yoko to come out. He'd suggested going to Genkai or even Koenma for help, but the arrogant, perfect-grades ningen side of Kurama was confident he could handle the kitsune spirit within. Hiei was beginning to wonder if the two personalities were starting to merge, with Yoko coming out on top. Damn fool.
A vulpine smile spread across Kurama's lips as he stood up and closed the window. "Who would have thought that Hiei would truly care for someone other than Yukina."
Still doesn't change things.
"Of course it does. There's no way he will give in to your carnal needs if he has feelings for Yusuke."
We'll see about that.
"Behave yourself. Besides, we have that lovely boy from the office to play with." Images of the feminine looking young man from his office sprang into view and Kurama felt himself blush. He really liked the young man and if things continued the way they were, he would like to introduce him to Yusuke and the others.
He is delightful. But there will never be anything that will compare with that fire demon. Trust me on this Kurama.
"How would Kurounue feel to hear you say such things? I thought he was----"
Silence!
Kurama clutched his head and sank to his knees as he cried out in pain.
You are to never mention his name!
The red haired ningen stayed on his knees waiting for the pain to subside. When the stars finally cleared his vision, he huffed out an affirmative to his alter ego's command as he crawled into bed. He knew that whenever Yoko attacked him like this, he would have an intense headache for hours so his paperwork would just have to wait until tomorrow.
To be continued…? Let me know.