A Brother's Love : Delirium
A/N : I love your reviews! They fuel my soul and passion for writing! So thank you, all the readers who respond! So, here is the next installment to "A Brother's Love". Enjoy.
I
Kurama caught Botan before she hit the ground. He was horrified to see that her shirt was gone all together and her skirt, once long and flowing, was now short and ragged. He tried to move Botan to a place where Yukina would have an easy time healing her, but Kurama was met with resistance.
To the fox's astonishment, Hiei's fingers were clenched into a fist, a shred of cloth being crushed by his fingers. Kurama's green eyes softened at the sight. Maybe Hiei wasn't such a lost cause after all. He took the half Koorime's hand into his and eased his fingers off of the remains of Botan's skirt.
II
Yusuke felt the blood drain from his face when Hiei walked through the temple doors. He looked, well, he looked like crap. His bangs stuck to his forehead, which was covered in sweat. His breaths were coming in fast, shallow pants. Then he fell.
Hiei never relied on anyone for help. This was the only time he ever just passed out without giving some smart ass reason. Or some demand. Yusuke saw Kurama take Botan into Yukina's room. Yusuke felt his demon half want to tear apart Hiei for not protecting her, but he knew that Hiei did his best. He was, after all, Hiei.
Yusuke gathered up Hiei into his arms and shifted, trying to adjust to the Koorime's weight. Yusuke gritted his teeth. Shorty's got to go on a diet, man! But the detective knew that it was Hiei's muscle mass that made him heavy. Yusuke sucked in oxygen and brought Hiei to Genkai's room.
III
Kurama just outside the door to Yukina's room while the ice maiden healed Botan. His demon half was fuming. Botan was like his sister. If anyone hurt her, well, all hell would break loose and they would find themselves going home in several bags.
Kurama took a deep breath, calming himself. She's alive. Barely, but that's still something. The fox heard footsteps. Yusuke walked towards him.
"Genkai's healing Hiei. She said his leg muscles were close to being completely shot. Just what the heck did Hiei do to himself?"
Kurama frowned as the detective leaned against the opposite side of the door. The fox wove his fingers through his silky hair.
"To put it simply, Hiei sprinted to get Botan back here." Yusuke gave Kurama a what-the-hell-does-that-mean expression. "Well, Hiei went all out. He went faster than his body was supposed to. He might have broken a few laws of physics to get here."
Yusuke glanced over his shoulder, towards Genkai's room.
"I guess the shrimp does have a heart."
Kurama smiled and was about to verbalize the fact that he agreed when they heard a loud gasp followed by sobs.
IV
Blue. That was what Botan first saw when she woke up. Her mind and body were all reacting slowly. A dull ache throbbed within her. That was when everything crashed down on her. The demons taking her. Yukina. Torture. Pain. Tear gems. Hiei. Death.
Botan sat up like she had just been raised up from the dead, her back straight and arms out in front of her. Her chest expanded as she inhaled, a loud gasp filling the room. Botan didn't even realize that she was the one who gasped. Her pink eyes darted around the room. A small part of her knew that she was in Yukina's room. That she was safe. But that wasn't enough.
Botan almost started to scream when she saw Yukina. The little ice maiden looked at her, her expression full of love and care. Botan felt her lower lip tremble. There was no way for Yukina to escape the monstrous hug that Botan gave her. Botan sobbed helplessly as she tightened her arms around the ice demon.
Yukina patted Botan on the back, trying to do anything so she could be of assistance. When Botan tightened her hold on her, she didn't complain. Sure, it was getting harder to breathe, but Yukina didn't mind. Botan was hysterical. She kept on squeezing Yukina like she was making sure that she was still there.
V
Yusuke and Kurama had thought that Botan had died, but she was clutching onto Yukina with a death grip. Kurama and Yusuke were silent as they watched the depressing scene unfold. Botan never released the Koorime, and the fox could tell by the look on her face that it was getting to be a labor for her to breathe properly.
Kurama kneeled on the floor and gently touched Botan's shoulder. She flinched away from him. Kurama smiled sadly and put two hands on her shoulders.
"Botan, it's me, Kurama."
It seemed like hours before the ferry girl responded. She released Yukina reluctantly. She sniffed and tried to get her breathing under control. She felt warm arms encircle her. She just trembled in Kurama's embrace, not being able to return it. Yusuke felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight of the usually bright and cheery ferry girl in utter shambles.
VI
Botan dried her tears, or tried to with her sleeves, but found that she had none. She looked down and was shocked to see that she was in her under garments. She turned bright red and brought a blanket up to her chin, covering herself. She bowed her head, not wanting to look her friends in the eye.
"Sorry."
Yusuke didn't even comment on her lack of clothing. It wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, he was to preoccupied with Botan's well being. Botan was given a white nightgown, which she slipped on. She soon tied up her hair, still silent.
"Botan, what happened to you?"
VII
Kuwabara was now in the room as Yusuke asked the questions that was on everyone's minds. Botan looked at Yukina. She felt her eyes watering.
"Yukina, are you okay?"
Everyone shifted their attention to Yukina, who looked just as confused and startled as the next person. She nodded slowly. Botan sighed with relief and let fat tears roll down her cheeks.
"Botan, you had cuts everywhere. There where whip marks on your back. Who in the hell did this to you? Tell us and we can beat the living stuffing out of him!"
Kuwabara shouted, and was quickly subdued by Kurama and Yusuke. Botan felt the painful memories resurface. She closed her eyes. She had never been so terrified in her entire life.
"It was Tarukane. He thought I was of the Koorime race. He tortured me in order to get tear gems."
VIII
The outburst in Yukina's room was deafening. Yusuke let out a shout of rage. Kurama let out a low, throaty growl. Kuwabara nearly broke his own voice box.
"Tarukane? The creep that took Yukina?"
Botan saw Yukina's face become fragile as she nodded. Kurama had to restrain all rage that was flowing through his veins. Yusuke had Botan tell them what had been done to her. It got worse and worse. Yusuke made a choking sound when Botan got to the part about being whipped and sliced with swords.
"But, he's dead now. I let Hiei kill him." Botan's voice was cold as ice. Her eyes were half lidded. "I couldn't stop thinking about what he did to Yukina, what he had done to me. Hiei and Yukina had given him a chance, and he ruined it."
Botan trembled as she got to the last part. Yusuke took her into his arms, letting her rest his head on her shoulders. Soon, the ferry girl was asleep. Kurama turned to Yusuke as he lay Botan down on the mat.
"We should call Koenma."
IX
Hiei was in Tarukane's torture chamber. Everyone inside was dead. Hiei observed every lump of bloody flesh with uncaring eyes. Each and everyone of them deserved it. That was when he heard a soft cry in the corner.
Hiei moved quietly and saw his sister. Yukina looked at him with fear and distrust in her eyes. At first, Hiei was confused as to why, until he saw her stomach. Her kimono was blossoming with red where he stomach was. Hiei realized that he was holding his katana, and it had his sister's blood on it.
Hiei reached out, wanting to touch his sister. She flinched away from him, closing her eyes. Then, she relaxed, leaving the land of the living forever. Hiei felt his heart stop. He...killed Yukina? What?
Before he had time to cry out in anguish, the body slouched so its back was on the floor, it's face changing. Hiei felt his eyes widen when he saw the baka onna staring straight up at him with her eyes glazed over, unseeing. She was dead. Hiei had the scream building up in his throat.
"NO!"
Hiei jolted awake, his one arm reaching up, startling Genkai. The onna's name was on his lips, but he swallowed it. He saw the old woman staring at him, her eyes widened slightly.
"Where's the baka onna?"
X
A/N : Sorry to end the chapter so soon! I need to carry my ideas over to the next chapter. (I have issues, don't worry!) So, R&R. Just to let me know that you are all still alive and well. .