Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho they belong to the creator and such.
Summary: Pick up after Atsumaru: Just when the team thought they could move on and live normal lives, Koenma and fate brings them back together to help King Enki in the Makai.
Rated: M
Life goes on…or so you thought
Chapter 1: Predicaments…
"Hiei!" The red head gasped through panted breath. Finding himself in a predicament he never thought he would find himself in.
It had all started that morning when Hiei came back to Kurama's apartment after running an errand for Mukuro. The fire demon was not in a good mood upon his return and didn't seem to want to talk about it.
The fox knew what would help his little moody demon and since it was barely noon, he asked Hiei if he would like to go sparring on the temple grounds, which is where he found himself in his predicament.
He would be the first to admit that life was at a stand still. As he and Hiei began sparring, he thought back to the past year. After Hiei had surprised him in coming back to the Ningenkai and professing his love for him, there had been that whole thing with Yomi, and to finish that off, the news that they were no longer needed by Koenma. After all that was said and done, they found themselves in a same old, same old routine because there was no action. Kurama still worked for his step-father, but still only part time after turning down the offer to take over the office, which his step-father told him he was more than ready. Hiei still came and went with his routine of running every time Mukuro called, but his border patrol job had ended. The red head wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, for the fire demon was bored, which led to many days alone in the apartment while he was at work. He had tried to tell the fire demon to go out and see Yusuke and Keiko at their restaurant, but Hiei said he didn't want to disturb them. Just a month ago Yusuke had announced their engagement. The wedding was set for the last Saturday in June, which was now only two weeks away. Kurama was to be a groom, Kuwabara was best-man and Hiei had turned down the request to be the other groom, saying he would not be in the 'stupid ningen' thing. Though Kurama knew he would at least be there, if only in the shadows. He wondered if Hiei had heard that Kuwabara was going to propose to Yukina at the reception.
"Are you ready to tell me what is bothering you?" Kurama asked, flicking his right wrist, which held the rose-whip, towards the fire demon.
"NO!" Hiei cried in answer, while easily avoiding the whip and coming in with his counter move.
Kurama barely missed the blade coming at his head, seeing a few pieces of red hair fall as the blade swept past. Realizing the demon was serious in his sparring and not wanting to make the mistake that would cost him said head, literally, he shut up and put everything he had into retaliating.
Kurama didn't use the forest around him for several reasons. One being, Hiei never seem to like the fact that he could almost always win by just calling the living material out of the blue and wrapping him, thus ending the sparring before it even started, frustrating the hell out of Hiei, leading to him leaving. And second, he liked being able to sharpen his wits by not relying on the foliage, letting him build his fighting skills outside of that.
Sometime during all the running, dodging and near misses, on both sides, Kurama got rid of the rose-whip and replaced it with his grass-sword. He had made it longer than usual to match the length of Hiei's katana and had wrapped it with a thicker vine, making it a little sturdier.
Hiei was on the offense now, leaving the red head no choice but to go on the defense. The fox managed to block blow for blow, only having enough time in between to re-grow the grass and vines that broke from the forcefulness of the katana. The fire demon's speed kept getting faster and faster until green eyes could barely see him. With sweat rolling down his back and dripping in his eyes, Kurama kept defending until he lost control of his stability and fell over a large rock on the ground, landing with a thud on his back. For some reason, the red head had the instinct to throw his grass-sword up, just in time to block the katana at the junction where his neck met his shoulder. The force of the blade made all but a few pieces of grass and vines snap and he closed his eyes in waiting for the sharp blade to cut his tender flesh, thus getting him into his predicament.
He'd not realized he'd cried out until the blade was gone and he opened his eyes to see crimson ones staring at him in disgust.
"You call that a workout, you're getting weak." Hiei spat, even though he was breathing heavy and had sweat running down his body, his blue tank top unable to hold anymore of the liquid.
Kurama stood and took deep quiet breaths, remaining calm as he turned his grass-sword back to seeds and placed them in his hair. He removed his shirt, tossing it to the side and reached again in his hair bringing out a rose.
"Do you wish to continue?" He asked, taking a defensive stance, his eyes and voice showing indifference to the remark made about his weakness.
"No." Was all he heard as the fire demon turned and blurred away.
Kurama sighed, placing the rose back in his hair before retrieving his shirt and walking to the temple.
When he made it to the top of the stairs, he felt a familiar presence and stepped in to see Yusuke sitting on the floor with his back against Puu, sipping tea. Across from the low round table in front of him sat Genkai.
"Hello Yusuke." The red head said, sliding the door closed behind him. When he made eye contact he could see a stunned, yet confused, maybe even a haunted look in the former tantei's eyes.
"Hey yourself." Yusuke said, sitting his cup on the table. Puu raised his head that had been on the raven haired's shoulder and made a puu sound in greeting.
"Hello to you too Puu and to you as well Genkai." Kurama said with a small smile on his lips.
"Huh." Genkai said, taking a big slurp a tea, thus her way of saying 'welcome.'
"Having a lover's spat?" The raven haired asked.
"What makes you say that Yusuke?" The red head said cocking his head. Wondering what it was about his looks that would make the raven haired say that.
Yusuke tapped the left side of his neck with two fingers in answer.
Kurama's hand slowly went to his own left side and his fingers came back sticky with blood. With the adrenalin coursing through his system and the slight fear of what Hiei had done, he'd not realized blood had been drawn, the smell finally hitting his nostrils.
"We were sparring and I slipped." Kurama said, which was the truth, but from the look on their faces, he knew they didn't quite believe him.
Deciding to shift the subject, Kurama asked his own question. "Well with the look on your face, I take it that you are not fairing much better with Keiko."
"Yeah…well…I might as well tell you, word will get out soon enough." Yusuke said, staring down at the floor while absently running a hand over Puu's neck.
"What is wrong Yusuke?" Kurama asked with concern, taking a seat next to his friend and hoping it was nothing serious.
"Keiko's pregnant."
Kurama knew his remark was going to hit a nerve, but he said it anyways. "Congratulations Yusuke but…isn't that something that happens during the honeymoon?"
"Shut up fox boy!" Yusuke stammered, turning to give the red head a glare. Kurama even felt a glare from Puu.
"I am sorry Yusuke, but is it not happy news?" He said softly in apology.
"I don't know." Yusuke started. "I mean, I want children, I just didn't think it would happen this soon." His hand went lazily back to rubbing Puu's neck.
"Were you using protection?" Kurama asked.
"YES!" Yusuke exclaimed sitting straight up to address the fox. "She's on birth control."
"I see." Kurama said. "It is not unheard of for a woman on birth control to get pregnant."
"Yeah, I know, I've heard of it happening, I just never thought it would happen to us." Yusuke sighed and fell back into his spirit-beast.
"Yusuke, if you two do not think you are ready, there are ways." Kurama said softly and broke eye contact. He didn't want to hit that nerve, but Yusuke didn't seem to mind the statement.
"Oh no…we're going to keep him. It's just her parents can't find out until after the wedding. She's only a week or so, so she won't be showing during the wedding and then we can say she got pregnant during the honeymoon." He said.
"I see." The red head said again in understanding. "You seem to have thought it out, yet you still seem to be worried." He added, looking back to the raven haired and seeing all the emotions on the young face.
Yusuke said in an almost dreading woe. "Ha…I'll be worried for the rest of my life." But he perked up when he said. "But yeah, there is something we've been thinking about and since you're here, I might as well ask."
"If it is possible Yusuke, I will do anything I can." Kurama told him, placing a hand on the boy's arm in comfort.
"Could you…?" Yusuke started, but then seem to be at a lost on how to continue.
The red head didn't say anything and waited patiently for him to continue.
"I talked to Keiko and she agreed that…well…will you be his god-father?" Yusuke finished and then turned his head away as if he was scared to hear an answer.
"Yusuke." Kurama said in a whispered gasp. "I would be honored." He said, squeezing the arm under his hand and waiting until the boy turned to look at him before adding. "I would be honored, really, but why me and not Kuwabara?"
"Well…like I said." Yusuke said with a shrug. "We talked about the possibility of the child having my…" He lowered his head, but then decided the walls and ceiling looked more interesting.
Kurama let a small smile come to his lips and placed his hands on either side of his friend's face, drawing full attention to him.
"I understand." The red head said. "You and Keiko are assuming the child will be male and that he will have inherited your demon traits. You feel that if I was in his life and he feels the need to talk to someone, when he feels he can not talk to his father, he will come to me, his god-father."
Relief washed over Yusuke's face and he sighed, bringing his hands up to cover the ones on his face.
Removing their hands, Yusuke asked. "How do you do that?"
"Do what Yusuke?" Green eyes blinked.
"Know exactly what I am thinking?" The raven haired smirked.
"It is a gift." The red head smiled.
"Yeah well, whatever it is, 'thank you'." Yusuke said, letting out a held breath that he didn't even know he was holding and slumped back into Puu. "We talked until late into the night and we decided that if he did get my traits, that you being half ningen also, you would be best to help him understand. Plus he would get to know Hiei and he could also help. I mean I trust Kuwabara and he will be in his life, it's just that I don't think he could handle the…I don't know…the 'development'…'changes'…whatever you call it. I mean you are old and wise and calm, patience and will live longer…" He went back to studying the floor lost in thought as he rambled.
"Thank you." Kurama said, putting an end to the thinking/rambling. "It would be my pleasure in helping him grow and nurture his abilities."
"Thank you." Yusuke said in general relief and reached over to hug the red head.
Kurama pulled back, placing a kiss to the raven haired's forehead.
They heard someone clear their throat and looked to see Koenma standing in the doorway. They also noticed that Genkai was not around, having left sometime during their talk.
"I hate to interrupt, but I'm afraid spirit world needs your help."
End Chapter 1
