Disclaimer: I have no right to anyone or anything in the YYH World.
No Matter What
Chapter 11
Yusuke was sitting at the dinner table trying not to laugh as Keiko disciplined their youngest in the proper use of peas. Apparently they weren't supposed to be used as small squishy ammunition to be fired at your older brother across the table.
"I don't care if he made a face at you, you do not----"
Keiko's head suddenly whirled to the left and she glared at their oldest.
"I saw that! Go to your room right now!"
"But, mom----"
"I don't care. Go."
"But I'm not done e----"
"You will get no other warning, young man."
Everyone in the Urameshi household had learned, some faster than others, that you do not argue with Keiko. It was safe to question her once, but after that you would be taking your safety into your own hands. He noted his son was wise enough to back off his argument when Keiko's voice went quiet and calm. That was the red flag right there. If the fiery woman's voice dropped from yelling to calm, it was best to do as she said.
Yusuke met his son's sorrowful eyes and his head nodded imperceptivity as the young man bypassed him, ensuring he would be bringing some contraband food to his room later. His daughter passed him on the other side looking rather triumphant as she made her way to her room as well. Then he turned his attention to Keiko who was now giving him the same glare his son received only moments ago. Crap. Did she see me? Am I busted?
"What?"
He asked as innocently as possible and then took a bite of his steak. Keiko sighed and her expression changed from anger to exasperation as she shook her head.
"What?"
"Would it kill you to discipline your children? I hate being the bad guy all the time."
"But, Keiko, I didn't even see----"
"But I did and you should back me up. I saw you. You wanted to bust out laughing."
Yusuke smirked and then quickly bowed his head to move the food around on his plate to avoid Keiko's piercing eyes which had returned with a vengeance. He didn't want to argue tonight. Or any night for that matter, but especially not tonight. He'd been feeling a little down lately, not being able to see Hiei in over a month and that usually meant that he developed an apathetic attitude around those around him and was prone to saying whatever was on his mind. C'mon, Yusuke, just be smart about this……
"I'm sorry, Keiko, you're right. I guess Grandma didn't completely squash that punk in me after all, huh?"
He looked up and offered a sheepish grin which had the desired effect of softening Keiko's features and even earning him the smallest of smiles.
"I guess not. But then again, I fell in love with that punk."
"You're so gullible."
Keiko chuckled as she took a sip from her glass.
"Botan's been telling me that for years."
The couple smiled at each other from their respective ends of the dinner table, and just as Keiko began to make her way to Yusuke, who had pushed his chair back in preparation of pulling his wife down to sit on his lap, a sudden sensation washed through him and his entire body flushed.
Keiko frowned and reached a hand out to Yusuke's forehead.
"Yusuke? Is something wrong? You suddenly look….you're burning up!"
Yusuke shook his head and stood up, walking past Keiko and into the small bathroom off the living room, splashing cold water on his face.
"Yusuke? What's wrong?"
Yusuke dried off his face and turned to see Keiko standing in the small doorway, looking concerned.
"Nothing's really wrong, Keiko. I'm fine. It's Puu that's not too happy right now."
"Puu?"
"Yeah." He turned off the light and they walked back out to the dinner table and Yusuke sat down and continued eating. "He seems sad. And he must be feeling pretty bad if he sent a message like that. Poor guy."
"Well, aren't you going to go see him?"
"Of course. Maybe I'll head up there in a few days."
Yusuke shrugged as if nothing were truly wrong and chewed the food in his mouth waiting for the response he knew was coming. He knew Keiko would not allow him to let Puu suffer, even for a second, and that's what he was counting on. The giant phoenix had indeed contacted him, but it was delivering a message from Hiei. A very strong, very lustful message from the feel of things. Yusuke suppressed his smile this time. He must really miss me.
"Yusuke, how could you be so heartless? Puu is a part of you and if he's feeling that bad you should go to him."
"I will, Keiko, jeez."
"Now, Yusuke."
He blinked amber eyes at his wife who was standing there with hands on her hips, indicating there was no room for arguments. On the outside Yusuke looked a bit stunned at her insistence that he leave for the temple immediately, but on the inside he could already feel his body tingling in anticipation of seeing Hiei.
"Alright, fine. Can I at least finish my dinner first? I mean, I wasn't the one flicking peas across the table."
"Of course."
Keiko smiled at her husband and kissed him on the cheek before going back to sit in her chair to finish her own dinner, satisfied she'd convinced him to do the right thing.
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Hiei had been surprised to see Yusuke appear so quickly at the temple but he wasn't about to question his good luck and he immediately tackled the toushin to the ground as soon as he entered the den of his avian counterpart. After several minutes of kissing and groping, Yusuke managed to free his mouth from Hiei's and smile up at the fire demon.
"I missed you too."
His heart skipped a beat at the fanged smile. It was cunning and predatory…..feral. Hiei didn't get like this too often and Yusuke still had no idea what caused it. Fire demons didn't have any sort of biological mating season and it wasn't dictated by the amount of time they spent apart. But when he did, it usually meant that their time together would leave them both scratched and bruised. Maybe I'll ask him one day. But then again, I don't care. I'll take whatever he gives me and return it tenfold.
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Yusuke lay on the futon, exhausted, sore, satisfied and warm. Very warm. His blanket was a naked fire demon who had collapsed on him about an hour ago and fallen asleep murmuring something about nosy birds and plucking eyes. After their initial reunion in Puu's den, the pair had graduated to the temple where they proceeded to a room below the main floor and on the far end of the temple, away from any of its current occupants.
With the temple now acting as a sanctuary for demons, there always seemed to be new faces mixed with the old. Several demons had taken up residence in the temple seeking shelter from humans and just wanting a quiet life. They maintained the temple and grounds and helped those who sought temporary respite at the temple.
Because of this, no one ever questioned Hiei's or Yusuke's sporadic appearances or really gave them any notice. The temple was for those seeking a place away from the prying eyes of the world.
Yusuke's eyes roamed over the darkened room as he absently brushed back damp ebony strands that had fallen down to cover Hiei's face. He wasn't worried about waking up the fire demon. He had confessed once that the only time he truly slept peacefully was in Yusuke's arms, knowing he was safe in his lover's embrace.
The room was rather large with a futon, several large trunks which had thick ancient locks on them, a small desk and chair with an oil lamp resting on top, and a chest of drawers. Yusuke had claimed this room on his first visit to the temple shortly after Genkai's death. He wanted his own space, away from everyone else and it had proven to be invaluable as a place for him and Hiei to hide away upon occasion.
The time they spent together was always cherished, whether it was an afternoon spent in a hotel, or wandering some far off city that Hiei whisked them away to, or a brief, lustful encounter in an alleyway. It didn't matter how they spent the time together, so long as they could be near each other, touching, talking, or merely holding each other in a loving embrace.
But no matter how his time was spent with Hiei, Yusuke still felt pangs of guilt for betraying Keiko. At first it was almost debilitating and he would buy Keiko extravagant gifts or take her away for extended weekends. But through the years his guilt had dulled and even though he still tried to make up for his indiscretions, his efforts had become less grand.
In a moment of moral turmoil, Yusuke had tried giving up his affair with Hiei. For nine months and seven days Yusuke managed to stay away from Hiei and tried to improve his marriage. His emotional relationship with Keiko hadn't suffered, but the physical one most certainly had. Whereas his desire and passion for Hiei still burned after all these years, the spark he and Keiko shared had waned a long time ago. He knew it was his fault and so he had tried to make amends. But no amount of romance, or lustful attempts seemed to work.
In the end, Yusuke had become so depressed Keiko had asked him to see a psychiatrist. Nodding in defeat, Yusuke assented to his wife's concerned request and sought his salvation in the form of a black-haired fire demon whose heat mended all wounds and made him feel whole and alive again.
I'm certain there's already a reservation for me in a special level of Hell.
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Hiei settled down on top of Yusuke, taking advantage of the rare moment to indulge in some peaceful sleep. Only when he was with Yusuke did he ever sleep the sleep of the innocent. Being with Yusuke always gave him a sense of calm and security even as his body burned for the toushin. And as he closed his eyes and let his body and mind relax, focusing on the strong steady beat of Yusuke's heart, he thought of their relationship and what it had done to him.
After all these years he never once considered asking Yusuke to leave Keiko and his children behind. He understood that they were a part of who he was and separating him from them would slowly kill him. He also knew that the same went for him. Only once had Yusuke tried to live a happy normal life in the Ningenkai with his family, completely giving up their relationship.
As much as he hated to admit the reality of the situation, Keiko had first claim to Yusuke and Hiei was, for lack of a better term, his mistress. So he had swallowed the pain and just nodded wordlessly to Yusuke's decision and returned to the Makai to begin the arduous task of hardening his heart against Yusuke. But Yusuke didn't even last a year before sending a summons sphere to which Hiei responded immediately, throwing his pride aside and arriving in the Ningenkai within hours of receiving Yusuke's plea to see him as soon as possible.
He still smiled whenever he thought of Yusuke's reaction upon opening the door and seeing Hiei standing there. In a reckless moment he threw himself at Hiei, wrapping his arms around the fire demon's neck and smashing their lips together, all while standing in the doorway of his family's house.
In all the years he and Yusuke had been secretly meeting, not once did Hiei feel guilty. He knew Yusuke tried to alleviate his guilt by buying Keiko things or taking his family on trips, but Hiei had no such inclinations. He had no guilt from lying to the people in his life. In his mind, this was none of their business. What little of Yusuke he was allowed to possess would remain his and only his.
I never thought I would be capable of loving a creature so much that I would tolerate such a lowly position. But I guess I'm just as weak as all those I've pitied through the years.
To be continued……