Hi everyone!
So I know it's been a WHILE, but I've been SO busy!
I moved to Europe, I dislocated my knee, I have been traveling all over the UK, I just haven't had time for much updating on stories.
BTW this is NOT YOAI between Hiei and Yusuke, this is strictly friendship and family between Hiei and the rest of the group.
The next morning found the team dragging themselves out of bed, looking somewhat haggard in the early light. None had been able to sleep, and all had finally surrendered to the idea that it would be impossible, and so they have gathered around the breakfast table each looking at each other with blank stares.
Kuwabara heaved a yawn, gazing blearily around the table before his brow furrowed "Where's Yusuke?"
"Still asleep," Botan answered pouring a cup of coffee, her mouth stretching as she gave her own jaw cracking yawn "from the sounds of it, so is Hiei."
"That's still so weird," Kuwabara muttered before casting a glare to Genkai, though it lacked power due to the dark rings under the carrot top's eyes "why did you turn half pint into a kid, anyways?"
"I must admit, that question also puzzles me," Kurama echoed shoving a mug at Botan for his own cup of caffeinated gold.
Genkai sighed before launching into what she knew to be a complex explanation "Initially, demons do not have a lot of power as children, it tends to grow with them as they approach adulthood plus any training they do as a fighter, however it appears that Hiei was one of the few who were born with great power, but lost it somehow between then and now resulting in him having to build it back up."
"But that doesn't answer my question," Kuwabara grumped.
"I'm trying to explain idiot!" Genkai snapped before giving an aggravated huff "Honestly, you're as bad as Yusuke."
"Ok, ok," Kuwabara waved with one hand as his head slumped down to the table "please continue."
Botan and Genkai exchanged looks of bewildered amusement, seeing that Kuwabara was most definitely not a morning person, and Genkai allowed a smirk of amusement to light her features "As I was saying," she continued.
"The poisonous energies within an exorcist's weapon feed off Demon energy, the stronger you are, the quicker you die. So what I did was take his Demon energy, sealing it away deep within his body in such a way that only I can release it, but with that comes complications."
"What kind of complications?" Kurama murmured, sleepy green eyes staring across the table.
Genkai had paused to take a sip of tea, so Botan took a turn explaining, allowing the woman to catch her breath "Basically," the blue haired girl shrugged "Hiei's body is used to living with large amounts of energy, you saw what happened when it was depleted back at the Dark tournament, he immediately went into a small coma!"
"So, you turned him into a kid because his older body wouldn't be able to survive without the energy?" Kuwabara stated making Genkai nod in confirmation.
"That about sums it up," the old woman said "demon children have very little, if any at all, demonic energy. It's something they have to train and nurture, in this state Hiei has a better chance of surviving on little to no energy until the exorcist's poison has left his system."
"And how long will that take?" Kuwabara asked.
Botan shook her head "It takes a week for an adult demon to recover from a mere cut, but Hiei suffered being hit by an arrow, we may be looking at almost a month."
The carrot top sighed, before lifting his head off the table "That shouldn't be an issue I guess, I mean how hard can it be?"
Kurama pursed his lips, nodding thoughtfully "But it also means we have to keep both Hiei and Yusuke safe until he's better. Especially since that exorcist is still out there."
"Ugh," Kuwabara gave an agonized groan, his head sinking back down to the table "don't remind me."
"Regardless of our feelings on the situation," Genkai stated in a voice firm with authority "we'll need to stay on our toes and tighten security, each of us will keep an eye on Kurama, Yusuke, and Hiei plus ensuring that the exorcist doesn't get even a toe within a hundred feet of the shrine!"
Kurama and Kuwabara exchanged looks of sullen fatigue before cheering in less than enthused grumbles "…Right…"
…
Hiei's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he gave a small whine when his side gave a painful throb causing him to curl in on himself. Last night the boy named Yusuke had carried him into this room and proceeded to wrap bandages around his torso over a strange cut on his ribs. He felt that someone had used healing energy on him, making it smaller, but it still felt deep. Looking up and around to ensure the human boy was still asleep and no one else was in the room, the small child indulged in something he had kept a secret from even the bandits, he popped his thumb in his mouth and suck on it ardently.
Though it didn't make the throbbing go away, it at the very least soothed him enough to feel his eyes slowly sink shut, and he snuggled closer to the human relishing the comfort that he had never had the opportunity to enjoy. Yusuke's arms unconsciously tightened around him, and the teen gave a small sigh as he burrowed deeper into the blankets, surrounding them in a warm cocoon.
….
Some hours later, Botan, accompanied by Kurama and Kuwabara, snuck into the room to check on their smallest member only to stop and smile at the sight.
Yusuke held the child tightly against his chest, while Hiei had his thumb firmly in his mouth, both giving whispery snores that made those watching feel sleepy just from listening. Every so often the small demon would suck on his thumb, before falling back into the folds of sleep, and often snuggle his face into the teen boy's chest.
"I never knew Hiei was so cuddly as a kid," Botan giggled softly.
"He'd be cuddly now if he wasn't so antisocial," Kuwabara smirked.
"No kidding," Botan snickered "I think he knows he cute, and it gave him a complex."
Kurama shushed his friends, though his eyes twinkled with humor "You're going to wake them up."
"Too late,"
The sleepy voice drew their attention as a seemingly grumpy brown gaze smirked at them "Something ya need?"
"We just wanted to check on how Hiei was doing," Botan shrugged.
Yusuke looked down at his armful, Hiei curled against him deep in a peaceful sleep, and his eyes began to sink shut as the scene reminded him how tired he was "He looks fine, but you can check on him when we're both more awake. Hiei and I have been pulling nonstop all night patrols recently, and I think the fatigue caught up to him when he was turned to a kid."
The former detective gave a large yawn resting his head in a more comfortable position before closing his eyes, effectively dismissing his audience. Kurama smiled, shaking his head in amusement before jerking his head towards the door, motioning the group to follow him out of the room. Without speaking, all agreed to go back to sleep, and recover from the drama of the night before.
…..
"Yusuke, Yusuke wake up,"
The dark haired teen scrunched up his face, burying his face further into the pillow with a groan "Go away Keiko," he grumbled as he rolled over.
"No, don't go back to sleep!"
A small weight crawled over him, and proceeded to poke him on the cheek "Wake up," a childish voice intoned "wake up, wake up, wake up!"
Bleary brown eyes opened to see a miniaturized Hiei sitting in front of him, and the former detective shot up with a yelp "Hiei!"
The child reared back, his eyes wide and fearful as he scrambled away a few feet, and for a few moments demon and half breed regarded each other with quiet confusion.
Yusuke blinked the sleep from his eyes, one hand running through his black hair as he considered the child sitting in front of him, and all the memories from the night before came rushing back. Hiei taking an arrow meant for him, the agonized shrieks when they had pulled it from his body, and Genkai turning the fire demon into a child before he freaked out when he saw Yukina and Botan. Fatigue, the kind you couldn't sleep off, weighed on Yusuke's shoulders and he stretched out his arms.
"Come here little man," he smiled softly "I didn't mean to scare ya, you just surprised me is all."
Hiei slowly blinked at the teen before crawling across the floor and onto Yusuke's futon "Sorry,"
Yusuke smirked, an apology, who would have thought?
"No problem, I probably need to wake up anyway."
Hiei nodded when suddenly his stomach growled and the chubby cheeks turned as red as his eyes, as small hands covered his stomach in embarrassment. Yusuke paused for a moment, then flung his head back as he laughed uproariously "Come on Hiei, let's find some food."
The teen stood, and Hiei followed suit, but swayed on his feet when his fever caused him to feel dizzy. Yusuke caught the tottering child and picked him up, holding him close as they left the room in search of something to quell their hunger.
Wandering into the kitchen, Yusuke stopped short when he saw Yukina cooking at the stove, and quickly looked down at the child in his arms "Hiei, is it ok if I go in there?" he asked softly.
Hiei rested his head on Yusuke's shoulder, one small hand gripping his shirt hard enough to turn the knuckles pearly white "Yeah," he whispered back "just don't get close to her, ice maidens are evil."
Yusuke felt his brow furrow at the thought, knowing that Yukina was Hiei's sister, but what was it that made the child believe ice maiden's to be evil? Clutching the small boy against his chest, Yusuke wandered into the kitchen, careful to ensure reasonable distance between him and Yukina when he noticed how the small body tensed as they drew near.
"Oh, good morning," Yukina gave a small bow gracing them with her usual soft smile "how is Hiei-san feeling?"
"Why would you care?" Hiei pouted his brave façade betrayed by the way he clung to his newfound protector "Ice maidens don't care about anyone but themselves!"
"Hiei," Yusuke chided, wincing at the blatant hurt written across Yukina's features "that's not very nice, Yukina cares a lot about others, and has been living here with us for a long time."
The small demon's features screwed up in confusion before looking back at Yukina and to Yusuke, leaning forward so to whisper in the teen's ear "Are you sure she's safe?"
Yusuke blinked before snickering "Of course she's safe, and even if she wasn't, you've got me!"
Seemingly pacified, the boy nodded, and pointed at the kitchen "Can we get something to eat now?"
Yusuke merely grinned "Definitely!"
Hey! Sorry it's so short, but I'll give a longer update next time.
If you have any ideas or suggestions that you want to see in little Hiei, leave it in your review!
