I know, I have no excuse for the amount of time I took to update this time, but to be honest writer's block is evil…
Hope you enjoy this latest installment!
Botan wandered into the shrine's dining area stretching her arms above her head as she released a soft sigh of contentment that she had finally caught up on the sleep lost to her the last couple of days, only to stop when she noticed that the room was far from empty.
Kurama was sipping tea and reading a newspaper while a sandwich lay on a plate, Kuwabara was next to him, leaning over the fox's shoulder to check the latest stats on his favorite baseball team while muttering incoherent grumbles about the way the season was going. Yusuke sat at the low table, eating his breakfast with gusto and Hiei sat beside him his ruby eyes wide with wonder as his little fingers pointed various food items.
"What's that?" the child queried.
"Sweet egg omelet," Yusuke replied around a mouthful of bacon.
"What's that?" Hiei continued, pointing to something else.
"Fried bacon," the detective answered taking a bite of rice.
"What's that?"
Yusuke gulped down a swig of tea before casting a bemused glance at his little shadow "That" he replied playfully "is oatmeal with cinnamon."
Hiei's mouth formed an oh, and his eyes continued to wander the table taking in more food items that he had previously been introduced to and Yusuke could only give a fond shake of his head "So little guy," he grinned "what do you want to try first?"
The fire demon's eyes widened comically and he slowly turned to face Yusuke "I can eat this?" he asked in incredulous shock filled tones "Any of it? With you at the table?"
Yusuke's eyes clouded with confusion and he felt his brow furrow at the odd questions, but it was Kuwabara who answered first "Of course you can," the carrot topped teen shrugged "why wouldn't you eat with us?"
Hiei opened his mouth, paused, and then clenched his lips shut as he gave a small shrug that betrayed his discomfort at the question "Because," he mumbled quietly "orphan brats don't get to eat at the table."
The psychic's face turned a dark shade of magenta as fury surged through his veins from the casual way the child said what so clearly sounded like a form of rhetoric that he had heard from birth "What do you usually eat?" Kuwabara asked softly already knowing in his gut he would hate the answer.
The child gave another shrug, biting down on his lips and Yusuke felt his already tight chest clench even more and he gave the boy next to him a firm yet gently prod "Hiei, what do you eat?"
Shame flushed the fire demon's face and he pulled his knees up to his chest and buried his nose in his knees. Kurama had long since abandoned his newspaper and had already positioned himself on Hiei's other side. Placing a comforting hand on the boy's back, all three of them wincing at the subtle jump and flinch that instantly came from the contact, the fox whispered "Hiei, we won't get mad, we just want to know what you normally eat."
Hiei shook his head fiercely as a wet sniffle drifted up from the small figure and the trio sighed at the stubbornness they were all too familiar with, and Kuwabara found himself plopping behind the child and pulling him onto his lap wrapping Hiei in a hug that he never imagined the kid would need from him of all people.
"Hey half pint," the psychic rumbled in a soothing whisper "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable by asking you that question. But I promise, no matter what you've done, or what has happened to you, we'll never hurt you, ok? You can talk to us and we won't get mad."
"Yes you were," Hiei sniffed miserably, his voice muffled by his arms wrapped around his legs "you were getting really mad, I saw it."
"Not at you," Yusuke supplied "we were ticked at the people who wouldn't let you eat at the table. That's not very nice."
Ruby red eyes peeked up from his arms and another cautious sniffle accompanied by a hiccup shook his delicate frame "I'm not in trouble?"
A fond smile broke through Kurama's formerly serious features and he leaned forward to ruffle Hiei's hair "Of course not."
"Promise?"
"Absolutely," Kuwabara nodded enthusiastically.
With a fragile smile that gave them an all too real glimpse into the state of the child's broken heart, Hiei slowly uncurled his legs and allowed himself to lean against Kuwabara's chest "Um," the boy looked up to meet the gaze of the psychic before crooking a finger for the teen to come down to his level.
"What ya need squirt?" the carrot topped youth asked before Hiei whispered in his ear.
"Can I try the sweet stuff first?"
Kuwabara snorted and then threw his head back with a boisterous laugh "You can have whatever you want kid,"
Hiei beamed and then pointed his finger at the table "Can I have the egg and the oatmeal please?"
Yusuke gave a gentle chuckle "Do you want a bagel with strawberry cream cheese?"
"YES!"
Soft laughter filled the room and Botan, who had been watching everything from the shadow of the doorway, let out an obnoxious squeal of pleasure "You guys are SO CUTE!"
All merriment came to a screeching halt and Hiei released a startled cry as he scrambled from Kuwabara over to Yusuke. His trembling hands clutching the front of the detective's shirt betrayed his uneasiness at Botan's presence, but a pouting mouth and confident tone were what greeted the shinigami.
"You stay over there lady!"
Yusuke bit his lips in an effort to hold back the snickers as he had remembered Hiei's outburst earlier that morning over Yukina, but Kurama and Kuwabara who had not been there merely looked on in perplexed confusion.
"What Hiei," Kuwabara smirked "you don't like girls?"
A bottom lip poked out as Hiei gave his answer making Kurama chuckle once more "Ice maidens are mean."
"Not all girls are ice maidens, and Botan definitely isn't," Yusuke pointed out.
"But…she has blue hair?" Hiei said.
"Yeah," Yusuke nodded before giving a wicked grin and whispering "even I wonder about that sometimes, I mean…it could be dyed."
"YUSUKE URAMESHI!" Botan shrieked indignantly while the older boys guffawed over her reaction.
Hiei was still in a bit of a kerfuffle "She's not a ice maiden?" he asked.
"No," Yusuke shook his head.
"And all girls aren't them?" the spiky head cocked to the side as new revelations were given to the child.
"No," Kurama smiled.
Hiei pursed his lips in careful thought before turning back to Botan "I guess you're ok, but I'm watching you, so no funny business!"
The trio of teen boys all snorted at the same time, and turned mirthful eyes to their resident grim reaper watching her reaction only to see her give a happy smile "Of course, and thank you for letting me join you for breakfast."
With that settled the child tucked into his breakfast while a natural flow of chatter resounded through the room. Botan even managed to garner Hiei's attention long enough to involve him in a conversation.
"So Hiei, how do you like it here so far?"
The fire demon paused from his tearing through a sweet egg omelet long enough to give a small smile "It's not too bad,"
"Anything you like especially?"
The child looked around at the people surrounding him including the black haired boy whose lap he was still occupying and then down at the table before giving a cheeky grin "I'll let you know."
Botan trilled a delighted giggle "Sounds like a plan!"
"I hope that plan includes how to take down our current enemy?"
The group gave a startled jump at the aged voice of the keeper of the Shrine, each giving their own greeting as she entered the room and seated herself at the table "How are you feeling Hiei?"
The boy nodded hesitantly his voice merely a small squeak "I'm ok,"
"Is that an honest answer?"
The fire demon paused, nibbling his bottom lip as he considered the elderly woman and looked up at Yusuke, his red eyes questioning his protector silently if Genkai was trustworthy. The detective smiled and nodded his head towards the old woman "Go on Hiei, she might look scary, but she doesn't bite."
With a satisfied nod, the child turned back to the old shrine maiden "My side hurts a lot, and my head and tummy hurts too." He answered succinctly.
Genkai nodded "What with the poison in your system, it's going to get worse before it gets better. It only just started its work, for now we'll keep an eye on your injuries and protect you from anyone who would try to harm you."
Hiei cocked his head as a question that had been nagging him in the back of his mind came back in full force "What happened to me?"
The room went deathly still and the group glanced around for a plausible answer until Kurama spoke "We were walking in the forest patrolling the border of our home when we were attacked by an exorcist, you saved Yusuke from getting hurt but in turn you were wounded in the process. I assume the poison is and our healing your injury is the reason why you lack your memories of us."
Yusuke gave a smirk as relief rushed through his system from Kurama's ability to tell the truth in a way that benefitted them "Yup, that's pretty much it!"
Hiei blinked slowly "You said that an exorcist tried to kill us."
"Yes," Kurama nodded "I did, and he's still out there so no going outside without a buddy, ok?"
"An exorcist?" the child repeated.
"Yeah, that's what Kurama said, squirt," Kuwabara said with a small smile.
"Are you nuts?!" Hiei burst as he stood to his feet and spread his hands apart, his childish voice betraying a slight lisp on the S "I'm not an idiot, I know what an exorcist is, this is not something you stay calm about!"
With that last statement being shouted to the ceiling, the young boy flopped back down on the floor with an aggravated sigh and buried his face in his hands "We're all gonna die!" he moaned dramatically.
The trio blinked then found uncontrollable laughing filling the air as all melted into a round of mirth at their youngest and his dramatics "Oh Hiei," Botan giggled "I never knew you were so cute!"
Yusuke guffawed, his whole body shaking from the force of the chuckles streaming from his chest "Man Hiei," he laughed "I've seen your theatrical side, but this…this is too much!"
"Indeed," Kurama agreed his green eyes bright and dancing with bemused mirth as he schooled his features into something more appropriate for answering the child's cry "it is not that we are calm or think lightly of our opponent Hiei, far from it in fact. However we are confident in our skills as a team to overcome this evil and come out the victor."
Even Genkai was snickering into her cup, a twinkle of amusement lighting her old eyes as she put in her two cents worth "That's right half pint, as long as you're with us, and we're together watching each other's backs, we know we can handle pretty much anything thrown our way."
Warmth filled the usually cold heart of the small boy huddled on the floor, and as he peeked one eye through his fingers a small grin could barely be seen underneath the palms of his hands as he retorted snappishly "I still think you're crazy,"
So how was that for an update? Did you like it? LET ME KNOW!
