"I know as much about games as I do about hugs and puppies, and care for them even less. Wake me for the end of the world."
So many reviews for chapter ten; you guys make me so happy! (Happy dance proceeds.)
Muffins for all!
On a side note: This chapter was fun to write.
Oh. And the entire thing is from Yusuke's POV.
Yusuke didn't want to say anything for fear that his commenting on it would make it stop, but something had most definitely changed between he and Hiei recently. He first began to notice the change after Hiei revealed the true story of his and Kurama's first meeting, but Yusuke suspected the change had begun before then. Looking back, he could see its roots stretching out to Kurama's disappearance (they had begun depending on each other then, hadn't they?) and it was most likely that Kurama's encouraging them toward each other had to have had something to do with it, too.
But whatever its origins, Yusuke had only just begun to notice. They talked more – sometimes about things that were complete nonsense. Though they still tended toward arguing, those disagreementsveered steeplytoward the absurd. A spat over whether or not cheese tasted yellow was a far cry from their old battles over any and everything they could disagree on.
Yusuke had trusted Hiei with his life for a very long time, but he was beginning to trust him with other things now. He had begun telling him personal things – some of which he hadn't even shared with Kurama yet. Hiei didn't share much, himself, but it was clear he appreciated that Yusuke did, and when he did share it was always…was meaningful the wrong word to use?
Perhaps Yusuke was being foolish, reading so much into it. There was nothing to do as they traveled but talk, or else miss and worry about Kurama.
A kind of comfort was beginning to develop between the two, and perhaps a kind of uneasy friendship, though mentioning it would undoubtedly be a big mistake.
Yusuke was being an idiot, he told himself. Hiei would laugh at him if he knew what he was thinking.
Still…
Hiei stopped suddenly, motioning sharply for Yusuke to do the same as he peered off into the distance.
"Detective, do you see that?"
Yusuke squinted, and finally he saw.
"That shiny thing?"
A derisive snort. "Yes, detective. I stopped so we could enjoy the view together. I do love shiny things you know."
"You don't have to be an ass about it, you know."
Okay; so perhaps things hadn't changed so much.
An annoyed grunt, a quiet mumbled complaint of have to show him everything, damn it!
"That 'shiny thing,' as you so eloquently put it, is the city of Ely'afreba." Hiei informed him bitingly.
"Oh." Yusuke couldn't help but to scowl; his experiences with demon towns had been more than unpleasant, to say the least. "Can we go around it?"
"Why would we want to do that?" Hiei asked, glancing at him out of the corner of his eye, "When our fox's energy has stopped there?"
"What?"
"I said - !"
Hiei could not continue whatever he had been about to say because Yusuke was suddenlyhugging him so hard he had picked the small demon up off the ground, laughing. Despite the irritable imps protests and bloody threats of violent death if he wasn't put down right this minute! Yusuke began to spin him around.
He was forced, however, to stop when Hiei kicked him.
"Idiot." Hiei seethed, a smile in his voice, as he straightened his clothes.
"Stay close to me, detective." Hiei ordered under his breath as they passed through the gates. "They don't like humans here."
"And they like us everywhere else?" He hissed back, tone dry.
Hiei made a small sound that could have been a laugh before grabbing hold of Yusuke's elbow and pulling him forcefully to his side. "Of course not," He answered, sounding somewhat amused, "However, this place is particularly bad. It's one of the biggest cities for the buying and selling of human flesh."
"You mean like…for sex?"
"Or food. Most creatures in this area wouldn't care which need their purchase met, so long as it did."
"You've never…"
Hiei gave him a sharp look. "I've never what, detective?"
"You've never…eaten a human, have you?"
A snort. Hiei looked away.
"Put something that disgusting in my mouth? Never." His hand moved, forcing Yusuke even closer to his side as he slid his hand into the human boy's back pocket. "Just pretend you're mine and we won't have any trouble. Since the fox marked you, theoretically you should be safe."
"But?"
"But it's been a long time since either the fox's mark or mine has been seen in Makai. And there are some lowlifes foolish enough to take someone else's property even if they do know who he belongs to."
"Great. Good to know. So the whole tattooing thing was pretty much for nothing, then?"
"No, not for nothing." This time Hiei couldn't hide his smirk. "It was amusing as hell."
"Thanks ever so much. Bastard."
"Always happy to oblige."
Keep your head down and don't meet anyone's eyes. Hiei had told him as they walked through the streets in search of an inn the small demon found "acceptable." At first he had thought that his companion was teasing him.
Then demons began to stop them in the street, making offers for Yusuke. With each one Hiei grew more and more insistent in his refusals – and more rude. Once Hiei had to become violet, Yusuke decided to take the small demon's advice.
So he stayed back and kept quiet as Hiei approached the desk at the inn he had chosen at last, and listened as his companion haggled for a room, at last passing over payment in the form of a small bag that clinked as it was handed over. The creature behind the counter took several moments sorting through the tiny gems and jewels the bag had contained before grudgingly handing over a large key, which Hiei snatched away quickly.
He glanced over his shoulder at Yusuke and motioned for him to follow as he began to walk down a hall.
"I forgot how much I hate this place." He grumbled once he was certain the human had fallen into step behind him.
"I'm beginning to think you hate everything."
"This is not a good area of the demon realm for a first visit." He answered, tone so dry that Yusuke suspectedhis words to be some great understatement."When I finally persuade the fox to move back here, we'll be sure to bring you along and show you some of its finer points."
Yusuke fell silent, shocked that Hiei would include him.
The room they had gotten only held one bed, but Yusuke was past complaining about it. It would seem pretty stupid to put up a fuss about something that trivial when he and Hiei had been sleeping in each other's arms ever since Kurama's disappearance. Though Yusuke would never admit it out loud, there was something comforting about waking in the morning to find Hiei's small body wrapped around his own, the small demon's scent on his skin, his arms so warm and secure.
Yusuke was tough. He had been fighting for most of his life and even before he had begun to seriously train, he had been more than capable of defending himself. He had never needed anyone to take care of him.
But that had never meant that he hadn't wanted anyone to. First Kurama had taken him in, given him his first real home, his first real taste of safety and normalcy.
Now Hiei was doing the same. Even so far away, trapped in the demon plane and very possibly in trouble with Spirit World, Yusuke couldn't help but to feel safe with Hiei.
It was stupid. He knew it was stupid, and that if Hiei ever found out he would never hear the end of it. Hell, if Kurama ever found out, Yusuke would suffer for it. But he couldn't help how he felt, no matter how stupid and childish those feelings were.
They took a moment to go over their plans, but went to bed rather early. Kurama's energy hadn't left the city, and even if it did sometime in the night they had found him. They were close. They were anxious to get him back, but Hiei was insistent there would be a battle involved, since Kurama would not have left them of his own volition.
"I will not risk losing him again because we are not rested enough for a fight." He had said. Yusuke had agreed without argument.
Getting ready for bed, Yusuke felt like a child the night before Christmas, back when his mother still tried to make his holidays special. Tomorrow was the day. They would get Kurama back tomorrow.
"If you don't stop fidgeting, you're sleeping on the floor." Hiei informed him as he climbed into bed with him.
"I'm excited."
"Your feet are cold."
Yusuke turned to face Hiei. They had never slept facing each other; there was something suddenly very intimate about lying in bed in the darkness with Hiei's face mere inches from his own.
"I can't wait to kick the asses of whoever took him." He whispered fiercely.
"I get first shot." Hiei hesitated a moment, then reached for Yusuke, brushing hair from his eyes in a surprisingly tender gesture. "Clear your mind, detective." He advised quietly. "You're useless to both the fox and myself if you don't sleep tonight."
It felt as if Yusuke had only been asleep for a few hours at most when there was a loud crash and light flooded the room.
He sat up, blinking blearily, but could not make anything out.
"There! It's them!"
The light grew brighter and began to flicker. It seemed to be coming from one of the blurry figures in the bright doorway. Yusuke tilted his head to the side, trying to figure out what was going on, when a hand fisted in his hair, another arm encircled his chest, sliding under his armpits, and suddenly he was airborn, clutched to a strong chest.
"Follow them"
"Shit!"
That was Hiei's voice.
Yusuke was fully awake by the time he was thrown to the ground some minutes later.
"Dammit, Hiei!"
The small demon rounded on him, red eyes glowing eerily in the darkness of the roof he had landed them on.
"You truly are useless, aren't you?" He hissed furiously, kicking at him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"What the fuck is going on?"
"Spirit world." Hiei bit out, turning to look out over the roof once more, presumably for signs of their attackers. "They must have caught up with us. Damn it. I was so busy tracking the fox that I…" He rounded on Yusuke once more, furious. "And you! Do you find it amusing to sleep through dangerous situations, or are you truly just that big a fool?"
Yusuke surged to his feet, prepared to take a swing at the diminutive demon, but froze as an energy blast came flashing down to strike dangerously close to their feet.
The Spirit World representative shouted something as he gathered energy for another attack, but Hiei had grabbed Yusuke and was moving again, so fast. Faster than Yusuke could ever dream of moving on his own.
This time he was deposited roughly on his ass in a dark, dirty alley.
"Fuck, Hiei!"
"Shut up!" Hiei crouched near the mouth of the alley, easing his headband away from the jagan, breathing slightly labored. Yusuke caught sight of a slim sheen of blue before the small demon was covering it again and slinking back into the shadows, placing one hand on Yusuke – presumably so he could be ready to carry him off again. Yusuke wasn't about to complain when there was no way he could ever move so quickly, but –
"Why - ?"
"Shh!" Hiei gave him a sharp look.
Yusuke shifted, placing his mouth near his companion's ear.
"Why aren't we fighting?" He whispered.
Hiei glanced at him, as if considering the wisdom of answering, but finally relented.
"I wanted to keep our presence here quiet from Kurama's abductors." He answered at last, voice twisted with bitterness. "And there's no way to know how many we're up against. Are these special forces or another team such as ourselves? Are they supposed to kill us or capture us?"
"I didn't think about…"
"No, you didn't." Hiei sighed. He was all coiled muscles and indescribable tension, ready to run at a moment's notice, trying to look everywhere at once. Nevertheless, he leaned a little closer to Yusuke, resting a hand on his thigh. "Do you really want to risk dying here and leaving our fox in captivity?"
"No, of course not."
"Then be prepared to flee like cowards."
"I'll follow your lead, Hiei."
Hiei stared at him, eyes dark and strange.
"Thank you." He said at last, looking away.
Light filled the alley from above. Hiei's hand convulsed in warning on Yusuke's thigh, but he did not flee.
He could not flee. The moment the light had struck them theyhad beenimmediately rendered unable to move.
Seven figures leapt nimbly down from the roofs, surrounding them neatly despite the cramped space. The light that had frozen them so soundly seemed to be coming from necklaces each figure wore.
"Spirit detective Yusuke Urameshi and demon Hiei." One of the figured intoned, reading from a roll of parchment held in her hands. "You are charged with treason against spirit world and direct avoidance of orders. You will be taken for sentencing, at a time which will be held after the safe procurement of the spirit fox known as - !" Her voice cut off with a strangled gurgle as a blade blossomed in her throat, blood gushing out like some bad special effect in a movie.
Her companions nearest her were just turning toward the unseen attacker when they were neatly bisected by something that moved too fast for Yusuke to catch sight of.
All three bodies hit the ground at the same time.
One of the remaining light-things swiveled to the end of the alley where the three had stood, to find it empty but for the carnage of the three dead.
"Holy sh - !"
Something flung out of the darkness to strike the owner of the speaker, wrapping around his neck tighter and tighter until his head was rendered from his body, but it didn't bear watching because the fifth and sixth of the team from spirit world were struck by something that flew outwards from the darkness, pinning them together as they died.
A figure dropped from the roof and the final member of the team backed up, blubbering, and hit a wall.
His scream was cut off before he could even finish it, and the figure rounded on Yusuke and Hiei.
A stray strand of light, be it from moon or star or a window somewhere above them, suddenly fell on their rescuer, illuminating the long, gleaming silver hair, the luminous white robes, and eyes of a molten gold that seemed to glitter in the darkness.
Hiei made a strangled sound in the back of his throat, but it was Yusuke who managed to speak first.
"Kurama!"
The tall demon approached, achingly beautiful in his fox form, and helped the two to their feet.
"You." He said quietly. "You've been following me as well?"
Yusuke was nearly choking on his own heartbeat. Youko's attention was nearly completely on Hiei, but one hand had risen to Yusuke, to gently caress the human boy's cheek as he spoke.
"Where did you go? Why did you leave?"
"Have you been following me, Hiei?" The Youko repeated in a quiet purr, leaning forward to brush his lips against Hiei's.
"Of course I have." The smaller demon snarled.
Kurama's golden eyes hardened and his hand slid into Yusuke's hair to grip it painfully as he glared at Hiei. "You will stop it." He ordered, voice full of steel. "Immediately."
"Kurama…"
He drew back so that he could observe them both at once, face emptier than Yusuke had ever seen it.
"Our association is dissolved." He stated. "I no longer wish to hold acquaintance with either of you."
"Kurama!" Hiei hissed, earning the fox's attention once more.
"You will cease following me – or you will die."
"What the hell, man?" Yusuke demanded.
"Fox!"
The youko smiled, and it was no expression Yusuke recognized. Something lurked in his eyes, something that had nothing to do with the man who had gently teased him in the greenhouse.
He reached for Hiei, and the small demon did not move. His eyes were filled with a disbelief, an emptiness, that terrified Yusuke.
"You wouldn't turn from me after all this time." He whispered as the fox cupped his face in his hands.
"Hiei." He smiled. "So strong. So powerful. Yet still so young in so many ways." He slid the headband off the small demon's head, gazing at the violently glaring jagan. "I'm afraid I've tired of you, my dear."
"No."
He drew one hand back, and there was something in it. Delicately he blew against his palm, sending a fine dust flying, striking Hiei, and the small, distrustful demon just stood there, staring like a child who had just seen his pet killed.
He didn't show signs of pain until several minutes after the dust had covered him, and even then he clenched his jaw, keeping his eyes on Kurama until he at last pitched forward and into the youko's arms.
"He'll be blind for a few days." The fox informed Yusuke as he handed the small form to him, placing him in the human boy's arms with surprising tenderness. "When it wears off, you two are to return to the human world." He turned to leave, then paused, some hesitancy, some weakness in him that hadn't been there a moment before. "Do not let him continue to follow me, Yusuke." He ordered quietly. "Even after he recovers. Don't let him do it."
"Kurama…why?"
He turned back to him quickly, grasping his shoulder and pulling him forward, kissing him quickly, messily.
"Remember what I told you." He whispered, pressing his forehead to Yusuke's. Yusuke wondered if it was really desperation he heard in his former lover's voice, or just wishful thinking on his part. "Do not allow him to continue to follow me."
And then he was gone, as if he had never been there at all, and Yusuke was left alone in the alley with the unconscious Hiei limp in his arms.
To Be Continued
(Cue evil laughter.) Oh my! That never happened in the original!
Like I said; I really, really enjoyed writing this chapter. Which is good, because when I started it, I had no idea what I was going to do. Then I looked at the original, started to write, and…whoops. I'm so happy with this chapter, that I'm going to post it early. I'm not certain I adequately conveyed what was in my head, but I'm still happy with it.(In my mind it all played out like some super-dark DC comic. Anyway…)
I've come to a decision. Basically: screw the schedule. I'm going to post what I want when I want. I'm sad to have to sacrifice some sort of regularity to tell my readers, however, I can't help it when inspiration strikes. Oh well.
Response to Unsigned Reviews:
cryptic.kitsune - Yay! I'm so happy to be swaying you! Kurama's memories returned to him slowly. I haven't really explored it, but I believe he knew there was someone important to him at one time, but hadn't chosen to seek out the memory by the time Hiei arrived because Kurama would see memories of power and battles as more important thatn memories of some lover who was currently unreachable.
kit-kit - Hiei is a teddy bear.