I don't know why I keep staying up late writing. My cold's a killing me. But when it flows it flows. Once I start a chapter I don't stop til it's done. Do I proofread? No. Too late at night/early in the morning for me to do anything other spew words onto the page.
Kurama could see Yusuke's hands twitching from where they gripped the speeding oar. Just as he saw Yusuke beginning to lift a hand in Sayuri's direction, Kurama sought to distract everyone. "How did it happen?"
Other than the oar giving a small shudder, Sayuri gave no signs that Kurama's question bothered her as she replied, "Died birthing me. Took Dad a while to get me, him being so young, but Keiko helped him through the legal stuff."
"Oh, I'm sorry. I was actually asking Hiei how he managed to so severely incapacitate Kuwabara; though I would also care to hear of Kuwabara's plight after I have seen to him." Kurama rectified, an apologetic expression gracing his face. Yusuke burst into laughter, "Burn, Bitch!"
Leaning back on Kurama for support, Yusuke swung his leg back and struck out at Sayuri around Hiei. Sayuri let out a yelp as she lost her grip on the oar. Hiei's arm snapped her waist as she began to topple over sideways while Kurama steadied Yusuke with his hands on his shoulders.
With everyone firmly back on the oar, Hiei jabbed his elbow back into Yusuke's ribs, sending his slouched over gasping for breath. "Stop being a dick," Hiei scolded. Kurama's soft snickers rose up from the rear. At the double glare both Sayuri and Hiei sent his way, Kurama flushed, uttering another quick apology.
A quiet fell upon them. The only sound was the wind whipping into their faces and flinging their hair about.
"Kuwabara and I took the kids to the Makai for a training expedition. He got a gash that became infected. I cut into the swelled area to relieve the pressure." Hiei's voice drifted back to the others on the wind.
Kurama gave an awkward chuckle. "That is…incredibly ironic."
A lull in the conversation fell again before Yusuke piped up, uncharacteristically sharp of mind, "What unlucky kids are being trained by you and Kuwabara?"
"Dad trains those that are psychic and Hiei teaches how to fight. Then both work on spirit energy," said Sayuri. "It's to help prepare junior detectives into going full fledge. Dad started it up with Genkai. Now hush up, we're getting to the portal and I don't need your yapping to cause me to send us into a entire different dimension."
"Head her words. It has happened before." Hiei advised, tightening his hold on the oar.
Though Sayuri kept up a consistent pace as they arrived in the human world, Kurama felt everything slow down around him. Nearly 14 years since he had last been around others, let alone back in his mother's world. He closed his eyes and breathed in the air rushing at him. All this time Kurama had been hiding from this world, afraid his grief would overwhelm him. Yet here he was, relaxing since his mother's death. Kurama didn't know if it was because of Kuwabara's imminent danger or that the passage of time had served to lessen the great burden only the death of loved ones can bring. His heart felt eased. Kurama opened his eyes to blink back the sudden onset of tears, nose tingling.
In front of Kurama, Yusuke was having an opposite feeling than Kurama's. He put stock in his words. Not all of them, but promises like that one he broke were important to him. Dread and guilt choked Yusuke as they flew high up into the sky, so as to be less recognizable to those below. Even with one of his dearest friends sick as a dog, all Yusuke could think of was how he'd face Keiko. He loved her, but he loved fighting more and he knew that would never be enough for Keiko. It was weird; spending the last several years wanting nothing more than to check on her, and now he just wanted to run back to the comfort and safety of the Demon world. The idea was sad, really.
But above all else, Yusuke was terrified of not Keiko's wrath, though that wasn't something to take lightly, but of finding the guy that had taken over his pedestal in Keiko's heart. The muscles in Yusuke's shoulders and arms bunching in anticipation were at odds with the grimace on his face. He just wanted to do right by her. In Yusuke's opinion only a saint would do for his childhood sweetheart.
As if reading his mind Hiei spoke to quell Yusuke's insecurities. "She found someone you will approve of," he informed in a tone that kinda confused Yusuke.
"Who is it? Is it Chu?" Yusuke asked in worry.
"Why would you automatically go with Chu? If I must say, he indulges a bit too much in alcoholic beverages," said Kurama.
"I don't know! That's why I was checking to make sure it wasn't him! It's not Jin right? He's nice and all, but that's be too fucked up for me," Yusuke rambled.
"Oh, it's more fucked up than you think," Sayuri muttered from the front as she guided them past the outskirts of a city and towards the forested area in the distance. Yusuke was beginning to panic. His breathe was coming in short, quick puffs. What if it was Koenma or that yo-yo brat Rinku. Jesus, what if it was Elder Torguro! That guy was always popping back up!
"It's Yukina. You will not approach her in any other way than pleasantly." Hiei's voice said; cutting through Yusuke's outlandish mental rundown of fucked up candidates. Instead a series of steamy girl on girl scene were playing out in his mind's eye. Kurama leaned forward to whisper in Yusuke's ear.
"I do not believe Hiei would approve of the images you are envisioning. It would be best to drop the lecherous grin you have."
Yusuke toned down on the soft core porn he was making in his head just as Hiei cast a quick glance over his shoulder. Thinking seriously now, Yusuke had to say Yukina was a good choice. Better than some meat head guy, at least. And Hiei was one Hell of an in-law. "Glad that's taken care of," Yusuke ended up saying.
"So let me get this straight. You skipped town for a decade-"
"Fourteen years," Hiei interrupted Sayuri.
"Right, fourteen years. Just to avoid actually dumping her and eventually confronting her new love interest?"
"Well, yeah. You've seen how Keiko can get!" Yusuke retorted. Both Hiei and Kurama sadly shook their heads and Sayuri muttered an "Idiot" under her breath. Everyone jolted upright as they felt a familiar spirit energy pass over them.
Kurama grew worried at how irregularly Kuwabara's energy pulsated as Sayuri lowered the oar at the top of the stairs leading to Genkai's temple. A figure appeared in the entryway, standing there with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Hurry," he demanded in a cold tone. Yusuke and Kurama stared at the boy while Hiei and Sayuri mounted to few steps to him.
"When the Hell'd Hiei get a kid?" Yusuke yelled.
A chuckle followed by a wet cough sounded from within the temple. Everyone turned to watch Kuwabara shuffle out, curls of orange hair sticking to his damp brow.
"That one's also mine," Kuwabara croaked out, smiling the proud smile of a parent, his eyes lighting up despite the dazed, feverish glaze to them.