Author's Note: Yay! Two different updates in one day! I'm on a roll baby! Hope you enjoy and please review :)
Chapter 1
Yusuke rolled over, his arm wrapping around Keiko's waist as he tried falling back asleep. After several minutes, he gave a low rumble before rolling out of bed. Ruffling his thick black hair, he slipped a pair of jeans on as a yawn escaped him.
It made no sense. He, Kuwabara and Kurama had had a draining training session that had left him dead on his feet and after dinner he'd collapsed in bed. Normally, he'd sleep through the night and if Keiko didn't wake him up, through most of the morning.
Glancing at the neon lights of the alarm clock on Keiko's bedside table, he cursed softly. The glowing numbers read 4:20am.
Silently, he slid open his bedroom door and stepped out into the crisp air. The cool air caused him to shiver slightly as it creased his bare chest but he ignored it as swiftly closed the door behind him and made his way down the hall. He paused long enough to peek into Yasuhiro's room.
A gentle smile worked its way on to Yusuke's face as he eyed the 5-year-old. The boy was a wild sleeper. His blankets were on the floor and his head was at the foot of the bed while his feet rested on his pillow.
Closing the boy's door, Yusuke continued his trek to the kitchen. Starting the coffee, his dark eyes watched the agonizingly slow brown liquid fill the pot. After what felt like an eternity, the brew finished and he quickly pour himself a cup. Black and two ice cubes. He was never patient enough to wait for the coffee to cool on its' own.
Bringing his cup with him, he moved back onto the patio and took it a sip as he leaned against one of support beams. His chocolate colored eyes scanned the darkened forest.
'It's too quiet,' he couldn't help but think with a frown. Narrowing his eyes, he tried staring through the darkness.
"What are you looking for Detective?"
Yusuke jumped at the sudden voice that had sounded from behind him, sending his coffee flying. He whipped around, his fist swinging. However, he came up short as his mind processed what his eyes were seeing.
"Hiei?" he questioned, dumbfounded. Amused red eyes looked over his fist, locking with his before flickering to his fist. Quickly, Yusuke withdrew his fist and grasped Hiei's shoulders in disbelief. "Is that really you?"
"Hn. Of course it's me," Hiei answered before brushing off the offending appendages. "How long have I've been gone?"
Yusuke blinked, though he had a wide smile. "You've been missing for 8 years, man. Where've ya been?"
His eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "What time is it?" Hiei questioned, ignoring Yusuke's question.
"Close to 5am. Everyone should be getting up in another hour or so… How long you staying?"
Yusuke's smile dimmed as Hiei's eyes looked passed him and into the dark forest.
"We'll stay till after breakfast," Hiei suddenly replied, his eyes never leaving forest beyond.
An odd looked took over Yusuke's features. "You have someone with you? Who?" His eyes scanned the area, wondering if he'd overlook someone. But when his eyes found no he frowned before turning to face a smirking Hiei again.
"Where are they?"
At his question, a giggle came from behind him. "I'm right here," a very feminine voice sounded.
Rounding, his eyes widened with surprise. A small female stood a couple paces away from him. Her small hand hid her smile but her eyes sparkled with unbridled amusement.
Yusuke whistled, impressed. "I see why you were gone for so long. She's hot." His eyes roamed over the female's form, appreciating her body. He always looked but dared not touch. Hiei would have his head before he could blink and if he didn't, his wife would.
"She got a name?"
Hiei growled warningly as he shot Yusuke a hard glare. "She is my intended," he stated sharply.
Pulling his eyes off the female, he gave the demon a disarming smile. He hadn't been deaf to the underline challenge those word issued. "Don't worry about me," he chuckled softly, "me and Keiko got married a few years ago and we have a son now."
Hiei snorted, his shoulders relaxing a fraction. "About time," eyes shifted, he following the female's movements as she moved to stand next to him. His arms automatically snaked around her waist, drawing her into his side.
Forcing back on Yusuke, "this is the Detective" Hiei introduced.
The still unnamed female gave a small bow, a laughing smile lit her face. "It's nice to finally meet you Detective. Call me Kagome."
Yusuke smiled at the typical Hiei introduction. He'd actually missed it. "Name's Yusuke Urameshi, ex-Spirit Detective." He led them inside trying to make chit-chat with his old, silent friend and his girl.
…
It wasn't often that Kurama was truly excited; joy yes, but never excitement. As he looked down at his closed cell phone, he felt exactly that. Excitement. Pure, unbridle excitement.
He'd just gotten off the phone with Yusuke and he almost couldn't believe what he'd been told. Almost being the key word. Hiei was back!
Flipping open his phone again he called is secretary. "Hiro, reschedule my appointment for Friday. I'm taking the rest of the week off." It took a couple of minutes, but he easily rearranged his work week.
Finally, he flipped his phone shut with a small, joyful smile. Grapping his jacket, he rushed out of his home. He wanted to get to the Compound before Hiei left. Yusuke had said the fire demon would be leaving after breakfast.
5:54am
Normal Yukina and Keiko had breakfast ready by 8, 8:30 at the latest. Kurama could only hope that with the excitement Hiei's return caused would delay the morning meal.
In the meantime, he ducked into a shaded alley before jumping onto the roof. He needed to travel fast if he was going to get there before breakfast. Yes, the bullet train was fast but not fast enough.
…
Hiei sighed with an annoyance. Yes, being around his old group was annoying but he had surprisingly missed it. Secretly, he had missed them not that he'd ever admit it. Not even to Kagome, though he suspected knew. After all, she always knew the way he felt.
He knew that breakfast was running late as 8:30am rolled by and still everyone talked ideally in the living room but he couldn't bring himself to be annoyed at their excitement. After he'd blown off their questions, they easily switched from interrogators to storytellers as they told him about their lives.
Yusuke and Keiko married a couple months after Yasuhiro was born. They had lived in town, running a noodle stand until the demand for demons moving into the human world became too great. After hiring a couple of demons that had needed a job to run the stand, they'd moved to the Compound to help Yukina and Kuwabara with the traffic they received running the Crossing Point.
With Yukina and Kuwabara, much to Hiei's disapproval, had mated. They were expecting twins in a couple months. Fulfilling Genkai's final wishes, they'd been running as a Crossing Point since the last time he'd seen them; only then, it had been mainly Yukina running it back then since she was the only full-time resident. A few months after his disappearance is when Kuwabara moved in and their relationship had fully bloomed.
A few months ago, Yukina had reached her hundredth year and decided to what her mother before her had. She mated with Kuwabara.
"How many others are there at here now?" Hiei questioned as his Jagan eye cracked open a part of the way. He could sense 3 others but he wanted to be sure.
"There are 3 currently livingly in the Temple and of course there are the ones that leave in the forest," Yukina answered. "We're the only ones who actually come together to dine though."
Hiei nodded but said nothing else as his eye slid fully closed as everyone began chatting again. When Yasuhiro finally complained about being hungry Keiko and Yukina both blushed and quickly excused themselves to start breakfast, the young boy trailing behind them.
It was odd, watching his old team. Eight years had changed them yet they were still the same. Kuwabara and Yusuke still bickered though it hadn't led to any brawls… yet. Keiko still glared at Yusuke with a passion though she didn't slap him senseless when started talking about their honeymoon. Yukina, who would have blushed years ago, did nothing but send Keiko a small sly smile.
"Was someone else coming?" Kagome suddenly asked, drawing Hiei's attention.
He frowned at her before sending his youki out. It brushed against another powerful but familiar youki.
Kurama.
The youki felt lush and green just like the plants the fox controlled but it was wild with excitement and he eagerly greet Hiei's probing energy.
"It's only the Fox," he replied with a small shift. He felt a touch of the Fox excitement. It had been too long since he'd seen the redhead.
Kagome gave him a teasing smile but said nothing before returning her attention back on the string that she toyed with.
Less than half a minute, a disheveled looking kitsune avatar rushed through the door.
…
Immediately, Kurama's eyes jumped to Hiei customary window spot before his face broke into a wide grin. "Hiei! You're back!" he shouted before wrapping Hiei in a hug.
Everyone was stunned by the act, including Hiei… for about 2 seconds when a giggle broke the tense silence.
"I told you so," a musical voice teased playfully, causing him to back in surprise.
Kurama had the decency to look slightly embarrassed, a light blush stained his cheeks but that didn't stop from casting a weary glance at the female he didn't notice until then.
Curiosity burned through his veins as saw that Hiei's legs casually laid his legs across her lap and she, in return, rested her arms on his legs as she played with a string. She didn't look up from her string but her eyes did flicker towards Hiei.
A small frown graced his features as his youki brushed against hers. Kurama could feel her youki yes, but Hiei's youki cloaked hers so heavily that he couldn't get a clear readying on her.
He turned his head in Hiei direction again. "Who's she?"
Hiei's eyes narrowed a fraction but when he spoke, his voice was smooth and even. "She is my intented."
The avatar's attention turned back towards female as she finally looked up at him. He noticed that her eyes danced with amusement. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Fox. I'm Kagome," she said with a small bow of her head.
Immediately a polite smile formed on Kurama's lips as he returned her greeting. "Please call me Kurama."
She gave him a friendly smile before returning to her string.
Kurama blinked before shifting his weight, he was not use to being dismissed so quickly especially a female.
Hiei's deep but short chuckle broke him out of his stupor. "Tread lightly, her bite is worst then her bark," he warning off-handedly as he held Kurama's gaze.
"You've changed a lot in the past 8 years," Kurama finally spoke up after a moment. "Anger no longer shines in your eyes my friend."
An amused snort escaped the fire apparition as he crossed his arms over his chest. "My anger is not gone just lessened over the years," Hiei corrected with flashing eyes.
Kagome chuckle her tongue at Hiei's response. "So when are we getting down to important talk? By the smell of it breakfast should be ready soon." She smiled softly as she fully turned to Hiei but it didn't fully reach her eyes. "Remember, I have things I must attend to too."
"I haven't forgotten, woman," Hiei replied with a touch of impatience.
The female's smile dropped and her eyes narrowed slightly at Hiei before she looked at everyone else. Kagome was silent. "We've been stuck in another dimension for the last 8 years and 80 years have passed for us." Her eyes flashed with fire as she turned her attention back on Hiei.
"There, I started it for you now finish it," she stated over his growl before turning back to her string.
"What?" Yusuke questioned as he shared a look with Kuwabara, who shrugged.
Kurama's eyes widen. "Is that true Hiei?"
Slowly, Hiei shifted his hard glare from his intended and onto the avatar. "It is," he admitted slowly, with a touch of reluctance before he turned his irritated gaze back on the female.
"Perhaps you should continue explaining, since you seem so eager?"
"Thank you but no. I was simply starting a conversation you were putting off," she informed as she continued her game. Her tone was surprisingly sincere and matter-of-factly, but otherwise didn't reflect her earlier impatience. In fact she seemed to radiate patience.
A low rumble vibrated through Hiei's chest before Keiko entered the room an announced breakfast. She did a double take when no one jumped up.
Finally she noticed the tension in the air that surrounded Hiei and Kagome. "Um?"
"Quit giving me that look, you started this nonsense," Kagome stated calmly. The string that was wrapped through her fingers created a bridge.
Hiei's eyebrows shot up. "How did I start this?"
She looked up at her mate-to-be, her sapphire eyes blazed with fire. "I have a name. Use it because I know after 80 years you remember it. Hell, I've even heard you say it a couple of times." She paused, the string on around her fingers vanished. "Besides, you know how I feel about… titles." The last word came out as more of hiss before she pushed Hiei's legs off her lap and stood up.
"I believe breakfast is done, right Keiko?" Kagome's sharp gaze fell over Keiko's uneasy form as a friendly smile lit her face.
Keiko couldn't but fidget under the demoness's gaze before stuttering; "Um… yeah… um… it is." She turned, recomposing herself. "The dining room's this way."
Without another word, Kagome followed the woman.
Once she was gone, Hiei shot a look a nasty glare that said 'say a word and you die' to the three remaining occupancy before following after the females.
As the door slid shut behind him, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama shared a look.
"He's soooo whipped," Kuwabara whispered cautiously though not without trying to hold back a snicker.
Yusuke smirked in agreement before his laugher bubbled out. Kuwabara followed suit with his own ruckus bellow.
Kurama, though in agreement, didn't join in juvenile display. Instead, he a small frown fell upon his lips as the others got up and moved into the dining room.
He didn't like that woman or the way Hiei acted with her. The look in the fire apparitions eyes had changed and not just the missing anger. There was something else… an emotion he couldn't place.
Either way, he didn't like it or her… that Kagome. He was a fox that collected unique, beautiful and beautiful. Hiei just happened to fall under all those categorizes though Kurama didn't when he started considering the fire demon as property but he didn't dwell on it.
The only thing that matter was that this Kagome was moving in on what was his and it was unacceptable.
Yukina poked her head out the door, breaking Kurama from his thoughts. "Were you coming?"
Easily a smile slipped over Kurama's features before he moved to follow the ice apparition. "Forgive me, I was lost in thought," he supplied quietly.
But even as he followed Yukina and prepared his façade, Kurama's mind raced with ways to wedge his demon away from her… that Kagome.