Chapter 31: Fighting for Two Lives
The battle was over.
The world was quiet.
But Keiko was still fighting.
She was alive—*thank god, she was alive—*but her body wasn't fully healed.
Her wounds, her exhaustion, the weight of everything she had endured—it was too much.
She was still so weak.
Too weak.
And Yusuke felt it in his bones.
She had barely opened her eyes earlier—barely spoken—and now, she was drifting again.
Her body too tired to keep up.
Yusuke's hands trembled as he held hers.
His heart was pounding, aching, desperate.
"She's not stable," Shigure muttered, watching from the other side of the room. "Even with your life energy, her body isn't recovering fast enough."
Yusuke's chest tightened.
His jaw clenched. His teeth ground together.
No.
No, no, no—
He had given everything.
Had fought like hell.
Had sacrificed his own damn life to save her—
So why the hell wasn't she getting better?!
Yusuke's breath came in sharp, angry gasps.
His fingers clenched around Keiko's.
"You can't do this to me, Keiko," he whispered hoarsely, his head bowing.
"You fought too hard. You—" His voice cracked. "You don't get to give up now."
His grip tightened.
"I need you here."
Silence.
The room was still.
Shigure's face was unreadable, Kurama and Kuwabara stood in tense silence.
And Yusuke—
Yusuke just watched her breathe.
Each inhale was shallow, fragile.
Each second that passed felt like it was stealing her away from him.
And Yusuke—
Yusuke couldn't take it anymore.
His head bowed, his body shaking violently.
He wasn't the type to pray.
Never had been.
But right now?
Right now, he would beg.
"Please…" His voice was raw. "I don't care what it takes. I don't care what I have to do."
His hand clutched hers tightly.
"Just let her stay."
A tear slipped from his eye, landing against the back of her hand.
Then—
A shift.
A pulse.
A flicker of warmth.
Yusuke froze.
His eyes snapped open.
The air shifted.
Something ancient, powerful, pure filled the space.
Then, he saw it—
A soft golden glow from Keiko's stomach.
It was faint at first. Barely there.
But then—
It surged.
Warm, steady waves of energy rippling outward.
Yusuke's breath caught in his throat.
What… what was—?
And then it hit him.
His chest tightened.
His fingers went numb.
The power surrounding Keiko…
It wasn't just any energy.
It was spirit energy.
It wasn't coming from her.
And it sure as hell wasn't coming from him.
It was coming from inside her.
From their baby.
Yusuke's lungs seized.
His mind blanked, his pulse pounded in his ears.
That heartbeat.
That energy.
It was their kid.
Yusuke's chest swelled so fast it hurt.
His kid.
His child.
His child was healing her.
Not just existing. Not just surviving.
Fighting.
Their baby wasn't even born yet—and they were already protecting their mother.
Yusuke's breath came out ragged.
The sheer magnitude of what was happening slammed into him like a tidal wave.
His kid was like him.
His kid had his energy.
His kid was strong.
Stronger than anyone would've ever expected.
His heart ached with something deep, something overwhelming.
Pride.
It hit him like lightning.
Like Raizen's voice in the back of his head.
"You did good, Urameshi."
That same bone-deep, soul-shaking pride Raizen had for him—
That's what Yusuke felt now.
For his own child.
His chest ached, tight with emotion.
His kid was saving Keiko.
His kid—the life they had created, the child he hadn't even known about until the brink of death—
Was fighting, just like him.
The thought made his breath shake.
He reached forward, his hand hovering over Keiko's stomach.
The glow pulsed gently.
Warm. Safe.
Good.
Pure, untamed power flowed through her veins, wrapping around her like a shield.
Keiko's body was recovering.
The wounds, the weakness, the pain—it was fading.
And Yusuke—
Yusuke just stared.
His hands shook.
His eyes burned.
He had spent his whole life being the fighter, the protector.
But now—
Now, his kid was protecting the woman he loved.
The weight of it crashed over him, drowning him in something bigger than he could handle.
He let out a slow, shaky breath.
And for the first time in his life—
He felt small.
Not in a bad way.
Not in a weak way.
But in the way that you feel when you stand in front of something greater than yourself.
Something bigger than anything you thought you'd ever have.
Something you'd give everything for.
Yusuke felt…
Humbled.
A deep, quiet, overwhelming sense of love.
For Keiko.
For their child.
For their future.
A soft sigh escaped Keiko's lips.
Yusuke snapped to attention.
Her lashes fluttered.
Then—her eyes opened.
Yusuke's heart nearly gave out.
She was looking at him.
Her eyes were tired, but warm.
Familiar.
Real.
Alive.
His breath hitched.
"Yusuke…?"
His chest caved in.
He let out a ragged laugh, breathless, relieved.
"Yeah, babe." His voice was shaky, raw.
"I'm right here."
Keiko blinked up at him, groggy, confused.
Then she frowned.
"…Why are you crying?"
Yusuke froze.
Oh, hell.
His hand flew to his face.
And yep.
He was crying.
Real, hot, unstoppable tears.
A lump formed in his throat.
He let out a wet, broken laugh.
"Damn kid's already making me soft."
Keiko's lips trembled.
She reached up, her fingers brushing against his cheek.
And Yusuke—
Yusuke couldn't take it anymore.
He leaned down and kissed her.
Keiko's breath hitched.
It wasn't just a kiss.
It was everything.
Relief.
Exhaustion.
Love.
When he pulled back, his forehead pressed against hers, he smiled.
A real, raw, genuine smile.
"You're stuck with me now, babe."
Keiko let out a soft, breathy laugh.
"…Good," she whispered.
Yusuke chuckled.
His fingers brushed gently over her stomach.
His eyes softened.
His kid was strong.
And for the first time in his life—
He had everything he never knew he wanted.