Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ G-men ❯ Demons and Bumblers ( Chapter 24 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Arigatomina 
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.08.2002 | Updated On: 12.08.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 1.2K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai / Adventure | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.08.2002 | Updated On: 12.08.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 1.2K | Status: Work In Progress
Author's Notes: Okay, new rules for this one. First, I *will* have lemons in this fic for the different pairings. I'll try to separate them so you can read around them without losing the storyline (for those who don't like lemons). This includes the YYH pairing, so if you want to avoid those, just note the warnings and you should be fine. There isn't one in this part only because I did get a few requests not to have one. In the future I won't ask first - so check the warnings.
This fic is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.
Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, AU
Warnings: shonen ai, slight humor, slight angst
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatomina@hotmail.com
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina
G-men
Part 24: Demons and Bumblers
Duo awoke to the sound of the bathroom door sliding open. He didn't move at first, expecting the empty spot next to him to be filled as Heero returned to bed. But another soft rustling on the carpet told him the boy had gone to the desk instead. With a mottled scowl, he rubbed his eyes and pushed himself up. "What are you doing? What time is it?"
"One twenty," Heero said. His voice was soft, but he didn't look back, focused on the glowing screen of his laptop. "Go back to sleep."
"But what are you doing?" A light tapping answered him and Duo sighed, shoving his legs over the edge of the bed. "And when did you get up? I didn't even hear you."
"I was quiet."
Duo yawned, rubbing his eyes and blinking blearily at the too-bright screen. Newspaper clippings shown on one minimized page, a search list of links on the other. He leaned closer over Heero's shoulder, trying to make out the list on the smaller menu. "Mountains...? Why are you looking up..." A sleep slowed thought made its way to his mind, and he blinked, scowling down at the dark-haired boy. "You couldn't wait to look them up, could you."
"No. But it would have been better if I had last names to go by."
"Let me guess," Duo said, a dark smirk curving his lips. "Lots of mutants seen around Mount Hiei?" The Japanese boy sniffed, proving him right. "Good. You shouldn't be snooping anyway, no wonder you waited till I was asleep."
"I knew it would be quieter that way," Heero muttered, refusing to look back. "Doesn't matter, though. The sister identified him."
"What?" Duo blinked when Heero pointed at the screen, leaning even closer so he could make out the names on the article. "Adopted mutant in the Sanq Kingdom? That's not-" The pointing hand shifted down an inch and he rubbed a hand over his eyes again, squinting. "Oh. Yukina. So she was adopted? Her and Hiei?"
"No," Heero said. "They don't mention him here, just the date and the agency she was adopted from. This is where he comes in." Pulling up another screen, Heero shifted to the side so Duo could read. The long haired boy ignored that, and he jerked a bit as he found himself with a lapfull of Duo, an arm carelessly wrapped over his shoulders. His eyebrow twitched, but he kept quiet.
"An assassination attempt?" Duo muttered, reading slowly. His eyes were still blurry, and probably would be since they didn't have any coffee to help wake him up. Distracted, he tugged on Heero's hair and frowned down at him. "Remind me to buy us a coffee pot tomorrow. We can keep in the bathroom."
"Fine," Heero said, rolling his eyes. "Now read."
"My eyes are all sleepy," Duo muttered, rubbing them again. "Just tell me?"
"Hn."
With a sleepy but cute smile, Duo snuggled comfortably against him, ducking his face to rub Heero's neck. "Come on..."
"Fine, just don't fall asleep on me."
"Would I do that?" A sharp snort answered him, and he smiled, shifting his head to rest on Heero's shoulder. "Okay, spill. What did you find out while you were snooping around instead of just asking like a-"
"Shut up. I'll just have to repeat this to the others later, so I don't have to tell you anything."
"Meanie."
"Hn. Yukina was adopted six years ago, that's the first thing that showed up. All it says is that she was adopted to be a companion to Relena not long after Zechs left the Sanq Kingdom. A year later the school opened. The reports are mainly from this kingdom and the neighboring ones, so it took a while to find that."
"How long is a while?" Duo asked, "You haven't been at this *that* long."
"Twenty minutes." The other boy snorted at him, but Heero ignored it. "She doesn't seem to have a last name at all, it isn't just kept from the press. There were a few tabloids talking about her past since she was adopted by the Peacecrafts and rumor has it she didn't know her full name when she was adopted, or her age."
"So what about Hiei?"
"He didn't show up until the assassination attempt a year ago. That's when the king died."
"He was assassinated?" Duo sat up abruptly, his eyes wide. "Zechs didn't say that."
"He didn't die in the attempt," Heero explained, reaching around Duo to change the screen. "He died of a heart attack a few days after it. So officially his death was from natural causes. The attempt was foiled by a mutant, Hiei."
"But I thought he wasn't adopted."
"No, he isn't listed by name, but the description matches. There was a missile dropped directly onto the school, and the report says it exploded just before it landed. It was enough to shake the place, but no one was injured. Witnesses claim it wasn't shot down from anything in the air, like the official report says, but by something on the ground directly in front of the manor. Right about where we were earlier."
"And you think it was Hiei?"
"I don't know what this kokoryuuha is that Kurama mentioned, but it was a black explosion according to the witnesses. It's too much to be coincidence that he uses black flame."
"And Kurama did say he hadn't know Relena that long," Duo recalled, still frowning. "But why was he there? And where was he before that?"
"That was harder to find. I'm still not sure if I have the right ones."
"What do you mean?"
"Since they're the same size, I'd say Yukina and Hiei would be about the same age, being siblings. And the age estimation when she was adopted put her at around nine at the oldest. So I looked back for any record of siblings or twins having been-"
"Twins?" Duo's lips twitched for a second before he broke. "No way those two are twins. The only thing they have in common is their height and eye color."
"Not identical," Heero said, giving the boy a droll stare. "And there *was* a record of twins causing trouble six years ago, right before Yukina was adopted. I'm sure it was her."
"Why? What happened?"
"A man was found dead, his two foster children there at the time. Twins, a male and female estimated to be nine or ten. And the man's death was investigated by OZ."
"Mutants, then," Duo glared, moving closer to Heero. "How did he die?"
"That wasn't in the official reports, but I went into some of OZ's older files. His heart was crushed, no apparent wounds on the outside of his body. The room was found wet, as well as the children and the body, everything was completely soaked."
"What the hell would do that?" Turning back to the computer, Duo scowled at the small text document. "Kurama didn't say anything about Hiei having water abilities."
"No," Heero frowned. "And no fire or mind control would explain how the man's heart was crushed into a pulp without any sign of entry into his chest. It was done from the inside, obviously, but looked like a fist squeezed it." With a click, he nodded to a rather vivid picture. Duo groaned and ducked his head against his neck. Heero blinked. "Duo?"
"Warn me before you show stuff like that," Duo grumbled, his stomach turning. After a long minute, he sighed and turned back to the screen, disgust curling his lips. "Eww..."
"I...didn't think you were the queasy type," Heero said slowly, staring at the boy.
"You don't have to be the queasy type," Duo spat, shooting the boy a disgruntled look. "When something's nasty, it's nasty. They could have at least taken it out of his chest before they took the picture."
"But that's the point," Heero reminded him, still surprised at Duo's reaction. "Look at the area around it. Nothing else was touched, just the heart. Here." Clicking again, he nodded to another picture, noting Duo's relief when it showed an uninjured chest. "That's before they opened him. No signs of any wound at all."
"Okay," Duo sighed, shaking his head. "So what does that mean? You think Kurama lied about Hiei's abilities?"
"Either that or he doesn't know. I couldn't find anything on him at all. And no record of Hiei. The two children were separated after the death, and the official report says they were set to undergo therapy. There's no information on the girl after that, and the boy was reported missing two weeks later. If it's them, then Yukina was adopted by the Peacecrafts and taken to the Sanq Kingdom. OZ also mentions that in their file. But they couldn't find the boy after he disappeared from the hospital."
"Hospital?" A dark glare made Duo shift back a bit, staring at Heero in surprise.
"I can't find the records of what he was treated for, not in the hospital archives or OZ's file. Someone pulled them. And it would have to be someone high up to have done it."
"Treize? You think he's put Hiei on his list?" A shrug answered that, and Duo frowned, stifling a quick yawn. "Makes sense. If it's them, then OZ would know where Yukina went, and they'd probably figure out the assassination attempt was stopped by a mutant. No way they'd believe some coverup, not if witnesses blabbed to the tabloids."
"Right. So why haven't they come in to get him yet? Something's not right, it's suspicious."
Duo rolled his eyes, sagging on Heero again. "The whole thing's suspicious. So just ask Kurama about it in the morning. If Hiei's a target, I bet he'd want to know anyway."
"No, it would be better to have Zechs read him." Heero held still when Duo jerked upright, and he met the boy's sudden glare with dead calm. "He said he has no telepathic abilities, so Zechs should be able to read him easily."
"At least give him a chance to tell you himself first," Duo said sharply, anger written over his tense form. "Do you want to alienate them when they're already planning to help us out? They're definitely not enemies, not if OZ is pulling Hiei's records."
"But there's nothing on Kurama," Heero reminded him, still very calm. "We don't know anything about him. What's to say OZ didn't plant him the same way they did Une? It would be a perfect way to get close to Hiei, and we know they're using mutants to catch other mutants."
"Right," Duo snorted, hopping off Heero to stalk back to the bed. "And he's been hanging around for a year without doing anything? Did you even see them earlier? Hiei didn't exactly look like the sort of person who'd trust a potential traitor that easily. And with that eye thing of his he can probably read Kurama himself. There's no way."
"We can't rule it out."
"Whatever," Duo groused, climbing into bed and glaring at his pillow. "Your attitude is really starting to bug me, you know that?"
"Duo." The boy was silent, and Heero sighed, leaving his laptop to move to the bed. He waited for a minute, but the longhaired boy's face was hidden against his pillow. With another, louder sigh, he sat on the edge of the bed. "Why are you getting angry about this?"
Duo shot up suddenly, glaring at the boy. "Because I like them, okay? I like them, especially Kurama. I may not have Zechs or Quatre's mindreading ability, but I know when someone is a good person, and that's what I get from him. Sure, he may have his secrets, but there wasn't a bit of malice in his smile. I *know* that. I don't understand why you can't see that."
"You thought the same thing about Une when she was masking herself as Relena." Violet eyes held to their dark glare, and Heero returned it with a calm look. It was true, and they both knew it. "You don't want to lose a friend you've just made. But we have to be sure, you know that."
"I..." His eyes burned. Heero's absolute calm seemed to tear at him, and he jerked away suddenly, dropping to the bed to crush his face against the pillow. "I'm going to sleep," he mumbled, words muffled by the cloth. A warm arm moved over his shoulders and he almost shrugged it away. He was angry with him...but he didn't really want Heero to go back to the computer. With a long sigh, he let the other boy stretch out beside him, not protesting when he was drawn into a warm embrace. Heero would probably sneak back to the computer the moment he fell asleep again, but he wouldn't think of that right now. He didn't want to think of anything.
* * *
A muffled thump, a few faint whispers and a light groan of pain were enough to make Wufei sit up with wide eyes trained on his bedroom door. He'd been in a vague doze, not nearly deep enough to ignore noise like that. For a few seconds he wondered if Duo or one of the others hadn't come to see him, but none of them would be so clumsy. Not even Quatre could be that loud, though he'd never done much infiltration. Slipping into his shoes and tossing a coat around his light sleep clothes, he stared at the door. The sounds were fainter by the time he opened it a crack, and he just caught the shadow disappearing into the stairwell, figures moving out of sight. With narrow eyes, he followed silently.
There was no curfew, he remembered, but whoever it was seemed to be hiding something. While they weren't very good at it, he got the impression they planned to sneak out unnoticed. Or in unnoticed. Either way, it was too suspicious for him to ignore. He reached the stairwell and paused at the edge, blending with the shadows as he peered at the figures below him. He could just make out their whispers as he crept after them.
"If you're wrong I'm going to kill you."
"I know what I saw!" the other whispered furiously, voice a rather loud hiss in the darkness. "And you're the one who wanted to follow! This isn't my idea of-"
"Oh shut up already, you'll wake everybody up with that loud mouth of yours, baka."
"Oi!"
Wufei blinked as the shorter figure swung at the taller one, knocking the other down a few steps and causing a lot more racket than the loud whispers had. For people trying to sneak, they were doing a pretty bad job at it. Crouching a bit, Wufei watched the taller one groan and rub his head, the other kicking him in the back and sending him tumbling down another three steps. If he hadn't been tailing them, Wufei might have snickered. They were idiots.
"Will you stop it already?! Damn, you're gonna kill me! They'll be long gone by the time we get out there and it'll be your fault, not mine."
"Shut up and move your slow ass, then."
A low grumbled threat later, the two disappeared onto the ground floor, and Wufei stood, staring after them in bemusement. He hadn't seen them very well, but he was sure they were students. Not even OZ would hire incompetents of that level. Still, they were obviously up to something, and he was already wide awake. With a shrug, he followed, peering out the doorway to spot the two figures crouched next to a window by the main door. They remained for nearly a minute in absolute silence before the shorter one slammed a hand on the taller one's head, nearly sending his face through the glass.
"They aren't doing anything, you idiot!"
"Oi! Stop hitting me or I'll hit you back! You want to fight right here?"
"Sure, if you want your ass kicked again. First me, then Hiei when he hears your squeals."
"That chibi?! He'd never-"
The shorter one slapped a hand over the other's mouth, and snapped his head around to stare directly at the stairwell. Wufei flinched in surprise, blinking at the shadowed gaze. He hadn't made a sound, and he'd followed them so long without being noticed. What gave him away?
"Oi, who's there? Come on out here where I can see you."
The voice was definitely meant to be intimidating, but Wufei merely sniffed at it, a smirk curving his lips. Like he was really going to be afraid of these two bumblers. Straightening slowly, he moved along the wall to stand over the two, seeing them clearly now despite the dim light. The taller one was odd looking, thick short orangish hair on his head and very high prominent cheekbones that somehow made him look like a mix between a thug and an neanderthal. The other one had black hair that was slicked back in a slight rise, short but straight, and dark eyes that did their best to challenge him. Wufei raised an eyebrow at the boy.
"Haven't seen you around here," the black-haired boy scowled. "But get down before they see you."
Blinking in surprise, Wufei found himself obeying, crouching near the two and peering out the window. The front lawn looked completely empty to him, and he frowned at the boys, keeping his voice low. "What are you looking at?"
The shorter boy looked back at him, eyes suspicious. "You new?" At Wufei's nod, he smirked and tilted his head back to the window. "Just following the demons."
"Demons?"
"You really are new," the taller boy mocked, rolling his eyes. "Don't you know about those two yet? Everyone knows about them, they're the strongest ones here."
"Ch, not so strong," the black-haired one muttered. "I still say I could take him if he'd give me half a chance. Stuck up kid."
"Who are you talking about?" Wufei asked, frowning at the empty yard. He didn't see anyone at all. "And where are you looking?"
"There," the dark one said, nodding again. "In the tree, see them? The demons."
Sure enough Wufei spotted a shadow nearly hidden by the thick leaves of the tree he and the others had sat beneath earlier. Squinting a bit, he caught a vague flash of dark red and blinked. "Kurama?"
"You do know them!" The tall one let out a grumbled laugh, slapping a rough hand on Wufei's back and making the Chinese boy freeze. If looks could kill, the orange haired boy would have been dead, but he didn't seem to notice. "They're the demons. Everyone says they're S class mutants."
"The only ones I've ever heard of," the dark-haired boy muttered. "And the townsfolk are terrified of them, especially Hiei."
The orange-haired boy nodded, also glowering. "They say that one isn't even human, demons - worse than mutants. Wimps. All afraid of that chibi."
"Stronger than you, baka."
Wufei looked between the two with a droll expression before turning his gaze out the window again. It was dark, but he did spot a hint of white near the familiar red hair. For a second he wasn't sure what he was looking at, then his eyes widened. "Is Hiei in his lap?!"
The dark-haired boy snickered, smothering the sound with his hand. "You really *are* new. Man, new students are so fun. Yeah, that's him. The way we see it, they're either lovers or they're related. Kurama's the only one who'd touch him."
"Aside from Yukina, you mean?" Pale eyes snapped to him, and Wufei jerked back on instinct, barely managing to avoid the orange-haired boy's fist. "What-"
"Yukina-san would never touch him!" the boy nearly shrieked, his whisper cracking. "How dare you say that!" His mouth was covered again, and he struggled to shove the other boy off, mumbled growls not quite silenced.
The shorter boy smirked, holding his friend back with seeming ease. "Don't mind him, he has a slight case of Yukina worship. It kills what few brain cells he has."
"Oh." Wufei raised an eyebrow when the taller boy was released, still leaning away from him.
"Idiot newbies," the boy grumbled, glaring at him.
"Excuse me?"
"Newbies," the other explained, flashing Wufei a quick smile. "New students. But this isn't a good place to talk. Don't want them spotting us or anything."
"Why were you spying on them in the first place?" Wufei asked.
"Oh, we thought they might be going to train. We tried following them in the daytime, but they keep an eye out for us then, not much gets by them if they're looking for it. So when the idiot here said he saw them outside, well, perfect chance."
The dark-haired boy flashed him a grin, and Wufei found himself smiling back. "I see."
"But it looks like they're just going to sit there. No point watching that. Might as well slip by the cafeteria, wanna come?"
Wufei glanced back out the window at the pair barely visible through the foliage and shrugged. "I suppose. Is it open at this hour?"
"Oh yeah," the orange-haired boy grinned. He seemed to have forgotten he'd nearly hit Wufei a moment ago. With another heavy slap on the back, he pushed the Chinese boy toward the cafeteria. "There's no curfew, so it's always open. Not much to get aside from coffee and pastries, but that's not too bad, right?"
"Heh, you and your stomach."
Rubbing his back with a dark scowl, Wufei moved to the side so they passed him. For a clumsy sneak, the tall one had some strength behind his large hands. He'd have to watch out that he didn't get another of those friendly cuffs or he'd be bruised. The darkhaired boy glanced back and he gave a weak half smile, following. This could be useful, he thought slowly, looking at the two. Rumors about the pair outside would add to whatever Heero turned up.
* * *
The shadows disappeared from inside the window, and Hiei sniffed, turning onto his back again. "Idiots."
"Yusuke and Kuwabara-kun?" Kurama asked, a slight smile curving his lips. The black-haired boy didn't answer, shifting more comfortably in his arms. "They probably thought we were going off to train."
"Ch, like I wouldn't have heard them a mile away."
"Ah, but you have to give them credit. They're quite persistent."
"Annoying is the word." A soft laugh shook his back, and Hiei sniffed again, tilting his head to stare up at the redhead. "Why do you like them?"
Kurama's smile widened a bit at the boy's disgusted expression. "Because they're honest, determined, and amusing, of course. Yusuke really wants a match with you, he asks me almost every day."
"No point fighting a B level," Hiei muttered, closing his eyes and moving his hands over the arm that lay across his waist. "Unless he needs the humiliation."
"Now Hiei, you know he's the strongest mutant here aside from Yukina-chan. He could have another talent. You never know." Dark red eyes turned up to him, and Kurama smirked, shaking his head. "You're right, you *would* know."
"He has one ability," Hiei frowned. "No matter how strong he claims to be, one ability makes him B level. That's all there is to it."
"Disappointed?" Kurama sighed when his friend didn't answer, brushing his free hand through the white streaked black hair over Hiei's forehead. "I think you may enjoy working with the new ones. And just think, if Trowa really is an S class, you could have a better opponent than me."
"Not likely." The redhead smirked at this, and Hiei mirrored the smile without looking. "Even on the off chance that he's stronger than you, he won't have your mind."
"Flattery," Kurama warned, tugging on the boy's dark hair. "But it's nice to see you in such a good mood. Was it him?" The dark form tensed at the question. Holding his silence, Kurama continued to thread his fingers through thick black hair. Minutes passed before Hiei finally relaxed again, and he smiled lightly, his hand curving to brush the boy's cheek. "He doesn't look the same as the picture," he said softly. "His eyes have changed."
"So have yours," Hiei said, his voice just as soft.
"If it makes you happy, why are you upset?" A soft snort answered him, and Kurama sighed, tilting his head against the tree and turning his gaze to the dark leaves around them. "You wanted to save him," he whispered, answering his own question.
"Hn." With a dark scowl, Hiei rolled onto his stomach, bracing himself on Kurama's arm. Once he was facing he redhead, he moved so their noses nearly touched. Wide green eyes sparkled at him and he stared for a long moment before ducking his head against his friend's neck. "You talk too much."
"Hai," Kurama smiled, moving his arms around the smaller teen. "But it's still true. You wanted to save him like you did me."
"I'm not that kind," Hiei muttered, closing his eyes and shifting a bit closer to the warm redhead.
"No...but you want to be." Strong fingers pinched his waist, and Kurama winced, grinning down at the black-haired boy.
"Urusai..."
* * *
TBC
--notes--
For those who don't know, the two 'bumblers' are also from YYH, added for those who requested them. Whether or not there will be a Yusuke/Wufei to goad Zechs along, I can't say, but the eventual pairing *will* be 6x5. Anyone hoping to avoid that...don't get your hopes up. ^_^;; I like 6x5, and that's what I want.
Japanese-English terms: baka=idiot, hai=yes, urusai=noisy/annoying/etc, kokoryuuha=Hiei's black dragon attack (fully termed 'jaou ensatsu kokoryuuha'), chibi=shrimp (small person, an insult)
This fic is a vague fusion with the original X-men animated series.
Category: Anime, Gundam Wing, Yu Yu Hakusho, Yaoi, AU
Warnings: shonen ai, slight humor, slight angst
Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, KuramaxHiei, will be 6x5
Author: Arigatomina
Email: arigatomina@hotmail.com
Website/Complete Archive: http://www.geocities.com/arigatomina
G-men
Part 24: Demons and Bumblers
Duo awoke to the sound of the bathroom door sliding open. He didn't move at first, expecting the empty spot next to him to be filled as Heero returned to bed. But another soft rustling on the carpet told him the boy had gone to the desk instead. With a mottled scowl, he rubbed his eyes and pushed himself up. "What are you doing? What time is it?"
"One twenty," Heero said. His voice was soft, but he didn't look back, focused on the glowing screen of his laptop. "Go back to sleep."
"But what are you doing?" A light tapping answered him and Duo sighed, shoving his legs over the edge of the bed. "And when did you get up? I didn't even hear you."
"I was quiet."
Duo yawned, rubbing his eyes and blinking blearily at the too-bright screen. Newspaper clippings shown on one minimized page, a search list of links on the other. He leaned closer over Heero's shoulder, trying to make out the list on the smaller menu. "Mountains...? Why are you looking up..." A sleep slowed thought made its way to his mind, and he blinked, scowling down at the dark-haired boy. "You couldn't wait to look them up, could you."
"No. But it would have been better if I had last names to go by."
"Let me guess," Duo said, a dark smirk curving his lips. "Lots of mutants seen around Mount Hiei?" The Japanese boy sniffed, proving him right. "Good. You shouldn't be snooping anyway, no wonder you waited till I was asleep."
"I knew it would be quieter that way," Heero muttered, refusing to look back. "Doesn't matter, though. The sister identified him."
"What?" Duo blinked when Heero pointed at the screen, leaning even closer so he could make out the names on the article. "Adopted mutant in the Sanq Kingdom? That's not-" The pointing hand shifted down an inch and he rubbed a hand over his eyes again, squinting. "Oh. Yukina. So she was adopted? Her and Hiei?"
"No," Heero said. "They don't mention him here, just the date and the agency she was adopted from. This is where he comes in." Pulling up another screen, Heero shifted to the side so Duo could read. The long haired boy ignored that, and he jerked a bit as he found himself with a lapfull of Duo, an arm carelessly wrapped over his shoulders. His eyebrow twitched, but he kept quiet.
"An assassination attempt?" Duo muttered, reading slowly. His eyes were still blurry, and probably would be since they didn't have any coffee to help wake him up. Distracted, he tugged on Heero's hair and frowned down at him. "Remind me to buy us a coffee pot tomorrow. We can keep in the bathroom."
"Fine," Heero said, rolling his eyes. "Now read."
"My eyes are all sleepy," Duo muttered, rubbing them again. "Just tell me?"
"Hn."
With a sleepy but cute smile, Duo snuggled comfortably against him, ducking his face to rub Heero's neck. "Come on..."
"Fine, just don't fall asleep on me."
"Would I do that?" A sharp snort answered him, and he smiled, shifting his head to rest on Heero's shoulder. "Okay, spill. What did you find out while you were snooping around instead of just asking like a-"
"Shut up. I'll just have to repeat this to the others later, so I don't have to tell you anything."
"Meanie."
"Hn. Yukina was adopted six years ago, that's the first thing that showed up. All it says is that she was adopted to be a companion to Relena not long after Zechs left the Sanq Kingdom. A year later the school opened. The reports are mainly from this kingdom and the neighboring ones, so it took a while to find that."
"How long is a while?" Duo asked, "You haven't been at this *that* long."
"Twenty minutes." The other boy snorted at him, but Heero ignored it. "She doesn't seem to have a last name at all, it isn't just kept from the press. There were a few tabloids talking about her past since she was adopted by the Peacecrafts and rumor has it she didn't know her full name when she was adopted, or her age."
"So what about Hiei?"
"He didn't show up until the assassination attempt a year ago. That's when the king died."
"He was assassinated?" Duo sat up abruptly, his eyes wide. "Zechs didn't say that."
"He didn't die in the attempt," Heero explained, reaching around Duo to change the screen. "He died of a heart attack a few days after it. So officially his death was from natural causes. The attempt was foiled by a mutant, Hiei."
"But I thought he wasn't adopted."
"No, he isn't listed by name, but the description matches. There was a missile dropped directly onto the school, and the report says it exploded just before it landed. It was enough to shake the place, but no one was injured. Witnesses claim it wasn't shot down from anything in the air, like the official report says, but by something on the ground directly in front of the manor. Right about where we were earlier."
"And you think it was Hiei?"
"I don't know what this kokoryuuha is that Kurama mentioned, but it was a black explosion according to the witnesses. It's too much to be coincidence that he uses black flame."
"And Kurama did say he hadn't know Relena that long," Duo recalled, still frowning. "But why was he there? And where was he before that?"
"That was harder to find. I'm still not sure if I have the right ones."
"What do you mean?"
"Since they're the same size, I'd say Yukina and Hiei would be about the same age, being siblings. And the age estimation when she was adopted put her at around nine at the oldest. So I looked back for any record of siblings or twins having been-"
"Twins?" Duo's lips twitched for a second before he broke. "No way those two are twins. The only thing they have in common is their height and eye color."
"Not identical," Heero said, giving the boy a droll stare. "And there *was* a record of twins causing trouble six years ago, right before Yukina was adopted. I'm sure it was her."
"Why? What happened?"
"A man was found dead, his two foster children there at the time. Twins, a male and female estimated to be nine or ten. And the man's death was investigated by OZ."
"Mutants, then," Duo glared, moving closer to Heero. "How did he die?"
"That wasn't in the official reports, but I went into some of OZ's older files. His heart was crushed, no apparent wounds on the outside of his body. The room was found wet, as well as the children and the body, everything was completely soaked."
"What the hell would do that?" Turning back to the computer, Duo scowled at the small text document. "Kurama didn't say anything about Hiei having water abilities."
"No," Heero frowned. "And no fire or mind control would explain how the man's heart was crushed into a pulp without any sign of entry into his chest. It was done from the inside, obviously, but looked like a fist squeezed it." With a click, he nodded to a rather vivid picture. Duo groaned and ducked his head against his neck. Heero blinked. "Duo?"
"Warn me before you show stuff like that," Duo grumbled, his stomach turning. After a long minute, he sighed and turned back to the screen, disgust curling his lips. "Eww..."
"I...didn't think you were the queasy type," Heero said slowly, staring at the boy.
"You don't have to be the queasy type," Duo spat, shooting the boy a disgruntled look. "When something's nasty, it's nasty. They could have at least taken it out of his chest before they took the picture."
"But that's the point," Heero reminded him, still surprised at Duo's reaction. "Look at the area around it. Nothing else was touched, just the heart. Here." Clicking again, he nodded to another picture, noting Duo's relief when it showed an uninjured chest. "That's before they opened him. No signs of any wound at all."
"Okay," Duo sighed, shaking his head. "So what does that mean? You think Kurama lied about Hiei's abilities?"
"Either that or he doesn't know. I couldn't find anything on him at all. And no record of Hiei. The two children were separated after the death, and the official report says they were set to undergo therapy. There's no information on the girl after that, and the boy was reported missing two weeks later. If it's them, then Yukina was adopted by the Peacecrafts and taken to the Sanq Kingdom. OZ also mentions that in their file. But they couldn't find the boy after he disappeared from the hospital."
"Hospital?" A dark glare made Duo shift back a bit, staring at Heero in surprise.
"I can't find the records of what he was treated for, not in the hospital archives or OZ's file. Someone pulled them. And it would have to be someone high up to have done it."
"Treize? You think he's put Hiei on his list?" A shrug answered that, and Duo frowned, stifling a quick yawn. "Makes sense. If it's them, then OZ would know where Yukina went, and they'd probably figure out the assassination attempt was stopped by a mutant. No way they'd believe some coverup, not if witnesses blabbed to the tabloids."
"Right. So why haven't they come in to get him yet? Something's not right, it's suspicious."
Duo rolled his eyes, sagging on Heero again. "The whole thing's suspicious. So just ask Kurama about it in the morning. If Hiei's a target, I bet he'd want to know anyway."
"No, it would be better to have Zechs read him." Heero held still when Duo jerked upright, and he met the boy's sudden glare with dead calm. "He said he has no telepathic abilities, so Zechs should be able to read him easily."
"At least give him a chance to tell you himself first," Duo said sharply, anger written over his tense form. "Do you want to alienate them when they're already planning to help us out? They're definitely not enemies, not if OZ is pulling Hiei's records."
"But there's nothing on Kurama," Heero reminded him, still very calm. "We don't know anything about him. What's to say OZ didn't plant him the same way they did Une? It would be a perfect way to get close to Hiei, and we know they're using mutants to catch other mutants."
"Right," Duo snorted, hopping off Heero to stalk back to the bed. "And he's been hanging around for a year without doing anything? Did you even see them earlier? Hiei didn't exactly look like the sort of person who'd trust a potential traitor that easily. And with that eye thing of his he can probably read Kurama himself. There's no way."
"We can't rule it out."
"Whatever," Duo groused, climbing into bed and glaring at his pillow. "Your attitude is really starting to bug me, you know that?"
"Duo." The boy was silent, and Heero sighed, leaving his laptop to move to the bed. He waited for a minute, but the longhaired boy's face was hidden against his pillow. With another, louder sigh, he sat on the edge of the bed. "Why are you getting angry about this?"
Duo shot up suddenly, glaring at the boy. "Because I like them, okay? I like them, especially Kurama. I may not have Zechs or Quatre's mindreading ability, but I know when someone is a good person, and that's what I get from him. Sure, he may have his secrets, but there wasn't a bit of malice in his smile. I *know* that. I don't understand why you can't see that."
"You thought the same thing about Une when she was masking herself as Relena." Violet eyes held to their dark glare, and Heero returned it with a calm look. It was true, and they both knew it. "You don't want to lose a friend you've just made. But we have to be sure, you know that."
"I..." His eyes burned. Heero's absolute calm seemed to tear at him, and he jerked away suddenly, dropping to the bed to crush his face against the pillow. "I'm going to sleep," he mumbled, words muffled by the cloth. A warm arm moved over his shoulders and he almost shrugged it away. He was angry with him...but he didn't really want Heero to go back to the computer. With a long sigh, he let the other boy stretch out beside him, not protesting when he was drawn into a warm embrace. Heero would probably sneak back to the computer the moment he fell asleep again, but he wouldn't think of that right now. He didn't want to think of anything.
* * *
A muffled thump, a few faint whispers and a light groan of pain were enough to make Wufei sit up with wide eyes trained on his bedroom door. He'd been in a vague doze, not nearly deep enough to ignore noise like that. For a few seconds he wondered if Duo or one of the others hadn't come to see him, but none of them would be so clumsy. Not even Quatre could be that loud, though he'd never done much infiltration. Slipping into his shoes and tossing a coat around his light sleep clothes, he stared at the door. The sounds were fainter by the time he opened it a crack, and he just caught the shadow disappearing into the stairwell, figures moving out of sight. With narrow eyes, he followed silently.
There was no curfew, he remembered, but whoever it was seemed to be hiding something. While they weren't very good at it, he got the impression they planned to sneak out unnoticed. Or in unnoticed. Either way, it was too suspicious for him to ignore. He reached the stairwell and paused at the edge, blending with the shadows as he peered at the figures below him. He could just make out their whispers as he crept after them.
"If you're wrong I'm going to kill you."
"I know what I saw!" the other whispered furiously, voice a rather loud hiss in the darkness. "And you're the one who wanted to follow! This isn't my idea of-"
"Oh shut up already, you'll wake everybody up with that loud mouth of yours, baka."
"Oi!"
Wufei blinked as the shorter figure swung at the taller one, knocking the other down a few steps and causing a lot more racket than the loud whispers had. For people trying to sneak, they were doing a pretty bad job at it. Crouching a bit, Wufei watched the taller one groan and rub his head, the other kicking him in the back and sending him tumbling down another three steps. If he hadn't been tailing them, Wufei might have snickered. They were idiots.
"Will you stop it already?! Damn, you're gonna kill me! They'll be long gone by the time we get out there and it'll be your fault, not mine."
"Shut up and move your slow ass, then."
A low grumbled threat later, the two disappeared onto the ground floor, and Wufei stood, staring after them in bemusement. He hadn't seen them very well, but he was sure they were students. Not even OZ would hire incompetents of that level. Still, they were obviously up to something, and he was already wide awake. With a shrug, he followed, peering out the doorway to spot the two figures crouched next to a window by the main door. They remained for nearly a minute in absolute silence before the shorter one slammed a hand on the taller one's head, nearly sending his face through the glass.
"They aren't doing anything, you idiot!"
"Oi! Stop hitting me or I'll hit you back! You want to fight right here?"
"Sure, if you want your ass kicked again. First me, then Hiei when he hears your squeals."
"That chibi?! He'd never-"
The shorter one slapped a hand over the other's mouth, and snapped his head around to stare directly at the stairwell. Wufei flinched in surprise, blinking at the shadowed gaze. He hadn't made a sound, and he'd followed them so long without being noticed. What gave him away?
"Oi, who's there? Come on out here where I can see you."
The voice was definitely meant to be intimidating, but Wufei merely sniffed at it, a smirk curving his lips. Like he was really going to be afraid of these two bumblers. Straightening slowly, he moved along the wall to stand over the two, seeing them clearly now despite the dim light. The taller one was odd looking, thick short orangish hair on his head and very high prominent cheekbones that somehow made him look like a mix between a thug and an neanderthal. The other one had black hair that was slicked back in a slight rise, short but straight, and dark eyes that did their best to challenge him. Wufei raised an eyebrow at the boy.
"Haven't seen you around here," the black-haired boy scowled. "But get down before they see you."
Blinking in surprise, Wufei found himself obeying, crouching near the two and peering out the window. The front lawn looked completely empty to him, and he frowned at the boys, keeping his voice low. "What are you looking at?"
The shorter boy looked back at him, eyes suspicious. "You new?" At Wufei's nod, he smirked and tilted his head back to the window. "Just following the demons."
"Demons?"
"You really are new," the taller boy mocked, rolling his eyes. "Don't you know about those two yet? Everyone knows about them, they're the strongest ones here."
"Ch, not so strong," the black-haired one muttered. "I still say I could take him if he'd give me half a chance. Stuck up kid."
"Who are you talking about?" Wufei asked, frowning at the empty yard. He didn't see anyone at all. "And where are you looking?"
"There," the dark one said, nodding again. "In the tree, see them? The demons."
Sure enough Wufei spotted a shadow nearly hidden by the thick leaves of the tree he and the others had sat beneath earlier. Squinting a bit, he caught a vague flash of dark red and blinked. "Kurama?"
"You do know them!" The tall one let out a grumbled laugh, slapping a rough hand on Wufei's back and making the Chinese boy freeze. If looks could kill, the orange haired boy would have been dead, but he didn't seem to notice. "They're the demons. Everyone says they're S class mutants."
"The only ones I've ever heard of," the dark-haired boy muttered. "And the townsfolk are terrified of them, especially Hiei."
The orange-haired boy nodded, also glowering. "They say that one isn't even human, demons - worse than mutants. Wimps. All afraid of that chibi."
"Stronger than you, baka."
Wufei looked between the two with a droll expression before turning his gaze out the window again. It was dark, but he did spot a hint of white near the familiar red hair. For a second he wasn't sure what he was looking at, then his eyes widened. "Is Hiei in his lap?!"
The dark-haired boy snickered, smothering the sound with his hand. "You really *are* new. Man, new students are so fun. Yeah, that's him. The way we see it, they're either lovers or they're related. Kurama's the only one who'd touch him."
"Aside from Yukina, you mean?" Pale eyes snapped to him, and Wufei jerked back on instinct, barely managing to avoid the orange-haired boy's fist. "What-"
"Yukina-san would never touch him!" the boy nearly shrieked, his whisper cracking. "How dare you say that!" His mouth was covered again, and he struggled to shove the other boy off, mumbled growls not quite silenced.
The shorter boy smirked, holding his friend back with seeming ease. "Don't mind him, he has a slight case of Yukina worship. It kills what few brain cells he has."
"Oh." Wufei raised an eyebrow when the taller boy was released, still leaning away from him.
"Idiot newbies," the boy grumbled, glaring at him.
"Excuse me?"
"Newbies," the other explained, flashing Wufei a quick smile. "New students. But this isn't a good place to talk. Don't want them spotting us or anything."
"Why were you spying on them in the first place?" Wufei asked.
"Oh, we thought they might be going to train. We tried following them in the daytime, but they keep an eye out for us then, not much gets by them if they're looking for it. So when the idiot here said he saw them outside, well, perfect chance."
The dark-haired boy flashed him a grin, and Wufei found himself smiling back. "I see."
"But it looks like they're just going to sit there. No point watching that. Might as well slip by the cafeteria, wanna come?"
Wufei glanced back out the window at the pair barely visible through the foliage and shrugged. "I suppose. Is it open at this hour?"
"Oh yeah," the orange-haired boy grinned. He seemed to have forgotten he'd nearly hit Wufei a moment ago. With another heavy slap on the back, he pushed the Chinese boy toward the cafeteria. "There's no curfew, so it's always open. Not much to get aside from coffee and pastries, but that's not too bad, right?"
"Heh, you and your stomach."
Rubbing his back with a dark scowl, Wufei moved to the side so they passed him. For a clumsy sneak, the tall one had some strength behind his large hands. He'd have to watch out that he didn't get another of those friendly cuffs or he'd be bruised. The darkhaired boy glanced back and he gave a weak half smile, following. This could be useful, he thought slowly, looking at the two. Rumors about the pair outside would add to whatever Heero turned up.
* * *
The shadows disappeared from inside the window, and Hiei sniffed, turning onto his back again. "Idiots."
"Yusuke and Kuwabara-kun?" Kurama asked, a slight smile curving his lips. The black-haired boy didn't answer, shifting more comfortably in his arms. "They probably thought we were going off to train."
"Ch, like I wouldn't have heard them a mile away."
"Ah, but you have to give them credit. They're quite persistent."
"Annoying is the word." A soft laugh shook his back, and Hiei sniffed again, tilting his head to stare up at the redhead. "Why do you like them?"
Kurama's smile widened a bit at the boy's disgusted expression. "Because they're honest, determined, and amusing, of course. Yusuke really wants a match with you, he asks me almost every day."
"No point fighting a B level," Hiei muttered, closing his eyes and moving his hands over the arm that lay across his waist. "Unless he needs the humiliation."
"Now Hiei, you know he's the strongest mutant here aside from Yukina-chan. He could have another talent. You never know." Dark red eyes turned up to him, and Kurama smirked, shaking his head. "You're right, you *would* know."
"He has one ability," Hiei frowned. "No matter how strong he claims to be, one ability makes him B level. That's all there is to it."
"Disappointed?" Kurama sighed when his friend didn't answer, brushing his free hand through the white streaked black hair over Hiei's forehead. "I think you may enjoy working with the new ones. And just think, if Trowa really is an S class, you could have a better opponent than me."
"Not likely." The redhead smirked at this, and Hiei mirrored the smile without looking. "Even on the off chance that he's stronger than you, he won't have your mind."
"Flattery," Kurama warned, tugging on the boy's dark hair. "But it's nice to see you in such a good mood. Was it him?" The dark form tensed at the question. Holding his silence, Kurama continued to thread his fingers through thick black hair. Minutes passed before Hiei finally relaxed again, and he smiled lightly, his hand curving to brush the boy's cheek. "He doesn't look the same as the picture," he said softly. "His eyes have changed."
"So have yours," Hiei said, his voice just as soft.
"If it makes you happy, why are you upset?" A soft snort answered him, and Kurama sighed, tilting his head against the tree and turning his gaze to the dark leaves around them. "You wanted to save him," he whispered, answering his own question.
"Hn." With a dark scowl, Hiei rolled onto his stomach, bracing himself on Kurama's arm. Once he was facing he redhead, he moved so their noses nearly touched. Wide green eyes sparkled at him and he stared for a long moment before ducking his head against his friend's neck. "You talk too much."
"Hai," Kurama smiled, moving his arms around the smaller teen. "But it's still true. You wanted to save him like you did me."
"I'm not that kind," Hiei muttered, closing his eyes and shifting a bit closer to the warm redhead.
"No...but you want to be." Strong fingers pinched his waist, and Kurama winced, grinning down at the black-haired boy.
"Urusai..."
* * *
TBC
--notes--
For those who don't know, the two 'bumblers' are also from YYH, added for those who requested them. Whether or not there will be a Yusuke/Wufei to goad Zechs along, I can't say, but the eventual pairing *will* be 6x5. Anyone hoping to avoid that...don't get your hopes up. ^_^;; I like 6x5, and that's what I want.
Japanese-English terms: baka=idiot, hai=yes, urusai=noisy/annoying/etc, kokoryuuha=Hiei's black dragon attack (fully termed 'jaou ensatsu kokoryuuha'), chibi=shrimp (small person, an insult)