Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Prophecy Breaker ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: calikocat 
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 02.07.2010 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 340 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Comedy | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 02.07.2010 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.2K | Visits: 340 | Status: Completed
Prophecy Breaker
calikocat
word count: 2966
Disclaimer: Buffy and YuYu Hakusho do not belong to me.
A/N: The way I arranged the wedding is a combination of American and Japanese styles. Some weddings in Japan are way more traditional than what I've described here. The information I obtained came from google and my own experience from American weddings.
Pairings: Yusuke/Keiko, Hiei/Kuwabara
XXX
Xander shifted and pulled at his tie. It was uncomfortable but not unbearable, however he thought Yusuke's clothes looked a heck of a lot more comfy than what he was wearing. The pants, hakama, he reminded himself, were black and loose and made his brother look like a samurai. Much cooler than the suit he was in, and he still thought he looked like a waiter.
He tried not to shift too much in his chair, but the seat was hard, and he was bored. It made him wonder how the heck everyone else in the room managed to sit so still and...proper. The ceremony was way more formal than any wedding he'd ever seen. Not that he'd been to many, but he'd been forced to watch a lot of romantic comedies with his girls. This was nothing like what he'd come to expect. For starters...no one was crying. Keiko's mom sat, still as a statue in her kimono on the other side of the shrine next to her husband. Her eyes were dry, and she had a soft smile on her face.
A murmuring up front caught his attention and looked back toward the main event. Yusuke was all in black, Keiko in white as they stood before a Priest in the small shrine. The guy was old, and even looked like he was gonna drop dead at any moment, but the defiant little guy plowed right along with his prayers and blessings.
Xander blinked and tried to stay awake, he never was good at not sleeping through church. A soft chuckle beside him shook him out of his near doze. He glanced at Kurama who smiled at him and motioned behind them. Xander risked a glance, and almost snorted. Kuwabara had fallen asleep and Hiei was barely keeping the much larger man from toppling over. When he noticed Xander and Kurama watching them with barely suppressed amusement he glared at them and bared his fangs.
Xander shared a grin with Kurama, oblivious to it's effect on the fox before looking at the other guests while the priest droned on. He was surprised to find he knew almost everyone in the room. Keiko's parents, Atsuko, Botan, Koenma, Yukina, Kurama, Kuwabara and Hiei were all familiar faces. The only ones he didn't recognize were a couple of women who he assumed were friends of Keiko's.
Movement up front brought his attention back to the ceremony. Yusuke and Keiko were exchanging simple gold bands and vows. He smiled at the scene, it was obvious that they were crazy about each other.
A woman, a priestess, Kurama had told him before, began pouring something for Keiko and Yusuke before moving to the guests. He nudged Kurama and whispered. “What's going on?”
Kurama smiled and spoke low. “Ah, it's tradition for the couple to drink nine cups of sake to bind them. The families indulge in a cup each to show unity.”
“But I'm underage.”
“The cups are very small Xander-san. You will be fine.”
Xander relaxed as the priestess handed him the cup and filled it. However when the toast was made and he drank it he was really glad he only had to drink one cup. Yuck. He did his best to ignore Kurama's snickers.
xxx
The reception was held in a ball room at a nearby hotel, and Xander had never seen so many people gathered in one place. Kurama and Yusuke had mentioned that the reception would be much larger, talk about the ultimate understatement. At least it was casual, the dress pants and polo shirt he had changed into were a heck of a lot more comfortable than the suit had been.
However the influx of people meant he was almost lost in a sea of humanity, well mostly human anyway. So for his own safety he was doing the wall flower thing and staying out of peoples' way.
At some point a man, a guy probably about Giles' age caught sight of him and waved Yusuke over from Keiko's side to the spot of wall Xander had claimed.
“Urameshi? Who is this young man?”
“Takanaka! Good to see you!” Xander grinned at the guy and shook his hand. “I'd like you to meet my little brother, Harris Xander. Xander, this is my old Principle Takanaka.”
Xander smiled and gave a small bow. “Nice to meet you Takanaka-san.”
Takanaka blinked, his gaze going back and forth between them. “Brother?”
Yusuke's grin grew bigger and he shrugged. “Surprised?”
Before Xander could explain Atsuko appeared out of nowhere and draped herself on his arm. “Xander-chan! Come dance with me.” She giggled, the woman was way past tipsy and fast approaching drunk.
“Uh...”
“Come on, everyone else is dancing.” Without waiting for a response she dragged him to the center of the room to join the other dancers, and started to swing him around. Xander couldn't be sure but he could have sworn he heard Yusuke laughing at him.
Atsuko was nice enough...when she was sober anyway. As a drunk she was insane and her version of dancing was to swing him around like a rag doll by his arms. He briefly wondered if the sake he'd had at the ceremony would be making a reappearance as the room spun by in flashes of light.
When the world suddenly stopped all he saw was Kurama's sympathetic face. Kind green eyes winked at him as he gave him attention to Atsuko.
“Atsuko-san. May I have this dance?”
Xander could have kissed the guy, or at least begged down and worshiped his intervention, but Atsuko had already latched onto her next victim and was swinging away. He so owed Kurama, but first he needed to sit down.
The room still tried to tilt and trip him as he made his way to the nearest table, where Kuwabara and Hiei just happened to be sitting. He collapsed in a chair beside them and Hiei leaned over from Kuwabara's lap to hand him a cup.
“If it's sake I'm throwing it in you face.” Xander warned.
Hiei smirked. “It's water.”
“Oh thank god.” He grinned at Hiei and accepted the water, and sipped at it slowly.
“Better fortify yourself kid.” Kuwabara snickered. “Botan's headed this way.”
“Oh geeze.” He barely had time to hand the water back to Hiei before Botan whisked him away. Luckily her dancing was nothing like her flying and at least followed the music the band was playing.
All the girls wanted to dance with him, he'd never been so popular in his life. Shizuru towered over him and he did his best to lead, though he'd never been to a formal dance. Keiko was sympathetic and gently lead him through a couple of dances to give him some idea of what he was supposed to be doing. Which made dancing with Yukina a breeze and he didn't step on her feet even once. And he immediately missed her calming presence when he found himself surrounded. It seemed every single woman in the room approached him for a dance and he suspected it had something to do with the gossip going around. They all wanted to know if he was really Yusuke's younger brother. Evidently the women decided he was mysterious and foreign, always cooing his name and giggling. It was creepy, in a flattering sort of way.
Finally he managed to get away from his new fan club and rejoined Kuwabara and Hiei at their table.
“You do know this is Urameshi and Keiko's party.” Kuwabara stated with a grin.
“Tell that to all the ladies with octopus hands.” Xander muttered and accepted the water Hiei handed him. “You guys haven't danced yet.”
Hiei leveled him with a look. “I don't---”
“Yes you do, come on shorty.” Kuwabara grinned as he led Hiei away. Hiei rolled his eyes and sent a glare toward Xander who laughed, but he allowed his lover to have his way.
They were an interesting pair, Hiei just coming up to Kuwabara's shoulders. A flash of blue caught his eye and he laughed again as Botan waltzed Keiko across the dance floor. Keiko grinned and waved at him. So caught up in watching them he nearly jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder.
“Xander-san.” Kurama's voice was soft as he smiled down at him.
“What?”
Kurama gave a small bow, his smile never wavering. “May I have this dance?”
Xander raised a brow at the request, wondering if Kurama had been dipping into the sake in-between dances. But what the heck, it was a party right? And Kurama was a nice guy and part of Yusuke's pack. Besides, even Hiei was dancing now. “Sure.”
Kurama practically beamed at him as he led the younger man to the dance floor.
Dancing with Kurama was...different. The man could move, and led Xander through some complicated steps that he didn't even know he was capable of. It was nice, dancing without tripping or flailing like a complete geek. He wondered though, about the looks Yusuke kept sending their way as he danced with Shizuru.
Yusuke was seriously starting to wonder about Kurama.
“There is attraction there. Though the kid is pretty oblivious.” Shizuru murmured.
“Yeah...I noticed.”
Shizuru rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. “Let Kurama flirt. He won't catch Xander's heart so easily.”
Yusuke gave her a curious look. “So they won't be lovers?”
“I didn't say that, but I can't see any permanence in their future. Does it bother you that Kurama wants him?”
“Not in the sense you mean. Xander's just a kid...and he's lived through a lot. He deserves....”
“Someone special who will take on hell itself for him.”
Yusuke nearly froze, but she urged him to keep dancing. “What do you mean?”
She smiled at him. “I've been looking after Kuwabara since our parents died. I knew that I'd never be able to hand him over to just anyone.” Their eyes drifted toward Kuwabara and Hiei who were still dancing. “But the right person, well demon anyway, came along and I'm not worried about my little brother's heart.” She smirked. “But Hiei knows if he breaks it I'll kill him.”
“Huh.”
“Xander will find his own way. So let Kurama flirt while he can.”
xxx
Keiko collapsed on the couch in their apartment.
“Glad it's over?”
She smiled at her husband. “Yeah.”
Yusuke grinned back at her and sat beside her. “We really know how to throw a party.”
“More like it threw us.”
“Yeah...but you knew you were asking for trouble keeping my mom in a room full of booze.”
Keiko giggled. “Poor Xander, I thought she was going to send him into orbit.”
“Good thing Kurama came to his rescue.”
“They looked good together.”
“Kurama and Xander?”
Keiko nodded. “It was sweet, but I don't think Xander is as taken with Kurama as Kurama is taken with him.”
“Shizuru said something like that.”
Keiko shrugged. “What will happen, will happen.”
Yusuke groaned. “Don't get all prophetic on me Keiko.” He shifted and laid his head in her lap.
“Did you ever find out what Xander was hiding?”
“Yeah. Evidently he and his friends averted the Apocalypse.”
Her fingers froze in his hair. “You're kidding.”
“Nope. A bunch of kids, a vampire, and two adults saved the world from an army of vampires and kept hell from being unleashed on the human realm.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. And we thought our lives were interesting.” He grinned at her. “I have a present for you.”
She raised a brow at him. “Really.”
“Yeah.” He got up and disappeared into the bedroom, and returned with a rectangular package about two inches thick. “Here.”
She took the gift from his hands and set it on her lap before carefully pulling the paper away from a plain white box. She lifted the top off and stared at the painting.
“It's beautiful.” Her eyes teared up and she set it aside before launching herself into his arms. “Where did you find it?”
Yusuke hugged her tight, kissing her neck. “In Sunny Dale. The mother of one of Xander's friends runs an art gallery.” He laughed. “I'll take you there some time.”
Keiko pulled back, her smile wide and shining. “I'd like that.” Her look turned mischievous. “We should turn in. We have an early flight tomorrow.” She stepped out of his arms and headed toward the bedroom.
“It's not that early.” He grumbled. “Come on Keiko, it's our--”
She giggled and winked at him over her shoulder. “Only if you catch me.” With that she dashed into the room, and he laughed as he followed her.
xxx
Xander waved at Botan and Shizuru as they parted ways, an intoxicated Atsuko draped between them. The drunk woman was still swaying, trying to dance with her escorts as they headed toward her apartment.
Which left Xander alone with Kurama, who had offered to walk him to the Yukimura shop, where he'd be staying for the next week. Xander was kind of looking forward to helping Keiko's folks in the shop, they were like the perfect parents. And insisted that he call them ka-san and tou-san, which was all kinds of cool.
He was in his own world, wondering what new dishes the Yukimura's were going to introduce him to, because hey, food is good, when Kurama said his name.
“Xander-san.”
Xander blinked and looked up into warm green eyes. “Yeah?”
“I think that you are very special.” Xander started to protest but Kurama kept talking. “To face what you do everyday on the hellmouth...is remarkable. Many would run in the face of such danger.”
Xander snorted. “Many do, and they live.”
“You're alive.”
“Jessie isn't.”
Kurama sighed and looped his arm with Xander's. “I'm truly sorry for your loss. Life is so fleeting for humans, and each parting of ways is heart breaking.”
“And you know this how?” Xander asked.
“This body is human. I came to it by chance. You must understand that my true form was injured and I was desperate. I was nearly a thousand years old and when I was suddenly faced with death I was frightened beyond anything I had ever felt. I escaped to this realm and came across a woman named Shiori who had just discovered she was pregnant. She was my salvation, a soul had not yet taken residence in her baby yet. So I did, and I was born again as a human.”
“Whoa. That's...”
“Wrong?” Kurama asked with sad eyes, as if he were expecting to be judged.
Xander shook his head. “Well...not really. It's not like you killed anybody for your second chance.”
“Perhaps not, but it was a selfish move.” He chuckled.
“Was it worth it?”
“Oh yes. Being human is the best thing that ever happened to me. This time I grew up with a mother's love. Shiori, my Mother, is the most important person in my life. I nearly lost her once, she was sick, dying in a hospital bed. That's when I met Yusuke. Hiei, another demon and myself stole three treasures from a well guarded vault in Reikai. The treasure I took was called the Forlorn Hope. It was a sentient mirror that granted one wish for a price.”
“I'm not liking where this is going.”
“My wish was to save my mother's life, by offering my own. Yusuke stopped me, he'd recently come back to life you see. And while he was dead he'd witnessed Atsuko's sorrow over his death. He screamed at the me that no mother should experience that kind of loss, and as I made my wish, he demanded that the Forlorn Hope take his life instead of mine.”
“Jesus.”
“Indeed. Yusuke rarely thinks in a time of crisis. He simply acts. However the Forlorn Hope was so moved by Yusuke's sacrifice that it granted my wish, without taking either of our lives.”
Xander shuddered. “The crazy, it definitely runs in the family.”
“You were very brave to force Angelous like you did.”
Xander shook his head. “All I had was a cross. Not my brightest idea ever.”
“Still, you are much like your brother, men of action, both of you.”
“Men of crazy suicidal action maybe.” Xander snickered, and stopped walking. “We're here. This would be my stop.” He looked up at Kurama. “Thanks for walking me home. I'm still iffy on the streets around here.”
Kurama smiled that soft smile at him again, like he had a secret he wanted to share. Xander pulled his arm away and started to go inside. “Night Kurama.”
Kurama pulled him back and hugged him. Xander was frozen for a moment, and let Kurama stand back again. His eyes widened when he felt soft lips press against his forehead.
“Uh...Kurama?”
Kurama pulled back, that smile still on his face. “Good night Xander.” He let go then and walked away. Xander watched him until he disappeared around the corner.
Xander could feel his face burn as all the smiles, conversations, and the dancing made something click into place. Kurama had been flirting with him all this time. He smacked his forehead, glad the street was deserted, and grumbled.
“Somehow...I never saw that coming.”
XXX
calikocat
word count: 2966
Disclaimer: Buffy and YuYu Hakusho do not belong to me.
A/N: The way I arranged the wedding is a combination of American and Japanese styles. Some weddings in Japan are way more traditional than what I've described here. The information I obtained came from google and my own experience from American weddings.
Pairings: Yusuke/Keiko, Hiei/Kuwabara
XXX
Xander shifted and pulled at his tie. It was uncomfortable but not unbearable, however he thought Yusuke's clothes looked a heck of a lot more comfy than what he was wearing. The pants, hakama, he reminded himself, were black and loose and made his brother look like a samurai. Much cooler than the suit he was in, and he still thought he looked like a waiter.
He tried not to shift too much in his chair, but the seat was hard, and he was bored. It made him wonder how the heck everyone else in the room managed to sit so still and...proper. The ceremony was way more formal than any wedding he'd ever seen. Not that he'd been to many, but he'd been forced to watch a lot of romantic comedies with his girls. This was nothing like what he'd come to expect. For starters...no one was crying. Keiko's mom sat, still as a statue in her kimono on the other side of the shrine next to her husband. Her eyes were dry, and she had a soft smile on her face.
A murmuring up front caught his attention and looked back toward the main event. Yusuke was all in black, Keiko in white as they stood before a Priest in the small shrine. The guy was old, and even looked like he was gonna drop dead at any moment, but the defiant little guy plowed right along with his prayers and blessings.
Xander blinked and tried to stay awake, he never was good at not sleeping through church. A soft chuckle beside him shook him out of his near doze. He glanced at Kurama who smiled at him and motioned behind them. Xander risked a glance, and almost snorted. Kuwabara had fallen asleep and Hiei was barely keeping the much larger man from toppling over. When he noticed Xander and Kurama watching them with barely suppressed amusement he glared at them and bared his fangs.
Xander shared a grin with Kurama, oblivious to it's effect on the fox before looking at the other guests while the priest droned on. He was surprised to find he knew almost everyone in the room. Keiko's parents, Atsuko, Botan, Koenma, Yukina, Kurama, Kuwabara and Hiei were all familiar faces. The only ones he didn't recognize were a couple of women who he assumed were friends of Keiko's.
Movement up front brought his attention back to the ceremony. Yusuke and Keiko were exchanging simple gold bands and vows. He smiled at the scene, it was obvious that they were crazy about each other.
A woman, a priestess, Kurama had told him before, began pouring something for Keiko and Yusuke before moving to the guests. He nudged Kurama and whispered. “What's going on?”
Kurama smiled and spoke low. “Ah, it's tradition for the couple to drink nine cups of sake to bind them. The families indulge in a cup each to show unity.”
“But I'm underage.”
“The cups are very small Xander-san. You will be fine.”
Xander relaxed as the priestess handed him the cup and filled it. However when the toast was made and he drank it he was really glad he only had to drink one cup. Yuck. He did his best to ignore Kurama's snickers.
xxx
The reception was held in a ball room at a nearby hotel, and Xander had never seen so many people gathered in one place. Kurama and Yusuke had mentioned that the reception would be much larger, talk about the ultimate understatement. At least it was casual, the dress pants and polo shirt he had changed into were a heck of a lot more comfortable than the suit had been.
However the influx of people meant he was almost lost in a sea of humanity, well mostly human anyway. So for his own safety he was doing the wall flower thing and staying out of peoples' way.
At some point a man, a guy probably about Giles' age caught sight of him and waved Yusuke over from Keiko's side to the spot of wall Xander had claimed.
“Urameshi? Who is this young man?”
“Takanaka! Good to see you!” Xander grinned at the guy and shook his hand. “I'd like you to meet my little brother, Harris Xander. Xander, this is my old Principle Takanaka.”
Xander smiled and gave a small bow. “Nice to meet you Takanaka-san.”
Takanaka blinked, his gaze going back and forth between them. “Brother?”
Yusuke's grin grew bigger and he shrugged. “Surprised?”
Before Xander could explain Atsuko appeared out of nowhere and draped herself on his arm. “Xander-chan! Come dance with me.” She giggled, the woman was way past tipsy and fast approaching drunk.
“Uh...”
“Come on, everyone else is dancing.” Without waiting for a response she dragged him to the center of the room to join the other dancers, and started to swing him around. Xander couldn't be sure but he could have sworn he heard Yusuke laughing at him.
Atsuko was nice enough...when she was sober anyway. As a drunk she was insane and her version of dancing was to swing him around like a rag doll by his arms. He briefly wondered if the sake he'd had at the ceremony would be making a reappearance as the room spun by in flashes of light.
When the world suddenly stopped all he saw was Kurama's sympathetic face. Kind green eyes winked at him as he gave him attention to Atsuko.
“Atsuko-san. May I have this dance?”
Xander could have kissed the guy, or at least begged down and worshiped his intervention, but Atsuko had already latched onto her next victim and was swinging away. He so owed Kurama, but first he needed to sit down.
The room still tried to tilt and trip him as he made his way to the nearest table, where Kuwabara and Hiei just happened to be sitting. He collapsed in a chair beside them and Hiei leaned over from Kuwabara's lap to hand him a cup.
“If it's sake I'm throwing it in you face.” Xander warned.
Hiei smirked. “It's water.”
“Oh thank god.” He grinned at Hiei and accepted the water, and sipped at it slowly.
“Better fortify yourself kid.” Kuwabara snickered. “Botan's headed this way.”
“Oh geeze.” He barely had time to hand the water back to Hiei before Botan whisked him away. Luckily her dancing was nothing like her flying and at least followed the music the band was playing.
All the girls wanted to dance with him, he'd never been so popular in his life. Shizuru towered over him and he did his best to lead, though he'd never been to a formal dance. Keiko was sympathetic and gently lead him through a couple of dances to give him some idea of what he was supposed to be doing. Which made dancing with Yukina a breeze and he didn't step on her feet even once. And he immediately missed her calming presence when he found himself surrounded. It seemed every single woman in the room approached him for a dance and he suspected it had something to do with the gossip going around. They all wanted to know if he was really Yusuke's younger brother. Evidently the women decided he was mysterious and foreign, always cooing his name and giggling. It was creepy, in a flattering sort of way.
Finally he managed to get away from his new fan club and rejoined Kuwabara and Hiei at their table.
“You do know this is Urameshi and Keiko's party.” Kuwabara stated with a grin.
“Tell that to all the ladies with octopus hands.” Xander muttered and accepted the water Hiei handed him. “You guys haven't danced yet.”
Hiei leveled him with a look. “I don't---”
“Yes you do, come on shorty.” Kuwabara grinned as he led Hiei away. Hiei rolled his eyes and sent a glare toward Xander who laughed, but he allowed his lover to have his way.
They were an interesting pair, Hiei just coming up to Kuwabara's shoulders. A flash of blue caught his eye and he laughed again as Botan waltzed Keiko across the dance floor. Keiko grinned and waved at him. So caught up in watching them he nearly jumped when a hand landed on his shoulder.
“Xander-san.” Kurama's voice was soft as he smiled down at him.
“What?”
Kurama gave a small bow, his smile never wavering. “May I have this dance?”
Xander raised a brow at the request, wondering if Kurama had been dipping into the sake in-between dances. But what the heck, it was a party right? And Kurama was a nice guy and part of Yusuke's pack. Besides, even Hiei was dancing now. “Sure.”
Kurama practically beamed at him as he led the younger man to the dance floor.
Dancing with Kurama was...different. The man could move, and led Xander through some complicated steps that he didn't even know he was capable of. It was nice, dancing without tripping or flailing like a complete geek. He wondered though, about the looks Yusuke kept sending their way as he danced with Shizuru.
Yusuke was seriously starting to wonder about Kurama.
“There is attraction there. Though the kid is pretty oblivious.” Shizuru murmured.
“Yeah...I noticed.”
Shizuru rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. “Let Kurama flirt. He won't catch Xander's heart so easily.”
Yusuke gave her a curious look. “So they won't be lovers?”
“I didn't say that, but I can't see any permanence in their future. Does it bother you that Kurama wants him?”
“Not in the sense you mean. Xander's just a kid...and he's lived through a lot. He deserves....”
“Someone special who will take on hell itself for him.”
Yusuke nearly froze, but she urged him to keep dancing. “What do you mean?”
She smiled at him. “I've been looking after Kuwabara since our parents died. I knew that I'd never be able to hand him over to just anyone.” Their eyes drifted toward Kuwabara and Hiei who were still dancing. “But the right person, well demon anyway, came along and I'm not worried about my little brother's heart.” She smirked. “But Hiei knows if he breaks it I'll kill him.”
“Huh.”
“Xander will find his own way. So let Kurama flirt while he can.”
xxx
Keiko collapsed on the couch in their apartment.
“Glad it's over?”
She smiled at her husband. “Yeah.”
Yusuke grinned back at her and sat beside her. “We really know how to throw a party.”
“More like it threw us.”
“Yeah...but you knew you were asking for trouble keeping my mom in a room full of booze.”
Keiko giggled. “Poor Xander, I thought she was going to send him into orbit.”
“Good thing Kurama came to his rescue.”
“They looked good together.”
“Kurama and Xander?”
Keiko nodded. “It was sweet, but I don't think Xander is as taken with Kurama as Kurama is taken with him.”
“Shizuru said something like that.”
Keiko shrugged. “What will happen, will happen.”
Yusuke groaned. “Don't get all prophetic on me Keiko.” He shifted and laid his head in her lap.
“Did you ever find out what Xander was hiding?”
“Yeah. Evidently he and his friends averted the Apocalypse.”
Her fingers froze in his hair. “You're kidding.”
“Nope. A bunch of kids, a vampire, and two adults saved the world from an army of vampires and kept hell from being unleashed on the human realm.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. And we thought our lives were interesting.” He grinned at her. “I have a present for you.”
She raised a brow at him. “Really.”
“Yeah.” He got up and disappeared into the bedroom, and returned with a rectangular package about two inches thick. “Here.”
She took the gift from his hands and set it on her lap before carefully pulling the paper away from a plain white box. She lifted the top off and stared at the painting.
“It's beautiful.” Her eyes teared up and she set it aside before launching herself into his arms. “Where did you find it?”
Yusuke hugged her tight, kissing her neck. “In Sunny Dale. The mother of one of Xander's friends runs an art gallery.” He laughed. “I'll take you there some time.”
Keiko pulled back, her smile wide and shining. “I'd like that.” Her look turned mischievous. “We should turn in. We have an early flight tomorrow.” She stepped out of his arms and headed toward the bedroom.
“It's not that early.” He grumbled. “Come on Keiko, it's our--”
She giggled and winked at him over her shoulder. “Only if you catch me.” With that she dashed into the room, and he laughed as he followed her.
xxx
Xander waved at Botan and Shizuru as they parted ways, an intoxicated Atsuko draped between them. The drunk woman was still swaying, trying to dance with her escorts as they headed toward her apartment.
Which left Xander alone with Kurama, who had offered to walk him to the Yukimura shop, where he'd be staying for the next week. Xander was kind of looking forward to helping Keiko's folks in the shop, they were like the perfect parents. And insisted that he call them ka-san and tou-san, which was all kinds of cool.
He was in his own world, wondering what new dishes the Yukimura's were going to introduce him to, because hey, food is good, when Kurama said his name.
“Xander-san.”
Xander blinked and looked up into warm green eyes. “Yeah?”
“I think that you are very special.” Xander started to protest but Kurama kept talking. “To face what you do everyday on the hellmouth...is remarkable. Many would run in the face of such danger.”
Xander snorted. “Many do, and they live.”
“You're alive.”
“Jessie isn't.”
Kurama sighed and looped his arm with Xander's. “I'm truly sorry for your loss. Life is so fleeting for humans, and each parting of ways is heart breaking.”
“And you know this how?” Xander asked.
“This body is human. I came to it by chance. You must understand that my true form was injured and I was desperate. I was nearly a thousand years old and when I was suddenly faced with death I was frightened beyond anything I had ever felt. I escaped to this realm and came across a woman named Shiori who had just discovered she was pregnant. She was my salvation, a soul had not yet taken residence in her baby yet. So I did, and I was born again as a human.”
“Whoa. That's...”
“Wrong?” Kurama asked with sad eyes, as if he were expecting to be judged.
Xander shook his head. “Well...not really. It's not like you killed anybody for your second chance.”
“Perhaps not, but it was a selfish move.” He chuckled.
“Was it worth it?”
“Oh yes. Being human is the best thing that ever happened to me. This time I grew up with a mother's love. Shiori, my Mother, is the most important person in my life. I nearly lost her once, she was sick, dying in a hospital bed. That's when I met Yusuke. Hiei, another demon and myself stole three treasures from a well guarded vault in Reikai. The treasure I took was called the Forlorn Hope. It was a sentient mirror that granted one wish for a price.”
“I'm not liking where this is going.”
“My wish was to save my mother's life, by offering my own. Yusuke stopped me, he'd recently come back to life you see. And while he was dead he'd witnessed Atsuko's sorrow over his death. He screamed at the me that no mother should experience that kind of loss, and as I made my wish, he demanded that the Forlorn Hope take his life instead of mine.”
“Jesus.”
“Indeed. Yusuke rarely thinks in a time of crisis. He simply acts. However the Forlorn Hope was so moved by Yusuke's sacrifice that it granted my wish, without taking either of our lives.”
Xander shuddered. “The crazy, it definitely runs in the family.”
“You were very brave to force Angelous like you did.”
Xander shook his head. “All I had was a cross. Not my brightest idea ever.”
“Still, you are much like your brother, men of action, both of you.”
“Men of crazy suicidal action maybe.” Xander snickered, and stopped walking. “We're here. This would be my stop.” He looked up at Kurama. “Thanks for walking me home. I'm still iffy on the streets around here.”
Kurama smiled that soft smile at him again, like he had a secret he wanted to share. Xander pulled his arm away and started to go inside. “Night Kurama.”
Kurama pulled him back and hugged him. Xander was frozen for a moment, and let Kurama stand back again. His eyes widened when he felt soft lips press against his forehead.
“Uh...Kurama?”
Kurama pulled back, that smile still on his face. “Good night Xander.” He let go then and walked away. Xander watched him until he disappeared around the corner.
Xander could feel his face burn as all the smiles, conversations, and the dancing made something click into place. Kurama had been flirting with him all this time. He smacked his forehead, glad the street was deserted, and grumbled.
“Somehow...I never saw that coming.”
XXX