Oniisan
chapter 9
by Silrayn Silverwolf
IX. Kitsune in a Flower Shop
"We should bring him to the hospital." Said Omi, concern in his
voice. Hiei just said "Hn" and blurred with his burden even before
Omi was quite finished speaking.
"Don't worry about Kurama, Hiei's brought him to our resident healer
to be tended. It wasn't a dangerous wound or we'd have seen him go
youko." Yuusuke moved to assure the other team before they did
anything foolish like trying to take him and Kuwabara out to find out
where Kurama was taken by Hiei.
Ken went to Sakura since everyone else seems to be preoccupied with
Kurama. She didn't look to be injured at all. He checked and there
seems to be miraculously no injuries. Thank whatever gods that be. He
told everyone and Ran breathed easier for it. There, whatever you
say, you were worried more about him than you were about her, Aya-kun
you are lying to yourself if you say you haven't accepted Shuuichi-
Kurama as your brother.
What happened next was almost anticlimactic. A car suddenly came from
no where swerved into their group. Everyone barely managed to get out
of the way. The door opened and Sakura was levitated into the car as
it took off again. Schwartz!
"When will we be able to see if he's all right." Ran asked, concern
evident in his voice. Despite his ambivalent feelings towards
Shuuichi, he was his little brother after all and he was really
worried. Not to mention the thought of leaving him with Hiei wasn't
exactly sitting well with him especially after what happened tonight.
Be fair, Ran what happened tonight was probably an accident…but even
so, Hiei should have been more careful.
"Does this happen often?"
"No, Kurama and Hiei is our best team."
Even so, I don't like it. What about the other time with the demon
called Sohliel?
"Where are they?" A death-glare accompanied that statement to which
both Reikai Tantei was oblivious. They have had too much of that from
Hiei as it was.
"We really can't tell you." Yuusuke said and he and Kuwabara lit out
of the airport before Ran had a chance to grab them and shake some
answers from them. Fighting demons gave you speed for times when you
really need it like now. After all, Yuusuke didn't want Hiei on his
back for endangering Yukina and Kuwabara didn't want his Yukina-chan
endangered either.
" Well have to report to Kritiker to do." Ran said reining in his
temper.
***
Kurama woke up in his own futon to a concerned fire demon.
"Fox, are you all right, now?"
"I think so. Thank you for bringing me to Yukina." Kurama smiled at
Hiei. The smile was the special one he usually gave the fire demon.
"No need, it was all my fault." Self-condemnation was in his voice.
Kurama wouldn't have been hurt in the first place if he hadn't
interfered. And yet here he was, sitting beside the Fox and being
smiled upon as if nothing of that sort had happened. Guilt made him
stand up to go but Kurama made a sound that made him look back
questioning.
"No it wasn't, it was an accident. I won't have you blaming yourself
for something you aren't responsible for."
"But…"
"No buts, you don't deserve the blame."
"But…"
Kurama couldn't think of anything else to do to shut Hiei up so he
gave him a teasing kiss.
Hiei found Kurama's sweet mouth on his and was quick to take
advantage of it. It was just like the ones in his dreams though much
better for being real. He clumsily put in his tongue instinctively
wanting to taste the youko. If Kurama was surprised by Hiei's
reaction it was eclipsed by the surprise he felt at his own reaction.
He slid his arms around his friend and kissed him back with a
thoroughness that showed at least a thousand years experience.
Suddenly, his door had opened and standing there was his oniisan.
Ran's jaw was hanging down so low, Kurama feared that it would hit
the floor.
"Ran-'niichan, how good of you to visit." Kurama said extricating
himself from Hiei's embrace.
"Hn. Bad timing."
"What were you doing with K—Shuuichi?"
"Hn."
"Shuuichi, are you a willing party in this?" Death-glare at Hiei who
glared back.
"H-Hai."
"I disapprove of it! It's bad enough that you're associating with
him…"
"Hn." Hiei said with a smirk. You're a fine one to judge.
The tone was so obvious that even Ran caught it.
"'Niichan, he has point, you're so much alike you know…" Kurama
stopped short of snapping, he had about enough of Ran ordering his
life about. He doesn't accept me, why…
"I didn't even want you to be associating with me in the first
place."
The pain radiated in Ran's voice stopped whatever else Kurama was
about to say. Kurama rose despite still being weak from his injury
and blood loss and hugged Ran before the latter could avoid him.
Anger forgotten, he was tentatively trying to soothe the pain that
was in his oniisan's voice not sure if he was welcome but trying to
nonetheless. Ran allowed himself to be soothed, accepting the comfort
that he felt in his little brother's care and realized only then that
he did accept him. That he had forgiven Kurama for his deception and
what else he might have done before he had know him, it just took his
brain sometime to catch up with his heart. No matter what he did in
the past this was Shuuichi-kun, someone who had loved him these
months and willing to accept and love him still after learning of his
past. This was genuine, spontaneous—real.
And Kurama accepted me why shouldn't I accept him. Come to think of
it I might be worse than Kurama, all things considering. Sh--Kurama
did those things for survival in a world that seemed so radically
different from this one. He had done it to survive and not knowing
any better but he did what he did fully cognizant of his actions and
there were alternatives, none the least of them was to move on and
forget. I know better…
Shuuichi—no—Kurama had an awful past, yes, but then his childhood was
hell. With a little love, he turned out one of the most unspoiled
people Ran'd ever known. Ran finally let go of the guilt he had been
harboring, no matter what Kurama did before, no matter what he had
done and he had done to the soul that should have been born in his
place, Ran couldn't fault him. Ran couldn't imagine anyone else as
his little brother. He felt a hatred for those slavers and all those
kitsune who had hurt him, if any of them were around now Ran would
have run them through with his katana! A sentiment that was futile
judging from the way that demon moved. His arms tightened around
Kurama anyway.
Kurama looked up into Ran's eyes, seeing the fierce protectiveness in
them decided to snuggle even closer.
"'Niichan…"
"Little fox, Kurama-chan, do you really like him? I mean really like
him in that way? Truth now." Ran pushed Kurama away a bit to see his
otouto's face and assess his answer.
Kurama smiled at the endearment and thought about lying to reassure
both Hiei and Ran but something in Ran's eyes made him hesitate.
Kurama looked at Hiei apologetically.
Hiei braised himself to hear the worst, closing his eyes he had known
the risk of caring and accepted that the Fox may not feel the same no
matter how it hurt. The next words however surprised both Ran and
him.
"I don't know yet. We never have had the chance to talk about it. But
we have been best of friends since I was nine. He was the only one
who knew of my youkai heritage. He …understands my position in the
Makai. I don't have anyone else I have been able to trust as
completely as I did him. I think I might love him in time."
"Hn."
"Hn."
"I can't expect you to like it 'niichan, you think of Hiei as a cold-
blooded killer but he is more as you are. Both of you care for others
more than you would admit, others beyond family though you act as if
you don't."
"Hn."
"I know you still don't like it, 'niichan, but could you trust me at
least?" Pleaded Kurama.
"Hn." A deeper one this time that of resignation. That was all Ran
could do, he was never good at denying his imouto anything within
reason and it seemed now that he couldn't do it either with his
otouto.
"Thanks, Ran-'niichan." Giving Ran a second hug. "You won't be
disappointed I swear."
"No sleeping with him till you're completely sure though! If possible
when you're 'married'."
"Hai." Kurama begins to wear a sweat-drop as Ran started to run down
his guidelines for dating with an emphasis on the fact that both
Kurama and Hiei were teammates.
"No hanky-panky during missions…"
"Hai." The sweat-drop got bigger and bigger at each additional rule.
Kurama nearly fainted when Ran insisted on going each and every rule
with Hiei, convinced that there was going to be bloodshed. To
Kurama's relief, Hiei seemed to be either stunned or so rapt that he
didn't utter a word but "hn" in Ran's entire recital.
Oh dear, it looks like Hiei's going to get the same treatment he
dishes out to Kuwa-kun. Thought Kurama half in amusement and half in
alarm as Ran gave Hiei a suspicious look for his silence.
"Which one of your teammates do you think is more tolerant of
homosexuality do you think?"
"Nani!" Both of them exclaimed.
"You heard me right."
"Yuusuke, probably, though that might be pushing it. Why, 'niichan?"
"I thought so. Because I can't be with you all the time, especially
on missions, I'm going to ask him to be your chaperone."
Both Hiei and Kurama fell over in astonishment.
That's, that's so archaic and I'm suppose to be the antique around
here. Kurama fought down the desire to giggle or protest that he was
no delicate lady to need such precautions. Knowing that Ran was quite
serious and had his best interests in mind quelled both impulses.
Then Kurama remembered something and nothing was quite as funny as
before.
"Ah, 'niichan I have something to tell you…"
"Hn."
"It's about our youkai ancestry…" Kurama spent the rest of the
afternoon explaining about the vagaries of youkai inheritance amongst
humans with youkai ancestry starting with Yuusuke's case. "…Yuusuke's
youkai inheritance manifested after he had died twice…"
Hiei had stopped listening to the words he knew about all of this
already. He could have left but he enjoyed the sound of the Fox's
voice besides he lazily eyed Ran, gauging the latter's reaction.
"In our family's case the genetic key is for possession, permanent
possession, our ancestor was a youkai criminal as decreed by the
Reikai for his crimes against countless innocents. Bolshai had
anticipated his capture and readied for a way to escape via
possessing and destroying one descendant…" Kurama went on to explain
the mechanics of the rite and so they picked Aya-neechan. Since she
isn't so well connected to her body at the moment it might be easier
for them."
Ran's expression swung from cautious belief to horror.
"I—I should volunteer, they would let Aya-chan..."
"No, 'niichan. That's no option…only one descendant would have
been `chosen' from what we know of these things."
Hiei barred all escape by standing between the window and the door.
The Fox would never forgive him for letting Ran go out with this kind
of resolve to sacrifice his very self.
"Besides, they wouldn't take you anyway, 'niichan, they already have
the perfect sacrifice… 'niichan, please don't."
"Hn."
It took Kurama a good two hours to convince Ran not to take such a
rash course of action and he got it reluctantly.
"We'll rescue her together 'niichan don't worry we will."
"Hn."
Ran left the Minamino residence with renewed resolve to save his
sister no matter what from the cult that had her. There was so much
more at stake now than ever before.
***
Weiك had managed to rescue Aya-chan with the inside help of the still
missing Sakura. Ran had been more than adamant that they not tell the
Urameshi Team about it since he didn't want the little fox up and
about so soon after being injured. They had been lucky that that
demon "Sohliel" didn't show up. But then, they had got there when
Schwartz had moved on to another hideout so maybe that wasn't luck.
The initial operation was secret but they weren't able to keep it a
secret for long. A few hours after they've rescued his sister, his
brother and the rest of the Urameshi team was at their doorstep. They
had waited for the shop to close but that was all.
"We're here to help, 'niichan." Kurama said with his normal
cheerfulness.
"Yes, I, Kazuma Kuwabara, is always willing to help protect a damsel
in dis…"
"Itai! You're embarrassing us." Yuusuke said, whopping Kuwabara on
the head hard to shut him up.
"Hn, Baka."
"So how are we going to defend Aya-chan, Ran-'niichan?"
***
Kurama sat back comfortably against the counter reaching with his ki
to the plant life around him. They took shifts to guard Aya-chan with
the Weiك. One of the Urameshi team was always with her in the
mornings and afternoons when the Weiك had to mind shop. There was no
point giving the Schwartz an opportunity to snatch her again even if
evidence indicated that they operated only at night.
The flower shop was a most welcoming place to Kurama. Almost as good
as a garden with all the verdant ki available and what he could do
with it. Twist it; play around with it using his will. The place
fairly hummed with power. In places like this was where he felt his
power the best, his tails—all six of them—would have been wagging in
delight at the power. A row of his favorite plants, roses, lined the
closed shop and he worked his ki into them with a half-mischievous
intent. No one was going to take his sister away from him as long as
he can defend her. The attack didn't come on that night or the night
after that.
***
Another night of guard dog--no fox--duty, Kurama sighed. This was
getting them no where. They should be out assassinating the Estet
trio or trying to find their whereabouts then Aya-chan would be
completely safe. Or trying to wake her up. With all that has
happened, they deemed it imprudent for Hiei to try and maybe get into
trouble in a fight. That was Kurama's argument he had no intention of
endangering Hiei for someone who might no be roused anyway. Ran-
niichan argued but couldn't fault the reasoning. It did help that he
pouted one or two times. Ran seemed to find his pouts as adorable as
Hiei did. He stretched his youki again to the plants as he had the
past hour. He had to be ready if the attack occurred tonight.
A sudden crash came from the front of the shop. Kurama risked looking
up over the counter to see that an explosion of some sort had
breached the front of the shop. Schwartz was pouring through the gap.
There were only two of them and Sohliel. The rest must be with Ran-
niichan's group. Kurama activated the roses in the front of the shop
to lash at the newcomers.
Crawford and Schuldich was being protected by Sohliel, the vines
weren't doing much damage but it did keep the sneaky demon from doing
anything. Hopefully keeping the demon from doing anything. Both Ken-
kun and Omi-kun could probably cope with the rest if they should
discover that Aya-chan wasn't in the upstairs bedroom.
They had warded the shop from detection of ki but that didn't mean
that the canny Sohliel wouldn't have figured out what they were going
to do. As of the time they haven't figured out what that one's power
was. He was too wily to do anything more than make paltry illusions
that a class B demon could create. He must be old yet he left no
records to identify him by, a good indication of intelligence. As
Kurama knew, he himself didn't have a record despite his many
conquests. They didn't even have a reputation to go by. Most good
demons trip themselves up with their tongue since boasts have a way
of circulating in the Makai. But that wasn't a failing of this demon
either, no one has heard of anyone named "Sohliel" ever before in the
Makai. Maybe it wasn't his real name, maybe it was assumed but they
didn't have the time to look.
Somehow, they didn't count on the combination of both ki power and
ningen weapons. Kurama was busy sending his ki into the surrounding
plants and relied on his companions for detecting other threats. The
cut flowers in the arrangements were particularly hard to manipulate
more so than their living relatives since each variety had to infused
with enough ki and no more. When Kurama realized that both Omi and
Ken were both out of commission it was far too late. He was starting
to feel fuzzy and was barely managed to clamp on the gas mask
assigned to him. Being only partly human the sleeping gas took a
longer time to affect him than it did the others but it did have an
effect. Groggily, he tried to protect his compatriots and Aya-chan
but his reactions were becoming quite slow.
Damned where were Hiei, Ran-niichan and Youji-niisan?
At this thought, one of the "missing" members of Schwartz came in
from the back part of the shop, Naoe-kun. Did the gas disable
everyone in the top floors? But Hiei couldn't have been affected,
unless this gas originated from the Makai.
He saw Aya-chan lifted from the floor and sail out of the window. He
was having a hard time, as it was to protect himself from the
Schwartz.
"Don't worry, Shuuichi-kun, we'll take good care of the ningen girl."
"Should we take him too?" Crawford made a gesture at Kurama.
"No, that's no tame fox. We'll have a hard time keeping him without
drugs. Leave him be."
"Fox?" A nasal voice asked. Ah that was Schuldich… that was the last
thing Kurama heard before succumbing to the darkness.
***
"Hmmm. Where?" Kurama awakened to a room that was not his. It was
utterly neat, Spartan even. Almost nothing about personality touched
the room except for the color of the bed covers they were blue plaid
in diamond pattern, austere.
"You're in your oniisan's room." Hiei said as he came in.
"What happened…?"
"That night Sohliel muffled the struggle downstairs and caused a few
illusions that everything was all right, the Schwartz came up to
fight us or so we thought. We were about to kill them when they were
able to escape from the window or so we thought. We chased the
berserker but he disappeared. Then we went in the shop to find you
and the other two Weiك members unconscious from ningen sleeping gas.
What happened to you?"
"How about Omi-kun and Ken-kun?"
"Still knocked out."
"I think I'd better explain when 'niichan and the others are here."
Kurama said sitting up shakily.
"What's for breakfast?"
"Kitsune udon." Ran said coming into the room with a tray scowling
suspiciously at Hiei as he did so. The tray had three bowls on it.
"Yum." Kurama said while Hiei made a face. The latter didn't like
fried tofu and had often wondered what Kurama saw in it. Seeing his
prospective mate making a face at one of his favorite foods made
Kurama smile, he wondered what did Hiei like besides sweet snow and
if the fire demon also disliked Inarizushi…
***
"There was an explosion. Then the Foreseer and the Telepath came in
with Sohliel. I had my plants attack them. They seem surprised and
overwhelmed by the plants except for Sohliel at that point I noticed
that both Omi-kun and Ken-kun were unconscious and I was groggy. I
managed to get the mask on but it was too late. Then nothing." Kurama
said to the entire Weiك team and Hiei. Yuusuke was talking to Botan
and Kuwabara was at school and couldn't be reached at the moment so
they had to make do.
"We didn't even had that much warning." Omi said chagrined at how
fast the gas had rendered him unconscious without a fight.
"Ch, they used our wards against us. We couldn't sense what was real
and what were shadows because of them." Hiei said in a disgruntled
tone.
"At least we know a little about Sohliel now than we did before…"
Kurama said frowning a little at the way they had been fooled. They
should have known better.
"What?" Ran asked somewhat annoyed at all this chatter. They should
be combing the city for signs of Schwartz and Aya-chan not babbling
about last night.
"He's an illusion master." Hiei and Kurama said simultaneously, the
latter grinning a little at the way their thoughts had coincided.
"Well and good but that doesn't get us Aya-chan…"
"Don't worry we'll find and rescue her Ran-niichan. We will." Kurama
gave Ran a big hug as he said these words not showing any bit of his
doubt and frustration. Kuso, we have been blocked again…
~TBC~
Kurama on Inarizushi and Kitsune Udon
Kurama: But foxes don't eat rice balls or toufu and noodles!
Silrayn *heaps a fair portion of both in Kurama's plate*: I know that
Kurama-kun and so do most people but it does make a good story
doesn't it?
Kurama *looks at the steak on Silrayn's plate*: It's not FAIR!
Silrayn: Now, now, Kurama-kun, be a good fox and eat your food...
*Kurama pops into kitsune form grabs the steak with his mouth and
runs away with it.*
*Silrayn sits there with a sweatdrop for awhile.* ^__^()
Silrayn: Oh well, I guess he deserves it anyway for working so hard
in this fic...^__~
silrayn silverwolf
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