Growth of a Spirit Detective

Title: Growth of a Spirit Detective
Author: Azalea J.
Beta: Amymcclair
Rating: R
Pairing(s): Kurama/Hiei/Yusuke, hints at Kuwabara/Yukina
Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho was created by Yoshihiro Togashi and adapted by Funimation Studios. I claim no rights to characters or settings or dialogue. I am making no money off this work.
Warning(s): Double Penetration, Plant-Bondage, Plant-Play Penis Insertion [Urethral-Play], Language.
Word Count: Approx. 12 000 (12 058)

A/N: I fiddled with the plot of Ep. 112 (To the Future) to make it work for me. Like the Prologues, some things have been borrowed (and twisted) from the episode, others are all me. Some of the dialogue was also taken from the episode, especially Genkai's lines. [Note: This takes place three years after the last chapter, therefore nine years after the end of the actual series (making Yusuke and others approximately 24 years old, give or take a year respectively, if anyone's interested in their ages... (Shizuru would be about... 27?)).]

The warnings are up there for a reason.

And an extra special note to AmyMcClair, my wonderful beta, who deals with the unedited mess I send her each time and sends me back something buffed up and shiny. Thank you so much!


Back to Living World
Growth of a Spirit Detective: Epilogue


"Mmmnnnn." Fresh air flooded his lungs, and he would have stretched out the kinks brought on by sleep in its wake, except something told him that probably wouldn't be a good idea. The air felt good; however, filling up his lungs and spreading all throughout his body. He inhaled again, deeply, feeling his belly expand and all his senses begin to wake up.

Opening his mouth to bring in more air, he found it dry and gummy. His tongue felt like a dead fish in his mouth; tasted like one, too.

"Yusuke... here." A glass was pressed against his lower lip, and Yusuke did his best to swallow as water was poured slowly into his mouth. His esophagus constricted painfully, but that was expected after being in disuse for a couple of days. The glass was removed, and he relaxed back into his pillows.

Finally, he opened his eyes - slowly - wary of the bright medical lights.

"What happens if you actually win, Yusuke?" Kurama asked him with a smile, but before Yusuke could open his mouth again to answer, Kurama had leaned over him and kissed him.

"Mmm." Yusuke kissed him back. Nothing else in his mind at that moment but the fox's soft lips on his own. He wanted to raise his arms and pull Kurama closer, but his arms weren't listening to him, so he settled for sliding his tongue past Kurama's lips and sucking lightly. He wasn't trying to do anything - he was far to lethargic - he just wanted to keep kissing.

Someone cleared their throat, "You guys aren't the only ones in the room, y'know."

Kurama pulled back, Yusuke's tongue slipping from between his lips; whoever had interrupted them couldn't have missed that.

Sucking on his own tongue, relishing the lingering taste of his mate, Yusuke carefully tried his throat. "You know me, 'Rama, I'll figure that out when it happens." Good, voice was working fine. "Maybe I can find a loop-hole somewhere that'll allow me to pass the throne to someone else."

Never mind that he was the one who'd made the rules in the first place.

He tried to entice Kurama back down for another kiss with a sexy look, but Kurama wasn't having it. Grinning, Yusuke flopped his head over so he could see his old teammate and oldest friend. "Hey, Kuwabara."

Kuwabara came forward, a careful grin on his face. "You look like shit, Urameshi."

"I feel like shit, damn." Yusuke groaned and turned to Kurama, "Can I sit up?"

"Not just yet, no."

Yusuke groaned again and flopped back into the pillows, "Alright, what's the damage?"

"Five fractured ribs, a concussion, a broken leg which you will not be testing, a fractured wrist and four broken fingers on the same hand: the right one."

"Jesus."

"Oh-ho man, it was AWESOME!" Kuwabara clenched his fists below his chin and beamed, "That last demon, uh..."

"Uriotoogi."

"-Uriotoogi finished you with the greatest, most kick-ass combo ever! I swear! And, oh man, he took on Natsumi next, and you shoulda seen it! He tried to grapple with her like he did you, almost snapped her neck! She beat him in the end, though. Demon World's got itself a Queen."

"Hang on - Natsumi won?"

"Beat her own brother in the semi-finals." Kurama said.

"...Shit."

Kurama and Hiei had not entered the Tournament that year, neither had Youmi - it seemed to be becoming tradition among Makai's Kings not to re-enter the tournament. Mokuro had yet to enter again, as well, but continued to give Hiei a month off from the patrols should he wish to attend. And as long as Yusuke entered, Hiei would be attending.

Yusuke closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly very tired, and didn't resist when his body seemed to take that as an invitation to return to sleep. Somewhere above him, he heard Kurama speaking, "Ready to return home, Kuwabara?"

"Yeah... y'know, I'm surprised he let me talk to 'im." Kuwabara's voice was growing faint, "Is he really that doped up on pain meds?"

And then he was floating in darkness; his body buoyed on a sea of comfort. He wasn't out that hard, he was still aware enough of the pain in his back and the general discomfort of the rest of his body, but he was restful; his breathing deep.

He became aware again what seemed to be instantly, though he felt far too rested for it to have been so soon. His back was warm, warm as only a wound was; he was comfortable now, but if he moved he'd be in pain.

Opening his mouth he inhaled deeply, and opened his eyes.

He grinned.

There was something to be said for having two mates - he was never alone.

Hiei pressed a glass filled with fresh water to his lips, and tipped it, and Yusuke obligingly allowed the liquid to flood his mouth and be swallowed. Oh yeah, that's the ticket.

"You slept for eighteen hours, Detective."

Yusuke smiled up at him cheekily, "Need my beauty rest an' all that." He swallowed again and asked, "Kuwabara gone?"

"Kurama returned him to Ningenkai; the fox should be back shortly."

"Ah."

"The oaf believes you are having a secret relationship."

Yusuke laughed, wincing when it caused his side to pinch. "Yeah, well, we kinda are." He shot Hiei a look that let the koorime know he wasn't being left out by any means, and added, "And he... kinda walked in on our first time."

"He did what?"

---

"Careful, Yusuke."

"I am being as careful as I can be, Kurama." Yusuke groused, his left arm slung around Kurama's shoulders, using the fox as a crutch while he limped, doing his best to keep his weight off his healing leg. "How far away is he, anyway?"

"Well he couldn't land in the stadium, could he? He's waiting outside."

Yusuke grumbled silently about him being able to fit if he tried, but kept moving.

It had taken them twenty minutes, already, to make it from the recovery room to the outer hall of the stadium, a trip that should have only taken two. It was beginning to wear on Yusuke's patience.

Finally, he saw natural light flooding the end of the hall, and their destination. The gigantic stadium doors were thrown wide and wounded and unconscious were all being moved in and out in a continuous flow. Those going out looked pretty good despite a couple of nasty bruises and bandages, those coming in could look better. There were never enough beds in the stadium for all the wounded; most had to wait outside on medical cots (or the grass) until a bed was freed. Some unlucky demons didn't get moved inside until days after the tournament had finished.

Yusuke chuckled; he was lucky to get his ass ploughed early on; the faster you got beat the faster you were treated. Of course, it also helped to be one Urameshi Yusuke...

Inching out of the stadium into the sunlight, the two made their way across the grounds to the forest beyond, where he was supposedly waiting for them. Hiei would be meeting them back at the Keep.

"Just ahead, Yusuke."

"I'll kill you for this later, 'Rama. You couldn't have found something with wheels or anything?"

"As I recall, you were the one determined to walk."

"Yeah, well, you should be used to my stupid ideas by now."

"Just a little farther."

They shuffled on, less and less demons passing them by, until just ahead there was a copse of trees and -

"Puuuuu?"

Yusuke's head shot up, and he grinned. "Hey, buddy. How've ya been?"

"Puu!!" Puu's head shot forward and nuzzled under Yusuke's chin, his large eyelashes fluttering against Yusuke's skin, tickling.

"Suzuka take good care of you?"

"Puu! Puu!"

Kurama gently eased out from under Yusuke's arm and Yusuke slumped his entire weight against his spirit beast, hugging him tightly. "Missed you, too, buddy."

Puu's neck circled around Yusuke's back and hugged him close, his beak affectionately nipping and tugging at the hem of Yusuke's jeans, and Yusuke laughed.

Kurama smiled and let them have their moment.

Puu had grown as Yusuke had grown, still blue, his feathers were no longer downy, but long and glossy, and a deeper blue, almost navy, than they had been. His beak had dulled somewhat in color. His tail feathers had lengthened regally and now resembled blue peacock feathers. His crest had grown and was braided to give his riders something other than his downy hackles to hold on to. His wings were impressive, growing lighter blue closer to the tips; edged with black. His talons were deadly, but he remained ever Yusuke's gentler half.

When Yusuke looked ready, Kurama took him carefully by the waist and helped him onto Puu's back. Climbing up behind the detective, Kurama wrapped his arms around Yusuke and took Puu's braids in both hands, settling back until Yusuke murmured comfortably into his shoulder, exhaustion claiming him fast. "Okay, Puu."

"Puuuuu!" With a giant flap of his wings, Puu took to the skies.

After last year's tourny, Yusuke had run back, but this year he'd had to accept his choices: he could run back - so long as he waited the month it would take his leg to heal.

Seeing Puu again was good for him.

The flight back was hot but windy, and Yusuke slept for more than half of it.

He woke up as they were landing. Puu circled the keep once and descended rapidly toward the sand. "Easy, Puu..." Kurama warned gently.

"Puu..." Puu flapped gently, hovering then falling, hovering then falling, until finally his talons dug into the sand. He flattened his belly against the scalding, pleasurable grains, and Kurama eased Yusuke off into Houkoshin's waiting support. Half asleep and very sore Yusuke was carried between the two into the keep, up the stairs and into the master bedroom, where Hiei was waiting, sprawled out on his back amidst a staggering amount of purple and pink pillows, amusing himself with a slinky.

"Heya, Hiei. How's Mokuro doing?" Yusuke croaked jovially.

Hiei sat up as they came in, watching critically as Houkoshin struggled out from under Yusuke's arm and left his weight to Kurama, then left to find Puu some water. After three years of "are you sure?"'s, he'd learned that if they needed him for something, they knew where to find him.

"As complacent as ever," Hiei answered, "Perfectly happy to be doing whatever she feels like doing." Hiei fingered the slinky thoughtfully, with a small smile; he'd last seen it wrapped around Yusuke's scrotum, and had lain on it now quite by mistake. Untangling it had proven to be busy-work enough to keep himself occupied until Kurama arrived with the invalid. Now he tossed it aside and observed Yusuke critically. "I was hoping to have you when you returned. After four months of knowing you two were here rutting like humans, how aggravating to find you hardly fit to stand."

"Hiei, please don't give him ide-" Kurama started.

"I'll show you fit." Yusuke snarled, eyes alight. He shook himself free of Kurama's supporting arm, took one step and was suddenly on the floor after a short scream and a sickening crack that sounded an awful lot like freshly set bone breaking. He was biting through his lip, spilling blood, and trying to grip and not touch his broken calf at the same time. Kurama slowly sank down to his level and with a sigh, heaved Yusuke back to his good leg and helped him to hobble painfully to the bed.

Yusuke sat down on the edge and breathed shakily for a moment, Kurama hovering nearby. Then he turned over and rolled awkwardly into Hiei's arms, and Kurama left for the bathroom to find a cloth he could dampen.

With raised eyebrows, Hiei helped Yusuke to settle into him with his head pillowed in the crook of Hiei's neck. "You are a first-class idiot, Detective."

"Shut up, Hiei." But Yusuke was smiling. Breathing shakily in and out, casting hot air over Hiei's skin, but smiling.

Kurama came out of the bathroom with a cloth and a glass of water and said irritably, "That was incredibly stupid, Yusuke, even for you."

"Love you too, 'Rama." Yusuke was fast drifting into sleep, his lashes fluttering briefly against Hiei's shoulder.

Sighing, Kurama sat down and managed to get Yusuke to drink some water before losing him to exhaustive sleep. Setting the glass aside, he gave Yusuke a brief sponge bath, wiping away the worst the desert grit that sweat and wind had ground into the Detective's skin.

Yusuke murmured happily.

---

Yusuke woke to find the bed rocking gently, and opened his sleep-crusted eyes to find Kurama arched over a mountain of pillows and cushions, his teeth clamped around his own arm, eyes shut tight as if in pain and sweat plastering his hair to his forehead and cheeks and neck and back. Hiei was behind him, practically on top of him, fucking him erratically, obviously trying to be quiet, and mostly succeeding. But not.

Yusuke was aroused instantly, a whimper escaping him before he even realized it was there to escape, and Kurama's eyes snapped open and to his, startled. Then they slanted as Kurama moaned, the sound muffled into his arm, and Yusuke's eyes shot down to Kurama's erection and watched the Kitsune's cum shoot out all over the pillows.

Kurama kept himself up for Hiei and rocked with the force of his thrusts, his eyes on Yusuke. Yusuke panted, his cheeks flushed and his left hand, not in a cast, twitched painfully, wanting to touch himself but aware that his ribs would not like that much.

Hiei groaned and stilled, and Yusuke saw cum dribble down the inside of Kurama's leg. Yusuke swallowed. Hiei slummed off and settled on his side. Pulling Kurama in to spoon with him, both of them facing Yusuke, who whimpered again and closed his eyes. "Bastards."

Kurama's eyes met his with a steady gaze. "I'm going to human world to visit my human mother again soon."

Yusuke froze with his mouth open, closed it slowly and forced himself to relax back into the blankets. Any and all thoughts of having his dick sucked or rubbed completely wiped from his mind. Gone. He just stared vacantly up at the ceiling.

He knew Kurama's mother was human; Kurama knew he knew. It was redundant to tell Yusuke he was going to visit his human mother, who resided in human world.

It was deliberate. Everything Kurama did was deliberate.

Kurama watched Yusuke calmly for a good long time, and Yusuke watched the ceiling.

Hiei was awake.

Taking a quiet breath, Kurama added, after a time, "I hear Genkai is also holding a reunion of sorts for the old team, Keiko will be there, as well as Yukina, Kuwabara, and possibly also Shizuru." Finished, Kurama got up and left for the bathroom.

Yusuke was quiet while Kurama was gone. He was quiet when Kurama returned and pulled the covers out from under him, gently, and covered him with them. He quietly accepted Hiei's arms as the Koorime scooted over to warm him. He was quiet as Kurama turned off the light and slipped in to warm Yusuke's other side. He was quiet still when Kurama and Hiei fell asleep. And he stayed awake, quiet, for many hours afterward, mind quiet black; quite absolutely petrified.

In the morning he woke to steaming flapjacks covered in melting whipped cream with a type of berry favored in the demon plane sprinkled on top. Hiei matched his silence as he ate Yusuke's food. Kurama wasn't in the room.

For two days Yusuke didn't make a sound save for small moans of pain when he attempted to move the wrong way. Kurama was there making sure his bandages were changed daily and Yusuke was drinking enough fluids. Kisuke and Houkoshin popped in to see how their lord was feeling; Yusuke offered them small nods to their questions and nothing more. Hiei remained at Yusuke's side.

The greatest sign of life he displayed was when he half-heartedly, aggravatedly, chucked excess pillows off his bed with his left hand. He did this twice a day.

Yusuke's right wrist healed and his fingers, while stiff, could do with some movement, and so his cast came off. Kurama was rewrapping Yusuke's mending leg when the detective asked quietly, raspily, "When is Genkai holding this reunion thing?"

Kurama met his eyes calmly, lovingly, "Two months hence."

Yusuke was silent for a small, pained moment longer; then said, "I'll tag along."

---

The jeans hit Yusuke in the face, causing him to squeak in surprise. Pawing them away from his face he shouted, "What the HELL, 'Rama!?" His response was a wife-beater to his mid-section, followed by a heavy jean jacket, which caught him around the head. Again. Tearing that away he glowered at the fox, who was chuckling mildly behind his hand.

After a moment, Kurama removed his hand and said knowingly, "Your clothes are all from when you first entered Makai, all ruined, or all demon robes, neither of which are really good to wear when you greet your old master and friends, or my mother."

Scowling, Yusuke lifted the jacket in his fist to where he could look at it properly. Kurama made a damn good point. This is a pretty sweet jacket...

"Not to mention you're going to stick out enough with your markings. There's nothing we can do about those; your hair, however..."

Yusuke's head shot up from the jacket. "Fuck no. Don't even think about it, Kurama..."

Kurama advanced on him with a pair of scissors. Where the hell'd those come from!?" Yusuke backed up, holding his new jacket out in front of him like a shield. "Hell no, 'Rama, you're not cutting my goddamned hair! I like my goddamned hair, goddamnit! Kurama!?!"

---

In new clothes and socks, wearing freshly washed shoes, his hair - still quite long - trimmed neatly and tied back smartly, Yusuke cut a much less 'wild' image. His markings would be assumed by any humans not known to them to be tattoos.

Also freshly showered and dressed in jeans with his shirt tucked neatly into his pants, Kurama led the way out to where Puu was grooming himself contentedly in the shade of the keep.

Yusuke looked around, "Hiei's not coming?"

"I assume he's meeting us there, he's not much for flashy entrances, after all." Kurama suddenly turned and caught Yusuke in his arms, bringing their lips together briefly before drawing back with a serious look. He didn't say anything.

"I know, 'Rama... but.... Let's go." He offered Kurama a crooked smile.

"Eh hem." The two of them turned, and Houkoshin pierced Yusuke with what could be best described as motherly affection.

Yusuke's smile grew. "No worries, Houkoshin, I'll be back."

Houkoshin just stared at him for a minute more, and then suddenly - quite without any warning - burst into tears, which he hastily hid in his billowy sleeves. "I am so proud of you, Lord Urameshi!!"

Yusuke stood awkwardly aside. Kurama was trying not to laugh.

---

With Kurama and Yusuke settled comfortably behind his wings, Puu rose up and spread his feathers wide. "Puu!" With three giant flaps they were airborne.

"Remember to come back home, Lord Urameshi!" Hokoushin shouted from the ground, waving a hanky he hadn't had a moment ago.

"Stop acting like my wife, Houkoshin!" Yusuke shouted back, and suddenly Houkoushin was just a speck beneath them, Tourin behind them, Ningenkai ahead.

---

"You're late." Genkai snapped, but her smile belied the harshness of her tone, and the group greeted her with the sincere warmth of reunited friends as they all filed past her into the compound.

Genkai's temple was old, and still boasted the large, glassless windows greatly favored in the summer months. The sudare were all closed against the stifling morning sunlight, but the shoji were left open as Genkai followed them in and knelt on the tatami so she was facing them all.* "How have you all been?"

"We've been great, Genkai, thank you for asking." Keiko smiled, "But more importantly, how have you been?"

"Well I certainly can't complain, when no tournament representatives or dimwits have come to bother me for nine peaceful years. I couldn't have asked for a more quiet retirement." At the silence that met this pronouncement, Genkai's shrewd nature decided to get straight to the point. "I see, so Yusuke still hasn't returned. What the hell is he working on?"

"He was working for Enki... then Youmi," Kuwabara said quietly, glancing at Keiko out of the corner of his eyes. "But now that Natsumi's queen, I don't know what he plans to do. Probably keep working for her, as well, I guess."

Everyone but Genkai was looking at Keiko, pretending they weren't. Genkai was looking straight at Kazuma. "You went to the Demon World Tournament again this year?"

"Yeah, uh... Kurama asked if I'd like to go. He brings me there and back so I don't get into any trouble with the locals." He chuckled nervously, still trying not to look at Keiko.

"Have you spoken with Yusuke?"

"Yeah... couple months ago, at the end of the last tourney. I asked Kurama if I could see 'im. He was so doped up on pain meds I don't think he really understood a lot of what anyone was saying to him. Uh... he didn't really say anything... we just talked about the tournament. Let him know who won..."

"Kurama's still with him, then?"

Kuwabara was looking at his hands clutched over his knees. "Yeah, Kurama's living in Tourin with him - Raizen's old place. He says he's trying to get Urameshi to come back; he just needs a little more time. 'S what he always says." He paused, glancing nervously over at Keiko.

"You don't have to protect me, guys." Keiko said, her face a picture of happiness as she smiled up at them all. "I'm just glad to see Genkai; let's focus on that." For the longest time she had been sitting like a stone, face down, staring at her knees. The abrupt change startled everyone. It was so silent in the room after, that they could hear the wind brushing by the chimes just outside the door; the birds calling gaily in the trees just across the compound; the kakei** filling with water, pouring itself out, and dropping back with a melodic thud onto the rock beneath it.

Shizuru smiled finally, as well, "Yeah, it's a relief to see you're still well." She looked at Genkai with open love.

"I'm happy every day you're alive." Kazuma laughed, relaxed.

"Well that's a peachy spot I'm in, sticking around just so you don't have a bad day."

Everyone laughed, and just like that, the atmosphere in the room transformed.

"Well, it seems as though I've been missing out on all the fun!"

"Botan!" Shizuru said. Surprised, and they all turned to see the River Guide standing calmly in the doorway, smile as large as any of them remembered it. "You haven't changed at all, girl." Shizuru said lightly, drawing to mind the changes in the rest of them. Nine years was a long time.

"We reapers don't age very fast." Botan winked and knelt next to Shizuru. "I heard about this reunion through Koenma, and asked Genkai if I might tag along. I... miss you guys."

"Aw, Botan, we missed you, too."

Botan's smile grew so big, it threatened to block out her eyes.

"Good, you're all here. Now listen up, there's only one reason I asked you all to come." Botan settled in and they all adjusted their posture, giving Genkai their attention, and their devotion. "These recent years have caused me to think about my legacy, and so I'd like to tell you all what to do after I die."

"...Genkai, you shouldn't talk like that." Shizuru admonished quietly.

"It brings bad luck."

"You look good!"

"You look better than I do on some days."

"Ah, just shut up and let me get this done." Genkai got to her feet and walked over to the open shoji, deliberately avoiding all their concerned looks. She folded her arms and, gazing out across her compound, continued, "Once you've all given me a teary-eyed funeral, I'll be leaving this whole estate to your group. That includes this temple and all surrounding land. A shore on one side and a stone wall on the other will tell you where it ends. Leave nature as it is. It takes several hours by car to reach the closest town, not a convenient place for humans to live, but perfect for apparitions." She paused for a moment, and watched a gull flying high above, calling. She turned back to the group, "The kekkai is down but it will take a long time for humans and demons to live in peace.

"I spent my life trying to understand a demon and failed. Make this a safe house, to bridge the gap as I never could."

The room was quiet.

"Genkai," Keiko placed her hand over her heart and smiled, "We're honored."

"Yeah, yeah. Yukina, would you get the blasted tea already."

"Of course, Master Genkai." Yukina got to her feet and walked off silently down the hall, followed just as quietly by Kazuma, both of them smiling.

"While we wait, then, what have you been up to, Genkai?" Shizuru asked happily.

"Oh, this and that." Genkai sat back down and grinned. "Nintendo, mostly."

Yukina returned with the tea and poured for everyone, Kazuma brought with him a tray of small cakes and cookies, and they passed the afternoon talking of Keiko's future, teasing Kazuma and Yukina about theirs, discussing the new politics of Makai, and carefully avoiding topics concerning one Mazoku lord.

As the day waned, Genkai finally put a stop to the talk and shooed them all down to the shore to give herself a moment of peace and quiet; they all left with much good natured chatter and teasing.

As they walked away from the compound, down the stone steps, Shizuru gazed up at the tips of the pine trees, so tall and lush, as they passed beneath them. "Amazing, all of this land, as far as we can see, belongs to her."

Kazuma stopped walking and his sister stopped with him. "Yeah, definitely something we won't be chopping down." They both watched as a hawk detached itself from a shadowy branch and flew off through the trees. "We'll do a lot of good stuff here."

"It's weird hearing Genkai talk about death." Keiko added quietly, coming back with Botan and Yukina to where the siblings had stopped.

"Mmm." Hands in her pockets, Botan agreed, "As healthy as she lives, she could outlast us all."

"Yeah. Makes me want to quit smoking."

They all laughed as they started back down the steps.

Kazuma, still turned away, stared up the steep path to Genkai's compound, framed on either side by the dominating needle trees. Birds and squirrels called to each other, leaping, playing - enjoying life. I met Genkai for the first time ever after going up these stairs. He mused. I ended up fighting against Rando, and though I didn't know it at the time, it was the first case Urameshi and I worked on together...

"Hey!"

Startled from his thoughts, Kuwabara spun around and almost lost his balance on the step he was standing on; he flailed his arms comically for a moment to avoid tumbling all the way down.

"Kuwabara! We're leaving you behind!"

"I'm coming! - Yukina, you didn't by any chance pack a bathing suit didja?"

They reached the shoreline a quarter of an hour later. The sun was hot and low, just kissing the water on the horizon, casting light dancing across the small white caps further out to sea.

"Oh my, perfect ending for a perfect day." Botan closed her eyes against the late sunlight.

"A sunset by the ocean, it's the most romantic thing I've ever seen!" Yukina clasped her hands together and took in the sight, breathing in the hot afternoon air. Beside her, Kazuma's nostrils flared.

Before he could say anything; however, Keiko came up to Yukina's side and asked politely, "Want to get your feet wet, Yukina?"

"Best take advantage while the sun's up!" Botan agreed with her usual enthusiasm, kicking off her own shoes and jogging to the waterline.

"Oh, yes!" Yukina giggled and raced along after Botan with Keiko, shucking their shoes and socks as they went.

Kuwabara pouted but was soon distracted by the many little things he could sense all around him.

Shuzuru found herself a nice, flat, warm rock to sit on, lit up, and watched them all play like the kids they still were inside.

Keiko and Botan laughed as they chased the tide out then let it chase them back in, sometimes much too quick for it, sometimes not quickly enough. Yukina fairly glowed after the latter of these times, as she stood with the water caressing her ankles, feeling the sand sift around and between her toes and beneath her heels. "It feels like ice." She murmured happily.

"Feels good on the feet, doesn't it?" Keiko agreed, watching the light from the sun dance in the water among a clump of floating reeds.

"Yes." Yukina followed Keiko's gaze, and they watched a minnow together, for a time. Companionably silent.

"Do you think I'll ever be with my brother?"

"I think you will, someday. Now have fun," Keiko smiled at her. "That's the one thing about sunsets, they make you think too much." She looked back at the sun, its bottom tip now resting comfortably in the water. "Lets come back soon, in the day."

"Sure."

"Yukina! I caught the world's biggest star fish!" Kazuma called from the shore. They both turned to see him waving a gigantic red starfish in the air. He chuckled, "I sensed it under a rock."

"Oh, wow." Yukina ran over to him, her feet splashing up foam in her wake.

A smile on her face, Keiko watched Yukina pet the starfish tentatively, then with more enthusiasm as Kazuma explained them to her and laughed, embarrassed, as she complimented him. Botan was bent over, one hand holding up the hem of her shirt where she was keeping all the pretty shells she could find. Shizuru was smoking, watching the sunset.... Keiko sighed, turning her own eyes back toward the setting sun. She watched the water lap at it gently, almost coaxing it to sleep with it until the morning. Following the lure, Keiko waded deeper into the surf, until the water was licking at her knees, just brushing the hem of her skirt.

She couldn't help it; she started to think about Yusuke. She... missed him. She missed her childhood friend. Dearly. "Oh, Yusuke..." All the trouble he'd put her through, in school and out of school, all of his pranks, his voice, his stupid green jumpsuit; she missed it all. How can he just abandon us all like this? Never drops in to say hi, doesn't even write. Any news has to come through Kurama... I... "Yusuke I... don't think I can do this anymore." She folded to her knees, water coursing down her cheeks as the ocean soaked into her skirt. She broke down and screamed, tears falling like rain. "I don't think I can wait for you any longer!"

"Keiko..." Shuzuru stubbed out her fag on the rock she was sitting on and moved to go to Keiko's side to offer what comfort she could. Suddenly though, a large shadow passed over her. A shiver went up her spine, and she looked up quickly. "What was-"

The same shadow passed over Keiko, as well, and she looked up in time to see something large land with a soft splash in the water not ten feet from her. It lifted one scaly leg from the water, put it down, and walked right up to her. It snaked its head down to her eye level, and looked her right in the face with what could only be considered joy. "Puu?"

"Puu!?" Keiko gasped and reached out a hand, shakily, to pet Puu's silky feathers.

But before her fingers could make contact, a voice, clear and familiar, called to her from her left. "I never wanted you to wait so long, either."

Slowly she turned her head, her hand still hovering above Puu's beak. She blinked, and couldn't stop the tears from gushing down her cheeks and neck; soaking into her blouse and plopping into the water.

"Puu?" Puu licked her fingers carefully.

Startled, Keiko snatched back her hand, then smiled softly and offered it back. Puu nuzzled it happily and called to her. She laughed and hugged him desperately. "Oh, Puu..."

Shizuru and Botan, Yukina and Kazuma, stood in various degrees of shock, as striding up the shoreline came Kurama, Yusuke at his side.

As they got closer, it became clear that Yusuke's focus was on Keiko, up to her knees in the water, crying into Puu's breast feathers; ignoring them all completely. Kurama walked on up to where Shizuru was sitting and joined her on the rock, but Yusuke went right on walking into the ocean foam. Water soaked into his sneakers and socks but he didn't care. He kept walking until he was right behind her, his jeans soaked to his thighs. "Keiko... I, uh..."

Suddenly she whipped around, startling both Yusuke and Puu, and tackled Yusuke with her arms around his neck. With a gigantic SPLASH they both hit the surface and disappeared in a crash of water and foam.

"Oh, my." Botan walked out of the water and over to the rocks where the others had gathered, silently, to watch the reunion. She focused her attention with great difficulty on Kurama, who was watching the water with great humor. "Kurama, how did you get him to come back?"

Kurama looked up at her, his smile large and bright and happy. "He wanted to come back, Botan, very much so. He just needed time to gather his courage - and a good push at the right moment."

---

"One of us has gotten more athletic since I've been gone!" Yusuke spluttered, rising out of the water choking and gasping, wiping water from his eyes but laughing like she hadn't heard him laugh in nine years.

Kneeling again in the surf, laughing behind her hand, Keiko squealed when Yusuke suddenly dipped down and unloaded as much water as he could in her direction. She twisted to her feet, ran and stopped and threw water back at him and suddenly everything was all right. Yusuke was here, and she was soaked!

Miffed, Puu waded away to the shore. He puffed himself up, shook himself out, then settled in on the warm sand, tucking his head under his wings.

With a goofy shout and laugh, Kuwabara was suddenly running across the sand and into the water, he tackled Yusuke from behind, lifted him above his shoulders and before anyone, least of all Yusuke, knew what was what, he'd tossed Yusuke back into the water. Yusuke came up coughing. Then, when he could breathe, grinned and charged his best friend, manhandling him into the water to gales of laughter from Keiko. They both came up gasping this time, grappling, and Yusuke pinned Kuwabara's arm behind his back. "You know I can dump this whole ocean on you if I feel like it!"

"Yeah but - arrrrg - I know you're just happy to see me!"

"Oh yeah? Well I-"

"CHARGE!!"

They both looked up and had time to swallow before Botan came flying at them both. She caught Yusuke around his neck, and all three of them went under.

"Well, there you go. Couldn't he have just said 'welcome back' like a normal person?" But Shizuru was smiling around her cigarette as she watched her kid brother play in the water with his best friend.

---

Half their party wet and all of them tired and very, very satisfied; the group left the beach when it became too cold and the bugs that bit had started to multiply. They hiked back up to the compound, dripping and laughing and chatting about everything they'd wanted to say for years.

Keiko rode sleepily on Yusuke's back, content.

When they reached the courtyard, Genkai was sitting on the steps, drinking a steaming cup of tea, waiting for them.

Yusuke eased Keiko to her feet and walked alone over to where she sat, his eyes soft. "Hey, Genkai."

"I saw Puu fly in. What took you so long, dumbass?"

"Oh, you know, cleaning house, paying taxes - demon things."

She threw her cup at him - hard crockery - and beaned him smack-dab in the forehead. The cup bounced off and hit the flagstones at his feet. It rolled in a little semicircle before stopping, spilling tea dregs silently as it went. The group was silent. Yusuke, stunned beyond words, slowly raised a hand to the bump on his forehead and rubbed. Then his eyes snapped back into focus, "What the HELL, Genkai?!!"

"You haven't changed." Genkai got to her feet, turned and went inside, calling over her shoulder as she went, "Welcome back, dimwit."

He blinked after her, wanting to scream something else but nothing was coming to mind. Fuck you, ya old hag, was as close as he was going to get.

---

"You can't move that tile there!"

"Why can't I?"

"Because there is no 'E' in 'TRAIN', dumbass." Yusuke turned away and chugged down his fourth bottle of warmed sake. Like he could talk, he was down twenty points and had tried to spell 'FUN' with a 'V.' Botan and Shizuru were both winning by, like, a hundred points each.

Keiko chuckled, listening to the game going on in the corner of the room, even though her mind was focused on the flowers she and Yukina were arranging.

"Put the lily by the bamboo." Kurama suggested from his seat on the far loveseat.

"Oh yes! What a great idea, Kurama, thank you." Yukina happily clipped off the end of the yellow lily, and snuggled it into the sand next to the bamboo.

Keiko laughed. "A rock now, beside them both." She thumbed through the pile of stones and shells Botan had brought back from the beach, picking out a flat gray stone.

"Yes!" Yukina clapped her hands together. "Then the reeds can go in this corner here..."

They laughed along with the others when Shizuru suddenly hissed at her brother, "You don't spell 'YUKINA' like that - she should dump your sorry ass for your spelling alone."

"Oh but Shizuru, Kazuma has so many other wonderful attributes; such as his loyalty and kindness to his friends." Yukina chimed in, with a soft smile aimed in her finance's direction.

Kazuma blushed excitedly and turned back to the game.

"Here, Yukina, that white flower..."

Kurama watched this all with a smile, his eyes lingering on Yusuke, whose gaze was darting suspiciously from Kuwabara to Yukina and back again. He'd figure it out soon enough. Closing his eyes, Kurama lifted his mug and sipped at the hot chocolate, cooled somewhat now. Lowering it back to his lap, he spoke quietly, "How are things with you, Keiko? We get to see each other, so rarely."

She smiled, helping Yukina with a frustrating piece of grass. "I'm doing alright. School is taking a lot of my time these days, though Egawa is there when I have a bit of free time." Kurama had met Egawa, Keiko's boyfriend of two years now, once. He was a bright boy, and a very lucky one - or unlucky, to be putting up with Keiko's volatile mood.

Keiko met Kurama's eyes over the arrangement. "It's wonderful to see everyone again, especially Genkai. It's been so long, and it's so peaceful here. ...Kurama?"

"Yes?" He straightened up, thinking perhaps she thought his mind had been drifting.

"Thank you."

"Keiko..." Kurama relaxed back into the couch. "He wanted to come back. In his own time, he would have."

"No. I don't think so. I mean, yes, he wanted to, but I meant, thank you so much for keeping him company, in Demon World. I think he might have drawn further into himself and never returned at all without you there to keep pushing him back. You were there, always reminding him of us and here and.... Thank you so much, Kurama."

"Keiko... I think you give me too much credit. If Yusuke-"

"Kurama." Keiko looked at him sharply, and he gave her his full attention. "Yusuke needs people. He needs his friends more than he will ever admit, but most of all he needs someone to hold him, to be with him. I am thanking you for being that person."

Kurama blushed and looked into his drink.

"Are you going to marry him, Kurama?"

"What!? Yukina, I don't think-"

"I can hear you guys, you know." Yusuke had levered himself backwards so he was resting on his elbows, his head tilted in their direction. "Stop bugging Kurama." He glowered, but then he winked. "And I want to hear more about this Egawa guy later, Keiko."

"We'll see, Yusuke." Keiko's eyes twinkled as she bent over the pile of rocks and shells, pretending to shift through the collection for something specific.

The night went on and Shizuru beat their collective asses three times out of four. Keiko and Yukina finished their arrangement and settled in with Kurama on the loveseat, the three of them laughing and talking quietly about things Yusuke wished he could hear. Approaching one in the morning, Botan announced she should return to Reikai, and after hugs all around, produced her oar and flew off into the night.

It was silently acknowledged they probably wouldn't be seeing her again until after.

Not long after, the rest of them started to peter off to their own rooms.

Eventually it was just Kurama, Yusuke and Keiko, and Kurama got up quietly and walked over to where Yusuke was lying on his back. He'd collapsed that way after Kuwabara had elbowed him companionably in ribs that still twinged now and then. Kurama hovered over him and smiled, "Feeling better?" He didn't give Yusuke time to open his mouth, kissing him quickly, instead, before reminding him to shut off the lights before he came to bed.

Keiko watched them quietly, and when Kurama had left - after a kind goodnight to her - she got up and padded quietly to Yusuke's side. He sat up to face her as she sat down. "I don't know who was more surprised when you screamed like that, you or Kazuma. You were hurt very badly?"

"I didn't scream, I kind of - moaned." He grinned. "I wasn't hurt any worse than I was after fighting Toguro - just more broken bones than bruises. Mostly my ribs." He rubbed his stomach ruefully.

She shook her head, "You never change."

He grinned. "You did. Man, check out your chest!"

She slapped him so hard a nighthawk startled outside and flew off.

As he rubbed his cheek, grinning, she asked him quietly, "I've been meaning to ask, Yusuke, those scars on your neck..."

Yusuke stopped rubbing his cheek, his hand smoothing down to brush his marks tenderly, almost subconsciously. "They're, uh... mating marks." He was blushing vibrantly.

"From Kurama? I didn't know demon's marked their mates?"

"Not all - just... a lot of them, I guess. And one of them is Kurama's..."

"Only one? So, whose-"

"Hiei." He looked at her. "I kinda... y'know.... both of them at the same time."

"Wow, Yusuke. You must be some catch in Demon World!" She was grinning, trying not to giggle.

"Laugh it up." Yusuke growled. "Be careful what you say around Kuwabara, though." He told her, "He kind of freaked when he found out about me and Kurama, and I don't really want to be around when he finds out about Hiei."

She was still grinning.

"What?"

"Two mates, huh? You must be so sexed up-"

---

Soft kisses to Kurama's neck, behind his ear. He hissed quietly and tried to push Yusuke off, but his arms weren't cooperating, were refusing to lend him enough strength to actually move the detective more than just to the other side of his neck. "Yusuke, we cannot abuse Genkai's hospitality like this." Yusuke stopped kissing and started nibbling. Kurama gasped, "You get enough, when we're in Tourin! Go to sleep!"

"But I'm fuckin' horny, 'Rama," Yusuke whined between suckings." And the old hag won't mind, I'm sure she's had her share of fun in this old compound. Support the young and the life they represent and all that. Besides, you're my mate, and fuck if I'm going to sleep in the same room as you without touching you at all." He nuzzled down Kurama's collar and bit at his Adams apple.

As good an argument as the detective made, Kurama was adamant. With a growl, he sat up and pushed Yusuke off, grabbing his hands and holding them above the detective's head, where they were beyond his use. "No, Yusuke. We shouldn't."

"But we can."

"But we shouldn't. And we aren't."

"But I want to. And you want to, I can tell." With his arms held captive, Yusuke thrust his hips into Kurama's pelvis, rubbing against the lump he could feel there.

Kurama bit back any sound.

Yusuke caught the glint in Kurama's eyes just before the Kitsune let go of his arms and thick, ropy vines climbed the headboard and the wall behind them, snuck across the ceiling and snaked down to snap around Yusuke's wrists and arms, elbows and shoulders, roping tighter and tighter until Yusuke was stretched taught with his hands stretching towards the ceiling.

Yusuke's breathing hitched excitedly, and Kurama realized too late that this probably wasn't his best choice of solution.

Yusuke wore no shirt to bed and hadn't yet removed his jeans. Pulling his shoulders up like that stretched the skin on his sides, accentuating his pelvic lines and drawing even more attention to the dark trail of hair running down to hide beneath the hem of his jeans. His legs were tight, bearing what weight they could to ease the pressure on his arms; his thighs were tense. His hair was loose, and what Kurama could see of it brushed the seat of Yusuke's jeans. When Yusuke caught Kurama's wandering eyes, he lowered his eyelids and licked his lips, his teeth; he thrust out his chest and moaned, humping the air.

"Stop it, Yusuke. We shouldn't...."

"Fuck me." Yusuke whispered, cutting him short.

With no warning a vine shot down into Yusuke's pants, wrapped around his burgeoning erection, grew and squeezed. Yusuke had to bite his tongue to stop the sound a pig would make from coming out of his mouth and waking up everyone in the compound. "Fuck!" He bit out instead, in a harsh, high-pitched whisper. His hips thrust helplessly.

He had meant to put a stop to Yusuke's hunger, but all he'd done was fuel his own. With a gasp Kurama reached forward and undid the clasp on Yusuke's jeans, pealed them off around the vine and yanked them down. He launched his face at Yusuke's pelvic line and licked up the sweat collecting there, sniffing in the musk of Yusuke's arousal, his vine slackened a bit around Yusuke's cock, but began to twist and squeeze and tug instead of letting go.

Yusuke threw his head back, gasping silently, his arms still stretched above his head. His ass flexed, he was sweating like a pig he wanted it so bad. "Fuck me, Kurama!"

Kurama's hands ran around Yusuke's sides and pulled his ass cheeks apart. A finger slid down his crack and went in his clenching hole and Yusuke squeezed around it, humping into the vine that continued to writhe around his dick. One of Kurama's hands left Yusuke for a moment, and when it returned, it returned with something cool and slick. The fox's fingers circled his opening and rubbed up and down his crack, then three went in him at once and his knees shifted helplessly on the bed, maneuvering his legs apart, spreading himself as wide as he could for his mate.

The fingers withdrew and, cross-eyed, Yusuke looked down and watched as Kurama yanked pillows beneath his own head and ass, pushed his sweat pants down far enough to free himself, and settled back. He held his erection up as Yusuke shuffled eagerly into position above him. The vines holding him up slackened enough for Yusuke to lower himself several inches, and Kurama came up as he slammed down and they both grunted, at a loss for air, not stopping. Rising and falling, rising and falling, Kurama's penis stroking in and out, in and out of Yusuke's ass.

And then there was another pair of hands at Yusuke's waist, and both of them stopped, panting. Sweat running down their faces and arms and necks and backs and chests and thighs. The hands stroked up Yusuke's sides, then one hand went down and the other went up. It cupped Yusuke's chin and drew his lips toward a hot mouth, as the other hand stroked down, gathering sweat and lube on its way, and pushed up into his ass, alongside Kurama's dick, and his moan was swallowed as Hiei's lips sealed around his, breath wafting moist across his nose and cheeks. His tongue was sucked deep into Hiei's mouth and played with and the finger moved within him. He could feel it rubbing against his insides, against Kurama, and he almost shot his load, but the vines around him squeezed right then, and he keened into Hiei's mouth.

A small part of him wondered belatedly when Hiei had decided to arrive - had he been watching? - But then there were two fingers in his ass, and he didn't give a rat's fuck about the how or the when just the why the fuck haven't we done this before!?

"Breathe, Yusuke."

"That's a stupid thing to- ohmyfuckwaitnofuckunnnnn!" Yusuke arched and Kurama's hands kept him steady as all four of Hiei's fingers, lubed up and slick, pushed passed his sphincter and gripped Kurama, within him, loosely. He'd never felt so full. He'd never been so stretched. He tried to flex, to clench around the fingers but managed only a small squeeze. It hurt. Fuck it hurt. But it felt so good he wanted more, to be stretched more, fucked to within an inch of his life!

Kurama's hips were jerking helplessly beneath him, and Yusuke opened his eyes enough to glower down at him. "Don't you fucking come, 'Rama." He whimpered. "Need you to fucking last..."

"Yusuke, I don't know if I can - Nnnnnneeeeh!! Hiei, right there, I... I.... Hnn!!"

They couldn't see Hiei's face, but it was just as strained as either of theirs as Hiei rested his forehead between Yusuke's shoulder blades and tried not to jizz all over Yusuke's back. He watched his fingers as they worked the detective's ass, thrust out and up and just begging to be fucked hard and deep. His could feel Kurama inside Yusuke, see his balls twist and draw tight just beneath where his knuckles were working. He pulled and scissored and thrust and soon Yusuke was moving with him, up and down, both of them squeezing around Kurama's erection until Hiei abruptly pulled out.

"Hiei!" Yusuke gasped, "Put them back-" Something suddenly tickled at the head of his erection. Startled, Yusuke looked down and saw another vine, small, touching him. It wasn't any larger than a piece of string, more white than green, and as he watched it nervously, it pressed against the crown of his dick, soft pressure. He watched it, breathlessly, as it teased up the mushroom head to his piss hole, touching him, jerking sometimes as if hesitant.

"Kurama...?"

The vine teased at his slit, touching and swirling in the pre cum bubbling up around it, and suddenly it slithered into his dick and he threw his head back in silent ecstasy. He could feel it inside his dick, slowly pushing inside, deeper and deeper. It was rubbing him, making him feel like he had to pee and it was so intense he didn't notice he was breathing little cries of pain and absolute pleasure until Hiei's hand clamped itself firmly over his mouth to silence him.

The vine started pulling out, and Yusuke quietly screamed behind Hiei's hand. Behind and in front of him, his mate's eyes were riveted to the sight, the vine coming out, covered in milky pre-cum. Kurama could barely concentrate; blearily remembering to keep the thicker vines tight around Yusuke's scrotum, or Yusuke would cum. Instantly.

Hiei grunted, rising up on his knees. He steadied Yusuke and touched the swollen tip of his cock to Yusuke's so-ready ass-lips.

Yusuke's "Fuck!" was muffled by Hiei's hand. He did his best to relax, wanting it so much and completely disbelieving that Hiei was actually about to do it. The pressure on and inside his erection was starting to take over his mind, he couldn't imagine adding to it with Hiei and Kurama both inside his ass-

And then Hiei was pushing in.

"Keep quiet, Yusuke." Kurama reminded him, having a damn hard time keeping quiet himself. He couldn't see what Hiei was doing, but he could definitely feel it. Every inch of it.

Yusuke began a low moaning at the back of his throat; his mouth still covered by Hiei's sweaty hand. His head fell back onto Hiei's shoulder as Hiei pushed in farther and farther, sliding in alongside Kurama, his lips sucking at the detective's neck, his other hand grasping Yusuke tightly around his middle. All three of them were so ready to come yet desperately holding back, knowing it was going to be good, if they could just hold it off.

Vines snaked down past Yusuke's throbbing cock and wound themselves tightly around Kurama's own scrotum, squeezing deathly tight and Kurama's head tilted into the pillows; his eyes black with pleasure.

Finally Hiei was seated, and all any of them could do was breathe.

I won't be able to shit tomorrow! Fuck! Yusuke tried to clench his ass muscles and couldn't. There was so much pressure building in him he could no longer differentiate between the pain and the pleasure. All he knew was he wanted more, preferably before he fucking went off like a cork.

If it weren't for the vines holding him up, he knew he'd have fallen over by now. He'd be lying on Kurama, all hot and horny and sooo not helping right now. "Hiei, move." He tried to say, but behind Hiei's hand, and swamped with emotions and a constricting chest it came out closer to, "Mi-ei, oooooooooove!" His chest rose and fell, his breathing shallow, his body at the breaking point. Both of them inside were starting to feel ridiculously tight.

And then Hiei moved. Out. And one smooth thrust back in.

Both Yusuke and Kurama swore at the same time.

Hiei began to pull out again, the ridge of his cock rubbing roughly against Yusuke's inner walls.

"Hiiiiii!!" Yusuke bit off his own scream even as Kurama hissed breathlessly beneath him.

Hiei didn't give them time to worry about it, slamming back in hard enough to make Yusuke arch, eyes wide in surprise. The vines holding Yusuke up, squeezing his balls, all tightened as Kurama's head thrashed on the pillow. The vine in Yusuke's penis twisted and jerked, pushing in deeper and Yusuke's mouth opened in a soundless scream.

Hiei's thrusts became jerky at best, deep and shallow and suddenly Kurama's hips were rocking up, two cocks pulsing in and out of him erratically, and he came so hard his jizz pushed its way out of him, forcing the vine out with it. He was shaking, trembling as he came in waves. His cock was throbbing. He jerked as he came again, his head falling off Hiei's shoulder, he watched the string of jizz coming out his hole slacken from a gush to semi-erratic pulses where it over flowed and dripped off the head of his dick onto Kurama's belly. His ass tried to clench but couldn't, he came again and again, jerking continuously even when his balls ran dry. And he could feel one of them coming inside him, feel the hot semen spraying his insides. "Nnn..." He bit his lip as the other one came, the sensations running through him so potent, he didn't know where his legs were anymore.

Both flaccid, they slipped out of him, and someone, likely Hiei, hastened to bundle a sheet against his ass as semen started to leak back out. He moaned and slumped in the supporting vines; he didn't notice it when they started to loosen and lower and release him into Kurama's waiting arms. Their chests met and Yusuke whined as his sensitized nipples were pressed onto Kurama's slippery chest. Their lips met sloppily and everything was so sensitive, so alive and thrumming. The sheet Hiei was using to catch the mess tickled his ass lips and he hissed into Kurama's mouth. There were lips on the back of his neck, and he was floating in sensation. Warm and throbbing and stretched and relaxed and he was gone.

---

"Kazuma?"

"Oh, ah, hi, Keiko. ...Having trouble sleepin'?"

Keiko chuckled quietly. "I guess there's just too much on my mind. You too?"

"Yeah uh..." Kuwabara was blushing. "-Came out for some milk. Yukina can sleep through anything, but... with my spirit awareness, uh... they're kinda hard to ignore." He jerked his head in the direction of Yusuke and Kurama's room and, if possible, grew redder.

Keiko couldn't help but smile. "He's back; that's all that matters."

"Yeah."

"Did you still want that milk?" Keiko pointed behind her with her thumb, in the broad direction of the kitchen. She smiled. "We can talk."

Kuwabara, doing his best to tone down the heat flushing his neck and ears, nodded readily. "Sure, Keiko. Could use a nightcap, don't know if I'll be able to sleep at all, now..."

As they padded down the hall, Keiko agreed with a nod and mused, "I wonder if Hiei will be staying for breakfast?"

Kuwabara stared at her. "When did the Runt get here?"

---

"Why am I awake this early, again?" Yusuke groused, walking with a very pronounced limp beside Kurama along one of the many paths through the forest that ringed Genkai's compound.

"Because it's a lovely morning, and you need to stretch properly after last night." Kurama kept his eyes on the path but could feel Yusuke's blush heating up the air. Yusuke was limping quite badly. As it was, the girls had all given him odd looks over breakfast, and it was probably best not to mention Kuwabara's look at all.

It was an okay morning, Yusuke conceded. Dew covered absolutely everything, the trees were lush and leafy and the birds sounded kinda... nice. Provided they weren't all chirping at each other at once. It was cloudy and chill, but the sun was strengthening as it rose in the sky and the air would be stifling by noon.

Yusuke contented himself with thoughts that by then he'd have had his 'stretch' and could probably get away with napping inside all day.

Damn but he was sore.

"-Hiei?"

Both Kurama and Yusuke stopped. Kurama tugged gently at Yusuke's sleeve and murmured in a voice barely louder than a whisper, "We should leave them alone."

"Hn."

Yusuke shot Kurama the most conniving grin he could muster and crouched down so he was perfectly hidden behind a wall of branches and leaves.

"Would you say something? You asked me to walk with you, and we've come all this way... Oh! Hello." Yukina giggled.

Kurama sighed and put his back to a tree next to where Yusuke was crouching. Hiei knew they were there, and Yusuke was well aware of that as well. But it was Yusuke, and if Yusuke wanted to play James Bond then so be it. Hiei could kill him later, for all Kurama cared.

Not twenty feet from them, Yukina, blissfully unaware of the audience, stroked the ruffled crest of the sparrow, which had alighted on her shoulder, her smile as bright as the sun cresting the forest canopy.

Hiei cast an annoyed, almost exasperated look at the trees to his right. Then Yukina giggled again, and he turned his attention back to this... problem.

There was nothing else for it.

"Yukina, your brother never died."

Yukina looked up, and the sparrow flew away into the trees.

Taking his hand from his pocket, Hiei held it out to her. She lifted her own hand, and he dropped something clear and round into her palm. He put his hand back into his pocket.

Yukina opened her palm and looked at the jewel resting there, clear as spring water, her mother's Hiraseki stone. The stone she had given to Hiei nine years ago, when she asked him to look for her missing twin.

She closed her eyes and began to cry. The tears ran down her face and dropped, hitting the soil with tiny patters, as tiny jewels, clear and magical like raindrops.

Kurama sighed and pulled Yusuke forcefully by the hair to get the Mazoku moving. This moment belonged to the twins, not to them; they should not have stayed in the first place.

This time, Yusuke didn't resist.

Far enough away they could again hear the click of Shizuru's lighter, Yusuke spoke, "He's never going to tell her, is he?"

Fingering the gem Hiei had given him, so very long ago on the border between worlds, Kurama opened his mouth carefully, and said, "...I think she already knew, Yusuke."

---

Hiei didn't return to the compound; Yusuke and Kurama assured everyone he was most likely back in Makai, by now.

They all sat down to lunch, prepared and served by Yukina, who had to stop every few moments and collect the hiraseki stones littering the floor in her wake, lest someone trip. Kuwabara cast worried looks her way from time to time, but kept his silence as long as she wished to keep hers.

True to himself, Yusuke spent the afternoon snoring away on the tatami just inside, with the humid air swirling outside, and a breeze sweeping in now and again to ruffle his hair and put a smile on Keiko's face.

Kuwabara spent the day trying to work up the nerve to ask Kurama about something that had been bothering him for years, if he and Yusuke were exclusive, or just slept together randomly when they felt like it - and where the fuck Hiei fit in. He was kept distracted by Yukina; however, and never got around to it.

Yusuke, Kurama, Shizuru, and Keiko said their farewells to Yukina, Kazuma and Genkai in the early evening, promising, on all parts, to return soon.

They hiked down the mountain to the train station and boarded just as the air was finally beginning to cool off. The ride was full of jovial, tired conversation; they were all nearly asleep by the time they reached town.

With a screech, the train pulled up at the station and Shizuru shook Keiko gently awake. Keiko lifted her head off Shizuru's lap, yawned, and was promptly hoisted in Yusuke's arms and carried off the train. Shizuru and Kurama followed, pausing to drag their bags from the over-head compartment.

Outside, Keiko was seated on a little metal bench, already looking more alert. Yusuke stood by her side, eyes closed as he breathed in the fresh evening air. Shizuru went up to Keiko and ruffled her hair; she hoisted her bag over her shoulder and strode off down the platform, "I'll see ya' guys again, right?"

"Of course, Shizuru."

"Bye, Shizuru." Keiko called, and Shizuru waved as she walked off.

"So, we off to your mother's, Kurama?" Yusuke pulled his arms back behind his head and tensed, stretching so his ligaments popped audibly and his shirt rode up, revealing his stomach and pelvic markings. Keiko stared at them.

"They go down that far?" She asked, quietly.

Yusuke lowered his arms, confused, and when he realized where she was staring, tugged down his shirt awkwardly. "Uh..."

"Are they on your legs, too?" Keiko, fully awake by now, scooched right to the edge of the bench and made as if to yank off Yusuke's pants and see for herself.

Yusuke took two quick steps back. "Keiko!"

"We should be going. It's getting quite late, and my mother has been awaiting us for some time now."

"Oh!" Keiko jumped immediately to her feet.

Yusuke shot Kurama a relieved glance, but it was short lived as Kurama added, "And they do seem to cover quite a bit of him, don't they?"

Keiko looked at Yusuke mischievously. "Quite a bit? So... not all?"

"No, they aren't on-"

"Oi! I'm standing right here!"

Kurama glanced at him, "I was going to say, 'they aren't on your palms or the soles of your feet,' Yusuke."

"Oh. Well... fine. Can we get going, already?" He walked over to the edge of the platform and jumped down, hands stuffed firmly in his pockets, determinedly striding towards town.

Keiko wasn't about to let up that easily. "So they aren't on his genitals, then?" She asked with a completely straight face.

Yusuke stopped.

"Actually-"

"KURAMA!" Kurama smiled at him innocently, and Yusuke opened his mouth and uttered a little, inarticulate squeak. When he realized he had nothing suitably threatening to say, he threw his hands back behind his head and spun around, intending to march into town alone and find the Hatanaka residence by himself.

But he was distracted out of his plans at the sight of two young men, in nicely pressed suits, walking down the road towards the station. Each one carried a briefcase, and they were talking animatedly, though quietly, like good, old friends.

Keiko and Kurama stopped laughing, and Yusuke belatedly realized he'd stopped right in his tracks. But that wasn't important, because just then the two men caught sight of him and stopped right where they were - they recognized him.

Yusuke's face split into a broad grin and he practically shouted, "Takai! Long time no see, man!" He jumped off the platform and strode towards them. "And Kaoru, how ya been doin'?"***

"Uh..." both men took a step back, blatantly eyeing Yusuke's long hair and "tattoo's." Mostly, they stared at his mouth, like Yusuke was going to eat them both alive.

"Ura - Urame-sh-shi?" Takai squawked.

"Dude! You remember me!?" Grinning wider than ever, Yusuke clasped Takai around his shoulders and leaned in real close so he could grin face-to-face with the poor man. "Remember when Iwamoto stole your pen and tired to blame it on me? Shit, that was funny!" He guffawed.

Both of them were so clearly frightened, they were visibly shaking. Yusuke was proud of them for not wetting their pants yet. Neither of them made any movement to speak or get away.

"It's good to be back in town. The gang is great n' all, but it's just not the same back home, ya know? Plus," Yusuke leaned in even closer, wrapping his other arm around Kaoru and pulling him in close, too. "Cops're gettin' kinda hot. After the last job, I thought it might be good to jus' lie low for a bit. Home sounded good to me!" He shouted, and they jumped nearly out of their suits. Takai whimpered, a little, but Yusuke pretended not to notice. He carried on, pulling the two even closer to him, so he was whispering right in their ears, squeezing their shoulders just a little too firmly. "Hey listen, since you guys are practically family, I'll cut you a deal on some real good shit - straight from the plantation in Columbia - South America, ya know. Ya interested?"

"Uh..." Spit dribbled down Takai's chin when he spoke, like he'd been afraid to swallow and it just built up-

"RUN!" And Kaoru split, ducking out of Yusuke's grip and sprinting back down the lane. So determined to reach safety in two-point-four seconds, he even dropped his briefcase mid-run.

Takai looked at his friend's backside, looked at Yusuke's bright eyes, at his mouth. Yusuke quirked his lips, revealing one glistening fang, and Takai shuddered and wet himself. The sharp smell reached Yusuke's nose, and he grinned even wider, revealing his other canine. Takai would have fainted, too, but Yusuke squeezed his shoulder, hard, to snap him back, and said, "It's cool, man, I didn't know you guys we're running late." He let go and pushed Takai away, "I'll see ya 'round, cool?"

Takai took a moment to swallow, finally, then bolted after his friend. Yusuke couldn't resist shouting after him, "And spread the word! Yusuke Urameshi's back in town and he's gonna be making some changes 'round here!"

And then he doubled over laughing, clutching his chest. He laughed so hard he began to struggle to breathe, his insides cramped, and he laughed some more. He felt like his spleen was about to burst.

Keiko had her arms folded in disapproval but was looking down at him with a smile, besides.

When Yusuke's laughter eventually began to peter off into soft chuckles and a few snorts, Kurama asked him quietly, "Tormenting humans, Yusuke?"

Yusuke looked up at him with tears in his eyes, smiled, and gasped out, "Did you see their faces!?" Then he doubled over laughing again, and Kurama just chuckled along with him.

Keiko shook her head, finally unfolding her arms. With a sigh she said, "Will you ever not be a delinquent, Yusuke?"

---

The moon was out by the time they reached the first tentative line of houses. When they reached the Hatanaka residence, the plan was to open the front door quietly, slip inside, and greet everyone in the morning. Keiko would be staying with them for the night, since her apartment was so far from the station. Yusuke and Kurama would stay for another two days, before returning to Makai. Shiori had apparently been pestering Kurama for some time about his 'mate,' and Yusuke had little excuse to put off the inevitable, now. He'd tried arguing that she'd already met Hiei, twice, but he couldn't argue that he kinda wanted to meet Shiori - actually meet Kurama's mom - and fuck whoever tried to make that sound mushy.

They had two more blocks to go when they came upon the cemetery, and Yusuke's footsteps halted. He stood there quietly, staring at the blank, soundless memorials, and started when Keiko laid her hand gently on his shoulder. "Would you like to visit her?" She asked him quietly.

"...Yeah."

"I can wait here, if you'd like."

"Nah, c'mon, she always liked you." He smiled at Keiko then over at Kurama. "You too."

They walked respectfully through the memorials, wending their way until they came to a small, simple, shrine.

URAMESHI ATSUKO
"Beloved"
Yusuke stared at it for a long time. Keiko and Kurama gave him his time, and waited patiently just behind him.

Around them the town was quiet. Calm. Peaceful.

After a time - he didn't know how long - Keiko asked him in a carefully emotionless tenor, "You're not staying."

"No." Yusuke turned to face her, smiling, his eyes clear. "But I'll visit. Often."

Keiko wiped the beginnings of a happy tear from her eye, and beamed at him. "That will be just fine, Yusuke."

Yusuke looked back at his mother's grave, and Keiko followed his gaze, she said, "You know, I remember her saying once..."

When she didn't continue, Yusuke glanced at her. "Yeah?"

Keiko smiled brightly, laughed and said, "'One thing I've had to learn now is that Yusuke always comes back!'"

He grinned.

- END


*Sudare - Bamboo blind. Shoji - Sliding paper door. Tatami - grass matt.
**Kakei - Bamboo Spout
*** See manga #3 for reference to Takai; Kaoru is completely made up.
NOTE: The quote at the very end is from Episode 14. Also; I tried to pretend that Yukina isn't a complete moron...

A/N: So that’s it... the end... This is the first time I’ve completed anything so monumentally LARGE. It's been a two-year-long (shit, two years!?) project... I can't believe I actually finished it... *Cries* IT’S ACSHUALLY OVER!!!

So… any opinions on the title? Did it fit? I kind of meant the story to be an exploration of how Yusuke grew and continued to change from the Dark Tournament into the future (mixed with copious amounts of boismex, of course). Any comments about my writing style would be awesome - did it work for this story? Are there certain aspects I can work on? I'd also like to hear what you thought of the general overlay and format of the fic.

Mostly I just hope the ending was what people were hoping for.

---What the fuck am I going to do with my free time now?


Majorly giant thanks to Amymcclair, BlueUtopiah, Kogas Hentai Luver, DuosAngel, Devious Lil Devil, kit-kit, Marikalay, Assassins_Kiss, SirPsychoSexy, suicidein_angeleyes, Tellnoone_Noonetells, Katonie, yaoihentai69 and kanezu
- and everyone else who read and loved and stuck with!

Kitsune
I have nothing else for you. Just: "^-^" Luv ya, hun. Thanks so much for all your lovely reviews.

frizdirection
I have the gang nailed? YES!!! *Pumps fist in the air.*

Coyotillo
Yes, Yusuke can beat Chu's ass easily... but he didn't want to beat Chu's ass easily, he wanted to fight Chu as good and as hard and as long as he could. Also, Chu bowed out of the Demon Tournament in the series because of his attraction to Natsumi, we never got to see how much he's improved thanks to Kurama and Genkai's training. Sure, I doubt he can hold a candle to Yusuke - but he's a combat junkie, give him some credit. :D

DuosAngel
Stalker! - For the longest time I thought my ElJay really was just for my own amusement... now I'm finding out people actually do read my progress reports. Go figure. :P And yeah, I know nobody wants to read about Kurama tying up Yusuke with plants and then fucking Yusuke with Hiei at the same time. What was I thinking? ~_^

Kei-Chan
I'm so glad you liked the fights (and the lemon) I fan YYH cuz the anime is so badass - I wanted to honor that kickin'assness in this fic. I'm so please I seem to have pulled it off! *Hugs* I gotta say, your crazy, random reviews have made many a night for me. Thank you so much.

uchiha mikomi
Yes, it was high time Hiei showed his... needy side. And I bawled when I finally typed the last period. bawled.

Tellnoone_Noonetells
I am so so so sorry it took me so long to get this last one out! My only recompense is... I blame the york peppermint patties! *Points to the patties and runs.* In answer to your question: Yusuke was daydreaming; Hiei wasn't there all that long anyway. ~_^

AmyMcClair
You are awesome and thank you so much. (Out of curiosity, how did this lemon compare to the last one? :D)

yaoihentai69
Oh lord, I wish I could share my stuff with my mother. That's awesome. Oh lord. Glad you liked the slinky so much - I brought it back for the epilogue just for you! ~_^
"I honestly felt like I was watching it instead of reading." You stoke my ego so bad! Thank you so much!

BlueUtopiah
"They should have consulted you when writing the Makai Tournament and maybe the plot for the show would have been 10X better." I know, right!? Oh but wow, thank you for all your reviews, you always pinpoint exactly what you liked and why you liked it. It really helped me when I was deciding which ideas for a chapter I was going to keep and which one's I was going to chuck. Seriously, reviews like yours are a writer's wet dream! *GLOMPS.* (And Hiei is uke so little, when he finally gets to take it it's hot by definition.)

Gypsy _Reaper
Glad you loved and wish fullfilled! *Waves magic wand of updateness.*

RugbyGod
Yuppers. Yusuke would totally do that for shits and giggles, that's why he's the greatest. :D

heya
And heya to you. Glad ya liked. ^_^

ash
Short but sweet, eh? ~_^ Glad you like my writing, I hope the ending was what you were waiting for.


LOVE YOU ALL!
-Azalea J.