Holding On Until Tomorrow

Holding on Until Tomorrow

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of the Yu Yu Hakusho characters.
Chapter warnings: mild language, angst, and hints of shonen ai (finally).
Chapter 4 One Angry Shinobi
Kurama’s steps did not falter as he made his way to the infirmary. He had been there that morning, but he had promised Jin that he would come and he wasn’t one to break his promises. The cheery Wind Master’s health was improving and he was able to sit by Touya’s side as he finished healing. It was better for him, in Kurama’s opinion, because being cooped up in bed was never fun. He had had many experiences with that as a child…
Shaking his head, Kurama checked on Jin and was glad to find him sleeping. He needed his rest after all. Kurama frowned slightly as he turned his attention to Touya. The Ice Demon was still sweating, which meant that his fever hadn’t gone down since that morning. He had contracted an infection from his numerous injuries that was just ravaging his body. He had only developed it early in the morning, but it was already putting much strain on his already-stressed body. Kurama thanked his lucky stars that he had managed to catch the infection before he had left to watch the finals because one thing had led to another and he hadn’t been able to make it to the infirmary to check up on Touya until now.
Kurama sighed softly and dipped a clean cloth into a bowl of cool water next to Touya’s bed. He wrung it out and then began bathing Touya’s sweating face. The infection was deadly, but not fatal, though if Kurama hadn’t noticed it when he had, it might have been. He had noticed that Touya looked strange in the light when he entered the room. Beads of sweat were running down his face, which seemed impossible because Ice Demons couldn’t sweat under normal conditions. Kurama realized at second glance that Touya had a fever. A very high fever. His heart nearly stopped when he came to that realization, but he knew that he had to keep going, had to do anything he could to save Touya. He knew how much Touya meant to Jin, not as a lover or a sweetheart, but as a friend. Kurama could see it in his eyes.
The cloth was returned to the bowl to soak for a few minutes and Kurama gently laid a hand on Touya’s pale cheek. The skin burned beneath his touch.
Not a good sign. He thought grimly. His fever hasn’t lessened at all since the last time I came in to check on him. Another sigh leaving his lips, he settled himself in for a long night. The rain poured on. No one heard the screams issuing from a cave in the middle of the island as Yuskue underwent his final test at the hands of Genkai.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kurama checked Touya’s temperature for what seemed the millionth time that night. He had barely slept and his body ached, but he couldn’t sleep now; Touya’s fever was finally showing signs of breaking.
“Come on Touya. I know you can fight the fever,” he murmured, getting the feeling that somehow, the comatose Ice Demon could hear.
Finally, the fever left his body completely, though the Ice Demon had yet to wake. Kurama had to leave, though; he and the others were set to fight Team Uraotogi and there was no way he could miss it. He left a note for Jin to tell him about Touya’s current condition left and sought out the rest of his team for the start of the semi-finals. (A/N: I’m leaving it here because it would be a pain to add in all the minor details about the fights when they’re just going to be the same. Nothing about the fights has changed and the stuff that has to do with Kayko being attacked by those stupid demons is the same except that Jin and Touya aren’t there. I thought it was silly that they were able to walk again after two days and being injured quite badly. Risho should have done some major damage to Touya with that clay wristband-thingy of his. There’s no way he couldn’t have broken any bones. To make this more believable, they’re staying hurt. The demons are just scared off by Chu and Rinku, which isn’t being included because it’s not important.)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Touya slowly opened his eyes. His chest ached and it hurt every time he inhaled. He stared dazedly at a strange looking ceiling. His vision was blurred and he could scarcely remember anything that had happened. He slowly looked around the room to get a better understanding of his surroundings. He could tell that he was in some sort of a medical facility. What he didn’t know was where he was or how much time had passed since he had been unconscious. Jin was sitting in a chair by his bed. His face broke into a huge grin when he saw that Touya was awake.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
Touya licked his dry lips and tried to speak, but no noise came out.
“Hold on a sec. I’ll get ya a glass of water,” Jin said. Touya silently nodded. Jin got up and left the room. When he returned, he carried a glass of water. He set the glass on a table and helped ease Touya into a sitting position. Touya realized that his chest was heavily bandaged.
“Jin…what happened?” he managed to croak.
“Shh. Here, drink this first. I’ll explain in a minute,” Jin answered. He handed Touya the glass of water and let Touya drink. When the glass was empty, Jin put it back on the table.
“Better?” he questioned.
“Yes, thank you. Now tell me. What happened? Where am I? How long was I out?”
“Whoa, take it easy. One question at a time okay? First, you’re in the infirmary at the Dark Tournament. It has been…two days since you were last conscious.”
“What happened?”
“Don’t ya remember? You fought with Kurama and lost and then Kurama lost to Bakken and Bakken lost to Urameshi and then I lost to Urameshi. Then Urameshi was disqualified I guess. I don’t know because I was out like a light.”
“Yes…I remember. I tried to stand up for Team Urameshi because I thought that we should have won fairly, not cheat our way out. I thought that what Risho was trying to attempt went against the code of the Shinobi.”
“I agree. That didn’t seem right.”
“So he attacked me.”
“Yes.”
“Then what? The last thing I remember was what Risho told me. Then, I was plunged into the darkness. What happened after that?”
“Well, I don’t know a lot of it because I was still unconscious. The next thing I knew, the battle between Risho and Team Urameshi was over. It was that Kuwabara kid who kicked his ass. I’m right glad he did too. He did a good job of it. I don’t think Risho has regained consciousness yet. I came to see if you were okay and it wasn’t lookin’ very pretty. Kurama had a look and didn’t think you’d make it. Then this pretty girl who’s Kuwabara’s sweetheart I think came over to see how he was doin’ and I guess she had healin’ powers because Kuwabara asked her to help you, which she did. She was real pretty. She looked kinda surprised to see that you were an Ice Demon. I think her name was Yukina or somethin’. Anyways, she healed your wounds but you didn’t regain consciousness. We brought you here. Well, Kurama did. Yuskue helped me here ‘cause I wasn’t able to walk very well. Kurama said you developed an infection ‘cause of all your injuries an’ you’ve been fightin’ it off ever since.”
“I see.”
“How are you feelin’?”
“I’m all right,” Touya murmured. “I’m a little dizzy and my chest hurts.”
“You shouldn’t be feelin’ much pain right now. I’ll have to consult Kurama on that when he comes in later.”
“Kurama?” Touya asked, surprised.
“Yeah. He promised to come in after his team finished their fight with Team Uruaotogi today.”
“So they’re still in the running?”
“Yup. They got a break yesterday and are fighting again today.”
“Why Kurama?”
“I don’t know the reason for that. He’s actually been a great help. It’s actually thanks to him that I’m sitting here by your beside instead of lying on my ass still recovering. He’s got a lot of knowledge in medicine. He’s been helpin’ you fight off your infection.” Touya was silent.
Several hours later, Kurama entered, looking exhausted.
“Hey, how did it go?” Jin asked.
“It went well,” Kurama answered with a smile.
“Are ya still in the runnin’?”
“Yes. It was a long, hard battle, but we did somehow manage to come out victorious. But if Genkai had not been here…”
“Genkai?!” Jin gasped. “The Genkai? The human psychic who invented the Spirit Wave?!”
“Yes, the one and the same. Yuskue is her student.”
“Well I’ll be dammed.”
“How is Touya doing?”
“Well, he woke up.”
“Really?”
“Have a look for yourself.” Kurama moved around Jin and he smiled when he saw Touya’s icy blue eyes starting back up at him.
“How are you feeling?”
“He says his chest still hurts. That’s sorta odd, huh?”
“Yes, it is. I’ll have a look.”
With much care, he unraveled the bandages covering Touya’s chest. Though Yukina’s healing powers had been able to mend the gash Kurama had made and healed the broken bones as well as the bruises Risho had caused, there were still some bruises that formed afterwards, even nastier bruises than what Risho had left behind. There was also a scar from Kurama’s gash, though he was certain that it would heal with time. Kurama gently examined Touya’s chest and found a tender spot when the ninja hissed under his breath.
“Hmm…that’s odd,” Kurama frowned.
“What is?” Jin asked curiously.
“There should hardly tenderness. I checked his injuries several times after Yukina had healed him and I am certain that he had no more broken bones.”
“I can’t help it if you poke so hard,” Touya hissed, still in pain.
Kurama smiled lightly. “I suppose I did press a bit hard on your chest. Would you like me to make you something to drink that will help ease your pain?”
“I don’t need your help,” Touya said stubbornly. Kurama sighed softly. “I’ll be fine.”
“You’re in pain Touya. I can see it even though you’re trying to mask it. Please, stop being stubborn and let me help you.” Touya glared and it was easy to see that he was on the mend.
“Kurama’s just tryin’ ta help you, Touya,” Jin said. Touya’s face was stubborn as ever. Jin winked at Kurama and he got the message. Smiling lightly, he went to prepare an herbal tea for Touya. He knew that the Ice Demon was going to drink it, whether he wanted to or not. When he returned ten minutes later, the Ice Demon was still adamantly refusing any help that Jin was offering to him.
“It looks like we’re gonna have to do this the hard way,” Jin reported.
“That’s all right. I figured as much. We’ll just have to work together to get him to take his medicine.” Touya was pretty much helpless as he was cornered by Jin and Kurama. Jin held onto him tightly without completely crushing him while Kurama came at him with a class that held a clear liquid.
“Come on Touya. Please drink this. Jin and I are just trying to help you. I know you don’t want to accept our help, because that will make you seem weak, but you can’t always depend on yourself. “
“Why are you doing this?” Touya asked. Kurama managed to force a little liquid into his mouth. It was sweet.
“Because I care,” Kurama answered.
“But why?” A little more liquid went down his throat.
“I’m not sure. I guess it was because I didn’t want to see you die.”
“I don’t understand.” A larger portion of the liquid went down. He was trying not to allow it through, but Kurama was somehow managing to coerce it down his throat a little at a time.
“I’m not as heartless as I may appear, Touya,” Kurama murmured, leaning back slightly. “I thought you were a worthy opponent…misguided perhaps, but still worthy. You didn’t deserve to die. Honor is important to you. I could see that when you stood up for what you believed was right, that Risho shouldn’t have cheated in order to win…you should have won fair and square. I admired you for doing that.”
“But look at where that got me,” Touya protested.
“True,” Kurama smiled. “I can’t argue with that, but besides that, I think you did the Shinobi proud.”
“How would you know?” Touya demanded. “You don’t know anything about them.”
Kurama smiled. “Call it instinct.” Touya stared at him, confused. “Now come, drink the rest of your tea. It’s nearly halfway empty already.” Touya stared even more as Kurama showed him that the glass was indeed, half empty.
“You…tricked me into taking it!” he gasped.
“No, I merely kept you distracted so you wouldn’t notice me giving you the drink. Now, will you at least finish it since I’ve gotten this far already?” Touya growled softly under his breath but allowed Kurama to give him the rest of the drink. He was feeling strange. Lightheaded.
“Kurama…what the hell have you given me?”
“I told you, I gave you some herbs for the pain.”
“Not…that…why am I lightheaded? What have you done to me?”
“I gave you a mild sleeping draught mixed in with the painkillers.”
“Why?”
“It was actually Jin’s idea,” Kurama couldn’t help smiling. “He said that you might be a bit cranky after waking up and you would refuse to stay in bed so I decided to give you something to help you sleep. Don’t take it personally Touya. It’s for the best. See you in a few hours.”
“You bastard…” Touya slumped unconscious in Jin’s arms.
“Well, he took it bedder than I thought he would,” Jin shrugged, laying the sleeping Shinobi back down.
“I suppose…” Kurama sighed softly. “He’s just going to be angry with me.”
“Naw,” Jin grinned. “You’re too cute to stay mad at for long. I’m sure he’ll stop hatin’ you soon enough.” A blush spread across Kurama’s cheeks. He quickly went on with his business, trying not to show how flustered he was.
To be continued…
A/N: I don’t know that much about Ice Demons so I’m not sure about how accurate this information is. I do know some things, but not everything. If anyone could help me out, that’d be great. I know all about the Ice Maidens and stuff. That I did pick up from the series. I also decided that I’m going to focus more on the relationships and less on the fighting for a while. You all know what happens. I want to focus on the Shinobi more because there’s not a whole lot on them besides that one scene where Jin and Touya (as well as Chu and Rinku) come to Kayko’s rescue. I’m still mystified as to how the two of them (meaning Touya and Jin) were able to walk so soon. Even though it was a span of ten episodes, it was only like two days and there was no way they could’ve been healed in such a short period of time (except for a miracle). Oh I also forgot to mention that because of this, I’m spreading out the timespan of the series. Instead of just a day or so between Team Urameshi’s fight with Team Uraotogi and their fight with Team Toguro, there’s going to be a week. Maybe two. I’m not sure yet. Reasons? Not sure yet. I’ll invent a reason to make it work. :P