Life Goes On

Scene 50 ------------------------------------------- The Next Day

* Kurama comes to the doorway of Hiei's bedroom. He finds Yusuke sitting on the bed beside Hiei where he'd stayed all night. The Toushin looks toward Kurama when he senses his presence.


Kurama- (Quietly) Still not awake?

Yusuke- Do you mean him or me?

Kurama- Both, I guess.


* Yusuke rubs his eyes.


Yusuke- No, he's not woke up yet.. And I haven't slept..

Kurama- Yukina and Botan have made breakfast..

Yusuke- I'm not leaving him!


* Kurama lowers his eyes.


Kurama- I'll bring yours in.

Yusuke- I'm not hungry.


* Kurama glances toward Yusuke again, then starts to turn to leave. Yusuke feels Kurama's hurt and concern. He looks toward him.


Yusuke- 'Rama,.. I didn't mean to snap at you..

Kurama- Of course not.

Yusuke- Hey.


* Kurama looks back at Yusuke again.


Yusuke- Come here, Babe.


* Kurama calmly goes over to stand beside the bed. Yusuke watches him force himself to look down at their smaller mate.


Yusuke- What is this?


* Kurama looks at Yusuke blankly.


Yusuke- Don't play games. You know I can feel you..


* After a moment, Kurama takes a deep breath.


Kurama- If.. I had been on guard like I should have been..

Yusuke- No, no, no.. We're not going there, Fox.


* Yusuke stands up and embraces the kitsune.


Yusuke- We have to put the circumstances behind us.. We have to stay together and stay strong for him.

Kurama- Then that means that you need to eat and sleep to keep yourself strong.

Yusuke- Yeah.. Okay, point taken.. I'll eat, but I'm still not leaving him.


* Kurama starts to leave to get his Alpha's meal, but Yusuke stops him again gently.


Yusuke- I'd do the same if it was you laying there, koi.. You know that.


* Kurama nods.


Kurama- It's your life he saved.. I'll always be grateful to him for that.. In keeping you alive he has saved our new kits, as well.


* Yusuke nods.


Yusuke- Yeah.


* Yusuke sits back down beside Hiei.


Yusuke- (Quietly) Let's hope we won't lose his.


* Kurama nods then leaves. Yusuke continues his vigil. Kurama returns in a few moments with Yusuke's breakfast. The Toushin stands and follows him over to the desk that sits off to the side of the bed against the wall.


Kurama- Botan isn't too bad of a cook, really.

Yusuke- Botan, huh? This ought to be interesting.

Kurama- Oh, someone else has just arrived and wishes to see Hiei.


* Yusuke looks up at Kurama as he sits down.


Yusuke- Someone who? He's not exactly seeing visitors.. If it's Mukuro..

Kurama- No. Trust me.. I've cleared this one.


* Yusuke looks toward the doorway when Kurama turns toward it.


Kurama- The coast is clear.


* Ryuji steps around the frame into view and bows his head to Yusuke. The Toushin doesn't have to think twice about who this guy could be, even though he'd met him briefly up in Spirit World.


Yusuke- You must be Ryuji.

Ryuji- Hai, M'Lord.

Yusuke- I told your boss to shove her deal..

Ryuji- I'm here without her consent.


* Yusuke watches Ryuji look toward Hiei. He still waits for Yusuke's permission to go over.


Kurama- He took the risk of losing his head to be here.

Yusuke- I appreciate that.. But I can't let you take that risk. Hiei would roast me.


* Yusuke looks back down at his plate to start eating.


Yusuke- You're certainly welcome to visit him, though.. I can't deny you that much.

Ryuji- Thank you, Sir.


* Yusuke sighs deeply and begins to force himself to eat. Ryuji studies him a moment, then goes over to the bedside.


Ryuji- I know he wouldn't let me take that risk, either.. But seeing him like this..


* Yusuke remembers what Hiei had told them about his 'tryst' with Ryuji. He half turns toward the bed, curious, but trying not to spy. Ryuji is now sitting beside Hiei with his hand on the koorime's chest near the bandaged wound.


Yusuke- I've claimed him fully.


* Ryuji nods.


Ryuji- I'm glad he made the right choice.. You saved his life.

Yusuke- He just saved mine.


* Ryuji looks at Yusuke again.


Yusuke- That assassin was aiming for me.. We think he may have been from Yomi's territory.

Kurama- The projectile was a section of root from the Heartseeker Plant.. It was also coated in the nectar of the Makai Bleeding Plant.


* Ryuji nods.


Ryuji- I'm familiar with them.. I've used both in the past.. in service to our Lord Mukuro.


* Ryuji looks back down at Hiei.


Ryuji- Do you think Yomi would do something like this?

Yusuke- I'll find out while I'm ripping the assassin's head off.. Then I'll fry Yomi if he is behind this..

Kurama- Although it's seriously not Yomi's style to send out assassins.

Ryuji- No.. Lord Yomi is much like myself.. We handle our enemies face to face.


* Ryuji leans to caress his hibernating brother's cheek.


Ryuji- Yomi had showed interest in claiming Ani while he was hiding out..


* Yusuke looks toward Ryuji again.


Yusuke- Come again?

Ryuji- Hiei was still upset over just losing his mate..

Yusuke- Yeah. I remember Junior sending you after him.

Ryuji- Well, I found him.. He wasn't looking to be mated again so soon..


* The fire demon casts a cautious glance toward Yusuke.


Yusuke- Oh please continue.


* Ryuji sighs.


Ryuji- Not much more to tell.. Ani holed up in a cave..

Kurama- In Yomi's territory?

Ryuji- Hn.. I stuck around to guard the outside, repelling any would-be suitors that happened to catch his scent..

Yusuke- You repelled Yomi?

Ryuji- Well, Lord Koenma showed up to warn us that Yomi was headed our way.. The guy must've put a trace on my energy while I was up there.

Yusuke- It's one of the baby's personal obsessions..

Kurama- Stick around long enough, you'll get used to him.


* Yusuke gives a sidelong glance up at Kurama, stifling the kitsune's chuckling.


Ryuji- Well, Hiei screamed at the goat to stay away and took off again.. I chased him until we ended up in that Tavern..

Yusuke- Yeah. We know the rest from there.


* Ryuji nods and looks back down at Hiei. Kurama lays a calming hand on Yusuke's shoulder. Ryuji leans to touch Hiei's pale cheek again.


Kurama- You're sure Mukuro doesn't know that you're here?

Ryuji- Yes.. I told her I had clan business to attend to.. I'm always returning home to check on things.

Yusuke- You'd better not stay long then.. It don't take that b---- long to find out anything.


* Yusuke looks to watch Ryuji lay his hand next on Hiei's midsection.


Yusuke- Why does she want his baby?


* For a couple moments, Ryuji doesn't respond. Then he goes over to face Yusuke and Kurama.


Ryuji- Because she's secretly desired to have his child since she met him.. But the.. condition.. of her body prevented her from openly.. pursuing him.

Yusuke- Secretly..? - But you know?

Ryuji- A hidden jagan is much more effective than one that's plainly seen..


* Yusuke looks back up at Ryuji.


Yusuke- Hidden..?


* Ryuji taps his temple.


Ryuji- Hn.. Inner jagan.. About one in ten fire demons possess this special type..

Yusuke- And you can use it to control others?


* Ryuji watches Yusuke glance back toward Hiei and 'deduces' the reason.


Ryuji- Ahh.. So he's told you that he and I have..?

Yusuke- Yeah.. Now, you should be going..

Ryuji- Hiei and I have been close since we met.. But his jagan is more powerful than mine.. Besides that, I'd never use mine against my brother.


* Yusuke turns back to his meal. Used to conducting himself according to proper protocol, Ryuji takes this gesture as the end of his conversation with the Toushin Ruler and bows.


Ryuji- Yes, M'Lord.


* Before Yusuke can look up to tell him what he can do with his 'protocol' the fire demon has blinked away. Kurama looks toward the doorway chuckling again.


Yusuke- What's so d--- funny..?

Kurama- I see, now, where Hiei got his speed.

* Koenma responds as he enters straightening out his wind-blown hair.


Koenma- Actually, it's a trait that all fire-based demons possess.


* Yusuke and Kurama look toward the Teen Prince and find that he is also holding Chiisai.


Yusuke- You sure have a way with him.

Koenma- He asked me if he could see his Papa.


* Kurama sees the tears on the boy's cheeks. Yusuke sighs and waves a hand as he returns to eating.


Yusuke- Sure.


* Chiisai looks at Koenma. When the godling nods, Chiisai sprouts his wings that he inherited from Shishi and floats over to the bed. Kurama and Koenma watch the boy land gently beside Hiei, then lean forward to lay his head on his shoulder as gently as he can. Yusuke pauses his eating once more to speak without looking toward the scene.


Yusuke- We're going to do everything we can for your Papa, Chi-boy.


* Chiisai swallows and closes his eyes.


Chiisai- (Quietly) Thank you, Alpha Yusuke.


* Yusuke glances up at Kurama then continues eating again. Kurama and Koenma exchange sad glances then Kurama leaves.


Yusuke- (Quietly) Don't change your plans, yet, Koenma.


* Koenma nods solemnly, knowing what Yusuke is referring to. The godling goes over to sit in the chair close to the bed so Yusuke can finish eating.