Ferry Boy

Disclaimer: Disclaimed.

-discontinued-

I have already explained my reasons for giving up on this story. Feel free to email me if you would to claim ownership of this story and see to it's status.

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Hiei woke up in the dungeon of his lord Mukuro. He looked around for Mukuro and any of her gaurds, but she seemed to be absent. He didn't mind. Mukuro was probably busy and probably wouldn't want him around to mess with her. Hiei brought his hands to his temples as his head was hurting. He tried to think back on what could have happened to him, but all he remembered was seeing blood washing over himself.

"Did you sleep well Hiei?" The silvery voice of Mukuro asked.

Hiei turned as best that he could in the bed that he was sleeping in and met his lord's blue eyes. She was stoic as usual. He stared her for a moment before answering. "Yes. I did sleep very well."

"And do you feel much better than before?" Mukuro asked.

Hiei thought for a moment, remembering that his headache was still very much present. "Yes. I think so. What did I before this?" He asked himself.

Mukuro answered him in a motherly tone like before, but this time it was softer. She was making sure to be nicer to him than ever, which confused Hiei. "You were on a mission for Koenma and you fell into a state of shock, followed by a comatose."

"And?"

"You stayed asleep for awhile— eleven years to be exact." Mukuro smiled briefly. It was hard to take care of Hiei in that state, but she made time for him. She gave specific intructions to her servants on the care and feeding of the comatose when she was away from Hiei.

"Hn." Hiei got off the bed and grabbed his sword. His only thoughts were to train again. Eleven years of sleep would put rust on any warrior's skills and Hiei was no exception. As he started to leave his room, Mukuro's voice stopped him.

"I thought that you should know," Mukuro said. She came to Hiei. It was going to be hard for him to accept, but some would have to tell him what happened.

Hiei turned to his lord. There was a piece of paper in her hand. It looked tattered and stained, but it was very much intact. Hiei took the paper from Mukuro and slowly opened the paper. The words were legible enough to read, so he did.

Course: Japanese 12
Name: Kuwabara Kazuma
Assignment: Love Poem
Period: Seven
Date: April 3, 2005

Alas, the goddess Ama Terasu has lost her flair,
Flushed am I at my sight beholding spikey hair,
For he inspires in me the deepest and truest of amity!
Even the most scornful glare from him,
Lifts my heart from this love— a lewd sin,
No longer am I cast aside, loneliness hides!
These abrasive ploys he sets before me,
Can never dissiver my eyes from his....

.... Mrs. Sugimoto, why am I f@#king writing this? Shoot. Give me an F. I don't flipping care anymore! I hate writing my feelings down and....

Hiei read the rest of the paper. It seemed that the rest was a rant to Kuwabara's teacher about how gay poetry was and how he didn't feel like writing this crap. The human got just what he told the teacher to give him— an F. Hiei was partly amused, but he was also digusted by the human's affections for him. He could wonder if it were a cruel joke and that someone else wrote this. He hated Kuwabara. There were so many reasons for why he hated the human that he couldn't mention them all. "I have to ask Kurama about this."

Kurama was sitting in his living room by himself self when a tap came to his window. He frowned, but not out of anger, he just couldn't fathom who would be at his window his late at night. Suddenly, he smiled as he remembered Hiei. The fire would always come to his window rather than his door.

He missed Hiei greatly even though he visited him once a month. Kurama supposed that it was because Hiei had been asleep for eleven years and Mukuro's doctors said that there would be a chance that he would never wake up and be who he was. They were wrong.

Kurama opened the window to find exactly what he expected. Hiei was at his window and as wet as a fish from the rainstorm outside. He was holding a piece of paper. Kurama swallowed bitterly when he saw the crumbled paper. His fears of the eleven years were finally coming to pass. Kurama maintained that whatever the outcome was, he would comfort Hiei. "Hiei, you must understand— he really loved you, but it was—"

"Save it kitsune. The oaf's dead when I find him." Hiei said.

Kurama bit down on his lip gently, thinking that Hiei had been asleep for too long. "Hiei listen to me—"

"Why did he write something so disgusting?" Hiei asked himself. He thought that Kuwabara would still be distastefully drooling over Yukina. She did dump him and go back to the demon world Hiei was glad that Yukina told Kuwabara how she truly felt. Kuwabara was distraught for months after she told him which made Hiei happy. "He should know by now that no one wants someone as ugly as he."

A frightening scowl crossed Kurama's features. "After everything that you two have been through, you can just say things like that? You can still inult him at every turn?"

"It's true isn't it? No one wants the oaf and he has some nerve to write something like this," Hiei said coldly.

"Get out." Kurama said. He couldn't believe what Hiei was saying. 'Does he not know what happened? Didn't Mukuro tell him? It's like he forgot everything... or maybe he's so torn that he has to act this way again.' Anger quickly swallowed Kurama's mind. "Get the hell out of my house and learn some fucking respect."

Hiei came to Shizuru's apartment and stood at the door. He was still pissed at Kurama for kicking him out and for Kuwabara writing the poem. Knocking loudly, Hiei decided that he would only yell at the human because then he wouldn't have to deal with Koenma or Enma.

"Oh Hiei you're awake now!" Shizuru said when she opened the door. She didn't care anymore. Eleven years of loneliness killed some of her blunt attitude on the world. Embracing him, she said softly, "I have some things that you might want back."

Hiei brushed aside her words with a question, "Where's that digusting and foul brother of yours? I want to have a little talk with him."

Shizuru looked at him strangely as both Mukuro and Kurama had. "What? Why did you say that?"

Hiei handed her the poem on the old piece of paper that was half-heartedly composed. "This— your idiot brother has a fucking crush on me and I do not find it very amusing!"

Shizuru paled when she saw the familiar piece of paper. Memories of her hitting her brother for not completeing the assignment played out before her mind's eye. The blood on the paper was her brother's and Hiei had been holding onto it ever since he found it in Kuwabara's notebook. Yusuke and Kurama found it being held tightly in Hiei's hand the day that Kuwabara was slain.

Despite her strength, she sunk down to the floor began to sob bitterly. "Oh gods Hiei. How could you say something like that about Kazuma? How could you— you fucking bastard! He took a hit for you! I wasn't there to see it myself, but I saw it my dream the very day that it happened!"

Hiei stood unaffected by her words. To him, it was unlikely for Kuwabara to try and save him. He would save Yusuke and even Kurama, but Hiei was another story. Hiei was sure Kuwabara would leave him to die in every senario. "Even if he did, I don't give a shit about him or any humans for that matter."

"You disrespectful little toad! My brother died for you!" Shizuru shrieked from her place on the floor.

"D— died for me?" Hiei looked lost for a moment.

Get out of the way Hiei!

The truth revealed its self in the most hideous way. It was their last mission together. Koenma was hesitant to let them work together for being lovers. To the prince of spirit world, it seemed like a rather dangerous distraction for both men. They started off on the mission, arguing as usual and casting each other glares that were meant to peel paint off walls.

Damn it Hiei, I told you to move!

But Hiei wasn't able to move. His legs were temporarily parylized by the enemy's needle technique. The demon that he and Kuwabara were sent to destroy was charging up another attack fast. I— I can't! Just leave you stupid oaf!

Kuwabara cared too much for him. I can't leave you Hiei! I won't do it!

Human... don't even think about it! Come near me and I will kill you myself! But the human came despite Hiei's threats and worries.

Shut the hell up shrimp! That defeats the whole purpose! Kuwabara lunged toward Hiei in an attempt to snatch him and move him. The blast came quickly, ripping through Kuwabara's body and painting Hiei red. His timing was only off by a few precious seconds.

I— idiot? Human? No... please no... don't be dead... it's going to be okay... we'll see each other in paradise right? Kazuma? Kazuma! Looking up into Kuwabara's lifeless eyes shattered any hope that Hiei had. The laughter from his enemy echoed in his ears like the ringing of a bell as Hiei clutched a crumpled piece of paper in his hands. The demon that Hiei was fighting promised to kill him slowly. The shock was setting into Hiei's mind hard and fast.

Kurama get Kuwabara and Hiei out here! The last thing that Hiei registered was Yusuke's voice.

"I— I didn't remember it all..." Hiei finally said.

Shizuru had studied him— his emotions anyway. Realization had hit her hard as well. She came over to Hiei and draped her arms around his shoulders when he too dropped to his knees. "It's okay Hiei. I didn't know. I'm sorry. The shock must have wiped out all the memories of you and my brother."

Hiei became numb with the pain that washed over his entire being. "I have dishonored him by speaking ill of him. He made the ultimate sacrifice—"

"My baby brother wouldn't want you to start angsting over this." Shizuru said. She pulled Hiei and herself to a standing position.

"Kurama hates me now too," Hiei said.

"He'll get over if I tell him what really went on," She knew that to him there was no use in trying to make amends, but she also knew that he would if he were called out as a coward. "Want to go see him or are you afraid that he'll bite?"

Hiei just looked at her with renewed vigor.

Frosty wisps of fog rolled over the burial grounds as rain softly pelted the grass. The ground was covered with leaves of brazen hues. The worms and others creatures that lived in the dirt were wiggling on the ground. The scenery was irrelevent to Hiei's mission. He made it to the cemetary that Shizuru directed him to and was now a few feet from Kuwabara's headstone. He absent mindedly followed the path that was made up of dirt and round stones.

Hiei managed to get some flowers to pay his respects and apologize to Kuwabara. Once he reached the grave, he put the flowers down and knelt in front of the grave. "Kazuma.... you probably hate me more than anyone else right now. All those things that I said..."

Are you kidding me? Harsh, but it takes me back to the old days... before we got together. You'll always be an ass to me, but who cares?

"Where are you Kazuma?" Hiei said. He cast an uncharacteristic hopeful glance around the graveyard. "Kazuma?"

Hiei, you know where I am. I'm closer than you think.

"Don't play games with me human! Show yourself! At least let me see you one last time." Hiei said. Again he looked around for the tall red haired man.

No games Hiei. Close your eyes and clear you mind. I'll be there.

Hiei pushed aside his frustration and closed his eyes. It was a while before his mind was clear enough, but he finally saw where Kuwabara was. The human was kneeling on one knee in front of him with a humble smile. Kuwabara wore a black and blue kimono and had a matching surf board under his arm. "Kazuma."

"Relax, I was right here the whole time." Kuwabara said as he took Hiei's fist, kissed it and gently pressed it against Hiei's heart. He met Hiei's eyes and smiled. "Not an easy place to access, huh?"

Hiei barely managed to smile at Kuwabara's tasteless joke. He looked down at the ground before he pulled out the assignment that Kuwabara refused to finish. He held it out to Kuwabara. "Here, I remember why I had this. I guess you got your due grade."

"You snatched it out of my notebook when you were looking for blackmail material." Kuwabara said sheepishly. He looked down at the pitiful grade on his paper. Three out of seven points possible was pretty sad. It was about 1.3...3— very low and all because he refused to finish the assignment. "Not exactly the kind of thing you want going around if it can drag you down too, huh?"

"No, I guess not," Hiei said.

Kuwabara smiled, partly due to the fact that Hiei wasn't blaming himself anymore. None of what Hiei said early was truly meant and even if they were, Kuwabara would have still watched over Hiei. "Hiei, I'll be with you as long as you need me."

"And what happens when I don't? Where are you then?" Hiei asked.

Kuwabara sighed sadly, "Out draggin' dead people's souls across the three worlds for all eternity. It's really something I tell you," He finally smiled. "I get to hear life stories."

"Reikai's first ferry boy," Hiei said. He put his arms around Kuwabara's neck and looked into the human's blue eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too Hiei," Kuwabara said. He leaned in close, wrapping his arms around Hiei's waist. His tongue grazed Hiei's lips playfully. 'We're sperated now, but for a short time we can remember how it started right?'

'Yes.' Hiei lost himself in the kiss that Kuwabara deepened. 'Take me back there Kazuma. Take me back to the beginning.'