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Dreams and Nightmares Part 11
by Korogi
 

Kurama awoke slowly, half way between asleep and awake, a soft caress of ki just glancing off his mind. It was like an illusion, there on his mind one minute, but gone the next minute, disappearing completely from his senses.

Maybe it was just a dream.

He yawned and stretched a leg slowly, barely ruffling the thin sheet draped lazily over his naked body. It could not have been much past 2 in the morning. The skylight above him was dappled with drying rain spots, the moon shining a sickly yellow through the retreating clouds above him. It shone like a beacon in the night, the full, Makai moon grinning down at him as if trying to speak, the thin strands of clouds contorting the face of the moon around on him, twisting it into odd frowns and expressions.

The red head yawned again and rolled onto his side, immediately noticing the small bundle of fur curled tightly against his chest. Kiroshu lay silently, his little body rising and falling with the little breaths, an occasional purr or grumble escaping the little figure. The sheer sight of the scene melted Kurama's heart, drawing a large, proud grin over his face and eyes.

Kurama pulled a hand up and smoothed it gently over the kit's little head, pulling back loose tangles of soft, silver hair. He felt so relieved that he had found the infant before the Makai predators had a chance at him... he shuddered at the very thought, quickly snarling at his mind for thinking about such things.

Quietly, the kit stirred, cooing lightly, nestling its little nose further into his tail. Kurama wished he had a camera, or some sort of way to forever burn the little image into his mind. Thoughts ran through his head... first day of kindergarten... learning to drive... graduating high school. Kurama chuckled lightly out loud. 'Listen to yourself!' he thought. 'Not even with the kit for a full day, and you're already planning his life out!'

And Kurama suddenly noticed Hiei was not in the bed with him, not in his usual place of being huddled closely at his side. He frowned and looked past the baby youko to the open door. Below him, the kit stirred and popped a large, golden eye open. Kiroshu watched his surrogate father a moment, looking over his features. Then, the little kit grunted, demanding attention.

Kurama's eyes swung quickly down from the door to the kit, softening into a large smile. "Good morning little one," he whispered, stretching a finger to tap Kiroshu's button nose. "Did I wake you up?"

The kit shook his head slightly and uncurled, yawning and stretching into a long, arched form, pushing the sleep from his body. Kurama chuckled and reached nimble fingers down, tickling a bit at the kit's belly. He watched as the arched body quickly contracted, giggling quietly, blinking large gold eyes into existence.

"Hungry?"

Kiroshu squealed quietly and nodded, rolling up to stand on his feet. The little kit stumbled around on the unstable mattress, swaying from side to side like he was on a ship at sea, before finally toppling backwards onto his rear.

Kurama chuckled lightly and pushed himself up on his hands, sitting up beside Kiroshu as he began to struggle to regain his balance. After about the third attempt at trying and failing to stand up, the kit plopped back down on his rear, folding little arms over his chest and pouting, all too reminiscent of Hiei. The very though made Kurama's smile grow even wider as he reached over to pick the kit into his arms.

Expertly, Kurama scooted off the bed and managed to tug a pair of sweat pants up over his naked body, adjusting the kit in his arms. Kiroshu laid his head lovingly over on Kurama's shoulder as the tall frame padded silently out of the room and into the dimness of the house beyond.

Everything sat in deep shadows highlighted in contrasting detail by the moon shining through the windows and skylights. It was like a great dream sequence; nothing around Kiroshu's senses seemed real, save for the strong, thin arms that held him nestled in the grasp of one of his new adopted fathers. The kit grunted and raised the back of his little hand to rub the sleep from his eyes.

And again, Kurama chuckled, navigating through the dim house to the kitchen. His light footfalls seemed to echo with great intensity around the white-marble room as Kurama set the kit lightly on the counter, swinging open the refrigerator door.

A thick veil of yellow light poured into the kitchen, rebounding off the polished floors to spray about the room, lighting it greatly. Half blinded, Kurama fished through the contents of the refrigerator, coming back with a flash of milk and half of a sandwich. As he did, Kurama searched through his senses for Hiei's unmistakable you-ki, seeking out his lover through the confines of the great house.

The rough and menacing ki hung just out in the front foyer down the hall, perched unmoving as if guarding over the house in its own silent visual. Hiei's unmistakable energy hung bold and brave, shifting slightly at Kurama's presence.

Kurama yawned slightly, taking a bite from the sandwich while he poured a bottle slowly, watching the white liquid flow in a smooth arch to splash and play in the bottle's confines.

Slowly, with a languid ease, Kurama tossed the flask back into the refrigerator and capped the bottle, handing it off in one fluid movement to Kiroshu. He teased the kit lightly, holding it just out of reach, watching the little fingers grasp wisps of air before successfully snatching the bottle.

He watched with silent pleasure as the kit popped the bottle into his mouth and bounced off the counter, landing and scooting across the polished floor a few feet before correcting. In a flash, the little feet pattered out of the kitchen and down the hall, scampering off to the front foyer where Hiei's ki radiated like heat from a wildfire.

Taking another bite of the sandwich, Kurama followed the little pitter-patter off through the house, winding around chairs and under small tables before he broke out into the front foyer. The almost jungle-like room played easily to his you-ki, boosting his senses and waking him up. Just across, he saw Kiroshu bouncing up and down at Hiei's feet, the bottle dangling out of his mouth, threatening to plummet to its own doom. Kiroshu's little arms were stretched up to Hiei as he bounce, curling little fingers up to the small youkai who seemed to tower just above him.

Hiei's full attention was flowing out the window, his body bending down to retrieve the kit, crimson eyes never leaving the line of sight he held out the window. There was a tenseness about him as he shifted the kit to cradle in his arms, Kiroshu gladly laying back to suckle at the bottle, his golden eyes staring up at Hiei's illuminated face.

The bandanna lay on the floor, exposing the Jagan into full view on Hiei's forehead, sparkling in the moonlight, staring out the window too.

Kurama slid like a silent, red shadow across the foyer to wrap his long, slender arms about Hiei's shoulders, pulling him into a strong embrace. Passionately, he ran his warm tongue over Hiei's ear, pulling back to blow lightly on it. He felt the youkai shudder barely under the cool wisp of air on his moistened ear, Kurama chuckling inwardly as he rested his chin down on Hiei's bony shoulder "Couldn't sleep?"

Hiei grumbled silently in agreement to the statement, blood-red eyes still feverishly searching out the window. The rain had stopped perhaps a little over an hour ago, leaving the forest beyond the window glistening in the moonlight.

Kurama nuzzled Hiei's neck, biting carefully. When he received no reaction he pulled his head over Hiei's shoulder, looking at his face from the side. "What is it, Hiei?"

"Someone's out there," he whispered, almost to quietly to be heard. Hiei shifted his grip on Kiroshu, bringing him up closer in his arms, a repercussion of his statement.

Kurama shrugged and returned his chin to Hiei's shoulder. "Maybe it's just Mukuro coming back from the fortress."

"No," Hiei said quickly and firmly. "Think, Kurama. Isn't there someone missing around here?"

Kurama sighed and opened his senses to the house around him. Quickly, Yo-mawari and Kuraihana's you-ki played onto his mind, quietly resting off in their respective corners of the house. "But... I don't understand, Hiei. Everyone's here..."

Hiei turned slowly from the window, catching rays of moonlight from his three eyes as he turned the glare up to Kurama. The tense red eyes told the whole story; there must be a major concern to play such an obvious emotion across that stone facade of his. "Kurama... think carefully."

Kurama's expression grew worrisome as he looked his lover straight in the eyes, searching through them, Hiei allowing their minds to gently link. Kiroshu blinked between the two of them, volleying glances back and forth at both of his new, unmoving fathers. The kit popped the bottle out of his mouth and grunted, demanding attention. Again, he volleyed glances as nothing but silence and the stare between the lovers filled the room.

Kiroshu stirred and shifted, leaping out of Hiei's arms to land lightly on the floor, the bottle dangling out of his mouth. Silent feet shifted on the wooden floor, turning the kit around to stare up to the two towering men, the bottle thumping down onto his collar bone. The youko kit took it up, elevating it to begin drinking again, staring up to his fathers.

"Oh gods... " Kurama finally spoke softly, chattering the silence, his voice saturated with fear. He reached out and took Hiei roughly by the shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Gods, no!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Something quickly roused Yo-mawari from his deep sleep, bringing him startling out of a rather enjoyable dream he had been having. He laid in bed stunned, his black eyes wide open to the ceiling, allowing his eyes to adjust from the herbs that still coursed through his system to work at his wounds. Something had just flicked off his mind before he had the chance to realize it, something all too familiar...

A shadow flicked quickly past his window through the dim forest, flashing the moonlight at him that shone through the window. Adrenaline rushed into his veins, the black eyes jolting to stare out the window.

Yo-mawari sat bolt upright, turning quickly to the window in a single, feline movement. Quickly, he felt his meijin's ki off in the foyer on the opposite end of the house from his room. Not even Hiei could move THAT quickly.

He frowned, swinging his legs out of bed and standing to an unstable height, steadying his un-sober body by the wall. He took up a house robe and shrugged quickly into it, opening his mind up. :Kyodai?:

He waited.

His only response was a jumble of hate and fear, mingling with the new feelings of heightened parental instincts.

:Kyodai-kun! What's wrong?:

Only the fear.

His heart sparked back up as Yo-mawari grabbed up his katana and set into a dead run from his bedroom, throwing open the heavy oak door to streak down the hall in a feline stretch of black, the robe billowing behind him as it clung to life on his thin shoulders.

It took him all of 10 seconds to cross the house to the front foyer, bursting out into it to see his brother gripping Hiei roughly by the shoulders, occasionally shaking the little youkai lightly as if trying to pry an answer from him. Between them at their feet, Kiroshu blinked up to them, turning bright shinning eyes to Yo-mawari, sucking intently on the bottle.

"Kyodai-kun!" Yo-mawari called, dashing across the foyer. He took Kurama by the shoulders and spun him around from Hiei to look him straight in the eyes. His brother's face hung disbelieving and frightened, Yo-mawari had never seen such fear coming from his tough and gallant brother. "Kurama..." he soothed, massaging the tense shoulders. "What's wrong? Tell me, please!"

Kurama's face hung frozen for a few seconds, the green eyes darting back and forth between the large black ones before him. "Wari-kun..." he whispered, his voice shaking loose from his dry throat. "He's back."

"Who?"

The three felt the sudden jump in you-ki moments before a large section of the wet forest exploded into wooden shrapnel, blazing a fiery trail through the gray sky. The wood pelted the window and the side of the house, growing quickly in intensity, laying a network of spidery- fractures through the glass.

Kurama broke roughly from his brother and scooped the kit up into his arms, bundling him up to his chest protectively. Aside from him, Hiei drew his katana out to his defense, raising it back to rest on one of his shoulders, his free hand snaking under it.

"That ki... " Yo-mawari whispered, backing from the window. He looked quickly back to Kurama.

He clutched at the youko kit, backing quickly from the foyer back into the hall. His face held all the fear that any one person could hold to capacity, burning from his soul to escape through the features of his face, slinking away quickly into the shadows. The green eyes shook through the night, darting quickly over to Yo-mawari's before returning to the window and his lover. Somehow, Kurama knew what was happening, but wasn't talking.

In a gust of powerful wind, the front door blew open, swinging quickly to crash into the wall, imbedding itself deeply. A tornado of wind and leaves burst in after, dying quickly in the middle of the foyer at the WatchMan's feet, littering the foyer floor with a wet concoction of leaves and grass.

Yo-mawari and Hiei slunk into positions, each mirroring the other like perfect shadows, bringing their respective katana's before them defensively.

In the frame of the blown-open door, a tall, slim figure silhouetted into view, covered in lengthy shadows. Two thin, violet eyes pierced the darkness, glaring at all three of the youkai at once, long, thin strands of dark hair blowing about the hidden face.

"... no... " Kurama whispered from behind his brother, still backing into the hall from the foyer.

The thin glowing eyes sought him out solely, setting to rest on his figure, stroking through the body like a loving touch. "Well well, what have we here?" a soft, deep voice rolled easily from the silhouette. "Very cute, Kurama. Though, I never pictured you as a father."

Kurama hissed, bundling the kit further into his arms. Kiroshu squeaked in fright and buried his head back in Kurama's red hair, curling little fingers around long locks of the red silk.

"Temper temper, love," the voice almost cooed, laughing slightly afterwards, more to itself.

Hiei growled deeply, glinting the katana through the light of the moon, announcing his presence. Yo-mawari shadowed the action, sliding over to block the silhouette's view of Kurama, summoning the shuriken to his side. In a burst of swirling, golden light, the little weapons broke into view, half of them flying to land lightly on his shoulder, the other half, flying to perch obediently on Hiei's shoulder, twirling into place.

"Karasu," Hiei snarled ferociously, crouching down.

On the cue to his entrance, Karasu's slim figure slid from the shadows to float into the dim light of the foyer, the silken, black hair, swirling before his face in a shifting veil. A sanguine grin twisted across his violet eyes from above the spidery mask, glinting morbidly in the moonlight. "Good evening gentlemen... or, should I say good morning?" he bowed his head slightly, hands shoved deep into the pockets of the red-velvet-lined black cape.

"Get the hell out of here!" Yo-mawari shouted, threatening the figure with the long katana and his booming voice.

Karasu laughed openly under the spidery mask, eyes thinning as they smiled. The air around him took on the sudden smell of ozone, ionization seeping about the foyer to encompass it totally, seconds before the green glowing orbs of ki glistened into view. "How rude," he said simply.

"No, not here," Yo-mawari whispered to himself, backing slightly. "Not in Hana-chan's house..."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Kurama backed into the wall of the hall, gasping greatly at the sudden pressure behind him. His heart throbbed greatly in his chest, raising nerves on edge and threatening to beat until it exploded. It took the youko a few seconds to realize he had backed into a wall and not the youkai that stood beyond in the foyer, mentally cursing his fear, calling the beating heart into submission.

:Kyodai...!:

"'Wari-kun!" Kurama whispered out loud, shuffling Kiroshu in his arms.

:Get Hana-chan and the kit out of here. We'll handle this!: Yo-mawari's mental voice flooded his thoughts.

:But.. you're not healed yet. I won't leave you here!:

:Quit being so righteous and get the hell out of here! Now!:

:Kyodai... I'm not...:

:Don't ARGUE with me!: Kurama received a hard mental blow, knocking him from the wall and onto his rear. :Go NOW!!: Yo-mawari's voice more or less begged his twin, fading into a rough growl before floating from Kurama's mind.

:Kyodai...:

:KURAMA!!: The mental attack caught him in the chest roughly, momentarily robbing his lungs of air. He choked and wheezed, still clutching the kit. "Kurama...: the voice of his brother begged, softening greatly. :Please, get Hana-chan out of here.:

Kurama shuddered through his mind... but thought twice about opposing his brother's wishes. He had the young youko and his niece's safety to think about right now, as much as it pained him to even think about leaving the two men he loved more than life itself behind. He gathered himself to his feet, sending out a hug to Yo-mawari before turning swiftly, bolting down into the house.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

"Get out of this house," Yo-mawari seethed, feeling the lingering fingers of the mental hug slide off his shoulders and away from his mind. His eyes gleaming with the hatred he held out for Karasu, echoed by Hiei's sharp growls beside him threatened to rip the youkai limb from limb before Yo-mawari ever could have the chance to say a simple word. "Get out."

"Gladly," Karasu responded cheerfully. "I just want Kurama... and I'll be happily on my way.

"No deal," Hiei growled in quickly, turning the katana blade over and over on his shoulder. One of Karasu's ki bombs shifted, threatening to race forward and blow him in two. Hiei shifted the katana, ripping through the IjyuTaiHou wrapped tightly over the Kokuryuha. Slowly, the head of the black dragon slithered in place on his wrist, growling, sparking large red eyes into existence. "Don't underestimate me."

"Oh please..." Karasu snickered.

Hiei leapt with surprising swiftness, slicing through the air with the katana. He sparked several of the ki bombs into soft explosions, slicing through the door jam, herding Karasu back into the night.

A thin slice lay through Karasu's black shirt, laying open to reveal his pale and perfect skin underneath. "Impressive... you've gotten more aggressive since I last stood against you. What are you trying to protect? Your lover?" The violet eyes glared down at him, searching. "Or perhaps the youko kit..."

Hiei snarled fiercely, ripping a the bandages on his arm.

"Ah, so that's it... the kit is what has you so worried... so cute. I should take him first and... "

"BASTARD!" Hiei screamed, leaping forward, herding the tall youkai out further into the night. "Don't underestimate me!" he repeated, full force. "Jaou Ensatsu... Ren-Goku Sho!!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The sound of hundreds of bombs exploding in the night woke Kuraihana quickly from her dreaming, sitting her straight up in bed seconds before the door burst open. Kurama filed quickly in, kit and all, grabbing her wrist and pulling her out of bed in a heartbeat. "Hana-chan.. we have to go now! No questions!"

"Ojisan! What's going on?!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yo-mawari ducked the shrapnel from the bombs, deflecting it about with his katana as his vision cleared. Before him, Hiei stood menacingly, the black tattoo circumnavigating his entire right arm seething with a purple fire as the ki from the last attack flowed back to his body. The forest lay in smoldering rubble around Hiei and Karasu, the taller youkai laughing silently to himself, not a scratch on his body.

"Goodness. It seemed I HAD underestimated you. How challenging. Perhaps you'll be a worthy opponent after all."

"Don't flatter yourself," Yo-mawari hissed, pushing himself to his feet unsteadily. "Meijin-san is not your only opponent here." Behind him, the shot of light that marked Kurama's passage back to the Ningenkai streaked the dark sky, drawing Karasu's attention momentarily. A moment long enough...

One of the shuriken broke suddenly forward, navigating the remaining bombs and imbedding fully in Karasu's shoulder in a spray of blood.

"Nani!" Karasu hissed, ripping his attention from the shot of light back to his shoulder, raising a hand as the shuriken freed itself and flew back to its master's shoulder. Is perched in a bloody position atop Yo-mawari's shoulder, glistening proudly in its own version of a raspberry. "Kisama... that was a lucky shot, woodsman. Don't expect me to lower my guard again."

"It seems you've underestimated both of us," Hiei grinned feraly. "Perhaps your mouth boasts bigger powers than your body can handle."

"Shut your lying mouth before I rip your tongue out, youkai!"

"Now who has the temper?" Hiei retorted with a grin, slinking down. "Are you ready for my next attack? Watch closely..."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

*POUND POUND POUND*

Yusuke startled awake, jerking out of sleep with a groan. "Who in the..."

*POUND POUND POUND*

"Shit," Yusuke cursed to himself, rubbing his sleep y face roughly. Beside him, Keiko stirred, rolling over to the side, mumbling incoherently in her sleep. "Idiots. Who in the hell would come knocking at..." he glanced over to the clock through weary eyes... "2:30 in the morning? Great, this had better be important."

*POUND POUND POUND*

"All right, all right," he hissed under his breath, swinging out of bed to lumber across the room and out into the apartment beyond. "Shut up before you wake Keiko," he groaned.

*POUND POUND POUND*

Yusuke snarled, leaping across the living room to the front door, jerking it wide open. "What the HELL is so important as to..."

A wave of silver hair flooded his vision, nearly trampling over him as it burst into the apartment, quickly slamming the door behind it. Yusuke whirled to see Youko Kurama resolve before him, bundling a small object, holding on for dear life to a young girl.

"Kurama! W... what the..."

Youko Kurama whirled through the distance, closing in on Yusuke. In his arms, the kit came into view under the mounds of silver hair, giggling and tugging at the long strands as they fell into his vision.

"Kurama... who.. that little... NAN DA!! Who is THAT!?" he pointed a finger down tot he kit nestled gently in the Youko's arms

Kurama huffed slightly, a bit winded from his trek as he turned to extend a hand to the young, black-haired girl behind him.

Kuraihana rubbed a hand up her arm, looking over to Yusuke as he continued to stammer about. "A bit obvious, ne?" she spoke, the slightest hint of fear coming through her voice.

Kurama looked down to the kit, the urgency in his face softening slightly to let a smile beak through. The kit babbled and cooed to him, laughing...

"...papa..." Kiroshu laughed, tugging on another handful of silver hair.

Yusuke choked and about crashed to the floor, stumbling back across the room. He pointed an unbelieving finger at the youko and the kit, stuttering between them and the young girl. "Geesh, Kurama. You've been gone for almost a month and you come back with a kid! What the hell is going on!!!"

Youko Kurama reached out and grabbed Yusuke's shoulder quickly, reeling him in. "Quick! There's no time! Karasu's back in the Makai and Hiei and Yo-mawari are still facing him! We have to call Koenma and get a team sent immediately! Before there's nothing left for Hana-chan to go back to!" Kurama's eyes shook violently, threatening tears. "Before Hiei and 'Wari-kun suffer from my absence..."

Yusuke reached easily over for the phone, quickly punching in to the Reikai lines. "Don't worry, Kurama. We'll get to them in time."

"Are you sure?" he choked, bouncing the kit in his arms.

"Pick up... come on Koenma, pick up. It's that thing ringing next to your little fat head," Yusuke chanted into the phone. "Pickuppickup.. PICK UP!"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Koenma growled in his insanely huge bed, rolling over to slap a lazy hand onto the bedside table. He felt around blindly for the phone as it rang annoyingly in his ear, coming up with his alarm clock and glass of water before finally finding his goal. "Moshi... moshi... this had better be urgent. Koenma desu."

"KOENMA!!!" a voice screamed through the phone.

"WAAAAAAAHHHHH!!" Koenma nearly jumped out of his skin, jumping nearly three feet into the air, landing in a big pile of cushions. "I'm up I'm up!" he yelled. "Who in the name of wonder is this?"

"Koenma! We've got trouble again!"

"Yusuke? Yusuke, what's wrong?"

The large doors to Koenma's bed chamber flew suddenly open, Botan whishing in atop her oar. "Koenma-sama!! WAKE UP!!"

"Nan da, Botan!"

"Koenma! Are you listening?" Yusuke's voice yelled back.

"Koenma-sama... the Makai..."

"Koenma! Hey, where'd you go!" the phone yelled.

"Koenma-sama!"

"Koenma!!"

"Koenma-sama!!!"