"Where's Hiei?" the human asked, beginning to lay out the ingredients she had brought for the lunch she had promised over the phone the night before.
"In the bedroom, waiting. I had to banish him, or I would never get any work done." She went to the sink and resumed her interrupted task of washing the dishes.
Shiori eyed the daunting stack. "Why don't you let him do that? It would keep him occupied."
The ice demoness shook her head. "He can't." She lifted out of the dish drainer a ceramic tea cup with a set of fingerprints permanently scorched into the glaze.
The woman took it, turning it over in her hands. "Did he do this in anger?"
"No, he was simply distracted." She plunged her arms back into the sink to continue scrubbing as she talked. "He's been absorbing your son's energy for two weeks. Despite his mental discipline, he can't stay on full guard every moment. Sometimes he..." She frowned, searching for an accurate description.
"Leaks?"
"'Vents' would be a better word. If he gives off small bursts of youki, it provides him a measure of relief from the pressure building."
Shiori considered the situation while she spooned the soy sauce into the broth. Though her son had explained what would happen, to the best of his ability, when he had first told her she would be a grandmother, the details of their youkai natures were foreign to her. She tried to form analogies to her own pregnancy, but the comparisons were inevitably of limited usefulness. "This power he emits," she asked, "does it affect the baby?"
"Perhaps, but not significantly. Does it slow a forest fire to quench a few sparks? Oniisan well understands the inferno he carries, and his body instinctively does what is necessary to protect it."
"That's reassuring." She paused in the conversation to set water on to boil for the noodles. She glanced at the damaged cup again before putting it away. "What about us? What if he were near one of us when he became distracted?"
Yukina looked up at her thoughtfully. "I don't know. It wouldn't hurt me, but..." She held up one hand as a demonstration. The dishwater dripped from it, crystallizing into ice teardrops that splashed upon reaching the filled sink. "Your son should also be safe, since the urge to contain the youki is strongest in his presence. The risk is greatest for you."
"For their human friends, as well," the woman added. Keiko-chan had visited at least once to her knowledge, though Hiei had been absent at the time, perhaps fortuitously. "If your brother is having difficulty, is there anything I can do to help make the remaining weeks easier?"
She could still hardly believe the miracle her son was creating. She had spent as much time with him as his schedule would allow, feeding him words of encouragement to sustain his spirit along with the meals that fueled his body. He shared with her his hopes, his fears, his reflections on the changes he was going through as a result of having to provide for two.
During it all, however, she had taken little notice of the differences in his mate. The fire demon generally chose to leave them alone, claiming to have no interest in their boring ningen discussions. On those occasions he stayed, the talk revolved around food, how best to prepare what Shuuichi needed. It shamed her that she had never asked whether *he* required anything.
She truly appreciated how well he cared for her son, and she hadn't intended to overlook him. She had been misled by his apparent self-sufficiency into assuming he was relatively untouched by events. Now that she realized the ordeal he was facing, she would make up for her omission, if she could.
Before the girl had a chance to respond, though, the bedroom door opened. A moment later Kurama appeared, swiped a lock of disheveled hair out of his eyes, and smiled a greeting for his guests. "Sorry I overslept, 'Kaasan. I didn't mean to keep you waiting."
"You sleep as much as you like," she instructed. "It's for your sake I'm here in the first place."
He gazed hungrily at the pots bubbling on the stove. "Is that...?"
"Your favorite." Even as a young boy, he hadn't been able to resist deep-fried tofu. "Kitsune udon."
When a yawn interrupted his murmur of gratitude, she waved him out of the kitchen. "Get yourself cleaned up. It won't be ready for a few more minutes."
"Hai."
After he vanished into the bathroom, Yukina giggled. "The great Kurama, sent to wash his hands before lunch."
"He may be an ancient fox demon to you, but to me he's just a teenage boy." She lowered the heat on the broth. "Excuse me," she said, temporarily commandeering the empty half of the sink to drain the noodles.
"Do you think his son will be as polite as he is?"
"Hn."
Shiori jumped at the expression of disdain uttered directly behind her. She wondered if she would ever grow accustomed to how swiftly and silently Hiei could move. "Good morning," she said after her heart stopped fluttering. "I'm glad to see you'll be joining us."
Arms crossed, he leaned a shoulder against the refrigerator. "I'm not hungry," he replied, without so much as glancing at the food.
"Oniisan." A scolding tone crept into the demoness' voice. "You haven't eaten anything all morning. Don't start neglecting yourself."
"I feel fine," he insisted with a hint of a growl.
"Of course you do. You're stealing Kurama-oniisan's youki." He frowned, and she went on reproachfully, "Don't look at me like that. You know he's too weak to support all three of you."
Instead of the angry comeback Shiori expected, he chuckled, amused. She had never heard him laugh before. It was gratifying to know that he could. "I'll remember that," he relented. He fixed an arrogant grin on his mother-in-law, fangs glinting. "Is there any dessert?"
Now that she was paying closer attention, the changes in his disposition were clearly evident. He carried himself with the confidence of someone who knew he could destroy everything around him and merely chose not to; he could afford to laugh. What she had previously taken to be his usual intensity had gained a sharper edge, backed by an aura of intoxication.
He was drunk on her son's energy.
She disguised her reaction by gesturing toward the last of the grocery bags on the counter. "It's in there," she answered him. "Cookies to accompany our tea."
"Hn." This time he sounded pleased.
Shuuichi emerged, refreshed, and volunteered to set the table. The rest of the meal proceeded smoothly, a truly enjoyable visit. Shiori shoved her concern to the back of her mind until lunch ended and her son teased Hiei into helping him clean up.
She took Yukina aside and described her suspicion. They already had proof that the fire demon's control depended on his state of mind. If the euphoric feeling he derived from the power he was storing were to affect his judgment, the result could be unimaginable destruction. "He's in the heart of the city," she concluded. "He wanders freely among millions of humans. All those lives..."
The girl bowed her head at the warning. "I doubt he would allow himself to endanger his child, but it is possible." She tucked her hands in the sleeves of her kimono. "I have an observation as well. Your son is weaker than I expected, perhaps because he pushes himself too hard to keep up with his studies, or perhaps because Oniisan has been skipping meals." She met the woman's eyes. "He'll need to become youko to maintain the current rate of transfer."
Shiori pondered the implications. "Neither of them will be able to leave the apartment, for their own safety. Yet we can't watch over them constantly--I have a family to care for, and you have a wedding in a few days--nor would they want us to. What, then, shall we suggest?"
The demoness' expression turned thoughtful. "What, indeed?"
"It's...amazing," Botan breathed, gazing in admiration at the wedding kimono. Silver threads traced delicate snowflake patterns on the royal blue silk, forming the background upon which flowers burst free of their winter dormancy and unfurled their first spring leaves. Buds touched by the merest blush of their future color peeked out, innocently braving the outside world with their promise of glory to come. Directly over the heart, a butterfly with wings of orange flame perched on one curving stem and awaited the blossoming.
Yukina smiled, twirling slightly so that her friend could view the entire garment. "Do you think Kazuma-san will like it?"
"*Like* it? He'll melt into a puddle at your feet, and you won't get a coherent word out of him for the rest of the day."
The demoness put a hand over her mouth in apprehension. "Oh, my. I don't want it to be difficult for him. Should I wear something else, instead?"
"Don't you dare!" Botan glared reproachfully, sparks glinting in her eyes at the notion that the girl would deprive herself on such an important day. "You're going to be a perfect bride." Defiant words bubbled up from the depths of her romantic soul. "He would fight his way through a thousand battles to marry you. He can endure being struck speechless at the sight of your beauty."
Yukina giggled and began removing the kimono to put away until the ceremony. "Thank you for coming to assist in my preparations. Sometimes, when I think about the wedding, I'm so happy I feel I could float the way you do. But it's frightening, too." She wrapped herself into her everyday outfit. "Scary, yet wonderful. It makes my mind spin, and I lose track of the details."
"I'm glad I can help," the guide assured her. "Weddings are magical--even when they drive you to distraction." She shared a sympathetic look. She had been placed on the decoration committee. Not even Reikai could lay claim to such complexity. "You're lucky to have found someone to love you so completely. When you see as many lives pass as I do, you discover how rare and precious that can be."
She hadn't meant for the note of longing to join the melody of her voice, but its distinctive tone betrayed her. The youkai regarded her with soft, ruby eyes. "Botan-san, are you lonely?"
"No!" she replied quickly, then added, more truthfully, "not exactly. I have plenty of work to keep me busy meeting new people. It's fun visiting with you, Yuusuke, and the others. You're great friends. It's just..."
Yukina folded her hands, waiting for the explanation to continue. Botan sighed. "You're getting married. Keiko and Yuusuke will marry as well, someday. It's exciting to watch, yet I wonder if I'll ever know the same joy that makes you so radiant. Ah!" She broke off, shaking her head. "Listen to me ramble. This is *your* special occasion."
"I *am* listening," the demoness said impishly. "Please don't stop. The more attention I give you, the less I have to spare for my fear."
The spirit guide knew she had been outmaneuvered. She hadn't mentioned anything about her relationship quandary to her friends in the Ningenkai--they didn't even know about the switch she had pulled leading to Amiboshi's continued presence in her life. How much should she reveal?
"There's...someone," she began. "I haven't known him very long, yet he's already a good friend. When I'm with him, he makes me feel like I'm the only person in his world. I enjoy his company more every time I see him. However..." She realized she had started tapping her fingers together and hastily separated them before the nervous gesture became too noticeable.
"Yes?" the youkai encouraged.
"Sometimes I wish we had more than friendship, but I can't get a sense of what *he's* expecting. He seems satisfied, but should I wait for him to grow more serious? Or should I tell him my feelings, when I know that one day he'll leave for a new life? What if he doesn't want a deeper relationship? What if he does? What if we're utterly wrong for each other? Or worse, we're an ideal match, but it interferes with my work?" She paused to take a breath and rein in her turbulent emotions. "In the end," she concluded introspectively, "will it even matter?"
"I wish I could give you the single best answer." Yukina glanced at her wedding kimono as though seeking confirmation that she had come through her own courtship to its desired conclusion. "Those are puzzles only your heart and his can solve, together, in the proper time. I'll be here to support you, whatever you decide."
"Except during your honeymoon, of course," Botan pointed out teasingly, reminded of the event by the brief flicker of the other's gaze. She smiled at the girl's modest blush. Her mood had lightened, simply from speaking her questions aloud and releasing them from where she had kept them bottled inside. "When you get back, I'd better hear that you didn't worry about the rest of us *at all* the entire trip!"
"Mm," the demoness agreed, somewhat dreamily.
"Besides, you have other concerns." She picked up one of the response cards from the invitation. "Were you able to convince your brother to attend?"
Yukina shook her head sadly. "It's not that he doesn't want to. You see, he's been having...a bit of trouble." She outlined the essentials of the bonded couple's difficulty. "He doesn't sleep, he hardly eats, and Kurama-oniisan is too tired to watch over him."
It was Botan's turn to cover her mouth. "Oh, no! What will they do?"
"We must find a way to restore Oniisan's control. If we could calm him enough that he would rest, I believe that might be sufficient to return some stability, enough to avert any danger."
"Getting *Hiei* to relax? That would take..." She stopped, a memory of comfort and serenity filling her with its warm glow. His touch, that had been tender and personal, but his song--if anyone could gentle the fire demon, it would be him. "Amiboshi. He can help you."
"Who?"
"I'm sorry--" it had only been a few weeks, and already she had forgotten "--you met him as Kaika. The Seiryuu Seishi." The solution was so flawless, she couldn't resist gushing. "It's a *long* story, but he's now staying in the Reikai. Hiei and Kurama could live there until their baby is born. That keeps them both out of the sight of humans and, with Amiboshi's music, settles the matter of how to assist your brother's restraint."
The girl nodded pensively. "True, but are you certain he'll be willing? It's asking a great deal of him."
The sweet, dedicated musician? "I'm sure. He's always thinking of others and how he can be useful. He's incredibly talented with his flute; I've listened to him play, and he can soothe even my frazzled nerves. He should be up to the challenge."
"Will Koenma-sama allow it?"
That gave the spirit guide pause. Having two of his Reikai Tantei take refuge under his father's roof for two weeks, not because they were on a case, not because they had been injured in the line of duty, but because they were on the verge of incinerating Tokyo? That might not go over very well. On the other hand, he had been in an unusual mood recently, more prone to quirky decisions, particularly when she was involved. Perhaps she could use that to her advantage.
Besides, she reasoned, it was for the baby's sake. How could he refuse?
"Let me take care of Koenma-sama," she said with confidence. "You just have to talk your brother into going along with the plan."
After a moment of consideration, she added, "Personally, I believe I have the easier task."
A low moan escaped through the closed door of the adjoining room, and Amiboshi tightened his somewhat sweaty grip on his flute. Why did I let myself get talked *into* this?! He snuck a sideways glance at Botan to see her staring over at the door with wide eyes, brows arched in surprise.
It had seemed rather simple when Botan had broached the subject with him. She had explained the problem that Hiei and Kurama were having--apparently the fire demon wasn't taking very good care of himself, and the youko was subsequently suffering. After she finished answering all of his incredulous questions regarding their baby, he had agreed to help them. He respected both warriors greatly and was extremely thankful for their help during the time of Seiryuu's maddened rampage through the castle. Besides, Botan had said that he just needed to soothe the two youkai into a deep, rejuvenating sleep.
Another moan, this time accompanied by a growl, reached the ears of the reluctant listeners, and the flautist suppressed his own involuntary expression of frustration. With the activity that was going on in the next room, he found himself thinking back to the time in the garden when Botan had lowered her guard and allowed him an intimacy he savored in his dreams.
It wasn't long after their first meeting that he had begun to fantasize about how her hair would look falling freely down her back. After all, when he'd asked her how often she wore it up, he'd known that the answer would be every day. He had made a point of noticing every time they met. But he had needed a question to help cover his nervousness. Fate didn't usually hand him the perfect opportunity to indulge his curiosity.
He found that the reality of his fantasies was much better than he had imagined, and he even had the perfect excuse to bury his hands in the silky strands by offering to massage away her headache.
She had been so trusting under his touch that she had relaxed her body to rest against his. The knowledge that only the thin silk of her kimono shielded her freshly bathed body from his eyes and hands served to torment him, but he had refused to cut short the innocently sensual encounter. He had breathed in the faint traces of the lilac-scented shampoo she favored and forced himself to ignore the growing desire to kiss her vulnerable nape.
Botan seemed to be taking the situation in stride, although he very much doubted that she was connecting the sounds they heard with mental images of them together. Amiboshi cursed his vivid imagination and tried to focus on his purpose for being there. After all, what was the use in longing for a thing that could never be? This beautiful creature had a place here in the Reikai, and he would be leaving all too shortly.
The hairs on his neck suddenly stood on end, and he looked up, alarmed, while Botan abruptly came to her feet. Each unconsciously looked at the other and silently confirmed what they had experienced. The transfer was complete, and it was time.
"Anou, I think I should go first." She fingered the collar of her kimono distractedly as she tried to come up with a delicate way of phrasing her worry. "Just in case Hiei gets the wrong impression." She crossed her eyes, surprising a laugh out of him.
It wasn't really a situation to laugh at, since he remembered what Botan had told him regarding Yukina's advice. The ice demoness had mentioned that her brother might react negatively to the presence of another male. But he was grateful for the guide's attempt to break the tension between them. Amiboshi followed her lead as she opened the door and stepped into the shadowy room beyond. There, lying on the bed, was a scene that neither of the two would forget any time soon. It was as if they were witnessing an erotic painting come to life.
The fire demon was reclining on his back, supported by several pillows, with his fox sprawled over him. His arms stroked slowly over the muscled expanse of the youko's naked back. Kurama's head rested on one of the pillows and was turned toward the door, allowing them both to see that he, at least, had already drifted off to sleep.
Due to the continuing drain on his resources, Kurama had taken to maintaining his youko form on a permanent basis. Yet, Amiboshi wasn't all that familiar with the exotic form, and this situation provided the perfect opportunity to compare the male youko anatomy with that of a human male's, and he found the differences rather fascinating. I always wondered about that tail...
Unfortunately, Hiei was riding the high of his lover's blood and ki and perceived his presence in the room as a threat. His attention diverted from the languid licking he had been giving the youko's neck, Hiei's burning ruby eyes lifted and met Amiboshi's gaze. A warning growl began to emanate from his throat as he wrapped a leg around Kurama. The visitors were thankful to note that a sheet was draped discreetly over the demons' hips.
Hearing the threat in Hiei's growl, Botan jerked out of the stunned silence that had gripped her and stepped in front of her companion with her arms spread wide. The stance was very brave, since the fire demon could have toasted her quite easily and without the slightest strain. "Hiei!" Her voice was very loud in the stillness of the room, and, despite the gravity of her situation, her tone held admonishment. "Amiboshi-san is here to help."
The Seishi was relieved when Hiei stopped his instinctive challenge and buried his face in the curve of Kurama's neck, with only the unblinking crimson of his eyes monitoring their actions.
Haltingly, then gaining confidence, the flautist began to play the soothing melody he had been practicing diligently for days. His hard work ensured that the piece was flawless, but it was his unique gift as a Seiryuu Seishi that allowed him to lull his listener into the gentle and healing sleep he required.
Within a few short minutes Hiei's wary eyes slid shut and his body surrendered to the irresistible pull of the music. Playing the song through once more to ensure that the magic would hold, Amiboshi lowered his flute with a sigh and glanced at the woman beside him.
Sometime during the course of the song she had closed her eyes and leaned against the wall as she concentrated. He was gratified to note that even she had been unable to resist his magic. He gently cupped his hand over her elbow and guided her out the door, which he softly shut behind him.
Since the magic had not been directed toward her, the guide was able to shake off her feelings of lethargy rather quickly. Together they exited the couple's set of rooms and made their way to Botan's suite. They were strangely silent as they walked, neither willing to speak and disturb the tranquillity of the moment. Yet, when they finally reached her door, she was unable to let him go without trying to express something of what she felt. "That was incredible, Amiboshi-san," she said, her words a soft whisper. "Sometimes I'll be listening to you play when I know you aren't using your magic, and I find myself amazed." The guide reached out and brushed her fingertips over the back of his hand, seeming to need some type of physical connection. "Even without your incredible powers, your talent would be enough to coerce anyone into doing whatever you wished."
Allowing her hand to drop back to her side, she smiled rather sadly. "I...Arigatou, Amiboshi-san," she said as she bowed, then turned and disappeared into her room.
Puzzled by her air of melancholy, the flautist strolled toward his room. And I agreed to do this for two whole *weeks*! He sighed loudly and dropped his head forward. "I'll never make it," he groaned.