An Eternity of Lies Ch. 15

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"I may be a small target but this is just sad." – Hiei

Kurama restrained a smirk as he made his way around the kitchen towards the fridge. Behind him, Hiei sat in the windowsill glaring daggers into his back. Besides him Emi was entirely focused on cutting a tomato into nice even slices and was none the wiser to the two males and their activities. A loud exclamation made its way to his ears and his eyes whipped around to focus on Emi. She was holding her finger and a small bead of blood was welling up from a small knife wound.

"Let me see that," Kurama said gently and reached for her hand.

Emi's hand though, disappeared from his sight. Kurama heard Emi let out a small squeak of surprise and he watched amusedly as Hiei grabbed her wrist and dragged her to the sink. He had to turn away to hide his snickers when Hiei glared at him as if to tell him to back off.

"You stupid idiot," Hiei growled as he turned on the sink and shoved Emi's hand under the flowing water.

"It wasn't on purpose," Emi grumbled under her breath.

For a few moments the two stood in silence. Both watching as the blood was washed away. Emi's eyes darted towards the hand that was still gripping her wrist before looking at Hiei's face. The fire demon was staring at her finger and avoiding her gaze.

"Hiei," Emi murmured softly.

Hiei's gaze traveled up her arm and met hers. Their eyes locked and Emi opened her mouth to speak. Suddenly the door behind her slammed open and Kuwabara stuck his head through the door.

"Is the food done yet? I'm starving," Kuwabara exclaimed.

Silence greeted him and he looked around the kitchen and took stock of the situation. He noticed Kurama standing at the stove stirring something in a pot first. Before his gaze slid over to the sink and the two people in front of it.

"Am I missing something?" Kuwabara muttered in confusion when his eyes landed on their positions.

Hiei growled under his breath and let go of Emi's wrist. He turned away and stomped back to the windowsill. Emi flushed and retracted her hand from under the water and reached for a paper towel. An awkward silence permeated the room for a moment.

"Dinner will be done soon Kuwabara," Kurama said as he took pity on the embarrassed pair," Why don't you go gather the others and get a band aid for Emi?"

"Uh, right," Kuwabara answered hesitantly before motioning Emi to follow him.

Emi quickly ran over, desperate to escape the stifling silence, and Kuwabara closed the door behind her before leading her away. Silence overtook the kitchen once more.

"That was very nice of you Hiei," Kurama said impishly," I didn't think you would be so nice as to volunteer to oversee the cooking and make sure all injuries were taken care of."

He received no answer and he chuckled under his breath as he felt an intense glare once more burning into the back of his head.

"Would you take care of my injuries as well?" Kurama continued," I might get burned from the oil I'm using to deep fry the kitchen."

A snarl was heard behind him before he felt a breeze against the back of his neck. Kurama turned his head slightly and noticed the empty windowsill and the wide-open window. He finally let out a soft laugh and brought his focus back to the food. He shook his head in amusement. Yes, agitating the fire demon was just too much fun.

Koenma watched from the doorway as Yukina put a Band-Aid over Emi's cut. A frown marred his features and his focus was only partially on what was in front of him. He was relieved that his mother was safe. And while he did not like seeing her injured in any way, he had to admit. Having her cut from a knife while cooking was much better than her being injured or kidnapped by the SDF.

Emi thanked Yukina and looked over at Koenma. He hadn't budged from his position and seemed to be lost in thought. She grinned and reached over. Both of her hands landed on his sides.

With a jolt, Koenma's train of thought was broken as he found himself airborne. He flailed his legs uselessly until he realized it was Emi who had lifted him up without warning. His movement stopped and he was gently placed onto Emi's lap.

"What's on your mind?" Emi asked quietly.

For a moment Koenma did not answer. He was content to sit there and revel in his mother's warmth. They hadn't had any alone time in a while.

"I'm just glad you're safe," Koenma answered quietly.

"Because of Enma's orders?" Emi asked rhetorically.

A nod was her response and she smiled sadly. She rested her cheek on Koenma's head and hugged him to herself.

"I finally have you back," Koenma murmured," And I finally know the truth. If dad finds you I doubt you will live through it. I'm sure this time your soul will be destroyed."

"That's probably true," Emi nodded.

"That's why you can't go out of the temple grounds," Koenma stated with conviction," And we always need to know where you are."
"I don't think we need to go to such extremes," Emi replied," I'm not totally helpless."
"It's the SDF mom!" Koenma exclaimed," They were hand picked by dad for a reason."

"I know you worry for me," Emi said calmly," But stopping our own lives in fear of Enma and his childish ways will mean we are doing, as he wants us to. Besides, by the off chance that we are separated, wouldn't you want to make the most of the time we have left together?"

"I don't want to even think about a scenario where we lose," Koenma said stubbornly.

"I'm sure you don't," Emi humored," So why are we even having this conversation?"

Koenma opened his mouth to reply, but no words came out. He closed his mouth slowly, completely stumped. Yeah, why were they having this conversation. He lifted his head and looked up to meet eyes with Emi. He noticed her wide grin and huffed. He crossed his arms and looked away to hide his blush. Emi giggled.

"I outsmarted a prince," Emi taunted," I feel so accomplished."

Koenma scoffed and stubbornly kept his eyes on the wall. Emi's smile never left her face as she lifted Koenma up and stood up with him in her arms.

"Well, I've left Kurama with the cooking long enough," Emi said as she headed down the hallway," Let's see if there's anything else that needs to be done before dinner time."

Koenma rested his chin on her shoulder and stared sullenly down the hallway. His mouth was set in a cute pout and he refused to answer as he stewed in his embarrassment.

Around the corner Hiei leaned against a wall with his eyes closed and arms crossed. His eyes opened slowly and a grim expression overtook his face. The SDF were involved now, which meant Enma would be making a move soon. He frowned thoughtfully. Tonight, after dinner, he would call a meeting he decided. Everyone was too relaxed and idle. It was time to really start discussing strategies and gaining allies. This wasn't just a territorial war after all. It was a war that would decide the fate of the three worlds.

Hiei rolled his eyes. In all his years he never would have thought he would be involved in something so big. Especially since he was such a selfish creature. His thoughts went to Emi for a moment and her former marriage to Enma. Hiei let out an angry growl. Well, he did hate Enma with a passion. And Emi was formally the spirit king's wife. And what better way to destroy a man than take away his kingdom and everything he held in his possession? A menacing grin made its way across Hiei's face. Now that was incentive to join this war.

Hiei started walking down the hallway in the same direction Emi had gone. His mind was completely focused on the impending war and the bloodshed that would follow. When he opened the door to the eating area he noticed everyone was already there. He watched intently as Emi placed the rice cooker on the table and started dishing out helpings to the room's occupants. She looked up and smiled at him and motioned for him to sit down. Hiei smirked. Well, technically he owned her already. From the corner of his eye he noticed Kurama walk over and offer to scoop the rice so Emi could start eating. His smirk turned into a scowl when he watched Emi's attention redirect to the fox. He turned and stomped to the windowsill instead.

Emi got up to bring him a bowl of rice, but Kurama took it and brought it over instead. Hiei growled just low enough for Kurama to hear.

"She worked hard on the meal you know," Kurama whispered," The last thing you want to do is refuse it out of petty jealousy."

"I'm not jealous," Hiei snarled stubbornly and grabbed the offered bowl and pair of chopsticks.

Kurama smiled indulgently and turned back to sit at the table. His eyes met Hiei's as he took his place beside Emi. Hiei could see the challenge for what it was. So Enma wasn't his only enemy then, Hiei thought. He gave the fox an intense glare and stood up swiftly. He walked towards the table and slammed the bowl on the table across from where Emi was sitting. He plopped down and knocked Kuwabara over before he started to eat. Silence met his actions. And all eyes watched him.

"What?" Hiei snarled nastily.
"Nothing," Kuwabara said hesitantly as he got back up and situated himself further down the table.

"Glad you could join us Hiei," Kurama said amusedly.

Hiei growled and continued eating. Around him, the others started to follow his example. When he was about halfway done he allowed himself to lift his head and look around. His eyes met with Emi's and he was met with a dazzling smile, as she watched him enjoy the food. Hiei quickly looked away and returned his attention to his meal. He refused to admit that all his anger melted away. Seems doing something this insignificant could satisfy her. A small sense of pride welled up in him. Only he could induce this kind of reaction from her, he thought with satisfaction. With that in mind, he continued to eat with gusto, ignoring the chatter around him.

Diagonally from him, a mischievous fox watched the range of emotions flash across the fire demon's face. Looks like his match making was working after all. He felt eyes on him and turned his head to meet eyes with Mukuro.

The former demon lord raised an eyebrow in amusement and took another bite of her food. Their gazes did not disconnect and Kurama came to the realization that Mukuro understood what he was doing. She gave him a nod and broke their eye contact. Kurama couldn't hide the grin that made its way across his face. Well, looks like he now had a partner in crime.

Mukuro slipped out the door and leaned against a tree nearest to the living room entrance. The back of her head lightly met the tree bark as she looked up into the dark canopy of leaves. With her demonic vision she could see the dark figure perched in the tree branches. Hiei sat above her, one leg was hanging off the branch, the other was bent, and his arm rested on his knee. His attention was focused on the scene within the kitchen. Mukuro too looked through the kitchen window and watched as Emi and Yukina washed dishes and conversed.

"So, when were you going to tell me of your relationship with Enma's ex-wife?" Mukuro asked.

"There is nothing to tell," Hiei grumbled after a few moments pause.

"You and I both know your mother's tear gem would be in my possession otherwise," Mukuro stated.

"I don't know what you mean," Hiei continued to deny.

"So, it was only me who felt the camaraderie between us?" Mukuro asked quietly.

Silence answered her and she sighed at Hiei's stubbornness.

"We are extremely similar Hiei, but at the same time our pasts were completely different, but painful all the same," Mukuro started," We have traded out stories, and as such, I thought perhaps we had gotten past keeping secrets."

"It wasn't a secret," Hiei answered solemnly," She was dead until a few weeks ago."

"And yet you still held on," Mukuro finished his unspoken words.

Hiei nodded above her.

"It's admirable, the loyalty you hold towards her," Mukuro commented," I'm a bit envious even."

Hiei looked down at her in mild shock and Mukuro let out a chuckle.

"Oh, don't worry," Mukuro said in amusement," I had no misconceptions that there could be anything more between us than a strong loyal friendship. You're too short for me anyways."

Hiei twitched and let out an indignant scoff. Mukuro finally gave out a short laugh at that before her expression sobered.

"But we are approaching war, and the last thing you want to do is stall and lose what is in front of you," Mukuro stated seriously," Give it some thought."

"You're starting to sound like the fox," Hiei grumbled.

"Then I must be right," Mukuro chuckled.

With that Mukuro pushed from the tree and started heading back inside. Hiei huffed and slouched on the tree branch. His focus went back to the kitchen to watch his sister and Emi. Mukuro gave him one last glance before she walked inside and quietly slid the door closed behind her. When she turned around she was met with an amused fox demon.

"Meddling in other people's affairs I see," Kurama commented airily.

"Just as you have been for the last few days?" Mukuro questioned with the same tone.

"Looks like I've been caught," Kurama grinned.

"Trust me," Mukuro replied as she sat down," You were anything but discreet."

"And yet only you noticed," Kurama retorted.

Mukuro finally let a grin grace her scarred face as she joined Kurama at the table.

"What are you doing here?" Mukuro asked curiously.

"I was thinking of calling another meeting once Emi is done in the kitchen," Kurama said as a serious look overtook his face," It seems Enma is making his move."

"Sounds reasonable," Mukuro muttered," We've been idle for a bit too long."

"I'm sure Hiei would agree," Kurama said.

"He'd agree to anything that would lead to bloodshed," Mukuro commented.

"And you are not of the same mind?" Kurama asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you implying that I am a savage?" Mukuro asked in mock anger.

"And if I am?" Kurama grinned as he leaned forward.
"Perhaps I will have to prove you right," Mukuro grinned feraly as she too leaned forward.

They stared at each other, their faces only a few centimeters apart. Finally, Kurama blinked in defeat before he placed his hands behind him and leaned back.

"Ah, the disadvantages of a human body," Kurama lamented half-heartedly.

"I didn't think you would be a sore loser," Mukuro taunted in amusement.

"I guess I am," Kurama chuckled.

The door to the kitchen slid open and Yukina stepped out from behind it.

"Oh, I didn't know there were still people here," she said in surprise.

"Would you like us to leave?" Kurama asked nicely.

"Oh no, we just need to wipe the table," Yukina said as she lifted up a damp washcloth.

"Of course," Mukuro answered and moved back from the table.

Yukina walked forward and proceeded to wipe down the wood thoroughly. Behind her back Mukuro and Kurama traded glances. Both smirked at each other. Their little verbal spar had been enjoyable, and they both wanted a repeat.

"I'll win next time," Kurama mouthed.

In reply, Mukuro challengingly whispered," I'd like to see you try."

Yukina looked up in confusion before finishing up and returning to the kitchen.

"The SDF is scouring the city for Emi as we speak," Koenma said from his seat," They are looking for any traces of Emi and people known to be associated with me. I'm almost positive they already know we are taking refuge in Genkai's temple, and are waiting to strike once we leave the premises."

"Does Enma know that we are here?" Yomi asked contemplatively.

"So far, I don't think he realizes your presense," Koenma answered," We were able to set up the barrier before you arrival after all."

"Then let's keep it that way," Mukuro nodded," Enma probably doesn't know that much about our involvement with the boys since the tournament was in demon world and out of his jurisdiction."

"But don't they have tapes of the fights," Kurama interrupted.

"We do," Koenma said," But they were placed in the regular vault for the records."

"And that is important why?" Yusuke snarked.

"I hate to say it, but the ogres were extremely incompetent when it came to organization," Koenma mumbled in embarrassment," So anyone who opens the vault doors will be subjected to an avalanche of unlabeled tapes. Not to mention they aren't in the restricted section, so people won't be going there first to look for information."

"Enma won't be looking for information on any of you anyways," Emi commented from his side," One of his many faults is that he always underestimates his opponents. Once the boys were retired, he most likely would have taken his attention off of them since they are no longer his concern. Any new powers or skills won't be in his records and he won't be looking for them either."

"That is a huge advantage on our side," Yomi murmured," But I doubt Enma has gotten this far by being foolish."
"You are right," Emi answered," He may not take in his enemy's powers into account, but he does have enough information for blackmail and such. After all, it is one thing to beat someone down, but another to completely destroy their loved ones in front of them. He had driven his enemies to suicide in this way, and he didn't even have to lift a finger."

"That's disgusting," Kuwabara snarled.

"Yes, but it works," Hiei said solemnly.

"He's already started," Koenma whispered," He has George and a few others captive."

"That bastard," Yusuke growled.

"He's most likely going to be sending us a message telling us he has them," Emi murmured.

"How? He can't get passed the barrier," Kuwabara commented.

"Yes, but he knows I'm here. Which means I can sense if the barrier is being tampered with," Emi answered.

As if on cue, her head lifted as she felt something hit the barrier with great force.

"Well, speak of the devil," Emi said," There's something attacking the barrier at the bottom of the stairs."

"I'll go check it out," Yusuke volunteered," He already knows I'm a part of this."

"I'll join you," Kurama said as he got up.

The two boys headed out and the rest of the room's occupants waited in anticipation.

Yusuke and Kurama sped down the stairs and stopped right in front of the yellow ropes. Across from them stood two male members of the SDF. One was blonde, and the other had blue hair.

"We have a message for the two traitors of the spirit world," one of them said.

"Anything you wish to say, you can say to us," Kurama said.

"Yeah, we'll pass it on," Yusuke taunted," You can trust us."

"I won't say anything to you disgusting half-breed filth," the blue-haired one snarled.

"You just did," Yusuke deadpanned.

The blonde grabbed hold of his partner as he was about to lunge and motioned with his chin to the barrier. The blue-head calmed down slightly and threw an envelope at the barrier. Sensing no threat, the barrier allowed the packet of paoers through.

"Make sure they get it," the blue-haired SDF snarled before they both turned and disappeared in bright flashes of light.

"Well, wasn't he just a ray of sunshine," Yusuke grumbled.

Kurama chuckled and reached down, picking up the packet.

"We should bring this to the others," Kurama said.

"Yeah, yeah," Yusuke said as he turned.

They both walked back the way they came.

"Yay, stairs," Yusuke grumbled sarcastically." I just love those."

Kurama's chuckles could be heard as they walked away from the barrier.

Hey guys! So here's the next chapter! Looks like Enma is started his evil tactics. What will he do I wonder. Hmm…..we will see I guess. Until next time.

Read and review! :)