by Akuma
 
 
 

            The Christmas party was in full swing at Genkai's temple. It was small, as parties go, but exceptionally lively. Yuusuke and Kuwabara boasted merrily by the punch bowl, each trying to outdo the other. The red-and-white felt hats Kurama had insisted they wear kept slipping down as they mock-squabbled until Genkai whacked them both on the rear like little kids. They sulked at that--at least until Chuu picked the woman up and gave her a hearty buss on the lips.
             Genkai was visibly flustered as the big man set her gently on her feet again. Chuu grinned and dashed off with his sprig of mistletoe to find a few other unsuspecting victims. Yuusuke and Kuwabara howled. "I didn't think you knew how to blush, 'Baachan!" Yuusuke teased. Genkai rolled her eyes and endured it.
             A startled shriek from Shizuru indicated Chuu had found his next victim. Kuwabara just about collapsed on the floor. Jin, Suzuki, and Rinku cheered and egged their teammate on, while Shishiwakamaru, mellowed considerably by the eggnog--though not drunk by any means--chatted idly with Kurama, and Touya leaned against the wall lazily.
             Keiko and Yukina jokingly cowered behind Botan as she held Chuu off with her oar. Koenma had to duck quickly as Botan's oar went flying when Chuu lunged and grabbed up all three girls in a huge bear hug. They shrieked and laughed as the giant made huge kissing noises.
             Giggling, Yukina managed to squirm free as Keiko and Botan were given 'the treatment.' Chuu chased after her, grinning madly with his sprig of mistletoe bouncing up and down in front of his face. Yukina nimbly evaded him and scampered behind Hiei.
             Chuu screeched to a halt. "That's not playing fair!" he complained. Jin and Rinku made scoffing noises, but Chuu wasn't dumb enough to go anywhere near Hiei with that look on his face. In fact, he took a couple steps back, just for safety's sake. If looks could kill, most of Tokyo would be neutrino gas at that moment . . .
             Kurama cleared his throat. "I have an idea," he said brightly, distracting attention from Hiei. He knew Hiei didn't like parties much, and he suspected his friend was also misinterpreting Chuu's play. "Since this is a Christmas party, why don't I read the story of the First Noel?"
             This idea was greeted enthusiastically. Genkai didn't even have to order Yuusuke to get a chair, though she did have to go after the Bible herself. Everyone else settled themselves on the floor in a semi-circle around Kurama--except for Jin, who preferred to lounge in midair, and Hiei, who sulked in the corner.
             Kurama was pleased by the complete silence that awaited the beginning of the story as he flipped through the pages. "Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise," he began softly, his voice falling into the rich and velvety tones of a storyteller. "When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with the child of the Holy Ghost."
             The redhead looked around at his already-rapt audience. Yuusuke and Keiko sat close together, but not touching. Kuwabara sat directly behind Yukina, and above them hovered Jin. Shizuru sat cross-legged beside her brother, with Shishiwakamaru to her left and Rinku in front of her. Chuu sat behind and between Shishiwakamaru and Suzuki, while Touya sat in front of Suzuki. Genkai and Botan formed the last of the semi-circle, with toddler-Koenma cuddled between them. "Then Joseph her husband," continued Kurama, "being just a man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.
             "But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call him Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Kurama continued to read from the Bible, his soft voice rising and falling rhythmically into a deferential silence.
             The youko soon stopped reading from the pages as he told a story as familiar to him as his own. The story of the Baby Jesus was one that had fascinated him from the first time his Christian father told him at the age of four. His reverence communicated itself to his audience as Kurama told of how Joseph and Mary were sent to Bethlehem, where the only shelter was a tiny manger. It held as he told of the birth of the baby Jesus, Herod's threat, and the gifts of the wise men.
             Hiei left just as Kurama was starting in on the flight to Egypt. He fled to his favorite perch in the gardens, where he sat scowling at the sky. His fists clenched and unclenched unconsciously. It's just a stupid ningen story, he told himself. None of it is true. But his story wasn't made up . . .
             The little youkai curled up in a little ball, hugging his knees tightly and burying his face in his arms. I'm not crying, he forbade himself adamantly. Why did Kurama have to read that story? It brought up old pains he'd thought long buried--the deep scars of a lonely, unwanted child.
             Gradually, a soft sound filtered through his consciousness. A tiny sob, accompanied by the soft, musical clink of a tear gem striking the ground. Yukina. Before he was even aware of it, Hiei found himself on the ground, moving stealthily toward his twin.
             Yukina started slightly when she heard Hiei call her name softly. "H-Hai?" she responded with a quaver, trying to force her tears back.
             "What's wrong?" Hiei asked her, hand on the hilt of his sword. If anyone had so much as insulted her, they'd pay with blood! Yukina sniffled and wiped away another tear gem before it congealed. Hiei felt his throat close up with regret; she looked so delicate in the darkness, so fragile--he wanted to comfort her, but he didn't have the right.
             "N-Nothing," she denied.
             "Why are you crying?" Hiei asked, his voice the gentlest she'd ever heard it.
             "It's j-just . . . that story . . . it reminds me of my brother," the young Koorime murmured.
             "Why?" Hiei growled, his voice hardening. Yukina was startled at the sudden change. "They're nothing alike."
             "But they are!" she protested. Hiei snorted skeptically. "Honto," Yukina said, looking up at the sky. She clasped her hands together as she looked down at the ground, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "Rui-sama told me . . . " She faltered. This was a story she'd never told anyone else, not even Shizuru-san or Kazuma-san. It was her story, about her brother. But somehow . . . it felt right to tell Hiei-san.
             Yukina took a deep breath. "Rui-sama was my mother's best friend," she explained. "She helped my mother hide her affair with my . . . my father, and then she helped my mother hide that she was having twins." The Koorime paused. "When my mother was ready to give birth," she said slowly, "she went to one of the Ruined Villages with my father. The only shelter there was an old shed that had some ancient rags and things, but it was enough.
             "My mother gave birth in that shed in the middle of a blizzard. The only person she had to help her was my father. It was hours later before Rui-sama managed to find them. She said . . . " Yukina faltered, wiping away another tear gem. This story always affected her deeply. " . . . she said the blizzard parted just long enough for her to see the sky and get her bearings, or she would have been lost. She . . . she brought gifts for the babies . . . things she'd sewn herself."
             Hiei was fascinated. He'd always thought he'd been born in the main Koorime community and immediately discarded. Nor had he ever known anyone had given him gifts then. He waited silently as Yukina continued her story.
             "My parents were ready to flee the Floating Island together, with both the children," she said softly. "But the blizzard delayed them . . . a-and when it cleared . . . the Elders were there. T-They killed my father . . . and made R-Rui-sama throw m-my brother away . . . a-and now I'll probably never see him again!" The girl burst into a storm of tears, falling to her knees as she sobbed.
             Hiei couldn't stand it anymore. He gathered Yukina up gently, letting her sob on his shoulder. "Of course you will," he soothed.
             "I-I don't even know if he's still alive!" Yukina wailed.
             "He is," Hiei reassured. Then he hesitated. "You'd know if he weren't," he said finally. His own cowardice shamed him, and Yukina didn't seem to be comforted. Hiei bit his lip. "Until I find him . . . " he began. "Until I find him . . . I . . . I will be your brother," he offered.
             "H-Honto?" Yukina sniffled, raising her head to look up at him. Hiei lowered his eyes, unable to face his sister's hopeful gaze, and nodded. Yukina sniffled again and picked up one of her tear gems. "Then . . . Merry Christmas . . . Oniichan," she said shyly, tucking the tear gem into Hiei's palm.
             Hiei knelt, frozen to the spot, as Yukina scurried bashfully into the temple. After a moment, he slowly opened his palm.
             The tear gem twinkled brightly in the starlight. It was the most beautiful thing Hiei had ever seen; it took his breath away. He knelt staring at it for hours. By the time he rose, the temple was dark. The little youkai gathered up the remaining tear gems and tucked them in a small pouch, then slipped into the temple.
             He set the pouch on the floor beside Yukina's pillow, then hesitated. She'd given him something; he should return the favor. The youkai pulled a small, exquisitely beautiful dagger with a gold dragon hilt with ruby eyes out of a hidden pocket and laid it next to the pouch. It might not be perfectly appropriate, but it was the best he had.
             Before he left, Hiei leaned down and brushed his lips quickly across his sister's cheek. "Merry Christmas, imouto-chan," he whispered, then vanished into the night.
                Yukina smiled in her sleep, her delicate hand rising to curl loosely around the dagger.