If I Said Goodbye
Prologue
The night's chill held menace, a strange tingling along Yukina's spine. She knew; he would come again tonight, though she had tried vainly to make him leave her in peace, he preyed upon her mind ceaselessly. Even when she saw him nightly, the damn demon-human refused to leave her thoughts, haunting her throughout the day with memories and longings for the night. The Ice Maiden shivered under her blankets. It wasn't fair. He affected her so, and yet she had no she power over him. If her brother wasn't so close, she would make their relationship public. But the koorime knew she didn't dare, she loved her nightly visitor too much, damn it all.
"Damn you, Kurama...." Shivering sullenly again, Yukina forced her mind back into slumber, until that soft hand would light on her shoulder and her world would be filled with the color and sensation she craved. She cursed her lover again, then drifted into Solomnus' embrace.
..............................................................................................
Kurama stood outside the screen doors of the temple room, wanting to go inside and make his best friend's sister scream, but he couldn't. Not tonight, maybe not ever again. Surely not when he was beset with memories of past love, the way he was now. What if Yukina suffered the same fate? Kurama slowly laid the rose on the ground, where she was certain to see it, and then he walked away. He had ghosts that needed to be laid to rest once more.
Yukina would never understand, and she would never know how badly leaving her scarred him. She would forget and heal, but if she knew he wouldn't, she would wait for him. He'd sooner die than leave Yukina with false promises.
Thinking thus, Kurama slipped off into the night, never looking back, refusing to acknowledge the whisper of her name on the wind.
End Prologue