Just A Boy
Chapter 1
June 23, 2010 - Okay, so this story is three and a half years old (since I started it the first time; this is technically a repost), and I still have yet to get past chapter 4. Life got in the way. Sorry everybody! I've gone through and rewritten the first three chapters and I'm now working on the fourth. I'm taking a break from school so I have more free time now, and I feel like I have more creative energy. We're getting somewhere!
"Kurama?"
"Yes?"
"Do you think Kuwabara's homophobic?"
Kurama stared at the former detective, sitting next to him on the couch. "Why?"
Yusuke sighed, flicking a stray bang from his forehead. "Well, first there was the dream I sent him when I was first dead, about the kissing?" He ended his sentence questioningly in case Kurama didn't remember about Yusuke telling him about his adventures as a ghost, but Kurama nodded. "Then a few years ago, when Sensui and Itsuki..."
Yusuke was avoiding Kurama's eyes, but he could feel the redhead's gaze on him. "Why are you asking this, Yusuke? Is something wrong?"
"Keiko and I didn't break up for the reason we gave everyone." The movie credits were very interesting all of a sudden.
"Oh?"
"I told her I had a crush on one of my teammates."
"Did you?"
"I told her I wanted some time apart to see if I really was...am..."
"That makes sense."
"I think I am."
"I see."
"I don't want my best friend to hate me."
Yusuke's voice wavered slightly with his last statement, betraying now nervous he felt about the whole subject. Kurama smiled softly. "If you wish to pursue a relationship with him, wait until you've brought the general subject of homosexuality up in a conversation, and watch his reaction."
Yusuke lapsed back into silence for a moment, not bothering to elaborate further and explain he was only worried because Kuwabara's friendship was valuable to him? "Any chance Hiei's gay?"
Kurama had, unfortunately, chosen that exact moment to take a sip of his water, and spluttered. "No chance at all," he said, coughing, looking as if he was torn between amusement or horror at the very idea.
Yusuke looked somewhat amused himself, though it was directed at Kurama's reaction. "You okay?" he asked, watching the redhead.
"Fine, fine..." Kurama took a deep breath.
"I just wondered, you know, since he never seems to be interested in anybody. But it is Hiei, after all." He forced himself to keep meeting Kurama's emerald eyes, tempted as he was to look away again. "...Are you?"
"Am I what?" asked Kurama, feigning innocence.
"Gay."
He simply blinked. "Why do you ask?" Yusuke glared at him sulkily, and he laughed. "I was joking, Yusuke." He took another sip of water, thinking for a moment. "I suppose I've had my suspicions," he said finally.
"What do you mean, 'had'?" Yusuke's curiosity edged in on his nervousness.
"When I was Youko Kurama, I didn't bother to think about sexual orientation. Sex was always pleasure or merely a show of power. Living as a human, I've had to take the time to evaluate my views and preferences...I guess you could say the jury's still out, but they're getting close."
"And what's the verdict leaning towards?" Yusuke moved a little closer, but whether on purpose or subconsciously, Kurama couldn't tell.
The fox turned his head, meeting Yusuke's gaze, taking advantage of their close proximity to note how scared Yusuke was under all the tentative questions that held an offhand hair. "Guilty."
Yusuke's tongue darted out to wet his dry lips nervously. Kurama wanted to move closer, but knew he would let Yusuke decide the right moment. As a human Yusuke might be a man, but as a demon he was still just a boy.
Yusuke leaned his forehead against Kurama's. "When will the jury be back?" he half whispered, still dancing around the metaphor instead of asking outright.
"I don't know."
"I want to kiss you."
"Then kiss me."
The breath his last word was carried on mingled with Yusuke's. He knew Yusuke had been with Keiko, knew his friend and secret crush wasn't inexperienced. But Yusuke's nervousness added an innocence to the kiss that made Kurama long to re-teach him in the acts of love.