This is new, and I never thought it would be needed: Now, this wasn't bothering me before, but lately I've had an influx of people putting this story and it's prequel on Story Alert, and after about fifty emails pertaining to this, I'm getting annoyed; Putting this story on Story Alert is pointless because it's COMPLETED. THERE WILL BE NO MORE CHAPTERS, YOU WILL NEVER GET AN ALERT FOR THIS STORY.
I can understand an Author Alert, or a Favorite, but people putting a finished story on Story Alert irritates me, and makes me think the least of my readers, which I don't want to do. SO PLEASE. PAY ATTENTION. DON'T PUT FINISHED STORIES ON YOUR ALERTS, PLEASE. It's just pointless spam in my e-mailbox.
Things to Note before we start!
1. Shuichi is how Kurama will be addressed through out this story, unless another character calls him Kurama. This story is in Third Person.
2. This is obviously sometime near the end of the series or after it; Shuichi's family has new members! It's canon! His step-father, Hatanaka, and his younger step brother Shuichi. He was dubbed as Kokoda, but I think it's nicer to give him his Japanese name.
3. Lyrics are from the song "All of These Things That I've Done" by The Killers.
Seams
One
"I wanna stand up/ I wanna let go…"
Shuichi Minamino could say he had a fondness for plants. As well he should, being who he was. But his mother didn't know that, or his step-father, or step-brother. They weren't sure where the botanist in him came from. Especially since neither his mother nor father had been very good at growing things.
Still, the teen feigned the same confusion, often shrugging and saying: "It just showed up."
But the fox demon that he was would mull over the secret, and toss it around until he became bored with it and thought of other things. Namely if there was anything new to learn.
Since he couldn't fight or steal, knowledge was his new source of entertainment. It had been since he was young, since he had started playing the role of a perfect son. When he had decided that he wouldn't be leaving Shiori alone.
And now the red head was leisurely reviving his mother's garden. At least she was trying. She just didn't know all of the tricks of the trade. Or what each plant preferred. Luckily, he did, and Shiori's garden could continue being her second pride. He was her first.
He carefully reached out and let his fingers stroke the robust vines of a wisteria that he had long ago tamed into the shape of a squat tree. While he preferred roses as a weapon, he had a soft spot for wisteria.
It was probably the potential the plant had to be poisonous that interested him. But the smell of grapes helped.
He felt his energy reach out and meet with the wisteria's own as it rushed to greet him. The feeling was enough to make him close his eyes. Old habits were hard to break.
After returning back to his home, he had made a decision to break off any connections to his demon history. It was a sign of clinging to the past, of his dependency on it. The endeavor was proving to be harder than he had thought.
Optimism could disappoint sometimes.
He finally withdrew from the plant, pleased to see it vibrant and lively again, and offered the garden a final sweeping glance before heading back inside. He was planning on moving out soon, but his step-father had helpfully reminded him that he didn't have the money to support himself.
Shuichi still wasn't sure why he chose a job with his step-father over college. Maybe he just found the prospect of more school to be tedious. But then, the college probably wouldn't have insisted he chop off his hair.
He hadn't relented yet, but he knew he'd have to at some point. There wasn't a need for it now that he wouldn't be fighting anything; if you aren't going to fight, you don't need a place to hide your weapons.
But he had to get them all out first. Something he seemed to be putting off.
"Shuu-ani! Can you take me down town? Mom said I can't go alone."
The cry of his step-brother, Shuichi, brought him out of his musings. He smiled at the nickname, and nodded his head.
"Of course Shuichi, I have time. Maybe I'll even get my hair cut," he added, lowering his voice slightly, as if to keep it a secret. His step-brother laughed.
"That'll be something to see."
He agreed that it would be, and was then urged to hurry out the door. Shuichi was starting to suspect that his step-brother had a date to keep. Which wouldn't surprise him much, a girl had already called the house and caused a bit of confusion looking for him.
Down town was crowded, but so was most of the city. After determining that younger Shuichi would be spending time with his friends and that they would meet at five, older Shuichi headed off to walk around and see if anything caught his interest.
Living a normal life had the tendency to be rather dull, compared to fighting demons.
But, after an hour or so, he decided that he would cut his hair while he had the resolve and began the process of surreptitiously removing the seeds in his hair and moving them to his pockets.
It was during this process that something collided with his chest, and he nearly dropped the seeds he had gathered, swiftly apologizing as he stowed them away. He moved to continue, but was stopped.
"Hey!"
A little confused, Shuichi looked at the person that had grabbed at his sleeve and paled slightly. A girl was scowling at him, gray eyes set on him in a hard gaze. He realized, with some amusement, that there had been a time where he would have had to bend down to look her in the eye.
After a few more moments, she spoke, her voice holding hints of irritation while keeping its feminine tone. Rika had never been able to pull off threatening.
"You've been here this whole time haven't you? The collar never came off, you bastard, and I expect you to remove it right now!"
The red head couldn't help but let out a sigh.
So much for leaving the past in the past.
Yes, I'm suggesting that Kurama get a hair cut. Blasphemy! Some of you may cry. Well, I also wanted to write him with black hair and purple eyes, but I didn't. So let me cut his hair if I want to. Nyah.