For My Light to Return

by: a psycho chibi named Wendy

Disclaimer: I don't own em.

Warnings: Very slight shounen-ai and some fluffy bits. ONESHOT

Pairing: A little Yomi x Kurama action.

Summary: Yomi is forced to watch Kurama leave him for a third time. Kurama isn't taking it well either. Will one final effort to settle the ancient rift between them work? Or will Yomi pull the fox into his darkness?

Author Rant: Howdy. This is my first Yu Yu Hakusho fic, and just to warn everyone, I tend to lean more towards the manga than the anime. (Mostly because I haven't seen the entire anime series yet) Anywho, wrote this on a whim. If ya like it, yay for me. If not, haha I wasted 15 minutes of your life.

Enjoy~

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"So you leave me yet again, Kurama?"

Pausing in his motions of packing away his few remaining possessions, Kurama slowly turned towards the doorway to his chambers. "Yes. If it helps, this time it is not spurred by any actions you have taken, Yomi."

The former king stood still in the large doorway as he tried to dissect the quietly spoken words. From what he could hear, neither his voice nor heart held any deception. "Curious.. Does this mean you hold no ill will towards what I have done to keep you here?" Yomi questioned while elegantly folding his hands behind his back.

"I do not."

Turning away from the demon, Kurama returned to placing the folding clothes into the duffle bag resting on the extravagant bed. The bed had been ridiculously comfortable, yet every night Kurama couldn't force himself into anything beyond a light doze. He refused to let his guard down for so long. Slept with one eye open, in a sense. However now he willingly showed his back to the one he had betrayed so long ago.

From the sounds of the shifting clothes and steady breath, Yomi knew it as well. Which further piqued his curiosity. "I know you do not like to tip your hand in front of me... However, as usual, your motives escape me."

The fact that his former ally stayed at the doorway served to place the fox even further at ease. He allowed the silence to stretch on a few more seconds as he put away the last of his things. After he pulled the drawstring to the bag tight and tied it off, he allowed his arms to fall to his sides. "Does it truly matter, Yomi? Vengeance is a sentiment we're both familiar with. I struck out at you. You returned the gesture." Kurama stated as he let his eyes slide closed.

Yomi could even hear the humanized fox's eyelashes flutter shut. It made his lips twitch faintly upwards. "Placing us on even ground... I can honestly say this is a first. But can this be summarized so simply?" he questioned, his ears twitching slightly to catch every sound he could.

He could hear the soft whisping sounds of long hair shifting with every breath. The very fibers of the fox's lungs stretch as they expanded with air. The hypnotic beat of a strong heart that filled his senses. Even the earthy scents that were so familiar, yet utterly different threatened to intoxicate him.

"If we wish, it can be." Kurama answered quietly. He kept his eyes closed as he tried to place himself in Yomi's world of darkness. He knew he could easily survive relying on his other senses. 'I could survive...' His eyes snapped open and he turned to face the demon he blinded. "Unless you would prefer to have true vengeance."

The blind demon's pale brow furrowed slightly at the sudden shift in the air. "True vengeance?"

"Yes. There is a saying in the human world. 'Ayin tahat ayin.'" Kurama recited as he began to close the distance between himself and Yomi.

The sudden approach was unexpected, but Kurama's tactics normally threw him off balance. Yomi stood his ground as his frown grew. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with it." he replied calmly.

Kurama gave a soft chuckle as he finally stopped barely a foot in front of the taller demon. "But you are, Yomi..." He reached out and took hold of Yomi's right hand. He then brought it up and placed it over both of his green eyes. "Ayin tahat ayin is a language called Hebrew in the human world. Translated to our tongue, it means an eye for an eye."

A faint tickling sensation brushed over Yomi's palm as the fox's eyelashes grazed over his skin. When the words finally registered he felt his own heart suddenly beat a bit faster. "Are you offering me your eye?"

"Eyes." Kurama quietly corrected. "I took both of yours. You have a right to both of mine if you so desire."

It was startling, but Yomi forced himself to remain calm. "You took my light.. And now you are willing to let me rip your light from you?"

"If it will settle this." Kurama leaned slightly into the hand covering his eyes. "I no longer wish to fight you, Yomi. I'm leaving it up to you. Are you satisfied with it ending simply, or do you wish that we truly be on even ground before we part ways again?"

The weight of such a decision was enough for Yomi's control to slip. His hand trembled slightly as he focused on the soft skin beneath his palm. How many times did he picture this moment when he first discovered who had stolen his light? How many times had he pictured ripping those uncaring gold orbs from the silver youko's head?

How badly had he wanted to see those eyes that had once looked on at him in favor?

"What color are they?"

The sudden question made Kurama frown slightly behind the hand. "They are green."

Yomi smirked slightly. "Please.. You can do better than that. What kind of green?"

Emerald green was the first thing that crossed the fox's mind, but he stopped himself. A simple label wouldn't do. He needed to be specific. His mind scanned through the countless memories that he had shared with his one time partner until it singled out one. Playing it through his head made a genuine smile form over his lips.

Feeling the shift, Yomi let his hand slip down to allow his fingers to trace the warm curve. "I don't recognize this smile..." he whispered, still taking in the image his fingertips described to him.

Kurama gently wrapped his fingers around the strong wrist and pulled the wandering hand away. "That's because I always kept it hidden from you. Like you said, Yomi... I never liked tipping my hand to you."

"Then why show it to me now?" Yomi asked, his suspicion steadily rising.

"Do you remember the fire glade to the south of the black forest?"

Yomi tilted his head curiously when the question had him sifting through his thoughts. "The glade you claimed as your private retreat?"

"That's the one. We had many interesting times in that glade.." Kurama mused, releasing Yomi's hand.

"Hm.. Interesting is one way to describe the time we spent there." Yomi let his hand fall to his side as he tried to figure out where this conversation was being led. "Why think of that now?"

The smile twitched wider as Kurama inched a bit closer to the other demon. "Remember the lake there?"

Yomi felt the warmth from the fox drawing closer. "Of course.. It had the largest fire maple I had ever seen. Its roots covered the entire area. Always kept the water warm. I used to sit on the larger roots that rose out of the water and watch the blood koi attack the leaves that fell from the tree." he recalled, still able to remember the feel of warm water spray from the blood red fish as they leapt from the lake.

Kurama could picture the sight of the beautiful fish as they fought over the fiery heart shaped leaves that sustained them. "Yes.. Amazing creatures... One day a few leaves fell where you were perched."

When he finally remembered, Yomi's right eyebrow twitched. "Ah yes... Three of them leapt up at once and tackled me into the water." He could remember his embarrassment when he finally found his way to the water's surface. And then the humiliation when he had to swim back to shore under the watch of a pair of cold golden eyes.

The fox hummed softly, his hands raising. With his index fingers he gently traced the two horns on the blind demon's forehead. "When you finally got out of the water you had two lily pads stuck to your horns..."

The ghosting touch along his horns made chills run down Yomi's spine. "You pulled them off.." His senses latched on to every sound, every sensation. The fox was so close. All he had to do was reach out. To his astonishment, the fox's hot breath was brushing against his right ears as those hands settled on his shoulders. "K.. Kurama.."

"Shh.." Kurama hissed as he nipped at the delicately pointed ears. The faint gasp it pulled from the normally composed demon made Kurama's smile widen. "It took all of my will not to show this smile to you then, Yomi..."

Yomi nearly lost himself in the warmth his senses were swimming in, but he forced himself to stay still. "Why bring this up now?" he managed to ask on a more or less calm tone.

A soft laugh left the kitsune as he seemed to nuzzle the delicate ears. "My eyes are the color of those lily pads... And my hair is the color of the blood koi..." Kurama whispered in to the faintly trembling ears.

Even the soft voice sounded like a shout to Yomi's sensitive hearing, but the image was already forming in his head. "It sounds beautiful... But I would never expect anything less from you." Now that the vision was within his mind, Yomi couldn't stop himself. His hands raised and settled on the slender hips hesitantly. As if the fox was about to lash out at him at any moment. "Ever the cruel one, Kurama.. Taunting me with things that I have no hope to enjoy.."

There was a silence that fell over them for a few moments, but Kurama let out a soft sigh and gripped the broader shoulders a bit tighter. "You never were able to earn my trust, Yomi... First because you let your pride and greed get in the way... Then you felt the need to threaten my family instead of offering me a reason to trust you... Neither of which I hold any resentment towards.. I provoked the latter."

"And I provoked the former.." Yomi answered quietly. "Where does that leave us?"

"I told you, Yomi.." Kurama pulled away to look at the closed eyes. What color had they been? Purple? He couldn't quite remember. "You can either let this simply end, or you can have me join you in your darkness."

When it was put so basically, Yomi felt a tightness in the center of his chest. "Kurama... I could never bring myself to harm you. Not back then. Not now." Since he had gone this far, Yomi decided to finally be honest. His arms wrapped around the fox and pulled him close. "Your trust is all I've ever desired... To know that we were equal. More than simply strength." He held on a bit tighter as the words slipped past his carefully crafted shields. "I don't want everything to end..."

The sudden emotional response startled the kitsune, but Kurama didn't pull away. His fingers gently sifted through the silky black hair while he carefully thought out his response. "You've changed quite a bit since I rebelled. I don't recall you ever being this sentimental."

"Hm.. Having a child changes your perspective a bit..." Yomi's own hand moved upward to take in the soft texture of the kitsune's hair. "I was humbled considerably when I lost. There are many more creatures in our world that make me seem like an insignificant fly. Like I haven't progressed even an inch from what I was when I was at your side."

Such honesty was an unexpected wonder. Kurama felt himself relaxing a bit into the taller demon's arms. "Perhaps not in power... But you have grown much wiser since the last time we spoke. I am proud, Yomi. I truly am."

Yomi frowned slightly at the strange words. "Of what? My failure? The fact I've grown so pathetic?" he muttered with a hint of self loathing.

A laugh was pulled from the fox when he caught the hint of a pout forming on his old ally's face. "Your ego was always fragile, Yomi. No, I'm proud of how far you've progressed mentally. Emotionally. You've learned to truly care for another's life with your son. You learned about integrity from Yuusuke. You learned patience and humility. To work hard to take hold of something for yourself instead of relying on hired subordinates." Kurama placed his hands on Yomi's face and gently pressed their foreheads together. He then let his eyes close and took note of the way the horns comfortably framed his face in this position. "You learned what took me fifteen years in such a short amount of time. Yomi... I am in awe of how much you have changed."

The words were honest. Of that Yomi had no doubt of. Which only served to confuse his already shattered state even more. "Does that mean you've changed how you view me?" he questioned, trying to keep the hopefulness out of his voice.

"I'm beginning to." Kurama admitted quietly.

Another silence took over the room, but this one was more comfortable. They held on to one another tightly as their intertwined pasts played through their minds. So much was left unsaid. Even more would never be spoken.

The blind demon took in a deep breath of the sweet scents that lingered around the fox. Roses and honeysuckle mixed with moss and earth. The human was much sweeter than the youko. In more ways than one. "I believe I understand why you preferred to stay in the human realm... The feelings that tie you there..." Yomi gently fisted his hand in the soft hair and pulled the lithe body tighter against him. "But will you always be tied there?"

Kurama gave a short sigh as his arms wrapped around the broad shoulders. "Not always... My mother is the only reason I really stay. Once she lives out her life I'll return to wandering."

"Heh.. So you'll be an old man, hm?" Yomi mused, yet the thought of the fox growing old made a strange pain form in the center of his chest.

Thinking of himself hunched over with gray hair provoked a chuckle from the redhead. "I may have to put on an act for the sake of my human family and friends, but you needn't worry. If anything, I've more than likely cheated my way into a new lifetime."

Confusion readily furrowed Yomi's brow again. "Can you explain?"

The fox allowed his arms to wrap around the broad shoulders as his eyes slid open. "The youko spirit possessed a human vessel. Prolonged possessions normally means that the two entities merge into one. At the moment, the two of us are fighting over who will take whom. If I win, it will be like starting over. A young body to start a new life with. I could live another four thousand years easily."

"And if Youko wins..?" Yomi questioned slowly.

Kurama gave a careless shrug. "My human form will disappear. He'll absorb the strength I've managed to build in this body, and become far more powerful than he was before."

Yomi felt himself smirking at the idea. "Ah.. That's slightly intimidating."

A red brow quirked up high. "Only slightly?"

"Well, there's no sense in allowing myself to totally fear something that has yet to happen." Yomi replied, his smirk twitching wider. He pulled Kurama a bit tighter against him and hummed thoughtfully. "I believe I would prefer your human form to inherit Youko's power.

"And why is that?"

The blind demon pulled away to let his right hand carefully take in Kurama's features. There was a more delicate feel to the soft skin. Gentle curves and subtle lines that composed a thing of natural beauty. "From what I've gathered, you are far more elegant than Youko ever was. He was truly a beautiful creature, but his beauty was twisted. He used it to gain what he desired. Left heart broken corpses in his wake." His thumb carefully traced the supple lips once more. "You do not. From what I understand, you haven't used your appearance to gain anything."

"I found that the allure Youko used so often was part of his downfall. Loyalty gained by such a weak veneer crumbles away far too easily." Kurama parted his lips and lightly nipped at the thumb. He heard another tiny gasp, which pleased him considerably.

Yomi was close to trembling at the faint contact. All of his senses were heightened so drastically that everything felt like tendfold. Yet he managed to keep his strong front up. "I have realized this. Until you came, I've only been surrounded by weaker beings that I was able to control. Since the tournament, I'm hardly the intimidating figure that I once was."

There was still a touch of self loathing in his voice that made Kurama frown. "Yomi.. What are you going to do now? Your kingdom is gone. Your followers have scattered. Are you going to start over?"

The question made the taller demon pause for a moment in thought. His hand lowered and his head turned towards the lightning crackling outside the windows. The sharp noises made his ears ache, but he had grown used to this. "I suppose I could. Enki-sama has offered me a position on his council. I've been giving it serious thought."

"You would do well."

"Perhaps.." Yomi turned his head back towards the fox. "I would rather start over with you."

Kurama felt the urge to wince, but he kept himself still. "Yomi.. You know I can't stay."

"I'm willing to wait." The words were out before Yomi could stop himself. The moment he realized he said it aloud he felt the blood attempt to rush to his cheeks. "Hm.. Not one of my subtler moments.." he mumbled, releasing his hold on the fox.

Before he move away, a pair of strong arms wrapped around him tightly. He was pulled fast against a firm body and felt that hot breath on his ears again. "Kurama..?!"

"Will you?" Kurama clutched tight to the back of Yomi's tunic, almost ripping the fabric. "Will you truly wait for me?"

The hushed words and the way their bodies were pressed so tightly together made Yomi's head spin. When he could hear the fox's heart thumping faster he was stunned. His arms shook slightly as they embraced the human form desperately. "I will.. I'll wait for as long as I must..."

Kurama's arms clung tighter, almost to the point of being painful as his emotions tried to get the better of him. "If you keep to your word.. I will return to you." He didn't wait for a reply. He abruptly pulled from the taller demon's grasp and turned away.

The cold that instantly seized him the moment the fox tore away from him nearly made Yomi choke. He stood numbly as he listened to the graceful body collect the duffle bag and return towards the door. Despite the calm movements, Yomi could almost feel the fox's heart that sounded ready to burst. 'Or is that my own..?'

Duffle bag slung over his shoulder, Kurama paused in his course briefly once he reached the blind demon's side. He didn't look at the face that often haunted him. He kept his gaze straight ahead towards the open corridor. "Take care, Yomi."

Yomi clenched his fists at his sides, but his face remained calm. "You as well, Kurama.."

The foot steps started once more. Yomi stayed in the same spot as he listened to the fox leave his home. He stayed longer still as he used every shred of his senses to track Kurama as he headed out of the territory. For hours he stayed in that one spot until the fox finally vanished into the unknown distance.

When he could no longer locate any sign of his old friend, Yomi found his feet taking him forward. He approached the large bed he had made specially for the kitsune. His fingers trailed over the silk sheets until they found one of the pillows. They fisted into the feather down before lifting it up to his face. A deep breath allowed him to catch hold of those scents that made up his precious kitsune.

Clutching the pillow to him tightly, Yomi sat down heavily on the bed. His emotions had been strung out in full view of the one he sought to hide them from the most. He had clawed his way to the top only to come crashing back down. Betrayed again by that cunning fox.

"Every time.. It's always Kurama..." he mumbled, bowing his head low in defeat.

However this time was different. This time he felt a glimmer of hope. Something he hadn't felt in what seemed like forever.

With that hope to cling to, Yomi had never been happier. A smile curled his lips as he held the pillow to his chest.

"I will wait... I will wait for my light to return to me."

fjfjfjfjfjfj The End fjfjfjfjfjfj

There you have it.

I have an idea for a sequel, so if you would like to see it, let me know.

Until then.

Later~