I don't own the characters from YuYu Hakusho (that belongs to Togashi), but I do own Youra.
So, this is obviously a rewrite. After all, this was my first fanfiction and I wrote it when I was 9 (I'm 19 now). I've hopefully added more depth to the story this time around and made it more clear that I was supposed to be working the romance angle than the friendship one -I brought back Youko because I realized that leaving him as the child Youra was a bit like cradle robbing, but again, I was only 9. Please enjoy, and remember to review if you see something that you like.
In the aftermath of a harsh battle, two friends quibble over the right to tend the others injuries -or rather Yomi makes demands and Kurama denies them. "Yomi, please!" In the grip of instinct, Kurama begs Yomi to release him. "Kurama you must let me see your injury!" Scolds Yomi crossly as he fights with the errant kitsune. "No, please!" Yomi roughly threw Kurama to the bed face first before chaining him to the frame with aura cuffs. Kurama shook violently, attempting and failing to escape the restraints.
After many moments of non-stop struggle Kurama gave in and allowed his body to go slack.
After their little struggle, Yomi promptly ripped away the remnants of his friend's tattered top allowing him to better see the mark on his back that sat between his shoulder blades.
"What in the Seven Hells..." pondered Yomi as he stared at the brand.
"Who did this?" wondered Yomi as Kurama became conscious enough to answer his question. However, the response wasn't what he had expected would come next.
"Why, why do you despise me so?" whimpered the ailing demon. "You mean other than the fact that you took my vision?" Yomi responded snidely, not in the mood to deal with the fox.
Yomi sighed, saying glibly,"I don't despise you." If nothing else, Yomi wasn't completely lying because he did feel strongly for his companion.
"You know Yomi, that you always talk about how I took your light?" Kurama refused to look at the other as he said this. Yomi, not being sure of the direction that the conversation was taking responded with,"Yes." Kurama laughed humorously at this and said in response, "Well, what would you do if I said that you took my light first?"
"That day, you remember it don't you? I was 100, and I guess that you were about 20.
You created that mark on my back using a piece of smoldering foliage. Not only did you effectively banish me from my home and my father, but you also took away my power and most of all my wings -my light. Kurama, now shedding tears of a violent mix of hatred and sorrow, allowed one final agonized scream to pass his lips before he was welcomed by the darkness of slumber due to an enraged Yomi forcing an ungodly amount of energy into the -long since healed- wound on Kurama's pale back.
Yomi felt terrible for treating Kurama so badly simply out of anger, but he honestly didn't know what Kurama was talking about. To ease the kitsune's pain Yomi decided to remove the damaging maruyokai from his friend's unconscious body. However, when he touched the scar -
"Look there son, it's an angel. Quickly now, before it flies away!" Little yomi ran to the angel child tackling him to the ground before he had time to react, giving Yomi just enough time to pin him. The little angel squirmed under the young demon's hold screaming, "Father, Uncle Kura, Koura, Mother, anyone please!" The child continued to fruitlessly lash out in fear and frustration. "No one will hear you out here,"cooed Yomi's father, voice slimy with spite and dripping with malice. "Help, someone please!" Just as the demon had said, the child's pleas went unheard. "Well Yomi, my son, go on. Take this angels wings!" he announced triumphantly. Kurama gave Yomi a pleading glance that was returned with an evil smirk and the lighting of a fallen tree branch; which was then roughly pressed to the small angels back directly between his wings. The small creature cried out in pain before falling silent. This act in Makai was known as brandishing and all brandished angels died nearly on spot. However, this child was different. After the torched wood seared the flesh of his pale back the little one's wings all but disintegrated releasing feathers in every direction. His snow white hair became a vibrant silver and his elf like ears on the side of his head soon began to re-sprout as white fox ears on top. The boy also grew a tail, fangs and claws too. "Damn," cursed Yomi's father. "It's bitch of a mother must've been cheating!" The demon scoffed angrily as if monogamy was a common practice in the demon world. "It's a bastard child so it won't be killed so easily. Come on son, just leave it to die. That thing's no use to us anyway. And so they left, leaving the poor child laying face down in the muck sobbing.
After the final thought passed from Yomi's memory banks to his train of thought for remembrance, it donned on him that this was the little being he'd met so long ago all-grown up. However, he didn't get to finish his thought before he was sent flying in to the wall opposite the bed his old friend was chained to. Slowly losing consciousness due to the impact, Yomi's last thought was, "I guess we're even now, huh Kurama?"
Yomi woke with a start realizing he had been out for several hours judging by the dim lighting outside of the window. After his little encounter with the -long since forgotten- memories he had shared with his father that fateful day, he found that he couldn't help but smile. However, he lost his smirk once he was hit with realization. The little hybrid Yomi had de-winged and banished from his home was none other than Kurama... Yomi's gut twisted at the revelation and he felt terribly ashamed. Guilt racked his body as the demon lord struggled to stand and reach his friend's side.
Tears dripped down the goat demon's cheeks as he shakily removed the shackles and held the young hanyou to his broad chest bridal style, making sure he was close enough to hear his heart beat. He wanted Kurama to rest and regain some strength and he had heard somewhere that like Inu, Kitsune were able to sleep easier to the rhythmic sound of a heartbeat. Kurama's labored breathing evened and they sat in that position for a good hour before Yomi began speaking to the demon in his arms."You probably can't hear me right now, but I'm so sorry for what I've done to you." By this time, tears begun to -once again- make their way down the normally cruel demons face. A single drop landed on Kurama's cheek causing his expression to change from one of distorted pain to a more calm and placid appearance.
Kurama slowly allowed his eyelids to flutter open as he spoke, "I'm glad that you see now. I forgive you." The soft bell like voice drifted to Yomi's range of hearing, caressing his hyper-sensitive ears sweetly. Yomi smiled, knowing -sensing rather- that Kurama's words were genuine.
"Kurama I..." Yomi began before being interupted. "No Yomi, that's not my name. It's Youra. Now if I may, I've been waiting almost 4000 years to hear you say those words. The words of remorse to set me free. Now you've shown me the kindness I've wished for so long, the kindness you refused me that day. However, we are no longer even so I wish to fix this." Within mere seconds Yomi felt Youra's soft touch grace his eyelids and then drift away as swiftly as it had come.
"Open your eyes Lord Yomi." So for the first time in centuries, Yomi did as he was told. The demon lord's reward was greater than he could have ever imagined. Not only could he see but in his lap calmly sat the most stunning being he had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. In his lap he held a young boy with long white hair cascading halfway down his back and ice blue eyes as warm as a summer day. The child looked the same as when he had first appeared those many years ago in the forest lookingfor a play mate, though finding a murderer instead. The tiny being yawned and stretched it's small, vibrant wings. The thing looked like a puppy with those large sleep filled eyes -he was unbearably adorable for a half demon- that soon filled with tears.
Yomi panicked at the first sign of tears and hurriedly asked,"What's wrong little one?" The boy twisted and turned frantically as if searching."My father, my family! I can't sense them!" The child began to truly panic. "No! They said this would happen if I ever left for a long period of time, but I didn't think... I didn't believe my father then and now they're gone! It's all my fault! They've disappeared from existence and I can't save them now."
The child looked as if his world had crashed down a second time, and so Yomi's first thought was,"I've got to step in." "No more tears, you will not go on any longer without a true home. In fact, you shall stay here! This is your home now," Yomi offered magnanimously. The child looked at Yomi with such sad eyes. "But why?" The child had finally dried his tears and was waiting for a response. "For you see, Youko or Youra you're still one of my dearest friends... And frankly, I love you my sweet Arch Angel Youra." Yomi thought himself particularly charming in that moment. "You could never replace my family," started Youra as Yomi felt his confidence start to falter. "Though, I don't think that I'd want you to." Saying this, Youra's form began to change. Regaining the platinum of Youko's mane and his brilliant golden eyes, Youko said, "An angel doesn't belong in the Makai, but I will stay if you'll have me." Yomi stared at the gorgeous being he'd chased away centuries before through his own stupidity. Yomi promptly kissed Youko before realizing that it was more than a bit forward. "I suppose that answers my question." Youko laughed before dragging Yomi into another kiss.
Youra was finally put to rest. The child was never meant for such a harsh reality, but the man he had become was more than happy to dwell in darkness with the assailant that he had somehow come to regard as other than he who took his light. If a stubborn man such as Yomi could forgive and forget, then a being supposed to be as pure as Youko could as well.
