Truth's Nightmare
The nightmare of a fox. Ever wonder what a Youko dreams about? Come on, even demons have nightmares. Sometimes the scariest part of you is the part no one sees...Youko Kurama and Kuronue mild shounen-ai at the end, consider yourself aware. I really loved getting a stab at Youko's darker side here, so feel free to leave me reviews. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story, my Evanescence CD, my composition book, and the inspiration that those two coupled with a small carton of white rice with soy sauce provides. The pen was my mother's. Nothing relating to Togashi-sama is mine.
A long, drawn out howl strung through the heavy nighttime air, slow and powerful, yet sad. The moonlight shone down and illuminated a cave covered completely by vines, impossibly huge blossoms acting like explosions of color.
Behind these vines, concealed amongst the endless winding tunnels not revealed by the leafy covering, a sleeping figure whimpered. Whines similar to a beaten dog's intruded on the silence, the only sound disrupting the silence of sleep. The figure twisted and writhed now, whimpering more fervently than before.
Long, slender, clawed fingers scrabbled and clutched at the covers, mutilating it in their death grip as it was twisted, scratched, groped, and twisted again. The silver tail beat frantically against the covers, and sweat poured down his face, as it contorted with pain and fear. A fretful moan slipped from his throat as he curled into a fetal position, attempting to free himself from the inescapable trap...
A silver Youko walked down the dark streets of the town, strutting slowly, casually, letting himself be identified by the gradual recognition dawning on the faces of bystanders. Swishing his tail along with the gentle sway of his hips as he walked, he made sure to move just enough to provide a hint of questionable intention. His chest was thrust out proudly, golden eyes gleaming not only with confidence, but with over-shadowed vanity, knowing the breathtaking sight he must look.
Demons whispered back and forth amongst themselves, and he smirked as bits of words caught his ears that glinted silver like his hair. He was beautiful, with a body lean and strong, and a face carved by angels. It wasn't new to him though, and he was not flattered as most would be; it was only to be expected, of course. After all, it wasn't like it was a secret that everyone he met wanted him to take them...to want them.
Of course, it also wasn't a secret that he never did. He was perfect. And he knew it. Everyone idolized him; put him up on a pedestal. To worship, if they didn't know him, attempted target practice if they did.
"No...no...I'm not...not...me..."
"I love you so much, you know that? You're the one Cassina, the one...and I'll be with you forever, I promise." He whispered, as he pressed their bodies closer together, entwining his fingers into her ocean green hair, and kissing her temples softly.
"I love you too..."she choked out, and tears spilled from her eyes. "And...and I don't care if it hurts, because I have you."
"That's right... you have me." The sultry voice ground out as he hid the smile of a Youko; caressing and feeling every space available to him, willing completion to come. You've got me... for now...
Of course, the next morning, she woke up, cold, broken, and alone. He had left. Deep down though, she'd thought she loved him, and he her. Now she knew what every one had told her was true, that girlish dreams of capturing a heart like that would be the undoing of her own. She, obviously, had thought wrong. Now she was just another tally on the infinite list. The tears that fell that day were not those of joy...
In a basket, lying abandoned on a hill, laid a baby demon. Tiny fox ears stuck out from the black hair, as it cried out for a parent's warmth...
Another child, fighting for its life as it stabbed the other four demons with its fangs, and screamed as a silver sword slashed at its silver fox tail...
How many children, Youko? How many? Dead. Dead now, because of you.
The figure convulsed again, claws digging deep into the flesh of his palms, blood trickling from the scratches as he writhed guiltily under his covers...
As he fled from the castle, leg wound bleeding heavily; he let out a feral scream and shot razor sharp seeds from his hand into the surrounding guards. Too many did not return that night, so many families starved as their only life source was killed. So many dead...
"Ok, we're done here, yes? You'll deliver the jewels tonight?"
"Of course I will," he said with a sultry, fanged smile. "I'll escort you to the door, shall I?"
"That would be honorable of you. And yes, thank you, I'll be seeing you later then..." said his senile guest, and the fanged one stole a last glance at him before getting up from the table.
The next week, someone found the corpse of a very rich aristocrat half-eaten by some strange plant, and as it just so happens, his home had been looted a week before.
It wasn't his fault, he hadn't known never to trust a smiling fox...
The tail beat harder against the mattress, and he growled, holding his face in his bloody hands. The growl heightened into a scared whimper, and his subconscious begged to be loosed from this nightmare.
"No...didn't...no...business...killing...stop..."
You stole...
You lied...
You killed...
And you loved it all.
What are you, Youko?
You've become so lost; lost in your own dark filth, and one day, they will find you out. They will make you helpless. Ashamed. Humiliated. And then, they'll be agonizingly painful as they remove that pretty mask of yours...
And everyone will see you as a fraud.
A fool.
A dead fool.
You've made so many others miserable, made them suffer so much; why do you deserve to live? You're worthless, an ugly being with a cold, black, heart. And when they kill you, it will be a blessing. One less speck of filth in the world...
"No...nononono...NO!" he screamed, thrashing horribly, sweat mixing with the cuts on his hand and the blood on his face, stinging with sharp, yet subtle pricks. "No! Go AWAY!" he screamed again, fighting off imaginary adversaries before he felt cool, dry hands on his shoulders, shaking him.
"Kurama! Kurama! Wake up! KURAMA!"
Golden irises shot open, and found a bare-chested, winged demon on top of him, looking highly alarmed.
"Kurama! What in the hell...?"
"Oh gods...Kuronue...Inari..." the fox breathed, closing his eyes again in relief.
"Kurama, what happened?" Kuronue asked, leaning over from his position of straddling the demon's waist to grab a rag off the table next to the bed. He dipped it into a bowl of water and wrung it out, then set to work gently cleaning the sweat and blood off his lover's face. He still looked concerned.
"What happened?" he asked again.
Kuronue pressed a cool hand to his chest, which felt like it was burning, and felt the rapid-fire pulse underneath the skin. He couldn't imagine what would upset his partner like this.
Kurama let out a dry sob and drew his arms up to press Kuronue down to him, holding him in his arms as he drew his head up to nestle it in Kuronue's loose hair. He rolled over on top of him and nuzzled him in relief again. A single hot tear trickled from his tear duct to his partner's fair skin.
"It was only...only..."
A nightmare.