Kurama was walking through the woods and stopped to watch Tomoe. He found her fascinating and quite beautiful. She shocked him back to reality by asking him a simple question.
"May I help you Kurama?" she asked turning towards him taking in the surprised look on his face and smiled to herself.
He took a few steps back from the shock.
"Don't look so shocked Kurama, I heard you coming" she told him.
He recovered and smiled. "I was wondering if I could offer you better shelter than the woods...I'm sure you would like a hot bath and something decent to eat" he said softly.
She thought about it for a moment. The things he was offering did sound good. "Yes, that would be nice thank you" she said bowing to him. "Lead the way"
He lead her out of the woods and to the house he was living in with his mother Shiori. When they got there he held the door open for her.
She nodded her thanks and walked in. She looked around the living room as he came in behind her and closed the door.
"It's not much, but it's home and yes I do still live with my mother" he told her honestly.
"Tell me Kurama, how old are you?" she asked him.
"As a human I am 15 years old, but in my true form I am over 300 years old" he told her as he lead her to a room next to his.
"Thank you...may I ask another question?" she asked.
"You may" he answered holding the door open for her.
She nodded her thanks again. "Why does your friend Hiei keep following me? I have done something to upset him?" she questioned stepping into the room.
He chuckled a bit. "He's trying to find out more about you. He's not out to hurt you" he told her.
"I guess that makes sense, I have one more question for you" she said.
He was ahead of her. "The bathroom?" he asked.
She nodded and he pointed the way for her.
"I'll lay out some of my clothes while I wash your clothes for you, take your time and enjoy your bath" he told her handing her a couple of towels from the hall closet as he watched her take her hair down.
It didn't take her long to figure out how to work the water for the tub and she put some scented body oils in the water. She shed her clothes and put them outside the door for Kurama to take and stepped in the tub and pulled the curtain shut.
She relaxed and let the memories flood her of her husband, son, and daughter. Tomoe knew she had to let them all know she had a daughter, maybe she could let Kurama know first, he seemed pretty level headed. She washed her hair with his shampoo and conditioner and stepped out an hour later feeling refreshed. She wrapped the towel around her body and her hair and opened the door to find he had indeed laid out some clothes for her and she smiled, she closed the door and got dressed. When she reopened the door she was brushing out her hair and Kurama being a crafty fox stole her clip. She blinked in surprise and looked at him while holding her hair up out of her face.
"May I have my clip please?" she asked holding out her hand.
"Do you wear your hair down often?" he asked. "It really suits you"
"No, not anymore...I used to wear it down for my husband, but I pulled it back to cook..." she told him.
"Would you tell me about them?" he asked her.
"Point the way to the kitchen and I will make you something I made for Yakamoto" she said following him to the kitchen.
Once there she started making tea cakes and tea for them to sit and enjoy. While they were cooking she pulled cups and plates and started the water for the tea. She pulled the cakes out of the oven and let them cool before plating them, then got the tea and the water and took it to the living room where Kurama was waiting.
"I would always make tea cakes for Yakamato, they were his favorites" she said placing things in front of him and sat down. "Now...what would you like to know about my family?"
"Anything you are willingly to tell me" he said simply.
She took a deep breath. It hadn't been very long since they died and she missed them both something firece everyday. Tomoe knew without her daughter she would have no reason to live. "First, I want to start by saying that I'm nineteen and I had been married two years. My husband's name was Yakamoto like I mentioned before, he was a year older than I. I had a son named Darien and he would have been two tomorrow" she told him. Tomoe sighed and took another breath while fighting back tears. "I buried them seven months ago and it's still hard on me, but...I do have another child, a little girl who is one" she told him.
He was a little shocked to hear she had another child but happy to be the first to know about it.
"I'm sorry you had to lose them so early in life, I know you wouldn't be here today if they were still alive...do you know who killed them?" he asked.
"Yes, the Toguro brothers" she said flatly.
He sighed. "No wonder Koenma wants you to fight...he wants you to avenge their deaths that were in vain at the hands of the Tuguro brothers" he spoke softly to her.
"I cannot do that though..." she barely got the words out.
"Why not?" he questioned.
She looked at her watch and sighed. "Because I promised Yakamoto that I wouldn't fight unless it was needed...would you excuse me please, I have something I have to do right now" she said getting up and going to the room he allowed her to stay in, pulled out a picture and set it down and started praying and talking to the picture.
Little did she know Kurama followed her quietly and listened to what she had to say. As a human he knew he shouldn't but the curiousity of his fox side got the better of him.
"Oh my boys...living everyday without you is so very hard...if it wasn't for me hiding Ayame I would truly be alone, I probably wouldn't be here. Yakamoto, I miss your tenderness and quiet compassion. Darien, I miss your curiousity and cheeriness. I miss your chubby faced kisses...Yakamoto, I miss the adoring way you would watch me make your tea cakes..." she said her voice breaking but not shedding a tear. "Little boy I promise when I get home I'll put fresh flowers on yours and daddy's grave, I love you both so much and miss you just a much...Darien be good for daddy my little one" she said finishing her talk and prayer.
She then stood up and saw Kurama standing there. "How long have you been there?" she asked a little curtly.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have eavsdropped, but I heard the whole thing...there is just something about you that fascinates me, and I would like to keep getting to know you" he told her honestly.
"Why..? I'm nothing special, just a girl from Yokohama..." she said her voice drifting off.
He went to her and touched her and she didn't back away. He pulled her to him and held her.
"You need to cry, you need to grieve Tomoe...let it out, I'm sure your husband would be okay with it" he told her.
She grabbed hold of his shirt and buried her face and started crying. He was right, she needed to release the hurt and pain she was holding onto. Tomoe knew Yakamoto would let her cry when she needed. She found she couldn't stop the tears, they were so easy to release in his arms. Once they started she couldn't stop them. She cried for her mom, her husband and son, she cried for her daughter who would never know her daddy.
Tomoe cried what felt like forever but it was only a few moments. She looked up at him and stepped away. "I-I'm sorry..I shouldn't have showed emotions like that, you are very wise beyond your human years to not say a word to a widow who needed to cry" she told him.
"I'm surprised you allowed me to touch you" he said a little confused.
"I knew you wouldn't hurt me" she said softly. "And usually anyone other than my father or husband who touches me is after my sword and I knew you weren't, and for some reason I feel as if I can trust you"
"You are only human Tomoe, we all need to grieve for something or someone" he told her quietly.