Chapter 4
Kurama's Rose
Third Person POV:
It wa sa typical Tuesday night in the Minamino household. Shiori was in the kitchen, cleaning up the left overs from dinner. Her son, Suichi, was upstairs in his room writing an essay.
His essay wasn't particularly trying, but he would much rather read his new book. He sighed, but continued planning out the rest of his paper. Just then, there came a sharp tapping sound from the window.
He allowed himself a slight smirk before turning to the window. Ah, right on time. There was a small man crouched on the sill. He had black hair that stood high on his head, red eyes and a petulant expression. The boy was angrily gesturing at the window.
Kurama, the spirit fox, knew exactly what his friend wanted him to do, but he had to let him suffer just a bit. So, he shrugged like he didn't know what he was supposed to do. He could almost feel the fire demon's temper heat up. Just when Hiei was about to blow up, the fox opened the window and allowed the smaller man to slip inside. And he only did this because he did not want his window broken again.
"Do you always have to do that, Fox?" Hiei demanded, his red eyes flashing dangerously.
"Hello Hiei, I am fine and so are you, I hope."
"Hn," the fire demon grunted. His friend was always trying to enstill him with manners. And so far that was going exactly as was to be expected, meaning not at all.
The red-head covered his mouth, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. Hiei was too easy, much to easy to ruffle. Within ten seconds, he could have him spitting flames, and within a minute he could be standing in the middle of a warzone. Ah, the price one pays for friendly enjoyment. "You're welcome to have the bed. I have homework to do at the moment."
"Why do you persist in doing this idiotic homework?" Hiei demanded, spitting the word 'homework' like it was some evil entity.
Kurama was extraordinarily intelligent, so he knew exactly what was being asked of him. But he chose to answer the question in his own round-about way. "I do love to get good grades."
"That is not what I asked you. I meant why do you persist in acting human?" Hiei scowled. Just the thought of having to live with these humans was enough to make his bad mood worse. Not only were they barbaric, they were just awful in general. He much preferred the danger and thrill of living with his own kind.
Kurama sighed. The two men had had this same conversation over and over again since the day that they had met. And still, he was always asked and always responded. "Perhaps I've acclamaited to humanity. You may want to try it."
"No thanks. I'd rather be a demon any day."
"Of course. Now if you'll sit down and stop distracting me, I can finish my essay, read my book, and argue with you," the red-head smirked. He knew that this would finally give him a little bit of peace. For the moment at least.
"Hn," the fire demon scowled, but he sat down on the bed. Just watching the fox work, and wishing that he could distract him.
Thankfully, Kurama had fantastic concentration. He was easily able to finish his paper within fifteen minutes. After doing so, he stretched and sighed, pushing his long hair back as he always did.
"Finished, I suppose?" Hiei chimed in from the bed. As he knew the stretching and sighing were for his benefit to let him know that he was welcome to talk.
"Finally," Kurama sighed. "Do you want to know what it's about?"
"Oh, of course. What is your human educationaly system forcing you to do this time?" He was trying to pretend that he didn't really care, but honestly the curiosity was burning him up inside.
"An essay about our perceptionis of life. Any length of any caliber."
"Let me read it," the fox demon demanded.
Kurama was a bit shocked, but still played out his role as tormentor well. "Don't tell me that you're interested in my idiotic human educational essays," he gasped in faux surprise.
"You know that I care nothing about humanity's perceptions. It's yours that I am curious about."
"How touching," the fox grinned at the angry blush that was spreading across the younger man's face. Ah, this was his favorite hobby. He would leave all educational pursuits just to do this.
"Hn," The fire demon grunted, angrily. He hated when Kurama got the idea to be like this. And it happened so very often. Needless to say, it was gotting very annoying.
"You should lighten up, Hiei," Kurama said, passing his paper to his friend before he could blow. The last thing that he wanted was to have his house completely destroyed and have to explain it to his mother. Or give her a mempry-erasing plant like he had the last time that it had happened. Either way...
"Hn," he grunted again. Honestly, that one sound was his absolute favorite. It was like no other existed. Then, he turned his full attention to the paper that was in front of him.
How does one describe life? Anyone with a pen in hand would have a differing view. Some may compare it to a fire, a friend, an old love, or even an animal. In my opinion, life is like a rose. Every single rose is both complex and beautiful in its own way just as each person's life is.
Imagine a rose for a second. Its beauty. Its splendour. The graceful and elegant red petals that build up its structure. The long greem stem. The entire plant that acts as a visual candy. A veritable pleasure of the visual palate. A gift used for the enjoyment and adoration of others.
To some people, at any rate. To other people, they are nothing more than an irritant. The roses attract bees, they smell loudly, they aren't very attractive, or maybe they cause allergic reactions.
Just like in life. Some people find that everything just comes easy to them. then on the other hand, there are people who live everyday as a struggling challenge. They fight to swilm and end up drowning under the currents. They wake up alone and live in a constant state of internal suffering, fear, and pain. There is almost never any relief or even reprieve from the dramas of life.
Every rose has its thorn. The prick is painful and you're guarenteed to bleed. Once again, like in life. No matter the caliber of the rose or the life, both have their drawbacks. With roses its the thorns. with life its the constant problems, burdens, and turmoils that toment us on a daily basis.
However, roses have different uses. In some people's hands they are a hair fixture, an enchanting centerpiece, an exquisite gift, a representation of love, or even a weapon in the right hands. It's the same with life. Some people's lives are lived to the fullest. Others, become miserable liars, murderers, criminals, or just unhappy.
In the end, life can be anything. And as long as they can defend their view, does it really matter what one thinks? Life is what you make it and you have to decide how you will live it. Will it be a beautiful rose or a dying bud? And whill you be able to take the thorns along with the beauty. The choice is yours. Take it, make the best of what you have, and remember to take the time to smell the roses.
"Interesting," Hieil muttered to himself after he had read the paper.
Kurama looked up from the book that he had been reading. "What? The fact that you are able to read?"
"Cute," the fire demon snapped. "I was thinking of the thing that you wrote. Isn't it supposed to reflect your perceptions of life?"
"And who's perceptions do you think that I wrote about?"
"A humans," Hiei responded in absolute disgust. "What would Youko Kurama write?"
"I don't think you understand. Youko Kurama and Suichi Minamino are connected," Kurama reminded the black-haired boy.
"Yes, I do understand, Fox. But Youko does share his opinions, doesn't he?"
"Of course. However, the fact is that he has also had to adjust to living among the humans. And to some small extent, he has. In fact, he has even formed permanent relationships with some."
"His loss," Hiei shrugged. In a way, he felt that Youko had lost his will power, and even the very best part of himself. "It wasn't awful though it could have used some demonic creativity."
Just then an interesting idea struck the fox. One that should keep him quiet until he had time to finish his book. "If you're really want to see a demonic opinion then why don't you write your own?"
The fire demon snorted in the face of the challenge. "I am not some human school boy." And he would never allow himself to be treated like one. That was Kurama's job.
"Fine," he said, pulling out a note pad and extra pen from his desk. "If you change your mind while I'm gone then the items for it are right here."
"Not likely." And then something that Kurama had said clicked in the fire demon's brain. "And just where are you going to go?"
"To speak to my mother, of course." He noticed a slight spark of some unknown emotion play across his diminutive friend's face. "If you're finally ready to meet my mother then you're welcome to come along." For the entire time that the two had been friends, Hiei had never summoned up the courage to meet Shiori. Yet Kurama had high hopes that the day for that would be soon. Of course, if the smaller man kept up his stubborness then he could very well be proved wrong.
"No thanks."
"Then I'll be back soon," Kurama said, standing and exiting the room gracefully.
Hiei just rolled his eyes at the fox. But all the while he couldn't believe what the fox had written. 'Life is like a rose.' Ha, only if you were an optimistic fool. He could write a better and more truthful paper.
The fire demon sighed yet again. He would hate himself for this later, but he still stood up, went to Kurama's desk, and picked up the notebook and pen. Now it was time to see how he felt for life. Needless to say, it wouldn't be kind. And with that malicious thought, Hiei sat down to write his own perceptions of life.
A/n:
Whoo-hoo! My fourth Yu yu Hakusho fanfiction! I hope that it was good, and that you guys enjoyed it.
Keep reading and I'll keep writing. Oh and remember to review. Flames are welcome. They're what keep me warm and toasty at night. ;) .
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Yours truly, madly, and deeply,
Einstinette