Wow? How long has it been since I updated this? No, don't answer, I know it was too long and I feel like an idiot. Anyway, I've pulled this out of storage and present it to you with profuse apoligies. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you review and tell me what an idiot I am.


"I…what are you

"I…what are you?" Shiori asked.

"Why would you ask something like that? I'm your son."

"You…changed. Into something else, as well as being my son, but…lately, you're more like it and less like Shuichi. I want to know what you are."

"I am…" Kurama paused, trying to come up with an answer. "I am Kurama."

"Which means?"

"It means that I am an individual of a kind that is not supposed to be capable of existing."

"Shuichi, you aren't making sense."

"This is as much sense as can be made of it."

"Shuichi, I want to know what you are, not who."

"I don't know any more," Kurama whispered.

"Tell me everything, from the beginning," Shiori said. Kurama sighed, and snuggled a little deeper into his chair.

"It starts with a fox demon named Yoko Kurama. He was a thief, and…he stole a place in the soul of your unborn son." Carefully, Kurama explained everything. About his coming of age when he turned ten. About meeting Yusuke, and the circumstances surrounding it. About Yoko's becoming separate again, but still within him. And then, about how Yusuke had died.

"And now? Why have you started acting like this?"

"The girl you saw by the tree under my window. She's an American wolf demon, and she knows something about me, but won't tell me what. All I can say for sure is that she bit me, and the venom has returned some abilities to me. I've been having trouble getting used to them, especially the sights and smells. I left early because everything smelled so strong that I was nearly sick. I apologize for the way I've been acting." Shiori said nothing for a moment, and Kurama thought she believed him.

"Very funny, Shuichi. Now, tell me the truth."

"The tru- but that was the truth," he stammered. Shiori shook her head.

"You expect me to believe that my son has had the soul of some kitsune inside him since birth? That's ridiculous. And even if it were true, your soul wouldn't have survived."

"You're telling me," Kurama muttered. "Don't you think I was surprised when we became aware of each other? We fused, and don't ask me to explain how or why, it's just what happened. Do you honestly think that I would come up with a story this involved just to hide something from you?"

"I don't know what you would do anymore. All I know is that until you come up with a valid explanation for your behavior, I will not consider you my son," Shiori murmured. Kurama took a deep breath.

"How can you say that? We are family, by blood and bone. Who came to see you every day when you were sick? Me. Who has been doing his best to make you happy for years? Me. Who just lost one of his closest friends to a stupid mistake? Me. If I were anything other than Shuichi Minamino, would I know all those things? Would I be capable of telling you about them? No. I am your son, whether you want to believe it or not."

"And if I don't?" Shiori asked. Kurama bristled. "What will you do if I refuse to believe that you are my son?" That one hurt. "Will you leave? Will you run away?"

Don't lose your temper; you don't know if Mara did anything else to you. Stay calm. Breathe. Don't listen.

"Will you kill me?"

"I'm not capable of it!"

"What?"

"If I was capable of killing you, Yoko would have done it years ago, when we came of age. Do you have any idea how many times I tried to leave? I couldn't do it. Know why? Because you are my mother. I couldn't kill you, and I couldn't leave! I stayed here, and I fought against all the demons who found me here, and who found the connection between us! They would have killed you if they had gotten to you, for the sole reason of making me angry!" Every little problem that Kurama had ever had with living as a human was finding a way out now, fueled by his anger and frustration.

The philodendron in the corner began to move.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because if it weren't for me, you would be dead! I've been willing to give up my life to save yours. I tried to, when you were sick. Yusuke jumped in and stopped me, giving some of his own life to supplement mine and keep you alive because he didn't want to see you cry! You were threatened in the Dark Tournament, did you know that? I had to be a living punching bag because, if I fought back, my opponent would kill you! I fight for this world, to keep it safe. To keep you safe! Are you saying that it doesn't matter? That nothing I can do or say will make you believe that I am Shuichi Minamino?"

It wasn't just the philodendron anymore. All the house plants within shouting distance of the living room were moving, growing, trying desperately to reach the source of the anger and pain that called to them.

"Yes."

The philodendron, which was closest, reached for Kurama, twining around his biceps and waist, trying to comfort him. The others snaked towards Shiori.

"Why can't you understand!? Do you think I would lie about Yusuke's death!? He died because of me! And now Yoko is loose, and who knows what he's up to, and you're the only safety I have, and now you tell me this!?"

The first plant, an ivy, reached Shiori and twined around her ankles. A fern that shouldn't have been able to reach all the way from the far side of the kitchen extended runners until it got to the back of the couch and began covering Shiori's mouth with long fronds.

"Oh! Oh…get it off me! Stop it! Stop this right now, you monster!" Kurama's eyes filled with angry tears. Another philodendron and a geranium joined the ivy and fern, twisting around Shiori's waist and arms, pinning her down. The philodendron around Kurama extended a little further, gently brushing its leaves against his cheeks.

"How dare you? What kind of mother rejects her own goddamn son? I haven't done anything to deserve this!" A couple of tears fell and the philodendron caught them, letting them slide off its leaves to splash on the floor.

A new plant joined the ones in the living room, the largest rose of the three that lived in Kurama's room. It joined the philodendron around Kurama's body, then began throwing out buds. The buds swelled and bloomed into roses in shades of grey, tinged with blue and purple.

"You are not my son!" Shiori screamed, fighting against the hold the plants had her in. They responded by tightening, squeezing. "You're hurting me! Let me go! Now!"

"Kurama! Let her go!" Kurama whirled in time to see Hiei and Kuwabara burst in through the back door. Then Hiei tackled him. They fell backwards together in a tangle of limbs and vines. Kuwabara ran to Shiori and began tearing plants away from her face.

"Stupid," Hiei hissed, sitting on Kurama's stomach. "What possessed you to-"

"I need a little help here!" The plants that had bound Shiori were now working on Kuwabara as well; they'd gotten around his arms and pulled him against the back of the couch.

"Stay put," Hiei said firmly, and he climbed off Kurama, striding over to Kuwabara and torching what plants he could get without burning the carrot-top. Acrid smoke filled the air.

"There are more of you?" Shiori screeched.

Hiei ignored her and continued his work, until the vines fell away, defeated. The remaining parts retreated to their pots. Satisfied, Hiei left Kuwabara to deal with Shiori and returned to Kurama. The philodendron and rose had formed something like a nest for the redhead, in which he lay, panting. Hiei stepped over the edge of the nest, knelt down, and punched Kurama in the stomach.

When Kurama had recovered from the blow and Hiei had threatened the philodendron with a fiery death to keep it from strangling him, Kurama sat up, trembling.

"What's happening to me?" he whispered.

"You lost your temper," Hiei said shortly. "And you nearly killed your mother. Idiot."

"I shouldn't be able to. He's…I…there's nothing left. Nothing for them to respond to."

"Try telling that to your house plants," Kuwabara snorted, trotting back in from the kitchen carrying a glass of water. "They obviously can't tell." He handed the water to Shiori, who sipped shakily at it. "You okay? They didn't do any real damage, did they?"

"N-no," she said slowly. "Make them leave."

"Who?"

"Those two." She pointed at Hiei and Kurama. "Get them out of my house."

"We were just leaving," Hiei spat. He grabbed Kurama's collar and jerked him to his feet. "Come with me. We need to talk."

Kurama said nothing, allowing Hiei to drag him outside and down the street, not stopping until they were at the park, in the labyrinth. Then Hiei shoved him into a sitting position with his back against the hedge. He was visibly furious, red eyes glowing with rage.

"What's happened to you? Where is Yoko?"

It took Kurama a moment to register what Hiei had said.

"What?"

"Where is he? His scent doesn't even linger on you, he's been gone so long. What have you done?"

"I…I removed him."

Hiei would know if he was lying, after all. He was so perceptive.

"Removed him? You cannot just remove the soul of a demon."

"I did. But…I made a mistake."

Hiei's eyes widened in realization.

"That's how Yusuke died," he breathed. "You did kill him."

Kurama nodded.

"Tell me everything. From the beginning. Leave nothing out."

When Kurama had finished, Hiei slumped down beside him. Neither of them spoke. Finally, Hiei sighed and fiddled with the bandages covering his tattoo.

"You should have said something," he muttered.

"How could I have? It was a selfish, stupid mistake. I'd already killed one friend, and now I've killed two."

"I know more about binding charms and wards than you do, idiot. I could have helped keep him contained. We have weathered everything else; what made you think we couldn't have handled this?"

Kurama shrugged, ashamed.

"What's happening to me?" he asked softly.

"I don't know. But Genkai might. You might as well go to her for answers, since you won't be allowed in your house for awhile. It was foolish, telling that woman everything."

"She's my mother, Hiei," Kurama sighed. "I had to tell her some day."

Hiei shook his head. He would never understand Kurama's devotion to the weak human who had done nothing more than provide a vessel of flesh for the spirit of Yoko Kurama. As far as he was concerned, there ought to be no remaining attachment. Perhaps it was like what he had with Yukina: inexplicable, but undeniable.

"If you say so. Come. The sooner your questions are answered, the better."

"Alright."