Scarlett Tate slowly opened her eyes. Her sight was blurry, yet she stared up at the ceiling for a full minute, not moving. Actually, she couldn't move. Her arms seemed to be bound at her sides. Also, her legs felt stiff and together. Come to think of it, this was a strange position to wake up in. Usually, she lied flat on her stomach or on her side with one of the pillows between her legs while the other was used as a huggable teddy bear. She blinked once. Then she attempted to lift her torso. It was a hard thing to accomplish because there seemed to be a weight on her stomach. Instead, she lifted her head. She blinked again. A pool of red hair lay on her stomach, accompanied by its master's cheek.
"K-Kurama...?" Her voice was hoarse again. Scarlett relaxed, dropping her head back to the pillow. She must have had another night terror. That would explain why her legs were tied. Sighing, she turned her head towards the adjacent end table. The alarm clock read 6:11. Apparently, it was of evening hours, too. For a moment, she only lied there, staring at the green glowing numbers. Suddenly, her expression transformed into a scowl. "I have to pee," she thought. Her eyes shifted back to the ceiling. How was she going to get out of this? She could not move anything except her head. Why was she even in this position, anyway? Her thrashing couldn't have been that bad, right? "Damn... Well, I'm not a nice person, anyway, so..." Scarlett opened her mouth, inhaling quite a bit. She then released the carbon dioxide along with a piercing scream.
Of course the loud noise caused the red head to immediately awaken. He sprung up in the chair he was sitting in. His green eyes frantically looked around for a source. The scream was abruptly cut off. His head snapped in her direction. "Scarlett...? Why are you screaming on purpose?" he questioned, seemingly irritated. Well, she was irritated, too. Damn it.
"Can you please explain to me why I am trapped like this?" she nearly hissed. He had the nerve to produce a surprised expression. Then he sighed.
"You had several more night terrors," Kurama stated. "You had to be restrained. Your last one was-" He looked towards the clock. "-four hours ago. I'm afraid your stress needs to be relieved now even if you're not up to it." He touched her bindings. They—apparently were plants—turned a glowing green before returning to their seed forms. Scarlett was quick to jump up and sprint to the bathroom. The slamming of the door caused Kurama to flinch. Fortunately, they were the only two in the house at the moment. Yusuke and Kuwabara had gone home. Hiei and Kuronue decided to leave as well. Most did not give a reason, yet it was quite clear they were annoyed with all the screaming Scarlett had done because of the night terrors.
With a heavy sigh, Kurama stood up. It didn't make sense for his houseguest to experiences multiple night terrors like this. Had her experience with Elder Toguro really affected her to such an extent? Night terrors tied in with emotional stress, and fear was a major emotion that went along with that. However, that wasn't the only emotion involved. Emotional stress could be a number of things. As that was the case, there could be something else, other than her tangle with death, which was causing the emotional stress thus triggering the night terrors.
The red head narrowed his eyes. "But what could it be?" he murmured. It was safe to say that he knew his houseguest fairly well, behavioral-wise. He probably could predict her reactions easily as they had been in close proximity for quite some time. Still, he realized that she did not share herself often. Chances were Scarlett wouldn't willingly tell if she was bothered by something—not without prying. Prying could very well lead to anger. That was something that he did not want. He had seen Scarlett angry, and it was not entirely pleasant. Kurama slid a hand through his red mane. Either way, he would have to know so that this occurrence did not take place again.
Kurama walked towards the bathroom. By this time, he heard the shower running. Of course, Scarlett was covered in sweat. His own hair was a bit damp from lying on her stomach. It was natural that she wanted to shower. He knocked on the door. As she wasn't in the shower yet, his houseguest opened the door. She appeared disgruntled. "Yes...?" Her voice asked through clenched teeth. Kurama almost chuckled. More than likely, she was upset because her daily routine had been disrupted. When Kuronue first moved in, he could almost feel killer intent radiating from her eyes because best friends' conversations lasted through the night.
"After you're finished, please get dressed. I would like to take you somewhere," Kurama stated. Scarlett leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised. "Is there a reason why you're body language is telling me that you're skeptic?"
"After all the trouble I've caused, you want to reward me?"
"I'm afraid I don't understand. What do you mean by trouble?"
"You know—letting the bad guy convince me to go with him, causing a delay in reaching the bad guy, getting beat up, having a lot of you worry, and drawing on Hiei's face... That kinda trouble," Scarlett explained.
"You are no burden," Kurama said. "And this isn't a reward. It's for all our sakes. Now please, hurry." With a sigh, Scarlett averted her eyes.
"I got it," she replied before closing the door.
Scarlett sighed inaudibly as to not have the red head overhear it. She listened to his departing footsteps until the sound of her door closing was heard. Her eyes closed as she pressed her back against the bathroom door. She slid down to the floor. Disgust. She felt so disgusting right now, and it wasn't just because of the sweat drenched clothes, clinging to her body. Several night terrors in a short amount of time…? It must have broken some kind of record. That thought, alone made her want to smack herself senseless. Scarlett frowned, feeling her shoulders slouch. This was truly pathetic of her—wallowing in self-pity.
She opened her eyes. There wasn't a doubt that her night terrors were getting to the others as well. After all, Kurama had told her that relieving her emotional stress was something everyone would benefit from. Scarlett nodded her head. She needed to get over this—shake the feeling from her mind and body. If not for herself, then, at least, for the others. The young woman stood up, and then removed her tank top. "I don't want to piss anyone off because of something like this," she thought, slipping out of her sweatpants. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Stepping closer, she examined herself. She sighed through her nose. Kuwabara had told her, when she came to, that Itsuki had healed her. That is why she didn't have any cuts. However, apparently, it wasn't enough to heal the ugly bruises. There was a large one on her back. She winced at the unwanted memory. Gourmet, or Toguro, had ruthlessly kicked her, and as a result, she back slammed against a heightened part of the dirt floor. The bruise probably wouldn't go away for awhile.
Turning away from the mirror, Scarlett sighed again. She would have to make sure to be careful if she chose to exercise tomorrow. There was no use in causing additional pain to her body. Her eyes stared at the running water for a moment. Kurama had said that he wanted to take her somewhere to relieve this stress. Hm… She wondered what place he thought of. Well, she supposed the destination didn't matter as long as it succeeded in driving away her night terrors. Shrugging, forced a grin on her face. "I shouldn't keep him waiting long!" she said, and then removed her underwear.
0-0
"Kurama, I could kiss you on the mouth!"
"Pardon...?" His voice almost squeaked out. However, Scarlett's attention wasn't focused on him at all. Most likely, she had spoken out loud due to her excitement. Kurama inaudibly sighed. His houseguest was merely overjoyed with the place he had taken her to. That was it. Still, the thought of Scarlett kissing him again was rather... appealing. The red head cleared his throat before guiding her into the building. "Yes, Kuronue told me that you had frequently come here. Also, I remember you telling me that singing is a drug to you." He smiled when her cheeks gained a pinkish hue. "Fortunately, this type of drug isn't at all harmful to your body." The young woman grinned and enthusiastically nodded her head. Kurama had to stop her from going to the stage. "For right now, let us order something to eat. I am sure you are hungry?"
"Yeah, actually, I am," Scarlett agreed. She sat at a table a few rows back from the small stage. There weren't many people, sitting at the tables set up near the stage. Most were at the bar, drinking or sleeping. Others were having 'conversations' in the darkest corners of the bar. Scarlett didn't seem to mind or care for anyone else at the moment. Her eyes gazed, longingly, at the microphone. Kurama sat down across from her with a smile on his face. She really did have strong enthusiasm for it.
"When did you start?" Her blue eyes turned his way. "Singing, I mean."
"Oh... I guess when I much younger," Scarlett answered. She focused on the table's top, yet it appeared as though she was remembering something. Her tiny smile wasn't lost to Kurama's eyes. "My dad used to sing a lot. He was a theatre kid in high school. He would sing about anything and everything... even in public places. It embarrassed the heck out of my mom, but she often told him that his public performances were endearing to her." A sigh escaped her mouth. "It was really fun going to the store with him, no matter how many funny looks we got."
"I see... You were very close with your father?" Kurama inquired. Scarlett's smile widened ever so slightly. She nodded her head.
"We were a pair. Not only did we look alike, but we also behaved in the same manner."
"Haughty and arrogant?" he teased. Her eyebrows shot up, and then a smirk spread.
"Now, now, Kurama, I might hit you!" Scarlett mockingly threatened.
"But you're not denying it, I see," Kurama replied. The young woman opened her mouth to retort. However, she quickly closed it in favor of pushing her lips outward in a pout, signaling that she had accepted defeat. This only caused the red head to chuckle. Scarlett smiled and joined in. "If I may ask, did you follow in his footsteps?"
"No, not really. I stuck to literature instead of theatre," she replied. "Besides, I can't act. Apparently, my actions are too dramatic!" She used air quotes and rolled her eyes. Kurama almost rolled his own eyes. His houseguest was only confirming her egotistical nature. Still, he didn't mind it. He smiled. It wasn't as though he wasn't already used to this type of behavior. Being on a team with three other arrogant people, he knew exactly what to expect. Kurama opened his mouth, about to ask her another question. However, he was interrupted before he started.
"Scarlett-san!" A male, around the age of seventeen, walked over to their table. He had spiky black hair and grey eyes. His excited grin revealed that he had a dimple in his left cheek. "It's been awhile. Haven't seen you in a long time!" Scarlett stood up with a grin of her own. "Getting into trouble?"
"What? No, never!" she responded. The teen rolled his eyes. "Anyway, this is Shuichi-kun." Scarlett gestured towards him. The teen blinked as if he just realized she was sitting with someone. He appeared apologetic as he bowed his head. Kurama raised a brow, yet returned the greeting. "And this is Himekawa Densuke-san. He's the bar owner's youngest son. He works part-time here."
"Pleasure to meet another friend of Scarlett-san," Densuke commented.
"Another...?" Kurama repeated.
"He's talking about Kuronue," Scarlett explained. "Up until Kuwabara-kun's birthday party, I visited this place a lot. Me and him would talk a bit." Her blue eyes turned back to Densuke. "Anyway, I'll have the usual." She winked at him. Kurama's eyebrow twitched just a bit. The teen flushing didn't help either. He jotted her order down on his notepad before shifting his gaze to Kurama.
"And for you?"
"I suppose... I'll have the same."
"Oh, make his without kimchi then!" Scarlett exclaimed. "Shuichi-kun isn't really a fan of spicy stuff."
"Got it," Densuke stated, writing it down. "I'll be out with water within a few minutes." He walked away, waving to Scarlett as he did.
"... What did I just order?" Kurama asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Don't worry—it's only cheese and shrimp okonomiyaki." Scarlett licked her lips and wiggled her eyebrows. "Their Japanese pancakes are so good! You won't be disappointed." Kurama cleared his throat in an effort to shift the attention away from his cheeks, which were probably pink at the moment. He had stared at her lips for far too long. He wondered why it was getting increasingly hard to control himself in the presence of Scarlett. The young woman suddenly sighed out. "I didn't realize how hungry I am until I started thinking about it." She placed a hand on her stomach. "My stomach's anticipation is going to kill me!" She suddenly blinked. "Oh yeah—I meant to ask. Why did Itsuki heal me even though I could be considered his enemy?" Her sleeve was pulled up. Frowning, she stared down at the bruises on her arm. "Well, he didn't really do a good job, but I want to know why he attempted to heal me. Do you happen to know?"
"... Yes, in fact, I do. And I wanted to talk to you about that as well," Kurama stated. Scarlett's eyebrows knitted together. However, before he could further explain, Densuke came back with the two glasses full of water. The young woman hurriedly pulled down her sleeve. Densuke didn't seem to notice. He gave Scarlett her glass first, and then placed his water in front of him. Other than that, his eyes were focused solely on Scarlett. This made Kurama frown. The young woman, though, only looked his way even when the teen tried to strike up a conversation. This made him feel a bit better. Finally, Scarlett clicked her tongue and shifted her eyes away. Her smile was polite.
"Densuke-san, please, not right now," she told the waiter. "Could you just go away?" Although her smile was polite, her words were far from it. Kurama would have chuckled if the teen didn't seem so crestfallen about it. He nodded, and then slowly walked away. Once he was gone from her sight, Scarlett returned her focus back to him. She raised her eyebrows, wanting him to continue.
"Are you good friends with him?" he, instead, asked. Her lip twitched. Clearly, she was not amused by his change of subjects. Admittedly, he was a bit amused. "He seems to like you quite a bit."
"A good friend to me would be Kuwabara-kun. I don't talk to Densuke-kun all that much, so I wouldn't consider him my good friend—more like an associate," she stated. Aww... Poor Himekawa Densuke. The poor fool didn't stand a chance with a woman like Scarlett, especially if she didn't think of him as a friend. Kurama's eyelids lowered a bit. It would appear that his houseguest was dense when it came to affection from the opposite gender. With that being the case, he would most likely have to take a direct approach with her. "Anyway," she sounded annoyed. "Go on, what did you want to talk about with me? Itsuki gave you an answer?" Subconsciously, she leaned forward, arms folded on the table. Kurama did the same.
"Yes, he did. He told us that the reason he healed you is because he had become intrigued," he stated. "He didn't go into detail about why, so perhaps you could fill in the blanks?"
"He healed me because I intrigued him...?" Scarlett muttered. She tapped her chin twice. "He said he could sense that I wasn't from this world," she went on. "With his powers over dimensional portals, he could tell that I was transported. But he couldn't tell where I had come from or who or what brought me here. He told me I was a mystery, so maybe that's why he was intrigued. Though, that doesn't explain why he healed me." She leaned back in her chair, shoulders slouched. "How mysterious!" Sighing out, the young woman crossed her arms again. "I'm getting tired just thinking of what his motivations could have been."
"Clearly this subject is causing you irritation. Perhaps we should switch topics?" Kurama suggested. Scarlett nodded her head and leaned forward again. "Have you decided what you are going to sing when the time comes?" Instantly, her face lit up with delight.
"I haven't decided yet, but definitely want to rock out," she grinned. "Maybe I'll sing two songs!" She literally wiggled in place and squealed. It suddenly occurred to Kurama that this was his first time seeing this side of her. Playful, yes, but never genuinely excited in this manner. Briefly, he wondered if he was the only one to see most, if not all, sides of her. It was a selfish, yet comforting thought. "Hm? What?" Kurama blinked. Scarlett smirked. "You were staring really hard just now."
"Forgive me," he chuckled. "Could it be that I am jealous?"
"Jealous...? You?"
"Yes..." His eyes closed for a moment. "You see, I do not have such a hobby that brings about euphoric feelings."
"Eh? What about reading?"
"As enjoyable as it is—knowledge is power, after all—I'm afraid I do not experience feelings of extreme excitement from doing so," Kurama admitted.
"Oh... That is such a shame," Scarlett remarked. "I had it in my head that you liked dancing in the moonlight or something." Kurama nearly choked, causing his houseguest to snicker. "Nothing is too sacred for fangirls... or fanboys." She had the nerve to wink. At his slightly sour expression, Scarlett began to laugh again. Gradually, her giggles faded. "Come on, there must be something."
"I must not have reached that something quite yet."
"What about as Yoko?" She narrowed her eyes a bit. "I bet he dipped into all three of the ninja's deadly sins."
Ninja...?
"Ah—I suppose stealing held quite the sensation," Kurama murmured. "But I have reformed since then." Scarlett nodded her head in agreement.
"Well, I assume you have a long life ahead of you, so surely you'll find something," she closed her eyes, grinning. "But I'm special! No one feels the way I do when I do my hobby."
"I can't wait to see." The flush she took on was clear to his eyes even with the dimmed lights. Then their orders were placed in front of them, and the blush vanished. Clearly she was hungry by the way her eyes gleamed upon seeing the okonomiyaki in front of her. Fortunately, she had the decency to not drool as well. Kurama mentally chuckled as Scarlett hurriedly reached for chopsticks.
"Itadakimasu!" Her eyes shifted to him. She bit her lower, appearing embarrassed. "Sorry—go ahead." Kurama nodded, and then performed the same actions as she had done. He took a bite. Scarlett anticipated his reaction. "Good, right?"
"Hm—it's delicious," Kurama agreed.
"Right?" Scarlett cracked a grin before she began eating.
They continued to speak with one another as they ate. During this time, Scarlett couldn't help but notice Kurama's ever-present gaze. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, knowing his eyes were glued to her body. But she was a bit self-conscious. There was no reason to maintain eye contact, right? Never before did she notice how truly green his eyes were. They reminded her of an open field. There was more than one shade of green in his eyes. Despite the view, she felt herself flushing under his steady look. She really hoped that there wasn't food stuck in her teeth. Who knew how many times she smiled during their conversations. Scarlett mentally pouted, wishing she knew what was going through his head as he stared at her.
Scarlett suddenly coughed out. The water she had drunk had gone down the wrong way. Even as she nearly died to clear her airway, she couldn't help but think how ridiculous she must have looked. Oh God—was snot coming out her nostrils? She could feel some type of liquid there. Tears squeezed out of her eyes, too. This was too horrible. A hand found its way on hers. Immediately, her coughing fit ceased. Embarrassed, she met his eyes. "Are you alright now?" he asked.
"Despite the extra eyes on me because of the life or death ordeal, I'm good," Scarlett answered. She pressed her lips into a thin line, feeling his thumb continue to caress the skin on her hand. "So-" She cleared her throat once again, just to make sure she could breathe properly. "Are you finished?"
"Yes, and you were right. It was great," Kurama answered. "I-"
"Scarlett-san, are you okay?!" Densuke's frantic voice interrupted whatever her host was going to say. Scarlett turned to see him coming, slipping her hand from underneath Kurama's. "Can I get you anything? How about-"
"No, I'm fine!" Scarlett replied. "Crisis has been averted." She could have sworn he was at the back. How did he even notice? "But since you're here, how about you announce me?" Her eyes twinkled with glee. Densuke grinned and laughed.
"You are the only one who sings when it's not the night," he remarked. "But I'll go do that for you now since I like you so much!" His cheeks gained a pink tinge, but he quickly turned and began walking towards the stage. Scarlett thought nothing of it as she shifted her attention back to Kurama. However, his eyes were narrowed in Densuke's direction. She blinked in confusion. That wasn't an expression that she had even seen on his face. He must have sensed her eyes on him because he began speaking without removing his sharp gaze from the bar owner's son.
"Have you decided what you are singing?" he questioned.
"Uh..." This was certainly strange. She actually felt uneasy now, but she couldn't explain why. "I guess. You'll cheer me on, right?" At last, his attention returned. He smiled and nodded. Scarlett almost sighed out. This made her feel less ill at ease and more relaxed. She heard her name, causing her to stand. As she moved towards the stage, she glided her hand across his shoulders. Not sure why she did it, she continued on until she stood beside Densuke, who wished her luck before handing her the microphone. "Luck...? Who cares about the audience?" she thought. "This is for me."Her eyes slowly opened. A familiar beat entered her head. The song had been stuck in her head for quite some time now. It was time to release it. She breathed out slowly, and then started.
Come feel my aching heart... about to break
The gentle wind that blows...
Fills the air with peacefulness
We're standing face to face
Hand in hand
And then the evening twilight drapes its arms around us
And it melts away~!
Scarlett closed her eyes as she went on. This felt so good. It wasn't long before she was fully into herself, ignoring everything around. This was only a warm up, though. She hadn't used her voice like this in quite some time. This first song was very much needed. It was like a catalyst in some way. The events of the past were brought to her mind's eye. Her butt being thoroughly beaten... Her father... Yusuke's death... Scarlett leisurely opened her eyes. "Kurama..." Her mind whispered. He was staring right at her with such an unreadable expression. Ba-bump. Her hand reached up, touching her chest, where under her skin, her heart resided. It had skipped. Well, that's what it had felt like.
So now I draw the line
To live another journey
Cause even though we've been here together
We're still different people
But we're not alone...
The corner of his lips suddenly tugged upward. That small smile had such an effect on her. Scarlett shut her eyes again. Many of the things he did had an effect on her. She knew why, too. Wasn't it odd? More than likely, she had known all along, yet subconsciously refused to acknowledge it. Most likely, her nature was irritating to those around her, but she tended to ignore things out of her control. Her father had been right. What she did was just another barrier to prevent others from getting too close. However... Scarlett felt herself blushing. "I want to remove my defenses this time."
As her song came to a close, Kurama realized that even though her voice was nothing extraordinary, her singing did serve as a reliever. Scarlett truly was a unique woman. It was no wonder he couldn't compare her to any of the other women in his life. His smile widened a bit. Once finished with the song, Scarlett bowed. This caused clapping from the audience. She didn't seem to notice that her audience had expanded as she sang until she was done. The grin spread on her face as she extended two fingers in the air—a victory sign. "I suppose that's fairly accurate," Kurama thought. As she sang, her body had almost completely relaxed. It was as if he had been watching her reach a state of her own clarification.
The young woman spoke into the microphone, telling her 'adoring fans' that she would perform again. She gripped the microphone with both hands. Kurama could see that she had a habit of closing her eyes before the beginning of her performance. He chuckled. He wondered if she realized. Her voice came out. She had decided to sing in English. Unlike last time, her voice was a bit deeper and slower—almost... sensual. Then it became higher pitched. Not too high, but high enough for him to realize that a woman was the owner of the song. As if the 'queen' part of lyrics wasn't a giveaway already. Kurama blinked. Suddenly, Scarlett's eyes snapped towards him. Even with the microphone in front of her mouth, he could see the smile.
Let me be your labor of love~
My royal garden needs a hired man
Plant your seed, darling
My roses are in your hand!
His cheeks grew warmer. He blinked. What that directed at him? Kurama swallowed, feeling his mouth go dry. It couldn't be. It was only a song. Yes, she had outstretched a hand towards his general direction. But there were other people who had shuffled over, even in their drunken state, to see the singing foreigner. The young woman did have incredible stage presence despite the fact that her voice wasn't as great as others and she was singing in English. Even now, her eyes had closed again as she went into the chorus. Besides, Scarlett did not know that he could speak and understand English. That was not a fact he had divulged. Kurama narrowed his eyes. For a fleeting moment, his attention shifted away from his houseguest. The teen, Densuke, had returned.
"She's... really something," he breathed out. He had already been charmed by the ignorant woman. "Say... Are you and Scarlett-san... dating by any chance?" Kurama succeeded in keeping the scowl from his face. Still, his eyes were on Scarlett. She seemed none the wiser of this conversation.
"We are not together, no," he answered. Densuke breathed a sigh of relief. However, before he could go any further, Kurama continued. "But I must say that I have decided to pursue her seriously. I would appreciate it if you were to stop your efforts at gaining her heart. You will not succeed." Out of the corner of his eye, he observed that the teen's expression had turned into a glower.
"Isn't that a little much?" he asked, trying to keep the snarl out of his tone. "Scarlett-san wouldn't settle for a girly looking man, don't you think?" Despite the implication, Kurama remained as calm as ever.
"It would be in your best interest to find another woman," he advised. Densuke scoffed, yet said nothing else. The teen walked away just as Scarlett was finishing her little show. She bowed several times to her clapping audience, and then returned the microphone to its proper place before nearly leaping from the stage. The woman quickly made her way over to him. She sat down, panting and grinning. Her eyes were on him as if she was expecting something. "You were right," he stated.
"Right... about what?" she asked, wiping the sweat that slid down the side of her face.
"You indeed have a passion for singing, and it clearly is your drug," Kurama explained. Scarlett smiled brightly. "However, it is not something to be too proud of."
"Jeez, what a nice backhanded compliment," she put on a sour expression. It did not last long. Scarlett did not take his teasing to heart. "I feel great now! I'm fired up!"
"That was quite a song choice," Kurama commented. She gave an almost timid smile.
"So you know English well, do you?" she questioned. Then she laughed a bit. "Yeah, despite the chorus sounding as though she wants to become a pedophile, I love her voice. The lead singer's in a rock band, but she has soul." Scarlett grinned again. "Maybe I'll sing a Japanese rock song when you bring me back here!" Kurama blinked several times at the bold remark, and then he smiled.
"Yes, I am looking forward to that," he said.
"So I'm pretty sure I got all that stress out. Should we leave or-" she stopped for a moment, turning her gaze beyond her host. Kurama did not have to turn to know that two people were moving towards their table. One of them was angry. "Densuke-san...?" So he had returned, did he? And with help, too. The red head almost clicked his tongue in annoyance. Things had been going well before he learned of Densuke's existence. Now, it seemed as though they couldn't walk away without trouble. Perhaps he had been too harsh with his words before? Jealousy was not something he had experienced in the past. It was almost silly of him to behave in that way.
"Scarlett-san." It had not been Densuke who had greeted the young woman. The person's voice seemed much deeper than the teen's. Finally, Kurama turned his head. Densuke was there, but there was a larger person by his side. The two shared resemblance. However, the larger man was clearly older. "There seems to be a bit of a problem here."
"Really? Is it because I jumped off the stage again? I swear I won't do it again!"
"That's what you said the last five times," the man stated. Scarlett chuckled nervously. "But that really isn't a problem if you avoid the cords." His brown eyes sharply turned to Kurama. "The problem is your friend here."
"Shuichi-kun...?"
"If I may, what is the problem?" Kurama asked. He stood up. Scarlett hastily did the same. Could she sense the hostility as well? "If I have done something wrong, I apologize." He bowed his head. "And I assure you that it will not happen again."
"You're right. It won't happen again because you are not allow inside my bar ever again, Shuichi-san."
"What?!" Scarlett was not happy about this. "Why, Himekawa-san? What did he do?"
"He is a danger to my son, and I don't appreciate that." The man crossed his arms. "You, Scarlett-san, do not have to go, but he does." Her teeth grind together. This explanation was not good enough. Kurama said it was fine and moved to leave. But it wasn't fine. She grabbed his wrist, keeping her eyes on the owner of the bar.
"Tell me what he did that's so dangerous to Densuke-san," Scarlett demanded. "If you can't give me a clear justification as to why you're putting Shuichi out, I will do something you will regret."
"Scarlett..." Kurama's tone was warning, but she decided to ignore it. The older man stared her down, hoping that his fierce look would win. It would not. Hiei was much more terrifying than this mere human. At last, the man scoffed.
"You are a brave woman, Scarlett-san," he said. "That being said, bravery could be mistaken with stupidity, wouldn't you agree?" The young woman did not keep the glare from her face. "My family does like you, so do not do something that will destroy our image of you." He stepped closer. "Also, I would advise you not to get too close this weak man. He wouldn't be able to protect you." He whispered this as if Kurama wouldn't be able to hear it. "Men of the Himekawa family are built strong and tough, you know."
Scarlett actually started laughing. Abruptly, it came to an end. She threw aside her host's hand, focusing a glare on the man. He, wisely, chose to take several steps back. "You think I need to be protected by someone who's weaker than me?" she nearly hissed. "If there's one thing I can't stand it is to be looked at as something fragile that needs protection. I thought that is what irked me for the longest time. However, I realize that it is those who judge my strength based on appearance alone." She smirked. "Himekawa-san, your family is built strong, huh? Sorry for speaking this out loud, but you wouldn't stand three minutes with me and even less time if it were Shuichi. You shouldn't mouth off about things you aren't sure about."
"Y-You-" He seemed quite flustered.
"You don't have to worry about him coming back either," Scarlett continued. "We won't be returning to such an unfair business establishment."
"Sca-Scarlett-san...!" Densuke stood in front of her, preventing her from leaving quickly like she wanted to.
"I despise men who cause unnecessary problems." This one sentence made the teen freeze, allowing her time to take Kurama's wrist and leave. She stopped just at the entrance. "Oh right... You didn't explain to me why you were kicking him out. I said I'd make you regret it, didn't I?" She lifted a chair with her free hand. Then she randomly threw it into open space. Densuke and his father were confused. Hell, she was sure everyone was confused at the moment. Seconds later, a fight broke out, and then it turned into a full out bar brawl. "Have fun with that!" Scarlett waved goodbye as she made her exit. The sounds of punching and yelling made her smile. The sounds did a wonderful job at satisfying and quelling her anger. How dare they treat Kurama in that way? They deserve all the damage they were going to have to pay for. "Mess with me, will they?!"
"Scarlett was that really necessary? We could have left peacefully," Kurama's voice snapped her out of her musings. She stopped, and then released his hand. A soft sigh came from her mouth.
"Not only did they insult me, but they also insulted you," Scarlett stated. "I couldn't control myself at that moment. It won't happen in the future, though." She turned to face him. Her breath almost caught in her throat. Kurama was standing so close to her. She blinked twice as she swallowed the saliva in her mouth. "Hm? What?"
"Unnecessary as it might have been, I am grateful," he said. Scarlett backed away a bit, nodding her head. The red head licked his lips. Blue eyes averted to the ground. "Since you have allowed me to see where you unwind, would you like to see where I used to relax when I was young?"
"You had to relax?"
"It is quite frustrating to socialize with elementary school children with the mind of a centuries old fox demon."
"Ah—quite right," Scarlett agreed. "Okay, show me your place of relaxation."
0-0
"I was skeptic at first, but this place is pretty cool," Scarlett admitted. She lied down and closed her eyes. Breathing in deeply, she smiled. "It's quite refreshing here." Her arms stretched up before they were used as cushions for her head. Her blue eyes stared up at the night sky. "It's peaceful and beautiful here." Kurama had taken her to this place, just behind his home. Perhaps that wasn't an accurate statement. In actuality, there was a relatively small forest behind his house. It was that forest and this clearing which separated his home from the nearby park. However, no one knew of this place beside himself and his mother. And now, Scarlett knew of it as well.
Kurama sat down beside her. The two weren't exactly in the clearing. They were at the outer edge of the forest, where a row of cherry blossoms were planted. The soles of Scarlett's shoes were propped up against the base of one of the trees. Oppositely, his back was against the bark; one knee was raised. After glancing at the young woman for a moment, Kurama tilted his head back, gazing at the swaying pink petals. The night wind wasn't strong enough to blow them away. "Often I would come here to... get away and practice regaining my demonic abilities," he stated. Scarlett did not reply, and so he continued. "Once, my mother found me here. Fortunately, I was merely meditating on a branch when she spotted me among the cherry blossoms."
"Were you upset that your secret place was discovered?"
"I suppose, in a way, I was," Kurama confessed. "I believe I caused my mother great stress because I had viewed her as more of a nuisance than a mother."
"I know the feeling," Scarlett whispered. Her eyes shut. "After my father died, I dealt with the grief by closing myself off, throwing myself into writing. I would stay in my room for hours, barely remembering to eat. My mom tried to interact with me, but I shut her away, too, honestly thinking she wouldn't understand. I thought what she was doing was annoying. I felt that fantasy was more comforting than reality, and it was my escape. It took two years for me to realize that I was hurting my mom. She needed comfort and escape just as much as I did, and yet she did not have a place she could escape to. I wonder if she saw me as a horrible child for those two years of silence between us."
"Most parents love their children unconditionally," Kurama responded. "A behavior change does not stop this love." A soft sigh escaped her lips. Her eyes opened and a small smile appeared.
"I know... so don't go beating yourself up over the past either." The red head blinked, not covering his look of surprise. Scarlett grinned, showing her teeth. "Don't look too shocked by my brilliance! It's like an insult or something!" Kurama let out a chuckle.
"Forgive me," he said. "You made me feel as though you needed to be reassured, and yet your intention was to make me feel better. You are... quite amazing." The grin didn't leave her face. Most likely her ego had been boosted quite considerably.
"Everyone's amazing," Scarlett commented. "The trait doesn't come out until that person is around someone equally amazing, if not more."
"Do I amaze you, Scarlett?"
"As much as catnip to a cat, Kurama."
There it was again. The undeniable feeling flooding through his veins—only Scarlett was able to make him feel this. It was something akin to ice and fire. Strange combination, he knew, but that is honestly what he felt around this woman. And she seemed none the wiser. For such an intelligent being, she was also quite dense, concerning matters of the heart. If she had felt something for him—other than friendship—as well, it was quite possible that she would have ignored it or did not understand it, which would result in her forgetting about it entirely. As he thought previously, a candid approach in this pursuit would be wise.
Scarlett suddenly let out a wistful sigh. She didn't say anything, but he had an idea of why her sigh sounded so pensive. "I am sorry," Kurama murmured. She looked his way. "Your place of relaxation was taken from you because of my... behavior towards that employee." Her gaze lingered for quite awhile before she slowly blinked.
"It's okay," she said. "But you don't have to apologize. I'm the one that became angry. It's my fault. Besides, I didn't need that place. I can sing anytime I want to. I'll just use a brush or something."
"You can sing for me anytime," Kurama smiled.
"No taking back what you said!" Grinning, she closed her eyes again. "And anyway, I'm a writer by nature. Writing is also a de-stressor for me. It feels like I haven't written anything in awhile." The wind picked up, blowing strands of her dark hair around. This also caused flower petals to dance and swarm about. Once the wind dissipated, several petals landed on the young woman's face. Underneath her eyelid, her eye moved back and forth, feeling the slight weight of the pink petal.
"Here, allow me," Kurama leaned forward, reaching out to remove the petal from her eye. Scarlett smiled, yet kept her eyes shut. He mirrored her smile and continued to casually take the petals from her face. His fingertips lightly caressed her visage. She wore such a peaceful face—as though she trusted him completely. Kurama rested his palm against her soft cheek. He blinked, and then smirked. She must have 'borrowed' his things again. "There are some in your hair as well," he told her.
"Leave them," Scarlett replied. She turned her head a bit. Her lips grazed the side of his thumb, causing his eyes to widen. "You probably just want an excuse to run your fingers through my freshly washed hair anyway." At her comment, Kurama's face reddened and slowly removed his hand from her cheek. Scarlett didn't seem to care for his reaction. She was so unpredictable at times. "Hm... The moon's so bright here," Scarlett remarked. "Though, I've never really looked at it before. The sky's not really clear where I come from. When Momo-chan and I ate on top of the roof of my apartment, she would complain about it a lot, saying that she would rather look at the sky from her grandfather's farm."
"Momo... chan?"
"Oh, sorry, you wouldn't know who she is," she laughed a bit. "She's a friend from my high school days. She's the reason that I even came to know of this world." She suddenly smirked. "Hiei was her favorite for some strange reason. I can't remember why, though. Probably his eyes—all three of them. She was such a weird girl." Ah yes... He had almost forgotten. Scarlett was not of this world... or dimension. She had family and friends other than Yusuke and the others. Kurama lowered his eyelids.
"Do you... miss your home?" he questioned, trying to keep the hint of worry from his tone. Moments passed, and yet the young woman did not answer. "Scarlett...?"
"... Yeah, I guess I do," she murmured. Kurama felt like his core was constricting. "But... if I had a choice, then I would most likely choose this place." Scarlett didn't see the relieved expression that crossed her host's face because she closed her eyes. "I don't know, but it felt like... I was always the odd one out. Not because I was a foreigner, but there was something else. Here, I don't feel that. Like the friendships I've gained here mean more than anything to me." The young woman sighed and opened her eyes. "But I don't suppose Koenma-sama's daddy is going to let me stay here just because of that. Maybe I should give a friendship speech. You think that would cause him to crumple in tears?"
"I highly doubt that," Kurama chuckled. Scarlett poked her bottom lip out. "However, if you were to have a... physical attachment to this place, perhaps you could stay." The young woman sat up, blinking. Their stares locked. "If I had to choose... I wouldn't want you to disappear from my side either." His words could be taken one of two ways. She could take it as him not wanting her to choose her side—her world—over his. Or she could take it as he intended. Judging from her widened eyes and her parted lips, Scarlett had taken the latter. Her cheeks were flushed as well. Her eyes averted for a second.
"What do you... propose?" she asked. "You said physical, but I'm pretty sure chaining myself to something isn't going to work."
"Chaining yourself to someone, however, could and would work quite well," Kurama said. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He paused before continuing. "Do you remember what happened before I left—before Sensui came for you?" He could literally see her sifting through her memories by the way her eyes moved. Finally, a small gasp came forth. "I see that you do." Scarlett turned her eyes to her left wrist. Then, her blue gaze drifted back to stare into his eyes. "I suppose my actions caused quite a bit of strife for you?" Scarlett nodded her head once. "Then allow me to explain now. I realize that you do not know the ways of demons, and yet I have repeatedly behaved in a way that implied that you did. That is unfair to you." Both of her knees rose and she wrapped her arms around her folded legs. She was genuinely interested in what he was about to say. "Frankly speaking, what I did means that I intend to court you. And will continue to do that as the courtship goes on."
"... You demons sure are weird," Scarlett muttered. Kurama sweated. Trust her to respond in such a way. "So explain this demon courting thing. What happens when it's clear that both parties know what the intention is?"
"The intention of courtship can either be denied or accepted. If denied, the courtship does not start. If accepted, the other is allowing the courtship to begin. In accepting the intention, this allows for intimate touching between the two, including licking closer to the neck," Kurama stated. "Eventually, this leads to the next stage—the stage before mating." Scarlett tilted her head. "If the courtship is successful, the mating ritual will soon follow. If that is successful, an unbreakable bond forms between the two."
"Hm... This sounds like a pretty big deal especially since you keep saying if in your explanation," the young woman voiced her opinion.
"Yes, it is quite a critical affair," Kurama said. "Demons do not feel in the same way as humans. Love is almost nonexistent. Of course, there is attraction and lust, but love rarely happens between two demons."
"And in order for official mating to happen, there must be love?"
"That is correct, otherwise, the unbreakable bond does not form. That is why there are very low percentages of successful mating," he answered. His eyes narrowed. "Although I impulsively acted with the intention of courting, I do wish to court you." Even under the faint light of the moon and stars, the reddening of her cheeks was fairly visible.
"With such low possible chances of success, is it really worth going through all that?" Scarlett asked. "Do you think you can love me?"
"I believe at the moment what I feel for you is not friendship. I cannot be sure if what I feel is equivalent to love, but if you accept, we can find out together."
0-0