14

The next day Kurama's in such a good mood he agrees to go to dinner with Kaito and his girlfriend sometime during the next week. Kaito is so thrilled he gets to prove to at least one person that Kurama exists he doesn't even try to keep Kurama on the phone for more than half an hour. Finally the fox convinces Kaito that he does in fact have to go to Kuwabara and Yukina's for the evening and he manages to hang up the phone.

In Shinjuku Kurama doesn't sense Chouko's youki and wonders where she is and what she's doing as he walks to Kuwabara's apartment. He wonders if he should call her and then pushes the thought away. He'll give it another day at least, they're not humans after all, there isn't a rush. And he doesn't want admit that he wants to see her again so soon. If she's interested in continuing this dangerous game, she can let him know he tells himself.

Kuwabara lets him in and is in a far better mood than the last time they saw each other. Something smells slightly different and Kurama is wondering vaguely if they changed soaps while Kuwabara hands him a drink and turns down the TV. Yukina appears moments later, bearing snacks, and is followed by a second set of footsteps.

"Soo, who is the mystery girl?"

Kurama is startled to see Shizuru—he hadn't known she was visiting—and even more startled by the question. But he knows exactly to whom she's referring. Shizuru's smiling and not in a bad way, but he's nervous all the same. Emotions are funny things and even though she has a boyfriend now, it's still possible she could be jealous. They had had something brief and desperate after Sensui's defeat, but when he answered Yomi's summons it all started falling apart. Everything had been amicable enough, but Kurama plans for possibilities.

"You wouldn't know her," he says politely and hopes it doesn't get taken the wrong way.

There's some eyebrow raising, but not much else, probably because they expect this kind of reticence from him.

"Human, demon, spirit-thing?" Shizuru says as she fiddles with her fake cigarette.

He and Yukina had finally persuaded her onto them. They were supposed to help her quit, but Shizuru is too used to having something to gesture with to give it up completely.

"Demon," he admits under the intense scrutiny of three pairs of eyes.

"Do you know what class she is yet?" Kuwabara asks, apparently feeling now that Shizuru brought the subject up it's okay for everyone to jump in.

"I'm not sure," Kurama says. "I've never seen her fully powered up. I assume Lower A since she was here before the barrier came down." He tells them them what he thinks Chouko wants people to assume and keeps his suspicions to himself.

"What does she do?" Yukina asks and Kurama feels slightly hemmed in as they all watch him.

"She's a florist."

Kuwabara can't quite hide his chuckle and Shizuru doesn't even try.

"Really, Kurama?" she asks as she laughs.

"Really," he replies. "She owns a flower shop and I have only just found out about it."

"Does she always smell like flowers?" Kuwabara chuckles.

"She smells like tangerines," Kurama snaps and immediately wishes he hadn't. They're all staring at him in an uncomfortable way.

"That's a bit—unusual—for a demon," Kuwabara says and he clearly thinks she's done something to Kurama's head. He's not completely wrong.

Yukina presses the back of her hand to Kurama's forehead and suddenly he just needs to be out of the apartment and away from everyone. They recognize his expression and it seems to him that they close in on him slightly, blocking the exits.

"Well," he takes a breath and settles everything: his breathing, his heart rate, his posture, even the air around him stills. He's been practicing ever since he found out about Yomi. The others relax as well. "She is an unusual demon."

"Are you going to see her again?" Kuwabara asks.

"It seems likely with such a small and tense demon community."

Yukina rolls her eyes and Kuwabara bangs his hand on the table.

"You know that's not what I meant!"

"Oh, I apologize for misunderstanding. Have you been practicing your aura manipulation like I suggested?"

Kuwabara gives up this time, perhaps sensing the stubbornness that's set in in Kurama.

"Some, but I'm pretty busy."

"Not too busy to watch the game," Kurama nods at the TV, currently showing the fourth inning of a baseball game and Kuwabara looks appropriately sheepish.

They all eat dinner together and Kurama suggests that Yukina's cooking is better every time he tries it. She murmurs politely and looks pleased. Shizuru has her observing expression on and he doesn't like the feeling that she's checking up on him. If any of them should be the one doing the checking up on others it's him, but Shizuru has always been too level-headed to accept that argument.

"Tell him about your new customer!" Kuwabara has just never learned to keep his voice down when he's excited.

Yukina smiles and gets an encouraging elbow from Shizuru.

"I've recently started seeing a new patient. She suffers from migraines and I have been curing them for her. She tells me that they are growing less frequent and intense now."

"That's good news. We've always known you're a remarkable healer." Kurama has to wonder why Kuwabara is so excited for a few moments longer while Yukina tries to decide on the best way to continue.

"She is so pleased that she wants to help me gain recognition for my reiki healing."

Alarms are sounding in Kurama's mind but he keeps his tone neutral and his expression mild.

"That is quite thoughtful of her. Are you sure you're ready for an influx of new patients?"

"She's going to be on TV!" Kuwabara just can't hold it in any longer. "TV!"

Kurama allows a little frown to appear. "Ah."

Yukina catches his expression but Kuwabara is too caught up. He raises his bottle for a toast but Yukina puts a hand on his arm.

"What is it Kurama?"

"I may be overly cautious but I would want to make sure the television show you will be appearing on will accurately portray you."

"What'd'ya mean?"

"What he means, dumbass," Shizuru cuts in, "is to make sure you're not on trash TV and they're not showing you off as some sort of crackpot. Don't worry I already told them that."

"Yeah, it's a real talk show."

"Well, I'm glad to hear it and quite relieved" Kurama says without actually feeling it. But Yukina is smiling and he can't help feeling old and over-cautions. Not everything is a trap.

Kaito and Kuwabara both live in Shinjuku, so Kurama goes to them for their first meeting. Yukina runs her reiki practice from home so they're meeting at Kaito's apartment and he gets to show off. Kurama catches the train after class and can't help looking around just in case he spots a demon in a lacy skirt, but there's no Chouko to be found.

She had sent him a text the day before that said: "Dinner was fun. Tanuki say you're welcome in Shinjuku." He took that to mean she felt he was welcome in Shinjuku, not just a tolerated interloper. If only all tense relations between demons could be settled by a nice dinner and a few bottles of sake then—why then the demon world would be a lot more boring. No, he certainly wouldn't wish that kind of amiability on demon-kind. He thinks about that for the rest of the ride and the latest news he's had of demon world politics. Enki's second term as king hasn't been exactly smooth, but shockingly Mukuro has been one of his biggest supporters. Kurama suspects it's because she enjoys being contrary.

It's been a while since Kuwabara has been to Kaito's place so both he and Kurama get the full tour. A few tiny rooms filled with books and literary journals, but still fairly neat. There's even a few plants in the living room and they make Kurama smile slightly as he thinks about his word game with Kaito years ago. Kaito's girlfriend is at the library, studying.

"Have you told her of your ability yet?" Kurama asks as he runs a hand over a fern's fronds.

Kaito adjusts his glasses and shrugs.

"You haven't told her!" Kuwabara seems almost too much for the small space: too loud, too energetic, and too indignant at the moment.

"I've been working around to it." Kaito takes a seat and opens a beer. "I've given her some pretty clear hints, so she knows I think I have some psychic ability, but she clearly doesn't believe me yet. I am not about to spring all of my powers and this whole other world on her."

"But you are going to tell her, right?"

"Yes, yes," Kaito waves his hand. "I plan on it. Maybe you can come over and help me explain everything when it's time, Kuwabara-kun."

"Oh no," Kuwabara waves his hands and takes a step back. "I've been through that way too many times already."

Kurama clears his throat and the others drop it immediately. It pleases him to still have that kind of power in a conversation, but it's not the same anymore. It isn't necessary, he doesn't have to be in charge and most of the time he doesn't even want to be. But now is the time to take command.

"Kaito, I'd like to work on expanding the range of your territory. Kuwabara, we can better hone your sixth sense to help us predict when something is going to happen. We should also come up with a way to signal each other from anywhere in the city that doesn't depend on our cell phones."

They toss ideas around for an hour and then Kurama lays out basic plans. The humans clearly both feel better at the end, Kurama however, is starting to realize just how unprepared they all are.