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Cezarina: I absolutely love reading your thoughts on each chapter, they give me a good insight on what feelings the chapters provoke. I have send you a Private message cause putting my reply here would be way to long. Maybe you haven't received it due to the glitch last week? If you haven't received it yet, let me know.
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Note
English isn't my native language but I'm trying my best. Do tell me about reoccurring error's so I can implement and improve wherever needed. Tell me what you think or theorize in the comments, they always inspire me.
"Bud." Yusuke laid a hand on Kurama's shoulder, he was met with an agitated humm. "Let's take a break. Rest up a bit." He looked behind him where Kuwabara has already found a dry patch of land and sat down, his head leaning heavily on his hands.
"You know we can't camp here or anywhere past this point?" Kurama kept his voice low. "We have to continue and resolve this matter, we can't turn back now."
Yusuke squeezed his shoulder, his brows furrowed. "Follow me for a second." Leading him through the trees until Kuwabara and Hiei were out of sight and sound, he halted and turned towards Kurama. "What did they do to you."
"Who?" Kurama's eyes widened in suspicion and confusion.
"You know who, what did they do I don't know about?" Yusuke clenched his jaw as he waited for an answer.
"Yusuke." Kurama began. "There are barely any memories left, they didn't treat me any different than they did you."
"You sure?" Yusuke relaxed a bit. "You seem indifferent as of late." He saw Kurama turn his head, eyeing the trees to his left. "You know you can talk to us, right? What's bothering you?"
Kurama sighed silently. "I hate my work."
"Then quit." Yusuke laughed as he saw Kurama's shocked expression. "Fuck your job, fuck paperwork, fuck staplers oh god I hate staplers." Yusuke shook his head in disapproval. "If you hate your work, then quit."
"You don't understand." Kurama slouched his shoulders.
"I do, shit I work in a noodle shop.." Yusuke began.
"But you enjoy your work." Kurama interrupted.
"I do." Yusuke continued. "Sometimes I don't, but I enjoy my work, it's better than a life of crime." Yusuke smiled as he saw Kurama's saddened expression. "My point is, what's stopping you from changing career? Fuck this isn't even what you're meant to do." Kurama looked up at this statement. "You were meant to do so much more than plain paperwork. You're supposed to be up there with the surgeons, scientists. You're to smart for this Kurama. What's stopping you?"
"My family." Kurama's mood dropped once more. "I don't want to disappoint them."
"Is that why you've been so flammable lately?" The gears in Yusuke's head turned, making connection after connection.
"Not particularly, it's a factor." Kurama shook his head.
"Then what other stuff is bothering you?" Yusuke edged closer to him.
"It's you." Kurama bit his cheek, not wanting to look him in the eye. "You and Kuwabara among others as well."
"Oh." Yusuke's reply was short but Kurama heard the hurt in his voice. "I'm sorry."
"It's just that my entire month has been planned full, worked extra hours, got blamed for something at work I didn't do.. I just wanted to have a peaceful dinner with Botan, I wanted to go out of the house in peace, I didn't even want to tell anyone about us yet." Kurama paused for a few seconds to breath. "You stuck your nose in my business, Kuwabara too, I'm just stressed, why can't I be alone for more than an hour?" Kurama choked in his words as he met Yusuke's stare. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, I know you mean well but I.." Kurama sighed.
"I understand." Yusuke smiled. "I can imagine it stresses you out, I shouldn't have coaxed you to tell us things that are private to you."
"Sometimes it feels like everyone forgets I'm a merger, not a possession." Kurama gave him a sad smile. "I'm just human."
"It's human to feel stressed." Yusuke laughed, earning a soft chuckle from Kurama in return. "We'll leave you alone if you feel like being alone. I won't even ask about you know who."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for calling you out like this." Kurama lowered his gaze.
"It's fine, I want you to tell me what's bothering you, that's what friends are for." Yusuke reassured. He reached out, pulling Kurama into a sudden embrace. Kurama tensed at first but relaxed soon after, a deep sigh escaping his lips. They retreated after a few moments. "You looked like you needed a hug." Yusuke patted his shoulder.
"I did, thank you." Kurama turned as he heard Kuwabara call out. "Guess we should continue."
"Yeah." Yusuke clicked his tongue. "Let's aid Hiei in containing this mess so we can go home."
Walking back to the rest, they found Kuwabara standing arms crossed against one of the blackened trees near the dry patch of land. "Don't know where y'all disappeared to but it's time to get going, camping here isn't an option." Kuwabara pushed himself off of the tree.
"True, if we go now we can probably get back to a reasonable camping place before dark." Kurama replied.
Hiei hadn't bothered to move from the only sturdy branch since they stopped walking.
"Is he still okay with, ya know?" Kuwabara nudged towards Yusuke.
"I don't know." He replied.
"First of all, I can hear you, second, yes I'm still taking this task upon me cause neither one of you have the discipline to contain it." Hiei scoffed, lowering himself from the branch, careful enough to not break it.
"You got a point there, but it's not like I want to trade with you. You take care of that thing and we'll just be emotional support of something." Yusuke waved him off.
"I do not need emotional support." Hiei growled under his breath.
"Well, you're stuck with us anyway. Where do we go now?" Yusuke turned towards Kurama. "Can you ask the trees?"
Kurama sighed but smiled at the question. He nodded and moved to the biggest tree in their surroundings. He lowered himself to a kneeling position, reaching out his hands towards the tree but halted a few inches before his skin made contact.
"Is something wrong?" Yusuke commented behind him. Kurama felt all their eyes digging into his back.
"No, it's nothing." Kurama took a deep breath before slowly placing his fingertips onto the bark. A scorch of unknown energy pulled him to the tree like a strong magnet as soon as his fingers touched the tree. Kurama gasped in surprise, eyes wide in shock. Where first only his fingers touched, the entire palm of his hand was slammed into the bark within the blink of an eye. Where he usually dispersed his energy to collect information, he found himself unable to do so. Something was reversing the effect, sending searing energy through his veins. Kurama clenched his jaw, trying to pry his fingers off of the tree to break the connection.
"Are you okay?" Kuwabara frowned as he saw him hunch over, his hands stuck like a fly on a sticky strap. He saw the muscles in his hands tense and loosen over and over again, his eyes open but unseeing.
Kurama felt the burning sensation traveling through his veins, paralyzing him from movement. No matter how much he struggled, he couldn't block out the unknown energy.
It wasn't until they heard the underlaying whimpers within his breaths they realized something was indeed wrong. Kuwabara approached Kurama, placing his hand upon Kurama's shoulder to try and stir him. He yelped when his hand made contact with Kurama's shoulder sending a burning sensation through his arm. Hiei was quick to act, Unsheathing his sword he cut through the tree's bark like a cheese-grader, freeing Kurama's hands from it's hold. Kuwabara fell to his knees, softly massaging his tingling hand.
"Jezus Hiei!' Yusuke excaimed. "Be careful, You could've cut off his fingers!" Darting forward he helped Kurama back up on his feet. "Can you stand?"
"What the fuck was that?" Hiei demanded, his sword still in his hand.
"It's here." Kurama panted. "We- are here."
Yusuke looked around, scanning each tree for abnormalities. Kuwabara, still on his knees, frowned as he saw a patch on darkened land, an eery glow at it's edge. "Uhm, guys.." Pushing himself back on his feet he slowly approached the creeping mass. "Guys!" He exclaimed louder. All three of them turned towards him.
"Found something?" Yusuke asked, carefully letting go of Kurama's waist as the fox stood steady on both feet.
"Something.. I think I found what we're looking for." Kuwabara pointed towards where he saw it. Yusuke followed him deeper into the woods, standing still at the edge of the eerily glowing mass. "I think this is it."
"Everything's gone, I'm very sure this is what Koenma is looking for." Reaching into his pocket he retrieved his communication device. Flipping it open, Koenma's face popped up after the static disappeared from the screen.
"Please tell me you got news." Koenma clamped his hands together. "Good news preferably."
"It's neither good nor bad." Yusuke began. "We found it but I think it's spreading."
"Spreading?!" Koenma squished his face against the screen. "Show me!"
Yusuke was about to flip his device around when a hand pulled him a few steps back. "Don't get too close to it." Kurama said firmly. "It's spreading quickly, don't stand on top of it, we don't know what it might do."
"Thanks." Yusuke was pulled back to the matter at hand when Koenma's high pitched voice screeched through the speakers. "Ah sorry, here." He turned it so Koenma could see what was happening but it stayed quiet at the other side of the line. "Oi pacifier breath, ya still there?"
Koenma hummed loudly. "Seems the tale was true. Or it seems like it at least."
"You're not making any sense." Yusuke held the communicator in front of him, camera facing the open space in front of him. "Do you mean the ancient thingy?"
"It's not something you can make fun of Yusuke." Koenma said matter of factly. "I don't know how it escaped, the perpetrator probably died seeing there is no physical form."
"Okay so what now?" Yusuke initiated.
"Continue the plan, is Hiei there?" Koenma asked.
"Right here, can I just get this over with..?" Hiei scoffed.
"Hold on Hiei." Koenma replied quickly. "I want you to work with Genkai after you've hopefully successfully absorbed it, don't want this power running wild." Hiei hummed annoyingly at Koenma's request. "Listen to me Hiei, this isn't just a power boost for you, this is something that needs to be monitored, if it goes ramped all three worlds will be in big trouble." Koenma continued. "Just meet Genkai after you've returned, Yusuke, make sure he goes there and stays there." With that he ended the call.
"Well, do your thing, I guess?" Yusuke placed the device back into his pocket. Hiei walked past him, he paused in front of the crawling line dividing life and dead ground as it spread. Lifting his leg he set foot on the other side of the line, the glow intensified and his body tingled in response. Making his way to the center of the open space he saw what was left of that part of the forest, the trees reduced to nearly nothing.
He reached the center without issue, the tingling in his body hadn't reduced. Kneeling down, he reached into the ground and uncovered his Jagan. The eye pulsed and he closed his eyes as an overwhelming amount of dark energy allowed itself to travel through his body.
...
"Is it somewhere near, Muma?" The teenage boy asked the elderly woman, he had listened to her story together with his sister from behind the group of children.
"It is, it's a bit further into the woods, close to the mountain." Muma answered. "I'm old and I could really use the help from strong youngsters like you."
The young girl held her stuffed toy as she followed them through the woods. Muma had asked them to stay and requested they help her home but the walk was towards a whole other direction. They soon arrived at the foot of the mountain, walking ahead of them, Muma approached the side of the mountain.
"Would you be so kind to help me open it?" Muma asked the teen.
He eyed his sister, telling her to stay there before helping Muma move the boulder. The inside of the cave was cold, it's breeze touched his cheek and he wiggled his nose as dust almost made him sneeze.
"Come." Muma walked inside of the cave, coaxing them to join her, which they did. Inside the cave stood a vase upon a stone pillar, right at it's center.
"You live here?" The teen asked.
"Let me introduce you to a third of Yami." Muma led them closer to the vase, the small girl hid behind her brother as the vase's energy got intenser the closer they came. Looking around they discovered the walls to be full of talisman. Muma saw them looking around and quickly started collecting talisman, prying them off of the walls.
"What are you doing?" He asked.
"Going home." Muma replied as she hurried to burn the collected talisman. "Here." She motioned to the vase. "Come a bit closer."
The boy hesitantly walked forward, it was when he was within arm's reach of the artifact, Muma swung her cane, knocking it to the floor.
...
Hiei gasped in surprise, he heard Yusuke call out asking him why it took so long. "Go around it." He yelled back.
"What?" Yusuke yelled back.
"Just follow the border, towards the mountain!" Hiei lifted himself off of the ground and started making his way further into the affected area. It was when he reached the foot of the mountain he saw the affected area shrink in width. The borders becoming visible again.
"Seems it's more interested in going deeper into the woods than it is in the mountain." Kurama said from the side, they had also reached the mountain.
Hiei eyed them from his position, they were indeed closer to him now. He hummed and squeezed through the opening in the solid body of rock. Inside he found a broken vase, a cane, some shoes and a stuffed animal. The shards of the vase glowing a radiant purple.
As his hands touched the shards, bolts of energy shot through his body. They weren't like the ones he felt outside, these were stronger, more concentrated and aggressive. His body jerked and he closed his eyes. His jaw was clenched shut so he reached out telepathically, he felt a bit more at ease as he received answer.
"Don't forget to breath." Kurama's voice was soothing, he let out the breath the breath he didn't know he was holding. "What is happening?" The voice continued inside his head.
"I don't know, it seems my jagan is rejecting it." Hiei replied, shaking his head as nausea took over.
"If that's the case you might have to open your mind, lay down your barrier." Kurama's voice coaxed.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Hiei scolded him telepathically, sighing as he felt the pressure increase ever so slightly.
"I might be." Kurama chuckled. "But you'll have to let it in for you to be able to absorb it. There is not other way I can think of."
Hiei closed his eyes as the walls of the cave started spinning, almost tumbling over he placed his other hand on the ground to restore his balance. His arm tingled, a cold shiver ran down his spine as the feeling in his fingers threatened to leave him. Opening his eyes he saw shards of dark purple moving under the skin of his left hand, his right stayed untouched.
He snapped back to reality as Kurama reached out again. "Hiei, are you still there?" Kurama's voice sounded a bit more hurried. "Stay with me Hiei."
A growl escaped Hiei's lips as he finally broke down his mental barrier, letting it in. He felt it's power crawling through his nerves, his Jagan pulsing in harmony with his quickened breath. "I'm here, I got it." As soon as he communicated it to Kurama, the pain left, the pressure in his head and body disintegrating like snow in summer. He opened his eyes, the shards of the vase still and the cave dark as the absence of the glow plunged it into darkness.
"Kurama?" Hiei tried standing but regretted it as he lost his footing, tumbling to the ground as the feeling in his hands and feet returned, bringing an unpleasant tingling sensation with it. "Kurama?" He repeated. The sound of stone against stone made him turn, squinting his eyes as light penetrated the cave.
...
"He went in without a plan." Yusuke leaned against one of the still standing trees.
"It's Hiei, the embodiment of impulse." Kuwabara yawned as he sat on one of the fallen ones. "He'll be fine, I'll just go nap cause I slept like shit, no offense Kurama, It's because of your hammock I was able to sleep in the first place."
"No problem." Kurama kept his eyes on the slid in the stone where Hiei had disappeared into.
"Sucks we can't help from here." Yusuke huffed.
"I can." Kurama felt a lightbulb flicker on inside his mind. "We are telepathically connected."
"Wow that's kinda- ouch!" Kuwabara rubbed his head as Yusuke smacked him. "Nice! That's kinda nice! Jesus Urameshi what'd ya think I was about to say?!"
"Something stupid, but apparently I was wrong." Yusuke rubbed his hands together.
"It is nice indeed." Kurama said as he tried to reach Hiei.
They stayed silent for a while, Kuwabara was getting impatient as the minutes passed. "Any news?" The unease audible in his voice. "My ass is turning more solid than concrete on a highway."
"Then get off of the log." Yusuke looked up as he saw the purple glow that once laced the border of the corruption, slowly creeping and expanding, disappear. The border didn't expand anymore. "Think he did it!" Yusuke went up to Kurama. "You think it's save to go in and help?" He asked yet didn't receive a reply, Kurama was still fixated on the opening. "Hey bud!" Slapping him between his shoulders, Kurama jumped out of his skin and faced Yusuke.
"Huh?" He blinked his eyes rapidly to focus.
"Look!" Yusuke motioned to the border which had stopped glowing and expanding. "He did it, right?"
"Ah, yes." Kurama was flustered.
"Bet the telepathic conversation was interesting enough to have you zone out." Kuwabara mentioned.
"I actually lost contact with him for a while, I think we can go in." Kurama said but Yusuke was already two steps ahead of him, setting foot in the effected area. Both Kuwabara and Kurama followed him. The entrance was small, big enough for Hiei to enter but way to small for Kuwabara.
"Seems the shrimp has one advantage in this mission." Kuwabara laughed, placing two hands on the rock blocking the rest of the entrance. "Let's move this thing, get Hiei and go home."
They pushed the rock out of the way without having to use their spirit energy. "Ugh what's that smell." Yusuke pinched his nose close as the cave's smell reached him. "It smells like an elderly home and archeology museum in one. Yo Hiei! You in there?"
"How about you stop yelling and get us all out of here." Hiei sat up, rubbing his eyes with his hands.
"Yeah yeah I'm on it, did you do it?" Yusuke reached out a hand to help him up.
Hiei however, got up without any help. "The glow is gone and so is the presence of an unfamiliar energy so yeah, I got it, now get us out." He walked past all of them, not batting an eye, and headed out of the affected area. followed him out of the cave where Kuwabara and Kurama stood waiting. Retrieving the communicator out of his pocket, he contacted Koenma again.
"Did he do it?!" Koenma's voice blasted out of the device without greeting them first.
"Hi Koenma, how's your day? Mine's fine thank you for asking." Yusuke walked into the woods, following Hiei.
"Yeah yeah I'm fine cut to the chase I can't stand suspense!" Koenma grumbled impatiently.
"Yes he did it. It has stopped spreading and the glowing has subsided." Yusuke said as he weaved in between trees.
"Good, is Kurama there?" Koenma asked.
"He's here." Yusuke passed the device to Kurama who was walking right behind him.
"You asked for my attendance?" Kurama said.
"Yes." Koenma began. "I'm fearing for the fertility of the forest, can you check if it's still salvageable?"
"I already have." Kurama frowned. "It will take a lot of energy to restore it, a lot of time as well, but it can be done."
"I'll see the forest's regrowth and restoration to be in good hands, given you accept my request?" Koenma nudged.
"I will make sure to restore the forest to it's former state." Kurama nodded, accepting the task.
"Good, now get Yusuke back for me will ya?"
Kurama sped up and passed the communicator back to Yusuke. "Can you maybe move the portal a bit more to where we are?" He said hastily. "I don't want to spend the night here again and I don't think Hiei is going to stop to rest in the first place."
"Let me see." Koenma moved out of screen, Yusuke could hear him fumbling with paperwork. "As the matter has been resolved, I can move the portal closer to where you are, it'll just be two hours away from where you are now."
"Please." Yusuke stated as he moved through the swampy forest.
"Arranged. You will encounter it on your route back, I will be waiting for you." With that Koenma disconnected the call. Yusuke huffed and slipped it back into his pocket.
"Hey guys wait a second!" Kuwabara yelled a few feet behind them. Yusuke looked back, seeing Kuwabara had troubles getting through the quicksand like ground. He was about to stop and help when Kurama told him to go after Hiei, Yusuke nodded and kept on going. Hiei was fast, it took Yusuke a few minutes to catch up to him but he eventually managed to reach him.
"Hiei wait up." Yusuke called out. "Why the hurry?" He grabbed Hiei's arm as he got close enough. Hiei however, shook him off and turned towards Yusuke.
"We're getting out of here as soon as possible." He said with a straight face.
"We are working on it, heck Koenma moved the portal closer to us so we're sure to be back in spirit world in about an hour." Yusuke pulled him to a halt. "Why the hurry?" He repeated.
Hiei sighed, visibly uncomfortable. "I know why we haven't encountered anyone the past few days."
Yusuke frowned. "What did you see?"
"I saw enough to know that we are not dealing with just another entity." Hiei said quickly. "Now move your asses cause we're going, where are the fox and the idiot?!"
"Calm down Hiei, they're coming this way, they aren't running as if they are being followed by an angry mob." Yusuke scoffed. "And where did your tough guy act go? Taking it was no big deal you said, that we aren't disciplined enough to do it so you decided to step up and do it. What made you change your temper? What did you see?"
Hiei lowered his voice to just above a whisper. "I don't want to end up like the demons who roamed these grounds when it happened."
"No worries, Kurama will restore these grounds to their original state and.."
"No." Hiei cut him off. "Don't let him tend to the woods before we've figured out what to do with this."
"Koenma ordered it to be done as soon as possible." Yusuke followed him as Hiei resumed his pace.
"He will have to wait. I'm not allowing it." Hiei spat.
"That's not for you to decided." Yusuke said.
"It is now."
...
Kuwabara dragged his feet through the thick mud, following Kurama's footsteps to prevent from getting stuck again. They resumed their previous faster pace when the ground became more solid. They reached the portal after an hour of silent travel, it closed after they passed through it. Yusuke and Hiei were waiting for them in Koenma's office, turning to face them as they entered.
"Took you long enough." Yusuke crossed his arms.
"I can't help it." Kuwabara mumbled while walking past Yusuke towards Koenma's desk.
Yusuke fell into laughing fit when he saw Kuwabara's mud covered back. Kuwabara took the handkerchief Koenma offered him and wiped some of the filth off of his face. "What are you laughing at." He turned towards Yusuke who was doubled over, his arms crossed over his stomach in laughter.
"Nothing." Yusuke wiped at his eyed as the laughter subdued.
"That's enough." Koenma raised his voice, earning everyone's attention. "I'm glad you've all returned safely. I arranged for you to train under Genkai until we're certain it won't go rampid." Koenma eyed Hiei, who grumbled under his breath in reply. "Yusuke, make sure he stays there and completes the program." Hovering his gaze towards Yusuke who nodded in return. "And I'll place the forest's regrowth and health in your hands, preferably starting today, Kurama."
Kurama was about to speak when Hiei cut him off. "I won't allow that." He budded in, receiving a not so surprised look from Koenma. "I suggest you let the forest be until we know for sure that it's safe."
"It is safe." Koenma replied.
"How do you know? You haven't been there." Hiei scoffed.
"You've contained it, right?" Koenma's words took a warning tone.
Kurama stood silent in between the two for a few seconds, worried Hiei might talk himself into trouble he spoke up. "Recovering the forest will take a lot of time and a lot of energy."
"Is that a problem?" Koenma snapped.
"Yeah, well.." Kurama felt overwhelmed, he was tired, his energy depleted and his legs aching. "I don't have either of that."
"What?" Koenma frowned.
"Please just think about it for a day or two." Yusuke said, mangling himself into the discussion. "We're all tired, we need some rest."
"This needs to be fixed as soon as possible, we don't know what that piece of land might do to all living creatures who try to pass through it." Koenma said. "If there are any remnants left that is."
"Indeed." Hiei growled. "We don't know what it might do to living creatures if it's still present so why send-."
"Please just think about it." Yusuke raised his voice, forcing Hiei into silence. "We need to rest."
Koenma lowered his gaze for a brief moment, leaning his forehead onto the palm of his hand. After a few seconds of silence he lifted his head again, staring straight into Kurama's eyes. "I'll think about it, get some rest."
"Thank god can we go now?" Kuwabara sniffled. "I feel nasty."
"That's because you are." Yusuke smirked.
"Zip it Urameshi!" He shot back.
"Yusuke, I would like for you to take Hiei to Genkai's." Koenma rubbed his temples.
"I can get there by myself just fine, I don't need a babysitter." Hiei scoffed at the thought of being escorted to bootcamp.
"I can and will debate that statement." Koenma warned. "Kuwabara, clean yourself up, you're all dismissed." He watched them leave, but remembered something just before Kurama exited the room. "Oh Kurama, can you come here for a second?"
Kurama turned and reentered the room, closing the door behind him. "Is there something you need me to do?" He asked.
"No, but there is someone who asked if I could send you once you return." Koenma pushed the button on the intercom. "Botan, to my office, right now." He said in a stern voice. The deity came running as fast as she could.
Botan turned towards the speaker on the ceiling as her name was blasted through the room, she heard the murmurs from the other's as she passed them, her pace turning into a sprint. Reaching the doors, she bursted through them into Koenma's office. "Yes, sir?" She panted.
"I keep my promises." Koenma motioned to her left. As soon as she turned, she felt a huge weight fall off of her shoulders. Dropping the papers she was holding she wrapped her arms around Kurama's neck without warning.
"I'm so glad you're safe!" Botan sighed. "Did it go well? Are the others okay?"
He was surprised by her embrace but returned the affection as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm okay, Hiei succeeded and Yusuke is taking him to Genkai, Kuwabara is resting at home." He smiled as he pulled away.
She watched him, glad he was back but concerned at the paleness of his skin. She was aware of his stress and knew it kept him awake at night, the way his eyes drooped testified to it. "You should rest too." She gave him a worried smile. "Take some days off, sleep, read a book, do nothing for a change, bet it'll cheer you up."
Kurama smiled, his features softened. "I should and I will."
"Promise me you'll take a few days off." Botan pleaded.
"I promise."
...
Kicking off his shoes he set foot into his darkened apartment. He dropped his bag and jacket on the ground, not caring to store them away, walked into the bathroom and opened the shower. He stood underneath the warm stream, his head tilted up towards the shower-head he felt the hot water run over his back soothing the sore and aching muscles.
Wiping the condense off of the mirror, he dried his hair and slipped into his sweatpants and loose blouse. His phone laid waiting on his bed, having thrown it in the bedroom before taking his shower. He took the device in his hands, unlocked it and scrolled to his contacts until he reached the name he was searching for, Hatanaka. Clicking the contact button, he created a quick text informing his stepfather he will not be able to show up for work for an uncertain amount of time, stating he feels a bit under the weather.
Kurama felt bad for texting so late at night but he wasn't lying, he felt cold even though the heater was up at a temperature which has always been comfortable for him. He slipped underneath the blankets and was about to put his phone down when it suddenly beeped.
'I hope you got home safe.' The messenger: Botan.
Kurama smiled and responded to her text. 'I am, showered and texted my stepdad I'm taking a few sick days.'
'Oh good!' Botan replied, the phone beeping again when a second text emerged. 'I'll be working tomorrow but I can come over the day after if you feel like it. Let me know. But for now you should rest up.'
'I'll let you know.' Kurama texted her back, his eyelids getting heavier. 'Good night, I'll see you soon.'
'Good night.' Came Botan's quick reply. Kurama saw she was still typing, it disappeared for a moment before reappearing, it took a while for her to send but when it reached Kurama, he couldn't help but smile. 'I love you.'
Kurama typed his response and closed his phone, closing his eyes his consciousness drifted away into the warm embrace of sleep.
'I love you too.'
Poor baby is stressed, just let him be for a while.
I'll see you in the next chapter!