(Author's Note: I don't own yyh or "I Dreamed a Dream", a song from the musical Les Mis sung by Fantine. Although this is mostly a Kuronue /OC fic, there will be a few cameos by our other favorite yyh characters. So don't worry! This is just of those "how Kuronue got his pendant" fics.. I know there's another one somewhere here, and this is just something I'm doing as a one-shot and an attempt to cure writer's block.. Thank you... oh and "//...//" means song lyrics.)
I Dreamed a Dream
// There was a time when men where kind//
She walked into the clearing prepared to do her training for the day as she reminisced to a time before she was alone. A few months before, she had left her friends, a fire demon named Hiei and his lover, Hikari, (Author's note: she's an oc for Hiei) alone to their love as she wished for a love of her own. She was a black haired kitsune with long raven hair, black ears, a black tail, and eyes that seemed to flicker on the fine line between silver and gold. She wore a black tunic and simple black shoes. Her delicate, pale skinned hand, reached into her hair as she run it through the soft black locks pulling out a blooming white rose. As she readied herself to make her weapon, she heard a soft crack of a twig behind her. She turned and found a man.
He was a tall dark man with long raven hair like her own in a pony-tail leaning against one of the nearby trees that surrounded the clearing. Through the shadows of the forest, she could see the black blur of wings on his back. She grew suspicious. She studied the strange man carefully. He wore a black vest, the vest's "v" ending at the middle of his cream colored chest, and black pants, along with many black bands on his arms. Under the shade of a strange hat, she could see a violet colored eye watching her. She prepared her weapon, a Rose Whip.
//And their voices were soft
And their words were inviting//
"Ah," the man began as he pointed to her whip. "I see you have one of those too. My friend has one also.. I wonder if you can control it as well as he does."
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"I am Kuronue," he replied still leaning on the tree, still watching her every movement.
"What do you want Kuronue?" she asked still suspicious.
"Forgive me," Kuronue began again. "When I saw your beauty from afar, I couldn't help but stop and stare."
She rolled her eyes at his cheap reply. She turned and quickly began to walk away.
"Wait!" Kuronue cried as she turned back to him. "Where are you going?"
She didn't reply as she turned again and continued to walk away unknowing that they would be meeting again.
//There was a time, when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting//
Although it seemed as though she had gotten rid of the strange demon, she couldn't keep her mind of him and began to think of him often. She shook her head again to clear her thoughts. 'Don't think of him,' she scolded herself. 'He's just looking for cheap entertainment.' She sat on a cliff in a conifer forest that overlooked the large sea of conifers below her as the sun slowly set on the horizon. Her ever-changing eyes flickered constantly from silver to gold and gold to silver as she thought thoughts only to find her thoughts slowly meandering and wandering back to the mysterious raven, Kuronue. 'Well,' she began to think. 'He was rather handsome.' She turned as she heard another sound behind her only to find her demon parents standing back in the depths of the conifers.
//There was a time it all went wrong//
Her parents, a pair of foxes one a black haired woman looking much like her and a white haired man with brown eyes, and a white tail, stood waiting for her, her father holding something in his hands. She got up and slowly walked over to them.
"Yes mother? Yes father?" she asked as she stopped in front of them. "What is it?"
"Well," her father began as he held out his hand that held something from her. "We thought it was time for you that you had this.."
She opened her hand to him as he gently placed the object in her hands. It was large blood red jewel hanging on a leather cord. Her eyes flashed from curious shades of silver to wondering golds.
"We figured you were old enough to have it," her mother said as she turned to her. "As you are now old enough to live on your own."
Happily, she smiled in thanks.
"Thank you mother. Father," she whispered as she held her parents close.
Her parents pulled away smiling happily. They handed her a simple knapsack filled with things she may need for her long journeys to wherever she may go. She hugged her parents in goodbye one last time and leaped into the trees.
//I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving//
Kurama and his gang of thieves gathered into their hideout all carrying large and heavy bags filled with forbidden treasures and priceless jewelry. (Author's note: I know it's said thieving was only "Kurama and Kuronue partners in crime" thing.. But I'd imagine they would have a small gang about them as well.) As the other thieves settled down to get drunk on wine and sake, Kuronue stood to the side thinking. He stood at the mouth of the large cave staring into the distant sunset as the large orb slowly fell behind the conifers of the forest. He crossed his arms as he lazily leaned on the soft rock of the dark and damp cave. 'Do you think of me?' he asked himself his mind wandering back to the mysterious fox maiden he had only met a few days before. 'Do you think of me as I think of you?'
Even a few thieves had dreams of their own. His partner and best friend, a silver haired kitsune, Kurama, dreamed of owning the most valuable treasures in the Makai as well as the three worlds. 'And yet,' he thought again. 'Why shouldn't I have dreams of my own?' He turned his head to watch the drunken party continue behind him. Away, he turned to once more watch the fiery golden sunset in the distance once more going into his thoughts. 'Admit it,' a distant voice said to him. 'You like the girl. She's sparked something in you that you have never felt before.'
"Perhaps," he muttered to himself none of the drunken thieves and his friend listening.
He turned as he felt a hand on his shoulder breaking all his thoughts. Before him stood his partner, Kurama, slightly red faced and slightly drunk with a sake bottle in his clawed hand.
"Kuronue," he slurred and hiccuped. "Join us.. It's a celebration! This is the best job we've done so far! You have to celebrate."
Kuronue pulled away, shaking his head.
"No my friend," he replied as he turned away beginning to exit the cave. "I need to do some thinking."
Drunkenly, Kurama shrugged and went back to the small and rowdy party as priceless jewels and shining gold coins shined as the thieves threw them up in the air in celebration. Kuronue turned one last time to watch the celebration only to shake his head in disgrace as he walked away into the forests.
//Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted//
The night past uneventfully for the both of them as they both began their journeys once more. She walked on a beaten forest path as tall deciduous and evergreen trees shaded her as she walked the soft morning sunlight streaming through. In demon terms, both were young and had all eternity at their feet. In deep thought of a certain young raven, she stared up into the softly blooming trees not noticing the path in front of her or the young raven making his way towards her.
Kuronue awoke and quickly made his way down from the tree he had slept in the night before. He turned his handsome face down towards the beaten path before him his mind still plagued with thoughts of her. He walked on only to find his elf-like ears twitching to soft footsteps and a small pair of black shoes making his way toward him. Slowly, he raised his head to find her familiar figure slowly walking toward him, her beautiful face turned upwards, and her flickering eyes studying the trees above her. Unfortunately as the world seemed to fade around him, he getting lost in her innocent beauty, they slowly walked toward one another not looking where they both walked. Both stepped back in quick surprise as they felt something run into them. She turned her attention to the path ahead of her as he snapped out of his daze.
"YOU!" they both cried in unison both surprised and shocked.
Quickly, she turned away a light blush staining her face her eyes turning a shy silver. 'It's him again,' she thought as the blush still stained her face. 'Quit blushing.. Quit blushing. You barely know him.' She turned as she heard soft snickers behind her.
He softly began to snicker as he saw a light red stain on her face and the timid stares in her eyes.
"What is it?" she asked turning a light blush still staining her cheeks.
"You look quite cute when you blush," he replied chuckling making her turn redder.
"I.. Uh..." she began stuttering her blush growing darker.
She turned away again trying to calm her racing heart and the blush on her face.
"Thank you," she muttered as she turned back to him her face no longer red and her heart slowly calming down.
Kuronue slowly walked up to her holding out his arm for her to take.
"Come," he began softly with a soft loving look in his eyes and on his face. "Walk with me."
//There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted//
Curiously, she looked from his arm and into his partly hidden eyes. 'There's something about his eyes,' she thought as she broke her stare. 'Something... lovely.'
"Hm," she replied as she refused his arm only to find herself mentally slapping herself.
'You've been around Hiei for far too long,' she thought sighing to herself. A curious silver eye looked at the man beside her. He hadn't left her side. They walked in an understanding and comfortable silence. She continued to walk not noticing the raven had stopped. Quickly, Kuronue reached out and grabbed a small hand. Shocked, she stopped in her tracks the curious silver turning to a surprised gold. Slowly, she turned to him her gold eyes changing back to silver.
"I have to find out something," he said softly her hand still in his both fitting well together.
"What?" she asked just as softly her now silver eyes looking deeply into his violets.
"This," he whispered the reply.
Suddenly, she was swept off her feet and into a deep kiss. Her eyes went wide as slowly her knees went weak as she sunk into his embrace. Her eyes changed one more time to a soft gold before closing to a state of awakened bliss. She wound her arms around him as he held her close by her waist. They broke apart her closed gold eyes opening to silver as chills went through her as he stared into her ever-changing eyes still with the soft look on his face.
"Wh-what d-did you find out?" she stuttered the kiss's effects still running wild through her as he still held her close.
"That I've fallen in love," he whispered softly as her face flushed red she slightly taken aback.
Hurriedly and desperately, she threw her small self at him once more locking him another deep kiss making step backwards.
"I fear I've fallen in love as well," she whispered as she broke the kiss as she shivered with unending chills.
//But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame//
Months passed, and their love still held strong. On her left ankle, a small mark from Kuronue stood, a demon's sign of ownership of a mate. On his right shoulder, her mark shown proving him to be hers.
Content, they lay in each others arms in the forest just letting the day pass by them watching the soft white Makai clouds fly above them and the flowers quietly growing in the meadow just near the edge of the forest where they lay. As she remembered something, she quickly got up from his arms and reached into a pocket of her a tunic as Kuronue worriedly got up beside her.
"What's wrong?" he asked concerned as she pulled out something from her pocket.
"Here," she said softly as she held out her family's necklace out to him. "For you."
She quickly turned away embarrassed as he took it in his clawed hands and studied it. He smiled.
"What's this for?" he asked as he put the necklace around his neck.
"For luck I suppose," she replied as she looked at him through the corner of her eye. "It suits you."
Quickly, she was once more pulled into is gentle and strong arms in a silent sign telling her thank you and that he loved her deeply.
//He slept a summer by my side
He filled my dreams with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride//
A few more days passed as they both decided to hold a simple wedding for themselves. He stood on the edge of the clearing where they had first met under the glistening starlight and the shining moonlight as he waited for her. He wore his normal clothing since he had nothing else. He nervously stared at the millions of stars shining in the night sky and the large and shining full moon hanging above him. He turned as he heard as soft sound walking to him and nervously gulped as his eyes went wide at her beauty as she walked out wearing a long black gown trimmed in silver with two long slits moving up the sides of the skirt ending at her waist. Her eyes shined a moonlight's silver and flickered a starlight's gold as she slowly walked up to him. Fluttering in her stomach, butterflies flew making her nervous, but she kept a calm face.
Nervously, he took her hands in his as he wondered what to say to her. Deeply, he breathed and began his eyes never leaving hers.
"I promise," he began nervously slowly gaining confidence in the truth of his words as he spoke. "To love you for all eternity under all the stars and their multitudes."
He brought her hands to his mouth as he lay a loving kiss on both of them. He looked up and into her eyes once more as she softly began.
"As I Kuronue," she began softly to the quiet melody of the Makai night. "Promise to love you for all eternity under all the stars and their multitudes."
It was a simple wedding no doubt. Only under the watchful eyes of the stars, the moon, and perhaps the eyes of Lord Enma himself. Slowly and unsurely, she leaned up to him as he leaned down to her. They locked their lips that night for the first time as a demon husband and wife.
The afternoon of the next day, she lay sleeping in his naked arms. Both of them were slick with sweat all of their skins exposed to the warm afternoon air. He pulled her close her naked and flushed body warm against his. 'An innocent,' he thought disbelieving after they had made love for the first time. 'She was an innocent.' He placed a small kiss on her forehead. He ran a clawed finger across the soft skin of her face as his arm wrapped around her again pulling her closer as his black wings surrounded them in a dark feather cocoon.
A few weeks passed for them as they both sat on a clearing's edge in a comfortable yet uneasy silence. He studied her as she sat silently watching the grass slowly grow before her. Her eyes shined a worried silver and a fearing gold as though she pondered a deep thought. Yet, he had noticed a few changes in her as well. Her scent had changed. It was no longer the alluring scent of night blooming jasmine flowers she crushed on her skin. 'No,' he concluded to himself. 'Something is covering up that scent.. But what?'
"Kuronue?" she said softly and unsure as she broke the silence.
She looked at him with the corner of her gold eyes. The curious look on his face told her to continue as he sat up from the tree he leaned on.
"I'm with child," she said sadly as Kuronue's eyes went wide. "I'–"
She was quickly cut off by his fierce embrace as he continued to hold her tightly his face buried within the raven depths of her hair. She pulled away.
"You're," she began unsurely as she looked into his eyes. "Happy? You.... want it."
"Why wouldn't I?" he asked in reply.
She smiled happily.
She sat on the edge of that same clearing her hands resting gently on her swollen belly. She watched as he gently laid a clawed hand on her belly as well him wanting to feel the growing child within her. Kuronue leaned down and placed a pointed ear on her stomach trying to listen. She giggled. He sat up and stared into her gold eyes. Gently, he pulled her close and placed a deep kiss on her lips.
At the end of her pregnancy, she had bore small baby girl. She was a small demon babe with her father's raven hair, the brown eyes of the grandfather from her mother's side, and her mother's black tail, and her father's pointed ears. They raised her in a small cottage in a conifer forest where her mother had once lived as a child. A few times a year, Kuronue left for his thieving but always brought a small and priceless trinket back to her and their child. One day, she greeted him for the last time he prepared to leave for his latest thievery. She had no idea that it would be his last.
For the last time, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips that morning and began his journey to the hideout.
//But he was gone when autumn came//
She walked through the dense jungle with her small child walking on inexperienced legs behind her. To the right, she turned as she heard the running footsteps of two men. She watched as a blur of silver quickly ran by as Kuronue followed behind him the necklace she had given him bouncing wildly and beating on his chest as he ran. Both didn't notice or smelled her presence. Then, as Kuronue ran by a tree his necklace getting tangled in the branches, the necklace's leather chain snapped. Ignoring Kurama's urgent warning, Kuronue quickly ran back to grab his falling necklace. He dove as long bamboo stakes fell from the trees in a hidden trap. He was stabbed in several places, but he didn't care. He fell to the ground quickly dying as the necklace fell into his hand. Alarmed and worried, she quickly ran to his side trying to keep her tears at bay. She sat on her knees as she sadly looked down on his her eyes clouding with tears. A gentle clawed hand caressed her face as he softly whispered her name and dried her tears. She placed her hand on top of his as the other gently stroked his hair. Her gold eyes turned silver and held no emotion as she continued to look down on him as her eyes continued to cloud with tears.
"I love you," he quietly whispered only to have her not reply her being too shocked to speak.
Stark still, his hand fell from her face as her numbed hands lost their grip as the tears in her eyes fell in an ever falling waterfall. Closing her eyes as she leaned down, she placed a soft kiss on his hair.
"I love you too," she quietly whispered back as her tears continued to fall.
Then, she heard it, a soft and gentle sound that broke the sudden numb silence of the jungle where she sat by her dying husband's side. Quickly, she wiped her tears away and turned to the bushes where she found their little girl slowly walking towards her. Hurried and worried her child would she her husband's remains, she grabbed he necklace and stuffed it into a pocket in her tunic as her child just walked out into the jungle path where Kuronue lay. She scooped up the child in her arms despite her child's protests and began to run, running to anyplace, anyplace to escape, escaping for even a moment. She ran as fast as she could back to their small cottage still trying to hold back her tears. Tired, she placed the small girl down on the ground as the sun began to set over the distant horizon. 'No doubt,' she thought trying to hide her tears as she studied her daughter. 'She had to have recognized him.. She had to have recognized her own father.'
"Mama?" the small child asked wondering of her mother's sad expression. "Why did you run away from Papa? And where's Papa?"
She bit her lip nervously as she wondered on what to say to her daughter. Slowly, she kneeled down to her daughter and prepared as calmly as she could to explain what had happened to her father.
"Well," she began unsurely and sadly as the tears began to well up. "Your father... has gone to a better place."
"When will he be back?" she asked again making more tears cloud her mother's eyes.
"He..." she began trying to hold her tears back as she sadly turned away from her daughter's curious eyes. "Won't be coming back."
Sadly, the little girl looked at her mother. She held out a small hand to her mother's face as she patted away the fallen tears drying them in only a way a child could.
"Is that why Mommy's sad?" she asked again as she continued to pat the wet tears on her mother's face.
Her mother turned back to her.
"Yes," she replied as she pulled her daughter close.
She pulled away and quietly told her daughter to go to bed as the sun continued to slowly set behind the horizon. Slowly, she walked towards the cliff that overlooked the wild sea of conifers of her childhood home. It was her place to think and this time was no different, except, this was a time to grieve. She shed many tears as she watched the sun's final hours of the day. As the sun was halfway set behind the horizon, her face was swollen and had no tears left. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the necklace. She reached into her hair and pull out another blooming white rose. The rose opened at her command revealing its center large enough store a small object. Gently, she placed his necklace inside and quietly closed the flower turning it back into a small bud and placed it back into her hair. She sighed sadly as two extra tears fell from her eyes. 'I love you,' she thought to no one hoping that no one or someone would quietly hear.
//And still I dream he'd come to me
That we would live the years together//
As the years past, the small baby she could hold in her arms turned into a beautiful child no older than five. Her daughter now went out often and as with all children has an imaginary friend of her own. 'Well,' she thought to herself as her child played in her room with another little girl. 'At least she has at least one real friend.' Through the windows of the cottage, she watched the sun slowly set behind the distant horizon as she turned to see her daughter walk out alongside another child her age.
"Well," she greeted the two children kindly. "I take it little Yukina has to head back to the ice country?" (Author's note: I don't know if there is a safe way to get down from the ice country i.e. not being thrown off, but just pretend there is.)
Her daughter nodded.
"Thank you very much for having me," Yukina kindly greeted her.
She smiled in reply.
"Will you be all right walking home alone?" she asked as Yukina nodded. "All right goodbye."
Yukina waved as her daughter waved back. Quietly, she walked past her daughter and the edge of the cliff and sat down to watch the rest of the sunset and to once more quietly grieve. She had been grieving since the day he died and only found some solace in her daughter's company. 'But it's not the same... Why did you leave me Kuronue?' she asked herself sadly. 'I miss you far too much.'
//But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather//
'But there are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather,' she thought to herself sadly again. Sadly, she sighed only to turn to find her daughter walking up to her.
//I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed//
"Mama?" she asked quietly as he walked to her mother's side.
"Hm?" she questioned quietly as she turned to her daughter.
"Tell me about Papa," her child softly and curiously requested.
"Of course," she replied as she moved a piece of her daughter's hair behind one of her ears. "He past away when you were only a baby.. Didn't he?"
Her daughter nodded.
"Well," she began as she pulled her child into her lap. "He was a very great thief. And he was very handsome..."
"Would he have liked me?" her child interrupted as she giggled.
"Of course he would've adored and loved you," she replied. "You know you will grow up to be very beautiful someday yes?"
Her child didn't answer but continued to stare at something behind her.
"What is it?" she asked turning around only to find nothing behind her.
"It's, Kuro," she replied as she continued to stare behind her mother. "He's listening."
"Who?" she replied to her daughter as she played along with her child's fantasy. "Who's Kuro?"
"My imaginary friend," she replied as she continued to stare behind her mother.
The small child in her arms began to giggle as her mother placed a false look of surprise and curiosity on her face.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"Kuro says he likes you," her child replied giggling as she giggled as well.
"Well.." she began as she pulled her child close again. "Tell me about Kuro."
"Well," her child began imitating her. "He's really tall. And he's a man with a funny hat. He tells me he loves me and that I'll grow up to be very beautiful and give me goodnight kisses."
She giggled.
"He sounds like a nice man," she replied as set her daughter on her feet beside her. "Now you should get to bed."
"But I want to know more about Papa," she whined cutely as her mother sighed.
"Well," she began as she reached into her hair as she pulled out the white rose that held Kuronue's necklace. "I do have one more thing about him I could show you."
She commanded the rose to bloom. As the rose blossomed, it revealed its large center and the old necklace. She reached into the flower and pulled out the necklace on a repaired chain the large red jewel glistening in the last of the slowly setting sun as her child looked with much curiosity.
"This necklace," she began softly as she handed her child the necklace. "Belonged to him. And when you're older, it will belong to you."
"Pretty," her child replied as she placed the necklace around her neck only to have the leather rope too long and the jewel dangling between her knees.
Her mother giggled.
"Maybe when you're older," she said again as she took the necklace as she placed it back into the rose, then replaced the rose back into her hair. "Now get to bed."
Her child shook her head.
"Well," she began thinking of a plan. "What does Kuro say you should do?"
The small demon child looked behind her mother again.
"Listen to your mother," Kuro, a tall man with a funny hat, violet eyes, and long raven hair in a ponytail, only seen by the girl told her as the small child pouted angrily and stomped her foot.
"Well?" her mother asked as the child continued to pout.
"He said I should listen to you," she replied as the mother smirked.
"Go on," she replied still smirking. "Off to bed."
Smirking, she watched as the small girl stomped off into the cottage. She stood dusting off the dirt from her clothes as she continued to watch the rest of the sunset a small amused smile on her face. 'Wait,' she thought as a sudden thought came to her.
"Kuro?" she asked herself out loud as she ran he's description through her mind. "A tall man with a funny hat...."
Her eyes went wide and silver as realization hit. 'Kuronue,' she whispered the name in her mind sadly. Before the tears could fall, she felt a spirit's arms wrap around her pulling her close to an invisible body as a warm wind blew softly whispering "I love you." to her. She closed her eyes peacefully all the sadness in her heart gone for just one pure moment of bliss.
//Now life has killed the dream..... I dreamed//
(Author's note: ok.. It sucked, they're all ooc, and obviously it's probably a lot of Mary-Sue and for gosh sakes I didn't even give the o.c's names *sighs* I suppose if I haven't confused you and you're a Kuronue fan you could think of yourself as his leading lady in his fic since I couldn't think of any names for the o.c's. *sighs again* just flame it when ready.)
I Dreamed a Dream
// There was a time when men where kind//
She walked into the clearing prepared to do her training for the day as she reminisced to a time before she was alone. A few months before, she had left her friends, a fire demon named Hiei and his lover, Hikari, (Author's note: she's an oc for Hiei) alone to their love as she wished for a love of her own. She was a black haired kitsune with long raven hair, black ears, a black tail, and eyes that seemed to flicker on the fine line between silver and gold. She wore a black tunic and simple black shoes. Her delicate, pale skinned hand, reached into her hair as she run it through the soft black locks pulling out a blooming white rose. As she readied herself to make her weapon, she heard a soft crack of a twig behind her. She turned and found a man.
He was a tall dark man with long raven hair like her own in a pony-tail leaning against one of the nearby trees that surrounded the clearing. Through the shadows of the forest, she could see the black blur of wings on his back. She grew suspicious. She studied the strange man carefully. He wore a black vest, the vest's "v" ending at the middle of his cream colored chest, and black pants, along with many black bands on his arms. Under the shade of a strange hat, she could see a violet colored eye watching her. She prepared her weapon, a Rose Whip.
//And their voices were soft
And their words were inviting//
"Ah," the man began as he pointed to her whip. "I see you have one of those too. My friend has one also.. I wonder if you can control it as well as he does."
"Who are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"I am Kuronue," he replied still leaning on the tree, still watching her every movement.
"What do you want Kuronue?" she asked still suspicious.
"Forgive me," Kuronue began again. "When I saw your beauty from afar, I couldn't help but stop and stare."
She rolled her eyes at his cheap reply. She turned and quickly began to walk away.
"Wait!" Kuronue cried as she turned back to him. "Where are you going?"
She didn't reply as she turned again and continued to walk away unknowing that they would be meeting again.
//There was a time, when love was blind
And the world was a song
And the song was exciting//
Although it seemed as though she had gotten rid of the strange demon, she couldn't keep her mind of him and began to think of him often. She shook her head again to clear her thoughts. 'Don't think of him,' she scolded herself. 'He's just looking for cheap entertainment.' She sat on a cliff in a conifer forest that overlooked the large sea of conifers below her as the sun slowly set on the horizon. Her ever-changing eyes flickered constantly from silver to gold and gold to silver as she thought thoughts only to find her thoughts slowly meandering and wandering back to the mysterious raven, Kuronue. 'Well,' she began to think. 'He was rather handsome.' She turned as she heard another sound behind her only to find her demon parents standing back in the depths of the conifers.
//There was a time it all went wrong//
Her parents, a pair of foxes one a black haired woman looking much like her and a white haired man with brown eyes, and a white tail, stood waiting for her, her father holding something in his hands. She got up and slowly walked over to them.
"Yes mother? Yes father?" she asked as she stopped in front of them. "What is it?"
"Well," her father began as he held out his hand that held something from her. "We thought it was time for you that you had this.."
She opened her hand to him as he gently placed the object in her hands. It was large blood red jewel hanging on a leather cord. Her eyes flashed from curious shades of silver to wondering golds.
"We figured you were old enough to have it," her mother said as she turned to her. "As you are now old enough to live on your own."
Happily, she smiled in thanks.
"Thank you mother. Father," she whispered as she held her parents close.
Her parents pulled away smiling happily. They handed her a simple knapsack filled with things she may need for her long journeys to wherever she may go. She hugged her parents in goodbye one last time and leaped into the trees.
//I dreamed a dream in time gone by
When hope was high and life worth living
I dreamed that love would never die
I dreamed that God would be forgiving//
Kurama and his gang of thieves gathered into their hideout all carrying large and heavy bags filled with forbidden treasures and priceless jewelry. (Author's note: I know it's said thieving was only "Kurama and Kuronue partners in crime" thing.. But I'd imagine they would have a small gang about them as well.) As the other thieves settled down to get drunk on wine and sake, Kuronue stood to the side thinking. He stood at the mouth of the large cave staring into the distant sunset as the large orb slowly fell behind the conifers of the forest. He crossed his arms as he lazily leaned on the soft rock of the dark and damp cave. 'Do you think of me?' he asked himself his mind wandering back to the mysterious fox maiden he had only met a few days before. 'Do you think of me as I think of you?'
Even a few thieves had dreams of their own. His partner and best friend, a silver haired kitsune, Kurama, dreamed of owning the most valuable treasures in the Makai as well as the three worlds. 'And yet,' he thought again. 'Why shouldn't I have dreams of my own?' He turned his head to watch the drunken party continue behind him. Away, he turned to once more watch the fiery golden sunset in the distance once more going into his thoughts. 'Admit it,' a distant voice said to him. 'You like the girl. She's sparked something in you that you have never felt before.'
"Perhaps," he muttered to himself none of the drunken thieves and his friend listening.
He turned as he felt a hand on his shoulder breaking all his thoughts. Before him stood his partner, Kurama, slightly red faced and slightly drunk with a sake bottle in his clawed hand.
"Kuronue," he slurred and hiccuped. "Join us.. It's a celebration! This is the best job we've done so far! You have to celebrate."
Kuronue pulled away, shaking his head.
"No my friend," he replied as he turned away beginning to exit the cave. "I need to do some thinking."
Drunkenly, Kurama shrugged and went back to the small and rowdy party as priceless jewels and shining gold coins shined as the thieves threw them up in the air in celebration. Kuronue turned one last time to watch the celebration only to shake his head in disgrace as he walked away into the forests.
//Then I was young and unafraid
And dreams were made and used and wasted//
The night past uneventfully for the both of them as they both began their journeys once more. She walked on a beaten forest path as tall deciduous and evergreen trees shaded her as she walked the soft morning sunlight streaming through. In demon terms, both were young and had all eternity at their feet. In deep thought of a certain young raven, she stared up into the softly blooming trees not noticing the path in front of her or the young raven making his way towards her.
Kuronue awoke and quickly made his way down from the tree he had slept in the night before. He turned his handsome face down towards the beaten path before him his mind still plagued with thoughts of her. He walked on only to find his elf-like ears twitching to soft footsteps and a small pair of black shoes making his way toward him. Slowly, he raised his head to find her familiar figure slowly walking toward him, her beautiful face turned upwards, and her flickering eyes studying the trees above her. Unfortunately as the world seemed to fade around him, he getting lost in her innocent beauty, they slowly walked toward one another not looking where they both walked. Both stepped back in quick surprise as they felt something run into them. She turned her attention to the path ahead of her as he snapped out of his daze.
"YOU!" they both cried in unison both surprised and shocked.
Quickly, she turned away a light blush staining her face her eyes turning a shy silver. 'It's him again,' she thought as the blush still stained her face. 'Quit blushing.. Quit blushing. You barely know him.' She turned as she heard soft snickers behind her.
He softly began to snicker as he saw a light red stain on her face and the timid stares in her eyes.
"What is it?" she asked turning a light blush still staining her cheeks.
"You look quite cute when you blush," he replied chuckling making her turn redder.
"I.. Uh..." she began stuttering her blush growing darker.
She turned away again trying to calm her racing heart and the blush on her face.
"Thank you," she muttered as she turned back to him her face no longer red and her heart slowly calming down.
Kuronue slowly walked up to her holding out his arm for her to take.
"Come," he began softly with a soft loving look in his eyes and on his face. "Walk with me."
//There was no ransom to be paid
No song unsung, no wine untasted//
Curiously, she looked from his arm and into his partly hidden eyes. 'There's something about his eyes,' she thought as she broke her stare. 'Something... lovely.'
"Hm," she replied as she refused his arm only to find herself mentally slapping herself.
'You've been around Hiei for far too long,' she thought sighing to herself. A curious silver eye looked at the man beside her. He hadn't left her side. They walked in an understanding and comfortable silence. She continued to walk not noticing the raven had stopped. Quickly, Kuronue reached out and grabbed a small hand. Shocked, she stopped in her tracks the curious silver turning to a surprised gold. Slowly, she turned to him her gold eyes changing back to silver.
"I have to find out something," he said softly her hand still in his both fitting well together.
"What?" she asked just as softly her now silver eyes looking deeply into his violets.
"This," he whispered the reply.
Suddenly, she was swept off her feet and into a deep kiss. Her eyes went wide as slowly her knees went weak as she sunk into his embrace. Her eyes changed one more time to a soft gold before closing to a state of awakened bliss. She wound her arms around him as he held her close by her waist. They broke apart her closed gold eyes opening to silver as chills went through her as he stared into her ever-changing eyes still with the soft look on his face.
"Wh-what d-did you find out?" she stuttered the kiss's effects still running wild through her as he still held her close.
"That I've fallen in love," he whispered softly as her face flushed red she slightly taken aback.
Hurriedly and desperately, she threw her small self at him once more locking him another deep kiss making step backwards.
"I fear I've fallen in love as well," she whispered as she broke the kiss as she shivered with unending chills.
//But the tigers come at night
With their voices soft as thunder
As they tear your hope apart
As they turn your dreams to shame//
Months passed, and their love still held strong. On her left ankle, a small mark from Kuronue stood, a demon's sign of ownership of a mate. On his right shoulder, her mark shown proving him to be hers.
Content, they lay in each others arms in the forest just letting the day pass by them watching the soft white Makai clouds fly above them and the flowers quietly growing in the meadow just near the edge of the forest where they lay. As she remembered something, she quickly got up from his arms and reached into a pocket of her a tunic as Kuronue worriedly got up beside her.
"What's wrong?" he asked concerned as she pulled out something from her pocket.
"Here," she said softly as she held out her family's necklace out to him. "For you."
She quickly turned away embarrassed as he took it in his clawed hands and studied it. He smiled.
"What's this for?" he asked as he put the necklace around his neck.
"For luck I suppose," she replied as she looked at him through the corner of her eye. "It suits you."
Quickly, she was once more pulled into is gentle and strong arms in a silent sign telling her thank you and that he loved her deeply.
//He slept a summer by my side
He filled my dreams with endless wonder
He took my childhood in his stride//
A few more days passed as they both decided to hold a simple wedding for themselves. He stood on the edge of the clearing where they had first met under the glistening starlight and the shining moonlight as he waited for her. He wore his normal clothing since he had nothing else. He nervously stared at the millions of stars shining in the night sky and the large and shining full moon hanging above him. He turned as he heard as soft sound walking to him and nervously gulped as his eyes went wide at her beauty as she walked out wearing a long black gown trimmed in silver with two long slits moving up the sides of the skirt ending at her waist. Her eyes shined a moonlight's silver and flickered a starlight's gold as she slowly walked up to him. Fluttering in her stomach, butterflies flew making her nervous, but she kept a calm face.
Nervously, he took her hands in his as he wondered what to say to her. Deeply, he breathed and began his eyes never leaving hers.
"I promise," he began nervously slowly gaining confidence in the truth of his words as he spoke. "To love you for all eternity under all the stars and their multitudes."
He brought her hands to his mouth as he lay a loving kiss on both of them. He looked up and into her eyes once more as she softly began.
"As I Kuronue," she began softly to the quiet melody of the Makai night. "Promise to love you for all eternity under all the stars and their multitudes."
It was a simple wedding no doubt. Only under the watchful eyes of the stars, the moon, and perhaps the eyes of Lord Enma himself. Slowly and unsurely, she leaned up to him as he leaned down to her. They locked their lips that night for the first time as a demon husband and wife.
The afternoon of the next day, she lay sleeping in his naked arms. Both of them were slick with sweat all of their skins exposed to the warm afternoon air. He pulled her close her naked and flushed body warm against his. 'An innocent,' he thought disbelieving after they had made love for the first time. 'She was an innocent.' He placed a small kiss on her forehead. He ran a clawed finger across the soft skin of her face as his arm wrapped around her again pulling her closer as his black wings surrounded them in a dark feather cocoon.
A few weeks passed for them as they both sat on a clearing's edge in a comfortable yet uneasy silence. He studied her as she sat silently watching the grass slowly grow before her. Her eyes shined a worried silver and a fearing gold as though she pondered a deep thought. Yet, he had noticed a few changes in her as well. Her scent had changed. It was no longer the alluring scent of night blooming jasmine flowers she crushed on her skin. 'No,' he concluded to himself. 'Something is covering up that scent.. But what?'
"Kuronue?" she said softly and unsure as she broke the silence.
She looked at him with the corner of her gold eyes. The curious look on his face told her to continue as he sat up from the tree he leaned on.
"I'm with child," she said sadly as Kuronue's eyes went wide. "I'–"
She was quickly cut off by his fierce embrace as he continued to hold her tightly his face buried within the raven depths of her hair. She pulled away.
"You're," she began unsurely as she looked into his eyes. "Happy? You.... want it."
"Why wouldn't I?" he asked in reply.
She smiled happily.
She sat on the edge of that same clearing her hands resting gently on her swollen belly. She watched as he gently laid a clawed hand on her belly as well him wanting to feel the growing child within her. Kuronue leaned down and placed a pointed ear on her stomach trying to listen. She giggled. He sat up and stared into her gold eyes. Gently, he pulled her close and placed a deep kiss on her lips.
At the end of her pregnancy, she had bore small baby girl. She was a small demon babe with her father's raven hair, the brown eyes of the grandfather from her mother's side, and her mother's black tail, and her father's pointed ears. They raised her in a small cottage in a conifer forest where her mother had once lived as a child. A few times a year, Kuronue left for his thieving but always brought a small and priceless trinket back to her and their child. One day, she greeted him for the last time he prepared to leave for his latest thievery. She had no idea that it would be his last.
For the last time, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips that morning and began his journey to the hideout.
//But he was gone when autumn came//
She walked through the dense jungle with her small child walking on inexperienced legs behind her. To the right, she turned as she heard the running footsteps of two men. She watched as a blur of silver quickly ran by as Kuronue followed behind him the necklace she had given him bouncing wildly and beating on his chest as he ran. Both didn't notice or smelled her presence. Then, as Kuronue ran by a tree his necklace getting tangled in the branches, the necklace's leather chain snapped. Ignoring Kurama's urgent warning, Kuronue quickly ran back to grab his falling necklace. He dove as long bamboo stakes fell from the trees in a hidden trap. He was stabbed in several places, but he didn't care. He fell to the ground quickly dying as the necklace fell into his hand. Alarmed and worried, she quickly ran to his side trying to keep her tears at bay. She sat on her knees as she sadly looked down on his her eyes clouding with tears. A gentle clawed hand caressed her face as he softly whispered her name and dried her tears. She placed her hand on top of his as the other gently stroked his hair. Her gold eyes turned silver and held no emotion as she continued to look down on him as her eyes continued to cloud with tears.
"I love you," he quietly whispered only to have her not reply her being too shocked to speak.
Stark still, his hand fell from her face as her numbed hands lost their grip as the tears in her eyes fell in an ever falling waterfall. Closing her eyes as she leaned down, she placed a soft kiss on his hair.
"I love you too," she quietly whispered back as her tears continued to fall.
Then, she heard it, a soft and gentle sound that broke the sudden numb silence of the jungle where she sat by her dying husband's side. Quickly, she wiped her tears away and turned to the bushes where she found their little girl slowly walking towards her. Hurried and worried her child would she her husband's remains, she grabbed he necklace and stuffed it into a pocket in her tunic as her child just walked out into the jungle path where Kuronue lay. She scooped up the child in her arms despite her child's protests and began to run, running to anyplace, anyplace to escape, escaping for even a moment. She ran as fast as she could back to their small cottage still trying to hold back her tears. Tired, she placed the small girl down on the ground as the sun began to set over the distant horizon. 'No doubt,' she thought trying to hide her tears as she studied her daughter. 'She had to have recognized him.. She had to have recognized her own father.'
"Mama?" the small child asked wondering of her mother's sad expression. "Why did you run away from Papa? And where's Papa?"
She bit her lip nervously as she wondered on what to say to her daughter. Slowly, she kneeled down to her daughter and prepared as calmly as she could to explain what had happened to her father.
"Well," she began unsurely and sadly as the tears began to well up. "Your father... has gone to a better place."
"When will he be back?" she asked again making more tears cloud her mother's eyes.
"He..." she began trying to hold her tears back as she sadly turned away from her daughter's curious eyes. "Won't be coming back."
Sadly, the little girl looked at her mother. She held out a small hand to her mother's face as she patted away the fallen tears drying them in only a way a child could.
"Is that why Mommy's sad?" she asked again as she continued to pat the wet tears on her mother's face.
Her mother turned back to her.
"Yes," she replied as she pulled her daughter close.
She pulled away and quietly told her daughter to go to bed as the sun continued to slowly set behind the horizon. Slowly, she walked towards the cliff that overlooked the wild sea of conifers of her childhood home. It was her place to think and this time was no different, except, this was a time to grieve. She shed many tears as she watched the sun's final hours of the day. As the sun was halfway set behind the horizon, her face was swollen and had no tears left. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the necklace. She reached into her hair and pull out another blooming white rose. The rose opened at her command revealing its center large enough store a small object. Gently, she placed his necklace inside and quietly closed the flower turning it back into a small bud and placed it back into her hair. She sighed sadly as two extra tears fell from her eyes. 'I love you,' she thought to no one hoping that no one or someone would quietly hear.
//And still I dream he'd come to me
That we would live the years together//
As the years past, the small baby she could hold in her arms turned into a beautiful child no older than five. Her daughter now went out often and as with all children has an imaginary friend of her own. 'Well,' she thought to herself as her child played in her room with another little girl. 'At least she has at least one real friend.' Through the windows of the cottage, she watched the sun slowly set behind the distant horizon as she turned to see her daughter walk out alongside another child her age.
"Well," she greeted the two children kindly. "I take it little Yukina has to head back to the ice country?" (Author's note: I don't know if there is a safe way to get down from the ice country i.e. not being thrown off, but just pretend there is.)
Her daughter nodded.
"Thank you very much for having me," Yukina kindly greeted her.
She smiled in reply.
"Will you be all right walking home alone?" she asked as Yukina nodded. "All right goodbye."
Yukina waved as her daughter waved back. Quietly, she walked past her daughter and the edge of the cliff and sat down to watch the rest of the sunset and to once more quietly grieve. She had been grieving since the day he died and only found some solace in her daughter's company. 'But it's not the same... Why did you leave me Kuronue?' she asked herself sadly. 'I miss you far too much.'
//But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather//
'But there are dreams that cannot be, and there are storms we cannot weather,' she thought to herself sadly again. Sadly, she sighed only to turn to find her daughter walking up to her.
//I had a dream my life would be
So different from the hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed//
"Mama?" she asked quietly as he walked to her mother's side.
"Hm?" she questioned quietly as she turned to her daughter.
"Tell me about Papa," her child softly and curiously requested.
"Of course," she replied as she moved a piece of her daughter's hair behind one of her ears. "He past away when you were only a baby.. Didn't he?"
Her daughter nodded.
"Well," she began as she pulled her child into her lap. "He was a very great thief. And he was very handsome..."
"Would he have liked me?" her child interrupted as she giggled.
"Of course he would've adored and loved you," she replied. "You know you will grow up to be very beautiful someday yes?"
Her child didn't answer but continued to stare at something behind her.
"What is it?" she asked turning around only to find nothing behind her.
"It's, Kuro," she replied as she continued to stare behind her mother. "He's listening."
"Who?" she replied to her daughter as she played along with her child's fantasy. "Who's Kuro?"
"My imaginary friend," she replied as she continued to stare behind her mother.
The small child in her arms began to giggle as her mother placed a false look of surprise and curiosity on her face.
"What is it?" she asked curiously.
"Kuro says he likes you," her child replied giggling as she giggled as well.
"Well.." she began as she pulled her child close again. "Tell me about Kuro."
"Well," her child began imitating her. "He's really tall. And he's a man with a funny hat. He tells me he loves me and that I'll grow up to be very beautiful and give me goodnight kisses."
She giggled.
"He sounds like a nice man," she replied as set her daughter on her feet beside her. "Now you should get to bed."
"But I want to know more about Papa," she whined cutely as her mother sighed.
"Well," she began as she reached into her hair as she pulled out the white rose that held Kuronue's necklace. "I do have one more thing about him I could show you."
She commanded the rose to bloom. As the rose blossomed, it revealed its large center and the old necklace. She reached into the flower and pulled out the necklace on a repaired chain the large red jewel glistening in the last of the slowly setting sun as her child looked with much curiosity.
"This necklace," she began softly as she handed her child the necklace. "Belonged to him. And when you're older, it will belong to you."
"Pretty," her child replied as she placed the necklace around her neck only to have the leather rope too long and the jewel dangling between her knees.
Her mother giggled.
"Maybe when you're older," she said again as she took the necklace as she placed it back into the rose, then replaced the rose back into her hair. "Now get to bed."
Her child shook her head.
"Well," she began thinking of a plan. "What does Kuro say you should do?"
The small demon child looked behind her mother again.
"Listen to your mother," Kuro, a tall man with a funny hat, violet eyes, and long raven hair in a ponytail, only seen by the girl told her as the small child pouted angrily and stomped her foot.
"Well?" her mother asked as the child continued to pout.
"He said I should listen to you," she replied as the mother smirked.
"Go on," she replied still smirking. "Off to bed."
Smirking, she watched as the small girl stomped off into the cottage. She stood dusting off the dirt from her clothes as she continued to watch the rest of the sunset a small amused smile on her face. 'Wait,' she thought as a sudden thought came to her.
"Kuro?" she asked herself out loud as she ran he's description through her mind. "A tall man with a funny hat...."
Her eyes went wide and silver as realization hit. 'Kuronue,' she whispered the name in her mind sadly. Before the tears could fall, she felt a spirit's arms wrap around her pulling her close to an invisible body as a warm wind blew softly whispering "I love you." to her. She closed her eyes peacefully all the sadness in her heart gone for just one pure moment of bliss.
//Now life has killed the dream..... I dreamed//
(Author's note: ok.. It sucked, they're all ooc, and obviously it's probably a lot of Mary-Sue and for gosh sakes I didn't even give the o.c's names *sighs* I suppose if I haven't confused you and you're a Kuronue fan you could think of yourself as his leading lady in his fic since I couldn't think of any names for the o.c's. *sighs again* just flame it when ready.)