Here's the fourteenth chapter! This will be the last chapter, L…oh well, right now, I absolutely have no idea how to continue this fic, so if it turns out sucky, I won't ask you to forgive me, but pls don't flame me.
Ok, on to the next chap!
~*~
Hiei stared at the silver kitsune in his arms, as Kurama shed silent tears. This was the first time he ever saw that kitsune cry, and he was at a loss of what to do.
"Kurama…" he began, but Kurama cut him off, "Just a few more seconds, Hiei. And I will let you go." He buried his head deeper into the other's chest. / Am I asking too much? /
"But…"
"I get your point." He detached himself from the half koorime. Standing up, he brushed away his tears and composed himself. / What a fool I am, to cry in front of Hiei. / He walked towards the door, as he turned the doorknob, he apologized, "I am sorry. It shall not happen again." He left, leaving Hiei alone in the room.
Kurama walked towards Koenma's office alone. He sighed, frustrated.
/ You disgust me, Youko Kurama. Sobbing like a little baby. Look what you've done. Now, Hiei will be- / A sudden constricting pain clenched his heart, causing him to stop walking and lean against the cold wall for support. / It really hurts. More than what I felt when Hiei rejected me that time. I guess this is what a second rejection feels like. /
He slid down slowly onto the ground. It was cold but it was the only source of comfort right down for the youko. Everything reminded him of the fire demon. The coldness of the ground, the constant acute pain in his heart and the fact that he could feel the faint of ki of him made him feel worse. He clenched his fist tightly, willing himself to stop crying as the silent tears streamed down his porcelain cheeks. The last thing he wanted was Yusuke or the others seeing him in this pathetic state. But it was hard, and Hiei's harsh words kept repeating in his head. He felt as if he was trapped in an invisible cage, suffocating him and there were thousands of invisible needles aiming especially at his heart.
He could vaguely feel another ki approaching. It felt like Mukuro's. Although he was not familiar with the female Makai lord, he could recognize her powerful ki. Her soft and steady steps approach as Kurama wiped away his tears just in time. Putting on his emotionless mask, he slowly stood up and prepared himself to face her.
"Yusuke is back with the third crystal," she said. Her voice held some kind of power and she was youkai Kurama greatly respected. He nodded, and looked up to find Mukuro staring at him with a searching gaze. He turned away immediately and avoided meeting her eyes. He felt transparent before her and her gaze was as good as her voice and strength.
After a while which seemed like an eternity to the fox, Mukuro spoke up, "His words may be harsh, but he cares." She had no need to say out the name. Both of them knew very well that the 'he' referred to Hiei and he was the only common topic between the two of them.
/ I seriously think that this fox is a thousand times more mature than Hiei. / Mukuro thought silently. / How foolish of that brat to give up such a good catch. / The fox was everything a youkai could ask for. He was beautiful, powerful, and smart. He was everything, and many would die just to even touch him. / That Hiei doesn't know what's good for him. /
Kurama said nothing but he nodded. He was weary and the name 'Hiei' was like a weapon worse than Karasu's bombs or Yusuke's rei gun. It gave him pressure more than any number of youkais was capable of and it hurt him more than any kind of attack.
"Does he stand a chance?" This time, Mukuro's question left him very confused.
"What chance?" he asked, puzzled. He eyed her wearily. / Stand a chance? In what? Hurting me? /
Mukuro sighed. "Will you accept him?" she looked carefully at the youko's face, searching for any form of reaction.
However, the face remained neutral, but Mukuro could see a flash of sorrow in those golden depths. "The question is, Mukuro, does he even want me to give him a chance." Was the bitter response she received.
"I am very confused right now. I don't know what to do anymore and all I want to do is to escape. You may think I am a coward, but I really am very tired." He laughed, but it came out bitter and harsh. "The great youko Kurama is hopeless in handling his own heart affairs. I wondering how would those youkais react."
"Understand him, Kurama." Mukuro spoke up. She didn't know why, but she felt the need to see Kurama happy. Maybe it was because she wanted her heir to have the best, or maybe it was because she wanted to see a worthy fighter to move on. She respected the youko but whatever the reason, she wanted to find out more about him. She found him mysterious at the first sight. The way he was deadly calm in a fact and the smiles he displayed in spite of the many hidden emotions hidden away. All these intrigued her. He and Hiei was a perfect match and she always had this distinct feeling that Hiei was the one who bonded with Kurama. She was also sure the others had seen it by now.
"I don't know if I understood him, but I definitely did not misunderstand him. His intentions were clear, and so were his feelings about me." he shrugged. "At least our partnership is still there."
/ That baka koorime can't even express something positive? / Mukuro appeared calm but there was a raging fire inside. / He's worst than I thought. He's hopeless! He brought him nothing but trouble. He is supposed to help me and now I have to help him by cleaning up the mess he made. / She silently fumed. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted when Botan came into the room, smiling happily. "Koenma said to go to his office now. It's getting near the set of the sun."
Kurama and Mukuro both nodded and they followed the cheerful girl. Everyone was looking hopeful yet anxious when they went into the room. The genki ones winked at Kurama. Yusuke handed the third crystal and gave him a thumbs-up. "You are going to feel great soon, my friend." Hiei came into the room and the youko refused to meet his eyes.
Kurama regarded the crystal in his hand silently. It looked so beautiful, glistening in the light that he thought that he did not deserve it even though it was part of him. He could feel the life in the crystal. However, a part of his mind told him that it might be the key to more bitterness.
Koenma spoke up, his voice serious. "You only have a few moments before sunset. Take in the crystal now, and you will be back, as good as before."
/ This is it. /
Everyone watched intently as Kurama held the crystal firmly and closed his eyes. Yomi, Genkai and Mukuro noticed a sudden increase in Kurama's ki until it came to an abrupt stop. They frowned but dismiss it as Kurama's returning strength. But it was puzzling as the ki was not supposed to increase until the whole crystal has been taken in. The rest were too focused on the youko's expression to note anything unusual.
A silver light surrounded Kurama like a veil. He seemed normal, but all of a sudden, the whole gang felt his ki depleting quickly. This was beyond comprehension for all of them. Then, it hit Genkai. "Kurama had used his ki to destroy part of the crystal! Without the complete power, he won't return!" She exclaimed loudly, horrified. There was a moment of stumped silence but it was broken by Yusuke who asked, "But why would he do that?"
Mukuro turned to look at Hiei, who was still recovering from the shock and digesting the new information. She turned to Genkai. "What must we do?"
Genkai stared hard at the fire demon, before answering. "We need Hiei. Hiei! Get into Kurama with your jagan and pull him back. Hurry! There's no time."
Hiei nodded. He advanced swiftly towards the fading Kurama and opened his Jagan eye.
~*~
It was strangely warm and comfortable. / Am I dead? After all, I did destroy more than half of the crystal. I am sorry, everyone, but I am really tired. Maybe this is where I should belong. I shouldn't exist. That way, there would not be any heartache or pain, and I can finally be at peace. /
His vision was a blur and very hazy. Ne could barely make out anything. He closed his eyes and let a smile fall onto his lips. / I am alone now. Forever, just like I am before. I have already spent five hundred years alone as a youko. Now it's just a longer period but at least there's peace. There's no pain. There's no…Hiei. / He frowned as he felt that sharp pain again. / Why am I still hurting? Must I even suffer here? /
He vaguely heard a voice calling him. / This voice… it's…Hiei! / He opened his eyes. There was a hand reaching out towards him. He tried to speak but he found now words coming out. Trying desperately again, he attempted to talk but his efforts were futile.
"Kurama…"
/ Why are you here? /
"I am here because…" The silver youko was surprised to hear an answer as he did not even hear his own voice.
/ Because what? /
"Because I want to bring you back." How he love that voice. But it doesn't belong to him, he won't even get to hear it again.
/ I don't want to go back. /
"You must come back, Kurama. You must, because," there was a long pause. "I want you to."
/ You want me to? /
"I need you, Kurama. Take hold of my hand." The hand stretched out to him. Hiei sounded so convincing. He wanted to believe him, he really did, but there was something stopping him. And that was the truth. The cruel reality, which tormented him even till now. Hiei harsh words kept replaying. Tanami's words won't leave him alone. Mukuro's statements clung onto him. Hiei's confession pulled at his mind constantly. The past won't even leave him alone.
"Hikage……Bond with me."
"I love you, really, I did. Hikage…"
"You liar, Karui. You said you would be with me forever. You lied."
"It did not mean anything."
"The kiss did not mean anything. The past did not mean anything. You don't mean anything."
"I don't love you, Kurama. Not even a little."
"If you really can't find a reason, then you can stay here and rule us, the youkos."
"But whatever you do, Youko Kurama, don't let yourself fade away."
"You don't need a reason to live, Kurama. You live to find one."
"I don't want you to give me up. I want you to love me."
"Just a few more seconds, Hiei. And I will let you go."
"His words may be harsh, but he cares."
"Understand him, Kurama."
/ You are lying. /
"What do you want me to do to make you believe me? I am not lying. I am serious about everything I said."
/ You will only hurt me again. /
"Kurama…"
/ You will only leave me again. /
"I won't promise that I won't hurt you ever again, but I want to try my best to make you happy. I need you and I don't care if you think I am a selfish bastard."
/ That's why I love you. You are a bastard who won't leave me alone. /
"You are right, Kurama. I won't leave you alone. I will track you down wherever you are and dragged you personally back to me."
/ You really love me? /
"Hn. Come back to me? Give us a chance, fox. You are bonded with me and you said you aren't going to regret, Karui."
/ I would never regret it…/
"I won't too."
/ I want to go back. I want to stay by your side. /
Kurama reached out. He took hold of Hiei's outstretched hand, which pulled him towards the fire demon. But there was something pulling him back, a force was overwhelming him and he felt the little strength left in him drained away slowly.
"Kurama!!!"
/ I won't give up. I will find a way. / He felt the darkness beckoning to him, and his hand leaving Hiei's. Kurama fell back, deeper into the opening darkness.
"You stupid youko! What are you…"
/ I will go back to your side, because…I love you. /
~*~
Hiei opened his eyes. / Kurama! / He sat up immediately and found anxious faces around and staring at him.
Genkai said in a solemn voice. "We failed. Kurama is gone." There was a tense silence and a gloomy atmosphere hovered.
To her surprise, Hiei slowly smiled.
"I will go back to your side, because…I love you."
"No," he replied, his voice confident. "Kurama will be back. He will come to me."
~*~
(One year later…)
Hiei pushed open the door roughly and came into his room, which was contained only a bed, a table and none of Mukuro's precious vases. Muttering under his breath about stupid and weak youkais, he cursed loudly as more blood cascaded down his arm. Mukuro was strong and easily injured him. Those youkais he fought was nothing compared to her. But fighting her guards had angered the Makai lord and he ended up with a not-so-pretty injured arm.
He sat down on his bed and let the gentle breeze which came in from the window ruffled and tugged playfully at his mass of tri-colored hair. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw something red on the window still. He looked at it closely. It was a blood-red rose. Hiei held it to his nose and sniffed it. Gasping, he clutched the flower tighter. It was exactly like the weapon a certain fox used. He concentrated and after a moment, his eyes widened. It was no doubt, Kurama's ki inside the rose. Although it was faint, he could recognize it. He could tell apart everything that concern to the silver youko.
Hiei's mouth slowly curved into a small smile as realization hit him. / Kurama…you are back. /
~*~
Owari.
This fic finally ended!!! I don't know whether to be happy or sad. Oh well, let me juz move on to thank all of you who have been supporting my fic.
A sincere big thank-you to all these ppl:
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Thx for reviewing tis fic! It really encourages me a lot!
Ok, I guess this is all for this story. See you all next time, if I am going to write another YYH fic! ^_^
