Kurama In Love
I'd like to dedicate this story to my own Suichi. You're the best son anyone could have, even though you can be a bit of a demon sometimes! (Just kidding, I think it goes with being a 17-year-old!) When I started watching anime, you didn't think it was silly, and when I wanted to write stories, you didn't laugh, you thought it was cool. I love you.
Concept: (reason for writing it) What if Kurama fell in love. After all, it's part of the human experience.
We find ourselves with Yusuke, who is discussing a case with Kuwabara, Hiei, Kurama, and Boton. As they are talking, Keiko arrives, accompanied by another girl. She is a pretty, petite brunette with long, black, wavy hair, big blue eyes and a nice smile. Everyone falls silent and looks expectantly at Keiko.
"Keiko, what are you doing here?", Yusuke asks, somewhat annoyed at being caught just a little off guard. "I thought you were going shopping."
"Gee, thanks, Yusuke, I'm glad to see YOU, too." she replies with just a hint of sarcasm. "Actually, we're on our way there, now. I just wanted you to meet my friend, Kimura Noroki. Kimura, this Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Suichi and Boton.
"I'm pleased to meet you all." Kimura replies. When she sees Kurama, her eyes widen with recognition and she says, "Oh, I know you!" She turns to Keiko to explain. "My mother was very ill and had to be hospitalized. The doctors had given up and we thought she was going to die. Suichi's mother was there at the same time and he wouldn't let me give up. Then, a miracle happened and suddenly my mother started getting better. He and his mother were kind to me. I'm very grateful to them. How is your mother doing?" Kimura, of course, doesn't know that while there, Kurama took pity on them and secretly provided a cure for her mother.
"She's fine, now, thank you for asking." Kurama replies, smiling. "It's good to see you, again. I trust your mother is doing well, also?"
"Yes, she is, thank you. I'm pleased your mother is better also. It's so nice to see you, again, too."
She has extended her hand in greeting as they are speaking and Kurama takes it and plants a light kiss on it, causing Kimura to blush a becoming shade of red.
The others can only stand there staring, too stunned at first to say anything.
After taking a minute to get over her initial surprise and to close her mouth, Keiko finds her voice. "Well, uh, yes, we're going shopping now. That's right, shopping!" She gives Yusuke a "What in the world was THAT all about?" look. He spreads his hands and shrugs his shoulders in confusion.
" Don't forget, Yusuke, we have a date for the movies tonight. You'd better be there!" she says, waving a menacing finger in his face.
"Yeah, yeah" he replies.
Kurama is watching the girls' walk away when he hears the sounds of giggling behind him. He turns to see Yusuke and Kuwabara red in the face trying to hold back their amusement. Suddenly it bursts from them like water from an overstressed dam and from there escalates until they collapse with laughter. Even Boton seems to find it amusing, though sweet.
"Ooh, hubba, hubba," Kuwabara says, "looks like Kurama's got himself a little crush."
"Whoa, slow down, loverboy. Just how long has this been going on?" Yusuke adds.
"Please, Yusuke, don't be crude. I was merely being polite."
"Now, now, boys, I think it's just the cutest thing. Kurama, you and she will make the most ADORABLE couple." Boton says, her eyes dancing with merriment.
"Well, that was a sickening display of sentiment." Hiei says.
Kurama's heard enough. "I don't know what you're talking about. If you'll excuse me, I have things to do elsewhere." As he leaves, Yusuke and Kuwabara continue to whoop it up with uncontrolled glee.
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Next day finds us at the school with Keiko and Kimura awaiting the first bell to go to class. Kimura lays her bookbag on the wall behind her and turns to talk to Keiko. The bell rings and as she turns to pick it up, to her surprise and delight there is a beautiful red rose laying on it. Kimura picks it up and inhales its lovely fragrance.
"Oh, it's beautiful!" she exclaims happily. "But where did it come from?"
"Hmm, I'm not positive, but I have a pretty good idea." Keiko replies.
Kimura, who is too busy smiling and smelling the rose to pay attention, says "What, did you say something?"
"Never mind. It looks like someone has a crush on you, you lucky girl. They're just too shy to tell you.
We'd better get to class or we'll be late. Come on, lovergirl!" Keiko grabs her wrist and she follows obediently, still sniffing the flower and smiling.
Kurama, hiding nearby, smiles and walks away.
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The next day at the school finds Kurama once again hiding nearby observing Kimura. Since she is on her way home, he decides he, too, will leave. As he turns to go, he hears angry voices coming from the other side of the wall that surrounds the school. Kurama looks around the corner and sees Kimura arguing with a rather large, muscular young man dressed in the school uniform. Curious, he stays to observe what is happening.
"I told you, Kito, I DON'T want to go out with you. And I am NOT you girlfriend. You have to stop telling people that! You've beat up every boy who's come near me! They're all too scared to even talk to me!
"You need a big, strong guy to take care of you, not those wimpy little guys that keep hanging around you."
Kurama observes by his speech and posturing that he's definitely the dim bulb on the family tree. In fact, he makes Kuwabara look like a genius.
Kito tries to put his arm around Kimura. "Sooner or later, baby, you'll have to admit that I'm the man for you, not all those other, OWWW!"
Kimura pushes him away and slaps him hard across the face.
"Why, you little bitch!" Kito exclaims angrily, holding one hand to the side of his face where a large red handprint is appearing. On the word bitch, he strikes her across the face, the blow causing her to fly across the schoolyard. She hits the ground and lays there, motionless.
At this point a VERY pissed off Kurama steps in, fists raised, a look in his eyes that would have made most of his demon acquaintances in the past knew well and would have sent them scurrying for cover. However, Kito, as I've pointed out, isn't that smart.
"Only a weak coward would strike a woman like that and only a fool would do it around me."
"Who the hell are YOU?" demands an angry Kito, still holding the side of his face.
"I came to escort Miss Kimura home, but it seems I'm going to have to take care of you first."
At this, Kito lowers his hand and advances on Kurama, raising his fists.
"She doesn't need some wuss like you to take her home. If anyone is taking her home it's gonna be me. Now get the hell out of here before I kick your ass!"
Kurama smiles, as if genuinely amused by this statement. "Fine, if it's a fight you want, feel free to attack me at anytime. But be warned, I will show you no mercy."
"You bastard, I'm gonna wipe that smile right off your face!"
Kito attempts a right hook to Kurama's face, bellowing with rage as he charges toward him. Kurama easily catches his fist in midstrike. Kito finds despite all his efforts he is unable to hit Kurama and, to his dismay and growing bewilderment, he cannot withdraw his fist.
"Look into my eyes," Kurama commands him. "What do you see?"
Kito, who is still in shock and somewhat, confused (which for him isn't really difficult to accomplish) finds he has no choice but to obey. Suddenly he sees Kurama's eyes turn the color of crimson and they seem to glow with an unnatural light. As he continues to watch in horrified fascination, he gets a glimpse in Kurama's eyes of his true demon form. Kito's eyes widen in shock.
"Who or what the hell are you!" Kito asks, by now thoroughly terrified.
"That's not important. What I have to say to you is. You would be wise to heed it. Listen very carefully, I'm going to talk very slowly so you can understand. If you ever touch Kimura again or come near her, I'll be back to finish what I started. I'll be watching you, make no mistake, and if anything bad happens to her, I will hold you personally responsible. Now, nod if you understand me."
Kito nods his head.
"Good boy. This will be your only warning. Don't even think about crossing me. Others have and they have come to regret it. I can cause you pain in ways you can't even begin to imagine." As he makes this last statement, his hand slowly tightens around Kito's fist and we hear the sound of bones breaking. Kurama releases his hand and Kito grabs it and lets out a scream of pain. Kurama turns to walk away, the stops and looks over his shoulder at Kito. "I suggest you leave now."
With that, Kito runs as fast as he can in the other direction, screaming for his mommy and holding his hand.
Without so much as a glance in Kito's direction, Kurama goes over to Kimura's side and kneels beside her. As he gently brushes the hair back from her face, he finds a lump on her forehead. He then produces a plant and presses it to her head. She stirs and opens her eyes.
"Suichi?", she whispers.
"Are you all right?", he asks.
"Yes, just a little shook up, that's all and my head hurts."
"This special herb I'm applying should make it feel better."
"Yes, thank you, it feels better already. What happened, where is Kito?"
"I'm afraid he met with an unfortunate accident." Kurama replies with grim satisfaction, helping her into a sitting position, placing a supporting arm behind her.
"Good, it's about time somebody taught him a lesson." she says, smiling, then begins to look around somewhat anxiously. "Have you seen my rose anywhere?", she asks Kurama.
"Don't worry, it's right here." he assures her, holding the flower out to her.
"Thank you. You know, it just appeared out of nowhere. I wonder who sent it. Isn't it beautiful?"
"Yes, beautiful." Kurama replies, but he's not looking at the rose.
Kimura blushes, and reaches out to take the flower from him. In her confusion, she accidentally touches Kurama's hand instead. She freezes and they look into each other's eyes as if mesmerized. Kurama starts to move closer as if to kiss her, then suddenly looks away and releases the rose to her, breaking the spell. He steadies her, then rises to his feet and turns away.
"Suichi?" Kimura says, rising to her feet, hurt and confused.
"You'd better hurry home and put that in water before it wilts."
She turns to go, and, after a minute, we see Kurama give a sigh that sounds very much like regret. Preoccupied with his own thoughts, he feels a light touch on his arm and looks down in surprise to see Kimura standing there, smiling up at him.
"I forgot to thank for saving me from Kito. You know, he's going to be very angry tomorrow."
"I don't think you'll have any more trouble with him. Once I explained things to him, he was really quite reasonable."
"Thank you, Suichi. I hope we'll meet again, soon. Goodbye."
Kimura turns and leaves.
Kurama watches her until she is out of sight, then addresses a nearby tree.
"You can come out now, Hiei."
Hiei leaps from the tree to perch on top of the wall.
"Do you really think it wise to reveal your true self to a human?"
"Even if he were foolish enough to tell anyone, who would believe him?"
" True. So, why didn't you just tell her how you really feel?"
I spend most of my time in the spirit world, she lives in the human world. It would never work out."
"Hmm, that doesn't sound like the Kurama I know."
Kurama walks away without replying.
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The next day we see Kimura sitting in the schoolyard studying for a test. She finally gives up and closes the book. She finds herself unable to concentrate, yesterday's events still playing over and over in her mind. She did have a rather strange encounter this morning. Kito, with his hand in a cast, upon seeing her in the hall, screamed and ran away. She sighs. "I wonder if I'll ever see Suichi again?" The bell rings and Kimura reaches for her bookbag to put the book away. Lying on the bookbag is a beautiful red rose with a note attached: "To: Kimura From: Suichi." She exclaims in delight and picks it up to sniff it appreciatively..
Kurama, hiding nearby, smiles and walks away. The End.