You...hate Kurama? My main man? Oh the pain, the pain of it all! I would tell whether or not Hiei's gonna get him, but that would be ruining the fun, no? Well, I want to thank everyone who reviewed again and again. You guys make me so incredibly happy! Continue? Oh, I'll continue, alright. I'll continue with my longest chapter yet, hah hah!
Discl'r: I don't own it, I don't own it...oh wait...I promised I wouldn't sing, didn't I? Chapter eight...ain't it great!
A Reflection of Youko
-Hiei-
"Yeah, so, I told her I would go, so you know, she shouldn't make a big deal out of it." Hiei shifted in his seat, folding his arms. He'd been waiting for Kurama since he left early that morning with Kuwabara. They were just arriving from their day out.
They were both holding bags as they came through the door. Kuwabara went to speak again, but he stopped when he saw Hiei seated on Kurama's couch.
"Hey, Hiei," Kurama said, sitting the bags on the couch next to Hiei.
"Hn."
"Would you like to help me wrap the presents?" Kurama asked.
"No."
"Fair enough." Kuwabara came closer to the couch, setting the bags on the floor.
"I have to go now..." he said, looking at his watch. "What time do you want me to pick you up?" Kurama stopped and thought for a moment.
"Six would be perfect," he told him. Kuwabara nodded.
"See ya then," he said, making his way to the door. "You remember what's for who, right?"
"Yes," Kurama said, going up to him. "I'll take care of it."
"Later. Uh..." Kuwabara opened the door, but hesitated to leave. "Uh...bye Hiei." Hiei looked at him out of the corner of his eye.
"Ja ne," he said, though his voice was void of emotion. Kuwabara cheesed at him and gave Kurama a thumbs up. Kurama smiled back. Once he was gone, Hiei let out a sigh.
"That was nice of you," Kurama said. Hiei shrugged. He only did to make Kurama happy.
"What's in the bags? Presents, you say?"
"Yes. Kuwabara and I did a little shopping. His wrapping skills aren't up to par, so I volunteered to wrap them for him."
"Hmmm." Hiei slid from the couch and went over to Kurama. Hesitantly, he put his arms around him and pressed his face up to his body. He sighed. Kurama reached around slowly to hold him, but he pulled away. "Where are you going with him later?" he asked. Kurama looked at him closely, doing so for a moment because the room was dim. Hiei was red and his face was softer than usual. Kurama stood up straight again.
"To mother's, remember?" he said.
"Am I going with you?" Kurama went and turned on all the lamps and the light that hung over the dining room table. He sat down where Hiei was sitting earlier, looking a bit tired, and then ran his hands through his hair. Hiei was watching him, and he blushed even more at seeing the kitsune go through those motions.
"I suppose if you wanted to come in through the window later... You know he doesn't want you there."
"He'll be there?" Hiei asked. "While you're there?"
"No...mother said he's gone on a trip. He'll be back by Christmas day, so I have to do this now."
"We," Hiei said quickly. "I'm going with you." Kurama gave him a stern look.
"He'll know you were there." Hiei chuckled.
"I'm not worried, kitsune. And I suggest you get over it." Kurama opened a bag and pulled out a roll of wrapping paper.
"I suppose you're right."
"I'm always right," Hiei said, making Kurama smile. "I'll meet you over there. Don't go in without me." Kurama nodded.
"Sounds like a plan," he said with a sigh. Hiei went over to him, grabbing him by the chin and then kissing his cheek. It made him feel better about himself when he kissed Kurama. He had no idea why. Kurama smiled at Hiei as he went over to the television. He looked down at the puzzle on the floor.
"Are you ever going to finish this?" he asked Kurama.
"When I have the time," Kurama said. "There are just too many things to do...I've been too busy."
"Hmmm." Hiei sat Indian-style on the floor next to the puzzle. He opened the box and looked at the various puzzle pieces. Kurama settled on the floor by the couch with the wrapping paper and the gifts. He glanced up at Hiei and chuckled lowly.
Hiei took a piece from the box, looking up at Kurama curiously, and then looking back down. After a moment of deliberation, he placed it next to its partner. They connected. He felt oddly proud of that, so he tried again. The pieces didn't quite fit and that made him a little angry. He banged them with his fist to try to make them to fit.
"You can't force the pieces together, Hiei," Kurama said with a chuckle.
"Quiet," Hiei said, already having made that realization. He busied himself with the puzzle while Kurama wrapped the gifts. After Kurama left, Hiei waited around a little while to give Kuwabara time to get out there before taking off out the window.
-Kurama-
Kuwabara dropped Kurama off at the front gates of Otuko's estate. Kurama stood there even after Kuwabara left, gazing up at the three story mansion hesitantly.
The last time he'd been there...the memories weren't so pleasant. There was yelling and screaming and crying. Too much heartache for Kurama, and the memories were flooding back to him at rates that made him apprehensive about taking another step further. But he had to. He was already there, and there was no turning back.
He pulled his overnight bag further up his shoulder and punched in the entrance number. The gate opened.
He hesitated again before making his way up the stony path of the estate. Bushes and topiaries lined the walkway, stripped of their leaves and flowers. Their sharp brownish gray branches seemed to reach out to comfort Kurama. Even without the bloom of spring and summer, Kurama appreciated their appearance.
It wasn't the shortest walk; Kurama trudged his way through the inches of only newly trodden snow. The snow seemed to get higher the closer he came to the front door. Perhaps Otuko's servants were away for the season. Kurama didn't really see the need for butlers and maids and gardeners. He saw it as the epitome of laziness. If one wanted a massive estate then one should care for it with their own heart and soul—don't bite off more than you can chew.
He made it to the front steps, the large, wooden, red door staring gloomily at him. In the midst of twilight, everything took on a slightly gray, slightly eerie appearance. Not only that but it was colder over there than it was in the city. He looked up and around, seeing a flash of black zip-zapping through the trees that surrounded the estate. He attempted to follow it, seeing it eventually come to the roof and then jump down.
Hiei stared up at him for a moment, his hands stuck in his pockets, and then looked at the door. Kurama didn't do anything. Hiei shook his head at him.
"Baka," he murmured and knocked on the door. He must have sensed Kurama's discomfort and for that gesture, Kurama was thankful. Shiori opened the door slowly, peering out as if she wasn't sure who was there. She knew well who it was.
"Shuuichi...?" she murmured.
"Okaasan..." Shiori flung the door open and threw her arms around Kurama's neck.
"It's so nice to see you again," she gasped, beginning to cry. "You must come inside and get warm. I see you brought your friend along." Hiei looked up at her.
"Hello," he said awkwardly and followed Kurama inside.
"Hello, Hiei." Shiori straightened out her knee length plaid skirt. "You've gotten taller," she said to Kurama. "How is school and everything?"
"Everything's perfect," Kurama said. Shiori nodded and stood there a little longer with a somewhat melancholy gaze before she went towards the stairs. They stretched out at the end of the foyer, which was richly decorated in deep earth tones and old world charm. She went up a few stairs and placed her hand to her mouth.
"Yohiro!" she called, though her voice was still as soft as usual. "Shuuichi's here!" She turned back to Kurama. "I missed you so much," she said, going over to him and hugging him again.
"I missed you too, okaasan." She let go and smiled at him, and then down at Hiei. Kurama thought she looked a little worried, a little nervous. Well, perhaps it was just Hiei. Sometimes that seemed to be the most usual reaction he caused in people.
"I didn't know you would bring him," she said. Something about the way she said "him" didn't quite sit well with Kurama or Hiei. "Well, Yohiro wasn't quite dressed when I left him. Why don't I show you two to your rooms?"
"It's not the same room?" Kurama asked. Shiori shook her head.
"It's a weight room, now," she said sheepishly, apparently attempting to hide her face from him. "You can have the two guest rooms."
"I don't need a room," Hiei said. Shiori looked at him strangely, but just nodded. Otuko's son from a previous marriage, Yohiro, came bounding down the stairs excitedly. Kurama's face lit up at seeing the neatly dressed five year old running up to him.
"Shuu-Ku!" he exclaimed, leaping into Kurama's arms. Kurama laughed as he held up him up and shook him playfully.
"How's my best bud?" Kurama asked. Yohiro giggled madly and squirmed from Kurama's grasp. He landed on the ground and went up to Hiei, cheesing at him widely.
"Hn," Hiei teased him, trying to get the tyke away from him. His cheerfulness...scared Hiei a little. But Yohiro obviously just saw it as something Hiei would do. He remembered him from past times: at the wedding and a few times when Hiei snuck into Kurama's room and Yohiro was around. He gave Hiei a big hug and Hiei flashed Kurama a look of confusion. Kurama smiled at them.
"Wanna come play Lego's?" Yohiro asked them.
"Not right now, Yohiro," Shiori said. "I should take them to their rooms."
"Then we can play games," Yohiro said. He climbed the stairs with Shiori, Kurama and Hiei, but went to the left while she led them to the right. Kurama glanced back at Yohiro, and then towards his old bedroom. It was right across the hall from Yohiro's room.
"The guest wing should be enough," Shiori said, opening a set of large double doors. The room was a little more elegant than the foyer, and was furnished like a living room. There were four doors, two on each side of the room to the left and right of the wall with the entrance door.
Kurama didn't want to stay there, he much preferred the simplicity of his old room. Which was now the weight room. He sat down his bag on one of the couches. Hiei walked in a little further. "Make yourselves at home. I'll go see that everything's going as planned. I'll come get you when it's time...or you can look around if you want."
"Alright mother," Kurama said. Shiori left the room, closing the doors behind her.
"Kitsune?" Hiei asked, taking his hands from his pockets. He was standing next to Kurama looking up at him with a worried face.
"Something's not right," Kurama said, looking away. Hiei reached up and stroked the nearest side strand of Kurama's hair.
"I've noticed," he said, tugging on it slightly. Kurama bent down to him and Hiei kissed his ear. "If she says anything about wanting me to stay in the room, I think I know exactly what that "something" is." Kurama nodded and stood up straight, going over to his bag.
"I doubt that's what it is..." he said, plainly lying. He pulled out a few various gifts. "I wonder where the tree is this year."
-Hiei-
Hiei followed Kurama out of the room and towards the stairs. Yohiro's bedroom door was open a crack, and when Kurama saw that, he stopped.
"Yohiro," he called out. The small boy came out of his room curiously, his face lighting up when he saw the presents.
"Are those all for me, Shuu-Ku?" he nearly exclaimed.
"All but one," Kurama said. Yohiro gasped and went up to him, looking the gifts over with wide eyes.
"I got you a gift, too, but it's not under the tree. We should exchange them now. Like Christmas Eve!"
"You'll have your Christmas Eve, Yohiro," Kurama said with a grin. "You just want to open a gift before it's time."
"But you won't be there...and I want to see you open my gift." Kurama looked at the boy forlornly. He had a point, and it made Kurama happy, in a sad way.
"Of course," he said. He followed Yohiro into his room. Yohiro went over to his closet and pulled out an oddly wrapped clump of an object.
"Here," he said, beaming uncontrollably. "I remembered that one thing you did for that one model I had and I wanted to make you one because you liked it so much." Kurama wasn't sure what he was referring to, but it still made him smile.
"Shall I open it now?" he asked. Yohiro nodded widely. Kurama sat down the gifts he held on Yohiro's bed and took his present from him. He looked at it closely and then opened it. He gasped.
"You made this all on your own?" he asked. Yohiro gave him the same nod again.
"Yep," he said proudly. It was a snow globe made from a rounded glass bowl. Fake rose petals were inside, glued to the bottom of the bowl, and the snowflakes were tiny white plastic orbs that floated gently in the water. Kurama shook it, watching the snow fall down on the rose petals.
"Yohiro, it's beautiful," he gasped.
"Yay!" Yohiro exclaimed. "I thought you would like it because you like spring and then it's winter, so I had to make the snow, but then you like spring, so I wanted you to have flowers, too."
"This is so thoughtful of you," Kurama said, sitting down on the bed. He shook it again.
"Can I open a present now?" Yohiro asked. Kurama nodded and sat the globe in his lap.
"You can have the one I made for you. I hope you like it." Yohiro nodded, eagerly looking at the box Kurama handed to him.
"Shuuichi, Yohiro!" Shiori called. "Come on down to the den now." Yohiro snapped his finger.
"After dinner I'll open it, okay?" Yohiro said, quickly putting the gift in his closet and grabbing the wrapping paper that sat around. "Come on, Shuu-Ku. Mom said we could make s'mores." Kurama smiled at him and followed him after picking up the other gifts. Hiei reached for the globe and Kurama let him take it.
"Want me to put it away?" he asked. Kurama nodded.
"That would be nice of you." Hiei went towards the guest rooms while Kurama and Yohiro went down the stairs. Entering the guest wing, Hiei went over to Kurama's bag and sat the globe inside in between his clothes. He zipped the bag up and looked at it for a while before turning his attention away from it. He went to the door that was closest to him and looked inside. It was a bedroom.
"Hmm," he murmured. He opened the other door along that wall. It was a bathroom. Crossing the room, he found that behind the other two doors was exactly the same thing. They wouldn't need to use that side of the room, Hiei decided, so he went over to the couch, picked up Kurama's bag and brought it into the first bedroom. He took off his cloak and katana, which was hidden on the inside of the cape. He was wearing something similar to what he wore the first night of the Dark Tournament. He didn't like it, but Kurama convinced him to wear it.
He left the guest wing and went down the stairs, not bothered by the fact that he didn't know where, or what the...den was. For all he knew it could be anywhere. He walked to the left of the stairs, starting down the hall and stopping when he heard voices. He stood outside the room for a moment, looking in through the door, which was ajar.
-Kurama-
The den was colorfully decorated, plum full of everything Christmas. A large evergreen stood tall at the back of the room with loads of presents underneath. Kurama pondered as to why there were so many. He sat his down among them.
While he was there, he looked at the other gifts to see who they were for. Most were for Yohiro, but he did see some for the rest of them, also. He smiled and then turned his attention towards the tree.
It was decorated extravagantly, nothing like it used to be. He and Shiori would get into crafty moods around the holidays and create ornaments and decorations for the house. Needless to say, the memories of their life before Otuko brought tears to his eyes. He did not cry, though. Instead, he turned to his mother and smiled at her.
"Shall I help with dinner?" he asked, eager to do something with her like they used to. Shiori opened her mouth to speak, but someone beat her to the punch.
"No need, our chefs are taking care of that," a voice behind Kurama spoke out. It made the hairs all over his body stand on end. He stared at his mother as if she could make a difference in the reality of the scheme he'd fallen victim to. She put on a smile, but it was instantly erased when she looked into Kurama's eyes. "Welcome home, son."
Son...? Son?! Kurama's fists balled tightly, his nails digging deep into the flesh of his palms as he tried to contain himself.
"I am not your son," he said through clenched teeth, turning around to face the startled Otuko. He stood at the kitchen entrance of the den holding a tray of hot chocolate and the ingredients for making s'mores.
"Shuu...Shuuichi, just relax a little," Otuko said, coming over to him with the tray. Kurama could just see his hands snaking around the man's neck and strangling him lifeless. "You're home for Christmas...let's have a holiday together, as a family." Kurama's eyes shut firmly and they flashed open. He looked at his mother.
"A family Shuuichi..." she said meekly, appearing to be afraid. "You're home now."
"It's eradicated, mother and you lied to me!" he exclaimed, pain swarming in his voice. "You lied to me, how could you do that to me?!"
"Shuuichi it was for the best," Shiori pleaded, reaching for him. He pulled away from her quickly, stepping away from both Shiori and Otuko.
"You lied to me..." Kurama said slowly and raspily. Shiori looked away from him, not able to withstand the hurt and anger in his eyes. Yohiro, who was sitting by the tree, bent his legs up and rested his chin on his knees, holding himself protectively. Kurama rubbed his face, fighting back tears. He had the biggest urge in all three worlds to kill that man. The man who caused his mother to lie to him. "You said he was gone mother."
"We...we decided we needed to...to get you here somehow," she said. "We're supposed to spend Christmas together...as a family."
"You lied to me..." Kurama said, trying to blink back persistent tears. It was to no avail. A few slid down his cheek. "You lied to me."
"No..." Shiori said, going up to him and putting her arms around him. He didn't hug her back. He looked down at her, staring at the top of her head in disbelief. "We're supposed to be a family, Shuuichi..." He pulled away from her slowly, pushing her back with little force to pry her off of him. Her grip was deathly tight, though. She wouldn't let go.
"You lied to me, okaasan," Kurama said sternly, gripping her arms tightly and pushing her away. "You would never lie to me. I cannot trust you." Shiori let out a wail.
"No, Shuuichi...you must understand!" she gasped. Kurama knew she knew she was losing him. She would never be able to handle that.
"Stop this, Shuuichi!" Otuko yelled at him. "You will cut out all of this nonsense and spend the holiday with us, do you understand? You will stay and you will spend Christmas with your family." Did he just...give him an order? Did he seriously think he could do that Kurama and get away with it?
Kurama moved Shiori aside with ease. His anger caused his entire body to heat up, his 'ki rising so high, he was almost lightheaded. He hadn't allowed it to reach those levels in years and the force of it was almost too much for him to handle. He looked over to Otuko, his lips pursed tightly.
-Hiei-
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Kurama asked, his voice deeper and raspier than normal. His aura was more silver than ever and its current caused his hair and clothes to flap. Looking at Shiori and Otuko, Hiei could see the confusion and fear marked on their faces.
Hiei had to put a stop to this. As much as he wanted Kurama to rip out Otuko's eyes, he couldn't allow him to. Kurama's eyes were wild with a vicious glare as he shot a look of death at Otuko. He pulled his fist back and swung it at him. Hiei hardly knew what he was doing to prevent it until after it happened.
"Kurama, stop!" Suddenly, Kurama felt his fist stop. Focusing on the situation, Kurama could see that someone was holding his wrist. "Stop," Hiei said again, letting Kurama go. He backed away a step when Kurama looked at him, his glare still going strong. Hiei looked back at him, trying to urge him to calm down with his eyes.
Kurama's look when he swung his fist was crazed...Hiei had never seen him that way before. It was bloodlust, pure unadulterated bloodlust. Hiei almost wasn't able to stop him. The force was that severe, Otuko almost lost his jaw. Kurama backed away from them all.
"Shuu-Ku?" Yohiro said timidly, looking up at Kurama from behind his knees. Hiei could see that the boy was shaking fiercely. Almost as if coming out of a trance, Kurama looked down at him, his entire being calming. He was breathing hard and he looked confused, as if he didn't know what was going on, or what just happened.
"Yohiro..." he murmured, taking a step closer to him. Otuko went over to Yohiro and yanked him from the ground, holding him protectively.
"Stay away from him," Otuko said, staring at Kurama as if he was some kind of monster. Shiori had backed away from Kurama also. Not being spiritually aware, they must have been racking their brains trying to find the cause of the sudden burst of wind that had surrounded Kurama. But most of all, they were afraid. Hell, even Hiei was afraid when Kurama's 'ki was sky high, but Yohiro...
Yohiro squirmed from his fathers grasp, being good at eluding one's grip. He ran over to Kurama and threw his arms around him.
"Get away from him!" Otuko yelled, but didn't take a step closer. Yohiro looked up at Kurama. Kurama was watching him with dismal eyes.
"It's okay, Shuu-Ku," he said, looking back down. "It's okay." Otuko went over to him and snatched him away. He held him tightly, staring angrily at Kurama.
"Get out...the both of you."
"No," Shiori beseeched. Otuko turned to her sharply.
"Keep your mouth shut!" he snapped at her. Kurama flinched, his will at war with his reactions. Yohiro's words and actions must have had a deeper effect on Kurama than any of them knew, for without his words, Kurama would have snapped. He looked over at Hiei and then left the room. Hiei followed closely behind him as he went back up the guest suite.
"Where is my bag?!" Kurama exclaimed, punching the back of the couch and causing it to tip over. Hiei was apprehensive about telling Kurama that he moved it. He didn't want any of that anger directed towards him.
"I put it in the bedroom," Hiei said, trying not to show Kurama how he felt, opening the bedroom door. Kurama stormed inside and snatched the bag up angrily. He came back out into the room. "Call Kuwabara and tell him to come back," Hiei said, watching Kurama head for the entrance doors. Kurama slammed the bag down and kicked the end table that was close to him, catching the phone that sat on it quickly before it could fall to the ground. He called Kuwabara, who was half way home at the time.
-Kurama-
"Yell-o," Kuwabara answered with a chuckle. What the hell did he have to be so happy about?
"Come and get me," Kurama said angrily and slammed the receiver down before Kuwabara could respond. His voice was one that caused Kurama to calm, and he did not want to calm down. He wanted destruction. Hiei went over to him and grabbed his forearm.
"Come on, Kurama," he said sternly. "We don't have to be here any longer."
"I know!" Kurama said snatching his arm away. Hiei didn't seem to be phased by that, and Kurama didn't like that he wasn't afraid of him. He grunted angrily and Hiei grabbed his arm again.
"Kurama..." he said, giving him a look that hurt Kurama to see. Was he afraid...? Was he hurt by the situation? There was so much to read in his eyes. Kurama could feel his anger fade. But how could that be. It was just a stupid gaze! Could his wrath really be quelled by a gaze?
He pulled away again, looking towards the door shamefully. He left the room with Hiei at his side, and they went down the stairs to the front of the house. Shiori, Otuko and Yohiro were standing in the foyer. Otuko had a tight grip on Yohiro, keeping him back. He opened the door.
"Get out," he said again. Hiei walked straight out of the house, stopping and turning back once he saw that Kurama wasn't following him. Kurama stared at his mother.
"Is this really what you wanted?" he asked her. Otuko pushed Kurama's shoulder, rekindled anything that had faltered over the last few minutes.
"Don't you say another word," Otuko demanded. Kurama snickered at him, looking at him with an air of superiority.
"Do you really think that was wise?" he asked in that portentous voice, quickly going towards Otuko in almost a pounce, pushing him hard up against the wall. Otuko's face was swarming with fear. "I would stay away from plants if I were you," he said with a purely ominous tone. Otuko tried to keep face, but it was obvious that even though he didn't understand what Kurama could have possibly meant by that, it was still a threat. Kurama let him go and walked towards the door.
"Bye Shuu—" Otuko slapped Yohiro on the shoulder to quiet him and Yohiro stumbled to the ground.
-Hiei-
"Don't Kurama," Hiei said quickly, seeing Kurama's body undergo another change. Otuko was pushing both their limits. One more thing and it wouldn't matter who spoke to him, Kurama was going to kill him. Hiei wouldn't be surprised if he instinctively helped him.
The door was slammed in their faces. Kurama threw his bag on the porch and ran out into the blurry haze of the falling snow. Hiei couldn't see him all that well, but kept a lock on his 'ki. He picked up the bag and walked down the path.
-Kurama-
Kurama felt along the snow, using his youki to cause whatever remnants of plant life beneath him to grow. He found a few twigs that were doing just that. He grabbed one of them and its length grew considerably. Kurama began to stab it into the ground. He could see Otuko's face in the snow as he continued to stab the ground, breaking up the frozen soil. He grunted with his efforts, muttering die over and over again.
"Kurama..." Hiei said as he kneeled next to him. He unzipped the bag and took out the snow globe. Kurama stabbed the branch into the ground and looked up at him. Hiei took him by the hands and put globe inside them. Kurama fell back so that he was sitting and began to cry harshly. He held the globe, his hands shaking uncontrollably along with his body. He looked up at Hiei and threw his arms around him.
"I'm so sorry," he cried. Hiei stroked his hair.
"Don't be ridiculous, Kurama. There's no reason for you to feel that way." Kurama continued to cry and to feel sorry for the way he acted. It was all coming back to him, everything. Shiori... Even though she betrayed him, he still loved her, but he treated her so badly. And Yohiro. Yohiro should have never had to see that side of him.
He still wanted to kill Otuko, deep inside he wanted to rid the world of him. But Hiei kept muttering reassuring words and stroking his hair. He calmed down and stopped crying momentarily, putting the globe away and standing up with the bag. A car honked in the distance.
"He's here..." Kurama said. Hiei stood up also and followed Kurama to the front gates. Once Kurama was inside the car, Hiei took off among the trees.
"What happened?" Kuwabara asked as Kurama buckled his seat beat. Kurama shook his head and looked up at the mansion desolately. Kuwabara patted his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "One day, Kurama..." he said to him, and started the car, driving Kurama home.
Oh, Kurama's wrath! Otuko was in major danger! I'm so bad, aren't I? I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this! ::does a dance:: Chappie nine is on the way and ten is in the works. ::wipes forehead:: Gotta love hard work. Please review!
J3