Fanfic by Yomi no Miko
Chapter 25: Stolen kiss
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After Shorin and his followers left, I thought things would go back to their usual places. But times had changed and Kurama's thieves could no longer go on as if those woods were their own making. After all, the band had become a treasure itself. All of us were valuable to the bounty hunters, specially Kurama. I heard that even other youko were being hunted so that they could be sold as Kurama's relatives. Then new rules were decided to protect the territory and we became even more ruthless than before. However, it didn't prevent the death of three thieves, including one of Hekel's pupils. Later I was told that Hekel blamed Kurama for that. And it was just the beginning.
One night, Hekel sent one of his subordinates to warn me that I could no longer leave the territory without their permission. He said that the band had enough problems, but as I suspected, Kurama didn't have anything to do with that. Therefore, I ignored the so called order as well.
During the winter that followed, he almost didn't leave the fortress. I thought I'd go mad. My only occupation was to part the daily fights between those bored youkai. Even Hiuga found himself an enemy. However all the monotony ended in one gelid morning by the end of the season. Kurama and Hekel fought for the band's rule. None of had never seen anything like their combat. We couldn't even get near, if we wanted to. They destroyed half of the construction, including the upper floors. The rest of the band had nothing to do but to wait for the noise to end.
When everything seemed clear, Ziegh and I decided to check the damage and to look for the two fighters. There were broken objects and plants everywhere, some still moving. Then we saw someone coming. It was Hekel, and at the moment I saw him, my heart froze. He seemed to be fine.
"Ziegh, my friend, I was defeated. I'm alive because I surrendered. We've got to talk now. All for us. We've got a decision to make."
For the first time, he didn't notice my presence. They left, and I continued to look around. The whole place was a mess. I ended up finding Kurama in the remaining side of the balcony. He was lain at the sill, quiet, with his eyes closed.
"Are you all right?" I asked, trying to sound casual "The youkai outside want to know."
"Yomi... Who else could it be? Will you never get tired of being my shadow?"
"Will we never get a chance of treating each other like adults? All I did was a simple question. Okay, I saw you're fine, I won't bother you anymore".
I left. I wasn't in the mood for discussions, and I doubt he was. So, I called some of the guys to help me clean up all that mess.
After that day, Hekel and his crew were still
part of the band, but they didn't command as before. For most of the thieves
everything seemed to be just the same, but I knew it was different. I just
hoped Kurama had done the right thing.
One day, I killed a hunter that was using a kind of shotgun, very similar to the one that wounded Kurama. I had already seen one of that before, at Kaizo's cabin. As a matter of fact, Kaizo's weapon seemed to be far more potent, but I assumed that both had the same basis. I knew Kurama was looking for one of those since the day he was attacked. He even collected some, but none as nice as that one, in my opinion. So I decided to take it to him.
I tried to be formal at that time. I'd act exactly as any other thief would do. So, I asked Hiuga to tell him that I had something to give him and waited till I was called. When I finally met him, he was alone in one of the rooms that had not been crashed.
"Here's the gun. The owner was killed, as you ordered."
He looked at me a bit surprised, but he said nothing about my "new attitude". He just took a very careful look at the weapon.
"Was he a hunter?"
"I think so. It was easy to beat him though."
"And what's that on your arm?"
"Just a scratch. If you don't mind, I..."
"I don't."
"So, bye."
I headed towards the room entrance. Nothing would make me turn back.
"Yomi."
"Nani?"
"Be careful."
I mean, nothing but Kurama.
"Are you concerned about me?"
"Don't be ridiculous."
So he passed by me like a silver feather, distant and superior, as ever. But for one single instant, it didn't cause the usual effect on me. I didn't freeze, I didn't run out of breath, I didn't fell my heart squeeze. All I felt was the urge to kiss him hard, and shake that damned serenity of him. And I did it. In a blink of an eye I grabbed him and kissed him. Part of me still knew he could beat me, stab me, kill me but I didn't mind it at all. Time seemed to stop around us. It could have been a glimpse, but for me, it was eternity. And then, I didn't have to hold him hard anymore. He seemed to hold on me more fiercely than I held to him. My fingers could merge to his hair, and disappear behind the silver tresses. I knew we were suitable to each other in our own twisted way. I loved him. I hated him. I trusted him. I'd follow him to the grave and yet I could feel the taste of death on his lips. Kurama had nothing to give me but misery, and still I desired it.
Our bodies leaned against a table, knocking some objects. It may have lasted a couple of minutes, before I felt a violent pain along my spine. My legs failed and I fell to the ground, gasping hard. Kurama tried to keep himself up, but slowly he slid to the ground, a few steps away from me. For a while, he couldn't even face each other, or say a word. His face remained concealed by silver bangs. I wished I could convince myself he had nothing to do with all that, but I knew it was him.
"Kurama..."
"Go away."
"Why?"
"Get out. That wasn't supposed to happen."
"It was you! Why? Could you at least give me a reason I can understand?"
"... No. I cannot."
My body still ached all over. Frustration and anger grew inside of me like a huge emptiness that was about to devour my soul. Was it possible that making me feel like shit was sort of a hobby for him?
"Don't worry, Kurama. I'll never lay a finger on you again."
"You bet you won't."
"I'd rather fuck a stiff..." I soughed,
too devastated to face him.
From that day on we became so distant that most of thieves believed that I was about to quit. I thought that hate would keep the memory of that moment away from my mind, but even in my dreams I could feel his smell. As a matter of fact, I considered leaving the band, but then I realized that it'd make things too easy for him. I had worked too hard to let that happen.
So I concentrated my efforts on my own business. I didn't mind the consequences, it was my right to do whatever I pleased. I wanted to become a threat, even though I knew he'd never feel threaten by me. But before all the others, I'd become his weakness, someone he'd not stand to face in the eyes. That'd be my vengeance, or so I thought. No one would stop me.
Some weeks later, I decided to invade a very well
guarded fortress. I persuaded half of the band's youkai to follow me, promising
to give each of them an equal share of the treasure we're supposed to rob.
I thought Kurama or Hekel would send someone to stop me, but they just
let me act freely. I had the felling that it'd be my last attack as a member
of Youko Kurama's band. I'd be kicked out for sure, but I didn't mind.
At least I'd have a hell of a final act.
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Shrine to Yomi-Sama -