Okay!! Thanks to those of you who stuck with me through the other ending!! And for those who finally got fed up with me and are no longer reading this! Well . . . piffle to them.

Err, this chapter starts out exactly like the other chapter seven did, but it changes, so no, I did not post the same thing twice. Just hang with me here, this is a very different ending from last time.

Oh, one more thing. This is the first time I've EVER written a romance of any kind, so if it sucks, I'm sorry!! Please be nice.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

                "I . . . think . . . the Shrimp . . . has finally . . . lost his mind . . . Urameshi," Kuwabara panted as Hiei lead him and Yusuke through another very large forest. The two could not see the demon, but were following a very strong energy signal coming from him.

                "I have to agree," Yusuke said, having not lost his breath yet. "Charging Karasu and demanding Kurama's safe return is NOT the smartest thing we've ever done." Their attention was suddenly caught by the energy signal Hiei threw out. It had stopped moving, and was even, at a very slow pace, coming back to them.

                "What's he playing at?" Kuwabara said, coming to a stop. "Why is he turning around?" Yusuke stopped as well and turned when he realized that Kuwabara wasn't coming.

                "I don't know," Yusuke said, feeling as the energy signal came even closer, and listened as they both heard a rustling of tree branches. "Hiei? What's going on?"

                "This had better not be some sort of trick!" Kuwabara yelled. Hiei, unfortunately, heard him. He landed in a tree above the tall orange-haired boy and had a hard time resisting the urge to throw his katana down to see how fast Kuwabara could jump . . . if he could get out of the way in time.

                "Do you think I would bother playing a trick in a situation like this?" The other two jumped and found Hiei in his perch.

                "So . . . is there any reason you're turning around, Hiei?" Yusuke asked as Kuwabara remembered how to breathe again.

                "I just wanted to know if you two are ready for this," Hiei said. "You know how dangerous this can be. Karasu's strong, and even though he has no minions to speak of, he has his bombs. Landmines, and you all remember the invisible ones."

                "We remember," Kuwabara said with a shudder.

                "Yeah, and we're ready. Anything for a teammate," Yusuke said. "Hey, why do you even care, anyway?"

                "Because if I let you go in unprepared and you got killed, Kurama would never forgive me," Hiei said. "He'd give me this crap about how I shouldn't have gotten you two killed when he could have easily saved himself."

                "Can he?" Kuwabara asked, looking hopeful. Yusuke hit him on the head, while Hiei glared at him and fingered his katana. Yusuke saw this and decided to take action.

                "He probably can, but we're gonna help anyway," he said. "So let's get going. How far is it, Hiei?"

                "About half a mile to where the landmines start," Hiei said. "And then I disabled the landmines in a straight line for about two miles." Yusuke and Kuwabara shook their heads at their friend's speed and began to run again.

                "All right!" Kuwabara yelled. "Time to kick some butt!!"

                "This is gonna be fun!"

                "Hang on, Kurama. We're coming."

                "Hold it!!" Yusuke tripped as Botan came flying up to them. Rubbing his head, he regarded the grim reaper with an angry expression.

                "What do you want?" Yusuke asked.

                "We don't what's going on with Kurama in there," Botan said. "So Koenma sent me to open a portal back to the Ningenkai in case you guys need to get out quickly." Yusuke nodded, realizing what she was saying.

                "Thanks, Botan," he said. Kuwabara smiled, and Hiei "hn"ed.

                Kurama gasped for breath. He had had yet another dream of being blown up. He all too vividly remembered the pain in his shoulder, his body when Karasu had launched his attack. He looked around. He was still on the feather bed. Odd, odd, odd, Kurama thought. All too odd This time, though, he was in chains, and unable to sit up. So there he lay, eagle-spread on the bed. He suddenly remembered that sometimes a person was put in chains so that their captor could. . . .

                "Are you awake yet, fox?" The cool voice came from the doorway, and if Kurama could have jumped, he would have.

                "Hai," Kurama said bitterly. He wished he could transform into Youko, or do anything to keep the raven-haired demon away from him. Even so, at this point in time, he felt it would be better for him to play along for a while.

                "All right then," Karasu said, walking over and sitting on a corner of the bed. Kurama bristled slightly, but let the demon do as he wished-for now. "Before we start, was there something you wanted to ask me about?" Kurama didn't know what he was talking about, but the memory popped into his mind, and he nodded.

                "What do you want with me?" Stupid question, yes, but still, he should play the poor-captive, I'm-so-innocent part. Karasu smiled.

                "Yes, I thought you might ask that," he said. "But the answer is simple, Kurama. You caused me pain . . . and I don't like pain." Kurama grimaced, muffling a small "eep".  "And we all know that you should have died when you sicked your little blood-sucking plant on me . . . so I'm just going to finish the job it should have done, Kurama." Okay then, I'm just slightly screwed, so to speak, Kurama thought. (A/N: I know that's a little un-Kurama-ish, but work with me here okay?)

                "There's no other choices?" Kurama decided he would test his luck.

                "One . . . " Karasu said. "But I'm not sure that you would like it."

                "What is it?"

                "You become mine forever," Karasu said, stroking the fox's face. Kurama recoiled slightly, wincing at the crow's touch, trying to ignore the drop of white-hot emotion in his stomach. I'm not in love, Kurama told himself firmly as Karasu continued to stroke the fox's face. My body is reacting as it would to heat or cold, there's nothing I can do. Besides! He's a guy. I'm not gay! "I knew it." Kurama looked up to see Karasu's eyes filled with hurt. How can he be hurt? Kurama wondered. He suddenly felt guilty

                "Karasu," Kurama said. "I-"

                 "Shhhh," Karasu said. He slowly took off the metal mask he wore, exposing thin lips. Kurama closed his eyes as he felt Karasu's face move closer. Even still, nothing could have prepared Kurama for what came next, when their lips gently collided, and then when Karasu deepened the kiss. Before Kurama could respond, Karasu pulled away.

                "Karasu," Kurama tried again. "I-" He wanted to say it, but his throat closed around the words. As Karasu began to unlock the locks on the chains, tears filled Kurama's eyes, and he regarded Karasu in surprise. "I-"

                "Nani, kitsune?" Karasu asked. When he faced Kurama, the look of pain in his eyes had not vanished. Kurama could tell the crow was asking to be killed, but did not move from his place on the bed. He saw Karasu's eyes harden as the silence between them grew. "If there is nothing you wish to say, then kill me, for you are free."

                "Karasu," Kurama mumbled, before pulling the crow's face down to meet his. Their foreheads pressed together, and Kurama gently stroked Karasu's lips with his tongue. When the crow opened his mouth, their tongues twisted about each other for a moment. It was not meant to last, however.

                "KURAMA!!!" The yell caused both youkai to jump and pull away from each other. Yusuke was standing there in the doorway to the room, a look of obvious disgust painted on his face. Hiei and Kuwabara wore the same expressions, even though Hiei was obviously trying to hide it.

                "Guys," Kurama said weakly, still shocked at what happened, trying to get his feet under him. "Karasu's . . . " he was cut off as Yusuke and Kuwabara grabbed him, dragging him away from the crow and toward the door.

                "Hiei! Hold 'em off until we get Kurama through the portal!!" Hiei drew his katana and charged at Karasu. Kurama's mouth opened in horror as the crow managed to dodge the swipe. Everyone present knew that Karasu couldn't last for long.

                "Don't fight!" Kurama screamed suddenly. "Don't fight! Just run! Otherwise he'll kill you!!" Kurama threw himself against Yusuke and Kuwabara's holds, almost in tears as he watched Hiei score a slash on across Karasu's chest. He looked up at his friends. "Yusuke . . . please, he didn't hurt me, I swear it. Don't do this. I . . . "

                "Come on, Kuwabara," Yusuke said, nearly throwing Kurama backwards as he hauled the fox to the door. "Karasu musta brainwashed him."

                "I'm not brainwashed!" Kurama grunted. "Yusuke!!"

                "I dunno, Urameshi, it sounds like he means it," Kuwabara said.

                "Of course it does, doofus, he doesn't know what's going on!" By this time, the duo had managed to haul Kurama out of the room, and Kurama could no longer see the fight. There was a loud explosion, and Kurama feared for Karasu's safety.

                "I know what's going on," he mumbled as his tired body collapsed. "I-I'm in love with Karasu." With that, he fainted as Yusuke and Kuwabara pulled him through the portal; a battered Hiei following right behind.

*sighs* Phew. That's done. Now . . . I could be mean and end it right here and have you guys wait for a sequel (I like sequels, don't I?) or I could add another chapter. Either way, I have something planned for Karasu and Kurama. I said yaoi, and ye shall have yaoi (okay, now I sound like I'm doing an odd version of Shakespeare or somethin') Well, what do you guys think? Sequel or another chapter or two . . . or three, or however many it takes? Please review and tell me!