Kokoro No Kaitou : Chapter 5
~*~
I awoke to an empty room the next morning. Youko was nowhere to be seen, nor were there any signs pointing to Youko's whereabouts. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, yawning widely.
I stood and rearranged my wrinkled yukata. I had no brush, so my disheveled brown hair would have to stay that way.
I noticed a pair of slippers laid out beside the futon, and I slipped them on. They fit perfectly, and I smiled.
I walked out into the hall, deciding to wander a bit before breakfast. If I was going to be living here, then I wanted to be familiar with the layout of the place. The hall was completely silent, with the exception of the soft thudding my feet made as they came down on the dark grey stone.
The hall seemed endless, with rows upon rows of doors, all decorated in the same way (with the exception of the few that had flowers and other things engraved onto the wood). I was starting to get bored, and saw that I was going nowhere with this exploration.
Just as I had decided that I was going to turn around and go to the kitchen, one of the doors swung open. Three demons came out, each large and grotesque. One was a blue oni, with scaly skin and a horn protruding from his forehead. The second was like a red version of him. And the third - obviously their leader - looked like a pig. He was taller than them, and was at least two heads taller than me. He was large and fat, with two tusks protruding from his mouth.
The blue oni grinned, showing off his horribly rotten teeth. "Well, if it ain't a little ningen, wandering around all by herself!"
The red oni grinned as well. "She's a tasty lookin' morsel."
I took a step back. "Uh, I'm sorry to bother you. I'll…just be going now." I pointed over my shoulder. I started to turn around, when suddenly the pig man was in front of me. I cried out in surprise, and stumbled back a little.
"You won't be goin' anywhere. We're goin' to eat you."
"Y-You don't want to eat me. I'm too, uh, scrawny to be eaten. I wouldn't taste very good." I stammered, backing past the pig demon.
The blue oni laughed. "I call the legs."
"They say that the flesh of a maiden is tender." Chuckled the red oni.
I took another step away from them, only to bump into someone. I gasped and looked up. As my luck would provide, it was Youko standing behind me. He was glaring with intense hatred at the three demons.
The pig demon gulped. "Y-Youko-sama! Uh, we were just about to catch this ningen. She somehow managed to get into the lair."
I was surprised that the three demons didn't burst into flames, with the way Youko was glaring at them. "And what exactly did you plan on doing with her, once you caught this girl?"
"Uh, eat her, sir?" The blue oni replied.
Youko gently put his hands onto my shoulders and moved me to the side. I hadn't noticed it before, but Kuronue was there as well. He was staring at Youko with a raised eyebrow.
"Kuronue, take Amaya. I need to have a 'chat' with these youkai." Youko said, not even looking at either of us.
Kuronue nodded. He then took me by my shoulders and led me back down the hall towards the kitchen. I looked back over my shoulder towards the kitsune, but Kuronue spoke up.
"I wouldn't look if I were you." He said. I quickly snapped my gaze back in front of me, and he let go of my shoulders.
"Kuronue-san, what is he going to talk to them about?" I asked, looking up at my tall friend.
"Well, they'll be the ones doing the talking. They'll most likely be giving him reasons as to why he should not kill them." Kuronue replied.
"You mean that he's going to kill them?" I asked, dumbfounded. "I mean, not that I want them to go free for threatening me like that, but why would Kurama be mad about that?"
"He likes you. You two are friends, and he seems to be pretty protective of you. In fact, the only reason we were heading down that hallway was because he wanted to check on you." He replied.
I thought about that for a second as we entered the small room in the back of the dining hall. "Kurama is really nice."
Kuronue snorted. "That's what you think. He may seem nice to you, but he's a heartless, ruthless killer. Just like everybody else here."
I was surprised at that as well. "Demo, Kuronue-san, you're really very nice as well! Are you trying to say that you're a heartless fiend? I just can't believe that. No, I won't believe that." I said, shaking my head. "You're like an older brother to me. I know we've only known each other for a day, and it's crazy to say this, but it's true. I really feel that way."
He smiled. "Thanks. But if that's how you feel, then you need to drop the politeness and stop calling me 'Kuronue-san'."
I nodded. "Alright. But I'm not being too forward, am I?"
He shook his head. "Nah. Not at all." He looked over at me. "You hungry?"
I nodded. "Yes, very."
"Well, how about I teach you how to cook?" He asked. "I bet you've never made a meal for yourself in your life. Granted, I'm not the best, but I can teach you enough to make a basic meal."
I grinned like a child and clasped my hands together. "Really? You'd teach me, Kuronue?"
"Sure. Why not?"
I threw my arms around his waist and hugged him, and I felt him tense in surprise. Then again, I was slightly shocked at my behavior as well. In the past few days, I had changed so much. I had gotten more outgoing. I had also felt lighter, as though my soul had had several burdens removed from it. I had made real friends, for the first time in my life, and that made me the happiest girl in the world.
"Uh…Amaya?" Kuronue said awkwardly.
I blushed and let go of him. "Gomen! I just got a little excited." I was embarrassed at the fact that I had zoned out like that while I was hugging him.
"Well, I'll start by teaching you how to make a decent breakfast." Kuronue said, moving to the cabinet and getting out some cooking utensils.
I watched him, taking in everything that he did so that I could be the best student possible. I wanted to be able to cook, just like any normal girl.
Normal…
That was what I wanted to be.
Not a princess, not royalty in any way.
I wanted to be common, normal, and plain.
~*~
After my cooking session, I decided that I needed to bathe, because I had gotten eggs spattered onto my yukata. So, Kuronue took me down to a new room.
A large, expansive room with a hot spring in the middle.
He left me with a towel and some bathing necessities, and then left to go somewhere. He closed the door behind him, and I eagerly undressed. There was a screen towards one side of the door, where there was a bucket and a stool. I filled the bucket and sat on the stool, scrubbing myself clean before rinsing myself off. When I was thoroughly clean, I got into the hot spring, easing my aching body into it. I relished in its warmth, and sank in until my nose was just above the water.
This is heaven…
I closed my eyes and thought about my family. I wondered what they were doing now, and whether or not they even missed me. Did my sisters know about Kenji and Akira? Did they have any idea? And what about Akira? Would he be willing to hunt me down, for whatever it was that I supposedly possessed? I certainly hoped not.
And what about here? Is this where I would stay for the rest of my life? While I certainly did enjoy being in the company of Kurama and Kuronue, I didn't want to be locked up in this place for all eternity. I wanted to find myself a husband, and settle down. How was I supposed to do that when I was stuck in the lair of thieves? Then again, if I did leave, where would I go? To the outside world, I'd be a poor, fatherless young girl. I'd most likely never be married that way, because I'd have nothing that men would want.
I think that it was right then and there, in that hot spring, when reality finally sunk in.
I was going to be stuck in this place, without contact with the outside world, where I could never fulfill my dream of becoming a bride.
Forever.
The happiness that I had felt earlier quickly dissipated. Was this the life that I wanted for myself?
I completely submerged my head into the water, and then stood. I started to ring out my hair, and I turned towards the door. I sighed, and suddenly the door swung open.
My eyes widened, and Youko stared at me.
"Uh…"
I screamed and ducked back down into the water, covering myself as best as I could.
"Hentai! Get out, get out, GET OUT!" I shrieked.
Youko quickly backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.
I was blushing furiously. That fox had seen me naked! Completely naked!
I quickly reached out and grabbed the towel, wrapping it around myself as soon as I stood. I took the clean yukata laying out next to the stall and put it on, tying the sash closed. Kami-sama, I felt so…so…honestly, I didn't know. I was angry and embarrassed at the same time.
I gathered up my things and opened the door, looking around for the silver kitsune. He was crouched down beside the door, pinching his nose.
I was unsure of what to do. I felt angry with him for coming in like that, but yet I felt as though it wasn't his fault.
"Ano…Kurama?" I asked, avoiding eye contact.
"I didn't know that you were in there." He said, sounding funny because he was pinching his nose.
"Kurama?" I crouched down next to him, but he kept looking straight ahead. "Why are you pinching your nose?"
He still wouldn't look at me. "Because."
"Because why?"
"Because…because."
"Well that made a lot of sense." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Keh."
"Kurama?"
"What?"
"I…wanted to thank you for saving me this morning." I said, looking down at the floor. "If you hadn't come when you did, then I'd be…"
I did not want to finish that sentence.
"You're welcome." He said.
I sighed. "Kurama, why won't you look at me? I forgive you for walking in."
"Because…you'll only make my nosebleed worse." He said.
"What? Nosebleed?" I was confused. Why would it make his nosebleed worse if he looked at me? I asked him so, and he snorted (as best as one could snort while pinching their nose).
"You're clueless about everything, aren't you, Amaya?"
I glared. "Well, excuse me for being considerate." I stood and he finally looked up at me. I put my hands on my hips and glared down at him. "You should think about being considerate sometime! Here I am, worried about your health, and all you can do is be sarcastic!"
He stood up and I blinked rapidly at how short I felt when I stood next to him. He towered over me, and I only came up to his chest.
"Well I'd rather not talk about it, okay?" He growled. I noticed that he had let go of his nose in his attempt to look threatening, and he indeed had a nosebleed.
"Kurama…" I pointed to his nose, and he quickly pinched it again and glared at me.
"Shut up."
I sighed. "I'll never understand the minds of men. One minute you think that a man the nicest person that you've ever met, then the next he acts like a complete and total jerk." I growled in frustration and he looked surprised.
I turned on my heel and started walking back towards the bedroom, intent on going to bed very early.
"Matte, Amaya!"
I ignored him and walked down the hall, to the bedroom. I threw open the door and threw my things onto the ground. I stomped over to the bed and flopped down face-first into my pillow, much like he had done the day before.
I heard the door open about thirty seconds later, and I made an effort to not look up at Youko as he entered.
"Amaya?"
He moved to the futon, and shook my shoulder.
"Go away." I said, though it came out muffled into the pillow.
He chuckled. "It's my room, Amaya. Technically, it should be me telling you to go away."
I peeked out at him from my pillow. "Do you really want me to leave?"
He seemed surprised by my question. "Leave? No. I don't want you to leave."
I sat up and looked at him hopefully. "Demo…does that mean that we're friends?"
"Weren't we already?"
I smiled. "I just wanted to hear you say it. I figured that you thought I was annoying."
"No. I don't think that you're annoying."
"I'm glad…" I smiled again. "Kurama?"
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Can we…can we go outside?" I asked, still hopeful.
Youko looked confused, however. "Outside? Outside of the room?"
"No, I mean outside outside. Like out under the stars?" I said, spreading my arms out to emphasize my point.
He chuckled. "If you really want to."
"I do!"
He stood and offered me his hand, which I accepted. I got off of the futon, and followed him to the door, where he suddenly stopped.
"So, does this mean that you've forgiven me?" He asked, turning to face me.
"For being a jerk? No." I said. His face fell. "I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself."
He blinked, but then rolled his eyes. "Women are complicated."
I giggled and followed him down several winding halls until we reached a stairwell. He started up it, and I went after him, holding up the skirt of my yukata so as not to trip. The stairs went on for a while, and Youko didn't say anything as we went.
Finally, we reached the end of the stairs and we walked out into the open clearing that was there. It was surrounded on all sides by trees and all sorts of demonic plants, but was beautiful nonetheless. I walked out into the middle of the clearing and did a little twirl, happy to be outside in the wild again. And this time, there were no guards to tell me to get back inside.
I sighed contentedly, and Youko chuckled.
"You're really happy, aren't you?" He asked, folding his arms over his chest.
I turned back to him and smiled. "Yeah! I've loved the outdoors ever since I was a child!"
He walked over to me, and sat down cross-legged on the ground. I smiled and gracefully folded my yukata under me before sitting with my back against his.
"Kurama, what was your childhood like?" I asked, leaning my head back.
"Nothing really interesting. I was pretty much on my own my entire life. I would spend my days training, and I eventually got bored with that after I mastered the control of plants. That's when I started learning how to break codes and spells. Basically, I became a thief." He replied, a sleepy quality to his voice.
I looked up at the moon, which was almost in its prime. It gave me a dull feeling in my heart, the feeling of longing.
"So, you became a thief out of boredom?" I asked.
"Yeah. What do princesses do during their childhoods?" He asked in a teasing tone.
"Well, nothing special. We're treated like normal kids until we reach the age of five. That when the stupid lessons start. Ikebana, tea ceremony- you know, the things that a proper wife is supposed to know." I replied.
"Were you any good at it?"
I laughed. "Nope! I was terrible at it. My flowers looked miserable, and my tea serving was horrendous. I was more suited to playing in the woods than to learning to be the proper wife."
Youko was silent for a minute, and I wondered what he could possibly be thinking. So, I decided to ask him.
"I'm thinking about…things. About what's happened over the past few days." He said slowly.
I nodded. "What about it? How do you feel?" I closed my aching eyes.
He started talking, and I guess I dozed off. It wasn't that he was boring, it was just that after soaking in the warm spring, I was tired. The next thing I knew was that I was halfway between sleep and consciousness, and Youko was carrying me bridal style back to the bedroom. He gently set me down on the futon, and then got on as well.
I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
~*~
A/N: I know, this chapter was kinda short. But still, it accomplished what I wanted it to.
I want your opinion again: I was considering (when I finish this story) making a companion fic from Youko's POV. To tell his side of the story. Would you be interested in reading that?
Thanks to all those that reviewed:
Roseangel9413: Was that too much fluff for you? Or just the right level of fluffiness?
YoukoKurama: Well, yes. That part you're right about. But I'm very proud of myself, because nobody can guess where I'm going with this. ^___^ But you still get a long chapter. At least, I think it's long.
Kit: Yay! A new reviewer! Thank you very much! I personally like Kuronue the best, charavterization-wise. What about you?
Wizardess Gal: How about you? Not too rushed, is it? Yea, it annoys me too when people make them kiss when they've only known each other for a few days. Since we both feel that way, I suggest that you never read Romeo and Juliet- they kiss as soon as they meet. LOL. Literally-
"Hi, I'm Romeo. I'm a Montague, and I'm madly in love with you."
"Really? I'm Juliet, a Capulet, and I love you too." *they kiss* TWICE. Talk about rushed.
You think that my fic is well written? Thank you! I love romance stories, even if I'm not the best at writing them. It's soooo tempting to make them kiss! RESIST THE URGE!!! *cough cough* Sorry. It's 1:02AM, and I'm on a sugar high. Don't mind my craziness.
Japanese Dictionary For This Chapter:
Matte- Wait
Ikebana- flower arrangement
I think that was all that I used...
There was no Hiei in this chapter- but he WILL be in the next one! Poor Hiei is going to have to taste-test Amaya's first meal, cooked ENTIRELY by herself. Will our favorite little koorime survive? DUN DUN DUUUUNNNN!!!
By the way, REVIEW!!!!!!!
~*~
I awoke to an empty room the next morning. Youko was nowhere to be seen, nor were there any signs pointing to Youko's whereabouts. I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes, yawning widely.
I stood and rearranged my wrinkled yukata. I had no brush, so my disheveled brown hair would have to stay that way.
I noticed a pair of slippers laid out beside the futon, and I slipped them on. They fit perfectly, and I smiled.
I walked out into the hall, deciding to wander a bit before breakfast. If I was going to be living here, then I wanted to be familiar with the layout of the place. The hall was completely silent, with the exception of the soft thudding my feet made as they came down on the dark grey stone.
The hall seemed endless, with rows upon rows of doors, all decorated in the same way (with the exception of the few that had flowers and other things engraved onto the wood). I was starting to get bored, and saw that I was going nowhere with this exploration.
Just as I had decided that I was going to turn around and go to the kitchen, one of the doors swung open. Three demons came out, each large and grotesque. One was a blue oni, with scaly skin and a horn protruding from his forehead. The second was like a red version of him. And the third - obviously their leader - looked like a pig. He was taller than them, and was at least two heads taller than me. He was large and fat, with two tusks protruding from his mouth.
The blue oni grinned, showing off his horribly rotten teeth. "Well, if it ain't a little ningen, wandering around all by herself!"
The red oni grinned as well. "She's a tasty lookin' morsel."
I took a step back. "Uh, I'm sorry to bother you. I'll…just be going now." I pointed over my shoulder. I started to turn around, when suddenly the pig man was in front of me. I cried out in surprise, and stumbled back a little.
"You won't be goin' anywhere. We're goin' to eat you."
"Y-You don't want to eat me. I'm too, uh, scrawny to be eaten. I wouldn't taste very good." I stammered, backing past the pig demon.
The blue oni laughed. "I call the legs."
"They say that the flesh of a maiden is tender." Chuckled the red oni.
I took another step away from them, only to bump into someone. I gasped and looked up. As my luck would provide, it was Youko standing behind me. He was glaring with intense hatred at the three demons.
The pig demon gulped. "Y-Youko-sama! Uh, we were just about to catch this ningen. She somehow managed to get into the lair."
I was surprised that the three demons didn't burst into flames, with the way Youko was glaring at them. "And what exactly did you plan on doing with her, once you caught this girl?"
"Uh, eat her, sir?" The blue oni replied.
Youko gently put his hands onto my shoulders and moved me to the side. I hadn't noticed it before, but Kuronue was there as well. He was staring at Youko with a raised eyebrow.
"Kuronue, take Amaya. I need to have a 'chat' with these youkai." Youko said, not even looking at either of us.
Kuronue nodded. He then took me by my shoulders and led me back down the hall towards the kitchen. I looked back over my shoulder towards the kitsune, but Kuronue spoke up.
"I wouldn't look if I were you." He said. I quickly snapped my gaze back in front of me, and he let go of my shoulders.
"Kuronue-san, what is he going to talk to them about?" I asked, looking up at my tall friend.
"Well, they'll be the ones doing the talking. They'll most likely be giving him reasons as to why he should not kill them." Kuronue replied.
"You mean that he's going to kill them?" I asked, dumbfounded. "I mean, not that I want them to go free for threatening me like that, but why would Kurama be mad about that?"
"He likes you. You two are friends, and he seems to be pretty protective of you. In fact, the only reason we were heading down that hallway was because he wanted to check on you." He replied.
I thought about that for a second as we entered the small room in the back of the dining hall. "Kurama is really nice."
Kuronue snorted. "That's what you think. He may seem nice to you, but he's a heartless, ruthless killer. Just like everybody else here."
I was surprised at that as well. "Demo, Kuronue-san, you're really very nice as well! Are you trying to say that you're a heartless fiend? I just can't believe that. No, I won't believe that." I said, shaking my head. "You're like an older brother to me. I know we've only known each other for a day, and it's crazy to say this, but it's true. I really feel that way."
He smiled. "Thanks. But if that's how you feel, then you need to drop the politeness and stop calling me 'Kuronue-san'."
I nodded. "Alright. But I'm not being too forward, am I?"
He shook his head. "Nah. Not at all." He looked over at me. "You hungry?"
I nodded. "Yes, very."
"Well, how about I teach you how to cook?" He asked. "I bet you've never made a meal for yourself in your life. Granted, I'm not the best, but I can teach you enough to make a basic meal."
I grinned like a child and clasped my hands together. "Really? You'd teach me, Kuronue?"
"Sure. Why not?"
I threw my arms around his waist and hugged him, and I felt him tense in surprise. Then again, I was slightly shocked at my behavior as well. In the past few days, I had changed so much. I had gotten more outgoing. I had also felt lighter, as though my soul had had several burdens removed from it. I had made real friends, for the first time in my life, and that made me the happiest girl in the world.
"Uh…Amaya?" Kuronue said awkwardly.
I blushed and let go of him. "Gomen! I just got a little excited." I was embarrassed at the fact that I had zoned out like that while I was hugging him.
"Well, I'll start by teaching you how to make a decent breakfast." Kuronue said, moving to the cabinet and getting out some cooking utensils.
I watched him, taking in everything that he did so that I could be the best student possible. I wanted to be able to cook, just like any normal girl.
Normal…
That was what I wanted to be.
Not a princess, not royalty in any way.
I wanted to be common, normal, and plain.
~*~
After my cooking session, I decided that I needed to bathe, because I had gotten eggs spattered onto my yukata. So, Kuronue took me down to a new room.
A large, expansive room with a hot spring in the middle.
He left me with a towel and some bathing necessities, and then left to go somewhere. He closed the door behind him, and I eagerly undressed. There was a screen towards one side of the door, where there was a bucket and a stool. I filled the bucket and sat on the stool, scrubbing myself clean before rinsing myself off. When I was thoroughly clean, I got into the hot spring, easing my aching body into it. I relished in its warmth, and sank in until my nose was just above the water.
This is heaven…
I closed my eyes and thought about my family. I wondered what they were doing now, and whether or not they even missed me. Did my sisters know about Kenji and Akira? Did they have any idea? And what about Akira? Would he be willing to hunt me down, for whatever it was that I supposedly possessed? I certainly hoped not.
And what about here? Is this where I would stay for the rest of my life? While I certainly did enjoy being in the company of Kurama and Kuronue, I didn't want to be locked up in this place for all eternity. I wanted to find myself a husband, and settle down. How was I supposed to do that when I was stuck in the lair of thieves? Then again, if I did leave, where would I go? To the outside world, I'd be a poor, fatherless young girl. I'd most likely never be married that way, because I'd have nothing that men would want.
I think that it was right then and there, in that hot spring, when reality finally sunk in.
I was going to be stuck in this place, without contact with the outside world, where I could never fulfill my dream of becoming a bride.
Forever.
The happiness that I had felt earlier quickly dissipated. Was this the life that I wanted for myself?
I completely submerged my head into the water, and then stood. I started to ring out my hair, and I turned towards the door. I sighed, and suddenly the door swung open.
My eyes widened, and Youko stared at me.
"Uh…"
I screamed and ducked back down into the water, covering myself as best as I could.
"Hentai! Get out, get out, GET OUT!" I shrieked.
Youko quickly backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.
I was blushing furiously. That fox had seen me naked! Completely naked!
I quickly reached out and grabbed the towel, wrapping it around myself as soon as I stood. I took the clean yukata laying out next to the stall and put it on, tying the sash closed. Kami-sama, I felt so…so…honestly, I didn't know. I was angry and embarrassed at the same time.
I gathered up my things and opened the door, looking around for the silver kitsune. He was crouched down beside the door, pinching his nose.
I was unsure of what to do. I felt angry with him for coming in like that, but yet I felt as though it wasn't his fault.
"Ano…Kurama?" I asked, avoiding eye contact.
"I didn't know that you were in there." He said, sounding funny because he was pinching his nose.
"Kurama?" I crouched down next to him, but he kept looking straight ahead. "Why are you pinching your nose?"
He still wouldn't look at me. "Because."
"Because why?"
"Because…because."
"Well that made a lot of sense." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Keh."
"Kurama?"
"What?"
"I…wanted to thank you for saving me this morning." I said, looking down at the floor. "If you hadn't come when you did, then I'd be…"
I did not want to finish that sentence.
"You're welcome." He said.
I sighed. "Kurama, why won't you look at me? I forgive you for walking in."
"Because…you'll only make my nosebleed worse." He said.
"What? Nosebleed?" I was confused. Why would it make his nosebleed worse if he looked at me? I asked him so, and he snorted (as best as one could snort while pinching their nose).
"You're clueless about everything, aren't you, Amaya?"
I glared. "Well, excuse me for being considerate." I stood and he finally looked up at me. I put my hands on my hips and glared down at him. "You should think about being considerate sometime! Here I am, worried about your health, and all you can do is be sarcastic!"
He stood up and I blinked rapidly at how short I felt when I stood next to him. He towered over me, and I only came up to his chest.
"Well I'd rather not talk about it, okay?" He growled. I noticed that he had let go of his nose in his attempt to look threatening, and he indeed had a nosebleed.
"Kurama…" I pointed to his nose, and he quickly pinched it again and glared at me.
"Shut up."
I sighed. "I'll never understand the minds of men. One minute you think that a man the nicest person that you've ever met, then the next he acts like a complete and total jerk." I growled in frustration and he looked surprised.
I turned on my heel and started walking back towards the bedroom, intent on going to bed very early.
"Matte, Amaya!"
I ignored him and walked down the hall, to the bedroom. I threw open the door and threw my things onto the ground. I stomped over to the bed and flopped down face-first into my pillow, much like he had done the day before.
I heard the door open about thirty seconds later, and I made an effort to not look up at Youko as he entered.
"Amaya?"
He moved to the futon, and shook my shoulder.
"Go away." I said, though it came out muffled into the pillow.
He chuckled. "It's my room, Amaya. Technically, it should be me telling you to go away."
I peeked out at him from my pillow. "Do you really want me to leave?"
He seemed surprised by my question. "Leave? No. I don't want you to leave."
I sat up and looked at him hopefully. "Demo…does that mean that we're friends?"
"Weren't we already?"
I smiled. "I just wanted to hear you say it. I figured that you thought I was annoying."
"No. I don't think that you're annoying."
"I'm glad…" I smiled again. "Kurama?"
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Can we…can we go outside?" I asked, still hopeful.
Youko looked confused, however. "Outside? Outside of the room?"
"No, I mean outside outside. Like out under the stars?" I said, spreading my arms out to emphasize my point.
He chuckled. "If you really want to."
"I do!"
He stood and offered me his hand, which I accepted. I got off of the futon, and followed him to the door, where he suddenly stopped.
"So, does this mean that you've forgiven me?" He asked, turning to face me.
"For being a jerk? No." I said. His face fell. "I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself."
He blinked, but then rolled his eyes. "Women are complicated."
I giggled and followed him down several winding halls until we reached a stairwell. He started up it, and I went after him, holding up the skirt of my yukata so as not to trip. The stairs went on for a while, and Youko didn't say anything as we went.
Finally, we reached the end of the stairs and we walked out into the open clearing that was there. It was surrounded on all sides by trees and all sorts of demonic plants, but was beautiful nonetheless. I walked out into the middle of the clearing and did a little twirl, happy to be outside in the wild again. And this time, there were no guards to tell me to get back inside.
I sighed contentedly, and Youko chuckled.
"You're really happy, aren't you?" He asked, folding his arms over his chest.
I turned back to him and smiled. "Yeah! I've loved the outdoors ever since I was a child!"
He walked over to me, and sat down cross-legged on the ground. I smiled and gracefully folded my yukata under me before sitting with my back against his.
"Kurama, what was your childhood like?" I asked, leaning my head back.
"Nothing really interesting. I was pretty much on my own my entire life. I would spend my days training, and I eventually got bored with that after I mastered the control of plants. That's when I started learning how to break codes and spells. Basically, I became a thief." He replied, a sleepy quality to his voice.
I looked up at the moon, which was almost in its prime. It gave me a dull feeling in my heart, the feeling of longing.
"So, you became a thief out of boredom?" I asked.
"Yeah. What do princesses do during their childhoods?" He asked in a teasing tone.
"Well, nothing special. We're treated like normal kids until we reach the age of five. That when the stupid lessons start. Ikebana, tea ceremony- you know, the things that a proper wife is supposed to know." I replied.
"Were you any good at it?"
I laughed. "Nope! I was terrible at it. My flowers looked miserable, and my tea serving was horrendous. I was more suited to playing in the woods than to learning to be the proper wife."
Youko was silent for a minute, and I wondered what he could possibly be thinking. So, I decided to ask him.
"I'm thinking about…things. About what's happened over the past few days." He said slowly.
I nodded. "What about it? How do you feel?" I closed my aching eyes.
He started talking, and I guess I dozed off. It wasn't that he was boring, it was just that after soaking in the warm spring, I was tired. The next thing I knew was that I was halfway between sleep and consciousness, and Youko was carrying me bridal style back to the bedroom. He gently set me down on the futon, and then got on as well.
I drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.
~*~
A/N: I know, this chapter was kinda short. But still, it accomplished what I wanted it to.
I want your opinion again: I was considering (when I finish this story) making a companion fic from Youko's POV. To tell his side of the story. Would you be interested in reading that?
Thanks to all those that reviewed:
Roseangel9413: Was that too much fluff for you? Or just the right level of fluffiness?
YoukoKurama: Well, yes. That part you're right about. But I'm very proud of myself, because nobody can guess where I'm going with this. ^___^ But you still get a long chapter. At least, I think it's long.
Kit: Yay! A new reviewer! Thank you very much! I personally like Kuronue the best, charavterization-wise. What about you?
Wizardess Gal: How about you? Not too rushed, is it? Yea, it annoys me too when people make them kiss when they've only known each other for a few days. Since we both feel that way, I suggest that you never read Romeo and Juliet- they kiss as soon as they meet. LOL. Literally-
"Hi, I'm Romeo. I'm a Montague, and I'm madly in love with you."
"Really? I'm Juliet, a Capulet, and I love you too." *they kiss* TWICE. Talk about rushed.
You think that my fic is well written? Thank you! I love romance stories, even if I'm not the best at writing them. It's soooo tempting to make them kiss! RESIST THE URGE!!! *cough cough* Sorry. It's 1:02AM, and I'm on a sugar high. Don't mind my craziness.
Japanese Dictionary For This Chapter:
Matte- Wait
Ikebana- flower arrangement
I think that was all that I used...
There was no Hiei in this chapter- but he WILL be in the next one! Poor Hiei is going to have to taste-test Amaya's first meal, cooked ENTIRELY by herself. Will our favorite little koorime survive? DUN DUN DUUUUNNNN!!!
By the way, REVIEW!!!!!!!