Tohru Higashii returned that day.
This time the papers in his hand were in a state closely resembling a ball.
"Your homework." he said and handed said ball-resembling papers over to Kurama.
"Thank you." Kurama said, looking uncertainly at his homework. He was a fox, not a cat.
"The girls fought over who should bring it this time."
"I see..."
Tohru and Kurama stood in Kurama's room. Kurama's mother had sent the classmate upstairs when he had arrived.
After a moment of silence, Higashii asked. "So what's wrong with you?"
"What?" Kurama said.
"You're sick, right?"
"I'm not." Kurama said. "I just got a clean bill of health."
Surprisingly, Higashii frowned. "That can't be right."
"It is, I assure you."
"You look sick."
Kurama frowned. What could he say to that? HIgashii was determined. "I'm just tired."
"Why?"
Kurama paused and looked over at the other boy now sitting on top of his desk. He had a book open in his hands and was regarding Kurama seriously. Of course, the other boy always looked serious.
Instead of answering, Kurama motioned towards the book. "What part are you?" he asked.
"Part?" Tohru glanced at the book as though he had forgotten he was holding it. "Oh. I'm Retainer #2. I have about 5 lines to say, "Yes, sire." "No, sire" "Watch out, sire!" "Down in that castle is a monster, sleeping soundly on a treasure worth more than our lives." and "Youko stole it all!" "
"I see." Kurama said, noting that each line had been delivered in monotone.
"Yeah. I don't care. I'd rather not be in the play at all." He looked out the window. "How about you?"
Kurama smiled. "I think it is a funny play."
Tohru turned towards him. "It's a tragedy."
"Oh." Kurama said. He hadn't finished reading it yet. "What happens at the end?"
Tohru shrugged and tossed the book to Kurama. "Read for yourself." he said and returned to staring out the window.
Kurama opened the book to the final pages and as he read, despite himself, Tohru was saying. "It's actually kinda sad. I liked the youko a lot."
Kurama glanced up at him, but his eyes were locked on something in the distance. Kurama thought of asking him just what he was seeing, but didn't.
The last lines said:
No treasures so great as can heal these wounds.
It was indeed a treasure worth more than my life.
My trickster days are ended here
True I loved but was not loved in return.
It was enough.
And now...it is over.
Kurama read the lines again. "It is a tragedy."
"Yeah." Higashii said. "It's good, if you're into that kind of thing. Magical creatures, demons, unrequited love, swords and..."
"Death." Kurama said.
Tohru shrugged.
Kurama read the line over and over again. He couldn't imagine himself saying it. Who chose this play?
"Minamino?"
It hardly seemed fair to have such an ending.
"Minamino?"
A tragedy - and he had been laughing so hard the night before.
"Minamino!"
"Wha...?" Kurama started, coming back to himself to find Tohru standing in front of him. He had taken a hold of Kurama's shoulders and was leaning close, saying his name.
"Something's really wrong with you, eh, Minamino? You really zoned out there for a minute."
Kurama shook his head and was about to answer when he noticed how close Tohru was holding him and how large his eyes were. The way that the light caught them, Kurama could imagine they were red.
"Minamino?" Tohru asked again as Kurama closed his eyes and leaned the final distance between them.
Their lips touched.
For a moment there was surprise and the next that mouth responded and sighed against his own.
"Minamino..." Tohru whispered and Kurama didn't answer because he wasn't sure what name would be on his lips should he reply.
...to be continued...
Author's Note: OK. That was the first installment, the next coming soon! Hope you liked it! This one should be pretty long and at the end Kurama ends up with....Nah. Can't tell, that would ruin the surprise.... :) Don't worry! I'll post the next part VERY soon or I can do one a day, but I don't think I'd have the rest finished by the time I run out of chapters that way, but your guys' call, ok? :)