"Do you know how Kurama came to be?" Kurama began.
Yusuke was crouching down now next to Shiori Minamino and, after a moment, he reached out towards Hiei. When Yusuke's hand touched his shoulder, the fire-demon moaned. Yusuke's eyes widened and he glared up at Kurama.
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara said, coming to stand next to Yusuke, "You mean how he was born and all...?"
"Born." Kurama said seriously, and Kuwabara swore his eye fell to the sleeping woman at his feet. "I wonder..." he said, then shook his head. His red hair hid his eyes. The clouds moved across the sun. "Shuiichi was born, Kurama was...merged."
"Merged? What the heck does that mean?"
"Spirit Detective? You're being very quiet." Kurama said. "You know what I am talking about, don't you? Kurama told you the story, did he not?
"Yeah. He did." Yusuke admitted.
"What? You knew?" Kuwabara growled. "Why didn't you ever tell me about it?"
"You never asked." Yusuke deadpanned, then turned back to Kurama, "So? You escaped death by merging with the unborn child within Shiori Minamino. The plan was to wait 10 years to regain your spirit energy and escape from the human world. Only, you never did."
"No. I didn't." Kurama touched his own chest. He suddenly turned from the two human teens and knelt. His fingers, strangely sharper than they usually were reached out and touched Hiei's hair. Yusuke slapped his hand away and Kurama laughed. "Never did I think what would become of me. Never would I have thought I would be discovered. I had resigned myself a lifetime within the human world. I resigned myself to a human life."
"But," Yusuke said, "You're not human."
Kurama suddenly looked at him and slowly, he smiled. "Human? Don't be a fool, detective. Kurama is many things, but he is not human. No matter how much Shuiichi might wish it."
"What does that have to do with anything?" Yusuke exclaimed. Kurama had fallen silent and his eyes had gone far away. "What the hell is going on? Tell me, Fox-Boy and do it fast, or..."
"Or you'll..." Kurama said and he leveled eyes with Yusuke. "What an impatient detective you are. You have all the clues, you simply do not put them all together." Kurama paused. "You glare at me. You fear me within your heart. But, this is all this demon's fault, for it was he who began everything."
"Hiei?"
"Yes." Kurama peered over Yusuke's shoulder. His eyes were locked on something there as he spoke. It was the intensity of that look, the weight of the glance that made Yusuke turn to follow those eyes. Yusuke was suddenly staring at Tohru. "His fault. He discovered me. He brought me back into a world to which I simply no longer belonged. He reminded me of so many things...
"The least of which was the demon within me.
"The least of which was a feeling that I hadn't felt in so very long....
"Alive.
"I felt alive with this demon. Alive in a way that simply wasn't human.
"And although Kurama loved that feeling...
"Shuiichi did not.
"Human.
"I am not human.
"I almost killed Hiei once before and it was because I am not human. What a burden for Shuiichi to bare.For there is a secret part of his heart that can only be human, no matter how much I influence him. It is a weak part of him, and it is such a small part, I never imagined it would have given me so many troubles." Kurama paused and sighed.
"But it was the addition of one variable. Perhaps it makes sense in its own way, as such things do and don't make sense. If the demon made Kurama feel alive, then it would take a human to bring to life that part of Shuiichi I thought so insignificant... ne, Tohru-kun?"
Tohru half-sat not a great distance away, as Kurama said his name, he looked up at him. His brown eyes were bright, although his face was a blank slate. His lips were trembling. What was he thinking? That was impossible to say. What was he feeling? That, too, was impossible to say.
Kurama was staring straight into those two eyes, the only living thing in that stony glance, as he said, "I hate them both."
Tohru didn't even blink, but his eyes caught a suddenly sheen.
"I hate them both." Kurama repeated, and his lips pulled back from his teeth.
Suddenly, Tohru's eyes were too bright and soon, as that stubborn facade crumbled, they were overflowing.
...to be continued...
Author's Note: MERRY CHRISTMAS (and Happy Holidays!)!!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful, jolly day with lots of friends, family, food and presents! :)
Author's Quick 2nd Note: Yes, this is short (I think this is the shortest update I''ve ever done:), but will be updating by Saturday with more! Thanks (as always :) for all your reviews! :)