It was Kurama who broke the kiss first.
He licked Tohru's lips with the tip of his tongue and Tohru shivered (while Yusuke turned white).
"And what were you hoping to accomplish with that, Tohru-kun?" Kurama whispered against Tohru's lips. Then, when Tohru didn't answer, Kurama's face lost some of its composure. He suddenly grabbed Tohru by the throat. "Do you think I am a fool?" he said and Tohru, grimacing, but not fighting, was lifted off his feet and thrown in the same motion. "Did you not hear what I said?" Those golden eyes watched Tohru land in a heap, "I hate you." His voice suddenly rose in pitch. Yusuke turned to him and began to aim, but he had no chance. Kurama was suddenly before him. He threw the detective to the ground. Kurama's eyes were too wide and for the second time, Yusuke saw it; regret, confusion....
"I hate..." Kurama hissed, his face too close to the detective's own.
"This world...
"It chokes me...
"It covets my freedom....
"I only wish to return home..."
The final word was strangled; choked.
"Kurama?" Yusuke said as the Youko suddenly closed his eyes and his brow furrowed like his was in pain. Kurama touched a hand to his own temple. "Kurama?"
Kurama turned to him, eyes wide, eyes glaring, eyes pleading, chest heaving. He raised a hand, balled a fist, but the blow never landed.
"Then...go..." Someone said.
Yusuke turned to that voice. "Hiei..." Kurama whispered, a sound too soft to call a sigh, to loud to call the wind.
The Jaganshi half-sat, clutching his chest. Blood dripped from his lips. His red eyes were guarded, his body shook constantly. "Go..." Hiei repeated. "If that is what you wish...why do you remain...here, you damned....Fox?"
Kurama stared at the fire-demon. "Hiei..." he said, then stood.
"Wait!" Yusuke said and reached for him.
But there was no use.
Kurama had stood for the briefest of moments and his head had bent, like a flower forced down in a heavy wind, and he had smiled. "True." he said to himself in the way someone admits a terrible wrong, a secret suddenly brought into the open, "That is something I myself have wondered...."
Then, he was gone.
"Kurama?" Yusuke said, and stood. Hiei's eyes closed and his jagan peered far. "Kurama!" Yusuke cried, but there was no answer.
The only remainder of the Youko were the foot prints he had left behind in the snow, an artifact only a human fleeing would leave behind.
...to be continued...