The Gift of Oneself
by xDarkxMagicianxGirlx and Ookami no Kokoro.
Summary: Yusuke and Kurama's life is perfect. They've both survived the world of Yin and Yang.. But because of the brothers' unexpected death, the gates of both heaven and hell have been opened, allowing one person to leave each place. You'll never guess who's back..
Disclaimers: Neither I nor Ookami no Kokoro own Yu Yu Hakusho, though we can wish, right?
Chapter One
Kurama sighed. School is a punishment for me, I swear, he thought as he sat on the roof of his school. He was just glad it was lunch.
"I can't believe Kurama talked me into going to SCHOOL." Yusuke sighed, leaning his back on the wall on top of the roof. He was skipping Gym class, and was pondering on whether he should skip his next classes as well.
I wonder what Yusuke's doing......Hopefully he's in school. He chuckled slightly at the thought.
From his spot on the roof he could see the people in his gym class playing tennis. This is so boring.. I'm NOT coming tomorrow. Not even if Kurama begs and pleads.
Looking at his watch, the fox teen sighed. Only a few minutes left of freedom........ Then I'll have to wait until we're let out. Looking at the blue sky, he blinked when he saw something that didn't look as though it belonged there.
Resting his head on the warm cement behind him, Yusuke closed his eyes, but soon got a cold shiver down his spine.
What in the world....?!
As soon as the hooded figure saw him, it began to float away.
Shaking himself out of shock, the fox jumped from roof to roof, following the figure.
Opening his eyes again, Yusuke looked around to find the source of his shiver. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw something floating in the air, coming in his direction.
Jumping another roof, he saw the roof of Yusuke's school, with the young delinquent sitting there. His eyes widened as he saw the figure descending in front of the teen.
Yusuke blinked as he saw the familiar red-head a bit farther behind the figure. What is going on?
Jumping up, the redhead landed slightly in front of the younger teen, glaring at the figure.
The dark-haired teen stood as Kurama jumped in front of him. "Every time I go to school... I swear..."
Looking at the figure, Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly. It wasn't the same as Yin or Yang had been, but there was something familiar about his eyes.
Looking around the older teen he looked at the hooded figure. That's not Yin.. or Yang.. Who is it?
Reaching up, the figure pulled back his hood.
The fox gasped, his emerald eyes widening. "Karasu......"
Yusuke gasped also, walking next to the older teen.
"H-how......?" the redhead asked. "I.....I thought......"
"You thought I was dead?" the crow offered. His violet eyes seemed to smirk. "Funny thing, really........I was........."
The younger teen's eyes narrowed into a glare. He knew it was possible to come back to life after death sometimes, having first hand experience with that, but how had Karasu come back..?
Karasu's eyes turned to towards Kurama.
The fox glared at him, though a shiver ran through his spine.
"Well, what are you doing here?" Yusuke asked, still glaring.
"Are you asking how I got here? Or, what I'm planning to do here?"
"Both.." he replied slowly.
"Well. You should probably know the reason I'm here," he replied, looking at Kurama once again. "But as to how I got here, I suppose you can thank Yin for that."
The teen's eyes widened in shock. Great, even when he's gone he won't leave us alone.
Kurama growled. "How in the three worlds does that work?!"
Karasu's eyes seemed to smirk again. "Somehow, when he died, the energy of his body was able to open the gates of hell, allowing one person to escape. Guess who managed that?"
Yusuke gave a low growl as he watched Karasu stare at Kurama, his eyes smirking slightly.
"How long has it been, Kurama?" the crow asked. "We have SOO much to catch up on."
Kurama growled again.
The younger teen suddenly felt the need to kill the demon before him. He clenched his fists to restrain himself from strangling Karasu.
Turning, Karasu said, "Perhaps we SHOULD talk, Kurama. But not here, and not now. Maybe when you finish school, we should meet up again."
"And if I refuse?" the fox questioned.
"Well, then, you better hope nothing happens to your family. Or Urameshi, for that matter." Looking back at the two teens, the crow jumped into the air, disappearing.
Growling again, Yusuke turned and punched the cement wall behind him, making his knuckles bleed. "I'm gonna kill that guy.."
Kurama looked down at the ground, his fists clenched tightly. Karasu's not giving me much of a choice, is he? he thought. If I don't meet him, my family, and Yusuke.... He shook his head, not wanting to think of what the crow might do to them. I'll have to do as he says....
"Your not seriously thinking of going, are you?" Yusuke asked, turning and wiping the blood away from his red knuckles.
"I.....I don't know," he lied.
"You can't go.. Who knows what he'll do to you..?"
"Who knows what he'll do if I don't go........?"
"Then go straight home after school.."
"Suppose he'll be waiting for me there? I'll still have to confront him. And even if he's not there, that means he'll be after you."
"We can both walk back to your house then. So if he is there I can blow his stupid head off."
"He could be setting a trap."
"And if you go with him, who's to say that isn't a trap?"
"At least it wouldn't put anyone else in danger," he whispered.
Placing his hands on the other's shoulders, he looked at Kurama seriously. "I don't want to see you in the hospital again.. or worse.."
He looked up into the younger teen's chocolate orbs, before looking down at the ground. "What am I supposed to do, Yusuke?" he asked, his voice quivering slightly. "Anything else I think of puts you or my family in danger. The only other choice is to go meet him."
The younger teen sighed sadly, not having an answer for the older teen. "Maybe... maybe I can come with you."
He shook his head. "I don't want to risk it."
"I'd rather be there Kurama.."
He shook his head again. "I don't want you getting hurt."
"I don't want you to get hurt AGAIN.... plus I'll be fine."
"Please, Yusuke. Just let me handle this....."
Yusuke closed his eyes and dropped his arms to his sides. "Fine.." he whispered. Opening his eyes he stepped back. "But if anything happens, I'll never forgive myself.." With that he opened the door to the roof and started walking down the stairs.
He sighed, turning and hopping roofs back to his school. If anything happened to YOU, Yusuke, he thought, I'd never be able to forgive myself, either.....
Walking among his fellow students, Kurama walked farther away from the school building, until he spied a shadow in his path. Looking up, his eyes narrowed.
Looking at the fox, Karasu walked away, a look in his eyes telling Kurama to follow.
Not seeing any choice, the redhead could only comply, walking several feet behind the crow.
Yusuke stood in the shadows of an alley, watching as Kurama started following Karasu. Remembering the teen's fox instincts, he first made sure there was no wind before creeping forward just out of sight.
The fox teen continued to follow Karasu, even as he led him into the empty park. He stopped in his tracks. "What is this about, Karasu?" he asked.
The crow stopped, turning to look at the teen, he replied, "I just wanted to talk, is all, Kurama."
His emerald eyes narrowed again. Like I'm going to believe THAT..... he thought.
Seeing the two demons headed for the park, Yusuke took a longer way around, as not to be seen in the empty park. Landing quietly in a branch in a tree close to the two, the teen watched Karasu's every movement. I suppose having Hiei as a friend has done some good for my sneaking around..
Kurama kept his guard up. He knew Karasu was up to no good. "What did you have in mind?"
"You and Urameshi have gotten pretty close since we last met, haven't you, Kurama?" he asked.
The fox couldn't help the blush that spread over his cheeks.
"I thought so. Too bad something might happen to him........"
Kurama growled. "Leave him alone, Karasu!"
The younger teen could barely hear what the other two were saying from the distance he was away. I can at least see what's going on.. I don't want to risk being too close..
The crow laughed. "So it's true, huh? Well, isn't this an interesting predicament?"
"I said leave him ALONE, Karasu! What do you want?!"
"You know what I want, Kurama."
He watched as Karasu laughed at the other boy, then saw Kurama's angry expression soon after and he slightly wished he could hear them better.
Slowly, Karasu walked towards the redhead, closing the space between them.
Clenching his fists, he didn't move as the crow reached him, nor as he ran his fingers through his crimson hair.
Yusuke's eyes widened as he clutched the tree branch beneath him, his stomach lurching painfully as images of Yin flashed before his eyes.
"What would you do to keep Urameshi safe?" he asked, continuing to stroke the teen's hair.
Kurama looked down at the ground. "Anything....."
"Really? Anything?"
"Yes. Just leave him alone."
"My, my. He must REALLY mean a lot to you," he said mockingly.
Kurama can handle himself.. he told himself, but the pains that lurched in his stomach never ceased and once he felt the urge to puke, but swallowed it down.
Kurama continued to look down at the ground, until Karasu's hand under his chin forced him to look up.
Removing his mask, Karasu captured the fox's lips, kissing him roughly.
As much as he wanted to push the man before him away, he didn't dare, just in case.
Standing up, Yusuke's heart started pounding in his chest. "Fine, if Kurama won't do anything to stop him.. I will.." he whispered, jumping silently to the tree closest to the two.
He could feel the crow's hands on his back, pulling him closer to him, as he deepened the kiss. He almost gagged.
Jumping out of the tree, he landed near them and started running at Karasu. He came up behind the crow and punched him in the back, eyes full of pain and anger.
Karasu cried out, releasing the teen as the delinquent's fist connected with his back.
Kurama gasped, panting. "Yusuke?!"
Yusuke nodded, his eyes full of pain as he looked at Kurama.
Seeing the hurt expression in the younger teen's eyes, the fox looked down at the ground.
The teen looked away from the other, his attention turning to Karasu.
Getting to his feet, Karasu looked at the detective. "So....you couldn't stay out of things that didn't concern you, huh? You are a nosy person, aren't you?"
"I think THIS concerns me.." he replied, a glare fixed on the crow.
He laughed, his body glowing. "NOW it does......"
A small ball of light started to form on Yusuke's finger as he started to gather energy for his Spirit Gun.
Karasu grinned, as the aura began to form into a ball in his hand.
"NO!" Kurama said, standing between Karasu and Yusuke. "Just STOP it! Karasu, leave Yusuke out of this!"
Yusuke looked at Kurama and sighed, cutting of his attack before it was even launched.
Karasu dismissed his attack as well. "Well, Kurama. What are you planning on doing?"
The redhead looked at the ground.
Pain started to flood his chocolate orbs again. He's going to go with Karasu.. and it's going to be like Yin all over again..
Karasu tapped his foot impatiently. "Well? I'm waiting for an answer."
Kurama kept his gaze focused on the ground, his bangs shadowing over his eyes. "I'll do whatever you want. Just leave him alone."
"Watching him do that stuff to you hurts me more then anyone EVER could," Yusuke suddenly burst out, tears threatening to fall from his eyes.
Kurama bit his bottom lip, not being able to think of anything to say.
Karasu laughed. "How sweet.. I think I'm going to be sick."
"Cram it," the younger teen yelled, glaring at the crow across from him.
"And what will you do if I don't?" Karasu mocked.
He clenched his fists tightly and growled. If Kurama wasn't standing there..
"Well, as much fun as it has been, I should be going now." He turned, starting to walk away, but stopped, turning his head to look at Kurama. "Well?" he said, slightly impatient. "Come along."
Kurama growled quietly. But as much as he hated being treated like a dog, he knew he no longer had a choice in the matter. Slowly, he began to follow.
Running over, Yusuke grabbed hold of Kurama's wrist, holding him back.
He stopped, but couldn't bring himself to look at the younger teen.
"Kurama, please..."
"I'm sorry, Yusuke.... I really am...."
"Then why don't you stay?" he asked, his voice wavering slightly.
"Because.....if I do......I would be putting you and my family in danger......"
The teen stood there, with nothing to say. He kept his grip around Kurama's wrist, preventing him from leaving.
"Please..... let me go, Yusuke....."
He let go hesitantly. "Fine.." he whispered, voice void of any emotion.
He could sense that Yusuke was slightly angered with him. As much as it hurts, it's for the best, he tried to convince himself as he went to join Karasu. If it puts some distance between the two of us, then maybe it won't hurt him as much when I'm gone.
Yusuke watched as the two walked away, and he put a hand to his chest, feeling as though someone had just ripped out his heart, stomped on it, then put it back in.
As he and the crow continued to walk away, Kurama looked back at Yusuke once, pain in his emerald orbs, before turning away, as he and Karasu disappeared.