A/N: ...Well, I'm back! And while I was gone, over the course of two days, I spent nearly $100 on manga. (X.X) PLUS I bought another dictionary and countless other items... What does this have to do with anything? Well, nothing really. But all that manga has me in a writing mood! So hurrah! But before I start, I'll answer a question or two and... yes. It will just make the story a little more understandable.
Kurama is in his youko form now, of course. His eyes are the yellowish demonic ones, and his tail is as silky as ever! (runs off to get her cat off the television) As for Kurama's "gentler" look, that's simply because he's still the Kurama we know and love. In my other fanfics, Youko Kurama is portrayed as an entirely different personality. I have good reason for that, though...
In "Don't Ask Me" & "Who I Am", the Youko side of Kurama was unleashed and actually split into another persona upon memory loss (or so I've decided...). Meaning that he was, indeed, the same old youko and completely separate from Shuuichi.
In "Body and Soul", Kurama had changed into his demonic form using special potion Suzuki gave him. That reversed his age, taking him back to before he was ever human in the first place. So, he acted differently.
In this story, however, Kurama changed without the help of any special items or crazy sitcom-ish amnesia. His age did not reverse, he merely changed forms. So his personality has remained the same, and he appears a little less "intense".
And as far as I know (which is strange because I wrote this story), Kurama & Hiei have been either together from the start, or still haven't started anything on that scale yet. Either way would work, actually... but let's see where this goes first (I have the ending and nothing more...!). I might just answer that question myself. (X.X) And don't believe anything you read in my summaries, they're just there to attract attention, LOL.
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Chapter 6: To be Together
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It didn't matter if he wasn't watching, or if he was just bored. Whether or not he pulled away was his decision. He was still, quiet, contented. Or so it appeared...
Kurama decided Hiei was either asleep and walking unconsciously, or very relaxed. Either way he looked adorable, so it didn't matter.
He hugged his smaller friend more tightly to better gage his awareness and find out if he should just dump him on the side of the road and let him sleep or not....
"Hiei...?" Kurama whispered, shaking him a little. There was no response. "Ah, so you are asleep..."
"No, I'm not."
"Then you're tired?" Kurama asked in a concerned tone of voice, nudging his friend again.
Hiei popped an eye open to give Kurama a halfhearted half of a Hiei death glare.
"No."
"So you're trying to ruin my clothes, are you?" Kurama continued, gesturing to the fabric of his clothes near his neck and shoulders. "Must you hang off of me like that? At least support yourself."
"Hn. Is that anyway to speak to someone who could have easily left you for dead a couple days ago, but decided to save you purely out of the kindness of their heart?"
Kurama gave Hiei a very blank stare then.
"I guess not," Kurama replied softly, leaning down to lay a kiss just as light as his voice on Hiei's head. "I'm very thankful that you decided to come. Having you around is a big help."
Hiei squirmed around a little, not trying to escape as Kurama first presumed, but to somehow reach his arms around Kurama further. The youko blushed at Hiei's sweet expression, and blushed even more at his difficulty to see it, as Hiei's face was buried deep inside Kurama's side.
"Maybe I'd be around more often if you lived in the Makai," Hiei nearly whispered, biting his lip—along with some of Kurama's shirt. As much as he tried he couldn't bring himself to sound sarcastic. He couldn't hide how serious he was. He wanted to have Kurama with him. He didn't want to grow apart and eventually forget.
There aren't many friends who remain such forever. Someone there today will be gone tomorrow, and in time, they will vanish from your mind completely. Old friends are doomed to be forgotten. To be removed from mind completely, as if you never once shared laughter. Their face will become that of a stranger. All they did for you and you for them is to be nothing more than wasted time that you could have used to plan for today, to become better now instead of laughing then.
Kurama was no different from any other first friend, best friend. Even that first person to show you kindness and understanding oftentimes becomes bored. When you have nothing left to say can you still be called a friend?
"I couldn't leave my mother..." Kurama said quietly, in an emotionless tone.
Hiei nodded, pretending as though it was just a random suggestion and not something that had been plaguing his mind for years...
"I suppose one day you won't be confined to the human world anymore, right?"
"Yes... So?"
"Will you go back to the Makai?"
"Of course! I'm sick of these humans!"
"Ha-ha-ha... I think you just want to be able to kill the ones that annoy you without penalty."
"Just wait until you make it to the Makai again, Kurama. You better work on annoying me less."
"Heh, I don't think I'll go back though, Hiei."
"...Why the hell not...?"
"Because my family's here; my friends are here. I'm not Youko Kurama anymore, you know... I just don't think I could do it again is all...."
"I'm not going to visit."
"I know. You'll be very busy, I'm sure."
"The only thing you'll hear about me is how I took over the entire demon world, when word gets here that is."
"I'm sure you'd rule it well."
"Hn. I'd be doing all the work myself. I wouldn't trust anyone else to do anything for me."
"Heh, it's a shame I won't be able to help you out."
"Just wait. You'll be regretting not taking advantage of your chance to rule the Makai with me."
"With you? I assumed I'd be a disposable bodyguard or something of that nature. But 'co-ruling' is much more appealing."
"So is that a yes, Kurama?"
"...What?"
"We could partner up or something..."
"I'm afraid I'll have to refuse..."
"Your loss... But it's a lot less enjoyable when the only people you come in contact with are dead within a matter of seconds."
"Hmm. It seems as though someone has come to learn the value of a companion... a friend."
"I wouldn't go as far to say you're my 'friend', you smug fox. You just happen to be that rare person among the garbage that can pick up my slack and watch my back without stabbing me in it."
"What else are friends for, after all?"
"Yeah... H—!"
"Shh, Hiei. You should keep your voice down unless you want my mother to find you up here. Then I'd have to make up some embarrassing story about how you're my homeless boyfriend who needs to live here for a while." (A/N: Tee-hee...HS if I ever heard it!)
"...Stop talking."
The two continued walking, clinging to each other almost as if they couldn't keep going if they weren't.
"Hiei... did you hear something?" Kurama asked, as Hiei released his friend's shirt and stood up straight and alert.
"Yes... Although how far can you really go without hearing a noise?"
"True. But normal noises don't usually scream."
"Sounded like a victim. That's good."
"...Why is that good?"
"Because whatever's out there isn't after us."
"Yes... but wouldn't it be fun to go kill it anyway?" Kurama asked. Or in other words: let's go help the victim, because we're good guys! And we can show off our skillz! 'Cause we've got major skillz! Yo! ...Or something like that.
"I thought we didn't have time for things like that. What happened to your treasure?" Hiei asked, putting on his best of scowls.
"Well... I'm not exactly sure where we are. If we rescue the victim, they might tell us. And if we don't, then maybe the attacker can help out!"
"Fine..." Hiei sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he quickly began walking off in the direction of the noise.
I certainly hope this doesn't turn out to be one of those horrible side stories with OC's everywhere that tend to act exactly like those scary fangirls, and merely distracts from the overall plot. Not that there is one, anyway, Kurama thought, quickly hurrying after Hiei.
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A/N: NEVER!!! I HATE THOSE!
...
Okay then. I assure you that this is merely to get directions. Everyone there will already be DEAD by the time they get there. They won't find anyone at all! Just half of a map that survived the annihilation and happens to show where they need to go! Yes. That's right... I BURNED the village of OC's that lived there! I DID IT MYSELF! Because the one thing a story like this DOESN'T NEED is a pile of villagers interested in Kurama & Hiei's lives and whatnot. It wouldn't make sense, and would take away from the little plot I have here...
(smiles) Any OC's I have are around for humour purposes or to add to the irony (I like ironic characters... yeah. Like the unlikely irony of Yume in 'Back Fire' LOL).
Anyhew... please review! And I will donate ten cents in your name to the "Molly's manga fund". The foundation that supply's the authoress with money she already owns.
:D!