10 Years of Waiting

by Kurohi Tatsaki

Day 6 - Rain and Wind, but No Fire

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, never will, but I own Kurohi, as y'all should know by now.

"speaking" thinking noise POV change beginning/ending of dreams flashback beginning/endings /Telepathic speech/ passing of time /strange voice/

Rose Thorne - rolls eyes Oh, now you're gonna regard my amateur grammar? I only have a dictionary, not a "how to fluently speak Japanese" book! flips to a page Oh! You're right! My bad! It IS "watashi no baka kitsune"! ' I'll have to reedit some parts of my fic at a later date. (Some were the wrong "which" for example. My friend just happened to want to read it, she caught some of the mistakes, and now she's BEGGING for updates)

All Koenma/Kurohi here! Angsty; you have been warned.

The scent of the air changed. Large eyes blinked in the dark night. They shone with curiosity and dread. Those eyes narrowed minutely at the findings of their mind.

Huh. Was it raining again? And in the summer, no less?

Indeed, a small shower began, several droplets hitting his small nose, and then it all picked up. He looked up into the dark sky and squinted further to hold back some of the rain from going into his huge, bright blue eyes.

Just great... a small storm. Damn! I hate the cold!

It was cold; it was dark.

And why wasn't he warm?

He shivered. He wanted something. He wanted to be wanted, but... Wait... he knew he was a multi-hybrid. Just as much human as fire demon, youko and dragon.

But why, now, did his fire demon blood fail him?

Why would he want anyone, anyway? He got along fine on his own...

Hmph. Yeah, right.

He got along fine on his own until he met Koenma!

Koenma...

And who was punishing him now? The only close place for rest was Koenma's place. (A/N: Is it a palace or what? I dunno, that's why I'm asking!)

Wasn't he just lucky!

He groaned. NO WAY would he be sleeping outside again.

No. Way.

That left only one option.

With a defeated sigh, the figure flitted to the direction of Koenma's Office. No doubt he would be awake then.

Koenma...

The name made his heart soar and ache all at once.

On one hand, he was a charming, handsome, delicate, and tricky young man.

On the other, he didn't like the fact he loved Botan, and just thinking about the advancing wedding made his chest hurt like a bitch and it made breathing a burden. His eyes narrowed at this newfound pain.

His life was now, officially, Hell.

His inhuman heart thumped in his chest; he felt tired. He panted while running; he shouldn't be winded like this.

At least, not under normal circumstances of running.

And these WERE normal circumstances of running.

Save the fact Koenma was engaged to goddamn, oar-ridin', fuckin' bitch Botan!

As he neared Reikai, the rain slowed to a mere, comforting drizzle.

He knew it wouldn't last.

Kurohi's clothes were, for the second time, drenched. He entered the facility and stealthily made his way into Koenma's Office, water dripping softly to the floor like blood, marking his trail in a watery, uneven line.

He had to see him again. Just had to!

He kept himself hidden, almost lulled to sleep by the repetitive stamping and muttering of the currently-seeming toddler god.

After a while, the lights went out, and Kurohi slept in the corner, chin tucked against his chest. Strangely, he felt half-awake even through unconsciousness was just beyond the door.

He heard something, disturbing his light sleep. His eyes darted to the seemingly deserted room he inhabited.

He shivered as he heard the noise again and bit his lip to hold back the shiver's other effects, which usually had him make some sort of noise. He wouldn't let himself be discovered... Never.

A short figure entered the room, the noise still around. "Kurohi, what are you doing here?" asked a confused voice.

The boy blinked and gasped softly. The gasp turned into a startled, low growl. His heart thudded against his chest again, and that reaction was apparent through the pendant, which was bright amongst the shadows of the small office. It was bright enough to be seen through his shirt.

Not to mention that if one looked, they could see his flesh behind the shirt during each blink.

"Sleeping," he replied tiredly.

"In here on the floor with wet clothes?" asked Koenma, pacifier still in his mouth.

"This place was closest, sir. I didn't want to bother you. Besides, it was cold and wet out there." He looked away. "I don't like it..."

Koenma blinked. "Ah, so it WAS you that I saw come in. For a moment, I thought you were Hiei. After all, you both share the same speed."

He was silent. He closed his watery eyes, but it was very visible that he was conscious. He finally spoke after a while. "Why... why do you love Botan?"

Koenma frowned. "I... Well, I've known her a long, long, looonng time."

"That makes no sense, sir." He opened his eyes and stared at the god who, right now, looked like an infant. He saw past that innocent façade. I've loved you since I saw you, even when we were enemies... You seemed... glad that I didn't call you a toddler... even when we first met... I actually had the lucky guess that you were much older than you looked.

"How so?"

"Just because you've known someone for a long time, doesn't always mean that you fall in love with them. Ever heard of 'love at first sight'?" he asked just as coldly as his skin temperature. The boy sneezed and looked away, shaking because of the cold he felt. You loved it when I took you to that carnival. I spent all my money on all the games you wanted to play. I didn't even care that my punishment was to starve for a week because it was beyond my honor code to steal or kill for food like I used to. I had made you happy and I didn't care what was in store for me. Call me stupid, or anything of the like but... "...y'know, I love you..." he murmured, accidentally finishing his thought verbally.

"You... you do?"

"Yes," he replied with a nod. No use denying anything. "Despite the fact I'm not eternal. But, I AM a Dragon Youkai..." Bits and fragments of the dream resurfaced from their slumber. "Y'know, I've lasted a long, long time."

"How long?" asked the god.

"Don't know." His heart pounded faster, and he seemed okay mentally, but he felt he was going to pass out.

Not again...

"Sir?"

"Em?" He looked a little distant until now.

"If... I were eternal, would you... love me?"

Koenma couldn't answer. He put himself into the teen form and thought a moment after sitting down next to and against the boy. He could easily hear the boy's quick, demonic heartbeat, and could see it with the stone around his neck and the one in his pocket. He pulled it out.

"You cried, didn't you?" he asked, avoiding the question. "Back at the wedding... Isn't that stone around your neck also one of your tears?

He looked back at the god and nodded vaguely. "I think so... but I don't remember crying before recently and having it accumulate to such a massive size." You made me cry that gem that's in your hand. You love Botan... I can't make you love me. Never dream of it, but...

"So, please tell me! I love you, I want you and..." He stopped, blushing a deep crimson before that beautiful god. He closed his eyes a moment and looked away, staring at his feet. Damn it, I think I might be going crazy... "I... I'll respect your decision that you want to wed Botan... but..." He shook his head. "Wait, there are no 'buts', are there?"

He had a vague feeling of suffocation. Like it was too difficult to breathe the air. He stifled it best he could. He stood up, knees weak and chest aching. He braced himself against the wall and panted inaudibly. He closed his eyes for a moment; he felt his center of balance wavering, and with a soft cry, fell to the ground. He couldn't see.

"K-Kurohi-chan! D-daijobu ka!"

He felt hands on his shoulders, that flipped him over onto his back. A hand touched his chest and lifted a weight off it. The same object that left replaced the weight. He opened his eyes and blinked, panting softly for a moment. The ache began to fade like a dream. He slowly sat up and gazed at Koenma.

His gold eyes glittered with concern, worry and fear. "K...Kurohi-chan, daijobu ka?"

"H-hai..." Wait... how he said my name... "Matte... you said, 'Kurohi-chan'..." My ears MUST have deceived me! No way that he loves me! He loves BOTAN!

"Em, yeah, doshite?"

"Since you don't like me like that," he replied. "then don't say '-chan'. Understood?"

"Yes, Kurohi, I understand." Inside, he was starting to question his devotion to Botan.

"Good," he retorted coldly, sadness thick in his voice. He leaned against the wall, hands splayed limply outward. He closed his eyes.

Kami, how he wanted to cry...

"Kurohi?"

"Mmm?" The god's scent tickled his senses, and he was seduced into opening his eyes halfway.

They were watery. He closed his eyes again and stood up. His hand was clenched near his side.

He was still dripping water all over the floor. It fell with the slowness of blood. The tears fell off his cheeks and clung to the jawbone in one futile attempt to remain with their master.

"You were crying... because I am engaged to Botan?"

The boy nodded; three stones fell to the floor, echoing like jewelry when they connected.

A few more tears escaped the boy's eyes, sliding down his face, and the instant that they let go of their hold, a few more hirui-seki stones connected with the floor. His body shook with unvoiced sobs as he stood strong in the middle of the room. He felt strong arms embrace him from behind. They locked at the hands near his stomach, and someone rested their head on his shoulder. A small tremor went through his body and he forced his body not to arch at the new sensation of being held. The boy let his eyes seek the "intruder".

Blue met gold with orange-brown flecks.

Blue eyes widened in surprise, disbelief and various other emotions evident in their depths.

A pink tongue poked out of the god's mouth and reversed the path of the mystical tears. Kurohi blinked at this odd behavior as he felt the warm, wet object glide gently against his already moist flesh. Isn't one who was engaged to someone else supposed to keep their hands off of all but their betrothed?

He sighed in conscious contentment that someone would care to comfort him when he cried, and the eye closest to the tongue closed. However, he spoke a different tune from contentment. "Though I don't care what the hell Botan thinks, you'd better get away from me before you get in trouble. You are, after all, bound to the oar-rider. But, just do me one thing, please..."

"Nan desu ka?" asked that male elegance.

"Think over your decision with Botan. Is she really the right one? Because the one I love stands before me, and, to tell the truth, I'd do anything for you. After all, I didn't care that my stomach got punished when I spent all my money for you at the carnival, and I had nothing to eat for a whole week because it went against my honor code to steal or kill for food. I only kill to live another day; not because I'm starving," the tailed boy reasoned.

"A whole week?" he seemed amazed.

"Yeah. Just because I have a long life doesn't mean I'm eternal." He chuckled. "But I had a great time there. Making you happy was my new hobby." He said this with a bittersweet smile. "Your happiness matters more to me than my own life. That's why I was so willing to spend all that ningen money." A small frown tugged at his features and he closed his eyes. "Now, please, let me go!"

Reluctantly, Koenma released his loving embrace. Kurohi approached the doorway, stopped, and turned around to the god. He regarded the brown-haired endless with a mixed stare. On the ground, forgotten, slowly pulsed several hirui-seki stones in their red-violet light.

The boy turned around, and left. He paused a few times, but never looked back.

So much for sleeping inside.

He flitted out into the stormy night; the wind had picked up, as the rain, but the youth didn't care.

No use staying where you weren't welcome.

"KU--RO----HI---------!"

That desperate cry of his name stopped him cold. He wants me back?

The god ran outside and looked up at the tree the boy stood on. His robes were blown to one side by the ferocious wind. Kurohi's brown mane was a mess of wet tendrils instead of soft, dry spikes. The only thing that fully gave away his position was the brilliant, quick flashing of the orb around his neck.

The boy panted again, but this time not out of pain in his body. It was his mind that hurt - his emotions; not his body. "WHY THE HELL DO YOU WANT ME BACK! GO CUDDLE WITH BOTAN FOR ALL I CARE!"

"Get back in here, please! The wind and rain makes tonight in this realm cold! I don't want you to get sick!"

"I DON'T CARE!" He laughed softly, but it went unheard. "How can I not care...?" he uttered softly. He closed his eyes, and tiredly opened them again.

Koenma frowned. Kurohi...

Said boy flitted into the night.

Inside her room, the oar-rider flipped through a few death records.

All Dragon-type demons from long, long ago were accounted for here...

Except one.

End Day 6

Started 3/29/03, 3:52PM, Finished 3/29/03, 9:51PM

Revisions: 10/11/03, 6/4/03