Hello again!!!! hugs reader THANK YOU FOR READING!! Because now to be reading chapter 2 means you actually have some interest in the story AND I didn't scare you away yet! (unless you are one of my friends who are being forced to read this story by means of me scaring you. HI FRIENDS!!!) I'm weird, I know.
Still YusukexKurama.
Disclaimer: Koenma hasn't sent Yusuke to arrest me yet so YU YU HAKUSHO IS STILL MINE!!! HAHAHAHAHAHA!
Also this is still dedicated to Chibi Shi-Chan. For more on her, refer to chap.1 dedication.
Bleeding Petals
"Such simple boys. Well you will understand soon enough, since I have a prime example here." Noirai turned to Kurama, smiling like most villans do so you know they're about to do something that will probably get you really pissed off. Believe me, I'd know. She held out a hand and snapped, and I saw one of the most sadistic and horrific things I've ever seen, and I think I've seen a lot.
The instant Noirai snapped her fingers, Kurama's body snapped back in immense pain. Two wounds sliced through his back like an invisible sword had attacked him. He cried out and then two similar wounds appeared on his legs, like his scream had called them. He dropped to his knees, which was his position when cuts painted onto his stomach and blood seeped through his uniform. He hugged himself, trying to stop the pain I think, and more slashes appeared on his arms. Then I couldn't keep track. More and more cuts started appearing all over him, and he screamed louder with each one. His eyes were scrunched together and he held himself tighter and tighter. Then he just stopped screaming. He just knelt, huddled over, hugging himself and gently shaking; the softest sounds of pain coming from his throat. That's when I realized I was just staring.
I ran over to him, worried as hell. "Kurama! Kurama, can you hear me? Kurama! Are you okay??" Alright, stupid question, I know. But I just wanted a friggen answer from him! It was like he couldn't hear me, or didn't want to. "Kurama, answer me! Come on, it's Yusuke!"
Then a whole dozen fresh wounds appeared on his side out of nowhere. What the hell is going on? What in the world did that stupid bitch do to him? Kurama then whispered something that I couldn't make out.
"What?" I asked.
"…it hurts…it hurts, make it stop…please…stop…" He sobbed softly. Wait--sobbed? Oh god…he's…crying? Kurama's crying! Damn, he never cries! What the hell is going on?
"Oh dear, he's in a lot more pain than I thought he'd be. He must've been holding in a lot more than I suspected." That damn stupid bitch! She did this to him! She sure is hell is gonna pay!
"What the hell did you do to him?!" I shouted at her. Tell me so I know the reason for kicking your ass.
"I've merely changed the way his emotions are expressed. Instead of being in emotional pain as he was, I've made it physical pain. His own emotions are causing his, not me."
His emotions? Emotions sure as hell don't do this! SHE did this! "Take this damn spell off him now!"
"I could, but it wouldn't change the way he felt or the pain he's in. He'd still be living with it. At this point, he'd most likely rather die anyway." What the-- "Believe me, he's better off this way. Let him die, rather than making him suffer. Let him be killed by his own emotions." Then she closed her eyes and…faded?
"Get the hell back here now!!" I got up and ran up to punch her, grab her, anything to stop her and make her stop whatever was hurting Kurama, but she was gone. "Dammit!!!" I just stood there fuming, I swear if you saw me there was steam coming out of my ears. Frustrated would be a major understatement.
Finally I swung around and noticed Hiei and Kuwabara. I was surprised, because believe it or not, I sort of forgot about them. They seemed just as pissed as me. Then I turned my sights back to Kurama. I was positive my heart stopped. He wasn't kneeling anymore, he had fallen over and wasn't moving.
Don't tell me he's -- I ran back to him and pulled him up. Oh God Kurama, wake up! My heart was racing. Hiei and Kuwabara came over too, but again my attention wasn't towards them. It was towards the suffering beauty in my arms. Wait -- beauty? Never mind! I put my head to his chest. The scent of roses flooded around me. Well, I guess that's what you'd expect from a guy who's using them all day. But again -- not important. I listen with my head right up on his chest and thank God, or King Enma or whoever's up there when I hear a tiny beat.
"He's alive?" Hiei asked bluntly. Man, you'd think a guy would be more worried about his best friend practically bleeding to death on the ground here! But I'm sure somewhere in that twisted little mind of his, he is worried. I've fought with him enough to know that. But seriously, he could show a little more concern!
"Yeah, but he's bleeding really bad." I look over Kurama. My God, he's bleeding everywhere. At least they aren't appearing out of nowhere anymore. Memories of the finals of the Dark Tournament came back to me. That bastard Karasu put him through so much pain, yet he endured it all. Just like then, his face has no wounds. I bring my hand to his cheek. Why does he always get so hurt? Why on every mission does he somehow always come back bleeding? My eyes trail down the rest of his body. God, he must be covered in scars…
"Yusuke." Hiei interrupted my thoughts. I jumped and turned to him. Damn, does he know how to sneak up on people.
"Yeah Hiei?"
"We should get him to Genkai before he does bleed to death." Hiei stared at me for a moment and then bent down and gently picked Kurama up.
"Hiei!" I protested, but I'm not totally sure why. It just…
"What?" Hiei asked sounding a little pissed.
"Uh…nothing."
Hiei snorted. Then he started at me again. Maybe it's because he has three eyes, but for some reason I really did not like him staring at me. "I'll take him to Genkai's. I'm faster than the two of you and he needs help as soon as possible." He clutched Kurama a little tighter to him and was gone in a blink.
For a few minutes, I didn't move. Well, he's going to Genkai's and Hiei is very fast so for all I know Kurama's already getting healed by Genkai, or Yukina, or hell even Botan. He's going to be fine…okay, why don't I feel fine? He's been through a hell of a lot worse before…kinda…I mean getting blown up by bombs, attacked by swords, flying razor-sharp icicles, rocks…okay this isn't helping.
"Urameshi!" Kuwabara's loud annoying voice yelled into my ear.
"What!" I yelled at him as I covered the attacked ear.
"Sorry man, but you were just gazing off to nowhere!" Kuwabara argued.
"I was just thinking!" I shouted at him as I got up.
Kuwabara's attitude changed to something that looked like understanding, (not that I'd know too much about that). "About Kurama? I'm worried about him too." Kuwabara told me. "He looked like he was hurt pretty bad. I mean, it's not like he hasn't gotten hurt bad before but what that lady said…not that I understood the half of it…but he looked like he was in a lot of pain."
"Yeah…" I agreed. He was crying. He never cries, at least not in front of people. "Well I guess we'd better head back to girls."
That's when I realized I had no idea where I was.
Dammit! We didn't leave a trail or anything! We were just playing follow-the-idiot-with-the-sixth-sense and he was just following the bitch's energy! That way sure as hell wasn't going to help us now!
"Well, let's go." The baka said when we were just standing there.
"You leave a trail of breadcrumbs I don't know about?" I snapped at him. "Because it looks like the birds ate them." I think that's when it hit him that we were lost.
"We're lost?" Smart guy. "Well no problem. If I concentrate on my love, nothing can keep us apart! We'll follow the red pinky string to her!"
I'm not about to follow that 'reliable' method. I'd actually like to get to Genkai's temple some time this year, if you know what I mean. That's when I heard that poor excuse for a bird.
"Puuuu!"
The blue teddy-bird was flying out from the trees, kinda from where Hiei had left with Kurama. It was flapping it's ear-wings as fast as it could over to us. Then it just sort of hovered in front of Kuwabara and me.
"Hey Puu, what's up?" Kuwabara asked my inner self.
"Puu pupu puu pu puu!" Puu answered, along with a lot of pointing to the directing he came from with his ears and hands. (paws, arms, whatever they are) Anyway, I caught the gist of what "my self" was saying.
"You can bring us to Genkai's temple?" Puu nodded. "Alright! Come on, lead the way Puu!" I have to go make sure Kurama's okay.
.:.:.:.
We got to the temple surprisingly fast. Well, it seemed like forever when we were walking (running) through the forest. But once I saw the temple through the trees, I almost literally jumped for joy. Now I could find out what was going on. Puu flew right into Keiko's arms, who was waiting for us outside.
Keiko looked relived and worried when she saw us. She ran over clutching Puu tightly to her. "Oh thank goodness you guys are all right! I was so worried when Hiei came rushing through here with Kurama and he was so injured, but Hiei wouldn't tell us anything! Then Puu flew off and I--"
"How's Kurama?" I cut her off. I didn't need a recap.
"He's in with Genkai. Hiei's not letting anyone else in, so we don't know how he's doing. Koenma came and was in for a little bit to find out what happened, but he went back to Reikai right away and didn't tell us anything. Botan left for Reikai a few minutes ago too." Keiko explained. And I just got really pissed off at that.
I don't believe this, how can she not know what's going on? What has she been doing the entire time she was here? Gossiping and giggling with Botan? And diapers shows up and just leaves without telling me anything?? Does no one care that Kurama's hurt? And where the hell was Botan going? I thought she was supposed to be my freakin' assistant!
"So all we're doing is waiting??" I shouted at her. Well, not really at her, more like at…I don't know. I was pissed and frustrated and she was standing in front of me. I think she sort of understood because she didn't yell at me or anything, just backed away a little to give me space. I needed to cool my head, go find some way to relax. But how the hell am I supposed to relax when Kurama's in so much pain and could be dying!? Especailly when I can't do a damn thing about it! Dammit! I hate waiting!
Keiko was now explaining something to Kuwabara which I didn't care about. If I stuck around someone was going to get yelled at and that would lead to more yelling which I didn't need right now. I had to go do something.
I couldn't go inside, I'd probably break something if I did, get called a dimwit and told to get out anyway. Either that or get burned to death by Hiei when I 'accitdentally' try and vent my anger out on him. So I just did the first and most simple thing I could think of. I started running.
I didn't run anywhere specific, but ended up at the back of the temple. I just kept thinking at all the people I was currently pissed off at and other angry thought that were getting me no where. When I was far enough away from the temple, I held both my hands in front of me and raised them until they were above my head. I though of how pissed off I was and shot a powerful rei-gun, full of nothing but that anger and stress. And if it hit Koenma, all the better.
I felt pretty empty after that, but more clear-headed than I've felt in a while. Then I fell to my knees, and stared off into nowhere. Then, believe it or not, I began to think. Yes, I can think. I had to do something to help Kurama, or else I'd just get angry at everyone again, so I tried to figure out exactly what was going on.
I went over what that bitch, (Noirai was it?) said. Something about his feelings killing him. Despite how weird it sounds, when a bad guy's plan is working, they'll usually brag about it, and everything they say is normally true. But how the hell do your emotions kill you? It doesn't make sense…AGH! THINK YUSUKE!! One of the people who you care about most is about to DIE!! You don't have a choice, you have to figure this out!!!
Okay, she said that he's been in emotional pain, that he'd rather die than deal with it, right? But if he was like that, why didn't he tell us what was wrong? I mean, it's not like I could do a whole lot but, doesn't he know I'm his friend? That I care about him? What could make him hurt so much and not let me know about it?
…now that I think about it, Kurama was acting a little weird today…
--Botan had shown up when Kuwabara and I had been in a fist fight. She told us that some weird energy was popping up in Genkai's forest and we had to get Kurama and meet her there. Koenma would be contacting Mukuro's to get Hiei to help out. We got on the train okay, but when we got to his stop, we couldn't remember where his school was. Well, we could remember, we just didn't remember the same thing.
"I'm telling you it's this way baka!"
"No, it's this way Urameshi!"
"Stupid, that's the way we came!"
"No, that's the way we came!"
"Whatever; baka. I'm going this way, see ya at Genkai's if you ever make it there!" I walked in the direction I thought, figuring he'd end up following me anyway. Kuwabara doesn't stand alone, unless he feels it's really important. Winning an argument against me I figured would take a backseat to sticking together to find a friend. He may be an idiot, but he is a loyal idiot.
I turned the corner and started to walk up the street a bit when I felt a familiar ki. I looked up and sure enough, I saw Kurama about to cross the street a bit further up from where I was. So Yusuke 1; Kuwabara zero.
"Hey, Kurama!" I shouted to him. But he didn't look up at me. Thinking he didn't hear me, I yelled again. "Yo Kurama! Over here!" Some other people started to look at me, but he still didn't acknowledge the fact that I was beginning to feel like an idiot. I called to him again, but still nothing except for the weird looks I was getting from people who I didn't know and right now didn't care about. Beginning to get pissed, I started to run over to where he was crossing to, still shouting at him.
When I got closer, I noticed he stopped in the middle of the road. His head was bent down and his hair was shadowing his face so I couldn't see his eyes or get his attention. People began to walk around him while he was just staring at the ground. Man, what's with people these days? Guy stops in the middle of the road and they do nothing about it? Then the light changed.
And of course, a car had just turned a corner and was coming this way. Was the driver paying attention? Of course! He was giving 100% of his attention to his girlfriend in the seat next to him. I'm really beginning to hate cars. Oh, and now people are realizing the guy they passed in the middle of the street is still in the middle of the street.
My heart began to beat a mile a minute because Kurama was still just standing still! And the car wasn't slowing down, and neither was my pulse. But Kurama was just standing there!
"Kurama!!!"
I ran into the street and grabbed him hard and pulled him over to me by the side of the road, and crushed him against my chest. Thankfully, it was about two seconds before the distracted driver rushed by. Did I mention I hate cars?
I felt Kurama move against me. "Yusuke?" Seems like he was finally coming to.
"Damn Kurama, I've already been hit by a car once! Don't make me do it again!" Then he gives me a really confused look. Since when does Kurama not know what's going on? "I must have called you fifty times! I sure as hell ain't like you to just stop in the middle of the road. What's going on?"
Then his face changed to realization. He seemed to catch on to the fact that he almost got hit by a car. But, his face seemed red. Maybe that's why he stopped in the road and seemed out of it, maybe he's sick.
"S-sorry Yusuke. I must have gotten lost in thought. Thanks for saving me." Then he looks at me with those green eyes. I don't know why, or what it is about him, but it just seems like whenever Kurama looks at you with those eyes, you just can't lie. Like he's looking right at your soul and knows your every thought. So of course that's when I realize I'm holding him, and god is he soft!--I mean, I know he's a guy and all but, it just didn't feel that awkward for some reason...
"No problem!" Then I was just standing there holding him with a stupid nervous smile on my face. My heart was still racing, and I know I should of let go, but he wasn't moving either. He was just staring at me with those emerald orbs, and his face slightly shaded pink. And honestly I didn't really want to let go. He felt so warm and soft against me, and would've felt wrong to let go...
I guess it was because he was in danger not even a minute ago. I hate it when he's in danger. More than anyone else, I can't stand to see him in pain. I mean, he's one of the bravest, smartest, and kindest people I know. People like that aren't supposed to get hurt, you know? And whenever he's in danger, I tend to act before I think. Just in my mind, he's just one of those people who are not supposed to get hurt, and he does. I've seen him bleed way more than I should, than I want to. So after he gets hurt, or almost gets hurt, I don't want to let him go. Guilt doesn't want to let me go for a while too.
Then I remember I had a reason for finding him before the whole stupid driver fiasco. "I was looking for you for something, but I sort of forgot why…" He's looking at me with those eyes again. Those truth-seeking, deep, eyes staring straight at me...
"Urameshi!" Crap, Kuwabara! "Man, why the hell did you run away for so fast?!…Uh, what's going on?"
As you could probably guess, that was me and Kurama's cue to pull away. "Uh-nothing."--
And after that Kurama acted pretty normal. It was weird though, almost like a little kid peeking into a room that's normally always locked and then the Grandma comes over and shuts it fast and asks them if they want some cookies. He started trying to calm me and Kuwabara down when we started fighting and everything. He's always like that, that same smile on his face. But he's always smiling, even when there's nothing to smile about. Either that, or he's serious. It's like he changes with the mood, not by his feelings. If there's no reason for everyone not to be happy, then he's happy.
My god...am I really that stupid? To not have noticed that? That he wasn't letting us know how he felt? And now this is the end result for not caring about how he was feeling? No, no I did notice. Something was wrong with him. What was it? After we split up, Hiei went for some reason with Kuwabara and Kurama went with me.
--We were walking in Genkai's forest, pretty aimlessly. We had split up from Hiei and Kuwabara about fifteen minutes ago. I didn't have a watch so I didn't really know how long it had been. Kurama was walking behind me, and I was leading the way, not that I had a clue where I was going. We hadn't spoken since we split, and we hadn't run across any demons either. Don't get me wrong, that was okay, but the silence was really beginning to make me feel uncomfortable.
"Okay, apparently we've entered the no demon part of the forest, either that or they're all playing hide-and-go-seek with Kuwabara." I was just rambling on about nothing, a habit I've picked up that I do when I'm nervous. I felt like an idiot, but I feel like that a lot around Kurama. With Kuwabara it's easy, he's an idiot and anyone looks good compared to him. But Kurama...what have I got that he doesn't? I mean, what am I compared to him? He's smart, smart to the point he's got really creepy rivals willing to take their own souls just to defeat him once. He's definitely athletic, he's able to dodge things really well in ways I still can't figure out. And like I've said a million times, this guy is probably the kindest guy I know! He was willing to die for his mother for one, and he's almost never angry. But then, he's not a pushover either because when he does get angry he shows no mercy. And to top it off, he's without a doubt good-looking. Attracting everyone from his classmates to a sick and twisted enemy. There is absolutely no one who can compare to this guy! Except maybe Hiei.
How that guy can keep his cool around someone like Kurama is beyond me. Yet he's always around him. They fight so well together, work together, like they always know what the other is thinking. And I don't mean by Hiei's jagan either. They really understand each other. It's really a good thing, a great thing to have such a good fighting pair on our team. So why don't I feel happy or proud about it? In fact, for some reason I'm feeling upset about it, or even jealous I guess you could call it. That Hiei can work so well with someone so...perfect.
Wait, if that's the case, then why is Kurama walking with me? And why in the three worlds is Hiei walking with Kuwabara? "Hey, uh Kurama? Why is Hiei with Kuwabara right now instead of you? I mean, it's just usually it's you and him, me and the baka right? So do you know why?"
I turned to him and he was just nodding. Not looking at me, but nodding. So I repeated the question. "So why did Hiei choose his little sister's self-proclaimed boyfriend over his best friend?" But Kurama just nodded again and kept walking with me. Beginning to get suspicious, I decided to see if he was listening or not. "So I notice we have a nice bright pink sky this evening." Sure enough, he just nodded again. So unless he has gone colorblind, he hasn't been listening to a word I've said. "Kurama?"
At the sound of his name his head snapped up and looked at me surprised. As if he just realized I had been talking to him this whole time. But it was only for a second before he put on his usual smile and replied. "Sorry Yusuke, I was lost in thought. What did you say?"
Now I knew something was wrong. Not once, but twice in one day Kurama didn't know what was going on. The first time I let it go, but now I was going to find out what was wrong, and why he was telling me. So I walked over to him.
He looked...nervous? "Kurama are you okay? You've been acting weird all day." His face was getting red again. His eyes were wide and he really seem nervous and...upset? About what? Before I even realized what I was doing my hand was on his forehead. He was warm, but then I'm no doctor. "Your face is red, you sick?" My hand slid down to his cheek. He looked really worried about something.
"N-no, I'm fine..." He was looking at me with those eyes. It was just like before, like he was looking straight through me. But then I realized, that wasn't it. His face looked like he wanted to tell me something, there was something in him he wanted me to know but was afraid to ask. I'm no psychiatrist, but this face he had I can recognize. The look of a friend who needed someone.
"You sure...you feel hot." I had never been this close to him before. There was very little space separating us. My heart was beating pretty fast, but I didn't know why. The world seemed to fade away. All I could think of was the fact that Kurama needed help.--
No, that's a lie.
I had somehow ended up on my back during my trip down memory lane, so I got up into a sitting position. I stared down at the ground in front of me.
My god, I really am stupid.
I'm so pathetic it's almost funny.
I stood up and wiped all the dirt off me. For once, it really mattered how I looked. I turned to the temple. I still wasn't sure what to do, but I knew now that I really couldn't leave Kurama alone now.
Because before, all I could think of wasn't that Kurama need help.
All I could think of was Kurama.
Dammit, I'm in love with him, and it took me this long to figure it out!
AHHHHHH!!!!!!! Finally. I am sooooooooo sorry it took me this long to get the next chapter out!!!!!!! T-T I was working on it, I swear!!
The reasons it took so long:
1 My sister was hogging up all of the computer time.
2 The finals for school were coming up leaving me with almost no free time!
3 I wanted to make this as perfect as possible, I didn't want Yusuke out of character in the least, because he's my 3rd favorite character!!!
THANKS TO ALL MY REIVEWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
23 for one chapter???? I am sooooo happy!!!!!!!!!!! I gotta thank everybody!!
Ippiki Ookami13- My first reviewer! Sorry for taking so long on the update, but hopefully it was worth the wait? Not much of your questions were answered in this chappie, but I promise they will be in the next!!!!
Chibi Shi-Chan- YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHI-CHAN REIVEIWED ME!!!!!! ::huggles back:: Thank you soooo much for supporting my fic!!!
Animal-Yes, Kurama did go through a lot in the last chapter, but it will get better!
Ranko Urameshi- Thank you! Of course I continue, because as you said there are sooo little Yusuke/Kurama fics out there. YusukexKurama forever!!
NiteMistris09X- Yeah...asap, heh....sorry for taking so long.
SiLvEr- Thank you for your compliments! Sorry for taking over two months!!
Anonymous-Well, you got your answer! And there will be more about Yusuke and Keiko's relationship in the next and (hopefully) last chapter.
Chisara Notell- YAY!!!!! I got a HieixKruama fan reading!! I like the HieixKurama pairing too, but there are sooo many fics out there on those two. I actually am thinking of writing a fic for them, if you check my bio. Thanks for reading!!
Silver Shuriken- Another one of my favorite authors reviewed me!!!!!!!!!!! I already read most of your fics and I love them!!! I just recently found out you have an account here. I know you're working on your Harry Potter fics right now and I find that very admirable. bows and thanks for supporting my fic!!!! ::huggles::
Black Paladin- This is just a friend of mine. I kinda forced him to read my fic. If he actually did is still up for debate. He's sort of scared of yaoi and he's convinced me and my best friend are somehow forcing him to be gay. --0
Yutsuko Yamiwa- This is my sister who was hogging the computer. I knew it was her even before she told me, she has this certain writing style that is unmistakable.
Anon- Thank you and sorry for taking so long!
MikoAri- hehehe...Cliffies are evil, but they are also a magical tool that keeps readers coming back for more! See? You are reading! I win!
Josh122121- confusing numbers...anyway, I kept writing! But, lol when Kurama is in extreme emotional and physical pain?...nevermind...thanks for reading!!
Skittles the Sugar Fairy- I updated!! kawaii name.
Kala- AHHHH keep breathing!!! I updated so you are okay right? right??? No! she's not talking!!!!!!!!! lol
xDarkxMagicianxGirlx- YAY!!!!!!!!!! Another one of my new favorite authors reviewed me!! Everyone go and read her fanfics right now!! She's one of the best authors out there for YusukexKurama fics!!! Thanks for supporting my fic!!
Trisa3d- ::faints:: better than Quoth the Raven??? The #1 author for Yusuke and Kurama fics?????? ::faints again:: you give me WAY too much credit!!!! but thanks for the compliment!!!!!!
Skittle and Smartie- Like I said, cliffies are evil but they are magic! hm...more skittles...
BloodMistress- Yeah....i guess i didn't update as soon as possible, but this chapter was worth it right????
Azulmizu- AH! I'm a bad author!! T-T..... but you came back, didn't you?
Silver Dragon of Evening- A very hyper fan. YAY HYPERNESS!!!!!!!!!! Thanks so much!!!
kurama-sweethart- A happy dance!!! :::does happy dance with KS::: thank you!!! hope you are still looking forward to the next chappie!
As you have probably guessed, this isn't the last chappie. There's still one more to go...I hope just one...and I hope that I can get that one out sooner than I did this one.
I just really really really really really rrrrreeeeeaaaaaaaalllllllllyyyyyyyy didn't want to make Yusuke out of character!! Actually, this chapter was originally going to be in either my or Hiei's point of view. 0.o, but then I realized that if I tried Hiei's point of view...I couldn't try and get into Hiei's head. So I decided to try another favorite. I focused more on dub Yusuke than the Japanese Yusuke because, well, he seemed more fun to do!
Well, the original one-shot is turning into a 3-shot and I hope you'll all stick with me!!!
Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!