You guys are lucky I love you so much. I didn't get my 6 reviews last chapter, shame shame little birdies, shame shame. I was going to put this up last night, after I got home from a party, but then I realized, I didn't have enough Reviews, still don't. But, like I said, I want to get this story out already! Nothing much to say except--yes I know my lovely fans, cutting isn't a very nice subject, but at least it's not...literal, I wouldn't ever be able to write a story like that.
Quote of the Day! (because I've done a summary, and I did a disclaimer last chapter XP) "15 years ago spirit fox Youko Kurama was thought to have been killed while escaping from a botched burglary. In desperation, he hid himself in your world using a human body to slowly recover his energy. He thought no one would find him. I did..." --Hiei (I just thought, hey...that implies things XP)
Warnings: More characters, messed up Kurama, majorjump in time, more angst, more hair "cutting", more "OC" and...that's it! Scary!
Rating: The Story in general is an M, this chapter isn't that bad though. I don't have the new rating system memorized though, so I'm not sure.
Yusuke ran. He knew something bad would happen, but he didn't think much of it, until the call came. Yusuke didn't recognize the number, and debated on whether or not to answer it. He was glad he did. It was a neighbor of Kurama's, she explained she heard a scream and when she went to investigate she found Kurama. Yusuke asked her why she didn't call the police, but she said it was something that they weren't to be bothered with, at least, she didn't think so. She asked Yusuke to go see for himself. He was worried. Ever since Hiei left Kurama had been one hell of a mess, and no one could understand why. Shizuru told Yusuke what she knew, and only Yusuke. The Spirit Detective had a feeling something else happened though, something after Shizuru left. He ran up the stairs and bumped into an elderly woman out side of Kurama's apartment.
"Yusuke Urameshi?" she asked carefully. Yusuke nodded and panted for breath.
"Yeah, that's me. Is he ok?"
"I'm…I'm not sure…you should go see for yourself…" she handed him a key and Yusuke nodded thanking her and walking into Kurama's apartment. The place was a wreck, like some one had broken in, or maybe some one was desperate and trying to find something.
"Kurama?" he called out softly, stepping over things and heading to the bedroom. As he neared it he could hear sobbing. Opening the door slowly Yusuke peered in.
"Kurama, you in here?" he asked looking in. He gasped. On the floor, with what it seemed like, millions of seeds was a bunch of long red hair held together by a simple tie, and around it smaller clippings. It all surrounded a chair, where a red headed short haired boy sat crying into his arms next to a mirror. A pair of scissors in his hands. Yusuke rushed forward and kneeled next to Kurama.
"Kurama…Kurama hey…" Kurama looked at him and smiled slightly.
"Oh Yusuke! Whatever are you doing here? How are things with you and Kayko?" he asked as normally as possible. Yusuke helped him sit up completely.
"Yeah, hey Kurama…we're doing well, but that's not why I'm here. How are you doing?" Kurama glanced at the mirror and smiled slightly.
"Well, obviously, I got a hair cut…" he replied smiling at the boy cut. He patted it and grinned down at Yusuke.
"Isn't it lovely?" Yusuke nodded.
"Yeah it's great…" he replied taking the scissors away from the obviously over stressed Youko.
"Oh Yusuke, you're like a human mother, worry, worry, worry! When really none of that worrying is going to do you any good!" he laughed. Yusuke shook his head and stood up; he pulled Kurama up and sighed.
"Let's call Kayko, and maybe Shizuru. How does that sound?" Kurama laughed madly.
"Oh Shizuru! Yes! Let us call dear Shizuru, she is quite the character, do you not agree?" Kurama was still laughing madly as Yusuke helped him to the living room and dialed Kayko's number quickly.
Hiei looked around him as the rain poured down. He scowled. He didn't feel right, something was wrong, but he couldn't turn back now, not when he was so close. His companion looked at him and grinned. It was a horrible grin; his teeth were various shades of yellow and green, if not completely gone.
"What's wrong Princess? Never been to these parts of the woods have you?" Hiei rolled his eyes, his breath was horrible too.
"I tend to stay away from them naturally, I don't like dealing with such scum…" he replied. The other demon snarled and spat at his feet. Hiei easily dodged the spray and the offending liquid.
"You better watch what you say Princess, else this so called scum is going to wind up roasting you over a fire and fighting over who gets your brains." Hiei glared up at him.
"Not even the most powerful demons in this excuse for a world are dumb enough to mess with a Youko's mate; I don't think these scum bags have the guts, that is, if they have the brains."
The other growled as they continued on. Hiei inwardly sighed. He could feel his wedding band on a chain, tucked away beneath his shirt. It made him think of home, with Kurama. What was his Fox doing at that moment? Was he ok? Hiei shook his head, he knew better than to get worried. If anything went wrong Yusuke would start to tear the Makai apart looking for the koorime…wouldn't he?
Kurama woke up. The sun shone brightly into his room in the little house that he had bought about a year and a half ago. He stood up and walked to the mirror. He sat down and looked up towards the top of the mirror. Hanging there were three separate sets ponytails. One, the oldest one, only had one pony tail and it was shorter than the others. They were constant reminders of how long it had been since Hiei had left him. After the first month Kurama had sliced off his hair. He didn't have a valid excuse, he just felt like it. He hung it up and never cut his hair until 11 months later, the exact date on which Hiei had left him. He cut his hair to the length that it had been and saved the hair. One month later when Hiei didn't show up he cut his hair to the boy cut. The next year he had done the same, marking the second anniversary. Now it was the third anniversary of Hiei leaving. Kurama pulled his hair into a lax pony tail and cut it so the ends rested a little past his shoulder blades.
There were no seeds to worry about, after the first time when Yusuke found him, he no longer kept seeds in hair. They were all sorted and placed into small containers and had stayed in a box in his closet since than. Kurama decided that with out a demon mate, and without an enemy lurking around to worry about, he did not need the plants, not even a rose. He resided as a normal human a few miles out from the city, close to Genkai, with a few acres and a small house. Right out side the house there was a large tree, perfect for climbing and resting in. He also had his gardens. Large rose bushes grew in the flower bed along with a number of other plants along the fence and around his lands. It was obvious though that the blood red roses were his favorites.
Sighing Kurama stood and placed the ponytail up with the others. It was the first in the fourth set. He scratched his head slightly and looked in the mirror. There was no joy in his eyes, and there was no smile upon his face.
"This style no longer suits me…" he whispered.
But he didn't do anything about it, he never did. There would be no work that day, or the day after that. In fact for two weeks Kurama had no work, after the first year he always took his vacation during the first two weeks of the month that Hiei had left in. Than he'd go back for a week, cut his hair short, and he would prepare himself for another year without Hiei by his side. It had become his ritual, and he was prepared to live the rest of his life like that, if need be.
Hiei walked up to the big gates of the Spirit World. He smiled softly as they opened and headed towards Koenma's office. Many of the ogres stopped what they were doing and watched him in shock. Hiei looked down sadly. Had it been that long? He had lost track of time, but his mission was complete, now all he needed was to know that Kurama was still alive. He opened the doors to Koenma's office. It was in complete havoc. Koenma hopping up and down in his chair yelling as Botan tried to do what she could to help and George and 3 other ogres scrambled around. Hiei chuckled.
"Well, I guess some things never change…" he stated closing the doors and leaning back on them with a smirk. The office went into dead silence as Koenma and Botan looked up.
"Hiei…you're alive…" Botan whispered. Hiei made a face.
"All things considered, wouldn't you be the first to know if I wasn't Botan?" Botan laughed nervously.
"Yeah I guess so…" Koenma glared at Hiei from across his desk.
"Three years have gone by Hiei, exactly." Hiei nodded.
"I know…how is he?" Koenma shrugged and pointed at his large television screen.
"See for yourself." Hiei looked at the screen, Kurama sat in a foreign kitchen eating slowly. He stopped and looked at a picture of Hiei across from him and smiled sadly.
"Hiei…" he whispered quietly. Hiei frowned.
"Koenma, tell me…everything he has done for the past three years, I have to know before I go back…I have to know if he still loves me…" Hiei commanded turning to Koenma. The small Lord nodded.
"I'll help as much as I can."
Kurama stood outside and looked at his garden with a slight smile. It was all that brought comfort to him for three years. He glanced down the road. Expecting to see Hiei walking up it like it was the most normal thing in the world, he wasn't disappointed when he didn't.
"You've been watching too many movies…" he muttered to himself. The phone rang inside. Kurama sighed and brushed off his hands and headed inside. He picked up the phone.
"Kurama?" Yusuke's voice sounded worried. Kurama smiled.
"Hello Yusuke…" he greeted.
"Has he, has there been anything?" Kurama sighed.
"Not a thing Yusuke."
"I'm sorry…"
"It's not your fault." Silence.
"Well have you at least…you know…" Kurama slightly nodded.
"Yes I have…" He could hear Yusuke's frustrated sigh. He knew the young Spirit Detective did not agree with him cutting his hair, but he also realized that it was a way for Kurama to deal with things.
"Call me if you need anything or if anything happens you understand?" Yusuke said. Kurama chuckled.
"The same thing every year Yusuke…I know…"
"Three years though, how much longer are you going to be able to handle this Kurama?" Kurama sighed.
"I don't know…I don't know…" he replied.
"Well hang in there buddy, I'll talk to you later…"
"Good bye Yusuke…" He hung up and sighed. How much longer could he truly keep this up? This waiting day and night, the agonizing pain within his heart every time he woke up? Kurama looked down at the ring on his left hand and sighed with a frown.
"Until the end of time…if that is my fate…" he whispered, heading back out to work on his garden.
Hiei looked down at the remains of the apartment from a tree. It was gone; everything he had remembered had been burnt to a crisp; except for one thing…Kurama was still alive. He had moved out before the fire, it was a month after he had left that it burnt for no apparent reason. Sighing he jumped down, he had to pay Yusuke a visit before he finally went to where his home was, in Kurama's arms.
Hey hey hey, that was fast! But that can't be it right? We've got 5 more chapters--if I get more reviews! I'm not sure I'll post the next chapter no matter how badly I want to get the story out if I only get 3 reviews again! ...Empty threat? Who knows? So REVIEW!