Along Came a Kitsune
'Youko Talking' (telepathy)
Kurama talking (telepathy)
'Hiei Talking' (telepathy)
(Just to let you know, these may change)
Chapter Two: Kurama's Girl Troubles
Beep! Beep! Beep!
The red-haired bishounen groaned in his half-asleep state.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A single arm slid out from the comfort of his bedding and his hand proceeded to grope at his nightstand-
Beep! Beep! Bee-!
-before he finally managed to find the snooze button to allow for a few extra minutes of sleep. Alas, he was not able to achieve this as his cell phone went off into an annoyingly joyous bout of ringing that definitely did not suit his usual morning mood.
Kurama flipped open the device and put it to his ear while trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. Youko had kept him up almost all night. Normally, this was done with the not-so innocent images from his past having to do with a bed. But last night, something had felt "off" as Youko had put it before not saying another word. This had left his human self wondering what could have made Youko worry.
And so when he answered his phone, he was expecting to hear Boton's cheerful voice, or even Koenma's childish whining.
"Hello?"
Instead, he was met with the frustrated voice of his boss, Meia. "Minamino, you had better be on time today! We have an important deal to seal and you have to be there! And if you're not there on time, that'll make me – and the entire company – look bad! I don't care if you have the plague! I expect to see your butt down here in forty-five minutes, tops!" Then she hung up, leaving Kurama a little dazed. He still wasn't quite awake yet: it was only seven thirty in the morning.
'Damn, that woman is loud!' Youko said indignantly. 'No one should speak to the single greatest thief in all of Makai like that!'
I hate to break it to you Youko, Kurama sighed in his mind as he began to get ready for work, she's human and could probably care less what your profession was before, so long as she gets her money.
'I still believed she should be punished for her insolence.' As he said this, he crossed his arms over his chest and pouted childishly. Kurama didn't feel like getting another of Youko's speeches so he decided to not comment on this.
Just give it up Youko.
'It's just my luck having to live inside such a stiff. You can't even get a girlfriend.'
Kurama grabbed a towel and stepped out of the shower. You do know that this is partly your fault, correct?
Youko huffed. 'It wasn't my idea to correct it.'
Kurama sighed as he remembered how this had gotten started.
. : Flashback : .
After graduating from high school he had lived with continued to live with his mother for another year while searching for a good job and housing. True, he didn't really need a job since Koenma paid the detectives for their services, but he preferred to have something to do while the cases were slow. His only problem was that youkai never popped out of Makai and caused trouble to anyone's convenience, so he had needed a flexible job, meaning he wouldn't be able to be a doctor or lawyer like his mother had wanted. What he ended up with was one of the things for which Youko Kurama was renowned as the greatest thief. He worked for Meia appraising the authenticity of various artifacts. He was often called upon for divorces and business deals as well as the occasional bankrupt customers. But that isn't the point.
After he moved into his home in the more rural part of the suburbs (in other words, within walking distance of the forest), he continued to visit his mother for a couple days a week once a month because she still wasn't as healthy as he would have liked.
During one such particular visit, he noticed his mother was a little nervous. Actually, Youko had told him that she had been a little nervous around him ever since he had moved out, he just hadn't really noticed it until then. Naturally concerned, he asked her what was the matter, afraid that something was once again wrong with her health. When he heard what she was worried about, he almost wished she was dying again.
"Shuichi, I think we need to talk." He nodded and sat down in his favorite chair while she sat across from him on the couch. She didn't speak again for several moments. Just as Kurama was about to speak again, she sighed. "Shuichi, dear, I want you to know that whatever lifestyle you lead, you are still my son and I love you."
Kurama's mind froze. Was she upset that he had not opted to go further into education and become a doctor or lawyer—or both—like she had dreamed of her son doing? "Mother, I don't understand-"
She went on as if he hadn't spoken. "I suppose it's partly my fault. I mean, I had no idea how to raise a boy, and your father passed away when you were so young. I don't know how I didn't realize it sooner. I mean, your good looks, the way you dress, the flowers, your kitchen skills, and good taste in just about everything. And that boy that always hung around the house…I believe his name was Hiei."
'Please don't let her say what I think she's going to say…'
"I guess all I'm saying is, I love you, but will you at least formally introduce me to your boyfriend?"
He had sat there, frozen, speechless for once. What was he supposed to say? "Mother, I'm not gay, but the centuries-old kitsune that has been inside me since before birth doesn't think that any of the girls in or out of my fan club are beautiful enough to even be considered worthy of him and if there was, she probably wouldn't be able to stand his ego." No, that definitely wouldn't work. Finally, he managed to mumble out with only a little less grace than usual, "Mother, I'm not gay, and Hiei is not my boyfriend, he is a…coworker, and friend. When I find a girl I like, I assure you, you will be the first to know."
She had seemed satisfied with that answer, but he still had to endure an uncomfortably silent dinner and when he had left the next day, after the door closed, he practically ran away. Since then, every time he went to visit without bringing female company (Boton had come with him once after being told by Koenma to inspect something in that area) she had that same look in her eyes.
When he had told Hiei of his situation, he had been half-amused, half ready to kill his mother. Hiei had to be restrained after Yusuke and Kuwabara had gotten word. Yukina had to be brought to Reikai because all four detectives were needed for a mission.
. : End Flashback : .
Kurama sighed again. It wouldn't be so difficult to please his mother if he didn't have such a picky kitsune spirit within him. Some kitsune would take anything with a body. But Youko had to have his "lovers," as the kitsune called them, absolutely perfect, the foremost priority being beauty—and it didn't matter what gender they were, which was why Youko didn't mind he and Hiei being a couple. His human side, however, was adamant in his desire for a female.
The main problem was, even if a woman managed to pass the test, Youko could always find something wrong. The list was endless: too giggly, too serious, never seemed to blink, wouldn't look him in the eye, only seemed able to talk about one subject (said subject mostly being Kurama), were too introverted, and the list went on. Then of course, over half of the girls somehow managed to get his picture from his high school days and he berated himself every time for being fooled into dating one of his stalkers.
A shiver went down his spine at the thought. Years ago, one—maybe more—of his stalkers had followed him home and had snapped a few pictures of him while he was undressing in his room. They had been sold on E-bay. When he found out, he reported the seller.
He climbed onto the bus. He only had to go into work once or twice a week because most of his customers were private and only deals and whatnot were handled at the main building. Today, the bus was almost full except for one seat by a young woman in a knee-length skirt and a shirt suitable for the autumn. She carried a messenger bag, which sat in the empty seat, and almost appeared to be asleep with her head leaning back against the window.
He lightly tapped her shoulder. She jumped suddenly and a couple strands of raven hair escaped her ponytail. "Excuse me, miss," he said calmly, "is this seat taken?" Inwardly, Youko was twitching with excitement. The woman's ruffled appearance made her look cute and when his counterpart had tapped her shoulder he felt a spark of power.
"Hmm?" She looked him up and down, first in confusion, then alarm, and finally nodded. "Um…no, it's not. Here, let me move my bag."
She did and he sat. He waited for a few minutes and nothing happened. So far, so good. A couple girls by this time had tried to feel him out by this time in the past.
'Talk to her!'
He did and for the rest of the ride, they made small talk, talking without really saying anything about themselves. Finally, it was time for Kurama to get off. He stood up, then, as a passing thought, he turned to her and held out his hand. "I'm Kurama, by the way."
She took his hand. "I'm not interested."
'Touché. I like her.'
Kurama got off the bus, a little shocked she had refused him. She didn't give us her name, though. She probably already has a boyfriend.
'Then we'll just have to take her from him.'
Are you sure, Youko?
'Have I ever been wrong?'
Kurama sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day. Someday, he wanted Youko to be wrong, just once. But he couldn't deny the fact that he, too, desired the girl.
With one final look to where the bus had been, he continued to walk down the street to his building. It was going to be another long day.
AN: Yay! My longest chapter ever! –happy dance- Wow, I was really surprised I got that many reviews! Anywho, thank you to everyone who reviewed and added me to your author alert/fav authors!
Oh, and sorry in advance to anyone that wanted a plot next chapter! I didn't expect this chapter to end up being so long, so I'm gonna switch back to Kagome in the next chapter, then go back to Kurama in the fourth chapter. That's when things are gonna pick up. It's also after that chapter that I probably won't update because I'm not sure how to continue. But, things may change by then. –shrug-
If anyone has questions about age, check out my response to KagomeYasha448. And a lot of you have asked about the kitsune, and the answer is…I have decided not to tell you. Yet. Or maybe I will keep it a secret till the very last chapter…and many of you know I can get lazy…muahaha!
Responses:
SilentDark: I think I am gonna have an evil force or whatever, but I'm not gonna make things easy for Kurama to get Kagome either. We'll just see how things turn out. Beyond the fourth chapter, I have no idea what will happen.
KagomeYasha4448: Yeah, forgot to do the age thing. Well, I'm having it so that Kagome finished the jewel quest around age 17-18. After that, she finished high school in the following year, then moved on to get a teaching degree, and has been teaching for a year or two now, since I don't know how long it takes to get a teaching degree, I guess she could be anywhere from 22-25 while this fic is going on. I'm having Kurama being probably a year or so older than her, so he could be anywhere from 23-26. I hope that helps