Love/Hate Relationships

Karasu smiled though it could not be seen by the mask that covered his mouth and nose. His eyes held a great joy when he at last revealed himself you Kurama. "You were off, Kurama. I thought it would be fun to play with your life a little but you couldn't even figure out who was behind this. Seems like you are a little too human to play games."

"My life is not a game." He growled, "Well, I am here now, what do you want?"

"What else could I want, my love." He smiled as he took small steps toward the red-head. "I could help you remember what it's like to be a demon again. If you'll only give me that chance."

"Stay back!" he warned as he pushed Botan behind him.

"Oh, there is no need to be hostile. I won't hurt her; I am done with all that. All I want is you." He smirked as he kept walking.

"I'm warning you."

"Come now, Kurama, Just one touch and it will be all over." He reached his hand out. "This could be a peaceful ordeal if you just come with me now." He grabbed for Kurama's arm but he pulled away jumping back a few feet. Yusuke and Kuwabara pulled Botan away as Jorge clung to Hiei's cloak. Hiei glared at the ogre and snarled causing Jorge to jump off and let go. "Don't run from me. It will only make this harder." He smirked at the pun in the back of his mind.

Kurama shuttered in disgust and grabbed a twig from a near by tree and slowly sent his spirit power through it making the leaves on the twig twist and coil around the dying twig when the transformation stopped the sword glowed as the refection from the sun drew a picture of just how sharp the sword was.

"Ooh, that's bold; you know you have to fight me up close with that."

"I am aware of that, but I am no longer afraid of you. I will kill you here and now, once and for all." Kurama gave him a death glare and stalked toward him.

"How do you expect to do that?" Karasu walked up to him until they were face to face. "Ooh, I think I know just the way I want to kill you. One final kiss to end both our lives. And to be fair I will only stay in this form."

"This guy is even crazier than before." Kuwabara spoke. "Kurama you don't have to fight him alone."

"That's right, Let us help you, besides I have been itching for a fight." Yusuke added.

"Please Kurama, let them help you!" Botan cried out remembering how beaten up Kurama had gotten the last time he fought Karasu. "I don't want to lose you too."

"Hush!" Karasu yelled at them. "I don't really want an audience for this." He smirked anew and held out his arm and made a claw with his hand and whispered, "Boom." Suddenly the air around the four on-lookers exploded with hot burning fire and choking black Smoke.

"NOOO!" Kurama Screamed as he watched, waiting for the smoke to clear, hoping his friends were okay.

The smoke cleared slowly and Kurama gasped inwardly as he saw no sign of his friends.

"Oops, Blown to bits I'm afraid." He laughed

"You will PAY for that!" Kurama wasted no time in swinging his sword at the bat demon. Karasu Jumped away only seconds before the sword could run him through leaving behind only three strands of black hair. The second the Hair touched the underbrush of the forest they grew in size until they became three sleek black snakes with a small fuses on their backs. Kurama jumped away but they only slithered toward him faster.

"Now you've done it, the moment they bite you they will send very flammable venom through your veins then they will explode setting off a fire inside your body, you will be blown to bits from the inside." He smiled at how beautiful that would be.

"I don't think so." Kurama jumped up into a tree and quickly threw three roses into the hearts of the snakes like darts to a bull's-eye, they were dead on and the snakes vanished in a loud explosion.

"Aww, that wasn't very nice." He laughed again "alright enough games. Let's get this over with." Karasu flitted away and appeared on the same branch as the red-headed fox. Kurama melted back against the tree as Karasu placed his hands on either side of him and leaned in to kiss him. "This was easy."

"Get away!"

Karasu smiled and brushes his lips over Kurama's softly at first and just as he was about to kiss him and end the fight he was Yanked away from him and slammed into the ground below by vines that came up from the ground. Karasu laughed as he fell into a thousand thorns that prickled up from the underbrush. "Farewell, my love." He was impaled but never made a sound as he died.

Kurama sighed but froze when he saw a few lingering bombs around him, "no." he stood tall and closed his eyes, bracing himself for what was to come. Suddenly the bombs went off but he felt no pain. He slowly opened his eyes and and saw that each bomb was enclosed in a pink bubble of spirit energy. "What?" he jumped from the tree and landed next to Karasu.

Botan and the others emerged from behind a few trees, "Kurama." Botan smiled faintly and ran toward him only to collapse into his warm embrace.

"Botan?" he looked down at her and smiled as he pet her hair.

"She saved you, man. I don't know how but she did." Yusuke spoke

"I know. I could sense it was her." He scooped her up.

"Whoa, man that was short but awesome." Yusuke said suddenly.

"I thought he had killed all of you." He started walking, "And I wasn't in the mood."

"But seriously, how does it feel to have girls and guys love you." Yusuke teased. Kurama said nothing as his eyes became narrow slits. "Eheh, I was only kidding."

Kuwabara walked out of a nearby cave with Mariah in his arms. "I found her, can we go now? This forest gives me the creeps." He shuttered as a small slug with five eyes crawled up his arm. "Now! Please!" he jumped.

"Come on." Yusuke held back his laugh.

"Well I suppose it's a good reason, but what will I do without my best girl?" Koenma looked up at him with sad pleading eyes.

"Jorge, here will be a wonderful replacement." Kurama smiled and Jorge beamed. "I will not take no for an answer."

"Well alright, I suppose I did make that deal with her. But how do you know it's what she wants?"

"I just do." He smiled

"Okay, it's done." Koenma smiled as he stamped a white paper. "Go now." He smiled as Kurama bowed and walked out.

Botan's eyes slowly opened when she felt something rough against her lips and a sweet smell filled her senses. "Hmm?" her eyes came into focus and she saw a strawberry tracing her lips. Oh no, not another day dream. She thought and opened her mouth slowly letting the sour and sweet juice fill her mouth as she bit down. "Mmm." She pulled away and looks up to find the owner of the hand that fed her. "Kurama. Wow this dream feels real."

He chuckled, "this is no dream." He smiled and popped the rest of the berry into his mouth. "mm." his hand brushed her cheek lightly. "Stay with me forever, Botan."

"Yes." She whispered as he came closer, "Wait, I can't. I am not alive."

"You are now, and I want you to spend your life with me." He purred, "I never got the chance to tell you. I love you." He kissed her softly and pulled away slowly, "Please stay with me."

"Oh Kurama, I love you to. I will stay with you forever." She hugged him tightly as tears slid down her face. "I am sorry about everything I did. Karasu got into my head, I couldn't stop him."

"Shh, I know, it's okay." He stroked her hair softly and held her closely. "I love you, my little Day-dreamer." He whispered softly.

Das Ende!