It was almost a week later and they had just had a meeting with Genkai and Botan. Kuwabara was there, but Hiei was conspicuous by his absence. Not that he really missed much. There were vague rumblings of something happening, but nothing concrete. Kurama took a deep breath as he began down the stairs. The cherry trees were in blossom and the scent calmed him. He heard Yusuke walking up behind him and smiled but didn't turn around. The brunet laid a hand on his shoulder as he stepped behind the redhead. Kurama covered his hand lightly and Yusuke spoke softly, "I wish they'd actually tell us what was happening, Kurama. I hate this waiting shit."

"I agree. It's frustrating. By the time they'll tell us anything, it may be too late."

Yusuke let his arm slide down Kurama's body until it rested at his waist. "Can we go for a walk?" he asked almost timidly.

Kurama nodded, leaning slightly into Yusuke. "I'd like that."

Yusuke guided them slowly through the forest, looking at the sakura and pointing out particularly large blossoms to Kurama. The redhead would gently stroke those flowers until they almost seemed to glow. He picked up several fallen blossoms from under a very large tree and set them dancing around Yusuke and himself. Yusuke constantly touched Kurama, either with his body, standing so close that they could feel each other breathe, with his fingers brushing against the redhead's arm to get his attention, or with his arm, holding Kurama as his eyes watched the cherry blossoms dance on the kitsune's ki.

Twilight found them at the edge of the clearing where they'd burned effigies. Both of them stopped, surveying the area. Nature had done what she could to hide the evidence. A soft carpet of pale green grass was beginning to fill in the bared earth, reclaiming the ground that had been under the fire. Yusuke stepped away from Kurama, leaving him for the first time that evening and the redhead was surprised at how bereft he felt without the brunet at his side.

Crouching at the edge of the blackened ground, Yusuke mused, "It's true, isn't it?" He looked over his shoulder at Kurama and gestured the kitsune over.

"What's true, Yusuke?" the redhead asked as he crossed the clearing.

"That time heals all things," Yusuke replied standing and facing Kurama.

Green eyes took in the blackened ground with its gauzy covering of pale green. By the time all the sakura dropped, there would be nothing left visible of their sacrifice. Kurama looked into Yusuke's eyes, "It seems that way."

Yusuke wrapped his arms around Kurama and leaned his head against the redhead's shoulder. Kurama's arms wrapped around the brunet and they held each other silently until full dark.

With a sigh, Yusuke pulled back. "Thank you for walking with me, Kurama."

"It was my pleasure, Yusuke."

"I…I…I like you a lot."

Kurama's heart jolted in his chest. He held himself still a moment until he was sure he wouldn't shake and reached for Yusuke's face. "Thank you. That means more to me than you could know," he whispered.

Yusuke brushed his lips against Kurama's, "I think I could know." Very lightly, he continued to explore the redhead's lips with his own, tracing the contour of the full lower lip, sampling the bow-shaped upper lip, before pressing their mouths more firmly together.

Kurama trembled in Yusuke's arms, holding himself back and letting the brunet explore. His heart pounded wildly in his chest, begging for freedom, while his mind reeled. Every nerve in his body was alive and concentrated in his lips, feeling Yusuke slowly mark each centimeter of flesh. Never before had he felt so wanted. Never before had he been so scared. He struggled with himself to match Yusuke's advances, to allow him to lead. Everything within him screamed for him to show Yusuke exactly how much he was wanted, but he knew that would be exactly the wrong thing to do. Yusuke's hand slid into his hair, caressing the skin at the nape of his neck and he felt his control shaking violently, threatening to burst. He stepped back, "Yusuke, I don't want to hurt you. If we keep going, I'm going to lose control. I don't want that." His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe, seeking out Yusuke's eyes in the uncertain light of the waxing moon.

"You love me?" Yusuke asked, his eyes shadowed.

"Yes, very much. I don't want to hurt you."

"Are you okay to walk me home?" Yusuke tipped his head so the moonlight shone in his eyes, showing Kurama uncertainty and hope.

"Yeah. Give me a minute." Kurama ran his hands through his hair, taking a couple of shaky breaths as Yusuke watched. He shook his hair back and felt in control again. "Okay."

"Is it okay to hold your hand?" Yusuke asked, his voice soft.

"Yeah," Kurama smiled softly and offered his hand to Yusuke. The brunet took it, lacing his pinky finger between Kurama's fingers. Silently, they walked back to the stairs leading to Genkai's temple.

Just before they left the cover of the trees, Yusuke stopped, "I want…Is it okay if I kiss you again?"

"Yes. I want you to set the pace, Yusuke. You decide how far we go."

"And you'll warn me if I'm pushing too hard for you?" Yusuke asked as he slipped his arms around Kurama's waist.

"Yes," Kurama whispered as Yusuke's lips brushed against his lightly and then pressed more firmly. While still lacking something that would have made it carnal, the kiss was pleasant and made Kurama feel warm through his body. "I love you," he whispered when his lips were freed again.

"Good. It'd be stupid to do that to you if you didn't." Yusuke took Kurama's hand again and they walked down the stairs. "How has your week been, Kurama?"

"Pretty busy. But, it's odd, I don't hear Youko anymore and I don't really miss him, either. It's not really that he's gone, but…"

"Like he's been put to rest?" Yusuke asked, picking up when Kurama's voice trailed off.

"That's a good way to put it, Yusuke," Kurama smiled warmly at the brunet. He thought and nodded, "Yes, like he's been put to rest. Almost like I've been able to reconcile my past to my present. How has your week been?"

"Kinda the same. I feel more…I dunno…at peace with myself. Like I don't have to prove anything to myself anymore and I don't care what other people think."

They walked in silence a while before Kurama spoke again, "Yusuke, I can't ask your forgiveness for what Youko…what I did to you."

"It was Youko, Kurama. It was who you were, your past. And when you helped me with the effigies that was all I needed to know that you wouldn't do anything like that to me. Tonight showed me, too." Yusuke stopped and turned the redhead to look him in the eye, "I have forgiven you, Kurama. I want you to forgive yourself, too."

People flowed around them, rushing around in the dark under the artificial lights of the streetlamps, but none of that mattered to Kurama. He stepped closer to Yusuke and wrapped his arms around the brunet, hugging him tightly to his chest. "Thank you," he whispered, his throat tight, tears threatening to leave his eyes.

Yusuke's arms went around Kurama, returning the hug. He pulled back slightly, "C'mon, I know you have homework to do."

Kurama smiled a little, the expression broadening when Yusuke took his hand again. "You truly are amazing, Yusuke."

"Don't let that get out," he teased back, "they'll expect me to save the world again."

"If it's any comfort, I'll be at your side."

Yusuke's eyes were dark, even under the false illumination, "That is more comfort than you could know." His hand squeezed Kurama's and Kurama returned the pressure. With a smile, he turned and began walking again.

The next time either of them spoke was at the bottom of the stairs leading to Yusuke's apartment, "Do you wanna come up?"

Kurama shook his head, "Not tonight, I think."

Yusuke smiled, "Is it okay if we kiss again?"

Kurama smiled and stepped closer to Yusuke, "I'd like that."

"Good," Yusuke murmured as his hand slid along Kurama's cheek, bringing the redhead's lips closer to his. Very gently, he pressed his lips against Kurama's, reexploring while Kurama's hands slowly slid up his back.

Kurama's body hummed with energy, increasing to a frantic pitch when he felt Yusuke's tongue brush against his lips. He pulled back slightly, remaining in Yusuke's hold but breaking their kiss, "I love you, Yusuke, but if you keep that up, I'm going to lose it."

"Would you like to, Kurama?" the brunet asked, his voice husky.

Kurama's head buzzed, "Would I like to what, Yusuke?"

"Have sex with me?"

"No, Yusuke. I want to love you, to make love to you. I'm not going to do that until we're both ready."

Yusuke's head tipped to the side, "What's the difference?"

Kurama pulled back out of Yusuke's hold, "I'm not sure I can explain, Yusuke. I want it to mean something between us, to be…vital. I don't want us to just fuck because our hormones are running rampant." He had other objections, but he wasn't ready to voice them out loud yet. "I don't want you to hate me afterwards, Yusuke."

The brunet nodded, a half smile on his lips, "I think…I think I can understand, Kurama." He held out his hand, palm up, to the redhead. When Kurama placed his hand in it, Yusuke said, "Can I see you tomorrow?"

"I'd like that, Yusuke." Kurama couldn't help but smile as Yusuke brought his hand up and kissed the back of it.

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Yusuke smiled and walked up the stairs, turning on the landing to look at Kurama again, "after school, at the temple. I like walking through the forest with you."

Kurama nodded, "I like being with you." Waving, he turned to leave.

As he walked, Kurama found his fingers tracing his lips repeatedly, a small smile tugging at their corners. He wanted to laugh. He wanted the world to know he was in love. His body felt warm even in the cool spring night.

"Welcome home, Shuichi," his mother greeted him when he arrived home.

He smiled at her, his eyes glowing, "Good evening, Mother. Sorry I'm late."

Shiori smiled, "It looks like you had a good day. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were in love."

Kurama wrapped his arms around her, "Your son is very happy and, yes, he is in love."

Shirori held Kurama, "Is he loved in return?"

"Almost, almost. He is liked very much in return."

"Can he eat?" she teased, letting Kurama go and leading him to the kitchen table.

The redhead sighed and smiled, "Such a mundane activity. I suppose I could."

After they sat, Shiori began, "I was wondering what happed. This past week, you've seemed happier than you've been since you returned from your trip. It's almost like you've come to terms with something that you were fighting yourself on, Shuichi."

Kurama paused, surprised at his mother's comments. He'd been trying to act the same around her. "I didn't realize you noticed," he said.

Shiori smiled mysteriously, "I'm your mother, Shuichi. Shall I tell you what else I know?"

"I wonder if I should be afraid," he replied, actually feeling nervousness fluttering in his stomach.

"I know that whoever you love is unlikely to be a girl, and that whoever you love will have your loyalty forever."

Kurama's jaw dropped and he began stammering, "How…wha…Mother?"

"I've seen the way you treat the girls you're around, Shuichi, and I've seen the way you treat the boys, as well. You're always polite to the girls, but you keep them at a distance, you don't let any of them close. In fact, I would say that you love that boy you brought to the hospital to visit me. What was his name? Yusuke? He's been around a couple times since and I see how you treat him."

Kurama couldn't have been more surprised if she told him she knew he was a kitsune. "Mother, you simply are amazing."

"I just try and keep up with my son," she smiled at him. "So, what did you do this afternoon?"

"We walked through the forest by Master Genkai's temple."

"The sakura are lovely this year."

"Yes. When are you going with Hatakana?" Kurama teased.

"Tomorrow he and I are going to the park."

"I'm glad. He seems good for you."

"I'm glad I have your approval. You have mine, too."

"You…you don't care that I love another boy?"

Shiori covered Kurama's hand with her own. "I've had a while to get used to the idea. I said I'd been watching you. I would much rather you be happy and in love than miserable. Or worse, lonely because you're trying to fulfill my needs when you could be happy and loved."

Kurama stood and moved around the table to kneel by his mother and wrapped her in a tight hug, "I love you so much, Mother."

Shiori kissed the top of her son's head, "Invite him for dinner some time."

"I will, Mother. Thank you." He rose to his feet and cleared his place. "I'm going to work on my homework, Mother."

"Good night, don't work too hard."

Kurama's homework received less attention than normal, his attention divided between his time with Yusuke and his conversation with his mother. He finally was able to fully admit to himself why he didn't take Yusuke up on his offer. Yes, what he told the brunet was true. He didn't want just sex, he wanted so much more. He could have made it so much more, but Yusuke's kisses told him the brunet was still uncertain, still dealing with his memories. There was a hesitancy, which he understood and wasn't going to push against. Kurama also knew that each time he stopped them actually reduced the degree of hesitation Yusuke felt, rebuilt the trust Youko had nearly destroyed between the two. He sighed. It would be a slow road, but it was the only way it could be between them. He was sure it would be more than worth it when they finally arrived.

A/N: I've had the worst time uploading this chapter. This is actually my third attempt...or is it more? Can't remember. Anyways. Here it is...Enjoy...or something like that.