Disclaimer: I don't own anything. It's nothing new, it's nothing old...well, alright, it's pretty old.
Review Responses: Thank you all for reading this story and I'm so glad you enjoyed it…what? Someone didn't enjoy it? Oh yeah…the guy in the way back who's booing…the guy with the pink shirt on…oh, well that…might explain some things…O.O
KittyLuv: Thanks. I'm glad it's enjoyable…and dark , Hope the chapter lives up to your expectations.
KyoHana: ooh, you're so very close! But no cigar…or…yeah, okay. Anyways, I'm not going to tell you what you're wrong on, but you are so very very close! I hope you enjoy this next chapter, and here's you're update already, Miss impatient. :D
Kuranga108: Oh, you're not too far off either. You guys seem to be getting the general idea, but there's a twist that no one's pinned down. Maybe this chapter will help. Lesse…I'm not going to say what's right and wrong, but if you compare it to what other people guessed, you may be able to figure some of it out on your own. :D
Berbec: Not bad. You are probably the closest of everyone, but you too didn't pick up on the twist. But I think that's my fault. I don't think I've given enough hints yet. You'll probably figure it out after this chapter though, or the one after. Good luck and enjoy!
Notes: All right! We are ready to find out what happened to Kuwabara! And don't worry all you Kuwabara-lovers, he might just make a guest appearance. Might.
Anyways, I'm not a Kuwabara-lover, but I don't hate him. He has his…purpose. Mostly clumsy humor, but he has his purpose.
Also, you never meet Kuwabara's parents, but I heard something about them being mentioned in the manga or something. But…I'm just going to say they're away on business or something. They're not important to the story, so I'm not writing them in it.
Also, I'm not a big fan of anything but Kurama/Hiei, however I will occasionally go for Kurama/Yusuke. There is a small hint of that, but there isn't any actual shounen-ai or yaoi involving the two. They just get close as Yusuke attempts to comfort the fox.
I hope that this will not bother any.
On another note, I do not see Kuwabara as gay in any manner at all. Nope, none sirrie! So, if it looks like Kurama/Kuwabara, it ISN'T. Now granted that with what Kurama has been through Yusuke and Kuwabara have both been trying to comfort him in any way. Yusuke, yes, probably comes across as trying to comfort him in a more romantic sort of manner, but Kuwabara was just doing what friends should do in the event of something as such.
But Kuwabara and Kurama's closeness is not romantic in any way and will be explained.
Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter!
-o-o-o-o-o-
Embrace the Winter SnowChapter 3
-o-o-o-o-o-
Yusuke sat with his head bowed, brown eyes dripping tears on hands he had covered his face with. Jean-covered knees were pressed up against his chest, elbows resting against them as he silently cried.
All around him were others in similar condition, mourning for their lost friend. Beside the raven-haired man, several feet separating her from everyone else, Shizuru sat numbly against the wall. Tears streamed from her red, unblinking eyes. An unlit cigarette hung from her mouth.
Yusuke couldn't think straight. Sitting everywhere around him were people he knew, but never the faces he saw. The faces were sad, tear-stained, and horror-struck. All of them were wrapped in black; everything was so sorrowfully black.
And sitting at the end of living room was an ornate, decorated coffin that currently held the best friend he'd ever had. Yusuke couldn't bring himself to accept it. Kuwabara could not be dead; he couldn't be that stupid stiff form in that dumb wooden box with the stupid cheesy picture above it.
It just couldn't be.
No more loud, obnoxious screaming. No more clumsy falls that ended up saving his life, or the lives of his friends, or the world.
The tears fell harder.
The raven-haired man looked up as the door to the Kuwabara residence opened. A light-blue haired girl walked quietly in, a pitch black kimono wrapped around her lithe form. It was anything but Botan's style, and Yusuke might have one time smiled at the bright pink obi that helped it look much more the ferry girl's style while still remaining appropriate.
"Hey," the teen-aged ferry girl whispered as she lowered herself next to Yusuke, oar pressed up against her side. She strikingly resembled the same posture the fire demon in the corner held.
Hiei sat tucked in a dark corner of the room, ignored by everyone. His katana was resting against his side as his knees were tucked up to his chest. Although Yusuke knew that he and Kuwabara had never been the best of pals, Hiei was still honoring the man, even if he looked like he was nodding off.
"Hey, Botan," Yusuke replied in a quiet voice, mimicking the level that the ferry girl had spoken. He wiped his tears away as he turned to her. "Any news from Koenma?"
"Just a bit," she replied, locking eyes with the raven-haired man. A sob racked through another of the mourners, cutting them off. Botan looked over before continuing quietly, "Kuwabara made it to the Reikai, under Ayumi's guiding. Koenma's trying to arrange a questioning, but there was something weird happening. I didn't get the details, but for some reason Kuwabara won't talk to anyone."
"What?" Yusuke hissed back. "But we have to know what happened! Whatever demon is responsible for his assassination, he could be after us too. And what with Kurama still…still… We have to get to this guy first.
"Besides," Yusuke continued, "I want to pound this guy's face into the pavement for what he did to my best friend."
Botan nodded. "But he's not talking to anyone. I thought that maybe if we brought you there, that he might open up or something."
"God damn it, this is just like Kura-" Yusuke froze mid sentence, eyes going wide. He shot a look at Botan, whose own pink eyes had widened too. "Oh my god, why didn't we see it before?"
"Shh!" Botan hissed as half the other people in the room, including those who were kneeling before Shizuru, looked over to them.
"I can't believe we didn't see it!" Yusuke continued in a hushed voice. "Kurama closed himself up after that demon attacked him that night!"
"And now Kuwabara's gone and shut himself up the same way!" Botan finished, almost jumping up and down at the conclusion. "So that means-"
"Whoever hurt Kurama is the one who killed Kuwabara!" Now any other detective may have figured this out several minutes prior to that moment, but Yusuke and Botan make a good ditz of a team together.
"So then…" Yusuke whispered, "don't take me to Kuwabara; take me to Kurama!"
"But, Yusuke," Botan argued back, eyes drawing down to the ground. "Five years is a long time for an assassin to lie low."
"Yeah…but it has to be the same one! There has to be something about this one demon that makes it so that neither want to tell us who attacked them. But we have to find out…" Yusuke looked over at Shizuru. "If only so we can let her know that we avenged him. That reminds me…No one told Kurama about Kuwabara. I mean…he has a right to know."
Botan nodded. "Of course. I'll go tell him immediately, and Genkai too. I was going over there after I stopped here. It…I don't know how well he's going to react, Yusuke."
"If he reacts at all," the man muttered sourly. Throwing a quick glance at the apparently sleeping fire demon in the corner, he looked over at Botan. "I'll get Hiei out of the place in about ten minutes. I can keep him preoccupied for about a half hour, so make it quick."
Botan nodded and stood from her kneeling position. Taking the oar with her, she walked softly over to Shizuru, kneeling down. Muttering quiet words of respect, she bowed and stood, gently touching the older woman's shoulder.
Shizuru remained unresponsive and numb.
-o-o-o-o-o-
The soft churning of a distant waterfall turning water over river rocks and the gentle call of birds floated through the partially open window. The fresh smell of pines and oak drifted after it, carried by the soft and periodic breezes that swept through the room.
Crystal green eyes opened as a leaf blew into the room, landing on the soft skin of Kurama's cheeks. Raising a sore and tired arm, he gently took the dark red leaf into his hand. With emotionless eyes, he looked over the foliage, memorizing its every detail.
Long, thing fingers suddenly slipped on the soft skin and he watched with almost saddened eyes as it was swept out the window. Not seconds later, the paper door of his temple room slid open.
Standing in the doorway was the aged master of the temple, her faded pink hair waving around her shoulders. Kurama tilted his head to the side as Genkai walked into the room. She didn't have her 'Don't-give-me-that-bullshit' walk about her today.
In fact, if Kurama was correct in reading her movements, the master was troubled and held great sorrow in her brown eyes.
Behind Genkai was another woman, only much younger. Her black kimono, which was definitely not the traditional kimono, stopped above just below her hips, showing off a female figure. It was layered in black and white silk and the V-neck dropped all the way to the white sash that tied it together, but the multiple layers of silk hid everything up to her collarbone.
Not exactly the typical kimono. Beneath that were blue jeans, her seriously misguided attempt to blend into Japanese society. She eventually took the strange looks people gave her as normal, everyday looks. Black, steal toed boots laced up to her shins, hidden by the jeans.
The top layer of her straight hair was black and fell down to her mid shoulders. The second layer beneath fell to her mid back and was the purest white. Long white bangs fell around her deep green eyes.
Kurama tilted his head even farther to the side. Tekara's eyes were normally happy, smiling, and completely ignorant. Only, today they were sad and uncommonly depressed.
"Fox-boy," Genkai began and Kurama's eyes turned to her, "we need to talk to you."
The fox nodded and so Tekara stepped over to him even as Genkai continued, "Botan has just stopped by, and is waiting outside to take you to Kuwabara's house." Tekara kneeled down and checked briefly over the new wrappings that Botan had applied the night before.
Even as she nodded approvingly, Kurama gave a questioning look to Genkai, clearly stating his confusion. The master nodded and continued, "This…this isn't easy for me to say, Kurama. And it's going to be even harder for you to hear."
Kurama's ears perked up at this, as Genkai hardly ever called him by his name, preferring a simple nickname concerning his canine attributes. He gently lifted his arm as Tekara tested out the durability of his newly scarred wounds.
"Kuwabara…was assassinated last night," Genkai reported rather bluntly, not the kind known to be soft when it came to harsh reality. To be said rather bluntly, Kurama was beyond shock.
His entire body practically froze up as his eyes reached a size that was almost beyond imagination. He stared at Genkai in utter disbelief and horror. The master stared back at him, her own eyes softened by the sadness she felt at the loss.
"I'm sorry, Kurama," Genkai continued, breaking eye contact to glance at the wooden floors. She was acting very different from her unbreakable self. "I know that Kuwabara was a good friend, and that you two became very close after what happened that night.
"And that's why…Koenma sent Botan to bring you to the Reikai, to talk to Kuwabara." Kurama's shock and doubt was soon replaced with his almost expressionless face, leaving only sadness and curiosity in those green depths.
Genkai continued at his inquisitiveness. "Kuwabara won't talk to anyone about what happened or who killed him. And we have- well we've come to the conclusion that this assassin could very well be the same that tried to take your life five years ago."
Kurama's eyes grew so fearful and sorrowful at the same time that the emotions became so overwhelming that they turned unreadable, and he quickly looked away, hiding his thoughts from the old master. Genkai gave a light sigh, looking to Tekara. The young demon smiled.
"Well, his wounds are doing fine, quite well enough for travel. However, I think I'll have to see him again later this afternoon. But I will meet you on your own territory," she reported, almost oblivious to the conversation, or at least seemingly oblivious.
Genkai nodded and extended an aged hand to the redheaded man. With his own thin hand, Kurama gently took the master's hand and pulled himself up. Tekara watched him in an almost hawk-eyed manner, observing his ever move to compare it with how his wounds were allowing movement.
"Fox," Genkai began as Kurama stood, brushing his hair over his shoulder, "I know that you don't want to do this, that's obvious enough. But we need to know who killed Kuwabara; we have to be on the look out for him again."
"Especially with you injured," Tekara cut in. The two glanced over at her and she offered a comforting smile.
"Yes, whoever did this is likely to attempt another try on your life," Genkai continued. She knew the danger in telling the fox that, making him realize the severity in the situation. Kurama had not divulged a single clue about his attacker, even after five years.
And although Genkai had a rising suspicion as to why, she kept it to herself. She still did not know who could put so much fear in the kitsune.
"Well, you should get going, Kurama," Tekara began, leaving his side to begin walking across the room. "I'll fetch you something to wear and then you and Botan can head over to Kuwabara's house, okay?"
Whether it was okay with the fox or not seemed to make no difference in the situation, so Kurama did nothing to reply. As Tekara left, Genkai placed a hand on Kurama's forearm, beneath the cut off of the Yukata-style robe.
"Kurama," the master began in a voice that shocked the fox. Her own sadness was peeking through the tough exterior barriers she always had up. Her sentimentality towards the fox relayed how much she was truly sympathetic and sorrowful.
"I know this is hard on you," she almost whispered, her voice was so soft. Kurama's deep green eyes were captured in her brown gaze. "I know you don't want to think about this, but for everyone else's sake, please try to talk to Kuwabara."
There was a long pause in which Kurama just stared into the elder master's eyes. After long moment's passed, and the sound of Tekara's footsteps echoed back down the hall, Kurama looked away to the floorboards.
He gave a nod as the young demon healer returned.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Yusuke looked up as the door to the Kuwabara residence once more opened. By this time, as the day dawned on and evening was already soon on it's way, most of the mourners had left. The only ones remaining were Yusuke, Keiko, and Kuwabara's three school friends.
"Kurama," Yusuke greeted as he climbed to his feet. Shizuru looked up at the name, her first response that entire day.
The redhead walked calmly into the room even as his insides turned and churned in pain, sorrow, and sinking depression. His green eyes gave no comfort but for the help that his simple presence permitted.
Yusuke stopped in front of him, pausing for a brief moment before he swept the fox into a hug. Kurama stiffened at first before he slowly relaxed and wrapped his thin frame around the raven-haired man. After a few seconds, Yusuke pulled away, looking into the sad green eyes.
"It's good to see you," Yusuke whispered in a voice that was almost relieved. He glanced the fox up and down, for all the good it did him. He couldn't see the fox's bandages through the heavy black kimono he wore. "Are you doing alright?"
Kurama nodded, offering a smile through his eyes. Gently, however, he pulled away from the raven-haired man to walk slowly past Kuwabara's three school friends (all of which were staring rather surprised at Genkai and Botan who had stepped in after the fox) When the kitsune reached Keiko, she through her arms around his neck, hugging his lithe form.
Although surprised, the fox reacted quicker this time and wrapped his arms around the young woman. She was sobbing into his kimono.
"Kurama," she whispered through her sobs. "Please…please." Kurama looked down into her eyes as she grasped the cloth of his clothes. "Please…who did this? They say it was an assassin. They say he might come after you and Yusuke!"
The fox looked down for a second, thinking over the words before he wrapped Keiko in a tighter hug, comforting her the best he could for all the awkwardness in the situation. Quietly, as she just continued crying, he pulled away, offering her a similar smile as he did Yusuke.
Lastly, he came to Shizuru, who had been watching him the entire time he was in the room. As he knelt down, she watched with widened eyes as he bowed before her, offering his respects. After long moments, he sat back up to his kneeling position.
Before he even had a chance to comfort Shizuru, she flung herself into his arms, wrapping them around his neck. He yet again wrapped his arms around a sobbing woman as she pressed herself into the cloth of his Yukata.
"Kurama," she sobbed, pulling away. Softly, she put her hands on either side of his face. Her tear-stained cheeks glistened as light shined in through one of the windows. Kurama's face was dry.
"I know you…I know you're crying for him on the inside, Kurama," she sobbed out, holding him in her hands. "Please…You two had grown so close. Please tell me who killed him! Please!"
Kurama couldn't look into her eyes anymore. His gaze drew away and she broke down at his answer, sobbing as she sank back into his chest. The only thing he could do was wrap his arms around her and hold the woman as she cried for her lost brother.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Nearly half an hour later, Keiko gently took over Kurama's place in comforting Shizuru and the fox backed away from the dry sobs of the woman. As he bumped into something, he turned around to face Yusuke, the teen's face sober.
"I'm coming with you to the Spirit World," he informed the kitsune, who composed himself quickly and nodded. Gently, Yusuke took Kurama's arm, leading him to the door. "Are you still feeling up to this?"
Kurama turned at his whisper, frowning slightly. Although the question was legitimate, Yusuke was pushing him rather quickly towards the door. He gently pulled his arm out of the man's grip. He nodded to his question, but glanced around the room.
Shrugging his shoulders, he threw Yusuke a questionable glance. Yusuke glanced at Botan before looking at Kurama. "Um, I know everyone is in Mourning and there isn't any particular rush, but Koenma's real busy today. He has a lot to do, and Kuwabara can't wait for the entire day."
Although the kitsune frowned, he seemed to buy the little fib and started towards the door yet again. Yusuke let out a breath of air he had been holding in and started after him when the fox suddenly froze.
The blowing breeze through the window brought with it a flittering ki signal that froze everyone who could sense the suppressed energy. Yusuke's little celebration about Kurama taking in his fib was all blown out as soft black boots touched down on the windowsill.
"Next time, Detective, get your own damn messen-" The cold words stopped mid-sentence, drawing into a hiss and Yusuke slowly turned to Hiei, who jumped lightly to the carpet. He stood, giving that general direction such a fierce stare that Yusuke soon began to worry that the hiyoukai might let loose his dragon.
"Hie-" Yusuke never even finished the first word to his Calm-The-Fire-Demon-Down speech as Kurama slowly turned around behind him, his red hair suddenly blowing around his face with the now open window. Silky strands blew in front of his piercing green eyes as he stared into Hiei's red ones.
"Come on, Kurama," Botan urged the fox, gently taking a hold of his arm. He did not move and she pressed closer to him. "Come, Kurama."
Hiei was staring with a look so venomous that Yusuke quickly placed himself between the fox and the fire demon. Yet, Kurama did not move. He remained stoic with Botan's hand on his arm as he stared emotionlessly back at Hiei.
"Kurama," Yusuke began in a voice that would strike anyone away from their trance-like thoughts. Kurama's piercing green eyes focused on the raven-haired man. "Get out of here. Now."
The fox stared at his ex-leader for quite some time before he slowly turned. Pulling his arm away from the ferry girl, Kurama started slowly out the door. He began to gain speed however as he reached the street and Botan shouted out as he took off at a dead run away from the Kuwabara residence.
"Kurama!" Yusuke spun at her shout and he shot Hiei one deadly glare that simply dared him to follow. As Hiei only snorted in reply, Yusuke turned and took off after the fox, who was already being chased by a ferry girl on an oar.
"Kurama stop!" Botan shouted out even as Yusuke's demon speed aided him in passing her as a blur. He followed the fox as Kurama jumped a small, black iron fence and entered a heavily treed park. Yusuke jumped it almost right behind him, gaining on the kitsune.
"Stop!" Yusuke shouted as he had almost reached within range to catch his friend. Only, now they were in Kurama's element, and Yusuke had a much harder time keeping up with the fox's grace as they raced over tree roots and untamed wild growth.
However, it didn't last. The hanyou began to notice Kurama's draining energy as the fox began to slow, his grace ever in tact but his speed dwindling. As he ducked beneath a low pine, managing to jump over the large uprooted ends at the same time, he entered a small, secluded clearing that was enclosed by thick trees.
Even as his feet landed on the dead leaves and needles that made up the floor of the small area, he was tackled from behind and he and Yusuke tumbled to the floor. Minding his friend's injuries, Yusuke rolled slightly as he managed to take down Kurama. The smallest spin landed both him and Kurama on their sides, lessening the impact and additive injury.
"Don't…do that again," Yusuke muttered as he stood up. Not even out of breath, worry edged into his mind as Kurama's chest lifted in wheezing breaths. Quickly, the hanyou bent down and grabbed Kurama's arm, picking him up to a sitting position.
"You all right, buddy?" he asked as he sat down next to him. Kurama didn't look at him as his breathing slowed but the wheeze remained. "You shouldn't be running. Not only will you reopen your wounds, but you know your health and energy have been dwindling lately."
Kurama only nodded, still refraining from looking up into his friend's eyes. After only seconds of nodding, the fox slowly ceased his movements and began shaking his head. Yusuke frowned and gently lifted the fox's chin.
He took in a deep breath as he revealed deep green eyes that were watery. Scooting onto his knees and moving closer to the fox, he lifted his other hand to cup Kurama's cheek with a soft touch.
"Kurama, listen to me," he spoke in a stern, but comforting voice as he gently turned Kurama's face up to his own. "It's okay to cry. It's okay."
But Kurama only shook his head, blinking away the water that gave his eyes the glossy cover. Yusuke looked about to argue when Botan burst through the trees. She was breathing heavily, oar in hand but stopped upon seeing the two, sitting close together with Yusuke cupping Kurama's cheek.
She blushed a deep red.
"Yusuke!" she all but shouted out, stalking over to him. Before he could move, he found himself flying halfway across the clearing from an oar to the side of his head. Kurama was staring at the place where Yusuke had until recently been, green eyes wide.
Botan huffed as she lowered the oar. Yusuke jumped to his feet, a hand pressed against the bump forming on his head.
"What the hell was that for?" Yusuke shouted, taking an eagle-spread stance as he waved his free hand in a fist at the ferry girl.
"Well you shouldn't have been fondling Kurama!" Botan shouted back, her cheeks bright red as she gripped her oar. Yusuke's eyes widened and he began to sputter. But before he could get out a full retort, he and Botan both froze at a soft sound.
They turned slowly to see Kurama, the back of his hand pressed against his mouth as he gave a soft chuckle. Yusuke stared wide-eyed as the fox lowered his hand, smiling at the two. Even though the little giggling spout hat not lasted long, it was the first resemblance to a laugh that had been heard from the fox in the last five years.
"Kurama?" he asked as he went back to the fox, sitting beside him once again. The kitsune gave him a soft smile, his eyes seemingly amused as they had not been in such a long time. Yusuke gently returned the smile with a silly grin.
"We should get going," Botan interrupted, feeling the need to hit Yusuke once again if only to cover the light blush that covered her cheeks.
Kurama only nodded, the smile vanishing as if it had never been there to begin with.
-o-o-o-o-o-
Kuwabara stood beneath a blossoming tree; it's dark purple leaves contrasting with its white bark. The deep yellow blossoms that hung from the tree were indescribable in comparison to their beauty. Soft, pliable bark covered the many branches and almost twisting trunk as it sunk into the brilliance of the green grass beneath the man's feet.
Sighing in content but nothing more, Kuwabara retired himself to simply staring up into the many folds of the radiant tree. In this world not so far from his home of the Ningenkai, the man spent his dreary days in resonant silence.
And it was doing so, in the trance-like manner of which he passed time, that Kuwabara did not notice the soft, almost weightless footfalls until the simple sweet melody of a voice came to him.
"Hello, Kuwabara."
The man turned to find Kurama standing behind him in the grassy hill lands just beyond the Reikai palace. The kitsune wore a dark black kimono, a sign of mourning. Kuwabara traced the silky cloth down, taking in the lithe form that had lost more weight than he had last remembered.
And, of course, the smile brought to his face by the fox's lack of shoes.
"Kurama," he greeted back, the sound of his voice floating on the gentle breeze that carried the scent of fresh trees just beyond their reach. The fox bent his head slightly in a greeting, choosing to walk up to the orange-haired man.
As he neared, Kuwabara tried to offer a comforting smile, but it came across weakly. Kurama shook his head gently, signally that such attempts were not needed. Sighing, Kuwabara's shoulders sagged and he looked towards the ground.
"How hav-" Kuwabara was cut off as arms were wrapped around his thick and muscular chest. His eyes widened slightly as Kurama hugged him. His initial surprise was quickly cut short as he carefully enwrapped his friend in a returning hug.
"I can't believe this really happened," Kurama whispered. Kuwabara nodded as his mind processed the thought.
"I know, but there isn't anything that can be done now," Kuwabara answered, keeping his voice somewhat low. For some reason, this entire world seemed to have a fragile, glass-like state to it and having the weakened Kurama present did not aid in stabilizing its seemingly frail condition.
"…There could be," Kurama replied, gently releasing his hold on Kuwabara. Upon hearing this, the man let go of Kurama and stepped back, giving the fox some room. He stared into his friend's green eyes before silently shaking his head.
He couldn't answer the question that was hidden in those forest colored depths.
"I can't, Kurama…" Kuwabara replied as he glanced away, biting his lip, as his words seemed to float away. He couldn't help but look back at the fox, an urgent need to speak what had been on his mind ever since his death.
"But I know now why you won't talk of what happened!" he spoke in a excited voice of urgency that somehow held a silent plea. Kurama watched him as he began pacing in front of the tree, green emotionless eyes following him. "I understand why you will not let me tell the others what you say. I get it all, Kurama!"
The fox did not move as Kuwabara took hold of his shoulders and repeated the last words. Slowly, as he looked up into Kuwabara's eyes, he replied, "And that is why, like me, you will not tell of who killed you."
Kuwabara's excited plea seemed to die at the statement and he lowered his head, pressing weight onto Kurama's shoulders. Keeping his black eyes locked on the swaying green grass beneath their feet, he nodded. "No. I will no more tell who killed me than ask Koenma for my life back."
Kurama only nodded. Although it was much harder to tell, the fox could only agree with Kuwabara's answer. After all, who would believe them?
And if someone believed them, was it what they really wanted?
Kurama gently laid his hands on Kuwabara's arms and he looked back up at him, somewhat surprised by the action. Kurama gave a small but true smile. "I understand, Kuwabara, and will not ask you for anything more."
Kuwabara gave a nod of thanks as that thought registered in his mind will all the others. Kurama motioned for them to sit down beneath the purple-leaved tree and Kuwabara gladly followed his lead.
Turning to Kurama, he chose to take the subject off of the night of his death, already having the fox's promise not to be asked any more on the topic.
"So, how have you been?"
-o-o-o-o-o-
Alrighty! I know this chapter was a little on the short side; just a little. But, hey, I kinda liked the ending.
If you haven't noticed, there was a large hint in the last bit about something having to with…well…something. Actually, there was a large hint in the entire thing, but… . I want to see how many people have any idea of what I'm talking about.
Kit: Obviously, it has to do with that night. Oooh, get excited.
You moron! I didn't tell them for a reason!
Kit: -eyebrow raise- uh-huh, like half of them didn't figure that out on their own.
…Shuddup.
Anyways, please review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.