Disclaimer: Okay...You all know the drill, and saying this every chapter is, frankly, devastating on the self esteem. I mean...I don't...own...it...I think I'm going to cry. T.T
Review Responses: Thank you everyone who was kind enough to review! I hope you all enjoy this next chapter.
I want to thank everyone who took a guess at what happened. It is truly enjoyable to read the responses I get from this story. Not to mention helpful! It allows me to know what I am not explaining enough of and so on and so fourth. So thank you all!
Also, I'm happy that you all got the main plot so quickly. That is, that Yukina was killed. I don't even think I mentioned her name once in the story and yet you all did a superb job at keeping up!
Evene: Not a sad attempt at all! You are close, but still missing a few key pointers (missing or incorrect 8D and no one has gotten close to the twist at all. But hey, if I was reading this story instead of writing it, I'd be farther off then the rest of you.)
I hope this chapter helps some.
Kuranga108: Good! You're supposed to be confused ) If it were easy to get, I wouldn't have put it in! You're close on the known killer along with the talk-only-to-Kuwabara thing, but no one actually made sense of why Kurama doesn't talk to anyone but Kuwabara. Yours was a good guess, but unfortunately not correct. Actually, the reason he only talks to Kuwabara is much more physical that psychological. Good luck and keep guessing!
Oooh, and a small hint (that I think I put in the story): Kurama told no one of what happened.
Berbec: B-day? Uh...I'd give you a cookie, but I spent all my time figuring out who stole a cookie from the cookie jar instead of just going and buying some more. D Happy late B-day. And no, if you're idea pertains to youko playing a major or slightly major role than I apologize but you are not correct. However, parts of your theory might be very close. If you wish, e-mail me your idea at KitsuneLover12 That way, no one else gets the give away.
Good luck and keep trying!
KyoHana: Story slut? O.O ...Okay, I haven't heard that term before...maybe I'm out of the loop or something...-shakes head- Anyways, yes: something happened to Yukina. However, the reason for Kurama's silence and then Kuwabara's silence is not pertaining to the fact that it was Yukina who was killed.
HieiKuramaFan: Oh, thank you so much. I'm so glad you like my story. Hey, not to be pushy or conceited, because I don't think I'm all that good, you might want to read some other of my stories, or go see Agent Dark Moose's stories. She's good too. (My fav's are Shadow House, Death Dimension, and Akumu) I hope you might enjoy those stories, too. Plus, Agent Dark Moose rocks.
Thank you all again and I hope you enjoy this chapter! Hopefully it will be enlightening! Oooh, and revealed within is the real reason Kurama only talks to Kuwabara. Now...should I make it obvious or have you guys keep guessing...
Kit: If you don't actually come out and say it soon, the readers are going to give up on you.
Shadow: Besides...you kinda need to say it. You sort of planned the story that way, moron.
...I did?
Oh, I forgot to mention a while ago...Second chapter I think. The outfit that Tekara is wearing is a real outfit. I was recently to Japan (like five months ago...is that recent? no...not really) and went down a street known to be Tokyo's major Teen-Hang out street. It was crazy! Like...Goth and punk central! It rocked! Anyways, it looked like a kimono except with a belt instead of an obi and it stopped at about your hips. Would have loved to buy it, but it was a wee bit expensive. D
-o-o-o-o-o-
Embrace the Winter SnowChapter 4
-o-o-o-o-o-
Koenma sat quietly behind his desk, hands folded neatly on top of the yellow-painted top. Dark brown hair was hastily blown out of his eyes as slender strands fell in front of his eyes. Those hazel brown orbs were focused on the tall, thin figure standing in the center of the room.
Long silky strands of red hair were tied up in a high ponytail, leaving only loose strands and bangs to fall around his face. Bright green eyes were staring back at the young lord, returning the focus that was given to him.
Finally, after long moments of a simple staring silence, Koenma sighed. "Kurama, I know that talking to Kuwabara…after his assassination nonetheless, couldn't have been easy on you. But…the Reikai has no information on who killed Kuwabara…or who attacked you.
"I know that, for some reason, you will not tell us who hurt you, Kurama. I was only hoping that maybe Kuwabara would." Koenma glanced down at his hands, unfolding them to shift some random papers around on his desk.
He glanced back up, turning those hazel eyes back to Kurama. The fox was standing stoic, unemotionally staring back into the lord's eyes. After another moment, Koenma sighed and lowered his gaze.
"Alright, that's okay, Kurama." Koenma picked up another random paper, as if he was uncomfortable with the conversation he was discussing. "Um, were you planning on attending your classes this week?"
Kurama seemed to frown at the question, his brow furling some as he tilted his head to the side ever so slightly as if to say 'Why wouldn't I be?' Koenma sighed and nodded at the silent response.
"I would…rather you not go to school this week, Kurama," Koenma suggested nervously. As Kurama's frown deepened, the lord continued. "With a new assassin on your tail and all the problems we are currently undergoing, it would be best if you are where we can keep an eye on you. To ensure your safety, of course."
The definition meant by problems was left unspoken, but was obviously pertained to a certain red-eyed fire demon. Kurama didn't react to this at all, but instead retained a cool, steeled gaze. It was also obvious that this "suggestion" was not only to protect Kurama, but also the other college students that would be present around him.
Not to mention that using him as bait would be a lot easier if they could be closer to him.
Kurama shook his head immediately. He would not allow his life to be uprooted by the occurrence of a new demon and the chance of death. He was used to it by now and refused to bend life around caution. Even as Koenma tried to argue his point, the fox remained stubborn and simply rejected every form of compromise offered.
Finally, the Junior Lord of Spirit World gave up with a heavy sighed. Looking back up, Kurama was bathed in stern eyes. When he spoke, Koenma's voice left no room for argument, turning much more into the voice that a lord or general would have.
"Kurama, I didn't want to have to do this but you haven't left me any other choice. I'm ordering you to remain at the temple until further notice," Koenma demanded. Kurama's eyes narrowed slightly, the only sign of his anger, but he, as always, said nothing.
"Now I understand that you'll need to inform your boss at your part time job that you won't be attending for a week. Did I also understand correctly when you said that you had work tonight?" Koenma asked, his tone still overly serious for the more childlike ruler.
Kurama nodded.
"Then that will work perfectly. You may inform Asato that you won't be there on my orders," Koenma informed the kitsune. Kurama said nothing and the godling gave a sigh, his voice dropping some of its demanding tone. "I know that you enjoy your job, Kurama, and so I hate to take it away from you, but it's only until we catch the assassin."
When the fox made no reply, the lord motioned to the side of the room, where Yusuke stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed and head down as if asleep. "Now, I am signing Yusuke on to guard you. I don't want you anywhere without him in reachable distance in case of an emergency."
Kurama gave a deep frown but Koenma did not waver. "Now, given your situation, that can't be very far away. So you will stay at the temple with Genkai and Tekara. I will have wards added and Yusuke will remain there with you for extra insurance."
Yusuke was looking up by now, his brown eyes also trained on the fox. Kurama did not seem happy. By this time, his fists were loosely clenched and his eyes were beginning to burn in anger. Ignoring Koenma as the lord continued with the "extra insurances," Kurama turned and began walking out of the office.
Although Koenma's calling of his name did not stop him, the hand on his wrist did. He turned his eyes to the side, retaining his straightforward posture. Yusuke was standing, arm outstretched to wrap around the thin wrist, his legs halted in a long step.
"Don't," he whispered. Kurama paused, no longer exerting a steady pull against the kitsune. He raised a silent eyebrow in an unquestionable question. "We're just trying to help you. I don't want to lose another friend, Kurama. I can't loose you, too."
Kurama could not draw his eyes away from the leader of the Reikai Tentai. As deep brown eyes bore into his near empty soul, he gave up his struggle and simply pulled his arm away from Yusuke. Drawing his eyes away from him, he turned and walked out of the office.
"Well?" Koenma urged, looking at the detective in the room. Yusuke shrugged, looking at his boss with wide eyes. "Get going! Follow him!"
Yusuke rolled his eyes but ran out of the office after the quickly retreating kitsune.
-o-o-o-o-o-
"Kurama, will you wait up?" Yusuke shouted down the hall as Kurama continued through palace at a fast pace. When it was obvious that the kitsune wasn't going to slow down, Yusuke broke into a swift run and quickly caught up to the fox.
Choosing to be wise for once, Yusuke did not touch the fox but instead walked up to pace with him. "Kurama, please…I know what you are thinking. We are not using you as bait."
When Kurama did nothing to respond, Yusuke finally did grab his arm, halting him in his steps. Piercing green eyes focused a glare on him, the kitsune's mouth set in a scowl. Yusuke met him with a similar frown.
"I won't put your life at risk, Kurama. Not to catch an assassin, not to help Koenma. If I thought you were in danger…" Yusuke sighed, his voice dropping its urgent tone to level at a more desperate sound. "I wouldn't agree with Koenma if you were in danger. I would never put you in that situation, Fox-boy."
"I won't let you get hurt, Kurama." The fox's narrowed eyes widened at this, taking a step back. Before Yusuke could even make a mental note to remember the kitsune's reaction, Kurama's eyes flashed dangerously.
"What would you know of hurt?" The scream was accompanied by so much anger and fear that Yusuke reeled, stumbling backwards. As the sound finished echoing, the man blinked as his head began to pound in a fierce headache.
He looked at the fox in shock, surprised to see the lithe body shaking. Even as Yusuke took a step forward, Kurama countered it with a step back. "You…you don't know anything."
"Kurama…" Yusuke took a step towards him. Said kitsune backed against the hallway wall as Yusuke paused in his approach.
"You don't know anything..." With that, Kurama slid down to the ground, knees drawn up to his chest and eyes shut tightly as his body shook with the effort to keep in the sobs desperate to get out. He buried his head against his chest, allowing the loose strands and bangs of his hair to cover his eyes.
Slowly, Yusuke bent down in front of him, settling into a crouch as he balanced on the balls of is feet. As the fox gave no recognition of the detective's presence, Yusuke leaned in and lifted his chin. Kurama opened fierce eyes that were cold and defensive, trying desperately to keep back the tears that were just beginning to form over the glassy cover of his eye.
"You're right. I don't know anything, and won't unless you tell me." Yusuke paused in his words. Kurama looked slightly to the right, hiding his inability to simply say what was wrong. After the moment of truth came and passed and Yusuke heard nothing more from the fox, he continued, "But until the day that you can tell me, I can only know what I know, and I know that I will never hurt you, Kurama."
Kurama watched him with those wide green eyes. Doubt flittered through them quickly followed by sentimentality, then scorn for the sentimentality, and finally emotionless steel. Finally, he settled on staring emotionlessly at Yusuke.
The man took it as a good sing, an affirmative that Kurama agreed to Koenma's plan. Slowly, as if cautious that Kurama might once again take off, he released the fox's arm. Kurama did nothing at first, staring at the Detective with stoic eyes and posture, before turning and walking away.
Yusuke followed behind him as the fox made his way through the Reikai Palace. As they walked through the Hall of Judgment, Yusuke jogged up to walk beside Kurama. They said nothing, Yusuke unsure of what to say and Kurama no longer having the strength nor emotional stamina to attempt conversation.
Finally, Yusuke looked over to Kurama. "You spoke to me."
The fox looked over, momentarily surprised at the choice of subject but quickly regained his expressionless gaze. With a simple nod, he continued as if he spoke to Yusuke ever day of the week. The detective was much more enthusiastic.
"But you spoke to me, Kurama!" he continued in an almost excited manner. "You haven't been able to talk to anyone but Kuwabara. What got you through to me?"
Kurama gave a sigh, realizing that Yusuke was not going to drop the inquisitive excitement until he got an answer. Yusuke would know...or at least should know that Kurama did not have the strength to do so again, so he raised his hands.
He made several swift motions and gestures with his fingers and Yusuke "Oh"-ed. With a roll of his eyes, the fox turned and started down the hallway yet again. As he approached the giant double doors that led to the rest of Reikai, Yusuke stopped.
"Wait a minute... I made you angry? How angry?"
-o-o-o-o-o-
Tekara sighed for the seventh hundred and eighty-second time. She'd been counting.
"Do you think I got here a little early?" she asked sarcastically to the air. A slight shift in the temperature and wind current in the house answered her. She gave her eighty-third sigh.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. Five hours before he normally gets ready for work is a little excessive…" Tekara muttered to herself. A small chattering noise made by a mixture of varying low and high pitched squeaks and clicks that an ordinary human couldn't hear sounded quietly by her right elbow.
"Oh, now let's not over-exaggerate," Tekara bit back in a defensive tone. "'Inadequate-Time-Deficient-Moron' is a little harsh, there!"
The chattering sounded again and Tekara stood up in a flurry, turning to point her finger at the seat she had until recently occupied. "Now leave my parents out of this. No, they were not 'freakin' Aardvarks!' Were the hell did you learn that term, anyways?"
The door suddenly clicked as the lock turned and Tekara was interrupted, looking towards it. The wooden fixture creaked open to reveal the redheaded owner and the raven-haired detective behind him. The oddly dressed, chair-accusing demon smiled.
"You're back!" she practically shouted. Kurama's eyebrow rose slightly at the sight of her standing, eagle spread and pointing at his living room chair accusingly.
"Oh, hey Tekara," Yusuke greeted as he slipped in past Kurama. "Arguing with chairs again?"
She huffed as she relaxed her stance and lowered her arm. Turning, she sat back down in the chair. "I was not arguing with chairs. How many times do I have to tell you, it was those damn imps?"
"Uh-huh," Yusuke replied disbelievingly but completely used to the weird things the demon girl claimed to see and hear. Kurama shared a small smile before walked down the short hall and into the kitchen. He appeared a second later as the kitchen ran into the living room, a counter and barstools separating the two but creating a nice breakfast and snack area.
The fox set down a bag of groceries that he and Yusuke had picked up on their way home, taking the separate things out of the bag and putting them away. He shot a look at Yusuke, waving a soda in his hand. The detective nodded and caught the can as it came flying through the cut out over the counter. Tekara caught the second one that came flying.
"So what are you doing here?" Yusuke asked Tekara as he sat down in one of the more snug couches that the fox had. "Or do you make random appearances in peoples home's quite often?"
Tekara rolled her eyes at the detective as she gave another huff. "No, I do not. I told Kurama that I would be checking on his wounds again, but I would do so on his own territory. No sense in making him come all the way back to the temple when I could just come here."
"Well, a lot of good that's going to do him now," Yusuke continued, voicing Kurama's exact thoughts as the fox finished the groceries and left the kitchen to change for work. Tekara gave him a confused glance and he explained, "Koenma's ordered him back to the temple. He doesn't want him where we can't protect him."
"Hmm," Tekara muttered almost under her breath. After a second, she raised the soda can to her lips, avoiding Yusuke's gaze. "Sounds like Koenma-sama is using him for bait."
Yusuke gave a tired sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "That's what Kurama thinks too. And hell, I'm not even sure that he isn't, but I told Kurama that I wouldn't let anyone put him in danger, and I'm not going to break that promise.
Tekara glanced up at the man for several long seconds before she nodded. "Sounds honorable. I will be there, also, to keep anything from happening."
Yusuke frowned. "You're not going back to the Eastern Villages tomorrow?" he asked. Tekara normally spent her days in the Makai, working in the most eastern villages of the Takawabashi mountain range in southern Makai.
The girl shook her head. "No, Master Genkai has asked me if I would like to stay at the temple for the remainder of the year."
"That's great!" Yusuke replied as he almost choked on his soda. The old grandma had been living by herself for the last five years and often complained in her labyrinth of words about being lonely. "I'm glad you'll be here for a longer time."
Tekara only nodded as she heard another chirping. "Oh, hush you. You can go find another forest to haunt if you don't like it."
Yusuke gave her a strange I-question-your-sanity look but said nothing. He was quite used to her off-hand and random comments to thin air. She claimed it had something to do with imps, or woodland and water sprites, or occasionally ghosts.
Of course, none of these things were ever visible, but that was simply because they were on another plane of existence so closely parallel to ours that they sometimes overlapped, and some could actually see them.
Or so the crazy demon said.
"Kurama?" Yusuke called into the back of the house. He didn't expect an answer so he simply continued, "Are you almost ready?"
The kitsune replied by coming out of his bedroom at the end of the hall. He had changed from his black kimono into something almost as fancy. Long black slacks that almost shined in a certain light adorned his long legs. He had on a pristine white dress shirt with collar and cuffs, the top part of his neck bandages just showing. Over that he had on a dark green- and black-splotched vest that showed off his slim shape.
His hair was still tied up in a high ponytail, but he had let a few more strands fall around his ears. Yusuke smirked at the kitsune, who seemed complete oblivious to how incredibly sexy he looked. But the detective had to keep that to himself, continuously repeating his wife's name over in his head.
Kurama would have smirked had he known, however.
Tekara stood up and practically skipped over to Kurama, looking oddly out of place with her strange kimono style top but faded blue jeans. "You look marvelous!"
Kurama nodded his head in thanks and waited for the request that he knew was coming. "Can I come this time? Ooooh, please can I come?"
Yusuke let out a laugh at the seven-year-old begging that was slowly wearing Kurama's abstinence down. Finally, the redhead just gave a sigh and nodded.
"Yay! I always wanted to see this famed bar you people never stop talking about!"
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Hiei sat on the flat top of a local apartment building. The cold winter breeze blew his long hair around him, curling the silky strands over his shoulder and threatening to pull them out of the tight clasp he had at the base of his neck.
Deep, unreadable red eyes scanned the surrounding white grounds of Tokyo. Most of the snow had packed down some, leaving the grounds slick and the perfect place for kids to attempt sliding across the snow. Those red eyes narrowed some as one of the few doors leading into the building he sat on opened, and the sound of a happy female voice filtered up to him.
He watched with emotionally steeled eyes as three people exited the building and set off through the snow, each wrapped in something of a coat. Those crimson demonic eyes focused in on one particular figure, however.
The redhead was draped in a long, black coat that wrapped protectively around his lithe form. His hair blew all over the place in the random gusts of cold wind that swept up and threatened to undo his ponytail also.
Yusuke rolled his eyes and laughed as Kurama had a mini war with his own bangs as they refused to stay out of his mouth and forest green eyes. Tekara giggled as she slammed herself down in the snow, creating a small impact crater that loosened the snow enough for her to start making snow angels.
The other two walked around her on either side, the shorter of the two yelling at her to hurry up or get left behind. Hiei stood from his perch atop Kurama's apartment and took a single leap to the building beside it, keeping himself from slipping by digging his toe into the cold snow before pressing the rest of his foot down.
He continued to the next building as the three beneath him made their way in by slower means. Yusuke continued to hassle Kurama over his wind-blown and frozen hair. The fox only smirked and shook his head at his friend's antics.
Hiei watched from his higher position as the three made their way about a mile through town before they turned into a dark blue painted building after a small bit of ruckus. It had large, silver lined windows that lay across the front and a matching silver door. A large, similarly silver sign above read "The Demon's Hangout"
The fire demon frowned at such a name but shook it off, theorizing that the three companions would not have walked in to such a place had it been meant as a true demonic hangout merely poorly codenamed. With a soft growl, he settled himself on the roof and prepared for a long night of strain on his jagan.
A soft purple glow flooded the top of the roof as a single white bandana was taken to flight by the wind.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Kurama smiled as he watched Tekara make her third snow angel. Anyone who simply followed the trail of snow angels would come out of it with a laugh and a weird look when they found them ending outside a bar.
Kurama paused as his feelings shifted slightly.
Snow Angels.
…Snow. There was nothing angelic about it.
At the thought, a small frown creased the fox's beautiful face. A small part of him was still saying- no screaming – to stop acting so happy, to drop his endeavor to continue with normal life.
The voice always seemed to gather its strength and relentlessness when it snowed.
Indeed, the first days of snowfall five years back had nearly broken the fox's resolve to never cry, to never be so weak again.
And after five winters, the resolve had grown little stronger when annually weakened by every crystal snowflake. Kurama cast his eyes downward.
Never again.
Yusuke, who was throwing random snowballs at the demon girl at random times, glanced over to the fox. He paused slightly, his smile fading. Dodging a return snowball, he walked over to Kurama, who had been several feet away to avoid the occasional onslaught of ice.
"Hey," he said in a low whisper. Kurama, who was at first startled at the interruption of his thoughts, gave him a slight nod. "You sure you're okay with going to work tonight?"
The kitsune gave his friend an Are-you-seriously-asking-me-this look and Yusuke just rolled his eyes. "Right, right, like you'd ever skip out on a night of bartending." However, Yusuke gently touched Kurama's arm, slowing him as the little angel-making demon skipped on ahead.
"But seriously. There are gonna be a lot of people there and all of them are going to be expecting the Kurama they know. The happy one," Yusuke reminded the fox and Kurama only nodded. He was prepared for that, and that was the sole reason he went.
It was the only time in the entire day, escalating to his entire life now, in which he really laughed or gave a true smile. Yusuke knew it, and was most likely protecting him from it. If Kurama wasn't going to be his actual happy self and instead pretend to be, everyone would know.
Kurama gave a reassuring nod to Yusuke, sharing a small smile with the detective as he continued on his way. And Yusuke left it at that. If Kurama said he was okay, then he was okay.
Tekara yipped as a snowball pinned her in the back and she spun, throwing one she had prepared when the others weren't watching. It pelted Yusuke right in the face. The main ball fell from his skin, revealing wide, brown eyes behind the ice.
"What was that for, huh?" he shouted out at her even as he bent down to scoop another up. "I didn't even hi-" Yusuke stopped his sentence and froze as suppressed chuckling sounded from his left. He turned, astonished, to look at Kurama.
"You!" he shouted accusingly. "Oh, you're going down, Fox-Boy!" with that, he scooped up the handful of snow and took off after Kurama, who sprinted a few feet ahead and then turned, ducking the second the ball was hurled at him.
Yusuke's eyes widened as Kurama ducked in front of the Hangout's front door. The snowball aced a young, but thickly built man coming out of the bar and he toppled over backwards at the sudden impact. Tekara's jaw dropped and she stared at Yusuke.
"Oh…you in big trouble!" she shouted before running in front of Kurama, hopping over the man and into the bar. Kurama could only hide his smirk as he lent a hand to the man now lying on the ground.
"Wha-what hit me?" he asked in a pretty clear voice for someone who had just left a tavern. Kurama gave a light smile as the man's clear brown eyes focused on him.
"K'rama?" he asked in a somewhat surprised voice. The fox smiled before the man threw an arm around his shoulder, shaking him back and forth. "K'rama, my number one man! How've you been?"
The fox tried to smile as he also tried to keep his head on his shoulders at the same time. The man finally slowed in his shaking him and he had time to give a nod. The man was beaming.
"Good, good! Well, there's no point leaving now!" the man spoke and Yusuke smirked at the British sounding accent in his Japanese. The man turned, dragging Kurama into the bar behind him and the raven-haired man followed.
"So this is where you work?" Tekara asked the minute the fox had entered the building. Kurama seemed about to respond when the man who still had an arm wrapped around his neck and shoulder in an almost headlock, squinted his eyes at the young demon.
"Eh? Is she old enough to be here?" he asked, looking to Kurama. The fox nodded, motioning to the girl. Yusuke stepped up beside him.
"She's actually twenty-two. She just looks about ten," he replied and Tekara gave another huff.
"I do not! I have it on strict authority that I look seventeen," she retorted in a somewhat bossy tone, defending her pride (which was practically nonexistence to human standards) and her honor (which no one is quite sure if she even knew the definition of the word – at least the fighters definition)
"But, I have to be getting back to work," she suddenly said, completely sober and no longer childish at all. Her face seemed to age to look about seventeen, as she had claimed. The man holding Kurama blinked slightly before shaking his head, muttering about one too many drinks.
Yusuke smirked. "We'll see you back at Genkai's, right?"
Tekara flashed her ten-year-old smile once more before walking out the door she had just come in. Yusuke shook his head, a small headache forming from trying to keep up with her weird and randomly schizophrenic moments.
Not for the first time, Yusuke wondered if she really was of two mentally unstable minds.
But he didn't have any more time for contemplation as another voice broke through his thoughts. A man at the bar was looking pointedly at the other man holding Kurama. "Kigane?" he questioned. "I thought you were leaving."
Kigane, the one holding the fox's head hostage, gave a smirk. "I was, but guess who I found?"
He turned slightly to show off the redhead who was now trying to pull his head out of the sturdy built arm that had him. The others at the bar took maybe a second before they all shouted in chorus, "Kurama!"
He stopped his minute struggles to wave at them before continuing to get out of the head-grip. Another well-built gentlemen, much like Kigane, lifted his beer towards the two. "Ah, come on, Kigane. Let him go so he can come have some fun."
Kigane gave a toothy grin and released the fox, who caught himself before he fell and stood up. Rolling his eyes, he followed the man as Kigane took one of the empty seats by the bar. Kurama went for the entrance to the back of the bar.
The Demon's Hangout was built in the shape of a long, irregular pentagon. Most of the place that you could see was a large, slightly rectangular building that extended farther back then in it's width. The far back wall, however, stopped halfway and was angled in to create a fifth wall that was a good one hundred and thirty degree angle connection to the other two walls.
The bar extended from the front wall all the way through to the back wall, traveling the length of the restaurant and meeting up with the angle in the wall. All in all, the counter was a good twenty or thirty feet long and lined all the way with wine, liquor, ale, and alcohol. Above the bar hung glasses, hundreds of them of all shapes and sizes. Silver and wood bar chairs lined the length, fitting as many as possible for the crowd that was sure to come during the rest of the night.
The rest of the restaurant was smaller, wooden tables and chairs in the middle, separated from the bar by an iron fence for both decoration and use. Several different plants of odds and ends hung off them, creating an Italian look to the restaurant. High chairs and stools lined the free walls, facing a few hanging televisions and the one large fireplace on the angled wall.
With the quiet but hard rock music playing in the background, it was all in all an extremely fun place with a great attitude about it.
Kurama walked towards the front portion of the bar and slid into the back of it, joining the second bartender who was already present. The man had short-cropped hair that was almost pitch black. His eyes were small but wide almond shaped crystals of the purest blue and fit perfectly against his fair skin. The same outfit as Kurama wore adorned his thin form. He was one to get everyone to ask their companions on his gender.
He as almost as pretty as Kurama, only most people who met the fox simply assumed he was a girl. With Aoshi people at least questioned.
The younger boy smiled. "Hey, how are you today, Shuichi?"
The fox smiled and made gave a slight shrug even as he drew a glass from the hanging racks above.
Aoshi smiled. "Good, good."
Kurama didn't have time to respond as Kigane ordered up another glass of ale, since he was seemingly staying. Out of the corner of his eye as the fox began pouring a tankard from the tap, he watched Yusuke settle down in the closest seat to the door, almost tucking himself away from the others.
Nodding at something that Kigane had already started telling him and several other stories that the other guys were trying to tell him at the same time, Kurama handed the beer off to the man and drew another mug from above him.
Before he could poor another glass, however, the bell above the door jingled and a couple walked in. Kurama looked up at them and immediately realized that they had no idea where they were. Their clothing was a bit too fancy for such a place, even though it was a pretty classy bar.
The man leaned over to whisper to his companion, presumably his girlfriend. Kurama's quick ears picked up on their conversation, and he set down the glass he had been about to fill. "Maybe we shouldn't eat here…look, it's just a bar."
The woman shook her head. "We've already walked in, we can't just leave. Come on, we'll just have a drink and then find another place."
Seeing that the hostess was not at the post at the moment and instead seating another couple, the two began to make their way past the bar, heading for a table near the back of the restaurant. Kurama smiled and leaned forward, tapping two gentlemen, one being Kigane, on the shoulder.
"Eh?" Kigane asked somewhat intelligently and then smirked as he got the message Kurama was making with his waving hand and leaned to the side. The other man followed suit as Kurama hopped up on the bar, sliding his legs over and jumping down on the other side.
The couple seemed somewhat surprised as the man jumped down just in front of them, stepping into the isle between the bar and iron gate that they were walking down. He bowed, his red hair slipping over his shoulder as he motioned to an empty seat directly in front of where he'd been serving.
Kigane, who realized that he had one empty seat on one side of him and another empty seat two stools down, stood up, gave the couple a tip of his glass, and moved down to the seat. He winked at Kurama, who nodded his thanks.
Although the couple seemed somewhat surprised and ready to cut in, Aoshi spoke up a few feet away and behind the bar. "He insists that you join us!"
The woman seemed somewhat embarrassed and the man frowned as he replied, "Why can't he say that himself?"
Half the faces at the bar took on a rather hostile look, daring the man to say any more. Kurama merely smiled at them but Aoshi gave a nod his way, a deadly serious look on his face that told much of what would happen were the man to continue with his rudeness.
"He can't, he's mute."
The man looked at the redhead, blushing bright red in embarrassment. He made a very quick bow as he mumbled several apologies. Kurama only smiled and shook his head, hopping back over the bar before the couple sat down behind him.
Turning to face the couple, he preformed several gestures with his hands. The two looked over to Aoshi, who was busy wiping a glass. The woman smiled at Kurama before asking, "What did he say?"
"What? Oh, he says his name is Shuichi-" a rather loud and somewhat indistinguishable snort came from somewhere near Kigane and Aoshi quickly added, "-but everyone here calls him Kurama. And he wants to know what drinks you'll be having."
Kurama soon after elbowed the man. Several men at the bar laughed as Aoshi rolled his eyes. "My apologies. He says his name is Shuichi and he's asking you what he can get you. Very politely it would seem."
The last line was growled at Kurama, who only smirked with a shrug before turning back to the couple. The woman gave him a very wide smile before ordering a red wine and the man took a German beer. Kurama nodded and had both of them served within the minute.
Turning back to his earlier task, he picked up the glass he had abandoned to hop the bar and placed it under the Sapporo tap. Letting it fill three quarters of the way full, watching several more bar regulars walk in the door (half of them hollering at the redhead) he took the mug away from the tap.
Raising a hand, he slapped it palm-down on the counter two times. Everyone lifted their drinks off the table, the ones who were not regulars quickly following suit when they figured out it was what they were supposed to do. Kurama gave a loud whistle as he expertly pushed the beer down the shined mahogany counter, not even watching it slide down the entire length without tipping to be caught by Yusuke, who had not been forgotten by the kitsune.
"Thanks, Kurama," Yusuke answered as he took a long sip of the beer. The man that had come in with the woman, who was his wife as everyone was soon finding out from the many questions they were receiving, looked over at Yusuke as his spouse continued an explanation to their neighbor about their marriage.
"Who's he, and isn't he going to pay?" the man asked and Kigane smirked, glancing down the table at the raven-haired man sipping his beer.
"You're awfully nosy, dontcha know?" he replied without answering and the man blushed somewhere between embarrassment and anger. Kigane only laughed. "Nah, we've got nothing to hide here! Everyone knows everyone else in this place!"
Before the man could spend the next half hour blabbering about everything and everyone he knew, Kurama took up the job of answering. Once again, after all his gestures, the man turned to Aoshi to translate as he was right beside the kitsune, serving up a Nutcracker for another customer.
However, the answer came from the subject of the question himself, as Yusuke had been listening. The hanyou stood, carrying his beer over to them as two other bar goers happily scooted down one to make room for him. "He said that I'm his boyfriend so I get drinks on the house."
Kurama snorted before making the detective have to duck as he swung his hand lazily at Yusuke's head. The others at the bar, including Yusuke, laughed as the man managed to duck but received the "look" from Kurama.
"You wish, Urameshi," Aoshi put in, hitting the counter before sliding the Nutcracker down some ways, also expertly not spilling the liquid. Yusuke grinned.
"What? Wish to be Kurama's lover?" he looked the redhead up and down. "Well who the hell doesn't?"
The redhead promptly blushed at this as the married couple's gaze turned towards him. He took another swing at Yusuke who leaned back, laughing.
"Just look at him; he's frankly just about as beautiful as your average woman," Yusuke continued as Kurama turned a bit redder. "He's the kindest, most loving person I've ever had the pleasure of being friends with. So sure, why the hell not? Although…I think my wife might have something to say about it."
The bar erupted in laughter and Kigane waved his half empty mug at Yusuke. "Yare, yare, and say it with a butcher knife, right?"
Yusuke laughed, nodding as he took another sip of his drink. As the laughter died down, however, he looked back at Kurama. "But come one. Who seriously wouldn't want Kurama's love?"
There was a short silence as Kurama broke into a smile, still blushing. With a glint of mischief in his eye, he leaned over the bar and kissed Yusuke on the cheek.
The entire bar erupted in six-year-old banters of "oooooh!" before everyone cracked up, including the wife and husband, who were seemingly warming up to the place and its people. Yusuke winked at Kurama, who could only roll his eyes before returning to fetching another drink.
Yusuke was well into his third round before the real reason for tagging along with the redhead (other than protection, his boss's orders, and a good free drink, which all came in second) showed up, coming out to greet the growing crowd of people as the bar was almost full and the restaurant itself was more than half. He came from the back, which was hidden by the bar but contained the kitchen and lively cooks.
The detective was busy taunting Aoshi for looking so girly as the man had already sprayed him (and several other's beside him) with the water tap.
"Urameshi, are you causing trouble for my bartenders already?" The man turned to see a tall, spiky haired blonde walking over to him, wearing a black jacket that didn't reach all the way down to cover the red shirt he wore, which fell down to his thighs and over his faded jeans. Yusuke grinned.
"Hey, Kido!" he shouted as he stood from the bar. "And what's my favorite shadow-stepping bar manager up to these days?"
"Avoiding shadow-stepping," the man answered as Yusuke led him away from the bar and over closer to the hostess podium. Asato Kido, his one-time rivalry turned ally during the beginning of his dealings with Sensui, was a bit taller, a bit more mature, but none the different.
"You don't usually come with Kurama, too often," Asato began as he glanced at the redhead, who was looking at them, but still managing to serve drinks. "What's up?"
Yusuke lowered his voice and turned immediately sober. "Hiei showed up yeserday."
Asato's eyes widened. "What? Does Kurama know? Did Hiei do anything to him? Is everything alright?"
"Shh," Yusuke hissed as Kido's quickly raising voice. "You're not supposed to know about it, remember? If Kurama knew I told you he'd be furious!"
Asato nodded and glanced quickly at Kurama. "What happened?"
"Nothing so far, but there's more." When Kido raised his eyebrows, the detective continued, "That assassin, the one who maimed Kurama…we think he's back."
Yusuke was about to cover Asato's mouth he was so worried that the man before him would start shouting and rampaging. But, luckily, Kido got himself under control just before he did. "Has he tried to attack Kurama?"
Yusuke shook his head, but his gaze drew to the floor. "No but…Kuwabara was his first target." Kido understood the implied meaning in those words and he grew quiet. Yusuke wasn't sure if the restaurant owner knew what to say, so he continued instead, "Just don't mention it to Kurama. Neither of them seem willing to talk about it, so I have a bad feeling.
"Plus, with Hiei around, Kurama's been sort of on edge," Yusuke said. "Koenma wants him to remain at the temple until we catch the bastard who's doing this. He won't be here for the rest of the week."
Asato only nodded. "It's alright, I'll get someone to cover him. Don't worry; plus I'll keep up his pay."
Yusuke shook his head. "Don't worry about that, Koenma's going to cover him. I just needed to let you know. And by the way," Yusuke added on, "Hiei is sitting up on the roof."
Kido's eyes opened wide and he started to look up when Yusuke hissed at him not to. Asato just shook his head. "Does Kurama know?"
"No, he can't feel his energy, not that he's not hiding it," Yusuke replied. "Because of the damn ward on his neck, Kurama can't use his demonic energy anymore than a child could. He's pretty defenseless."
Asato nodded.
Kurama watched with suspicious eyes as Yusuke talked to his blonde boss and friend. It was obvious they were talking about him, otherwise they wouldn't have moved away. However, Asato didn't look so happy about whatever news he was receiving, and the fox had a feeling that Yusuke was telling him about the assassin.
The kitsune finished pouring the Pina Colada, enjoying some of the more tropical and western drinks they served, and added several sword-pinned fruits to the drink. As he glanced down at the plastic sword he was piercing through the cherry and orange, his hand started to shake slightly. The pain of old wounds that never healed struck through his chest and he closed his eyes, pressing his hand to the scar over his chest cavity.
Memory of the pain of that sword cutting straight through his ribs, passing between lung and intestine, shot across his eyelids and both hands began to shake.
Images of fresh, falling snow followed soon after. Red-patterned snow.
"Hey, you okay?" Kurama's eyes opened as Aoshi laid a hand on his shoulder. The fox let out a heavy breath before he nodded. Quickly, eyes never leaving that plastic sword, he handed the drink to the woman with a small smile.
As he continued the rest of the night, laughing at the jokes made and the innuendoes and smiles, Kurama continued to play the memory of that sword piercing his gut, his own crimson blood on the snow, over and over in his head, determined to stop the images from plaguing him.
Never again would he cry with the winter snow.
oooooooooooooooooooooooo
Bum Bum Bum!
Oooh, I just love that last line! And I'm not even sure why! Probably for the same reason that I love the line:
Snow Angels. …Snow. There's nothing angelic about it. But maybe I'm just weird. Actually, that's kind of already proven, as I happen to be a Snow Baby, and love the stuff. Yet here I am writing a story about how my two favorite characters can't stand it… O.O
Sooo, how was it? Hmm, that bad? Aw, dang! Oh well, better luck next time! Oh, and please do read the authors notes, or at least skim. You get some info you might want, like the clarification on why Kurama only talks to Kuwabara, although the story has hinted at it enough that it should be partially known in the least.
Plus some more little contest guessing games.
Author's Notes:
…I won't let you get hurt, Kurama… Alright, a big cyber cookie to anyone who can explain that one to me: Why did Yusuke say it and why did Kurama react like he did?
…"What would you know of hurt?" The scream was accompanied by so much anger and fear… Now, if you pay close attention, the word "Spoke" or anything pertaining to something that could not be mentally addressed, is never used…or at least I don't think it is.
See, Kurama got so angry at Yusuke's words, that the emotion was enough to allow someone like himself, who isn't truly psychic, to communicate telepathically. That's why no one guessed the huge hint when he talked to Kuwabara.
I never said anything about Kurama speaking. Kuwabara was the only one Kurama talked to because Kuwabara was the only one who could HEAR the fox! See, I have some reasoning behind the madness.
Not a lot, mind you, but some.
…No, they were not 'freakin' Aardvarks!'… Does anyone know where that comes from? It's really quite funny. The whole line is "Whatsa – Fragga…You're mother is a freakin' aardvark!" or something close to it. Let me know if anyone has ever heard this; I'll give you a cyber cookie! (but seriously, people, I want to know how many people caught this in the movie it's in. It's not hidden, but it doesn't just blare out across the screen either)
…eastern villages of the Takawabashi mountain range in southern Makai… Anyone who is reading The Last One Left should recognize that direct reference! (and if not: hello, does my story go out of your head that quickly? Damn…gotta write better O.O ….Anyways, the Takawabashi mountain line is 1) where Akuzuki lives and 2) the same mountain range the artifact came from)
…often complained in her labyrinth of words about being lonely… You know, Genkai never speaks what she means. Writers often have Yusuke or Kurama translate what she's really say, much like they do Hiei, too. (Such as, Koenma: "She told me to tell you to go win the tournament and leave her to her peace" (or something like that) Translation: Don't die. You know, stuff like that)
…another plane of existence so closely parallel to ours that they sometimes overlapped… This is a very fun theory to mess around with and I use it often. Now, Tekara is just a very weird and random demon who no one is quite sure if she really is a Schiz, or if she's just…special that way.
…like you'd ever skip out on a night of bartending… Yep, that's right, I made him a bartender! Personally, I can see Kurama as a very good bartender. I know bartenders talk a lot, but I still think he'd make a great one!
Besides, I've read stories where he became a bartender and an alcoholic after Hiei rejects him and stuff, but I didn't go that far. And then there's always the Stripper job people give him.
Yeah…wasn't going to mess with that one.
…He can't, he's mute…Yep! That's it! For any of you who guessed it, which none of you seemed to from the reviews, but might have during this chapter; Kurama is MUTE. His vocal cords (or larynx, which is in the front of your throat at the top of your trachea (if you run your fingers up your throat, it rests atop the ring like bumps of the trachea...uh...can't explain it all that well)) were cut by whatever made the wound at his neck that was mentioned in the...second chapter, I believe?
Sorry all you freakish fans, but that's the way it is!
--ducks from random frying pans and swords and knives- Hey! Alright, who threw the hammer? That hurt, you know!
…his name is Shuichi…but everyone here calls him Kurama… I just did that because One: I had this neat idea that the employees all go by famous demon names but I never incorporated it, and two that Kido and Yusuke already call him that and I'm sure half the people in the bar would have caught on. People, when you get a big group that knows everyone like that, often catch on and that's when you get the best times and the best nicknames.
…What? Wish to be Kurama's lover… Again, just the joking that I think Yusuke would honestly do. I see him as bi, and that's just how it is. I'm not one to see every character as gay, but I happen to think that Kurama and Hiei fit perfectly, and Yusuke is bi and Koenma occasionally. Just how I see it. Here, though, he's mostly joking.
…Who seriously wouldn't want Kurama's love… This, if anyone caught on, was Yusuke actually reassuring and comforting the fox. After what Hiei did (which you still don't really get to know) Kurama would probably have felt a lot lower about himself. If I had written the past five years of what had happen, these comments would most likely be all over the place from Yusuke.
I just see him as someone who could comfort anyone when they really needed it.
…Asato Kido, his one-time rivalry turned ally during the beginning of his dealings with Sensui… I'm sure there's someone out there who remembers him. During the Sensui Arc, the first few episodes (the Terrible Truths bit) had him, Yuu Kaito, and Mistunari Yanasigawa (don't feel bad, I had to look that name up too) as the three who countered Yusuke after school that one time. Asato is the one with the Shadow-Stepping powers, hence the reference Yusuke made. I hoped that would help identify him some.
However, I must apologize for his out of character-ness. I was going on three excuses (as that is what they are) : First, you don't ever get much of his personality to go on to begin with; Second, I'm assuming that he matured to an adult in this story; and Third, he has become good friends with both Yusuke and Kurama and care about them now.
Plus, I needed someone who knew about demons, but I didn't feel like an OC would inspire the audience (I frankly don't like them all that much. Tekara is an exception because she's a blast to write)
The only one anyone ever seems to remember, however, is Yuu Kaito. But…I just can't see him running a bar…Can you?
…You're not supposed to know about it… This was because Kurama didn't want every Tom, Dick, and Sally (are those even the right names? And who were Dick, Tom and Sally? I really must pause to wonder. O.O ) to know about what Hiei did to him (which no one guessed but did get close to) So Kido knows, but isn't supposed to. However, he and Kurama grew close after working together for five years, so he cares greatly for the fox, and that's why Yusuke told him.
…the damn ward on his neck… That's right! It's starting to unfold! You were all correct: it is a ward. However, no one was correct as to why it is there! But, then again, the twist may not be all that easy and if you don't get the twist, you won't get the ward.
But never fear! All will be revealed…Eventually! (actually, almost everything but the twist comes out next chapter, but you didn't hear that from me!)
Kit: (Yeah, they heard it from your evil twin, right?)
(that's right!)
Shadow: (Um…why are we talking in parenthesis?)
(O.O you know...I don't know.)
…Memory of the pain of that sword cutting straight through his ribs, passing between lung and intestine… Ha, even more unfolded! Although, that really wasn't much, as I kinda already mentioned that wound somewhere in the beginning.
Dang, fourteen author's notes! Why the hell didn't I just write the damn story better! 8D Oh, and I know it's harsh making Kurama mute, but I thought it was a pretty unexplored area, as I have never seen any of the Yu Yu members go mute.
I have seen them blind, but never mute.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed and are looking forward to the next chapter.
Prepare for a longwinded talk but INFORMATION! Lots and lots of it…I think…cause…you know…these things hardly ever turn out like planned.