part of this chapter occurs concurrently with chapter 16, in case there are any confusions with the timeline. picks up right as Rei goes off to dance by herself before being joined by Yusuke...
**REPOSTED THIS CHAPTER on 1/14. Did so because I edited a few things and I also need to tell readers I'm skipping this week's update because I CUT MY FINGER OPEN TRYING TO GET THE PIT OUT OF AN AVOCADO (yes, really) AND I CAN'T TYPE A WHOLE CHAPTER THIS WEEK AS A RESULT. SEE YOU ON JANUARY 20 WITH CHAPTER 18! I swear I'm not abandoning the story, it just hurts to type. :(
X
Chapter 17: "Hot Jellied Garbage Water"
X
After recovering from the vision brought upon her by the touch of Keiko's wedding gown, Rei left with few words and even fewer explanations, vanishing into the depths of the temple with Genkai in pursuit of dancing — apparently. Kurama could presume little else. Genkai returned from her escort duties after a few scant minutes, and shortly afterwards, music began to play in the depths of the temple compound, thrum of strings muffled by walls and distance. Kurama thought he recognized the tune, but he wasn't certain of its name.
"Well, I'll give her one thing," the old psychic grumbled upon her return to the front of the temple, where Kurama had stayed to wait. "That girl is certainly light on her feet."
Kurama smiled. "She can run high heels, in fact."
A brief silence followed this revelation.
"Do I want to know how you know that?" Genkai said, suspiciously.
"It's nothing scandalous, I assure you."
"She demonstrated!" Yusuke — who had presumably been released from his task assisting Keiko with wedding preparations — interjected, sporting a grin of his own as he trotted toward them across the courtyard. "It would've been cool if we weren't running for our lives."
Genkai's wrinkled brow hitched. "What kind of bachelor party did the fool girl throw you?"
Kurama's smile tightened the planes of his cheeks and jaw. "Genkai, there's something you should know…"
He told the tale simply and with succinct wording, bare facts levied in the most efficient of terms. Yusuke peppered the narrative with small flourishes, details Kurama did not consider important — but then again, Yusuke knew Genkai far better than Kurama, and he therefore knew the things she might deem important that Kurama would otherwise dismiss. In summary, the tale Kurama told was this: The demons who once tried to kidnap Rei had cornered Rei on the rooftop of the nightclub before pursuing her into the club itself, whereupon Kurama found her and escorted her safely from the area. The demons then located their party outside in the alley before retreating in light of Yusuke, Kurama and Kuwabara's combined reputations. Genkai listened to all of this in silence, settling on the edge of the porch with one knee bent, the other dangling off the ledge above the ground below. She packed the bowl of her pipe before clutching the stem in her teeth.
"The demons were not strong, of course; they would stand no chance against any one of us, let alone our powers working in tandem." Kurama watched Genkai's gnarled hands light her pipe with the flick of a thin match. "But it was sheer luck that Rei managed to evade — "
"Rei?" Rheumy eyes studied his face above her thinned mouth. "So you're on first-name-basis with the girl, then?"
Somewhere over Kurama's shoulder, Yusuke snickered. Kurama ignored him. He did not allow himself to indulge in nervousness, instead smiling at Genkai with perfunctory civility.
"She insisted," was all he said on the matter. "The issue is how the demons managed to locate Rei in the first place. Her energy levels are negligible on their own, certainly too low to be traced across the country, and judging from their reaction to our presence, they had no idea that Rei had fallen in with our assemblage. And that means they were not tracing our energies to find her, either."
"You shoulda seen the looks on their faces, Genkai," Yusuke added with a chortle. "Oh man, were we a nasty surprise." Indulging in another laugh, Yusuke sighed and said, "Anyway. What Kurama means is that we can't work out how they found her. Not even Kurama's big brain has a clue."
"Well." Genkai puffed on her pipe for a moment. "We'll have to ruminate on the matter further. In the meantime, Kurama, it would be wise for us to set up a secondary barrier around the temple grounds. My demon-repelling wards are not easily broken, but I understand you possess a technique that could give us advance warning of an attack."
"I do."
"I trust you know the forests around this place well enough to set it up without my guidance."
"Of course," said Kurama. "I will attend to the matter straight away."
She nodded once, sharply. "Good."
"Although… I will need samples of everyone at the temple's energies so my methods don't result in any…" He paused a moment to find the words. "… unnecessary bloodshed."
"Geez, Kurama." Yusuke took one wary step backward. "What the hell kind of barrier are you setting up?"
"Just a particularly effective deterrent against both insidious infiltration and climate change, Yusuke," Kurama said with a beguiling affectation of innocence. "That's all."
Yusuke shivered. "Do me a favor and remind me not to go shoplifting or chopping down trees anywhere near here, I guess…"
"I could use a favor from you in the meantime, if you're willing," Kurama replied. "Rei reminded me last night that phones don't work in this part of the country. With so many coming to the wedding from so far away, should something be done about the situation?" When Yusuke stared at him in confusion, Kurama reminded him, "You have contacts from your tenure as king who can arrange for certain technologies that bridge the gap between Human and Demon World; no doubt they can do something about this temple's lack of reception…"
"Oh yeah, that's right!" Yusuke laughed, eyes alight with understanding. "They set up the phones in the palace so I could talk to Keiko while I was at work, so I bet getting phones to work here would be nothing for them. Nice thinkin', Kurama!"
"I do my best." Giving both Genkai and Yusuke a nod, Kurama pulled away from their group and moved off down the veranda. "Now, if you'll excuse me…"
Yusuke and Genkai spoke softly with each other as Kurama walked to his room some distance within the twists and turns of the temple's winding corridors. The room Genkai had assigned to him was small, comprising no more than a handful of tatami mats and a small chest into which he'd unpacked his clothes. His futon lay folded neatly against the wall where he'd left it before attending the bachelor party — a Spartan sight, to be sure, but one that suited Kurama's tastes.
Others did not agree with his assessment of the room's suitability, however. Yusuke, upon seeing Kurama's room for the first time, had remarked that Kurama hadn't made it feel at all like home despite Kurama staying in the same room every time he visited Genkai, but Yusuke's judgement didn't bother Kurama. This room was just as austere as Kurama's apartment back in the city of Sarayashiki. Kurama disliked clutter, after all...
Moving to the chest in the corner, Kurama knelt and rifled through it for a pouch of seeds he had stored there on a prior visit. He removed his jacket and draped it over the side of the chest to roll up his shirtsleeves in preparation for the task ahead — but as he folded the jacket and placed it inside, the phone in the jacket's pocket slipped free and fell to the clothes at the bottom of the chest with a small thump. The clunky satellite phone was the only thing that worked this far into the mountains and thus possessed only the most basic functionality. Still, it was good to have a working phone this far out of range… not that Kurama had used it much other than to communicate with work.
There was someone else Kurama could call, however. Someone who had likely been worrying about him ever since he left town so abruptly, and with only the most cursory of explanations for his behavior. Rising to a stand, Kurama took the phone with him and left the room, tucking the bag of seeds into his pocket as he dialed a familiar number. It rang until Kurama reached the end of the hallway outside his room before engaging with a click.
"Mother?" Kurama said. "It's me."
"Shuichi!" Shiori's soft voice held warmth and affection immeasurable — a sound that never failed to make Kurama smile even as it filled him with a tremor of guilt. But Shiori was not privy to these feelings and continued without pause. "I'm so happy you called. How is everything? You left so suddenly, I was worried."
"Everything is fine, Mother," Kurama assured her. "Like I said, they just needed more hands on deck to help with wedding preparations." His hand wandered to the seeds in his pocket; Kurama smirked. "And you know I have an eye for flower arrangements…"
"That you do," she readily agreed, voice growing a touch wistful. "I remember the lovely arrangements you put together for my wedding with your stepfather…"
As Kurama slowly made his way out of the heart of the temple, he and his mother reminisced about Shiori's wedding to her second husband, the conversation soon wandering from warm memories to the present-day wedding that had inspired them. Shiori had been ecstatic to hear about Yusuke's long-awaited proposal to Keiko, having loved and appreciated the pair ever since Kurama introduced Shiori to them as a couple — another long-awaited event, as Kurama had never made a habit of introducing Shiori to any of his friends. Not that that list was terribly long, of course… Regardless, she had immediately announced she adored Yusuke and Keiko, declaring Keiko a lovely girl and Yusuke the friend she had always wanted her son to find. She felt the same way about Kuwabara when Kurama introduced her to him, but Yusuke held a special place in Shiori's heart. Kurama understood why. She had never forgotten the way Yusuke had visited the hospital when she was so deathly ill — under duress of the Artifacts of Darkness case, yes, but Shiori did not know that. Shiori knew precious little about Kurama's hidden life, let alone that his friendship with Yusuke had not been willing at first, but rather compulsory thanks to Spirit World.
Truth be told, Kurama had been as surprised as Shiori when his relationship with Yusuke developed from an obligatory association into an earnest friendship. Kurama acted the part of a loner at the best of times, and Shiori knew that full well. It had caused her no end of grief, in fact…
Just as Kurama reached the nearest exit, emerging from the hallway and onto the veranda beneath the temple's curving eaves, his mother drew in a deep breath. He sensed the change in her intent the way a bird senses a change in the weather, wind bringing with it the scent of meddling motherhood.
"So, Shuichi," Shiori said, "I have to ask — and I apologize for prying, but — have you reconsidered your decision to attend the wedding solo?"
Kurama suppressed a sigh. "Mother…"
"Oh, don't take that tone with your poor old mom," she said with teasing affection. "I just want you to be happy, that's all. There are some lovely young women I know through my work who I could — "
"Mother, really," Kurama said, laughing in spite of himself. "I'm perfectly content to attend the wedding alone." But knowing Shiori would not accept this excuse alone, he added one she could not refute. "And besides. Asking a stranger to make the trek all the way out here on short notice would be highly inconvenient, and I would hate to cause anyone trouble."
"I suppose that's true," Shiori — the ever-polite and socially adroit — relented. "Still, you should at least let me set you up on a date when you come home."
"I appreciate your concern, but now isn't a good time." Kurama tried another tactic, though none he'd ever tried on her had worked on his mother for long. "I've been so busy with work, I'm afraid I would make a terrible boyfriend to anyone with whom you'd match me."
"You can always make time for love, Shuichi," Shiori scolded.
"Perhaps," he said, "but I do not think that time is now."
Shiori sighed, muttering his human name under her breath. This was an argument they'd had many times before, and while their bickering sounded good-natured enough to an outside ear, Kurama knew his mother took the matter of his romantic life quite seriously indeed. He did not blame her for pushing, however. He was sure his consistent refusal to date resembled nothing more than pure stubbornness. Shiori often remarked that he was putting his work life over his personal life the way many young people did, citing declining birth rates in an effort to galvanize him into seeking a life partner. But while Kurama was not interested, no excuse he gave her ever put her off the subject for long.
All Shiori wanted was for him to be happy, of course… but it wasn't like he could confess the real reason he refrained from dating, nor the true nature of his refusal to accept any potential matches she nudged his way.
And Kurama preferred it that way. He had no intention of telling her about his past or dual identity as both a human man and as a notorious demon. Similarly, if Kurama were to marry a human, he would have to place the elaborate wool of lies he'd lowered over Shiori's eyes over the eyes of his romantic partner, too. By marrying one of the women his mother suggested he meet, he would have two people to deceive and exclude from his private life, not just one. He had briefly considered finding a demonic partner whilst working as Yusuke's royal advisor, but he could never introduce a demon to his mother without raising suspicion, and asking a demonic partner to lie to his mother about their very nature turned his stomach. He knew the pain of hiding a crucial part of your identity. He could never ask his partner to spin such falsehoods, nor could he stomach the idea of partnering with a sheep who would believe them.
No, Kurama had decided long ago. While it might break Shiori's heart to see her son navigate his human life unattached and unromanced, his refusal to date was for the best. Shiori would soon redirect her matchmaking efforts onto his stepbrother, the nearly identically named Shuuichi upon whom she now doted, who would no doubt give her grandchildren upon whom to also dote someday. Kurama would wait for his mother to pass into the next world before regaining his demonic form and continuing his life as a demon, and if he desired companionship, it was then — and only then — that he would seek it out.
Provided he ever returned to his demon form at all… but that was another quandary entirely.
"Well, I suppose it can't be helped," Shiori was saying as Kurama walked down the veranda, heading toward the western edge of the property and the woods beyond. "Would you mind taking a photograph of Keiko in her dress, of Yusuke in his suit?"
Kurama smiled. "I'll do even more than that."
"Oh?"
"They're wearing traditional garb for the ceremony and modern Western attire for the reception." He remembered the lilt in Rei's words when she described the gowns, her admiration for them evident in the pitch of her voice alone. "I have it on good authority that both outfits are absolutely gorgeous, and I will obtain a photo of them both for you."
"How wonderful!" said Shiori. She had an appreciation for fine clothing Kurama knew would ignite at the mention of Keiko's attire. "Are the bridesmaids and groomsmen also wearing two sets of clothes?"
"We are only wearing Western attire. Keiko wanted to keep it simple for us, as many would be travelling from a long distance to attend."
"How kind and considerate of her," Shiori said. "But, travelling…" A sly note entered her tone. "Are her bridesmaids from all over Japan, then?"
"Yes." (This was only a small lie; many were from other worlds.)
"I see…" Shiori hesitated; Kurama suspected knew what she'd say even before she asked, "And have any of them caught your eye, Shuichi? Perhaps you've met someone interesting in the wedding party…"
"No, Mother." He tried not to sound tired. "I'm afraid that's — "
As he turned the corner of the veranda, music swelled, strings and percussion igniting on the other side of the wall he walked along. Kurama's hand alit upon this wall for a moment, soaking in the measured vibrations, tracing along the wall's length toward a door set a few meters ahead of him. He pushed this door ajar without thinking, blinking into the darkness within — but soon his eyes adjusted, and he saw her.
Kurama had seen Rei dance before, guided by Nobuo in the heart of the burlesque club. He had felt her dance when pursued by a demon, her movements hesitant but fluid against him as they swayed with arms around each other. The dance she danced now, however, was nothing like that. She took each step with the purpose of someone who knew precisely what they were doing, skill and precision and intention melding together in an expression of expertise one would be a fool not to recognize on sight.
And yet… expertise alone could not account for her expression, enraptured and overjoyed as she turned and spun and leapt elegantly across the floor.
Rei danced in the center of the dim hall, her audience composed of nothing more than empty chairs and white-clothed tables lurking like ghosts in the dark. But if her spectral spectators perturbed her, of this Rei gave no sign. She danced with neither self-consciousness nor pretension, the sweep of her arm and the lift of her leg an expression of movement so pure and effortless, it appeared as though she danced with the wind to guide her, compulsion irresistible and natural even as it conveyed an intentional beauty even Kurama, who knew nothing of dance, appreciated in his bones. He could almost see the touch of her invisible partner, behold the push and pull of their hands guiding her through the rounds of her whirling waltz. Though her wig had gone a fraction askew and sweat slicked her face with drops of crystal, dark eyes burned in her face, their intensity and drive nigh palpable — and dark though Rei's eyes were, Kurama thought for one fanciful moment that he had never before seen eyes quite that bright.
"Shuichi?" His mother's voice rose, crackling in the thin connection. "Are you there? Is something wrong?"
"Sorry, Mother," Kurama murmured, returning to himself at last. "But, no. I haven't met anyone like that."
And yet, he could not take his eyes off Rei. Even after murmuring an excuse and ending the call, he found himself standing in the shadows in silence, transfixed — and it was not until Yusuke entered through another door, applauding, that Kurama found the will to tear himself away.
X
Honoring Genkai's wishes for a second barrier to protect the temple from harm, Kurama set up a perimeter set roughly 300 meters from the edge of the temple grounds, far beyond the wall that kept the rest of the forest at bay. This, Kurama decided, was far back enough to ensure no wedding guests would accidentally wander into the trap he'd set. The distance would also afford Kurama and his compatriots enough time to react to any would-be trespassers should the alarms go off, giving them ample opportunity to rally themselves against a threat. He would need to register the energy signatures of the wedding party with the plants that comprised his barrier so said parties would not wind up on the business end of a demonic flytrap, of course, but there would be time for that later. For now anyone who approached the temple would be attacked by his chosen plants, which would in turn alert him to the presence of anyone who came close to the temple — provided they possessed more spiritual energy than a common deer or wolf, that is, which the plants would largely ignore.
Kurama returned to the temple after putting the last components of his barrier in place, feet carrying him of their own volition back to the main wedding hall. He had not intended to return to that part of the temple, necessarily, but as he neared it, he heard the strains of music on the air. Was Rei still there, dancing by herself?
No. The music was not the same as before. As he walked closer, Kurama realized the music beat harder than the song to which he had seen Rei dance, a throbbing bass line and wailing guitar setting his teeth on edge. Curious (and perhaps a trifle horror-struck), Kurama ventured into the large entertaining hall the same way he had before, but he did not find Rei dancing this time. Instead he came upon the sight of Yusuke wildly flailing in the center of the dance floor, limbs akimbo and not quite catching the rhythm of the music (not nearly as elegantly as the way Rei's had). But Yusuke grinned as he flailed to the sound of heavy metal, nevertheless looking like he was having an enjoyable time. Kurama leaned against the doorframe for a time and smiled, laughing when Yusuke caught sight of him at last and flinched like he'd seen a red-headed ghost.
"Holy shit, man!" Yusuke said as he froze in place, hands in fists at his sides. "You scared me!"
"Apologies. Foxes move on quiet feet." Kurama shut the door behind him. "May I ask what you're doing?"
"Dancing." Yusuke scrambled for the stage and turned a knob, heavy metal fading to a quiet rumble. He glared in Kurama's direction and hopped back down to the floor, flopping into a chair beside the nearest white-draped table. "And the fact that you couldn't tell isn't exactly encouraging."
"Again, apologies." Kurama slid into the chair a few seats away. "Dancing has never been my forte, I confess."
"It's fine." Yusuke draped his arms over the empty chairs on either side of his spot, head dangling backward as he relaxed his neck. "What you were thinking can't be any worse than what Yamato said, anyway."
"Oh?"
"Well…" Yusuke raised his head and stared, disgruntled, at the tabletop. "Her exact words were that my dancing looked like 'hot jellied garbage water,' and — stop laughing, dammit!"
"Sorry, Yusuke." A guffaw had slipped from Kurama's mouth unbidden, and try though he might, he found it difficult to stifle his amusement. Yusuke glared while Kurama chuckled, the latter eventually composing himself enough to say, "But Rei certainly does know how to turn an evocative phrase, doesn't she?"
"I know," Yusuke whined, "but hey!"
At Kurama's prompting, Yusuke provided a somewhat adequate explanation of why Rei had made such a humorous remark at his expense. When Yusuke arrived in the hall, Rei gave his current dancing abilities a quick assessment before trying to teach him a basic, four-count box step. ("To see how quick you pick this stuff up," she'd apparently told him.) Unfortunately, Yusuke couldn't keep time very well at all — not at all what Rei expected given Yusuke's reputation as a fighter. She had apparently sensed that they needed to truly start with the basics, prompting her to ask Yusuke to try to loosen up and just dance as he wished. Thus marked the entrance of the heavy metal to which Yusuke had been flailing when Kurama arrived. Kurama remembered the moment in amused silence, but Yusuke didn't seem to see the humor in it.
"And the worst part," he said, "is that we didn't even get too far into teaching me shit before she had to bail, leaving me and my 'hot jellied garbage water' —" (he glared when Kurama hid a smile behind his hand) "— high and fucking dry."
"I'm surprised she did such a thing," Kurama said once his smile faded, remembering how eagerly Rei had run off to the dance hall in the first place. "Rei appeared bound and determined to dive right in."
"She was, but when Genkai said she'd be back in an hour, she meant an hour," said Yusuke. "Genkai showed up and dragged Yamato off somewhere to talk right after she finished showing me the box step. Said the conversation couldn't wait any longer, or something like that." Yusuke looked particularly put out at that. "She basically kidnapped my dance instructor!"
"I'm sure it was for a good reason. Genkai did seem to need to speak to her rather urgently…"
"And I need Yamato urgently!" Yusuke's hand thumped against his chest. "Look at me! I'm a mess at this!"
"Perhaps it's the music choice?" Kurama cast a skeptical look at the nearest speaker, through which strains of bass still rumbled. "This selection does not exactly represent a traditional wedding accompaniment..."
"Ha ha, funny," Yusuke snarked. "Yamato said to pick something I like and to just dance my ass off however I wanted. And this is what I like to listen to, so…" He groaned and let his head hang over the back of his chair again. "She just said to work it out and loosen up and try not to be so 'in my head' or whatever. Get used to moving without thinking about it."
Kurama's eyes widened. "She said…?"
"To trust myself. To trust my instincts. To not try so hard." Yusuke sighed. "Fat load of good it's doing me, though."
"Still. That was sage advice." Kurama felt vaguely conceited saying this, given he'd prescribed Yamato that same advice only a few days prior while helping her better understand her powers… had she parroted his guidance on purpose? He had no idea. "And yet, for you the advice isn't working?"
Yusuke looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "What, are you surprised?"
"Frankly, yes. You fight without strategy, propelled by instinct and whim alone. You — "
Yusuke glared again. "If this is you trying to say I'm an idiot…"
"That's not what I'm saying," Kurama assured him. "You're intelligent in your own way. And to be perfectly frank, it's impressive how much you trust yourself, especially in dire situations." He smiled when Yusuke looked away, a pleased flush entering the latter's cheeks. "That's why I'm surprised, Yusuke. Your usual tactics aren't working for you here."
"I mean…" Yusuke shrugged, eyes affixed on the floor. "I guess?"
But Kurama, who would not settle for such a noncommittal, asked, "Why do you think that is, Yusuke?"
"What are you, my therapist?"
"Heaven forbid."
"Heh." Yusuke looked at Kurama at last, lips pulling into a lopsided grin. "You know… this feels familiar. Back when I was king and you were advising me, I came to you with all sorts of crap, about the job and about life and all kinds of dumb stuff. Almost makes me nostalgic for the throne room."
He wasn't the only one who felt nostalgic. Recalling Yusuke's royal tendency to use a change of subject to avoid hard conversations, Kurama asked, "Are you trying to distract me from the topic at hand, perchance?"
"… shit. You got me."
"I thought as much." Kurama pillowed an ankle atop his opposite knee, fingers lacing around the upraised shin. "So tell me, Yusuke, and try to stay on topic this time. Why are you having so much trouble dancing?"
"And there you go, not letting me get away with a subject change." Yusuke grinned even more crookedly than before. "Sure you weren't a dog demon in your past life? Because now you're like a dog with a bone!"
"Yusuke…"
Kurama gave him a measured stare, even-keeled and unrelenting. Soon Yusuke sagged, mopping a hand down his face with another of his longsuffering sighs.
"Ugh. Stop looking at me like that," he grumbled. "Fine. Not to get mushy about it or whatever, but I guess — and you didn't hear this from me!" His eyes flashed, glare fading only when Kurama gave a nod of affirmation. Sagging again, Yusuke rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, "I guess I might be a teeny, tiny, little-bitty bit nervous for my first dance with Keiko, that's all."
Yusuke had come a long way in recent years in terms of his willingness to admit to his emotions, or to even acknowledging that he had them in the first place. Successfully ruling Demon World hinged upon not letting his emotions subconsciously rule him, forcing Yusuke to get in touch with his internal machinations so he could recognize and work out his psychological problems somewhere other than in the throne room. Rising thoughtlessly to the goads of demon politicians was a death sentence, one Kurama would not allow Yusuke to incur. But Yusuke's personal growth, spurred on by Kurama at every opportunity, had done more than serve him well in the court of Demon World. It had also helped him navigate his relationship with Keiko while he spent time away from her in another world. Kurama had long being Yusuke's sole confidante on the matter of Yusuke's relationship, and he was happy to lend an ear once again. It felt as natural as slipping into a familiar dance, pun unintended but nevertheless fitting.
Watching Yusuke carefully, ready for any signs of discomfort or evasion, Kurama asked, "Why, specifically, do you think you're nervous?"
But Yusuke did not evade. "Don't want to disappoint her, I guess," he said, shrugging. "She didn't let me handle much of the wedding stuff."
"Did you want to handle more of it?"
"Fuck, no." Yusuke pulled a face. "I'm no good at picking out plates and flowers and dresses or whatever, you know that. So long as I get to marry Keiko, I'm happy. Hell, she could wear a potato sack and she'd still be the prettiest bride who ever — anyway." Yusuke's ears had reddened at the tips; for the sake of Yusuke's dignity, Kurama pretended not to notice. "She told me to pick a song and handle the first dance, so that's what I've gotta do." A resolute nod. "Gotta do good for her. Gotta make her proud." Resolution dissolved into a laugh and a shake of his dark head. "Man…"
Kurama frowned. "What is it?"
"Kurama… I'm about to marry the girl of my dreams." Yusuke looked positively stunned at the notion, staring at Kurama with disbelieving eyes. He raised his hands and waved at himself up and down, a laughter born both of thrill and incredulity pouring from his mouth. "She's marrying me, Kurama. Me! Look at me! What'd I do to deserve that, huh?"
"You're not undeserving, Yusuke," said Kurama (scolding voice sounding rather like Shiori's, to his sheepish amusement). "In fact, some — myself among them — would argue you are quite deserving of a happy ending, indeed."
But Yusuke did not appear convinced. "I dunno. Keiko's amazing. I mean, objectively, she's amazing." An expression not unlike awe lit behind his eyes, glowing and warm. "She's so smart, Kurama, and she's kind, and she's my best friend. She could have anybody in the world, but… Keiko picked me. Me." He swallowed, still with that awed expression on his face. "I'm the luckiest guy in all three worlds, Kurama. I just gotta be."
Looking at Yusuke's glowing eyes, Kurama could not help but remember what Rei had said of Yusuke's relationship with Keiko as she surveyed Keiko's wedding gown: "The way they look at one another, talk about each other… if that devotion isn't convincing, nothing is." Yusuke stared into the darkness with a smile on his face, eyes alight with love and dedication that burned with nearly holy reverence — no doubt inspired by thoughts of Keiko, Yusuke's beloved of so many years. If Kurama had never seen Yusuke with Keiko, this expression of his alone echoed what Rei had said, telling him all he'd need to know about the couple. Keiko and Yusuke were devoted to one another wholly indeed. Surely Yusuke knew that, and surely by extension he knew that even if he failed at his first dance with his bride, there was nothing that could tear them apart.
Privately, Kurama wondered what that must feel like — to find a person one could cleave to so completely. In neither of his lives had he found someone like that. But Kurama did not express these thoughts aloud.
"Yes," was all he said, instead. "You are a lucky man indeed, Yusuke." Catching his friend's eye, Kurama added, "My mother asked me to pass along her congratulations, by the way. And to request photos of your wedding attire."
"Aw, that's nice of her. Your mom's the best." Yusuke said leaned forward to give Kurama's knee a smack. "You could still bring her to the wedding if you wanted, you know. You never used your plus-one. And you know me n' Keiko always love seeing her."
"I'll keep that in mind," said Kurama, not intending to do so in any way whatsoever.
"You'd better," said Yusuke, who knew full well that he'd made the offer in vain. Rather than call Kurama out on his prevarication, however, Yusuke just offered him a sly grin. "Oh, hey. Been meaning to ask… but how'd it go with you and Rei, huh?" His eyebrows wiggled. "Pretty good since you're now calling her by her first name, right?"
"First Genkai and now you…" Kurama shut his eyes, smiling to himself. "At any rate, I assure you that Rei isn't the type to stand on formality. Her request is well within her character. I'm certain she'll ask you to call her 'Rei' soon, too."
This was what Kurama had been telling himself ever since Rei made her request, voice soft and tremulous in the darkness of their shared hotel room. Surely he was not the only person whom Rei, informal as she was, would ask to call her by a name reserved for close friends. Surely he would not be the only one to whom she granted that familiarity; surely Kurama was not so special in that regard. But Yusuke, ever the skeptic, just rolled his eyes and shrugged.
"We are just friends, Yusuke," Kurama insisted.
"I mean, sure… but so were me n' Keiko at first." Yusuke shrugged once more. "And you two seem to get along, so…"
"So many team-ups today. First you and Genkai, and now you and my mother," Kurama dryly intoned. "Forgive me if I presume incorrectly, but it suddenly seems like everyone wants to set me up with someone."
"And why the hell not?" Yusuke shot back at once — and then his grin widened. "You're not undeserving, Kurama."
"Using my own words against me?" Surprise warred with amusement in reaction to Yusuke's quick reply. "I suppose turnabout is fair play…"
"I have no idea what that means, but I agree, probably," Yusuke declared. He leaned toward Kurama a fraction, face falling into a mask of seriousness. "Look, man. She's cool. You're cool. I said the same thing to her, and — "
Kurama's brow shot up. "Beg pardon?"
"I wasn't gossiping or whatever you're thinking!" Yusuke said with a roll of his eyes. "I just asked her how your night together went, that's all."
Yusuke settled back in his seat, staring into the darkness of the hall like he'd regretted broaching the topic. Kurama, meanwhile, wasn't certain how he felt about said topic in the first place. If he needed to put a name to the emotion waging war inside his chest, it would be… dubious curiosity, perhaps. He had suspected he'd walked in on what was perhaps a scandalous conversation that morning at breakfast, but they'd changed the subject before he could dig into the awkward looks that had eclipsed everyone's faces when they noticed his approach. Yusuke and Kuwabara had appeared uncomfortable indeed, but Rei had seemed comparatively composed. Then again, she often proved difficult to read even to Kurama's discerning gaze, adept at hiding her true feelings beneath layers of bravado and manufactured bluster.
He had seen past those layers the previous evening, when they shared a bed together. Even so, he found Rei rather an enigma. Thus, he was not sure he could predict anything she may have said about him, much less what she may have said about him to Yusuke, of all people.
Did Kurama even want to know what she'd said?
In the end, curiosity won out, and Kurama reluctantly asked, "And what did she say about me, pray tell?"
"Huh?" Yusuke's eyes cut toward him sidelong, lips kicking up at the corners. "I thought you weren't interested in Yamato."
"I'm not." The words sounded hollow, to Kurama's immense surprise. In detached tones he added, "But I am curious."
"Heh. Sure." Yusuke's grin widened. "Well. Let's just say she might've said you weren't half bad to look at."
Kurama swallowed. "Did she, now?"
"I think her exact wording," Yusuke drawled, "was that you were 'delicious.'"
"That's —" Kurama struggled to find words. "— flattering, I suppose."
"And what about you?" Yusuke said, voice filled once again with sly intention. "What do you think of her, if you don't mind my asking?"
It was an excellent question, Kurama had to admit, one that took him aback immediately. If Kurama had to name his 'type' (a question he'd been asked and had demurred from many times in Yusuke's presence), he would reluctantly say it was… someone with 'natural' beauty, perhaps. Beings of any gender who wore heavy cosmetics or elaborately ornamented themselves had never drawn his eye. And Rei was not just heavily made up — she was also loud, brash, boisterous, all qualities he did not price in his partners. If Kurama had a 'type,' Rei certainly was not it.
And yet… Rei was thoughtful. Considerate. Reflective. Intellectual, even, judging by both her actions and her pursuit of a master's degree. She wielded bravado like a sword and makeup as her armor, but beneath these artifices, she was something else entirely. She wielded witty repartee with charming ease, disarming and engaging all who chanced to meet her. She had her insecurities, yes, but she knew precisely who she was as a person, possessing a sense of self Kurama had known in but a select few throughout his lives.
Rei was more than she seemed at first glance. And better though he'd come to know her in the past 24 hours, Kurama suspected he had only scratched the surface.
Although Kurama had not said anything, Yusuke stared at him with a knowing look again, grin very nearly lascivious in its intensity and tenor. Oh. So Yusuke had not been asking for Kurama's opinion of Rei's personality, then. He had been asking about —
— long limbs and dark, liquid eyes, full lips and soft skin, a throaty laugh flecked with a flash of a mischief, fluid movements and graceful leaps, elegant arch of long, copper throat —
— her features, ones Kurama had seen in full and unadorned the night they shared a room. Rei had soft skin the color of sunlight in a cool glen, the scent of botanical oils drifting off her perfumed flesh in subtle waves. For the first time he'd seen the planes of her cheeks and the curve of her jaw, face naked to his gaze in a way so few had seen her before. Her lack of eyebrows and lashes were not conventional, true, but… Rei was not unpretty. In fact, in that vulnerable and delicate state, the one she had shown him in an expression of gentle trust, Rei had been very nearly beautifu —
The vision of her face fled as energy ripped through the threads of Kurama's wandering consciousness, psychic alarm bells ringing with the sound of screaming flytraps. Yusuke sat up straight at once as he sensed it, too, looking off into the darkness in alarm. Even Yusuke, not attuned to Kurama's techniques, could feel the firing of energy from a distance, from the forest, bright and shop and hot and urgent.
"Shit," Yusuke said as Kurama rose to his feet. "Someone tripped the barrier already? You just put it up!" He stood, too. "Let's — "
"No, Yusuke." Kurama held up a warning hand. "Stay here in case of attack."
"But — "
"I will signal for backup if I need it!"
Yusuke levied a final protest, but it fell on deaf ears as Kurama ran from the grand hall, sparing no more time for idle chatter. He was too busy running in the direction of the screaming vegetative alarm, already pitying the poor fool who tripped the trap he'd set no more than an hour before — and dreading the thought that the demons, Rei's relentless hunters, had found them so soon once again.
X
i don't know where some of you came from but last chapter there were a bunch of newbies in the comment section and i am soooo happy you're here along with this story's regular (and much beloved) crew. Damaged Forest Spirit, Sorlian, GinaLiz, MissPaperSoup, NolwennVanerssen, ThoughtsOfTurmoil, CherryBerry123 and cruelzy are all really rad radishes and they make me feel like i'm not shrieking this story into some sort of cosmic fanfiction void. they're the coolest cats around, no bones about it, and i love them beyond wordsssss
if you want your name in that list of awesome folks, all you gotta do is review btw. you know you wanna!
also if you're wondering how i choose chapter titles, i just pick the weirdest thing Rei says in the chapter and use it for the title... it makes me laugh lol
thank all of you for your support; wrote this thing on a whim but it's starting to mean a lot to me so i really appreciate your reviews. and now that i've shown my ass to all you internet randos, i'm gonna go now LMAO BYEEEEE SEE YOU NEXT WEDNESDAYYYY
EDIT on JANUARY 14: I CUT MY FINGER OPEN TRYING TO GET THE PIT OUT OF AN AVOCADO (yes, really) AND I CAN'T TYPE A WHOLE CHAPTER THIS WEEK AS A RESULT! SEE YOU ON JANUARY 20 WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER!
fuckin' hate avocados, wtf
