Disclaimer: Yuu Yuu Hakusho is owned by Yoshihiro Togashi and all other copyright holders. I do not belong to any of the above parties. Used without permission, and no profit is being made.
Note: This fanficwill eventually containshounen ai, meaning that therewill beromantic involvement between two boys (Yuusuke and Kurama, in this case.) If you find this offensive, leave now. I will publicly ridicule you if you ignore this warning. (Although to my knowledge, this fandom's pretty open-minded…) There is also implied YuusukexKeiko andangst. Flames will be used to burn the flamers' houses. Hey, pyromania's fun. -evil grin-
Running from Oneself
Prologue
Yuusuke ran. He didn't know how long he had been running or how far he had traveled, but it wasn't enough. His breath was erratic, ragged; his feet felt equipped with lead weights, but it wasn't enough. As long as he could remember…
It would never be enough.
Once upon a time, Yuusuke had enjoyed running, as star runner of Sarayashiki Junior High's track team. It didn't quite have the same thrill to it as fighting, but it left him feeling both invigorated and relaxed. A state of bliss, of sorts. Keiko bullied him into it after he was suspended for fighting for the third time that year.
"Keiko…"
This was different. This was exhausting, draining, monotonous…but he couldn't stop. He could not go back. Not now, when the creaking of the tree branches in the wind seemed to be whispering her name. Not when the clouds and shadows in the darkened sky clearly displayed her face, contorted with fear and maybe even a hint of loathing, to his mind's eye. Not when every raindrop sounded like the steady dripping of blood – her blood – from her broken body.
Blood he had spilled. He laughed, his voice low and guttural, with no hint of amusement. It was irony – cruel, cruel irony. When they were younger, he had promised to protect her. Yet now…
"Run!" he shouted to himself, struggling to drown out the cacophony of shoes against the soaked pavement, of wind, and of rain. "Don't think! Run! Just run!" His feet felt even heavier now; they hurt, too, having become blistered from running so far, so hard. "Dammit, Yuusuke! Run!"
His legs finally gave out, and he fell, drifting into unconsciousness. The state was not peaceful, though; it wasn't enough.
End Prologue
Author's notes
As I have said, this fic will eventually be KuramaxYuusuke shounen ai. It's going to move slowly, though; romance is not the main focal point. Chapters will be longer than this one, though by how much I'm not sure. Updates are liable to be slow even though this is my only story so far on this pen name because I have several stories going on another account and they're higher priorities because I've been working on them longer. Anyway, feedback would be appreciated, and it is an effective way to encourage me to work on this. Later!
