They had met in the city, at the southern entrance to the central park. Kurama was a little early. Although he didn't want to admit, the thought of meeting Amara there made him a little anxious - enough to dress up just a little bit. In the past few years, his fashion palette had slowly shifted towards some darker greens and browns, as those seemed to fit him well and give him a more sophisticated air than his previously preferred pastels. Sometime after the Dark Tournament, Hiei did mention something about this, but he didn't mind it back then. Now, he was wondering what would Hiei say if he saw him following his late suggestion.
A couple of minutes after seven, Amara was crossing the street towards the park's entrance. Her taste seemed to match Hiei's more than his own, as she was wearing black from head to toe, but Kurama had to admit that it looked good on her. It made her hair color pop more, and her skin looked lighter.
"I'm so sorry I'm late, I missed the bus and had to wait for the next one," she quickly apologized with a smile.
He shook his head and offered her his arm. "I didn't notice. I thought I was going to be late - I only just arrived."
That was a lie. Amara noticed he didn't seem to be panting and his cheeks were not red enough to show that he might have been rushing just now.
"I appreciate that you're trying to make me feel better."
"At least, I tried," Kurama chuckled.
The two entered the park and began wandering down the alleyways, between leafless trees and flowerbeds covered by snow. There were a few birdfeeders every here and there and they stopped to watch the urban sparrows and finches dueling over seeds.
"You seem quite... exotic," he mentioned. Amara wasn't a face easy to lose in a crowd.
Catching the reference, she began to laugh. "Exotic? Well, I guess... I'm only here for college, but even so, I want to travel as much as possible. At the end of summer, I'm leaving for Switzerland for a year with a scholarship, I've been admitted last week."
That made Kurama wonder why hadn't he taken part in any such projects. He certainly would have been admitted, given he had always had the highest grades in his year.
"I wish you the best. To be truthful, I did think of going abroad for a year, but for some reason, I always remained here."
She shrugged. "I'm Italian, and my parents are university professors, but they broke up when I was ten. My dad's been so controlling of me, that I jumped at the first opportunity to go as far away from him as possible."
"On the other side of the globe," he pointed out in amusement.
"Precisely!" Amara laughed. "But that also means I can't go to him for financial support. I ran from home - he found out only after I was gone."
"You seem very determined, though. I don't think this would be enough to stop you."
"You're right. Do you have any hobbies?"
Kurama was used to money being a sensitive topic, so he didn't say anything about the way she had shifted the conversation.
"I have a small collection of plants if that counts as a hobby."
"Me too! Well, my place is small, so... I can't have too many. Do you have anything you like doing? Other than plant-sitting."
"I tend to be quite busy, most of the time."
Amara nodded in understanding. "I'm a fire juggler. I guess it's an occasional job since I can perform for money - that's how I could afford to fly here and find rent and whatnot, but I like it."
"I don't think I've seen anything like this." Kurama was intrigued. The girl did seem quite athletic, but he would have never guessed she juggled with fire.
She shrugged. "It's still rare, so people are usually in awe. That means they pay well, but I can only perform in warm, dry weather."
"I see... I think it's a great conversation starter."
"Yes and no. Kuwabara began to laugh and called me a liar, and then I kind of might have punched him."
Kurama had to hold back a laugh. "Sounds very much like him. I doubt he knew about this sport."
"It's not recognized as a sport yet, so it can be anything I make it out to be, you know? I usually combine some amateur gymnastics with some dance moves and freestyle improvising."
Before they knew it, they were by the eastern entrance of the park.
"Wouldn't you prefer going somewhere warmer? It's only going to become colder from now."
"I don't want you spending money on me, but I enjoy our conversation..."
Most girls would have suggested one of the many restaurants or cafes nearby, so this caught him by surprise, but only for a second.
"I would gladly invite you over, but I wouldn't want you thinking this invitation as indecent in any way."
Amara didn't seem offended - on the contrary. "Well, it's anything but polite for me to suggest that..."
A thought began taking root in his mind rapidly. Perhaps, it was his luck that Keiko sent this Italian his way. Westerners weren't as shy as Easterners, and that was generally accepted as truth. Even his demonic self found some bit of interest in her, though it was mostly a sense of curiosity and a mild desire for fun.
"If you trust me enough to follow..."
Amara noticed a small grin in the corner of his mouth and a glow in his green eyes. Hell, he seemed harmless enough, and if it led to something else, she was confident that her juggler skills could help her get out of any unwanted situation. He was attractive, but in case he had some weird fetishes... It wouldn't be her first time running out the window.
"I trust myself more than I trust you at the moment, but I like you, I'll tell you that. When she sent me to find you, Keiko didn't mention your way of... being."
Wasn't that unexpected? Kurama remembered that she was going to leave in a year and judging by her confessions, there was a chance she won't be settling down in the next decade or longer. This could be an interesting fling for a few months, and then he might never see her again, but as long as she agreed, he was willing to chase.
"What about it, if you don't mind being more specific?"
Kurama wrapped one arm around her shoulders and began leading her away, in the opposite direction from her home, and towards the rich part of the city. Since they were walking, Amara figured out that he didn't live far. There were a few residential quarters built on top of old buildings that had been demolished, right in the heart of the city, but those were crazy expensive and looked rather luxurious from the outside.
"You're so confident, yet gentle and educated, and it's the first time I meet someone like you. I usually go for the cocky-confident asshole - it never works out, but the 'I want it, I take it' attitude gets me every time." Amara rolled her eyes. "I'm a fool," she laughed.
As anticipated, Amara found herself eventually stopping in front of one of the new buildings, waiting for Kurama to enter the access code. They took the lift to the second-highest floor, and Kurama searched his pocket for the keys.
"I see. I can't say I have a type like you do."
Once the door opened, he let her inside first and then followed. It was a simple single-bedroom apartment with a living room separated from the kitchen, a bathroom, and a hallway. All the doors were open so Amara could catch a glimpse of each room as she was bending down and taking off her boots. She hung her coat and Kurama did the same.
"How so? I think you're quite popular. Actually, no - I bet!"
Kurama chuckled and invited her into the living room. The wall opposing the enormous windows was covered in exotic tropical plants, both ordinary and carnivorous, creating a layered micro-jungle. The first thing Amara did was poke a mimosa plant, which quickly closed its leaves around its stem. She looked inside the pitcher flowers and put her nail inside a flytrap, quickly pulling it away as the plant closed its mouth.
"Oh my god!" she gasped in awe. "It's like a pet!"
Her behavior was stressing out the plants, but Kurama couldn't be mad. She honestly looked like a little child again.
"Please don't mess around too much... Yes, they're kind of like pets. Why do you think I'm so popular?"
Amara straightened her back and held her hands behind her back. "I suppose you have mirrors in your house, right? And you see yourself in them, so that should answer your question."
Kurama noticed that she was wearing a thin blouse which framed her chest beautifully, while still being very decent, closed to the neck.
"I haven't had that many girls as you might think."
That sly smile said something different, but Kurama didn't care to hide it. He had never had a Westerner, much less a fisty runaway who just happened to juggle with fire and know some gymnastics.
"...I see the way you're looking at me, but I don't know if I can work on that project with you and be with you at the same time. I get distracted easily and end up doing no work at all."
The redhead tilted his head and shrugged. "That's up to you. I can't guarantee anything."
Amara began to laugh and went to lounge herself on the sofa. "You're unbelievable..." The girl rested her shoulder on the back of the couch and twisted her head back to look at the cityscape while crossing her legs.
"Should I take it as a compliment? Oh, do you want something to drink, maybe? Or are you hungry?"
The girl let her chin over her hand. "Coffee would be great, but it's kind of late for that."
Kurama sat at the other end of the couch and turned on the TV for background noise. "I find you equally interesting. I've noticed your energy and child-like enthusiasm, yet you are undoubtedly intelligent."
"Is this place yours? It's splendid and very well kept."
Kurama smiled. "Yes, since two months ago. I've been living with my mother until I saved up enough for this apartment."
"...Nice. Though, I'm kind of embarrassed to show you where I live now."
"If I'm not being indecent, can you tell me your situation?"
Amara chuckled softly. "You know what's funny? You're so careful with your words, but you look at my body. I only allow it because I like you, but why do you treat me like a ticking bomb? I'm not going to explode if you ask me something."
"Well, then, why do you say you'd find it embarrassing?" he smiled. So she did notice it.
"I live in the bad quarter. It's the cheapest I could find. I have a room with a bathroom, and I improvised a kitchen in a corner."
The ease in her voice and the bitterness he caught in her eyes for only a second before she looked away, sighed, only to smile again... Kurama knew that instant that life was rough for her. Perhaps he should have noticed earlier, but for some reason, he didn't.
That's when a thought crossed his mind and rolled off his tongue at the same time.
"Why don't you move in with me? I could occupy the living room."
The Italian was star-struck. "...What? But... Aren't you scared I could rob you or something?"
Smiling, Kurama shook his head. "That wouldn't happen, and if by some chance it would, I have my ways to fix it."
"I'm pretty much a stranger to you..."
"Perhaps, so far, but you are a friend of Keiko, right? I suppose you know the others of our group as well. Keiko wouldn't have sent you asking for my help if she didn't trust you. I'm a very private person and I rarely partner with anyone. It's just to avoid people taking advantage, I'm sure you can relate."
Amara nodded without hesitation. "I'd be so grateful if you'd take me in. I'm currently paying 900 rent, and the scholarship is only 800. If I didn't have to pay that rent, I could give up the part-time job and just focus on school and our side-project."
"We could split bills evenly, and you wouldn't have to pay rent."
"Not to seem ungrateful, but... why? What do you get?"
Kurama smiled softly, but there was a glow in his green eyes that spoke for itself.
"I suppose 'company' is a good answer. You'd have to stop teasing the plants though."
After a split second, Amara began to laugh.