A few hours Later, in the dead of night, I sat downstairs on the couch in the dark. The guys were all sleeping in various rooms of Kurama's house, resting up for the anticipated battle. I couldn't sleep, though. I was terrified, relieved, sad, angry, and anxious, all rolled into one.
The lights blazed to life and I jumped in surprise as Kurama walked across the living room to stand in front of me.
"Thought you could use some company," he said, while handing me a mug of warm milk.
"Can't sleep?" I asked, accepting the drink while still blinking rapidly to adjust my eyes to the sudden brightness.
"Too much on my mind."
"Me too." I savored the taste of the milk flowing over my tongue. As I drank, I began to think. Thoughts that made me lower the mug.
I could die tomorrow. We all could. At least one of us probably would. And if I did…Unless I acted now, I would never know…
"Kurama," I asked impetuously, disturbing the comfortable silence we had been sitting in, "do you want to play a game?"
"What kind of game?" He sounded amused.
"It's called 'Questions,' sir," I said, making it up as I went along. "It's where I ask you a question, then you ask me one. The questions can be about anything and the one who answers has to tell the honest truth, no matter what. You game?" I swallowed nervously at my lame attempt to disguise my objective.
Kurama smiled. "Sounds fun. You first."
"Um…Alright…Did you ever wish you weren't a demon?"
"Every day. I hate lying to my mother, and step-family about who I am. Do you like any sports?"
"Ugh." I replied, making a face. "Besides martial arts and all, I hate doing anything physical. Classic stereotype of a computer geek, sir. If you could turn back time and change one thing, what would it be?"
"I'd save my partner Kuronue. He was a bat demon who was killed on a heist in my last life. Do you ever wish you hadn't been in the school yard all those months ago, when we first met?"
Oh, that was a difficult question. "Well…Everything I knew and loved before has been destroyed, and that is something I will forever regret. But, I also got a new family, one that I love more than anything." I took a long drink of milk. "Do you ever wish I hasn't been in the school yard then?"
"Hmmm…Well, I wish for your sake you hadn't. You've been put through so more pain than anyone should ever face. I wish more than anything that you could have been spared that. But, for my own selfish reasons, I'm glad you were. As horrible as that sounds. I know Hiei, Yusuke and Kuwabara would say the same."
My curiosity wasn't sated, and I wanted to ask another question. But it wasn't my turn, and I waited for Kurama.
He seemed to know I had more to ask. He smiled. "You can ask another. I don't mind." He waited patiently for me to ask the question. I quickly set down my mug, my breath quickening. It was know or never.
"Ummm, Kurama…" I almost lost my courage. I swallowed, and forced myself to continue. "Do you…Like me?"
Kurama frowned. "Which way?"
It was getting harder to breathe and my heart was beating impossibly fast for a demon. "Oh, you know…" I replied, trying to sound casual. "Romantically." There. I'd said it. No going back now.
"No," Kurama replied calmly.
I blinked in shock. Wow. I think I had just scored the world record for fastest rejection. As the shock gave way to my heart squeezing and thumping in intense pain, I closed my eyes against the tears. Well, I had learned my lesson. I kept them closed, knowing that looking at Kurama right now would send me over the edge. I felt his tender fingers lift my chin.
"Look at me," he commanded gently. I opened my eyes reluctantly. "I don't like you. But, it's something different. Something else…I love you."
Wait, HUH?! Had I gone into delusions again? "Beg pardon?"
Kurama chuckled softly. "I'm in love with you, Aya."
I pinched myself discreetly. Ouch. That stung…You have GOT to be kidding me! This was no dream, no hallucination. It was real. Kurama was really in love with me!
He was still smiling, his fingers moving from my chin to gently stroke my cheek. "You should probably say something," he reminded me.
That sentence snapped me back from my happy dream world into reality. I threw my arms around Kurama, burying my face in his chest. "I love you, too." I whispered softly, but not so much that he couldn't hear.
He hugged me back tightly as I confessed. Then he pulled back a bit and leaned his face towards me. I closed my eyes and my heart skipped a beat as it imagined what was going to happen next.
"Well, well, look at the two lovebirds." I jumped at the sound of another voice, simultaneously smacking my head against Kurama's. As I leaned back, holding my head in pain (out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kurama was doing the same), I saw the speaker, Yusuke, standing at the far end of the living room. Flanking him were Hiei and Kuwabara, all three grinning mischievously.
I growled in annoyance of being interrupted. "Doesn't anybody get some sleep around here?" I snapped.
"Well, we heard noises, so we decided to come check," Yusuke said innocently.
"Right," I snarled viciously, "and all three of you were worried enough to come and interrupt. Thanks a lot. I can see what good friends I have now."
"Aw, don't be mad, Aya." Kurama cajoled gently. Then, with a devilish wink, said, "There'll be more where that came from." While that statement induced hope and excitement from me, it also caused the three voyeurs to giggle wildly. I snapped, and leapt up to chase them around the room with a small dagger made out of lightning.
With the boy of my dreams having told me he was in love with me, having a wonderful brother-figure like Hiei, and having three great friends like Yusuke and Kuwabara (not to mention the others I'd met on this mad adventure like Keiko, Yukina, Botan, and Koenma) life couldn't get any better. The only thing spoiling my perfect paradise was the destruction of the last iota of my old life looming in the horizon.
(^^) ( ^^ ) (^^)
After a half hour of commotion, the five of us voted on more sleep. More sleep equals stronger fighters, after all. I lay in bed, but each time I closed my eyes, I was met with horrific visions of Tomosuke…Combined with blood and severed body parts. Finally, I couldn't take it any longer. I snuck to the doorway of Kurama's room, wishing to wake him and have him comfort me. But, I didn't dare. He needed his rest. And besides, what if he wouldn't want me here? I mean, sure, he loved me, but that didn't mean we were in any relationship, did it? As I stood debating my choices, a voice came from the dark.
"Is something wrong, Aya?"
I jumped, proving to be as jittery as the small rodent I was nicknamed after. After calming down a bit, I took a small step into the dark room.
"I…Can't sleep. I'm sorry, I shouldn't be here, but I…" I stopped, as Kurama slipped out of his bed and walked over to me.
"Nightmares?" He asked, softly running his hand across my cheek.
"Yes," I replied quietly, enjoying the sensation of his touch. "How did you know?"
"I just do. Come on." He took my wrist and began pulling me back towards his bed.
"Whoa!" I hissed, "Kurama, what are you…?"
"Nothing illicit, that's for sure. Just…Sleeping in the same bed with me will help you with your nightmares, I think. Unless you're not okay with that…"
My heart skipped a beat. "No, I'm very okay with that, sir."
Kurama chuckled and slid back into bed. I followed suit, laying my back against his chest. He laid his arm across my body. I snuggled closer to him, already feeling myself calming down. I waited until I felt Kurama's breath deepen in slumber, before closing my eyes, accepting the darkness.
(^^) ( ^^ ) (^^)
I didn't say a word to anyone the next morning. What could I say? We were about to go and destroy the person who had once been my baby brother. I put on a brave face, set myself to go through with it, but inside, I could feel myself falling apart as I thought of my old life, full of memories of my mother, sister, and my sweet, sweet Tomosuke. If we did succeed in killing the parasite demon that inhabited Tomosuke's body, what would I do then?
The three boys were equally silent. They knew the enormity of what was to be done. The only thing that was different than it otherwise would've been was the constant presence of Kurama's hand enclosing my own. I could feel the minutes ticking on, while we waited. For what?
I knew. The boys were waiting for me to make the first move. This 'mission,' if it could even be called that, was going to be under my leadership, and the others weren't willing to make a move without me. And I couldn't delay it forever.
Releasing Kurama's hand, I stood up so fast, it caused the others to jump. "Let's go," was all I said. I walked out of the house, with the four boys following sullenly behind.
Aw, fluffness!
A bit of warning: the next chapter is going to be a little gory. I'm not good with gory, so you might not think it is, but I thought it was. Just a warning.
Another warning: the next chapter is LONG.