Chapter 3
'Six months……Six long months.' Six months since they defeated Taiga, six months since my wedding, six months since Kuwabara proposed to Yukina and six months since Hiei started a relationship with Youko.
"Yusuke…you coming to bed?" Keiko's voice came from the doorway to the bedroom.
"Not yet…" Yusuke answered back, looking up from the chair he sat in.
"Well at least turn on a light." She said, walking over and turning on a floor lamp that was next to the chair. When she turned on the lamp, she saw a distant look in the chocolate eyes. "Hey, are you alright?" She asked.
"Yeah…come here." Yusuke said, pulling the woman onto his lap where he started rubbing her neck and shoulders.
"Mmmm…that feels good." She said, closing her eyes and melting into the rubbing.
"By the way, I've been meaning to thank you for talking me into hiring the cleaning crew."
"No big." Yusuke said, continuing his rubbing and even repositioning her so he could rub her legs and feet. After Keiko's first trimester, Yusuke could tell it was wearing his wife out doing the cleaning in the evening. She would be on her feet all day from early in the morning to late in the evening and then spend half the night scrubbing, to get the place clean for the next day. He knew her parents had hired an evening cleaning crew to do their restaurant after they got tired of the same ordeal. So he talked her into it, on her terms that it would end once the baby was born, but Yusuke wasn't quite ready to commit to that, he kind of liked closing the restaurant and turning it over to someone else to clean so he could enjoy the evening and was looking forward to having that time with the baby once it came.
"Go…you're falling asleep." Yusuke said, stopping.
"If I must." Keiko teased. "Don't stay up to late okay." She added as she closed the door to the bedroom.
Yusuke reached over and turned off the light, he preferred to think in the dark.
His thoughts were on one of his best friends and the problem he felt he'd started with a simple comment and now he didn't know how to fix it.
(flashback…after the wedding)
"I have thought about going to the Makai once in awhile to let him be free. Maybe it will release some tension." Kurama said.
"Instead of that, you should ask Hiei to help." Yusuke suggested. "There's many ways to release tension and maybe Youko and him can get better acquainted." He paused and studied the red head, not getting a response, he said. "That is…if you don't have a problem with it." He followed it by giving a cheesy smile and a wink.
"Yusuke." Kurama gasped and couldn't control the pink appearing on his cheeks.
"Hiei needs to accept you and Youko." The raven haired said bluntly. "He has to realize he can't have one without the other and he can't blame you for what that vain fox does. Like you told me, he needs to love, honor and cherish." He said with seriousness in his voice.
(end flashback)
What Yusuke didn't know until later, was that Kurama took his advice. He was glad, until he realized the problems and the affects it was having on the red head. It was hard to understand, though Kurama tried to explain.
(flashback…two weeks after the honeymoon)
Yusuke looked up from the counter as he heard a knock on the front door. It was early in the morning and the restaurant was not yet open. Seeing the figure with flaming red hair, Yusuke walked over and unlocked the door. Kurama slid in so the door could be locked behind him.
"Sorry Yusuke…is this a bad time?" The red head said, looking around the dark room. Only the flood lights and exit signs were glowing, along with the light from the door to the kitchen.
"Hey…you alright, you look a little flush?" Yusuke asked, motioning the red head to the counter.
"Long night." Kurama said, taking a seat.
Keiko came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of clean coffee cups. "Yusuke did you say something." She said, placing the tray next to the coffee pots.
"We have company." Yusuke answered and motioned to Kurama.
"Oh…hi….your up early….." She started, but seeing the distant look in his green eyes, she asked. "Are you alright?"
"Do I look that bad?" Kurama said with a, forced, soft smile.
"Let me get you a cup of tea…are you hungry…I can have something simple made up." She asked, grabbing a cup, a tea bag and one of the coffee pots that contained only hot water.
"Thank you. I will have the tea, but no on the food." Kurama replied.
Placing the cup in front of the red head, Keiko went over and turned on the main lights before unlocking the door and letting in two girls that worked the morning shift as waitresses. Almost immediately customers started filing in.
"So how have you been?" Yusuke asked. "Does the long night have anything to do with Hiei?" He was only joking, but the fox didn't take it that way.
"Yusuke…I can not believe you would ask me that." Kurama hissed.
"Hey…wahooo…it was just a joke…you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?" Yusuke said, throwing up his hands in mock surrender.
"Sorry." Kurama muttered, lowering his head.
"You want to talk?" Yusuke asked, placing his hands on the counter and lowering his head to look at his friend.
Looking around, Kurama saw the place getting busy and several people had taken seats at the counter near them. "I do not think this is an appropriate place to talk." He said, taking a sip of tea.
"No big…we'll head up." Yusuke said and used a 'thumbs up' as a visual aid. He motioned Keiko over and whispered a few words, getting a nod in return.
"Let's go." Yusuke said and waited for his friend.
Grabbing his wallet, Kurama placed a bill on the counter to which Keiko immediately walked over and grabbing the money, said.
"Oh…no you don't, you paid more than enough for the trip and besides you're a friend…here." She held the money out for him to take.
"That was a wedding gift and I only contributed to the fund." Kurama said, holding a hand up in refusal.
"I know you contributed more than anyone else…you practically paid for all that and then some." Keiko said, motioning to a stack of about 20 boxes that lined the wall between the kitchen door and an unmarked door. The largest box was about the size of a washing machine, the smallest a shoe box. They had bought so much stuff in Hawaii that they sent it back by mail and was still waiting on a few boxes that had yet to arrive.
"Do you let Kuwabara eat for free?" Kurama asked.
"Yes so you…." Yusuke cut Keiko off.
"The horse eats about three times more than you…and that's on a good day." Yusuke said, rolling his eyes.
"Yusuke…" Keiko said, slapping him lightly on the arm. "That's not the point."
"Consider me paying for two-thirds of his then." Kurama said, turning to put an end to the discussion.
"Wait…this is to much, let me get your change." Keiko called out and went over to the register to get change.
"Consider it a tip." Kurama said, still heading to where Yusuke had moved to the unmarked door.
"For a simple cup of tea." Keiko yelled, walking over to try and give back the change.
"It was excellent service." Kurama said, this time managing a smile that reached his eyes.
"Let it go Keiko, you can't outwit the fox…besides if he wants to pay, let him…unlike Kuwabara who didn't even think twice." Yusuke muttered the last part and pushed the door to head up the stairs.
"We'll see about that." Keiko said, placing the change in her apron and going back to helping customers.
Kurama shook his head and followed the raven haired up the stairs. At first he thought they were going to the apartment, but Yusuke passed that door and went to another flight of stairs. When the door opened, it led to the roof.
"Is this private enough?" Yusuke asked, opening his arms, showing off the view.
The red head smiled again and walked over to look out at the city.
"So talk…what's up…haven't seen you since the wedding." Yusuke said, also making his way over.
"I took your advice." Kurama all but whispered.
"What?" Yusuke wasn't sure he'd heard correctly.
"Hiei asked to spend time with Youko." Kurama said, not turning around.
"Oooookay…and that's a bad thing?" Yusuke asked confused, wondering what made Hiei ask after he had first suggested it to the red head.
"It is not that easy." Kurama sighed.
"What…Hiei realizes now that you're Youko and are one in the same…right?" Yusuke said.
"Yusuke." Kurama sighed, turning to the raven haired, he said. "I am not really Youko."
"Wahoooo." Yusuke threw his hands up again in complete disbelief. "Back up and explain that to me. I mean you were Youko, the famous thief and you came here after almost dying and created this body to live. So what if you have a different body or your voice changes, though I don't understand your attitude at times…." He rambled.
"Yusuke." Kurama waited until the boy quieted before continuing. "Have you heard of a condition called 'multiple personality'?"
"Yeah…I think so." He answered, placing his hands on his hips in thought. "But only what I've seen on TV or in the movies…why?" He asked, looking at the red head.
"That is what you can say I have." Kurama answered, turning back to look out over the city.
"You've still got some explaining to do." Yusuke said, scratching the back of his head.
"When Youko chose this body, he was almost dead, too weak to do anything, including either killing or taking over the soul of the life that became Shuiichi Minamino." Kurama started to explain.
When Yusuke didn't say anything, he continued.
"When Youko was strong enough and 'awakened', Shuiichi was still a child and didn't know what to think or do. With Youko's personality as it is and Shuiichi being an innocent ningen, I was 'created'…to be a referee of sorts, to balance the two…I became Kurama."
He turned to see the look on the raven haired's face and to see if he understood what was just said.
"So you're saying you're three different people." Yusuke said, now so confused he was actually getting a headache.
"Yes." The red head said with a nod.
"So with Hiei being with Youko…wait are you saying you don't know what's happening?" Yusuke asked.
Kurama shook his head, saying. "The three of us know what is going on most of the time. You can think of my mind as two separate rooms, one for each of them and me in the hallway. Most of the time, I flow freely between the rooms, though Youko and Shuiichi's rooms can be closed as needed. Youko almost always keeps his door closed, unless he is summoned, forces his way out, or appears without his control. Where as Shuiichi's room only closes when I fight, Youko comes out, or if the situation becomes to stressful. My space is always open, there is no door to my space. Youko very rarely goes to Shuiichi's room and vice versa. It is me that comforts the ningen when needed and keeps the line of communications open. Now that Youko has been allowed out on a schedule, I am with Shuiichi, who can not handle the situation yet, so the door is closed. When I am behind a closed door, on either side, I have no idea what goes on in the other's room, thus I have no idea what happens between Youko and Hiei." The red head stopped and took a deep breath. He'd never explained this to anyone and wondered why he'd spilled his guts now. As he looked back out over the city, it reminded him of the first time he talked to Yusuke on the roof of the hospital. Maybe that was why he felt comfortable opening up now.
Yusuke was studying the ground, kicking around the loose gravel with the tip of his shoe, trying to process the information.
"Does Hiei know all this?" He finally asked, looking up.
"Of course not, though I do think he understands, in a way." Kurama answered with a shrugged.
"Do you plan on telling him?" Yusuke wanted to know.
"I do not know yet." Kurama sighed again.
"So what is the schedule?" Yusuke asked.
"What?" The red head turned, actually taken off guard with the question.
"How often is Youko coming out?" Yusuke asked.
"He will come out on the night of the full moon." Kurama answered.
Yusuke looked up to the sky in thought for a moment. "So they were together last night?'
"Yes, but they were also together the night of your wedding. That was when I realized I needed to comfort Shuiichi and Youko locked me out." The red head informed.
"Why did he do that?" Yusuke wondered.
"It is his way of 'throwing it in my face', you could say. I can not give Hiei what he wants when it comes to 'pleasures', I am to ningen for him like this. I did however want to stay and stop Youko if a problem arose. However, Shuiichi could not handle it and Youko had no problem in locking me out." Kurama turned back to the view of the street before continuing. "Also Hiei made Youko agree not to cause problems in exchange for being allowed to quote 'come out and play' and with that, I have not had any communication with him since the first night."
Yusuke winced at the words, 'come out and play.' "Are you alright…physically I mean?" He wondered how that worked. Youko had his own body but.
Still looking out at the city, Kurama said. "I am sore. I know they are going rough, I can feel it in a way. Staying until Shuiichi is calm takes a lot out of me as well…so…" He let it drop.
"What was Hiei like after…?" Yusuke didn't want to say it.
"Content, happy…satisfied." Kurama said, reaching down to pick up a pebble and rolling it between his fingers.
"How long are you going to let this go on then?" Yusuke asked.
The red head shrugged. "I made a deal, until Hiei or Youko changes their minds I guess."
The door opened to the roof and a young girl poked her head out. "Mr. Urameshi, Ms. Keiko needs you."
"Be there in a minute." He waved and the girl gave a nod before closing the door.
"I'll be here if you want to talk." Yusuke offered, reaching over to place a hand on the red head's shoulder and giving it a squeeze.
"Thank you."
(end flashback)
Yusuke got up and stretched, not knowing how long he'd sat thinking. He needed to get to bed, but could not help but wonder if Kurama was going to be okay.
End Chapter 3
Lyrics to the song:Only Time – by: Enya
Who can say where the road goes…Where the day flows - only time
And who can say if your love grows…As your heart chose - only time
Who can say why your heart sighs…As your love flies - only time
Who can say when the roads meet…That love might be in your heart…And who can say…when the day sleeps…If the night keeps all your heart
Night keep all your heart
Who can if your love grows…As your heart chose - only time
And who can say where the road goes…Where the day goes, where day flows - only time
Who knows-only time