Just so you know - when the font goes italic, then bold, it's a conversation between Youko and Kurama himself. Just thought you might want to know. ;)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT-

I recently found out that someone has been using this story and calling it their own (the user Hiei13, and her story 'Inside Out'), only changing a few words and the name of the main character. Until this is sorted out, this story won't be updated for a while. I am really upset right now.I was thinking of deleting the story,but I guess that is going too far.

Thank you for understanding.

Chapter 17

Youko.

So that was his name. Kana ran the name over and over in her mind; as if afraid she might forget it. He wasn't paying any attention to her; he was more focused on the target: Deimus. For a while, she sat there on the grass, catching her breath. She had no idea how long she had been running, but it felt like she had been running for hours. She was about to hack up a lung any minute, she just knew it. Kana wouldn't dare take her eyes off the two beings that stood before her. She could just feel the electricity coursing through the air between them, making her uneasy.

"Flattered," the fox-man known as Youko said, rolling his eyes as if bored. Kana paid close attention to him, to his voice. It was deep, richer than Deimus's. She could just feel the authority he held in his tone. "Deimus."

Deimus raised his eyebrows. "I have to admit, I'm surprised." Youko narrowed his eyes, smirking. "Now if you'll please," he motioned for Youko to step aside, to let him get to Kana. "You're in the way."

"I cannot do that," he said threateningly.

Deimus chuckled. "She is mine," he said, returning his arm to his side.

"We'll see about that," he answered, and launched himself into the air. Without waiting, Deimus followed suit, a silent agreement to the battle about to take place. Kana's eyes widened, trying to see if she could spot them up in the air. She leaped to her feet, grabbing the curtain rod that lay neglected on the dewy grass a few ways off from where she had sat. She didn't know why this fox-man was protecting her, but she was glad he was.

There were frenzied sounds of clanging, of a battle that raged in the sky which Kana could not see. Where were they? Who was winning? She held her breath. The sounds ceased, and first Deimus came down, as if falling from the heavens. He landed onto the ground effortlessly, and Kana saw the wounds that crisscrossed his body. There were few, but he was breathing heavily already. His breath came in little puffs in the chilly night air.

Not long after, Youko came down as well, with about as much effort as Deimus had used. He grinned, wiping blood off of his cheek. His whip lashed at the ground, beckoning him to come closer. Deimus answered, raising his blade and lunging at him, his mouth contorted in a strange battle-cry.

Deimus struck first. Youko drew back slightly, the whip raised in time to deflect the blow. How the whip deflected his blade like that, Kana had no idea. The whip looked weak in comparison to Deimus's blade, flashing dangerously in the light of the moon that hung suspended over them. Youko was calm, cool and collected, nothing like Deimus, who was fighting recklessly, enjoying every minute of it. He was laughing, laughing, striking at Youko time and time again. Youko deflected the blows with what seemed like little effort.

And then, just like that, he was gone.

Youko paused, searching the night with his golden eyes for any trace of where Deimus might have gone. He was greeted only with silence. After a few moments of standing stock-still, he turned slightly, looking at Kana.

"Are you—,"

Kana gasped. "Watch out!" she cried, pointing to a figure behind Youko. Deimus was slowly emerging from the dark, his amethyst eyes glittering menacingly as his blade slid into view. Youko stiffened, his eyes widening. He ducked, dodging out of Deimus's reach, managing to escape with only a cut on his upper shoulder. It already started to drip blood as he reassembled himself a ways off from the wolf demon, gripping his whip.

"You got me." He said, his eyes boring into Deimus's, who only grinned back cockily at him. "I'm surprised." Youko lifted an eyebrow slowly, watching Deimus, who was now tightening his hold on the hilt of his sword. "You still want more? I can assure you that the outcome will not be in your favor."

"Stop the talk; you're wasting your breath," Deimus retorted, his tone held something dark in it. Kana froze, unable to keep her eyes off the two.

"It appears so," he answered, leaping into the air, his whip lashed out at the wolf demon. He snarled, raising his blade to deflect the blow, but it was too late. The whip had left a long incision across his chest. He staggered away, glaring at Youko; his sword raised protectively, one hand clutching the spot where he had been injured. Youko smirked, sensing his weakness now, and leaped out of view, appearing right behind him. His whip struck out again, and Deimus cried out, spinning around in anger to affect his attacker. The shirt he wore had already become ripped and torn from Youko's strikes. Kana could see now that he would not hold out against Youko for too long. Youko raised a foot lazily, as if bored, and pushed Deimus onto the ground, pressing his foot into the small of his back.

"You put up a good fight," he said, smiling thinly, "but you lost. Surrender." Kana's eyes locked onto Deimus's back, where she saw something she had not expected to see. Aki's scar. The long jagged scar appeared on Deimus's back as well, and upon seeing it, Kana felt her heart wrench.

"Aki…" she whispered under her breath, finding herself unable to move. Youko lifted up his whip, ready to strike the final blow. "No--!" Kana cried, getting up and running over to Youko. He paused, looking at her oddly, as if confused. She grabbed his arm. "Don't," she pleaded, looking into his eyes. She felt a shiver run down her spine. His eyes…they were different. His eyes held something unknown, dark, something scary.

He had the eyes of a murderer.

She drew back slightly, startled. Youko snarled, kicking Deimus aside, stalking off in a different direction. Kana paused, surprised by what she had done. What was she thinking…?

Deimus got up slowly, putting his blade back into his sheath. He looked at her, meeting her eyes. She stifled a gasp. One of his eyes was amethyst, but the other…the other was yellow.

"I'm coming back for you," he said, and it wasn't just his voice that spoke this time. It was also Aki's. Kana's eyes widened, frozen. He was gone no more than a few moments after the words left his lips. She stood rooted to the spot, staring at the spot where Deimus/Aki had once been. She did not hear the soft footsteps of Youko coming up behind her.

"Why did you do that?" Youko snarled, angry. Kana's eyes widened, backing away from him. He continued in her direction, his eyes narrowed into slits as he watched her. "Are you mad?" he accused, tossing a hand into the air. "You let him get away," he growled. Kana stopped, her back pressed into the trunk of a tree that had the misfortune of being there. His fist slammed into the bark right above her head, and she winced. "Why?" He shouted, grabbing her shoulders roughly.

"I…I--," she started, finding no words to support her.

"Why?" Youko barked again, and Kana broke.

"That was my brother," she shouted back to him, and he drew back, not expecting a reaction such as that. He sighed, closing his eyes.

"That was not your brother out there, you know that," he said softly. How did he know? Kana stared at his face, searching for answers that would not be given to her.

"His back," she said, and Youko looked at her again. "Did you see his back?" There was no response. "I saw my brother's scar there and…" she faltered, silencing herself.

"Forget it," he said, releasing her from his hold. She slid down onto the ground, crouching there, regaining her bearings.

"I-I'm sorry," she stumbled out, her face turned towards the ground. "I didn't mean—,"

Youko silenced her with a look. She sighed, looking back at the grass again. "You acted on impulse. It was foolish, but you could not control it." Kana did nothing. "The price will be heavy for your irrationality. You do realize that." Youko paused, sighing, as if trying to calm himself down. "That is something you should work on." There were a few moments of silence.

"Thank you," Kana said, uncertain if he would strike out again. "For saving me. If you hadn't been there, I don't know what--,"

Youko didn't answer, didn't cut her off, but something about his gaze upon her made her stop. He cocked his head to one side; both of his ears were in her direction. "He made a nice choice," he mused. Kana looked at him weirdly.

"Excuse me?"

Youko straightened. "It was nothing," he responded smoothly, sauntering over to her. "I was speaking of a friend. Nothing more."

"A friend?" Kana asked hopefully, thinking it to be Yusuke or Kurama, or maybe someone else she knew. Hey, they said they were Spirit Detectives – maybe working with fox-men was part of the job.

His eyes narrowed. "Yes," he said, studying her. "You could say that."

Kana's heart lifted. So maybe she was right. Maybe this fox-man Youko did have something to do with them. "How about Kur—I mean, Shuichi?" Youko stiffened, hearing the name. He looked away, placing a single finger to the bottom of his lip, as if thinking.

She doesn't know?

No, and I prefer to keep it that way until I absolutely must tell her.

Are you sure about that? It does not seem like a wise choice, Shuichi.

…Yes.

"I could say that," he continued, leaning his head in closer. "What would you say if I did?" He grabbed a strand of her hair, twirling it in one finger. His nearly-white skin and her raven-black hair made a sharp contrast. Kana held her breath. His golden-eyes were like her own, only hers was more yellow. "Come," he said suddenly, his voice louder than the usual dark husky tone. It seemed he had forgotten the previous conversation. "You need to get back home."

Kana's mouth dropped open, remembering. How long was she gone? Would her aunt realize? They'd probably be worrying, even Ayamu, if they even knew. She nodded to Youko, agreeing with his words. Youko took this as the initiative, and picked her up, slinging her over her shoulder as if she were a sack of vegetables.

"Hey--!" She cried out, surprised. "Let me down!"

He completely ignored her, and crouched down a little before bursting forward with what seemed like no effort at all. He ran faster than Deimus, and Kana, caught off-guard, was trying her best to hold onto him, anything that she could grab. She clung to his robe, fearing she might fall off in her awkward state. His grip was strong, and she doubted he'd ever let her fall, but she'd rather be safe than sorry.

In what seemed like a second, he suddenly stopped. Kana craned her neck to see over his back, but it was a pretty stupid thing to do anyways. He set her down – no, he threw her down – onto her aunt's lawn. Kana stifled a yelp as she landed onto the grass with a thump. She stood up and looked at the house, rubbing the back of her head. It looked dark, quiet. Maybe they were still sleeping; they had no idea what happened. That was good. She wouldn't want to explain all of this anyways.

"Hmm," Youko mused, looking over the house. He looked at one open window on the second floor, then back to Kana.

"Oh, no, you're not—," Kana started, backing away from him. She knew what he was going to do, and she didn't want him to.

Too late. Youko picked her up roughly again, leaping up and landing smoothly through the open window, setting her down again in her room. He paused, looking her over.

You feel something for her. I cansense it.

Yes.

…Good choice.

"Thank you," Kana said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. She looked up at him, at the strange fox-man that had just saved her from Deimus. God knows what he had been planning do to with her. He transported her back to her house in record time, even though it was a little uncomfortable and awkward, she could never have made it back. She barely knew the neighborhood, and she'd be searching for a house that looked exactly like all others. It would take way longer than necessary.

Youko said nothing, but gave a small nod. He turned to go.

"Wait."

He turned his head slightly to look at her, his hair flowing with the movement. She paused, suddenly feeling foolish. She looked down at her hands.

"Please, if you know Kur—Shuichi," she started softly, "tell him I haven't forgotten about him. Or anyone else." She gave a heavy sigh. "I miss him. I miss everyone." Her hands ran through her hair and she stole a glance at Youko. He was still there by the open window, watching her silently, intently. "I should never have come here. I haven't heard from my friends, and--," she stopped herself. "I'm sorry, I'm sure you didn't want to hear any of that."

Youko didn't answer, but silently padded over to her, gazing at her intensely. He hooked one finger underneath her chin, bringing her face to meet his. She froze, staring into his golden gaze. Without warning, his mouth was on hers, pulling her into a kiss. Before Kana had time to protest, he turned away, heading for the open window swiftly and silently.

That was for you, Shuichi.

Kana stared at him, her mouth making a perfect 'O'. She was left staring after him dumbly as he leaped out the window and into the night.