Last Chapter.
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Chapter 11: The Bat
That was it; this was my chance! I dashed forward and entered the room where I knew I would find Kurama.
Breaking through the doorway, I found Kurama kneeling and chained in front of Kuronue. Kuronue stood there rigidly, but with his back hunched. He seemed to be having some sort of internal struggle with himself, or maybe his injuries were simply bothering him.
With a sweeping motion of the bat's arms, and a splash, Kurama was drenched. The thin white fabric of his clothes clung to his body, supported by his shoulders just as his body was supported by chains.
He crouched there, focused fearfully on Kuronue. His eyes shone with something almost otherworldly. They were defiant and noble, yet weary. Even just catching sight of those eyes, I felt my heart pounding, like it was trying to escape my chest.
I'd never understood the infinite variety of emotions that seemed to saturate Kurama. At that time, I'd only just begun to know him, so it was all I could do to recognize his characters as they came upon him. He could be at times as gentle as a noble, and seconds later glare at you with the eyes of a mercenary, or cry like an orphaned child, or be as impish as any thief I had ever met.
But looking on then, I witnessed an emotion that has been present in every mood he has had since then; it was hope.
I was frozen as Kuronue tossed an empty bucked aside and knelt in front of Kurama, smiling mirthlessly. Kuronue reached out to stroke his cheek gently, chuckling softly. "I've always longed to take a bath together with you."
Kurama looked at him in confusion, whereas I realized what was happening here. The bat's hunched, tense posture was one I'd seen thousands of times before; the beast had given up the hunt.
I felt uncharacteristically sympathetic. Here was this young demon who had loved Kurama for so long, and always thought they could be together even while he struggled with guilt over the overwhelming adoration he held for Kurama. This was the same child who I had tended to after his own brothers beat him, and the same demon who had been crushed, but grateful for one small glimpse of the demon he loved smiling happily. And now, after all he had suffered, Kuronue was going to give up the one thing he had always wanted more than anything else.
The bat reached for the shackles on Kurama's left wrist, and began twisting it off. "I've longed to take you flying." The shackle clicks open. "I've longed to embrace you." It falls to the floor. "I've longed to make you laugh so hard you couldn't breathe." The second shackle clicks open. "I've longed to see you gaze at me lovingly." It falls, and Kuronue stands. "And more than anything, I've longed to see you smile." He holds out his hand to Kurama. "At least I've managed one of those."
Kurama just knelt there, frozen and confused. Kuronue tsked and bent down, sweeping Kurama into his arms in one swift movement. He turned, and we made eye contact. He started walking evenly towards me, his back straight, and his head held high. I'd never noticed how tall he was before, or how his luxurious black hair probably weighed a ton.
As he was walking toward me like that, I think Kuronue was using all of the strength he had.
"I've always loved you." He told Kurama matter-of-factly as he dropped him into my arms. He stood there looking sentimental for one long moment, before he turned away and pulled out knives I didn't know he carried.
"Take care of him, assassin!" he yelled cheerfully, as his brothers made their way back down the stairs. I hesitated. "Go!" he yelled again.
"Right." I murmured, and turned to run.
"Wait!" Kurama called out. "Come with us, please! Don't… don't die because of me." He was peering back at the bat from over my shoulder, clutching my arms like lifelines. He sounded near tears.
Kuronue just shook his head. "Why?" Kurama sobbed, half-pleadingly. "You say you love me, so why won't – "
"–It's because I love you!" he yelled, still smiling determinedly. He looked from Kurama to me, and then back to Kurama knowingly. "I won't die. I'm alive right now, and even if I'm alone, I still have a future ahead of me!"
It was bullshit, but it sure sounded inspiring. With Kurama still looking back, I ran.
I may be a bastard for leaving, but I will never regret saving Kurama's life. Behind us, we heard Kuronue yell: "You never loved me!" Then there was an explosion, and another, and another. That was the last time we ever heard of him.
"This should be the happiest moment of my life…" he whispered sadly.
I couldn't let the bat's altruism go to waste, could I?
"Hey, we're alive too!" And then I kissed him.
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We never found out what happened; we never even went back to that place. But now, we're happy.
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I was going to devote another chapter to reflection, but I can't think of a better way to end it than like this. I hope you enjoyed the story.