Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, and do not profit from it in any way.

All rights belong to Yoshihiro Togashi

No copyright infringement intended.

It's an Art

Shizuru walked idly down the hotel hallway, humming tunelessly. The matches had been quite entertaining.

They had arrived in time to see her lazy-lout of a brother lose to a couple of yo-yos. For crying out loud, what kind of a Kuwabara was he?

She'd have to have a word with him later.

Then Kurama, or Shuichi, or whatever he called himself, had stepped up next. That fight had been both confirmation for her on his inhumanity and just plain weird.

Well, he'd won, and with plants to boot.

Then Shortstuff was up. Epic fieriness and so on. That was more like what she'd been expecting.

Then an Urameshi Style All Out Brawl had finished the first round.

All in all; worth her money. Or rather, Koenma's money.

She grinned at the last thought, and started digging around in her pockets for her cigarettes. She managed to find one and was still searching for her lighter, when she rounded the corner.

The next hallway was lined with large windows on one side and the stairs to the roof on one end.

It was a part of the hotel less frequented by others. Right now, it was occupied by a lone red head, still in his messed up outfit from earlier.

He faced away from her, towards the windows, but Shizuru still saw him wipe at his eyes furiously, his tense shoulders shudder ever so slightly.

She dropped her cigarette back in her pocket; it would have to wait.

She started walking slowly towards him, her hands rummaging for something else this time.

He didn't notice her, even when she stopped at his shoulder, which said something about his mental state.

She could now clearly see the tears running down his face.

Even as he cried, he stayed quiet, his rugged breathing silent.

Shizuru pulled her hand from her pocket and stuck the lolly pops under his nose.

"Red or orange?"

Kurama's reaction would have been comical in any other situation.

His head snapped up and he flinched back, a stunned expression on his face.

His eyes were slightly red from crying and his cheeks were flushed, highlighting the tear tracks streaked down his face.

She could practically hear his mind whirl, trying to understand how he'd missed her coming up on him.

It was the most open expression she'd ever seen on him.

Then it slammed shut as he swiped at his eyes one final time and composed himself in a heart beat.

"Kuwabara-san, is there anything I can do for you?" The same distant voice he used when pretending that everything was fine.

She gave him a droll look and didn't move her hand. "I said, red or orange? Sugar'll help."

His mouth turned up into that perfect smile. "Thank you for your concern, but I am fine."

Shizuru's eyebrow twitched. "Sure, and you just had something in your eye. Try again buddy."

Kurama faltered slightly. "It's nothing really, I'm merely tired."

Same polite voice, while his eyes told her to keep her nose put of his business. To bad she wasn't good at following orders.

She just snorted in disbelief, and yanked the wrappers off the lolly pops herself.

She thrust the red one into his hands and stuck the other in her mouth. She glared at him as she spoke around the candy skilfully.

"Now, I ain't no Sherlock Holmes, but I know that was a lie."

"Like I said it's-"

"Do take a look at my previous statement."

He fell silent.

After a full minute passed, Shizuru sighed in resignation. "It's not a crime you know. Crying I mean. If there's one thing my idiot brother got right, then it's his ability to cry. It takes more courage to let those emotions out then to face a hoard of those tournament demons.

Being able to cry is an art. And yes, others will view it as a weakness, but your strong enough for that not to matter, right?"

Kurama's head tilted forward, his bangs falling to cover his eyes. Handy that.

"It's foolish." He finally muttered, so quiet she barley heard him. "I'm older then you can imagine, yet I'm acting like a child. I knew it would happen eventually, it's happened before. Her being caught up in this is unavoidable-"

"Whoa there Red, I've no idea what or who you're talking about." Shizuru interrupted.

He started, and for a moment she thought he wouldn't continue.

"My….my mother." He whispered reluctantly. "Though she's not really my mother, she's-…Roto, he threatened her. Told me if I didn't do as he said he'd kill her. I knew he wouldn't, I planted the vetch in time, there was no way he could have, but I…I was scared."

The words were forced now, but he didn't seem able to stop.

"Despite all of that I was scared. Terrified that he would press that button and that she would be-…..be hurt."

He couldn't say the word 'killed.'

"She's not even my real mother, I just stole the body of her son. Even if he didn't have a soul yet, I took that chance from her. I wish I hadn't but I did. I won't let her lose her son now, but I shouldn't be acting like I'm actually-"

He trailed off, bitting his lip to keep back the fresh wave of tears.

"Her son?" Shizuru finished for him.

He trembled slightly.

"But you are. If I understand correctly, then you possessed that body when it was still an embryo or whatever, right?"

A carful nod.

"Then even if she did not bring you into the world originally, she is your mother. She carried you in her womb and loved you from the get-go. Do you think she cares which soul entered that body? She birthed and raised you. No matter how you look at it, your her son. She loves you like only a mother can love her son and you are just as attached to her. Of course your upset now. You need her as much, if not more then she needs you. When it comes down to it, your age couldn't matter less."

"That's-" Kurama barely choked the word out.

"The truth. And you know it."

And the wall of glass in Kurama's eyes broke.

His shoulders slumped, and his hands flew to his mouth in an attempt to muffle his sobs. His body shook so badly, she thought he might collapse.

Without a word Shizuru stepped forward and circled an arm around him, letting his head fall onto her shoulder and rescuing the forgotten lolly pop from his hands.

She sighed again. "I told you, you needed the sugar."

It took a while for Kurama to calm down. She had a feeling he had never let himself cry like that before. She knew he'd never let himself be that weak.

When he finally pulled away it was with clear eyes.

"Thank you," he murmured, not quite meeting her eyes, "I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble."

She grinned crookedly. "Oh believe me, it was my pleasure. There's nothing quite like whacking sense into someone."

His lips twitched upwards to answer her grin. "I suppose not."

"Now," she said, handing the abandoned candy back, "you eat that and clean up, okay? I'm long over due for my smoke."

With that, she turned and strode off down the hallway.

"Hey Kurama, where'd you get that? You should have brought me one!" Yusuke whined as the red head entered the hotel room.

"I'm sorry Yusuke. I'll try to remember next time." Kurama grinned, sticking the treat back between his teeth and strolling past him to fall onto his bed, leaving Yusuke to wonder why his smile seemed a little bit more genuine then usual.

A/N: Not sure when the next one will be out. Hopefully soon.