I'd love to hear your thoughts as the story progresses.

Hunted Feeling

Yusuke patiently waited for Kurama to emerge, he had gone back to work a few days ago and Yusuke felt like taking him out for coffee during his break. He had arranged his shift to start in the evening which would grant him free range during the day. The building looked intimidating, it was tall with windows covering all sides from top to bottom.

It took only a couple of minutes before Kurama exited the building. His hair was tied in a ponytail and he loosened his tie before he reached Yusuke.

"You ready?" Yusuke grinned.

"Where did you want to go? I have about an hour." Kurama quickly eyed his watch.

"That's enough time." He smiled with glee. "Come on, it's close by, you'll know it when you see it."

Yusuke took Kurama's wrist as he pulled him along. The familiar cafe came into view not long after. They entered and sat down in the booth they had occupied before. Kurama was about to speak when the waitress reached their table but Yusuke was faster. "One black coffee and one latte with caramel please." He turned to Kurama. "What would you like to eat?"

As Kurama stirred his coffee, Yusuke couldn't help but stare at him, he had become himself again. His barriers were back in place and his back was fully healed. Though Yusuke had to admit he didn't mind taking care of him, it was the best feeling in the world to have him back the way he was.

"Why that stare?" Kurama had stopped his stirring, spotting Yusuke had nearly dozed off staring the redhead down. A soft laugh escaped Kurama as Yusuke didn't try to recollect himself, his head resting on his head as he kept his eyes on him.

"I'm just looking."

"I can see that." Kurama tilted his head to the side. "So, what are you looking at?"

"You," Yusuke said, it had taken him some adjusting but he was finally able to wrap his head around the new normal he'd been yearning for. "Can't I?"

"Of course you can." Kurama returned his gaze to his coffee.

Yusuke could see something in the way his brows squinted slightly. "What's on your mind, bud?"

It slightly stirred Kurama out of his train of thought as he shrugged his shoulders. "It's nothing."

"Your facade is slipping, you can't fool me fox."

"Really, Yusuke, it's nothing…"

"Kurama…"

"I don't want to ruin this lunch…"

"You won't, now tell me before I start getting concerned." Yusuke was getting adamant and concern was already creeping through his spine.

Kurama saw this and mirrored it. "I feel like I'm being watched."

Yusuke's eyes widened as he sneakily looked around. "Like, right now?!" He whispered harshly.

"Not just now, always, from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep." Kurama wrapped his fingers around the warm glass. "It started a few days ago, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched.

"Do you think it's…" Yusuke leaned in closer. "You know who?"

Kurama nodded softly. "I really hope it's not, but I can't shake the feeling."

Yusuke looked at his watch, there wasn't enough time to ask Kurama about it all as his break was almost over. He'd have to ask him about it later.

After he'd dropped Kurama off at his work, he went to his own shift. His mind wasn't focused on making ramen, he was pacing, thinking of a way to keep Kurama out of Yomi's reach but he drew blanks. Taking him to the Makai wasn't an option, even when he was fully healed he never expected to have forgiven Mukuro and Hiei for what they did. Thus returning to the Bug wouldn't be a smart move. They'd be greeted with open arms, yes. But for Kurama's own wellbeing staying as stable as it was now, he didn't want to risk it.

Even sleep wasn't safe from the looming thoughts Yusuke had. He had dreamed of it, Yomi had taken Kurama somewhere no one would be able to find him. He'd woken in a cold sweat after in the middle of the night. The dream lingered as the hours ticked by and Yusuke didn't hesitate taking his coat and making his way to Kurama's place, despite the late hour.

Traveling by foot was easiest at night, he could travel the way he does in the Makai without being seen. His form was clouded in the dark of night as the only possible eyewitnesses were youngsters returning home from a night of drinking. Being either drunk, high, or both, they didn't even notice him as he darted by through the trees and rooftops.

He could use the redhead's window but stopped as he scoffed softly to himself, he wasn't going to adopt Hiei's mannerism as his own.

The moment he stepped into Kurama's apartment, a haunting feeling made the hairs on his neck stand on edge. "I feel it too," Yusuke whispered as he made his way to the bedroom, opening it to reveal Kurama's sleeping form accompanied by a pleasantly sweet smell. Standing next to the bed, he eyed the redhead as the muscles in his face tensed and loosened, signaling an equally unpleasant dream as Yusuke's.

Somehow, Kurama was sleeping through his presence. It was unusual for the fox to do so, in past surprise visits; Kurama would've already noticed and greeted him before he even had the chance to approach the bedroom door. He didn't adjust his manner of entering, Kurama wouldn't just sleep through something especially when that someone was now right next to him.

Looking at the table on the other side of the room, he found the source of the smell. Feeling a little drowsy himself, he approached the flowers to investigate them further only to be met with a gardenia plant.

Yusuke wasn't one to grow an interest in gardening but he had learned a little something from Kurama. The smell of these induce drowsiness and were probably the cause for Kurama's undisturbed sleep.

Taking the gardenia, he dropped them in the bathroom, closing the door to seal them off. If Kurama was using these to sleep, something must've really gotten to him.

Fear reached Yusuke, what if Yomi found out Kurama used these flowers to create a deep sleep and used it to sneak in… Yusuke shook his head, there was no reason to be afraid when he was with him. Were Yomi to appear, he'd take care of it.

Opening the bedroom window, he waved the smell out. Kurama was still asleep and nothing was stirring him. Not the opening and closing of doors, the moving of a heavy potted plant, the window creaking, the wind blowing past him. He was knocked out and it scared Yusuke shitless.

"Kurama." He whispered as he closed the window once again, the drowsiness-inducing smell having left the room.

There was a lack of answer and Yusuke felt his heart racing. Approaching the bed, he tried again. "Kurama…" He said in his regular speaking voice.

The muscles in his face were still contracting and relaxing, showing no sign of acknowledgment as Yusuke placed his hand on Kurama in a fit of worry.

"Kurama!" Yusuke said harshly as he shook Kurama's shoulders.

As if frightened by thunder, Kurama's eyes bolted open. Not a second later, he jerked himself away from Yusuke with a frightened gasp.

"Calm down, it's me." Yusuke raised his hands in defense.

"What the fuck, Yusuke…" Kurama huffed. "Couldn't you have called that you were coming over?"

Yusuke saw that his hands were shaking, his entire being was shaking. "I had a nightmare about you, I was worried and had to come and see if you're okay." He took Kurama's hand in his, and that was when he realized how much he scared him. "I really scared you, didn't I?"

"Yes," Kurama whispered as he frowned, looking at where the Gardenia used to be.

"You scared me first." Yusuke continued. "Gardenia's, Kurama? Really?"

Avoiding his gaze, Kurama softly bit the inside of his cheek.

"What if I was Yomi? What if he could just take you like that? You're putting yourself into a really tight spot here, bud."

"I mutated them with spirit energy…"

"You were completely knocked out…"

"They can determine hostility…"

"I could've had bad intentions…"

"Please listen." Kurama shushed Yusuke before continuing. "If anyone with bad intentions had entered, that thing would've attacked." He pointed at the other corner, hidden in the shade was a giant montane pitcher plant.

"I didn't even notice that," Yusuke whispered as he eyed its silhouette. "But why the Gardenia's?"

Kurama lowered his gaze. "With this weird aura hanging around, I couldn't bring myself to sleep. When I did sleep, it was so light that the neighbor's nightly sanitation visit would wake me."

"Then tell your neighbors not to go to the toilet in the middle of the night."

Green eyes stared at him as his face fell into the spitting image of irritation. "You do understand how awful that sounds, right?"

Yusuke grinned. "I know, but really, you should've told me. There is no need to do all of this when you can just request to not be alone."

"I don't want to bother you." Kurama sighed softly.

"You don't bother me." Yusuke

Kurama avoided his gaze as he clicked his tongue. "I don't want to be depending on everyone."

Neither anger nor annoyance were part of Yusuke's current feeling, yet he understood Kurama's need to be independent, it wasn't far-fetched to think one would be angry or annoyed with things like this. Kurama had promised to not sacrifice himself for anything anymore, yet he was still doing so. In a way 'sacrificing' was too big of a word to tie to his action but Yusuke felt like that was exactly what he was doing. Sacrificing his own safety not to bother others with his worries.

After all, Yusuke himself had dismissed Kurama's anxiousness and instincts for far too long. He only blamed himself for Kurama's reluctance to confide his worries to others. He had called it 'a part of healing' and frankly, Yusuke hated how his denial made the situation worse at the time, causing a rift in the trust Kurama had in him.

Even though their trust had been mended, Kurama's hesitation with speaking upon these matters was justified to a certain extent. One Kurama wasn't crossing. Koenma had banned Yomi from Ningenkai thus Kurama should be able to use Gardenia if he felt like he needed to. Even when it would only be used to induce an easier night.

To be lonely is to truly be isolated, deprived of a desire to reach out in moments of need.

In a moment of silence, he pulled Kurama closer. "You don't need to. If you feel like you need to use Gardenia's, then that's your own choice. He's banned here so you should feel safe…"

"You feel it too, don't you?" Kurama said suddenly, his eyes squinting ever so slightly.

Nodding softly, Yusuke scowled. "From the moment I opened the door."

"Will you stay?" Kurama whispered. "If only for a little while?"

"Of course I will. For as long as it's needed. And even longer after that."

I made a Tumblr for this fic under the blog yyhmorethanfriends or at my main blog Farure
I hope you'll check it out, I'll be posting updates on the fic and more art and stuff on there!

See you in the next one!