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Olivia had gone inside after apologizing once more to Kurama, leaving him and Markus alone. Kurama felt better after establishing his place with her, besides the place of their victim. She seemed to need time to process, which was fine, but he needed them to know who he actually was.

"I'm not even caught up and this case is already heavy." he said as he leaned against the cold railing next to Markus. They both had their forearms on the railing, looking over the balcony.

"Yeah." He responded.

Kurama looked at him, feeling some guilt about dropping the information about Yusuke on him out of nowhere—but, if they wanted him involved they had to hear the details.

"You couldn't have known."

Markus looked at him, taking in his gaze. "It's still shitty." He was bummed. "How is he?" He made sure to be gentle, knowing Yusuke was a touchy subject.

Kurama looked down at his hands as his thumbs fidgeted together, "I haven't seen him." Markus frowned. "That creature can take a toll on anyone. The fact it was in contact with Yusuke for so long… makes me sure he's dealing with a lot. On top of how things went." He twisted his mouth in frustration.

"…So you are gonna talk about that shit with me?"

Kurama glared. "Depends."

"You said creature."

He took in a breath, letting it out slowly. "Markus."

"Yeah?"

He turned to lean on his elbow, now looking straight at him. "I don't say this to intimidate, but it needs to be said and understood."

Markus raised an eyebrow, listening very carefully. "K."

"I'm willing to explain and share with you. But, if I learn you're telling any more than you already have. I do have the ability to cut you out of my life permanently." He spoke deeper, he was threatening, but it was to protect Markus and the other two detectives.

Markus looked him up and down as he stood straighter, fully facing him while remaining serious. "You'd kill me?"

He huffed out a smirk, "That's too obvious. I would make you forget." It was hard to say the last few words.

Looking intrigued he kept his eyes on Kurama, not moving. "Forget? Like, memories?" Kurama nodded, and Markus looked suspicious. "You can do that?"

Kurama felt guilty as he looked to the ground. "Yes."

"How?" He made sure to stay still, feeling uneasy now.

He shifted, "I—"

"What are you?" Markus whispered.

Kurama looked to him quickly, feeling stunned he'd ask that. "That's what Simon said… I was thinkin' the same thing after." He was talking quietly.

"Do you really want to know?"

Markus widened his eyes in stress as he took in a breath, now reaching back into his pocket to pull out a single cigarette. It was a little bent and clearly had been in there for some time. He dug in his other pockets before pulling out a lighter, now placing the crooked cigarette in his mouth as he lit it. Taking in a breath of it, he sighed out as the smoke followed.

"Not sure." His brow furrowed as he watched the cigarette burn. Kurama looked away, not willing to force anything. "Spirit world…" He said softly, still staring off at nothing, "That right?" He looked to Kurama.

"Yes."

"What is that?"

"Exactly how it sounds."

Markus' brows went up. "A different world?"

Kurama turned to keep eye contact with him.

"Like… angels and demons?"

"That's too complicated for today. But, it's a place with beings…"

Markus stared at him in disbelief.

"And to answer your question, I'm human." He turned to walked over to a small bench that he hadn't noticed until after everything calmed down.

Markus turned to lean back against the railing, as he watched him. "Really?"

Kurama smiled to him, slight guilt in his expression. "I'm not only human. Even though I fully am…" Markus frowned again. "I am twenty-two. But… older as well. My name is Kurama, and I'm also Shuichi." He felt weird saying that name to Markus.

"What are you…?" He spoke even quieter this time, nervous to ask again.

He smiled. "I'm the result of a spirit who couldn't accept his end."

"You aren't helping." Markus looked stressed as he pulled in a long draw of his cigarette.

"I'm sorry." He kept his eyes on Markus.

"…Shuichi?" He made a face.

"My human name."

"I thought you were human!" He spoke louder as he breathed out the smoke, now dropping his hand in frustration.

"My body is. And Shuichi is the name my mother gave me."

"So that was true. You have a mom, and she's human?"

He nodded.

"Your biological mom?"

"Yes."

"Does she know?"

"…No." His smile faded, giving Markus another look of warning.

His eyebrows went up, "Moms off limits?" Kurama kept his eyes on Markus, letting the silence confirm how serious what he just said was. "Got it." He was uncomfortable, so he switched subjects. "So, your given name is Shuichi. But your real name is Kurama?"

He turned his head slightly… it really could get complicated here. "They're both my real name, but the name I had before, is Kurama." He bit the inside of his lip, realizing he was a bit nervous he'd scare Markus.

"Before?" He was really confused now.

"Before my mother gave birth to me." He lowered his head.

"You aren't fucking with me, are you?" Markus glared; while he wondered if Kurama was for real. Kurama looked back to him with that blank expression of his, and they stared at each other for a moment.

"This might be too much for me right now."

Kurama looked to the ground again. "That's understandable."

"But you do work for spirit world?"

"Yes."

"And you were arrested?"

Kurama raised his eyebrows, impressed with his memory. "Yes."

"Because you stole something."

He smiled and looked back to Markus. "Very good."

"What'd you take?" He was genuinely curious.

"An item from their leader."

"You said that before." He glared.

"Heh." He smiled. "Because it's irrelevant."

"Their leader?" Markus was going in.

"The King of spirit world."

Markus looked surprised and skeptical. "You stole from their… King?"

He chuckled. "You seem surprised?"

"You're a goodie two-shoe."

"Ah." Kurama smiled as he rolled his eyes.

"And… you don't seem like a thief."

Kurama smirked, looking to him with sharper eyes. "Isn't that the point?"

Markus gaped at him, taking that in slowly, then blinked as he shook his head slightly. "A King…?" He kept it moving, probably trying to get as much information out before his mind exhausted itself.

Kurama frowned. "Maybe this is too much for you."

"Yeah. I take that back." He bit his lip, clearly unsure.

"You're a fool." He shook his head in frustration.

"Second time today." He threw up to fingers in irritation, clearly getting antsy from all the information.

"I…" Kurama hesitated. "Don't want to scare you." He felt shame as he lowered his gaze again.

Markus laughed out, "You've scared me since you gave me that lap dance!" Kurama looked up in confusion, waiting for an explanation. "Never had one before—and from such a beautiful man." He kept his eyes locked on Kurama's as he sloppily pointed to him. Feeling his face heat up again, Kurama's heart rate began to race—not able to look away from Markus' eyes. "You've fucked with me since we met." He threw the half-finished cigarette to the ground, roughly smearing it out with his foot.

What was he supposed to say to that? For some reason he felt guilty again as his stomach ached. Markus sighed as he leaned back against the railing again, now crossing his arms. "How'd you get arrested?"

Kurama was still staring at him… giving those last words a minute to set in. "I turned myself in."

He glared, noticing Kurama's reaction. He sighed out as his eyes wandered up to look at something random on the building. "Why?"

"I no longer needed the item after using it." Markus didn't ask more. "I turned myself in to their detective." Kurama continued.

"…The spirit world has detectives?" He looked baffled.

Smiling fully now, Kurama held his mouth as he snicked. "Just one."

Markus glared at that change. "That dude who came in?"

"Koenma!? No!" He hid his smile with his hand, barely holding back a laugh.

Markus watched in confusion. "So that guy actually was your director?"

"He's the King's son." He composed himself now as he leaned back on the bench, crossing one leg over the other. "And the one I work for… he promised me no jail time if I helped their detective—but I know he was compromising, since he knew jail wouldn't work."

Squinting again, Markus rubbed his face from all the information. "So, Koenma… is he even with the CIA?"

"No." He sighed. "But it's technically official now since you've forced my involvement." He glared.

"How?"

"I'm not sure you understand the politics between our worlds."

"Ughh…" He rubbed his face again. "I definitely don't. So you work for the… Prince of spirit world…?" He hesitated before saying that word.

"Yes."

"Okay." He was processing as fast as he could. "So who is this detective of theirs."

He smiled proudly. "Yusuke."

His eyes widened, now barely opening his mouth. "That little shit works for the spirit world too?" He was stunned.

Kurama found too much amusement in this as he pressed his hand again his mouth again, trying to stifle any laughter. "Yes. He does. That's how we met."

"So he arrested you?"

"No." Kurama corrected. "I turned myself in."

"Oh."

"He had just started."

"Is he…?"

"Human." Kurama nodded.

"This is freaky." He didn't seem to like it as he scratched his nose, adjusting his position again.

"It is."

"You still haven't really answered me. You're a human, but not?"

Kurama's eyebrow twitched nervously, as he looked down again. "I have demon in me."

"Demon?" He froze with his face portraying worry.

"We aren't like the human's portrayal of demons… there are dark ones, just like the evil we see in humans here." As he spoke memories of Karasu came rushing in as he hesitated. Feeling ill again, he clinched his teeth.

"You like it… just admit it and I'll let you breathe."

Kurama brought his hands up to his face as he laced his fingers together, now hiding his mouth due to him grinding his teeth. "You told the detectives I was tortured?"

Markus looked afraid, and full of guilt as he broke a sweat. "Yeah. I'm sorry."

"One of the most depraved demons I've known was my captor. He had nothing left except evil."

"Captor…? I thought he jus—"

"Just what?" Kurama cut him off as his eyes warned him for the second time. Markus shut his mouth and swallowed, holding his hands up in apology. "He had me for ten hours, so yes, my captor." He felt his own sweat begin as he looked away.

"I'm sorry." Markus said again.

Kurama calmed himself, letting out a sigh as he looked to him again. "My point is, that he's as dark as some humans over here. The ones we hear about in the news, who got found out. Having had their way with their victims, the poor souls that had to endure such torment and awful deaths." Markus didn't move as he listened. "The first time I met him he told me he liked me best out of our team, and he enjoyed the feeling of losing what he loved."

Markus cringed. "…During that tournament?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't he kill you?"

"We had a match the next morning, and he was my competitor. I'm sure his boss restricted him… that tournament was a tangled with evil and sadistic people."

Markus' eyes widened, clearly overwhelmed, and fully confused. The sweat on his forehead was as sheen now and his face was paler than before. "You had to fight him? How!?"

"I have many abilities. And unfortunately for him, he got me at my weakest—and that changed after he…" He stopped himself, now staring at the ground as his mind filtered through memories.

"You say it so lightheartedly." He grit his teeth, obviously upset for Kurama.

He blinked, bringing himself out of his thoughts. "I'm upsetting you." I felt bad.

He looked shocked again. "You're worrying about me?" He scoffed, "I deal this shit all the time." He motioned inside.

"Not with friends." He smiled gently, trying to calm himself and back off the subject.

Markus just stared; mouth partially opened. "So where is he now?"

Calming even more, he remembered the fact that gave him peace. "I killed him." He leaned back again, now resting his arms on the back of the bench, as he smirked.

Markus sighed out as he finally stood straighter, reaching both hands back to hold his head as he stretched, stress still showing. "Yeah… let's uh…Stop."

"Are you alright?"

Markus looked to him again, now studying him once more.

"I'm no different than who you knew at the club." Kurama reminded him.

"A little different…" He gave him a suspicious look.

"Markus."

"Just give me a bit." He looked away. "That was a lot."

Kurama frowned. "Of course."

After going back in Markus announced he was taking a break, leaving Kurama with the other detectives. Kurama questioned if he should've told him as much as he did—but, Markus was so pushy and unreadable… and it definitely could've been worse. Hopefully Markus didn't fully reject him as a friend after hearing what he has so far.

He sighed out as he stared at the floor, now sitting at an empty desk near Amaro's. Olivia was on the phone with someone in one of the offices, discussing something that bored him. He was stuck with these three now, and his only current ally may not trust him anymore. With everything Markus had seen and heard, Kurama didn't think it was fair not to explain some. And since Koenma didn't seem to know, or care what Markus knew, Kurama liked that he had the option to be more open. He then frowned, thinking on what Markus must have meant by how he'd messed with him since they'd met…

"Hey…" Amaro sounded uncomfortable as he leaned toward Kurama. "I'm sorry about early." Kurama looked over to him, surprised the man was talking to him. "This whole thing has seemed like some sort of fictional something… so you can understand why Liv pushed a little to try to figure out what's actually going on. Detective Haly did ask us not to bring that up, so, I apologize." He barely gave a smile.

That was nice of him. "There's nothing you need to apologize for." He smiled a little, "But, I appreciate it."

Amaro smiled more real this time, nodding to him. "Are you… good?" he asked as he fidgeted with his pen.

Knowing this man wasn't a jerk like he first came off as, made Kurama happy. He was probably just nervous around him. Which, a lot of men were, but on top of that usual fact Amaro had heard things that seemed unreal. So, he appreciated him trying to meet Kurama where he could. "Yes." He smiled gently for him, "I just didn't think I'd end up here today, discussing these topics." He made a face.

"You're tellin' me." He laughed a little, showing that smile again, it really made him far more approachable.

"Do you have a family, Detective?" Kurama thought he'd keep the conversation going, instead of continuing the obnoxious silence.

He sat up straighter, "Oh yeah. I have a daughter, she's the best." He smiled again. "Her mom and I split a while back, and we're still figure that all out." He raised his eyebrows in frustration.

"That would be difficult. I'm sorry."

"Ah." He shrugged, "You?"

"Yes." He nodded. "My mother—she remarried a couple years back, it's been quite nice have a step-father and brother."

"That's great, good for her. And congrats… do you mind me asking about your biological father?"

"He died, when I was very young."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's fine." He put his hand up.

Amaro looked around the room, then back to Kurma as leaned toward him. "You hungry? I'm dying." He smirked.

Kurama chuckled, "Now that you mention it, I am." He realized how hungry he was as he held his stomach and looked around for a clock. He was surprised to see that it was already two-o-clock. This day was already too long, but also seemed to be going so quickly.

"You good with Chinese? Us cops get a lot of Chinese."

"Sounds great to me." He looked back to him, nodding.

"Cool, I'll ask Liv what she wants." He stood with excitement as he walked into the office where she was at.

Kurama stood too as he wandered back to the white board. Might as well get caught up on all they know. Amaro got everyone's order then called in to place it, he went back to his paperwork as they waited for their food. Kurama was reading a particularly irritating file, because it was so accurate to how Simon was—it made his anger flare. He had gotten generally caught up on what they had on Simon… and it was a lot, but it still felt like none of them knew him. Because… they didn't. He was starting to realize that him being here probably was pretty important, if they actually wanted to catch the man. These files were accurate, but far from the reality of what this psychopath was.

He felt a bit stressed now, remembering how he felt being around that depraved man. Simon was strong in so many different ways, so it upset him quite a bit reading up on each of these dead women, thinking about how they must have felt while being tortured and murder by this piece of shit. Amaro had noticed Kurama studying the case files, and even though he didn't try to stop him. He definitely seemed unsure about Kurama digging through their info. Kurama could tell it wasn't just distrust either—Amaro was checking up on him, he was gauging Kurama's state as a SVU Detective. Knowing he was a victim of Simon, just like all the files he was reading up on. It was a kind gesture that he was sure Amaro wasn't fully aware he was doing. It showed Kurama a side to the cold man that he probably wouldn't show willingly, and that made him appreciate him a bit more. He made sure not to acknowledge Amaro or let on that he was aware of the man's extra attention. Because, that was a good trait, and Kurama wouldn't mess with it.

It was nearly two forty-five now, "Foods here!" Markus' loud voice boomed as he made his way back into their area. He probably volunteered to go get it… he must've needed space to think. Kurama looked to him as he walked in with two large bags of takeout. Amaro stood quickly, walking over to the larger desk they all had breakfast at earlier, anxious to eat. Markus placed the two bags down on the table as he began taking out each item.

"Smith, egg-drop soup?" Markus looked over to the same cop that had been there all day.

She stood quickly and walked over to grab the soup and another small bag. "Thank you!" Then made her way back to her desk.

"This yours?" Markus handed a container to Amaro.

"Yeah, thanks." He was very focused on the food as he took a seat.

Olivia made her way out of the office and looked relieved when she saw the food. "Ah! Smells good." She smiled as she sat down.

"You comin'?" Markus finally looked at Kurama.

Kurama studied his eyes—they seemed distant. "Yes." He stood as he walked over, sitting down next to Amaro who was shoving an egg roll into his mouth. Once he smelled the food, Kurama's mouth watered. He hadn't had Chinese in a while, but he was excited none the less. Markus placed several containers in front of him as he focused on the food disbursement.

"I got fried rice." Olivia said.

"Oh shit, sorry." He switched rice containers with her.

"This is yours." Markus handed the white rice to Kurama.

He reached up to grab it, but Markus didn't let go. Kurama looked up to him. Markus was smirking as he made intentional eye contact with him, staring a bit too long considering there were others around. Kurama felt his chest warm up, but glared as he pulled it out of his hand and set it down. He barely smiled as he began to open his food and break his chopsticks apart, feeling relieved that Markus seemed okay now.