Disclaimers: Inuyasha and Yu Yu
Hakusho belong respectively to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi.
A/N: Wow... LOL, this is just
supposed to be just a present for Kazusa, but apparently, other people are enjoying
it too. Thank you for those reviews, you're all very sweet to say such
things, and I hope you enjoy the way the rest of this pans out...
By Any Other Name
~More Questions Than Answers~
Souta was practically bouncing off the walls by the time Kagome finally
followed him inside, her attention still focused on that sensation she'd
witnessed outside. Something about that man on skates, about his youki
had sent a pulse through her, deep inside... like the feel of a shard back when
it had still been scattered to the four winds. She hadn't recognized him,
but he was still familiar, and if the youkai of this time still had the magic
of illusions or even the less "romantic" explanation -like artificial hair
color and salons work- it didn't necessarily mean every one of them she'd seen
would look as exactly as they had in the past.
Thoughts of Shippou willing to sit in her laps for hours to have his tail and
hair brushed had her smothering a warm laugh, eyes suspiciously shining with
moisture as that lead to cozy nights spent just that way. If she closed
her eyes she could still hear Sango and Miroku speaking and planning in low
murmurs, laughing easily with each other as they made dinner. Inuyasha's
ever watchful eyes on the house they'd restored in the taijiya stronghold after
Naraku's defeat, the house they'd agreed to live in while she kept her
promises. There was still a twinge of doubt, half-worried the peace was
only an illusion after so many years of pain and fear, but the more time
passed, the more they had begun to settle down into real, "normal" lives.
Or at least as normal as things ever were for their group.
His golden eyes catching the light from the fire when he felt her gaze and
turned to give her a reassuring smile, Oi... You aren't getting moody again
are you? That idiot bouzu might lose what's left of his mind if you don't
finally settle down, and you know how Sango worries and starts her hovering
thing. Just relax, Kagome, now isn't a good time for you to be getting
upset.
Kagome swallowed at the
clarity of his voice in her head, opening her eyes and blinking back the
shimmering haze the blurred the walls of the entryway as the memory receded
back into nothing but a whisper, clarity slipping through her fingers the way
it always did when the sun was still up. The peace and solitude of night
always made it easiest for her to slip into a meditative trance, letting
visions of her old life curl along her senses like a soothing balm, calming the
burning ache of loneliness that seemed to only grow stronger with time.
That was the first youki I've really felt since I've returned, Kagome's
chin dropped down to her chest, lips turning up at the corners in a smile that
didn't hold real humor so much as wistfulness. It's just me being
silly. Wishful thinking, her hand lifted to rest on her hip where the
scar from the Shikon's original, brutal extraction still remained. She
couldn't say why, but she'd half expected even that sign of her ordeal to
vanish with that disastrous wish rather than serve as the re-entry point for
the jewel to make itself at home within her ribcage before it dissolved. I
just miss everyone, that's why I'm having these flashes.
"Nee-san! Nee-san!" Souta's shout bounced off the walls, uncommonly loud
in the previous quiet and making her wince even as he suddenly reappeared to
latch onto her wrist and yank her along towards whatever it was that had caused
that glowing excitement. "This is the coolest place I've ever
seen! Come on; come on! You have to see this stuff! You're
never going to believe it!"
She couldn't stop the laugh bubbling up out of her at his enthusiasm, letting
him drag her along down the hall until he reached the spacious main room,
dropping her hand to again bow in respect to the altar against the north wall
and not noticing the way his sister had gone perfectly rigid behind him.
Kagome suddenly wasn't so sure it was only wishful thinking.
"Are you seeing this?" Souta felt safe to hop down the low wooden steps without
any others to witness his decidedly irreverent behavior, rushing towards the
prominent display directly across from them. "Can you believe it?
Do you think they'd teach me how to use these?"
"H-Hiraikotsu..." she whispered in disbelieving awe, eyes huge in her suddenly
pale face as she took an unconscious step towards the unmistakable bone
boomerang mounted amongst the vast collection of antique weapons. These
are... my gods, these are all Sango's, and her family... Taijiya weapons!
"My goodness! A beautiful lady who knows the family artifacts on
sight? What a very... pleasant surprise," the calm, masculine voice came
from right behind Kagome, jolting her at being able to sneak up so close
without setting off her senses. Then again, the jolt may have been more
from the fact that the voice rolling down her spine was one that she would have
known anywhere...
Kagome's mind stuttered to a halt, slowly turning to look behind her and up at
the man smiling down at her, his blue-violet eyes curious and demanding at the
same time, pressing for answers under the illusion of piety. Those
painfully familiar features were filled with the same mix of serenity and
devilment that had been so obvious in his ancestor, a perfect copy of a certain
perverted monk she'd had to leave behind, five hundred years in the past.
"Miroku," Kagome's voice failed her, lips forming the name without a sound.
Completely unperturbed by her silence, the young man straightened his shoulders
with a decidedly regal air and reached out to take both her hands in his own
before flashing her a charming smile, "Would you do me the honor of giving me
your name?"
So close, Kagome had been half expecting to hear Miroku's infamous
greeting to come tumbling from this stranger the longer he squeezed her limp
hands in his, eyes never wavering from her own as he seemed to search for
something in them. She could feel the tears pricking at the back of her
eyes again, no doubt shocking the hell out of this poor monk when she ripped
her hands out of his to throw her arms around his neck and bury her face
against his robes.
Souta started in alarm at his sister's reaction, hurrying back to her side and
reaching out for her shoulders when to his confusion, the monk closed his arms
around her and subtly moved her just out of Souta's reach, "Please forgive me
sister, she is... under a great deal of stress."
"Perhaps our holy temple can offer solace for her then?" he offered in a
honey-smooth voice, features undergoing a subtle shift to a less "holy"
attitude. "To enter here so easily, you must be... special."
Souta's mouth had fallen open, but before he could react to the accusation,
Kagome started to laugh. The sound was watery and strained, but all the
same it was still a laugh, and it had him relaxing slightly to prod her for
answers, "Kagome?"
Those blue-violet eyes lit with recognition, brows rising in surprise and hands
obviously going tighter on her for a split second before he tempered his
reaction, "Kagome? Higurashi Kagome?"
"How did you-?!" Souta gasped out.
"Then that is your family name?" the monk interrupted, giving off an
aura that seemed to be both delighted and smug at the same time.
It would have rubbed Souta
completely wrong if he hadn't been so confused and curious by this person who
looked to be no older than himself knowing his sister's name, Then again...
didn't she just say-?
"I'm sorry," Kagome's murmur
broke their staring match to draw their focus down as she reluctantly eased her
choke hold on his neck and tried to step away, wiping at the tears dampening
her cheeks. "I just-I... You remind me-"
"I have been told the
resemblance is striking," the monk cut off her halting attempts to explained
with a warm smile all for her, letting her go only as far as she seemed willing
to step. "I'll have to remember to say that has been proven by your
reaction. I have more faith that eKagome-sama' has a much clearer
recollection... all things considered."
Souta looked at his sister's
white face, reaching out again and getting frustrated when the monk again
managed to subtly maneuver her just out of reach, "Dammit, will you stop
that? I don't care if you are a monk, I'll take you out right here if you
get fresh with my sister!"
"Miroku-sama left a gift for
you," the monk ignored Souta, watching for her reaction to that simple statement
and feeling himself smile when those deep blue eyes filled with tears yet
again. No mistaking... this is the one we have been watching for.
Kagome-sama. "Our family has protected it and waited for when you
found us again."
"Show me," her voice was low, intense with feeling and encouraging him to dip
his head in a bow of respect before turning away to a door hidden in the wall
behind the altar and slipping inside.
"Kagome, what's going on here? Do you know this guy?" Souta whispered in
her ear, clasping her hand when she still didn't move, eyes locked on the place
where the monk had disappeared. "Isn't Miroku the name of-?"
"The monk, with the Kazaana," she nodded once in acknowledgement, heart
pounding so loud in her ears she could barely hear her brother. Left a
gift... for me? "My... very dear friend, and Sango's husband."
"Wasn't he some kind of pervert though?" Souta asked in confusion.
"Please!" the affronted exclamation preceded the monk's return, an obsidian box
taller than he was, but only about a foot wide held carefully against his side
as he maneuvered back to them with extra care. "My ancestor was a
great monk."
Kagome burst out laughing, wrapping her arms around her stomach tightly as she
shook her head, sagging against Souta when the strength drained from her legs
at hearing such words come out of this person's mouth, "You are just like
him." It's too much... so much at once... Don't faint, Kagome, if
you faint you might wake up alone and this will have all been a dream!
He smiled again,
presenting that box to her with a flourish as he knelt down and gently placed
it on the floor, resting his right hand on the surface and winking when he saw
the way she stared at the violet wrapping around the palm, "The first born son
of every generation is charged with carrying on the history of the line, and we
take our duties very seriously."
Kagome pulled Souta down with her, sitting back on her heels as she reached out
to rest her fingertips on the edge of the case, eyes glazing at the hum of holy
magic radiating off it, Miroku blessed this himself?
"Nee-san, what is it?"
he shifted his weight impatiently, wanting so badly to do the same as soon as
he felt the levels of energy coming from his sister's "gift," but refraining
when he saw the monk respectfully fold his hands in his lap and let her be the
one to guide their actions. What the hell is going on?
Why would Miroku leave her a present for the future? What would he
leave?
"My father told me that this has been passed through the generations with
strict instructions to only be given to the miko of the Shikon no Tama, and to
tell her that ethere are no words,'" the monk recited softly when he saw her
trace her fingertips down to the sealed latches, trying to hold in his awe as
they melted away under her skin.
Souta fell silent when Kagome clasped the edges of the box and lifted it up out
of the way, leaning closer to see what had caused his sister to go so very
still. He'd only just had a glimpse when the lid slipped from her fingers
unnoticed, wincing at the loud clatter it made against the wooden floor while
she made a choked sound he couldn't quite decipher, A... staff?
He and the monk stayed
kneeling as Kagome reached out, closing her hand around the perfectly preserved
steel and rising to her feet while the tears again poured unheeded down her
cheeks. The rings filled the temple with their melodic jingle as they
were lifted free of their resting state, the sound penetrating deep into
Kagome's mind to pull it backwards, teasing her with crystal clear images if
she would only open up to receive them.
Her other hand lifted, tracing
along the gold for a moment before she leaned forward and closed her eyes,
resting her forehead on it lightly in a show of trust. Miroku had
understood what it was like more than the other, spent long nights helping her
understand... if he had left impressions for her to him, she would let that
energy pour from the staff into her.
Kagome nearly fell at the sudden
flood of images that flashed behind her eyelids: pictures of a life she would
never see, friends lost to her under the inescapable pull of time and space.
She could hear them all, but the voices overlapped with the sounds of his rich
laughter echoing in her head until she couldn't separate a single one to guess
on the words being said. Not until the others slowly retreated back into the
silence and left her with a single whisper.
Be happy where it has taken you.
Her shoulders shook as
she slid back to the ground, clasping the staff and holding it upright even as
she practically crumpled to the floor with her brother and the monk letting out
sounds of concern and reaching for her. Her throat worked with effort,
warning them away with a harsh, "Don't."
Souta's hand froze at that tone, pulling back with a strangled gasp when her
skin took on a pink glow, hair rippling as though wind started to blow only
around her before thin traces of iridescent streams streaked from her body to
curl around her on the floor, "Nee-san?"
Kagome shook her head, still not opening her eyes as the heavy pulse of her
soul made the air around them vibrate like a heartbeat, taking in a deep breath
and letting it out as she forced the backlash of energy back under control,
"Not yet... If you try to touch me right now, Souta, you might go through
me."
His eyes widened in fright, "What?!"
"Don't worry," the glow died down completely, leaving her slumped over and
clutching at the staff with a white-knuckled grip. "It's not as bad as it
sounds."
"How could that not be as bad as it sounds?" Souta demanded as though she'd
just gone certifiably insane between one minute and the next. "Go through
you? Why would my hand go through you!?"
Kagome shook her head, opening her eyes and turning to him with a more serious
expression than he'd ever seen her turn on him before, "There is always a price
to pay for victory, Souta."
There was a long space filled with nothing but Kagome's heavy breathing and the
faint sound of Miroku's rings brushing against each other with the faint
shaking of her hand until the monk sat back and stuffed his hands up into his
sleeves and cleared his throat, "Then all the stories are true."
She nodded with one more deep sigh and leaned back to sit more comfortably on
her heels again, never once taking her hand off the staff as she reached with
the other to hold palm up to him, "Your ancestor was not the type of man to
have spoken lies about important matters. He was a great monk... but
he was a great pervert too."
He blinked and started to chuckle, bringing a loosely closed fist up to his
mouth before he reached it out to hold her hand and tilted his head in a
particularly boyish motion. He offered her a wry smile as their fingers
laced together, "At least now I know where I got my eyes."
Souta frowned at that strange remark, looking at Kagome to see if she
understood and brow furrowing when he saw the way her eyes had filled with
longing, her hand lifting to brush his bangs away from his face, "Nee-san?"
"The manners of your family are slipping if you've gone this long without
telling me what they named you," Kagome scolded as her magic swept into him,
reading through the paths of his own aura to get her own, deeper questions
answered before returning to her in a warm rush that made her shiver. Then
this is true as well.
"Ah... forgive my rudeness, Kagome. They had debated about naming me for
him, but in the end, they settled on Shinju," he offered instantly, the
faintest touch of pink rising in his cheeks at the chastisement in her voice
despite his efforts to hold it down.
"Figures," she couldn't help but laugh again, letting his hand go and sitting
back to reach over and give Souta a reassuring pat when he gripped her sleeve
urgently.
"I should take offense," he pressed his gloved hand to his heart and tried to
look hurt at her amusement. "I have lived up to my name perfectly!"
"I'm sure," Kagome remarked dryly, giggling when he put on his best version of
a hurt expression, using the staff to rise to her feet and look down at
Souta. "Call Mom."
"Call-? Wait, no? But Kagome-!" he started to protest, certain that
this would be the place that his sister thought good enough to continue his
training. Sure the monk was strange, and there were weird things
happening one after another, but hadn't he learned more about what had happened
to her since they got here? First the weapons, and then the monk, and the
glowing thing-
"This is the one," she looked over at Shinju and on to the display again,
lifting Miroku's staff to stare at the innocent looking rings, and letting her
expression ease into a warm smile. "You should learn from family after
all."
Hiei was already sitting on the railing when Kurama stumbled inside, his very
posture radiating exhaustion as he dropped his keys carelessly on the kitchen
counter on his way out to the balcony. When the kitsune didn't even
bother to close the doors to the interior before more or less collapsing over
the rail with a groan, the shorter youkai turned to glance at him and inquire
with false innocence, "Rough date?"
"One snicker and you're going to wake up bald and tied to a flagpole somewhere,
Hiei, I swear to gods," Kurama muttered into his arms, not lifting his head to
see the amusement he could practically taste rolling off his friend.
"Oh c'mon," he folded his arms behind his head with a grin, leaning back
against the wall in what had become one of his favorite positions in Kurama's
apartment. "You have to admit that it's getting to the point of just
being silly."
Kurama turned a glare up on him that clearly showed he was contemplating some
rather unpleasant things against him, "It's goddamn ridiculous, Hiei, not
silly."
Hiei arched an eyebrow when Kurama huffed and went back to practically draping
himself down over the railing, one hand over his eyes as he obviously tried to
soothe his frustration. He tilted his head, pondering what had possessed
the kitsune to undertake such a stressful pastime, and asking for what he knew
had to be the hundredth time, "Are you sure this is what your mother
wants?"
"All human mothers want their sons to get married and have children, and Shiori
is no different," Kurama grumbled, straightening up to stretch out the kinks in
his back. "She may not be saying it, but they have a gift for the subtle
hints... You remember how Keiko acted when she wanted to get pregnant that first
time?"
"How could I forget?" Hiei was instantly snickering at his fond memories of
Yusuke's extended torment.
"It's a little like that," his expression twisted sourly for a moment, raking
his hands through his hair. "She ejust happens to notice' couples with
their kids, baby clothes... not that she's saying anything, she'll just
stop and stare at them until I notice that she's staring and then wave
if off like it's nothing and walk off. But then she sighs the rest of the
day and makes a point to hold my left hand. You know that western
tradition? Rings?"
"Humans are so strange," Hiei rolled his eyes, letting one leg dangle off the
rail to kick it back and forth lazily with his boredom. "No wonder you've
started getting more violent with the little ones that make it through.
Working out your frustration?"
eAsk him how pleasant he would be if he had to put up with the people
you've been approaching,' Youko muttered in annoyance. eI would be
much better at this since you refuse to take off our old experience. If
you weren't trying to push that whole boundaries thing, you'd realize we're
better at this than humans. Just let us blend, Kurama, we'll have the kid
for Shiori with someone acceptable, and we'll all be happier for it. Technically
we shouldn't be able to argue with ourselves like this... it can't be healthy.'
Shut up, Youko, I'm not going give up just because we've been having bad luck, Kurama shot back, turning to look back
in his kitchen and making a motion with his hand to ask his roses to boil water
for tea.
eWe might not look like we age, Kurama, but that doesn't change the fact
that you've been picking idiots for almost a year. The humans around us
aren't getting any younger either,' Youko gave him every impression of
wrinkling his nose in disgust. eCan't we find even one girl who
doesn't care that we disappear now and then?'
"They think we're
sneaking off to be with other women," Kurama turned his back to the rail,
propping his elbows on it to brace his weight for the lazy position. "Can
you believe one of them was actually in bed with someone else when I
visited? And then had the gall to tell me that I shouldn't mind if she
was having fun on the side since I didn't expect her to ask questions when I
never called or came by?"
"Youko must have loved that," Hiei snorted in a particularly deprecating
manner.
"We might not be all out telling them that we're intending to have a baby, but
we aren't going to let someone we're looking at as a potential girl to sleep
with every human who passes her door," he nodded, unconsciously agreeing with
the emotion coloring his friend's voice at that observation. "Youko was
disgusted."
eUnderstatement.'
Hush, he held out a hand
and smiled at the plant that slipped onto the balcony, holding up a teacup to
him. "It's not like we feel some driving desire to get a virgin, but we
would highly prefer someone who's been selective," he was vaguely aware
that he was more or less rambling his irritation out loud to the one person who
was fully conscious of the entire situation and taking supreme glee in his
discomforts.
eSo I'm picky, sue me,' Youko scoffed. eHumans are so much
harder to pick from than youkai... they're so damn plain, and weird, and... well,
boring. Then there's that whole fucking purity thing! Are they all
so uptight about sexuality?'
"He's right," Hiei shrugged and interrupted before Youko could get worked up
onto one of his favorite topics. Still, he couldn't hold back a slight
chuckle when Kurama slanted him another rather dark look, "What? You're a
kitsune; you're instinctively accustomed to a higher level of standards with
that pretty face. Even if you tried to separate yourself from the worst
of that arrogance in your human life, you remember on the inside."
Kurama's eyebrow twitched when Youko agreed with that, taking the chance to
pressure him into accepting more of his soul's nature, "Look. I know
that we're used to being selective, but humans just can't compare with demons
like that, and we all know it. Especially when you put them beside
kitsunes."
"So what do you intend to do?" Hiei didn't even try to hide the smug grin on
his face, easily imagining a good long run with this particular form of
entertainment. "Youko's observation about your track record is correct...
you have yet to find someone you both like who is willing to put up with your
responsibilities to Reikai without knowing them. It should narrow your
search-"
"I intend to find someone," Kurama gritted his teeth, hand tightening on his
cup in lieu of his desire to do the same to Hiei's neck at the moment.
"I'm over a thousand years old, dammit, I can manage to find a human acceptable
and willing to bear a child for me."
eDamn right!' Youko encouraged him, perking up happily at hearing Kurama
start to refer to them singularly instead of separate. eNow, are you
sure you don't want to just find a reborn human soul in Makai? It would
be a lot easier, and we could definitely make the baby appear human.
Illusions and all.'
I am not going to find a human who's life earned them a place in Makai, Kurama made a sound of frustration.
I can find a human here and not have to watch my back when I'm in bed with
them at home.
eGood point,' Youko
conceded. eIt would be nice to just sleep beside a cute, warm girl and
not have to be on the alert that she would slit our throat. Ooh!
Just think! If we were all tired and coming back from one of those
ridiculous missions, and it was late, we could slip in behind her and-e
"Are you going to stand
out her and fantasize all night in front of me, or are you actually going to
plan on a better way to find a girl who fits your requirements?" Hiei's dry
question cut into the vivid little picture Youko and Kurama were drawing in
their head behind swirling, heavy-lidded green and gold eyes. "It's a
nice thought, but really... won't it work better with a real girl instead of a
fantasy?"
eI'm starting to dislike him,' Youko grumbled, annoyed at having his
pretty thoughts disrupted before he was done with it. eI was really
getting into that one.'
Me too, Kurama hid his
expression behind his cup for a sip before shifting uncomfortably at the
reminder of just how "into" Youko's fantasy he'd been. Frustrated in more
ways than one now, he gave into the juvenile urge to stick his tongue out at
Hiei, "Unless you start paying rent or buying groceries, the next time you have
the urge to spoil what little chance at peace I'm having for my evening, I'd
suggest you keep it to yourself unless you want to spend yours getting friendly
with my roses."
"It's rude to space out into a sexual fantasy while someone is trying to have a
serious conversation with you," Hiei stretched out lazily, lips curving up at
the violently snarled threats bouncing around in Kurama's head. "Although
that frustration certainly seems to have done wonders for your creativity," he
couldn't poking just a little more.
Kurama already knew that the little demon wouldn't be there when he lashed out
at the railing, feeling the stone crack under his fist and turning a scowl up
at where he'd simply perched on the edge of the overhang, "Hold still and I'll
show you creative. I'm not in the mood to waste my energy chasing your
scrawny ass around my building."
"Ooh, name calling now," Hiei's smile grew wider. "Aren't we a little old
for that?"
"Bald on a flagpole, Hiei," he growled out, eyes flashing gold in the
darkness. "Don't tempt me after the night I've had."
He was back to chuckling, dropping back down with his singular grace onto the
railing to settle comfortably again, "What happened to that amazing calm you
like people to think you have? You keep acting so much like a demon and
they're going to call you on it. Do you really want Yusuke and Kurabara
to hear about your private mission?"
"I'd rather die," he grumbled, slowly sinking down until he was sitting on the
floor, back to the rail and staring into his dark apartment. "Can you
imagine? They'd love to have the chance to mock the edemons' for dealing
with this."
"Leave me out of this," Hiei snorted and shook his head. "I'm not the one
who felt the sudden urge to find a human girl and breed with her. I just
don't think it's their business to be involved."
"You're a twisted little bastard, you know that, right?" Kurama sighed heavily,
tucking one knee up to his chest and leaning back. "You don't mind
milking whatever excitement you can from this mess, but you don't want anyone
else to do it. What would people think?"
eMaybe he's jealous,' Youko pointed out with a snicker. eMaybe
he's the reason we're fucking up. He doesn't want us to have a lover, so
he's following us and making the humans think other things.'
"You're doing fine on your own, why would I disrupt the delicate balance of
your misery?" Hiei rolled his eyes at the stray thoughts he was picking up from
the kitsune. "It's more fun to see the breed best known for seducing
others left and right making such a royal ass of himself to a bunch of human
girls."
eWe're just looking at the wrong girls,' Youko sounded just as offended
as Kurama was feeling, muttering yet again about all the ways he'd love to
torture the demon smirking down at them in such a superior way. eWe
should try a different town... maybe over closer to your other companions.
Aren't they used to less natural things with him in the neighborhood?'
Kurama blinked at that thought, tilting his head and turning up to look at
Hiei, "What do you think?"
"You're asking me?" he chuckled, expression showing he thought Kurama was
finally losing it. "Are you forgetting that I'm using your romantic
failures to assuage my boredom?"
"I'm asking you seriously, dammit!" Kurama seethed up at him. "Can you
forget that you're acting like a human teenager for two seconds and give me
some advice I can use?"
"If you're going to continue to call me by such names, I may leave you to
wallow in your troubles without even my company," Hiei turned up his nose.
Kurama just barely stopped himself from tearing out his own hair, counting to
ten with Youko rattling off his plans for the removal of vital organs in the
background, "Hiei."
"What could it hurt," he acquiesced grudgingly, but he still knew better than
to push Kurama too far beyond a certain point. He didn't earn his respect
and friendship with only that pretty face, after all, "Maybe it would be easier
if you weren't the strangest ehuman' in the town. If they're used to
Yusuke and the company he keeps already, they may be more likely to accept
your... quirks."
eI'll show his ass quirks,' Youko's growl actually spilled over, making
Hiei's attention snap down to him with a warning look.
"It's my house, I can growl if I want to," Kurama shot back, covering his own
concern at such a blatant mingling of their personas.
Hiei continued to stare silently for a long moment, eyes narrowed and piercing
until Kurama looked off at the night sky again, "Perhaps being around those
humans will do you some good. You were always more focused on giving off
those enothing could possibly shake me' vibes when they were around. And
if you're getting pissy you can always play one of your tricks on them without
giving yourself away."
"There is that bonus," his lips curved up slightly at the thought.
Kurama wearily tucked his other knee up to his chest, resting his forehead on
his folded arms and closing his eyes to let the sounds and smells of nature the
breeze carried to smooth over his senses. eYou know... we should really
get a place out farther. It's not that difficult for them to get to us
with all that portal shit, and we could actually be close to trees and real
plants. That'd calm us down.'
eNot now, Youko,' Kurama
shook his head. eWe need to be where we can get to everyone and still
have our privacy. We've been over this.'
eYeah well, it sucks,' he
retorted. eWe can't thrive in such unfeeling environments, and our
offspring will hate it. Or grow up weird and humanized... like those other
kitsune we've seen here and there.'
eWe're getting ahead of ourselves,' Kurama
cut him off rather than admit he was confused by the almost wistful tone to his
voice, almost like Youko was actually starting to want to succeed instead of
feeling as indifferent as he first claimed. eWe have to actually make
the child first.'
eDetails,' Youko waved
that off with the kind of perfect confidence only a kitsune could have.
"Are we going to kill what's left of our sanity by staying in Yusuke's
neighborhood, or aren't we?" Hiei interrupted again, mildly irritated at
Kurama's ability to exclude anyone around him simply by striking up a
conversation with Youko. "You're going to have to focus or you're going
to be just as unsuccessful there as you have been here."
Kurama blinked up at Hiei, tilting his head as he pondered just what had
brought on that almost scolding tone, "I'm not an idiot, Hiei."
"Then stop acting like one," he stood up, setting a hand on his hip before
scowling off at the random flashes of youki swirling in the shadows.
"Come on. We'll have time to take out a few minor troubles before
morning, work off some of your frustration."
eHe's still not forgiven,' Youko grumbled in the silence that followed,
even as Kurama rose to his feet.
"You're breaking my heart," Hiei scoffed, stretching his arms up over his head.
"If you had one to break, I would," Kurama shot back, climbing up onto the rail and taking in a deep, cleansing breath of air. "Don't fall behind," he taunted before leaping off the balcony.