InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Heart Within ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

THE HEART WITHIN

Summary: She has carried vengeance in her shadowed heart for 500 years, sacrificing her self for that dream. Now, Sango just might get her chance… (IY/YYH crossover)

A/N: I agonized over this chapter for weeks, especially with Kurama. He is a complex character and hard to pin down. It’s been easier with Yusuke, who I thought would be a lot harder, but has proven the most fun to write. As Purplepeopleeater so succinctly put it in a review, if Miroku and Inuyasha ever had a love-child, it would be Yusuke. (That had me crying laughing, as do a lot of your reviews. LOL) Anyhoot, I hope you like the result, and thank you everyone for your continued reviews. They are each so encouraging, and I value the insights and suggestions. They make my mind whirl off into new directions I never even knew plot bunnies could hop. O.O (Fate)

WARNING! RUN-ON SENTENCES, LIMEY TENSION AND SEXUAL INUENDO!

Chapter Eight

“What the hell?!”

Yusuke slid to an awkward stop beside the crouching form of his red-haired friend, who was half-hidden by the dense trees and brush that grew in a gnarled riot around their precarious perch. Kurama shot him a warning look, finger to his lips, as they peered down the steep embankment to the open valley that spread out before them. Grass waist-high waved across the wide field, stirred by the playful wind into rippling runnels like ocean tides beneath a purple-clouded pink sky. The herd spread out below them was a good size, a mix of both male and female and their foals, which ran and played with as much abandon as any of the young and innocent. The scene was sweetly peaceful, the white, horned horses so beautiful they even caused an ache in the ex-detective’s throat as he watched them in dawning awe---awe that was even more inspired by the young woman who strolled so casually among them, as if she were but taking a morning hike around a fenced-in pasture. One hand was tangled in the mane of a small foal, its mother following like a dog on an invisible leash as other unicorns started lazily taking notice and coming up to crowd around her as if she were something of interest.

A thought froze him, and Yusuke whispered urgently, “Are they starting to circle her, like you said they do with their prey?”

Kurama only shook his head, the stiff tension in his shoulders easing as he watched the scene below. He still crouched, green eyes wary, but he wasn’t braced for an attack like he had been before.

There was a whisper of movement, and Hiei appeared beside them, his red eyes taking in the open valley with a certain measure before turning his gaze to the Mazoku, who looked confused.

“I don’t get it. What’s going on? Why aren’t they attacking her?” he demanded in a harsh whisper, hand sweeping out to wave at the herd, who appeared rather relaxed on the whole, and not like the rabid beasts of horror the two demons had painted them out to be.

“She’s a virgin,” Hiei growled, folding his arms and glaring down at the object of their discussion.

“So?” Yusuke suddenly remembered, and his mouth formed an “O” of surprise. Scrubbing at the back of his neck, a grin dawned. “Well, whaddya know. I guess that part holds true, then? That unicorns are attracted to girls?”

“I wouldn’t say attracted.” Kurama’s lips were pressed together in a thin line. The expression in his dark green eyes was unreadable. “But they won’t attack one who is innocent.”

“Well, this grows boring.” Yusuke sighed, impatient with crouching in the bushes while they watched a herd of My Little Ponies play with a horse-mad girl. “Why don’t we just holler at her to get her ass back up here?”

“Quiet, Yusuke. You don’t want to attract their attention. They will attack, I assure you,” Kurama cautioned sharply in a low whisper.

Yusuke made a face. He wasn’t afraid of a white horse, no matter what kind of dental equipment it had. And he was still hungry, and breakfast wasn’t getting made any quicker with them stuck here watching the stupid virgin assassin play with killer unicorns.

“Well, then, what are we gonna do? ’Cause I sure as hell can’t go down there and fetch her---I’d get eaten alive.” He grinned, smug with the knowledge that he wasn’t any kind of freaking virgin. He didn’t expect the others to be, either.

“Hn.”

He looked over at Hiei, who only glared before suddenly leaping off the embankment and straight down into the field a good ten feet below, his black cloak fanning wildly in the breeze of his passage.

“Holy shit! What the hell is he doing!” Yusuke was about to rush after his stupid friend, but the heavy hand Kurama laid on his shoulder stayed him. “Kurama?”

“Don’t bother, Yusuke. Hiei will not be harmed,” the fox said, eyes intent on the distant figure, who was now stalking through the grass in a straight bee-line for the girl. The unicorns who surrounded him raised their heads but only snorted as he passed, tossing their manes or ignoring him as if he were of little interest.

“Huh?” It suddenly dawned on Yusuke, why the animals could care less if the short demon was in their very midst, and his eyes widened as a surprised grin spread across his face. “No fucking way. That damn youkai is a virgin? Holy crap!”

“Quiet, Yusuke.” Kurama’s whisper was a low growl of sharp rebuke. Yusuke looked at him, surprised by the fervency in his friend’s voice. Maybe the fox knew something he didn’t---though man was that crazy that Hiei of all people was a virgin!

Yusuke knew when to shut up, though, and waited in tense silence as the fire demon approached the girl, who glanced toward their hidden position before nodding. She hugged the little unicorn goodbye---which made Yusuke roll his eyes at the sappy sentiment of it---and then the pair turned back towards them, the taiji-ya walking slightly ahead of the black-haired demon.


Sango was surprised when the fire apparition abruptly appeared. Fingers still tangled in the soft mane of her new-found friend, she watched with a wary tension as he approached her, his expression bland as his red eyes caught hers.

“The others are waiting for you,” he said, words clipped as he jerked his spiky head in their direction. He ignored the unicorns who milled around them. They returned his disinterest, dismissing his presence with a few long looks out of languid blue eyes before wandering away, tails flicking lazily as their curiosity waned.

Sango looked up toward the far bank, which was a barren thrust of red dirt, the roots of a few clinging bushes exposed like tangled spaghetti beneath the looming cover of the forest. She couldn’t see anyone lurking in the thick brush, but knew she wouldn’t be able to. Turning to the demon, she nodded her agreement before turning back to the little foal with a regretful sigh for the end of her sweet interlude. It had been an half-hour of surprising wonder, for she was accepted so readily among such unearthly beautiful creatures she had never expected to meet in the demon realm, of all places.

“Goodbye,” she whispered in the little unicorn’s ear as she hugged him. His ear flicked in her direction and his warm breath whuffled across her hair as he nuzzled her. She smiled, blinking back a sudden onslaught of regretful tears, and wondered at the strange mix of emotions called up by the simple act. She would probably never see him again and she was so tired of always having to say goodbye. She hugged him harder and then forced herself to let him go, watching stony-eyed and blank-faced as he pranced over to his mother, who sniffed over him before tossing her head and turning away. That seemed to signal the rest of the herd to leave them alone and their path was lazily cleared as the unicorns moved off to other parts of the large valley at a leisurely pace.

Sango walked slightly ahead of the red-eyed demon, her back stiff and her look rocky. She didn’t like his being the one to come fetch her like some naughty child, or having him be the one to see her slight emotion when saying farewell. Worse was the fact that he had been the one to force himself into her memories last night and the gods alone knew what kind of emotion he had found there.

He seemed to be reading her mind now, for he broke the tense silence between them with a sudden growl. “Don’t expect me to apologize, girl, for what I did for your benefit.”

Sango stopped, eyes narrowing as she spun around to snap, “I wouldn’t expect a demon to. You tend to just take what you want and be damned to who you hurt when you do.” There was a wealth of loathing in that sentence.

“Hn.” Hiei smiled, eyes lit with something almost cruel and undeniably smug. “Because we can.”

Sango’s fists curled. She wanted to wipe that arrogant sneer off of his hated face, and her eyes flashed dangerously. “I never asked for your help, youkai.”

“But you won’t spurn it, either.” His crimson eyes met hers in a long, silent battle until she finally turned back around with a snarl of pure frustration that she daren’t touch him, for he was right, damn him!

“Gods, I hate you,” she spat, her anger blending with her general loathing for his kind.

“Do you?” He raised a brow, red eyes impenetrable below the wild crop of white-tipped black hair. “Or do you just hate yourself?”

She stiffened, caught up by that sharp truth even as he swept past her. Eyes narrowing, she felt her heart pounding a heavy beat inside her chest even as the anger swirled up around her in venomous waves of erratic energy. A wind howled across the field, tossing her damp locks behind her as her hands curled around two of her daggers, plucking them free even as her eyes flashed, the brown depths gaining a reddish tinge as the youkai rage in her blood grew hot with un-vented fury.

Feeling the energy building behind him, Hiei spun, his sword drawn in a guard position to rest against his other braced forearm in the shape of a letter T as he growled. The white bandage above his red eyes glowed with an eerie green light, burning away as the wild jyaki grew around them. His third eye opened, the iris expanding in the lavender depths as he bared his fangs. “You little fool!”

Sango was beyond caring, she only knew she wanted to end this, here and now. That little bastard was long overdue for a beating---

They both froze in place as a horse squealed angrily, another trumpeting its challenge as a sudden thunder shook the ground underneath their feet. Sango looked wildly around her, her demon energy abruptly slipping away with her single-minded rage as she realized the white cloud rushing towards them was the whole herd of unicorns, who were circling like a curling wave across the valley floor, gathering more to their numbers before bearing down on them in a unrelenting stream of stampeding vengeance. She let out a startled cry, seeing the bared teeth as their lips curled back over their sharp fangs and their angry blue eyes flashed with bloody wrath at the angry jyaki called within their midst.

“Drop your knives, fool!” Hiei leapt at her, having dropped his own sword in the grass, and plucked them free just as the herd surrounded them in a circle of snapping fury. Hastily flinging the blades aside, Hiei knocked her off her feet with his heavier weight, forcing her under him as he curled over her protectively nary a moment too soon, for he could feel a dozen razor-sharp horns brushing against his back and shoulders, stopping only a hair’s breadth from impaling him as the herd’s anger washed over them in a wave of snarling remonstrance.

Sango shuddered, breath gasping against the demon’s throat as he huddled over her. She could feel the heat of his skin through the thick folds of his cloak and his spiky hair tickled her face as he slowly turned his head to stare around them. She trembled, feeling the demonic rage surrounding them, and waited breathlessly for what might happen next. Her eyes flicked from side to side, catching glimpses of bared fangs and scarlet eyes, and she shuddered at the knowledge that these horrific beasts were not what she had known just a few minutes ago. They stamped restlessly, their cloven hooves tearing up the grass as the herd milled around in some confusion as Hiei continued to press her into the dirt with his heavier weight. She had a pebble digging into her back, and his arm, which circled around the back of her head, was also pinning her ponytail so hard to the ground it made tears spring to her eyes. She blinked, silently rebuking herself for caring about that stupid fact even as certain death awaited them if they so much as moved.

“Laugh.”

“What?” She tensed at his harsh whisper, eyes widening as he met her gaze, his red eyes glowering into hers.

“Laugh, you fool! And mean it---or we’re both dead.” He forced a chuckle that sounded pretty bad to her ears, and giving him a doubtful frown, Sango weakly followed suit, sending out a breathy wheeze that didn’t sound all that amused.

It wasn’t working. Their pathetic attempts weren’t fooling the unicorns, who tensed and snorted their contempt. A horn pierced the ground near Sango’s shoulder, flinging clods of dirt as a pair of jaws snapped somewhere above them in aggressive warning. She winced, trying to force more cheer into her voice as she dug up a weak laugh. Her chest felt tight and she knew with certain dread that they were about to die.

“Are you ticklish?” Hiei growled, desperation in his strained voice as he barked a sharp laugh that was nothing of the sort.

“Wha---EEEK!” She shrieked as his hands impatiently pushed up the damp fabric of her shirt, calloused fingers feathering across the sides of her waist just under her ribs as she jerked, trying to push him off her in reaction to the abrupt sensation. Her eyes watered and she wheezed, giggles forced out as she howled for him to stop.

“Oh god---please---hee-hee---oh, my god---Hiei, stop, damn you!”

He grinned at her helpless reaction, tickling harder as she bucked beneath him, trying to escape his fingers as he hung on for dear life. He laughed at her outraged expression, even as she snorted and wheezed, her body shaking and twisting as she tried to get away from him.

There was a startled snort and the unicorns drew back, the swirling, red rage in their eyes dissolving as they looked on with baffled wonder and amusement. A foal whinnied, joining in the shrieking laughter as Sango surrendered to the demon’s skillful attack. Hiei smiled as she tried to push him off her, laughing as her face grew red and her eyes danced. He kept it up until the unicorns finally retreated, their interest waning as their prey frolicked in the grass like any foal. The yearlings began a game of chase, and the younger ones followed after on spindly legs, the older unicorns looking after them with tolerant affection as they slowly wandered away.

Noting their retreat, Hiei stopped his assault on the slayer beneath him, though he waited for them both to catch their hoarse breaths, his eyes intent on hers as she grinned up at him. Sango panted, her eyes blinking back tears, unable to keep her anger up in the face of such a ridiculously brilliant solution. She had never, ever, expected to be tickled by a demon under the threat of instant death, and she couldn’t hold any emotion but a continued bemusement that she kept trying to muffle with half-hearted giggles as she smiled up at him, eyes warm with the emotional release of her laughter.

He stared down at her, the look in his red eyes slowly darkening. Sango blinked, her lips parting slightly as she abruptly became aware of how his body was sprawled across hers, their legs tangled together as her hips nestled his rather intimately. One of his hands had come to rest palm-down on the flattened grass beside her head and his fingers curled slightly as he lowered his head a mere fraction, his crimson eyes so intense it sent a shivering tingle through her body and heat flushing across her skin as she trembled with the raw feel of it.

A gruff neigh abruptly broke the spell, and both of them shot the old curmudgeonly mare who eyed them with sour censure a startled glance. A tinge of reddening anger circled through the disdainful blue eye and they both stiffened. Sango blushed as the fire demon silently sat back, his expression rather bland as she scooted out from under him. Not meeting his eyes, Sango searched for her knives tossed aside in the grass, and found his sword just as he did. Cheeks flaming, she let him take the weapon, which he gingerly sheathed. He helped her up to her feet and she let him, one eye on the mare who still watched them with a suspicious glare.

He picked up her knives as she dusted the grass off her ass and she murmured a terse thanks when he silently handed them over. Sheathing the blades, she bit her lip as he jerked his head toward the embankment, where the others must still be waiting. Sango’s face was on fire, wondering what they must have seen, and she followed the swiftly walking fire demon as they retreated from the unicorns’ valley, as eager as he to be quit of it, and uncertain why her heart was still beating so hard in her chest, or why her skin was still tingling from the contact of his.


Being the calm, level-headed person who could always keep their cool in even the most trying of circumstances had its downsides. Others were always relying on him to be the one to keep them from doing anything foolishly rash, certain that he would never feel the overwhelming need to just go off half-cocked and angry, or worse---stubborn and frightened. Others lauded him for his cool intellect, his ability to separate himself from a situation and weigh the various advantages and outcomes and decide---coolly, levelly, logically---which was the best course to take in a given circumstance.

But he was human, and youkai, and as feeling as they. He just never let those feelings rule him, but there were times when he wished he could. Because there were times he wanted to just go on his first instinct, which was to fling caution to the winds and be damned to the consequences, but no---he was Kurama, and there were certain expectations of him, even by those closest to him, who would have given him the choice if they had ever guessed that sometimes his role as always the Sensible One chafed.

He was cursed with dependability, and doubly-cursed by being able to see and understand all sides of a situation, even his own and the role he must play. He was forced to see the pattern and even acknowledge his own part in how it had come about. He was proud of his intellect, proud of his ability to step outside a situation and see the many paths that led to and from it, and more than proud that he could choose his own way among them, managing his own destiny as much as he may by controlling everything he could in his life and protecting himself as much as possible in the process.

But sometimes---sometimes---it just sucked.

“Heh.”

Kurama closed his eyes, ignoring Yusuke’s sudden “Oh, yeah!” as he watched Hiei help Sango up off the ground, the unicorns finally having retreated. The fire demon’s strategy of tickling the girl to generate genuine laughter was brilliant, really. Kurama could hardly find fault with it. Not many warriors had the wits to realize that anything could be turned into a weapon for their hand---even something as underrated as laughter. Kurama had employed it to his own benefit, and not so long ago, when he battled his schoolmate, Yuu Kaitou, within the psychic’s own territory. It was all simply yin and yang, really. When the yang of fear had not worked to make the psychic holler, Kurama had resorted to the passive yin attack of evoking hilarity to best his foe.

It was often the unexpected that worked the best---surprise was ever a good tactic, in both battle and life.

He was certainly surprised at how strong his reaction was, in first seeing the taiji-ya and his closest friend face off, and then seeing them surrounded by a circle of certain death as the unicorns attacked them en masse. The unicorns’ instincts had called them to defend their valley and young from the powerful surge of demonic rage summoned so carelessly by the two warriors. He had wanted to leap down from the safety of his hiding place to go and save them---although he knew the futility of such an action, knew already that Hiei was doing the most sensible he could in disarming them both before throwing himself atop the slayer to protect her, and knew with a deepening sense of anger that he was needed here, to stop Yusuke from doing what he so wanted to do---which was to go down charging into that valley and slaughter every last damn youkai threatening his friends.

But he was the Sensible One. He was the one depended upon to keep a cooler head than the others, and to stop them from doing the foolish things he, himself, often desired to do. And never before had the constraints he had placed upon himself felt so binding or loathsome. But he was Kurama, and so he had done it, even as he snarled over the fact and let none of his personal battle of the emotions called up within himself show on his calm face as he held the ex-detective back, cautioning him to wait and see what Hiei would do even as he snarled inside himself to just go!

If that had been all, than he could have lived with that. He could have broken his reaction down later into separate parts to dissect and study, neatly compartmentalizing them inside his mind, chasing why and wherefore and understanding what had driven the instinct and even forgiving himself the natural emotions stirred up by such circumstance. He probably would have lauded his own sensible reaction in staying put, and even having his faith in his fiery-tempered friend proven right once more.

But none of that mattered---for the emotive reaction that truly troubled him was not the natural instincts that had stirred inside of him when he had seen the two of them in such danger---that was only human, after all---no, it was not that. It was, rather, his reaction at seeing the two of them lying together on the grass after the unicorns had retreated. It was seeing Hiei pause for a significant moment before sitting back and seeing the taiji-ya’s blush and knowing---oh, so very well---the cause of it.

His fingers were curling into fists even now at the mere memory and he was deeply troubled by the strange emotion called up within him. It was an emotion Youko had never felt the need for and one so petty he could not believe existed within himself.

*Jealousy.*

It was such an ugly, childish emotion, and one he could well do without. He’d purge it, somehow, find out the underlying reasons and expunge it from his thoughts, no matter how long it took or what it might cost him to do so.

Problem was---he wasn’t entirely certain just who the jealousy was for.

Breathing in deeply, Kurama sought to calm his turbulent thoughts even as Yusuke whooped and hollered beside him, oblivious to the fox demon’s internal dilemma. The fact was, Youko had always been rather free with his affections. The ancient kitsune had been an experienced and frequent lover, taking and discarding his many amours with little thought or consistency. The demon had never seen the need to constrain himself to just one---or even one at a time, really---and like a bee who went from flower to flower, he had little concern over who or how, man or woman, male or female, only with what caught his attention or fancy at the moment. And once his attention waned, than that was that, and it was over, no matter who or how he hurt those who loved him more deeply than the white fox could allow himself.

Faithless, that was what the fox had been, and was as unconcerned by that fact as Kurama was concerned by it. He was not Youko, not entirely. He had his own thoughts, his own concerns and his own ideals. While Youko certainly shaded his own awareness---and there were times when they were so twined as to be one in thought and deed---still there were things Kurama could not do. While Youko could be careless of others and their feelings, Kurama could not, and while Youko could let control go once in a while to do as he wished, on feeling alone, Kurama could not, for he was more afraid of losing control than anything else, even pain or death.

The fact was, these sudden feelings called up by the slayer were something beyond---and thus out of---his control, and he didn’t like that. Certainly, she was a beautiful woman, and there was a complexity there that sparked his curiosity and fed his interest. Knowing as little as he did of her past, still it called up within him a strange mix of feelings---both pity and pride, that she had survived so long and with so little in her favor. The sadness he sensed within her, the loneliness, the burden of a life lived perhaps too long in the shadows---that called to him. There were depths to her he could not even begin to guess at and he wanted to, more than even he could perhaps admit to himself right now. And surprisingly, he didn’t feel the need to question that fact as he would have in any normal situation. It was as if he recognized within her something within himself, and as yet did not quite know what, but it was there all the same.

As for Hiei---Hiei was his friend and ally. He had never questioned their uncommon understanding, their unspoken bond and accord. They were a perfect balance for each other, yin for yang, and the perfect complement---for Hiei’s passion was his own, though more carefully hidden. Their friendship was something he took for granted, really, something that was almost instinctive. In that, Youko and he were in full agreement, but then, Youko had had friends like that in the past, friends who were as close as brothers and who he had carefully separated in his kitsune mind from his lighter liaisons. While the fox might have felt attracted to his closest friends, that had been easily discarded for the loyal friendship between them. Youko had been good at that---though he had also been good at cutting the ties when it suited him to do so, even for those closest to him. Yomi, for instance, was one he had befriended for long years, but had been able to turn his back on when the eager demon had proved too high a liability for their band of thieves. Youko could easily make that choice---Kurama could not.

His loyalty, once given, was given, no matter what. He had betrayed Hiei once---and it had been a painful choice, for it had been his human mother, the one who had given birth to him, that he had betrayed the fire demon for---but he would never do so again, for Hiei was more to him now. He knew, and accepted, his physical attraction to the fire apparition and also knew, instinctively, that the terse-worded demon could never welcome it. He had been easy with that, knowing that such love was not for everyone.

That was fine. They were friends, and brothers, and that was enough.

Or it had been---until the knowledge had hit him like a blow just now that maybe it wasn’t enough. For even as his face remained carefully composed, his fingers had curled into the dirt beside him, his claws growing slightly as emotions were raised he had never suspected might lie within himself. Seeing Hiei with her, and her with Hiei---and in so relatively mild a circumstance, no matter how significant---that had built a turmoil within him he would never have guessed could exist.

It was daunting---and, yes, he was forced to admit, even a little frightening---to realize just how out of touch he was with his true feelings. Where and when this had come about, he could not say. He had reacted almost instantly to the girl, the taiji-ya, and in a way that was as startling to his unsettled mind as the sudden surge in his unspoken attraction for the edgy fire apparition. These feelings---they were unworthy of him, or them, and he felt unbalanced and out of his depth. He was not an emotional creature. Well---Kurama’s lips quirked slightly in self-derision---that was certainly not true. But he was in control of his emotions, and this sudden onslaught of raw feeling and desire left him feeling out of control, and that was worse than the emotions themselves.

Well, if he could not control his inner reactions, than he at least could control his outer self, and give the appearance of being unaffected. He was particularly good at that---he had had a good teacher in Youko for it. The only one who could truly get to him was his human mother, and she, at least, was safely in human world, just engaged to a gentle man Kurama could not have found better himself if he had tried. They were currently planning their July wedding---and he was assured as to her happiness, which made him glad, for that was a particular weakness for him, her happiness and his wish for it.

He was determined never to allow another such weakness, for in that, at least, Youko was right. Too much emotion and caring allowed chinks in his armor, chinks that could be turned against him and prove his undoing. That was a weakness he refused to allow himself.

And so he was distantly polite as the two of them, Hiei and Anei, finally emerged from the valley floor, forging a path up the embankment with a difficult scramble up the steep path just to the left of where he and Yusuke had lain hidden. While Yusuke ran to greet them, barely stifling a loud whoop as he grabbed the startled girl up in a hug and spun her about, he merely stepped from the brush to nod at the fire demon, who didn’t look too happy at the detective’s exuberant welcome.

Fighting his own ire at the Mazoku’s rough embrace of the girl, Kurama only said, “That was quick thinking, Hiei.”

“Hn.” The fire demon crossed his arms, glaring at the detective, who was oblivious to the heated look the two demons were giving him, for Kurama could not quite keep the irritation from his gaze.

“Shall we go?” Kurama suddenly demanded, words clipped. His voice must have been a little more strained than he had believed, for Hiei shot him a sharp look. Kurama refused to meet the youkai’s penetrating gaze and watched as Yusuke finally let the slayer go, though he still had a casual arm thrown over her shoulders as he grinned back at his friends, brown eyes lit with unholy amusement.

Kurama’s brows drew down. He had the sneaking suspicion Yusuke wasn’t as oblivious as he seemed. He wondered, suddenly, if the former Spirit Detective had just contrived the whole welcome scene, just to see if he could get a rise out of his friends. He didn’t like that blatant show of his own weakness in regards to the girl and how she affected him, but he felt oddly smug when she slipped out of the detective’s casual hold with an almost automatic gesture, neatly extricating herself and putting some distance between them.

“Miss Anei---you are all right?” He tried to pretend that the concern in his voice was merely the concern he would feel for anyone, but the attempt was rather pathetic, even to himself.

“Yes, thank you.” She was painfully polite, though a faint blush crossed her cheeks, and she wouldn’t meet any of their eyes. Her gaze flickered across the valley below them, her deep brown eyes holding something almost sad and nervous, before she stiffened as he extended her discarded items back to her.

“Thank you,” she repeated, seeming to withdraw inside herself as she accepted the neatly-folded cloak, her abandoned weapons and arm-band atop it. Her carefully bland expression was mirrored by the two demons, who both turned to Yusuke as he stretched his arms out and rolled his shoulders, cracking his spine as he wagged his scruffy head in a shoulder-roll to loosen the tension from his neck.

“Man, I’m starved. I’m for breakfast. Who’s with me?”

They looked at him and he only grinned. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he sauntered off, lightly whistling as the three shrugged and followed his ambling lead back to the cave.

Kurama smiled. Leave it to Yusuke to diffuse a situation and put things into their proper perspective.