Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Inheritance ❯ Intolerance ( Chapter 3 )

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

Chapter 3
Intolerance

He's felt the eyes on him throughout supper, but as of yet they hadn't asked. Just as Kazuya reached for seconds Suu-chan finally broke the silence.

"Brother... who was that guy?"

Kurama almost sighs but manages to hold it back and smile pleasantly. "An old friend."

Suu-chan looks puzzled. "Really? He acted awfully strange for a friend. He was way too close and he was leaning over you and he looked kinda intimidating and his voice was all weird... I thought he was going to eat you or something."

Kazuya bursts into a fit of choking as Shiori goes bright red. Kurama takes a Que from their discomfort and quickly decides on a suitable lie. "Demons are aggressive by nature. Our homeland constantly smells of blood. We simply have different ways of greeting one another than humans do. Kuronue has never been to the human realm before so he doesn't understand the rules of interaction. I'll explain it to him later, after all, when in the human realm one should behave in a human manor."

"Oh. Yomi didn't greet you like that. "

Kurama smiles a bit at his younger brother's perceptiveness. "Yomi was showing respect to you, Mother, and Father. As well as showing me that he accepts my choice to live as a human by greeting me in a human fashion. That friendship is based more on subtleties, Kuro has always been much more direct in his approach."

"That makes sense. Why did he give you that rose?"

Kurama takes it gently and places it on the table, looking at it as he smiles slowly. "I love roses. Being a plant manipulator reinforces that. I've always thought the Ruby Roses to be exquisite from the moment I laid eyes on the first one all those years ago. Kuro helped me collect 6 of the 7. He must have thought the 7th to be a suitable reunion gift." Suu-chan nods in understanding and poses yet another question.

"He's the Kuronue that you dreamt about huh? How long have you known him?"

Kurama stirs the food on his plate aimlessly. "Yes, he's a very old friend. I first met him about 700 years ago."

Suu-chan nods then gets a goofy grin and busts up laughing. Kurama gives him a pointed look. "What's so funny?"

Suu-chan wipes a tear from his eye. "Kuro just kinda reminds me of Yusuke-kun is all."

Kurama's back instantly straightens. He had never thought of that but the similarities were certainly there... Is that why I chose to let him into my thoughts? Why I confessed my plans all those years ago?

"Yes he does."

***
Kazuya sends Suu-chan to bed shortly after dinner while Kurama helps Shiori with the dishes. He had tried to hurry through them, but to no avail. He mentally cringes as Kazuya returns and stands in the doorway, quiet and pensive. Kurama pretends not to notice.

"Suuichi, I would like a word in the den once you are finished."

"Yes Father." Is his simple reply. Shiori gets worried look, not a word passes between them as they finish. All dishes dried and put away; Kurama heads for the den. He is surprised only momentarily as Shiori follows.

He knocks first and enters quietly to find Kazuya waiting in a chair across from the couch. "Sit." A command, and as loathe as he is to, Kurama obeys. Shiori follows and a silent battle is waged between her and Kazuya for a moment before he gives in and she takes a seat next to her eldest son.

Everything is silent for a few moments, Kazuya opens with a sigh. "If I hadn't seen differently for myself I might have believed what you said. You are an incredibly adept liar. Thank you for not telling him the truth."

Outwardly a compliment, but none deluded themselves into believing that it was. "One must be tricky to be kitsune, death is swift otherwise. This is the way of Makai, that demons are different from human culturally is no lie. On our first reunion Yomi sent armed guards to attack me."

"Oh is kissing perfectly acceptable between friends as well? In public no less." There is anger in Kazuya's tone but it is suppressed.

"Kuro has always been more forward than most. He was told I died, which is true. He also knew I thought him to be dead. Few ever knew the details of our relationship, my reaction to his closeness was very pivotal in proving myself to be his partner." Kurama's voice is calm and deadly, becoming his unreadable self in face of danger. Normally he would distract with false emotions to draw in his enemy, but this is not a battle of that sort, and such tactics are unnecessary.

"And this relationship?" Kazuya's eyes narrow.

"He's a friend." Kurama replies coolly, voice and eyes steady.

Kazuya jumps to his feet, temper finally snapped. "Just how many females have you dated in the time I've known you Suuichi? You have hundreds of fan girls yet none interest you?"

Kurama rises as well, but to show assertion, not aggression, his pose is relaxed. "I hardly see how that should be related."

"Are you a man or a woman!? You are far too damn pretty to be male!" His teeth are grit and pupils little more than pinpoints. If one looked close enough, the hairs on the back of his neck are standing on end.

"Kazuya!" Shiori scolds, hate to be caught between protecting her son and supporting her husband.

"Thanks for noticing, really I appreciate the compliment Kazuya-san. I am male of course."

"Men date women!" Kazuya's face goes red as a beet.

"Not always. I have respected your opinions on the matter and not engaged in any relationships that might cause conflict no matter how many presented themselves. I will not however push away an old friend, a trusted partner, and yes, an old lover who simply wished to show me that he was happy to find me alive and well after 23 years of searching. I've known him for 700 years, he's kind, caring, loyal, trustworthy and HE respects me. He's a friend now, I will explain that to him, even if I do doubt that he'll listen." Kazuya grabs Kurama by the front of his shirt and shakes him.

"I always knew you to be a freak!" Shiori pushes Kazuya away but before she can speak Kurama grabs her and pulls her behind him. His fangs bare and eyes glow bright gold.

"I have respected your wishes, but you will not change who I am." There is an undertone of a growl in his voice.

Shiori gasps and grips his arm, he doesn't take his eyes off Kazuya. "Yes Mother?"

"Your eyes changed again... and this time you have fangs too..." Kurama straightens slowly and goes to look into a mirror nearby, staring for a long moment, opening his mouth and closing it again. When he turns back to them his face is solemn, but his appearance is back to normal.

"I need to go, please excuse me." He kisses Shiori's cheek in passing as he heads straight out the door, grabbing his coat on the way. The soft click of the door seems harsh in the silence.

Shiori rounds on Kazuya, eyes burning. He takes a step back for the rare sight of Shiori pissed. She takes a deep breath in and he gulps. "You have a right to your opinion Kazuya, and Suuichi a right to his. We can no longer choose his path, especially one that was set long before he met either myself or you."

He lets go of his baited breath, thinking she might not be as mad as he thought. He is dead wrong. The fury in her eyes swells phenomenally.

"I will not ever approve of you laying hands on him in anger. Do not ever threaten his well being again."

Kazuya lowers his head in shame, knowing Shiori to be right and guilty of his own lack of control. Shiori grabs a few blankets and lays them on the couch; chin held high. He looks at her questioningly.

"I think that I will be more comfortable down here tonight." With that, she heads upstairs to change.

***
Kurama had stopped fuming... or at least set it aside the moment he looked in that mirror. Shiori had been right, his eyes were bright gold and his canines had grown into fangs. He'd taken a few deep breaths and when he looked again the changes receded. Both are traits of his kitsune from. Both are signs of a change occurring.

How had he not noticed? He felt faster and stronger lately, more in tune with his surroundings. His human and demon forms are becoming more in tune with one another on their own accord. Completed, this would mean full power in either form, it would also mean Suuichi Minamino would live as long as Yoko Kurama.

Kurama is unsure of the entire complications that might arise from this.

But why? Why now? What triggered this? How long exactly has it been going on?

After careful contemplation on the walk home Kurama dated the beginnings of the change to the silkier feel of his hair the morning before Kuwabara's birthday party. He'd ignored it at the time, but it was just that small change at fist, then another and another. He'd been to wrapped up to notice.

The implications of that makes his skin crawl. Deliberately planned.

Is Kuro's return a part of it, or unfortunate happenstance?

Kurama knew this to be long in coming. From the day he'd accepted his life with his Mother at the age of six. Fueled by making friends with Yusuke, Botan, Koenma, Kuwabara... and Hiei. Hiei definably adds to it. The clever Fox had suspected right from the beginning but to know the full extent - or does he? Always just what needs to be known. None the less it's full presentation and the fact that he's been givin all the clues necessary mean only one thing...

He will come soon.

For some reason Kurama feels unprepared.

"You're going to get yourself killed if you don't pay attention Fox." Kurama looks to the windowsill, a welcome, familiar form hunched there.

"Hiei, I thought you would have returned to Alaric. I am of course pleased to have you here. Have you eaten?" The janganashi scowls but nods once. Kurama bites back another sigh, looks to the ground, and gears up for confrontation number two of the evening. He had expected this, though he was hoping it would come later.

"Kuronue was an old partner."

"You owe me no explanations Fox." Kurama looks up in surprise. Hiei's eyes are clouded over in a way that Kurama has never seen before, it almost hurts to look. Hiei looks away first, staring out the window. "You wish for him to be your partner."

"I never said that."

"Then what do you wish Fox?" His tone is cold and uninterested but Kurama knows that to be an act.

"Desire is a complicated matter Hiei. It's been but a few hours, give me time to make the best decision. I've made a pact with you, and I will not break that... but I made a pact with Kuro as well." Hiei nods, then turns a determined gaze on Kurama.

"You've fulfilled our pact Fox. You gave me a home and a family. I have never wished to possess you and I never will. Do as you please, there is no debt on your part."

"Hiei..." But the little fire demon is gone; leaving an open window to let in the cool night breeze.

What is it about Hiei, that when trying to simplify matters, he makes them more complicated? Kurama twirls the Ruby Rose in his fingers. His favorite of all the treasures in his collection by far... at least, of those that he considered himself to own. Many different shades of red play across the surface, deep red to almost pink. Two stand out to him more than the others.

Maroon or blood red?
__________________________________________________________________ ____________________

A/N: For those of you who want to take sides, please don't. Kazuya is not 'evil' and Kurama is not 'a freak'. Misunderstandings and differences in philosophy must be dealt with in a mature manner, something that Kazuya knows he should have done, and tried to do. Being angry and hurt by something he does not understand does not mean that Kazuya hates or wants to hurt Kurama; quite the opposite really. If he didn't care he would have been cold and cruel instead of passionate. Kazuya loves his stepson and wants the best for him. I think he's been rather mailable up to this point. This is the straw that broke the camel's back.

On the other end, if you are anti-shonen ai you shouldn't be reading this. It will upset you.

The Japanese are much more stringent in their PDA than the U.S. That little stunt in the last chapter was as bad as being caught having sex in public in the U.S. Kurama only acknowledges the display as having been inappropriate. So while Kazuya was upset about the shonen ai... Kurama refused to understand until it was expressly addressed to make a point.

Kurama's little self monologue is confusing at best. If any of you understand it I'll be shocked. You really aren't meant to be too clear on it at this point so don't worry if you got lost. That was written against my will... my fingers are responsible. They typed it of their own accord and won't let me delete it so I figure it must be important.

Hiei is quick to close others out of his life. You probably would be too if you were cast out at birth and raised by thieves, then kicked out again, and cast into the bloodied terrains of Makai alone. Everyone he's gotten close to cast him out. Yukina and Meiyo, the Yu Yu gang, and Kurama are the exceptions; give him some time to adjust. Add this to the fact that he probably feels he owes Kurama and you have his decision at the end.

Please review!!!

-san: Mr. or Mrs.
-sama: Lord
-kun: Young man that is a friend
-chan: Female, young boy, or lover
Makai: Demon world
Reikai: Spirit world
Ningenkai: Human world
Kitsune: Fox spirit
Baka: idiot
Ningen: Human
Mazaku: Type of demon that Yusuke is
Sakura Tree: cherry tree
Jagan: Hiei's 3rd eye
Hiruseki: tear gem
Inari: Fox goddess
Oona: Woman
Chimera: Half animal, half human in appearance.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho nor any of its characters. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi. The plot and original characters of this fic, are however, mine.