Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Just Outside the Light ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

Wow, I got a few reviews. Hmm…

Disclaimer: I don't own it, and am coming to terms with the fact that I probably never will… probably.

Author: Letta

Rating: Probably R.

Warnings: Violence, slight OOC, possibly AU- it's up to you.

Pairings: none so far, tell me if you want any!!!!!

"speaking"

/thoughts/

Title: Just Outside the Light

Kurama rubbed his temple slightly. It felt sore. He supposed he couldn't fault Yukina for that, after all, she had managed to return his memories to him.

He was back at his house, having finally been allowed to leave Genkai's. He had given his thanks to Leiko, who had shrugged, and said she'd be back if she couldn't find his attackers.

Hiei had given him a strange look, and then disappeared to wherever it is that he goes. Yukina had seemed worried in general, and Genkai had taken to staring at him, as if trying to figure something out. The weird behavior had caused him to leave sooner than he otherwise would have.

The redhead stood in front of his bathroom mirror, buttoning up his school uniform and adjusting it so that it hung straight. He wouldn't deny that he cared about his appearance. Kitsunes were often given to decorating themselves to attract mates, male or female. It was in his very nature to at least try to look his best.

It was as he swept his eyes over his reflection one last time, looking for any faults, that his temple began to throb painfully. He gritted his teeth as he raised a hand to it, but the pain intensified, and he found his knees weakening as he sank to the floor.

It felt like his mind was being split in two. He didn't even realize he was biting the inside of his lip, not even when blood began to dribble down his chin in a thin red line. His entire mind focused on the burgeoning pain emanating from his temple.

~`~`~`~`~`

Yusuke grumbled to himself as he picked up the phone, wondering which part of town his mother was currently making an idiot of herself in.

"Moshi Moshi."

"Hello Yusuke, it's Kurama."

The spirit detective was a little surprised. He couldn't remember Kurama ever calling him before, or even giving the kitsune his phone number. If there was ever an emergency, they would all be rounded up by Botan. If Kurama wanted him for anything else, he had a habit of just showing up.

He had noticed that the youko had a certain distaste for phones. This made him wonder why they were talking to each other on one. Yusuke half suspected it had something to do with the mobs of girls that tried to follow the redhead around. At least one would call every time Yusuke was over. Fortunately, Shiori would usually intercept them, much to Kurama's relief.

"What's up?"

"I just wanted to know if it would be all right if I could come over."

"Sure, if you don't mind being surrounded by mess," Yusuke answered, looking around at the disorder of the room and trying to figure out where this was going. "Is there anything wrong?"

"Not at all, I just wanted to hang out with you, Yusuke."

"Well it's fine by me. What time are you planning on coming over?"

"I was hoping right away, if that's okay."

"Yeah sure. See you in a few," Yusuke said, hanging up the phone after Kurama said his `goodbye.' He couldn't shake the feeling that Kurama had sounded… distracted. If he had to guess, he'd say that everything wasn't quite all right with the kitsune.

He shrugged.

If there was something wrong with Kurama, he'd probably find out what it was when the redhead showed up.

~`~`~`~`~`

Hiei watched Kurama leave his house. There was something different in the kitsune's stride. The jaganshi couldn't quite place it, but the redhead emanated of wrongness.

However, he wasn't going to waste time concerning himself with that when the kitsune was on the move. He silently leapt from one tree to the next, following Kurama through the twists and turns of the human city. It wasn't long before he was lost; relying only on the redhead he was tracking to lead him. There was some thought tugging at his mind the entire time which refused to be pushed to the forefront. It seemed vaguely important.

It was as he flitted from one shadow to another around a corner and into an alley, the trees far behind, that he realized what it was.

Kurama was nowhere to be seen.

Hiei swore. He had been deliberately led around until he was lost, then the kitsune disappeared. The redhead had known he was being trailed all along.

The fire jaganshi ran to the other end of the alley, eyes scanning the crowd of people for any sight of red hair, seeing none. He couldn't even sense him! Quickly, Hiei flitted to the top the building he was next to, looking five stories down onto the streets below. No matter which direction he looked, he saw no trace of the redhead. He leapt down breaking into a run, a growing discomfort forming in his stomach, ignoring the few stares he received from when he landed.

He rounded one corner, then the next, hopelessly losing himself further within the twists and turns of the city.

/Damn! These human streets all look alike!/ He looked both ways down the sidewalk he had come to, searching across the street as well.

Hiei stopped his run and looked around, his eyes landing on a tree. He dashed over to it and leapt up into its enfolding branches. Once he was carefully concealed, he removed the ward from his jagan.

Concentrating, he searched out the familiar energy of the kitsune, scowling when he felt an alien darkness clinging to it, warring and wrestling with the usually calm spirit of the youko. It was faint, telling him that Kurama was far away, but it was there. Whatever forces drove the kitsune at the moment were dark.

It then hit him as to where the youko was headed.

"Yusuke," Hiei growled, taking off in the direction his jagan pointed him to.

~`~`~`~`~`

Yusuke ran to the front door when he heard the soft knock. If he hadn't known Kurama was coming, he wouldn't have been listening for it, and probably would have missed it. It wouldn't be the first time.

He remembered Kurama apologizing for breaking in, and then apologizing for nearly giving him a heart attack. It had been some sort of emergency mission and Botan had sent Kurama to get him while she searched for Hiei and Kuwabara.

There was more than once where Kurama had proved that it was beneficial to be a thief. Of course, there were also times when Yusuke had learned that it was not beneficial to have a kitsune friend who had been a thief. Like the time when Kurama had broken in and nearly given him a heart attack.

Yusuke grinned as he threw open the door, inviting the redhead inside the apartment. The kitsune greeted him with a strange smile, stepping in and shutting the door behind him, turning on the spirit detective.

"Hello Yusuke," he purred dangerously, looking for all the world like he was ready to strike.

To say that Kurama's demeanor was putting him on edge was an understatement. The brunette backed up uncertainly, trying to get some distance between him and the decidedly abnormal kitsune, when his back hit the wall.

"What's up, Kurama?"

"Nothing much."

The kitsune's eyes took on what could only be a malicious glint as he took a step forward.

"Is there something on your mind?" Yusuke asked nervously, trying to figure out what could possibly be causing the redhead to act like this.

Kurama didn't answer save to shoot out a fist, aimed directly at the spirit detective's head.

~`~`~`~`~`

Kuwabara shivered as his unusually high spirit awareness picked up a disturbance. He had been feeding a kitten that he had found in an alley and brought home when the feeling hit.

There was something familiar about it, and he concentrated, trying to figure out what exactly it was that had bothered him.

He gasped when it clicked.

"Kurama!"

Hurriedly, he ran from his house, heading in the direction he sensed the kitsune, only vaguely registering how familiar this path seemed.

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A/N: This was kind of rushed.