Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Collector ❯ Pretty Butterflies and Multi-colored Soap Bubbles ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: Nope. STILL don't own anything, despite dreams of the opposite.

SM: Hello again everyone! First of all, I want to apologize for taking so long on getting this chapter out. My computer had issues, resulting in a virus, which in turn resulted in me losing EVERYTHING I had ever written on here. And stupid me, I had no back ups.

Kylyx: You're right. That was very stupid of you.

SM: Yea yea... I get enough of that from my mother, thank you.

Kylyx: Hey, its no problem at all. Since she's not here to do it on a daily basis, I've taken it apon myself to pick up the slack.

SM: *grumbles* And what about you? You're not saying a whole lot today.

Argaus: Because you've exhausted my genius on your GW one-shots. Which, may I remind you, still require quite a bit of your attention.

SM: Yea well, it's either work on those to sate your perverse appetite, or get lynched by the readers of THIS story. Honestly, the latter is much more terrifying.

Argaus: As far as you know.

SM: Whatever. Anyway guys, again, I'm so sorry this didn't come out sooner!! I really hope you enjoy it though! Ta!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pretty Butterflies and Multi-colored Soap Bubbles

"What do you mean 'no'?!" Yusuke slammed his palms down onto the shining desk top, effectively shaking the room so that the few plaques and paintings shuddered, and fell from the walls. The little godling behind the desk widened his eyes briefly, enough to show his surprise and possible indignation, before steepling his fingertips, and resting his chin upon them.

"Exactly what I said, Yusuke. This is not considered proper protocol for the situation. This situation isn't even within our jurisdiction, you realize."

"Screw that! That bastard Argaus is messing with not just one of us, but all of us! That's enough to mean he gets his ass kicked!"

Koenma sighed, and leaned back into his chair, "No, Yusuke, I'm afraid it's not. First of all, Kurama made the consciouse decision to follow him into the Makai. Second, neither are posing a threat to either of the worlds. It's not the policy of Otherworld to get involved in a petty altercation."

"You're kidding me! How can it be so hard to just open up the Southern Gate!?"

"Really, Lord Koenma, Kuwabara's right. Opening the Southern Gate would hardly breach protocol." Botan joined in the arguement, she too standing over the desk, palms face down on the glossy top. Koenma sighed again, and began rubbing his temples. He wondered, briefly, when anyone around here would give him the respect he was due.

"The Southern Gate is within in the Fire Elemental's territory, as you well know. If I were to open the gate for more than five minutes, the chances of them escaping into the Human World are greatly increased. They are far too hostile to even allow for the possiblity of their presence there. I'm sorry, Hiei, but it can't be done."

Hiei stood passively against the far wall, his hands stuffed into his coat pockets, his head bowed. He had listened to the arguement, and with a grace his teammates lacked, accepted the ultimate decision with quiet dignity. He had gone into this request with little to no hope as it was, so it wasn't much of a shock or disappointment when they got the nix. All he did, all he could do, was nod silently, turn on his heel and head out the door, his companions gaping at his turned back as he walked out on what they considered his last chance to fight for Kurama.

They at least expected him throw a fit.

As they stepped into the Urameshi household, each shuffeling their feet like doomed men to the gallows, they finally saw the fit.

Hiei balled his fist tight, and sailed a punch into the hallway wall on his right. The fist cracked the sheetrock, and went through a wall stud, the thick wood creaking and wailing as it to was humbled beneath Hiei's strength. The wall crumbled around his arm, dust pluming around his small form, appearing deceptivly like a fine mist, and settled onto his black coat. With a heavy sigh, he retrieved his arm, and continued to walk into the living room.

"Well that was rather unexpected. I'm surprised he hasn't torn half the city down, by now." Botan comment in an nonchalant way, balling her fists on her hips as she watched the little demon go. Kyla stood next to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Be thankful he hasn't. Though, he has every right to, I believe." She hurried past the blue-haired young woman, following closely after Hiei's form. The others shadowed her, and Botan sighed heavily.

Hiei was so sad inside, though he really did try to put on a brave face. His expression, as always, looked so hard, so cold, completely uncaring and unbreakable; death to those who even tried. But they, as everyone who got close enough to even know the smallest things about the little demon, could see past that painfully held mask. They could see inside of him, knew the turmoil that broiled just beneath this surface of his skin. They could see it there. They could see it, resting in the glowing, stained glass of his ruby eyes. It was so plain, so there, so very obvious. They could see it, and they knew.

Botan knew, and she could never begin to compare the reflected pain she felt, when she looked into his eyes.

Maybe it was pity. Maybe it was empathetic intention. Maybe it was because she understood, and it was her guilt that compelled her to do what she did.

With a heavy sigh, she stepped into the living room, her eyes scanning over those who sat there. They were in a semi-circle, each of them finding a space of air where they could stare into, lost to their own thoughts, their own pains. Kuwabara and Yusuke... they each had found their happiness. They lived to fight, for the taste of battle, the deeply rooted desire to protect the ones they loved. Though Yukina and Keoko would never really understand the drive behind their actions, they understood enough to accept them, and love them in return.

And Kyla... It was her love for Laria that brought her here; that brought her to her place of existance as a person. Even after persecution in her previous life, she could not bring herself to hate the Dream Weaver, to wish nothing else to do with her. She continued to love her, even in the afterlife, to want no one else. It was this that allowed her the chance to start over again, and to live that love as it really should have been.

And then there was Hiei... For so long, they all thought he continued to survive because of his own stubborn selfishness, for the need of more power, more strength, a way to prove himself to the world. But never, never would they have suspected that it was a carefully hidden desire, an eternal ache for the chance to be loved, and to love another as well. And he had finally found that, found the one that was truly ment for him and only him. And they had been happy... so blissfully happy.

Botan's bottom lip trembled, her chin mottled as she fought back her tears.

They had been happy, and now they no longer could. And it was her fault.

All her fault.

"....my fault.."

"What?"

Everyone, including Hiei, turned to look at the Botan's solomn face, all shocked to see the silent tears as they rolled down her fair face. As silently as she cried, the drops stilled and gathered at her chin, finally dropping to the floor beneath her. The sound of their impact was deafening.

"Botan? What's wrong? Are you alright?" Kylyx was immediately by her side, gripping her shoulders as the Ferry Girl dropped to her knees, her frame shaking with her held in sobs. She stared straight ahead, her eyes welling, cheeks flushing and begining to swell as wave after wave of salty drops fell. She was staring straight ahead, straight into the center of the pain.

Blood red eyes could only stare back at her.

"Hiei... I-" another choke cut her words off, but she struggled for breath, determined to continue, "I'm sorry, Hiei. I don't know what else I can do for you, but I pray it will be enough."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurama half smiled, ducking his head a little as Argaus placed one of a thousand small kisses to the juncture of his throat. The soft press of flesh on flesh left tingly sensations to crawl over his skin, and it made his smile that much wider.

Argaus was enjoying himself, and Kurama could not help but also enjoy the playful flirtations. It was childish, silly, and fun. Something a 300 year old Youko could understand, and appreciate. Games of passion were always a pleasure, no matter if they were seriously meant to entice, or simply to tease and make one wanton. And Argaus really seemed to understand this game, took as much pleasure in it as a Kitsune could. It made Kurama wonder breifly if this attribute was learned, or if perhaps he had some Fox blood in him.

That thought was silly though.

And besides, he had much more important things to think about. For instance, they were nearing the abandoned sprite village, would be there within the next hour, and he had a battle plan to create.

The Dream Weaver was not physically strong, but her magic more than made up for that. It was painfully obvious that she knew they were coming for her; the ROUS back in the village had made that perfectly clear. So was she laying in wait for them, counting down the seconds until she could throw out her first waves of attacks? Or was she simply sitting in her little home, just waiting and willing to go with them? With the Dream Weaver, one could never really tell.

Either way, he should be planning for every situation, expect every unexpected... be prepaired to shed blood.

Oddly enough, that thought didn't bother him in the least.

But why should it, really? After all, he was no longer Suiichi. He was Kurama, now, no one else... he had no reason to believe otherwise, or even think along the same wave length as that weak, Human child.

It would ruin everything, if he did.

Another soft kiss met his throat, and Kurama very nearly squeaked, so lost in his musing as he was. Argaus grinned at him, his fanged teeth gleaming in the sunlight as he danced around the Fox, just outside of Kurama's reach. His green eyes were deep and taunting in the most pleasent way, enticing a chase, daring him to move forward, to come after him.

Kurama smirked and jerked forward, a fake-out, making Argaus jump back several paces.

"Oh very cunning, Kurama." he said in a snide, teasing tone, sticking his tongue out. Kurama couldn't help but laugh as he approached the sulking Demon. With a click of his tongue, he tiled Argaus' chin, and placed a chaste kiss to his lips.

"Don't pout. As beautiful as it makes you look, we really must be hurrying along."

Arguas grinned at Kurama's back as the Fox walked ahead of him, admiring the way the sunlight played across his sweep of fire red hair, picking up slightly copper colored strands, making it shine. His eyes traveled down to the way his hips would sway, each leg moving fluidly; Kurama had the grace of a dancer, lithe and femenine. He was truly, completely beautiful.

With a soft chuckle, and ran to catch up to his lover, his prize, the newest pride to his collection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Somehow, I expected a little more."

Kurama followed Argaus' gaze around the small section of the village they stood in. There were several, extremely tall, very thick trees surrounding them, each covered in a layer of bright green mosses. From the branches hung long vines, a few brushing against the grassy ground, twining around themselves in a hopeless loop, from tree to tree, vine to vine. Other smaller bushes were scattered everywhere, unkept and wild growing, practically taking over the old walking paths, choking out wlid flowers and some plant life. It was the perfect example of the life circle; cruel and unforgiving, your life or theirs, and beautiful all the same.

"Well, let's be off. It's getting cold." Argaus shivered, as if to punctuate his words, and wrapped his arms around his torso. A slight rain had begun to fall, cooling the summer air, along with an even cooler breeze that left the skin feeling prickeled and iced over. To Kurama, it felt like Heaven, a gracious reprieve from the sweltering summer sky. But this journey wasn't really about his comfort, was it?

"As you wish. She should live a little ways-"

"What in all the Hells?"

Both Demons turned to face down the road, their words silenced; as quiet as the world had suddenly become.

There she was. Staring at them through the increasingly speedy rainfall, unblinking and fearless.

Her hair clung to her cheeks and shoulders, drenched and turned a darker shade of gold. Her dress lay limply around her, portions of her skin exposed through the practically transparent-when-wet material. She stepped lightly, graceful as she had ever been, her toes sinking in the slightest bit as they met the softened, muddy ground. The sky turned a darker shade of gray, bleeding it's color to the setting around them, leaving a gloomy feeling the closer she came. And her eyes, as otherwordly as they had always been, seemed to flare in the impending darkness. Twin points of Hell Fire against the blackness of a lifetime in purgatory.

Kurama tried not to shiver.

And quicker than he would have expected, an even darker point of blackness was suddenly before them, teeming with the color of blood and molten saliva, blocking his view of what he had once considered a friend, an ally. The still, rainy air cracked and thundered, as Argaus' beast roared, throwing his head back, black hair whipping out water. His spittle flew, striking trees and grass, scorching them, some going up into immediate flame. The fire light only made the scene that much more tragic.

"Well, Argaus, I see you have brought yourself a sentinel, aside from my darling Ronyo. Dare I ask what other little beasties you plan on using against me?"

Kurama stared at the large black Demon, then to Argaus, asking him a million questions at once with his eyes. What was he thinking, bringing Jargess out? Wasn't this supposed to be his job?

The Illusion Master merely smiled at him, tilting his head the slightest bit, before answering, "I do not wish for you to take her, Kurama. No need to soil your beautiful hands with her blood."

"But... I thought... we had a deal, didn't we?"

Argaus frowned, his brows drawing together in an expression Kurama hadn't seen for days. It made his spine tingle and his flesh crawl. He tried to hide the wince; he had almost forgotten how horrible that felt. Argaus turned away, and tilted his chin, indicating for his beast to move into the attack.

Jargess roared again, his clawed fists clenching as he leapt forward. Kurama caught a glimpse of the Dream Weaver, before the larger Demon's fist made a solid connect, the ground shaking from the force.

Only a crator remained, and her light, floating laughter carried on the air. She sounded so amused.

"Please, Argaus. Give me a bit more credit than that, would you? As long as I hold the card of mobility, and your beast is slower than a half-brained Ox, there is no chance of capture!"

Both he and Kurama looked up to a mid-height tree branch, where she sat, her ankles crossed and swinging in a gleeful manner. Kurama just smiled, but Argaus was furious. Without needing to speak the command, Jargess leapt up after her, his fist hitting the branch, snapping it in two.

Laria simply moved to another tree, her gleeful, mocking laughter echoing around them all, "Too slow! Shall I hop on one leg to give your beast a better chance to catch me?"

"You fucking bitch! I'll make you eat those words!" Argaus screamed at her, his fair face flushing in his rage. Laria laughed again, and leapt back down to the ground, Jargess following closely behind her.

She moved as if dancing, whipping about, graceful and agile, faster than any of them had ever given her credit for. And always, the larger Demon remained at least two arm lengths away from her, too far to harm her in any way. She cirlced around him, taunting him, having far too much fun, as though she wasn't taking this seriously at all. And all the while, she laughed at him, teased him, baiting him to come closer, only to skip away the moment he did.

"God damnit! Catch her already, would you?!" Argaus all but howeled, his voice cracking in his anger.

This could have gone on forever.

That was, until, when Laria made another pass around the Demon, Jargess halted. In a split second, he hooked one cloven foot around the other, and spun in several quick circles. His saliva went flying in a wide arch, his turns lapping the spread at least six times.

Kurama's jaw dropped, and he felt his stomach clench, when Laria's voice cracked and finally reached the decible of a extremely pained scream.

She skidded to a stop, crouched down, her head thrust back so as to keep an eye on her opponent. One of her hands clutched desperatly at her calf, where the skin was bubbling and hissing, steaming as the rain spilled down on it.

Jargess had hit his mark, and Laria wasn't running any more. Quickly, almost desperately, she began rubbing the loosened, wet mud over the burn, hoping to dillute the acidic properties of the spittle. There would be greater damange, if she didn't.

Kurama felt the tension ease out of his companion as Argaus' shoulders relaxed, and a slow, sardonic grin spread over his handsome features. The Fox's eyes immediatly went back to Laria, as Jargess slowly stalked over to her.

Oh god...

There was a sickening crunch as the back of Jargess' hand came into hard contact with Laria's cheek, sending her flying across the rain soaked grass. Her body skidded again, rolling a few times, landing her on her stomach, face first in the mud. With a growl, gurgling with the blood flowing out of her mouth, she managed to push herself up on her hands, before she went sailing away a second time, the strike from Jargess' hoof slamming into her stomach.

Laria whimpered, clutching at her bruised and probably broken ribcage as she curled in on herself in the grass.

"Argaus, stop this! You have her, there's no need to hurt her!"

Argaus' grin only grew wider, and he stepped closer.

"Argaus!" Kurama shouted, gripping the Demon's arm tightly, but the other simply shrugged it off.

Looking back over his shoulder, his smile sickening and sadistic, his voice came out in an all too familiar, slow hiss, "Her screams are sweet music, Kurama. And Jargess can pull such a symphony of pain from her. I wonder... how many times she will sing for me, before she can no longer?"

Kurama could not speak. He felt his limbs freeze, the ice far too close to memories he had thought to have pushed away from his mind as Argaus turned, and drew closer to Laria.

No...

The white-haired demon knelt down, one finger stroking across Laria's bruised cheek, grinning at her broken and battered face. The way he trembled, the way he moved, simply breathed, gave away how much he truly was enjoying this. Enjoying her pain. Loving the way her skin was marked, and how her blood flowed from the corners of her mouth and nose. Her eyes refused to meet Argaus', instead trained on Kurama's own face, begging, pleading with him...

Its wrong...

"So tell me, my beautiful, beautiful Dream Weaver. Have you ever had the chance to see your own blood rained down upon you? I will bet you would be twice as lovely...."

It's wrong!!

Kurama moved, feeling as though he were somehow outside of control of his own body, his arm lashing outwards, the beautiful rose extending and warping into that of his beloved whip. The thorned line sunk into black, broiling flesh, splitting it open in several places. Jargess howled his agony and dropped to his knees. A second wave of strikes hit him, seperating arm from shoulder, shoulder from collar bone, collar bone from breast bone. His blood sprayed, splattering against the ground, dotting each blade of grass like conffetti. Kurama felt each and every one of them.

How could he? He was so blind, so horribly stupid. This was Argaus. How could he have even imagined him to be anything other than psychotic and sadistic? How could he have willingly led the bastard to one of his friends, simply because his heart could no handle the hurt? How could he have been so damn weak....

Slow, painfully slow, Argaus turned his head, his hand stilled over Laria's cheek, as his eyes trailed lines of burning ice through the thin, freezing air, and locked onto Kurama's. That ice seemed to spread all through him, stabbing into a carefully concealed part of his mind and soul. Those eyes, they said and promised so many things to him.

Pain. Torture. Revenge. Death.

Hiei's death.

Hiei was going to die tonight, Argaus assured him.

And, as the white-haired Demon, with the face of an Angel and a heart as black as Hell, stood, Kurama closed his own eyes, and released a heavy breath. Hiei was going to die tonight, no matter what he did, so what did it matter now? The very least he could do was to prevent another soul, another friend, from having to suffer under the hand of the Devil himself.

Argaus stopped, his eyes widening in disbelief. A thick, dense fog had suddenly come from no where, shrouding him in it's whiteness. It would have almost been peaceful, had it not been for the smallest glimpse of long, silver hair, and glowing amber eyes, before it closed around him completely.

~*Millionare say got a big shot deal*~

~*And thrown it all away*~

~*But, but I'm not too sure how I'm supposed to feel*~

~*Or what I'm supposed to say*~

~*But I'm not, not sure*~

~*Not too sure how it feels*~

~*To handle every day*~

~*And I miss you love*~

"Kurama, stop this foolishness!" Argaus yelled into the fog, a strange feeling of terror racing up his spine when his voice refused to echo. The mist was blocking all sound in, like a thick blanket. He was alone in here. Alone, with Youko Kurama.

He nearly screamed when he felt something soft tickle at the back of his neck. He whirled around, but found nothing there. Just the whiteness surrounding him on all sides, and the harsh sound of his racing heart as it pounded in his ears. He told himself to remain calm, to focus on finding his way out, when deep inside of his dark soul, he knew there was no escape.

No escape at all.

~*Make room for the prey*~

~*Cause I'm coming in with what I want to say*~

~*But it's gonna hurt*~
~*And I love the pain*~

~*A breeding ground for hate*~

Kurama watched him, silent and still, through his mist. Argaus' eyes were wide, near to panic. But he felt none of the satisfaction he normally knew during this, one of his favorite tricks. Where was the thrill? The surge of pleasure he always found when his prey was confused and terrified? What had happened to his Kitsune instincts?

They were long gone. They had disappeared and died, along with any hope of seeing Hiei again, if even for just the smallest moment.

He had had a plan, a strategy to this entire situation, fed on the hope given to him by his dream the night before. Hiei had come to him, whether it was a real force from inside the globe, or simply his wishful thinking. He had told Kurama he loved him, that he would fight to keep Argaus from claiming his heart and soul. It may have been all wrong, an illusion, a fantasy, but it had given him strength. It gave him the strength and will he needed to break away from this damnable partnership. He was going to wait, he was going to fullfill his part of the pact so Argaus would let Hiei free, then kill the sick bastard. Hiei would be free, and they could move on. But now...

But now, his Hiei was gone. There was no getting him back now. He loved him, but he was never going to see him again.

When did loving someone stop being enough to survive?

Kurama closed his golden eyes, his tears rolling down his cheeks, and took a step forward.

~*But I'm not, not sure*~
~*Not too sure how it feels*~
~*To handle every day*~

~*Like the one that just passed in the crowds of all the people*~
~*Remember today, I've no respect for you*~

~*And I miss you love*~
~*And I miss you love*~

They had been through so, so much together. Battles, arguements, the hardest times that anyone could ever dream of seeing. But there were also wonderful, beautiful days, when Kurama could never remember being happier. They would just lay there in his bed, staring up at the dark ceiling in the middle of the night, holding onto each other like there was no one else in the world, no world itself, and nothing mattered outside the feel of their bodies together. How could he have thought to even wish for more? Why couldn't he see, when it really mattered, that that was all he ever wanted? That it was exactly what he needed and craved, all his long life?

How could he have betrayed him, turned into the arms of another, just because he was selfish that way?

And for that, he could never, would never forgive himself.

~*I love the way you love*~
~*But I hate the way I'm supposed to love you back*~

Argaus did scream this time, a strong, clawed hand clamping down on his shoulder. He tried to pull away, to flee, but he was held immobile by Kurama's strong hold. Instead, he felt himself being turned slowly around, and his chin was gripped, forcing him to look upwards.

Kurama was staring down at him, his golden eyes glittering and shimmering with his tears, each drop falling soundless to the invisible ground. His face, solomn and sad, showed no remorse for what he obviously intended to do, no regret for the pain he was going to inflict. But there was guilt, heartbreak, and longing, and Argaus knew it was all for Hiei.

He couldn't help but smile, "You're eyes, Kurama, are so very beautiful when you are in pain."

The Fox exhaled a breath, sweet and warm against Argaus' face, and he closed his eyes. The Illusion Master did the same, in acceptance of his fate.

~*I'm not, not sure*~
~*Not too sure how it feels*~
~*To handle every day*~

~*Like the one that just passed in the crowds of all the people*~

Argaus' mouth opened wide, his jaw cracking loudly as a scream was ripped from his mouth. Kurama's own hand had tightened over his shoulder, the bone crushing like chalk beneath his strength. The smaller Demon tried to fall to his knees, but the Fox refused to let him drop. Instead, his other hand went to Argaus's opened mouth, his thumb pushing inside and down onto his tongue.

"Rest Argaus, and pray the Gods bring mercy to your soul."

Tearing muscle, ligament, and breaking bones stung in Kurama's ears as he grasped tighter onto Argaus' lower jaw, and pulled it from it's place. Blood rushed forward, spraying onto Kurama's chest and face, painting the pale Fox in the brightest red. Kurama's face stayed still, hardly changing at all, even with the sickeningly sweet smell of raw meat curling into his senses.

He felt nothing as he murdered the Demon before him.

He wasn't at all surprised.

Kurama flung the jaw away from himself, and focused his attention on what remained of the throat. His claws dug into the skin, peeling it away from bone and tendon, reveiling the wind pipe. Without batting an eye, he took a firm hold of it, and ripped it free.

More blood followed, pouring down his hand and forearm in a cascade. Argaus' chest heaved, his lungs quickly filling, eyes glazing over. Kurama watched, waiting for that satisfaction he knew would never come to him, as the body in his hands finally went limp.

He stared into those wide, dead eyes for long moments, waiting for the satisfaction.

But all that was left to him was his pain, and a terrible loneliness that threatened to consume him whole.

~*Remember today, I've no respect for you*~

~*And I miss you love*~
~*And I miss you love*~

The body dropped, and Kurama fell to his knees beside it, releasing the power needed to clear the mist. He stared straight ahead, his tears still falling. Had he been crying the entire time? His hand went up to brush them away, regardless that they would continue to flow, when he caught site of a figure through the parting fog.

A semi-tall, lean, feminine figure was walking towards him.

Laria?

She came close to him, walking near to fine on her injured leg, unmindful of how horrible she really looked. Kurama stared sadly up at her, unable to speak a word, wanting so much to apologize for his mistakes; for nearly getting her killed. But she looked so happy then, so very relieved; for him saving her life? What was it, really? He only wished he could share in her joy.

~*And I miss you love*~
~*And I miss you*~

"Laria... I-"

"Stupid Fox. Why are you crying?"

Kurama's breath halted in his lungs, his eyes growing wide as a chill rushed over his skin. That wasn't Laria's voice... not her voice at all. It was deep, rough, masculine...

It was Hiei's voice.

He stared, not able to believe what he was seeing, as Laria's flesh, as though it were merely paint upon a canvas, bled away from the figure before him. It washed down pale limbs, and spread out around them in a mess of color. And, in it's place, stood the one he loved the most, the one he cherished and lived his life for.

Hiei was there, standing mere feet away from him.

Hiei was there, the only person he would die for.

Hiei was there, the one he had betrayed more than anyone he had ever known.

And suddenly, he was there, flung against Kurama's body, his arms wrapped tightly about his shoulders in a feirce embrace. His unnatural heat seared into the Fox's clothing, warm and so very real.

"I thought I had lost you forever, Kurama..."

Kurama tried not to choke, tried not to sob, when Hiei pressed little kisses to his shoulder rapidly, desperately. His fists clenched tightly, and he closed his eyes.

What was Hiei doing?

"Fox?"

This was so wrong. It just wasn't right. It really wasn't.

"Kurama?" Hiei pulled back, cupping Kurama's cheeks with his hands as he stared at his closed eye lids, his brows drawn down. Slowly, silver lashes lifted, and more tears fell.

"Hiei, I have betrayed you. I have betrayed you all."

The Fire Demon blinked for a moment, then shook his head.

"No, Kurama. No. You have come back to us. You have come back to me. You are yourself again."

Hiei felt his chest pinch and burn when Kurama did not answer him in an affirmative.

"You... you have come back to me..." he whispered in a quiet, helpless way.

The rain fell down between them, soaking hair and clothing, cooling burning skin and tear flushes faces. The rythmic pounding of it sounded like a funeral march, when Kurama, gripping Hiei's wrists, slowly shook his head 'no'.

~*I love the way you love*~
~*But I hate the way I'm supposed to love you back*~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SM: *cracks her neck* Well now, wasn't that fun?

Kylyx: No.

Argaus: What are you talking about? I enjoyed myself immensely.

Kylyx: *snort* Only you would enjoy being ripped into several pieces.

Argaus: Hey, it was KURAMA that did it, there for, it makes it all worth while.

Kylyx: Masochist freak.

Argaus: Prude.

SM: Will you two please shut up? Doing closing author's notes here!

Kylyx: Tell him to quit being so damn sick.

Argaus: I will when you pull that priggish stick out of your ass.

SM: Guys! Stop! Jesus, you're acting like a couple of children!

Kylyx: He started it.

Argaus: Did not!

Kylyx: Did too!

Argaus: Did NOT!

Kylyx: DID TOO!

SM: *sighs and lights a cigarette, retreating into another part of the house* Well everyone, I finally got the chapter finished. I really am sorry it took so damn long, but you know me... I'm fickle.

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it! I know of someone who was really holding out for a bloody, painful ending for my dear Argaus... *sigh* Oh well, at least he will live on, forever in Muse form ^_^

Well, that's chapter 7! One more chapter to go, so don't fret! It isn't over just yet! Keep a look out, will ya? And I promise, this one wont take nearly 3 months to finish.

Lots and LOTS of thanks go to mmlanning, for all her invaluable help on this chapter. She gave me some AWESOME suggestions, and I give her at LEAST 50% credit for it. She was also extremely supportive, and very honest about her opinions when we were throwing ideas around. Not to mention the occasional spork, just to get my butt moving. *snicker*

Alrighty, with that, I'm off!

Song Used

"I Miss You Love" by Silverchair