Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Watching You ❯ Forgive Yourself ( Chapter 7 )

BlackRoseVixen05: Hello! Welcome to another new chapter of “Watching You”. I hope everyone had fun this X-mas and that everyone is doing well. And without further delay, on with the fic!

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

 

Chapter Seven

 

Kuronue stared in shocked confusion at the obviously “pissed off” fox demon. His face still stung from Kurama's slap, and he was sure he had a bruise there by now. There were dozens of reasons why the kitsune could possibly be upset with him, he guessed. He was just wondering which one was it.

 

“How dare you…” the kitsune repeated, lowering the trembling hand that had just slapped Kuro to the floor. Kurama's glaring eyes soon became those of hurt and sorrow as he looked away from the still stunned komouri.

 

Kuronue watched the fox as he looked away from him. He didn't say anything, hoping that Kurama would explain on his own. The last thing he wanted to do was say something else that might further anger the fox. A few minutes later, Kurama began to speak.

 

“How dare you…,” he began again, “just show up like this,” his voice trembling. “After all this time, you just appear from nowhere, acting as though we just saw each other yesterday,” Kurama said, his eyes still not meeting Kuro's. In a way, they had seen each the day before, but Kuro thought it best not to speak yet. He just kept quiet.

 

“All these years, I've mourned for you, cried for you, and you've been alive all this time. That hurts. But what hurts the most is that you're actually happy to see me…even after what I've done to you,” the kitsune trailed off, gripping the fur blankets that covered his form.

 

Kuronue's look of confusion deepened at the fox's last seven words. Why Kurama had slapped him before was pretty clear now, but what did he mean by, “after all I've done to you”? So, this time, he decided to ask.

 

“What do you mean, “after all you've done to me”?” Kuro asked simply, arching an eyebrow. Kurama glared at him again, but it wasn't the same as before. The glare wasn't angry and the fox's eyes were brimming with tears.

 

“Don't play dumb with me, Kuronue. You know as well as I do. I ran away,” the fox said, lowering his gaze once more, almost shamefully. Kuronue had to think for a moment in order to understand what the kitsune was getting at. Then it hit him.

 

“You mean, when we stole from Aleera?” Kuro asked, hoping the fox meant something else. No such luck. The fox nodded slowly.

 

“Yes, it was my fault you were caught. Aleera was clearly after me. You never would have been through all of that if I hadn't left,” he said as his body began to tremble.

 

“Yeah, I wouldn't have gone through all of that, but if you hadn't left, we'd both probably be dead right now,” Kuro said, trying to talk sense into his friend.

 

“Yes, but—“ Kurama began, but Kuronue cut him off.

 

“But nothing, Fox!” Kuro said, firmly. Kurama looked away from Kuro as tears began to make their way down his cheeks. He heard Kuro sigh and felt him rest his hands on his shoulders.

 

“Fox, look at me,” Kuro said, softly. After a moment, Kurama locked eyes with his friend's. And though it was slightly difficult, Kurama didn't look away this time.

 

“You've got to stop beating yourself up for what happened back then. If you hadn't run when I told you, we would have both been doomed. And I know that it was you Aleera was after, but if all that happening to me is what it took to keep you out of her hands, then I'm glad it did,” Kuro said, smiling gently.

 

Kurama's tears kept falling as Kuro spoke. He leaned forward and rested his head on Kuro's chest, hiding his face. Kuro wrapped his arms around his friend and hugged him tightly, letting him cry against him. Kuro moved his wings forward, wrapping them around Kurama and himself. He understood how Kurama must've been feeling, and he wanted to offer as much comfort as he could.

 

“There's no need for tears, Fox,” Kuro said, pulling slightly out of the hug to look at his friend's face. He brushed some of his friend's tears away with the back of his wing and smiled.

 

“You and I are together again. Can't we let what happened in the past…stay in the past?” Kuro asked with a pleading look in his eyes and a small smile on his face. Kurama let a faint smile appear on his face before leaning against Kuro again.

 

“Of course we can,” the fox demon whispered into his friend's chest. Kurama clung tighter to the bat demon as his sobs intensified. He was only now realizing how happy he really was to see Kuronue again.

 

“I'm sorry for the way I acted, and for hitting you. I'm so glad you're here,” sobbed the kitsune, still clinging to the bat demon. Kuro smiled down at the redhead, happy that his friend had finally come to his senses.

 

“It's alright, Fox. No harm done,” Kuron said, lifting his friend's face. Kuro picked up a section of one of the blankets and gently wiped the tears from Kurama's still damp cheeks. “No more tears, alright?” Kuro added with a slight grin.

 

Kurama, for the first time since he'd been in the cave, gave Kuro a true smile and a nod of agreement. As Kuro returned his friend's smile, he noticed the bandages he'd wrapped Kurama's shoulder in were again blood stained. It was time to change them.

 

Kurama looked at his shoulder, wondering what Kuro found so interesting. Upon seeing the blood stained bandages, Kurama remembered the mission. He knew the others must have been worried sick about him by now.

 

“What's the matter, Fox? You look pale,” Kuro stated, moving behind the kitsune in order to change the bandages.

 

“Yusuke and the others, I'd completely forgotten. They're probably looking for me,” Kurama said, looking out of the mouth of the cave and wincing slightly as Kuro applied medicine to his wound. Kuro chuckled.

 

“Well, they're just gonna have to keep looking, `cause you are not leaving this cave until this has healed better,” Kuro said, again bandaging Kurama's shoulder. Kurama couldn't hold back a small laugh. This was Kuronue all right.

 

The fox watched as his partner moved closer to the fire once he was done attending his wound. The bat demon picked a small glass jar sitting near the fire. He'd left it there to get warm. He wrapped a thin cloth around it then offered it to Kurama.

 

“Here, it's medicine. It'll help your shoulder heal faster. It's gonna put you to sleep, though. So, heh, you better get comfortable,” Kuro said as Kurama took the jar from him. Kurama placed the jar to his lips and drank the slightly tart liquid down fast. He then handed the now empty jar back to Kuronue who sat it aside.

 

Kurama laid back and rearranged the blankets covering him, being careful of his shoulder. Once he was comfortable, he looked over at Kuro who was lying on another mat not too far from him. The komouri's eyes were closed but one eye opened when he felt Kurama's stare.

 

Kuronue smiled as he sat up and tossed a pillow at the fox. Kurama gasped and ducked his head under the covers just in time to dodge to pillow. He glared at the grinning bat demon before tossing the pillow back at him. Though he wanted, Kuro reframed from throwing the pillow again. He knew the fox needed rest, and he wouldn't get it if they kept clowning around.

 

“Go to sleep, Fox. That medicine is going to knock you on your ass,” Kuro grinned as he lay down again.

 

“Yes, of course,” Kurama stated sarcastically as he too laid down. As soon as his head rested against his pillow, he instantly felt drowsy. The kitsune chuckled. Kuronue had been right about the medicine. He snuggled deeper into the covers as his eyelids became heavier and heavier. He looked to the komouri laying a few feet from him and smiled as he opened his mouth to speak.

 

“Kuro, before I go to sleep, promise me something,” he whispered, his voice tired. Kuro opened his eyes, blinked, then smiled.

 

“Sure, Fox. What?” Kuro asked, propping his head up with his arm.

 

“Promise me that this isn't a dream, and that you'll still be here when I wake up,” Kurama said with a smile, though his eyes were glazed with moisture. Kuronue smiled, reaching over to ruffle the fox's hair.

 

“I promise, Fox,” Kuro answered, watching as Kurama's eyes closed, his body finally giving in to the medicine's sleeping effect. A small smile played on the kitsune's lips as he just barely heard Kuro's answer.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered, letting the comfortable feeling of sleep take him.

 

“You're welcome, Fox. Sleep well,” the komouri said, his voice barely audible. Kuro laid back and rested his head on his pillow, not planning to go to sleep. He wasn't tired so he decided to keep an eye on his friend throughout the night. He couldn't help but smile as he watched his friend sleep. He was truly happy to be with him again.

 

`I really missed you, Fox…'

 

Later That Night

 

As Kuro continued his steady watch over the fox demon, a happy sigh from the redhead caught his attention. The komouri watched his friend curiously as a small smile began to spread on the kitsune's face.

 

`I wonder what he's dreaming about?' Kuronue thought.

 

Enter Kurama's Dream

 

In a lush clearing of the Makai Forest, a young Yoko Kurama could be seen at play. He was no more than five or six years old and only two feet tall. He leaped around the clearing with the friskiness of a puppy as he tried desperately to catch a butterfly. He crouched low to the ground as the butterfly landed on a twig.

 

“I….got'cha!!!” he yelled, pouncing on the twig. He rolled and scuffled around on the ground, making sure he'd caught the butterfly. After at least five minutes of rolling, he sat up and looked around, blinking. There was no sign of the butterfly anywhere, then he felt a slight tickle on his right ear.

 

He looked up and sure enough, there sat the butterfly, resting on the very tip of his ear. He growled at the butterfly, though his growl sounded more like a purr. He then swatted it away. He was about to chase after it when a slight rustle in some nearby bushes caused him to pause.

 

In the bushes not too far away, a pair of wide blue eyes watched as the little kitsune chased the butterfly. The owner of the eyes giggled as the kitsune pounced forward and missed the butterfly by a mile. He stopped and held his breath when the kitsune pup looked in his direction. The little fox began to sniff the ground as he moved closer and closer to his watcher's hiding place.

 

Yoko sniffed around a few times before he caught an odd scent, one he'd never smelled before. He followed it and it led him to a small bush. He sniffed around the bush then stuck his face inside it and finding himself nose to nose with someone about his age. Blue eyes blinked at him before yelping and tumbling out of the bush.

 

Yoko ran around to the other side of the bush, curiously wanting to see who had been hiding in it. On the other side of the bush, sat another demon child, though he wasn't sure what kind he was. The child wore black shoes, black pants, a gray shirt, and silver necklace with a red jewel in the middle.

 

The child had shaggy black hair, pointed ears, and two small wings on his back. The child had wide blue eyes that were closed as he rubbed the back of his head in pain. Yoko inched closer to the other boy and kneeled down next to him.

 

“Hey, are you okay?” Yoko asked, tilting his head to the side. The other child nodded and grinned at Yoko.

 

“Yeah, I'm okay. I landed on my head, after all,” the boy said, laughing at his own joke. Yoko just blinked and stared at him.

 

“What's the matter?” asked the winged child, wondering why the little kitsune was staring at him.

 

“What are you?” Yoko asked bluntly, moving behind the other child and poking one of his wings. The winged demon smiled.

“I'm a bat,” he stated proudly, laughing because the kitsune was still poking his wings curiously. The fox pup smiled as he sat down near the bat demon.

 

“I'm a fox, my name's Yoko. What's your name?” Yoko asked with his little tail wagging back and forth.

 

“Kuronue,” the little komouri replied.

 

“Ku..ro..nue…? Nah, that's too long. I'm gonna call you….Kuro!” chirped Yoko, his tail beating against the ground as it wagged.

 

“Okay,” Kuro said, smiling.

 

“Hey, you wanna play with me, Kuro?” Yoko said, jumping onto all fours with his behind in the air and his tail wagging.

 

“Sure! But, what're we gonna play?” Kuro asked, standing on all fours as well.

 

“Well, would you like a bath?” Yoko asked, smiling widely.

 

“A bath?” Kuro said, confused.

 

“Yup!” with that, Yoko lunged forwards, changing into his full fox form within the blink of an eye. The little fox puppy pounced on Kuro and began to link his face and tickle him with his nose.

 

Kuro laughed insanely from the kitsune's tickle torture as he tried to get away. Soon, he was finally able to scramble to his feet and run away, the yipping kitsune following close behind him.

 

The komouri's escape attempt didn't last long as he tripped over a tree root and fell. The kitsune playfully jumped over him and began to lick his face again. Kuro laughed as he tried to hold the little fox back.

 

The two continued to play for hours on end before finally stopping to rest once the evening set in. Yoko returned to his more human form and the two lay relaxing on a hillside as the twilight in the sky began to shine.

 

“Hey, Kuro, know what?” Yoko said, turning to look at his friend.

“What?” Kuro replied, returning the fox's gaze.

 

“You're my new best friend,” Yoko announced with a big smile.

 

“Wow, really? I've never had a best friend before,” Kuro said with a laugh.

 

“Let's be best friends forever, okay?” Yoko said, moving to sit closer to Kuro. Kuro sat up and smiled at his friend.

 

“Yeah, forever,” he said, turning to sit facing the fox.

 

“Let's make a pact alright? So that we'll never forget,” Yoko said, plucking a single blade of grass from the forest floor.

 

“Okay, but what're you gonna do with that?” the confused komouri asked.

 

“You'll see. Give me your hand,” Yoko said, holding out his hand. Kuro placed his hand in the fox's and yelped when the kitsune cut the palm of his hand with the blade of glass.

 

“Ow! What'd you do that for?” whined the bat demon as blood gathered in his palm. His confusion grew as the fox did the same to his palm.

 

The fox then tossed the blade of grass aside and then gripped Kuro's hand tightly, missing their blood. The kitsune pup then began to shake Kuro's hand firmly while saying a speech.

 

“It's a promise, made forever, can't be broken, no not never, we a-gree! Right?” Yoko said, looking at Kuro, who smiled.

 

“Yeah, forever,” Kuro agreed, returning his friend's handshake and reciting the speech over again. Once he was done, Yoko dried their hands and the two friends fell back onto the grass, silently watching as the sun slowly disappeared from the sky, both knowing that their promise would forever be kept.

 

Exit Kurama's Dream

 

“Forever…,” Kuronue heard the kitsune mumble in his sleep. The komouri instantly had a good idea of what the fox might have been dreaming. He looked down at his hand, smiling as he slowly rubbed his thumb over the small scar in his palm.

 

“Yeah…forever.”

 

End of Chapter Seven

 

BlackRoseVixen05: Fear not, people! This is NOT the end. I just wanted to get all this stuff between Kurama and Kuro cleared up. But they're not totally out of the woods yet. How has Kuro remained unknown by Spirit World? What about those bugs? And how will Yusuke and the others react to Kuro? Find out next time! I am requesting twelve reviews this time, people! So, please, REVIEW!!!