Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Wings of a Butterfly ❯ Humans ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I do NOT (not, not, not) own any characters in the anime series Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their creator, Togashi Yoshihiro-sama. I wish (wish, wish, wish) that I OWNED Kurama. ^^;

 

 

 

“Hello?” Kurama questioned as he picked up the ringing phone, “Oh, hello, Mother.”

He smiled at the sweet voice of his parent.

“Surprised? I'm afraid to admit that I was. Yes? Oh, haha, no. Such things do not interest me; you should know that already.”

Kurama picked up his address book, already flipping through the schedule for the month.

“No, I have not forgotten. Yes, this weekend is still on. Mother, I have a question. It regards a certain friend of mine.”

 

Just as he spoke, Cho walked out of their shared room, traveling to the refrigerator to take out an ice pack from the freezer. She's been having spontaneous headaches lately, and she claims that the cold soothes it. She barely even glanced at him as she left the kitchen and walked towards the bathroom.

 

“A girl? Mother, must it always be a girl?” he sighed, “So I see. You must understand, Mother, I will not simply date just to appease you or anyone else for that matter. We have gone over this matter.”

 

He frowned, upset. “No, I am not being fussy. My apologies if it seems as so.”

 

Kurama went to the refrigerator to prepare for a breakfast for two. “Yes, yes, you are right. Maybe I do need someone, but I don't recognize the urgency of it all. I mean, I am twenty-three. (A/N: I THINK.) I still have my whole life ahead of me.”

 

He chuckled, “Alright, alright. So maybe you don't, but I know that it won't take me so long to find a suitable mate who can give you the grandchildren you want.”

 

He gave a long sigh, “Please Mother, may be discontinue this subject? Thank you, now, about my friend. She—yes Mother, she—currently lives under my care...

 

May I continue? Alright, well, she lives with me, but it was a very abrupt and recent transfer. In all honesty, she was the important matter I had to attend to. Undoubtedly, I worry about her. Do you think—oh, really? You're sure you're not bothered? Oh thank you, Mother, this eases my mind more than you realize. I promise to make it up to you. Nonsense, I—”

 

He sighed in a defeated tone, “Yes, Mother. Well then, have a good day. I love you, too. Bye.”

 

“Who was that?” Cho asked. He found her staring at him from the doorway of the kitchen. She was dressed in long pants and a large T-shirt—one of his, he noted—and had her hair wrapped into a towel to dry. He smiled in greeting as he turned to the eggs he began to crack and fry in the pan.

 

“My mother; we were merely discussing our arrangement for this weekend.” he explained, gesturing to a stool as he turned from his first task to another.

 

“I guess I'm staying here this weekend.” Cho stated, accepting the bowl of rice from Kurama.

He filled up a bowl of his own, and put the fried eggs into two separate dishes. He placed all of this on the counter before he went to collect the freshly brewed tea from atop the stove.

 

“Not necessarily,” he told her, gathering two cups and placing that on the counter as well.

Her silence was question enough.

“It appears,” Kurama said as he scooped last night's reheated leftover tofu into a bowl, “That you are coming with me on our little arrangement.”

 

Cho placed her chopsticks back on the counter and stared at him. It wasn't a pleasant stare. Nor was it one of her simplistic, habitual, curious stares or her one of her observing, calculating stares. It was serious, threatening. It was challenging and the challenge was to test if he lied. He almost feared what would happen if it truly had been a lie.

 

“I do not jest, Cho. My mother has extended her invitation. From what she has told me, she seems eager to meet you.”

Cho huffed, “I find her lost in her own assumptions.”

He sighed, giving her a sad frown. “I'm afraid that I must agree. She finds it outrageous for her—and I quote—`prestigious and very handsome' son to be spouseless at such an age.”

 

Sliding into a stool, he muttered a quick blessing, and picked up his rice and utensils. Cho mirrored him, her eyes focused on him the entire time.

 

“Why don't you have a lover?” she asked him in a curious yet neutral tone.

He nearly choked, but then looked at her, stunned. “Why?” he asked her in a near-squeak.

She gave a definite nod.

He gave a small frown, but placed his food down. “I...well, I find humans—for lack of a better term—stupid. There are very few who I acknowledge as equal in some way, and yet I cannot find that kind of companionship with them.”

 

The words were out before he could stop himself. It was his heart's belief; he could not deny his heart the truth. Even then, he opened his mouth, ready to take back the words, but Cho stopped her with her own.

 

She nodded, as if sympathizing. “I agree. Humans are like that, aren't they? They're stupid and ignorant and arrogant. Because of this, they don't realize who they're hurting until it's too late, or they never realize at all. It's very easy to never want to be near such a disgusting race, but how else are we to survive? We live amongst them, and so we set ourselves up for fear, caution, and loneliness, if not betrayal, disappointment, and pain. Happiness is but a mere illusion for those who want to hide from such things.”

 

Kurama looked at her, but he could see no indication that she had said the words she had said. She brushed off his outlandish indication of the human race, and even used it to agree with him and provide her own insight. It was strange, and yet, wonderful at the same time. To share such a feeling, and yet knowing that she had such a feeling secluded him. So strange...

 

Kurama thought no more of it and started his breakfast just as he had. In three hours, he would have to go to school. Becoming distracted made no sense at this point.

 

=====================

 

Cho glanced at the shopping list she had made before Kurama left for his classes. He seemed both surprised and disturbed by her suggestion that she stock up on groceries. It was obvious that he did not trust her beyond the door of their small apartment without him. But what could he do? Surely, he couldn't ban her from going anywhere. He knew she was a nomad of sorts. Cho had caught him at the worst possible moment. When she told him, he was practically on his way to school. There was no time for arguing or reasoning, really.

 

The youth gave a miniscule smile of triumph as she continued along the aisles to get the things she needed. It all ended quickly and before long, she was on her way home. Home—such a strange word, isn't it? How long has it been since she's used the word? Five years? Six?

 

She had been ten when they came for her, the people in black. And they'd destroyed everything that had been hers that day—house, home, possessions, family. If she were to think about it, all they had done was clean up the broken remains of what was left. Her family had cast her out, had they not? They gave her up, and no one cared. No one cried, no one screamed. No—they did that after. They did it when it was them being destroyed, and them being torn apart.

 

They died as a family, cursing her for what she was, for killing Amaryllis. But why, she always thought, why did they blame her for the death of her unborn twin?

 

[It was because they knew no other to blame, my child.]

 

Cho looked up and saw the dark fluttering insect streak across the sky. She could not hide a smile from this sudden visitor. [Kurai!]

 

[Good day to you, my child.]

 

[What brings you here?] she asked him, sitting down on a bench.

The black butterfly landed on her shoulder, hiding beneath the silky locks of her hair. [You, of course. Your thoughts take you back to your past. It is unnecessary; such things no longer define who you are.]

She frowned and leaned her head back, looking up at the cloudy blue sky. “But then who am I? What am I? All I know is what was then...and what...what they have taught me.”

 

[Your questions, I cannot answer—not just yet. The time will come, my child, when you become who you are. And when that time comes, I will be the first one there to acknowledge that being that you truly are.]

[You really mean it? You will be there?] she pleaded to know.

 

If her guardian had a face, he would have smiled. But instead, he brushed his wings against her cheek and launched himself into the air. [Have I had any reason to abandon you? Then I will always be there. You need only call me if you find yourself falling. I will be there to catch you, just as I have always been.]

 

With that he thrust himself higher into the sky, and disappeared as a cloud passed over the sun.

 

Her gaze softened as she looked into the dark clouds, Catch me when I fall...yes, you've always caught me, Kurai. But...why? Why must I always fall? When can I fly? When can I be free? Her arms curled around her and her fingers could only brush against the shoulder blades beneath her clothes. When can I get back my wings and fly away from all of this? When can I become the butterfly I once was?