Lost Loves, Mended Hearts

One

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A/N: Here's the second part!! Don't worry its longer than the first, so long in fact that I had to brake this one up into chapters. Takes place when Kagome meets all the Inu-Yasha gang, but before Sesshoumaru takes Rin in.

Warnings: Yaoi, swearing, slight gore, and Sesshoumaru is all grown up now! XD

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Love.

It's a virus that eats away at your soul. Worse than hate, worse than pity, sadness or death. It would be wonderful to welcome something as fickle as death, to wrap arms around it and embrace it as if it was the only thing to wish for. He would have given anything, his very life force to be in Kuronue's embrace, to feel the length of his body pressed against his own. There was a time where he would have given up anything for the black haired youkai. Where everyday he lived was for his partner, fighting through every job just to feel his love.

Forget about me, run!!

Words echoed empty throughout his desolate soul, falling into deaf as if they just drifted in on the wind. "I can't," he whispered harshly, "How could you have been so fucking selfish to leave me? I just can't... How can I possibly go on without you...?" He stared into his reflection in the clear water dull eyes barely focused looking accusingly back at him. "It's your fault, you know," he whispered to himself, "It's your fault that Kuronue's not here, you could have helped him." His eyes glared back at him, "Coward. Running like a hapless woman, Inari-sama, how I hate you." He reached up and gripped his shoulders, hugging himself as if to keep the emotions from pouring out of him. "I hate myself," his breath came out in small pants as he sank into the river water. For the first time in his life Youko Kurama cried himself to sleep.

S%S

Shippo smiled as he skipped ahead of the group, ignoring Kagome's shouts for him to slow down. It was perfectly safe as of right now. Inu-Yasha said so; even he himself didn't feel any threatening youkai nearby. He perked his ears and turned his nose to the wind every time the light breeze blew, just to be on the safe side. Every once in a while he would catch a whiff of something but it was nothing to be cautious of, just hints hear and there. Yet something still tickled in the back of his mind, sometimes the air brought on the sent of a kitsune. It seemed like years had gone by without him seeing another fox demon around, it made him a little anxious and frightened at the same time. Wonder if the kitsune wasn't friendly or hated humans like so many other youkai; he didn't know what to do if they had to destroy one of his own kind. The two conflicting emotions made the small demon's belly tumble and flutter, a very uneasy thing to have happen.

The small breeze blew again and he turned his face gently sniffing, it was there again, only closer. Not to close for it to be a problem, judging by the smell it seemed like they were walking up onto it, not the other way around. He turned and glanced back at the others, Mirkou sporting a red handprint on his face while Inu-Yasha sat in the background laughing. Shippo snorted the hanyou hadn't caught the smell; jeez he wasn't even paying attention. The boy demon shrugged and started off again quietly slipping into the forest toward the sent.

As he got closer he picked up the smell of death and old blood. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all, he hesitated and looked back where he left the rest of his friends.

He clenched his tiny hands in fists, "Come on, Shippo, you can handle this on your own." He nodded to his own words and forced his beating heart to calm as he began to once again walk towards his destination. He growled low in his throat as the thick grass turned in to thicker brush, causing cobwebs and insects to start crawling across his clothes.

After what seemed hours he finally broke free with a stumble carefully righting himself and straightening out his clothes shooting the horrid plant life one last glare before turning and continuing.

His steps halted staring at a small stream, the smell of decay clogging even the sweet perfuming smell of the blooming flowers and plant life. The lower half of the youkai's body was submerged in the shallow water of the river, it's face cover with blood stained matted hair. The death smell wasn't coming from the battered demon but the body parts of others lying around, it was hard to distinguish what kind of youkai they were exactly.

Shippo slowly walked over to the fallen creature carefully reaching out his small hand to touch the matted hair. He could feel his little heart beating practically out of his chest as he swallowed the lump of fear that had formed in his throat. Did this demon kill all the ones around him, just him and no one else? It seemed nearly impossible the only people he knew who could do that was Inu-Yasha, because of the Tetsusaiga, Miroku, because of his air rip, and Sango, because of all the youkai killing weapons that she carried with her.

Shippo felt hands roughly grab him away from the fallen creature, horrid breath drowned out the smells of blood and death. Clawed fingers gouged at his arms and spun him around, "Little kitsune ran too far from his Otousan?" the demon hiss, hideous spiked protruding out from his mass of oily black hair.

Shippo open his mouth and screamed like he never screamed before. It echoed across the forest, softly fading into the afternoon sun, "Why did I wander away from them," he muttered angrily at himself.

"Why indeed. Scream again for me little fox, I like mine wiggling," the monster leaned in closer to him, rank breath causing him to gag.

"Drop him, or die," soft tones interrupted the other youkai's raspy voice, "you have two seconds."

Shippo held his breath, willing his body to stop trembling when the hands that tore into his skin ripped him away and flung his through the air. Shippo closed his eyes and yelled again as his small body cracked against a tree smothering him in darkness.

The youkai watched the young kit crumble to the ground, his limp body lying motionless in the thick grass, "I said drop, not throw. You die." He charged reaching behind him and into his hair. He pulled a blade of grass free and feed his ki into it causing the leaf to grow and harden into a blade. He ran toward the greasy demon, severing his head from his shoulders not stopping in his stride until he reach the fallen child and gently cradled him in his arms.

"Your bravery to come near this place is remarkable, or stupid, little one. Though I am not sure which one to commend you on more," he softly whispered to the unconscious kitsune. His ears pricked forward snorting as he turned and face his attackers. "You all wish to die as your friend did."

They hissed at him, "You will be the one who dies, kitsune. That child stinks of Inu-Yasha! We will use him as bate to trap him and take the Shikon no Tama for ourselves!"

The demon blinked, "Who and what?" he looked down at the child, "You got me into this," he tired to put anger into his voice, but somehow he couldn't.

He shrugged and looked his fifty some attackers, "Catch me if you can," he chuckled and turned around running as fast as he could through the forest.

He hissed and swiped at branches nicking his face and causing scratches to appear on his face. The hole in his side burned with new intensity. He grimaced and tucked the child into his dirty white robes, opposite of his wound. He spread his ki out to the trees and roots not pausing in his escape to look as the plants ripped his pursuers to pieces.

He burst through the forest and stumbled onto the road, almost falling onto his face. He stopped and panted turning quickly and crouching down ready to spring. He golden eyes narrow as he looked into four stunned faces, three human and one youkai. He felt the blood from his side run down his leg and drip onto the dirt.

One of the human's dark eyes widened more, "You're injured!" she yelled, "Inu-Yasha, we have to help him!" She turned to the white haired youkai her dark eyes pleading to him.

The kitsune felt his vision blur and the world tilt, everything becoming fuzzy before he hit the ground, "Sorry, kit," he whispered his eyes falling slightly closed as he curled his body tightly around the child wrapping his arms protectively against his small frame. "Perhaps they will take care of you."

S%S

Kagome helped Inu-Yasha strip the clothes off of the kitsune's body, the dried blood caking onto his skin, "Miroku, hurry get Kaede!" she yelled pausing to turn to Sango, "How's he doing?" she asked glancing at Shippo cradled in her arms.

"He should be fine," Inu-Yasha snorted, "The youkai wouldn't have picked him up if he thought he was going to die."

Kagome blinked at the hanyou, "Eh? What do you mean?"

Inu-Yasha shrugged, "Kitsune youkai are the stupidest demons around, they take care of their kits, weather or not they are the parents or not. They can smell when a kit has lost their parents or not, if their orphans. No other youkai does that, it's stupid. Why risk your life for someone you don't even know, `specially if it's a damn kid."

Sango smiled, "Inu-Yasha, I think that is the most intelligent thing that I have ever heard you say."

"Shut up, Sango," he growled doing his best to stop the bleeding in the demon's side.

Kaede came bursting through the door, "What's wrong? Miroku said that it was..." she trailed off looking to the demon on the floor, "Where did you get that?" she asked her eyes as wide as saucers.

Kagome blinked at her, "He saved Shippo's life. Kaede he's injured, he needs help."

Kaede shook her head, "Just stop his bleeding, he will take care of the rest. You don't have to worry, a Youko heals faster than any other demon alive."

Inu-Yasha fell over laughing, "A Youko!" he hissed out between bouts of chuckles, "Please, hag, they're just a myth made by old crazy people like you!"

"SIT!" Kagome yelled, ignoring the crash that sounded shortly afterwards. She glared at the hanyou and took his place by the Youko's side, "I don't care what he is, I am still going to take care of him even if no one else does. As far as I know he saved Shippo's and that's enough for me." She dug around in her pack and pulled out some and bandages and antibiotics gently applying them to his numerous wounds and scratches.

"It's amazing that he's still alive," Sango whispered sitting down next to her, reaching out to help her pull the bandages around his larger frame.

Kagome nodded, "I know, but... his lesser injuries are starting to heal already." She looked to the other woman with concerned eyes, "How's Shippo."

Sango smiled, "Doing well. Kaede is taking care of him. She said that he just hit his head too hard, nothing to serious. He should be up and about any moment."

Speaking of the devil, Kagome felt a tug on her short skirt and looked down. Shippo was looking at the sliver fox lying in the bed of hay in the corner, "Kagome... he's not going to die, right?"

Kagome smiled and scooped the small boy up in her arms, gently kissing his bandaged covered forehead, "Of course not, Shippo-chan, he's just sleeping right now."

Shippo nodded and crawled off of her lap and walked up to the other demon laying down next to him and cuddling up to his chest, "Thank you, Kagome, for saving him. He was hurt because of me... I think."

Kagome smiled and Sango reached out and gripped her elbow both watching in awe as the unconscious fox demon turned towards Shippo and encircled him in his arms. His legs coming up to tuck under his chin and tail wrapping around his legs. The only thing both girls could see of the small youkai boy was his own bushy reddish tail sticking out from underneath the other's silver one.

"See, I told you so," Inu-Yasha huffed from his point on the floor, "Only a kitsune is stupid enough to trust another kitsune."

S%S

Shippo smiled and curled up closer to his warm blankets and pillow closer, squinting his nose at the wet lap that gently touched his cheek. His eyes shoot open as another wet lick went up into his hair. It wasn't a teasing lick, it was a grooming lick, some one was cleaning him and giving him a bath just as his mother and father used to do. He shifted and tired to turn to look at who it was.

"Shhh, little kit, hold still I'm almost done."

Shippo smiled again and relaxed letting himself be given a bath like he used to for the first time in what seemed like years ago, "You saved my life yesterday and you almost died because of it." He did his best to keep the tears from his eyes.

"What's your name, little kit," he asked, his voice low and soothing.

"Shippo," he said cracking one eye open as the older kitsune's tongue lapped at his other cheek, "What's yours."

"Kurama," he softly chuckled. Smiling he moved away from the young boy and picked him up, placing him so that he was sitting on his chest, "There, all done." He reached up with one clawed finger and tapped his nose with it. "Now you smell like a real kitsune and not something mixed in between that, a dog, and a human."

Shippo crinkled his nose and lifted up the sleeve of his shirt, taking a mall whiff, "I did not," he pouted.

Golden eyes laughed at him, "Sure, kid. Whatever you say," Kurama sighed and picked Shippo up once again this time putting him down on the straw mat. "Up you go, little kit."

He sat up and stretched his back popping and cracking, "Will you be alright here by yourself?" he asked his eyes narrowing around the room, "Or perhaps I should take you with me."

Shippo looked up at him, "Where are you going, your not leaving are you?"

Kurama shook his head, "No, not leaving, just going to look for a river that I can bathe myself in."

Shippo's eyes lit up, "I'll go with you! I like taking baths and I know where the hot springs are!"

The silver Youko nodded and flipped Shippo up on his shoulders, quietly walking out of the hut and into the dimming moonlight. "Which way?" he softly whispered, too low for humans to hear. So low that Shippo barely heard him.

Shippo smiled and tugged on his right ear, "That way," he whispered back smiling as Kurama gave a small growl.

He nodded and with the help of the red fox, slipped out of the human's village and into the woods without disturbing as much as a single blade of grass.

"Wow!!" Shippo said, his voice filled with awe, "Even Sesshoumaru isn't that quiet.”

"Who is Sesshoumaru?" Kurama asked coming upon the natural hot springs that Shippo had said would be there.

"Inu-Yasha's older half brother. He's a jerk, but very strong." Shippo's hands clenched in tight fists, "If only I was older and stronger, I could give Sesshoumaru a beating that he'd never forget."

Kurama chuckled and began to strip the clean cloths that were given to him making soft rustles as it hit the floor, "Perhaps when you are older, little kit." He frowned and touched the bandages that wove around his waist, slowly looking down in surprise.

"Kagome and Sango have been taking care of you the past three days that you've been sleeping," Shippo said softly, as if he was expecting the Youko to erupt in a fit of rage.

Kurama looked to him curiously, "Why?"

Shippo dug his toes into the dirt, "Because you saved me. And because they are the one's who watch over me. They are my family."

"The humans and the half breed are your family?" he hissed.

Shippo cringed and nodded hanging his head, "They are the only one's who care."

Kurama nodded, "Do they treat you well?"

Shippo's eyes lit up with joy, "Oh yes, very much. Though Inu-Yasha is a total jerk, he has his good points. Kindda anyway."

Kurama frowned again, this time reaching up to his chest and softly touching the ruby pendant that hung around his neck. He jerked his hand away as if it would burn him.

"Kagome found it clutched in your hand, she said she thought that it was yours, so she put it on you," his voice was soft and hesitant again.

This time the silver fox reach up and grasped the necklace until his knuckles turned white, his head hung down and white matted hair hung down around his shoulders, "I see," was all he said. He stood like that for a few moments his body slightly shaking from some inner turmoil before he dropped his hand and once again began to undress, gently taking the cloth around his wounds off.

Shippo finished quickly and jumped in the spring making a loud splashing sound and coming up giggling. He spit water out of his mouth in a wide arch before looking over at the Youko, quickly turning away to hide his blush. As much as he used to bath naked with his parents, he wasn't used to it now, but Kurama seemed to have no shame about showing his naked body to the world.

He felt long fingers curl up into his hair, releasing it from its rubber band. He slightly started surprised that he didn't hear the other youkai slide into the water or come up behind him.

"Head back," Kurama whispered, titling Shippo's head back and getting it wet with out letting the steamy water come in contact with his face. Slowly and efficiently the older demon bathed the boy in the warm wetness of the spring, washing him with some unknown soap that smelt like herbs and spring breeze and when he was done and he set Shippo upon a rock and wrapped him in the soft cotton shirt that he was wearing.

"Stay here and dry off until I'm done," Kurama said, reaching over to an odd looking plant that the boy had never seen before. He placed his clawed hand underneath it and softly touched the bottom of the bloomed flower, moving his long fingers as if he was petting it until a creamy substance came out of the middle of it and dripped onto his open hand.

Shippo nodded and watch the Youko as he bathed. With each stork and lather of the soapy liquid that came from the odd looking flower the more Kurama seemed to glow and he was bit by bit becoming one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever seen. He tugged on the Youko's shirt that was draped around his shoulder and pulled it tighter around him, not believing that under all the dirt and grim Kurama was as wonderful as the stars.

TBC...