Calm My Restlessness
By: ani ro_s_star@hotmail.com
Disclaimer: as usual, I don’t actually own YYH, Kurama, Hiei, etc.
etc.
All I do
own is ever chara, twist and turn I’ve added.
This is an au of sorts; it’s a side-story that’s supposed to take
place
while
the guys are training for the tournament to determine the next
Overlords of
the
Makai. Of course, as usual, I’m writing this without actually seeing
the
storyline yet, so mistakes and guesses are very prominent in this
piece.
This is a one-shot, but I’ve got an idea to continue past this, so
tell me
if I
should or not. Anyway, on to the story…
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it Youko-dono?” she smiled, finding
him
right where
she expected, in the forested part of the cliff above the city.
That intense red hair was floating in the breeze as he slowly stood,
turning
to
her. A face she didn’t know stared at her with a familiar gaze in
unusual
green
eyes. “Miyoko… I would prefer it if you didn’t use that title.”
A nod made her plum-colored braid slide off her shoulder. “And you
know I
don’t
use that name anymore. Only a handful of people know it, and only
one’s
allowed
to call me that.” She stopped as those emeralds slid closed. The
smile
came back
as she joined him at the cliff’s edge. “Really though, it’s been
a
long time.”
Turning towards her scent, he watched her sit on the edge, looking out
over
the
city. “It has indeed Nari. If you don’t mind my asking, how did you
get
here?”
He actually jumped at her chuckle, “If you had to ask that it has
been too
long,” she found the old condescending look she was used to on this
new
face.
“Sorry, couldn’t help it. I’m here for the same reason you were,
hiding out.
Stole from the wrong person so…”
Finally sitting beside her, he sighed. “So you came to the one place
they
couldn’t get you.”
She sighed, turning away from him. “After you… I just kept going
on,
doing what
I’m good at. Of course, it started loosing its appeal. Nothing was a
challenge
anymore. By then, word of my other ability got out…”
“And you got in with the wrong person. Nari,” he paused, turning
her to
him,
“Please tell me what you’ve done. I can’t help you if you don’t
tell
me.”
Pulling his hand away from her face, she smiled slightly at the feel of
his
fingers sliding down her jaw. She shook her head slowly, “No, no
it’s
been dealt
with. Don’t worry about me.” Trying to change the subject, she
turned to
her
bag. “I almost forgot. I managed to save this before your horde was
pillaged.”
The gray drawstring bag she placed in his hands seemed to ease a
tension
he’d
never been able to name. Vague memories flashing through his mind –
spotting the
Goddess Child in the crowds, changing form to get closer… a scent…
that
blood
red strip of fabric tied in her hair; years later, holed up in a cave
as the
storms raged… the conflict and struggle on her face… later
sketching
that
sleeping face on the back of his wanted poster – made a whole new
anxiety
form.
If she knew he’d kept them, they were in that bag… “Nari, did you
open
this..?”
Her slight blush worried him more. “I have, but I’ve never gone
through
any of
it, never looked. Like you, I never let it out of my sight. I’d put
in
what
seeds I’d found in your horde, ones I’d come across that you had
used
around
me.”
He threw her a confused look, “You didn’t believe the rumors?”
“Of course not. It’d take more than one SDF to take out the
Legendary
Bandit for
good. But I never would have believed you’d run here.” Shaking her
head,
she
turned to him. “I didn’t believe it was really you, I had to see it
for
myself,
sense it. But it really is you Kurama.”
All he could do was nod. “My time in this world, as Shuuichi, as
taught me
much
Nari. Even now, moving between realms, I’m learning a great deal.”
He
paused,
placing his hand over hers, “I realize there is no need to explain
what.”
Taking his hand in both of hers, she hung her head, that one
pale-blonde
lock
falling into her face. “Picking up right where we left off, huh? The
Thief
King
and his little prodigy rival, the Fallen Goddess Child. One reluctant
because of
the other’s youth: the other reluctant because of one’s inability
to
understand
the other’s dual heritage. Even if you can know Kurama, I don’t
know if
I can…”
He pulled his hand from hers, “Forgive me. I should not have
assumed.”
He stood
up, started walking away.
“Shuuichi wait.”
He did stop at her using his human name. He just stood there, waiting.
She finally stood, finding his back to her. “There is one other that
understands. I believe you already know him.”
“Hiei.”
“Just because someone could understand doesn’t mean anything
unless,”
her voice
fell to barely a whisper, “… I want it to.”
He turned to find her barely an arms length away. A tiny smile graced
her
lips
as she caught the confusion in his eyes. “Hiei and I have crossed
paths a
few
times, helped each other out of some tight spots. We’re allies,
nothing
more.
Probably a lot like you two are. But it just proves my point.” She
paused,
slowly raising her right hand toward his face.
His left came up, taking hold of hers. “A lot has happened during my
desertion.”
That pale-blonde lock flew back and forth at his word. “Isolation,
not
desertion.” She placed their hands on his chest, pressing her palm
flat
against
his shirt pocket. “You never deserted me. We parted ways many times,
fought each
other, challenged each other, but I always knew…”
Vibrant green just stared back into deep indigo, the setting sun
casting red
and
orange tints over them.
She suddenly broke their eye contact, finding his arm quite comfortably
resting
around her waist now. Turning back to him, she was surprised at the
pain and
need he was trying to hide in his eyes. She did the only thing she
could
think
of. Her right hand started sliding up his chest as her left brushed his
hair
from his face. She stepped closer, both hands resting on his shoulders
as
she
laid her cheek against his chest, the low open neck of his shirt.
The arm around her waist tightened slightly as he realized what she was
doing.
His left hand came up, tucking that stray lock behind her ear before
stroking
her hair. His hand resting on her head, his hold barely getting tighter
gave
her
some clue. “Nari, I would like to see you again.”
She nodded slightly, “But you’re need in the Makai now. I know all
about
the
Overlords and their tournament.” She paused, almost as if she
didn’t
know what
to say. “I… I wish you luck at your goal Kurama, whatever it may
be.”
His right hand stroked her hair again as he loosened his hold. She
almost
pulled
back to look at him, suddenly finding his right arm around her
shoulders,
holding her against him again. She could feel his chin slide across the
top
of
her head before he pressed his face into it. “I thank you Nari. Thank
you.”
Realizing what it actually meant, she slipped her arms out of his
embrace,
wrapping them tight around his waist. Closing her eyes, getting lost in
the
embrace, memorizing his scent, his hold, everything about this one
moment,
she
barely whispered, “Anytime, my friend. Anytime.”
(
geocities.com/asia/eien_kurama_sama) (
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