Chapter Three: A Heart to Heart

I woke before dawn and headed to Genkai’s temple where I was sure to find Yukina. I needed someone to talk to and since Kurama was to be the subject of the conversation I couldn’t very well talk to him. My sister was up early as usual, feeding the birds. “Hello Hiei,” she greeted as I appeared a few feet away from her. “You seem troubled,” “Is Kurama not well?” “He’s fine, as far as I know, “ I replied. “However I could use your advice on a matter that concerns him,” My sister raised a delicate eyebrow in surprise. “Come inside,” she said. “We’ll talk over some tea,”

Yuknia listened attentively as I retold the previous nights events. “It sounds as though he cares for you a great deal,” she said softly once I had finished. “It also sounds as though he’s unsure of what to do at the moment and afraid,” I frowned as I set down my teacup. “That’s what I don’t understand,” I confessed. “He said he feared what I wanted to offer him, but why would he be afraid?” “Perhaps he fears he will break your heart,” Yuknia answered. “…or that you’ll break his,” I sipped my tea thoughtfully. That did make sense. “After all, he does care for you very much,” she continued. “He said he did,” I responded as I set down my teacup. “…but that doesn’t mean he loves me,” “Maybe it does,” Yukina disagreed.

I finished my tea and rose from my seat. I thanked Yukina for listening and for the tea then headed back to the one place I called home. I entered the apartment through my bedroom window. It was silent. It was still early, but I knew Kurama would be up soon. I picked up my notepad and pencil and headed into the kitchen. As I sat down at the kitchen table I decided to wait and see what Kurama’s next move would be before deciding what mine would be. I placed my pencil to the paper, only half aware of what I was writing.

“Feeling inspired today Hiei?” Kurama asked from the doorway of the kitchen. I set down the pencil and raised my head to look up at him. “I suppose I am,” I admitted as I rose. “Sit,” I told him “I’ll get breakfast,” “Hiei…” he began “…about last night…” “I hope I didn’t complicate things between us,” “No need to worry Fox,” I responded, “Nothing has changed,” Kurama smiled. “Except for the fact that you’ve just given me a nickname,” I mentally cursed my slip of the tongue. He glanced at the notepad then back up at me. “May I?” he asked. I nodded and turned to cook breakfast. I glanced over my shoulder a few minutes later and saw him with the pencil in his hand, his expression one of deep concentration.

He didn’t look up again until I had set his plate in front of him. He thanked me and slid the pad and pencil over to my side of the table. I glanced down at the page, at the top I had written:

The painful dream spurs me on, as if to fan the fire left in my cold heart.
With my heart like this, I'm just Fighting to dream.

Below it he had written:

Yes,burning emotions resound in my heart, like an unending storm
Like the wind, we're just Shooting to dream.

I resisted the urge to give him a questioning glance. Instead I wrote below it:

Don’t try to ignore your warm-hearted feelings,
We can't deceive our own hearts.
The gentleness of truth has real meaning

I passed the pad and pencil back to him, using every ounce of the control I’d learned over the years to keep my expression neutral as he read what I had written. Shock flickered across his features for a moment, and then he became thoughtful as he ate a few more bites of his breakfast. He picked up the pencil again and wrote, before passing it back to me. Underneath what I had written he added:

I need to be comforted if things get worse

I wrote three words down on the pad and passed it to him

Take my hand!

Kurama studied the page intently as he ate, clearly deep in thought. “I think we might be able to create another song with what we’ve got written here,” He said once he had finished his meal. “Shall we show this to Yusuke and Kuwabara?” “Fine with me,” I consented.

On To Chapter Four >>

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