I'm so happy! This story took two days for me to write, and it's the most I've written in a long time. I'm surprised I got it all down, though. But yeah. I've been wanting to write this pairing for a while, but I didn't know how to until some time ago when I got the idea. And please, if you're a Hiei/Kurama person, don't leave reviews that are insist Hiei and Kurama belong together. I'm giving you fair warning right now, that is not the case in this story. Don't like it? Don't read it.
On with the story!
Bitter Sweet
All activity came to a pause in the dimly lit bar as the door slowly opened, allowing some of the fading light from the waning sun to enter and shadow the figure that stood there. After a few moments of being watched carefully by the larger demons, Kurama slowly stepped into the bar and looked around with piercing emerald eyes.
Those already there grumbled a bit and returned to whatever they were doing. The human scent from the newly arrived was strong to all of them, but those who had been to the Dark and Demon tournaments knew better than to tangle with the red-haired Youko.
Leaving the door open to allow some of the heavy smoke to clear, the fox teen headed for the counter seats, his hands resting in the pockets of his heavy brown jacket. His quickened pace caused a slight rustle of his black slacks and a soft patter of his black slip-on shoes. But these sounds were drowned out by the busy buzzing of the other demons who didn't seem to notice the redhead's hurry.
As he sat down, Kurama ran thin, pale fingers through his crimson hair. He had no real idea what he was doing in a bar, let alone a bar in the Makai. He wasn't a fan of heavy drinking, and it was especially dangerous to be around others with that situation who were powerful demons. All he had wanted was to rest a little from his long trek after visiting Hiei at Mukuro's palace. A place where he could quietly rest himself while perhaps rehydrating himself for the remaining journey.
And a bar was definitely not a place to do either.
So what was he doing here? Thinking over it, the redhead frowned when he remembered the feeling he had had when he was passing by the place. It was a very strong feeling that called out to his rational mind and action-seeking soul. The sensation had continued to lead him along, pulling his feet forward until he had entered the bar. There was nothing else he could have done about it. He had always been one to follow his instincts, but choosing to enter a bar made no sense to him really.
He would just have to hope for the best.
A bluish-gray demon with tan horns appeared on the other side of the counter, a dirty rag hanging from his black vest. "Whatcha want?" he asked in a gruff voice.
"Red wine…" the fox said softly. Since he wasn't in the Ningenkai, consuming alcohol in his human form didn't bother him.
Lifting a curious eyebrow, the demon shrugged and left the redhead for a moment, returning and placing a goblet filled with the thick dark liquid down in front of the other.
Taking the glass, the redhead swirled the liquid in the cup, inhaling it deeply. It was definitely a human-brand wine. But Kurama didn't really mind that too much, since he preferred wine from the Ningenkai to wine from the Makai. What worried him a little was where this Makaian bar obtained human-brand wine in the first place.
Allowing it to drop from his mind, the redhead slowly placed the goblet to his lips, feeling it was safe enough to drink. Tilting the glass a little, he felt the bitter-sweet drink slide over his tongue and into his throat, the alcohol leaving a tingling sensation as it went. Placing the cup down, the redhead licked his lips slightly to catch a droplet or two that remained. It wasn't the best wine, but it was good enough.
Raising the glass to his lips again, Kurama was startled when he heard the sound of glass shattering on the hardwood floor. Spinning slightly in his seat, the redhead looked around for the source of the commotion that was beginning to stir in the bar. Sharp emerald eyes followed where the other demons were looking and finding the troubling scene unfurl before him. Backed into a corner by a drunk green demon clad in leather was a waitress demon, her tan fox ears folded against her head and the fur on her tail on end in fear.
Squinting a little in the dim light, the redhead blinked when he realized that he knew the waitress. As she cried out in protest when the intoxicated demon grabbed her wrists, Kurama's mind replayed scenes of the Dark Tournament. The voice of the fox referee counting to ten, calling a play, announcing in pleasure as someone was brutally hurt coupled with the images of the same referee in the stone ring avoiding the contestants as they battled it out, her actions matching perfectly with her words. The memories in his mind merged with the sight before him. It definitely was the same girl.
Paying for his drink quickly, the redhead stood and hurriedly headed over to where they were, practically pulling off the wasted demon from the referee. Pushing the other demon away slightly, Kurama said coolly, "I hope there isn't a problem over here…" He heard the fox girl, who was now standing behind him, gasp softly, mostly likely surprised by his intervention.
The drunk staggered slightly to regain his balance, glaring at Kurama with hazy auburn eyes. "Damn, wha's yer problem?" he slurred.
"I believe the lady would prefer if you would leave her be. Since you seem to have had a little too much to drink, everything will be fine if you…"
The demon cut the other off as he grabbed Kurama's jacket and lifted the smaller of the two slightly off the ground, bringing their faces only inches apart. "Don' be tellin' me what ta do!" he growled.
The smell of alcohol strongly resonated off the demon, causing Kurama to wince as the demon's breath hit his face. "Don't do something you'll regret……" the fox warned softly, his emerald eyes flashing a tint of gold.
But the demon was oblivious to the change. "Shut th' hell up! I'll do wha'ever I damn feel like doin'!" Clenching his free hand into a fist, the intoxicated aimed it for the redhead's pale face.
Sighing, the redhead quickly managed to escape the other demon's grasp, narrowly avoiding the other's fist before ramming into him, sending him to the ground.
Fixing the wrinkle in his jacket caused by the demon, the human fox then turned to the one behind him. "Are you all right?" he asked gently. "Koto, was it?"
The waitress/referee blinked slightly, surprise in her own emerald eyes as she nodded. "I guess…" she started to say but was caught off as a gasp escaped her lips. Nervously, she pointed behind the redhead, causing him to turn and see the demon on the ground was being helped to stand by two others as all the others approached the two menacingly.
Kurama grit his teeth slightly, barely noting that Koto had taken hold of his arm, hiding slightly behind him. 'This is going to be a pointless fight…' he thought. 'Difficult……but pointless……'
"Are you sure you're okay?" Koto asked as she walked slowly by Kurama's side.
The redhead nodded, holding his bleeding shoulder. "Nothing time won't heal eventually…" he replied softly.
The fox girl frowned slightly, rubbing her left arm nervously. "Maybe you should get that fixed up first."
"I really should be getting back, though."
"You shouldn't be traveling the Makai in your condition," Koto argued, taking the sleeve of the other's jacket. "C'mon, my apartment is close by."
The redhead gasped in protest. "Please, there's no need to trouble yourself over it…" he said, though having little choice as she continued to pull him along.
"Nonsense…" she replied as they headed up a flight of stairs. "Besides, it's getting late. You should find a place to rest tonight."
"But I really should be getting home…."
"Now what are you supposed to tell your human mother when you come home looking like that?" Koto asked, turning to look at him and motioning to his injured shoulder.
Kurama blinked, having not really thought about that. As realization dawned on him, he frowned and looked at the girl. "How do you know about my human mother?" he asked.
Looking back at him, Koto smiled mischievously. "I was referee at the Dark Tournament, remember? It was my job to know all about each contestant."
"That's quite an achievement…"
Stopping at a nearby door on the third floor, the fox girl unlocked it and entered the apartment. "You got that right!" she said proudly, flipping a switch.
Blinking slightly as the dark room suddenly filled with light, Kurama looked around the apartment. It looked surprisingly like an apartment in the Ningenkai; a small living area for one person with one kitchen, one bathroom, one bedroom, and a living quarter. For some reason, it made him smile a little.
Leading the redhead to the couch in the living quarter, Koto asked, "Does it still hurt?"
"Not so much anymore…" Kurama replied honestly.
"Well, I'd still feel better if you took care of that thing…" she said, nodding slightly. "Wait here, I'll be right back." With that, she headed out of the room.
Kurama watched her walk out the door. She looked exactly the same as she had when he had seen her in the tournament, including the outfit. But she was acting quite different than he remembered her. As he recalled from the Dark Tournament, she had enjoyed most of the bouts of pain that the contestants had to endure during the battles. The fights themselves always excited her. But the last fight they had been involved in was a different matter.
The sound of the sharp whip slicing through thick flesh followed by the sounds of body pieces falling to the ground repeated more times than Kurama wished them to. He normally didn't like using such excessive force on such weaker demons, but their drunken state only increased their anger and power, causing their want to kill him first.
Nearby, Koto hid behind the counter, watching as Kurama fought off all the other demons. Silently cheering the redhead on, she didn't notice as someone slowly came up behind her.
Once all the demons were either dead or knocked out, the redhead sighed softly, wiping the sweat on his brow. Just as he was about to put away his rose whip, a vibration reached his ears and he ducked suddenly just as a sword zipped over his head, cutting strands of his crimson hair before piercing the wall beside him. Arming his weapon, the redhead turned in the direction where the sword had come from. As he did so, however, his breath was caught in his throat and his emerald eyes widened.
Standing behind the counter was a muscular gray demon who's head nearly touched the ceiling. His large arm was wrapped around Koto's neck, keeping the girl tightly to his chest and off the ground. She struggled, gasping for air that was blocked by the demon's arm around her neckline.
Kurama growled as he glared at the demon, who only replied with a smirk as he looked back at the fox with clouded black eyes. He was drunk, the redhead knew, but that wasn't an excuse for anything.
"Let her go…" the fox demanded.
"You're in no position to be asking things from me…" the other demon replied. "Get rid of the weapon, and I'll think about it…"
Glancing at the struggling fox girl, Kurama growled again before returning his whip to its original rose form, tossing it over towards the demon.
The demon's smirk widened. "That's better…" he said. Suddenly, he dropped the girl and charged at the fox. With lightning speed, he pulled a sword seemingly from nowhere and stabbed it through Kurama's right shoulder, pinning him to the wall behind.
Kurama cried out in pain, using his other hand to push against the demon as the sharp metal was pushed in harder, breaking through the other side.
Coughing for air, Koto slowly got to her feet, using the counter for balance and support. Seeing what was happening, she gasped, jumping over the counter and running to the redhead's aide. "No…!" she cried, grabbing the demon's arm.
Growling, the larger demon backhanded her, releasing his hold on the sword. Just as she hit the floor, Kurama pulled the sword out of his shoulder and sliced the demon's neck.
The demon fell to the ground without a word. Panting, Kurama then looked at the other as she slowly got to her feet. "Are you all right?" he asked softly.
"I think so…" she replied softly, looking up at him. Her eyes then fell on his bloodied shoulder. "Oh no…"
"I'm all right," he assured her. "We better go before others come to see what the commotion's about."
She nodded, following him out the door.
"Kurama?" Koto's voice called and pulled him out of his reverie.
The redhead looked up as she entered the room again hold in a first aide kit and a bowl of water in her hands. She smiled gently as she sat back down beside him.
"You really don't have to do this…" he said softly, though slowly began removing his jacket anyway.
"It's the least I can do for you after you saved me," the fox girl replied softly, opening the kit.
Figuring he couldn't win this argument, Kurama continued to slowly peel off his jacket, wincing a little as he moved his injured arm. Placing the coat beside him on the couch, he began unbuttoning his blue polo shirt with his left hand. When he was finished, he carefully pushed the stained cloth off his right shoulder.
Koto flushed softly at the sight of the other's partially exposed chest but composed herself as she took a piece of cloth from the first aide kit and dipped it into the bowl of warm water. Turning back to the redhead, she gently pressed the cloth to the gash to clean it.
The human-fox bit his tongue, the warmth of the water stinging him more than he thought it would. After a moment, though, the slight sensation faded and he watched as Koto gently cleaned the remaining blood from his shoulder before putting the cloth back in the bowl of water and pulling out a tube of cream from the kit.
"I'm a bit surprised," the redhead said softly, almost hesitantly, "that you of all people would be helping me like this…"
The fox girl blinked and looked up at him as she gently applied the cream to his wound. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"It's just that, at the tournament, you always enjoyed watching the bloodiest battles."
"Oh…" Frowning a little, she wiped her hand on her pink shorts, squirting cream into her other hand so it would be easier to get to the other side of Kurama's wound. "Well, I did…I still do, in fact. But…well, you did save me and all. Besides, this was a different thing entirely."
"How so?" the redhead asked, looking up at her. "Regardless of the location, rules or lack thereof, what happened back at the bar was still a fight. There was plenty of injury and bloodshed. It was just like a Dark Tournament fight."
"That's not true…" Koto replied, gently pressing some cotton pads on either side of Kurama's shoulder before wrapping it with a bandage. "There are rules in the Dark Tournament, just like you said. Contestants have to obey those rules or they're disqualified."
"Rules or not, the most enjoyable fights are those with the most injury," Kurama retorted. "Isn't that true?"
Looking up, Koto was about to protest, but stopped when she saw the dark, serious look in the other's emerald eyes. Frowning, she finished wrapping his shoulder, tying the bandage to secure it. "Why do you talk like that?" she asked, closing the first aide kit. "You almost sound like you don't like to fight…"
"I don't," the fox teen replied simply.
Surprised, she looked up at him again. "What do you mean? You're a demon too, aren't you?"
"Indeed I am."
"Then how can you say you don't like to fight? Don't you enjoy the action? The thrill of seeing your opponent being defeated at your hands? You're a fox too, so you know what it's like to feel the thrill of the kill."
Kurama looked back at her emotionlessly. "But do you?"
Her body stiffened slightly in surprise. "What…?"
"I'm sure you've seen countless of fights as a referee of the Demon Tournament," the redhead said, putting his shirt back on and buttoning it up with his left hand. "You enjoy watching the contestants fight their hardest and the carnage that comes along with it. Hearing the agonizing cries of pain is like music to your ears, and watching one of the contestants as his life slips away is the most exciting part. But even with all of your close calls, you've never had to experience what it's like to be the one in that situation…"
Koto bit her bottom lip slightly. She wasn't sure what to say to him.
"I guess it's different for most demons. Some actually enjoy doing those kinds of things more than you enjoy watching them. But for some demons, including myself, there's something more to fight for than just the sake of fight. Many demons fight for a special reason…"
"Then…why do you fight, Kurama?"
"To protect those close to me," he replied softly. "To ensure their safety so that they aren't harmed…and to do what I can to help…If that is inevitable though, as some of those I know fight for the same reasons I do, then I help to make sure they're hurt as little as possible…"
He paused for a moment before adding slowly, "I suppose, though, that part of me enjoys testing my skills, to see how well I do against an opponent. That feeling only runs so deep though."
Kurama, who had been looking at his hands, finally looked back up at the other. "But standing by and watching a fight is much different than being involved in it. Not knowing how the fight will fare is a far greater feeling when your own life depends on your skills, and you wonder if you'll make it through. If you're just watching, it doesn't matter who wins or loses so long as you're entertained. But for many, the fun stops when they're the ones involved in a battle for their life."
The redhead watched as the fox girl lowered her head slightly, covering her emerald eyes with her chestnut hair. His eyes then widened slightly in surprise as her body began to tremble slightly.
"It's true…" she said softly, her voice wavering. "I always enjoyed……watching contestants fight in the tournaments…no matter what happened……The best fights……were always the most dangerous ones…"
She sniffled a little. "But tonight…was different. I was……sacred……When that demon came up behind me…I was afraid…because I didn't know what was going to happen to me…It was the first time I've ever been directly involved in a fight…and you got hurt……because you were trying to protect me……Someone you don't even know……and who enjoyed seeing you hurt when you were fighting……"
Kurama watched as tears began to stream down Koto's cheeks, landing on her navy stockings. He was at a loss at what to do. It was never his intention to upset her. Thinking for a moment, he hesitantly reached over, gently wiping her tears with his index finger, one eye and then the other. "I don't…think that's really true, though…" he said softly.
Slowly, Koto looked up at him. Though the tears were gone, more were still forming in her emerald eyes. "What…?" she asked softly.
"I mean…Yes, perhaps you did enjoy watching me get hurt…But I recall a time where you defended me because I couldn't fight…"
The fox girl shook her head slightly, looking down at her hands and away from him. "I was just……it didn't mean anything……"
"It did mean something…" Kurama insisted, cupping her chin and gently lifting her face to look into her eyes. "And you weren't just doing your job. By all technicalities, I was still in the fight. The rules clearly allowed Bakken to continue because I was still in the ring…And all the other demons didn't really mind too much either."
The redhead smiled gently. "But you weren't all right with that, were you? You didn't like seeing me hurt if I couldn't fight back…Because you knew something about it wasn't right."
Koto let out a shaky sigh, pulling away from the other's touch. "But all the other times…"
"You were just being yourself…" the redhead said softly. "No one could ever ask for more than that…"
Glancing over at him, the fox girl noted the small smile on his lips and couldn't help as one formed on her own. Then, with a soft chuckle, she said, "I can't believe you're trying to make me feel better…"
"Well, I didn't mean to offend you. It's the least I could do…"
Her smile deepened as she looked down at the ground. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're a nice guy?"
"I've heard that before, yes…"
Nodding, she looked up at him again. "Do you……want anything?"
The human-fox thought for a moment before asking hesitantly, "Could I…have some water?"
"Sure…" she replied. Grabbing the first aide kit and bowl of water, she got to her feet and headed into the kitchen. She placed the first aide kit on the table and dumped the water into the sink, deciding to wash the bloodied rag later. Finding a clean cup in the kitchen, the fox girl opened her fridge and pulled out a bottle of water, opening it and pouring it into the glass before heading back into the living quarters where she found Kurama talking on his cell phone.
"No, I'm sorry to have worried you, Kaa-san…" she heard him say softly. "My business went on a little later than I expected, so I thought I'd spend the night at my friend's house. I hope you don't mind."
There was some silence from the redhead as he listened to his mother speak. Then he said, "All right. Thank you, Kaa-san. I'll see you when I get back…Love you, too…Good night…" He paused for a moment before he hung up the phone, turning to Koto and smiling slightly.
Sitting beside him and handing him the glass of water, the fox girl asked softly, "Is she nice?"
Kurama took a sip from the glass. "She is a very nice person. I enjoy spending time with her."
Nodding a little, Koto looked down at the ground, reluctantly asking, "Do you really love her?"
The redhead looked at her, slightly surprised. "Yes……as a motherly figure, I do…she's cared for me more than she has for herself, and I admire her for it…That's why I do my best to protect her too…"
The fox girl smiled slightly, playing with her hands. "She's lucky to have someone protecting her like that…"
"Well, it's the least I could do for taking her real son away from her…"
"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up at him.
The human-fox took another sip from the glass he held in his hand. "Well, 18 years ago, my Youko soul entered her pregnant body and took over the developing child before another soul was attached to it…As such, she's never had a real son…Just me…"
"Well, so what? I mean, if you weren't there for her, who knows what might have happened to her?"
Kurama shook his head. "If it weren't for me, perhaps she wouldn't be endangered many times…"
"How would you know that? Maybe something else could've happened to her…But there's no use thinking about 'what if' and 'maybe'. This is what's happened now…And you said you love her. Isn't that enough?"
Looking up at her, the redhead smiled a little. "Now who's cheering up who?" he asked.
Laughing softly, she stuck out her tongue at him playfully. "Just a little payback," she replied with a shrug.
"Yeah, I see…" he replied, taking another sip of his water.
The two foxes sat in silence for what seemed like eternity before Koto got up, heading out of the room and quickly returning with a pillow and blanket. "Here," she said, placing the items next to him on the couch and draping his jacket on a nearby chair. "I hope you don't mind sleeping on the couch…"
"No, I'll be all right," he replied, smiling at her. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me…"
"Oh, don't worry about it," she said with a wink. "Like I said, it's the least I could do for you after you saved me."
"If you don't mind me asking…Koto…why were you working in a place like that anyway?"
"Well, a girl's gotta get money somehow. When I'm not working at the tournament, I have to find some other kind of job…"
The redhead frowned slightly. "But why there?"
She shrugged slightly, placing the pillow against the armrest of the couch. "It was the best place I could find to work in…"
"No…" Kurama said, shaking his head slightly. "You could do much better than that…"
Koto's cheeks flushed slightly. She had never heard anyone tell her that before. "You…really think so…?" she asked softly, sitting down next to him.
"Of course…You shouldn't just settle for 'okay' when you can achieve much more than that…"
"But…how do you know that I can?"
Frowning a little, the redhead replied, "Well…maybe I don't know…But how will you if you don't try?"
"But I…" She looked down at her hands. "I don't know if I can……I don't really know what's out there for me…All I know is how to referee, that's my life…I don't know…if I can do anything else…I just get……whatever little job I can find…"
Gently, Kurama placed his hand on top of hers. "You shouldn't settle for small things like that. I'm sure there's something better for you out there…"
A little surprised, Koto hesitated slightly before taking his hand in both of hers and looking up at him. "Why…are you like this?" she asked softly, a pink blush adorning her cheeks. "I mean…why…would you do all this…for me?"
Kurama's emerald eyes locked with hers, a slight curiosity and almost confusion clouding their shining depths. "I……really don't know……" he replied honestly.
An awkward hush blanketed the two, Koto's hands still holding Kurama's as they sat facing each other but avoiding the other's eyes. After a long while, she gently released the other's hands as she got to her feet. "I…um…it's getting late…" she said softly, rubbing her arm nervously as she continued to avoid his gaze. "We should…get some sleep…"
"Yes, of course…" he replied, nodding a little.
Glancing over and noticing the drying blood on his shirt, she asked, "Do you……want me to clean that for you? Or…would you like something else to wear to sleep? I mean…maybe I could find something that would fit you, or…"
"No, really," he said, shaking his head, "I'm all right…"
She nodded slightly. "All right…Good night, then…"
Kurama watched as she turned and began heading out of the living quarters. "Wait, Koto…" he said, getting to his feet as well.
The fox girl turned slightly towards him, watching as he came to stand in front of her. She vaguely noted that he stood just about as tall as her, though she had a slight advantage with her fox ears. She gasped softly in surprise as he took her hand in his, placing a gentle kiss on it. "I…still really appreciate what you're doing for me tonight…" the redhead said softly, looking up at her with sparkling emerald eyes.
"I-I told you…i-it's the…l-least I could do…for y-you…" she stuttered.
"I know…but thank you."
As he looked at her with a gentle smile on his lips, Koto felt as though she would melt then and there. Still, she managed to return the smile and reply softly, "You're welcome…"
Nodding slightly, the redhead's smile faded slightly as their faces inched ever-so slightly closer in painfully slow seconds. Their eyes closed as their lips gently met in a sweet kiss, deepening as Koto leaned into him when she felt her knees go weak, her hands feeling the firm chest underneath the smooth, soft shirt. Ignoring the slight pain, Kurama's right arm slowly snaked around the girl's waist, gently pulling her closer as his left hand reached up and gently ran through her chestnut hair.
Without warning, however, Koto broke the kiss, shaking her head as she pulled away from the other. "N-no…" she said softly, "we…can't do this…"
Kurama looked at her with a hurt expression on his pale face, his emerald eyes filled with confusion. "What's wrong…?" he asked softly.
"We just…can't…" she said, her voice wavering slightly as she threw her fists down in slight frustration. "We…this wouldn't…it wouldn't work…I mean…we're both from different worlds……really……Even if we really do……feel something for each other……"
"There's no if there…" Kurama said seriously. "That wouldn't have happened if there was…"
"How can you be sure, though?" she asked, looking at him with watery emerald eyes.
Reaching up, the redhead gently wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall. "Because I can feel it…" he replied. "Can't you…?"
She closed her eyes as the other gently began to stroke her cheek. "Even…if we wanted this…" she said softly, "it couldn't……work between us……You live…in the Ningenkai……and I live here…" Slowly, she opened her eyes again to look at him. "I couldn't…ask you to leave your mother……But I couldn't live……over there……"
"We'll find a way to make it work…" the human fox said, tucking strands of amber tresses behind her ear. "If this is really meant to be……we'll find a way…"
She stared at him, unable to believe he could be so positive. "How do you know…?"
"Because," he answered, "this obstacle……is another battle for me…A new…different fight for me……" He smiled reassuringly, placing a gentle kiss on her cheek. "And in order to protect the one I care for……I won't lose…"
Despite herself, Koto couldn't help but smile. "You really……care for me?" she asked softly.
Kurama nodded slightly. "Even I…was surprised by this feeling…But it's no coincidence that I found my way to the bar tonight…And when I saw…that demon who was trying to hurt you…I couldn't explain why I felt so angry…But now I know…"
"You were angry? I could hardly tell…"
"It's difficult for others to tell on a first glance…Those who are close enough…usually can tell, though…"
Koto frowned slightly. "I guess I don't know you that well…"
But Kurama just smiled reassuringly. "Not yet……but you will…" he replied.
She smiled again, nodding a little before their lips once again met in a slightly more passionate kiss, her delicate fingers gently running through silken crimson mane. After a moment, the kiss was once again broken as Koto asked in a whisper, "So…how's your arm?"
Moving it slightly, the redhead replied softly, "It's doing a lot better…"
"So then…do you want to see my bedroom?" she asked with playful innocence.
Kurama's emerald eyes sparkled with golden mischief as he nodded slightly.
Giggling softly, Koto returned the nod as she gently took his hand and led him into the other room.
"Are you sure I can't walk you over there?" Koto asked, pouting slightly as she continued to sew Kurama's royal blue shirt.
"I'm sorry, but I'd rather you don't walk all the way back by yourself…" the redhead replied, smiling slightly as he sewed patches onto his heavy jacket to cover the sword holes. "Besides, I'll be back in a week or so…"
"A week or so?" she quipped, looking at him.
"I'll have to see what I can do……but I promise it shouldn't be any longer than two weeks…"
"That's too long, Kurama…" she replied, pouting again.
The redhead smiled gently, cutting the thread from the jacket. "I'm sorry…it's the best I can do."
Returning the smile, Koto cut the thread from his shirt and tossed it over to him, which he caught and carefully slipped on, buttoning it up. "But you promise you'll be back then?"
"Of course I will…" he replied, getting to his feet and slipping on his jacket. "I couldn't imagine not coming back…"
She nodded, following him as he headed to the door. Opening it, Kurama turned back to the fox girl. "Take care of yourself while I'm gone, all right?" he asked, smiling softly.
"Of course…" she replied. "You take care of yourself, too…Don't get into any more fights at bars, okay?"
Kurama laughed softly. "Wouldn't dream of it…"
Silence hung over them for a moment before the human-fox reached into his crimson hair, pulling out a rose and placing it in the other's hand. "Here…" he said softly. "For until next we meet…"
A small flush appeared on her cheeks as her fingers felt the smooth crimson petals. Looking up at him, she smiled warmly.
Returning the smile, the redhead leaned over, placing a delicate kiss on her lips. "See you soon…" he whispered.
Koto watched as Kurama left, closing the door behind him. Looking down at the flower she held, she slowly brought it up to her face, inhaling the sweet scent of the blossom. She would always remember him by that scent.
The End
So that's that. Please review (and no flames please).