False Pretenses - Part 31

Keshiki, Kurai, Fuyu & Minora are mine.

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Keshiki walked toward the gates of Mukuro's territory.  He could sense Hiei's ki not far from where he was.  The blue-eyed youkai trudged on.  He stopped when Hiei's tall frame suddenly appeared to block his path.  Keshiki staggered back.  His hands were already crackling with energy.

"Hiei!  Gods don't do that!"  The youkai sagged and relaxed his reflexes. 

"Hn.  What do you want Keshiki?" Hiei addressed the youkai curtly.

Keshiki straightened himself at Hiei's tone, puzzled.

"Yusuke wants us to meet him at Yomi's."

Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"It's about Kurama and Fuyu."

"I see."  Hiei nodded quietly and turned to go.

"Are you coming?" Keshiki called to him.

But Hiei continued on his way.

Keshiki gave the fire demon a worried glance.  He knew that Hiei was in love with Kurama and unbeknownst to him, the fox was in love with him too.  But Keshiki was not in any disposition to tell the fire youkai anything.  The blue-eyed youkai clamped down any trace of guilt.  All's fair in love and war.  They all want Kurama and by gods he was willing to fight for the fox's love.  All the same, he wished he hadn't discovered Kurama's feelings for Hiei.  His instinct before was to lead Hiei to Kurama and now Kurama had gone back to the ningenkai.  Keshiki sighed as he heard a mental call from the dimensional world.  He needed to get back there first. 

 "Hey, Kurama!  Over here!'  The orange-hair young man waved frantically, a silly smile on his face.

Kurama smiled at Kuwabara's funny expression, waving back.  The redhead submitted to Kuwabara's playful backslaps.  Kurama gave the delicate ice maiden, Yukina and Kuwabara's sister, Shizuru, a dutiful kiss each on the cheek, much to Kuwabara's astonishment and the envy of the other female patrons of the restaurant.  Both girls blushed.  Kuwabara wondered silently how Kurama could get away with that.  Shizuru took out a cigarette.

"Nice to be back."  Kurama smiled and laughed at Kuwabara's shocked expression.
"I swear, Kurama, you've changed."

"Really?"  the youko drawled as Yukina blushed again.  Shizuru coughed.

"Well, tell us everything.  How's Yusuke?" 

Kurama's smile faltered a little, but he managed to give a calm and uncomplicated smile.

"He's doing very well."  The youko said shortly.

"Oh?"  Kuwabara waited for Kurama to continue

Shizuru looked at the redhead searchingly.  Kurama's emerald eyes met hers for a brief moment, daring the psychic to read his mind.  Shizuru smiled at the redhead then and laughed.

"Nice going, Kurama."

The youko raised an eyebrow, inwardly starting to worry if Shizuru had caught a glimpse of his innermost thoughts.

"Ahem, Kurama?"  Kuwabara whispered playfully. "I know my sister's that beautiful, but do you have to make that painfully obvious?  ITTAI!" 

Kuwabara jumped as Shizuru brought her elbow on his head.

"You're worthless!  How can you say that to your own sister?"  Shizuru glared at him as Yukina and Kurama looked on comfortably as if nothing had happened.  They had gotten use to this brother and sister spat..

"Hn.!"  Shizuru settled back on her chair and continued her smoke.

"Kurama, are you going back to the makai?"  Yukina spoke for the first time.

Kurama smiled gently at the ice maiden and Hiei's secret sister.

"Iie.  I'll be staying here indefinitely."

"NANI?"  Kuwabara gasped.  "You're not going back there?"  The orange-hair young man asked incredulously.  He thought that Kurama was going to stay in the makai, now that Mukuro had died and Hiei had taken over and Yusuke too was taking a long time in the makai.  He naturally assumed that Kurama had finally decided on transferring there too.  The next instant Kuwabara had jumped and hugged the redhead enthusiastically.

"Kurama, thank you, thank you!

Kurama gaped at the carrot-head.

"Kuwabara!  Kuwabara?"  Kurama gripped his friend's shoulders tightly.  The carrot-head was crying, so were Yukina and Shizuru, although she tried unsuccessfully to hide it with a cough.

"We're so happy to have you here."  Yukina said softly in an emotional, quivering voice.

The redhead felt his chest swell with a deep touching feeling.  They were his friends.  He'd almost forgotten them.  He was such a selfish, self-centered, narcissistic bastard!  He had never spared a thought for them or his family, and even his kaasan.  He was so engrossed with his emotional problems with Hiei, Yusuke, Yomi and Keshiki, he'd forgotten his responsibility to the other people who loved him unselfishly.  Now more than ever, he'd made his decision.

"I'm definitely staying."  Kurama sighed contentedly, repressing the urge of his demon soul to be damned with everything and just go about being free.  He could be free here in love, the love of his kaasan.  His kaasan... he had to see her.  He missed her so much.

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To be continued ...

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