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crusty-chronicles · 8 months ago

Text

Revelations

Synopsis: It's no secret Kurama's soft on you. But when his demon form finally sees the light after hundreds of years, the fact only further cements itself.

It's surreal to think just a few weeks ago you were an ordinary high school student. A few weeks ago you had been completely oblivious to your best friend’s secret life. A few weeks ago, he'd been walking you home like he'd always done.

Talking about everything and nothing at the same time. Visiting his mother in the hospital before you took off to your job at some ramen place to earn a few extra bucks. A simple life it was.

Uneventful but peaceful.

Now here you were in some stuffy hotel, cheering on said best friend as he fought in a tournament. A demon tournament, if you may add. Where death was always a possibility and he and his friends were constantly fighting for their lives. One of which was the boyfriend of your boss’s daughter. And thank goodness she was or else you probably never would have known what was going on with Shuichi.

You never would have had a clue as to why he was suddenly absent from your life. Where he suddenly vanished to when the day before, he'd talked about having a ‘study date.’ How, now that his mother was better, it'd be nice to have a proper dinner between the three of you. Talks of the future, like you'd wake up and he'd be right there.

Turns out it was all a lie.

That first day you'd checked everywhere for him. It wasn't until you went to work that you met up with Keiko. Who was also suspicious of her boyfriend’s absence. The two men in question had seemingly vanished over night. And in your search for answers, you'd come across the sister of another guy who went missing.

Three in one day was no coincidence.

The common denominator? A blue haired woman who was apparently a grim reaper. A few threats from Shizuru had her spilling everything. How Shuichi, sweet dorky Shuichi, was a demon. And a prolific one at that. How all three of the boys, plus another demon, were forced to fight in this tournament. Or else they'd die along with everyone they cared about.

It made sense why they'd all left in the middle of night without a word. Why he left you without saying anything. You understood the circumstances, and you didn't hold it against him. You couldn't hold that against him. But… But you two told each other everything. Or at least you thought you did.

Which leads you to where you are now. Sitting anxiously across from Kurama the night before the semi finals. He'd already had one close call with death. You didn't think you could take it if he had another.

Kurama didn't like you being here as it was. Going as far as to scold you after his first match for following him. Seeing you cry after his fight with Touya didn't help your case either. You figured his concern was purely out of obligation. Not wanting to be responsible if you somehow got hurt.

Oblivious to the warm gazes directed at you when you weren't looking. The way he searched for you in the stands before every match. How he always offered you his hand when you'd go out. You were probably the only person he let get close enough to tend to his wounds.

It wasn't like he ever hid his soft spot for you. If anyone took the time to analyze his actions, it was easy to tell he cared quite a lot about you. More than a friend should.

“You're awfully quiet.” He spoke, snapping you from your thoughts.

“I'm just…” You didn't know how exactly to explain what you were feeling. To put your overwhelmed senses into words.

Truth was you were terrified. Terrified for Shuichi and terrified for his friends. You were terrified of waking up tomorrow and him not coming back to you.

“Worried.” you settled on.

He gave a thoughtful hum before scooting closer to you. You could feel the warmth radiating off of his skin. The sweet smell of roses accompanying it. Your relationship with the redhead had always been touchy. Never shying away from affection towards one another. So you hardly minded when he moved to cup your cheek. Guiding your gaze to meet his.

“We'll win. Just one more match until we're in the finals.”

So sure, he sounded so sure that you couldn't help but believe him. Emerald eyes filled with determination. You used to joke that he was hypnotizing you with them. So pretty that you couldn't focus on anything else except him. The theory seemed more plausible now that you knew he wasn't exactly human.

“And then we can go home,” he promised.

But you still had your doubts.

“Yeah? Yusuke and the ‘masked fighter’ still aren't back. And the enemies just keep getting stronger.”

The hurdles just keep getting bigger, and you didn't think the four of them could keep up anymore. Too much had been thrown at them.

“Can you really win like this?”

You could see the conflict brewing behind his eyes. Try as he might, Kurama could never hide his emotions from you. You knew the answer before he said it.

“We have to.” Careful, always so careful with his choice of words. Not promising you a for sure victory, but reaffirming what you already knew. You knew what he wanted to say…But you also knew he couldn't admit it. Not to you and not to himself.

The real answer- He doesn’t know.

“Tomorrow's a big day, let's get some rest.”

A sign the conversation had drawn to a close. You weren't in the mood to push anyways. So you followed him to his room. The both of you slipping into the same bed, with Shuichi's arms wrapping tightly around you. Most likely the last time he'd ever get to hold you.

—-----------------------------

Tomorrow came far too soon. There was still no sign of Yusuke and the masked fighter, meaning the team would be at a complete disadvantage. If you had any semblance of martial arts training, you would have volunteered to take one of their places. Though truthfully you knew you wouldn't have been able to put up much of a fight.

You slipped into your own room to get ready, mentally preparing yourself for the day. Surprisingly, there was no one in the lobby waiting. You couldn't help but wonder where the girls were. Usually all of you went to the arena together. For safety purposes, of course. Perhaps they'd already made their way there? They didn't seem like the type to get up early, but maybe just this once they'd made the effort.

Apparently you were dead wrong.

You'd searched everywhere in the stands, testing your luck and even asking a few demons if they'd seen them. No luck. You were completely on your own. It didn't help that this new stadium was 10 times bigger than the old one. No one would even notice if something happened to you here.

You really only had two two options before the match started. You could stay here, surrounded by bloodthirsty demons who were starting to eye you with drool. Or you could go down to where Shuichi and his friends were, right in front of all the action and potentially get hurt.

It was a no brainer what you’d choose. Besides, he'd never let you get hurt on his watch. And you trusted the other two with your safety when it would be his turn to fight. You didn't think they would be cruel enough to leave you wide open for injury. Or at least, Kuwabara would do his best. He'd proven he had the most humanity during this tournament.

Yeah, you were much safer near the actual fights than you were surrounded by demons. Begrudgingly, you made your way down. Dodging a few swipes directed at you before jumping over the railing. Your actions quickly catching the attention of Koto, the cat announcer.

“And who is that making their way over to Team Urameshi! Could this be their alternate fighter? Or perhaps one of their lovers~”

You cursed her for drawing attention directly towards you. Already feeling all eyes on you as you approached.

“What are you doing here?” Kurama questioned. The other two looked expectantly at you for your answer.

“I have no idea where the girls are. And I don't think it's a good idea for me to be up in that stadium by myself.”

He gave a hum, about to usher you closer to him when someone beat him to the punch.

“Well I'll protect ya, so don't worry!” Kuwabara assured. Pulling you close by your shoulders in a way that had you laughing. Unawares of the subtle way Kurama's eyes had narrowed.

“Thank you. That's very sweet.”

“Don't mention it. Nothing gets past me, so I'll let you know when to duck and cover.”

“If that's the case, they're better off in the stadium,” Hiei commented.

“What did you say, shrimp!” Kuwabara released you to get in his face. The two of them continuing to bicker while you laughed.

Your gaze caught Shuichi's and you offered an amused grin.

“Your friends seem fun. Can't believe you didn't introduce me to them sooner.”

“They’re not exactly the type you bring up in passing. And I doubt you would've believed I was associated with them,” he answered, though there was some mirth in his eyes that let you know he was teasing.

“Excuse me, I'd like to get back to the semi-finals now,” Juri, the fish announcer this time, interrupted.

It once again reminded you just where you were. What could happen if any of Kurama and his friends slipped up. You shouldn't be joking around causing a distraction. Not when lives were at stake. His life. Your anxieties only worsened when the first round begun.

Sure Hiei had managed to beat his opponent in under five minutes. But the brief second he'd disappeared made your heart stop. Unconsciously moving yourself closer to Kurama.

The second match was much worse. The burly man in front of Hiei using his sword to cut his own arm. Explaining how once his body had been exposed to a specific pain, it wouldn't affect him the next time he was hurt. It was only a matter of time before the smaller demon ran out of options. With his sword broken and his spirit energy depleted, he took a gamble.

The conclusion of the fight had felt so sudden. So brutal. Kuro Momotaro had seemingly won, his teeth piercing into Hiei's shoulder. The aftermath was a fountain of blood spraying out.

You’d flinched away at the sight, trying your best to shut out the triumphant cheers of the stadium. Only for them to go quiet as Hiei shoved the body off of him. The shape shifting demon now in pieces on the floor. Hiei was okay. And as he continued to antagonize Kuwabara, you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding.

It was easier to stomach the fights when you were with the girls. People who weren't desensitized to the carnage around them. Nobody had batted an eye down here. They all seemed used to it. Only further reminding you just how feeble and weak you were in their presence.

Hell, Hiei was practically begging for a round three despite his condition. The dice were brought out again, and you were praying to whatever God was up there it wouldn't land on Shuichi's name. You knew it wasn't fair. He needed to fight at some point. Judging by the determined expression on his face, he wanted to. But you didn't have a good feeling about this. You didn't want him to leave your side towards his potential death.

Please don't let it be him.

“Now fighting for Team Urameshi, Kurama. and for team Uraotogi, Uraurashima.”

Fuck.

You stood shakily next to Hiei and Kuwabara as Kurama stepped into the area. His opponent a young boy with a fishing pole. At least he looked easy to beat. It gave you momentary relief before both of them drew their weapons. Uraurashima’s fishing line clashing with Kurama's Rose Whip. Equally bouncing off of each other with no indication of one overpowering the other.

“They're evenly matched? Or is he not fighting for real?” You asked.

Hiei gave a bark of laughter at your observation.

“So you do know him well. Kurama's just fooling around. It's an obnoxious habit. He never creates his own strategy until he fully understands his opponent's.”

You were gonna strangle Shuichi when he was done fighting.

“Nice to know he over analyzes everything.”

You watched as they continued to have a stalemate. Though something had changed in Shuichi's expression. It was somber. Like he was contemplating something. Now was not the time for him to get distracted.

He let up on his assault along with his opponent. And right when he moved to haphazardly strike, Uraurashima dodged. Wrapping Kurama in his fishing line and pulling as hard as he could. Slicing into his skin.

You couldn't stop yourself from screaming out his name. Kuwabara instinctively pulling you behind him.

“Don't look, okay?”

Don't look? How could you not look. That was your best friend up there. No matter how badly you wanted to turn away, you couldn't. Looking on in horror as Uraurashima approached him. Surely Kurama had some other trick up his sleeve to protect himself?

But his eyes told you a different story. Frustration and anger. You don't think you've ever seen him mad before. He staggered on his feet, only for the onslaught to continue. It looked hopeless as he fled.

Your eyes widening with tears once he was cornered. There was nowhere to run. A forcefield in effect prevented him from doing so. His opponent presenting a box of some kind and opening it. Purple smoke poured out as he explained how it worked.

It would de-age Kurama. Turn him into a child where he couldn't defend himself. A cowards move. Only when the entire arena had been filled with smoke did your tears fall.

You were powerless to do anything. You couldn't help him even if you wanted to. Designated to nothing but a bystander in his fate. Your worst fear coming true.

It was silent for a moment. Complete silence as the Idun box worked its magic. Then all at once lightning struck. No, not lighting… it was a spike of spirit energy.

Your body shook as it tried to process the power around it. The force was almost strangling.

“Do you feel that, too?” Kuwabara asked before looking back at you. He visibly panicked seeing you struggle to breathe.

“Hiei! We need some help over here!”

The three eyed demon spared you a glance, giving an irritated huff as he pulled you towards him.

“Stand close to me. I should've known someone as weak as you wouldn't be able to withstand this much. Your body isn't used to this much spiritual pressure.”

He created a small barrier of his own energy around you. You took a few greedy gasps of air. Relieved to be able to breathe again. You offered a weak ‘Thanks.’ Still worried about what exactly was happening.

This power…Could it really have been Shuichi's? Or was it something else entirely? Was he even still alive?

“Where's all that weird energy coming from?” Kuwabara questioned.

Hiei only seemed to beam with pride.

“It's all Kurama. Down to the last drop.” He responded.

You wanted to start crying again. Your emotions all over the place. He was okay in there after all. Maybe he'd be able to find a way to win.

“But it feels different somehow, and a heck of a lot more powerful,” Kuwabara pointed out.

“That fool he's been fighting has turned him back into his demon form. Before he was tainted by you humans.” Hiei explained.

That caught your attention. A part of you defensive at his words.

“Tainted? It's not like we made him stay.” Like you'd ruined him with your presence.

“No, not directly. That doesn't change the fact you made him weaker. Soft.”

You wanted to question him about what he meant, but the sound of something crashing through the barrier stopped you. All at once the smoke started pouring out. The forcefield itself was destroyed. In a matter of seconds the arena was clear.

In its wake was a red demon with its neck pierced by a sword. Further away was….No. That couldn't be.

“Shuichi?”

You regretted calling out to him as soon as his name left your lips. The silver haired demon’s head snapped towards you. The pair of ears on his head seemed to twitch at your voice.

He was different, so very different from the man you knew. His demeanor felt cold. You briefly remembered what he used to be: a fox. If the ears and tail didn't already give it away. Wild and unpredictable. If your friend was in there, it sure didn't look like it.

You trembled at the intensity from his gaze. He made a gesture with his hand, as if reaching out before you felt the ground give way. You could feel yourself fall back, landing on something soft. You hardly processed yourself moving up until you were about ten feet off the ground. You realized then what you were on top of. A type of giant leaf was carrying you.

What the hell was going on? What was gonna happen to you?

You felt the leaf shift forward, and that was when you decided to call for help. For the one person who would probably know what to do.

"Hiei, help me!” You tried to reach down, but he backed away.

You let out a scream this time as the leaf rushed forward. Kuwabara tried to reach for you, but he was stopped by the three eyed demon.

“What gives!?!? Why aren't you helping them!?!”

“Fool. Don't interfere or you'll wind up dead.”

You couldn't hear them as you were pulled towards the other side of the area. Vaguely aware of Koto’s comments.

“Now this just took an interesting turn! The mystery fighter has taken interest in the human on the field! Is he perhaps looking for his next meal?”

You were at the edge of the arena shaking. It only worsened as who you assumed to be Yoko made his way towards you. Taking slow and meticulous steps. Like a predator stalking it's cornered prey.

Why you?

Why did it have to be you?

Why did you have to go and open your big fat mouth?

Maybe he wasn't satisfied with his previous fight. Wanting to take out whatever pent up aggression he had on you. A human who just so happened to be on the field. His expression hadn't changed once since he set his sights on you. Maybe he really was planning on eating you. It's not like it was against the rules.

He was halfway to you now. You could barely hear over the sound of your heartbeat in your ears.

“We'd really like to move on to the next match now, if you don't mind,” Juri said, now back to normal.

“Quiet.”

One word was all it took to have her trembling.

“Or not! Take your time.”

His voice sounded gruff. Harsher than any tone you'd heard him use. You knew Shuichi, or rather Kurama. The boy who used to give you flowers everyday after school until he got teased for it. The boy who loved his mother more than anything. The boy who you'd never known to like senseless violence. You knew he would never hurt you. Never dream of hurting you. But this…This was not him.

A quarter of the way there.

And then he was right in front of you.

This was Yoko. An infamous demon who’d committed heinous crimes. Far too many to count. Who could kill you with no more than a swipe of his hand. And he probably would. Sharp claws on the end of each fingertip. More than enough to finish you off.

You trembled on top of the giant leaf as his gaze pierced through you. His eyes didn't hold the same warmth as Shuichi's. The familiar emerald green replaced by a faded gold. They were cold. The color so light it held nothing but ice. You continued to shake in front of him. Hoping to catch a glimpse of your best friend.

“Do you fear me, sweetling?” He spoke at last.

Your words were stuck in your throat. Unable to answer him. Fearing what would happen if you didn't.

His hand started to extend out towards you. You'd flinched and closed your eyes at the sudden movement. Expecting the worst. This was it. He was gonna slash your throat. You braced yourself for the inevitable pain…but it never came.

Instead, he'd cupped your cheek. His thumb swiping away a stray tear. An action reminiscent of Shuichi. Your Shuichi.

“You shouldn't. Open your eyes and look at me.”

You could feel your trembling ease up. Was this a game? If it was, should you play along? You didn't know what to think at the moment. If you should relax in his presence or run. But there was something about the way he was cradling your face. It was gentle. So against your better judgment, you opened your eyes. Taking a deep breath as he guided your face up.

You looked into his golden irises in search of your best friend. They weren't as cold this time. Flecks of the emerald you were used to. The softness he looked at you with had returned. Or maybe it had never really left. Your shaking had stopped completely.

“Shuichi?” you called out once more. And this time he'd smiled at you. Somehow managing to get closer into your space. But you couldn't say you minded much. Your relationship had always been touchy.

“We are one in the same. Though it's a shame he hasn't staked his claim on you yet. I will not forgo the opportunity should we meet again.”

Your face scrunched in confusion at his words. Temporary moving out of his grasp.

“What do mean stake his claim?”

His expression turned amused at your question.

“Isn't it obvious? You're ours. Our precious little mate. Shuichi is hesitant to act on his feelings. But I am not.”

You felt the leaf shift down. Letting Yoko once again cup your face. This time guiding you to bump your forehead against his.

“I am yours devotedly until the end of time.”

You could feel your face burning with embarrassment. This whole time he'd liked you. Even in his purest form he was in love with you. Why had you been so scared of losing him?

Because you'd loved him too.

“Do my ears deceive me!?!? He's actually flirting with the human!?!? Well there goes my weekend.”

But this wasn't the place for that. He couldn't be distracted by you here. There was too much at stake. Maybe when this whole tournament was over, you could properly explore these feelings.

He was leaning closer to you.

Would you turn him away if he kissed you now?

You decided the tournament committee could shove it as his lips brushed over yours.

But before they could press down fully, a heavy fog engulfed him. He'd backed away from you. The silhouette of a fox appearing for a brief second. Then it vanished, into a ray of light with one last thing to say.

“Until we meet again, sweetling.”

The light had been so blinding, you had no choice but to look away. When the dust had settled, in front of you was a familiar redhead. His tail and ears completely gone. He'd retained his previous injuries. But other than that, he was fine. He stood in front of you with an unreadable expression.

“Are you kidding me!?!? After all that we didn't even get a proper kiss!!!! Where's the entertainment in that!?!”

All at once his face went red. He was almost never flustered. Then again, his feelings were just aired out to the entire stadium. Your relationship was aired out. You knew he was a private person, so this must've felt humiliating. The cooing from the audience sure as hell didn't help.

He scooped you off of the giant leaf without a word. Surprising you with how easily he picked you up. Clutching you close to him as he made his way off the arena. His face was burning, matching your expression.

“My apologies.” he said quietly.

You could do nothing but put your head between his neck and shoulder. Wanting to hide yourself from everyone's prying eyes.

“It's okay. I didn't mind. I mean, at first you scared me. But once I saw it was really you..” you trailed off.

There was a brief silence before Shuichi spoke again.

“You reciprocated Yoko’s advancements.”

“I reciprocated your advancements.” Because they were one in the same. Although it was a little amusing to see him get jealous of himself.

“I would've let you kiss me too.” you added.

He'd finally reached the end of the area and jumped down with you still in his arms.

“I plan making good on that promise once we finish up here.”

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Me writing this: There's no need for exposition, you can just get to the main plot!"

Also me: THE ROMANCE NEEDS TO BE BELIEVABLE 😫😫😫