He wasn’t expecting visitors, but Kurama was not at all surprised when he felt a familiar ki touch his briefly, alerting him to an as of yet unseen presence. He had been brooding alone as his mother had gone out to pick up something for dinner, giving Kurama a chance to finally let the events of the past week sink in. It was disturbing.

" You dwell on the past as though you have the power to change it," came a low voice from the darkness. Kurama smiled gently, closing his eyes.

" Hiei."

The Koorime slipped out of the shadows silently, landing lightly on the rail into his familiar crouch. His red eyes stared unwaveringly at the brooding Kitsune, as though evaluating Kurama’s mental state for himself. Kurama bore the intense scrutiny for a few seconds before opening his eyes and giving the smaller demon a welcoming look. Hiei ignored him.

" You have not been well since our mission." It was not a question but a statement, invoking no argument. Kurama had no wish to try. If there was one thing he had learned during their time together, it was that he could keep little from the fire demon when Hiei sank his teeth into it. " It is pointless."

" Aa." Kurama’s gaze slid away from Hiei’s piercing stare back to the view he had of the city. The lights in the distant apartments twinkled like stars, reminding him for one brief moment of the plains and fields surrounding his burrow in the Makai and he firmly quelled the homesickness that rose up at the thought. " I wish it were as easy as you seem to think it is."

Hiei snorted and adjusted his seat on the rail, crossing his legs into a lotus-style position and folding his arms. It looked uncomfortable to see, but Kurama knew that Hiei could remain in such a meditative position for days if need be. He sighed.

" I’m fine, Hiei. " His hands tightened on the metal bar briefly. " I just…that impostor brought back some memories I though I’d buried years ago."

" Kuronue."

" Hai."

" I’ve already told you my thoughts of this."

There is no one who doesn’t bear scars on his heart. If there were such a person, they would be a shallow soul. Kurama reviewed Hiei’s words thoughtfully. Scarred hearts indeed. And some more then the rest.

" I wish I could see things in such black and white terms as you." Kurama turned away from the blinking lights and reclined against the cold metal, folding his arms and staring at the ground in contemplation. Hiei snorted.

" I’ve found ningens to be needlessly complicated."

" Sou da ne."

" Yoko Kurama wouldn’t have let this bother him."

" Aa, but I am not Yoko Kurama anymore," the redhead said, a tad wistfully. " He disappeared a long time ago." His eyes darted towards Hiei’s to see his reaction. He was not disappointed.

" Sixteen years is hardly a long time ago," Hiei pointed out gruffly.

" In human years it is. It’s a whole life arc." Kurama unfolded his arms and splayed his hands out in front of him, staring at the lines and contours of his decidedly human features. " One is born, grows, loves, and can die in the span of sixteen years."

" You always were one for theatrics."

" Mmm."

" Starting to feel your age kitsune?"

Kurama sighed. " A thousand years is a long time to live alone. Almost no demon can stand it."

" Kuronue?"

A sharp intake of air. A burst of pain. Kurama took a deep breath and released it slowly.

" Aa."

Hiei leveled a hooded gaze at his best friend. Although his jagan was covered, for a minute, Kurama thought he could see that third orb gazing into his soul, past any and all barriers in search of the truth. Then he shook his head. Hiei would never peer into his mind without his permission.

" Kuronue was my partner. For the longest time he was my best friend. Together, we wrought havoc in the Makai." Kurama’s tone was fond, affectionate. Hiei listened calmly. " Loosing him…being the cause of his death—"

" Yamarro." Hiei cut him off. " You did not cause his death."

" I should have tried harder to save him." Kurama’s eyes squeezed shut. His clenched hands trembled slightly. " If I could only have prevented him from going back for his pendant…"

Hiei said nothing, merely watching and waiting. Kurama fought back his tears and struggled for his famous control. After a minute, he regained it, his face smoothing out into the expressionless mask he was so well known for.

" Anyway, I suppose it doesn’t matter, neh? He is dead, and so is his impersonator."

Hiei shook his head slowly. " It’s not all right Kurama. It has been a week and you’re still thinking of ways you could have changed a history that no longer has any bearing on the present. Why can’t you let it go?"

" I thought I had," Kurama admitted quietly. " But maybe I merely pushed it aside and hid it so well I though I had successfully dealt with it. " He sighed. " If I don’t deal with it then I’m going to start being a liability rather then an asset."

" Hn. You will also be disgracing Kuronue’s memory," Hiei pointed out. Kurama snapped his head up, piercing Hiei with a dagger-like stare.

" Nani?"

" What did he tell you that day?" Hiei was relentless, refusing to back away from the wild-eyed kitsune.

Kurama choked back a sob as his memories suddenly flashed to the forefront of his mind, unbidden, unheeding of his silent plea for them to go away. The sounds of the traffic below his apartment faded away, being replaced with the muted chorus of the Makai jungle. The light from his living room lamp turned into the gentle rays of a silver moon caressing his youko form. His clothes changed from his casual shirt and khaki pants to the familiar wispy robes that billowed about him, swaying in a faint breeze that swirled through a clearing he remembered far too well.

It had seemed so easy. The defenses of the old castle had been pitifully simple to disarm and pass through. The guards seemed nothing more then animated dolls when compared to the ability of him and Kuronue. They had grabbed the mirror, stuffing their pockets with other treasures before turning and sprinting for the exit. So simple.

Kurama watched in a daze as his youko form, half human and half fox, leaped through the huge gate, his winged companion at his side.

Kuronue.

They were laughing. Such an easy job. An exchange of smirks and then they were off again, skirting the traps set for them with practiced ease. Watching his younger self and his old partner, Kurama almost forgot the horror that was nearly upon them.

A flash of silver. The gleaming red of the gem nestled inside one of Kuronue’s most prized and cherished possessions. The chain was cut and it fell away from them. Kurama nearly choked as he watched Kuronue halt in mid leap, turning back with a gasp.

Iie! Kuronue! A shouted plea.

I need it! An undeviating response.

It could have happened in slow motion for all the time it took for Kurama to watch the events of the past unfold with grim honesty. The sound of flesh being pierced. Blood spraying forth, painting the landscape in shades of red. A choked cry of denial.

" No…" Kurama wanted to shut his eyes from the reality but his gaze remained fixed on the grisly memory.

The chittering sounds and harsh laughter of demon guards as they began to converge on the area. With one last anguished look, Kurama reluctantly tore his eyes away from those of his partner and sprinted headlong into the darkness, blinking back tears.

Kurama sank to his knees, blinking rapidly. The Makai jungle suddenly turned back into his familiar apartment.

" Iie…"

" He told you to live." Hiei cut through the cloak of despair with his curt tone. " You should do what he asked of you."

" Demo….."

" What happened wasn’t your fault Kurama. "

Kurama nodded silently, the old wounds seeming as fresh as though they had happened only yesterday. " When that monster appeared as Kuronue…I was fooled. I thought it was my old friend. I thought that…" He swallowed convulsively. " I thought that he’d believed I left him on purpose." His bleak eyes looked up at Hiei’s. " I didn’t want to!"

" I know that. So does he." Hiei gave him a measuring look. " In fact, I’d say the only one who doesn’t know that is you." He jumped down from the ledge, crouching before the kneeling fox spirit. " Is it the old memory bothering you? Or the fact that you doubted your friendship with Kuronue?"

Kurama blinked at this new revelation, turning the question over in his mind and trying to fit it into his outlook on the whole situation. " Demo…"

" Put it behind you Kurama," Hiei advised him. He stood up, tightening his cloak around him. " Leave the past where it belongs and look towards the future. We need you on the team, with a clear head. You can’t let doubts cloud your judgement." He shrugged. " We all do what we feel is necessary. You are no different." His lip quirked upwards slightly.

" And you are the only one preventing me from killing the idiot."

Kurama let out a short bark of laughter at Hiei’s nickname for their teammate Kuwabara.

" You give me too much credit."

" You accept too little."

Kurama smiled and stood up. He ran a hand through his long hair, massaging the back of his neck out of habit. " Arigato Hiei."

" Nan demo nai." Hiei jumped up on the railing with practiced ease. " Will you be all right now?"

Kurama nodded. The Koorime snorted and was gone in a displacement of air, hardly a flicker to mark his passing. The red head then looked at the sky. The moon was rising and while it was not a full one, Kurama still felt the urge to let loose his inner spirit and howl, ushering in the dark in the same manner that all night creatures do.

" Not right now," Kurama murmured softly, his eyes glowing. " But thanks to you, I will be."

~~OWARI~~

Glossary

There are many ways to both spell and interpret Japanese terms (just consider the fact that there are seven ways to say ‘you’!). These are some terms I’ve both looked up and have seen used elsewhere so don’t accept them as canon.

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