“Shizumi, I have something I have to tell you. I--“
Too bad this so called ‘moment’ was ruined because you instinctively pushed him away, not wanting to met his gaze and listen to what he has to say. Still being as stubborn as you were, the door bursts open only a second later as a very cherry looking Yuzuki walked in.
As soon as she saw you awake she bursts into tears and cried in a high-pitched shrilling voice. “Miss Shizumi!!! Oh Miss Shizumi I was so scared!”
Tears ran profusely down her peachy cheeks, horror engraved to her watery eyes as she sprinted towards you and threw her upper body on you, arms clinging tightly around your waist not wanting to let go, as if for eternity.
Kurama sighed, both in irritation and disappointment, as he stood up discreetly and sauntered out of the chamber without your knowing. Wrapping your arms around Yuzuki’s smaller frame you ran your slender fingers through her silvery aqua-colored hair.
“I’m sorry, Yuzuki…,” you murmured softly, “letting you worry so much…”
The small fox youkai buried her head at the nape of your neck, choking back between sobs. Her tears were beginning to stain your crimson robe as you felt her arms wrap themselves just a little bit tighter around you. It was like cradling a baby infant and trying to coo her to relax. “You were out… for days…! I was so scared—we were so scared that we’d lose you!” Yuzuki stuttered feebly as she broke out in another woe.
She sure has a lot of tears to shed. But you couldn’t help but feel quite guilty; clearly you didn’t belong inside the thieves’ citadel, and even though with a snap of his finger Kurama could clearly wipe you out and take the Sapphire Pendent instantly, he gave it back to you instead and told you to leave. Well, again, being as stubborn as you were, you stayed long enough until Masumi decided to show up and nearly killed you in the process, which resulted in a great loss of Kurama’s thieves as well as adding on a burden to them all.
’Why can’t I just leave this place already?!’
You were more perplexed than ever. Doesn’t that damn fox have a clue that if he let you go, you would immediately return to your father spilling out everything regarding to where his citadel’s designated, have your father assemble thousands of Ice Palace youkai guards, and allowed your father to capture the infamous Youko Kurama and banish him once and for all?! Does he not know the damn consequences!?
’The reason you refuse to go back to the palace is because you care for him, Shizumi!’
’I do not’
’Do too’
’Stop this nonsense at once!’
’Admit it, Shizumi. Remember how you passed out after Masumi and her minion left your chamber after Kurama had showed up? Remember what you were thinking the moment before you passed out?’
You sucked in a breath and held it there as the battle of your inner thoughts ceased slowly. Yuzuki pulled herself away from you a bit, her big round golden eyes bore into yours, very much reminiscent of Youko Kurama himself. “Kurama… he was the most worried one out of all of us… He would constantly lock himself in here and wouldn’t rest a bit to eat until Kuronue have to literally drag him out—“
Yuzuki stopped suddenly. “Miss Shizumi?”
Feeling more perplexed than ever, tears spilled from the corner of your eyes and fell gracefully onto the bed sheets. “Miss Shizumi--? I- I’m sorry! I’ve said something that I shouldn’t have…!” Yuzuki’s voice cut in but you only shook your head vigorously. All those things you’ve heard before about the infamous Youko Kurama, his usual cold and heartless self, you’ve encountered it several times as well, so… why was this happening? And you knew deep within what had instigated your tears.
No matter how hard Yuzuki tried you just wouldn’t stop the tears. In fact, you couldn’t stop them; they were flowing down uncontrollably from your glassy azure eyes. Finally you heard Yuzuki saying something about she will be right back and left the room. You were left alone for what it seemed to you like a long duration until you could hear the door being opened again.
Then you felt the edge of the bed sunk in a bit, your head still hung low as you didn’t even bother to look up, for you already knew well enough who the person was by the scent. It lingered at the tip of your nose as you stifled back another sob.
“Why?”
“I do not quite understand your inquiry.” The deep masculine voice of the fox returned.
“You damn right know why, Kurama!!” Your head shot up immediately with such force that you could hear your neck making a slight ‘crack’. But you could care less about that right now as your gleaming blue eyes bore furiously into his aureate ones, which unblinkingly stared back.
“Why are you doing this, why are you constantly helping me?! You should’ve just taken the pendant when you had the chance! And with Masumi… you should’ve just let her kill me back then, work with her, and become even more powerful! Isn’t that what you want?! For the Makai’s sakes you’re Youko Kurama so just go back to your usual thieving already!!”
You panted after the fairly lengthy remark, wringing your hands hopelessly as tears unrelentingly began to course down your face once again. You couldn’t decipher if these tears were meant to vent off pure hatred of him. But really, that was far from the truth.
The truth was you wanted Kurama not to give back the pendant. You wanted him to say that he will join her to do her evil dirty deed. You wanted him to return back being the coldhearted unemotional Youko Kurama, most wanted thief in Makai, because that was the only way you could pry your innermost feelings away once and for all. You hated the fact that you were attracted to him; his every movement, his eyes, that silvery white hair… everything.
And at the same time, you couldn’t help but fall deeper and deeper into it.
Kurama’s face was blank as a canvas, showing not even the tiniest of emotion whatsoever. He suddenly averted his face, and a melancholy look flitted across his face quickly. “Honestly, even I don’t know what has come over me. I just—“
“Look how much of a burden I’m causing you! I let half of your thieves die because of Masumi coming after me. And isn’t your plan in the first place is to kidnap me as hostage to force my father to give up the Sapphire Pendant? Do you not know that if you let me go….,” you cut him off but stopped, taking in a deep breath before resuming to speak, “that I could return back home and spill everything about you to my father?”
You finished in an intimidating tone, but he wasn’t a bit swayed, if at all.
“That was my plan, yes.” Kurama started after awhile, his face still turned away from you. “All the years that I’ve lived throughout the only thought on my mind were to steal and to slaughter. It became dull after awhile with those two things replaying over and over, and soon enough I lost interest… in almost everything… until the Sapphire Pendant caught my eye.”
He paused for a moment as you could hear him sigh. “My only ambition was to steal it; I had to have it, which was the only thought back then till I saw the possessor of it—and it was you.”
Suddenly you felt his hand slithered under your chin, making you turn around and stare directly into his amber eyes, his face so close from yours that you could feel the intensity of his eyes. Brushing a tear away from the corner of your eye as a small smile escaped his lips. “Whatever intoxication you used on me certainly has got its ways, because I can’t stop until I get what I want.”
“You’re an idiot,” you muttered with a hint of sarcastic tone in your voice as he inched himself closer to you.
His smile turned to a smirk. “I want now finish what I was saying before, Shizumi. I love you.”
With that, Kurama’s lips came down upon yours. And this time you didn’t push him off or slap him or do whatever; this time you started to kiss him back, completely melted against him, finally giving in to your affections.
“Looks like they’ve finally gotten together!” Yuzuki giggled as she peeked through the door, which was slightly creaked open. Kuronue was behind her, trying to get a glimpse of the scene himself with effort because of his tall stature. “I can’t see!” he scowled in a hushed tone. Yuzuki simply rolled her eyes as they gave each other a high-five.
~*~*~*~
It was back at the Ice Palace as Lord Kai, your father had ordered Flame to assemble another group of soldiers to have a search toward the west side beyond the palace. At your chamber, Ruby pulled the curtain aside as she gazed down at the group of soldiers, lining up perfectly at the citadel entrance, waiting to be prompted.
“Miss Ruby,” a servant maid said quietly as she enters through the arch door. “Sir Flame waits, as well as the assembled soldiers.”
Ruby continued to stare out the window, lingering her hand on the glass for a few more moments before replying. “I understand.” The servant maid bowed and took her leave. She eyed skeptically as Flame made his way towards the entrance, arms held out as he commanded something to the group. With a sigh she turned and headed downstairs.
’I hope he knows what he’s doing in going down to the west… and yet I have a feeling that Miss Shizumi is around there for some reason…’
Grabbing her armor and sword she approaching the group, determined to find you, no matter what the cost.
