Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Captured by a Rose ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2

"Gouki, you savage beast!" hissed a voice from behind Gouku. He froze in his tracks over my battered, unconsciousness body.

"Kurama!?" Gouki gasped, pivoting around to see Kurama, his spirit energy burning in a single flame of rage.

In spite of his wrath, Kurama managed to regain his composure, but barely. He brandished his rose whip, ready to strike.

"You'll fight me to save this pathetic human?" questioned Gouki irately. "But why risk your life? After all, we are both youkai."

Kurama narrowed his eyes, remaining silent.

"Very well. I will fight you for getting in my way, traitor!" hissed Gouki dashing furiously at Kurama.

The lovely, red hair youth evaded him with little effort. Gouki snarled then lunged at Kurama preparing to deliver his blow. Kurama jumped back, unleashed his rose whip, cutting through Gouki's defenses in a blow that slashed his chest, leaving a fresh, open wound.

"W-why do you fight…to save a human?" uttered Gouki falling to the ground. Before he passed out, in Kurama's eyes he found his answer. "You…you are a youkai, with the heart of a demon, yet…yet, you…you…love…"

* * *

The kitsune knelt over, breathing heavily to catch his breath. He gathered a blue orb near the place where Gouki fell. "At least he's out cold…" realized Kurama, glancing over at Gouki, who lay there unconscious.

Kurama didn't waste a moment rushing to my aid. "Yusuke!" he cried, on his knees beside me. "Are you okay!? Say something!"

"Ungg…" I groaned. My head hurt from all that damn throbbing. I felt dizzy, weak and nauseous, all signs of a severe concussion.

"Easy, Yusuke!" suggested Kurama, helping me sit up. "You just suffered from a bad concussion."

"Heh, no wonder I feel like…shit," I remarked, still out of it.

"Here, get on my back, I'll carry you," Kurama offered kindly. He stooped over and lifted me on, carrying me out of the clearing.

We vanished into the thick undergrowth of the forest, blanketed mostly by shadow from the thick canopy above. Occasionally, patches of silver moonlight lit the forest floor that streamed in through overhead leaves.

"Why…why are you helping me, Kurama?" I whispered into his ear, atop his back, as he skipped over a fallen log with deftness, coming closer to the forest edge.

"Why?" Kurama replied softly. Amidst the chorus of crickets whose nighttime songs permeated the crisp, night air, his mind wandered back to the musings of our first encounter. "In the moments we first met," recalled the kitsune in his thoughts, "You saw through me, Yusuke, in a way few would do. You saw the pain in the core of my soul that tortured me. You wanted to reach out and say, `It's okay, Kurama-kun. Share your pain with me.' Why did you say that, Yusuke? You said that because you care, care for those around you."

"You care, Yusuke-kun," Kurama answered at last. "That's why."

To be continued…