Calm My Restlessness

By: ani

Disclaimer: as usual, I don't actually own YYH, Kurama, Hiei, etc. etc. All I do own is ever chara, twist and turn I've added.

This is an au of sorts; it's a side-story that's supposed to take place while the guys are training for the tournament to determine the next Overlords of the Makai. Of course, as usual, I'm writing this without actually seeing the storyline yet, so mistakes and guesses are very prominent in this piece.

This is a one-shot, but I've got an idea to continue past this, so tell me if I should or not. Anyway, on to the story…

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"It's been a while, hasn't it Youko-dono?" she smiled, finding him right where she expected, in the forested part of the cliff above the city.

That intense red hair was floating in the breeze as he slowly stood, turning to her. A face she didn't know stared at her with a familiar gaze in unusual green eyes. "Miyoko… I would prefer it if you didn't use that title."

A nod made her plum-colored braid slide off her shoulder. "And you know I don't use that name anymore. Only a handful of people know it, and only one's allowed to call me that." She stopped as those emeralds slid closed. The smile came back as she joined him at the cliff's edge. "Really though, it's been a long time."

Turning towards her scent, he watched her sit on the edge, looking out over the city. "It has indeed Nari. If you don't mind my asking, how did you get here?"

He actually jumped at her chuckle, "If you had to ask that it has been too long," she found the old condescending look she was used to on this new face. "Sorry, couldn't help it. I'm here for the same reason you were, hiding out. Stole from the wrong person so…"

Finally sitting beside her, he sighed. "So you came to the one place they couldn't get you."

She sighed, turning away from him. "After you… I just kept going on, doing what I'm good at. Of course, it started loosing its appeal. Nothing was a challenge anymore. By then, word of my other ability got out…"

"And you got in with the wrong person. Nari," he paused, turning her to him, "Please tell me what you've done. I can't help you if you don't tell me."

Pulling his hand away from her face, she smiled slightly at the feel of his fingers sliding down her jaw. She shook her head slowly, "No, no it's been dealt with. Don't worry about me." Trying to change the subject, she turned to her bag. "I almost forgot. I managed to save this before your horde was pillaged."

The gray drawstring bag she placed in his hands seemed to ease a tension he'd never been able to name. Vague memories flashing through his mind – spotting the Goddess Child in the crowds, changing form to get closer… a scent… that blood red strip of fabric tied in her hair; years later, holed up in a cave as the storms raged… the conflict and struggle on her face… later sketching that sleeping face on the back of his wanted poster – made a whole new anxiety form. If she knew he'd kept them, they were in that bag… "Nari, did you open this..?"

Her slight blush worried him more. "I have, but I've never gone through any of it, never looked. Like you, I never let it out of my sight. I'd put in what seeds I'd found in your horde, ones I'd come across that you had used around me."

He threw her a confused look, "You didn't believe the rumors?"

"Of course not. It'd take more than one SDF to take out the Legendary Bandit for good. But I never would have believed you'd run here." Shaking her head, she turned to him. "I didn't believe it was really you, I had to see it for myself, sense it. But it really is you Kurama."

All he could do was nod. "My time in this world, as Shuuichi, as taught me much Nari. Even now, moving between realms, I'm learning a great deal." He paused, placing his hand over hers, "I realize there is no need to explain what."

Taking his hand in both of hers, she hung her head, that one pale-blonde lock falling into her face. "Picking up right where we left off, huh? The Thief King and his little prodigy rival, the Fallen Goddess Child. One reluctant because of the other's youth: the other reluctant because of one's inability to understand the other's dual heritage. Even if you can know Kurama, I don't know if I can…"

He pulled his hand from hers, "Forgive me. I should not have assumed." He stood up, started walking away.

"Shuuichi wait."

He did stop at her using his human name. He just stood there, waiting.

She finally stood, finding his back to her. "There is one other that understands. I believe you already know him."

"Hiei."

"Just because someone could understand doesn't mean anything unless," her voice fell to barely a whisper, "… I want it to."

He turned to find her barely an arms length away. A tiny smile graced her lips as she caught the confusion in his eyes. "Hiei and I have crossed paths a few times, helped each other out of some tight spots. We're allies, nothing more. Probably a lot like you two are. But it just proves my point." She paused, slowly raising her right hand toward his face.

His left came up, taking hold of hers. "A lot has happened during my desertion."

That pale-blonde lock flew back and forth at his word. "Isolation, not desertion." She placed their hands on his chest, pressing her palm flat against his shirt pocket. "You never deserted me. We parted ways many times, fought each other, challenged each other, but I always knew…"

Vibrant green just stared back into deep indigo, the setting sun casting red and orange tints over them.

She suddenly broke their eye contact, finding his arm quite comfortably resting around her waist now. Turning back to him, she was surprised at the pain and need he was trying to hide in his eyes. She did the only thing she could think of. Her right hand started sliding up his chest as her left brushed his hair from his face. She stepped closer, both hands resting on his shoulders as she laid her cheek against his chest, the low open neck of his shirt.

The arm around her waist tightened slightly as he realized what she was doing. His left hand came up, tucking that stray lock behind her ear before stroking her hair. His hand resting on her head, his hold barely getting tighter gave her some clue. "Nari, I would like to see you again."

She nodded slightly, "But you're need in the Makai now. I know all about the Overlords and their tournament." She paused, almost as if she didn't know what to say. "I… I wish you luck at your goal Kurama, whatever it may be."

His right hand stroked her hair again as he loosened his hold. She almost pulled back to look at him, suddenly finding his right arm around her shoulders, holding her against him again. She could feel his chin slide across the top of her head before he pressed his face into it. "I thank you Nari. Thank you."

Realizing what it actually meant, she slipped her arms out of his embrace, wrapping them tight around his waist. Closing her eyes, getting lost in the embrace, memorizing his scent, his hold, everything about this one moment, she barely whispered, "Anytime, my friend. Anytime."