(A/N: unbetaed. An extremely short transitional piece, before a longer sequel which I still need to revise myself. I just wanted to put down that Kurama's friends aren't blind. Enjoy

Give It Up

Kurama is fading.

Fading like a silence or a noise that would not – could not – go away.

Fading like the last bubbles rising up to meet the clear rim of a crystal champagne flute, before exploding.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

Fading like destiny.

Fading like time.

Fading like humans.

Fading like legends.

Fading due to the eventuality of change.

Fading because it is his fate.

Kurama smiles and continues walking with a spring in his step, because he is not afraid (although sometimes, behind the mask of the unruffled student and, beneath that, the resignation of a millennia old warrior he is terrified). He feels the world like it is a beating heart. He listens to the chatter of the flowers, growing limp as seasons passed -

- which to be fair, isn’t very interesting - Oh, the sun is bright today. The wind is cold. There are third graders playing in the flower fields -

He notices the buttery yellow sign in front of the European bakery, loud, inviting, announcing when fresh baked croissants would be available.

Kurama checks his wristwatch: They should be ready within five minutes.

Should he get one? The smell was enticing. Wonderful. Tempting -

- No, he had somewhere else to be -

Kurama turns around and heads the opposite direction.

The sky is a clear blue. The wind is a crisp cold. The laughter of children is melodious tinkling of bells.

Everything is vibrant, he notes, because he knows that he is not.

Yusuke looks at his redheaded friend with concern. “Hey, you alright from last night, Kurama?” He couldn’t tell, as Kurama wore too many layers of clothing.

“I’m fine, Yusuke.”

“Hate to be an ass, but Koenma has another mission for us.”

Kurama nods, still smiling gently.

“I tried bitching at that little brat, saying that you really aren’t in any condition to fight, especially after last night, but he ‘absolutely’ insists that you come along.”

“Of course,” comes the wan reply.

He understands.

“There isn’t a problem, Yusuke.”

And he says nothing more, because in Kurama’s mind he is fading, fading, fading like the summer wind.

Fading like a ghostly whisper.

Fading.

When Yusuke reaches out to touch his friend, he feels nothing but cold air.

End

(A/N: As always, I'll encourage reading the prequel Just ANother Nightmare, the original fanfic One of Those Nights, the sequel One of Days, they'll all coincide with each other. I appreciate feedback; it lets us writers know that we're not just writing for ourselves. Are you starting to have any idea as to how the rest of the story shall progress? I'd love to hear them.