Alternate Ending: Yu Yu Hakusho [Kurama-Yusuke] (Favored Fox-EDDE)

[EDDE]

Chocolate eyes closed loosely as a free hand brushed back raven bangs and ran through the spirit detective's hair. He'd run out of product to keep it gelled back a long time ago, and had given up looking for new material to use not long after that. There had been a horrible incident that had involved tree sap. He'd tried honey too. Too bad he'd been worried about bees being drawn to him over it and not the bear that had become absolutely enamored with him and nearly given him a bald spot with all the licking and chomping it had done. It was a good thing he wasn't scared of bears. Man, he really missed his hair gel but honestly it was nothing compared to everything else that had been lost because of him.

A deep breath was taken in shakily, but he couldn't bring himself to let it out or open the rice paper door that separated him from where most of the other occupants of the temple were currently gathered out in the courtyard. It caught in his chest and simply sat there for a long moment as he stared at that door and listened to the conversations going on behind it. Complaints of hunger were perfectly normal even though they happened more frequently than not lately; at least this time it was because it was actually dinner time. Well, the meager dinner Shiori, Yukina, and whoever else was helping them tonight could scrape together for everyone was nearly done being put together, anyway. And really, all he could catch of any of the conversations flowing in the large area behind the rice paper door were complaints; complaints about everything.

There were even some silly, stupid little whines about missing this or that, or wanting something or other just like his own.... Except they weren't really stupid. And there was nothing little about them. And just as it had been on his way out to the cool shack their supplies were stored in, all manner of depressing thoughts raced and settled into his mind.

There were familiar thoughts. Worries over their ragtag 'army' members ran as rampant as ever. Thoughts about what could happen the next time they went out, or even what could happen to the lot of them at any moment were too dark. In pushing them away however, a far more familiar one lodged in their place. One that he had so much trouble shaking off for even a moment that that silly, childish nature of his didn't flash itself nearly as often as it used to; not even slightly as often, really.

If it weren't for me none of this would have happened. If it weren't for me none of them would have to deal with this. If I'd just been smarter--If I'da just been more mature--more ready--faster--better--stronger... If I just hadn't quit. If I hadn't backed off no matter what. I could have--I could have... The list went on; on and on and on. And it swirled around in his mind over and over and over. New reasons popped up from time to time. New thoughts and images of how horrible things were now, and how much better they would have been if only he hadn't failed so miserably at his job. What he should have done differently; how he should have just kept going even if he'd died trying to beat that bastard down.

His loss to Sensui had spelled so much doom and gloom for them all. Everything he did now to help the situation further was just a drop in the bucket compared to what he could have done then.

Internal berating and lashings were a new religious practice. He did everything he could to keep them to himself though. Hell, he barely ever even shared them with his lover. Then again Kurama had his own job now; so many of his own things to worry about all thanks to even more failure on Yusuke's part. He didn't need the added stress of Yusuke's consistent practice in pity parties on top of it all...

Besides, it was about fucking time to turn things around and throw a different sort of party. That was right. He'd gone to the shed to grab all this crap in order to change the mood around this heap. Shaking his head sharply through a squeeze of his eyes he did his best to throw all that negative bullshit aside in that moment. And taking another breath, picked the crate he'd been carrying before back up, and shoved aside the door with his knee to burst through the frame with a smile so big it hurt and that exuberantly cheery tone of his.

"All right, that's it!" The hollered exclamation drew everyone's attention instantly. Their faces shifted fluidly from horrified shock to many bursting grins as they noticed what was in his hands. "I'm sick of the bitchy mood around this place so we're gonna change it up already!"

Kuwabara, who had been interacting somewhat quietly yet boastfully with Yukina only had a skeptical look to offer despite the overwhelming reaction of others. "Hasn't anyone ever told you ya can't drink your problems away Urameshi? Don't be such a lame-o." Although even as he said as much, he was moving across the room to look over the selection the detective hefted onto the table.

"Shut up Kuwabara," he snorted back as he picked up and tossed him a bottle that the large oaf had far too hard of a time juggling into a full catch. He beamed his cockiness in droves; a feat only Yusuke could pull off so incredibly well. "Don't forget I'm the leader, so you gotta do what I say."

"Nu-uh," came the childish shot back. "You ain't the leader no more, Urameshi. Kurama is, remember? We tried that whole thing and figured out you couldn't lead us outta a paper-friggin-bag once we all met up."

Grabbing another large bottle and offering it a short flip both to and from the neck of the object, Yusuke didn't skip a single beat; that cockiness shone abound as he moved past the ginger and knocked him over the head with it before shoving it into an orge's hands. "Eat me," he offered with just a little huffiness in his tone. "Kurama might be in charge of everything else, but I'm the leader of fun. And as the leader of fun, I'm sayin' shut the Hell up, quit yer bitchin', and whatever else is goin' on. Tonight, we're gonna get stupid and turn our frowns upside down, got it? Now everyone grab some hooch and make with the merry, cause who ever I find breakin' the rules and not havin' any fun is gonna get the worst punishment I can think of off the toppuh my God damn head."

The reaction the detective's rousing order had was almost instant. The courtyard erupted into rousing laughter. First it was at him for his useless threat. But it turned into a bout of merriment and jokes (mostly at his expense) that shifted the entire mood of everything and everyone in the area. Even Genkai looked a little less like a hag waiting for death in that weird way of hers as she mocked her former student before moving on to tease others in the area. Conversations picked up and alcohol was grabbed. And it soon turned to cheering and singing almost as fluidly as he had hoped it would.

He stood in the door frame for a few minutes watching as an infectious smile passed over his lips. This was way better than what it had been a few minutes ago. And he was really glad they could all find moments like this even after he'd basically ruined everyone's lives...

The smile faded and he slipped from the patio unnoticed. They could have their fun. He wasn't worried about things getting too out of hand either considering the company. There were plenty of non-drinkers in the bunch in the first place, and most of these people were pretty damn good natured to begin with. He wasn't worried about them mostly because Kuwabara would have things handled if nothing else; but also because chocolate eyes were glued to the floor and a frown had etched itself across chapped lips as he made his way toward the thing he was actually worried about; the operations room, or rather, the person housed inside it currently.

 

[FavoredFox]

The jovial sounds from the courtyard seeped into the operations room, and the grim expression on Kurama's face softened, just slightly. That was Yusuke's doing, no doubt, and whether the detective knew it or not, those 'small' acts took a massive amount of weight off of Kurama's shoulders. Keeping up the moral of the soldiers was vital, but he had neither the time nor the energy to do so. This resistance army was significantly larger than his old bands of thieves, and their purpose was vastly different. There was no returning to camp to celebrate a successful heist, no down time in which to enjoy themselves, and certainly no sense of safety. Kurama had to focus all of his efforts into strategizing and crowd control. He couldn't help his men, but Yusuke could, and did. He found himself breathing a quiet sigh of relief. His mother's laughter was easy to pick out.

He would much rather the woman had fled Japan with her husband and his son, and yet having her close by gave him a disgusting sense of peace. Her presence forced him to come up with brand new lies, but they were much closer to the truth. Shiori would never know that he stole the life of her child. Shuichi Minnamino was the reincarnation of the spirit fox Youko Kurama, and in their time of crisis Spirit World gave him the memories of his past life. She accepted it, and Kurama wouldn't let himself wonder if she actually believed him or not.

A quiet sigh left his lips and he stood up straight from his hunched over position at the table in the center of the room. A long, mahogany dining table that Genkai had pulled out of storage. She told him what it was originally for, as the old woman didn't exactly welcome company for large feasts, but he long forgot it. All that mattered was its current purpose. A blown up map of Mushiori city and its surrounding areas was pressed flat to the wood using a large sheet of glass that fit near perfectly on the table top. It was covered in varying dry erase marks in red, blue, and black. Shogi pieces had been precisely placed, marking a variety of places, enemy formations, target points and many others. Without the 'key' no one would be able to understand exactly what those game pieces meant, and Kurama was the only one who knew it.

Kurama poked the single lantern hanging over the map to make it sway the tiniest bit. The small fire flickered and caused shadows to form and dissipate. It forced him to see things quiet literally in a different light. Sometimes it was all he needed to put the final puzzle piece together... Not this time. That grim expression threatened to return to his face, but a comforting scent wafted over his nose and he couldn't help but relax. "Come in Yusuke," he called out just loud enough to be heard.

When the door was opened, Kurama reached out to take hold of the lantern and stop its sway. In the warm light of the flickering flame, his face came into much better view. It was thin, but no more so than anyone else's, and his chin and right cheek had small smudges of black and blue marker ink. He hadn't realized that his fingers had become covered in it. "I'm glad you're here. Light another lantern and come look at something with me." He motioned unnecessarily to the ready to use light sources hanging up beside the door. He would usually have more light, but he was hoping the added shadow would help him find the answer to the mess they were in.

 

[EDDE]

Yusuke jumped a little when Kurama called him out. A bit of a pout touched his lips as he made his way into the room and reached for the light as asked. "You know, I kinda miss being able to sneak up on you in here," he teased lightly. Despite the heavy mood that was bound to befall them given the situation they were likely facing if Kurama needed his help, Yusuke suddenly felt the need to keep up his antics from the other room, if only a little. "Me, you, an elbow to my gut when I come up behind you to give you a hug," he reminisced dreamily.

With a chuckle he walked up to his lover turned leader and offered a light tilt of his head. "If you want, you could even headbutt me for old time's sake."

He was still worried, of course. Because he knew something was going on given how long Kurama had been holed up in this room. And considering he was now looking to Yusuke to go over it again, it meant something Kurama was having trouble wrapping his mind around. Sometimes it only took as much as explaining things aloud for Kurama to be able to wrap his mind around these sorts of issues, but sometimes he looked to Yusuke for possible solutions as well. Granted, Yusuke barely ever tended to give a solution that helped. And when he did, it was usually something insane and ridiculous that was just stupid enough to work. But he never denied Kurama his want for help. Because considering the fact that he saw all of this as his own fault, anything he might be able to do to help tended to have Yusuke chomping at the bit to assist.