Living beyond life (Kurama x OC)

Part 13

May has taken Kurama's advise to heart and is slowly settling into a new routine.

For the last few days, she has been walking Yusuke to school. On her way back she tours through the park, meeting with Hiei and sharing an early lunch with him before returning home.

There she cleans up a bit before studying, setting aside her questions for Kurama who joins her late in the afternoon. He rushes home just before dinner time and May gets started on dinner, sometimes alongside Atsuko while Yusuke is either lazing about, doing his homework for a change or is hanging out with Kuwabara or Keiko.

Today however, it's her turn to take her studying towards Kurama's. His mother insisted that she's come over to their place for a change, so Kurama told her, and May is fine with that if it keeps the woman happy. She is hogging a lot of her son's time after all.

She waits in Kurama's room at his desk as he went down to refill their drinks. She balances her pencil on her upper lip as she pouts her lips, while lazily running her fingers over the petals of one of Kurama's many plants that occupy his room. She finds this one particularly smooth to the touch.

"Careful." Kurama says as his hand wraps around hers to stop her caresses. "It's poisonous." he warns as he pulls on her hand gently to make her swivel in her chair to face him.

He eyes the plant carefully before looking slightly confused. "Though...it seems to be very content. Odd." he mutters to himself before turning his gaze of wonder to May.

"Oh sorry." he apologizes, realizing that he's still holding on to her hand. Strangely enough, he doesn't really sound all that apologetic.

May clears her throat awkwardly. "It's fine." she mutters hurriedly, a light blush dusting her cheeks.

They set back to work, carefully avoiding each other's eyes, though she swore she saw Kurama's lips quirk upward in amusement more than once.

They pass their time in relative silence, only speaking when May has questions that need to be answered.

"What's that?" May asks as Kurama stiffens beside her suddenly. A powerful force waves through the city, reaching as far as the suburbs where Kurama lives.

"I'm not certain. It feels familiar though." Kurama states, pushing his chair back and rising to his feat. He turns to May hurriedly. "I need you to pretend you are feeling ill." he urges.

May nods, understanding that he needs an excuse to leave the house right before dinner.

May pinches her cheeks to make them look more reddened. She also dips her fingers in her glass of water, expertly coating her face to make it appear like a film of perspiration before they both hurry out downstairs. May puts on a sickly looking face as they appear in the living room.

"Mother, I'll be taking May home. She's suddenly not feeling well." Kurama excuses them.

Shiori looks back at them worriedly. "Oh dear. How did that happen?" she asks, getting to her feet to look May over. "Please take care hun. I hope you'll feel better soon." she wishes, making May nod tiredly.

"Thank you Mrs Minamino. Hopefully we'll see each other again soon." May tells her, stepping outside after Kurama helped her put her coat on.

"Look after her Shuichi! Say hello to Atsuko-san for me!" Shiori calls after her son as he follows after May, wrapping an arm around her to pretend to be supporting her.

"Will do mother! See you later!" he calls back before they quickly make off.

"That was very convincing." he tells May with a small smile as soon as the door closes behind them, letting go of her so they can start running. He is looking quite worried still as he is able to focus on the matter before them.

"You should go home. This might get dangerous." he suggests to her, but receives a stubborn shake of the head.

"Whatever is going on, I can sense that Yusuke is there also. I need to know if he is okay at least." May rebukes, much to his displeasure.

"At least keep clear alright?" he urges.

"Don't worry. I know my limits." she tells him as a shiver runs down her spine when another surge of energy reaches them.

"This way." Kurama says, pulling May along through the streets before hurrying up to a rooftop where the find Hiei already waiting.

He doesn't acknowledge their presence as his eyes are focused on something else.

They face a building site, or what's left of it. Most has been demolished. Yusuke stands amidst all the rubble, body quacking. And behind him stands a large man, speaking to him. A man May yet has to learn the identity of.

Whoever he is though, he caries a massive amount of power. His energy was the one they sensed. His energy is so great, May feels sick to her stomach. She slowly moves one hand to her mouth in a weak attempt to withhold herself from regurgitating.

She watches the man as he finishes talking to Yusuke. She didn't hear a thing he said, but whatever it was, judging from the look on Yusuke's face, it couldn't have been good.

The man jumps from the ruins, making to leave before suddenly turning to their three figures on the roof as he passes them. May can feel her body physically freeze over.

"Judging from your expressions, I believe you heard the news." he say coolly. "I'm going to have you two demons participate in the Dark tournament as well. You will be members of Urameshi's team of course." he informs Hiei and Kurama.

"The horrific Dark tournament...?" Kurama breathes as the wind gently tosses his hair.

The man smirks. "Once associated with humans, you can never disassociate yourself from them." he states before walking off, tossing his coat over his bare upper body. "You may choose your fifth member yourself." he finishes before disappearing from their sight.

As if a spell was broken, May finds herself able to move again. "Who was that?" she gapes, turning her eyes back on Yusuke who has collapsed on his knees dejectedly.

"Toguro, the younger of two brothers. Yusuke and Kuwabara must have told you about him no doubt." Kurama explains rather quietly.

May nods, remembering. They fought him when saving that girl Yukina earlier. But... "I thought they killed him." she breathes questioningly. The two demons don't comment on that.

"How are our chances?" Kurama asks Hiei, who shrugs as he tries to look unfazed, but May can tell from his stiff posture that he is indeed bothered.

"We'll see." he answers non-committedly before turning on his heel, making his cloak whip around in the wind before he departs.

May watches as Kuwabara appears, timidly approaching Yusuke. She then realizes that these boy's lives are very much on stake, maybe even more than ever. She knows about the Dark tournament. Getting out alive is only reserved for a few lucky contestants.

She releases a shaky breath at the prospect of losing these four. They have somehow become the corner stones of her being. Take them away and she will collapse. She has unknowingly built her foundation on them and now someone is threatening to take that away.

She suddenly wishes that she wasn't so weak. She would help them if she could, but she knows she can never grow powerful enough, if powerful at all in the short amount of time they have left. She's only human after all. All she has going for her now is her awareness. That's not going to help anybody.

May turns her worried gaze to meet Kurama's intense green one. "I suppose, there is no possibility to refuse? she tries.

He shakes his head in dismay. "Refusal is the same as dying." he states bluntly, his jaw set in anger. "Not just for us, but for all we care about as well." he finishes.

May swallows hard before quickly looking away, her eyes slightly widened in shock at his intensity.

"I'll go get Yusuke. Time to go home." she mutters before slowly making her way from the rooftop and leaving Kurama to brood.