August 27, 2000

“Beads of Tears” is from the anime Mermaid’s Scar.

Beads of Tears

Clarity Scifiroots

Rating: PG

Type & warnings: songfic, vidfic, angst, shonen-ai implications, deathfic.

More notes: Hi all, this is my 3^rd started Yu Yu Hakusho fanfic. This is my first completed one, however. Yes, ‘tis short but still… I don’t think it’s too bad. See notes @ the end.

Beads of Tears

Like a meteor

Like the fate it seals

[Rose petals swirl across the screen with tiny crystals shaped as teardrops follow.]

[Eyelids fill the screen and they open slowly. Eye color switches from emerald to gold, back and forth.]

My soul burns across the sky

Close upon it's heels.

[Kurama gets up from his futon and begins to get ready for the day. He glances out at the sky, noting the sun warming the air.]

[Walking down the street, Kurama begins to smile as a familiar ki follows curiously. He lifts his head and strolls on, a secretive smile across his lips.]

As you once told me

There's a land of dreams

Where your life is never done...

[Kurama is getting ready for bed. He goes to the window one last time and opens it an inch. He glances outside and smiles slightly. Turning back, he goes to his futon to lie down. His dreams creating a new world to live in.]

It goes on and on.

Tell me that you'll never leave me

Tell me without words

[Kurama approaches Hiei in a clearing. The koorime is displeased to wait but stays put. The redhead’s heart jumps a bit and he smiles tentatively. His lips form a question and Hiei turns his head away, trying not to answer. Kurama frowns but moves forward and asks again.]

[Hiei finally turns back and Kurama stops, seeing all the confusion pouring across the little demon’s face. Zoom out. The two are surrounded by a swirling mist that carries glittery tendrils of color.]

Am I alone or am I not?

On that day you held me in your arms but

Was it confusion?

Was it an answer?

[The screen glows white and fades. The next opens with a close up of hands bandaging someone’s arm. Zoom out to see Hiei tending to Kurama’s wounds. Finally Kurama pauses him and leans forward, capturing the koorime in an embrace. Very hesitantly, Hiei returns it. Scene goes white and then returns to previous one where Kurama still has not had his question answered.]

[Hiei continues to stay silent, unsure what to say. Kurama begins to have flashbacks of the embrace, remembering the un-sureness… the turmoil of emotions… He decides against pressing the issue and apologizes.]

Beads of tears

Your voice is calling me but

Why can't I hear you?

Why aren't you near me?

[Kurama wakes with a start, his name still echoing in his mind. He wonders why he’d had that dream. Quickly he gets up and goes to look at the stars for reassurance. He wondered where the little fire demon had gone too, it’d been a long time. Kurama calls the name softly, doubting that it would be heard.]

Beads of tears

The rosary of all our fears

[Kurama winces in pain as a powerful youkai manages to cut into him deeply. The others hardly notice, their hands full with other problems. Jumping back, Kurama lets his youko self take over and he attacks. After the youkai is finally felled, youko Kurama sinks to the ground, checking himself over. He swears softly when he sees the huge wound running along his arm and side.]

[Without wanting to, tears begin to pour down his face in pain. He feels something amiss but is in too much pain to pinpoint it. He wonders vaguely when they could get back to Genkai’s temple, hopefully to get some help.]

The prayers of our eternal years

All disappear.

[Kurama’s youko form begins to fade, leaving the body of Minamino Shuuichi to take care of the bad wounds. The half-youko falls completely to the ground, noting with a curse that the youkai’s blade had been poisoned. He begins to hear his friends and is lifted up and looked over. Expletives fill the air as they attempt to get Kurama up.]

[The redhead leans his head back and suddenly wonders what it’s like to die. He was beginning to fear it, not understanding what was coming across him.]

Promise me we'll meet again someday if

Not within this life

Then in the next life.

[Genkai and Yukina work fiercely on Kurama but it doesn’t seem to be working. Kuwabara and Yusuke sit off to the side with worried looks on their faces. As nothing improves, Hiei moves from the doorway and sits beside his only true friend.]

[Kurama manages to find his voice and repeats his question earlier. He smiles and says Hiei doesn’t have to answer. He winces as the pain hits again. He looks up at Hiei and manages to ask him a new question. Hiei suddenly snaps and grips onto one of Kurama’s pale hands with his own two. The half-youko is surprised at the act and weakly smiles. Hiei bows his head, fighting the pinpricks against his eyelids.]

Beads of tears

[A tear gem sparkles in the air and lands beside Kurama. Everyone stares at Hiei in surprise. Zoom in on a second gem that pauses in the air and twirls slowly, showing off its perfection and meaning.]

I can't go on without you

Tears of confusion

Can't find a reason.

[Hiei gazes at Kurama’s face when he feels the hand he’s holding seem to loose its warmth. Staring at the face, he seems the last traces of the smile disappear and the redhead’s muscles go lax. He feels no pulse against his fingers. Eyes wide, more tears form and he tries to figure out why this is happening, how this is fair.]

[Scene zooms in on the hands supporting Kurama’s lifeless one. In slow motion, the clasped hands come undone and the lone one falls to lie beside Kurama’s body.]

Even now I try to make the slightest sound

Your name's another thing that's gone

With beads of tears

[Hiei tries to find words but none are coming. He couldn’t even talk to Kurama before he was gone… Zoom into Hiei’s lips as he attempts to form a sound. Nothing comes. Zoom out. Hiei stands quickly and flits away before anyone else says anything. A tear gem lingers behind in his place…]

In this life we'll never love again but

I'll keep you with me

Treasure your memory,

Beads of tears

[Hiei stands on top of a tall tree. His indifferent look is the same as he gazes over the land. His mind wonders aimlessly how Kurama felt. There was so much left unsaid and undone. The ruby eyes stare unseeing. Zoom in.]

[Kurama tries to break up a fight between Kuwabara and Hiei, scolding both and glaring at Hiei. Kurama catches Hiei as he falls from a tree after being badly wounded, taking the fire demon home he bandages him and heals him. After using the dragons, Hiei tries to move but can’t in his exhausted state; Kurama supports him and reties the wards on. Hiei carefully bandages Kurama and is surprised when the fox suddenly embraces him; carefully he accepts and they stay that way for some time. In a clearing, Hiei tries to come up with an answer for Kurama; he turns back and gives Kurama an un-deciding look; the fox just smiles and says it’s okay.]

However will I get through

Until the next time

Until the next life.

[Hiei flits from the treetops and tries to outrun the memories. He finally accepts he can’t and stops. He stares down at his hands and wonders what he’ll do now. He can only hope to meet the fox again in afterlife but even that will be a long ways off. Hiei looks up at the stars and wonders why he’s so cursed. Smiling bitterly, he turns his back on the brightly shining moon and begins to walk.]

Beads of tears

The rosary of all our fears

[Hiei’s eyes are darkly shaded. From the side view a sparkling drop of liquid drips down his cheek in an actual tear. In his pockets, his hands tremble for reasons known only to him.

The prayers of our eternal years

All disappear.

[Scene blacks out. Dancing rose petals chase after sparkling tear gems and slowly a still scene is shown. Locked forever in one place, Hiei grips Kurama’s hand. The tear gem is paused midair as the kitsune gives a pained surprise expression. Zoom in. Kurama’s hand slips away and everything blackens.]

[Owari]

Kurama: ::grumbling:: I don’t think I like you… torturing Hiei-chan like that, what are you thinking?

Lionna: ::blinking:: Nani-o? What I do? ::innocent look::

Hiei: Kisama… you’re going to be like this all the time, aren’t you?

Kurama: ::turning to Hiei:: Hey! You’re not even in the two other fics yet! Or not really… just mentioned. But me! ::back to Lionna:: You! I just can’t believe you!

Duo: ::pops in munching pocky:: Jeez, what’s all the noise? ::reads fic in a breeze and laughs:: ::Hiei and Kurama glare:: You think this is bad? ::serious and glares at Lionna who smiles sweetly:: You ought to see what she puts Hee-chan and I through!

Hiei: what do you mean?

Duo: ::pulls out huge stack of papers:: These are the stories, finished or non. ::Kurama’s eyes widen:: Not a single one is humor, dearies… She’s an angst hound and doesn’t mind not having a happy ending. ::smirks:: Lucky for Hee-chan and I, Aurelie-sama-koi protects us by begging for at least a bit happy endings.

Kurama: ::leafing through some Gundam Wing stories:: ::moans:: You’re evil ~~~!

Lionna ::smirks:: I aim for the best! And don’t you know how many angst fans are out there? Angst is the best!!! ::waves banners:: The most emotion too! Now, let’s continue this elsewhere so minna-chan doesn’t end up reading a conversation longer than the fic.

Hiei: ::glares::