Alternate

I think what drove me crazy the most was his red hair…
At first I hated it…I don't know why…maybe to me it didn't look natural, although he was a demon so of course he was one of the most natural parts of nature, but still…and even though I hated it I had to admit that he wouldn't look right with any other colored hair but red.
And I think that's what actually made me fall in love with him in the first place…the way that his bangs would fall in front of his gorgeous green eyes and the way he would just move his head a little to get them out of his way…
His eyes were another thing…they're the color of ferns…something I've never thought about until now.
Anyway though I would sit and watch him because he was so much different than I remembered him.
The man that now goes by the name of Shuichi among human family and friends or Kurama among we youkai…the man that I once knew as Yoko Kurama…
Yoko, after running from hunters like a coward, joined with the spirit of a human baby and after growing up with the mother, he learned what love was and that changed his heart, changing everything about him…
He was kinder and was no longer the strong youkai that he had been…and the damn red hair drove me nuts…after seeing him with silver hair for so long it was ridiculous…
But soon because he was kinder and because he was essentially different my attitude toward him changed.
It first turned toward pity because he had grown weak…but then it turned to love because of my pity…he had changed and it changed me…but from what I could tell, it had changed me for the better because I had found someone who I could be with forever…
His newfound lesson of what love was allowed him to love me back and for the first time, deep down I was happy…I had been happy before when I was a small child…and when I would gain in power and defeat my enemies…but now I was really and truly happy on a level that I had never felt before…
I found it enjoyable whenever we did things together and whenever I did something to make him smile that gorgeous smile of his.
Everything was amazing…but then reality hit…
So here's the story from the beginning…
For some reason the hair that had always annoyed me was gorgeous in today's light. The sun was glinting off of it in a way that made me take a second glance at it, which then made me stare, which was apparently annoying him.
"Hiei will you stop staring at me already…it's very annoying." Kurama told me but no matter how much I wanted to look away, I just couldn't.
"Seriously Hiei, that's not only annoying but also very rude…"
"I'm sorry." I said as I turned my head away…why the hell was I saying sorry to him? I never said sorry to anyone!
"Well, well Hiei…I guess hanging out with you has rubbed off on you. I think you just learned what manners are." Kurama smirked and laughed.
Normally I would have not only glared but also punched someone who even implied that I was getting weak, which having manners in essence did.
But instead I turned back to face him and just as I was about to hit him he did the thing that I know triggered the love. He flipped his hair out of his eyes, which let me see his bright green eyes, and in that light I new that I didn't hate him…hell I didn't even pity him anymore for being weak…instead I felt something I hadn't felt in a long, long time.
It took me a minute to realize what it even was…
What I was feeling, and the reason I couldn't take my eyes from him, was love…
Now you see, if you're a youkai then love doesn't feel the same as I imagine it would for you humans…for us it feels like we have someone squeezing our heart…not in a painful way but in a way that's almost unnatural.
It feels like your insides are swelling and that no matter how much you want to stop the feeling it doesn't go away.
That was how I was feeling now and it took a moment for me to recognize that.
One thing about it that I know is different is that for a youkai, falling in love is instantaneous. Its not something that takes a while to build up…
"Hiei…you're staring yet again." Kurama raised an eyebrow and looked at me bluntly.
I felt a small shiver go up my spine as he said my name…it took a moment for his words to sink in.
One they did I turned away again and could feel myself blushing.
"Kurama…" I said in a small voice.
"Hm?" he said and looked over, apparently seeing my pink cheeks. "Why Hiei, are you blushing?" he stifled a laugh. "Embarrassed at being caught staring again, are we?"
I almost yelled no before realizing that if I did I would blow our cover, so instead I looked at him and said, 'No, that's not it at all…There was something I was going to tell you, but now I'm not going to."
I turned back toward the field and refocused on the mission at hand. Although Kurama was now human he still had a large amount of spiritual energy that he used to fight with.
Which was made worse by the fact that stupid toddler Koenma was forcing us to work for him as our punishments for our crimes against the Makai…otherwise I would never have been with Kurama, minus the love that I felt now.
This was the first time we had been partnered together when on a mission. I was usually with Yusuke, because I couldn't stand that stupid oaf Kuwabara.
We were partnered together because our current mission was to bring in an old friend of ours.
He was one of Kurama's gang until he was defeated by a newcomer and left fleeing for his life, which was the last time we both had seen him.
"What were you planning on telling me Hiei? I have a feeling we'll still be waiting a while for our friend to show up." Kurama prodded.
"No. I'm not telling you until you say your sorry for calling me weak." I knew it was childish to act in such a manner, but I couldn't help it. He had offended me and I was going to get an apology from him willingly before I made him apologize.
I may have feelings for him but that wouldn't stop me from being cruel if I needed to be.
"But I didn't. When did I say that?" He obviously had forgotten that having manners made one weak…although he did have them and so would obviously not admit to it.
"When you said that I was learning manners…for a youkai having manners means that your weak and you've obviously forgotten that."
"Ok then, fine. I'm sorry. Now what were you going to tell me." It hadn't sounded very convincing, but I would take it.
"I was going to say that…I think…that I might…"
Kurama raised his hands and looked away from me back out into the field. The scent of blood filled my nose and I new that the battle that was coming next would be a big one.
"Your going to have to wait until we have him in custody before you can finish what you were telling me. Sorry." Kurama looked back at me before running off.
I ran after him knowing that I might not have the courage to tell him after the battle.
I might have been fearless in battle, but emotions were something that were as different to me as the Makai world is from the Ningenkai…