Here's Chapter 8 of "Before & After." Constructive C & C are welcome.  Have
fun reading.

--Shuuichi Minamino
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BEFORE & AFTER
Ch 8

 "Why is that sad look in your eyes, why are you crying.
  Tell me now, won't you tell me.
  Why are you feeling so down oh baby, is it your heart.
  Breaking all in pieces, making you cry...
  Is there anything I can do.
  Why don't you tell me where it hurts now baby,
  And I will do my best to make it better.
  And I will do my best to make, the tears all go away.
  Just tell me where it hurts now tell me,
  And I will love you with the love so tender,
  And if you let me stay, our love will make the hurt go away."
                                       --"Tell Me Where It Hurts" by Haddaway
 
 	Hakuya was relieved to see the little youko walking toward his
way.  Hakuya had lost a good deal of his patience and was about to leave.

 	"Hey, youko!" Hakuya called.

 	"Ah." Kurama replied, a bit startled to find himself running into
Hakuya.

 	"Hey what's the matter?" Hakuya asked, concerned. There was
something very wrong in the way Kurama acted.  Hakuya could not
really tell, but it seemed as if Kurama was panicking about something. "Tell
me."

 	Kurama turned his face away. "No."

 	"What now?" Asked Hakuya, exasperated.  "You are really touchy, you know."

 	"Leave me alone."

 	"Come on, what's wrong.  You can tell your friend." Hakuya persisted. "Wait
a minute, where's your bird?  How come you didn't bring it along?  They
usually follow their masters around."

 	"......father...father killed it.  He ate it."  Kurama answered,
his voice quivering.

	"What?!  He did what?!"  Demanded Hakuya.  "Kurama?"  

 	Hakuya reached and touched the youko's shoulder.  Kurama flinched violently
away from him.  Hakuya held his breath.

 	*Something IS wrong with him.* Hakuya realized.

 	"It's okay, there should have plenty of those around." Hakuya
said. "I'll get you another one."

 	Then Kurama started crying.

 	"What?  Hey it's only a bird.  You know what, you cry too much."

 	"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Kurama sobbed.  "I couldn't stop him...And
it hurts..."

 	"It's all right.  Hey come here." Hakuya tilted Kurama's face up and
started to wipe his tears away.  He stopped when he saw the bruises on
the child's pale face and neck.

 	"Wha...What did he do to you?"

  	"No..Nothing..."

 	"That's NOT nothing. What did you do to get him to hit you like
this?"

 	Kurama didn't answer.

 	"It's fine now. Rokuso is not here. Why don't you tell me what happened.
Maybe I can make you feel better."

 	"He...made me take off my clothes and he hit me.  And...he hurt me again,
over and over again.  I didn't...do anything...wr..wrong..."

 	"Where does it hurt?  I'm good with medicines." Hakuya started to pull at
Kurama's shirt.

 	"NO!!" Kurama screamed. "Don't!  Don't hurt me again!  I won't...I promise
 I won't! Please....."

	"Kurama!  It's me!  Calm down.  Where does it hurt?"  Hakuya said
tenderly.  "I won't hurt you.  I will never hurt you.  I promise you
that."

 	"E...Everywhere..." Kurama sobbed.

        "Everywhere...." Hakuya echoed the last word, understood what must
have happened. He heard his friends and some elders talked about it
before. His face turned pale, partly from anger and partly from disgust.
*And he doesn't even know it!  He doesn't even know it...* 

	"Come, come here.." Hakuya hold both Kurama's wrists and led him into the
woods.  They settled at an area nearby the spring that was shadowed by
trees.  Hakuya had meant to show Kurama this little heaven of his, but not
like this.

	"Now, let me see where does it hurt."

	Kurama froze, looking at Kakuya suspiciously.  Hakuya sighed, "no
youko, I'm not going to do something mean, I just want to take care of your
wounds."

	Kurama nodded, then unfasten his belt, and slowly let the top fall
off his shoulders.  Hakuya was shocked at what he saw.

	"That bastard!"

	Kurama bent his head, tears of shame and pain dropping onto his
knees.  His body was covered with gruesome bruises and cuts.

	Hakuya hesitated, then put his arms around the smaller body gently, afraid
to touch the wounds. "Shhh....it's all right now, you are with me..."

	After his tend for the youko's wounds, Kurama had fallen asleep. But even
during his sleep, his body couldn't stop shaking just as his tears couldn't
stop falling.

 	As Kurama slept, Hakuya ran his fingers through the silky hair.  *So
beautiful...What a beautiful child.  Why him?  Why is he stuck with someone
like Rokuso?  I won't let him get hurt again.  Not him, he's too innocent
and beautiful to be ravished.*

	"Hakuya?"

	"What?" Hakuya was startled.  He hadn't expect Kurama to suddenly wake up.

	"Why would father hurt me like that?"

	"I...I don't know..." Hakuya stuttered.  *You wouldn't want to know what he
is really doing to you.*

	"I think that's because he loves me." Kurama answered himself.
"He told me he is doing this because he's in love with me. I'm his dearest
child. I saw my father playing with a lady once.  Except the lady didn't
cry, she doesn't seem to be hurt.  I think I cry too much.  That's why my
father is angry at me all the times. Do you think I cry too much?"

        "No, not at all."

 	"You said I cry too much."

 	"I was...er...I was kidding."

 	"Oh..." Said Kurama. "Hakuya, you know what?"

 	"What?"

 	"I like you, a lot."

 	"You...you what??" Stammered Hakuya.

 	"I like you a lot. You are so nice to me and you don't hurt me
like father." Kurama sat up suddenly, his face glowing with excitement. He
looked directly into Hakuya's eyes, with so much happieness. Hakuya felt
himself imprisoned by those pair of beautiful golden eyes.

        "Um...that's...um...nice." 

        "Why is your face red?" 

 	"No it's not."

 	"Yes it is!"  Kurama argued. "You are lying and you look funny."

 	"Fine!  So I'm lying!  You happy now?" Hakuya said, annoyed.

 	"What's wrong?  Are you angry?"

 	Hakuya got up and walked to the river.  

 	"No, I'm flattered, kitsune." Hakuya said softly. "But you don't know the
definition of love, or like, because you've never had any."

 	"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.  Hakuya was definitely one strange youkai.

 	"Your so-call father doesn't love you.  You might hate me for this but I'm
going to tell you right now.  People who love you won't do things to hurt
you.  Rokuso hurt you.  He hit you and hurt you even when you've done no wrong."

 	"He said I've been bad."

 	"And you said that he sometimes hurt you even when you've done nothing
wrong.  Didn't you say that?  Or were you lying to me?"

 	"I wasn't lying."

 	"Well then, I rest my case."

 	"Why would he hurt me?  Why does he hate me?"

 	"Hey, I didn't say he hates you."  Hakuya said, alarmed.

 	"He hates me.  I knew he hates me.  I'm lying to myself, I was too scared
to think.  I was a coward." Kurama said quietly. "He said that I'm going to
betray one day just like she did."

	*Oh damn!  Now what have I done?  I don't know he would think THAT far.*
Hakuya thought miserably.  *Now he's starting to imagine things...*

	"Where did you get that idea from, kitsune?"

 	"I know, I know it!" Kurama cried, tears flowing down. "But I've
done my best and he wouldn't love me.  He still want to hurt me!  Again and
again.  He hates me.  Because sometimes he'll grab me and told me that I'm
his tormentor."

	"Well, you have me."

 	"I...I am so alone..." Kurama sobbed. "Help me!  Don't ever hate me..."

 	"I told you I don't hate you.  And I won't."  Hakuya replied.  His heart
aching for the young youko.

	After a while, the little youko had quieted down and he held himself
close to Hakuya, head buried in Hakuya's chest. They stayed this way for a
seemingly long period of time.

	Suddenly Kurama jumped up.

	"What is the matter with you?" Hakuya was taken by surprise
and was a bit annoyed by it.

	"Hakuya, Kurama has to go..." Kurama was crying again.

	"Huh, what for?"

	"Rokuso will get mad again...." Golden eyes filled with tears of
panic.

	"Then don't go. Stay with me."

	"No no no!" Kurama screamed tearfully. "Father is strong, if he finds out
about this..."

	"Kurama..."

	"I have to go!"  He hurried out of the woods.

	"Kurama, meet me tomorrow same time ok?" Hakuya shouted after the
running child. 

-----------------Chapter 8 End (To Be Continued)--------------------

   --Shuuichi Minamino
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
  * "J'aurais                        "I would have wanted                 *
  *           voulu ne pas mourir.                not to die.             *
  *  J'aurais voulu                   I would have wanted                 *
  *           ne jamais grandir.                  never to grow up.       *
  *  J'aurais                         I would have                        *
  *           voulu me casser l'ame."           wanted to rend my soul."  *
  *                                                                       *
  *                ~Cirque Du Soleil                 ~Circus Of The Sun   *
   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~