.
It wasn't too long before Kurama stirred, shaking off Karasu's arms and sitting up. He turned mournful eyes on his lover, who might have been worried except for the amused glint in those sparkling green orbs. "Would you look at us?" He sounded heavyhearted. "We just bathed, and now we're dirty again. You know, if there's one thing I hate more than being defeated in battle- besides being the uke, of course- it's being dirty."
Karasu shook his head slowly, a wondering look in his eyes as they met those of the redhead. Kurama smiled, tilting Karasu's head up with a finger under his chin. "You're really cute without that mask on." he murmured. "You should really consider getting rid of that thing."
The crow blinked uncertainly. Kurama chuckled lowly as he stood, gesturing for Karasu to do the same. "C'mon. We should wash again before we go back to the others."
Ouch. Karasu grimaced at the reminder. Lying next to Kurama, he had completely forgotten about their companions. "...Very well." He sighed regretfully as he stood.
At the water's edge, Kurama laughed, dipping a foot in. "What's wrong, Karasu? Don't you want to come in with me?" The moonlight seemed almost alive, wrapping itself around Kurama's body and casting shadows in all the right places, but leaving very little to the imagination. "Ah..." His pale flesh, made paler by the moon's gentle light, seemed almost to glow.
Kurama laughed again as he dove into the water, disappearing beneath it's surface. Karasu sat back down, content for the moment to watch. His sensitive youkai's nose easily picked out the scents of their lovemaking. Who would have thought the kitsune would be the dominating type?
Ignoring Kurama's inviting gestures to join him, Karasu stretched lazily. He never took his eyes off the redhead. Much as he wanted to join Kurama- his body was once again responding to the Youko's- he also didn't want to end up the submissive member of their relationship. Because if there was one thing he couldn't stand- besides Kurama's annoying friends- it was being submissive. He narrowed his eyes at the fox- his fox- who was now alternating between calling encouraging (and lewd) remarks, and flinging insults at his new lover.
"You are a strange one." he murmured with a tiny smile. "And... omae wa ore no mono da."
You belong to me.
Yusuke paced restlessly around the campfire. Kuwabara sat across from Toguro, both silent. Of Kurama and Karasu, there was no sign. He slammed his right fist into his left palm, his frustration reflected plainly on his face. "Damnit!"
Kuwabara glanced at him, looking uneasy. Toguro snorted loudly. "Cursing isn't going to bring them back any faster." For some reason, the big man sounded malcontent. It seemed he didn't like not knowing where his lackey had wandered off to. Yusuke stopped pacing to glare at him. "You give your friend too little credit. He can take care of himself. And... Karasu is no fool. I don't think he would try anything stupid, given our current circumstances."
Yusuke dropped to the ground next to Kuwabara. "Still, I don't like the thought of Kurama alone with that bastard- especially after what he did earlier." Kuwabara sighed and shook his head. Almost like he didn't believe Yusuke! "Are you sure about what you saw?"
For about the ten-thousandth time, Kuwabara dutifully repeated his encounter. "About two hours ago I saw them wandering off together.. no, Kurama didn't look worried... yes, I'm sure about the time... no, Karasu wasn't looking particularly sneaky or anything."
Yusuke got up and resumed pacing. About ten minutes later, Kuwabara squinted into the dark woods. "They're coming." Sure enough, not a minute later Kurama and Karasu appeared. Yusuke's jaw dropped.
Obviously, they had missed something big. Karasu seemed to be missing several articles of clothing. And Kurama... Kurama looked strange, decked in Karasu's black coat-thing, with that weird mask of Karasu's now on his face. The sleeves were just a little to long, and the mask a little too big for the half- ningen Youko. The overall affect was one of extreme cuteness. Karasu had a look of resignation on his face.
"Uh... Kurama?" Kuwabara and Toguro both stared incredulously at the two youkai.
Kurama turned sparkling emerald eyes on him. "Yes, Yusuke?"
He cleared his throat. "Where- ah, where the- um, where were you?" He glared at Karasu in an attempt to regain his equilibrium. "We were worried about you." No need to say why.
Kurama's eyes widened. "Oh... there was no need to worry about me, Yusuke." He slitted his eyes in Karasu's direction. The look in them was almost playful. "I was... just giving Karasu a little lesson in humility. Ne, Karasu-chan?"
Karasu stumbled, and Yusuke was surprised to see him blush. The dark youkai mumbled something that might have been an affirmative. Oh, yes. They really had missed something.
Kurama chuckled softly, dropping to the ground beside Kuwabara. He patted the space next to him, raising his eyebrows at Karasu. Who gave him a haughty look and sat next to Toguro, as far away from Kurama as possible. Yusuke shook his head in puzzlement. There was so much going on that he didn't understand.
The phone rang. Karasu almost jumped, so startled was he. Toguro gave him a strange look. 'Well, how can you expect me to be calm during all this?' he wanted to demand. But that would lead to uncomfortable questions. Like, what was going on. Karasu shifted uncomfortably.
Kurama gave him a big-eyed look, once again patting the ground beside him as Kuwabara dug Koenma's toy out of his pack. Kurama traced some pattern in the grass, giving him sly looks. Karasu didn't have to see it to know what it was. A collar and a leash.
These dominant/submissive games were really starting to get to him. Kurama had been taunting him for an hour, with sly glances, hand gestures, even the occasional brush of his mind, planting images in Karasu's head that the dark youkai certainly did not want to think about. Well, some of them, anyway. Though the idea of leather straps, whip cream, some plastic ... apparatuses, and a video camera was sort of interesting. Not that he would ever do something like that, of course
"Koenma!" He forced himself to focus on Kuwabara. "Hai.. hai.. we have Yusuke.. WHAT?" Yusuke snatched the phone from the carrot-top.
"This is Yusuke." He listened for a while, looking concerned. "Okay.. all right.. we'll stay put.. how long d'you think it'll take them?" He tilted his head to one side, frowning. "Okay. We'll be here." He hung up.
Kurama leaned forward. "What'd he say, Yusuke?"
The dark-haired boy dropped to the ground next to Kurama. "Well, first off, Yomi has been getting A-class youkai into the Ningenkai to cause trouble." Kurama frowned, looking worried. "So far, Genkai and Hiei have been taking care of them, but Koenma thinks that soon there'll be too many for them to handle. Which means that in the next few days, we'll be going after Yomi."
Strangely enough, the only one to protest this was Kurama. He looked positively stricken. "But, Yusuke-" Yusuke cocked his head, frowning at his friend. "We can't.. I mean, you're not powerful enough to defeat Yomi. And what about his army? Shura..." he trailed off, uneasy under the scrutiny of his companions. "Look, I just thought..."
Yusuke silenced him with a glance. "Anyway, we'll start planning as soon as Genkai and Hiei join us."
Kurama huddled in Karasu's coat, looking rather sickly. "Hiei is coming here..?" He whispered hoarsely. "And Genkai?" Yusuke nodded.
"Kurama, are you all right?"
"Hai." His tone was positively miserable.
It didn't take long for Genkai and Hiei to get there, all things considered. The sun hadn't cleared the tree tops when a burst of ki announced their impending arrival. Yusuke bounded to his feet with a grin. Toguro didn't stir, and Kuwabara actually grumbled about how early it was. Karasu reached over to brush hair out of Kurama's face. The gesture was almost tender.
The redhead was pretending to be asleep. Pretending, Karasu knew, because he had seen the Youko's eyes flicker open when Yusuke had leaped to his feet. Karasu got to his knees and crawled over to where Kurama lay, still wearing his coat and mask. He trailed one finger across Kurama's brow. "Wake up, koi. Looks like your friends have arrived."
Kurama didn't respond. "Well, if you insist on pretending you're asleep..." He deftly removed his mask. "Then I might as well get my clothes back." He put his mask back on with considerable relief. He had felt naked without it. He then grabbed the lapels of his coat, tugging. "C'mon, fox, give it back."
Kurama opened his eyes, wrapping his arms around himself to keep the coat in place. "Mine." He bared his teeth at Karasu. The gave him an innocent look and said, "We're attracting attention."
Indeed, they were. Karasu looked up to find Yusuke, Hiei, and Genkai all staring. The looks were not very friendly. Of course, it must not have looked very good: him, seemingly trying to strip Kurama. And with Yusuke already dead-set against him...
Clearing his throat, he released Kurama and scooted a few inches back. "All right, all right. You can keep it." he muttered. Kurama wrinkled his nose at him.
Toguro and Kuwabara were both up. Kuwabara was waving cheerlessly to Genkai and Hiei, still grumbling. Toguro was watching Karasu and Kurama. He didn't look very happy, either.
If Kurama noticed, he gave no sign. Stretching, he sat up, eyeing the two newcomers with an unreadable expression. Yusuke grabbed Genkai's sleeve, lowering his voice to a whisper. Hiei, with a smirking glance at the two, came forward to greet his friend.
He eyed Karasu as Kurama pulled the little Koorime into a tight embrace. Karasu couldn't repress the sudden jealousy that welled inside him. Why was that brat getting hugs when Kurama's lover was right there beside him?
Something must have shown in his expression, for Hiei pulled away from Kurama. He stepped over the kitsune and stood over Karasu, narrowing his eyes at the tall youkai. Then he sniffed. Once. Twice. His eyes widened, and Karasu caught something in those ruby depths that startled him. Amusement? He resisted the urge to sniff himself. Surely last night's dip in the pond had washed away the scent of his and Kurama's lovemaking.
Kurama watched them solemnly. He seemed to be waiting for something. Hiei nodded to his friend, and Kurama smiled. Hiei turned his eye back to Karasu, something close to a grin curving his lips. "You," he paused, as if searching for the right word, "have been foxed." He nodded to himself, satisfied.
Karasu's mask hid the dropping of his jaw. "H-how did you...? What... ?"
"Hn." Was his eloquent response. Kurama was grinning at him. What had he missed?
Yusuke and Genkai joined them, and Kuwabara and Toguro, around the still-glowing embers of the dying fire. Soon enough everyone was seated in a circle, focused on Yusuke.
"-since we don't have an army of our own, we're going to have to be sneaky. Since Kurama has been there before, hopefully he'll be able to find a way to sneak us all in undetected." Suddenly Yusuke frowned, turning concerned eyes on the fox. Kurama sat slumped next to Karasu, head bowed. He looked distressed. "Unless- Kurama," his voice was gentle. "I completely forgot, but.. you were friends with Yomi, right? Are you ging to be able to fight him?" Kurama nodded without looking up. "You were close, right?" His voice was suddenly stiff. "I realize you've gone on to.. other people," his eyes flicked to Karasu. "but I know if I were in-"
Kuwabara's eyes widened as he was struck by a realization. Not just any realization, mind, but the kind that can shatter a person's whole outlook on life. Suddenly, Kuwabara was seeing everything in a new light. And it wasn't very pretty. "Kurama is gay?"
The kitsune's head came up, eyes wide. Everyone turned incredulous stares on the shocked boy. "You didn't know?" Yusuke sounded as shocked as Kuwabara looked. Kurama was blushing faintly, his eyes once again fixed firmly on the ground in front of him. Karasu rubbed his thigh soothingly. His inner thigh. Kuwabara looked about ready to vomit.
Karasu actually thought the whole thing was kind of funny. His lips were curved in a smile hidden by his mask for the rest of the morning.
When the meeting was over, Genkai advised that they spend the rest of the day relaxing. They would need all their strength for the days to come.
Karasu tugged Kurama to his feet, intending to spend the afternoon at "their" pond. Yusuke scowled, but said nothing as he led Kurama into the woods. Kuwabara still looked a little green.
A little while later they were lying down on the soft grass, bodies twined. 'Life doesn't get any better than this,' he thought, running a finger along his lover's jawline. Kurama hugged him tighter, if it were possible, burying his face in the crook of Karasu's neck. Karasu felt himself drifting off.
Then Hiei cleared his throat. Loudly. Karasu jerked awake, trying to untangle himself from his lover so he could properly defend himself. Then he realized it was only the fire demon. Who was chuckling at Karasu's reaction. Irritably, he settled back down beside Kurama, unwilling to let Hiei think he had disturbed Karasu. Kurama, he noted sulkily, hadn't even moved.
"Kurama." The redhead propped himself up on one elbow.
"Yes, Hiei?"
The short Koorime raised an eyebrow. "Can we talk? Alone?"
Karasu was about to protest. Imagine the nerve of that little brat! But Kurama patted his arm soothingly. "Of course, Hiei."
The redhead's lips brushed his temple. "I'll be back in a while, koibito."
Karasu spared a glance for Hiei, then wrapped his arms around Kurama. "Come back soon." At the Youko's concerned query as to whether he would be okay, the dark youkai patted his cheek with a snort. "Get going, fox. I trust you."
Kurama stood abruptly. His ran his fingers through Karasu's hair, biting his lip. Then, with a tiny laugh, he bent down to kiss Karasu's forehead. "You trust too easily, love."
Hiei snorted and flitted off through the trees. Kurama followed at a more sedate pace, not looking back.
. . For those of you who don't know, the "uke" is the guy on the bottom ^^;
