Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday baby
Oh, I love you so
*
" Why won't you DIE!" Kurama spat loudly. Karasu merely laughed.
" Now is that any way to greet me, Itooshi?"
" CAN IT!" Kurama spat again. " What are you DOING here?!" It almost sounded as if he was so angry he'd cry.
" I missed you," Karasu said simply, crossing his legs and taking a sip of hot cocoa. " Good stuff. Whipped cream and marshmellows and a touch of cinnamon...perfect."
" Missed me?!" Kurama squealed.
" You're drawing attention, Love. Sit down and have a hot drink...my treat."
Kurama's face turned radish red. It looked as if he were about to explode. He yanked the chair from it's place and dropped himself into it, not even looking at Karasu, " Frap!"
He took the liberty of peeking up that flimsy skirt she had to wear. Poor dear. He ordered for Kurama and slapped a hand across that tiny butt as she walked away. Kurama only growled.
" Hey, no exploding at the table," Karasu teased. " It'll make your lovely hair turn grey."
Kurama began to yank at his own hair, " If you like it then I'll rip it out!"
"Such harsh words. You didn't miss me?"
" I HATE YOU!!!!!!! WHY can't you UNDERSTAND that?!"
" You hurt my feelings, Itooshi."
" You don't HAVE ANY!"
Karasu rubbed his hand over his forehead, suddenly frowning. " Kurama, I never thought you'd be the type to hold a grudge."
" Can you blame me?"
" Yes and no. You damn near killed me. And you walked away. Isn't that enough?"
" You won that fight."
" Big whoopie flutter farts."
Kurama arched a brow and glanced at Karasu, " What...did you say?"
Karasu simply laughed and smiled, " Glad I got your attention. I didn't care if I won that thing or not. I just wanted you. Would have never been there if it weren't for that Toguro bastard. I was quite content where I was. Not likeI had a choice. You know very well if I could have destroyed him I would have."
" You're making excuses and evading my questions."
" Ask them like a civilized person and I'll answer," Karasu replied simply. Kurama sighed.
" What are you doing here, Karasu. The Ningenkai is no place for you."
" Says you. But it's a place for a sex-crazed nymphomaniac klepto kitsune in ningen clothing, ne?"
" That's...different."
" Is it?" Karasu asked. " I'll have you know I've spent some time in a hospital....got my head worked out a bit. Making a lot of money here too."
" That so?" Kurama replied. " And...exactly...how are you suddenly cured from your deranged thoughts in so short a time. One year isn't exactly the safe time."
" Less than a year actually, Kurama. I did get some councling and decided to use my deranged mind to make some money in this world."
" Demolition?"
" Gory comical poetry."
Kurama whispered and repeated the genre. " I'm afraid to even ask."
" Ah, then I shall answer before you do!" Karasu cheered standing up and turning around to place a foot onto his chair and lean on his knee.
" I saw a corpse aside the road
Rotting, stiff and cold.
I kicked him over and saw his face.
This man wasn't very old.
Careless he must have been that day
When he expired.
But, such messy handy-work
It's something I can't admire.
I picked him up and decided
To take him for a ride.
Then a inspiration hit me;
We went to seaside.
I dragged his body from the car
And dragged him through the sand.
If I were in his place,
This deathplace would be grand.
I sat and had a picnic
With this man at the shore.
But then decomposition settled in.
I couldn't take the smell no more.
I threw him into the tide that night
And wished him some good luck.
But he was eaten by a shark.
His afterlife really sucked.
I watched with happiness
And deep within me, glee.
After all, why should I care?
As long as it wasn't me."
Karasu let out a demented laugh. Kurama had frozen, unable to drink his frap.
"
Karasu, that was...by far...the stupidest....and seriously most fucked up thing I have EVER heard."
" Yeah, I know." Karasu smiled. " But would you believe how many people actually enjoy that garbage?"
" Sick," Kurama sighed, standing up.
" Leaving me?"
" Good-bye."
" Kurama...." Karasu called. But Kurama refused to turn around. He sat down and watched as the back of the kitsune boy vanished in the crowd. He sighed unhappily and glanced at the table and popped a mint into his mouth.
" Well, I thought it was funny."
*
Sixteen candles make a lovely light
But, not as bright as your eyes tonight.
*
" Karasu?!" Yusuke gasped. " What did he want? How'd he find you?"
" Who knows. I guess he wanted to show off how much he's ‘changed' to try and impress me."
" I was wondering when he'd catch up with you."
All eyes fell on Koenma. Kurama turned red again, " You KNEW?!"
" I'm a fan. He took a pen name...ningen name. Medical records said he was safe enough to allow a trial. He's been doing well. Record timing."
Kurama grabbed the book Koenma held and peered over the cover,
" Crowe Underwater?"
" He said he was inspired by his aquarium." Koenma smiled. Kurama sighed and smacked Koenma with the book. " I hate him."
" WHY do you hate him so much?" Koenma asked. " Besides him trying to kill you."
Kurama about lost his jaw, " Isn't that ENOUGH?!"
" Kurama," Hiei smiled, " A lot of people tried to kill you...and you've forgiven them. Is it possible that you... ‘hate' him so much because you are embaressed that you're attracted to him?"
" WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!!!!" Kurama hissed, making Hiei trip backwards...Yusuke caught him before he fell to the floor. Kurama was beet red again and brought his hand to his cheek. He was very hot. " I'm...going to bed!"
He left his friends behind and hurried home. His family was out...lucky him. It meant he could leave the lights out. He made his way to the bathroom and undressed, lighting candles and drawing a warm bath...dripping scented oils of botanical extracts. Aromatherapy would help him. He pressed the button on the boombox, allowing a nice relaxing meditation CD to play. Such lovely music. The waves ebb and flow against the beach. Seagulls and that lovely musical arrangement. However, he became frusterated near the end of his bath. That damn poem Karasu had recited repeated in his head as that CD played. = Dammit and this was my favorite one too! Now I'll have to burn it cuz it reminds me of HIM! It wasn't even a funny poem!=
With a sigh, he got out and wrapped a towel about his waist and headed for his room, lighting more candles and glancing into his mirror. The light from the flames made his eyes glitter. =He'd like this, wouldn't he? This would be so...= He shook his head hard, " I HATE HIM!!!!"
*
Blow out the candles
Make your wish come true
For I'll be wishing that you love me too.
*
" It seems then, he's not sure what he wants," Karasu observed, taking the slip from Koenma. He was wearing his mask today and read the slip. " Are you sure I should do this?"
" Kurama is in denial," Koenma winked.
" He seemed pretty intent on his dislike, Koenma. I don't want to make him angry....not on his birthday. He should be happy. And I don't think he could do that with me there."
" Don't you want to wish him a happy 16th?"
" I do," Karasu sighed, " but would he want me there? I don't want to spoil everything. You know I'm good at that."
" You're not the only one going though. Lots of people will be there."
" Thats awfully sweet of you, Koenma. Kami knows that Kurama has lots of friends and aquaintences. But, I'm not welcome there."
" He can't be upset if you make him smile," Koenma giggled.
" He doesn't find me funny at all," Karasu replied, propping himself on one elbow. " I thought he'd at least chuckle at my poem. YOU laughed."
" I'm not Kurama though, and Kurama needs different extremes to be amused. He tends to laugh at Hiei when he puts on a tough charade, only to be defeated so simply."
" So, I should do something dimeaning to myself to prove myself to him?"
"Worth a shot, isn't it?"
" Indeed. BARTENDER!"
*
You're only sixteen, but your my teenage queen
You're the prettiest, the lovliest girl I've ever seen.
Sixteen candles in my heart will glow
Forever and ever
For I love you so
*
" Can I take off the blindfold now?" Kurama asked with a smile.
" Not yet," Botan giggled. She led him through the halls and corridors of the Reikai palace. Kurama already has a suspicion of what was going on. But how it was done made his mind race. She led him into the grand hall where the surprise was set and removed his blindfold.
" Happy birthday!" Came the cry from the crowd. Kurama gasped at all the people. He felt perhaps he souldn't have been surprised. Since he was brought to the Reikai, anything was possible. Yomi sat in the corner clapping his hands with that cute little rugrat of his. Touya and Jin in another spot. Several others he had met over the years in Makai and about. There was, of course, Yusuke, Kuwabara, his sister, Hiei and Yukina, Botan, Keiko, Genkai and Pu. Koenma raised a punch glass to toast the occasion.
Kurama blushed and laughed. " You guys are just evil!"
" I know, but you love us anyway, right, Fuzzy-Top?" Yusuke laughed, muffling Kurama's hair.
" I kinda figured there was going to be a surprise party here."
" I told you surprises were useless," Hiei scoffed. Yukina took his arm and pointed a fniger, tapping his nose, making him go cross-eyes. Her voice was gentle, " It's the thought that counts, Hiei-Chan." She sniffled, " Happy occassions make me want to..."
Hiei went wide-eyed and blew a noise-making, making the paper unfold and smack Yukina in the nose. It made her lose her train of thought. She ripped it from his grasp and bopped him over the head with it. Kurama laughed at the scene and mingled happily among the many people he came to know as friends.
The party went on for several hours before Koenma ran in and cheered,
" CAKE!"
No more to be said. A large cake was rolled in on a platform by two of the ogres. Everyone was silent verbally but clapped at it came to the center-stage area.
" That's one hell of a cake, Koenma," Yusuke joked.
" Raspberry topping," Hiei drooled. Yukina pushed him forward.
" I TOLD you not to taste it, Hiei-Chan! Please don't tell me you took a taste anyway!"
" I wasn't planning to," Hiei replied, brushing himself off. He turned back to her with a wicked smile which made her turn red with frustration. She picked up a butter knife and began to chase him about the room. Kurama couldn't help but laugh and took a step forward.
" Wait!" Koenma ordered. " I got a special something for you."
" A stripper to pop out of the cake I hope," Yusuke snickered. Keiko elbowed him.
" That wouldn't be very much like Koenma," Kurama smiled gently, knowing very well there was no stripper in the cake. He took the pie-server from the table, " Should I make a wish and dish out the cake?"
" But, we must sing Happy Birthday, first, Kurama," Koenma chuckled.
" And I found someone to sing it in words that none of us would ever come up with."
With a loud count to three from the crowd {who were all in on the joke}, the top of the cake popped off and there sitting at the edge of the giant sculpture laced in icing was Karasu, done up with lovely makeup and glitter, weaking a sleak glittery blue dress with a lovely slit up one leg. He was sure to show it off along with those lovely glittery blue high heel shoes. He had bright lipstick on and lovely eye-shadow and the perfect blush. His hair was very thouroughly tended to just for this occassion, laced with some sparkles to add to the effect. He picked the microphone up from the hiding place and turned it on.
" Ontanjoubi omedetou, Kurama-Kun!"
Kurama's mouth dropped wide open. He turned bright red {which seemed to be the color of the season} and eyed Karasu with lack of no other emotion but the wide-eyed shock. Karasu came to the floor, well-rehearsed so he wouldn't have icing stuck to him. He then cued the music and began the song, walking about the Grand Hall to stir up the energy:
" Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
"Well, it's time to celebrate your birthday,
it happens every year!
We'll eat a lot of broccoli, and drink a lot of beer.
You should be good and happy cuz there's somethin' you can eat.
A million people every day are starvin' in the street!
Your daddy's in the gutter with the wretched and the poor!
Your mama's in the kitchen with a can of Cycle Four!
There's garbage in the water,
There's poison in the sky,
I guess it won't be long before we're all gonna die!
" Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!"
Karasu made his sexy walk over to Kurama and gently took that lovely face into his delicate hands. God how he wanted to kiss him right then and there. He was so vulnerable that it made him shiver. He shook it away quickly. His dress was a sleek one and any excitement of that sort would really ruin that female effect.
" Well, what's he matter, little friend, you think this party is the pits?
Enjoy it while you can!
We'll soon be blown to bits!
The monkeys in the Pentagon are gonna cook our goose!
Their finger's on the button, all they need is an excuse!
It doesn't take a military genius to see,
We'll all be crispy critters after World War III!
There's nowhere you can run to,
Nowhere you can hide,
When they drop the big one, we'll all get fried!"
He release Kurama's face and turned to the crowd with a sweet and calm voice, " Come on, boys and girls. Sing along, okay?"
He then stepped back and raised his hand for the emphasis that he wanted the crowd to sing with him, and they did.
" Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!"
He stood behind Kurama and placed his bare arms around him. Kurama was still in his same expression and position, never motioning at all. Karasu had been amazed at how feminine this dress made his muscular arms look. Course, the blue nailpolish didn't help either. Nevertheless, he rubbed his face over Kurama's shoulder and gave a lick to his cheek as he continued,
" Well, there's a punk in the alley and he's looking for a fight.
There's an Arab on the corner buyin' everything in sight.
There's a mother in the ghetto with another mouth to feed.
Seems that everywhere you look today, there's misery and greed."
He released Kurama and spun about him so he was once again in front, on hand on the red-head's shoulders and the mic proudly held in the other hand. His smile never faded as he admired the birthday-boy,
" I guess you know the earth is gonna crash into the sun.
But that's no reason why we shouldn't have a little fun.
If you think that it is scary,
If it's more than you can take..."
He grabbed a large handful of the icing and ran towards Kurama, smearing it mercilessly in his face so that only his eyes and hair were visible, "...Just blow out the canldes and have a piece of cake!"
Everyone laughed as Karasu danced backwards, waving for the crowd to sing with him,
"Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday to you!"
The music died and Karasu chuckled as he wiped some of the icing from Kurama's face with a towel provided for this rehearsed event. He then pinched Kurama's cheek and kissed his lips, " And a pinch to grow an inch."
Knowing Kurama would come to and slug him if he stayed too close, he swiftly backed up and sat on the stage, crossing his legs so not to reveal that, under those stockings, he wasn't wearing panties. He admired them quickly...he had some really nice legs.
The laughter in the background was blocked out in Kurama's mind. He grabbed the towel and finished cleaning himself and stormed up to Karasu, furious and full of rage as he pointed a finger to verbally blast out the pain in the ass. He caught the sight of Karasu's eyes. Were they false eyelashes...and that expression...=he's taunting me!=
Kurama felt like he was going to burst when something made him look harder. That innocent expression and thouse full lips, eccentuated with that lovely shade of red lipstick. He looked utterly rediculous and beautiful all at once. He immediately took note of the extreme femininity and realized how much pride had been swallowed and how embaressing it must have been to lower himself to pull such a prank. Out of nowhere, that knowledge of Karasu's personal suffering made him snort. Then he fought it back but could no longer hold it. He exploded....with laughter.
*
You're only sixteen, but you're my teenage queen.
You're the prettiest, the lovliest girl I've ever seen.
Sixteen candles in my heart will glow
Forever and ever
For I love you so.
*
" WHAT were you thinking?" Kurama laughed. He had been unable to keep from laughing hysterically the rest of the night when he saw Karasu. At the end of the party, Kurama and Karasu walked down the street in his hometown of the Ningenkai. Karasu had invited Kurama to his studio apartment. Kurama would have normally refused, but that get-up made him react totally different. He had no choice but to agree and finally see where Karasu had been staying.
" I've been trying to get your attention, Kurama...without making you angry. I told you I've had councling."
" You obviously need more if you're wearing that. Where'd you get that anyway?"
" Isn't it pretty?" Karasu smiled, spinning around, " It was on sale at Marshall's. I think it brings out my pretty skin and features."
Kurama rolled his eyes, " Some features should not be shown in that dress, Karasu."
Karasu blushed, " Oh." He cleared his throat and pointed to the building,
" Then, let's just hope that no one sees, eh. This is my place."
With no answer other than a laugh, Karasu invited Kurama into his studio apartment. Indeed Karasu had a taste for art and his decor was magnificent.
Karasu pulled off the heels and chucked them across the floor. He dropped to his knees andlet out a relieved sigh. Kurama began to laugh hysterically again. " You didn't wear a bow, y'know."
" I looked like a 5 year old little girl with a bow. I tried it."
" You really went out of your way for this, didn't you?"
Karasu glanced at him. " Those heels were killing me. Make yourself at home. Kitchen is over there, or...well...just make yourself at home."
Kurama smiled and invited himself to a glass of wine while he sat in the den, admiring Karasu's collection. Karasu however was in the shower, trying desperately to remove the make-up. When he finally came out, he noticed the entire apartment was dark, save the candle light.
He smiled and walked into his room to see Kurama already there, lighting 16 candles. He had helped himself to one of Karasu's robes and wore nothing but. It was a little big which made him chuckle.
" Kurama...?"
Kurama smiled at him, " There's an old superstition, Karasu..."
" Tell me about it," he whispered, approaching as Kurama lit the last candle. Karasu leaned into him and embraced him, trailing his tongue along the sensitive neck and kissing him gently. Kurama let out a moan and a sigh as well as a chuckle for the trouble, grabbing Karasu's wrists.
" The supersitition is....if two people that love each other make love until the final of the sixteen candles burns out, there is a promise of a true and happy relationship for the rest of their lives together."
" Ah," Karasu smiled. " I've heard of that. Supposed to be done on honeymoons...wedding nights."
" But, who's to say that it doesn't work anyway?" Kurama teased. Karasu eyed him with sharp predatory eyes,
" Indeed. Wouldn't hurt to try, would it?" Slowly he worked his hands under the robe and slipped it off Kurama's shoulder, embracing his body and kissing his neck and shoulders as he pressed him back onto his bed. Kurama tugged at Karasu's robe until they were both free from those clothing restraints. Karasy kissed Kurama passionately and smiled, " Can you last until all sixteen candles burn out on their own, Kurama?"
" Can you?" Kurama retorted with expression that reminded Karasu that he was after all, the Youko Kurama in human skin.
" Is this my gift to you, Kurama?"
Kurama pushed himself up and kissed Karasu and brought him down with him as he rested on the pillows. " Happy birthday to me."
Karasu let out a laugh and yanked the covers from under Kurama, covering both of them. Those sheets felt so cool and clean. Satin, the pervert. Black satin, so easy to slide. So that's why he covered them. Kurama couldn't help but laugh inwardly. He gave in with no hesitations and was responsive and obedient to all of Karasu's actions and techniques. He was gentle, refusing to give up the missionary position. He'd waited to long to see Kurama again and he wasn't about to give up the chance of making sweet love to him, and being able to look into his face while he did so.
Had they not been youkai, they'd have never made it. What kind of damn candles did he GET? They could burn a long long time....luckily...so could Karasu. How much torture he put on their lovemaking as he would stop just before the climax so their bodies could settle before beginning from square one once again. Kurama was impressed. He knew a thing or two after all. He smiled and let out a growly breath as his body met Karasu's again. This was what he wanted, what he had somehow asked for. And he got everything he had wished for...until the sixteenth candle finally went out.
END
