Archive of Our Own

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All NSFW chapters contain explicit material not suitable for readers under 18.
1: 56
Kurama has some unwelcome nocturnal visitors.
Pairings: none

2. 47
Kurama adopts a kitten.
Pairings: none

3. NSFW 07
Kurama visits Hiei in Demon World.
Pairings: Hiei/Kurama

4. NSFW 21
Botan should have known better than to play chess with Kurama.
Pairings: Kurama/Botan

5. 42
Yukina cat-sits for Kuwabara.
Pairings: none

6. NSFW Palooza 12
Karasu enjoys the spoils of a bet.
Pairings: Karasu/Kurama
Warning: non-con

7. NSFW 43
An evening with Kurama and his partner.
Pairings: Kurama/Reader

8. 106
Kurama finds himself trapped inside a fairy tale.
Pairings: none

9. 154
Yusuke visits Kurama's flower shop.
Pairings: none

10. 177
Shiori has a dilemma and Shuichi is no help.
Pairings: none

11. 10
Hiei takes refuge in Kurama's room during a thunderstorm.
Pairings: none

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Darling, are you going to sit out here all night?" Shiori asked her redheaded son as she draped a blanket around his shoulders.
Shuichi blinked blearily up at her for a moment, then rubbed his eyes. He was slumped in the loveseat on the porch, dressed in rumpled pyjamas, his hair loose and a little ruffled. Shiori settled herself into the loveseat beside him and Shuichi adjusted the blanket so it wrapped around both of them. An almost empty cup of tea sat forgotten on the table beside him.
"If I must," he told her. "The pepper did not deter them last night."
Shiori stared out at the garden that her son meticulously tended. Unfortunately, there were now brown patches in the grass and many of the rose bushes Shuichi carefully cared for were looking dismal in the dim light from the streetlamp.
"You know, deer are a symbol of peace," Shiori told him.
Shuichi laughed quietly. "My garden looks like a war-zone," he said sourly, brushing his bangs from his face. "Most of the roses will have to be replaced."
For the past week their garden had been plagued by some unwelcome visitors. Shuichi had spent hours trying to repair the damage wrought by the deer, who seemed to have mistaken Shuichi’s garden for an all-you-can-eat buffet. Irate at the destruction of his precious roses, Shuichi had tried various remedies to deter the culprits, but they returned every night.
Shuichi yawned and rested his head on his mother’s shoulder. She ran her fingers absently through his long red hair. He had never been this affectionate as a young child and she had missed out on moments like these.
A shadow passing below a streetlamp caught her eye and she nudged a dozing Shuichi awake. For a moment, he looked startled. She pointed towards the left of the yard where there were now half a dozen large dark shapes moving. Shuichi stood up, intending to scare off the intruders when Shiori grabbed his wrist. A small shape had separated from the larger ones and was moving closer to the house. In the light from the porch, it was clearly a fawn.
“Oh, isn’t it cute?” Shiori gushed softly.
Shuichi winced as the fawn moved to one of the still mostly intact rose bushes and began to eagerly munch on the plant. “Mother...” he sighed and Shiori pulled him back into the chair.
“Perhaps you could move some of your rose bushes into the backyard?” Shiori suggested.
Shuichi’s shoulders slumped in defeat. His mother was leaning forward to get a better look at the ungainly fawn. “I suppose,” he muttered. “But next year we will be getting a fence.”
“Next year,” Shiori agreed placidly.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

"Ahh!" Yusuke jumped as a small, furry ball lept out from beneath Kuwabara's bed to land squarely on his foot.
Kuwabara snickered as he retrieved the mischievous kitten and set it on his bed with it's mother and siblings.
Yusuke glared at him. "It's not funny," he snapped.
"It is the third time it has happened." Kurama pointed out from his position on Kuwabara's desk chair.
A demonic gleam came into the detective's eyes as he studied his friend. "New hat, Kurama?" he asked slyly, pointing at Kurama's head. On top of Kurama's luscious red hair sat a furry, brown lump. Kurama reached up and grabbed the offender by the scruff of his neck and deposited the kitten on his lap... or attempted to. The kitten yowled in protest and attacked Kurama's hand in retaliation.
"He likes you!" Kuwabara crowed. "You have to take him."
Kurama stared at Kuwabara as he simultaneously tried to fix his hair and foil the kitten's attempt to reclaim his previous perch.
"I do not like cats," he said stiffly.
"Aw ,come on, man. I gotta find them homes. Shizuru says we can't keep them," Kuwabara pleaded.
Kurama yelped indignantly as the kitten finally succeeded in his task to reach Kurama's head and settled down to sleep.
"Well, that settles it!" Yusuke chortled. Kurama sighed and had to admit defeat, on both fronts.Two weeks later, Kuwabara visited the Hatanaka residence for a tutoring session with the redheaded fox. Shiori greeted him at the door and happily thanked Kuwabara for the kitten.
"He's grown so much. The boys adore him," she told him. She waved him up to her son's room. Kuwabara was a familiar prescence in their home and knew his way around.
When he reached the top of the stairs, Kuwabara was surprised to see the younger Suichi exiting Kurama's room, holding something and clearly trying to stifle laughter. As he got closer, Kuwabara noticed that the object was a camera. He started to ask the boy what he was doing when Suichi put a finger to his lips, then pointed at Kurama's room. He then started back down the hall towards his own room. Kuwabara moved to the open door of Kurama's room and peered inside. The fox in human skin was slumped on his desk, head resting atop his open book.
And snoozing comfortably on top of the sleeping teenager's head was the kitten.
Both Kurama and the kitten were rudely awakened by the sound of Kuwabara's laughter.
Kurama glared at Kuwabara and bent to retrieve the kitten from under his desk where he had fled to in his fright. As he rose, he placed the cat back on his head. "Do not tell Yusuke," he said flatly, his eyes narrowed dangerously into slits.
"Of course not," Kuwabara said hastily. Though he privately thought that the spirit fox's attempt to appear threatening was somewhat spoiled by the fur ball purring contentedly on his head.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kurama hated visiting Hiei at Mukuro's base but Hiei left him few options. The fire demon rarely went to Human World and never ventured into Yomi's territory. Kurama understood his reasons but nonetheless missed his lover.During his previous visits Mukuro had left the pair to their own devices so Kurama was surprised when she requested their prescence in her office.Mukuro's office was a small room that was sparsly decorated. The furniture was obviously more practical than stylish. Mukuro maintained her rule through physical strength and did not see the need to impress visitors with opulant furniture or rare artworks.Mukuro was seated in the chair behind her desk when the two demons entered. Hiei immediately claimed one of the chairs obviously meant for visitors and propped his feet up on the desk. He was clearly comfortable in this room. He probably spent a lot of time here, Kurama supposed.Kurama was more cautious, giving the room a quick once-over, checking for hidden dangers or traps. Though he suspected that if Mukuro truly took exception to his presence he would never have gotten into the fortress in the first place."Good evening, Lord Mukuro," he said as he took the chair beside Hiei.She looked at him as if he were a bug under her shoe and Kurama had to work hard to keep his face pleasant. Her face would have been pretty were it not for the cybernetic eye and the scars. Kurama had to admit that the eye was extremely disconcerting. It seemed to look straight past all his defences and into his soul.Mukuro finally turned her unsettling gaze to her general, who gave no sign at all of being uncomfortable in her presence."I suppose I can't fault your taste in lovers," she said curtly. "He is pretty, even if he does work for Yomi. But what makes you believe that he won't betray you?"Hiei smirked. "Perhaps that is part of the appeal," he said."Our relationship with each other has nothing to do with our political alliances," kurama said stiffly. He did not like where this conversation was going."So I am supposed to turn a blind eye to the fact that an enemy agent is sneaking into my base to fuck my second-in-command?" Mukuro asked icily. She glared at Hiei. "How do I know he isn't gathering intelligence to take back to Yomi?"Hiei snarled. "Cut the crap, Mukuro. If you really have a problem with him being here, he'd have been turned away at the border or killed. So tell us why we're really here already. I have better things to do than sit here all night."Rather than getting angry with Hiei's insubordination, Mukuro looked amused. Kurama felt it was a good bet that it was nothing unusual. Hiei had always had no respect for authority."I suppose by 'better things' you mean fucking your fox."Kurama couldn't keep the glare from his face but Mukuro completely ignored him. Kurama suspected the slight was deliberate but couldn't entirely rein in his reaction to it. Hiei, too, was ignoring him. "Are you jealous?" he sneered.To Kurama's surprise Mukuro laughed at Hiei's jab. The noise grated on Kurama's ears and he decided he'd had enough. He stood and bowed to Mukuro, though not as low as was proper. "Since it seems my presence is not required here, I will take my leave," he said and turned towards the door. He was stopped by Hiei, who was suddenly in front of him. Kurama stepped back in surprise, feeling the hard metal of Mukuro's desk pressing against his back. Though he was fully aware of Hiei's inhuman speed, it still sometimes caught him off guard, especially when he was already rattled. And this situation certainly had him rattled.Hiei stood with arms crossed, crimson eyes glaring at him disapprovingly. "Sit down, fox," he snapped.Usually when his lover became dominating, it aroused Kurama but now a thread of fear knotted itself tightly in Kurama's stomach. This place, this room, didn't feel safe to him and his fox instincts were telling him to run. He tried to calm himself but Mukuro's raspy voice came from behind him. There was a silky quality to it that made Kurama shiver. "I thought that you would train the fox better than this," she said. "I am disappointed in you, Hiei."She rose from her chair and moved around the desk. Kurama edged away from her. She was barely taller than Hiei but her demonic energy was overbearing. To Kurama's relief she made no move to touch him. Instead she sat on the edge of her desk, her feet resting on the seat of the chair Kurama had previously occupied."Oh, he's very well trained," Hiei purred. "Perhaps you need a demonstration?"Kurama couldn't stop the growl that escaped his mouth. What he and Hiei did in their own time had nothing to do with anyone else. Their relationship was private.Mukuro studied them, her gaze moving from Hiei to Kurama then back to Hiei. "Go ahead, then," she said, a note of challenge creeping into her tone.Hiei stared at Kurama for a moment, taking in the fox's tense and defensive stance. He frowned and looked back to Mukuro. "Don't touch him and keep your mouth shut," he ordered.Mukuro smiled and put a finger to her lips. She settled herself in the chair her feet had been resting on to watch the show.Kurama felt a little more at ease. He still found the situation uncomfortable but at least Hiei had set some boundaries.Hiei turned his crimson eyes back to Kurama and they now looked him over thoughtfully. "Undress," he ordered curtly. Kurama hesitantly obeyed, too uncomfortable to make a show of it as he would have done if they were in private. He kept his eyes on Hiei in an attempt to trick his mind into believing it was just the two of them. He left his clothes folded on the corner of the desk.Finally Hiei began to unbuckle his belt. "Turn around," he ordered Kurama.Kurama felt his heart rate rise as he realized what his lover had in mind. He turned, leaning forward and placing his hands flat on the cold metal surface of the desk.He saw Hiei's belt land with a clutter on the desk beside him and tried to keep his breathing under control. His cock was already hardening in anticipation. He couldn't keep his mind from straying to the fact that they weren't alone and it added an extra edge to the anticipation that Kurama wasn't sure he liked.But then he felt Hiei's hands on his hips, adjusting his position. "Good boy," Hiei murmured. The feel of his lover's hands caressing his bare skin aroused Kurama further. He let out a small whine of protest as he felt the warmth at his back move further away. The belt had also been removed from the desk."Don't move, fox," Hiei said curtly, though the instruction was hardly necessary. This wasn't their first time.The first blow to strike his arse was somewhat unexpected and it made Kurama jerk and cry out in pain, but he held his position. Hiei kept up an unsteady rhythm with the belt, keeping Kurama off balance but never hitting hard enough to leave any permanant marks. He knew how vain the fox could be.When Kurama's sweat-slicked hands began to slip across the smooth expanse of the desk and Kurama's head dropped to rest on it's cold surface, Hiei stopped and set the belt aside. He moved behind Kurama and pressed against his arse, rubbing Kurama's thighs with his calloused hands. Kurama remained prone for more than a minute, his breath coming in short pants and his body shivering. Hiei rocked lightly against him, taking the time to admire the bruises on Kurama's porcelain skin as the fox recovered.When Kurama's shaking eased and his breath evened out Hiei spoke. "Time to show me what a good fox you are," he said and moved backward.Kurama eased off the desk and turned to see Hiei unbuttoning his pants, freeing his thick, hard shaft. Kurama licked his lips in anticipation. "On your knees, fox," Hiei ordered and Kurama's unsteady legs practically gave way beneath him as he sank down in front of the demon. Hiei held his erection in one hand, grabbing a fistful of Kurama's thick red hair with the other. "Suck it," he barked at Kurama and the fox almost choked as Hiei shoved his cock into Kurama's mouth, using his grip on the fox's hair to hold him in place. He moved in and out shallowly for several thrusts before easing up and letting Kurama have more control. The redhead eagerly licked slowly up the underside of Hiei's cock before taking the head into his mouth and sucking it hard. Hiei moaned, "Oh ,yes," and thrust hard into Kurama's mouth again. He kept a hard pace this time, forcing Kurama to take his large cock fully down his throat.Just when he was about to come, he pulled out with a wet pop and pushed Kurama back onto the floor. Before he could catch his breath he was yanked up roughly by his arm, spun around and pushed up against the cold metal of the desk again. Hiei pushed his head right down against the surface of the desk and ground his slick cock against Kurama's arse. Kurama moaned and tried to move against him but Hiei's hand still held his head in place, limiting his movement."Please, Hiei..." Kurama begged hoarsely. He felt a sharp smack across his bruised arse and groaned.Hiei didn't keep him waiting for long. He was as eager to fuck Kurama as Kurama was to be fucked, but he liked to tease the fox a little.Hiei pushed himself quickly and deeply into Kurama, not pausing to let him adjust to the intrusion. He kept up a haphazard rhythm of deep, hard thrusts, causing Kurama to cry out with each one."Oh, god, yes, Hiei, yes!" Kurama moaned over and over again. Hiei found Kurama's sweet spot and managed to hit it every time, sending Kurama into a haze of pleasure.When Hiei released Kurama's head in favour of stroking Kurama's hard, weeping cock, Kurama thrust into Hiei's hand, moaning. Hiei kept pumping him until Kurama came, spilling his seed all over Hiei's hand. Kurama sank forward onto the desk but Hiei grabbed his hips and jerked him roughly back and forth until he found his own climax, coming hard and deep in Kurama's arse.When he was finished Hiei tucked himself back into his pants and sat in the chair behind him. Kurama, still naked, sank onto the floor in front of him, leaning his head against Hiei's knee. Hiei stroked his long red locks fondly."Satisfied?" he asked Mukuro, not bothering to keep the sarcasm from his voice."Quite," she said. "I suppose I can allow this relationship to continue, as long as it doesn't interfere with your duties.""Good. Now that this ridiculous meeting is done with, I need to get Kurama cleaned up and presentable before he leaves tomorrow." Hiei glared at Mukuro as if Kurama's current state was entirely her fault, before bending down and helping the exhausted fox to his feet and starting for the door.Mukuro began to remind them about the fox's discarded clothing and Hiei's belt but her only answer came in the sound of the door slamming shut.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Botan thought she really should have known it was a bad idea. If she hadn't had two glasses of wine, she probably would not have suggested it.
Kurama sat on the couch across the table from her, looking smug. Between them sat a chess board. She was playing white and Kurama was playing black. There were not many white pieces left.
"Check," Kurama said quietly, a small smile playing across his handsome face. He had just removed her queen.
She sighed. Kurama raised one eyebrow at her expectantly. Reluctantly, she removed her bra. It soon joined her other clothes on the floor. Somewhere under that small pile was his tie. She had only managed to remove one of his items of clothing.
Now she sat shivering, dressed in just her panties. The cool breeze from the partially open window behind her brought goosebumps to her skin. She was sure her face was as red as the fox's hair.
"It's your move," Kurama prodded.
Botan pouted at him. "I'm thinking," she said. She knew she'd already lost the game and now he was only playing with her like a cat with a mouse. Or a fox with a rabbit. He was drawing out the game for his own amusement, the smug bastard. She hadn't realised how bad she was at chess. Or how good he was at chess.
He leaned back, crossing his arms and smirking at her. "Please take your time. I'm rather enjoying the view." He raked his eyes up and down her body, smirking suggestively. His eyes lingered on her breasts. She was sure her nipples were hard from the cold but she was too embarrassed to check.
"It's freezing," she complained.
Kurama's smile widened. "I'm quite warm, actually," he said. He was still fully dressed in slacks and dress shirt.
The breeze picked up and Botan shivered again. She decided she'd had enough. She reached out and flicked her finger at her king, knocking it over.
"You win," she said, her tone resigned. Kurama's eyes danced in amusement as he watched her stand and remove her panties. She tossed them onto the pile of clothes and sat back down, wrapping her arms around herself.
"It's cold," she added, as if it were his fault. It kind of was.
"Come here," he said, holding out his arms to her, his smile more compassionate than it had been before. She went to him and slid onto his lap, straddling him. He wrapped his arms around her and she pressed her face into his shoulder, his long hair tickling her cheek. She relished in the warmth of his body. He rubbed her back for a moment before he pinched her arse cheek.
She squeaked and pulled back, frowning at him.
He grinned at her.
"Don't worry. I'll warm you up," he told her. He kissed her bare neck and she immediately forgot why she'd been so annoyed with him.
His hands moved down her back and gripped her backside, squeezing her arse. Botan squirmed against him and he moaned against her throat. He pulled back and stared at her hungrily. Botan could see gold flecks in his green eyes.
He reached between them and undid his slacks. His cock was already hard. She moved forward, rocking against him, rubbing her wet pussy against his dick. He kissed her mouth, sliding his tongue between her lips and exploring her mouth. She was so engrossed in the kiss that she didn't notice his hand sliding between her legs, stroking her clit.
He broke the kiss and she leaned forward, intent on capturing his lips again. Then she felt him shift beneath her, his cock sliding between her wet folds and she gasped. He filled her entirely, stretching her around him. His lips parted and he moaned in pleasure at the hot wetness sheathing his dick.
Kurama kissed her again and she started rocking on his lap. She enjoyed the pleased sounds escaping his lips between their kisses.
"Oh, yeah, Botan..." he breathed. "You're so fucking wet. Harder. That feels so good..."
Botan rode him faster, taking him as deeply as she possibly could. His cock rammed into her sweet spot with every jerk of her hips.
"Ah, ah, Kurama..." she moaned. She was close to her own release. She could feel every inch of his thick cock pumping her at just the right angle. The sight of her breasts bouncing with their movements made him want to fuck her harder.
He locked eyes with her, green orbs filled with lust. "Come on, baby. Come for me. I want to fuck your tight little pussy while you come."
He was jerking his hips beneath her, the friction between them quickly bringing Botan to climax. She arched as she orgasmed, her pussy clenching tightly around his still thrusting cock. He moaned and grabbed her hips, hard enough to bruise her. He jerked her up and down roughly on his throbbing cock, his breaths coming fast and uneven. Her cum oozed out of her pussy and coated his length, making it easier for him to fuck her. Soon he came, his seed shooting deep inside her. He remained buried inside her as she relaxed against him, resting her forehead against his shoulder again. He held her close to him, arms wrapped around her, one hand buried in her blue hair.
"Are you still cold, love?" he asked breathily.
"Uh-uh," she mumbled and he chuckled.
Maybe strip chess hadn't been such a bad idea after all.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Botan hummed happily to herself as she descended on her oar to the paved courtyard of Genkai's temple. Her boss Koenma had been in a rare good mood and decided to give her the day off. Botan had immediately left for Human World, intending to spend the day with her friend, the ice maiden Yukina.
"Hello!" she called cheerfully as she entered the temple. "Yukina, are you here?"
"Botan?!" Yukina hurried out into the room. "Oh, I'm so glad you're here!"
Botan knew immediately that something was wrong. Yukina was fiddling anxiously with her clothes, fingers twisting nervously. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears.
"What's wrong?" Botan demanded. Yukina looked as if she would burst into tears any second and Botan really didn't want to see her friend cry. Also, Hiei might assume that she had made Yukina cry and decide to kill her.
"It's Eikichi," Yukina said, her tone full of despair.
"Who?" Botan scrunched up her face in confusion.
"Kuwabara-san's cat," she said. "I was looking after her for him but now she's gone missing. I can't find her anywhere. Kuwabara-san will be so upset. I have to find her before he comes back this evening."
Botan gave her friend a quick hug. "I'm sure she's just asleep somewhere," she told her, trying to sound reassuring. "I'll help you look for her."
Yukina smiled at her and Botan sighed in relief. Disaster averted, at least temporarily.
"Where have you already looked?" she asked.
"The kitchen, the bedrooms and bathrooms, the courtyard..." Yukina said. "She normally likes to sun herself on the porch but she's not there."
"Let's search the temple again," Botan said. "We'll do each room together and then we'll start on outside."
The girls searched every room in the temple, looking through drawers, laundry baskets, under beds and in closets. They called the cat's name but there was no sign of the missing feline.
The girls moved into the courtyard, searching under the porch and around the plants growing near the temple. "We don't have long," Yukina said anxiously. "Kuwabara-san will be here shortly."
Botan frowned, feeling depressed. "I guess we'll just have to tell him the truth," she decided. "I'm sure he'll understand."
"This is all my fault," Yukina said bleakly. "I should have been watching her more closely."
"What the hell are you doing?"
At the sound of the new voice, Botan squeaked and spun, losing her balance and falling ungracefully onto the cobblestones of the courtyard. From behind her, Yukina gasped, her hand covering her mouth.
The short black-clad form of the fire demon Hiei was standing at the top of the steps glaring down at Botan. She picked herself up, extremely annoyed with him. "It's rude to sneak up on people," she told him.
"Maybe you should be more observant," he snapped at her. "Again, what are you doing?" His red eyes flicked to Yukina.
"We're looking for Kuwabara-san's cat," Yukina told him. "We can't find her."
Hiei sighed. "Did you try leaving food out for it?" he suggested.
Botan gaped at him. She couldn't believe that he was actually trying to help. She had expected him to sneer disdainfully at them and leave them to it.
"Oh! That's a good idea!" Yukina said. "I'll go get some of her treats. We can leave them on the porch." She hurried back into the temple.
Hiei glared at Botan. "Why is she looking after that oaf's furball?"
Botan shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you should ask her yourself."
Hiei scowled, then reached up and removed his bandana. Botan took a step back, eyes widening as the jigan eye on Hiei's forehead opened, glowing malevolently purple. After a moment, he vanished. Botan was relieved. She had to admit that the evil eye spooked her.
Yukina came back out of the temple, Eikichi's feed dish in her hand. "I left some in the kitchen, in case she's still inside," Yukina said, putting the dish down on the edge of the porch. "Where did Hiei-san go?"
Botan was spared from having to answer when Hiei suddenly appeared between them. She stumbled backwards, losing her balance and falling onto her butt for the second time that day. She mentally cursed Hiei, hoping that he could hear her.
Yukina's excited exclamation made Botan look up. "You found her!" she cried. She hurried forward, taking the cat from Hiei's arms.
"It was on the roof," Hiei said. "Asleep in the sun."
"Thank you, Hiei-san!" Yukina threw her arms awkwardly around him, trying to juggle the cat at the same time. Eikichi was now yowling in protest at the treatment. She scrambled from Yukina's arms and darted to her food dish. Yukina released Hiei and moved back, her smile now shy and her cheeks red. "it's such a relief. I've been so worried all day."
"It's nothing," Hiei muttered. He turned towards Botan, who had gotten to her feet during the transfer of the cat. Botan was amused to note that Hiei's cheeks also had a red tinge to them.
"Keep your mouth shut, woman."
Botan squeaked, covering her mouth with her hand. Why did Hiei always have to read her mind?
He walked past her, heading back to the stairs.
"Will you be staying for dinner?" Yukina called after him. "Kuwabara-san will be coming tonight."
Hiei stopped. After a few seconds of silence he said, "I suppose." Then he disappeared.
"Aren't we lucky Hiei-san showed up?" Yukina asked excitedly.
"Yes," Botan said. "Actually, it's really quite suspicious. It's almost as though he knew you were upset."
Yukina waved her words away. "That couldn't be true," she said. "Why would he have reason to worry about me?"
Botan sighed, wishing Hiei would just come straight out and tell Yukina the truth. Things would be so much simpler.
Yukina knelt and scooped Eikichi up. The cat had already finished the food in the bowl. "I guess you were hungry, weren't you?" she laughed. "Botan, would you mind helping me with dinner?"
"Of course," Botan agreed. Yukina turned and walked back into the temple with the cat. Botan turned to stare back at the stairs where Hiei had vanished. "You're an idiot," she told the empty air. Silence was her only answer.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Karasu hummed in satisfaction behind his mask as he observed the reward of his bet with Sakyo."Is this satisfactory?" a smooth voice asked. Sakyo stood beside the large, silk sheeted bed. He was dressed in an immaculate dark suit. His eyes were cold as ice. The scent of cigarette smoke wafted around him."Oh, yes," Karasu purred. He ran his hand along one slender ankle. The figure tied to the bed jerked in a futile effort to pull away."Good. I'll leave you to it then. Just make sure you clean up when you're finished." Sakyo strode towards the door without a backwards glance. Karasu barely noticed the click of the door closing, as he was too enraptured by his prize.Team Urameshi's lovely fox lay on the bed before him, entirely naked. The fox was tied such that his ankles were bound to his wrists. His legs were raised and bent, giving Karasu an excellent view of the fox's cock and arse. A leather gag covered his mouth. Providing the finishing touch was a leather collar adorning the fox's slim throat. Long red hair fanned out on the black silk around his beautiful young face. Fresh tattoos covered the otherwise flawless skin, wards to keep the fox from summoning his yuki.Karasu traced one of the warding tattoos, enjoying the way Kurama tensed at his touch, a muffled protest coming from behind his gag.Karasu left the fox for a moment, moving to the nightstand. He removed his mask and set it on the surface. After that, he went to the closet and opened it. Inside the dark interior hung various objects of torture. Karasu perused the contents for a moment before choosing a flogger. He moved to stand in front of the fox. He set the flogger down on the bed and removed his shirt, leaving his chest bare."I've been dreaming about doing this ever since I laid eyes on you," Karasu told his helpless victim. Emerald orbs wide with terror locked onto the many-tailed flogger as Karasu picked it up. Kurama began to moan frantically around the gag.Karasu brought the flogger down, mercilessly striking the flesh of the fox's inner thigh. He was satisfied to hear a muffled scream from Kurama's mouth. He didn't pause, bringing the flogger down again and again, drawing more muffledcries from that lovely mouth. He made sure not to neglect Kurama's cock and balls. Karasu could feel his excitement growing as sweat beaded down his bare chest. His cock hardened as red bloomed over the fox's skin. Kurama looked even more beautiful than he'd imagined, spread out before him, helpless and submissive. Tears streamed down his cheeks.When Karasu was satisfied with the hue of Kurama's thighs and arse, he set the flogger aside. Undoing his tight pants, he freed his hard erection, watching the fox's eyes go wide as he saw how large Karasu was. Karasu stroked himself as he studied Kurama's tight entrance. After a moment's consideration, he went to the nightstand and opened the top drawer. Along with several different sized dildos and butt plugs, the drawer contained a bottle of lube. Karasu brought it to the bed. He smeared a generous amount over his gloved hand. He ran one finger slowly over the fox's entrance, enjoying the way Kurama shivered at his touch."Let's see how tight that little human arse of yours is, pet," he murmured.When Karasu slipped his finger past the ring of muscle protecting Kurama's hole, it clenched tight around him. Karasu moaned in pleasure as he moved his finger back and forth, slicking up the fox's walls. He couldn't wait to shove his big cock up that tight hole.Once he was sure Kurama was prepared, Karasu withdrew his finger. He wasted no time in burying his cock deep inside the fox's hole. Kurama screamed into the gag."Oh, yeah," Karasu groaned. He pumped his hips, thrusting his cock deep inside Kurama. It felt even better than he'd imagined. The fox was so warm and tight.Kurama's screams soon turned to moans as Karasu found the fox's prostate. He slammed ruthlessly into it, moaning with each thrust. Kurama's cock grew hard and Karasu wrapped his hand around it, gripping it tight and working his hand up and down. Kurama threw his head back, tossing it from side to side. Strands of his long red hair plastered themselves to his face. Sweat beaded along his bare skin."Yes," Karasu moaned. "Fuck, yes..." He picked up his pace. He knew Kurama was close to the edge. He wanted to bring him completely undone.He didn't have to wait long. Kurama came hard, screaming into his gag. The sight of the fox cumming all over himself brought Karasu to his own orgasm. He stilled inside Kurama, his seed shooting deep inside the fox.Kurama lay still on the bed as Karasu pulled out. He ran a finger idly through the sticky liquid splattered on the fox's stomach. He raised his finger to his lips and licked the semen from it. Kurama had closed his eyes, tears leaking from their corners."Such a pretty little fuck," Karasu murmured. "I've always liked foxes. They make such nice pets."Kurama shuddered, causing a cruel smile to play across Karasu's lips. "Don't worry," he purred. "Just be a good doggie for you master and it won't hurt so much." He moved to the fox's head and ran his fingers lovingly through Kurama's tangled blood red locks. Kurama turned his face away. Karasu grabbed his chin, forcing him to face the crow demon. He removed the gag and Kurama took several deep sobbing breaths."Are you going to be a good puppy for your master?" Karasu asked him in a silky voice.Kurama defiantly spat at him. Karasu reached down and pinched the fox's nipple. Kurama yelped in pain."Answer me," Karasu growled, twisting the nipple hard, "or I'll whip you until the flesh is flayed from your bones."Kurama's eyes widened and Karasu knew that the fox realized that his threat was not idle. He absolutely would do that, and enjoy every second of it."Y-yes, master," Kurama whispered hoarsely. "I'll be a g-good p-puppy." His lips trembled and a fresh flood of tears spilled from his emerald eyes.Karasu's cock was getting hard again at the sight of Kurama's fear. He repositioned himself, balancing over Kurama so that his cock was in Kurama's face."Suck it," he ordered the fox. Full lips hesitantly wrapped around the head of Karasu's cock. He let out a cry of pleasure and slammed himself down, striking the back of the fox's throat. Wet heat enveloped his cock, making him even more aroused. Kurama made strangled gasping noises around the length in his mouth. Karasu ignored him, ceaselessly fucking the fox's mouth, hands pressed into the silk sheets as he balanced over Kurama's face.As Karasu was nearing his second climax of the evening, the door opened and Sakyo reentered the room, the smell of cigarettes wafting in with him. He stood at the foot of the bed, watching Karasu ride Kurama's face."You can take his arse if you want," Karasu told him and Sakyo began to unbuckle his belt. He undid his pants and moved to take his position at the fox's arse. He drove his cock straight into Kurama. Both men fucked Kurama relentlessly, caring nothing for the bound fox under them. His helpless struggles and choked noises muffled by Karasu's thick cock only brought the men closer to climax. Finally, Karasu came, spilling his seed into Kurama's mouth and all over his face. Sakyo came a moment later, pulling out as he did so, cum splattering the fox's backside and thighs. He stood and did up his pants as Karasu moved off Kurama.As Kurama frantically sucked in air behind him, gasps coming from between his swollen red lips, Karasu said, "Why are you back?""I just came to warn you that Urameshi knows we’ve taken the fox. Watch yourself."A smile spread across Karasu's face. "The fox belongs to me now," he said. "And Urameshi won't be a problem after the finals.""Just make sure that you and the rest of your team win," Sakyo told him. "I've got a lot riding on your victory.""Yes, and if you don't mind, I'd like to get back to riding my new pet," Karasu sneered at him.Sakyo frowned. "Don't get too distracted," he said. "Even without Kurama, the human team is still a threat. Don't underestimate them."Karasu settled himself on the bed beside Kurama. He idly stroked the fox's tangled hair again. "They have no idea what they're up against," he said. "They will find out very soon.""I hope so," Sakyo said. "Because if you lose the fight, you will lose your precious new pet as well.""Our team will win," Karasu said confidently. He smiled down at Kurama. The fox squeezed his eyes shut, his breaths coming in frightened pants. "Don't worry, my pet. We'll be together for the rest of your life." He brushed damp strands of hair lovingly away from Kurama's face. A whimper came from between the fox's wet, swollen lips. Karasu heard the door shut behind Sakyo."Now, what should we try next?" Karasu hummed thoughtfully. He moved to the nightstand and opened the second drawer."No," Kurama whimpered when he saw what Karasu had retrieved from the drawer. "No, please, no." A long, sharp silver knife was held in Karasu's hand."Are you going to be difficult, pet?" Karasu murmured. He set the knife down and picked up the leather gag."No!" Kurama cried. "N-mmff-" Karasu shoved the gag into Kurama's mouth, silencing him. His eyes were wide, rolling frantically with panic.Karasu retrieved the knife. "You'll look so pretty when I'm done," he told Kurama. He slid the knife slowly along the fox's inner thigh, blood welling up from the cut it left. Karasu leaned down and licked along the cut."Mmmm. You taste so sweet," he murmured. He moved the knife up and cut another line deeper into the fox's thigh. After licking the new cut, he moved his bloody lips to the head of Kurama's cock, sucking it for several seconds before moving his mouth back to the first cut, which was still bleeding, drops beginning to pool on the sheet beneath him.Kurama cried helplessly into his gag. He knew now that what he had already suffered was the least of the crow's cruelty. His only chance of survival lay in living until his team won the finals. If they won. Bound and warded, he had no chance of escape himself. Unless his friends defeated Toguro’s team he was going to die at this sadistic demon's hands.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

You push open your apartment door with relief. The first thing that hits you when you enter is the smell. The scent of cooking food assaults your nose as you toe off your shoes.That’s strange, you think. Your husband shouldn’t be home yet. But you can hear footsteps across the wooden floor of your apartment as you remove your coat and hang it up.He steps out of the kitchen and leans against the doorframe, smiling at you. He’s still wearing his work clothes; dark slacks and white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His long red hair is tied back in a ponytail.“Welcome home, darling,” he says, holding out his arms.You move into his embrace, laying your head on his shoulder. He smells like spices and you breathe it in deep. When you finally pull back you ask, “Did you get off work early?”His lips twitch upward. “Obviously,” he says. You shake your head, not sure if he’s making fun of your stupid question or not. It’s usually difficult to tell.He releases you and turns back to the kitchen. You can see that there is a cup of coffee sitting on the counter waiting for you. He prefers tea, but tolerates your addiction to coffee. You settle on the barstool at the counter while he returns to the stove, stirring a pot with a spoon.“What are you cooking?” you ask after sipping your coffee and setting it down.“Pasta,” he says. You sigh, a little envious. You’ve never been able to cook pasta very well but somehow he always gets it right. It’s infuriating. He smirks at you over his shoulder. He knows how jealous you feel about his culinary skills.You’re halfway through your coffee when he moves away from the stove. He makes his way around the counter so he’s standing right behind you, pressed against your back. You lean back against him as he wraps his arms around you. He nuzzles your hair, sniffing it.He makes a small sound and you know what he wants. You tilt your head to the side and his head lowers to kiss your neck. He finds just the right spot and sucks a little. You moan in appreciation.Then a small jolt of pain hits you as his teeth nip at your skin. It hurts but in a good way. One of his hands moves to your collar and he begins to unbutton your blouse.“Mmm. The dinner,” you mumble. But you don’t try to push him away. His fingers begin to tease your nipple through your bra.“It’s on a timer,” he murmurs against your throat. He nips again, harder this time and tugs on your nipple at the same time. You completely forget about the cooking dinner as you whine in pleasure and need.He turns you around on the stool and lifts you onto the counter, pushing himself between your legs and pressing against you. He stares at your face, his green eyes now flecked with gold. He licks his lips and you whimper, gripping his hips and pulling him closer.He lowers his head to your breast and sucks on the nipple through the fabric of your bra. When he bites it lightly you arch, pushing your breast against his mouth. He sucks it hard, his other hand buried in your hair.“Kurama, please,” you beg helplessly.He stops sucking your nipple and pulls back to regard you with a faux look of innocence. “Please, what?” he asks with fake confusion.You swallow. He’s such a damn tease. “Please take me,” you say, a blush colouring your cheeks.He chuckles softly and leans forward to kiss your neck, using his grip on your hair to hold your head to the side.“Fuck, Kurama.” You try to sound angry but it comes out in a breathy moan. He growls against your throat. His hips thrust forward against you.His attention moves to your ear as he slides his hand beneath your skirt, fingers slipping underneath your panties. He rubs your wet pussy gently, using just the right amount of pressure as he sucks on your earlobe. You start to rock your hips, needing more of his touch.“God, yes, Kurama,” you gasp out. He smirks at you as his fingers continue a steady rhythm. Then he removes his wet digits and raises them to his lips. He licks them slowly, savouring your taste. His eyes dance with mischief.“Kurama!” you growl at him.“Tell me what you want,” he says, his voice husky.Not this again. Fine. If that’s how he wants it…“Fuck me,” you plead. His hands move to his belt and he unbuckles it.“How?” he asks, lips turning up into an amused smile as he toys with the zipper of his slacks.“Stop teasing, damn it and fuck me hard with your cock,” you snap at him. He wears the pants in this relationship but right now you just wish he’d take them off and get on with it.He laughs, freeing his hard erection from his slacks. “Since you put it like that, sweetheart,” he says, his smile widening. You cry out as he enters you, pushing your panties aside. He keeps up a steady rhythm, gripping your hips and jerking you backwards and forwards in time with his thrusts.“Ah, oh, yes!” you cry. He attacks your neck with small nips as you twine your fingers in his long hair. You feel so full as he pushes in and out of your wet pussy. Your back arches as you try to bring him further into you and he moans in approval against your neck.“Cum for me, sweetheart,” he growls against your ear. He sounds so sexy and it pushes you over the edge. He slams forward, burying himself deep inside you and cries out your name as he cums inside you.You cling to each other as you both recover. Both of you are breathing rapidly.Beep. Beep. Beep.Kurama swears softly as the oven’s timer goes off. He pulls away from you and does up his slacks. You adjust your skirt, which has ridden up and button your blouse as he moves to the oven to check your dinner. You notice with some amusement that his hair has partially come loose from his ponytail. He hears your low laugh and turns around, wooden spoon in one hand and his eyebrows raised quizzically.You answer his unspoken question. “Your hair,” you chuckle. “It’s everywhere.”He scowls. “Behave, or you won’t get any dinner.”You pout cutely at him. You know it’s not a serious threat. He shakes his head and turns back to the stove.“Go and get cleaned up,” he says. “This will be ready soon.”You move behind him and give him a quick hug before leaving the kitchen. The scent of your Freshly cooked dinner follows you through the apartment.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Kurama’s boots crunched on the dry dead leaves under his feet as he walked. Light filtered down through the branches of the trees above him. The forest was eerily silent around him.
Kurama had initially been skeptical of Koenma’s request to search the forest for a strange artifact. He thought that Kuwabara, with his keen sixth sense, would have been a better fit for this mission.

He couldn’t sense anything abnormal but for the last five minutes the forest had fallen silent. Kurama knew that the quiet wasn’t natural and it made him nervous.

So nervous that he accidentally tripped on a tree root that he didn’t see. He caught himself by pressing his hand against the bark of a trunk near him. It scraped his hand, leaving shallow red marks on his palm. He bit back a curse. He knew he shouldn’t let the creepy atmosphere of this forest rattle him so much.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Kurama plunged on through the trees. Abruptly, he broke through the trees and into sunlight. He found himself in a small clearing. Dead brown leaves littered the ground in front of him, rustling in the breeze.

He took a step forward then paused. A sense of foreboding had come over him, making his blood run cold. There was something here.

He scanned the ground carefully. His eyes caught the spark of sunlight off something metallic and he bent. He rummaged around in the leaves until he found the object that had caught the sun’s rays. It was a silver amulet on a black cord. Etched on it’s face was the image of a rose. Kurama turned it over in his hands as he examined it. It looked old and was a little nicked on one edge.

This was the artifact that Koenma had sent him to retrieve. He was sure of it. He rose and shoved it into his pocket. He turned and almost fell over as a bout of nausea hit him. He collapsed to his knees and held his head until it passed.

When he raised his head to look around himself, he was startled to find that everything had changed.

The trees were still there but they were now green, as if it were Spring instead of Autumn. A thin, worn path led from the clearing deep into the forest, weaving between the green leaved trees.

And the birds were back, twittering in the treetops. Kurama stood and as he did so, he realised that the amulet, which had been in his pocket, was now hanging around his neck.

Anxiously he tried to tug it over his head, but some force seemed to prevent it.

This couldn’t be good, Kurama thought with trepidation. Seeing no other viable option for now, he made his way into the forest, following the worn path. Perhaps it would lead him out of the forest and back to civilisation.
 
-0-
 
Kurama walked for what felt like hours. He was relieved when he emerged out of the forest. His feet were sore despite the fact that he wore sensible shoes. He found himself standing on a dirt road. There was a low wall on the other side of the road in front of him and beyond the wall was the most beautiful garden Kurama had ever seen.

He knew that he should probably follow the road until he found civilisation but the garden seemed to call to him with a siren’s voice. He walked across the road and climbed over the low stone wall.

Flowers of all colours and varieties had been planted in neat rows. Every plant was in full bloom, creating a scene that seemed too perfect to be real.

A particularly healthy and fragrant rose bush caught Kurama's eye and he walked over to it.

Each deep red bloom was perfectly formed. Kurama breathed in the scent and savoured it. Roses were his favourite flower. Not only were they beautiful but he had learned to utilize them as an effective weapon. Their thorns made them more dangerous than their delicate appearance suggested.

He reached out and plucked one, bringing it to his nose.

He got no warning before a large hand closed around the back of his neck. It squeezed tightly and lifted him up off his feet. The rose fell from his hand and landed on the grass below him as he struggled in vain. Whoever - or whatever - held him was incredibly strong. His feet kicked out instinctively and uselessly, swinging in mid-air.

“Thief!” An angry voice growled in his ear. The hand holding his neck shook him vigorously and Kurama cried out weakly in protest. It was getting hard to breathe.

“No,” he managed to gasp out. He tried to reach for his yuki and summon his rose whip from his hair but was horrified to realise that his demonic energy was gone. There was something very very wrong with this scenario.

“The sentence for thievery is life imprisonment,” the voice growled. Horror filled Kurama. He was entirely defenseless against this monster.

The hand tightened cruelly around Kurama’s neck, long fingers cutting off his breathing. He gasped and choked as his vision tunneled, and then went black.
 
-0-
 
When he woke, Kurama was laying on a cold concrete floor. There were iron bars in front of him. The only light came from a lamp on the wall beyond the bars. It cast eerie shadows on the thick stone walls.

The cell was small and windowless. If Kurama stretched his arms out he could touch each of the walls at the same time. He experimentally tugged on the bars and was unsurprised to find that they were solid and strong. With the very limited tools at his disposal right now, there was no way he was getting out of here.

With a sigh, he settled against the wall furthest from the bars. His best option was to conserve his strength and hope that an opportunity for escape arose. He hoped he would be able to take advantage of it if such an opportunity came up.

At first Kurama tried to keep track of the time that passed but quickly realised it was futile. There was nothing to mark the passing minutes. He closed his eyes and managed to sleep for a while.

Kurama woke to the sound of boots thudding on the concrete floor. The lamp on the far wall spluttered out, plunging Kurama into darkness. He swallowed down his panic as a shadow deeper than the black of the room halted in front of the bars.

It stood there for several minutes. Kurama had the sense that he was being studied. He kept his breathing even, determined to remain calm. His green eyes remained locked on that dark shape. He was determined not to show any weakness.

Finally his captor spoke. “Will you not beg for your freedom?” It asked. It’s voice was gravelly and hoarse. Kurama suspected from the sound of his voice that his captor was male.

He decided to remain silent. He didn’t want to let his captor think that he was succeeding in rattling him.

After half a minute of silence his captor let out a derisive snort and strode away, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Kurama was left in the complete darkness and cold chill of his cell.
 
-0-
 
“Ah, hello?”

Kurama jerked upright from his prone position lying on the hard floor. His back protested the movement and he let out a groan. He had no idea how long he’d slept but it had to be a while. His stomach rumbled uncomfortably.

“Hello?” The voice came again, high-pitched and uncertain.

Kurama looked towards the bars and the room beyond. The lamp was alight again though Kurama could see no one standing there.

Puzzled, Kurama called softly, “Hello?” His voice echoed off the walls.

“Oh, good,” the voice said. “You’re awake. I was getting worried. I thought he might have hurt you.”

The voice sounded as though it were coming from just beyond the bars but there was no one there.

“Where are you?” Kurama asked, moving closer to the bars to get a better look around the room.

“Right here in front of you,” the voice answered.

“I can’t see you,” Kurama said, feeling frustrated.

“I imagine not,” the voice said, sounding annoyed. “It’s the curse. No one can see me.”

“Curse?” Kurama asked, gripping the bars in front of him.

“Yes. The Beast, our Master,  cursed everyone and trapped us in this castle. He keeps us here. We can’t leave. Like you.”

“I have no intention of spending the rest of my life in this cell,” Kurama informed his visitor.

It (she?) laughed, the sound high. Kurama winced at the noise. “You don’t have a choice,” she said. “None of us do. You can’t leave the castle. He’ll hunt you down and eat your heart. But we can at least get you out of this cell.”

Suddenly there was a creaking noise and the bars began to rise. Kurama quickly scrambled out under them, before they’d even risen waist high. He couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief as he straightened up.

“Thank you,” he told his ghostly saviour. It was awkward speaking to an empty room.

He started as the lantern on the wall rose from it’s holder and floated in mid-air.

“Follow me,” the voice said. The lantern began to bounce away, down a dark corridor. Kurama cautiously followed it, maintaining a small distance between himself and the dancing flame. He was led through dark hall after dark hall, the corridors twisting and turning. His footsteps echoed off the walls. He was sure that he could hear his saviour's footsteps as well. They passed up two staircases. Kurama quickly became hopelessly lost, unable to recall the route.

“Is this place always so dark?” he asked the floating lantern.

“The Master prefers the dark,” it said, turning left. The light bobbed out of Kurama’s sight for a moment before Kurama turned the corner to see it continuing down the hall. It stopped at a door. The door creaked open, seemingly on it's own.

Kurama approached it and peered into the room. It was richly furnished. The window was covered by a heavy curtain that let in no light, if it was even daytime. Kurama had no idea.

The furniture was old-fashioned and the bed was a large four-poster. It looked luxurious and much more comfortable than the cold concrete floor. He stepped into the room, his boots sinking into plush deep red carpet.

“You can stay here,” the voice said from the door. “I’ll go get you some dinner. You must be starving.”

The door started to close when Kurama spun. “Wait,” he said. “What is your name?”

“Akiko,” the voice said.

“My name is Kurama,” he told her.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kurama,” Akiko said, “but I wish it was under better circumstances.”

“Me, too,” Kurama sighed. The door closed and Kurama turned back to his hopefully temporary accommodation.

Soft light lit the room from the chandelier on the ceiling. Kurama walked across the room to the closet and pulled it open. It was stuffed full with clothing. A quick examination told Kurama that the clothes would fit him, though they were old-fashioned, like everything else in this room.

He closed the closet door and went to the elaborate dresser. In the mirror he looked pale and his hair was coming loose from it’s ponytail. A few leaves clung to the red strands and Kurama brushed them off. His neck was marred with bruises from the Beast’s hand. His clothes were dirty and rumpled.

There was also a small basin in the room. Kurama turned the faucet to find that it ran with cool water. He washed his face with relief.

He went to the window and pushed aside the cream coloured curtain. He was disappointed to find that the window behind it was boarded up. He let the curtain fall back as there was a knock on the door.

Puzzled but relieved at the consideration, Kurama called, “Come in.”

The door opened and a tray floated into the room, the delicious aroma wafting to Kurama’s nose. His stomach rumbled.

“Here you go,” Akiko’s cheerful voice said. The tray settled onto the table and Kurama walked over, studying the contents of the tray.

He found it had soup, some sort of fish, vegetables and tea.

“Thank you,” he said gratefully to Akiko, hoping that she was still present. He sat down and began to eat.

“Would you like me to brush your hair?” Akiko asked. “It’s all tangled.”

Kurama swallowed his mouthful before speaking. “That’s all right,” he said. “I’ll take care of it later.”

“Oh, it’s no trouble,” Akiko said. “I have nothing else to do.”

A moment later he felt a hand sliding his hairband from his hair. Fingers ran gently through it, working loose the tangles and leaves stuck in it. Kurama sighed. He was reminded of when his mother occasionally brushed his hair. He really enjoyed it when someone else tended to his hair. It was one of the joys of having long hair.

He finished his dinner while Akiko brushed his hair. By the time he finished his food she had worked loose all of the knots and the brush slid easily through his hair.

“I’ll run you a bath,” Akiko said to Kurama when she saw that he’d finished his food. “Would you like to pick some clothes to change into?”

“Okay,” Kurama said. “But, wait.”

He rose and went to the dresser. He had noticed earlier that some ribbons rested in a box on the wooden surface along with some other hair decorations. Strange, as the clothes in the closet were for a male. He picked a green ribbon and turned around holding it out. “Can you put this on?” he asked.

“Huh? Oh, that’s a great idea!” Akiko exclaimed. She took the ribbon from his hand. Kurama watched in fascination as her invisible hand tied it to what he assumed was her wrist.

“Now I’ll be able to see you, in a sense, even when you aren’t carrying something,” he said.

“Wonderful,” Akiko said. “I’ll have to tell the others.”

Kurama briefly wondered how many others like her there were in this castle. Had he passed any of them on his journey to this room without even realising it? How did they keep track of each other?

“I’ll go run your bath now,” Akiko said. The green ribbon floated through the room to the door. Kurama watched the door open and then close. He could only assume that he was alone in the room now, unless more of the invisible inhabitants were here but choosing not to show themselves.
 
-0-
 
When Akiko returned Kurama was shown to a bathroom and a tub filled with steaming water. He requested to be left alone and Akiko respected his wishes. He hoped that the rest of the inhabitants were as respectful. Knowing that someone could be watching him without him being aware made him feel self-conscious and insecure.

Kurama felt better when he returned to his room, clean and in fresh clothes. The heat of the bathwater had eased some of his aches but the bed still looked very inviting. Akiko wished him goodnight and he collapsed gratefully onto the soft mattress. It felt as good as it looked. He curled up under the covers and fell asleep quickly.
 
-0-
 
Akiko woke Kurama in what he presumed was the morning. He had no way to tell. He washed his face and then followed Akiko through the dark halls to what she informed him was the dining room.

The dining room was a long room furnished with a long wooden table. Kurama felt it was obnoxiously large. He was sure it could seat more than fifty people, though except for himself and Akiko, the room was empty. At least, he thought it was empty. Who knew if invisible servants were lurking around?

“Take a seat,” Akiko said. Kurama sat down on the nearest chair. Akiko left him.

Candles had been set along the middle of the table and Kurama watched the flame of the one in front of him flicker in the air as he waited. Shadows danced creepily along the walls.

It was when his breakfast was served that Kurama met another of the castle’s inhabitants.

“Here you go, dearie,” an elderly woman’s voice said cheerfully as plates were placed in front of him, along with western utensils. Kurama searched for the source of the voice and saw a purple ribbon floating in the air, as though it were tied in someone’s hair.

“I’m the cook, Kuri,” she told him.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Kurama said automatically. “Where is Akiko?”

“She’s in the kitchen talking to the others,” Kuri told him. “She’ll be back soon. Please enjoy your breakfast, dearie.”

Kuri left the room and Kurama picked morosely at his food. Eating alone in this large room felt uncomfortable.

He dropped his fork when all the candles in the room went out. His back stiffened and he froze, a horrible suspicion churning in his gut.

“Why aren’t you in the dungeon?” A familiar voice snarled from directly behind Kurama.

“Y-your servants let me out,” Kurama stammered. He could feel the Beast’s breath on his ear. He clenched his hands into fists on his lap.

For a moment the voice was silent. Kurama tried to keep his breathing steady as he waited for the Beast’s response. Then the presence left his back.

THe Beast’s voice rang out through the room, making Kurama jump. “When he finishes his breakfast bring him to me.”

The Beast left and the candles popped back to life. Kurama slumped in the chair, releasing the breath he hadn't realised that he’d been holding.

“Oh, dear,” Akiko’s voice said softly from beside him. “I’m sorry, Kurama.”

Sorry? Why? Kurama wondered. Numbly he picked at his remaining breakfast, pondering what would happen next.
 
-0-
 
Akiko took her time guiding Kurama through the halls. Kurama tried to engage her in conversation but she only answered him with short words.  She sounded upset. Kurama gave up.

When Akiko stopped, her thin light from her candle showed that she stood in front of a heavy wooden door. She pushed it open and the candle waved in the air as she gestured for Kurama to enter.

“Good luck,” she whispered to him as he passed through the doorway. The door thudded ominously shut behind him. The room beyond was completely dark. Kurama remained where he was, hesitant to move. He didn’t want to trip over anything.

He yelled in protest when he was suddenly lifted from the floor. He was carried through the room and thrown onto something soft. A mattress, he realised. He felt a strong sense of dread building.

A weight settled onto him and Kurama panicked, trying to push the creature off him. He flailed uselessly at it. The Beast grabbed both his wrists and pinned them above his head. It tied his wrists to what had to be the headboard of the bed.

“Let me go,” Kurama growled angrily as he continued to struggle, trying to throw the creature off him. One of the Beast’s large hands fisted in his hair, yanking his head to the side. Kurama felt a sharp pain in his neck and he cried out.

He was helpless as the creature sucked on his blood. His struggles became weaker and weaker as he began to feel faint. The darkness felt as oppressive as the heavy weight on him. He finally slipped into unconsciousness.
 
-0-
 
He woke to the feeling of something wet wiping his face. He whimpered and tried to turn his face away. His neck really hurt.

“Shhh. It’s all right now,” Akiko’s voice said soothingly. “He’s gone. You're safe.”

Kurama looked around himself to find that he was in his room, laying on his bed. There was a slight dip on the bed beside him, likely where Akiko was sitting. A cup floated towards him. Akiko held it to his lips and he sipped it gratefully. He still felt weak and dizzy.

Finally he croaked out, “What is he?”

“A vampire,” Akiko said quietly. “Every now and then he feeds on one of us. I’m sorry, Kurama. I wish I could have done something.”

Kurama privately doubted that she could have done anything. The longer he stayed in this place the more oppressive it felt. He had a strong suspicion that Akiko’s Master had been feeding on more than his blood. He was certain that his life energy was depleted as well.

“Why don’t you just leave?” he asked Akiko.

“It’s not that simple,” she said. “Some of us have tried in the past but he always catches us, no matter how secretive we are.”

“Will I end up invisible like you?” Kurama asked, pushing himself up until he was propped against the pillows. He rubbed at his neck. He could feel several small scabbed-over wounds there.

“If you live long enough,” Akiko said quietly.

“How often do new people show up?” Kurama continued.

There was a pause while Akiko presumably considered her answer. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “It’s hard to keep track of days here. There are about a dozen of us here, though.”

“I guess you don’t know how long you’ve been here, then,” Kurama surmised, disappointed.

“I’m afraid not,” Akiko said. “I know I’ve been here longer than Kuri though.”

That information wasn’t helpful, Kurama thought. It was disturbing that time seemed to mean so little here. It threw him off-balance. He'd never realised how much he'd taken it for granted and relied on it. Or how much losing it would adversely affect him.

“Has anyone ever confronted the Master?” Kurama asked. “Tried to fight him?”

There was no hesitation in Akiko’s voice this time. “Of course,” she said. “He kills them.” The statement was made with chilling bluntness.

Kurama frowned and Akiko seemed to think she’d been overly harsh because she said in a reassuring tone, “He’ll get bored with you soon and move onto someone else. Don’t worry.”

Kurama was worried. He didn’t want to end up as an invisible spirit. A shadow of himself. He was determined to find a way out of this predicament. Perhaps none of the others had succeeded because they were merely human?

“Akiko, have you ever seen this before?” he asked, tugging the amulet free from under his shirt.

“Yes,” Akiko said. “Well, not in that form but I’ve seen the design. It’s on the wall in the Master’s chamber.”

“You’ve seen his chamber in light?” Kurama demanded.

“Yes,” she said. “I’ve cleaned it.”

“What else is there?” Kurama asked eagerly. Perhaps the clue to ending this nightmare lay in the Beast’s lair. “Is there anything that looks out of place or unusual?”

“Well… There is a rose in a glass container,” Akiko said thoughtfully. “It’s quite pretty. The Master said that I wasn’t allowed to touch it.”

Kurama laughed softly.

“What?” Akiko asked, puzzled.

“Have you ever heard of ‘Beauty and the Beast’?” he asked her.

“No,” she said. “What is it?”

“A story that my mother read to me when I was a child. A fairy tale,” Kurama said. “It seems that your Master has twisted it to serve his own ends.”

“Do you know how it ends?” Akiko asked, her tone hopeful.

“I think that in this case the ending is irrelevant,” Kurama said. “I suspect this tale will end with much more bloodshed and the Beast will not survive it.” There was a deadly promise in his voice.

“Kurama,” Akiko said softly. “I think the Master made a serious mistake when he brought you here.”

Kurama laughed again. She had no idea how right she was.
 
-0-
 
Kurama was determined not to waste any time. The next morning Akiko showed him to the dining hall again. She had confessed, with regret, that the Master had requested his presence once again after breakfast. Kurama was glad, though he hid that from Akiko. He had a plan. It wasn’t a great plan, and there was a lot that could go wrong but he hoped it would work.

While eating, Kurama slipped the sharpest knife he could find into the waistband of his pants at the small of his back. It would be difficult for him to get at it but for now that would keep it hidden.

If Kuri or Akiko noticed the missing knife, neither of them said anything. After he’d finished eating Akiko again guided him through the dark halls to the Master’s lair.

When the door closed behind him and the room was dark, Kurama slipped the knife from his back and held it ready. When the creature’s hand closed around his arm Kurama brought the knife up and slashed at the creature’s face.

It howled in pain and stumbled back. Kurama did not pause. He knew that he would never get another chance. He slashed and stabbed at the thing again and again, it’s howls echoing off the walls. Even when it fell onto it's back, Kurama straddled it and kept stabbing mercilessly. The creature tried to fight back. It’s sharp nails clawing at any part of Kurama that it could reach, leaving cuts along his arms and on his face. His clothes were also torn but Kurama refused to give in.

When it finally lay still underneath him, Kurama slowly stood. He heard the door creak open behind him and a rectangle of light formed on the floor. A wary glance over his shoulder showed that it was Akiko holding a lantern. Her green ribbon floated in the lantern light. On the floor, revealed by the lantern’s light was a growing pool of crimson blood.

“Light the room,” Kurama ordered Akiko. The lantern moved slowly into the room. Akiko kept to the walls as she lit lantern after lantern, bringing the room, and the grisly scene on the floor, into view.

Kurama looked over the body only long enough to ensure that the creature wouldn’t be getting up just yet. He doubted it was dead. But he would settle for incapacitated right now.

Kurama could tell that before he had mutilated it, the figure had been male. Likely a very handsome male. Patches of very pale skin showed in the very few places that were clean of blood. The blood-stained hair was long, straight and dark. The facial features were currently unrecognizable and the clothes, slashed and bloody, were old fashioned.

Kurama himself was covered in blood. His arms and clothes felt sticky and wet. He knew it was on his face and hands as well.

He scanned the room. The bed was much like the one in his room, though this one had black sheets on it. Lanterns hung on the walls and there were no windows at all. Kurama suspected that they were deep inside the castle. On the far wall was the design of the rose Akiko had mentioned, etched deep into the stone's surface.

There was no time to waste. The rose Akiko had mentioned earlier stood on a table against the far wall, below the design and under a glass cover. Kurama walked over to it.

It was the most perfect red rose Kurama had ever seen. Kurama almost regretted what he had to do. Almost.

He heard a groan from behind him as his hand touched the cold glass of the cover.

“Kurama,” Akiko squeaked nervously from just beside him. Kurama hadn’t even realised that she was there. Her voice was full of terror.

Hastily Kurama lifted the cover off and grabbed the rose out of it’s small vase. He tore the petals from it, tossing them carelessly aside.

He heard a howl from behind him as he pulled the last petal from the stem and let it fall. The world turned white around him.
 
-0-
 
The sound of birds woke Kurama. He was laying on the ground. As he sat up, dead leaves crunched beneath him. A glance around told him that he was back in the clearing where he’d found the amulet, though the sunlight around him was dimming. It was now late afternoon. Hours must have passed.

He touched his neck cautiously, also noticing that his hands were bare of any marks. His injuries had completely healed. Or they had never happened in the first place. He was dressed in the same clothes he’d been wearing before he’d been transported to that strange world and they were clean of blood.

The amulet. It was no longer around his neck. Kurama stood and searched the ground around him. Eventually he found it. It lay in two jagged pieces.

A shimmer caught his eye and Kurama looked up, thinking that his eye had caught a shaft of sunlight. But interposed against the backdrop of the forest trees he could see a glowing shape.

“Thank you, Kurama,” a familiar voice said, before the glow faded away. Kurama felt a twinge of sadness. Akiko’s soul was unlikely to be strong enough to make it to Spirit World, but at least she was now free, as were those who had also been trapped with her.

Kurama tore off a piece of cloth from his shirt. There was no way he was touching that amulet with his bare hands, even if it was broken. He rolled the shards up into the cloth and tucked them into his pocket.

He held his breath for a moment, wondering if something else would happen, but nothing did.

With an exhausted sigh he made his way back into the trees, hoping he could make it back to town before the sun set. He couldn’t wait to offload this abominable thing to Koenma and go home.
 
-0-
 
The Spirit World prince gave Kurama a withering stare. The pieces of the amulet sat on the desk between them, where Kurama had just placed it.

“You broke it,” he said accusingly. “I expected better of you, Kurama.” He sat behind his desk in his toddler form, face scrunched up in displeasure.

Kurama wasn’t sorry in the least. He was glad that the thing had broken. “And I expected to be informed that the artifact was haunted by a vampiric demon intent on devouring souls,” he grumbled.

Koenma actually looked sheepish and uncomfortable. “Well…” he said nervously. He sucked hard on his pacifier.

Kurama shook his head. Koenma’s secrecy really wasn’t anything new, though it did annoy him. Spirit World was not known for transparency in its operations.

“I’m going home,” he said finally. “Kindly don’t call me for any more of these little retrieval missions.”

Kurama turned and walked to the door.

“Wait!” Koenma called after him. “What about your report?”

Kurama didn’t even pause in his steps as he let the door close behind him. Koenma would get his report when he was good and ready to give it. That certainly wouldn’t be until after he’d had a long, hot bath and several platefuls of his mother’s delicious cooking. Koenma would just have to live with it, Kurama thought ruthlessly.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Yusuke stepped into the shop to the sound of a small, bright bell ringing above his head. He wrinkled his nose at the overly-fragrant smell that permeated the air. It was so strong that Yusuke thought that it was actually sinking through his shirt and into the pores of his skin.The interior of the shop was illuminated by a large chandelier hanging in the centre of the ceiling, framed by dark wooden beams. Tables had been placed in rows, potted plants of all colours set in neat lines. Yusuke was sure that if he measured the space between each pot, it would be identical for every gap.Potted plants also sat beneath the tables, their vines sometimes spilling down the sides of the pot to creep across the floor like snakes.Yusuke took another cautious step inside, careful not to step on the vines. As he looked down, he swore that one long green tendril lifted itself from the floor to wave at him. Yusuke shivered.The approach of the proprietor of the store was heralded by soft footfalls on the wooden floor. A young man stepped into view around a large colourful… well, Yusuke wasn’t sure what it was supposed to be. It looked like a ball made of multi-coloured popcorn perched on a stick. The question of whether or not it was edible entered Yusuke’s mind but he quickly discarded the thought, deciding that it wouldn’t be wise to take the chance.Eyes as jade as the leaves of the plants he tended with such care, the youko Kurama greeted his old friend with a welcoming smile.He wore a long-sleeved Oxford shirt with the sleeves rolled up and pressed brown slacks. His hair fell loose over his shoulders, a dark spray against the pale blue shirt.“Yusuke,” he said warmly. “I was not expecting you. Come in.” He waved one slender hand in the air, beckoning his black-haired friend forward.Seeing Kurama was disconcerting. He hadn’t changed one iota from the last time Yusuke had seen him.At Keiko’s funeral.Yusuke swallowed a lump that formed in his throat at the memory, fresh pain washing over him like the tide. It always came on like this, sudden and new, dragged from the depths by a stray thought or sight.But he was learning to cope. Learning to move on.The fox’s face was unmarred by the decades that had passed, still young and beautiful. His hair was still the same rich, vibrant and untamed red that Yusuke remembered. Why Kurama had chosen to keep this small, fragile-looking form, even after returning to Demon World for good, was still a mystery to Yusuke.Yusuke stepped forward, with a little more confidence. Surely now that Kurama was here, he could relax. The fox would warn him if he were about to lose a vital body part. Surely.Kurama’s smile broadened as Yusuke walked towards him, between two of the tables. His face was almost child-like in it’s delight. He embraced Yusuke briefly before releasing him and stepping back.Kurama smelled like his plants, Yusuke thought. Fragrant but there was a faint underlying scent of blood there as well. A reminder that this seemingly-frail, slender, long-limbed creature was not what he seemed at all. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, as the humans said.Kurama wore his humanity like a comfortable, worn coat, utterly content with it. Those demons who did not know him sneered at him but he just smiled that secretive, clever smile of his and held his silence.And if those demons met a very untidy end in the near future? Well, Yusuke didn’t know a thing about that. And he’d swear to that right up until the day he breathed his last breath of fetid Makai air.“It’s good to see you, Kurama,” Yusuke said, his words ringing with honesty. A grin spread across his face. “You don’t look a day over 90.”Kurama chuckled. “Perhaps it is my diet,” he said, his eyes dancing. “Do you remember that saying, “an apple a day”?”Yusuke knew that he was going to regret asking but he did it anyway. Kurama’s dancing eyes reeled him in like a fish on the end of Kurama’s hook. “Yeah?” he asked, inviting Kurama to continue.“There is a particularly rare fruit that grows on the Plains of Torment,” Kurama answered. “It is said that it only grows when fertilised with the blood and tears of young human maidens. This fruit is rumoured to keep one young and beautiful forever.”Yusuke studied Kurama’s blithely open face, wondering if the fox was pulling his leg. Finally, he had to put the question on the table.“You aren’t serious, are you?” he asked.Kurama laughed. “No,” he said. “The Plains of Torment do exist, as does the fruit. But it does not grow with blood or tears. It is fertilised with the pus from a frog’s wart.”Yusuke grimaced and gave Kurama’s shoulder a light shove. “That’s almost just as bad,” he said, not knowing whether he should laugh or throw up his dinner.Kurama’s face broke out into a smile. “So, what brings you to this little corner of Demon World tonight?” he asked.Yusuke noticed that there was a small green vine creeping out from beneath Kurama’s curtain of red hair. As he watched, a bud sprouted, becoming a rose, soft and perfectly shaped. Kurama seemed oblivious to this event. Yusuke decided not to point it out.“I, ah, was going back to Human World for the weekend,” he said.“To see the children?” Kurama asked curiously. “Though I suppose I should stop calling them children. They are grown by now, I am sure.”“Yeah,” Yusuke agreed. “But, ah, I was hoping to get something to take back for them. For Christmas.”“Christmas?” Green eyes widened in surprise. “Yes, it is Christmas in Human World, isn’t it? It is so easy to lose track of the Human World cycle.”Kurama turned towards the back of the store. Over his shoulder, he said, “I think I have just the thing.”The fox’s slim form was swallowed up by darkness as he left Yusuke standing alone between the tables.Yusuke stared curiously at the popcorn plant as he waited for Kurama to return. He was alarmed to realise that the plant appeared to have acquired a face. Tiny black buds formed eyes amidst the white. A curved red line of buds formed a smiling mouth. The entire effect left Yusuke with the impression of a painted clown’s face, one of the terrifying ones found in horror movies. He took one large step away from it.Was it his imagination or did the smile widen?A vine tugged on his ankle and Yusuke grabbed onto the edge of the nearest table in order to steady himself as he shook his foot, trying to dislodge the vine. As if it were mocking him, a bud quickly formed on the vine, opening to become a bright, cheery yellow flower.Yusuke’s breath hitched in his lungs. If he had a heart, it would be beating like the hoofs of a champion racehorse right now.But he was the lord of Tourin, damn it. No meagre plant was going to get the better of him.No, not at all.“Ah, Kurama?” Yusuke inquired, struggling to keep his growing anxiety out of his voice. He was met with a cold silence that caused his anxiety to spike into panic.The popcorn plant now seemed to be laughing at him, the mouth gaping wide. The vine around his ankle tightened like the strangling coils of a python.“Enough,” said a plant with green, white and red fluffy flowers that had appeared before him.The vine retracted, the yellow flower’s petals folding in tight as if it were sheepish. The mouth on the popcorn plant drooped into a disappointed frown.Yusuke breathed a sigh of relief as he leaned against the table. “Thanks,” he told the plant.Kurama’s green eyes slid into view through the round blooms of the plant he held.“My apologies,” he said. “They sometimes like to tease my customers.”“Ah, yeah,” Yusuke said. He was certain that the vine had more than teasing in mind. He could tell from how his ankle ached that it was sure to be bruised from the tight constriction of the vine.Kurama set the plant he was carrying down on the table, beside the popcorn plant. Yusuke glowered at the still-frowning ball of flowers before turning his attention to Kurama’s new plant.“What is this?” he asked, careful not to touch it, even as he wondered if the flower petals felt as soft as they looked.“It is a Christmas plant,” Kurama said with a proud smile. “A new variety that I created a few years ago. It is a very popular gift.”That, there, was a warning, Yusuke was sure. Any plant that was popular among demons was not as harmless as it appeared to be.Kurama lovingly stroked one of the flowers with his index finger. The flower seemed to arch beneath his touch, the petals spreading further apart. Yusuke’s eyebrows raised as he saw that, in the core of the plant was a small black, oily-looking liquid.Kurama dipped his finger into the liquid and held it up towards Yusuke’s mouth. “Taste it,” he said.Nervously, Yusuke’s tongue flicked out to taste the sticky substance coating the tip of Kurama’s finger. He trusted the fox implicitly. Kurama would never give him poison, he was certain.Yusuke’s eyes widened as his tongue fizzled with the sweet taste. Kurama drew his finger back and sucked on it as he watched Yusuke’s face.“Good, isn’t it?” he asked.“Yeah,” Yusuke agreed. “It tastes like candy.”Kurama nodded. “But, a word of caution,” he said. “You must never water this plant, nor allow rain to fall on it.”“Why?” Yusuke asked. He licked his lips, seeking more of the sweet substance. There was precious little of it left.“If this plant ever makes contact with water, then it will undergo a rather disturbing metamorphosis,” Kurama said. “It will grow rapidly until it ensnares the nearest living, sentient creature. Then it will suck all of the happiness out of them until they die of despair.”“Ah, what?” Yusuke asked uncertainly. Was this seriously the plant that Kurama was recommending as a present for his children and grand-children? He suddenly wasn’t so sure that this was a good idea.Kurama’s smile was beatific. It made Yusuke want to cower underneath his bed. “I assure you, it is perfectly safe,” he said. “As long as you keep it away from water.”“I think I’ll, ah, take it,” Yusuke said. For himself, he thought. That sweet nectar still made his tastebuds buzz with pleasure.“Excellent,” Kurama said, a broad smile crossing his face. “That will be 200 hōseki.”“What!” Yusuke exclaimed. “Can’t I get a discount or something?”Kurama’s smile was as ruthless as the grim reaper's as he answered. “I am afraid not,” he said. “This is a business, after all.”Yusuke sullenly paid the exorbitant price the fox had requested. After everything Kurama had done for him in the past, he supposed that it was the least he could do in return. He’d always thought that Kurama would make a good businessman.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Shiori tensed as she heard the footsteps coming softly down the stairs. She turned, plate in hand, to see her son step into the kitchen. Green eyes studied her with detached interest.“Good morning, Shuichi,” she said. “Did you sleep well?”“Yes.” The word was curt. Her son did not wish her good morning. Shiori set the plate in front of him. He assessed the contents of the plate before raising his eyes to hers again. Where had that emerald green colour come from? Certainly not her side of the family.“Pancakes?” he asked with a frown.“You like pancakes, don’t you, Shuichi?” Shiori had an urge to ruffle her son’s short red hair but she knew that he wouldn’t appreciate the gesture so she kept her hands by her side.“Yes, but…”Pancakes were Shuichi’s favourite and she usually only cooked them on special occasions. No doubt Shuichi was wondering what prompted this.“My birthday is not until next week,” Shuichi continued, his pretty face scrunched up in confusion.“I know,” Shiori said. “There’s no reason, really. Can’t I just cook my son’s favourite breakfast every now and then? Do I need to have a reason?”Shuichi’s frown deepened. Shiori sighed. It was a concept that her son had never truly understood. Everything had to have an explanation. A cause.Or a catch.Shiori turned away, leaving her son to his meal. She began to wash up the pan.“Have you thought about what you want to do for your birthday?” she asked him as she scrubbed the pan.“I don’t care,” Shuichi said, after a moment of silence.“Perhaps you could invite some of your classmates over?” Shiori suggested. That was what most children Shuichi’s age did, she knew. What child didn’t like a party?Hers, apparently.“No,” Shuichi said, in a tone that indicated that the matter was not up for further discussion.“There must be something you want to do,” Shiori pressed. “Is there somewhere you want to go?”The pause was a lot longer this time. “Perhaps… the park?” Shuichi suggested.“Are you sure?” Shiori asked. It was a simple request but they went to the park several times a month. “Don’t you want to go somewhere special?”“No. Just the park,” Shuichi said. He turned his attention back to his pancakes. Shiori knew that his mind was made up, and no amount of pushing on her part would change it.She’d been hoping that Shuichi’s answer to the question would give her some kind of idea of what to give her son for his birthday but she was still drawing a blank.For all his life, Shuichi had received his presents with a polite, vague smile. Nothing had ever made his eyes light up with joy. Shiori was determined to change that.But Shuichi was such a strange boy. Not like the other children at all. Even his reaction to a surprise breakfast of pancakes consisted of puzzlement, not excitement.Shuichi finished his pancakes and took his plate to the sink. He began washing it up without even acknowledging Shiori’s presence.One week. She had one week to decide. To find something that Shuichi would treasure. Something that her son would find as precious as she found him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Hiei snarled as he huddled beneath the meagre shelter of the tree in Kurama’s front yard. Rain soaked through his cloak and dripped down his face. Disappointingly, the second-storey bedroom window of Kurama’s house was dark. Of all the times for the fox to not be home…A crack of lightning cut the air. Hiei decided that he’d had enough. He was cold, wet and miserable. So what if the fox wasn’t home? He’d go up to Kurama’s room, dry off and wait until the fox came home. Kurama probably wouldn’t mind.Hiei scrambled up the tree that grew close to Kurama’s house and balanced on a branch as he pushed the window open. To his relief, it wasn’t locked.Which meant that Kurama would probably be fine with this. If he hadn’t wanted Hiei to come into his room, then he would have locked the window.Hiei threw off his cloak and boots before studying the dark room. He ignored the water dripping onto the carpet at his feet.There was no sign of Kurama. The bed was made and the desk was cleared. Kurama’s scent lingered in the room, but it was faint, as if the fox hadn’t been here all day.Some human business must have kept Kurama, Hiei assumed. Kurama pandered to those humans too much.He approached the closed door of Kurama’s room and removed the cloth covering his jagan. He scanned the rest of the house, checking to see if he had company.The fox’s human mother slept down the hall. Not a threat, Hiei decided as he covered the jagan again. If he was very quiet, she would remain asleep.Hiei raided Kurama’s wardrobe, coming up with a spare set of clothes that would do until his dried. Clothes in hand, he sped out of the room and down the hall to the bathroom.He showered, relishing the hot water, before drying himself off and dressing in his borrowed clothes. He took his own wet clothes back to Kurama’s room and shoved them in the fox’s washing basket.Kurama’s bed looked comfortable so Hiei decided that he’d take a little nap. He’d leave once the thunderstorm passed.Hiei curled up on the bed and drifted off to the sound of the rain pounding on the roof.Shiori pushed open the door of her son’s room, burdened by an armful of her son’s freshly-washed and folded clothes. She gave a start as she realised that the room was not empty as she had expected it to be.The teenager on the bed looked just as startled as she was. His dark eyes stared at her, wide with fright as he crouched defensively on the bed.“Oh,” Shiori said faintly, not knowing what to make of the situation. This boy didn’t look like any of Shuichi’s friends. Yet he was in Shuichi’s room. Wearing Shuichi’s clothes.Shiori glanced at her son’s washing basket, noting the extra clothes there. And how tattered that white scarf looked. She looked back at the boy, taking note of the wariness in his posture.Shiori’s eyes travelled to the window, seeing the boots on the floor near it. The boy must have come in through there. Had to have climbed up the tree.But why?“Are you a friend of Shuichi’s?” Shiori asked him uncertainly.The boy uncoiled slightly as he answered. “Yes,” he said, his tone guarded. Then, defensively, he went on, “He lets me sleep on the floor when it’s raining.”Sleep… on the… when it’s raining?“But… don’t you have anywhere else to go?” Shiori asked.The boy sat on the edge of Shuichi’s mattress and glared up at her. His black hair was a mess, sticking up at all angles and flattened on one side.“I prefer it here,” he said. “It’s quiet. No one bothers me.”Shiori mulled that over. Why hadn’t Shuichi ever told her about this friend? She’d been telling him for years that he needed to make some friends… to bring some classmates home… to socialise, somehow… like a normal boy.But her son had never been normal. He had always been quiet and secretive.“I’ll change my clothes and leave,” the boy said.Shiori hastily set down her son’s clothes on the desk and took custody of the washing basket before the boy could retrieve his clothes.“These need to be washed,” she informed him. “I’ll make you some breakfast while you’re waiting.”The boy’s eyes widened. “Breakfast?” he asked, looking dumbfounded.“It won’t take long,” Shiori assured him. “And Shuichi will be home from his school trip soon.”Shiori left, taking his clothes with her.Hiei stared after the woman, wondering just how angry Kurama would be when he returned home. There had always been an unspoken rule that Hiei stayed hidden from the woman. But now she’d seen him.And she’d taken his clothes. Hiei could simply have left anyway, in Kurama’s borrowed clothes, but the thought of what the detective and his idiot friend would say when they saw him wearing Kurama’s clothes kept Hiei still.It seemed like he didn’t have much of a choice.“Mother, I’m home!”Hiei felt a shiver run up his spine as Shiori called, “In the dining room, Shuichi!”Hiei shoved a mouthful of rice into his mouth. Kurama’s cooking was decent, but the human woman had outdone the fox. Hiei wasn’t going to waste a bite.He felt Kurama’s eyes rest on him immediately, even as the fox greeted his mother in a neutral tone.“Your friend Hiei turned up last night,” Shiori informed him, her tone pleased.Hiei kept his eyes on his bowl, not willing to meet Kurama’s as he sat down at the table.“Oh?” Kurama’s voice sounded just a bit strangled.“Shuichi.” The woman’s tone had turned serious. Hiei looked up to see that Kurama had his eyes on the bare tabletop in front of him, his long red hair shadowing his face.That was odd. Hiei had expected him to be angry. But, instead, he looked… embarrassed?“I’ve told you many times that your friends are welcome,” Shiori told Kurama. “You don’t need to sneak them into the house behind my back.”“I’m sorry, Mother,” Kurama said blandly.Hiei wondered just how fucked he was as Kurama continued to stare down at the table.“I always wondered why you never showed any interest in girls,” Shiori continued.Kurama’s head shot up. “What?” he asked.“Though I do hope that you and Hiei are being sensible,” Shiori added. “You’re still so young.”“What?” Kurama repeated dumbly.Hiei was just as confused. What was the woman going on about?“There’s no need to be embarrassed,” Shiori insisted. “I don’t mind that you have a boyfriend.”Kurama made a strangled, choked noise.“Boyfriend?” he managed to get out. “Mother, that’s not…”“Shuichi, it’s all right,” Shiori told him.“Excuse me,” Kurama said faintly. Hiei watched curiously as the fox left the room.Thoroughly confused, Hiei returned his gaze to Shiori. Maybe the woman could shed some light on the situation for him, given that she’d lived with Kurama for sixteen years. This had to be some human thing that Hiei didn’t know about.“He seems upset,” Hiei said.Shiori smiled at him. “He’s such a shy boy. I’m sure he’s mortified right now, but he’ll be fine. Seconds?”Hiei glanced down at his empty plate.“Yes,” he said, holding out the plate to her.