Practice

Kurama slid under the covers of the futon, resting on his side, facing Yusuke, who lay staring at the ceiling. Exerting a small amount of ki, he caused the lamp weed to dim, darkening the cave, but not enough that he couldn’t see the boy’s face. He seemed lost in thought and Kurama was about to ask when he spoke up softly. “Kurama, Keiko has this friend, y’know. And that friend has…well, feelings for another friend. But, there’s a lot of complications and junk.” Yusuke paused, his eyes scanning the ceiling.

Kurama’s heart almost stopped in his chest. He struggled to keep his voice politely interested, trying not to let his imagination run ahead of where the boy’s words led. “What kind of complications, Yusuke?”

Yusuke’s eyes rested briefly on his face before returning to scanning the ceiling. Did he imaging the look there? “Well, it’s complicated, y’know? They’re friends and stuff and her friend doesn’t want to ruin that friendship by pursing something that isn’t there. And, if something is there, how do they explain it to the rest of their friends and stuff?”

Cautiously, not wanting to startle the boy who was possibly confessing to him, Kurama slid his hand under the futon cover to rest on his wrist, not capturing it, only letting his presence be known. “Yusuke, if feelings are reciprocated, then the rest can be worked out.”

Yusuke’s eyes again came to rest momentarily on his face, not quite making eye contact, even in the dim light. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He again searched the ceiling of the cave for something.

Slowly, Kurama slid his hand up Yusuke’s forearm as he propped his head up on his other hand, “What else, Yusuke?”

The dark-haired teen shrugged, only moving the shoulder opposite Kurama, “I dunno…I tried talkin’ with her, but she wouldn’t say anything really. She said it was up to that person to work things out.” His brown eyes sought out the green of the kitsune’s for the first time since they’d lain down. “What would you do, Kurama?”

This time, Kurama saw the hunger, the fear, the worry…the boy was begging for reassurance, and more. He could feel his body leap in response to the hunger, bur first things first. The fear and worry needed to be soothed away. “Whose position am I in, Yusuke?”

Was that a tinge of pink across the boy’s cheek? “Mmm…uhhh….Keiko’s friend…”

Kurama allowed his hand to trail up to Yusuke’s elbow, barely actually touching the boy. He felt a slight shiver from the arm beneath his ghosting hand. “I think I would tell the person I liked I liked them and see what happens from there.” He let his hand move further, tracing the firm bicep, “You might be surprised, Yusuke,” his hand came to rest on the boy’s shoulder, “at what could happen.”

There was a definite brushing of red across the boy’s cheeks now. “B-b-b-but, I-I-uhhh, Keiko’s friend isn’t really interested in a …” he trailed off, realizing he’d said more than he wanted, looking away, his face now bright red.

“You aren’t really interested in a relationship?” Kurama asked. The boy shook his head. “What do you want, then, Yusuke?”

“I wanna stay friends, but…well…I want…more, too…but not like dating stuff…” his voice was soft, barely loud enough to be audible.

“There’s nothing wrong with that,” Kurama replied, his voice soft, a little louder, but not much. This was going a lot differently that he thought it would. Yusuke’s eyes returned to his and he continued, “It leaves both of you free to pursue other interests, seek out one you do want to have a relationship with, or even have a relationship later on, if you decide that’s what you want.” He let his arm cross the boy’s body, his hand coming to rest on the opposite shoulder for a moment before his hand trailed a ghosting trail down that arm. He was almost surprised when Yusuke caught his hand.

“Are you okay with that, then?” Brown eyes bore into his as the boy turned up onto his side, still holding Kurama’s hand.

Kurama looked in those eyes, surprised at Yusuke’s directness, though he should not have been, when he thought about it. Yusuke was one to get to the point of the matter, once he knew what it was. “Yes, I’m okay with that, if that’s what you want.”

Relief swept over the boy’s features, almost comically. He smiled, “Now what?”

Kurama’s hand trailed up and down Yusuke’s arm, “Well, we could just go to sleep, or we could keep talking or we could see how things go.”

“I’m not tired,” Yusuke claimed.

“You said you were.”

“I…I was trying to get you into bed.” Yusuke blushed, looking down.

Kurama’s hand went to the boy’s chin, gently lifting it until they made eye contact again. “You have me in bed. What do you want to do with me?” He moved his hand to cup the boy’s jaw, waiting for his answer.

Yusuke’s hand came up to cover his, “You just handed me the world, Kurama. I don’t know what to try first.” There was no hardness, no harsh edge, only the seduction that had been hinted at.

Kurama allowed his eyes to drift closed. “You have a way with words, did you know that, Yusuke?” he whispered as his lips closed in on the detective’s, gently brushing against them, a brief, fleeting kiss.

“You’re the first to say so, Kurama,” the boy confessed. He trailed his hand over to the redhead’s cheek, “You’re always so kind, so gentle, yet so dangerous.” He mimicked the fox’s actions, bringing their lips together in a butterfly kiss before coming in again, adding a bit more pressure, but still chaste. Worry again crossed his face, “What do we tell the others?”

“That’s up to you, Yusuke. We could tell them nothing, or we could tell them everything.”

“I don’t want to explain everything to everyone. I just don’t want to deal with it. If they ask, I’ll tell them the truth, but I don’t think we have to tell them everything, do we?” His voice carried the worry in his face.

“Whatever you decide, Yusuke. I think you’re right, since we aren’t really starting a relationship, then they don’t really need to know. We’re just expanding our friendship to include more activities. If we decide to change that, then we can discuss it again.”

“It’s not that I’m ashamed or anything…” his voice took on a slightly defensive tone.

“I didn’t think it was, Yusuke.” Kurama soothed the boy’s cheek with his thumb. “This is something new and different for you. We’ll go at your pace, okay?”

“You’ve done this before?” Yusuke felt a bit intimidated.

Kurama smiled. “I was Youko Kurama, Yusuke. Ask Hiei about my reputation, if you wish. There was a reason I had that reputation.”

“What kind of reputation? I don’t wanna ask Hiei, I want you to tell me.”

Kurama sighed, a bit uncertain. He didn’t want to scare Yusuke, but he also wanted to give him the truth he’d asked for. “Have you heard of Don Juan?”

Yusuke frowned, “No…should I have?”

Kurama frowned as well, “He was a character in a story. He was something of a libertine…he’d seduce women and move on.”

“Are you going to move on?” Yusuke pulled back slightly, a touch of fear in his eyes again, the hard edge coming back to his voice.

“No, Yusuke. I’m trying to figure out how to tell you about my reputation without scaring you…I don’t want to make you afraid of me.” His eyes dropped and he began chewing on his lower lip.

“Kurama,” Yusuke’s voice was soft again. He waited for those green eyes to meet his again, “Just tell me, and then tell me what you’d like for us, okay?”

“I could get anyone in my bed…anyone I wanted was mine, for as long as I wanted them. I didn’t care about their feelings, only mine. I haven’t had anyone since I’ve been here, though, since I’ve been Minamino Shuuichi. I’ve learned to take into account other people’s feelings. I-I-I do want to be with you physically, Yusuke, but I also don’t want to destroy the friendship we have.” His cheeks became warm as he continued, “I brought you here hoping to seduce you, but this isn’t quite what I had in mind.”

Yusuke wasn’t quite sure what to think, to say, so he acted. His hand slid from the warm cheek into the still damp red locks and he pulled the distracted kitsune close, bringing their lips together again. He held those lips against his for a long time, pressing firmly, unsure how to continue, but wanting to. He was surprised that Kurama was not responding, though. He pulled back to look at the fox, “What’s wrong, Kurama?”

“You’re not disgusted with me?” the kitsune’s voice held uncertainty and awe.

“You told me the truth, right?” Yusuke asked, mater of fact.

“Yes…”

“Then, no, I’m not. I’m happy you told me the truth and honored you chose me to be the first person you seduced, and frankly, I’m horny. But, I don’t know what to do. I’ve never done this before, so you’re gonna have to help, fox-boy.”

Kurama laughed, he couldn’t help it. Relief and honest amusement at how direct Yusuke could be were too much to be held in. He moved his hand from Yusuke’s cheek and wrapped his arm around the boy, pulling him close. He could feel the beginnings of arousal pressing into his hip. Still laughing, he asked, “What have you fantasized about? What would you like to try?” Subtly, he moved his hip slightly, encouraging things to progress.

Yusuke’s hand slid from the fox’s hair and to his side, “Quit laughing or I’ll tickle you,” he threatened, his voice deep in his chest, rumbling as it traveled from his diaphragm.

“I’m sorry, Yusuke, I’m just happy.” He pressed his lips against the willing mouth in front of him, pulling back slightly without loosing contact and then diving in again, his tongue darting out, teasing, tasting the boy’s skin before applying more pressure, seeking entry to the mouth behind. Yusuke’s lips parted for him and he took advantage of this, tasting the inside of the boy’s lips, but not going further. He could taste the chocolate they’d eaten still and he could feel his body beginning to respond. Pulling back, he asked his question again, “What would you like to try, Yusuke?”

Yusuke held the kitsune close and rolled over onto his back, “Everything you had in mind, Kurama. I want to feel you, taste you, everything.” He brought his hand up to tangle in the red strands and pulled the kitsune close, kissing him deeply, learning quickly, using his tongue to explore the more than willing mouth above his. When the need for air became too insistent to ignore any longer, he pulled back, whispering, “You taste so good, you know?”

~*~*~*~*~
A/N Well...part two...was it quick enough for you? Or am I a brat for ending it here? I meant to say, but forgot, some how...that this ties into Chocolate and Roses and The Bath. For some reason, I cannot do a truly plotless piece and somehow, between the two, ended up with a total possiblity for six related stories...C&R, The Bath, this one, Kurama/Hiei, Hiei/Yusuke, Kurama/Kuronue...Will I write all of them...probably...in order...who knows...any time soon...depends on the muse. Again, this is not going the way I thought it would, but...*shrug* I can't argue with the characters...they're acting this out, not me.

Reviews (5 in the 20 hours since I posted this...not bad...)
Ryukotsusei: Thank you :D I dunno if it's so much "met his match" as "got more than he bargined for"
kit-kit: Thanks
DuosAngel: Soon enough? I hope so...I really can't do this any faster :D Glad you're liking it so far.
BlueUtopia: Bet you didn't expect this twist, ne? Actually...I don't like Hershey Kisses (I really don't like plain chocolate at all)...I prefer chocolate covered cherries...I can be bribed with them so easily...it's pathetic...It's just that chocolate is kinda a theme of these stories...at least so far...I dunno if that'll continue. I dunno how I manage to get so much out. I type 50-70 words per minute, so I could actually possibly write 30000 words in a hour, but only manage 500...so that's a lot slower that my potential...I am slow and picky, but I'm also mostly recording what I see happening...they kinda live in my head, y'know...
vampslyr: Gee...and I haven't gotten anywhere yet...are you gonna make it to the end? lol You're partially right, though...