What I steal...I keep

Chapter 4

After the Takumas left, more family arrived.

The house was soon swelling with visiting relatives.

As had become a long-standing custom, several relatives would be staying with them.

While the house was spacious—certainly large enough to accommodate at least two families—the two brothers had a perfectly good excuse to absent themselves from the gathering.

They, or rather Kurama, had long since found an alternate way to celebrate this holiday.

Several hours later, as evening made its way across the land, Kurama caught his mother’s eye. At his hopeful look, she gave him an amused smile and nodded. Then seeking out his younger brother, Kurama raised a questioning brow.

The blindingly, relieved smile from his younger brother banished the growing look of desperation from the boy’s face. Kurama smiled in commiseration.

These gatherings did little to cause discomfort to him. He was adroit in smoothly turning aside any unwelcome questions with misdirection or a polite smile. By the time they figured it out, he would be on the other side of the room.

Unfortunately his brother was not nearly old or patient enough. As such, his brother could only endure so much before, as the younger boy eloquently put it ‘explode like the wrath of God’.

In a tradition dating back to their second Christmas as a blended family, the two brothers spent their Christmas together…bonding.

However, it was not lost on the younger boy that Kurama decided to include someone else.

As it was, he kept darting puzzled, resentful looks at an oblivious Yusuke.

Kurama hid a smile at the jealous glower that shadowed his brother’s face. He threw an arm around the young boy and companionably hugged him against his side.

Trailed by Yusuke, they trooped a short distance from the house. Surrounded by a copse of trees, the ground rose innocuously upwards. Trees and shrubbery stood almost as silent sentinels.

Cleverly concealed amidst the denuded vegetation, a shadow hid amongst the tangle of branches.

Within the shadow was a special place.

Kurama’s den.


Locked inside a fragile human body, he had been utterly terrified at the pitiful level of energy the weak shell he inhabited was able to generate. It had petrified him as nothing else had.

He had felt exposed—vulnerable—to even the weakest yokai.

The great Yoko Kurama brought down by a low-level yokai.

The humiliation factor alone would have been enough to kill him.

Gallows humor, however it accurately summed up his predicament.

For the sake of his sanity, he had set about learning the limits of his human shell…then he had ruthlessly forced the body beyond those limits.

Though new to the Ningenkai, he was astute enough to recognize that he simply couldn’t practice out in the open. Like any clever fox with an eye towards survival, he sought and found several places where he could escape ningen scrutiny.

This had always been his favorite hiding place.

Land that had been in his father’s family for generations…it belonged to him.

Now it was another place he called…home.

In the growing season, the plants trained and encouraged by a select dose of yokai energy, strategically hid the entrance. In the winter the same plants, acting as a barrier, insulated against the cold.

As they approached the concealed entrance, the plants, only partially dormant, writhed slowly.

Parting at the presence of their master.

Ducking inside, Yusuke gazed around with a dropped jaw.

“Cool, huh?” Shuichi exclaimed happily behind him. Then remembering he was nursing a grievance against the interloper, gave Yusuke’s back a nasty glare.

“Dude…” Yusuke breathed softly in wonder. “This…this…it’s…” stumbling to a halt, he was clearly at a lost for words.

It wasn’t much, if you compared it to an actual house.

However, Kurama was a creature that enjoyed his little comforts.

The ‘roof’ of the cave was covered in a vine-like growth. If seen from outside, only a microscope would have been able to tell the difference between the single, innocuous stalk and the other green stalks that poked through the crust of snow.

It was only underground, that the network of root system showed its yokai origins.

From one single stalk, the root branched in a bewildering array of threadlike extensions that anchored into the ceiling. Tiny buds, randomly spaced along the roothairs in a delicate lattice, produced a soft glow. It gently illuminated the greatly expanded cave-live interior.

The majority of the plants outside had been carefully cultivated and shaped by the kitsune to resemble earth-based, native flora.

In the Makai, this particular plant was a source of food for a number of species. Under general circumstances, it wasn’t bothered by vegetation eaters as it was unpalatable. At a certain seasonal time of the year, it used solar energy to change its chemical makeup to emit an inviting odor to a creature that did not exist on Earth. However, the process was delicate. Too much energy had the effect of burning the plant up…to little and it could never reproduce.

Excess energy was shed through the fine roothairs.

Below the softly illuminated ceiling, a small table and three mats sat neatly on the right hand side of the room. Against the back wall, a television sat in lonely splendor atop a pair of crates along with a DVD player.

A PlayStation 5 sat triumphantly atop the television....Several pillows were tossed in front of the television.

Yusuke blinked and tilted his head curiously at a darkened square against the back wall.

“Bedroom…” Kurama said succinctly as he edged past his friend.

With the routine of long practice, both he and his brother set themselves to their assigned tasks.

Kurama shrugged out of his pack. Setting it against the wall, he turned and went back outside to get the generator working. They needed the heater going to remove the chill from the air.

After looking around for a couple of minutes and observing the brothers, Yusuke set down the large duffle bag he had been carrying and hesitantly walked to the ‘bedroom’. As he drew closer, he realized that the odd looking bed was really a metal frame surrounded by black curtains.

Kneeling, he shrugged out of his backpack before he tied back the curtains. Dragging off the thick insulating pad off the bed, he tried to give it a brisk shake before replacing it.

However, the pad was made of a hard foam material—while it made for a very comfortable sleeping pad, unfortunately it made shaking it difficult. Behind him he could hear the other two busy with their assigned tasks.

With a muffled whump, the generator kicked in.

Yusuke reached into the duffle and dragged out two thick bedrolls and laid them on the pad. Kurama had explained that neither he nor Shuichi slept rolled up separately as it grew colder at night. They usually slept together for warmth.

There had been something in the enigmatic green eyes that had made Yusuke feel hot and flustered. Confused, he had turned away.

Drawing out sheets and blankets, Yusuke spread them over the top of the make-shift bed. Standing, he nodded in satisfaction at the sight.

Staring, his mind drifted.

He was relatively sure he wasn’t some numbnut homophobic asshole, so why did it bother him to see Hiei and Kurama kiss? Though it had never exactly been confirmed by either of his friends, he had been pretty damn sure their ‘friendship’ was a lot more than just friendship.

Maybe he was jealous because he didn’t have Keiko? That his two friends had something going on, that they found a way to make their relationship work…and he couldn’t?

Mentally he shook his head, denying that particular line of thought.

Sighing, he pushed the discomforting feeling aside and concentrated on unpacking the backpack.


* * *


Late night found the trio still awake.

Sprawled on the rug they had brought with them, Yusuke resembled nothing less than a large, black cat as he reclined with indolent ease.

They were playing cards.

Poker, in fact.

It was Yusuke’s grand idea that it was time for the younger boy to learn the fine art of poker. A manly game, he proclaimed importantly.

Over Kurama’s admittedly mild protests, Yusuke happily took on the role of Shuichi’s mentor. Kurama hid his smile at the eagerness his friend displayed.

Charitably he decided to go easy on them.

At least until the trash talking began…another deplorable skill Yusuke decided it was time his brother learned.

The lazy trash talk that spilled from his lips had Kurama fighting the urge to laugh.

Naturally he had to complain. He certainly couldn’t have his little brother learning bad habits.

Yusuke responded in a very mature fashion…He threw a carrot at Kurama’s head. It was followed by a couple of crackers.

Needless to say, Kurama couldn’t let such gross insubordination go unpunished.

The game pretty much degenerated into an impromptu wrestling match when Kurama jumped Yusuke and shoved his face into the dip. Breathless with laughter, young Shuichi quickly found himself caught up in the tangle of arms and legs.

Though he had the sneaking suspicion that both were holding back.

* * *

After cleaning up, they decided to change and retire to bed.

Unsurprised to be relegated to a position against the wall, the presumed safe area, Shuichi however, was definitely surprised to find his brother pushed into the middle leaving Yusuke the outside position. The amused resignation in his brother’s eyes made it clear that it wasn’t that an unusual occurrence.

Yusuke stiffened slightly when a cool hand slid over his waist and settled on his stomach. He felt Kurama shift. And then the long line of Kurama’s body was molded against his back.

It became suddenly hard to breath.

A sudden tension made itself known to him.

“Kurama…?”

He felt Kurama hum in acknowledge. “You’re…you’re not…cuddling me?” he asked with wary suspicion. “Cause, if you are, you just had better back off!”

Kurama shook with silent laughter. “Your body’s warm, I’m cold…deal with it.”

“Oh…well,” Yusuke replied with grudging, ill-grace, “I guess that’s okay then.”

“Thank you.”

Though he felt it probably unnecessary, Yusuke felt obligated to give fair warning. “I…just don’t do cuddling, especially with guys.”

“Will you two shut up and sleep?” Shuichi grumbled from the far side of the bed.

“I’m just saying, is all,” Yusuke protested to the other boy.

“Sleep…” Kurama’s soft, rich voice rolled over him.

Having nothing better, Yusuke decided to listen to the wise advice.


* * *


His internal clock insisting that it was time to get up, Kurama tried to stretch. He was surprised at the weight holding down his limbs. A quick glance downwards and his mouth curved in a slow, affectionate smile.

He had almost forgotten, for all his manly protestations against cuddling, Yusuke was a champion cuddlier.

Stroking his hand over the silky strands of black hair, he marveled anew at its softness. Like Hiei’s hair, despite the sharp, edgy cut, likewise, was surprisingly soft and silky.

The differences, however, was in the textures.

It was such a subtle difference that many were fooled.

One was fur, the other was hair.

I much prefer Yusuke’s hair, Kurama mused to himself. Moving carefully he twisted and buried his face in the silky strands. There had always been something about Yusuke that had always appealed to his human senses and called to his inner yokai.

In the past, his pursuit and efforts to attract the boy’s attention had caused Hiei much amusement. At times he thought he saw a spark of confused interest, then Keiko would inevitably show and the moment would be lost.

Gradually interest faded and confusion grew. Bowing to the inevitable, he chose to set his pursuit aside. Instead, he turned his attention towards learning Yusuke.

Not that he gave up on his quest. He simply was biding his time.

Yusuke and Keiko’s budding relationship wouldn’t last. They already had three strikes against them.

One, he could count on one hand the successful human/yokai he had seen over his lifetime.

Two, anyone entering a relationship with the intent to change the other was an absolute idiot.

Three, Yusuke was a toushin. Biologically he would be driven to find a BondMate.

Keiko would be long dead by the time that happened, he thought coolly. Sharing Yusuke’s bed and his life will make the process that much simpler.

Face buried in Yusuke’s hair, Kurama inhaled. The familiar smell imprinted upon his senses, bringing its own brand of comfort.

Carefully he extracted himself from Yusuke’s possessive hold and eased away. It wouldn’t do to have Yusuke wake and find himself cuddling.

Slowly the real affection in the limpid green eyes faded to that of ruthless stillness. Behind the cool, calculation in the kitsune’s eyes, plans were slotting into place with the smooth precision of a master thief.

After several centuries of plotting and stealing Makai’s greatest treasures, this would be personal.

Yusuke slept on blissfully.

* * *


“Yes, ma’am,” Yusuke bobbed his head at Kurama’s mom anxious advice. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he eats right and I’ll even take him out for walks every day,” he added with cheerful irreverence.

Shiori laughed ruefully. “I sound like a worrywart,” she said with a touch of her son’s famous smile.

“Nah, you sound like how a mom should sound.” Yusuke lost his smile and ducked his head. Car doors were slamming as the three-day Christmas festivities wound to a close. Several of the visiting families were saying their goodbyes.

Checking her impulse to pull the sad-eyed boy into her arms, she said instead with a sigh, “Sometimes being a parent is the most difficult job in the world. You won’t know how well you’ve succeeded or failed in raising your child until it’s too late.”

She looked towards where her son was helping load bags into someone car. “I…always wonder if I’m the one responsible for his desire for perfection?” There was more than an element of frustration in her quiet even voice. It captured Yusuke’s absolute attention.

“His grades, his wardrobe, even his room…it was all perfect. Always so neat and tidy. He never needed me.” Her smile was a little wobbly.

Yusuke blinked rapidly. Whoa, he thought in astonishment. “Uhm, I know he needs you…loves you,” he said awkwardly. He squirmed, wildly uncomfortable with this kind of talk. “I mean, you really should talk to him.” Yeah, that’s right. They should talk…and leave me out of it.

“Ready to go?” Kurama announced, drifting up to the pair. His eyes narrowed slightly at the moist look in his mother’s eyes and the guilty, relieved expression on Yusuke’s.

“God, yes,” Yusuke exclaimed with feeling. He almost was running as he made his way to the car.

“Mother…?”

“Hmmmm?” Shiori started, looking questioningly at her son. She twinkled at him. “Oh, that. He just looked so sad, that I told him I didn’t think you needed me or loved me.”

Kurama was silent for a moment, his face thoughtful. “And he bought that…?”

Shiori leaned confidingly towards him. “He’s a little naïve…and exactly what you need, sweetheart.”

Instantly his face became impassive. He stared coolly at his mother. “I have no idea what you mean.”

She laughed softly and fondly patted his cheek. “Dear, he’s not like the others. You can’t…play your usual games with him.”

His eyes fell before her gentle honesty. “Mother, I…” he faltered and looked away. Games and manipulation was how he played the game.

He realized with a sense of shock that this wasn’t a game.

“If he’s the one, make sure he knows it.” With that, she turned and walked away.

* * *


It was dark by the time they arrived at their new abode. By mutual agreement they decided unload the car rather than wait until morning. It required several trips as there were several bags and boxes stuffed into the back seat as well as the trunk.

Sheets, towels, pillowcases, curtains, food, light bulbs…you name it, Shiori had taken special care to pack.

Later, Yusuke would be puzzled as to several tubes of some clear gel substance. Kurama would be silently thankful that at least he had found the boxes of condoms before Yusuke.

Shiori wanted to make sure they were prepared for every eventuality.


* * *


As houses went, it wasn’t very large.

It was an oddly atypical Japanese home that nudged up against an uncultivated tract of land that had been allowed to grow wild.

The lower level was one large space that could be sectioned off by sliding panels, while the upper floor looked more modern.

There were three bedrooms Kurama was pleased to see, once they ventured upstairs. One, he decided, would serve as an office. He was determined that his bedroom would most definitely not be for studying.

He smirked to himself.

Keeping a wary eye trained on the weirdly smiling kitsune, Yusuke edged carefully away.

Thankfully one of the calls Shiori had made had been to the power company. They had electric and heat, though the house was still cold after being closed for so long. To stay warm that night, Kurama proposed they share a bedroll.

Though he wasn’t picky, Yusuke drew the line at sleeping in the dusty and musty beds. He quickly took Kurama up on the offer.

* * *

Yusuke woke slowly by degrees.

Something had woken him.

Groggily he blinked, the blurred outlines of the room becoming clear. Gradually other sensations became clear.

Like the fact that Kurama had a hand halfway down my shorts, Yusuke thought with rising alarm. He could feel Kurama’s warmth behind him, the even rise and fall that spoke of sleep.

His body reacted to Kurama’s heat. Blood rushed down, swelling his cock. Miserably he groaned, terrified that Kurama would wake.

During the latter part of his relationship with Keiko, morning wood had become the bane of his existence. Initially it had been something Keiko had laughingly complained about. In the end, all he was left with was annoyed sighs and peevish complaints.

He surreptitiously tried to control his thick and unruly member by pressing his own hand against it and mentally entreating it to ‘go back to sleep’.

It didn’t work.

Even worse, Kurama stirred, his fingers combing through Yusuke wiry pubic hair and curled around warm flesh.

Yusuke could no more stop his hips from thrusting into Kurama’s palm than he could stop breathing. Teeth gritted, a litany of ‘oh, god!’ ran through his mind that was express by the tiny whine that escaped him as he fought for control.

Despite all his efforts, his treacherous shaft twitched excitedly. A droplet of fluid beaded at the tip.

Misery turned to sheer panic when he felt rather than heard the soft inhalation as Kurama woke.

Nose twitching at the delightful aroma, Kurama let out a pleased purling sound. Green eyes opened, sleep clearing rapidly. His arm tightened instinctively, holding the deliciously squirming body against his own.

“Kurama…! Let me go,” Yusuke yelped, wiggling in frustration.

“Mmmm, no?”

“Whaddaya mean, ‘no’?!” Yusuke squeaked, voice rising in astonishment. Growling, he struggled anew to escape Kurama’s hold before…he froze, a tiny eep spilled from his lips as the warm hand moved.

Bad hand! Yusuke’s presumed straightness shrieked hysterically. Bad hand, Yusuke’s mind said weakly, easily swamped by the upwelling of ardor from the slow, sensuous strokes that glided over his aching cock.

His breath caught at the answering hardness pressing against the small of his back. Yusuke shuddered, mind already dissolving in the sultry heat Kurama coaxed with every movement of his hand.

Without conscious volition, muscles tensing, Yusuke’s hips moved, thrusting into the kitsune’s grasp. A raspy, thready moan escaped his lips at the steady, moving pressure that gripped him so sweetly.

It had been far too long since he had a hand, other than his own, touch him. Maybe that was why instead of trying to get away, he simply closed his eyes and gave in. Stomach muscles contracting, he mewled, whimpering as his hips pumped back and forth.

Yusuke shuddered, feeling Kurama’s breath so hot against his neck. His skin prickled, tingled as the tiny hairs on his neck stood up. Obeying some ancient instinct, he bared his neck.

Kurama’s eyes widened, his hand stilling on Yusuke’s cock at that disturbingly erotic act. His hand tightened around Yusuke’s cock.

More than anything, he wanted to bite down on that wonderfully, bared vulnerable flesh. To leave his mark, showing the world whom Yusuke belonged.

He shook, shuddering against a savage need to put his mark on Yusuke.

It was the tiny, broken breathy moans of ‘Please please please’ that recalled him to the task at hand. Breath shuddering out, blood thundering through his veins, he bent his head. Licking a fiery trail from Yusuke’s straining neck to a succulent earlobe.

His hand resumed its languid, sensuous motion. Twisting his wrist on the upstroke, stroking a thumb over the wide, flared head, he listened attentively to breathy cries that signaled just how well Yusuke responded to his touch.

But…he wanted more.

More than anything he wanted to be buried deep inside Yusuke’s straining body. He wanted to feel that hot, velvet glove-like sheath ripple around him.

Teeth bared, he growled and nipped sharply at Yusuke’s neck. He whispered a litany of praise and filth into Yusuke’s ear even as he ruthlessly stripped the engorged cock in his hand.

With some difficulty, his other hand came into play. Impatiently he shoved Yusuke’s shorts down, baring the warm honey globes of hot flesh. Then with an adroit wiggle of slim hips, his pajama bottoms were shoved down as well.

Panting harshly, he ground his straining shaft into the sweat slicked cleft between Yusuke’s cheeks.

His hand sped up in time with his hips. He humped, rubbing himself sensually against the undulating flesh of Yusuke’s ass. With urgent whispered entreaties, he got Yusuke’s to part his legs. Once parted, he slid his cock between and then had the toushin to close them.

“Shit…!” he choked out, clutching Yusuke tighter to his body. He pumped his hips desperately between the tight, nearly vise-like press of flesh.

The high, strained cries from Yusuke filtered through his lust fogged mind.

Yusuke was close.

He wanted them to come together.

And at the rate he was going, it wouldn’t be long.

Bending his head, he sought release with Yusuke.

Yusuke felt his mind – senses scrambling – going into overload with the thousand, bewildering sensations that screamed through his body. He felt overwhelmed, dazed from the clawing ache that was ripped through him.

Mouth opened, he panted. Trying futilely to gulp down air into his oxygen starved lungs.

He felt his mind melting, overwhelmed by the mind-numbing pleasure.

And if he didn’t come in the next ten seconds he was going to go fucking insane.

Fortunately Kurama understood Yusuke’s whining cries and sped up the movements of both hand and hips.

“Come for me…”

Yusuke jerked at that sensuous whisper in his ear. It was followed by a sharp bite.

Pleasure and pain intertwined, he couldn’t tell where one ended and the other began. But it didn’t matter anyway.

“Shit…!” His body jerked as the hand on his cock tightened and then pulled hard.

With a hoarse shout, he was gone.

Pleasure rained down, crashing over and around him. Distantly he felt warm pulses jetting between his thighs, coating his balls. And didn’t that just crank the pleasure factor up even higher.

Back bowing, he embraced the white lightening that sleeted through his body. Again and again, he convulsed in Kurama’s arms.

And Kurama held him, watching—loving how Yusuke came apart in his arms.

It seemed to take hours for Yusuke to float back down to earth. He knew there was a stupid, goofy grin on his face.

But damn…! He had never come like that before.

Lazily he shifted, blinking tiredly. He stretched languidly, mind still reeling from the aftershocks of bliss. He arched his back like a cat, under the soothing stroking up and down his flank.

The smell of come and hot, sweaty male bodies permeated the room.

It was that smell that had reality crashing down on him.

He stiffened. Eyes widening to their fullest extent, he hardly dared breath.

“And now the guilt,” Kurama said amusedly. He lay propped with his hand to his head, lazily rubbing into Yusuke’s back, their mingled essences.

It was perverse of him, but he wanted some token of possession to mark the toushin. Cum was the next best thing.

“We…we…” Yusuke stuttered, stumbling all over trying to find the right words. After all, who really knew what to say to your best friend – who just had finish giving you one of the most spectacular hand jobs you had ever had?

Thanks, dude, I really needed that? Yusuke thought half hysterically.

Then he flailed about as he was abruptly turned onto his back. For a split second his wide, stunned eyes met the fading ardor in Kurama’s mesmerizing green before he looked away. Not that helped as his chin was grasped and his face forcefully turned towards the kitsune.

He hastily closed his eyes.

At least until a soft, chaste kiss was placed on his lips. His startled gasp was all the invitation Kurama needed to deepen the kiss. Swooping inside, he utilized skills learned as a centuries old kitsune.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you for years.” Kurama’s voice had deepened to a low, sultry rasp. The aching need Yusuke heard beat at his confused mind.

Taking advantage of Yusuke’s confusion, Kurama used it to his advantage. Slanting his mouth over Yusuke’s, he took his time.

To his delighted surprise, Yusuke, almost shyly, began to respond. A supple tongue glided over his with endearing earnestness.

For minutes—hours—they played. Soft sighs, the slick wet connection of mouths engaged in pleasurable activities filled the air.

Slowly, reluctantly Kurama pulled back. Dropping his forehead to Yusuke’s shoulder, he fought for control. He ached with a fierceness that scared him.

“What the fuck are we doing?” Blunt to the point of rudeness, Yusuke’s bewildered question drew a surprised laugh from Kurama.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he smiled wryly down into confused and wary brown eyes. Eyes twinkling, he said archly, “Well, I was trying to seduce you…but if you’re ready to give in…?”

“Damnit…!”

With a quick, slithering movement, Yusuke wormed from the bedroll. Feeling coolness on his nether parts, he flushed and jerked up his pants.

“Spoilsport…”

He glared at the pouting kitsune who instantly assumed a solemn expression. It was belied by the dancing amusement in the limpid green eyes. Grimly, Yusuke quashed the desire to dive back into Kurama’s arms.

Absently he scratched the dried come on his belly. His face turned red as the memory of how and why he had come on his belly.

And between his thighs.

“I’m…I’m…,” he began stammering before giving up. “Shower now.” Turning about face, he literally ran to the bathroom and locked the door.

Sighing, Kurama leaned back and waited patiently for the shower to start before getting up. Sauntering lazily, he went to first Yusuke’s bag, then his own, removing clothing for the day. Then clothing in hand—with a wicked smile blooming on his face—he went to join Yusuke.

Silly boy, he thought fondly


* * *

Flushed and legs still weak after the bathroom interlude, Yusuke glared daggers at an unconcerned Kurama who was cooking breakfast. “You weren’t supposed to come in,” he growled.

“Then you should have locked the door.”

“It was fuckin’ locked!” Frustrated by Kurama’s calm, Yusuke raked a hand through his hair. “What if I was doing something private, huh?”

The speculation in Kurama’s eyes as well as the slow, interested smile turned him bright red.

“Dammit, will you stop that!” More than a little flustered, Yusuke waved his hands in the air. God, he so didn’t want to think about sex and Kurama at the same time.

Turning, Kurama hid his smile as he slid two eggs onto a plate. “Stop what?” he asked patiently.

“Those damn, double thingies!”

“Double entendres?”

“Yes…!”

“Nope…” Kurama replied so cheerfully, Yusuke was confused as to what he meant. Seeing the confusion, Kurama chose to elaborate. “Yusuke, I’ve been chasing your pretty little ass since you turned sixteen, trying to get you to notice me. I had to wait until at least that time because you were just too young to play the games I enjoyed with my bed partners.”

Unfortunately, Yusuke’s mind latched onto only one thing.

Keiko would have been truly horrified to know that their parting had added to the thick, festering wound Yusuke had been carrying since childhood.

Kurama had time to register the swift hurt in the brown eyes before it was quickly veiled by Yusuke's usual scowl. Hands clenching, Yusuke erupted to his feet. The harsh sound of his chair scraping across the floor added to the abrupt disharmony.

"I ain't your goddamn toy! You think you can wind me up then laugh at me? Well, fuck you then! Fuck you, man!" Yusuke growled, jabbing a finger angrily at the startled kitsune before turning for the door. Where he would go, he had no idea.

Kurama’s speed was no where near that of Hiei or Yusuke, still Yusuke was surprised to be body slammed into the wall. The long, elegant length of one very irritated kitsune pressed firmly against his body.

There was a dark glitter in Kurama's gemstone eyes. "Game?" he whispered softly in Yusuke’s ear. a sharp nip at the fleshy lobe drove home the fact that the kitsune was decidedly serious. "Game...? At fourteen, you were far too young for me. I'm no pedophile, lusting after the flesh of a young boy. And despite the human shell I wear, I know I am centuries old." He easily overcame Yusuke's resistance and dragged the youth's hand down to his crotch.

"I think of you, and I get hard," he said tightly. "I look at you...and I ache to touch, to feel you against me. This," he pressed Yusuke's hand firmly against the swollen fullness hidden within his pants, "is what you do to me! This is what happens. You have no idea how it feels to have a permanent hard-on!"

Eyes reflecting a burning hunger, he rubbed himself lewdly in Yusuke’s hand.

"Oh..." There was a look of wonder in the large, velvety soft brown eyes that made Kurama slowly release Yusuke’s hand. Not that Yusuke noticed. His eyes dropped to his hand, slowly exploring Kurama's lengthening hardness.

Long legs parting, to allow Yusuke greater access, Kurama shuddered at the arousing, hesitant caresses. Eyes closing to half-mast, his passion rose. Not even with Koroune or Yomi had he ever wanted anyone as much as he wanted Yusuke. He had lost all semblance of pride and dignity for the sake of a pretty, little brown-eyed boy.

Casting aside restraint, he allowed Yusuke to fully see him without the usual barriers he faced the world.

"Yes..." he said softly, reading the sudden guarded wariness in Yusuke's eyes. "This stopped being a game when you carried me out of the ring during the Dark Tournament."

After dropping a surprisingly gentle kiss on the still parted lips, Kurama stepped back from Yusuke’s all too tempting body. Facing closing, he retreated behind his usual barriers. Once again donning a familiar guise, that of the inscrutable clever fox.

Yusuke felt a strong need to cry or howl in denial.

But Kurama was speaking again. "I'll be leaving in two days to go back to America. I'll be gone for about a week. Use that time to decide if you want this to continue." He hesitated, before slowly continuing, "If you decide against continuing, you don't have to worry. We...were friends first," the green eyes were solemn, “and that would be something I would not willingly lose."

A playful smile suddenly lit the intense green eyes. "Though naturally I wouldn't object to deepening our relationship," he added with an exaggerated leer.

After the suddenly tension filled moment, it was a relief to Yusuke to laugh, even if his response was a little shaky. "Jerk..."

Kurama's slow smile was his reward. He flushed and looked down. A slim finger to his chin turned his face back towards the kitsune.

The kiss this time was hard and unmistakably possessive. Full of scorching heat, it brought to mind sweaty bodies twisting and straining, united in passion.

As his lips were teased apart, Yusuke found himself in a familiar yet completely strange situation.

Kissing he knew…hell, he could write a book on kisses. In the beginning of their relationship, Keiko had set a great emphasis on that ‘good girl’ image of hers.

In her book, good girls sure as hell did not put out. And she wasn’t shy about beating that belief into his ‘thick skull’ as she put it.

Keiko had had a lot of rules.

Thankfully, she had no problems about kissing. Kissing was good.

And if that was all he could get out of it, then he was sure as fuck gonna take it. He had been pretty sure he could wear her down.

It took almost a year.

So he knew a hell of a lot about kissing. Secretly he considered himself something of an expert.

One kiss from Kurama, and he knew he was in the presence of a true master.

And the strange part? He was getting hard…just from kissing Kurama.

A guy!

Breath coming hard and fast, and mind becoming scattered, Yusuke simply abandoned all thought and focused on what was in front of him.

Kurama.

As Kurama hungrily explored his neck, a breathy moan spilled from Yusuke. He licked his lips, tasting and savoring the flavor on his tongue. It was a taste he immediately associated Kurama.

It was somehow uniquely Kurama.

On the surface, it lulled the senses with a gentle sweetness. But lurking under that sweetness was alluring seductiveness, a darkness that hinted at a sensual darkness—a hungry carnality that had Yusuke’s blood racing wildly.

It shook Yusuke to the core and ignited the seeds of desire that Kurama had so carefully nurtured.

And it brought about resurgence of desire for the deceptively frail looking kitsune.

He moaned, arched into Kurama's surprisingly strong hold. Body on fire, he burned every where Kurama touched. Caught in the fine web Kurama spun, he was hardly aware that they were moving.

With one hand, Kurama blindly yanked, spinning a chair around. Sitting, he drew Yusuke down, straddling his lap. Fingers swift and clever, he soon had their shirts opened and pants undone. It took only a moment for him to gain access to what he truly wanted and craved.

Then he was holding both their straining erections in one hand.

At the first touch of hot flesh against his own, Yusuke wrenched his mouth from Kurama to stare with widened eyes down at them. Reflexively his hips flexed, rubbing his weeping aching shaft against Kurama’s.

The mind blowing pleasure that rocked through him nearly made him lose consciousness. It was too much and he said as much.

“Oh, God…!” he choked out. Losing all resistance, he dove forward, seeking Kurama’s enticing lips. He forgot all his reasons why this couldn’t happen.

Hips pumping, desperation rising, he sought the fulfillment Kurama’s touch promised.

He didn’t have far to go, as Kurama was in as much hurry as he.

A finishing adroit movement of his wrist, a final stroke of his thumb over both slick, wet shafts and Yusuke came with a low, wailing cry.

With a shout of his own, Kurama followed soon after.

Dropping his head onto Kurama’s shoulders, Yusuke rested while he regained his ability to breath.

“Dammit, you gotta stop doing this…” Yusuke’s voice was a hoarse rasp without any real heat. He was deliciously limp and pliant against kitsune’s slim form. He could barely move, much less generate any genuine or fake anger.

Ducking his head, Kurama lapped languidly at the sweat gathered in the hollow of Yusuke’s throat. Continuing the motion, he angled towards the beguiling neck that Yusuke offered so freely. As ever, he was awed by the sheer trust Yusuke exhibited. “All you have to do is just say ‘no’.”


* * *


Several mindmelting orgasms later, to Yusuke’s irritation by the time Kurama left, he still hadn’t figured out how to say ‘No’.