Effigies

By the time the boys made their way downstairs, Shiori had the table set and food on their plates. “It’s take out, I don’t have a lot of time tonight. Your grandmother called and wants me to come out to stay with her while grandfather is in the hospital.”

Kurama stopped behind his chair, “What happened?” He barely noticed when Yusuke put an arm around him.

Shiori sat and motioned the boys to join her, “Sit. Sit. He just collapsed at work. They’re not sure why. I’ll be gone about a month. I already took care of work. I went by your house on my way home, Yusuke, but no one was there. I went by the temple and Genkai said your mother had asked her to look after you. I asked her if she’d mind looking after you, too, Shuichi. She said it was okay. I picked up food and knocked on the door before I’d put it down. The point is, I have to catch the train tonight and I still have to pack.” She was talking fast.

“Mother, it’s okay,” Kurama managed to get in when she paused to breathe. “Go ahead and pack, I’ll put this in a bento for you to take with you, okay?” He walked around the table and lifted her gently by the hand. “Go pack, Mother.” He hugged her and pushed her toward the door.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, trying to face him as he pushed her.

“For what? For loving your parents?” He pulled her into a hug quickly, “I’ll be okay, Mother. I am able to take care of myself. Don’t worry, okay?” He pushed her away again, “Go, it’s okay.”

Both boys listened as Shiori clattered up the stairs. Kurama turned and picked up her plate and began carefully arranging the food in the travel box he normally used for school, the one his mother filled for him every morning. He took an apple from the refrigerator and cut it so the wedges looked like little rabbits, something Shiori had done for him when he was younger to help him feel better. During the whole process, his face was closed, and Yusuke watched from across the room. When Shiori came back down the stairs with a suitcase, Kurama handed her the box with a gentle smile, “I love you, Mother.”

Shiori took the box from him and set it down on top of her suitcase, “I love you too, Shuichi.” She hugged him tightly to her chest and he returned the embrace.

There was a knock on the door and it opened without waiting for an answer. Hatakama poked his head in, “I’m sorry, but we need to go so that we’ll catch the train, Shiori.”

Shiori began to leave without her luggage or dinner when Kurama called her back, holding up the items. She bustled back to him, took them, kissed his cheek and left.

Yusuke wrapped his arms around the redhead and Kurama turned to face his lover, “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Yusuke asked.

“I’m sad Grandfather’s sick, but I’m relieved she’s gone.”

“Why are you sorry about that? We both know something big is going to start soon, and you feel better with her out of the line of fire. That’s not bad, Kurama.”

Kurama nuzzled into Yusuke’s neck. “I’m also glad your mother’s gone,” he whispered.

“That makes two of us.” Kurama pulled back, and Yusuke continued, “If you had had my mother, you wouldn’t still be here, Kurama. We both know that. Don’t worry about being glad she’s gone.” He pushed Kurama toward the table, “Let’s eat.”

“You say that like it’ll cure everything,” Kurama snapped waspishly.

Yusuke stepped back, “What did I do?” he asked puzzled.

“Eating won’t solve everything.” Kurama sat in a huff.

Yusuke blinked at Kurama a couple of times. “I didn’t say it would.” He could feel the defensiveness rising in his throat. He took a deep breath, trying to forestall his own temper, “Kurama, I know you’re worried…”

“Of course I’m worried,” Kurama snapped.

Yusuke took another breath, “I’m going home.” He turned to walk out of the room when Kurama’s arms were around him from behind.

“I’m sorry I snapped. You were trying to help.”

“I know you get snappy when you’re worried, Kurama. But, I’m sure your grandfather’ll be okay and now you don’t have to worry about keeping your mother out of the line of fire for a month. It’s taken care of for you.”

Kurama rested his head on Yusuke’s shoulder and the brunet caressed his hair. “Let’s eat,” the redhead finally said and Yusuke’s stomach answered him, drawing a weak smile from both of them.

Yusuke pulled Kurama to the table, “I think it’ll help. We haven’t eaten all day and have been rather busy.”

Kurama looked into Yusuke’s face, “You don’t regret anything, do you?”

“Not a moment, Kurama,” the brunet answered, wrapping his arms around the redhead. “If you’ll remember, I pursued you.”

Kurama returned the hug, “Like I ran very fast.”

“Fast enough for you to catch me.” Yusuke squeezed Kurama, “I love you.” He pushed the redhead from him, “Sit, eat. I’m getting woozy.”

“Woozy? Oh, we don’t want that.” As Kurama sat, though, the humor drained from his face.

Yusuke sat and picked up his chopsticks, “What is it, Kurama?”

“Why aren’t they telling us what’s coming?”

“I don’t know, but worrying isn’t going to help us, Kurama. Eat, please.” The redhead opened his mouth to say something, and Yusuke used the opportunity to put food in his mouth. “No more talking until you eat.”

Kurama wrinkled his nose at the brunet but began eating. They ate in silence, hunger demanding their full attention now that it’d been tempted. When they finished, they silently stood and cleared the table. They washed the dishes in silence, lingering over the transfer of soapy dishes, their bodies pressed against each other, but no other teasing or touching.

When they were finished, Kurama laced his fingers through Yusuke’s hand, “Let’s go sit in the living room and talk a bit.” He led the brunet into the living room and sat sideways on the couch, one leg propped up against the back of it, the other dangling off. He pulled Yusuke into the space between his legs, having the brunet lean against his leg and chest, and brought his other leg over Yusuke’s lap. Kurama encouraged Yusuke to rest his head against his shoulder and then leaned his cheek on the brunet’s head.

They sat like that for a while, silent. After a long time, Yusuke whispered, “Kurama?”

“Did your research tell you that kitsune are possessive, Yusuke?”

Yusuke moved to look at Kurama, but the redhead kept his head on his shoulder. “No,” Yusuke finally said.

“We are, especially of our mates.”

“Mates?” Yusuke asked, beginning to feel a little panicked in Kurama’s hold. “What are you saying, Kurama?”

“Yusuke, I love you. I don’t want to share you.”

“I’m not ready to be anybody’s mate, Kurama.”

“That’s not what I’m asking for, Yusuke.” He sighed, “Yusuke, what I’m trying to say, but not doing very well, apparently, is we’re together, Yusuke, a couple. I don’t want to share you.”

Yusuke frowned, “This has to do with what we were talking about in the bathroom?”

“Yes. Why did you bring up Hiei, Yusuke?”

“I…I love you, and I want you to know I’m okay with whatever you need. What if I can’t…what if I’m not enough for you?”

Kurama pulled Yusuke away from his chest, “You are more than enough, Yusuke. I don’t want anyone else, my love, nor do I need anyone else.” He pulled Yusuke in and kissed the brunet gently, “You are more than I could ask for. That you love me is more than I hoped for, Yusuke.” He caressed the brunet’s cheek, “But, that you love me and I love you makes you, in a way, mine. My mate, if you will, or just my boyfriend. They mean the same thing, more or less.”

“You’re hedging, Kurama. They do not mean the same thing. What does it mean to be your mate?” Yusuke began to pull away from the redhead.

Kurama kept his leg over Yusuke’s lap, but allowed Yusuke to move away from his body. “It means that you’re the only person I turn to to meet my physical needs, Yusuke. It means that I’ll turn to you in need, no matter what form those needs take, be it for support, reassurance, to be held, no matter what.”

“Like we’re married or something?” Yusuke asked.

Kurama frowned, brushing Yusuke’s hair back from his face, “No, not exactly. Demon mates are closer to dating than marriage. Bonding is more like marriage.”

“So, it just means you’re my boyfriend and you don’t want to share? You want to go steady?” Kurama nodded. “But, what about Hiei? Won’t he get sick?”

“No, Yusuke. He just functions better with regular release.” Kurama tipped his head, “It’s a way to releasing tension, but not vital.” He brushed back Yusuke’s hair again, smiling slightly, “Do you really want to share me?”

“No, not really.”

“I’m glad,” Kurama answered, hugging Yusuke back to his chest. Yusuke wrapped his arms around Kurama as well as he could and the redhead sighed again, “I’m so glad, Yusuke.”

Yusuke tipped his head up and began kissing the underside of Kurama’s chin, slowly savoring the feel of his lover on his lips. Kurama sighed and hugged Yusuke to his chest, his arms caressing the brunet’s body.

“Would you like another lesson, Yusuke?” Kurama asked.

“I thought you said I wasn’t ready for more,” Yusuke murmured as his lips went to the redhead’s neck.

“You’re not ready to have me in your body, but there are other things we can use, Yusuke.”

“What you had in your drawer?” Yusuke asked, pulling away to look the redhead in the eye.

“Among other places.”

“Other places?”

“Yes, other places. I also have lube in my room, and that works better than lotion.”

“Why didn’t you get it earlier?”

“You didn’t want me to leave, so I used what was closest.”

“What else do you have up there?” Yusuke asked.

“If I told you, would it make sense?” Kurama asked

Yusuke considered, “Probably not. But, what are you going to do?”

“Show you how to play with some of them.” Kurama bent in and kissed the brunet, somewhat more than chaste, his hand sliding behind his neck as his tongue slipped between their lips. After caressing Yusuke’s palate with his tongue, Kurama pulled back, “Interested?”

Yusuke pulled Kurama’s hand down, bringing it to his hardening shaft, “What do you think?”

Kurama rubbed through Yusuke’s pants, “All that from a little kiss?”

“And you asking if I wanted to make love to you. Is it bad that I’m relieved you don’t want to involve Hiei, too?”

“No, not really. I was very surprised you brought it up.”

Yusuke shifted his hips under Kurama’s hand, “We went over that. I want to go upstairs and see what else you have hidden.”

“My, my, so eager a lover I’ve found,” Kurama laughed.

Yusuke shifted so he was on his knees in the circle of Kurama’s legs, “I want you to show me how many ways we can make love. I want you to show me everything, Kurama.”

Kurama caressed Yusuke’s cheek, “That’s going to take a while, my love.”

“All the better. Let’s go or I’m gonna start practicing my last lesson on you here.”

“Oh, the decisions,” Kurama teased, gasping a little when Yusuke caressed him through his pants.

“You’re excited about something,” Yusuke grinned. He bent forward, brushing his lips against the redhead’s. “Let’s go.”

Yusuke slithered out of Kurama’s legs, the redhead letting him go and they stood together. Before they’d gotten more than a step, though, arms were around each other, lips locked, tongues exploring as bodies rocked together. Kurama managed to get them to the wall, using it as a guide to find the door way. When he stumbled over the first step of the staircase, they managed to break apart, laughing. “Someone’s anxious,” Kurama teased.

“Only one?” Yusuke returned.

“Let’s go,” Kurama grabbed his hand and practically dragged the brunet up the stairs behind him. He managed to get inside his room before pressing Yusuke against the wall, kissing him deeply, his tongue exploring the brunet’s mouth as if he’d never get enough.

Yusuke moaned, his hands working on pulling Kurama’s shirt out of his pants, struggling to bare the skin below. He was starting to feel light headed when Kurama’s lips left his and the redhead stood back far enough that they weren’t quite touching anymore. Yusuke started to say something, but the redhead held up his hand, panting. There was a look of concentration on Kurama’s face and he finally spoke, “I want you so much, Yusuke.”

The brunet paused, “I’m not going anywhere, Kurama. You can have me.”

“I’m not scaring you?” Kurama’s eyes were concerned.

“Why? Cause you’re horny as hell? Because you want me so much you can’t help but show me? No, Kurama, you’re not scaring me. I feel the same way about you. I don’t want to stop touching you.” Yusuke reached out for the redhead when Kurama pressed his hands to the wall.

“You,” Kurama kissed Yusuke’s mouth, “are,” lips against his jaw, “amazing,” teeth grazed Yusuke’s throat, drawing a groan mixed with a whine from the brunet. Yusuke arched his head back, opening himself, making himself vulnerable to whatever the redhead would do. Kurama continued nipping at his neck. He pressed his body against Yusuke’s, drawing another whine from his lover’s throat. He pulled back, “Tell me, Yusuke, do you want to be tied down, or would you like to have a toy up your ass?”

“Tied down?” Yusuke asked, nervousness in his lust-filled voice.

“Just your hands, pretty much what I’m doing to you now.” Kurama kept their groins pressed together, but seriousness was beginning to show through the lust glaze in his green eyes. “Say no if you’re uncomfortable with it, Yusuke.”

Yusuke considered a moment, looking at his hands and then the redhead, “I’m okay if you’re holding me, but I don’t think I’m ready if it’s not you holding me.”

“That’s fine, Yusuke. You don’t ever have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“I want you to show me your toys, though.” Yusuke rocked his hips into Kurama’s.

“You do, do you?” Kurama asked, laughing as he pulled Yusuke away from the wall, turning the brunet so his back pressed against the redhead’s chest and walked them over to the closet. Opening the door, he pointed to a wooden box, “In there,” he wrapped his arms around Yusuke’s waist and put his chin on his shoulder.

Yusuke tried to glance at Kurama, but it was difficult with the redhead so close. He reached out and touched the box. “In here?”

“Yes. Pull it out and hold onto it.” He then walked them over to the bed and slid back, pulling Yusuke down between his legs. As the brunet was about to open the box, Kurama put his hands on Yusuke’s and nuzzled into his neck. “Three things first, my love. Three things to remember when playing with toys, or with each other, actually.” He began kissing Yusuke’s neck as he spoke, “One, use plenty of lube, or something like it. Lube is best, lotion will work. Water’s not so great, but it’ll work if we’re in a shower or something like that.” He worked his hands under Yusuke’s shirt and pulled it off. “Two, relax. Tension is very bad, and things could get seriously damaged if you’re tense while we play. Same goes the other way, too. If I’m doing something you don’t like, tell me. It’s more important that you enjoy yourself than we do everything, okay, Yusuke?” The brunet nodded while Kurama’s hands wandered his chest. “And, three, cleanliness is vital for toys and ourselves. Everything I have is made of silicone so it’s easy to clean. Besides, dirty toys, be they what’s in the box, or this,” he caressed Yusuke’s shaft through the brunet’s jeans, “are just not appealing.”

“No, they’re not,” Yusuke agreed breathily.

Kurama placed his hands on the back of Yusuke’s and used the brunet’s hands to open the box. Yusuke’s eyes went wide as he surveyed the contents of the box, very few of the items making any sense to him. There were several sizes and shapes that looked similar to what Kurama told him was an anal plug, some with wires and little boxes attached. He frowned, trying to understand while Kurama lifted out a large bottle of clear thick fluid. “This is lube, Yusuke.” He reached in and picked up a string of graduated balls, the smallest barely as big around as Yusuke’s pinky, the largest about as round as his first two fingers combined, “And these are anal beads. This is what we’re going to play with today.”

Yusuke reached up to touch the beads and Kurama laid them in his hand, putting the lube down beside his leg and then closing the box and setting it off of Yusuke’s lap. “You’re going to put these in me?”

“If you’re okay with it, yes.”

Yusuke turned the string in front of his eyes, “Does it feel good?”

“I think so.”

“And it won’t hurt me?”

“It may a little when we get to the larger ones, but it shouldn’t be very bad at all. If it does hurt, I want you to tell me.”

“What else are you going to do, Kurama?”

“Do you like surprises?” the redhead asked, his voice full of lust.

“Depends. I’ll let you know,” Yusuke grinned.

“Lay down, Yusuke.” Kurama guided the brunet’s hips out of his lap and then moved the box off the bed, then folded his legs under himself.

Yusuke looked up at Kurama and pouted, “You’re overdressed.”

Kurama looked down, “I suppose I am.” He smiled and ran his hands down his chest, pulling his shirt out of his pants slowly, teasingly while watching Yusuke’s face. When the brunet reached up to help, Kurama shook his head, “Watch.” Yusuke’s lip pushed itself out while he watched the redhead continue to slowly work his shirt out of his pants. Kurama then slid one hand under his shirt, caressing his abdomen while the other hand worked over the shirt on his chest. He walked on his knees over Yusuke until his hips were over the brunet’s and then began gyrating them to some internal music, still watching Yusuke’s face. The pout lost footing to lust as Kurama tossed his hair over his shoulder and licked his lips. He lowered his hips so that he was grinding Yusuke through their pants while he pulled his shirt up, tossing it off. He then let his upper body fall forward and claimed Yusuke’s mouth, marking every bit of it as his own. Pulling back to breathe, he asked, “Better?”

Yusuke panted, “Shit, I’d love to see the whole show.”

Kurama grinned and kissed Yusuke again, a little less possessively but no less passionately. “I’d like to see you put on a show, too, my love.”

Kurama’s lips worked their way down Yusuke’s chin and neck, careful not to mark the brunet’s flesh this time. It’d be difficult enough to hide the bruises they already had. He slowly traced the veins that beat so close to the surface of Yusuke’s skin, feeling the rapid pulse and the vibrations of pleasured noises tickle his lips. His hands caressed Yusuke’s sides, running up and down his ribcage until the brunet’s hands tangled in his hair and then he used his hands to work the clinging fingers out of his red locks and pinned them to the bed, all the while, kissing a trail to Yusuke’s nipple slowly. “Please don’t miss it this time,” the brunet begged.

Kurama hummed and continued his torturously slow trail, tracing the firm lines of his lover’s chest, following the breast bone down to the lower border of the pectoral muscle then following that around until he was circling the darkened areola. Yusuke again whined out “Please…” his words dissolving to a cry of pleasure when Kurama took the flesh into his mouth and sucked. His body began to writhe under the redhead, his hips lifting off the mattress, seeking something to find friction against. Kurama kept his body just out of reach, drawing out more whines from the brunet.

Kurama lifted his head, “If you’re good and keep your hands out of my hair, I’ll help you.”

“You don’t like me playing with your hair?” Yusuke asked, confused.

“For right now, I want you not to, but I do like it.

Yusuke frowned, “That doesn’t make sense.”

“It will make more sense later,” Kurama promised. “Will you be good?”

“I’ll be good.”

Kurama nuzzled into Yusuke’s chest, “Good boy.” He then released Yusuke’s wrists and began working on the button of his pants, trailing his mouth over to Yusuke’s other nipple. He watched out of the corner of his eye while Yusuke’s hands fisted in the sheets and the brunet cried out. He used Yusuke’s next thrust toward his body to pull his pants down his hips and the brunet gasped when his bare skin touched the mattress. Any comments he would have made were cut off as Kurama began a quick trail from nipple to navel, nipping at the sensitive spots he’d found before. Yusuke continued to wriggle beneath him and he worked his pants off by encouraging the brunet to lift his legs so that his feet were resting on the bed. He reached down and pulled the bottle of lube and then felt around for the beads, finding them where Yusuke had dropped them to play with his hair. He sat up a little, stroking the back of Yusuke’s legs, “Are you ready, my love?”

Yusuke’s eyes were dark, drowning in need, as he looked at Kurama, “Yeah.”

Kurama kissed his knee and then put a large amount of lube in his hand. He watched Yusuke’s eyes as he trailed the beads through the lube, each one picking up a thick coating of the gel on one side. He then flipped them and drew them across his palm again. He closed his hand and coated his fingers with the rest of the lube and very carefully caressed Yusuke’s opening. The brunet’s face flickered a slight discomfort and then relaxed as he rocked his hips, making it easier for Kurama to reach the pucker. Slowly, Kurama lowered the beads between his lubed fingers and pinched the first one into Yusuke’s body. Again, discomfort flitted across his face, but was quickly replaced by pleasure. “Yusuke?” Kurama asked.

“I’m okay, Kurama. It feels good.” The brunet’s voice was breathy, but held no pain.

Kurama smiled and eased the next ball into his lover. Yusuke moaned and rocked his hips as Kurama began kissing his knee and thigh, slowly squeezing in each ball until they were all in his lover, only the ring hanging out. Yusuke’s chest glistened with sweat and his shaft dripped freely on his abdomen as he panted, his eyes barely focused trying to look at Kurama. “What’s next?” he managed to ask.

Kurama smiled at the obvious pleasure Yusuke was in. He knew what he’d do next would make his lover very happy. “The rest of the show,” he murmured, standing up on his knees and caressing his hips through his pants.

Hunger made its way into Yusuke’s eyes, “And then?”

“A surprise.” Kurama’s hands made their way to his button and slowly worked it open, then trailed the zipper cover, teasing his erection through the cloth. He cupped his balls and then worked his hands back up to undo the zipper, pulling it down to reveal his shaft, almost as red as the curls at its base. “A big surprise,” he teased, slowly pulling his pants down, making it look easy as he worked them down his thighs and lifted each knee to slide them all the way off his legs. He picked up the bottle of lube and poured more into his hand. “Do you wanna guess what it is?” he purred.

Yusuke thrust into the air, “Gods, Kurama!”

Kurama pulled Yusuke’s legs down and again straddled him. He brought his lube filled hand to the brunet’s shaft and began caressing the length. Yusuke whined in pleasure, “I get to be in you?” he panted out.

“Yes, my love.”

“I like that surprise,” Yusuke groaned as he watched Kurama straddle his hips.

Kurama rocked up onto his toes from his knees as he slowly lowered himself onto Yusuke’s shaft, using one hand to hold his lover’s erection and the other to spread his cheeks. His back arched and noises of pleasure made their way up from the intrusion into his body as he slid lower down his lover’s erection. When he was fully seated, he managed to look back at Yusuke, the green of his eyes nearly swallowed by black, “That’s not your surprise.”

“Wha…” before Yusuke could finish the word, Kurama gyrated his hips, pulling a near scream of pleasure from the brunet’s throat.

“It’s a surprise,” Kurama panted. He set a pace he knew would soon have them screaming in release, riding Yusuke’s cock, causing it to brush frequently against his prostate. He felt Yusuke’s hands on his legs and he pulled one down, encouraging him to pull on his erection. “You’ve got one, you know what to do with it.”

Yusuke managed a grin, “You mean this?” He slid his hand up Kurama’s shaft, twisting and squeezing his hand in a rippling motion, rubbing his palm over the head and then pulling back down with tight pressure. Kurama groaned and nodded, unable to form words. He reached back between Yusuke’s legs, finding the ring and began to ride the brunet in earnest as Yusuke continued to work his shaft. Kurama’s hips worked in a wild pattern, trying to thrust into Yusuke’s hand and ride his erection. Orgasm was beckoning him, a bright shining light calling him, but he had one last thing to do before he could follow.

Yusuke’s body began to tense, his voice becoming a near constant scream. Just as Kurama felt his shaft pulse in his ass, he pulled the beads out and Yusuke thrust hard into his body, screaming. Kurama’s body shuddered, but his release was denied him because Yusuke’s hand had clamped hard around his shaft. He pulled Yusuke’s hand off and thrust his hips a couple more times as his body fell forward onto Yusuke’s, dragging his erection along the brunet’s body, finding his release in a haze of white and brown as he buried his face in Yusuke’s neck.

Their bodies trembled as they struggled to remember how to breathe. Yusuke lay limply beneath Kurama, unable to move, or think. Finally, words made their way to his lips, “That was fucking incredible.”

Kurama managed to nuzzle into his neck, “Yes, you were.” He managed to push himself up to his elbows, “Let’s clean off quickly and then we need to sleep. We both have school in the morning.

Yusuke looked at the bedside clock, “Shit! I don’t have time to get home and back with a uniform.”

“We’ll wake up early and you can get it then.” Kurama pushed himself up by painful inches.

“I’m supposed to walk to school with Keiko and Kuwabara in the morning, too,” Yusuke groaned, rolling to his side to follow Kurama to the bathroom.

Kurama laced his fingers through Yusuke’s, “So, we’ll set the alarm so you get home in time to change and meet them.”

“And, how do we explain this?” Yusuke asked pointing at his neck.

Kurama looked at the area in question, frowning, “You heal quickly.”

“What?” Yusuke asked.

“Look in the mirror. There’s not a mark on you.” They both turned and faced the mirror. Kurama pouted, “Nor on me. And you did such good work, too.”

Yusuke’s eyes were serious, “What do we tell them, Kurama?”

“What do you want to tell them, Yusuke?”

The brunet sighed, “I haven’t figured that out yet. I love you, I love you very much, but I don’t want to put up with their crap if they’re going to get all bigoted on us.”

Kurama rested his chin on Yusuke’s shoulder, watching his lover in the mirror, “Do you think they will?”

Yusuke sighed and leaned back into Kurama’s chest, “I don’t know. Can we think about it a little longer?” He turned to face Kurama, “It’s not that I’m ashamed of you, but…”

Kurama cut him off with a gentle kiss, “I understand. The people who truly matter already know. We can tell the others if and when we decide to.”

Yusuke smiled and led Kurama into the bathroom. He turned on the water while Kurama soaped the beads he’d picked up off the bed. “Why’d you pull them out?” Yusuke asked.

“Because it feels good, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Yusuke smiled and then frowned, “Was I hurting you?”

“What do you mean?” Kurama held the beads under the warm water, rinsing off all the soap.

“You pulled my hand off.” Yusuke’s expression was full of concern.

“No, not really hurt, you just weren’t letting me come and I really wanted to. Later, I’ll show you how to play that way, too.”

“Oh, I’m…” He was cut off as lips firmly closed over his.

“Don’t apologize for enjoying yourself.”

Yusuke grinned, “I enjoyed you a lot. Can’t wait for more.” A yawn broke through his grin.

“Maybe after school? We won’t have time in the morning.”

“Yeah, sounds like a plan. Here or my place?”

Kurama shrugged, “Why don’t we decide tomorrow.” A yawn stretched his words out as he cleaned his lower body. “Done?”

Yusuke nodded, “You?”

“Yeah. Let’s go to bed, my love.” He hung the beads on the shower handle after he turned it off and took the towel Yusuke handed him. They both dried quickly and crawled into bed, Kurama spooning Yusuke to his chest.

Sleep came to them quickly, bringing dreams of happiness and stirrings of ill ease. Kurama’s arm tightened around Yusuke as he dreamed of the brunet being taken from him. Yusuke wriggled closer to Kurama, seeking comfort from some unknown enemy in the gentle strength of his lover’s arms.

The alarm shattered their dreams into vague stirrings of disquiet. Silently, they dressed, Kurama in his school uniform, Yusuke in his shirt and jeans so he could go home. They shared a kiss that bordered on desperation before Yusuke left, but no words. Words would shatter their idyll and they could not bear that. Little did they know before night fall, the world would finally reveal what they’d been expecting.

A/N: As I said somewhere in one of these comments, this story filled the space between the Dark Arts Tournament and the Sensui arc...and now you should see how it ties back in, ne? Enjoy, leave cookies.