::This story is a sequel to my fic titled Everything I Own. The events ahead take place in the year 2113, long after the events of Yu Yu Hakusho. If you haven't read Everything I Own, some elements of this first chapter may leave you confused, but to elaborate: Kurama's human body has been dead for about 50 years. Reborn once again as Youko Kurama, he is living with Hiei in his den known as the Valley of Thorns. Also, readers should note that this Kurama retains Shuuichi Minamino's personality, he is NOT the original Youko Kurama. That said, this story will feature new characters, and many from the series. And now... please enjoy this fanfiction!::
In a wooded lowland known as the Valley of Thorns, seated in the far Western reaches of the Makai, sat a small demon, polishing his sword and staring up into the vibrant blue sky that spread out above him. He was perched on a grassy mound which concealed a burrow, not far beneath the earth, that was his home. He had risen not so long ago when the sun was already high overhead to find his lover had left at some time during his sleep. He now waited, quietly, though impatiently, for his companion's return.
Before long, the towering wall of thorns that surrounded the small valley parted, and a magnificent white beast stepped nimbly through the opening. The barrier closed quickly at his heels and the figure approached the burrow, his silky white tail swishing behind him.
"Where have you been?" Hiei said grouchily as he thrust his sword back into its sheath.
"I was catching breakfast," replied Kurama, dumping a half dozen freshly caught fish from a woven satchel into Hiei's lap. "I hope you don't mind scaling them, I'm very tired," he said, yawning and twitching his ear.
"Hn, why do you think that is? You kept me up all night..." said Hiei, staring down at the plump fish and anticipating how good they would taste once he sank his teeth into them.
"Yes, but it was very enjoyable, wasn't it?" Kurama replied with a smirk and ruffled Hiei's dark hair affectionately.
"It's dangerous to go out during the day..." Hiei said, warningly. Kurama could sense the concern masked in his words and smiled softly. "The price on the head of the great silver fox is nothing to be laughed at."
"I'm sure the bounty on your delectable hide is just as high," replied Kurama without concern, earning an angry leer. He then ducked through the opening Hiei sat above and entered their burrow, crawling into the mound of furs against the far wall that served as their bed. He slipped off his pants and shoes, the ends of his trailing tunic slipping gracefully across his long legs as he stretched and made himself comfortable.
"You're going back to sleep?" Hiei said, poking his head through the earthen portal.
"Wake me up when breakfast is ready, please," Kurama said in a voice muffled by a thick layer of fur, and ignored the penetrating glare Hiei was casting at him.
"I shouldn't save you any, stupid fox..." Hiei continued to mumble a selection of entirely un-witty insults concerning Kurama as he made his way to the fire pit and grabbed a knife to start scaling the fish.
Fifty years had passed since the death of Shuuichi Minamino and the rebirth of the spirit fox, Youko Kurama. It was here in the Valley of Thorns, his most cherished burrow, that Hiei had found him not long after his reincarnation. Just as he had upon their very first meeting, Kurama had saved Hiei's life, and the two soon reconciled their long estrangement and became lovers.
After living a decade in peaceful solitude, getting to know each other again, the pair became bored. And so, seeking fulfillment, Kurama had taken to teaching Hiei all of his old tricks in the art of thievery. Several years passed in this manner, and word soon spread of the duo of robbers who came by night, entering fortresses thought to be impenetrable and cleaning them of their valuables. Stories of the Untouchable Bandits, as they came to be called, traveled to the far reaches of the Makai, and before long Kurama and Hiei had become legends once again, though their identities remained shrouded in mystery.
Rumors flew between demons concerning the great fox who had been feared so long ago, and the former general of Mukuro, his constant companion during the days of the Three Kings' rein. Because Kurama and Hiei chose to remain hidden, however, these tales remained rumors and nothing more. Many hunters had sought them out, determined to dispel the secrecy surrounding the Untouchables and return with the tail of Youko Kurama, or the still living Jagan of Hiei the Swordsman. All had failed.
The two demons now lived comfortably in their burrow, Kurama reveling in his treasures, Hiei honing his skills, and both loving each other completely.
"There has been a lot of gossip circulating in the village, lately," Kurama said the next day.
"Interesting..." Hiei mumbled, though sounding entirely uninterested. He was not really listening, as he was focused on the pleasurable feeling of the fox's fingertips kneading against his scalp, washing his hair. The pair sat in a pool at the foot of a waterfall not far from their burrow, the only source of water that was within the thorny border of their valley.
"I hear another tournament is being held next year," he continued. Hiei's attention perked slightly at these words.
"So word of those tournaments has reached all the way to this territory?" mused Hiei. He recalled the last battle he had been a part of with a sort of longing.
Enki, winner of the first demon tournament, had ruled over the realm that had once been divided between the Three Kings for many years, and had stayed true to his word, continuing the tradition Yusuke had begun. Many tournaments had come and gone during those decades. The power shifted regularly between rulers, first to Hokushin, former general of Raizen, and then rotated for several years between Enki and his wife, Kokou. Mukuro and Hiei had competed together many times, but had never been able to win the final match, their overconfidence leading them to exhaust all their energy during earlier rounds. Yomi, who had vowed to regain his throne, had returned only once, and soon went into exile with his son Shura, presumably to rebuild his kingdom in some remote corner of the Makai.
The long standing tradition of the tournaments had gradually died out, however, and in recent years, conflict between the Makai and the world of humans had thrown the land into disarray.
"Chaos has led many demons to seek a new type of leader," Kurama explained as he worked his hands through Hiei's hair. "The Ningenkai is still thoroughly entrenched in their third world war, and the amount of demon hunters crossing the border has increased exponentially. Demons of Super S class rank are beginning to resurface, creatures far older than even myself, and much, much older than a child like you," he added, realizing Hiei was not paying attention.
"I am no child," he said lowly. "I've lived for nearly two hundred years, fox."
"Hardly," scoffed Kurama, kneading his knuckles against Hiei's skull a bit more forcefully.
"What difference do a few decades make, anyway?" he growled.
"You have yet to reach your one hundred fiftieth birthday and already you're having delusions of maturity," Kurama said, tsk-ing and shaking his head.
"Look, I'm not going to let you bathe me anymore if you don't be quiet," he snapped. All the kitsune's chattering was effectively ruining the enjoyment of his bath.
"I was not aware I needed your permission to do anything," said Kurama, smirking.
"Don't think you're in charge of what I do, Kurama..." he threatened.
In spite of causing him immense pain, and waiting nearly half a century to be reunited with the boy he had grown to love, Hiei had quickly returned to his irritable self after mating with Kurama. He regularly took the doting protection of the kitsune for granted, a sign of his immaturity and carelessness. Luckily, though, Kurama loved him enough to not be bothered by this selfishness, and was thoroughly aware of how devoted Hiei was to him deep down.
"I'm simply worried about you, Hiei," Kurama said, slipping his powerful arms around his lover's tiny waist. "The reemergence of these ancient monsters makes the Makai a dangerous place for demons like us."
"We're strong enough..." he mumbled, though in reality, he was quite unsure of the scope of a Super S class's power.
"Don't underestimate the strength of demons which have lived since our world's conception. Even at the height of their glory days, Mukuro and Yomi would have been no match for that sort of prehistoric darkness."
As he tried to imagine the destruction that could be caused by such a terrible being, Hiei suddenly did feel as though he were a child. His lifetime was a mere speck on the page of existence.
----
That night, Kurama and Hiei laid together, tangled in their furs and each others limbs. Hiei was nearly lost beneath the massive kitsune as he was kissed and nuzzled with urgent affection. Kurama's tail twitched and wagged excitedly until it caused the warm fur blanket to slide off his bare back and expose him to the night.
He looked up from the attention he was providing Hiei and gazed out the mouth of the burrow.
"Mm, it's very cold tonight..."
"Who cares about that?" Hiei murmured, tugging on Kurama's long hair and trying to pull their mouths back together.
"Let me close off the entrance," Kurama said, untangling Hiei from his hair and rising from the bed. He stood in the doorway for a moment, the breeze stinging his naked skin with an unusual coldness.
"Something feels strange," he said softly as he pulled the tanned hide that had been dangling down across the opening. He pinned it in place to block the wind before climbing back into bed with an annoyed looking Hiei.
"I could have kept you warm enough by myself..." he said, glaring. Kurama smirked and leaned back down to surround Hiei in his strong arms.
"I guess you're right."
Hiei gazed up expectantly and observed Kurama's face descending slowly towards his mouth. The kitsune pressed his lips firmly down and let his air supply join with Hiei's, breathing along with him. Hiei ran the tip of his tongue over Kurama's long fangs, shimmering white and much larger than his own.
Kurama pulled Hiei's small body closer, rolling them to the side and running his claws down the demon's sinewy back and along his thighs. Hiei shivered in response, nipping at the tips of the fox's furry ears. He kneaded his fingers deeply into Kurama's broad shoulders, clinging closely to him. Kisses and gentle licks were left all over Hiei's body, leaving him writhing sensually. He dragged his fingers down until they laced with the silver fur of Kurama's tail, his other hand rubbing firmly at the spot where the silky appendage met his body.
Kurama growled lowly with pleasure, closing his yellow eyes and biting playfully at his lover's neck and shoulder. Hiei could feel a distinct heat forming within the fluffy mountain of white between Kurama's legs. His tailbone being one of the most sensitive areas of his mate's body, Hiei enjoyed paying particular attention to this spot. Making the kitsune shiver in pleasure made him feel like he had some sort of control over the crafty fox, even if it was only temporary.
Hiei was inched onto his back once more, and Kurama hovered above him on all fours, his knees on either side of the demon's legs. His red eyes closed in complete relaxation as Kurama's tongue began running gently over his whole torso. He played carelessly with strands of the kitsune's shimmering tail and relished the feeling of Kurama's licks washing over his hot body. Every inch of his throat was tended to, and then his collar bone and shoulders. Kurama soon moved to Hiei's chest, bathing and prodding at each of his tan nipples until he shivered, his small arms being covered in goose bumps.
Kurama's ears were perked up in extreme concentration as he licked down Hiei's abdomen and let his tongue dip into the narrow bellybutton. Hiei squirmed lightly, being more tickled than aroused at this.
"Cut that out," he complained softly, tugging a bit on Kurama's tail to gain his attention. The fox smirked and kissed Hiei's stomach in apology.
"I couldn't help myself." He leaned down further, extending his rear end high into the air and swishing his tail as he continued to lick down Hiei's torso. He moved his eager tongue across the demon's bony hips, then down the center of his stomach, soaking the wispy trail of feathery black hair that lead gradually downward.
Hiei leaned his head against the plush furs, straining his back, trying to push himself in further as he felt Kurama's warm tongue caressing his forming arousal. His ruby eyes were half concealed by heavy lids and he breathed out deeply, staring up at the ceiling of the burrow. The strong wall he kept around his feelings and thoughts was completely broken at times like this; he simply panted in and out, handing himself over to Kurama.
The fox licked and sucked at Hiei until his excitement reached its peak, throbbing and aching for more. Kurama heard a low groan as he left his station, crawling back up over top of Hiei and smiling down at him, licking at his fangs and observing the tortured little form beneath him.
Hiei glowered upwards, his eyes narrowed.
"Why must you always stop in the middle like this, just to watch me..." he sighed, Kurama playfully nipping at the side of his neck and smirking.
"Seeing you so desperate is very arousing, I can't help it," he said, wagging his tail and positioning himself between Hiei's waiting legs.
The demon rested his feet on the back of Kurama's calves as his hips were lifted effortlessly up, allowing the kitsune access inside. Hiei held onto his lover, gripping at the long white hair and grunting quietly as he was penetrated. Kurama moved in, deeply and carefully, until the thick white fur that covered his groin was pressed up against Hiei's body.
Hiei sighed, all thoughts were gone from his mind as Kurama began sliding in and out steadily. His long arms were around Hiei's back, his claws digging into his skin. Whether this act was intentional or not, Hiei did not care, he knew Kurama, too, was losing himself in bliss. The kitsune nipped at his lover's ears, his thighs tensing with each swift motion.
Hiei was brought out of his pleasure induced stupor when Kurama's mouth touched his lips. He allowed his eyelids to part, looking up to see the fox's back arched uncomfortably to correct their difference in height and kiss him. Hiei smiled into the kiss, clinging to his mate and purring with gratitude and longing.
When their kiss was broken, Kurama began thrusting with more force, getting down to the business at hand. Hiei gasped with each pound of Kurama's body, feeling strong jabs of delight shooting up through his stomach. It was as though each wave of pleasure was directed into his arousal, causing it to pulsate more painfully, approaching climax with increasing speed.
Kurama's sweat dripped down onto his forehead; the kitsune's face was tensed and eager. Hiei reached down, wanting to pet Kurama's tail, but found he could not reach. He settled for massaging his back, stroking lightly the smooth white skin. Kurama let out a small groan, pushing inside Hiei at full speed now, causing steady gasps to escape the demon. His gentle massage was forgotten and he clutched at Kurama's body desperately, writhing. The pressure in his groin was almost unbearable and it suddenly exploded forth, covering Kurama's hard abdomen with a sticky wetness.
The kitsune whimpered and rammed up inside rapidly for the last few times before his climax reached him. He gasped, shuddering and collapsing on top of Hiei. He felt the hot demon nuzzling and kissing his chest.
Kurama shifted to the side, rubbing his face against the soft fur beneath him and settling into place. His fox's member remained swollen with lust, trapped within Hiei and unable to budge. Hiei had gotten used to this after many years of lovemaking with his mate, and they spent this time touching and kissing one another, rolling around together and remaining lost in their act of love.
"Nn, you're heavy..." Hiei groaned from beneath him. He shoved his hands up against Kurama's chest but found he was too spent to summon his youki and toss the massive fox aside.
Kurama giggled softly and rotated onto his side, pulling Hiei with him, as they were still attached. He smiled into the little demon's face, licking at the sweat on his cheeks and brow.
"You're not usually so grumpy at a time like this," Kurama commented, noticing the sleepy but annoyed look his partner wore.
"Hn... That strange wind you sensed before, I feel it too..." he said softly, playing with Kurama's waves of silver hair.
"Oh, I suppose I had forgotten," Kurama replied, yawning deeply and pulling the covers over them. He felt his softened member finally slip from Hiei's body, and he shifted in place, pulling the demon close and settling down for the night. He kissed at the slight blush that had not yet left Hiei's cheeks, sensing his sudden worry and wanting to calm him down.
"Try to go to sleep," he instructed, surrounding Hiei in his arms so there was no escape. "If anything happens, you know I'll be here to protect you."
"I don't need protection..." Hiei mumbled, his small hand sleepily touching Kurama's chest.
"Well, I'm here anyway," Kurama said softly, twitching his tail before sweeping it over his lover's body and leaving it there to rest. Hiei closed his eyes once the soft fur had been draped over him and found that his urge to lose consciousness was far stronger than his anxiety.
Kurama smiled while he watched his little companion fall asleep, his claws gently toying with the messy peaks of black hair. He relaxed against the heat of Hiei's body, allowing himself to close his eyes once he was sure the demon was sleeping.
The pair laid dreaming after this, but the chaotic world around them would never sleep. A world of demons does not rest.
----
The air inside the burrow was warm and still at that moment. Kurama's heavy arm was draped over Hiei's chest, moving rhythmically with the rise and fall of his breathing. His face and nose were buried into the furs, close to Hiei's neck, and his silver ears twitched now and then. Kurama was deep in the world of dreams, but was abruptly pulled away as Hiei shot up in bed, gasping loudly and knocking his arm to the side.
The fox opened one yellow eye and stared sleepily up at the rigid body beside him.
"What's the matter with you..." he mumbled groggily and without his usual eloquence.
Hiei shook his head, his whole body was trembling, his large eyes were opened wide with shock as he sat there.
"Something is wrong..." he said, shuddering. His voice was low and raspy, barely able to be heard. Kurama dragged himself from the comfort of the bed and managed to sit up.
"Hiei...?"
The demon suddenly flung the fur blanket aside and pulled on his pants and boots. He had torn away the hide serving as their door and bolted from the burrow before Kurama could even speak.
Hiei leapt through the wall of thorns nimbly. After living within it for fifty years, he had memorized all the weak points in the barrier, for otherwise, there would be no escape while Kurama was not home. The toes of his boots made contact with darkened branches for only seconds before jumping away. In moments he had bounded through the tree tops and was miles away from the valley, standing at the top of a jagged precipice. He shook, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
Kurama soon joined him, fully dressed and panting, having run at full speed to catch up with his partner. He hunched over for a moment, regaining a normal rate of breathing before looking up and realizing, with horror, what had pulled Hiei from the burrow.
"I can't believe it..."
Their keen demon eyes stared far, far into the distance, hundreds of miles away. The pair was struck with silence as they observed the billowing dust clouds and frantic storms swirling along the horizon. A pile of rubble larger than a mountain interrupted the skyline which had, at this time yesterday, been a smooth sea of forests. The devastation was massive, almost unreal. The land surrounding the destruction was turning white before their eyes, pummeled with torrents of snow and ice.
Hiei fell to his knees, and Kurama was sure any other man would have broken down in tears at this horrific sight.
"The ice country..." he choked, his lip quivering in shock and his eyes still frozen wide open. Kurama stood at his side, his brow furrowed with deep concern as he stared.
"How could this have happened..." the fox whispered, more to himself than to Hiei. The calamity before them was unbelievable. The land of the Koorime, a frozen island which had floated above the rest of the Makai, isolated for thousands of years, had fallen from the sky. The glacial village where Hiei and his sister Yukina had been born over a century ago lay buried under a mountain of stone and ice, completely obliterated from existence.
"They're all dead," Hiei said lowly, finally able to blink after staring for what seemed like hours. Kurama wondered, at first, if Hiei found it fitting that the race who had vanquished him and left his infant self to die were now extinct. As a young man, he had once sworn to kill every last one of them. But, now, as Kurama gazed downward, he knew that this feeling no longer held true.
"Hiei..." the fox kneeled at his lover's side and went to touch him, but was batted away.
"We have to go!!" Hiei shouted, his face wild as he frantically shoved away Kurama's caring hands.
"Go, but... Hiei, there's nothing left..."
"My mother!" Kurama was interrupted and went silent. "Her..." Hiei stopped, looking back at the ruined island with his features twisted up and tortured. Kurama understood now. The thought of his mother's gentle and beautiful body, now crushed and broken beneath thousands of tons of debris was too much for him. All these years, he must have taken solace in the idea that his dead mother was sleeping peacefully beneath the ice, never to be disturbed by the race of cold women who had, as far as she knew, killed her son.
"We'll go," Kurama said. "We will find her and lay her to rest properly." He surrounded Hiei in his arms and was, this time, allowed to remain there. He shook, refusing to cry, but truly wanting to. The country of ice had always been a place to scorn. He directed his bitterness at the land that had turned him away, he had hated its existence, hated everyone who resided there. But, seeing it destroyed, knowing that the village in which he had come to be was now gone, somehow filled him with intense sadness. A part of him had been lost. And, worst of all, the thought that he and his sister, wherever she may be, were now the last of their kind made him feel more alone than he ever had simply being an outcast. There was not another like him in all of the Makai. Even in Kurama's powerful arms, he felt completely isolated.
----
The night wore on and became morning as the pair packed their things in preparation for a long journey. Hiei remained silent for many hours, polishing his sword repeatedly, packing and re-packing. Kurama had been quietly selecting an assortment of seeds and sorting them according to function, but all the while becoming apprehensive as he watched Hiei. His compassion had pushed aside his logic the night before, and he now realized how foolish his promise to Hiei had been.
It was very unlikely, perhaps impossible, that they would be able to recover Hina's corpse when the island had been so completely decimated. Hiei seemed so determined... Kurama could not bring himself to crush his hopes. He wondered if his lover knew how irrational his mission was, and cringed when he imagined Hiei's disappointment and grief upon their arrival.
"Hiei..." he said lowly. The small demon was once again polishing his sword. Kurama could not tell if he was waiting or merely distracted. "Have you thought about what kind of demon could have destroyed the Koorime island? It may not be wise to rush there..."
"It will take weeks to get there with you slowing me down," he mumbled. "By then, whoever caused it will be gone."
Kurama gave a shallow sigh. "You don't know that for sure." It would seem talking Hiei out of this quest was a lost cause.
"I will destroy anyone in my path," he growled, raising his sword up and pointing it at Kurama's face, which remained unfazed. "Even you, so be quiet."
"I'd like to see you try and destroy me..." Kurama thought as he stared down the blade of Hiei's katana, but decided to keep the reply to himself. He reached his claws up and lowered the sword, staring into his partner's eyes.
"I just don't want you to make a mistake... that you may regret..."
"I don't have any regrets," he said, turning away again.
"Oh...?"
The fox rose from the floor of the burrow and leaned against Hiei's back, wrapping his arms snugly around his small shoulders.
"I don't want to be touched right now," Hiei murmured, halfheartedly shrugging him off.
"You always want to be touched by me," Kurama crooned, stroking the smooth, impish cheeks of the head beneath his chin. Hiei glared and snapped at Kurama's finger.
"All right, perhaps not always," he corrected, "But right now, you do... You may have the Jagan but I can always tell what you're thinking." He felt Hiei sinking into his chest, sulky and defeated, wanting comfort he did not know how to ask for.
"I know you feel the need to go to the island, but..." Kurama clutched his cherished lover closer to his chest, squeezing him. "I'm afraid. You may be bringing us to face something which we have no hope of defeating. I refuse to lose you, and I'm not ready to die again..." Kurama closed his eyes. He had already been given too many extra gos at life, he wondered how long his luck would protect him.
"Stop worrying so much... We're the Untouchable Bandits, remember? No one can catch us..."
"Please don't allow your confidence to be your downfall," Kurama whispered, kissing the top of Hiei's head before releasing him. It would seem there was no way to prevent Hiei from leaving for the island, and of course Kurama would not allow him to go alone.
Later in the day, when all their preparations had been made, the duo left their solitary home. Kurama strode around the perimeter of the thorn wall, sealing it up and adding extra wards and plants to protect the treasures that lay within. Once the task had been completed, he turned and stared at their valley one last time; Hiei had already started making his way into the forest. The fox sighed deeply, wondering how long it would be until they returned.
----
"Hiei!!" Kurama shouted as another chair went flying past his head and smashed to splinters against the dirty wall. Demons of all types scampered towards the exit, running for their lives, but were all incinerated before they could make an escape.
"Hiei!!" Kurama cried out again, trying to get closer to him, but having to dodge his burning attacks and losing his way in the smoke of charred bodies.
"HIEI! Stop it!" he screamed, shielding his eyes from the searing fire. At last, Hiei paused, standing hunched down and panting. His face was covered in soot and sweat, he was absolutely furious.
"Just shut up! I don't need you hen-pecking me right now!" he roared at Kurama.
"Hiei... you just killed over a dozen youkai, this isn't mere nagging!" Kurama said with exasperation, dusting ashes from his robes and kicking at a demolished chair beneath him.
Hiei glared, about to retort, when they heard a clatter from the corner and a tiny imp came tumbling out from behind the bar. Hiei growled and clenched his fist, but his thin wrist was snatched quickly by the nimble kitsune.
"You... You're Youko Kurama!" the small youkai cried in terror, scrambling up against the wall as if he could somehow fall through it and escape.
"No, I'm not..." Kurama said lowly, bending down close to the demon's cowering form. "And if you ever tell anyone otherwise, I will hunt you down, tear your intestines from your body, and feast upon them while you're still breathing..."
The imp froze, his eyes opened as wide as physically possible.
"Now get out of here," Kurama growled, pointing a long claw towards the half-destroyed door. The imp stumbled and raced away into the night and Kurama stood to his full height once again.
"Since when do you eat youkai..." Hiei mumbled, adjusting his clothes and sneering at Kurama with distaste.
"I would feed him to my plants of course, but I thought eating him up sounded scarier," replied Kurama, running his fingers through his long hair. He pulled his hood, which had been knocked from his head during the fight, back up over his face and stared accusingly down at Hiei.
"We'd best be out of here before the locals realize this bar is burning to the ground," Kurama advised. Hiei said nothing but followed at the fox's tail as he fled into the night. They escaped the village silently and found a shady inn near the border of the next town in which to spend the rest of the night.
By the time they had settled down in the small bed, there were only a few hours left until the dawn. Both lay awake, staring into the vanishing darkness.
"What you did tonight was uncalled for, Hiei," Kurama said as Hiei gazed towards the curtain shrouded window.
"They had no right to speak of the Koorime in that way," he hissed.
"The ice country falling from the sky is a huge event, demons are bound to be talking about it. You can't fault them for gossiping."
"They shouldn't have said what they did!" Hiei shouted, rolling over to glare darkly into Kurama's golden eyes. "How dare they!? My sister is not a 'frozen hearted bitch'!" he clenched his teeth, practically snarling at the fox beside him.
"Of course not.... But, Hiei, up until a few days ago, you hated the Koorime..."
"I AM Koorime!" he screamed, shoving Kurama's body away from him and sitting up in a rage. "Their blood is inside me whether I like it or not... How would you feel if every other kitsune was suddenly erased from existence!?"
"I haven't seen another like myself for hundreds of years, so I can't say I would feel anything about it one way or the other," Kurama said calmly.
"Liar..."
"Would I really lie to you?" he said, raising a bushy white eyebrow.
"Yes."
"All right," Kurama sat up in bed and leaned so they were nose to nose. "But, do you think I'm lying to you right now?"
Hiei's lip twitched as Kurama stared him down.
"Well, Hiei? You're the one with the evil eye..."
He could tell Kurama was outwitting him, as usual. He felt so defeated when the fox played this game, for no matter how Hiei tried to anticipate his behavior, Kurama was unreadable. Unless he willingly opened up his mind, the ancient youkai was impervious to the power of the Jagan. Currently, Kurama was closed off completely. There was nothing Hiei could do, he felt like a punished child.
"You know I can't tell..." he mumbled, glaring away.
"I know, and that is why you simply have to trust me," Kurama said, inching closer. He touched Hiei's face, dragging a claw softly across his cheek.
"Now, calm down, and come sleep with me. We have to cover a lot of ground in the morning."
Hiei nodded, and they both settled down into the cramped bed once more. It would have been the perfect size for Hiei... but was so small, Kurama's slender feet dangled off the bottom edge. He curled his toes up against the cold, trying to get comfortable, and as Hiei watched, he almost felt a laugh in his throat.
"What are you smirking about?" Kurama said, narrowing his eyes at Hiei slightly.
"Your ridiculously long legs hanging off the bed," he said, grinning maliciously. Kurama pulled his feet up, curling nearly into a ball to accommodate his tall figure.
"I wouldn't have had any problem in this bed as Shuuichi," he sighed, feeling Hiei's body heating up to warm him.
"You miss that weak body, don't you," Hiei mused. He could suddenly sense glimmers of Kurama's emotions, the fox had lost focus and opened up to him. Or perhaps, he was purposely allowing Hiei to read his thoughts.
"Quite often, I do... I was fragile as a human, but... I grew accustomed to living as one very easily. Plus..." Kurama paused, his eyes were focused somewhere on the ceiling. "Shuuichi had a certain modest beauty..."
"I think so too."
Kurama blinked and turned to face his lover once again. "Hiei..."
"I always thought you were beautiful... from the very first day I met you," he said bluntly.
"You were attacking me that day, if I remember..."
Hiei smirked, "That doesn't matter. You murder with flowers. Violence and beauty are the same thing, for someone like you..."
"I suppose you're right," Kurama said, and kissed the demon's lips daintily.
"You should know then," said Kurama as Hiei was settling into his arms, "That I thought the same of you. From that first time I brought you to my room, I fell in love with you."
"All that time," Hiei thought to himself, but stayed quietly snuggled against Kurama's body until he fell asleep.