No Such Thing as Evil (rated M)
By- Shaekaku
Warning- This fiction contains Shounin-ai and Yaoi. It also involves a minor (though in the time period he was not considered a minor).
Disclaimer- I own only a small laptop and whatever ideas possess my mind. Takahashi takes the credit for creating the characters I employ.
Summary- Hurt in a battle, Kohaku becomes the center of Naraku's attention. The demon looks after the boy and realizes that he's not as evil as he thought… because there is no love for the wicked. (Naraku/Kohaku)
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Naraku sat agitated on the snowy feather of his incarnate, Kagura. They flew through the air at an admirable speed that still wasn't quite enough for the kumo. Needless to say, this was not his preferred for of travel, however, this was not a normal situation either. Although the routine plot for betrayal being foiled by his enemies (yes, as much as he hated to admit it, he had a startling track record for loss), this particular assault had met with unforeseen aggression. After calling Kohaku to once again attack Rin, the inu lord finally found the limit of his compassion worn out. He hadn't held back.
Naraku had arrived just in time to sweep the boy out from under the dog's death blow. Now the young demon slayer lay bleeding to death beside him and, although he was fairly certain the jewel shard would see to it that the boy would survive, there was this odd feeling that gnawed at his stomach. What was this? He wondered. What was this anxious worry he felt? It wasn't as though he cared for the human, not in the least. He was just another pawn in his greater plan to become the most powerful demon in the world. He had to admit that the boy was a valuable asset. Perhaps this feeling was just the thought of losing the power he had gained because of the human.
A ragged breath caught his attention and he looked impassively at the bloodied form beside him. Kohaku was a mess. His hair, having fallen from its traditional tie, fell tousled about his shoulders. The upper part of his kimono had been ripped away revealing the well toned, pale chest decorated with long rivulets of crimson running down from various wounds. If Naraku did say so himself the scene was beautiful in a sadistic sort of way and Naraku was anything if not sadistic. The creamy skin of the boy was dotted with imperfections though. Freckles sprinkled their way across the bridge of his pert, little nose and the tops of his shoulders. They were testaments to his humanity, brands that loudly declared who and what he was, and spots that most demons would find abhorrently ugly in comparison to their own flawless complexions but… they were unique. Most humans parading around were monotonously similar. Short, weak, black haired, brown eyed fools that couldn't see past their own nose. But Kohaku was unique, special… Naraku had seen it the moment he had first laid eyes on the boy. He was strong, smart, and quick witted for someone of such a young age. There was also an innocence about him that was hard to find in these feudal times.
Naraku cocked his head to the side slightly. Why in the world was he thinking about this? Didn't he have more important things to worry about? He scowled and directed his attention to Kagura, "fly faster…"
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Kohaku greeted consciousness with a low moan. His body ached terribly and his lips were parched. His almond eyes fluttered open weakly and looked around the room… his room. The futon he was laying on was far from luxurious but equally far better than the choice of sleeping on the wooden floor. Looking down at himself he blushed at his state of undress, wearing only a short pair of hakama that reached his knees. Naraku observed silently from a shadowed corner of the room. The light had been steadily returning to Kohaku's eye the longer he remained in Naraku's care. In the beginning he had been little more than an emotionless shell stripped of memory. However, as the years passed Kohaku made new memories and had progressively re-attained his personality. He was not the same boy he was before, but he was mostly similar. Naraku had considered once again blanking out the boy's memory, but despite several temptations from his sister, the boy remained loyal to him so he saw no need.
Kohaku looked at his bandages that were starting to bleed through and remembered the battle with Sesshoumaru. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. How was he still alive? "Master Naraku…" the whispered words left his lips even before he realized it himself. Had his master saved him from certain death? Suddenly aware of the intense demonic aura emanating from the darkness of his room he scanned the shadows in vain trying to catch a glimpse of his master. He propped himself up on his elbows and his small, pink tongue darted out to wet his lips. Does he realize how alluring he looks like that? the kumo wondered. Using his mind connection to the women, he ordered Kagura to fetch some water for the human. He could practically feel the insolent women's eyes roll… he'd have to punish her for that later.
In mere moments the paper door slid open to reveal the wind sorceress carrying a bamboo cup filled with the sweet liquid. Kohaku reached up and took it from her hands without any offering of thanks, knowing it only flustered her further when he ignored her. This slightly darker side of his new personality relished in her anger. She was a traitorous demon and had caused Master Naraku much grief since her creation. Why should he give her any respect when she certainly hadn't earned it? He smirked slightly and sipped on the water not wanting to make himself sick by drinking to fast. Just as he had hoped the demoness huffed irately at walked back out of the room unable to stand the little brat.
Naraku's eyes had widened slightly at the sight before him. He knew that his incarnate and the human did not get along but he had never seen such blatant disregard on Kohaku's part, at least not in his presence. He could have sworn he saw a bit of himself in that smirk the boy arrogantly sported. Naraku felt a sense of pride welling up inside him along with something else he didn't care to define. He had taught the boy something after all.
Once the women was gone he silently lifted himself from the floor and walked to Kohaku's side. He knelt down and watched as the human placed his empty cup down on the floor. "It is time to change those," Naraku said pointing to the soiled bandages. Kohaku nodded and obediently lie back down for his master. 'He trusts you,' a surprised voice spoke in the back of his mind, 'has anybody ever trusted you as much as this boy does? Has anybody else ever trusted you at all?' He frowned and shook himself from his thoughts and went to work, moving his hands over the boy with a gentleness he didn't even know he possessed. 'What have you done to me boy?'
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Naraku was awakened from his dreamless sleep by an impossibly feral growl. His eyes shot over to the source of the sound and fell upon the sleeping boy he had been keeping a vigil over. The spider's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open in shock. This turned out to be a very bad idea as the scent that permeated the room rushed to fill his mouth. He could taste it. Kohaku half groaned half snarled as his hips flexed into the air. Naraku gasped, breathing in more of that hell bound scent, and felt the instantaneous reaction of his body. His demonic instincts surged forward at the calling of the lithe body before him and flooded his body with a suffocating heat. The undead body was covered in a light sheen of sweat and his still bare abdomen glistened in the moonlight ghosting in through the small window. The boy curled a hand back behind his head to tangle his fingers into those dark tresses and arched his back with a serpentine grace. His lush, rose pink lips were parted with his breath which came out in quickly stolen gasps, matching the nearly audible palpitating of his young heart. The kumo found it equally hard to breathe and struggled as that breath only brought more of the thickly hot and musky scent the boy was radiating. Naraku grasped his hakama tightly feeling like he needed something solid to anchor himself down to so that he would keep from drowning in the desire drenching his system.
'Why is he growling? Demons of Hell stop GROWLING!' he nearly yelled at the boy. Didn't boys normally moan in this sort of situation? Perhaps Kohaku had spent to much time around demons. The human turned his head to the side, facing Naraku, and snarled so harshly he was baring his white teeth to the spider. He bucked violently into the air. Naraku felt the heat streak down to his groin, his arousal becoming to much to bare. 'I am not a base animal. I should be able to control this. Why is this affecting me so deeply and… STOP GROWLING!' Kohaku arched helplessly into that invisible touch once again. He writhed and tossed his head back till the crown of his skill touched the futon, beautifully exposing his neck. Those freckled cheeks were flushed pink and Naraku couldn't stop himself from watching a bead of sweat run from the boy's temple down the side of his face to disappear in his black hair. He wanted terribly to know what it tasted like. 'Damn,' the demons fist tightened in the cloth, 'this needs to stop…'
Naraku tugged harshly on the bond he shared with his slayer. Immediately the boy jerked up into a sitting position, he hands placed on the bed behind him to support him. He gulped in buckets of air as he tried to calm down. He blushed furiously as he remembered the dream he had been shamelessly having. Fumbling, he fixed his hair back into its short ponytail that he had messed up in his sleep. Finally having his body under control and believing himself to be presentable he began to get up to see what his master needed him for, "Master…" he whispered. However, he turned over and just as he was about to heave himself up he caught a garnet red gaze. His master was sitting just across the room from him? "Master Naraku?" he asked with obvious confusion. Naraku just blinked at him in return.
They stared at each other silently for an awkward moment of time. "Master Naraku, is there something you needed?" he tried again, knowing it was impossible for the spider to have not heard him the first time. The kumo however was lost in his own thoughts. 'He would do what ever you wanted… he might even want it himself. What if he was dreaming of you?' his blood pulsed at the idea. 'Aren't you the great demon Naraku? You've always just taken whatever you've desired. You never cared about anyone who got in the way or anyone that got hurt in the process. Why not just take him as well?' The spider looked into the boys eyes for another moment, unintentionally letting his emotions slip, showing everything to the slayer. Kohaku could see the longing in those crimson orbs, the confilct… the sadness. He gasped in surprise the haunted look in those eyes seemed to pierce his heart deeper than any blade could. There was also something else in that gaze. What was it? 'No… I…I cannot hurt him that way…' Was it lo-
Swiftly, Naraku stood and was out the door before Kohaku could finish his thought.
Was it possible?
Was it love?
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Things sort of… drifted… after that night. Yes, drifted was the best word Kohaku could find to describe the situation now. Naraku seemed like he was in a state of suspension, like he was unable to decide what to do with himself. He sat in his rooms alone for long periods of time, which was not particularly unusual since this was the manner in which he normally devised new plots to destroy Inuyasha and gain all the jewel shards. But Kohaku knew, something he could just feel, told his that wasn't what Naraku was thinking about at all.
'I suppose I shouldn't be surprised,' Naraku thought, 'time passes so slowly for a demon and equally so for the undead but, Kohaku's body is still growing. He has gained a few inches since I have taken him in, it is natural that the rest of him has continued to change as well.' He tipped his head down to look at the floor, 'hormonal teenager is all he is. It should not matter to me if his body is craving release.' 'But that's not what's bothering you, is it?' the voice in his mind replies, 'you fear the thought of losing him. You fear the idea that he'll go off and find some pretty village girl and leave you behind.' He growled to himself, 'no, I fear nothing. Besides, he is my slave. He can never leave me… Damn this human heart and its foolish sentimentalities! I should just carve it out again as I did before. I can handle it this time.' He paused for a moment as another, gentler voice called to him, 'but do you really want this feeling to fade? Do you want to lose this mangled sort of happiness you have found in him?' He shook his head, 'no… I do not…'
Kohaku slowly opened the door, sliding it just enough to slip through. The boy too had done much thinking on the matter and found no reason he should not give his master what he was sure he wanted. The demon had killed his family and himself, but that was in another life he could barely remember. Now with the jewel shard inside of him, he could live forever and Naraku had always treated him well through the years since he first came to the castle. He always had everything he needed and whenever he was hurt his master always came to his aide. 'He has even risked his own life to save mine…' His heart fluttered in his chest for what he was about to do and his nibbled his lip in nervousness. 'Not to mention the fact that he is the most handsome person I have ever met,' Kohaku blushed at the thought.
Naraku sat entranced by the sight of the flushed boy biting his lower lip. It was adorable. 'Adorable? I was not aware my vocabulary even held that word…' he thought, but he smirked, 'that's what Kohaku is… adorable and innocent while somehow still being violent and arrogant. It just depends on who he is around.' "Master," the boy's voice broke the kumo's thoughts. The human walked closer and Naraku stood up in return, "has something happened?" The boy shook his head and continued to approach until his was almost touching the demon. "I need to tell y-you something," he stuttered more unsure of himself than ever. He staired at the royal blue haroi that covered his master's chest from his eyes. As he imagined what the view was like underneath the cloth, he felt the tell-tale dropping feeling in his stomach as his arousal surfaced. He looked back up into that red stare before closing his eyes and tilting his head up. He brushed his lips softly against Naraku's cheek, lacking the courage to venture elsewhere. He slowly pulled back and opened his eyes to see the spider's reaction.
Naraku's eyes were closed and his mouth was slightly open. 'His nose is twitching,' Kohaku thought as his blush returned, 'he's scenting me…' After a moment which felt like an eternity to the both of them, Naraku lifted his lids and they locked gazes once more. Crimson met hazel and all the words that might have passed between them were left unsaid. They understood. 'How? How can he? All I am is a murderous bastard human masquerading as a demon. I'm a killer of his own people. I forced him to kill others he felt no hatred towards. How?' Kohaku smiled shyly, knowing his master well enough over the years to know what he was thinking. "You are not as evil as you believe Naraku… evil is the lack of love… and there is love in you… I know it…" He wrapped his arms around the taller man's shoulders, "with you, there's no such thing as evil…"
The kumo lifted his hands. One wrapped itself securely around the boy's waist and the other supported the back of his neck as he tilted his head up once more… and their lips met for the first, but not the last, time.
Love is possible even in the most unlikely of all places.
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A/N- yes, yes foolishly impractical, I know. I just can't get the idea of this pairing out of my head and every other story out there that is Naraku/Kohaku are pretty much rapes, so I decided to write one of my own. I will probably write a sequel with a lemon and some m-preg called "No Such Thing as Forever." It would be a bit of a tragedy, but we'll see how this goes first, ne? Until then!