A/N: This story is not mine. I saw it on a little side page in the back of a rundown homepage from over 9 years ago. I wanted to give her serious credit for it. A girl name Take wrote it, and she is truly amazing... as you'll read.
Once upon a time, a pretty reincarnated youko named Kurama was taken by his father to a big castle. He was to be the price his father paid for trying to take a rose bush from the castle garden, which was owned by the countryside's resident evil youkai. (It was prom time, and roses were in demand.) Kurama's father was a merchant, and he was sad to see his son go; not only did Kurama do his bookkeeping; he also threw a good sales pitch. (Especially with the ladies.) Besides, it wasn't every day that a person could get accurate bookkeeping done for free, and he was far more helpful than his brothers, who considered housework and using their brains 'unmanly'. So it was with great regret that the merchant left his son at the castle door as the note taped to it indicated.
Kurama bid farewell to his father and entered the castle. His curious explorations (a throwback from his youko days) led him to the library, where he found books of all kinds. Diving eagerly into the shelves, he selected a book on botany (what else?). Looking around for a place to read, he noticed a flash of youki, gone as swiftly as it appeared. He shrugged it off and settled down to read, an odd candle flickering nearby.
A giggle caught his attention. Swinging his gaze around the room, Kurama spotted the candle, which was burning with an odd black flame. He blinked in surprise as the flame detached itself from the wick, floating over to hover a little above his head. Leaning back to observe the black flame, Kurama was shocked when the creature (a Salamander, he recalled,) giggled again, the flame dancing merrily. For the first time that day, Kurama smiled. "What's your name?" he asked.
K-u-r-o-m-i, spelled the flame, its body contorting to form the letters in mid-air.
"Konnichiwa, Kuromi-san," Kurama said, "Boku wa Kurama desu. Yoroshiku."
Kuromi giggled again in response, heading toward a flight of stairs. It paused, bobbing slightly to indicate that the redhead should follow. The flame led him to a set of doors, which swung open to reveal a large elegant suite. The Salamander floated aside, allowing Kurama to enter. He stepped over the threshold and gasped. Kuromi made a querying noise. "Arigatou, it's magnificent!" The dark flame danced merrily.
Kurama walked to the middle of the room. It appeared to be a sitting room, with comfortable-looking couches and a large picture window and a balcony overlooking the gardens. The bedroom had one too, along with a huge soft bed, and a closet full of beautiful things to wear. (Might as well dress nicely if you look that good.) Adjoining the bedroom was a bathroom, complete with a hot tub. Suddenly, living at the castle didn't seem so bad any more.
Still trying to take it all in, Kurama thanked Kuromi politely and let the Salamander out. He went over to the closet and dug through its contents until he found a robe and pajamas. There was that hot tub he wanted to try out.
In another part of the castle, a small figure stood in the middle of a cold, dark room. He seemed unaffected by the chill in the air, clad in a tank top and pants. The white starburst of hair above his brow and the belts at his waist contrasted sharply with the stark black of the youkai's clothes, illuminated in the eerie green glow of the third eye on his forehead. The countryside's resident evil youkai, Hiei, used his Sight to observe the redheaded young man he'd added to his treasure-trove as the man moved about his room.
Hiei, due to his resident evil youkai nature, had made it a point to collect all of the beautiful or valuable objects in the surrounding land. The addition of Kurama to his horde was a good one; the redhead was the fairest in the area, male or otherwise. He Watched as Kurama made his way to the bathroom, robe and pajamas tucked in the crook of his arm, hands already busy at the buttons of his shirt. Hiei hastily withdrew, a faint flush coloring his cheeks. (Even an evil youkai had a few ethics.)
Kurama brushed the dirt off his hands with a satisfied smile. The rose bush he'd planted would make a nice addition to the white ones already there. At his leisure, he'd explored his new home. The lush green gardens had appealed to both his youko and human sides, and he now spent most of his time outside. He had been delighted to find a little shed filled with all sorts of gardening tools and materials, ready and waiting to be used. He would simply ask Kuromi for a specific type of plant, and the next day the Salamander would have it waiting.
Gradually, Kurama was beginning to get used to living practically alone, with only a black Salamander and plants for company. His silent host had yet to make an appearance; the only reason Kurama knew the youkai was around was because of the brief twinges of youki he'd sense sporadically. It wasn't really that bad, he reflected. He'd never socialized much before, and had constantly ducked the advances of the opposite sex.
He wandered through the castle in search of something to do; he didn't feel like reading, and there was only so much gardening a body could do, even for a reincarnated youko. Bored, he strolled out onto the grounds of the castle to soak up some sun and fresh air. He was passing by a secluded grotto when he heard splashing sounds emanating from the pond within. Intrigued, he crept closer to the sounds, peeking into the grotto from behind a tree. His breath caught.
What was quite possibly the most aesthetically perfect being he'd ever seen bathed in the pool, unaware of his presence. Kurama allowed his gaze to run appreciatively over the demon's muscular physique. There was not an ounce of fat on the small youkai's body, the shadows playing over the hollows and ridges of his washboard stomach and pectorals to create a tantalizing display of flesh. Stunning almond-shaped ruby eyes were set in a delicately etched face with an endearing button nose. Kurama let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and quickly slipped away. He had some planning to do.
That night as he sat down to dinner, Kurama felt the familiar flash of youki. "Arigatou ne," he called out. There was no answer; but then he hadn't expected one. Carefully tracking the youki, he smiled as it stopped by a certain door; the only door in the castle that was locked. No matter; lock picking was a specialty of his.
Finishing his meal, Kurama rose and checked the rest of the castle for any sounds. There weren't any, (besides Kuromi, the delicious little youkai upstairs was the only other being in the castle) but he checked anyhow. (Another throwback from his youko days.)
Stealthily, he ascended the flight of stairs and crept down the corridor to the locked door. Taking a slender lock pick from his pocket (yet another throwback from his youko days), he deftly inserted it into the keyhole. Jiggling the piece of metal, he was rewarded with a soft 'click'. Kurama grinned triumphantly as he eased the door open, shivering slightly as a cool breeze hit him. Sneaking across the room, Kurama zeroed in on the sound of soft, even breathing.
Hiei was awakened by the sensation of having his clothes removed, and by the sudden weight pinning him down. "What the HELL are you DOING?!" he yelled, glaring ferociously at the redhead straddling him.
Kurama grinned, planting a kiss in the middle of the sexy chest beneath him. "You need someone warm -" he interspersed his words with kisses down the middle of the youkai's chest "and - loving. Mm." He nuzzled Hiei's bellybutton. "And I'm very loving...and you're very loveable."
And so it was that the countryside rejoiced and prospered, for Kurama had tamed the evil youkai. No more did he terrorize the people, for he found that he was too tired to do so after Kurama kept him warm. Constantly.