The Fox and the Samurai

The Fox and the Samurai

by Sakura

            The samurai lord Hiro Yui lay asleep on his futon. Since it was a warm summer night, he had insisted his servant Wufei to leave a window open. Little did he know how an open window would change his life forever.

            A chestnut furred fox with an extremely long tail crept silently through the window. The fox's form shifted to a beautiful young man with chestnut hair, fox ears and tail. The youko moved carefully and gracefully up to the sleeping warrior and knelt beside him. He gently brushed a lock of hair from Hiro's face.

            "So handsome," murmured the youko gazing longingly at the sleeping human before him.

            The fox spirit had fallen in love with the samurai the moment he had seen him on the day he had come back home at the end of the latest war. Though that was weeks ago, the youko could not muster the courage to approach the handsome warrior until tonight.

            Taking a deep breath, the fox spirit boldly lay down next to the samurai and gathered him into his arms, wrapping his tail around him. Kissing his cheek, the youko whispered into his ear before drifting off to sleep. "Suki da yo. (I love you)"

            Hiro instinctively snuggled into the warm body and smiled as both slept on.

*****

            The next day, Hiro awoke later than usual feeling more refreshed than he had since the war began three years ago. However, he couldn't shake the odd dream he had earlier.

            He dreamt a beautiful, ethereal creature had crept into his room that night and lay down beside him, whispering words of love in his ear.

            Now why would he, a perfect soldier, dream of something like that? He never dreamed. He was a samurai, he had no need for love. His only purpose was to serve and protect Empress Relena and the kingdom from those who sought their destruction. Still, a smile appeared unbidden on his lips as he remembered the feel of arms wrapped around his chest, keeping him close to the beautiful body and safe.

*****

            Hiro had left the window open the next few nights and thus dreamt of his mysterious dream lover visiting him each night. He had slept well those nights, however, he woke feeling lonely once he realized he was alone. Just over the space of a few days, Lord Hiro Yui, the perfect soldier, had found he had fallen in love with that beautiful, ethereal creature he dreamt of every night.

            Deciding to do something about it, the samurai forced himself to remain awake the seventh night as he lay on his futon. He was going to see for himself if this person who had such a strong hold on his heart was a dream or not. If it wasn't, he was going to make that lovely creature his there and then.

            Growing impatient, it became hard for him to remain calm and make it look like he was sleeping. As if it sensed Hiro's impatience, a fox crept silently into the bedroom unseen by the samurai as it had done before on each and every night. The fox changed its shape to that of its true half-human, half-fox form before lying down next to Hiro.

            The warrior heard light footsteps approach the futon and he turned over, making it look like he was tossing in his sleep. It wasn't a dream after all! He next felt the covers shift and a body lay down beside him. He could hardly hold himself still. Two strong, yet gentle arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer to the mysterious stranger's warmth. He flinched when he felt a tongue lick along his neck.

            The fox spirit was about to whisper his love his human as he always did when he felt his beloved flinch as he playfully licked his neck. He eeped in surprise and instinctively changed his shape once more, quickly losing the fox ears and tail. He now appeared to be just a young and beautiful human male. He knew all too well how most ningen felt about his people.

            Turning around, Hiro was face to face with the most alluring boy he'd ever seen. He had large, expressive violet eyes set in the most adorable heart shaped face and long, long chestnut hair which was pulled back into three-foot braid. For long moments the two just stared at each other, marveling at each other's beauty.

            Then the samurai spoke. "Omae wa dare? (Who are you?)" The fox spirit stammered incoherently, then shot up, desperate to flee. Hiro wasn't about to let this gorgeous creature get away. Not this time, not ever. He pounced on the youko and grabbed his arm tightly. "Don't go!" he demanded, bruising the fox's arm. Then in a gentler tone added, "Please."

            The fox spirit looked toward the open window in hesitation. Common sense demanded he get the heck out of there. Immediately. But the pleading tone the samurai's last word and the desperate look in those deep blue eyes of his held him frozen just as effectively as the hand on his arm.

            Sighing, the youko made no further attempts to leave. "As you wish, my lord," he said in a velvet voice before sitting back down on the futon.

            Hiro joined the fox spirit on the bed then repeated his question after a quick and passionate kiss. "Omae no, (Yours)," was all the youko would say. Before the samurai could ask anymore questions, the boy in his arms suddenly tackled him and began to passionately kiss each and every inch of bare flesh as he tore away his lover's robe.

*****

            The next two months were pure heaven for the two lovers. Each night, the fox spirit would come to Hiro's room to find the samurai wide awake and waiting for him impatiently. The two would then spend the night in breathless passion and loving conversation, both loathing to be parted when the threatening dawn neared.

            Despite Hiro's constant pleading for him to remain, the youko would sadly leave his human lover, but not without promising to return the next night.

            The samurai spurred his horse on as he neared his estate. The trip into the nearby town had been successful. Smiling, he patted the pouch he wore hidden by his belt. 'Just you wait, koi. This time you'll HAVE to stay,' he thought as he urged the horse on.

*****

            Hiro swore vehemently. When he had arrived home, he had planned on impatiently waiting for the night to come, but it seemed the gods had other plans that day. Wufei had been at the door waiting for him with a message from his 'beloved' empress saying he was needed at the palace.

            He ate a hasty dinner then went to pack a few clothes since the royal capital was several days away. He sighed, his beloved would have to wait. He wrote a short note explaining the situation, then placed it on the pillow of his futon. He had rolled the bed out earlier knowing that his lover would never come if he didn't see the futon. It was a kind of signal between the two.

            Leaving instructions with Wufei for no one to enter his room that night, he left for the palace with a heavy heart.

*****

            The samurai sat fuming on his futon. The nerve of that girl! She had the audacity to think he was hers. The reason for summoning him to the palace was because the empress had it gotten into her head that they should be married since they were in love.

            Empress or not, he had not desire whatsoever to marry a vacuous and obnoxious bitch like her. Nor did he ever love her. In fact he had told her exactly what he felt. Of course she begged and pleaded, offering him the kingdom. Of course he had no wish to rule a kingdom since it was the empress' court who actually ran things. Let someone else be their puppet. His heart already belonged to a pair of amethyst eyes, a heart shaped face, and a long braid of silken chestnut hair. He smiled as he heard the light footsteps that told him his lover had returned.

            "Hiro-sama!" cried the boy he loved so much as he promptly glomped onto him.

            Struggling to turn around, he pulled the overly eager hands away. "I missed you too, boku no baka," Hiro said placing a quick kiss on his lips. He then stood up causing the boy to fall in a heap and pout cutely. "Just a moment, koi."

            The fox spirit watched his lover curiously as he strode over to a small treasure chest and open it. He strained to see as the samurai reached in and hide something in his hand as he brought it out.

            "Whatcha got there?" asked the youko as Hiro returned to the futon with one hand behind his back.

            "Give me your hand," the samurai commanded gently.

            Curious, the fox spirit obeyed. He watched intently as his lover gently took his hand and kissed his palm reverently. What he did next completely surprised the youko. Hiro then brought his other hand around and put on a golden ring on his left ring finger. Staring at it, the fox spirit could see that tiny leaves were carved into the metal, forming a garland of sorts. Looking up again he saw that the samurai now had a matching ring on his own left ring finger.

            Kissing the youko gently, Hiro whispered, "Omae wa boku no kokoro (You are my heart). Please say you stay with me forever."

            The fox spirit looked at the golden band of leaves on his finger again, not believing this was happening. This ningen wanted him, no wanted him to be his life mate. "H-Hiro-sama," he stammered, blushing, then gave his answer the only way he could.

            Hiro's heart soared as his lover kissed him deeply and began to push him down onto the bed.

*****

            The next morning, Wufei carefully slid the door to his master's room open, knowing full well how he hated to be woken so early. But he had received another urgent message from Empress Relena and it had to be delivered. The Chinese servant gasped in horror as he saw a figure with fox ears and tail sneak out through the open window.

            Waking up at the sound of his servant's gasp, the samurai sat up to see his servant standing in the doorway with his mouth open. Had he seen him with his lover?

            "This had better be important, Wufei," he said annoyed.

            Remembering why he had come there in the first place, the servant cleared his throat. "There's another message from her majesty."

            The samurai then promptly let out a stream of curses and threw his pillow at Wufei. "To hell with Relena! Just tear the damn thing up and tell her I'm through with her foolish errands. I never was nor will I ever be hers!"

            The shocked servant stared at his master for a moment then quickly backed out of the room, blushing and getting a nosebleed when he finally noticed the samurai's state of undress.

*****

            Later after Hiro's reply had been sent and his master had calmed down, Wufei told him of what he'd seen in his room before he had woken up.

            The samurai refused to believe him, saying that Wufei's ponytail was too tight and cutting off circulation to his brain. Being a servant, the Chinese boy just ignored the insult. However, Hiro's common sense and keen warrior mind had made him face the cold hard facts that his lover and now life mate just might be some kind of demon.

            Determined to prove Wufei and himself wrong, he thought up a plan.

*****

            Hiro had quietly listened to his lover's constant chatter after their nightly 'wrestling match'. The samurai was afraid. He who had looked Shinigami in the face several times over the past three years and laughed, was scared speechless. 'So much for Plan A,' he thought.

            He had planned on asking his lover straight out, but found he couldn't make his mouth work to speak more than a few words. 'Might as well enjoy myself and wait so I'd be able to use Plan B,' he thought as he felt the boy in his arms instigate yet another 'wrestling match'.

*****

            Plan B was as follows: Follow his lover and see where he went in the morning. Then he would confront him and make him tell him everything.

            Hiro somehow managed to wake up at the same time as the boy next to him, but he kept his eyes closed and thus missed seeing his lover's body change into a fox. Sensing he was about to leave, the samurai opened his eyes and saw a fox leap out the window. Looking around, he saw no sign of the boy he held so tightly the night before.

            'It is true!' he thought as he grabbed his robe and put it on in record time. 'I am in love with a demon!' The samurai then leapt out the window in pursuit of the fox.

*****

            Hiro followed the chestnut furred fox into the woods a hour's walk from his lands and didn't stop in spite of his hunger until it came to a small cottage in a clearing.

            The fox's form shimmered in the filtered light and became the familiar shape of his beloved. Only this time he had fox ears several shades lighter than  his hair and a matching tail with a white tip. On his left ring finger was a flash of gold.

            The samurai's heart leapt when he realized the flash of gold was the ring he'd given him. 'He didn't take it off. Maybe he's not after my soul like Wufei said.'

            He watched as the fox spirit knocked on the cottage door. A man with long, pale blond hair answered the knock. He was dressed in the robes of an onmyouji. [If you've seen Tokyo Babylon or the X movie you would now what I'm talking about] From his hiding place, the samurai could hear perfectly what was going on.

            "Your time's up, Milliardo-sama," said the youko saying the man's name with mock respect.

            "Whatever do you mean, little fox?" replied the onmyouji. "Come inside before someone sees you."

            The youko just grinned. "I'll stay here, thank you very much."

            "You impudent demon!" shouted the onmyouji and made to drag the fox spirit inside the cottage, but he jumped out of reach.

            "Nuh-uh, Millie. As of today, our contract is over. I've been your slave for a year and a day. I did your bidding unquestioningly and now it's time for you to deliver. You have to let me go." Sighing, the onmyouji nodded knowing he indeed had to release the fox spirit he'd summoned. Winking the youko turned to leave. "It's been fun," he said waving over his shoulder as he turned himself back into a fox and dashed away from the cottage.

            The onmyouji shook his head and muttered, "Damn kitsune," then went back inside.

            Hiro sat, still hidden by the undergrowth, and began to sort things out. Once he had come to a decision, the samurai got up and went back to his estate.

*****

            That night, the fox spirit returned to Hiro's bedroom. The samurai sat on his futon facing the window. Seeing the grim expression on  his lover's face, the youko began to get nervous.

            "D-doushita no, H-Hiro-sama? (What's wrong, Hiro-sama?)" he stammered.

            "Just what are you?" the samurai replied eyeing the chestnut haired boy before him.

            The youko hung his head. What he feared most had come to pass. "You know." It was more of a statement than a question.

            "Why didn't you tell me?" Hiro demanded.

            "B-because I was afraid," sobbed the fox spirit. "I was afraid you'd k-kill me if - if you knew what I was." He then slumped down onto his knees and cried.

            Feeling guilty for treating his beloved so coldly, the samurai went over to the fox spirit and embraced him in comfort. "Gomen nasai. I had to know you kept refusing to stay with me."

            "Y-you're not g-going to k-kill me?" he asked between sobs.

            "Ie. I love you." Hiro placed a gentle kiss on his lover's head.

            "Y-you do?"

            "Hai. No more secrets this time, all right?"

            Nodding his head, the youko wiped his eyes with the end of his braid.

            "Let me see you as you really are," the samurai said.

            "Y-you sure about this?" the fox spirit asked, still unsure of Hiro.

            Nodding the samurai turned him around and kissed him deeply. As they kissed the fox spirit closed his eyes and his body shimmered and returned to its original form of a chestnut haired youko. Hiro gasped now that he got a real good look at the beautiful creature he'd seen earlier that day.

            "Utsukushii (Beautiful)," he murmured before kissing the youko again, this time reaching out to stroke a ear. The gorgeous creature began to purr as the samurai reached behind and stroked his tail with his other hand.

            Leading the fox spirit to their bed, Hiro laid his head on his shoulder and nuzzled his neck, breathing in the pine scent he so loved. "Aishiteru," he whispered as the youko shifted around him and began pushing him down gently.

~Owari~

Oi minna! You like? You hate? Let me know!

C&C always welcome and needed at Firia@linainverse.net.

Flames however well be given to Hiro-chan for proper handling.