Thanks for the reviews! This chappie is a little more light-hearted. It should make up for all of the drama in the last few. The next one won't be too harsh either, but it's going to start working us further into the story.

Also, if you've noticed (and there's no way you could've missed it...), I've been making Kane a bit of a chauvinist. This has been for a reason...MUHUHUAHAHA (cough, cough) You don't honestly think your girl-power preaching, independent-woman-and-proud screamin' author is going to write a character like this without a reason, do you? When we get a little deeper in, what will happen when a certain bat meets his match? A girl that feels the same way about men as he does about women? "To be used for entertainment purposes only..." LOL You'll looooove this, especially the girls.

I own nothing. Enjoy!

The boys walked through town. After an emotional moment, that they had each vowed never to speak of again, they had headed back for some long-overdue catching up. Kurama had told Kane about Shiori, and his step-family. Kane had already known some of this from his "research," but he wanted to hear it from Kurama anyway.

Kane had told Kurama about his own living arrangements, which were, to say the least, not quite as cheerful. His father was an alcoholic, and had a habit of going into drunken rages. It was these rages, that had driven his mother to walk out on them when he was just a little over 3. His father tended to disappear for weeks on end, binging with his "friends." Kane stayed at home while he was away, but when he came home, he had learned to stay out of his way. Usually, he stayed at Akari's lounge. Akari was his father's sister. Staying there all the time, he'd met up with some musicians that had played there, and they formed their band.

"Had to have something to pass the time," he said. "It pays decent, too."

"Speaking of which, how did you afford Meio? You said earlier that your father wanted you to quit school and find a job. I doubt if he paid your tuition."

"Bargaining power. I went out of my way to get a perfect score on that test. After that, the school bent over backwards to get me in. They hooked me up with God knows how many types of funding. To tell ya the truth, I think they would've let me in free if I hadn't got help. Test scores like mine give 'em a good rep."

Kurama smiled. "I know what you mean. They gave my mother discounts on my tuition, also. I think they were making them up as they went along."

"I got that impression," Kane laughed.

They came to an ice-cream stand. Neither of them had eaten since lunch, so they grabbed some shakes.

"One chocolate milkshake, please," Kurama ordered.

"And for you?" the clerk asked Kane.

"One strawberry shake."

"Comin' up," the girl responded, giving the boys a wink. They heard her giggling as they walked to the bench a few feet away.

Kurama gave Kane a strange look. "What?" Kane asked.

"Strawberry?"

"I'm a bat, I still like fruit. Sue me."

Kurama covered his mouth and chuckled a little. Kane retaliated. "Oh, what? Like you haven't caught the smell of a vixen in heat in the last couple decades!"

"Speaking of scents," Kurama started, "how is it that you smell like a human?"

"Little trick I picked up after I got here. Just a simple potion recipe. I'll tell you about it when we get somewhere private. People think I'm weird enough without hearing about my, (ahem) past. And niiiice move, changing the subject and all," he smirked.

"Caught me," Kurama snickered.

The girl turned back to the front of the stand, holding their milkshakes. As they paid, she stared at Kurama like a love-struck pup. Kane once again had to laugh inwardly, to keep from making a scene.

"You could have that one," Kane laughed as they walked away from the stand.

"I'll pass," Kurama said.

"What? You give up on chasing tail?" he teased.

"It's too dangerous. I don't want to chance anyone getting close enough to find out about my past."

"Who said anything about getting close?"

"What's more, as you pointed earlier, there are many demons here who know of me. You never know when an old enemy may come for revenge. I don't want to involve anyone else in that."

"You're getting soft, Yoko."

"I'm not Yoko. Not anymore."

"So I've noticed. But, I won't hold that against you," Kane laughed a little. This made Kurama feel as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He was happy with his decision. He loved his new family and friends, but having his "brother" back, well, he just didn't want them to be on bad terms. He didn't want Kuronue to harbor any feelings of disappointment or anger against him either. After all they'd been through together, he just didn't think he could stand that.

They finished their shakes, and laughed and joked a little more, making their way back to Akari's Lounge. Kane said he had left his car parked there. They could talk in the car without running the risk of being overheard.

A group of older boys, about mid-twenties or so, were cutting up on the side-walk. They were teasing a boy about Kokoda's age, trying to scare him into handing over his wallet.

"Hey boys, take a look at these two," one of them said, pointing to Kane and Suichi. The rest gathered in closer, blocking their path.

"Sirs, I advise you to step aside," Suichi spoke calmly.

"Hey, get a load o' this one! Hey, this your girlfriend?" a second laughed at Kane. "I think you're wearin' the wrong uniform, there, sugar!" He reached out a hand for Kurama's chin. In one swift move, Kurama removed his right hand from his pocket and caught it.

CRACK

The man dropped to his knees, holding the hand Kurama had just squeezed, to his chest. The rest of the mens' jaws dropped as Kurama placed his hand back into his pocket. His face was still expressionless.

"You'll pay for that, Princess!" Two more of them started to attack. Kane rolled his eyes.

THUMP

THUD

The man on the left had tried to take Kane. Kane had done nothing more than remove his hand from his right pocket, place it to the man's forehead, and push. His head had bounced off the wall of the building behind him, and he slid down it.

The one who had rushed Kurama had attempted to punch him. Kurama had caught his fist just before it reached his face, and with a circular motion of his arm, had flipped him over. He landed on his back, out of breath and gasping for more.

The two placed their hands back into their pockets and started to walk away. The boy who had been teased called to them. "Hey! Thanks!"

"Welcome," they nonchalantly said, never shifting their gaze backwards.

"Since when did you become one for protecting the weak and innocent?" Kurama teased Kane.

"I didn't. If anyone's gonna inflict pain, fear, torure and despair on the inferior beings around here, it's gonna be us, dammit!" His sly smile returned.

Kurama was smiling wide. As long as it had been since he'd seen Kuronue, it felt like not much had changed. They'd been getting the attention of all the girls, playing mind games on each other, making cover stories together, and now they were inspiring fear among the fools who were stupid enough to contend with them.

The brothers were back together. All was right in the universe...

Well, unless you were dumb enough to oppose them...

They were almost to Akari's when they saw a familiar face stepping out of a restaurant.

Kokoda.

His best friend's parents owned the place, Kurama knew. Of all the times...

"Hey! Suichi! Did Dad send you looking for me? 'Cause I left a message on the mach-" Kurama silenced him with a wave of his hand.

"We were on our way to Akari's Lounge. Akari is Kane's aunt. He parked his car there."

"Cool! Care if I tag along?"

"Not at all."

Kane and Kurama shared a look that said "I guess we'll talk later." What choice did they have? They couldn't tell Kokoda no without arousing some kind of suspicion. They were both thinking the same thing anyway. Akari's was a nice place during the day and the early evening hours, but later in the evening, it got rough. If they let the boy follow them now, they'd send him home later, then they could take off, alone.

Suichi gave his brother stern warning that they were leaving early, before the more rowdy patrons showed up. He had agreed, and they were about to start walking again, when, of all people, Kaitou stepped out of the book store across the street. He waved to them and started to cross.

"Gonna be a full house?" Kane asked Suichi, a little amused. Kurama was getting a taste of the bad luck that followed him everywhere he went...

Two updates in a day again! I updated Kurama's Holiday Horrors this morning, too. (Anyone starting to notice my little habit of torturing a certain fox?) Anyway, whatcha think?