I cannot be sure what I feel is equivalent to love, but if you accept, we can find out together.

Scarlett breathed out slowly, trying in vain go to the land of dreams. Unfortunately for her, sleep wasn't coming easy this time around. Frowning, the young woman stared up at the white ceiling. She had been doing so, attempting to count the number of small tiles. It was an attempt because she had gotten bored of the task soon after reaching two hundred and three. Now, she just lied there, inaudibly sighing. She wondered what the problem was. Well, actually she did know what the problem was, but she didn't quite understand why it was so hard to come up with a solution. Scarlett finally shut her eyes. Nearly four hours later, and she still couldn't get that sentence out of her head.

Scowling, Scarlett tossed the covers from her body, and then moved to get out of bed. According to the glowing numbers of her alarm clock, it was two minutes before three… in the morning. She sighed again and began pacing. The room was spacious enough for such an activity. Okay. She needed to think critically about this. One—what was the problem? The problem was her host's proposition. Two—why was it a problem? Scarlett bit her thumbnail, not quite piercing the nail plate. She closed her eyes again as she paced. Admittedly, she was… concerned about it. Sure, she had admitted to herself that she did, indeed, like Kurama. There was no denying that anymore. Even though she did not know exactly when she had come to have feelings, more than friendship, towards him, but she did know that the feelings were there. Still… Again, that one sentence echoed in her mind.

As flattered as she was, what Kurama had suggested was more. More than was she expected, anyway. And serious, too. It was because of that that she was having trouble with this affair. This would be her very first official relationship. On top of that, it wasn't something to be played with. On average, most first time relationships didn't last. There were a few that did, but it was still few. However, if this certain relationship didn't work out, the effects seemed direr. First of all, one of them could end up loving—actually hopelessly fall in love with—the other, but the feelings aren't reciprocated. That would be both awkward and troublesome to deal with. Second, if the courting went accordingly, but the mating didn't, were the two involved just supposed to forget about the intimate touches? Scarlett had full confidence that she wouldn't. Until this day, she could not forget about the kiss she had shared with the red head upon her arrival.

Then there was the fact if the whole thing didn't work out, more than likely she would be sent back to her own world. Scarlett's eyelids lowered. Out of everything that could happen, that is what she didn't want the most. To leave everyone behind—the very thought made her feel dread. Yusuke, Kuwabara-kun, Kuronue, even Hiei—she didn't want to be separated from them. Kurama, too, of course. Their friendship had started rocky, but gradually it began to feel important as well. She didn't want to lose that.

Once again, Scarlett sighed. She removed her small appendage from her mouth. Her pacing didn't stop, though. Three—how was the problem going to be solved? At the moment, she didn't have a solution. Well, she technically had two solutions. It was either yes or no. Simple, yet complicated at the same time. It was just she couldn't choose one of the solutions. Both had pros and cons that seemed to be pretty much equal. But if she sat around and chose nothing… Scarlett sighed again, but not loudly. "If I choose nothing I would most likely leave this place anyway," she thought. The young woman's expression suddenly became flat. "Now that I think about it… it feels like I've been forced into a corner…" That fox—did he know this was going to happen? Did he realize that her only option would be to choose to accept his offer? He was smart enough to see that she would come to the conclusion that benefited him. That led Scarlett to believe that her gracious host wanted the courtship to happen quite badly. "If so, how far do your feelings for me go already, Shuichi-kun?"

At last, her pacing came to a halt. An eyebrow twitched. Oh no. She was starting to become irritated as her thoughts of the red head continued to run through her mind. Was this what they called being manipulated? That pissed her off a bit. And what was with that whole courting thing, anyway? Scarlett had a nagging feeling that Kurama hadn't told her everything about it. Even if he had, she couldn't be sure she liked the sound of it very much. Glowering, her pacing resumed. What was wrong with her?

Her host wanted to court her, and she was thinking negatively about it. She supposed that it was in her nature to feel conflicted about it. After all, it seemed that he was in control of when to advance to the next stage of demon courtship. If she accepted, that is. Scarlett crossed her arms. Her legs were beginning to ache. However, she ignored that for now. She didn't like this. The lack of information about the whole thing made it hard to do pretty much anything. Her lips pressed hard against one another. She probably shouldn't have hastily changed the subject to the whereabouts of Kuronue. It was probably her fault that she didn't have extensive knowledge on the subject. Pretty much after that, there was silence. Scarlett sighed yet again. It had been an uncomfortable walk back to the house.

Scarlett snorted. Then she dropped her arms and stopped her pacing. Thinking critically wasn't exactly getting her anywhere not without more information, at least. Four—if the problem cannot be solved quickly, what had to happen as a result? Well, that was an easy question to answer. She knew exactly what to do now, and if it worked out, she could, at least, get some sleep. Nodding her head in determination, Scarlett swiveled on the balls of her feet and headed over to the bathroom door. The door was opened, and she quickly made her way across the bathroom, which connected to Kurama's room as well.

Kuronue was her target. He may not have been the best source, concerning the information she sought, but a source was still a source. She just had to quietly kidnap the demon from Kurama's room without alerting the red head of her exploit. Scarlett smirked, just thinking about it. It was going to be totally epic. She silently opened the other door and peered inside the dark room. To her disappointment, Kuronue was not curled up at the foot of the bed in his usual sleeping position. Hunching her shoulders, she opened the door completely. "How does he manage to ruin my mood when he's not even here?" Scarlett thought as she tip-toed further into the room. She slowly closed the door behind her. Oh well… She would rather not, but she could still get the information she wanted.

She stood over him at the side of his bed. He didn't move. Scarlett found her lip twitching. He could sleep just fine, couldn't he? Again, she snorted. Still, her host didn't move. The young woman furrowed her brow. She didn't think that Kurama was a deep sleeper. Her upper body hovered over him. "Shu… Kurama, are you awake?" What a silly question to ask, seeing as though it was quite obvious he wasn't. In her defense, she believed that he would wake up upon hearing her voice. That was not the case. The red continued to slumber peacefully, unaware of the intruder in his room. "He wouldn't stand a chance against his rabid fangirls." Rolling her eyes, Scarlett climbed on top of the bed and on top of her host. She was straddling his midsection, and yet he only groaned a bit and turned his head. "Wouldn't stand a chance at all… No wonder he's usually portrayed as the bottom bitch."

Despite Kurama looking so defenseless, Scarlett lifted her arm in preparation of slapping him. Her body tensed, and then she sharply brought her arm down. "Please refrain from doing that." Mere centimeters away from his right cheek, her palm halted. She blinked, watching his eyes slowly open. There was mild annoyance in his expression. Scarlett's lips twitched. She tried hard to keep from snickering.

"So you were awake?" she asked.

"Honestly, I was curious as to what you would do in order to wake me. Because you chose a physical method, am I correct in assuming that you are irritated due to the fact that you haven't gotten much sleep?"

"…"

"So I am right then," Kurama stated.

"Smug bastard," Scarlett thought, crossing her arms. "So if you know all that, then you know why I'm here?" she asked out loud.

"Information," he answered correctly. Scarlett stiffly nodded her head. "Well then…" Kurama sat up, and then twisted his body. His right hand reached to pull the small lamp's switch, which caused his room to be lit. The light was small, but it did its job in allowing Scarlett to clearly see the guy. His green eyes refocused on her. "Well…?" She waited a moment before lifting her right leg and removing herself from Kurama's body. Like an eager student, she sat on her legs, hands on her knees, facing her sensei.

"I want to know more about demon courtship please," Scarlett told him. He stared back at her for what seemed like a full minute. She bit the inside her mouth, wondering why he wasn't saying anything. "I mean," she finally murmured. "What exactly happens during the courtship? When and how does it lead to the mating ritual?" At last, he moved—and took his eyes off of her—pushing his bedspread from his legs.

"I see," he said. An eyebrow twitched as Scarlett curled her fingers into fists. What was with his aloof attitude? This whole matter dealt with him, too. Kurama casually scooted back until his back was pressed against his headboard. His sat cross-legged. "Firstly," he began. "Should the partner accept the courtship, the tongue is used again. What humans call the median basilic vein is the target." Scarlett opened her mouth to ask a question, but Kurama seemed to foresee what she was going to ask. "As you know, there are many demons with many different body structures. However, those who do not have a humanoid shape are generally apart of the lower classes. These creatures rely solely on instincts, which are killing, eating, and surviving. The process of mating is not meant for them."

"Ah."

"As I stated before, once the courtship official begins, intimate touching is involved. However, that is not all there is to courting amongst demons. Performance is the key to a successful courtship," Kurama explained. Scarlett blinked, repeating the subject. "Yes, performance… Depending on how impressive the performance is, the partner will be more inclined to accept advancing to the next stage, which is mating. There are a variety of ways in which a demon can impress the other in courtship, showing off power and fighting abilities is the most popular way of gaining further interest. Dancing is also another way."

"Dancing?" Scarlett repeated incredulously. Kurama smiled lightly.

"Fundamentally, fighting and dancing are the same thing," he said. After blinking, the young woman nodded her head in agreement. "The movement is what matters. If the performance impresses, then…" He trailed off, averting his eyes for a moment. Scarlett called his name. Kurama returned his gaze to her, feeling his face grow a bit warmer. "Do you recall when you licked my face?" he asked. His guest gave an affirmative answer. "Well, what transpired before that seemed as if you were courting me. That is why I had believed you to be—at least slightly—knowledgeable about official courtship. It was difficult to come to terms that it was just a coincidence."

"Why?"

"Because it seemed that you had picked up on the nonverbal cues that I was impressed," Kurama clarified. "I subconsciously showed that I had been impressed, and right after that you had licked my face."

"Oooh," Scarlett tapped her chin, thoughtfully, looking up. "I was seducing you without even knowing it." Her eyes suddenly shifted back down. "Wait a minute… As a woman, I can court you?"

"The traditional roles of male and female, that you know, are not the same in Demon world," Kurama stated. "Rather, they are blurred. It is of very little importance as to who initiates courtship." Her eyes, expectedly, lit up at the news. The red head mentally chuckled.

"That's totally awesome… but why isn't courting generally successful?" she asked. The smile dropped from Kurama's face. "I mean, I can see if a performance does nothing for the other, but-" She stopped herself. "Oh, right… Love has to happen."

"Precisely."

"How do they know if it's love or not?"

"… By the blood that is consumed."

"… Come again? Did you say blood?"

Kurama clasped his hands together in his lap. He had been a bit wary about telling her about this. No matter how aggressive she was, that didn't change the fact that she was still human. The concept might be disturbing and or disgusting to her. "Yes. Blood. I didn't mention it before, but when I said the tongue is used again, I meant to lick the blood from the vein," he said. "Not only does this connect the two, but it causes a near uncontrollable urge to skip everything and… give in to the feelings of lust, ignoring love altogether. If this happens at the most crucial time, the blood from another no longer reacts in one's body because it is not love. The courtship ends."

"Whoa… This is serious," Scarlett remarked. She suddenly smirked. Kurama's eyes widen. He hadn't been expecting that reaction. "What do you mean by 'crucial,' though?" The humane demon cleared his throat.

"When the… sexual desires are at its peak," Kurama answered. Her eyebrows rose as he eyes expanded. "When it's hardest to control the urge, I mean. If that urge can be overcome, official mating shall occur."

"And… is there a chance something will go wrong with that?" Scarlett questioned.

"In the midst of…" He trailed off again, not knowing how to phrase without seeming perverted or offensive. Fortunately, his guest was no sensitive person and graciously filled in the blank.

"Getting it in?" she suggested. Kurama held back a smile, feeling an oncoming blush. He had almost forgotten how unafraid this woman was when it came to speaking her mind.

"… Y-Yes," he answered. "In the midst of that, one could forget to mark the other, letting others know it is official."

"Ah," she nodded. "I guess it is pretty distracting." Her gaze turned to the bed. She lightly squeezed her lower lip between her index finger and thumb. A soft sigh was released as she closed her eyes. "So I'm guessing that the one who initiates the courtship is the one who does the marking? What marking are you talking about, anyway?"

"I say marking, but it's really an exchange as the mark fades overtime," Kurama explained. "It is the scent of another inside of the mate's body that shows the status."

"You demons are damn weird," Scarlett opened her eyes. "Hm…" She stretched her neck, shifting her focus to the ceiling. "Hm…" She sucked her teeth. "Hm…" At last, her eyes returned to him. Without feeling the least bit hesitant, she smiled. "Alright. Let's do this."

"Pardon?" Admittedly, he didn't think she would sound so nonchalant about the situation.

"Oh… um… I formally accept your intention to court me," Scarlett clarified, though she didn't need to.

"Are you sure this is-"

"Hey, should you really be questioning me at this point? You're the one who felt the need to lead me into courtship in the first place."

"I don't want you to feel as though I'm forcing you."

"Too late for that," Scarlett grinned despite the meaning in her words. "I've gotten pass that, and I'm not upset, so obviously I'll accept." She placed her palms on the bed and slowly crawled towards him. Her nose was very close to his. Kurama swallowed hard. Of course. Scarlett cared not for proximity. "So are you going to do it or are we going to have to wait until later hours?"

"Scarlett, has anyone ever told you that you could be a demon?" Kurama asked. She blinked twice.

"Why, of course! That bully I took out said I was a demon in disguise with demonic strength. He was very scared of me," she answered. Both shared a light laugh. At last, she pulled away, sitting back down on her legs. Scarlett smiled. It was her smile that eased his mind. She wanted this. He wanted this. It was because of her that he was willing to take a step that he never thought he would.

"May I have your arm?" Kurama held out his hand. She nodded, and then extended said body part. Seeing as how Scarlett usually wore tank tops and sweatpants to bed, it wasn't necessary to remove any clothing. His free hand reached up to pluck a seed from his hair. Scarlett looked as though she was holding back a giggle. "You never know when this comes in handy."

"Better safe than sorry," she agreed with a grin. "But why are you pulling that out now?"

"I'm afraid I do not have fangs or claws to pierce your skin and cause your blood to spill," he replied, lowering his eyes to her bulging vein. Carefully, he placed the sharpest end of the seed against her skin. "This will have to do." Slowly an incision was made, causing Scarlett to wince. Her blood seeped through the opening. Quickly, Kurama set the seed down. He closed his eyes, and then slid his lips up her arm, starting from her wrist. Upon reaching the sliding drops of blood, his tongue came out to taste the red fluid. She gasped involuntarily, and then released shuddering breaths. A shiver went through his body as he continued to lick. His teeth lightly grazed her skin as he did. Finally, he reached the open flesh.

"Ku… Kurama," Scarlett whimpered out. He could feel her begin to pull away. However, he kept a firm grip on her arm. This part was important. At first, he wasn't going to give her his own blood. She was human. She, in theory, wouldn't have the same effects that her blood would have in himself. But now… he wanted to. Biting his lip, Kurama drew his own blood. It was much easier to gauge his pain than to inflict unnecessary pain on Scarlett. His blood mingled with hers. "Ah!" To his surprise, she cried out. Kurama reared his head back, looking up.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I…" Her eyes were squeezed shut. She lowered her chin and swallowed. "It felt like… electrifying." Kurama furrowed his brow at her answer. His green eyes shifted down to her skin. It had stopped bleeding. Most likely, the mark would remain for a few days. He didn't think she would feel something from their blood mixing. However, that could have been a mere coincidence. Further observation would be necessary before he could assume that the process actually did affect humans. Without warning, Scarlett threw her arms around his torso. Stunned, Kurama could only sit there, almost frozen. "It's done, right?" she murmured. Her chin rested on his shoulder. "So I can do this?" For several moments, he didn't answer. Then he smiled.

"Of course," he said, returning the embrace.

Having his arms around her, Scarlett couldn't be more satisfied. She was reminded of the time when they first encountered. She shut her eyes. Back then, he smelled like nature. She had been closed to him then. But now it felt as though she was closer because his scent was slightly different. He still smelled of an environment unaffected by human activity, but there was something more. Scarlett, for the life of her, couldn't put her finger on it. She had never smelt anything like it before. Whatever it was, it was pleasing to her senses.

Not only that, but he was physically stronger than she had imagined. In his strong, yet gentle embrace, she felt more secure than she ever had. Scarlett tilted her head, lightly touching her mouth and nose to the side of his neck. His body tensed, yet relaxed only seconds later. Kurama released a heavy sigh. His hand stopped moving up and down her back. "As I thought," he whispered. Scarlett slowly opened her eyes. "This isn't enough."

Quicker than what she could recall she found her back on the bed. If she had been any less flexible, she would have been in pain. Her legs were still in the same position that they had been. "Wha-" Her confusion was quickly silenced because her lips were practically crushed under his. Her body was much too shocked at his actions to counteract. His hands slid down the sides of her body. He pulled her legs from under her and wrapped them around him, never once releasing his hold on her lips. Scarlett turned her head, but he only shifted it back with one hand, grunting in annoyance. This was unlike Kurama. Luckily for her, her arms hadn't been pinned. She placed her palms against his cheeks. She actually felt his body twitch in surprise when her tongue brushed against his lips. Hastily, he opened his mouth. This gave Scarlett her window of opportunity. She bit down on his lip.

For several seconds, the two did not move. Finally, Scarlett rested her head on the bed as she opened her eyes. The male on top of her sat up, pressing his fingertips to his lips. Blood ran down his chin. At last, his golden eyes narrowed down her at. "You knew," he stated.

"Of course I did… Yoko-sama," she answered, holding back the hiss she had wanted to convey. She folded her arms over her chest and returned the glare. "I do wish you wouldn't randomly switch with the person who's courting me. It's going to a pain in the future."

"How can you like him and not me?" Yoko questioned. "We're one in the same."

"Keep telling yourself that," Scarlett replied flatly. The golden-eyed Kurama frowned. The movement caused more blood to be produced from the wound that her incisor made. Droplets fell from his chin and landed on her gray tank top. "Hey, get off me. You're making a mess." To her suspicion, Yoko smirked. She didn't like the looks of it. He lowered his upper body, placing his hands on either side of Scarlett's head. She didn't look happy about it either. "I'm not happy about this."

"Heh." Yoko didn't seem to care. "I don't care." Sighing, Scarlett unfolded her arms. "Scar, please heal me like you did before. I'm in urgent need."

"You're going to be in urgent need if you don't get off me."

"Such unnecessary hatred," Yoko remarked. His index finger traced her jaw line. Then he rubbed his thumb against her bottom lip. Scarlett mentally smirked. He was underestimating her again. Quickly, she jerked her body to the side, taking the golden-eyed red head with her. He landed on the floor with the offender on top. She gave a mocking smile. Yoko merely blinked at the position reversal. Really, he couldn't understand how the human woman conquered such a feat. Twice. "You-"

"Please," Scarlett interrupted. "Don't mistake hostility for hatred, Yoko-sama. I only remembered what happened last time and acted accordingly. But I don't hate you. In fact, I think we should get along. After all, the man that I find myself willing to open up to is a part of you, and you a part of him." Her eyelids lowered as did her torso. Her hair fell and brushed against his cheek. "Please take care of me. I'm looking forward to it."

"As am I," Yoko responded, lifting his upper body by use of his arms. He balanced his weight with one as his other hand reached up to caress the foreign woman's face. He brought his face very close to Scarlett's. She didn't bat an eyelash. This wasn't a surprise. From the beginning, her skinship knew no bounds. "You are quite the woman, Scar." She, in turn, grinned widely.

"You're just saying that because it's true," she said. Yoko smiled, and then moved forward. His lips lightly touched hers, but she pulled away, shifting her gaze down. "That doesn't mean you can kiss me." Slowly, she returned her eyes to focus on his golden orbs. "I don't want to feel like I'm cheating or something."

"As I said, we are one in the same," Yoko repeated.

"No, my feelings for you are very different from what I feel for him," Scarlett stated.

"I suppose we have to change that then, hm?"

Again, his lips found hers. This time she didn't pull back. As he kissed her, she felt his hand slowly slide down her skin. He probably believed that his tongue was distracting her. Scarlett had to admit, though, he was quite skilled. But that didn't mean she became totally unaware of his actions. He was attempting to slip his hands under her shirt. "Stop," she murmured. Yoko actually did do as she requested. Scarlett pressed her forehead to his. "You must know one kiss isn't going to change my feelings, right?"

"That is why I wish to take this further," Yoko countered. Scarlett laughed a bit, resting her elbows on his shoulders, and then she became straight-faced.

"No," she said as if he had politely asked her run in front of a train. "Shuichi-kun… I want him." Yoko looked as though he might have sputtered a protest. To save him from embarrassment—because honestly, she would have laughed obnoxiously—gave him a hard kiss that effectively cut him off. His body tensed, shocked at her actions. Gradually, the feeling of her lips pressed against his softened until she they no longer touched. Her tongue then darted out and licked his chin, taking the blood with her. His eyes flickered from gold to green. Scarlett smirked, showing her teeth. "Shuichi-kun… Now."

"You are quite the woman," Yoko repeated, mirroring the smirk. "I'll oblige… this time."

"Yes, yes," Scarlett nodded her head. He closed his eyes. Seconds later, they opened, revealing vibrant green. "Blood taste weird," she told him. Kurama blinked, and then chuckled.

"It's an acquired taste," he said. Then his expression turned serious. "Scarlett, if you are uncomfortable with my other side, I can control his appearances."

"Uncomfortable isn't the word I'd use," she murmured. Like before, she brought him closer, her cheek pressed against his. "More like… a cat that keeps sneaking into your house and you have no choice to keep it because it's grown on you." Kurama raised a brow. "Don't worry, I clearly know the intentions."

"Yes," the red head murmured, closing his eyes. His arms encased her again. "I wish to gain your heart. He wishes to gain your virginity."

"Haha—like that's going to happen," Scarlett said. "I'm only going to give it to the man I love the most." His grasp on her tightened as he murmured her name. "Hm…?"

"May I kiss you?"

"Must you ask me that?"

"No, I suppose I don't," Kurama remarked. The corners of his lips tugged upward. He turned his head, planting a soft kiss on Scarlett's cheek. She squeezed her eyes closed, not expecting a jolt to travel through her body from the contact. Suppressing the trembles, the young woman almost sighed when he pulled away. "Forgive me." His words confused her. Scarlett opened her eyes as her brow furrowed. A small, barely audible, gasp let her mouth. The intense look in his eyes caused her to freeze. He was so close, too. It wasn't as though she was uncomfortable. Rather, it was a bit out of character for Kurama. Usually, he kept his distance. Scarlett was sure that there would be some type of distance, at least in the beginning of the courtship. Did this mean the distance between them was nonexistence for him now? Could he do as he pleased now? "There is something I did not mention," he continued. His eyes never left hers. Scarlett remained frozen. "You see, I have been holding back." And that, right there, confirmed it. He was going to do whatever he wanted. "I won't do that anymore." She could not control the shudder that traveled across every inch of her skin.

"Suddenly… it feels like I'm a paper tiger, facing a hurricane," Scarlett thought, trying to keep a nervous look from her expression. "Shuichi-kun may be younger than me, but his mind is more experienced…" Kurama lifted his hand. His index finger and thumb tilted her chin up. Slightly annoyed that she felt some embarrassment, she tried to save face. "Well, I would hope you wouldn't go about this with a half-assed attitude," she replied.

Her attempts to cover up her nervousness only made Kurama smile. He wondered when it had become so easy to see right through her. The back of his fingers traveled up, stopping to tuck strands of her dark hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't dream of such a thing." His words were whispered in her ear. Try as she might, she could not contain the groan that surfaced due to the fact that Kurama had nipped at her outer ear. Repeatedly. Her shoulders tensed and her fingers curled on his shoulders. His name jumped from her parted lips. "I'm going to kiss you again." Kurama's mouth hovered over her cheek, slowly moving towards her lips. As he said, he kissed her lightly.

Expectedly, he felt something—a pleasant piercing sensation. A simple kiss caused such a feeling, and he wanted more. Kurama tilted his head, pressing a bit harder. She opened for him, allowing his tongue to enter. An incredibly hot feeling washed over him and invaded his body. The feeling was foreign to him. He hadn't felt this the first time they had kissed. Still, he wanted more. He could feel her pulling away, most likely in need of air. No, that was too fast. His hand gripped the back of her neck as the kiss deepened. Scarlett whimpered as he turned, pushing her back to the floor. He allowed her a second to breathe before indulging himself yet again.

It was so hot. So good. He couldn't stop. He didn't want to stop. Beneath him, Scarlett pushed against his chest. No, she wasn't pushing against him. She was trying to remove his shirt, pulling at the cotton fabric. The woman moaned in his mouth. Kurama's eyes shot open. He hastily separated from her. He almost couldn't believe. Losing control in an instant—he hadn't thought it would be so quick. The red head panted and closed his eyes. His confidence for enduring the courtship was beginning to fade. Even now, he had an intense urge to take her now. Fortunately, that was—slowly—ebbing away. His hands clenched into fists. He needed to be stronger than this. He had to.

"Ku… Kurama," Scarlett caught his attention. He opened his eyes, staring down at her. Despite looking a bit irritated, she appeared disappointed.

"I'm sorry… It would appear as though I don't have a lot of control when it comes to you," Kurama stated. Her expression only turned smug.

"Don't hold back," she told him. "Even though you're a damn good kisser, I can control myself a bit."

"Would that be enough?"

"Like my mom used to tell me… 'If it's not enough, make it enough,'" Scarlett recalled. She then smiled. "I've been making it enough for most of my life. I… I can handle this because… I do want to love you." Her arms stretched, wrapping around his neck. She pulled him down again.

"I want to love you as well, Scarlett." He planted a gentle kiss to her left cheek. "Now that I know what it's like… perhaps I will have better control." It was false hope. More than likely, it would be the same each time, only becoming harder the deeper the intimate contact.

"Even if you don't, I'll pull you out. I will," she promised. Kurama was silent for a few moments. She had effectively calmed him down somewhat. Scarlett was not a demon. She could possibly be able to overcome the euphoria. "Again…?" He bit his lower lip, and then shook his head.

"I think it would be best if we postpone kissing for awhile," Kurama answered, which made Scarlett pout. "There are other things, after all." She nodded in agreement as her arms unwound from him. With a sigh, the red head removed himself from on top of the young woman. He stared up at the ceiling, feeling her blue eyes on his person. Then she draped an arm over his chest. Kurama shifted his gaze. She smiled again.

"I can't be sure what I feel is the same as love, but we can figure this out together," Scarlett told him. He blinked, realizing that the sentence was almost the same as what he had said to her previously. Kurama returned the smile, and then moved to embrace her. He closed his eyes, breathing in.

"I'm sure we will," he replied.

0-0