If you are looking for chapter 19, go back one chapter. This week is a two chapter update week. This chapter contains adult content. If you don't wish to read it, if you're under 17, or if you simply don't care, then do not read it. I'm extremely mild with my lemons, but I still feel warnings are necessary. This is your warning, okay?

…is it ironic to be drinking a screwdriver while typing a lemon, or is that just my 90's-bred sense of humor wreaking havoc again? (Maybe it's just the vodka…)

Yusuke was acutely aware of every detail around him, and damn it, but it wasn't fair.

The camp outside was just beginning to stir. He could hear youkai beginning their morning training, calling to friends, squabbling over the very limited supply of toilet paper, or getting in line for breakfast.

And he was in his tent, sitting on top of Kurama, and fuck but the fox looked amazing, lying there with his hair spread all around and his eyes so dark and so warm and that naughty little grin on his far-too-tasty lips, and damn but his hands were at Yusuke's hips, playing with the waistband of his jeans, teasing him.

And he couldn't help thinking that he'd slept in his clothes, and that he hadn't brushed his teeth yet, and that he was out of hair gel, so the unwashed strands were all in his face, and that he'd never done this with anyone, and Kurama was a guy, and that really didn't matter at all, but he was a guy who had done this before…

And had he really told Kurama that he loved him?

Some of the lovely wantonness slipped from Kurama's face, making him look, for a moment, like Yusuke's concerned friend, and not his amorous almost-lover.

"Yusuke…if you truly are this uncomfortable, then perhaps we shouldn't do this."

"What?"

Kurama smiled.

"I'm not saying not ever," he assured him gently, "I am merely suggesting that you, perhaps, still need a bit more time."

"No! Hell no! This is happening, damn it!"

"Oh?" and though Kurama's expression warned him that he was teasing, Yusuke still jumped when, with a swift, sure movement, Kurama's hands moved from his waistband to his fly.

"Shit! Not so fast!"

Kurama wasn't listening. He had Yusuke's pants undone without any fumbling, and he was tugging at them as if he would rip them off if Yusuke didn't cooperate. Yusuke didn't have time for much more than a surprised protest as he suddenly found himself on his back, with his jeans around his knees.

He clamped his hands down over Kurama's as the redhead's fingers curled under the waistband of his boxers and began to pull.

"Wait! Stop it!"

Kurama looked up at him, and his eyes were wild and challenging.

"Do you want this, or not?" he teased, leaning over him.

"Did I say you could be in charge, damn it?"

Kurama blinked innocently.

"But you were afraid to be in charge, remember?" he asked. "If you are so determined that this happen this morning, what other choice do we have?"

"But - !"

Before Yusuke could finish voicing his protest, Kurama was kissing him, and it flew completely out of his head. His hands loosened atop Kurama's, and he felt the fabric of his boxers slide down his thighs to join his jeans, and it didn't even occur to his brain to point out that he was half naked, because Kurama's lips were at his throat and his hands were…his hands were everywhere, shoving up his shirtm sliding over every inch of exposed skin he could find. His touch was slow, exploratory, and soon the young detective was writhing for something more.

His hands found Kurama's head, fisted in his hair, and he pulled the fox's lips back to him, hungry for his mouth.

The rest of his body seemed to have a mind of its own, because Kurama's hand barely brushed him and his hips were moving, seeking – desperately seeking – his warmth and finding none. Kurama held his body above Yusuke's, out of reach for his desperately searching hips. The fox's noncompliant hands were nowhere to be found.

Yusuke broke the kiss with a cry of frustration.

"Kurama!"

He laughed, tossing his head. "No one is holding you down," he pointed out lightly.

Somehow, that thought had failed to occur to Yusuke. Kurama watched him, eyes dark and lovely, as he reached between them to touch himself.

"What's the point…in you even being here…then?" he demanded, past the point of being embarrassed.

"I'll make myself useful in a moment, I assure you," the redhead promised as, one handed, he began to unbutton his own shirt. Yusuke watched him pull it off, eyes hungrily taking in every inch of that pale, smooth skin.

He cried out, head thrashing back against the pillows, as Kurama's hand joined his. Calm and cool, his touch was much more effective than Yusuke had been finding his own.

"You see?" Kurama asked. His hand moved to wrap itself around Yusuke's wrist instead and he pulled his arm away, pinning it up above his head. "I think you're going to lose control if I am not careful with you. It would be very fun, for me, to see it happen, but I'm afraid your ego couldn't handle it."

"You're a teasing bastard!" Yusuke glared.

Kurama laughed, and pinned his other arm, and nuzzled his neck.

There was silence between them as Yusuke slowly calmed his breathing, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal.

He felt Kurama smile against his skin, and answered it with a scowl.

"You're laughing at me," he accused, and his voice was still a little breathy.

"No. I think you're cute."

"That's just plain mean."

The fox chuckled, and lifted his head so that he could brush his lips against the detective's.

"And if you had simply kept quiet and trusted me, you would be deliriously satisfied by now," he teased. "You asked me to slow down, did you not?"

A laugh escaped him, despite his best efforts to stop it.

"You're torturing me, man."

"I do feel the need to ensure we both feel you've earned this."

Looking at his friend, Yusuke was suddenly, cruelly reminded of what the fox had looked like, alone and defeated in that cell. And Yusuke had never considered himself a very smart or insightful person, but he suddenly realized that that Kurama had to tease him because, for as long as possible, they needed to be distracted from the rest of the world.

"Fine," he said. "So make me earn it - so long as we get to the fucking."

Kurama laughed, and the light in his eyes was priceless. Yusuke stubbornly ignored any feelings of discomfort as he, getting his arms free at least, reached to try to get Kurama out of his pants.

"You're still wearing too many clothes," he pointed out, fumbling awkwardly with the zipper. He felt his face heat up, but ignored it.

"Technically, you're still wearing all of your clothes, as well," Kurama answered mildly.

"And what, exactly, are they concealing? My knees?"

"They are rather enticing knees." Kurama sat up, eyes running up Yusuke's body. He smiled slowly, and Yusuke had the very unsettling feeling that he knew exactly what he was thinking. He felt a new stirring of excitement while, at the same time, he fought the urge to cover up.

He got Kurama's pants undone, and hesitated for a moment, realizing that once they were both exposed, there would really be no going back.

"Last chance," he heard himself say. His voice shook, and he looked up at Kurama and found his friend's expression filled with warmth and affection.

Somehow, the fox managed to combine the action of removing the remainder of his clothes with stretching out above Yusuke.

"I think we've actually passed that point, actually," he corrected, kissing him, and Yusuke gasped against his lips at the unexpected feel of Kurama's bare skin against his own. He felt Kurama's smile against his lips as he pushed himself against him, teasing him with the friction of their bodies.

Yusuke could barely catch his breath. He had a hand grasped in Kurama's hair, the other at the small of his back, clasping him close as his hips – moving as if with a will of their own – pressed themselves urgently up against the older youkai's.

"No more playing!" his order came out a breathy pant. He no longer cared what it meant, or entailed, or what would have to happen. He just knew that he had no idea how long he was going to last if anything else felt half as good as this did, and he did not want to cut this short. "Just fuck me already, damn it!"

Kurama lifted his head to look at him for a moment, then kissed him fiercely. Yusuke slammed his eyes shut, fighting the urge to be nervous as he felt, rather than saw, his friend sit up.

And then Kurama surprised him.

"Wh…what are you doing?" he demanded, eyes shooting open. He attempted to sit up, and Kurama put a hand on his shoulder, steadying himself. Yusuke stared at him, shock nearly overwhelming all feeling as he watched Kurama slowly impale himself.

Only when he was fully sheathed did his mind and his body catch up with events, and he let out a shuddering breath he hadn't known he was holding.

If Kurama had moved then, Yusuke was certain it all would have been over. Just the sight of him alone was nearly enough to end him – his body so pale, so lithe, more perfect than any piece of artwork with his head thrown back so that those wild red curls spilled down his back. His eyes were closed and his thick, dark lashes trembled against his pale cheeks. He held his bottom lip caught between his teeth.

And then there was the feel of him, so tight, so warm, and…

And then he began to move, rocking himself above Yusuke, and the detective's hips were trying, without any conscious direction from him, to thrust upwards, to help Kurama, and the fox had one hand holding that wild mane of hair back and one hand on himself, moving.

Kurama let out a tiny gasp of surprise when Yusuke managed to shift them, sitting up, changing the angle and giving himself a little more control. Kurama's legs went around him, an arm sliding around his shoulders, his other hand moving more quickly, small sounds escaping his mouth at each thrust as they managed to coordinate their movements, so that when he rocked his body into Yusuke's, he received the fullness of Yusuke's thrust.

And Yusuke was making noise, too, indistinct little sounds he barely heard and tried to muffle against the fox's shoulder as he clutched him close, one hand moving to join Kurama's, helping him, which only made the redhead all the louder.

And all he could think was that this was Kurama. Beautiful, strong, amazing Kurama, who clutched at him so desperately, who breathlessly called his name.

And Yusuke's control was slipping, but he didn't want this to end – not yet, not yet! – and so some of his power began to trickle out, like it had during that first, shocking time Kurama had kissed him, tingling along their skin, electric and heady, and damn but who would have ever guessed that something could feel so amazing?

And the air was filled with the scent of roses, intoxicating him, and he could feel Kurama's power leap up to answer his own, luxuriously sliding along his skin, and Kurama made it better, and he could feel Kurama when he spilled against him, and he had to hide his face against his neck to muffle his own release.

And it was an eternity before anything existed again.

He was on the pallet, and Kurama was in his arms, and their nude bodies were slick with sweat. Yusuke's clothes were tangled impossibly around his limbs, and Kurama's hair was in his face, and both of their hearts were thudding as if one in both of their chests.

He couldn't move. His limbs felt weak. Heavy.

Why, he wondered, would he ever want to move, anyway?

Kurama shifted slightly, and he heard the fox give a short, muffled laugh.

"Hey…" Yusuke swatted tiredly at him. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not," the redhead shifted again, coming to rest more securely in his arms. "Well…perhaps a little…" he amended, and he gave another chuckle, wrapping his arms around Yusuke's waist.

"Bastard!" he muttered.

"I do believe you bit me. Look!" and with another laugh, he pulled his hair back to expose one shoulder, and Yusuke stared blearily at the series of neat impressions rapidly filling with blood.

"Damn. I'm sorry, Kurama. I didn't mean…" Yusuke began to try to sit up. "I think I've got a first aide kit somewhere…"

"No. Leave it…" voice warm, Kurama pulled him back into his arms.

"It'll scar."

"Mm. Fine."

"Kurama…"

"After everything that has conspired recently," he sighed, "I certainly don't mind bearing a few marks to remind me of one who loves me."

"But…I…"

"Quiet now."

"What? Now you're in charge?"

He could feel Kurama smile against his skin.

"I've always been in charge," he murmured. "I only let you think you were so that I could trick you into my bed."

"Yeah? Well we're in my bed right now, smartass."

Kurama laughed.

After a moment, Yusuke forced himself to move – just enough to kick odd what remained of his clothes. Kurama curled into his body again as he lie back down, dragging one of the blankets over the both of them. Yusuke didn't think either of them hadn't gotten any real sleep last night, although he purposefully kept the reasons why far from his mind.

He was warm and happy, still tingling from one of the most intense experiences of his life. He was pleasantly tired, and had a beautiful red haired fox in his arms. He was in love with someone strong and exciting and wonderful.

And, for the moment, there was simply no room for thoughts of death.

tbc

So don't lynch me if you hated it. As always, thanks for reading. Hope to see you back next week.