Running a hand across my forehead I sighed as I put down the hammer and stretched, a small pop in my back resonating through me. Looking at the fence, I was actually proud of my handy woman skills, all things considering. A few feet away, Jin was painting it, sneezing every few brush strokes despite him insisting he is not allergic to anything inside the tin bucket, but it did look like the paint fumes were doing his head in.
"Jin honey, let me do it." Looking over he rubbed his nose, smile forming on his face when hearing my voice. Throwing my head back, I laughed seeing the state of his clothes. I wouldn't be surprised at this point if I find his underwear stained with paint, if he wears any that is. I let him pick the colour since he insistent, as in very, up in my face, waving his hands all over the place, almost ready to get on his knees plea. How could I say no to his lovely chubby cheeks?
Looking at his technique, it wasn't a half bad job, but it would need another coat of baby blue paint. Now that I was seeing it live, against the fresh dark green grass, Jin's choice actually panned out. Picking a clean cloth, I took some diluent soaking it good, before taking a strand of his hair. I swear, it looked like he actually dipped it in paint. Cobalt large eyes turned to me, toothy grin telling me he was actually happy with his accomplishment "What ya think Hana?"
"I love it, good job Jin." Wiping the cloth against his cheek, he fussed telling me he wasn't done with the work.
"Fine, fine, but I need to go back to the house, see what else I can do." Heading back, I placed all the tools in their box and started heading to the main house.
True to Kurama's plan we packed what we could and headed the Hell out of the temple area before another disaster hit us. Me and Kaito searched for a new area, big enough to fit all of us but also be closer to the city in case we needed to head back faster.
That was how we decided on the farm house, one hour drive away from Sarayashiki. It was secluded, big enough in terms of housing and also had enough land fit for growing crops, training, that is if no Dragon of the Darkness flame was unleashed. Although we moved in very fast, we were still working on getting everything fit for living, repairing here and there, everyone pitching in.
Heading down the gravel road, I could see the main house in the distance, Kuwabara working on the roof with Yusuke, both bickering about something since I could hear their voices from all the way where I was. A few miles behind the house there was an artificial lake that even had fish in it and honestly it was Heaven sent even if we missed the ocean and the sand.
In a sense, the farm had enough space and terrain to accommodate the majority of needs, a small forest traveling across a hill to the left of the main house a few miles west, that also being included in the terrain.
Yukina and Keiko worked in securing the perimeter, wards and talismans blocking any outsider from being able to see inside or find us for that matter, unless they had specific instructions on how to reach the place. Even better you couldn't even see it from the main road, unless you took on the gravel road for about half an hour until you reached the fence and mail box.
I honestly couldn't even believe it's been almost two months since we left the temple, August being only a few days away but a lot has changed. Relocations were handled mainly by the SDF who rigorously interrogated new demons before they even met us.
On the Demon World side, power levels were scanned, Hiei having left to help on that side. While I understood the reasons behind his decisions, I really missed him. His powers were a lot more helpful there, his Jagan being used in an attempt to locate the danger loaming over our heads and also scan demons wishing to enter Human World. Sighing, I could only hope he was safe and would soon return to us.
Passing the team, Yanagisawa waved me over. It was sort of unnerving seeing him as me from time to time, but it was all part of the plan. That and sometimes pranking Kurama, as if one Hana wasn't enough for him.
"Hey, want to train with us? I can get Kido's powers just right by now, but I need to work more on yours." Looking over Yanagisawa, Kaito shook his head, breath heavy as if he had run a marathon. Cocking a brow at the young man before me, I could feel him shrink.
"Did you finish repairing the bench near the lake? Did you water the flowers?" checking my clock he backed away a bit "Weren't you supposed to be getting groceries at this hour?"
Kido's voice reached me, the response making me drop the tool box from my hand "He made Kurama do it." Laughter echoed through the air as I punched Yanagisawa in the gut, him falling to his knees in the tall grass.
"What did I say? We need to finish stuff around here." I knew he was right that we also needed to train and we were doing it, just in between everything. Between still living a normal life, the moving around, relocations, jobs.
Running after Yanagisawa since he up and left me to rant, I managed to get my exercise in and finally make it back to the house. On the porch, Shizuru sat enjoying a beer and a smoke, happy she managed to install a porch swing "Want one?" letting myself fall near her, I nodded, taking in the scenery before our eyes. Reaching inside a cooler placed close to the swing, she extended a cold beer to me which I placed against my forehead.
"I think I've been out in the sun too much." I could feel my face burning up, skin already tanned from the number of days spent working around the place. Taking an offered cigarette, we sat there enjoying the warm breeze flowing through our hair.
"This is good kid, you all did a good job."
I believed that as well. Although the events that led us here weren't what I would call ideal, I learned to cherish each day that brought peace. We had no way of knowing if what we planned for the Demon World tournament would actually work, if whoever is behind this would even come out of their hole, but then again we stopped dwelling on so many dark thoughts as much as we could.
Days meant something more, held a deeper meaning and all pitched in, in the end forming a community. The barn and guest house were transformed into housing for relocated demons who could not yet fit the city bill due to their unique appearance, however it all looked to be working out. By the looks of it, they were much happier in a place with fertile land with a clear surrounding that ensured they wouldn't be caught off guard again.
Ito however saw things a bit different after having that thing infest his soul. He chose to have nothing more to do with us, instead moving in with his brother who also shinned away from our group. I am aware we can't win all cases and not everyone can like us, but I honestly did think they would be part of this, part of more but in the end their only reason for coming to Human World was to get away from soul ripping monsters.
Pushing the beer to my lips, I enjoyed the cold liquid traveling to my stomach "We still have some more to do, but we're getting there." Jumping at the sound of my phone ringing I smiled seeing Kurama's name on the screen "Yes? Sure I can, wait for me there." Closing the call I gave the beer back to Shizuru "Sorry, I need to go pick him up since he was made to shop today."
"No problem, go do your thing." Shrugging her shoulders she smirked "More beer for me."
Shaking my head, I placed the cigarette behind my ear so I could smoke it in the car later "Yeah, yeah just you wait when I get back." Jumping off the porch, something fell near me. Looking at the ground, a roof tile lay in the dirt.
Looking up following the source of the object, Yusuke's wide apologetic eyes stared at me "Sorry."
"Look" I pointed a finger at him "just so we're clear, I didn't die from a tentacle baby, I sure as Hell don't plan on dying because a freaking roof tile fell on my head."
Rolling his eyes, he grinned at me "Like anything could kill you. Hey, give me that cig." Showing him the middle finger, I strut away to my truck "I will shoot my Spirit gun at you bitch ass."
"I will shatter you to pieces ass bitch. You have an extra pack in the fruit box. Eat your damn fruits." Both smiled as I pulled away from the house, window down as I drove down the road to go pick up Kurama, smoke filling my lungs as a random song played on the radio.
I was honestly thankful Yusuke didn't manage me when it came down to me almost dying. We didn't really talk about it, not in the sense that two people normally talk, exposing ones heart and laying down feelings, but we did share a moment during our first night at the farm.
He took a bottle of whiskey out of the fridge, grabbed my hand and dragged me to the pier near the lake. He knows I don't really go for whiskey, if I have alcohol to choose from that would be one of the last bottles I would reach for, even if I do always have one in the house. He did it to irk me, to test and push me forward all in his own way.
It had been two weeks since the event as in my usual fashion, I didn't actually sit and process it. Not with all that needed to be done.
Yusuke said nothing, not a damn word, just sat there drinking, making me do so as well. It made me nervous, it made me anxious feeling something was up with him. But no, he answered as much when I asked and then I knew it was about me.
As the alcohol made my brain fuzzy I actually asked him if he was scared when he let Sensui kill him but he was quick to dismiss me stating the situation was in no way similar. He had a plan, I was taken by surprise. The first time Yusuke died, he didn't even know it until Botan laid it out for him, but in both cases he had a soul, something to still fuel his body. In my case I would have ceased to even exist.
We ended up yelling at each other at the top of our lungs, swearing, me hitting him and him me.
Then just like that, I broke down, crying in his arms while he told me how scared he was, how mad that he couldn't do anything, that we'd get the bastard that is putting us though all this. It was a simple thing really, as simple as Yusuke usually does things, without thinking them through but feeling intensely.
By calling me names, drinking and smoking he made me come out of my shell, cling onto him differently than I had to Kurama. Of course, they were different but their end feelings matched and both cared enough for me making me realize despite not wanting it, that I couldn't do it alone. I wasn't that strong even if my will was but it felt ok. I was ok with them.
Pulling at the bus stop, Kurama sat on a bench being surrounded by all sort of bags "Hello handsome, want a ride?" blowing a kiss his way I winked, trying not to burst out laughing.
Cocking an eyebrow, the fatigue on his face alleviated slightly "Apologies miss, I am waiting for my girlfriend. I cannot get in your truck just like that."
Getting out of the car I grabbed a few bags placing them in the trunk "Well sorry honey, but this girlfriend doesn't want a fine for parking in a bus area." A low chuckle left his lips as he also started transporting groceries.
"Are you feeling well? Your face is a little red." He didn't even let me answer as his hands touched my cheek, feeling the temperature of my skin, lips pressing in a thin line "Too much sun?"
"Yeah, it's ok, just a bit light headed." A soft kiss followed, a bit too short for my liking as he actually did it in order to steal the keys from my back pocket.
"Then how about I drive?" Holding them out of my reach wasn't the sort of game I wanted to play especially since I needed to move the truck.
"Stop playing games, come on, give them here." Extending a hand out to him, he took out his wallet and placed in my open hand a driver's license leaving me to stare at it as he started the truck.
"I thought you wanted to get out of here." His radiant confident smile made me shake my head as I got in the car, carefully watching his moves and how he drove. Surely enough Kurama did know how to drive. It took him a few minutes to get accustomed to the old truck, but in the end he managed to learn its quirks.
"Why haven't you told me you can drive?" opening the glove compartment, Kurama frowned a bit when I lit up a cigarette but said nothing against it as the wind blew through our hair, both windows being down as the car did not have air conditioning.
"I actually did not want to tell you." A sideway glance from him caught the confusion coloring my face "It was not a lie, but a truth I actually held from you because we were already going to the temple together. I wanted to continue having that moment when we would be alone, just us inside your truck." The smile that curved his lips just now wasn't for me, but from a distant memory that Kurama actually cherished "Those were one of the few moments when it was just me and you." His hand found mine, thumb caressing my skin "Is that alright?"
"Of course silly." Giving his hand a small squeeze I let him change gears as he stopped at a red light "I think it's sweet." Rubbing my forehead, Kurama glanced at me as I healed the burning headache threatening to take over.
"You have been in the sun for too long Hana." Rolling my eyes, I pointed out the light turned green. Over the past months, Kurama has shared with me stories, facts, opening up slowly and steady and I have been doing the same despite it coming hard for both of us. One of the hardest things was actually letting him worry about me.
"True, but I have an awesome tan, minus the tan lines but what can you do?" he didn't really appreciate my pun but I let it slide "I promise to sit on my ass this weekend. Or on top of you, whichever you prefer."
"The latter." That sly smile reached his lips once more, making me relax as I put out the cigarette as soon as the car reached the gravel road towards the farm.
With everything going on and pilling up me and Kurama barely managed to get back on track. It was even a miracle we were together after all the events that took place. But as we sat there in the car, his hand on top of mine, I knew damn well I couldn't have it any other way. The man beside me made me complete despite his flaws and he had a lot to go around even though he came across as perfect.
It was mainly discovering he wasn't that drew me closer and sealed the deal. Kurama first of all doesn't like to share, he is possessive to sometimes a dangerous degree and as jealous as they come, not admitting it until it's too much for him. He is smug and cocky and he loves it and so do I. He is broken, in so many ways that sometimes it's hard to handle, for both parties. But he shines through, demon and human part colliding inside on him.
And when it comes to me? He wouldn't let anyone touch a hair on my head. He is protective, sometimes over the top which I don't like and he knows it. He is a damn tease but so am I so it's a wonderful game. His feelings run deep and he hasn't reached the point of admittance, at least not out loud and he probably won't, ever, and that is fine with me.
Once we reached the house, Yusuke and Kuwabara finally finished the roof and were both on the porch with Shizuru drinking a cold beer. Poking at Kuwabara's red skin he jumped hissing at me in a sense "Sunscreen, protection 50, use it." Passing him with a snicker, people from inside the house came to help with the bags in the truck and I pulled Kurama by the hand, leaving the rest to arrange everything.
Reaching our room, Kurama's eyes travelled to the pictured I have set up on the wall. I was honestly surprised when he presented me with a new camera. Surprised and overwhelmed at the same time with the realization that it has been so long since I took pictures.
It was then when I was as honest as I could be, crying while cradling the present to my chest, Kurama not knowing exactly what to say or do. He didn't expect raw feelings to show, not from me, especially when I admitted something I myself just figured out. I have been losing myself. Everything hit me so hard and so fast that I didn't even understand half of it. I truly lost my purpose, my sense of me and I hated it. How scared I was, what a proper mess I turned into.
"These are lovely. Any chance we can make one for my apartment?" taking me by the waist, he pulled me closer to him, face inches to mine.
"Well considering you have been spending more time at my place, I say we add more in my apartment." His eyes squinted slightly, hand travelling under my blouse.
"You know it's closer to where we work, however my apartment is bigger." His lips claimed mine, soft at the beginning, increasingly demanding as we reached the bed, crashing on it with him on top of me. With all that happened, intimacy has been at the bottom list, but from how he moved, today was the day Kurama wanted to rectify it.
Even when we were in the city, we were too tired to even do anything so this weekend was very much welcomed.
My teeth bit his lower lip earning a soft moan as I pushed myself against him, grinding slowly, enjoying the lack of space between out bodies, especially with him getting aroused from a small make out session. His hand pushed down at my hip, holding me in place as his tongue traced my neck "Stop moving." His teeth bit softly at my skin, pressure being applied until he managed to steal a moan I really didn't want to deliver so early.
Taking the shirt out of his pants, my fingers worked on undoing the buttons, breath hot from having him against me after all this time "Sorry Kurama but I can't be a good girl in every department." A soft groan left his chest as I pulled him to me gaining easy access to his collar bone, making sure I would leave a mark.
What he was trying to hold back voice wise, he was making up under his belt as I felt every inch against me. Removing his shirt I knew damn well he wouldn't let me turn the tables, but he has yet to control my hands, especially the one that slid between our legs, grasping his length. Kurama closed his eyes, pushing himself against my hand, letting me enjoy the moment as his lips took mine once again, hot tongue tasting mine.
A knock on the door didn't hinder us as we were Hell bent on ignoring it until it happened again, Yusuke's voice reaching our ears "Hey, come on, we are going to eat dinner then have a drink." Ignoring him entirely Kurama's hand travelled under my shirt, pushing the bra away as if it was nuisance "Guys?" calloused fingers softly pinched my nipple causing me to grip him tighter "If you are going to do a quickie I will wait. Right here, can't be long. If not I am coming in."
Groaning, Kurama kissed me once more before pushing himself off me, a hungry look in his eyes as he turned towards the door, fingers working on buttoning his shirt back up. Placing a hand down his pants he arranged himself as I also brought the bra back to its rightful place.
Yusuke greeted Kurama with a wide grin trying to stick his head in the room only to meet Kurama's hand "Yusuke ,can I help you?"
A snicker followed "Sorry am I interrupting something?" I could see Kurama gripping the door handle, he was certainly not happy with the interruption.
"Yusuke, you would get bored waiting for me to finish a quickie." With that he slammed the door shut, hand pinching the bridge of his nose as he turned to me "Well it appears we cannot have a moment to ourselves."
Getting up, I took a bag from a drawer and pilled some stuff inside of it much to Kurama's confused stare. Getting out the room after a few minutes, Yusuke was still there "Honey, hold this please." Kurama barely registered the bag coming his way as I went directly to Yusuke smiling before I actually dick punched him.
"Bitch." He hit the ground faster than anything I had ever seen as I just turned grabbing the bag from Kurama's hand. I had never seen him look so shocked but I believe men sort of feel this kind of pain even if not directly applied to them. Pulling Kurama by the shirt he followed, no questions asked, as we loaded everything in the truck and I drove off leaving a cloud of dust behind us.
I didn't really need the truck, but I needed some extra dramatic effect.
Pulling up the lake shore, I parked the car with the trunk facing the water. Kurama was still looking at me as if I lost my mind until I set the pillows and blankets I took from the room at the back of the trunk "Can you ensure no one will bother us?" I didn't need to ask twice as plants sprung from the soil, providing us a barricade, enough for no one to dare come near as sharp teeth threated the tear apart anyone who would dear come close to our spot "Come here."
Pulling him, I made sure I was on top despite the protest leaving his mouth "Hana what are you" and dying on his tongue when I kissed him.
"Sorry Kurama, I came up with this, I get to choose." And I knew for a fact he wanted to be in control. Last time we even had a chance to be together, he liked to be on top, control the rhythm, motion, everything. Unbuckling his belt, his eyes widened as I leaned in "I promise to listen" licking his lips I smirked "to every sound you make."
And what glorious sounds left those lovely lips of his.
