He opened his eyes. Sunlight bothered
him in the beginning but no more than the annoying cold breeze that invaded
the room through a narrow gap in the window, the very cause of his early
awakening.
He got up a little dizzy, trying
to make an effort so that his movements would not disturb his partner's
quiet sleeping. Fortunately the youkai didn't seem distressed by the coldness
that still managed to get through the broken window, unlike himself. He
wasn't even using a blanket.
He came near the window and pushed
it till it was almost in the right position. Then he pulled the rustic
curtain. As he convinced himself that everything was as good as it could
get, he made his way back to the warm bed. It was morning already, but
early. Too early to face the freezing day outside.
He laid beside him and closed his
eyes. He remained like that for some time but he couldn't get back to sleep.
He even considered making an abrupt movement so that his lover would wake
up too but he gave it up before doing it. Instead he offered him half of
the blanket he was using after noticing that it was the only one around.
So, he rested his head on the pillow once more while sleepless thoughts
began to dance in his head.
Three years...
They have been living together for
three years. He could remember so well. The first time they met at a fortress
in the South of Makai. The way that all his companions terrified him so
that he'd gave up the insane idea of associating with such a low
life youkai. The one who had been banned by his own kind. The one whose
kisses were known as one of the finest poisons of the dark lands.
As a matter of fact, he never cared
about advises anyway...
After three long years they were
still sharing days and nights as all that had been said were no more than
gossips created to entertain indolent travelers.
Youko Kurama. the two words were
formed on his silent lips. Always so quiet, so collected. Malice and melancholy
mixed in his always so distant eyes, in his graceful movements, in his
ways which were so different from any youkai he had ever known.
The most beautiful youkai he'd ever
seen and also the most detached. Not even how he managed to get them that
room he had been able to find out. Not that he had tried that hard... In
fact he remembered being too tired and cold for that at the time they reached
the house.
The truth was, everything had become
hard for them during that miserable and endless winter. To make things
worse, the imminent war between the two powerful Makai kings Raizen and
Mukuro was making that adverse situation even more tense for everyone.
That make Yomi think that his partnership with Kurama had become one of
the luckiest events of his life. Sometimes he wandered if the youko had
the same thought but he never dared to ask.
Kurama moved a little. The he turned
towards him and opened his eyes.
"Ohio," said Yomi, trying to hide
any sign of satisfaction to see him awake.
"Awaken?"
"Yep. I couldn't sleep anymore."
"Have you been outside?"
"Hn... Sorry, I was not that brave."
"It's not so early."
"I know, I'm sorry," he apologized,
a little embarrassed "Have you slept well? I wasn't of much help yesterday,
I guess..."
"I noticed."
"You took my clothes off... They
were all soaking wet."
Kurama just looked at him, as words
most of time seemed to be such a waste for him. Moreover, It was like he
could guess that Yomi was something else on his mind.
"Well... How did you manage to get
us to this place?"
"The owner owns me a favor."
"People own favors to you everywhere,"
he concluded. It was not the first time that he heard that same explanation.
"... so what?"
"So that..."
He wouldn't do it. Why would he annoy
him like that? That damned sensation that in three years he had learned
nothing about him while Kurama could guess all his steps as if his mind
were some sort of map that could be easily read by him.
"Never mind... I mean... I..."
He felt a gentle pressure behind
his neck. His hand was there, inviting him to come near. Lips touched in
a kiss, making him forget the shame for being so unarticulated before him.
As he leaned over the youko's pale body, at least one thought quieted
his mind. At that moment he was dealing with an aspect of him that he was
sure to know well...
He didn't even noticed when the window
gave away under the force of wind, and that same old gelid breeze started
to caress his back once again.
* * * * * *
"Shit..." he cursed as he saw that
he window's lock was completely broke this time. Now it'd be impossible
for them to keep that annoying wind outside. The mist covered all the way
between the house and the forest a few steps ahead. That wasn't what Yomi
could call a nice view. However, he knew that although it was still early,
they could not be there forever.
The window closed by itself. Yomi
widened his eyes and took a closer look at it. A tiny plant had spread
its little leafs around the lock.
"You..."
Kurama seat on the bed, leaning his
back against the wall. Yomi wished they could be just resting for more
time but the youko didn't seem to be interested in postponing the day
any longer.
"Yomi..."
That made his youkai heart almost
stop. Yomi seat on the bed immediately. Kurama never was the one to start
a conversation.
"What's up?"
His voice sounded worried. Maybe
three years of his reckless ways has become too much for Kurama.
"I was think about that idea of yours."
"My idea?"
"About the gang of thieves."
"Ah..." Relief came to him naturally.
For a moment he thought that would be their last winter together. "So?"
"I think it may benefit us both in
a way... Mukuro and Raizen.... they will control Makai. All of it. Even
this region."
"Impossible! We're too far from their
territories, Kurama..."
"They will..."
"How do you know that?"
"It's just an opinion."
"And what does the gang have to do
with that?"
"If one of them invade this place,
or if there's war, the gang can be very convenient for us. Besides, we'll
increase our power."
"You know I always wanted us to form
our own gang. We're perfect for the job. I never thought about it that
way, but if you say..."
He came closer.
Kurama leaned against his shoulder.
That surprised him a little. His lover was definitely in a strange mood
that day. The first time he talked about the gang plan, Kurama didn't seem
to care about it. It was like if he had something else on his mind... something
that Yomi just couldn't reach. And yet he had been thinking about it all
that time.
Not that Yomi minded Kurama's mysterious
ways that much. They'd made him curious but not angry. In fact, he was
quite proud that Kurama had finally considered one of his plans.
"I can try to find a bunch guys I
know. They're nice thieves, I can assure you. Anyway, that's just for a
start. Can you imagine? Youko Kurama, the leader of a band of thieves?
We're gonna be famous! The best group of Makai, you'll see. I'm gonna be
your second in command. I can teach the beginners how to use a katana.
What do you think?"
"I think we're very different people,
Yomi."
"And that's the very reason why we
get along so well. Everything will be just fine, I'm sure. We were made
for each other."
"You know when you told me that I
take things too seriously?"
"I said that?"
"You did."
"Such nice memory you have. Forget
that. Sometimes I say bullshit."
"No... much on the contrary, you
were right at that time. I do take things too seriously."
"Hn... sometimes you do. But, as
I was saying, I think we should try to find a nice hiding place too. You
could use the plants to cover our tracks and stuff like that. Maybe traps...
But don't let me do all the talking right now, Kurama. Am I flying that
high? C'om! Tell me what's on your mind."
"... that the gang may tear us apart."
"Hn?! How insane, Kurama. Look, if
we're okay with all those problems we've been facing, how can that happen
after we solve them all?" he asked, honestly doubting Kurama's words.
"Maybe."
Yomi stretched his arms around his
back.
"I'm happy that you have finally
accepted my idea... I didn't think it over as much as you, but I'm so sure
of it, you know. I feel it's our destiny. We're going to be very successful.
You may trust me this time... So, may I look for the youkai I told you
about?"
"Sure."
"Very well then," he said as he managed
to stand up, "I finally found a reasonable reason to make me face the cold
outside..."
"No..."
"Hn?"
"You don't have to go now. It's early."
Yomi laid beside him silently. He
knew it should be almost midday. Hunger was starting to bother him too.
Maybe it was his time to argue with
him. Or at least try to find out what was going on.
"Kura..."
The youko moved his body towards
him and kissed him. Yomi closed his eyes as he felt the soft touch of
hands caress his arms and shoulders in a unexpected hug.
...
"You're right, love. It's early."
