WARNING: The following fanfic contains YAOI meaning a MALE/MALE relationship, usually sexual. If you are underage or find this subject offense then do not venture any further. You've been given the opportunity to click the BACK button. For those who know what they're getting themselves into, enjoy.
Disclaimers: I don't own King of Fighters; expect my original character Kurai and this fanfic plotline.
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Iori stepped down from the stage when he and his band finished playing a set of songs, and the tall redhead fighter headed over to the bar for his promised free drink the owner owed him. A few of the other customers inside the nomiya called Chokoreeto Neko offered him complaints from their tables as Iori passed them. He passed a booth and paused when he thought he recognized a familiar head full of hair, and took a closer look.
"Kusanagi," Iori said.
The younger fighter was slumped over the table, faced buried in his arms and the table was covered with empty beer bottles and snack dishes.
"Oh, are you a friend of his?" asked the other occupant of the booth that Iori didn't see until the person sat forward. It was a young man who had plum colored eyes, extremely beautiful elfin features and thick, black hair that was pulled up into a high ponytail. His long bangs cascaded down his shoulders and he had a fair ivory complexion. As he spoke, Iori noticed that the elfin youth had slightly longer canines.
"No," Iori replied, answering the question.
"Oh, I assumed that you were since you appear to know him," the elfin youth replied. "I apologize."
Iori nodded and leaned over. "Oi, Kusanagi, you still alive?"
"He won't answer you; he's out like a light," the black haired one said.
"He drank all of this," Iori said, gesturing to the table.
"Yes."
"You must really miss the Tournaments that much if the only enjoyment you get between them is getting drunk, Kusanagi," Iori said, speaking to the out-cold fighter.
"You're assumption about the situation is wrong," the elfin youth said, looking up at him.
"Who writes your material?" Iori sneered.
"I refuse to honor that remark with a reply," the black haired youth said.
"So what's wrong with him?" Iori asked.
"Oh nothing much," Kyo's friend began," he came home and found his girlfriend, the one he was going to marry one day, fucking another guy."
"Oh," Iori said, noticing the venom Kusanagi's friend spoke with.
"Needless to say, he's pretty much broken hearted over the matter," the other said.
"I can sympathize," Iori said, taking a seat. "My girlfriend dumped me for another guy too. It doesn't bother me because I don't think I loved her."
"But you cared for her a great deal, ne?"
"Yes," Iori replied. He turned to Kyo and leaned in murmuring directly into his ear, "You're going to have one hell of a hang over in the morning."
"I don't suppose that Kyo thought ahead about that," the elfin youth replied.
"What's your name anyway?"
"Kurai."
"Yagami Iori."
"Ne, you said that you and Kyo aren't friends, but you act like you know him," Kurai pointed out.
"We fight against each other during the Tournaments," Iori replied.
"Oh," Kurai nodded. "He's your rival then."
"Yes."
"But you obviously don't hate him."
"I don't have a reason too."
"That's good to hear," Kurai said. "Do you live close around here?"
"That depends; why are you asking?"
"I want to know if you'll be willing to do me a favor," Kurai said.
"Like what?" Iori asked.
"Would you please allow Kyo to stay at your place for tonight?" Kurai asked.
"Is there a reason why you can't bring him to stay at yours?" Iori answered.
"I live in Yokohama and I don't feel like carrying Kyo all over Japan," Kurai replied.
"Fine."
"Doomo arigato."
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Iori unlocked his apartment and turned on a light. Kurai followed in carrying Kyo over his shoulder.
"The spar bedroom is this way," Iori said, gesturing for Kurai to follow him.
Inside the spar bedroom, Kurai began the task of stripping Kyo down to his jeans and tee shirt, and laid him down, pulling the covers over him.
Kurai folded his clothes into a pile before leaving the room.
"I'll be coming back early tomorrow morning," Kurai said, looking at Iori over his shoulder. "Good-night and sayonara."
Iori nodded and Kurai closed the door after him.
Iori entered the guest bedroom and stood at the foot of the bed, looking down at Kyo. He was sleeping peacefully curled up in a fetal position, looking very vulnerable to the world.
"Kusanagi no baka. No woman is worth getting drunk over especially if she's the unloyal type like your Yuki obviously is," he murmured to the sleeping figure. He sank onto one of his knees and reached a hand over to brush a lock of Kyo's hair out from his eyes. The shorter brunette murmured something in his sleep while gently inclining into the soft touch. Iori shook his head seemingly amused and left the room.
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True to his word, Kurai appeared outside Iori's apartment door early the next morning. Luckily for him, Iori was an early riser as he opened the door to let the black haired youth inside who carried several grocery bags.
"Ohayoo gozaimas!" Kurai greeted, toeing off his shoes.
Iori blinked when he saw what Kurai was wearing. "Why are you dressed like that?"
Kurai was dressed to kill in a very short red plaid mini shirt, a black baby tee shirt, and a black leather with pyramid studs and matching wrist bands, a pair of white "slouchy socks" and black flats. His hair was pulled up into a ponytail. Iori realized that Kurai had a very slender figure with the best pair of legs he'd seen on a male.
"I was out grocery shopping," Kurai replied, looking over his shoulder. "Kyo still asleep? Stupid question; of course he is and probably hung over."
"Are you a cross dresser?" Iori asked.
"No, but I've learned that I get better service when I dress up like this," Kurai replied.
Kurai easily found the kitchen and went inside. Iori followed him.
"Hey what're-?" the tall fighter paused when he now saw Kurai dressed in a black bodysuit and a 1500's swordsman's shirt also in black with a black leather belt. "How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Change outfits."
"Magic."
"What?"
Kurai turned around from the counter. "To begin with, I'm not human. Well, I'm half human; my father was a red fire dragon."
Iori looked at him.
"Take a seat. I can tell that you're simply dying to know the story," Kurai said, slicing varies of fruits and vegetables. "My father's family lives on a island still unknown to man kind. My mother was an explorer who was sailing the southern areas of the seas when an unexpected storm struck and she washed up on the shores of some undiscovered island. There she met my family and his family. They quickly fell in love since my mom had this giant lizard kink and nine months later I was born. We lived on the island until I was five-years-old in dragon terms, my mom wanted to visit her family again, so dad flew her home. After a short visit mom went back to the island, but I stayed behind because I wanted to get to know to my human origins. I attended school and in high school I met Kyo. We've been friends ever since and yes, he knows that I'm half dragon, but he's the only one; aside from you know and if you tell anyone about this I won't be hesitant to silence you and the ones you've spoken too."
"You have nothing to fear; I'm not the type who chats to other people on a daily basis," Iori replied.
"In other words; you have no friends," Kurai said. "Pity, and you seem like an okay guy."
"Besides," Iori continued, "I assume that you also control the power of flames and fire. I will not tell anyone what you've told me and it's unlikely they'd believe me."
"You swear? I really don't want to kill you, y'know."
"I swear upon my honor; from one pyro to another," Iori smirked.
"Okay, I can live with that," Kurai said, smirking back.
Iori watched as he placed several ingredients, looking like fruit and such, into his blender.
"What are you making?" Iori asked over the noise.
"It's called the 'hung over shake'," Kurai answered and turned off the machine. He poured the thick liquid into a tall glass. "Kyo drank a lot last night and this is to help make him feel better."
"Just make sure he aims in the bucket," Iori said as Kurai disappeared out of the kitchen.
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Kyo woke up with a feeling that made any sound and light unbearable. He held the pillow over his head wishing that God would be merciful and strike him dead, ending his misery. Kyo opened an eye when he felt a presence enter the room and a hand touch his shoulder.
"Ne, Kyo, you awake?" the voice spoke in a very hushed whisper.
"Kurai," was the moaned reply from beneath the pillow.
"How're you feeling?"
"Nauseous, dizzy, my head hurts. I wanna crawl up into a corner and die."
"I have something that'll help and the shades down so the room's just about pitch black," Kurai said.
"You promise?"
"Don't I always?"
Kurai removed the pillow off Kyo's head and helped him sit up, slowly of course so the young man would find his center of balance. Kyo accepted the glass Kurai handed to him and slowly drained the entire thing.
"There, now you're stomach should feel less empty and I've added a strong painkiller so the mix for your head ache," Kurai said, laying Kyo back against the pillows.
"Kurai, what would I do without you?" Kyo said.
"Be in less comfortable conditions, I suppose," replied Kurai.
"Can I barrow you lap, Kurai?"
"Of course."
Kurai sat with his back against the headboard so that Kyo could rest his head on the black haired youth's lap. Kurai placed a hand on Kyo's forehead, rubbing it gently, because he usually transmitted heat into his hand that helped ease Kyo's headaches.
"You smell good; like a campfire," Kyo murmured, with his eyes closed.
"That would be my dragon side," Kurai said.
"How's your family by the way?" Kyo murmured.
"They're fine. My aunt is pregnant with a cluster of eggs," Kurai replied. "I will be required to attend their hatching. Would you like to come? Father and Mother said that you're always welcomed to the island."
"Sounds tempting."
"We could think of it as a nice long vacation."
"Sounds wonderful."
"I knew I could twist you arm," Kurai smiled. "Headache gone?"
"Yeah, but I'm still a bit dizzy," Kyo replied. "Uh-oh. Think I'm gonna be sick!"
With seconds Kurai was cupping Kyo's forehead as the youth heaved into a bucket. The dragon half figured that the 'hung over' shake should've waited until later when Kyo wasn't feeling so light headed, but then Kyo probably would've been sick no matter what. Iori entered the room while Kyo was busy being sick and handed Kurai a glass of water. Kyo washed out his mouth with the water while Kurai went to dispose the continents inside the bucket. Iori of course was nowhere to be seen.
TBC
