When lunch arrived, Kyo had been sick twice, but was feeling much better; his headache was gone and he no longer felt light headed. He did, however, felt hungry and wanted a strong cup of coffee. And a shower and a change of clothes. Getting up, Kyo exited the bedroom and paused in his tracks.

'Huh? What a minute… This isn't Kurai's apartment?' Kyo thought. 'Where the hell am I?'

Kyo's instincts began screaming when he felt a very, very familiar (an intimidating) presence behind him. Turning, Kyo's eyes lifted up until he was looking into the face of Yagami Iori.

Inside the kitchen making miso and the rice for hoso-maki and futo-maki, Kurai started when he heard Kyo's scream, and ran out of the kitchen only to collide into his friend.

Grabbing Kurai by the arm, Kyo made a mad dash for the front door, but he didn't anticipated for Kurai to pull back his arm causing Kyo to loose his balance and crashed onto the floor.

Iori watched the scene unfold with a motionless face.

"Itai!" Kyo whimpered, rubbing his sore rear.

"Kyo, what in the seven hells is wrong with you?" Kurai asked.

Rather then answering his friend, Kyo reached out and pulled Kurai behind him as the means of protecting him against Iori.

"Stay behind me, Kurai. I've been up against this guy before so I have an idea of his fighting skills. I'll get us out of here alive somehow," Kyo promised, forming a flame in his right hand.

Kurai groaned and held his face in his hands. 'Just rivals, huh?' "Kyo, Iori isn't going to fight you."

"The hell he won't! We've been battling for years! Because of our clashing bloodlines, he and I have been destined to fight each other ever since we were born!" Kyo declared.

"Only during the Tournaments, Kusanagi. I prefer it that way," Iori replied.

"Kyo, Iori is going to try and kill us. He was nice enough to let you stay here last night when you got hung over," Kurai explained to him.

Kyo extinguished the flame in his hand and turned to Kurai, whom he knew would never lie to him. "You brought me to spend the night inside my enemy's house?"

"Who decided not to kill you while you slept," Kurai pointed out.

"Feh. My honor prevents me from belittling myself to carry out such an act," Iori said, crossing his arms.

Kyo gave him a non-believing look while Kurai went to go check on his miso.

Kurai poked his head out of the kitchen. "Lunch will be ready soon so you have enough time to shower, Kyo, if Iori doesn't mind, and I brought you a change of clothes."

Kyo gave Kurai a 'don't leave me with him' look after his friend's retreating figure.

"The bathroom is the down the hall and on the right side," Iori said and headed back into his own bedroom.

Once he was done showering, Kyo poked his head out into the hall to see if the coast was clear. Kyo had failed to take his change of clothes with him into the bathroom. Wrapping a towel around his slim waist, Kyo ventured towards the spar bedroom, praying to any deity who would listen not to come across Yagami.

Iori decided to leave his bedroom to wash up for lunch once his noise detected the scent of Kurai's miso soup, and paused in his tracks when he spotted Kusanagi up ahead wearing…nothing…but a…towel. A heat that started in his lower belly shot down into Iori's lower regions of his body as his eyes raked up Kyo's figure on display and all of its naked glory. Iori now knew that Kurai wasn't the only male who had a pair of nice legs, only Kyo's was more defined from years of training. As was the rest of his body as Iori saw; washboard abs, a lean chest, slightly board shoulders. Kyo quickly disappeared into the spar bedroom, and Iori headed into the bathroom to try and regain control over his body. He pondered the idea of taking a quick and very cold shower.

__________________________________

Kyo exited the bedroom dressed, but Kurai had been the one to pick out his clothes, and choose his favorite outfit on Kyo; a tan colored transparent long sleeved skirt that buttoned up in the front with a wide shirt-collar, a white tank top worn underneath the tanned shirt, and a pair of blue denim jeans that ripped at both knees.

He entered the kitchen to see if Kurai needed any help bringing out the dishes.

"Carry the miso for me, will you please?" Kurai said, taking the large lacquered tray covered with sushi and headed towards the table.

Iori was already seated and noticed at how nice Kurai had laid out the table. Kurai walked in with Kyo following behind and sat down.

'I can't believe that I'm about to share a semi-formal lunch with Yagami, of all people,' Kyo thought.

"I've made tones so help yourselves," Kurai said, starting on the miso.

'This is…so bizarre,' Kyo thought, sipping his miso. "Mmmm. You've outdone yourself again. Kurai."

Iori nodded with agreement.

"Arigato," Kurai said, smiling at the praise.

Kyo and Iori reached their chopsticks over for the same piece hoso-maki, and Kyo quickly withdrew his.

Kurai smiled behind his miso.

"Ne, Kusanagi, are you planning to confront your girlfriend when you get back home?" Iori asked, making conversation.

"You told him?!" Kyo exclaimed, looking at Kurai.

"He asked," Kurai replied. "And I found it impolite not to answer his question."

Kyo coughed. 'Wonderful.' "Well since you asked. I have no idea. I don't think I want to go back just yet."

"You will have to face her eventually," Iori pointed out.

"I'm fully aware of that. Just…not yet. I want to collect my thoughts before I face her again," Kyo replied.

'He must be very upset over this,' Iori thought. 'He won't even say her name. Not that I blame him. I refuse to say my ex's name.'

"You know you're welcomed to crash at my place for as long as you need, Kyo," Kurai said.

"Thanks, but I'll need my stuff," Kyo pointed out.

"No problem. I'll got get it for you. And Iori can help me carry it all," Kurai said.

Iori didn't argue.

TBC