A few days had gone by after Kyo moved into Kurai's apartment, and after the second day had gone by, Kyo went back to his old apartment to confront Yuki, with Kurai and Iori (after Kurai had somehow got the tall redhead to agree to come). Both the half dragon and the tall fighter stood outside in the hall, listening to the ex-couples' muffled voices. The only time Iori or Kurai to make out any of the words was towards the end when Kyo began screaming and calling Yuki every four-letter word he could think of. The confrontation ended with Kyo leaving the apartment with slamming the door open (startling Kurai in the process) with Yuki shouting after him, cursing after him and then sobbing for him to stay and work things out.
"Go spit, bitch!" Kyo shouted over his shoulder while storming down the stairs.
Iori offered Yuki a non-sympathetic glare, hovered over her in a menacing gesture and murmured into her ear, "You honestly thought that you would have gotten away with what you did to him, didn't you? You've just made yourself a powerful enemy in Kusanagi."
Iori caught up with Kurai and Kyo out on the street. One look on the fellow fighter's face told Iori that despite the anger displaying on his features, Kyo was hurting a lot inside.
"How about we go get a beer?" Kurai offered. "My treat."
"Fine, I could use a drink, but, Kurai, please keep me from getting drunk this time," Kyo said, looking at the half dragon. "Hangovers aren't that much fun."
"Not to worry," Kurai replied. "Hey, Iori, you wanna join us?"
"Sure."
Kyo looked a bit taken back, but he said nothing.
"Iori can help me preventing you from getting drunk," Kurai added.
"I'll simply break his face if he does," Iori stated.
"Save it for the next Tournament, pyro," Kyo snapped, walking ahead.
Once inside a bar and after consuming a beer and a half, Kyo felt a little more mellow, and challenged Iori to a game of pool. Kurai sat on the edge of another pool table sipping sake while watching Kyo and Iori. After the two fighters won a game each, Iori broke for a break to buy another drink while Kyo set the balls up for another match. At the bar, the conversation between two men caught his ears when the one of the right mentioned the name Yuki.
"…So then Yuki's boyfriend walks in on us and of course, Yuki's too busy screaming to notice, and the look on his face was priceless! His eyes just about popped out of their sockets and boy did he look pissed. Mind you that was the whole point of me screwing that chick Yuki."
"So the whole point of you screwing Kusanagi's girlfriend was to get back at him 'cause you lost a fight to him?" he companion asked.
"Hell yeah! That little bastard deserved it!"
Hearing enough, Iori placed his drink down and walked up to the man. Tapping him on the shoulder, Iori delivered a hard punch to the man's face as soon as he turned around, knocking him clear across the room.
Kyo almost dropped his beer when he heard someone scream and a loud crash. Kurai jumped down from his seat and followed Kyo to see what the commotion was all about. Kyo looked surprised to see Iori beating some guy up, and blinked in awe when Iori tossed the man through the front window and then, after taking a few minutes to calm down, fished out enough bills to pay for a window replacement.
"What was that about?" Kurai whispered into Kyo's ear.
"Beats me. Maybe the guy insulted Yagami," Kyo whispered back. "You see why I get a bit edging being near him? The guy could go off at any given moment."
"Oh, I don't know. I think Iori's a pretty decent guy," Kurai replied with a smile.
"You haven't been around him long enough like I have," Kyo remarked. "The first day we met, he promised to kill me."
"And how many years ago what that promised made?" Kurai asked. "Look, I believe that if Iori wanted you dead, he'd done it a long time ago."
"Feh. He's probably bidding his time," Kyo remarked.
"Well, even if he was, he won't now," Kurai said. "He knows that you're under my protection."
"Thanks, Kurai, I feel so much better," Kyo replied sarcastically, but it wasn't directed towards his friend.
Iori, drink in hand, walked back over to the pool table and Kyo and Kurai.
"Ne, is that K' and Chris?" Kyo asked, looking over Kurai's head towards a pool table a couple ones down. At the moment any distraction to get away from the same pool table as Iori was welcomed. "I think I'll go say hi."
Kurai watched Kyo wander off to the back and cupped his hands behind his back while turning towards Iori who began another game.
"'And what's gotten into you pray tell? Your behavior has been to say the least a bit odd of late'," Kurai said, quoting a line from one of his favorite (anime) movies.*
Iori responded with a 'don't bother me' glare.
Kurai, of course, wasn't intimidated in the slightest. "Oh, c'mon. You know I won't stop pestering you until you tell me."
'I know that to be true,' Iori thought, pausing long enough to drain half of his drink. "Fine. That guy was the one Yuki was cheating with on Kyo, and it turns out that he slept with her to pay Kyo back for a fight he lost previously."
"Oh. Hmm, so maybe this means Yuki isn't quite the cold heart cunt as I thought her to be. …But then she did give into temptation," Kurai murmured to himself. He looked up. "So, then why did you drive that guy's head through the wall? Why should you let it bother you? Unless you really don't hate Kyo, as my friend is convinced that you do, and that you do have some degree for respect for him."
Kurai smirked to himself. 'Yes, why does the fact knowing that that guy was using Yuki to hurt Kyo emotionally bother you, unless you have some feelings for my dear friend on some degree. I know much more about you, Kyo and your clashing ancient bloodlines then I let on. I also know that the Iori Yagami whom Kyo interacts with isn't the real you at all. That what he and everyone else sees is simply a front; a mask if you will.'
"I'll admit that what you said is partly right. Yes, it bothered me because, yes, I do have some degree of respect for Kusanagi," Iori said.
Kurai smiled. "And you can emphasize for him over what's he's going through."
"Yes."
'For now anyway,' Kurai thought. He diverted his attention over towards where Kyo, Chris and K' were talking. 'Not to worry, Kyo. Pretty soon you'll see this whole thing as a blessing once you get over that bitch Yuki. And I know just the person who'll make you an excellent mate, once the two of you get over your existing differences and after I've convinced the two of you.'
"I give the two of you my blessing," Kurai teased with a laugh and laughed harder as a blush developed on Iori's face, and began chasing Kurai around the pool tables with the cue stick.
Kyo managed to remove the cue stick-turned-lethal-weapon out of Iori's hands and tossed it to Chris for safekeeping. "Oi. What the hell was that all about, Yagami?"
"None of you damn business!" the tall redhead snapped.
Kyo shoved his face into Iori's and poked a index finger against the other's chest. "The hell it ain't, Yagami! That my friend you're chasing with a cue stick."
"If the two of you get any closer and you two could kiss," K' smirked.
Kyo turned bright red and all but leaped away from Iori.
"Don't be absorbed, K'," Chris said. "You know very well that they wouldn't."
"Thank you," Kyo said.
"They're in public after all," Chris added.
Kyo's face went the same bright red. "S-Shut up! T-That's not even funny!"
Chris continued to giggle behind his hand as Kyo quickly left the bar. Iori gave the young fighter a death glare and left as well.
"I swear; there's some kind of hidden sexual tension between those two," Chris said.
'If there's not one yet then I'll work on it,' Kyo thought with a smirk. "It might explain all the blushing going on."
"It might," K' agreed.
"Oh, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Kurai," the dragon half said with a bow.
"I'm K'."
"I'm Chris. You must be friends with Kyo," Chris said.
"Ever since high school," Kurai replied.
"You're not a fighter, other wise Kusanagi would've introduced you to us and vise versa, or we would've met at one of the Tournaments," K' pointed out.
"That's right," Kurai said. "Besides, I'm a lover not a fighter."
"Okay, now I'm interested," Chris leered.
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It was the day after the bar fight incident when Iori returned home from band practice and found a message waiting for him on the answering machine.
Beep"Hi, Iori, it's Kurai. I apologize for the comment of what I said about you and Kyo yesterday; I didn't mean to offend. As the means of making up for it I'd like for you to come over for dinner tonight. That is unless you don't have other plans already. It's Kyo's turn to cook, but don't worry; he doesn't suck. Hope to see you at dinner. Bye!"
Iori smirked. Well, he really didn't have anything planned for dinner except to either go out or make something himself that was instant. And he really didn't mind the company; he found Kurai to be a little irritating, but enjoyable to hand out with. Kind of how he felt towards Kyo's company; irritating, but enjoyable at the same time, only with Kyo it felt…different. Different in a good way or bad was something Iori still had to figure out. At least Kyo acted like he had a life outside fighting at the Tournaments, unlike some of Iori's other opponents.
The tall redhead fighter went to take a shower and changed into a clean pair of red khakis, a white long sleeved dress shirt, a black vest and his buckle collar before venturing over to Kurai's apartment.
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Kyo, dressed in a plain white tee shirt and a pair of black slacks, stood at the stove testing the favor of tonight's dinner; Chanko Nabe (sumo wrestler's hot-pot). The brunette still didn't understand why Kurai was insisting on making friends with Yagami.
'Maybe they have something in common (though I can't imagine what),' Kyo thought, finding the filling soup to be done and turned off the burner. Opening the china cabinet, Kyo heard the door bend tone and paused to go answer it, finding Iori on the other side.
"C'mon in," Kyo gestured and disappeared into the apartment. Iori toed off his shoes and slid on a pair of slippers provided for guests before entering the apartment. Kurai's apartment was different from Iori's. It was pretty much an open space; a stovetop island separated the open kitchen from the living/dinning area. There was a angle sectional sat in front of a TV armoire with sake barrels on each side that acted as end tables on one of the room. On the other side of the room were a round chabudai, and a six-panel screen of Utagawa Kunisada's Cherry Blossom beneath the Evening Moon in the Northern Quarter that was used to separate the dinning and living areas.
"Make yourself at home," Kyo continued from the kitchen. "Kurai will be home shortly then we can eat. Help yourself to anything you want to drink from the bar."
Iori found that the bar was actually an old American icebox with the original hardware. The top of the bar displayed a large gong and several smaller ones. Opening one of the three doors, Iori found a collection of vintage wines and brandies, and poured himself a glass of red wine that was already uncorked. Settling himself down on the sectional, the tall redhead took a leisure sip and watched Kyo set the chabudai from across the room.
The phone then rang and Kyo reached over the kitchen counter to grab it. "Hello? Kurai? What are you-? You're kidding? You're not kidding. Well, it seems a bit short handed on his side, but I guess there's nothing we can do about it. Hmm? Yeah, okay. Don't worry; there'll be plenty of leftovers. Bye."
Handing up the phone, Kyo turned to Iori. "Kurai won't be joining us. It seems his boss is making Kurai work over time monitory. Looks like it's just you and me for dinner." Kyo made a rude sound of annoyance. "This is the third time this month! I think Kurai should follow my advice and quit, and find another job. One where your boss doesn't make you work over time."
Iori agreed with a nod.
"Well, dinner's ready anyway," Kyo said, carrying the pot of Chanko Nabe and placed it down in the center of the chabudai.
"It seems good," Iori complimented as he sat down.
"Oh, stop; you'll turn a girl's head," Kyo replied sarcastically.
Iori, not understanding the meaning of what Kyo had just said to him (especially when he referred to himself as a girl), decided not to answer that.
"I've been meaning to thank you for letting me spend the night at your place when I was drunk," Kyo said. 'Especially when you could've used that opportunity to kill me as you've promised to do.'
"Your welcome," Iori replied.
Dinner proceeded without much of a conversation because Kyo didn't have Kurai to talk to during dinner, and because he didn't feel like engaging into a conversation with Iori. Iori didn't speak because Kyo wasn't talking to him. They might as well have been eating alone.
"That was very good," Iori complimented as Kyo began clearing the dishes.
"Thanks," Kyo replied from behind the kitchen.
"Do you do all the cooking?" Iori asked. He was tired of the lack of conversation for once.
"I do now. Kurai used to at first, but we switched once he found a new job at a kissaten," Kyo explained. "Tea?"
"Not right now, thanks," Iori replied. "So you cook. Is that all you do? Or do you watch TV all day?"
Kyo replied with a snort, as if offended. "No. I do most of the housework and all of the laundry, and all of the shopping as means of earning my keep, which I don't mind. I go work out in a local gym with my free time."
Kyo placed the dishes into the dishwasher and began preparing a cup of tea (because he always drank a cup after dinner).
"Okay, mister rock star, what do you do all the time?" Kyo asked.
"If I'm not eating or sleeping, I'm either performing and rehearsing with my band or on my own, or I'm reading?" Iori replied.
"You read?" was Kyo's automatic response when hearing Iori partake a task other then trying to kill him at the Tournaments or performing with his band.
"Yes, I read," Iori replied, sounding a little irritated.
"Like what?"
"Anything that catches my interest."
"Read any of the Harry Potter books?"
"No."
Kyo disappeared for a moment and returned, handing Iori his hardback copy of the first novel.
"You'll like it."
Iori scanned through the first chapter as Kyo made himself a cup of tea, and the front door opened and closed.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back home!" Kyo called from the kitchen as Kurai, still in his uniform, walked into the living/dinning room. "Want me to reheat you some dinner?"
"No thanks. I'm beat. I'm going to bed," Kurai replied around a yawn and disappeared into his room.
"I guess I should be going," Iori said, rising to his feet. "I thank you for dinner again and for lending me the book."
"Yeah, sure, whatever. Good night," Kyo said behind his mug.
"Good night," Iori said and left.
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* Kurai quoted a line from Vampire Hunter D (the dubbed version).
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Iori: [posing as my muse for this story] Write the next damn chapter. *glares menacingly*
Shuuichi Minamino: *sticks out tongue* You just want me to skip ahead to the lemon scene. I'll write the scene when I'm damn good and ready! Besides, I'm not going to rush this plot just so you can (bleep) Kyo. *turns to reader(s)* Things are going to heating up from this point which will lead to the good stuff.
Iori: Good.
Shuuichi Minamino: Muses. Sheesh!
Kurai: [muse #2] Here, Iori. *whips out several pictures of Kyo* I'll sell you these for five dollars each.
Iori: *hands Kurai some bills and quickly walks away, pictures in hand*
Shuuichi Minamino: That's the last time you borrow any of my sister's Ranma ½ mangas.
Kyo: *pokes his head into the room* Hey, Shuuichi Minamino-chan, how come Iori's locked himself in your room?
Shuuichi Minamino: NOT ON MY SHEETS, HE WON'T! *bolts to her room*
Kyo: *scratches head looking confused* O..kay?!…
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A/N: If K' or Chris seems a bit OOC… Eh. *shrugs*
