Disclaimer: Mesa don own YYH!!! No fair! Wah! But mwaha! I now own a Kurama figurine! Eat that! He's all fun and figurine-ish. I have to get the Hiei one, even if eh is scary looking. I own this fanfic, and the concept of No Ones, and whatever other character I randomly created for the story.

Warning: Contains shonen ai and gore. We are on chapter 12 now. I would really like to know why you are here on chapter 12 reading this fanfic if you have no intention of liking it. What the hell is wrong with you?

Let's kick Karasu's ass! XD

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When Dealing With Spirits

By Pixie Ayanami

Chapter 12: The Game

Black. Total darkness mixed with a freezing flame. It bit at the back of his neck, sending a beautiful warm crimson shoot out from beneath. But the pain. An eternal pain that shred his clothes to bits, exposing him. Exposing him to the danger that awaited, and whatever else that took a blow to him. He could see a warm light in the distance. The golden blanket of light invited him to come near. It called his name. Over and over again. But he could not go, for the cold froze him in place. But the blood still flowed….

Kurama hazily woke up to find himself in a large dome. It appeared to be the gym. Except there were no doors. Or that's what it looked like. Taking a slightly closer look, Kurama found that the doors have been melted into the wall. There was no way out except the windows and skylight, but those items were far too high up for anyone to reach. The only light that entered from the room was the windows and skylight, as well. A dark shadow clung along the sides. Only a patch of the floor was fully light up.

"Good to see you awake, my love."

Kurama cringed. Turning around, he found Karasu walking out of the darkness. Kurama placed his poker face on and glared at Karasu, daring him to come closer. "I told you: stay away from me," Kurama started carefully.

Karasu laughed. "I could never leave my loved one alone. If I did, he'd never die that way," he stated, a twisted smile forming on his face. Kurama scowled.

"Only in your world am I your loved one," he said, "But I hate you."

"Ouch," Karasu mocked, "Do you think that will stop me?"

It wasn't that Kurama thought it would; it was that he was hoping it did. But he ignored this thought, as he carefully tried to form a plan in his head. "I'm warning you."

"Or what? You'll turn into the big bad Youko fox and bite me? I doubt it," Karasu further teased, "No one's here to hold your hand this time. I know all about how you drank the 'Fruit of Past Lives' to transform into your Youko form. So how will you do it this time?"

Kurama's eyes narrowed. True, Kurama cannot transform into his Youko side on impulse or will alone. But he could still fight. He was not helpless. "I wouldn't give you the satisfaction."

"Enough of this talk, my love," Karasu began, his voice and ki flaring, "Let's begin, shall we?"

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"Damn it!" Hiei yelled, running around the university's campus. "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"

He had left the Yukina where she was to begin looking for Kurama. He couldn't feel a trace of Kurama's or Karasu's ki anywhere. But they couldn't have just disappeared. Being a ghost, Karasu is tied to the place he was resurrected in, which happened to be the university. Which means he couldn't have ran somewhere else, or escaped to the Makai. But he could sure mask his energy good.

"Kurama, you just can't leave me without showing me you meant what you said!" Hiei thought aloud. He stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes screwing with realization. He said he didn't care…. Why would he care? What was Kurama to him?

……Everything.

Kurama was always there for him. No matter what. Love. A word he didn't use often enough. He loved Yukina. He knew that. But what he felt for Kurama was different. It was something he couldn't explain, something that made his insides jolt around like butterflies. Kurama was perfect in any form he took. And Hiei loved that.

"Kurama!" he breathed, starting to run again, a surge of newfound energy fueling him. 'Karasu can't have you. I need you.'

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Kurama pulled a seed from his hair and quickly transformed it into a rose. As Karasu flitted away into the shadows, Kurama formed the rose into a long, sharp whip.

"Again with that whip?" Karasu's voice echoed from the shadows. His spirit energy reduced to nothing in attempt to mask it. "Don't you ever learn any new attacks, like me?"

An explosion popped on Kurama's shoulder, but Kurama refused to wince to the pain. Kurama did not wish to talk during this battle. He needed all of his concentration for his hearing. It didn't matter that he couldn't feel Karasu's ki. It's always useful to know how strong the opponent is, but there are other good methods as well. Kurama snapped shut his eyes. It'd be hard to hear when being able to see as well.

"Kurama, play the game with me. I'll feel bad if you die without a fight," Karasu taunted. Light quick steps could be barely heard from the left, followed by an odd swishing sound. At that moment, another explosion contacted his leg, Kurama still too stubborn to give into the pain. Step, swish, boom. That's how it was.

"You're no fun, love," Karasu said in quite anger from the shadows. The process was repeated except hitting his left arm.

Kurama opened his eyes, smirking. Step, swish…..

….boom! Where the blast should have hit Kurama's kneecap, it was instead blocked by his rose whip. Karasu grunted in anger. Without speaking, the process was tried several more times. Kurama's rose whip strategy worked on them all.

"Your attack won't work this time," Kurama said for the first time since they started, "I found a way past it with patience. I don't want to play this game."

"I'll have you play it," Karasu threatened, stepping out of the shadows. "I prefer to kill face to face anyway."

The two started to dance in a rage of ki. Karasu had no need to mask his energy now that they were able to see one another. Karasu formed flying bombs around his body, sending them to attack Kurama. He in turn created a storm of flower petals, and raced them towards them, exploding them at contact. Then Kurama appeared out of the smoke, successfully whipping Karasu in the face. Karasu took the opportunity to grab Kurama's left wrist, triggering an explosion. Kurama jumped back holding his wrist, but never showing the pain in his movements. A bomb grabbed Kurama's right foot as he stood there, a vine taking Karasu's in turn. The bomb exploded, the vine twisted Karasu's ankle.

The two jumped back from each other, fighting for air. Karasu smiled. "So I see you have learned new tricks. This game is far from over."

Kurama glared, running a hand through his hair to push it back. Whipping it back at his side, Kurama made another attempted slash at Karasu, who started to run. The two ran back and fourth at each other, Kurama becoming extremely annoyed with how his hair blocked his vision, and kept pushing it back.

Petals and smoke, petals and smoke. Karasu noted how extremely well Kurama has become in defense, and left him to wondering to how well he himself has become. Obviously, his new trick was not enough to harm Kurama. But maybe….

Karasu ran back into the shadows, lowering his ki once more. Kurama stood in the middle, waiting for the process. For a few moments, the process did occur again. Step, swish, boom. Step, swish, boom. Step, swish, swish, swish, swish, swish… wait this wasn't right. Numerous balls of fire engulfed his body like water does a stone, Kurama not having enough time to block them all with his whip. He gave up his stubbornness, and screamed in pain, grabbing all the places that hurt. Karasu stopped for a while, savoring the torture his beloved was receiving. Then he started up again.

The crimson flew everywhere from his body, his shirt reducing to ashes from the fire. Kurama fell to the ground in pain, helplessly panting for air. Karasu emerged from his shadow haven, and stared down at the non-moving Kurama. He smiled.

"This game was fun, love," he said, bending over to grab the fox's head. He pulled him up by Kurama's hair, so that he was level with Karasu's eye sight. "But it's time for you to lose it." One more blow to the head would end it. 

Suddenly, Kurama's eyes flickered open showing a shade of brilliant emerald. Vines from all over the room sprouted and rushed over to Karasu, snatching him away from Kurama. Shocked, Karasu dropped Kurama as he tried to free himself. It was useless. Kurama slowly rose, laughing.

"While we were having our little run," he began, "I scratched seeds from my hair, making it seem as if it was in the way. Then threw them in back of my path."

The vines tightened their grip on Karasu's body, making his head build up with unpleasant pressure. Kurama formed a twisted grin.

"Game over."

The vines finally pulled together, as the cracking of Karasu's body echoed through out the room. More vines quickly covered the first set, twisting together, forming a large knot to hold in place.

Kurama scowled at the masterpiece. It was pitiful and disturbing. Grabbing his head, he stumbled backwards. That feint took the majority of his energy, not to mention blood. He was going to black out. Before he did, he saw his face pulled into a warm, black fabric, and the mound of vines light up to created a beautiful sparkle of fire.

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Kurama blinked open his eyes to reveal a white ceiling. He looked around the room, and recognized it as his own. The moonlight entered through his window, with a warm, golden glow from the lamp beside his bed welcoming it. A jolt of pain roused in his body as he made an effort to sit up, barely noticing he had carefully wrapped white bandages all over his body. The blood was cleaned away, his hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, and a new set of clothes were awaiting for him on the chair.

The door quietly opened to Hiei holding a tray with a  pitcher of water and a couple cups. His face was plastered with worry, until brightening at the site of Kurama awake.

"You're up," Hiei noted, trying not to sound too excited. Kurama exchanged his feelings with a tiny smile.

"Yes, thanks to you. I bet you're the one who did all of this," he thanked, motioning to all the things around him. Hiei blushed slightly, setting the tray down on the nightstand.

"I'm sorry!" he blurted out, much to Kurama's surprise.

"Why's that?" Kurama asked, confused. Hiei hid his gaze away from Kurama, looking off to the side instead.

"I avoided you ever since last week," he began, "And all you were trying to do was show me that you… that you…!"

"That I love you?" Kurama finished, reaching out to turn Hiei's gaze to his own. Hiei nodded slowly, his eyes lowering down.

"I fought today, without your help," Kurama stated. Hiei looked back up… smiling.

"I know."

"Did I do good?"

"You were wonderful," Hiei said his gaze softening on Kurama. In turn, Kurama blushed and pleasantly smiled back with warm green eyes.

"I've realized two things today, fox."

"What?"

"First, I realized that I hate the word 'love'," Hiei stated, Kurama's heart plummeting. "And second…"

He took a deep breathe before continuing.

"I love you."

Kurama's eyes widened in surprise as Hiei leaned forward and planted a kiss on Kurama's lips. Everything Kurama wanted was right here. He returned the kiss, and pulled Hiei onto the bed.

Kurama rested his head on Hiei's chest, drifting off to sleep. "You sure?" Kurama asked, wanting to know if this love was real.

Hiei nodded. "Yes." 

"I love you, too," Kurama whispered before drifting back to sleep in Hiei's arms.

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XD I loved this chappy! Kurama finally proved to everyone that he can fight, too! Yay! Go Kurama! Awesome fight scene, and the kissing scene! Hiei finally realizes his feelings! Yay!

If you couldn't figure out what happened at the end of Kurama's fight, Hiei came in through the skylight and set the mound of vines on fire, reducing it down to ashes. Just to let you know.

Story's estimated to be only 3 chappies longer. I hope you guys will enjoy them, I'll try to make them uber special!

Thanks for 40 hits! I didn't literally mean it when I asked for 40 hits, but hey, it all works out good in the end!

OliverWoodFan03, Rin the Kitsune, Mimiru: lol I'm glad you guys enjoyed that last chappy, I sure didn't. ^^;;;;

chibchibi43: Taiyou ga Mata Kagayaku Toki is a wonderful song. I'm glad that ppl listen to it. ^^

Dagger IX: Heehee… Kawaii scenes with Hiei are fun….

Thanks for the reviews, guys! I really hope you liked this chappy, it's dedicated to all of you! Please review! ^^