"Obligation and Duty"

Chapter 8

*****

Rei had finally separated Yusuke and Kurama from the T.V. and now the boys were sitting on the couch as Botan and Rei were trying to whip something up for them to eat.

"Gracious, those boys eat too much," Botan said as she kept stirring the soup. Rei nodded as she pulled the buscuits out of the oven. Kurama appeared in the doorway and asked, "Do you two need help?"

Botan spoke up before Rei could say anything, "Yes! Please! I have to leave anyways, so you can take over stirring!"

"See you later, Botan. Thanks for your help!" Rei called as Botan flew away on her oar. Rei walked back over to the counter and started cutting out more buscuits.

"The soup smells good," Kurama commented as he kept stirring.

"Thanks, I've learned to make it better over the years," Rei said without looking up.

"How long have you been alone?"

"Since I was pretty little. My grandma took care of me for a while, but then she got too old and here I am..." Rei sighed as she pulled out a clean cookie sheet.

Rei put the cut-outs on the sheet and walked over to the stove where Kurama was stirring. He moved out of the way as if he had done it millions of times before and Rei set the sheet on the racks.

As Rei was walking back over to the counter she thought how nice it would be for life to be this quiet. From the living room Yusuke called, "Hey! Is the food ready yet?"

So much for quiet. "Almost!" Rei called back. She looked over at Kurama, who was smiling.

"I think I like you better. You're a LOT quieter," Rei told Kurama as she pulled out some milk and butter from the fridge. Kurama just smiled and stirred. A few minutes later the soup was ready and they were sitting in the living room with their servings.

"Okay... what movie, you guys?" Rei asked as she looked through her videos. She got different answers so she chose what she wanted. She popped it into the VCR and sat back down on the couch beside Yusuke. They all ate and watched in silence, but there was an air of happiness around the room.

They all finished and watched the rest of the movie then Yusuke had to leave.

"See you later, you guys!" Yusuke called as he walked down the path towards town. It was just starting to rain, so Kurama and Rei went back inside.

"I'm going to go get a shower now," Rei told Kurama as she walked towards her room. Her room was still the same as it was when everything started and since it very early in the morning, Rei picked out some comfortable pajamas. She took her time in the shower and dressing. She grabbed Shizu, her stuffed fox and made her way back to the living room.

Kurama was sitting on the couch with his eyes closed so Rei tried to be quiet.

"It's alright, I'm not asleep," he said without opening his eyes. Rei stopped trying to be quiet and sat down on the couch beside him.

"Did Hiei hurt you?" Kurama asked, still not opening his eyes.

.oO{How did he know?} Rei gasped. "I told you my hearing was very acute," Kurama answered her mental question.

"Then how come you didn't come?"

"I was too far away. I would've come sooner, but it takes a while for sound to travel, and therefore, I wouldn't have known anyways."

Rei sighed. "I feel terrible."

"How so? Terrible as in you haven't told anyone, or terrible as in you couldn't stop him?"

"Kinda both, I think. I still feel dirty, even though I've had a shower."

Kurama looked at her for the first time and asked, "I can cleanse you."

This speech seemed to surprise Kurama more than it did Rei and her curiousity to what he meant won out.

"What did you say?" she asked as she leaned over him. He swallowed, "It was a passing thought."

"Mmmhmmm.... and what were you thinking of doing?" Rei asked.

Kurama was emboldened again and he asked, "Do you want to know, or do you want to see?"

Rei smiled, "Curiousity killed the cat. Thank Kami I'm not a cat."

Kurama smiled back and slipped onto the floor. "Okay, don't be afraid," he said as he slipped off her pajama shorts. He positioned himself in front of her and leaned his head in.

***

Kurama had finished 'cleansing' her and was now kissing her full on the lips.

"Oh, Kurama, no more. I need to sleep," Rei mumbled as Kurama's lips slid over her neck. He breathed a sigh of sadness, but did what she asked. Rei almost laughed as she gathered her panties and p.j. pants off the floor. Kurama did the same, and Rei made her way to her room. She shut the door and leaned against it.

.oO{That is so funny. Why do I make out with guys like this?} she thought. Where is Botan when you really need to talk? But Rei decided what she really needed right now was some sleep.

***

Rei rolled over the next morning to a bright, sunny day.

"Mfff... ugghh... it's too bright," Rei half-mumbled, half-muttered. Rei looked at the clock on her nightstand on decided that 11:30a.m. wasn't a bad time to wake up at, considering what happened yesterday.

"Good morning, Rei-chan," Kurama said when she finally came out of her room. "Since you weren't up, I made myself some lunch. You're welcome to some if you want it."

"Good morning, Kurama-chan!" Rei returned; her perkiness coming back. She opened the fridge door and was quite surprised by what she saw.

"There's nothing in there," Kurama non-chalantly said.

Rei slowly closed the door. "Hmm... I need money..."

"I can take care of that. I'll get food today, and I'll pay for it."

Rei nodded, "Thanks, Kurama."

After they at, it was atleast 12:45 and Kurama left for the market.

"Gosh... I need to work," Rei sighed as she flopped down on the couch. Just then the doorbell rang and she got up to get it. Yusuke was standing there and he walked in as soon as she opened the door.

"I have to leave on Spirit Detective business," he said without warning.

"I know. Botan told me yesterday," Rei nodded.

"Uhhmm... have you slept with Kurama yet?" Yusuke asked.

Rei was taken aback. "N-no... not really."

Yusuke looked up, "You shouldn't keep your power just to me. After he helped me yesterday, he deserves something, too."

Rei's mouth dropped open, "One, I'm not a toy or powertool, I'm a person; and two, you actually WANT me to sleep around?!"

"Well, hell yeah. But only with our little group."

"Bizzare, I totally thought you'd freak if I did something like that," Rei said, shaking her head.

"Why would I do that?"

Rei shrugged and Yusuke turned to her again, "I need a favor."

"What?"

"Are you feeling... um... up to 'it'?"

Rei craddled her head in her hands and walked to her room.

.oO{Three guys in two days. What next?} Rei thought as she plopped herself onto her mattress.

"I actually thought it would be harder than this," Yusuke said as he crawled on top of her.

"Let's just say I'm getting used to my curse."

Yusuke started kissing her forehead and moved down the side of her face.

***

More than ten minutes later Rei and Yusuke were laying side-by-side.

"I... need.. to go..." Yusuke panted, "Botan'll be...on my hide if I'm late."

Rei swallowed. "Alright. I'll see you, later."

Yusuke pulled his shorts and pants back on and before he walked out the door, he planted a light kiss on Rei's lips.

"Bye."

Rei watched as he walked down the path and couldn't help but think,.oO{Is the rest of my life going to be filled with guys who sleep with me, and then leave?} But she couldn't hang on to that thought for long.

***

The next day Botan finally came over.

"Well, Botan-chan. What's happening?"

"Not much. Yusuke is doing pretty good at Genkai's, but I have to get over there later today."

Rei was peeling potatoes for supper tonight so she only nodded with out looking up.

"Rei-chan, are you sick?" Botan asked, putting a cool palm to Rei's flushed cheek.

"It's not what you think. I stayed outside most of the day yesterday and it started raining without warning. So that's why I look a bit under the weather."

"So... no Yusuke Jr.'s anytime soon?"

"BOTAN!" Rei exclaimed, throwing an un-peeled potato at her. "That is just sick!"

"You can't blame me for asking. So... how was it?" Botan asked as she leaned against the counter.

"You're just perverted. It was fine, thank you."

Botan laughed. "I can't help it that I'm curious."

"Is there someone you want to 'lay'?" Rei asked.

"Maybe... but I'm not telling who."

Rei gave up, because she'd learned the hard way about Botan's bull-headedness about things like this.

"Oh! I almost forgot! You have enough room here, right?" Botan asked.

"I think I should. There's 5 other bedrooms," Rei asked, going back to her peeling.

"Um.. How would you like to take on another free-loader?"

"All depends on who it is," Rei said, still blindly peeling away. Botan looked to the doorway, and Rei's eyes followed.

Standing in the doorway was the familiar blue haired, black-clad yukai.