When Hunger Peaks
"I can't believe you're already giving up, I thought you ningen cared for each other. It's only been two days; he could still be out there and in need of our help!" Hiei yelled impatience clear when the other two spirit detectives were giving up.
"Like you said, two days, if we did find him now, we'd probably only be finding his remains and I don't want to see him like that," Yusuke retaliated.
"He's got a point Hiei; do you really want to find him like that?" Kuwabara asked.
"No, I want to find him alive. When I do find him alive he'll probably be in bad condition, and I'll be on my own. All I'm asking for is help, I'm sure if it were one of you out there the other wouldn't be giving up so easily," Hiei shot back.
"All right, all right, but you've gotta give us some time to rest, maybe two days straight without sleep after fighting demons doesn't affect you, but it does for us. Just give us a few hours to rest up and we'll set out again, okay?" Yusuke compromised.
"Fine, just don't take too long," he responded, flitting away without another word.
"He makes it sound like we don't care, but we're about to collapse here. I want to find him just as much as he does," Kuwabara protested tiredly, slipping down into a sitting position.
"No kidding, I just hope he's okay, where ever he is…" Yusuke agreed, also sitting, falling asleep almost immediately after resting his head against a tree.
-------------------
"I don't know what it is you find so amusing," Kurama said angrily.
"Your pathetic attempts to deny what both of us know is true," Karasu laughed, only making Kurama's glare intensify.
"Maybe I should take back my earlier comments; it seems I was wrong to say something nice about you."
"Oh relax would you? I swear, I can't tease you for two seconds without you throwing a fit… You really can't take a joke, can you?"
"Well neither can you, so shut up."
"Really. Could you refresh my memory? I seem to have forgotten this time when I didn't take your remarks in a friendly manner," Karasu asked mockingly.
"All right, fine, so I made that up, who cares?"
"Since this is completely pointless…I think it'd be for the best to just drop the whole thing," Karasu considered.
"For once we both agree on something."
"Yes, it's rather disappointing we can't agree on more topics…" Karasu sighed remorsefully.
"Indeed it is," Kurama remarked sarcastically, imitating Karasu's voice.
"Oh come now, I don't sound like that, do I?"
"Yeah you do, at least to me…"
"Always so pungent with me, it's so depressing…" Karasu said with disdain, making Kurama snicker. "And now you find my dilemma humorous, oh will the pain ever end?"
"Shut up," Kurama said, laughing lightly. "It's not as if you don't contribute to the way I feel at times."
"Whatever the time was that I made you feel hateful towards me, I regret it from the bottom of my heart and I beg for forgiveness just as wholly," Karasu said with undoubted fake emotion as he got down on one knee in front of Kurama to further prove his point, only making Kurama laugh.
"You are such an idiot…" Kurama said, shaking his head as he continued to laugh.
"Can you ever forgive my stupidity?"
"Uh, yeah, just stand up already, this is just a little bit beyond weird."
"To think that's all it took just to put a smile on your lovely face… Alas, why couldn't I have figured it out sooner?"
"Because…you were too distracted to ever develop intelligence in my presence?" Kurama suggested.
"I think that last comment was just a little unnecessary…"
"Well, I don't think it was; it seemed perfect if you ask me."
"Well fine, be that way; see if you get anything to eat later when you get hungry," Karasu retaliated, turning his back on the slightly amused kitsune.
"Don't you think that's being a tad too rash?"
"Not at all, I believe you did say once you found my changed ways strange, so you're getting what you prefer," he said somewhat coldly.
"O-kay, I did say that, but I didn't think you'd take it seriously. You didn't until just a few seconds ago…"
"You should be careful what you wish for," Karasu replied, uncaring.
"Someone's a little bipolar…" Kurama considered almost inaudibly.
"And you said I was being too rash, I'm not deaf you know, so keep those kinds of remarks to yourself."
"To think I was actually beginning to like you, oh well, I should've known better…"
"Is that so, well you can only kick a kind dog in the face so many times before its starts growling," Karasu informed, a small tone of hurt could be found in his voice, leaving Kurama at a loss for words. "Perhaps you'll put some thought into how you treat others from now on…"
"I didn't know I was being so harsh…" Kurama returned solemnly.
"Maybe Yoko is starting to wear off on you…sad really, as I much prefer your sympathetic and caring nature to his…" Kurama cast his eyes down, shame written clearly on his face. Noticing that his hit was well below the belt Karasu continued in a much less vicious tone, "I'm sure you can't really help it much…you two are so closely bonded…"
"I don't know why you're trying to console me; what Yoko did in the past should never just be brushed aside…"
"Who said I was consoling? You act as if I just said you'd get food later," Karasu replied unemotionally.
"I'm such a fool…"
"Yes you are, but then again, I am too, for falling for a traitor of his own kind," he answered, leaving, giving Kurama to think everything through.
------------------------
"You really are a bastard, teasing me like that when you know that I'm hungry," Kurama said bitterly, glancing again at the food in front of Karasu.
"Well I guess there is one way for you to get this," Karasu contemplated.
"What do I have to do?"
"Beg."
"Should've known, sorry, but I'm not hungry enough to do that," Kurama said, disgusted.
"You will when your hunger reaches a peak," Karasu remarked idly taking another bite of food. When Kurama finally reached that peak, it was late into the night.
He seems really out of it, maybe he won't notice if I sneak a little bit of food… Kurama thought, his hunger making him dizzy, but he still could summon vines to steal some food. It looked like it would work, until Karasu noticed and sent a shock down the vine.
"I said beg, not steal, kitsune. I know it's in your nature to pilfer, but try to be a little more original next time," he advised loftily.
It seems the only way I'll get food is if I do what he says… This is going to be so degrading… Kurama complained inwardly. Getting to his feet he walked over to where Karasu was seated and did what he had said. "Can I please have some food?"
"You call that begging? You have to make it a little bit more convincing than that…"
"Please, I'm starving here…"
"Better, but not quite good enough… Maybe its how you're positioned, considering you're looking down on me, it should be the other way around…"
"You can't mean…"
"It is the best way and I know you agree. Get on your knees Kurama; it's the only way…" Karasu said evilly.
"I may have been hungry enough to beg, but I'm NOT doing that. I'll starve before that happens."
"Suit yourself, but as I said before, you'll eventually reach a point where you don't care anymore."
"Then you obviously underestimate me. I've gone weeks without food before as Yoko. In the end you'll make me eat just to keep me alive," Kurama shot back as he walked to the opposite side of the room.
"Yes as Yoko, when you were a demon. I really don't think a fragile human body can last that long. We'll see how long it takes before you're on your hands and knees pleading to be fed. I know it'll be before the end of the week."
"Yeah, whatever leave me alone if you're not going to give me food so I can at least sleep," Kurama said, sitting with his back against the wall and closing his eyes.
If he truly does get to the point where he needs to eat in order to keep living and still refuses to beg, I'll be forced to feed him as he said… Hopefully that won't happen and he'll give in within the next 24 hours. He's thin enough as it is and the fact that he has hardly eaten anything, since he's gotten here only makes it worse… Karasu thought, sighing inwardly at Kurama's stubbornness.
His common sense must have left when his hunger kicked in, he'll freeze if he doesn't have something to keep him warm, he considered, gazing at the already sleeping Kurama. Yanking one of the black blankets off his bed he took it and draped the warm cloth around Kurama's shoulders before going to bed himself.
-----------------------Next Morning
Waking to a growling stomach, Kurama groaned inwardly as he recalled what transpired the previous night. Damn it, he's right, I may have been able to last that long as Yoko, but as Shuichi, I'm done for… Wait, I didn't have a blanket when I fell asleep… He must've put it on me… I don't know why he wasted the effort. I'm surprised he didn't just take the easier way and bring me to bed with him…
"…I'll just never go near you again so maybe then you'll see that my actions aren't lust-driven…" Maybe what he said wasn't all lies after all… Kurama considered, standing silently, leaving the blanket where it fell. Figured he'd still be asleep, then again he doesn't have a stomach yelling at him either, Kurama thought as his stomach snarled again.
I don't know why, but he just seems so…different…when he's asleep… Kurama thought, a strange wave of warmth washing over him as he gazed at Karasu's peaceful state. Banishing it with a scowl he thought, what the hell am I thinking? He's left me to starve, I shouldn't be thinking of him that way…
But it is the truth and there still is the option of begging… another side of his mind contradicted.
I'll never do that, so it's not an option!
Would it really be that bad? It would only be for a few seconds and then you wouldn't be hungry anymore…
Those few seconds would mean that I don't have any will power. He'd just say that I'm a weak beggar…I'd lose any of the leverage I have over him…
And you're so sure about that how? It might be a good thing for all you know. It might make him respect you more if he sees that you know how to swallow your pride when it's necessary…
"Swallow my pride", I'm sure that's not the only thing he'd make me swallow after doing something that weak… I know what he does to beggars; think about his semi-final match.
That youkai didn't even have arms anymore; I think he did that out of self pity for the poor fool…
The fact of the matter is I'll die before I am his little slave, plain and simple. Not that I will, once he sees that I honestly need food, he'll give me it. If he's kept me alive this long, it would all be in vain to just let me die of starvation.
Whatever, think what you want, just keep it in mind…
"My, someone certainly seems upset," Karasu commented dryly, startling Kurama from his thoughts. "What's the matter kitsune? Having a fight with yourself again?"
"Like you would even care what's on my mind…" Kurama responded bitterly.
"I care more than you think, I just show it in different ways than those baka ningen do," he retaliated.
"Well at least they don't kill what they love."
"You're still alive aren't you?" Karasu remarked. "I did say that I changed and I have… Did you sleep well by any chance?" he asked, changing the subject.
"How could anyone sleep well when they have a growling stomach?" Kurama replied coldly.
"You know what you have to do to get rid of that…"
"I already said no."
"I was merely refreshing your memory. I'll be back later," Karasu said as he walked out leaving Kurama alone once again.
"I can't believe that bastard, playing Mr. Nice Guy one minute and then the next telling me to starve. What the hell is his problem?" Kurama thought out loud, shaking with anger. Karasu, who was still within hearing range, responded.
"You're my problem fox; I thought that would've been obvious by now," he called back, leaving Kurama in an annoyed silence.
----------------------
"You ate when you left, I can smell the food on you," Kurama stated accusingly from his seated position on Karasu's bed.
"Yes I did, I thought it would be easier for you to resist if I didn't eat in front of you until you give in," Karasu replied.
"How very kind of you," Kurama returned dryly, no longer looking at the crow.
"Just from not eating for a day, you're already quite pale. I expected as much, seeing how you have such a lean body," he commented, looking Kurama over.
"Keep your eyes to yourself; I don't appreciate being checked out constantly."
"I only look because I can't touch," Karasu murmured, a small flush lit up Kurama's face, but it was gone as quick as it came. "Anyway, with your body type, this is probably much harder than for someone that has a little more meat on their bones…" he informed, leaning in close to Kurama's face as he did so.
God this is pathetic, I feel ten times hungrier now that the scent of food is so close… Kurama thought disgustedly, feeling his mouth water.
"What's the matter Kurama? You look dazed all of the sudden," Karasu said, coming even closer by gently kneeling on the bed in front of him so that Kurama could feel his breath on his lips. He really seems entranced from the scent of food on my breath… This seems like the opportune moment. He probably won't even mind, considering he'll taste food if he let's me enter… Karasu thought, slowly closing the space that separated their mouths, easily hearing the slight moan from Kurama.
Why am I not pushing him away…? This should be grossing me out, but…it's not… Kurama thought helplessly as Karasu effortlessly slipped his tongue into Kurama's mouth. Tasting the remnants of the food Karasu had consumed, Kurama felt even weaker than before. He didn't even try to suppress the small whimper that came from his throat. Leaving just as slowly as he had entered Karasu checked and found that Kurama's eyes were closed, a clear sign that he liked what had just happened. Not that hismoans weren't reassurance enough.
"Hello, Makai to Kurama, are you still here?" Karasu asked in the glossy seductive voice he knew Kurama favored.
"I-I don't know…" Kurama mumbled, his lack of food really hitting after tasting it on Karasu's tongue.
"You really are in desperate need of food aren't you?" he continued in the same tone.
"Yes…"
"I thought so…are you willing to do what I asked yet…?" he pushed gently.
"Please, Karasu, I-I really need food… You know I do, so please…" Kurama whimpered, feeling very light-headed as he spoke.
"Yes I know… Hold on for a few more minutes and you'll get what you desire," he replied softly, easing himself away from the subdued kitsune.
Coming back as quickly as he could, Karasu returned with the promised food which Kurama ravenously began to eat as soon as he could. After not having food for the long period of time, Kurama felt strangely sleepy after eating so much of it. Thus he slumped to the floor.
I should've expected that… Karasu scolded himself as he caught Kurama just before his head hit the floor. "I hope you'll feel better when you wake Kurama…" Karasu murmured softly as he gently picked up the nearly asleep kitsune off the floor and smoothly laid him on his bed to rest.
Well now...if that isn't fluff, I don't know what is. Hehe. I hope you liked it! I know I sure had fun writing it! Please review, thanks everyone!