Tomodachi or Koibito?
Wearily Karasu opened his eyes to find the sun up and that Kurama had fallen asleep with his head resting in his arms on the edge of the bed. His legs were tucked under him, an obvious sign that he had been watching over Karasu during the night.
That's kind of odd… Especially where he laid his head, if he was any closer to me his hair would be brushing my stomach… he thought, flushing as he gently moved away from the slumbering kitsune in a way that wouldn't disturb his rest. I wonder how long he stayed up watching me… I don't understand why he was so worried, I thought he hated me…I would've thought he'd like to see me die slow and painfully as a poison would definitely make sure of…
Although he had barely made the bed move at all, Kurama still must have felt it, for he woke up a few minutes later while Karasu was still contemplating why he had helped him. "What time is it…?" Kurama asked sleepily, his tired emerald gazing up into Karasu's violet ones, catching him off guard.
"Morning, why do you ask?" Karasu asked trying to sound like his normal calm self.
"It sure doesn't feel like it…" he murmured into the sheets, obviously still exhausted.
"When did you fall asleep last night?" Karasu asked softly, using Kurama's tiredness to slip away from him.
"Dunno, probably early morning…" he replied, his weariness causing his speech to be slightly impaired.
"Why so late? I'm not that important…" Karasu replied from the other side of the room, surprising Kurama, as he thought the crow was still in front of him.
"I don't know, I just…never mind, it's not important," Kurama muttered. You wouldn't believe me anyway…
"Well, since you seem to still be very tired, why don't you sleep for a while and I'll wake you up later?" Karasu suggested.
"No, I'll be fine, there's plenty of nights that I go without sleep, so I'm used to it," Kurama replied, stretching as he stood up.
"If you insist, but feel free to take a nap at any time. I'm going to go get some food; I hardly ate anything with that poison in me. I'll bring something back for you if you like," he said, leaving.
"Its fine, I'm still somewhat full from last night," Kurama responded tiredly as he sat down on the bed, making Karasu glance back before he left completely. It's so weird, one minute he's talking dirty almost begging me to submit and the next he's running away like a frightened dog… What the hell does he want from me? Is this still just a game to him…?
"Is something wrong Kurama?" Karasu asked standing at the doorway watching Kurama's expression turn to being distraught.
"No, nothing's wrong, I…was just thinking…" Kurama replied, startled that Karasu had remained and was watching him.
"Of what? You seemed like you were troubled by something…important…" Karasu mentioned, walking towards him.
"It wasn't anything like that; I was just trying to figure out what poison it was exactly. There's actually a few that can be healed the way I did…" Kurama replied with a fake smile that he hoped wouldn't crack as he hastily stood up to meet Karasu face to face.
I wonder if I should tell him that I can see right through his lie and façade… Karasu thought, gazing at Kurama, clearly making the kitsune nervous. Dropping his gaze, he sighed, turning around again. "Well, if that's really what it was, then I'm not worried, but if it's something else…you know I'll listen…" Karasu said in a tone that almost made Kurama want to tell him the truth, almost…
…but not quite. Keeping quiet, Kurama slumped back into a sitting position on the bed, this time making sure to keep his face emotionless as he thought,
I know he saw right through that, he must've just decided not to bring it up… Why is this so hard for me? I thought I held no feelings for him, then it seemed platonic, but now…I don't even know anymore… Kurama thought, letting out a frustrated sigh as he let himself fall back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, instead of Karasu, when he returned. As he ate in silence it only proved to make Kurama's uneasiness grow.
I don't know why he seems so anxious… I wish he'd tell me what's bothering him so much… Is it his friends, or something…else that's bothering him? Karasu contemplated as he finished eating. He noiselessly paced over to the deep in thought fox. Not even noticing when Karasu was standing over him, he decided to sit next to him, nearly giving Kurama a heart attack in the process.
"So are you going to tell me what's wrong or are you just going to keep it locked up inside?" Karasu inquired quietly, almost in a silky voice.
"Why does it matter? You don't care…" Kurama replied somewhat frostily.
"If I didn't care, I wouldn't have asked. It seems you're just going to keep all of your emotions locked up… Well what do I expect? You hate me after all…" Karasu murmured detachedly getting up and walking to the other side of the room. So much for progress…
"If I hated you, I wouldn't have tended to your wounds, nor would I have stayed here when I knew I could have easily left. No, hate isn't what I feel for you anymore…what I do, I don't know…" Kurama said just a touch louder than a whisper. "One thing I do know though is that you didn't help me for lust's sake, so you don't have to stay so far away, you've made your point."
"Even if I didn't do it for lust, I don't want to keep slipping up. You and I both know that's what I do when I'm too close to you…" Karasu replied, keeping his distance, even though every instinct practically screamed at him to go over to Kurama, but he refused to listen to them.
"Did you ever once hear me complain about your "slip up" or after you were done, was I sickened beyond words? Neither of those occurred, obviously meaning I didn't care that you slipped up. If the truth be told…I-I think I…liked it…" Kurama said, nearly inaudible at the end, but Karasu still heard every word.
"The only reason you didn't complain was because you were so hungry you were delusional and because of that same reason, you were able to ask for food. It's so easily contradicted, I don't know why you'd list such things," Karasu said, denying what Kurama could be hinting towards.
"If I was so delusional, how do I remember the way you taste?" Kurama asked taking note to the sharp breath Karasu took.
"The only thing you tasted was food, nothing more."
"Should I test that now, to make sure?" Kurama asked, getting to his feet.
"Kurama, don't do this. You're half asleep; I don't want to deal with you being sick with yourself later because you didn't know what you were doing. I'll make a barrier to keep you away if I have to," Karasu warned.
"Like you would, we both know you've been attracted to me ever since you laid eyes on me. One more thing, when I fought you at the tournament, it was after a sleepless night. I obviously didn't do anything too foolish then, now did I?" Kurama revealed taking the few seconds it took to register in Karasu's mind that he couldn't sleep before fighting him to get close enough that a barrier wouldn't work.
"Kurama, snap out of it, you're in a daze or something. This isn't how you act. Stop before you do something you'll regret," Karasu said, backing up against the wall, his heart racing, his logic forcing him to push the inviting situation away.
"I'm not in a daze; do my eyes look glazed to you? I'm doing this of my own will; I won't have regrets. You seem like the one who will have regrets. Why are you so suddenly afraid of me? You're always asking me what's wrong, well now it's my turn," Kurama informed, not giving Karasu anywhere to go.
"I-I, don't want to ruin the shaky relationship we've developed by rushing into something like this… Y-you don't know how hard it's been for me to continue to love someone that hates me…and now that that person is finally show a friendly interest…I don't want to lose it…"
"That's not it. You never expected me to feel this way for you, and now that it's true, it frightens and excites you at the same time, does it not?" Kurama said.
"You may be right about that much, but it doesn't change the fact that I won't let you do this when you've barely had any rest. I'll let you do what ever you had planned after you sleep for a few hours. Do I have a deal with you?" Karasu asked. After Kurama nodded and backed off he let out a low sigh of relief. Once he was sound asleep, Karasu let his guard down.
If he had persisted any longer than he did, I wouldn't have been able to keep him off me… I probably would've pushed him down on my bed and taken him before I even knew what I was doing… Karasu thought helplessly, watching Kurama's rhythmic breathing until he felt himself falling asleep. I hope he regains his senses when he wakes… And yet…at the same time…I don't want him to… he thought, his eyes slipping shut.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
By the time that Karasu awoke, it was late in the afternoon, and he was also surprised at the fact that he had been sleeping exactly the way that he had found Kurama when he woke that morning.
I must still be recovering from that poison to have slept so long… Karasu mused, standing up. I knew he'd still be asleep; the poor kitsune was exhausted. I bet everything he said was just a result of sleep deprivation… When he wakes I'll know for sure… he thought, lightly jumping up to a ledge next to the small window, using the time that Kurama took to sleep to think as he gazed out into the blood red sky. When twilight had set in, Kurama finally began to stir, waking with a small moan. Just stay quiet, if something that small provokes me, I'm hopeless…
Looking around with refreshed, but confused eyes, Kurama sat up. Wondering where his captor turned friend turned he didn't know what, he stood up and started walking towards the doorway.
"You'll be wasting your time looking for me out there, I'm up here," Karasu said, still looking out the window, hiding his expression.
"I didn't know there was a ledge up there; couldn't you have told me that sooner?" Kurama replied, turning around.
"Do you remember what you said earlier?" he asked emotionlessly.
"About what?" Kurama inquired, confused.
"Never mind, it doesn't matter," he muttered, sighing inwardly, keeping his gazing out the window so that he could be sure his expression wouldn't give anything away.
"Are you okay? You seem depressed," Kurama asked, looking up at him.
Depressed is an understatement…but it's what I expected so I should quit showing it so much or he'll suspect something… Karasu decided, hiding behind a façade as he turned toward the slightly concerned fox. "I'm fine, how did you sleep?"
"Okay I guess, but I could've sworn I fell asleep resting against your bed… Seems I was wrong…"
"That is how you started out, I put you the other way so you could get better rest," he explained, jumping down and landing almost without a sound. Would this damn aching just cease already? It never could've been that way anyway…
"You're trying to hide it, but I can tell something's really bothering you. You've listened to me before, so I will for you. But if you don't want to, that's your choice I guess, but you're starting to worry me…"
"It has to do with this morning, and I don't want to refresh your memory. You'll think I made it up anyway," Karasu replied looking away.
"You're not the type to make something up, so why would you start now? Just tell me," Kurama insisted.
"I'm not going to, just let it be," Karasu said firmly, leaning against the wall at his back.
"From the looks of things, it must've been something I did or said. I have a right to know, so tell me," Kurama demanded, standing in front of Karasu.
"You'll probably vomit when I tell you, but, as you insist… Basically what you did was…" Karasu began, filling Kurama in, all the while making sure he kept his emotions out of his voice and also watching Kurama's expression for any changes.
There were none. Except the tiniest of frowns that you wouldn't have noticed unless you were looking as hard as Karasu. When he finally finished, he added, "Anytime you want to kill me for lying so obviously, or puke, is fine with me."
"Actually, neither of those things sparks my interest…" Kurama said, walking to the adjacent wall that Karasu was leaning against and coping his antics.
"Does that mean that you believe me?"
"Yes, since it was all true, I remember now," Kurama stated, changing Karasu's expression from depression to surprise.
"You can't be serious, all of that was true?" Karasu asked, disbelieving.
"Did I stutter? I don't know why, but you seem to have a hard time grasping what you've always wanted as being true…"
That's because it never is… "I'd believe you if you proved it…"
"I tried to earlier, but you did say that if I felt the same after sleep that you'd let me. Does that still stand the same?" Kurama asked.
"Of course, why would I change it?"
"I was just making sure. Now for proof, how can I prove that I'm not lying?"
"I'm sure you can think of something on your own. Even if those stories about Yoko aren't true, you've still been around quite a long time, so you should have at least a little bit of experience in this matter…" Karasu pointed out, trying to remain relaxed.
"Hopefully you'll find this worthy enough," Kurama murmured, pressing his mouth to Karasu's, surprising him despite the fact he knew something was coming. "Do you believe me now?" he asked softly.
"There's not a doubt in my mind any more, but one thing still bothers me. If you felt like this, why did you sound self conscious and want your own pool when we bathed yesterday?" Karasu asked eyebrow raised.
"Because I knew that if you saw me, you'd flip, and I didn't want it that way…" Kurama admitted his face tinged red.
"You've definitely got a point there, considering I haven't even seen you without your shirt. I would've either done that, or fainted. If we ever get that far, I probably will end up doing something along those lines. If that situation arises and I flip, just hit me on the head a few times, and if I faint, well…you'll think of something," he said, making Kurama burst out laughing. "Well thanks for your concern fox…" he muttered sarcastically.
"Do you want to test that and see how you'll react?" Kurama teased, still grinning, and suppressing laughs.
"I'm not quite sure what you're asking here…"
"There isn't a barrier up anymore is there?" Kurama asked, when Karasu shook his head he continued, "Well, why don't we go back there and see what happens?"
"You're kidding right?" Karasu asked, nearly panting at the thought.
"No, c'mon," he said, walking out of the room, knowing Karasu would follow. "Oh, and go get some of that potion while you're at it…" Kurama said, smirking.
I can only hope that all of you are smart enough to realize what those two are going to do...hehehe. Alas, if some of you were expecting a lemon in this one...well...sorry, but I tried putting it in, and to be frank, it just didn't do the story justice. As I originally thought, its better just to leave it up to the reader's imagination. Please review!