Kurama had considered calling his human friend but only for a moment before walking out the door. He zipped his jacket against the cool autumn breeze that made his teeth chatter and proceeded to walk in the direction of the Kuwabara household. He stared at the small clouds of smoke his breath made as he moved forward his feet automatically taking him to where he needed to go as Kuraki's face haunted him. His tawny eyes fought back tears vainly as they streamed down his flawless face causing Kurama's heart to flutter.
'Never have I felt this way towards anyone before. What is it exactly that makes him so different from any other interest I have had, male or female?' He thought as he crossed the street stepping around a small patch of ice. Kuraki simply made his day brighter regardless of the other's mood. Kurama was worried about his koi's state of mind at times the way he would snap from one emotion to another but it was his nature to be stormy just like the weather that he partially controlled. Kurama smiled recalling the first time Kuraki had acutally stayed at his house for an overnight. It had only been the month before and Kurama's mother was away on business. Kuraki had showed up cheerful enough but was soon brought to tears by a painful memory. A few moments later the wind outside lashed the tree's about wildly as thunder roared in the distance. The rain drops pounded the window's relentlessly as Kuraki's wails increased.
"This always happens! I always cry when it rains!" He moaned. Kurama had simply chuckled to himself taking Kuraki in his arms kissing him softly on the cheek and swiping his bangs from his eyes.
"It rain's because your sad my love." He had whispered softly in his ear. Kurama walked up the few steps to the front door and knocked loudly. "Hold on! I'm comin'!" He heard Kuwabara yell from inside. "Oh hey Kurama, how's it going?" He greeted with a short wave. Kurama smiled in return.
"I"m well enough. Is Keaka here? I wish to speak with her." He stated politely.
"Uh no. She's off doing something or other for her job but you can wait for her if you want. She should be back soon." Kuwabara offered. Kurama nodded following the taller boy inside.
"I still can't get over the fact that Keaka's on t.v." Kuwabara said more to himself than Kurama. Kurama nodded.
"Yes it was quite a shock for me that's for sure but she certainly does seem to have a knack for it." He replied. Kuwabara nodded.
"Yeah she does. I guess she's even got a record deal for music and stuff but Shizeru's putting all of her money away for college which ticked Keaka off to say the least but it's for the best." Kuwabara continued.
"With out a doubt." Kurama stated following Kuwabara up the stairs.
"So where have you been lately? Haven't seen much of you." Kuwabara stated.
"I've been around. I've just been a bit busy as of late is all." Kurama replied.
"You can wait for Keaka in her room, I've got some homework to catch up on." Kuwabara said walking to his own room.
"If you need any help Kuwabara don't hesitate to ask for my assistance." Kurama offered opening the door to the room at the end of the hallway.
"Will do." Kuwabara said shutting the door to his own room. Kurama walked inside the room and looked around as he shut the door.
Not much had changed since he last was in there. The many pictures that Keaka had taken of 'the gang' had finally begun to creep up onto her ceiling given there wasn't much wall space left. He picked up the only framed picture that sat on her night table as he sat on her bed and smiled at it slightly. It was of the two of them, he was carrying her on his back both laughing happily. Kurama put the picture down and sighed.
"Oh Keaka, why have you forsaken me?" Kurama asked aloud.
"Forsaken fox? Hardly." The all to familiar voice said from behind him.
"Hiei, it's been a while. How have you been?" Kurama asked friendly as usual to the smaller youkai.
"Hm. What do you think? Don't play coy with me Kurama, I've seen what you've been doing with that hanyo and don't think for one instant that I care." Hiei replied.
"I never did expect you to play the part of the jilted ex-lover Hiei." Kurama replied. Hiei walked closer to his past flame and stared the elder demon dead in the eyes. "You have a question that you want to ask so why don't you just come out and say it Kurama?" Hiei asked suddenly. Kurama hesitated for only a moment before sighing.
"Did Keaka expose Kuraki?" Kurama asked his voice soft and slightly wavering. Hiei stared at him for a moment contemplating what to say.
"She only told a single person Kurama but she knew in her very soul that this person would expose the hanyo." He replied. Kurama let out a shaky breath and rubbed his hands together.
"That's all I wanted to know." He stated as the door knob turned and Hiei was gone. Keaka opened the door and closed it behind her only then realizing that Kurama was sitting on her bed.
"Kitsune! What are you doing here?" Not in the least bit surprised that he had shown up. She had been expecting him, it was written on her face and in her eyes. "You know well what I'm doing here Keaka." Kurama stated. "Now tell me, why did you tell someone about the relationship between Kuraki and I?" He asked clearly not in the mood to play games. Keaka remained silent.
"Did you do it out of spite? Revenge?" Kurama interrogated. Keaka's fists clenched as she shut her eyes tightly.
"Answer me before I force it out of you." Kurama warned his voice taking on a menacing tone. Keaka's eyes snapped open shocked that he had used that tone with her. "I did it because I...I..." She stammered visibly shaking. "It isn't fair Kurama! After everything...everything and someone just shows up that you barely know..." She broke off as a sob escaped her throat.
"We have been through alot haven't we? That's why you are my dearest friend Keaka but you have to understand that I am in love with Kuraki and he is in love with me" He said cut as Keaka let out a shrill cry.
"But I love you too Kurama!" Kurama sighed and nodded.
"I know but I do not love you, at least not romantically. You have wounded the one I care for the most and I don't believe it would be in neither my best interest nor yours to speak to each other for a while." Kurama stated standing up.
"I don't want you speaking to Kuraki unless it's been scripted. Do you understand?" Kurama commanded more than asked. Keaka nodded as she fell to the ground feeling defeated and broken as sobs racked her body relentlessly. Kurama opened the door and closed it softly behind him.
It took a few weeks but eventually the phone calls and questions about Kuraki's sexual preference stopped. His father had simply shook his head and dismissed it not really caring at all what Kuraki did. The hardest part was being civil to Keaka exspecially since it was obvious to see what direction the relationship between the full metal and singing alchemist was heading.
Edward lays on the bed with his arms behind his head. Sayla lays next to him crying as she confesses that she is in fact in love with Alphonse.
Sayla -I don't understand it Ed. Everywhere we go he ALWAYS falls for these women that could never possibly appreciate him let alone love him where here I am right in front of him and all he can see in me is a friend.
Ed-Sometime's we don't see what's right in front of us until it's too late
Said as a sad smile creeps onto Edward's face and a sense of longing creeps into his eyes. Edward lightly caress's Sayla's cheek.
Ed- Not only that but I know what it's like to love someone and not have them notice you.
Sayla looks at Edward with tears still in her eyes.
Sayla-Why, who do you love Ed?
Kurama read the script and couldn't help but smile as Kuraki sat with a look of disgust on his face.
"Holding her hand makes me sick to my stomach as is but actually having to have her nearly on top of me, now that's just unnerving." He said rubbing a hand over his eyes. Kurama smiled compassionatly and squeezed his hand a bit.
"Just stay professional and all will be well." He comforted.
"Kurama I don't know if I'll be able to do this." Kuraki said after a drawn out sigh.
"You'll be fine." He replied resting his head against his shoulder. Kuraki wrapped his arms around Kurama's neck cradling his head as he laid a light kiss in his lips.
"At least do it for me." He said after a moment.
"I know that even after what she did to try and hurt me you still care for her as a friend." Kuraki shrugged.
"So I really don't have a choice do I?" He asked with a slight smirk on his face as Kurama sat back up and kissed him passionatly parting the hanyo's lips with his tongue gaining entry into the warmth of the other's mouth. Kuraki moaned into the kiss pressing his lips firmly against Kurama's as he pillaged his boyfriends mouth relishing in his taste and smell as Kurama laid him down gently laying on top of him. Kuraki tangled his hands in Kurama's hair as he moved to Kuraki's neck gently biting at the tender flesh. Kuraki hissed in surprise as his pants grew uncomfortably restricting. He grasped Kurama's hand bringing it down to his aching need. Kurama smiled and gently massaged the area enjoying the look of pleasure on his boyfriends face as he cupped his hand around him playing teasingly with the zipper of his jeans. Kuraki's cheek's turned red as his hips bucked slightly into Kurama's hand.
"Yes, yes Yoko. Oh god that feel's so good." He moaned. Kurama smiled kissing Kuraki again before bringing his face to his ear.
"Do you like that koi?" He asked seductively. Kuraki nodded gasping out a yes. "I'm glad but we shouldn't be doing this." Kurama said removing his hand from his boyfriend laying next to him. Kuraki stared at Kurama with his piercing golden eyes visibly pouting.
"That wasn't nice." He said his cheek's returning to their original milky shade.
"Well I never told you to tempt me." Kurama said.
"You started it." Kuraki said blowing out his cheeks as he sat up and grabbed the script. "Why don't you come down to the set tonight? I would love to introduce you to everyone." Kuraki said his face lighting with excitement.
"Don't you think that would make people suspicious again? After all the trouble it took to put suspicion's to rest?" Kurama asked bringing a hand to stroke Kuraki's cheek.
"I don't care what they say Kurama. I'm not ashamed of you so why not?" Kuraki asked standing up. "Besides I need you there to keep me in check anyways just in case I lose my cool." He said stretching.
"What do you mean?" Kurama asked. Kuraki sighed glancing at the wall.
"I get snappy with Keaka. I don't mean too it's just my defenses go up around her and I just kind of get mean." Kuraki stated.
"It's understandable after what she did." Kurama replied. Kuraki shook his head.
"No it happened even before she said anything, hell that's why she did it I know it." He said.
"Why is that?" Kurama asked instantly feeling an aching in his heart remembering the coldness he had directed at his small friend.
"After everything you told me about you and her then her freaking out when she found out about us it's just, aw I don't know I guess I'm just intimidated by her." Kuraki said. Kurama couldn't help but smile.
"Indeed Keaka can be a formidable opponent however..." The front door bell rang cutting Kurama off as he felt the rampid energy of none other than the girl they were speaking of. Kurama stood up quickly to open the door.
"Kurama, we've got trouble. Worse than Toguro and Sensui put together! Koenma already has Urameshi and Kazuma in his office. Hiei's on his way there too. Botan's waiting for us in the park to take us to Reikai." She said in one long breath. Kurama grabbed his shoes.
"Kuraki I must leave quickly. Could you just lock up when you go koi?" Kurama asked as the other appeared in the small hallway next to him. "Where are you going?" He asked as Kurama grabbed his jacket from the closet.
"Something has suddenly come up and we must be on our way." Kurama replied.
"'We' as in both of you? Keaka, we have to be to the set in less than two hours." Kuraki stated.
"Kuraki listen, this is important. The very balance that keeps all of the worlds in line is threatening to be ripped apart. It's mine and Kurama's job to protect it." She replied. "Could you cover for me?" She asked politely even offering a sweet smile to him that he just sighed at and looked away.
"Why is it 'your job'?" He asked pouting again.
"Because we have the abilities and the power to protect people who can't protect themselves so we have too. We don't have a choice." She said with a shrug along with her reply.
"What power could you possibly have?" He asked as Kurama kissed him quickly on the cheek and was out the door.
"I'll explain later I swear! Okay, like I said cover for me! I'll make up for it Kuraki, promise." She called out as Kurama practically dragged her away from the door. Kuraki watched as the pair made their way down the street hand in hand. He clenched his fists as the wind picked up again and the rain fell down.
