Chapter 7: The Courtship

The kitsune looked on the sleeping Naraku with mild frustration and irritation. He began pacing again, debating on whether or not he should wake up his beloved kumo or let the darling angel remain asleep. Then, he took into consideration his appalling behavior yesterday and decided that he had slept long enough. Feeling rather playful, he crouched down low and pounced on the bed as hard as he could, expecting the sudden jolt to scare the kumo awake, but it didn't work. He sat back on his heels and frowned. "Must've gotten him harder than I thought..." he said quietly before taking the opportunity to straddle Naraku, his hands planted above his shoulders. "Wake up, darling..." he said seductively and was disappointed when all he got was an incoherent noise in return.

He growled and decided that it was a good time to take more of an advantage over the sleeping man beneath him. The kit bent down and covered Naraku's lips with his own, using one hand to drag his claws slowly down his cheek and neck. "Come on lovely, wake up..." He purred into his ear.

"Mmmmm….Sesshoumaru…"

DeVos recoiled and looked at Naraku with horror and rage, "Se-Sesshoumaru!?" He snarled and raised his hand, giving the kumo a good jaw-cracking slap across the face.

Naraku yelped as his eyes shot open and he jerked a hand up to his stinging face. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT—" And then he saw the look in DeVos' eyes; the mixture of anger and hurt and disappointment…and it was genuine. Naraku didn't know what had caused the look, and he sure as hell wasn't going to apologize for anything after being bitch-slapped across the face like that. But he did close his mouth, silently waiting for the kit to make the next move.

The kit lifted his chin, trying to hide the hurt under his pride but he couldn't do it. Dejectedly, he looked away and then back to Naraku's face and winced when he saw the hateful stare and the angry red handprint. He reached out tentatively and brushed his fingertips over it. "I'm sorry...No matter how hard I try, I can't erase him from your mind, can I?" he asked in a gentle whisper before climbing off of him and then the bed. He walked to the door and paused. "Dinner will be ready soon... You can wash up in the basin over by the window," he said without looking back, and then disappeared down the hall.

Naraku sat up in bed and touched his face; the bruise had already healed. He sighed. What am I going to do…?

The smell of food that came in through the open door finally permeated his senses and brought him back from his thoughts. Although the demon in him didn't require him to eat food in the sense that he needed it to survive, the human still in him enjoyed such pleasantries. Naraku rose from the bed and walked over to the washbasin and proceeded to wash his face and hands, using the provided linen to dry himself. Satisfied, he made his way across the room and saw in the reflection of the mirror he still wore the outfit which DeVos had bestowed upon him. Shrugging, Naraku never broke stride—now that he wasn't wearing those ghastly "shoes"—and followed his nose to the dining room.

There was a table set for two. He found the proportions o f furniture in this place to be most curious, for the table and chairs were a couple feet high from the ground. He looked about the room and then DeVos entered from another doorway and motioned him to sit down at the end of the table like he was some honored guest. Instinctively, he pulled the chair out and sat in it, scooting himself up to the table. He looked down. There were no bowls, no spoons, and no chopsticks. How am I to eat? Instead, there was a flat, porcelain disk and thin, silver tools placed at various spots around it. He looked up at the fox who was removing the lid from some steamy dish. "What are we eating?"

DeVos looked up and across the table at Naraku and shrugged. "Just a common French dinner," he said in a mildly emotionless tone of voice as he gestured to the different platters, "Bread, cheese, onion soup, some meat, and fruit. Help yourself." He made an attempt at a friendly smile and wasn't sure exactly how it looked to the man across from him, nor did he really care because he was still a little shaken from earlier.

Naraku nodded and let his eyes wander over the dishes. He reached out to one of the rolls and placed it on his disk and looked at the rest of the food. The soup indeed smelled strongly of onion, of which he was not fond of, and he saw a plate stacked with little cubes of what looked to be tofu, but smelled nothing like it. Using process of elimination, he guessed it was the "cheese" the kit had mentioned. He picked up the small tool that looked like a pitchfork and stuck it through a small cube, bringing it close to his face as he smelled it and looked it over. It had the oddest smell of any food he'd come across. He poked its soft surface and furrowed his brows.

The kitsune looked up and quirked an eyebrow. "What in Hell's name are you doing? You're supposed to eat it, not examine it." He smiled a little more warmly that time.

Naraku looked up from the cheese cube a little defensively, "In MY name, I'm inspecting my food before I eat it!" Then, a little more mildly, "What do you call this?"

"Brie, and it won't kill you to try it. Although not many people are too heavily infatuated with it because it's mildly bitter." He shrugged, "It's an acquired taste I suppose." He took another bite of his food.

The kumo looked back down at the "brie." Without hesitation, he popped it into his mouth and swallowed—without chewing.

DeVos paused when he heard a coughing sound and sighed heavily before looking up to see Naraku choking on his food. "Forget to chew? Or are you just the type who loves to swallow?" he said, trying not to laugh at the spectacle.

Naraku glared icily at him in between coughs, and eventually he mustered up enough energy to dislodge the piece of cheese from his throat and watched with satisfaction as it flew over the table and landed with a soft 'plink' on DeVos' plate.

The kit's eyes had followed the flying piece of cheese and looked at it incredulously for a moment before bursting into laughter. Amethyst eyes glared at him irritably from across the table.

Why the Hell is he laughing?! I just spit food on his plate! Grumbling to himself, Naraku picked up his roll and ruthlessly bit into it, chewing mechanically as he regarded the kit with mild annoyance.

The kit wiped a tear from his eye and choked down the last few chuckles before looking up at Naraku's annoyed glare. "What? Why aren't you laughing? I thought you'd take just a little pride in trying to be so childishly malicious." He smiled quite brightly and then shook his head, "I still haven't figured you out."

Resting his head on his hand as he chewed, he remarked "I could say the same for you." He paused in his chewing, swallowed. "Come to think of it, you seem to know plenty about me," he raised an eyebrow, "So what is there to tell about you?"

DeVos put down his fork and wiped his mouth with a napkin before looking back at Naraku. "Come now! Why would you want to hear such a depressing story? There are better things to discuss, I'm sure."

"Oh, I'm sure there are," he said as he set the bread down and crossed his arms very unmannerly-like on the table, "But I'd like to know more about you, my dear fox," he said leaning forward and looking at DeVos with a most keen gleam in his eyes, "And you can skip the part where your mother died and you developed your utter distaste of humans; I know that already. What I'd like to know is…what do I have to do with any of this?"

He paused for a moment and then set the napkin down while clearing his throat. The smile remained firmly in place although he was a bit curious as to how Naraku knew about that. "Well… I don't really think now is an appropriate time to inform you about my life up to this point; such a thing would put a damper on the decent mood, don't you agree, Lovely?" he made to stand, "I think we've talked enough for now." He casually walked over to Naraku's end of the table and snapped his fingers. Music began to play from somewhere, and he held out his hand to the perplexed kumo, "Shall we dance?"

Naraku stared at his hand and then looked up at him stupefied, "You want me, Naraku, to dance?" He turned back around and stuck up his nose, his eyes closed in defiance, "I'll do no such thing."

The kit snickered and raised his eyebrows, "Oh, is that so? Afraid you aren't so nimble on your feet?" He chuckled. "I can fix that, you know.." He began whispering a chant under his breath to help him gain control over Naraku's body for a short period of time.

He jerked his head around at the sound of a spell, "What are you do--?!" He was cut off as DeVos finished the incantation; he couldn't speak of his own will.

Raposa laughed and extended his hand again. "Now, would you care do dance?" he asked with a sly smile, knowing full well that the kumo couldn't resist this time.

To his horror, Naraku watched as his hand rose of its own accord to rest in the palm of DeVos'. That arrogant bastard, he thought to himself as he unwillingly stood up to meet the emerald eyes of the pompous fox, to think that he has that kind of power… Then he thought of something: No doubt he would make an excellent addition to my body. The kumo smirked inwardly as he began to think up ways to absorb DeVos into himself.

The kit paused for a moment, "Do you even know how to dance?" He waved the thought dismissively, "Oh, nevermind, I don't think that will matter with my little spell in effect," he said with a cocky grin.

I'll soon claw that idiotic grin from your pretty face... Naraku seethed inwardly as his feet began moving in time with the fox.

DeVos chuckled. "What's wrong, my little pet? Don't you like being controlled?" The kit purred into Naraku's ear as he lead him through the waltz., "So many others enjoyed stepping in time with me." His grip tightened around Naraku's waist, pulling him close so that their chests were pressed together. "Of course, I think you were the one used to being in control...bending others to your will, breaking them when they disobeyed your word." He gripped Naraku's hand. "How long has it been since you've spilt blood, my love? How long has it been since you last enveloped someone before tearing into flesh and bone?" He pulled his face away from Naraku's ear, searching his eyes for the answers.

For an instant, Naraku's amethyst eyes glinted with a familiar yearning--but that instant was all the fox needed as he noted the glimmer of change and continued to lead the kumo on.

DeVos was not contented by this reaction. He dug his nails into Naraku's back. "Pity, have you really lost your will?" He smirked, and on the turn of the waltz, slammed Naraku hard into the wall. "Your power?" He pressed him there for a moment and stole a kiss before leading him back into the dance. "Pathetic, my love...Simply and utterly pathetic..."

Naraku bristled, but not from being slammed into a wall. The fox's words began to sink into his skin and fester, surfacing things inside him that he'd buried deep down in his sea of unwanted memories. And then the fox had kissed him...how dare he! ...but his primal side was intrigued.

"What must I do to get you to speak to me, beloved?" He whispered, letting his hand drop down from the small of Naraku's back to his rear. He felt Naraku tense as he tightened his grip before letting go. "Are you going to make me find out what makes you scream, love?" He whispered into Naraku's ear. "...please say that you will."

With all the rage building up, Naraku was growing quickly immune to the spell DeVos had placed upon him. He leaned forward to whisper into the kit's ear, "I believe...that it is my turn to lead this dance." He pulled away sharply and then dug his nails into the back of DeVos' shoulder and hand with greater force that the kitsune had used. His violet eyes glittered with a long forgotten malice as he took over the startled fox demon. He slammed the demon into a dresser, and he could not deny the glee he felt in watching the kitsune wince as the edge dug into his back.

"Oh, beloved...I do believe you're wrong." DeVos said smoothly, the look in his eye was murderous and borderline feral. "I still think that I'm in control here."

Naraku balked slightly, shocked by his own actions, concerned about the promises the kitsune was silently making. He tried to let go, but found his feet wouldn't move any further away. He narrowed his eyes in a glare of hatred. "Release me…"

"Gladly…" DeVos said, his words coming out in a half-growl as he took up the measured steps of the waltz once more, only this time faster and more chaotic. "But it can wait, my beloved…then I'll give you all the release you will ever need." He bared his fangs, his pupils narrowing as he directed Naraku's movements, enjoying having a challenge. "It's so nice to have someone fight back with strength that rivals mine," the kit said gleefully as he backed Naraku into the marble-topped coffee table, causing the kumo to loose his balance and rely upon the kitsune's strength to support him. "That way, it will be far more enjoyable when I destroy everything you are…and bring out the killer in you that you once were." The smile spread.

Naraku's heart pounded with fury. "I was a monster! One that I can never be again!" He almost shouted, because he could feel his inner beast stir and rise to meet the youkai's acidic words.

"So you say, my love, so you say..." He pulled Naraku back up and resumed dancing. "But the look in your eyes is telling me an entirely different story." He spun Naraku before pulling him close once more. "They cry out 'rescue me from banality…save me from this mortal side of me…let me kill again…'" He redirected the kumo's arms so that they were wrapped about his neck as he pinned Naraku against the wall. "I'll rebuild you…I'll satiate that bloodlust" He whispered into the kumo's ear.

"You want to break me," Naraku ground out, "You want to make me yours. You want me to beat you. You want me to regain my power and kill again." The close proximity stirred up a mixture of emotions, half of them he didn't want to acknowledge. "You aren't even sure what you want."

DeVos grimaced before it melted into the maniacal grin he had. "So says the one who is having a harder time distinguishing an enemy and a lover." He glanced down before looking back up into Naraku's fiery glare. DeVos ran his hand along Naraku's side, dragging his thumbnail along the inside of the kumo's thigh. "But they're really the same, anyway… Your beloved destroyed you before he could even stand you."

The half-breed looked away, growling as the kitsune's words struck a painful chord of truth in his confused heart. He certainly didn't love this fox demon, far from it. "I want you dead," Naraku said slowly, looking back into the fox's eyes. "I will see you laying in a pool of your own blood…your last words will be a gurgled plea for mercy…" The coldness and sincerity in his voice startled himself.

But DeVos knew this only to be one small, sweet victory. The threat was like music upon his ears. "Swear it to me," the fox said as he slammed his hand on the wall near Naraku's head. He felt the claws on his other hand tear into the material of Naraku's pants and pierce into the flesh. "Swear to me that you'll be my ruin…Because I'll love to turn those oaths into empty promises…" He chuckled malevolently.

Naraku had barely any time to muster a growl to the fox's threat before he suddenly felt the kitsune's hand move over his groin and stop, pressing gently but firmly enough to tease his untrustworthy body with dangerous fantasies. He was at a total loss for words and his body wouldn't do as he commanded with those lustful emerald eyes staring at him with an intensity he couldn't shake.

"Such a pity, you cannot even muster the will power to speak." He whispered as he moved his hand up from the kumo's groin up to his stomach and then back around to the man's lower back. "I wonder...does this mean your inane and idle threats will come to an end?" He said, grinning as he raked his claws across the kumo's back, delighting in the sound of the clothing being ripped to shreds.

His mind snapped back as DeVos' nails drew blood, and it sickened him despite his own sadistic ways to see the other demon lick his crimson, human-like blood that dripped from sharpened nails. He despised his half-human side, and he hated it even more that his weaker attributes were being flaunted before his face. Naraku thrust a hand forward and grabbed the demon's neck with a fierce vehemence that caught DeVos momentarily by surprise. "Do not think for one second that I will not kill you, fox."

"Squeeze." He said with a smirk. "Choke the life out of me." He growled in a guttural tone. "Revel in my death and know the monster that you are." He raised his own hands and clamped onto Naraku's arms. He reached out to the Kumo's shoulders and dug his nails deep into the half-demon's flesh. "I'll save you from your painful humanity..." he said with a smile. "I will save you from yourself...and drag you down with me into complete moral decay..."

The feeling of deja vu was too overwhelming as it eclipsed his consciousness and dragged him unwillingly into the past:

Naraku chuckled. "If you are looking for weakness... I have none. You, on the other hand, are full of flaws... namely you can die." Naraku raised one of his hands, as his fingers closed, the poison rushing through Sesshoumaru's veins doubled, making it increasingly hard for him to stand. "So easily..."

He sank deeper still, drifting among memories that he'd tried to forget.

So good to know my original plans for you have been carried out." He stepped nearer and bent down when he was sure he was close to the inu's head. His hand reached out, touching the inu's face. How badly he wanted to see the look of pain upon it. His fingernails raked down the side of Sesshoumaru's face. "Cry for me..."

Naraku felt the threat of his memory's oblivion as he drifted dangerously into the past. But something pulled him back and anchored him to the present once again. It was the sinking feeling he had felt earlier, but this time, he actually felt his body being guided to lay against the floor. In his ears he heard the whispers of someone's voice repeating his old words back to him as the memories replayed before his eyes.

DeVos grinned as he watched Naraku's eyes travel back and forth beneath his closed eyelids. He was the one whispering the kumo's vile words back to him, but he grew tired of that game. He reached up and traced the markings on Naraku's face. He straddled the demon and leaned in close to his ear. He shifted his form back to match Sesshoumaru's in order to play just a few more mind games before he finally took what he wanted from the kumo. "How could you, Naraku?" He said, using the inu's voice. "I loathe you...I always have...I wish I had left you to die in that barren wasteland..."

Naraku's chest hitched and he clenched his fists at is side. The memories ravaged his mind…The memory of watching Sesshoumaru plunging the Tokijin into his chest, the cold hatred in his eyes…The way he made him choose him over endless and ultimate power. He let out a primal cry as the multitude of barriers shattered, letting loose the monster he had striven so hard to reign in. He opened his red eyes, a feral grin crossing his face. "So then finish it." He snarled, baring his fangs. He flexed his hands. "Before I do…"

DeVos pulled back, letting go of what little hold he had on the older half demon. However, he wiped the shock clean from his face and replaced it with sick glee. This was the demon he had hunted down. This was the beast he wanted all along. "It'd be my pleasure to let you finish it, my dove…" He let his form shift back to normal. "But I'm afraid it's far too soon." He said with a snarl, reaching forward to pin the half-demon to the floor.

Naraku's hands caught his wrists first. The kumo growled, his red eyes narrowed in a glare before his lips twisted into a vicious grin. "Shape shifting, worthless wretch." He said softly, increasing his grip until he heard the fox's wrist bones snap. "Delicious sound…" He looked up into the kit's face, chuckling as the other grimaced. He used his burst of adrenaline to overpower the fox and pin him to the ground instead. "Foolish boy." He whispered into DeVos' ear. "Why do you smell so heavily of fear?" He dug his sharp nails into his flesh as he nipped at the kitsune's earlobe. "After all, you wanted this."

He cried out softly as the demon broke his wrists and pinned him to the floor. For once, the kit found himself wordless, breathless, and utterly helpless. He strained against the demon, but found himself biting back a cry of pain as Naraku sank his poison claws into his flesh. He felt it set in immediately, setting his nerves alight with pain. He writhed, but was held firm. He locked eyes with the kumo and grinned, though the very action hurt him. "More than you could know, Mon Cher… more than you could know." He choked out in a breathless whisper.

"Heh…Such a pretty face…such beautiful pain…" He ripped his nails free. He didn't bother holding the kit's hands down now that the appendages were rather useless with broken wrists. "Your voice, however…" He raked his nails down the kit's face, pausing at his throat. "I am beginning to find to be rather….irksome." He sank his nails in, pulling his claws down and tearing the fox's throat to ribbons. "There, a pretty little addition to your white skin." He smiled and pulled his nails free once more, licking the blood clean off of his fingertips.

DeVos felt the blood burble out of his open wounds. His body fought to heal the wound, but Naraku's venom prevented that from happening. He gritted his teeth as he felt blood fill his mouth, and watched as Naraku took savage delight in his helpless suffering. And though he found it humiliating, he couldn't help but love the irony in it all. He looked up at the Kumo with a mixture of intense loathing and lust.

The half demon chortled. "I suppose I could do such a beautiful creature one last favor before it dies…" He whispered, crushing his lips against the fox's. He parted the demon's lips and greedily enjoyed the blood that spilled into his mouth. Naraku pulled away and let his hands lower to the fox's clothes. He ripped into them with his claws, not caring to spare any article of clothing as he worked his way down. He let his fingertips wander over the demon's exposed chest. He froze, breathing heavily as he remembered ramming a dagger into Sesshoumaru's heart… He gritted his teeth, the violent Naraku fighting for control as icy guilt seeped into his veins. He clamped his hands to his head, groaning.

In Naraku's fit of weakness, he let the strength of his venom slip and the kitsune felt his body repairing itself. As his throat healed, his laughter filled the room. "Once a failure…always a failure." He said, his voice wavering as blood trickled down the corner of his mouth. He felt his wrists heal and seized the opportunity to throw him down again. "Where you should be…" He snarled. "Your pity was a cute touch, but unfortunately this pathetic side of you won out." He laughed maniacally as he, in turn tore off the kumo's clothes. "But I think I can rip the monster out of you again…I think I can bring the real you back to the bloodied surface..for good."

Naraku blinked hard and wildly looked around as he felt claws ripping the clothes from his skin--which possessed a ghostly chill. The feral lust in the kit's eyes told him what had just happened, causing the grip on his memories to tighten as he found himself staring at the reflection of a worse opponent. Growling, he frantically grabbed a pair of bruised wrists and snarled at their owner. "What the hell are you doing?!" he howled as the fox struggled to free his hands, "You're insane...If you bring him out again, you won't live long enough to enjoy it."

DeVos leaned forward, dragging his tongue up Naraku's cheek before whispering into his ear. "One finds the most pleasure in dying…" He whispered. "Especially at the hands of one who claims to hate you." He pressed his lips to Naraku's, his hands caressing the kumo's neck and shoulders. DeVos pulled away. "But really, we both know that behind that frail, flimsy look of content in your eyes," He raked a nail over one of Naraku's nipples. "There is intrigue…." He let his hands go lower, fingertips floating over the half-demon's exposed stomach. "and lust…" He chuckled softly as he ran his thumb over Naraku's hip bone. "Your body betrays you, forsakes your worthless attempts at hatred…and obeys my touch."

Naraku was trying to convince himself that he was repulsed…and was finding it harder to do with every passing moment. In vain he tried, "I obey no one!" and shoved the kit's hands away with more force than was necessary.

The fox laughed. "Just who are you trying to convince? Are you waiting for your silver haired beauty to come and rescue you?" He laughed and grabbed Naraku's chin, forcing him to look him in the eye. "You give in to me over and over in hopes he will burst in here and catch me in the act so I will take the blame and forfeit my life…leaving you free from his hatred" His grip tightened. "After all, if he catches and kills me...Who will be there to tell him what really happened?" He kissed the kumo hard, biting the half breed's lower lip before pulling away.

He sat up, taking one of Naraku's hands in his and lacing their fingers before he pushed it against the ground. "he'll forgive you and forgive you and forgive you...But in the back of your mind, your desire will grow...you'll want to repeat every moment you spent with me…You'll crave the mind-blowing rush of adrenaline every time my lips touched your skin." He bent down and kissed Naraku's throat before licking his way down to his collar bone.

His amethyst eyes started to glaze over with lust. Desperately, he tried to strangle the moan that was beginning to form in his throat, "Why are you doing this..?" His own voice felt so far away. Touch seemed to be his only sense that was functioning; everywhere DeVos touched him left his skin burning with a hot desire he could not hide.

The kit watched the emotions change on Naraku's face, his every prediction coming true. He smiled. "And soon you won't be able to quell your lust for blood…" He bit down hard on his own tongue before kissing the kumo again and letting the blood flow from his mouth to the half-demon's. He reached down and stroked Naraku's member as he deepened the kiss. He felt the kumo's body tense beneath his touch and noted the returned passion in the kiss. He closed his eyes and inwardly grinned, knowing that by then end of this encounter, the true Naraku would awaken once more.