Disclaimer: Own nada.

Yoru: Hi! Sorry it took so long. I had no idea where I was going with this. So I had no idea how to update. I think this is kind of disjointed. I don't really like where it's going. So this may be the second-to-last chappie. I started out liking the idea and ended up hating it. So here we go.

Kuronue sat at his fire not far from the bandit camp. He stared at the flames, unsure of what to do.

He had nowhere to go, no one to go to. He couldn't return to his village. It had been burned to the ground. He only knew of one person he could go to. And he was afraid to do so.

Youko had saved him, but how could he ask for forgiveness from this demon who had killed his family? It was an insult to their memory! The kitsune had beaten him, forced him into submission, been his slaver!

What was this infernal attraction he felt?

The fire gave him no answers. It crackled away merrily; intent upon destroying the sticks and dry leaves Kuronue had fed to it. He never heard the demons coming upon him until something slammed into the back of his head, and he knew no more.

Youko sat in his tent, drinking wine until his cheeks were red and wishing vehemently that he had someone to yell at. Sure, he could yell at one of his bandits, but they would probably yell back. What was the fun in that?

He stared blankly at the post where he had kept Kuronue. At this point, he would have welcomed the death glares always being sent his way by the beautiful Chimera.

"Youko?" A bandit, Tohma, stepped into the tent a bit shyly.

"What?" Youko snapped.

"Are you all right?" It was most certainly the wrong question.

"NO! I AM NOT ALL RIGHT! I AM DRUNK, I AM PISSED, I AM LONELY! NO I AM NOT ALL RIGHT YOU STUPID…" he died off when he saw the shocked look on his friend's face. Youko sighed.

"I'm sorry, Tohma. I just…"

"Miss the Chimera?" Tohma finished. Youko smiled half-heartedly in spite of himself.

"Yeah. I miss the Chimera." He put his wine down and got unsteadily to his feet, "What was it you needed?"

"I just think you should go after him, is all. It's kind of obvious how you feel about him."

"Really. And just how do I feel about him?"

"You're in love with him," Tohma said simply. For a moment, Youko felt like laughing. How ridiculous!…wasn't it?

"You can't be serious."

"Perfectly. Come on, mooning over it like this?"

"In case you don't remember, I killed my brother for the ungrateful prick. Don't you think I might be a little depressed about that as well?" Youko heard the snap come back into his voice, but he didn't care this time. Tohma barked a laugh.

"You and Taitsu hated each other from birth. Killing him only shows how much you care for that Chimera." Tohma went to the tent flap, "Just go find him, will ya? It'll give you something to do besides sit around and drink, anyway."

Youko snorted. "Go away."

He left as soon as he knew that Tohma was out of sight. At least he could save his pride.

Kuronue woke slowly. His head throbbed. Voices drifted over to him.

"Youko'll give big money for the bat."

"Yeah, we'll be rich!" The voices belonged to two very ugly demons sitting around a fire a few feet away from where Kuronue lay. Kuronue sat up as quietly as he could and started to move away.

"Where do you think you're going?" Another demon was coming from the direction he was going. A foot slammed into his ribs, throwing him backward. Kuronue gasped, ignoring the laughter from the fire.

"Thought he could get away so…"

"Shut up. You two almost let him. You thought you could just trow him any old where and he'd just stay put? How stupid can you be?" The demon snorted and sat at the fire. He eyed Kuronue critically.

"Bat's pretty, ain't he, Turo?" said one of the others. Turo, obviously the leader, shrugged.

"Yeah. Can't see why he's so precious to Youko, though. Plenty of others." Turo reached out and lifted Kuronue's chin, "He is really pretty though."

Kuronue tried to jerk his face away; he was a bit unnerved by the way Turo was looking at him. He'd only seen that look in one other person, and that encounter had almost lost him his innocence. Turo laughed and held on gamely.

"Such a fighter. Maybe that's why Youko likes him," he smiled lustfully, "I think I'm getting to like him too."

Kuronue's eyes widened, and he started fighting against the hold on his face. One of the other demons popped him in the back of the head.

"Stop it, you. He's not going to rape you."

"Or will I?" Turo murmured. Kuronue finally forced his face from Turo's grasp and scrambled backward. Turo followed him with his eyes. Kuronue stood and turned to run. A whistling noise came from behind him, and a whip wrapped around his ankle. His foot was jerked out from under him a second later. He hit the ground, the wind knocked from his lungs. Turo laughed and pulled him in.

"Come now, Chimera, you couldn't possibly think it would be that easy, could you?" he asked mockingly. Kuronue pulled at the whip wrapped so securely around his leg, but it wouldn't come off.

"Youkai magic, bat," cackled one of the other demons. Turo smirked as he dragged Kuronue closer.

"Come up here and sit with me, pretty one," he said silkily. Kuronue fought against the pull, but Turo was stronger…

"KURONUE!" Couldn't be…