Author's Note: Yay, another chapter done! Thanks a million to all my reviewers (I don't remember to do that often enough)! You guys keep me going; other wise this story would have been done for a LONG time ago! Um... about this chapter... It's a little bit depressing, but I think it turned out alright. In response to general reviewer confusion, the Yu-Su Fountain grants eternal life, not immortality (and yes, there is a difference). Sakyo will live forever at the age at which he was strongest, but he can still be killed. His body is a frail as it always was; a stray bullet (or anything, really) would kill him just as quickly now as it would have before he drank from the Fountain. Ok, that's all cleared up. Just one more thing before I let you read! Some of you may not like Kuronue's personality or attitude, but I refuse to change it. I did what I thought was appropriate after such a long captivity, but feel free to berate me if you hate it. After all, it's a free country... Enjoy, my loves!
Warnings: Uh... wow... none again. I bet there'll be some in the next chapter, though... ;)
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Kurama blinked, staring blankly at the man for whom he'd gone through all the trouble of the past week. He had called him here, why was he so upset that Kurama had answered the summons?
"What are you talking about? You called me here with those terrible memories!" Kuronue scowled even more deeply, if that was possible, and began walking, keeping Kurama beside him with a lightly guiding hand on his elbow.
"No, fool, I was trying to warn you to stay away with those memories! I knew that Sakyo was going to be seeking you out, so I wanted to give you a warning not to come after me." He glared at Kurama, lavender eyes burning. "Did you not understand the part about me being dead to you?!" Kurama stopped walking, ignoring the increased pressure from Kuronue, and stared dead into the violet eyes he had missed for so long.
"I would never abandon you like that… what kind of man do you think I am?"
"Apparently not an intelligent one…" muttered Kuronue, sourly. He looked up as Kurama pulled himself out of Kuronue's grasp. The fox's golden eyes were full of pain and rejection; Kuronue softened in spite of himself. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, of course…" The tiniest of smiles broke across Kurama's face, and he allowed Kuronue to pull him along once more. He didn't notice where they were going; only looking away from Kuronue when the bat demon opened a door and pulled him inside.
The room he had been led into was certainly grand, and much better furnished than Sakyo's overdone meeting room. High, sweeping ceilings arched over them, adorned with gorgeous renaissance-style paintings. Dark wood paneled the walls, matching perfectly with the wood of the dresser, bed, and bureau. A comfortable-looking red leather sofa sat across the room from the bed, its leather obviously freshly oiled and gleaming. Red silks had been hung from the four-poster bed, blending nicely with the maroon comforter and matching throw pillows. The same red silk had been made into light curtains that hung at every arching window, drawn half-shut against the pale moonlight that shone in. But, after a quick glance around, Kurama returned his gaze to the most breathtaking thing in the room by far: Kuronue.
And he certainly was breathtaking, especially in the silvery light of the moon. Kuronue's already pale skin nearly glowed in the weak light, and his shiny black hair reflected a sheen about him that almost made him glow. The bold lavender eyes that Kurama had always loved so much were fixed, unseeing, on the floor, ebony brows knitted in thought.
"What are you thinking about?" murmured Kurama, struck by the hopelessness of Kuronue's features. The bat's entire posture suggested defeat.
"I… didn't want you to come, but I suppose I should have expected that you would." Kuronue sighed, his eyes flicking up to meet Kurama's. "Whatever you do, you must not accept his proposal tomorrow."
"His proposal?"
"His business proposal. He will bargain with you, and his bargaining chip will be me, but you must not give in to his demands." Kuronue's voice was sharp, his eyes glaring intensely into his lover's. "He cannot be allowed to have the Mirror of Darkness." Kurama frowned; he didn't want to think about business right now.
"I hardly see how that's relevant, Kuronue, it's not like he can use it without sacrificing his own life. I seriously doubt that even his highest paid bodyguards will be willing to sacrifice their own lives to grant him a wish with the thing." Kuronue's eyes darkened.
"Yes they will, Kurama. Sakyo has brainwashed them; they'll do anything he asks of them. It's all because of that damned Yori and her powers!"
"Yori?" The bat demon sighed again and crossed his arms.
"You don't think I'm the only pet Sakyo keeps, do you? He has a healthy sexual appetite for men and women. Yori was a little prize he found when he ransacked a rival's base. I'm not exactly sure what she does, but I've seen the results, and they aren't pretty. Mindless drones wandering aimlessly around until Sakyo gives them an order. That order becomes their entire existence, and they'll do anything to accomplish it; even die for him." Kurama's eyes narrowed; he saw the danger Yori's powers presented when the Mirror was in Sakyo's possession. An army of mindless slaves eagerly sacrificing themselves to gain Sakyo whatever whim he desired…
"Why doesn't Yori simply use her powers on Sakyo and be done with it all?" Kuronue shook his head, his eyes narrowing bitterly.
"Dumb little bitch is in love with him. She obsessed; she lets him do whatever he wants, and she takes his orders happily whenever he chooses to give them. Her absolute devotion to him is mind-boggling; especially considering how much he abuses her…" He trailed off, lip curled in disgust. Now it was Kurama who sighed, glancing at the Mirror, still tucked in the crook of his arm. Silence was thick between the two thieves as they considered the current situation.
"I won't leave you here," murmured Kurama, finally, breaking the mounting tension.
"I won't let you give him the Mirror," growled Kuronue, his eyes flashing up to meet his lover's. "I'm not important enough for this."
"Very well," said Kurama, holding up a hand to forestall any arguments from Kuronue. The bat stared blankly for a moment before he remembered to shut his mouth. He had expected a long, drawn-out argument; the fox was famous for those. "I won't bargain with the Mirror. I'll bargain with myself." Kuronue's mouth fell open again, then snapped shut into a growl.
"No, Kurama, I won't let you do that either."
"I'm afraid that's not your decision, Kuronue. What I choose to do with my life is my own choice, no one else's. I can tell from the memories you sent me that Sakyo desires me; I will offer myself in exchange for your freedom. You will take the Mirror with you and find a way into the Ningenkai. There you will find a boy by the name of-"
"No, Kurama, no! This is foolishness!" Kuronue interrupted, his voice fierce and his expression feral. "You don't know what it's like here! I won't let you suffer what I've suffered. I won't-!" He cut off suddenly as Kurama pulled him into a passionate kiss both to calm and silence him. Kuronue went limp in his arms, non-responsive to the kiss. Startled, Kurama opened his eyes and stared into the deadened lavender eyes he remembered so well… they were alien to him. He pulled back, concerned.
"Kuronue…? What is it? What did I do?" Kuronue shook his head, snapping out of his limp, submissive posture and sighing heavily. He turned away from his kitsune lover and stared out the window, his shoulders hunched.
"It's not you… I'm sorry… You did nothing wrong." There was a long pause. Finally, he turned back to Kurama, his face agonized. "Every time someone touches me, it's like him touching me. I…" He trailed off, hanging his head. Kurama was by his side in a flash, carefully slipping an arm around his waist and guiding him over to the bed to sit. Kuronue buried his face in his hands. "I'm not the same, Kurama; I'm not the man you knew. He's long dead."
"He's not," murmured Kurama, quietly. He was playing with the bat's long black hair, twisting the silky strands through his fingers. He was unused to the hair being down out of its usual ponytail. "You're still here, love."
"No, I'm not. You don't understand…"
"Then who am I speaking to, if not my Kuronue?" The kitsune's voice was playful, trying to cheer his bat up.
"The domesticated version." Kurama was struck by the sadness in his lover's voice. He decided to attempt a stab at humor.
"Well, you were always a pretty good cook…" He knew as soon as Kuronue looked up, his eyes tortured, that he had said the wrong thing. "I'm sorry, love, that was in poor taste." Kuronue said nothing, dropping his face back into his hands and allowing his sheet of ebony hair to fall forward and hide him from view. Gently, Kurama swept the hair back behind the bat demon's shoulders and planted a soft kiss on the back of his neck. The thief flinched away from the contact, turning so that his back was to Kurama. The kitsune heard a quiet sob and watched as a tremor rocked his friend's body. It was unsettling to watch Kuronue cry, but Kurama was unsure what to do to help him. Obviously he didn't want to be touched, and he didn't seem very talkative right now…
So Kurama waited. He watched, paralyzed by a fear of upsetting his love further, as Kuronue's sobs shook his body, and listened as he pierced the air with heart-breaking moans. Eventually, however, the shudders ceased and the moans dwindled into deep, calming gasps. Kuronue's crying spell was over. Relieved, Kurama watched as Kuronue wiped his face with his hands and took another steadying breath before he turned to face him. The only sign that he had been crying was the slight puffiness to his bloodshot eyes. He stared at Kurama for a moment, and Kurama waited, impassive, for Kuronue to speak.
"I won't let him have you, Kurama. I won't let him ruin you." Kuronue's voice was thick with emotion.
"No one's going to ruin me, love," murmured Kurama, soothingly. "I won't be here long enough for them to do that." Kuronue's eyes widened with some unidentifiable emotion.
"You-you're not staying? You're going home?" Was that fear or relief in his voice?
"I'm only staying long enough to get this taken care of; then I'll be along to join you at home." The emotion in Kuronue's eyes faded as they narrowed into a glare.
"No, I won't let you do that."
"You misunderstand, Kuronue. I have a plan; it will work." Kuronue remained stone-faced, waiting for an explanation. "I'm sure you haven't been keeping up with my life this past number of years, but-"
"Your team can't help you here." The bat's voice was flat, angry. "And even if they could, they wouldn't. We're bandits, remember, Kurama?" The fox shook his head.
"You don't know them like I do. Yusuke will come if I ask him to, nevermind that we're criminals. He tends to save people first and ask questions later."
"It won't work."
"You don't know that." The two youkai glared at each other for a moment before Kuronue sighed and let his gaze drop. "Kuronue," said Kurama, a pleading undertone in his voice now, "Yusuke already offered to help me with this, but I didn't want to lead him blindly into a situation I knew nothing about. Kuwabara will help if Yusuke does, and Hiei is always up for a good battle." Kuronue said nothing, his face hard as he considered what Kurama was saying.
"Perhaps it will work…" he said, slowly, and Kurama's hopes soared, "but I won't let you be the one to stay here. Go get your team and come back for me."
"No," said Kurama, simply. "I won't leave you here any longer. I'll stay and you go get my team. Just give them the Mirror and explain the situation. You might not even have to explain; Hiei may just lift an explanation straight from your thoughts. Regardless, they'll follow you to come and get me." He saw the doubt flickering in Kuronue's eyes. "They're good, Kuronue. Extremely good. I wouldn't want to have to face them." Kuronue hesitated, then shook his head again.
"No, I don't want this man to touch you." His voice softened. "Especially not after what happened in your past…" Kurama flinched, angry that Kuronue would bring up his past and even angrier that he held it against him like that.
"It's not the same, I'll be fine." Kurama's teeth were gritted, and he had to work hard to keep his voice calm.
"It is the same. Exactly the same. And just like before, you'll be helpless." Kurama bristled and stood suddenly. He was across the room in a flash as he seethed, his hands balling into fists. He didn't want to snap at Kuronue; it certainly wouldn't help the situation, but dammit, the man was pushing it! He had warned him that he never wanted to speak of his time in captivity, and Kuronue had agreed, but here he was bringing it up again! Glowering at the wall, he tried to calm himself down. Behind him, he felt Kuronue's eyes watching him.
"Kuronue," he said, slowly, afraid of getting too angry, "I told you I didn't want to remember what happened to me before you found me. Why are you doing this?" His voice betrayed him at the end, cracking as he strove to control it.
"Because it's not healthy to block out memories like that. I think you did it because you couldn't deal with the pain it presented, and I need you to understand that surrendering yourself to Sakyo will only open up old wounds. You cannot handle it, Kurama, and I'm not about to let you try." Kurama spun angrily to face his partner again only to find himself face to face with him. He hadn't even heard him move…
"You can't stop me from doing this!" Kurama was still seething. "I came here to get you out and I'm not leaving until I have!"
"Please, Kurama…" Kuronue's gorgeous face was only inches from his silver-haired lover's. Vaguely, Kurama registered that Kuronue was charming him into submission, but for the life of him he couldn't see how that was a problem. "Leave and get your team… for me…"
"I-I…" Kurama faltered, unsure of what he had been about to say. The perfect face moved a bit closer, Kuronue's lips brushing Kurama's. "I can't…" And just like that the moment was broken. Kuronue pulled away, frustrated, and stalked back over to the bed. Kurama followed him, all anger gone.
"You're being foolish." Kurama frowned.
"I could say the same about you. He can't break me, Kuronue."
"Yes he can!" Now it was Kuronue who was frowning. "You don't get it; he uses the exact same spell your other captors used!" Kurama's stomach dropped. "You can't handle it, I know you can't!"
"He uses the Sureibu Sutei?" His voice was quiet, almost fearful.
"Yes!" Kuronue paused, his features softening as he looked into Kurama's frightened eyes. "I won't put you through that hell, love… Not after it nearly destroyed you last time…" Kurama said nothing, his body still frozen as he digested the information. The Sureibu Suitei was something that had been used on him when he was younger; something he hadn't been able to escape from on his own. Kuronue knew that; knew how much the spell frightened him…
Dimly, Kurama was aware of Kuronue slipping off his shoes and laying him back onto the soft bed that was somehow unmade now… The fluffy red comforter was draped over him and a red-cased pillow nestled beneath his head. Golden eyes closed of their own accord, exhaustion washing over the kitsune like a wave from the ocean. It really had been a long night… But… something was missing.
Tired golden eyes wrenched themselves open again and swept the room for the missing component; Kuronue. Kurama found him sitting across the room on the red leather sofa, his knees pulled into his chest and his face contemplative. The kitsune studied him for a moment before the bat noticed and turned, giving his lover his full attention.
"Sleep, Kurama."
"Aren't you coming to bed?" He pulled back part of the comforter and patted the bed enticingly. Kuronue hesitated.
"I-I shouldn't…"
"Please, Kuronue?" With a sigh, Kuronue unfolded from the couch and went to join his lover in bed. As soon as he lay down, Kurama pressed himself to him, not noticing the bat's flinch or slight intake of breath. In fact, he didn't notice anything; he was already fast asleep.
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Kuronue could not sleep; he had far too much on his mind. And, though he would never tell Kurama, he was uncomfortable sleeping with someone pressed against him like that; an aversion developed after decades of abuse. He continually reminded himself that it was Kurama beside him, not one of his various buyers or even Sakyo himself. It's Kurama. He loves me; he would never hurt me. The uneasiness faded, but did not diminish completely. With a sigh, Kuronue resigned himself to the slightly uneasy feeling and went back to his contemplation of the day's events.
Sakyo wanted the Mirror, it was true, but he also wanted Kurama… badly. So badly, in fact, that he was most likely more than willing to give Kuronue up to have him. After all; Kuronue was old news. But Kurama… what a catch. The worst part was that Kurama was willing to give himself up! He was ready to hand himself over to Sakyo all for the sake of Kuronue's freedom; something Kuronue could not allow. He sighed again, shifting slightly against the warm body pressed to his, and thought about what he had said only a little while earlier. It was true, Sakyo did use the Sureibu Sutei on the pets he actually wanted to make use of (besides Yori, of course), but it had been a cruel thing to bring up to Kurama so callously.
The poor boy had been a cowering mess when Kuronue found him; barely 13 years old and already a much-abused pleasure slave. Intrigued by the pretty youko, Kuronue had stolen into his room in the dead of night and asked him why he was there. As soon as the words Sureibu Sutei passed his lips, Kuronue had become inexplicably enraged; enraged by the thought of this boy being bound by that curse, and enraged by the thought of how he'd been bonded. He'd felt an unfathomable sense of possession when he'd looked at the pretty little creature in his simple white silks, and he had wanted to break him free that very night, but the boy's master was away at the time.
Undeterred, Kuronue had returned the next night, and the next, but the master was still away. After that, he'd been forced to flee and leave the pitiful fox behind. When he found him again, the pretty little boy had grown into a stunning 16 year old young man; still as meek and docile as before. This time, however, his master was at home. Kuronue had enjoyed pinning the man as the timid pleasure slave broke the bond that had been forced upon him and fled with the notorious bandit into the night. It took him years to recover from the trauma he had been put through, and even after he regained his confidence, he still cried out nightly as his nightmares made him relive his childhood hell.
Kuronue shuddered and felt Kurama press himself a bit further into his chest. Had he woken him? A quick glance told him that the fox still slept soundly, his breathing deep and regular. Satisfied, the bat allowed his thoughts to drift back to their previous train. He had always imagined what Kurama must have gone through, but now he had experienced the stuff the kitsune's nightmares were made of. It was a wonder the boy had kept his sanity, although Kuronue was fairly certain part of that was because Kurama had locked the memories away and refused to even acknowledge them. If someone asked him about his past, he simply told the person that he was very old and memories of his childhood were hazy. Well… he had used to do that. Now, Kuronue was sure, he almost certainly recounted his human childhood with the mother he had a reputation for being so fond of.
And lastly, the Sureibu Sutei… Kuronue hand crept, unbidden, up to press lightly to the scarred bite mark on his neck. Sakyo had actually bound him the first night he had him; it had happened later, in the part of the memory he hadn't shown Kurama. It had been unnerving, but Kuronue had eventually figured out what the limitations of the spell were, and how to exploit them to his full advantage. The Sureibu Sutei bound the body, but not the mind. Sakyo could command him to do anything, physically, but he could not control his thoughts or intentions. Thus, orders such as "tell me where Kurama is" were useless. Sakyo had not been happy when he found that particular flaw in his plan. But on the other hand, the spell was worse than the strongest bindings when it came to physical things. Sakyo had but to order Kuronue to lie perfectly still and Kuronue was frozen until he was released. But there were loopholes to that, too. If Kuronue interpreted an order as a suggestion, he did not have to follow it; perhaps the reason Sakyo added "that's an order" to the end of most of his orders.
Kuronue yawned, finding himself surprisingly tired despite his racing thoughts. Perhaps a little sleep wasn't altogether uncalled for… He closed his lavender eyes at last, surprisingly comfortable against Kurama's body (although still not totally at ease), and allowed himself to drift into a light sleep.
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Alright, so it got a bit angsty, but I like it! I hope you all did, too. You know what I want, so give me reviews!! And don't be afraid to ask questions! As long as it doesn't spoil the plot, I'd be happy to answer them! As for the idea of the Sureibu Sutei, I borrowed it from my other fic, Dragon's Kiss (which you should also read! lol). I'll make a more detailed description of it later if it actually happens to one of my characters again (which I'm not confirming or denying!), but if you're desperate to see it performed right now, it happens in chapter 6 of that fic. I warn you in advance, though, it's graphic!
I'm thinking of writing a companion fic to this story that explains Kurama's past in captivity... let me know what you guys think.
I made reference to ages in this fic (always a bad idea)... Because I didn't feel like doing the math and figuring out how many years Kurama would have had to live to be the equivalent of 13 (or 16, for that matter), I just put 13. Don't get me wrong, he was chronologically far older than 13, but he had the appearance, mannerisms, and mindset of a 13 year old. Kuronue is older than Kurama (deal with it), but he was probably only about 20 or so the first time he met him (again, not chronologically). Is this making sense to anyone? Maybe I shouldn't try to explain myself at 1 am anymore...
Um... REVIEW!! Much love to you all!
Princess Seki
