Ok, wow, this took a LONG time for me to post, huh? I feel really bad about that! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry! Wierdest thing, I had part of it typed up, then I quit writing to focus on school and stuff and I completely forgot where I was going with the part I had typed up... So, of course, I had to start again (which was ANNOYING, to say the least). But, after much writing and re-writing, I present to you chapter 8! You may not like Kuronue's personality... get over it. You also may not like at least one of my characters... too bad. Ok, on with the story!

Warnings: Wow... none. Sorry guys, but it just wasn't appropriate to work anything that would require a warning into this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH. Don't sue, I'm in college... All you'd get would be a box of stale mac 'n cheese...

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Damn him to the deepest level of hell for dragging me out here on this half-assed wild goose chase! Hiei was scowling as he waited impatiently for the guard to make his round and disappear past the corner of the building. The fool was too preoccupied with making himself look important to actually take notice of anything that was going on around him. He certainly wasn't bothering to feel around for energy signals; though Hiei's power was masked, it would have been easy to find him if one were searching for him. Shaking his head disgustedly, Hiei pulled himself from his thoughts and checked on the guard's progress. As it turned out, he had found a reflective surface and was posing stupidly before it. Eye twitching, Hiei worked to stop himself from destroying the idiot with one well-placed attack. The possibilities were just so appealing…

Thankfully, the guard moved on before Hiei's self-control reached its limit, granting Hiei the opportunity he needed to dash from his hiding place to the well-hidden hole in the wall he'd been scouting since the night before. It was a tiny hole, but it certainly had potential. Now to get through it… One big blast of hellfire ought to do it, but that would alert the entire compound… not to mention anyone within about 50 miles of the compound. Hiei had made it a point to stay unnoticed up 'til now, and it would all be for naught if he allowed himself to take the easy way out. He might as well just march right through the front doors if he was going to use hellfire! With a long-suffering sigh, Hiei began slowly chipping away at the damaged wall with powerful physical strikes; it was going to be a long day…

-

Kuronue's eyes fluttered as consciousness slowly returned to him. He began to stretch, but froze as he felt an arm around his waist constrict slightly. Panic shot through him instinctively and his body went automatically limp as he waited for the hellish fondling and groping to begin. But it never began.

"Good morning, love." That was Kurama's voice… Kuronue twisted and ended up face to face with the silver-haired kitsune of his past; the cocky smirk he knew so well firmly in place on those tantalizing lips. It hadn't been a dream; Kurama really had come to rescue him… the damned fool.

"Kurama…" The fox continued on as though Kuronue had not spoken.

"You sleep quite late, Kuronue. Someone has already been and gone with my breakfast and you have been summoned twice by Sakyo." He felt Kuronue's body spasm slightly at the mention of Sakyo's name. "I told the messengers to tell him that you were otherwise occupied," he murmured. His hand slipped up under Kuronue's shirt, his fingers drifting lightly over the bat's toned abdominals. Kurama bent his head to kiss his lover, but Kuronue turned away at the last second and Kurama's lips brushed against his cheek instead. Obviously the kitsune was over the traumatic events of the night before. Not as much could be said for the bat…

Kuronue tensed suddenly as the fox's wandering fingers moved themselves lower, ghosting over Kuronue's hyper-sensitive inner thigh with the practiced ease only a lover could develop. The bat gasped, rolling away from the warm body behind him and curling into a ball as he fought against the tears that had sprung up so suddenly. It's Kurama, he loves me! Why do I react this way? Damn Sakyo for ruining me like this!

"Kuronue?" The sultry seductiveness had disappeared from the kitsune's voice; replaced by anxious concern. "I'm so sorry… did I hurt you?"

"No," Kuronue managed to choke out, "I'm fine… just fine!" Even he couldn't bring himself to believe his tone. Kurama wasn't fooled.

"Obviously I did something to trigger this panic attack. Please, Kuronue, I want you to trust me. What did I do?"

"N-Nothing, I'm fine!" With a great effort, Kuronue forced himself to uncurl from his protective ball and, after taking a moment to control his breathing and facial expression, turned back to face Kurama. "I'm fine, just an overreaction on my part." Kurama's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he studied his partner's face intensely. Kuronue smiled, hoping to put him at ease, and pressed his body to the fox's warm body once more. Both thieves were dressed only in light silks, and the contours of their finely toned bodies were easy to detect through the thin fabric. Kurama smiled despite himself, one hand moving to run tenderly through the bat's silky raven locks.

"Don't scare me like that… You have to tell me when I do something wrong, alright? I don't want to hurt you…"

"You won't hurt me, Kurama." The lavender eyes were warm, loving as they gazed into Kurama's. "You're the one person who never has…"

"And never will," said Kurama, firmly. "You have to trust me, ok?" His golden eyes were loving… and determined. Kuronue felt his heart clench painfully; he knew that look.

"Kurama, I'm still not going to let you offer yourself to him."

"Kuronue-" But Kurama didn't get the chance to finish his sentence as a knock sounded from the door across the room. Sighing, the youko untangled himself from the sheets and went to answer the door. Waiting on the other side was none other than the annoying snake demon from the previous day. Kurama scowled down at him impatiently.

"Yes?"

"Master Sakyo called away on business… He say your business must wait until tomorrow. He apologize for inconvenience and say his servants at your disposal. He say Kuronue know how to call for anything you need." The ugly little messenger peered past the fox into the room suddenly, his beady eyes fixing on Kuronue. "And Master Sakyo say be good, Kuronue! He-" He cut off with a choking gag as Kurama slammed a foot down on the creatures neck.

"Don't speak to him that way! You will show Kuronue the proper respect or you forfeit your life, are we clear?" The snake struggled madly, then quickly nodded, his eyes fixed on the enraged fox who had him pinned. Slowly, Kurama removed his foot, his golden eyes narrowed to angry slits. "I've received your master's message and have no further use for you. Get out of my sight." The snake was still, eyes riveted on the kitsune who stood before him; then, with a frustrated hiss, he turned and slithered away. Kurama watched until he was out of sight, then turned back to Kuronue.

"I'm sorry about that. Would you like me to track him down and kill him? It would be my pleasure…" The fox's lip curled maliciously as he made as if to turn and hunt the ugly messenger down.

"No, Kurama, it's fine. He was probably ordered to send me that message." Kuronue was standing now, brushing his hair behind his shoulders with a sigh. He rustled his wings gently, stretching them, then started towards the door Kurama still held open. "I should probably go and see that the kitchen gets started with your lunch. What would you like?" Kurama frowned, grabbing the bat's arm as he passed back and pulling him back.

"Where do you think you're going? You're not some slave. It's not your job to go and prepare my food." Kuronue raised one brow incredulously.

"No, Kurama, that's exactly what I am. When I am not being kept as a bedwarmer, I DO have regular chores to attend to. Now, do you want your lunch or not?" Kurama was still frowning angrily.

"No, I can take care of myself. It's not your job to wait on me hand and foot. You're my partner, not my slave." Kuronue sighed; Kurama was making a bigger deal out of this than he would have imagined.

"Honestly, Kurama, it's fine. I'll just-" He cut off abruptly, staring past Kurama with the beginnings of some strange emotion tightening his eyes. Kurama followed his gaze and saw a young woman standing about 10 feet from them. She was small and slim with pure white skin. As she moved, she appeared to shimmer; her skin seemed to reflect the light oddly. Pale pink hair hung straight and smooth to the middle of her back, and a matching tail swished gently behind her. Large black eyes stood out, disconcertingly bold on her pale, heart-shaped face. She was staring at the pair of thieves, her head cocked curiously to one side. "Hello, Yori…"

"Hello, Kuronue." Her voice was high and feminine, almost child-like in quality. "This must be Kurama." She smiled suddenly, but the expression didn't touch her eyes, which remained curiously blank. Kuronue stiffened beside Kurama, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yes, this is Kurama. Do you know where Sakyo went so suddenly?"

"Master Sakyo was called away on urgent business," she replied, emphasizing the word master. "He instructed me to make sure his guest was comfortable while he was away. Have you gotten him his lunch yet?"

"I was just headed to the kitchen to get it started, but I really don't think he's hungry." Kuronue's voice was stiff, formal, and full of barely-concealed distaste. Kurama frowned, unsure of the exchange that was happening between Kuronue and Yori. Kuronue had been dead-set on going and getting him lunch a moment ago, yet now he was acting as though he didn't trust Yori alone with Kurama. As if Kurama couldn't defend himself against someone as small and weak as Yori!

"I think you're being rude to Master Sakyo's guest. You should go and get him his lunch." Kuronue's already tensed back stiffened further; when had he moved in front of Kurama? The fox hadn't even noticed…

"Enough of this," interrupted Kurama, stepping around Kuronue. "I'm not hungry and Kuronue is not being rude. Now, did you need something or are you just here to start a fight with Kuronue?"

"I am merely here to make sure you are comfortable, Lord Kurama." Yori smiled at him again; the expression still didn't touch her eyes. "My name is Yori. If you need anything, Kuronue knows how to find me." Kurama bristled at the girl, but composed himself before he answered.

"Kuronue is taking good care of me, don't worry about that. I appreciate your master's concern, but I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. If I need anything, I can get it myself." He turned, pushing Kuronue back into the room ahead of him; a clear dismissal to Yori. And, just in case she didn't get the hint, he shut the door behind him. Then he rounded on Kuronue.

"What the hell was that? You were, what, protecting me from that girl?"

Kuronue flinched away from Kurama's tone of voice, his head lowered.

"I'm sorry, but I didn't want to leave you alone with her. Yori is… well, she's dangerous. I wish she hadn't seen us arguing. Now she'll report to Sakyo that you place a higher value on me than he had previously thought."

"So? If he would have asked me I would have told him what you meant to me." Kuronue groaned.

"No, Kurama, that's exactly what you shouldn't do! Don't you see? The more value he thinks you place in me, the more he's going to ask in exchange for me. He has to think that I hold little value to you or else he's going to ask for the moon!"

"I won't have him thinking that I regard you as anything but an equal partner. He can ask for what he wants, I don't care. Didn't he know how it was between us before, anyway? This can't be shocking for him…"

"No, he really didn't know. I never went into the details of our partnership if I could help it, and I led him to believe that you had moved on and would likely only want me back because I am a good thief. You have another partner, don't you? The little Jaganshi… Hiei?" Kurama flinched as the name brought back memories of Hiei's hurt face when he'd abandoned him to come and rescue Kuronue.

"Yes, Hiei and I have been working together for quite some time. But still-" But Kuronue cut him off.

"Good, then I will hopefully still be able to convince Sakyo that I am not as important as you just made Yori think I am. You and Hiei have a relationship, I would assume?" That caught Kurama off-guard.

"We- what?! No, we don't have a relationship! Nothing beyond a partnership and, perhaps, some form of friendship. He never lets anyone in…" Kuronue looked surprised.

"Oh? My apologies, the rumors flying around Makai all have you and Hiei together. I was actually banking on that…" Kurama frowned, sighing.

"It's not that I wouldn't have minded having something more with him. It's just that I really don't think he shares any of those feelings… We might have been getting a little closer, but then I ran off to help you. He was… upset." He glanced up to see Kuronue frowning at him. No, he realized, Kuronue was frowning at the floor, lost in his own thoughts. "Kuronue…?"

"Dammit, Kurama, I just fucked everything up for you, didn't I? Your team, your life, your relationships…"

"Kuronue, don't start. I came here to get you because I love you. If you think-"

"I'm not good for you! Kurama, I'm not going to be able to provide you with the same kind of support, the same life we used to live! You're banking on memories, but things have changed! You had a chance at happiness and you threw it away to come and chase after what? Me?" Kuronue's hands clenched. "No, not me; the man you used to know. Go home. Go back to Hiei and your team. Go back to your human mother. I'm sorry I ever dragged you here. Go and be happy." Kurama stood for a moment in shocked silence, his mouth open in a small 'o' of surprise. Then he smacked Kuronue straight across the face.

"If you ever, EVER try and give me another bullshit speech like that one again, I swear to God I'll knock you the fuck out!" Kuronue looked up in the infuriated golden eyes of his partner, unsure what to say. Kurama had never hit him before… not ever. But the fox wasn't done. "For the record, you didn't drag me out here. I came on my own. And I will choose what makes me happy and who I have a relationship with; no one else! Don't even start with me! I'm getting you out of here and then we'll figure out what we're going to do from there. If you want to leave me, that's your choice, but I'm doing what I came here to do. I-" he cut off suddenly, his eyes flashing to the ceiling.

"Kur-"

"Shh!" The fox hissed, jabbing a finger upward. Kuronue fell silent, listening for what the fox was hearing. No, he realized after a moment, not hearing, but feeling. Kuronue felt it too; an energy signal. It was masked, so Kuronue couldn't be certain, but he had a feeling the demon the energy belonged to was powerful. Suddenly, Kurama straightened from the slight crouch he had sunk into, a questioning look on his face.

"Hiei…?" A well-hidden grate suddenly emerged from the ceiling, followed by a small, dark figure. It dropped, landing gracefully with a faint thud directly in front of Kurama, then straightened into a small man.

"Kurama," said Hiei, red eyes sweeping quickly, appraisingly over Kuronue, then returning to his partner's, "you're an ass."

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Haha! Hiei returns! Ah, I missed that lil badass... So why is he pissed at Kurama? And, more importantly, how much of Kurama and Kuronue's conversation did he hear? Hahaha evil cliffy! Review review review! I promise to attempt to update faster! Much love to you all!

Princess Seki