Adult-FanFiction.org : YuYu Hakusho

The Library of Alexandria	By : Artemick Category: Yuyu Hakusho > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 2604 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or its characters and make nothing off this story.

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3)

Around midnight, Kaito shut his book. “That was a slow Friday night.”

Kurama paused, hurt. “I…didn’t know you had plans.”

“Mm, not important ones. I usually meet friends down at this ramen place. We’ve gone there since grade school.” He leaned over, stretching, and kicked out his feet. "You know some of them. The psychics."

Kurama’s eyes fell low on Kaito’s body. He looked away, ashamed. Kaito didn’t notice.

“We talk comics. I get into the archetypes; our philosopher type sketches the moral scale; the art types bitch over the sloppy proportions…it’s a good time. You know, we could use an ecologist.”

“I like ramen.”

Kurama imagined warmth slipping into his mouth. Everything about his classmate was becoming like that, associated with soothing, nourishing heat. The fear he still felt refused to name itself and explain.

Kaito tapped his thigh. “Next Friday, we’ll go.”


Next Friday, it snowed.

Kurama took the train near and walked, collecting white ice in a delicate crust on his hair and shoulders. He stopped when he saw the ramen store’s sign, the plastic bowl and noodles lit from the inside with neon.

Kurama plucked at his gloves. He wanted Kaito. The boy was brilliant, absolutely madly creative, as interesting as humanity itself. That was plain. Yet there was no value in a relationship - not for his life as Shuichi. Not for Yoko. Not for the human world or the spirit or the demon. It was a complete waste of time and it would only be painful. He had no time for something so frivolous.

Kurama reached out, feeling the grass in the cracks of the sidewalk. He pushed at it, growing it up around his ankles. A dandelion bloomed, yellow against the snow and bright as the neon lights.
What to do –

Kaito skirted the corner and looked into the glass window of the restaurant. He knocked on the glass. A table of young men waved. Kaito lifted his hand, waving back, then stopped to look around.

Kurama masked his energy, dropping back behind a vending machine. "Oh no."

Just go, he told himself. He stepped out and called, “Kaito!”

“Kur – Shuichi!” Kaito ran over through the snowflakes, loping like a hound. “Hey!”

Kurama felt his cold cheeks burning. He bowed. “Good evening. I wanted to…say…”

Kaito laughed. He reached out and grabbed Kurama’s hands, delighted. “Forest green.”

“What?”

“Your gloves! Snowflake design. Cute.” He leaned in and kissed Kurama’s cheek. “Thanks for coming.”

Kurama pulled his hands away and looked inside.

“They know I’m bi. I’ve dated boys before,” Kaito said. "They're expecting you."

“Why did you tell them that?” Kurama panicked.

“What's wrong?”

“Nothing. No. I can’t make it tonight. I don’t want to lead you on. I probably won’t sleep with you. I'm not a good boyfriend. I like you and…I’ll still be thinking about you. Maybe I’ll make mistakes, but my point is…you’re wasting your time.”

Kaito scoffed. “What? Is that all?”

“Yes. And thank you. For your friendship. I’m sorry I can’t be who you want.”

Kurama inhaled and nodded. He started to walk away, but Kaito got in front of him. “Wait, please. Just – one second.”

“You’re very attractive,” Kurama murmured. “But you'd only hate me when it didn’t work out. I don’t want to risk that.”

“Hey. Wait. I already hate you. I hate you, know your secret, and still cover for you. If I got you kicked out, which I could, my department would get at least a fourth of Bio's funds. But I don't because even though I hate you, you're great. This isn’t a domination thing either,” Kaito said, putting out a hand, rushed and ashamed. “Trust me, I’ve completely given up on rivaling you in anything. Except literature; I remember you gave me that one.”

“Y-yes. Well."

“Look. You aren’t another interchangeable person to me. You’re so damnably clever – you’re precious to me. Not you and me, not us or a relationship -- you, your fucking existence, Shu! Hurting you would be like burning the library of Alexandria.”

Kurama hesitated.

Kaito pressed his lips together and nodded. “I can back off if you want. I’ll walk away, tell those guys I made a mistake.”

“Thank you.”

Kaito nodded. He squeezed Kurama’s hand and put it slowly back to his side.

“What is that?” Kurama asked. “What’s the library of Alexandria?”

Kaito laughed. He stuck his hands in his pockets, stepping back. “The largest and most significant library of the ancient world – ah, built, interestingly enough, by a system of institutionalized document theft.”

“Ah.”

“What I meant is…it was lost, burnt. But it’s one of those things that scholars would die to have prevented. I meant that I would – do anything rather than screw up your life. I know what you’re building. I know what you went through to keep it safe. And you know, I see you’ve got a delicate balance with your family and work. I don’t need to marry you or be introduced to your mom. I wouldn’t risk you disappearing. I’m glad you even considered going this far. And I’m not going to say anything that would hurt your reputation, even if we got into some awful fight. Even if I pulled your hair or thorns got involved,” he winked. “My lips are sealed. Because it would be a terrible loss to me – to everyone, dammit, science and scholarship and the world – if you were in any way…damaged. I wouldn’t do it. I won’t be responsible. Not just because of how we feel."

“I’m…this body is…I’m not experienced.”

“Is that it? What’s experience? Everyone’s different anyway, there’s no point in experience, Shu. Kurama. Look, I value myself pretty highly. I want a companion worth having. That’s all. Or a friend. Or a rival. However you want me."

Kurama felt like the snow, spinning in void towards light, towards companionship on the ground – towards death.

"Kurama?"

I want you, he almost admitted. “You’re a good man. I don’t want to waste your time and then have you despise me.”

“I already despise you!” Kaito laughed and offered his hand. “Come on, have dinner. It can’t get worse than you hanging off a chandelier.”

“Inari,” Kurama covered his eyes, laughing.

“Please. Come eat. You won't have to pay. You came all the way out here. Aren’t you hungry?”

Kurama pulled his glove off and put his hand in Kaito’s. “Just…listen. If you begin to dislike me, leave immediately. And if I ask you to go, don’t contact me again. Understood?”

Kaito’s eyebrows twitched up in surprise. But he nodded. “Sure. Are we…dating, then?”

Kurama shut his eyes, feeling the pupils swell. He squeezed Kaito’s hand. Their fingers knit. His palms moistened. Kurama nodded, desperately.

“Please,” he choked. “If you'd like to.”

Kaito looked astonished. “Yes. Of course.”

Kurama pushed slightly onto the balls of his feet and put his lips slowly onto Kaito’s. After a second, Kaito caught his lips like a diving sparrow. He pressed into Kurama’s mouth, crushing his hand with a sudden grip.

Kurama murmured and grabbed Kaito’s lapel, pulling up to him.

Kaito groaned, as Kurama dropped back on his heels, flat.

Kaito stared. Then he stroked Kurama’s red curls flat to his skull. “You’re so fucking hot."

Kurama laughed.

"And crazy. It’s like you plunged a hook right in here,” Kaito touched his clavicle. “To drag me around.”

Kurama glanced sideways to check the people inside the restaurant. They were watching studiously; one had turned around his chair. Kurama closed his eyes, brusque. “If this were the demon world, I’d have your mouth on me right now.”

Kaito cleared his throat, a sound like he were trying to kick-start his breath. “Well.”

Kurama breathed out slowly, then opened his eyes. He saw his own reflection in Kaito’s glasses and it gave him cool confidence to see how little emotion his face showed. He turned to the restaurant. “But let’s not be rude."


Kaito’s friends gathered in a round booth. Two were the psychics who worked with Genkai: the snake-eyed blond, Kida, and the goof with the blue flat top, Yana. Kurama recognized another boy in a fuchsia uniform as an officer with their school paper. The last was a stranger.

“You remember Kida and Yana. Then that's Sato and Nishimura."

Kurama nodded at them all. “Hi.”

Kida choked. “Kurama – you’re in on this?”

“Pay up,” Kaito said, sliding into a seat. Yana chuckled, shaking his head, and reached for his wallet. The others dove into their pockets, shifting to reach behind them and sorting through their coats for bills and change. They counted out piles of yen onto the formica tabletop.

After a moment, Kida pulled his own wallet out. “Damn.”

Kaito squeezed Kurama’s shoulder, dragging him into the seat next to him. “You eat free tonight, Minamino. See, they thought I made this whole thing up.”

“No.” The stranger said. “Well, I thought you were imaginary. I mean, a green eyed redhead…"

The newspaper officer blurted, “I knew you looked like you do, but I didn’t think you’d show!”

“Not with Kaito, anyway,” murmured Yana.

“You’re queer?” Kida asked, squinting.

“He made an exception,” Kaito smiled.

Kurama shut his eyes. He grinned, imagining Kaito's speech in the snow about the library and wondering how much was true, but he shook his head. Kaito, after all, was ready to walk away. “How much did you lose?”

“Oh, 17.5% of whatever’s in their wallets,” Kaito informed him, sweeping a pile of coins over. “I want to make them suffer. Do math for their doubt.”

“He’s a sick man,” Kida grunted.

“You learn to love the abuse,” the stranger joked, leaning his head onto the table in despondence.

“Give me that…okay. Do you eat meat, fox?” Kaito pulled a menu over.

“Shuichi,” Kurama corrected.

Yana looked at the other two students. “Uh, that’s a nickname. ‘Cause of…biology.”

“He likes animals,” Kida added.

Kurama took the menu. “I prefer fish.”

Kaito shoved up his glasses. “Shio, then?"

Their bowls held a quart of soup each and smoked like geysers. Kurama hid his face in the steam while they talked.

“They can’t adapt that to a comic!” Kaito hollered, red faced. “The whole point is that the audience is part of the set. There’s no interaction, no circular feedback from a comic.”

“What if it were web based?” the newspaper man insisted.

“How would someone draw so fast?”

“A caricaturist,” Kurama suggested, trying tentatively to contribute after watching their patterns of speech. The newspaper man turned. Kurama set his spoon down. “Reducing the quality of the art would allow timely feedback. There are plenty of novelty artists that would be interested in that.”

“That…actually makes sense. There’s your answer, Kaito.”

Kaito sulked, crossing his arms. “I’m against the impurity of it.”

Kurama laughed. Under the table, Kaito reached out with his leg and crossed over Kurama’s ankle. Kurama opened his eyes wide, glancing over. Kaito touched his glasses.

Kida said, “What are you thrashing around for?”

“He’s kicking me to keep me quiet,” Kurama laughed. “Cut it out.”

Kaito shrugged and leaned over his food. “What about that new Russian film?”

He kept Kurama’s foot trapped as they talked. Another twist knocked Kurama’s loafer off. Kaito moved his sneaker around and began rubbing his laces around the sole of Kurama’s foot. Kurama let go of his spoon. He folded his fingers into his palm, still, concentrating.

The others argued about sepia and soundtracks, while Kaito edged off Kurama’s shoes. He drew rings in the arch of his foot with his big toe. Kurama’s hand closed tight on his napkin. His breath made his chest jump.

“Want to catch a movie tonight?” Kaito murmured, turning to make his invitation secret.

Kurama stared. Underneath the table, Kaito smoothed his toes over Kurama’s.

“I like movies,” Kurama breathed.

Kaito tossed his head, drawing his foot up Kurama’s calf. “Want to be in one?”

Kurama shook his head, grinning into his ramen bowl.

“Are you sure? I’ve got a great script. You’d be perfect for the part.”

“What part?”

“There’s some nudity involved.”

“I’m intrigued.” Kurama spread his thighs, knocking that knee into Kaito’s leg.

Kaito rubbed his leg along Kurama’s, then - wrecking his conservative style - reached out and lay his hand over Kurama’s zipper.

Kurama’s hand darted toward the rose he carried, but he was only startled. He glanced quickly around the table, but the others were encased in argument. Kaito began to tease. He stroked the fabric lightly, the warmth of his flesh so near building into heat.

Kurama opened his eyes. He looked at Kaito, at his thick curls and reading-strained eyes. His smile was untrained and amused, living in glee. Of course, he was in his dream, groping the student he’d fixated on for years. Allowed to touch what he’d watched grow long, lean, lovely and full.

Kurama licked his lips. He pressed Kaito’s hand down and ground his erection up into it. “It will depend on the script.”

Kaito squeezed. Kurama shivered. “Nothing but the best writing.”

Yama turned. “ – Kaito, the original Goku?”

“Huh?”

“He was based on who?”

“Hang on, I was talking to Kurama about – “ Kaito looked into Kurama’s face for a second, enjoying the lie. “The Central Review. Did you bring my copy back, Yama?”

“Oh, right.”

Kaito grunted, covering arousal with feigned anger. “I know better than to loan anything to these idiots, but they keep begging…”

Yama slid the glossy lit journal over to Kurama. “That’s Kaito’s copy, so if you lose it, it doesn’t matter.”

“Yeah, your life doesn’t matter.”

“Eh,” Yama sneered. “He can barely read.”

“That’s what I heard,” Kurama said.

"You okay? Your cheeks are kind of red."

"The soup. It's hot."

“Sun WuKong, of Journey to the West. Bam.” Kaito banged the magazine on the table as the others oohh-ed and slid it to Kurama, whispering, “I’ll approve any changes. Wouldn’t want to stifle an artist.”

As the others snared themselves in a new argument, Kurama whispered, "I’ll need direction."

“Which I’ll gladly provide. But I know an improvisational talent when I see it.” Kaito smiled.

Kurama returned Kaito’s hand to his thighs.

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(Thanks to boysluvcraft for catching the error on here! I'll be more careful in the future. Thanks for reading, and for correcting me!)
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The Library of Alexandria