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As we lay	By : chilli Category: Yuyu Hakusho > Yaoi - Male/Male > Yusuke/Kurama Views: 16985 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: As I obviously DO NOT own the characters of Yu Yu Hakusho (a Japanese manga written/illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi), then OBVIOUSLY I do not own the fandom, the setting, characters, etc. As such, I do NOT stand to make mon

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
TITLE: As we lay

AUTHOR: Lemonychocolate

EMAIL: dragonechilde@yahoo.com

WEB SITE: n/a

RATING: Mature-Adult

DISCLAIMER: I make no claim to, nor hold any license to the original characters
to this story. These characters are used for the sake and sole purpose of
entertainment only. No profit shall be, nor will be gained from the
writing found hereafter; nor shall any personal credit be taken as to the
character designs, personalities or concepts stemming from the original
characters used. All situations in the story below, unless otherwise
stated, should not, in any way, have any bearing on the creator�s original
work.
FEEDBACK: Yes!

SPOILERS: none that I can think of.

Chapter 4

Yusuke and Kurama stepped through the portal to the
Makai. Yusuke had his tough-guy glower firmly in place. He was also
was practicing diligently to make it even more intimidating by the time they
arrived of the outskirts of his towering stony Keep.

Unfortunately, to his dismay, news of his �delicate
condition� had already reached the Makai.

More specifically�his people.

Only Kurama heard the tiny �meep�
that escaped Yusuke�s mouth as dozens of toushins raced towards them; he was
the only one to see the haunted look that swept over the Yusuke�s face, the
desperate looks for cover, then the slump of once proud and powerful told their
own story.

Kurama knew more than a few of Yusuke�s toushins eyed him
guardedly. He couldn�t be certain that in the heat of the moment, a knife
wouldn�t slip between his ribs. Conniving, manipulative bastard that he
was, he stepped smartly behind Yusuke.

Though outwardly resigned, Yusuke endured the effusive and
often tearful remarks with gritted teeth, mentally railing at his fate.
He endured the blubbering, the too tight hugs�he endured until he couldn�t
stand to hear the beginnings of another �Oh, my Lord Urameshi��

With all the evasive smoothness at his command, he fled to
his bedroom; callously throwing Kurama to the wolves. After all, who was
the diplomat? �Sides Kurama�s was so smooth with Kurama could tell you to
go to hell in seven different languages and have you ecstatic to be
going.

At Yusuke�s abrupt departure, and smiling faintly, Kurama
faced Yusuke�s suspicious advisors, showing none of the chagrin he felt.

Hours after the visitors had been politely, and in some
cases, bluntly told to go away, Yusuke still refused to come out; outright
ignoring all enticements to unlock the door.

Yusuke lay glaring at an unresponsive ceiling, engaged in a
war that he could not win. On any given day, a ceiling would easily beat
him in a staring match. So what if I�m acting like a big baby, he thought
miserably, I earned the right. A hand stealing to his belly, he continued
eyeballing the ceiling, staring at the mosaic tile as if it was the blame for
everything. His face empty of all emotion, though a suspicious shimmer in
his eyes showed he was not as unfeeling as he pretended.

His shuddery breaths sounded wet. Ashamed, Yusuke
rolled over to face the wall.

Kurama, having grown tired of the standoff, took matters
into his own hands. Being a former thief certainly comes in handy, he
mused calmly as he extracted a neat set of lockpicking
tools from his hair. A few seconds later, the door opened with barely a sound.
He stepped into the ornate bedroom, paying little heed to the rich d�cor and
the priceless number of objects just lying around.

Walking past a jeweled box, he paused, a momentary
avaricious gleam lighting his eyes before a small sniffle recalled him to
mind. Watching Yusuke silently suffer, he grimaced slightly, slightly
ashamed of his rapacious nature. A sigh whispered past his lips.
Misery was pouring off Yusuke in waves. Gingerly he approached the
bed. On a good day, Yusuke was impulsive; on a bad day, he was just shy
of getting a couple of good whacks from his exasperated friends.

Though often frustrated by Yusuke and Kuwabara antics, more
than anything, he envied them both. Kuwabara for his dogged
determination; Yusuke for his joy and thirst for adventure, his enthusiasm for
life in all its� myriad forms.

But now, having lost both wife and child, and now pregnant
himself, Kurama was bleakly certain that this new situation could possibly push
Yusuke to the breaking point�but would it break him? was
the question. Yusuke always had a unique ability to adapt and adjust to
any situation with nary a pause, accepting what came at him with nothing more
than a cocky smirk and a jaunty attitude. Kurama thought Yusuke would
make an excellent thief with a little bit of training.

But could he accept this? Accept this otherworld
evidence of his demon heritage without breaking?

He wondered, with Yusuke mentally battered by his body�s
increasing changes, will this be the one thing that would succeed in breaking
the famous Urameshi Yusuke? Quick fear clutching at his heart, he vowed
it would not. He would do everything in his power to make this transition
in his friend�s life as easy, and relatively painless, as possible.
Easing onto the bed, he pretended not to notice the way Yusuke stiffened.

�I hate everybody, and you're next,� Yusuke said flatly when
he felt the bed gently move.

Kurama, sensing the hollowness in the implicit threat,
ignored it. Vague memories of kitsune life floated through his
head. Yusuke was not the only one that would, by biological necessity,
suffer through a series of changes as a result of this pregnancy, he thought
bleakly. Eyeing the curled up figure on the bed, he made one of his
lightening decisions. He would not to burden Yusuke any further.

�A problem shared is a problem halved,� he said softly
instead.

�Oh fuck! You're going to try and cheer me up, aren't
you?� Yusuke asked miserably.

He wasn�t offended used as he was to Yusuke�s way of dealing
with sensitive, emotional issues. He waited patiently.

�I�keep trying, trying to accept this, but every time I
think I�m to the point where I can, I see�I see myself in the mirror
and�freak,� Yusuke confessed miserably. His lips quivered for a moment
before firming in a smile of self-contempt. �Ya
know, I usta think I had a firm handle on life,� he
paused before grumbling under his breath, �I think it�s broken.�   He
sounded so morose, yet funny, that Kurama shook with silent laughter.

He inched closer, and leaving some space between them,
curled as best he could around Yusuke�s increasingly fuller body; unsure
whether Yusuke would accept the close contact or become even more
disturbed. To his secret pleasure, his attempt at closeness was tacitly
ignored. Daringly, he rested an arm companionably on Yusuke�s
shoulder.

�I think you�re handling things remarkably well,� he replied
soothingly. �After all, you need to realize you�re fighting one of your
toughest opponents. One that�s never been defeated�you. As a yokai,
your body and instincts are telling you that this is natural, that everything
is completely as it should be. On the other hand, your very human
masculine nature is outraged at what is taking place. And you are caught
squarely in the middle.�

Yusuke stared at the wall, a shell-shocked look on his
face�no longer quite aware of Kurama presence as the softly spoken words struck
with unerring accuracy. �What am I gonna do?� he asked in quiet despair.

The kitsune curled tighter about the other�s body, as if to
shelter Yusuke against even the slights and arrows of the toushin�s own
thoughts. His hand slid down, protectively cupping the burgeoning mound
of Yusuke�s stomach. His faint sigh stirred the tiny hairs on the boy�s
nape. �I can�t answer that.�

*
*
*

Yusuke sat in his chair, his hands steeple before him.
He studied the guilty, half-hopeful expressions on his advisors faces. He
glanced sidelong at Kurama, sitting on his left-hand side. But as usual
the Kurama was doing his best impression of �You don�t see me; I�m not
here�.

It had been four months since they had arrived in the
Makai. Four months of hard-fought learning to accept the toushin side of
himself while simultaneously riding roughshod over his human instincts to
continuously freak out. His toushin side was slowly winning the war, but
the battle was not over.

He looked at his medical report again then back at his
hopeful people. He nodded decisively.

�You�re all idiots. Not just plain ordinary idiots,�
he assured them with nary a pause, �But full and complete idiots.�

They glanced at him, startled looks on their faces. He
rolled his eyes in exasperation at their denseness. �I mean, c�mon!
Look! I know I�m not the brightest crayon in the box, but geeze, give me some credit! This guy is, dare I say it��

�Dare, dare�� Kurama murmured. Mischief, gamine
bright, flashed in his eyes.

��a lunatic! A crackpot!�
Yusuke continued loudly over Kurama voice. He cast a heated glare at the
kitsune, who was once again blandly composed. �Let me read again what the
good doctor said about me. The doctor that you guys swear up and down is
one of the best.� Yusuke cleared his throat importantly and picked up the
report. He read out loud the doctor�s scratchy notes. �The
patient seemed cool to me this morning and a little embarrassed when I examined
him; however, Yoko Kurama assured me that he was definitely very hot in bed
last night.�

Though his face was impassive, Kurama�s shoulders began
shaking silently.

�And lest not forget this gem �My tests indicated normal lover function�,� Yusuke looked grimly at his
advisors. �We won�t even go there,� he said warningly before continuing
to read from the report. � �The patient seems to be getting more
sullen and depressed ever since my first examination�. Hmmm, I wonder
why?� he ad libbed with withering sarcasm. �And this is the
medical expert that wants me to become a humanitarian and eat MORE
HUMANS!� Yusuke threw the paper down in disgust.

A sound, quickly stifled, came from the kitsune.
Yusuke stared at Kurama, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. He was almost
positive he was being laughed at. Again.

�He�s one of the best doctors,� an advisor protested.
�He has the experience needed,� he continued, his voice gaining conviction as
the others nodded in agreement.

Yusuke snorted. �Calling him an idiot would be an
insult to all the stupid people,� he said sourly. �I've seen people like
him before�� he paused a beat, �But usually they had straitjackets on.�
He was on a roll, there was no stopping the Urameshi
train. Not that Kurama had any intention of allowing such a thing and he
would gladly kill the first person that moved. This was the most
animation Yusuke had shown in months.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present� Urameshi Yusuke!
Exultant, Kurama hid his laughter and joy.

�He�s an Ignoranus�stupid and an
asshole!� Yusuke said sneeringly, a look of utter contempt on his face. �And
another thing�.What�s with him always smiling? Ain�t nobody
that friggin� happy,� Yusuke continued his harangue. He looked around the
table, an aggrieved scowl on his face. �You just can�t trust people like
that.� He shook his head dolefully.

Tapping his nose, trying for mysterious and wise, he
continued his take on the subject of the good doctor. �Cuz, you know what that means?   When they�re
always smiling? It means that they�ve already got someone in mind to
blame when shit goes wrong.� He nodded sagely.

He saw the looks they exchanged, the tolerant smiles in
their eyes that said �He�s pregnant, so we have to humor him�. It pissed
him off�big time and it made him more determined not to give in.
  That fucking quack was NOT putting another goddamn hand on me, he
thought viciously; then winced at the responsive jab to his insides from one of
babies.

�I�m sorry, but I ain�t letting him touch me again. I
would rather die.� Overly dramatic, he thought smugly, but at least it
got their attention.

He instantly regretted being flippant as they fell over
themselves trying to appease him.

It was pissing him off the way they kept fawning all
over him. Touching him like he was something infinitely precious them,
when he knew he was just some guy that lucked into this gig. He wasn�t nothing special�and he hated them for making him feel as if
he was. He wound up finally snarling and screaming at them all.
Which naturally lead to feelings of guilt and shame at the wounded and hurt
expressions on they wore. Groaning, he retreated to his only place of
refuge.

His bedroom.

Kurama entered Yusuke�s sanctuary calmly, nothing disturbed
the placidity of his face as he watched Yusuke storm about the room.
Sliding his hands in his pockets, he leaned against the wall, waiting until the
tempest was over.

�You missed a vase,� he offered helpfully. For his
efforts, all he received was a savage glance from the toushin. He hid his
look of concern at Yusuke�s increasingly odd behavior.

Several minutes later, a breathless Yusuke paused in his
rampage of yelling, cursing and throwing things. Chagrin and
embarrassment stealing over his face, he stared at the unholy mess he had
created. �Whoa�.Did I do that?� he asked in astonishment. He rubbed
at his back, groaning in relief when strong, very capable hands took over the
task, easing his ache.

�Well, it certainly wasn�t me,� Kurama remarked dryly.
The storm over, he guided Yusuke to the bed and eased his friend down among the
pillows, then settled alongside Yusuke. It was practically the only clear
area left intact. He glanced around the room with a sage eye.
�Well�you know, I never really cared for the dark colors,� he said whimsically
and smirked at the groan Yusuke gave. �This will give us a chance to
redecorate.�

�They are so driving me crazy,� Yusuke muttered, ignoring
Kurama�s attempt to be funny. He wiggled, settling comfortably on the
bed. It was becoming an increasingly familiar occurrence between them,
chilling out on the bed, talking about�nothing. Kurama�s company, he
felt, was the only thing keeping him from going insane. It was a reminder
of home. Yusuke clung to the kitsune�s presence with all the enthusiasm
of a drowning man in a churning sea. He only stiffened minutely when a
gentle hand stole under his tunic for flesh to flesh contact with his
belly.

Yusuke lay quietly for several minutes, allowing Kurama the
reassurance the kitsune seem to need before he finally spoke. �Move it or
lose it, buddy,� he said flatly.

They had a deal, him and Kurama. Kurama wouldn�t fuss
over him and would keep everybody off his back; and he would allow Kurama to
feel his belly. But a few minutes was all he could take without starting
to feel�weirded out.   It felt too much
like Kurama was copping a feel.

�Sometimes, I really hate this,� he remarked softly.
Neither of them pretended not to know what he was talking about. He was
tired; tired of them always coming at him with their hopeful eyes and needy
hands.

Sometimes, he didn�t even think they saw �him�; just
Raizen�s heir�and a very pregnant one at that.

His stomach no longer churned at the thought of his unusual
state, though he still winced.

�Half the time, I don�t even know why I�m pissed,� he said
tiredly, an unusual note of defeat in his voice. �I�m changing, and I
hate it. I. Hate. This.�

Instead of relaxing at finally hearing Yusuke�s confession,
Kurama�s eyes narrowed. Though the storm was over and they had entered this
calm lassitude, he knew something else was wrong.

For months now, a flurry of letters, phone calls and emails
had been going back and forth from here to the Ningenkai.   Each one
would put Yusuke into a foul mood that lasted for hours, if not, days.
He would often find the gravid toushin standing at the window, melancholy
radiating from Yusuke like waves. Such a lonely, sad figure that he
almost felt like crying himself.

No amount of subtle questioning would get Yusuke to confide
in him. All he could do was take his place behind Yusuke, silently
offering himself as a confidant.

His services were politely ignored.

�Yusuke, look at me,� Kurama demanded abruptly. He sat
up. Puzzled, so did Yusuke. �You�ve been so focused on all your changes,
that you haven�t �seen� me. I�m changing too.� He smiled
half-heartedly at the blank, uncomprehending look Yusuke gave him. Then a
sharp gasp came from the toushin.

Kurama�s beautiful red hair was now longer, a mixture of
silver and red, with silver visibly dominating. His eyes, no longer the
bottomless emerald pools, fluxed between gold and green, as if he couldn�t make
up his mind. He lifted his hair, revealing practically non-existent
ears. �My hearing is extremely disorienting,� he confessed, allowing his
hair to drop with a sigh. �I have my kitsune�s ears budding on the top of
my head with my still human ears operating. Now I have two sets of sounds
coming through,� he complained.

�Dude�� At a loss for words, Yusuke mutely shook his head.

�You�re not the only one changing,� Kurama said
soberly. Shifting, he helped Yusuke adjust to a more comfortable position
before he, in turn, gingerly held Yusuke�s warm body against his.

Yusuke was quite adamant about them not sharing a bed though
he frequently needed help to get up.

If this was the only way he could be close to Yusuke, then
he would take what he could get. That he thought his friend was
impossibly beautiful, so round and full with the life they created, he chose to
keep to himself.

�So, mind telling me what�s really bothering you?� Kurama
asked quietly instead, his fingers gently tracing the strong digits of the hand
resting on the bed.

Lost in his misery, Yusuke didn�t notice the soft, delicate
tracing. He stiffened then said, �Obviously you know.� His voice
was tight; his face reflecting a terrible emptiness. Had Kurama been able
to see it he would have damned the consequences and tried to hug Yusuke.
As it was, he bumped Yusuke�s arm in a mute, wordless show of support. It
wasn�t much, but Yusuke had high and formidable walls that precluded comfort.

I may be pregnant, he had told Kurama in all seriousness,
but I sure as hell ain�t gay!

Reaching under his pillow, Yusuke withdrew a sheath of
papers. Silently he held them over his shoulder to Kurama.

Sitting up again, the kitsune, after looking curiously at
the rigid back presented to him, took the papers.   Frowning, he
began to read. His eyes, initially growing wide, narrowed as anger took
up residence. �Bitch� was the mildest word that ran through his mind.

�She�s divorcing me,� Yusuke stated the obvious. His
voice was flat and bleak.

�Oh, my dear friend,� Kurama replied compassionately, losing
some of his anger. He eased back down. This time when he pulled
Yusuke into his arms, there was little protest. He hesitated before
saying what was on his mind. �A great philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche,
once said �Love is a state in which a man sees things most decidedly as they
are not�,� he quoted softly.

When Yusuke deciphered Kurama�s meaning,
the room filled with hurting silence.

�Shall I tell you about what I�ve learned about toushins and
how they give birth?� Kurama suggested softly after some minutes. It was
a momentary gesture of appeasement.

Yusuke swallowed the painful, thick lump and cleared his
throat. �Sure�� he croaked out, grasping at the olive branch.
Tactfully Kurama pretended not to notice the waterlogged reply as he proceeded
talked. He had spent long hours researching in the library. Raizen
had been a surprisingly intelligent yokai, he realized. The scrolls and
books covered just about every subject pertaining to toushin�s life.

And just about every other race of yokai, he was chagrin to
note.

He was amused by some of Yusuke�s horrified comments.
When Yusuke found out that toushin�s pregnancies lasted 10 months, it stirred
his wrath. Cries of �foul� and �not fair!� blistered the air. And the
many �bleechs� and �ewwws� and �oh, man�that�s just
gross!� showed signs that time healed all wounds.

Even this one.

When he finally got to the part how a toushin gave birth,
they fell silent.

Yusuke turned his head, their eyes meeting in a moment of
perfect understanding.

�I�ll get the mirror,� Kurama said eagerly, already
clambering out of the bed. Modesty be damned in
the wake of this new, interesting piece of information. Yusuke rolled
over on his back when Kurama came back with a hand mirror.

With fascinated eyes they examined the small starfish shaped
indentation just above Yusuke�s groin. When asked if it hurt, Yusuke
mutely shook his head saying that he had always thought it was just a childhood
injury.

Looking clinically interested, Kurama brushed his fingers
delicately against it.

The reaction was as shocking as it was intimate.

Yusuke shuddered visibly and gasped. Wide eyes darted
to Kurama, both of them looking amazed at his reaction.

It felt like a sharp, electrifying fire raced through him�as
thrilling as it was terrifying. It brought every nerve, every cell in his
body to an alert, quivering attention. As if that wasn�t enough, a
strange sensation swept through him, leaving a shivery, tingling feeling in its
wake. His muscles coiled, and body hardening, readying for something�some
specific form of action that left him a little confused. Almost like the
feeling he had when fired his Spirit Gun, but�not. He was left gasping,
quivering as the aftereffects eased.

It wasn�t painful�just the opposite in fact, he realized a
moment too late as understanding dawned in Kurama�s eyes. His face burned
with color. Green eyes held a calculating look as Kurama�s attention
drifted back to where his fingers hovered.

The wicked, sensual smile dancing on Kurama�s lips had
Yusuke jerking his shirt back down and pulling up his pants. �Don�t even
think about it,� he growled, glaring daggers at the kitsune.

�Well�damn,� Kurama replied looking profoundly disappointed
and amused.

*
*
*

Time continued its inexorable march. With two more
months to go, Yusuke found that he was not the only one having difficulty in
adjusting. Kurama apparently, in his opinion, seemed to be in a one-man
competition to see who could get the weirdest.

It was like Kurama had two personalities! One minute
he was all calm and controlled, Mr. Ice Cold, the Master Thief himself, Yoko
Kurama; the next, he was flipping out. Giving the evil eye of death to
everybody that came to close to them, or getting all hot and bothered, like
somebody took a piss in his breakfast or something.

They were currently in �discussion� about him going to a
party. Well, it wasn�t a discussion, he thought angrily. He was doing
all the talking and Kurama was doing all the �No-ing�.

It wasn�t fair! Who was the friggin� toushin Lord
around here?

"C'mon," he whined. �I wanna
goooooo�� He fought an almost
irresistible impulse to stomp his foot. He was alarmed at the pout he
could feel, forming on his face.

They were in their shared living room. It was one of
the three places where lately Kurama had been adamantly refusing to allow
anyone to enter. Even the servants were not permitted entrance to clean
the rooms. Kurama cleaned their rooms along with his help.

"I promised Hoja that I would
come to his party,� he continued to whine. �There'll be drinking,"
he said wistfully. He leaned against Kurama's slender form. The
kitsune was far stronger than his lean body indicated and easily supported
Yusuke�s increasing bulk.

Kurama glanced down at Yusuke, cold amusement warring with
his instincts to put his plan into motion. Patience, he counseled
himself. There is more than sufficient time and then� they would be
alone. That litany was enough to calm his blood and ease his
agitation. "You're not allowed liquor," he pointed out, a
reluctant smile curving his lips at the sulky frown on the boy's face.

"So...? I can inhale..." Yusuke stated
defiantly. "And ain't nobody said I can't look," he added in a
burst of inspiration.

Kurama turned to watch a pair of beautifully colored birds
chasing each other just outside the window.  They
were small, with glorious blue/green wing feathers, a brilliant orange
chest with a yellow head.

Yomi had given Yusuke with six of the beautiful colorful
birds, as a pre-baby gift. The blind yokai merely said that their songs
were lovely and soothing.

Now only two remained.

Kurama�s silver tail twitched once. His eyes narrowed
with predatory interest on the joyfully singing
creatures.  He licked his lips, and even had one hand on the
windowsill when a sudden tug on his tail jerked his head around in
outrage, his ears lying flat.

"Bad fox! Bad!" Yusuke said sternly, wagging a
finger at Kurama. His eyes danced with horrified amusement.
"You're not supposed to eat the birdies, remember?"

With a haughty lift of his chin, Kurama looked every inch a
high caste yokai. He cast a chilly, disdainful look at Yusuke.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Yeah, right..." Yusuke snorted rudely. He
studied his friend with concerned eyes then laid a calming, sympathetic hand on
Kurama�s back. �Man, what the hell is wrong with you?� he said with
typical Urameshi bluntness. �I mean, I tried to be diplomatic and give
you some space, but like, you're eating my birds!" His outburst was said
with such endearing candor, it won a tiny smile from Kurama. "And I
don't wanna hafta go to Yomi and say, �Well, you
know those moods Kurama sometimes gets? Well, funny story �bout
that. You�ll laugh...'   He�s not gonna laugh! I know
this," he said stridently.

"You worry too much," Kurama replied forced
calm.   His tail moved jerkily with the effort of not looking at the
pretty, tasty snacks. Silently he cursed. These instincts were
getting harder and harder to control.

He was running out of time.

"You have issues..." Yusuke said firmly and turned
away. "I'm going to bed. And there had better be two birds chirping
outside when I wake up," he said warningly turning to give Kurama a dark
look.

The kitsune smiled. Relaxed now, his tail beat the air
leisurely. He blinked lazily. "Don't worry. There'll be
birds outside."

Yusuke nodded sharply, his expression stern.
"Damn right, there will," he snorted, then hesitated. "The
two birds that are flying outside the window, RIGHT NOW, had better be there
tomorrow," he said with careful emphasis. He knew the kitsune enough
not to leave any wiggle room.

He laughed as Kurama feigned a scowl. They parted,
each seeking their own beds.

An hour later, a silent shadow stole into Yusuke's
room. He had waited almost impatiently for the boy to finally fall
asleep. Standing over Yusuke's bed, he stared, so round and so very
beautiful. And so very snoring, he grinned, his smile a slash of white in
the darkened room.   It would be pity to wake him.

He smirked, a cold light in his eyes. Just imagining
the panic that would ensue once Yusuke's advisors discovered their little lord,
gone�.It almost made him laugh out loud. It would be unholy chaos.

There was a chilly, vicious look in Yoko Kurama�s
eyes.

Yusuke's advisors, to a one, eyed had him with suspicion and
open distrust. So sure that his closeness with Yusuke was just a front to
lull the boy, gain his trust all to a prelude to killing Yusuke and taking over
the territory. So sure of themselves, they used every means
necessary to make damn sure he wasn't able to get his 'filthy' paws on any part
of Yusuke's territory. Forcing concessions that Yusuke, in his youth and
inexperience, foolishly agreed; he was simply not equipped to handle or
understand such political maneuvering. Yusuke believed in straight-on
fighting. Without an ounce of guile in his nature, he was a true
innocent. Childishly trusting that those he put his trust in were like
him.

Well, he put a stop to that! When he learned of what
they were doing, it was the last time any of them saw Yusuke alone. He
became like an albatross, firmly attached to Yusuke. Where Yusuke went,
so did he. Hints and veiled threats were met with polite, blank
smiles.

It only took a few weeks, and few broken bones, for Yusuke�s
advisors to relearn an old adage: �Never game
with a silver kitsune�.

Moving as silent as a shadow, Kurama moved about the
room. He had already noted everything he wanted to take and swiftly had
everything safely stored in his bag. He moved with calm assurance, safe
in the knowledge that, between him and Yusuke, they had the staff pretty well
cowed. The servants knew never to enter either of their private rooms
unless the place was on fire.

He was confident no one would enter until the advisors
showed up late tomorrow afternoon, pestering Yusuke with their incessant
demands.

It was a pity I can�t be around to witness the screams of
horror, he thought with cold amusement.

He moved back to the bed, and stood for several moments
silently watching the slumbering, gently snoring boy.

Yusuke�s advisors have good reason to distrust me, he
thought calmly, his unrelenting attention never wavering from the sleeping
toushin.

Fools!   Patting themselves on
the back for their cleverness. For all their vaunted cleverness,
not one of them realized the real prize he sought. It was child�s play to
continue playing upon their ridiculous assumptions; it served him well as they
neglected to guard their most valuable treasure.

After Yusuke's territory, indeed.

His shoulders shook in soundless amusement.

"Yus-chan," he softly whispered. He petted
the boy's soft cheek with gentle fingers. 'Wake-y wake-y..."
His gentleness was at odds with the ruthless look on his face.

Yusuke stirred sleepily, his eyes soft and dreamy as he
stretched languidly under the covers.   "Wha...?"
he mumbled thickly. He blinked blearily at the silver kitsune pulling him
to the side of the bed. "Whacha doin' 'Rama?" he
asked with vague unconcern as he was swiftly dressed and pulled to his
feet. "Wher' w�goin' 'Rama?"

"Shhh," Kurama hushed
him with a long finger to the boy's lips. "We're just going for a
little walk," he whispered. He chuckled at the sleepy mischievous
look that curved the pink lips.

"Yea..." Flushed with sleep, a yawn interrupted
Yusuke's cheer. He leaned against the kitsune, half-way back to
sleep. "Wanna go outside," he
mumbled, a delectable pout forming on his lips.

"Shhhh..."

Nodding, Yusuke clumsily mimed sealing his lips and throwing
away the key. He yawned again as they stole out the room, slipping
soundlessly past a guard looking the other way.   �He gonna get
it...� he mouthed up at Yoko who smiled down at a silently snickering Yusuke.

It was challenging escaping the confines of Yusuke's home;
but not terribly difficult. He was particularly annoyed as he eased past
another guard. Outraged at what he perceived to be the guard�s
dereliction of duty, he was of half a mind to turning around and beating the
yokai senseless for his careless disregard for Yusuke�s safety or continuing
with the escape plans. Gritting his teeth, he chose the latter.

Once they were safely outside, he knew he would have only a
few minutes before the night air banished sleep from Yusuke's brain. And
he would definitely have to move fast before Yusuke�s loud, vocal objections
summoned the guards.   Kurama smiled wickedly. He was looking
forward to when Yusuke confronted him.

*
*
*

Groaning Yusuke opened his eyes. He blinked several times,
but the darkness didn't fade. "Omigod...
I'm blind! I've turned into Yomi." He moaned in despair,
covering his eyes.

Yoko chuckled from where he was sitting by Yusuke's
head. "Idiot boy," he said fondly.   He smoothed
several strains of hair from Yusuke's forehead.

"Fox...?" Yusuke exclaimed.
"What..." happened to me he was going to say, but the memory of
sniffing some flowers, extended to him by Yoko, came back to him. His
eyes narrowed and he turned his head as a faint light began spreading.
They were...underground?

"Fox-boy, you better have a
damn good reason for knocking me out," he growled dangerously.
"You have to the count of one before I start whaling on your
ass." Pushing himself to a sitting position, he began meaningfully
rolling up his sleeves.

"And you got me on a damn ground." He
continued, finding a new source of complaint. "And you know damn
well how hard it is for me to get out of a chair and you put me on the frickin� ground?" His voice rose to a near
shriek. Kurama ears twitched then laid flat. He winced.

"I am so going to kill you," Yusuke shouted.
He swung at Kurama, who easily caught the wild swing and pulled Yusuke to him.

"Yusuke ... Yusuke!" Kurama shouted
struggling with the angry yokai. He was exceedingly careful not to use
too much force. "Listen to me!" he yelled just barely managing
to corral the boy.

"No....! You're a cold, vicious bastard!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Kurama
teased. He just barely managed to duck the fist aimed at his head.
He was hard-pressed not to laugh.

The dark-haired toushin lord growled. He pulled
determinedly against Kurama gentle hold. "Now you're laughing at
me! You are so going to get an ass kicking!� Exhausted by his
struggles, he rested panting against Kurama.

"I told you that you're not the only one
changing. Male kitsune have certain instincts as well, when their mates
become pregnant with their kits."

"Huh?" Yusuke blinked, looking confusedly at
Kurama.

"I�ve never been a father, so trust me when I say my
behavior surprised me as well. To be totally ruled by instinctual drives,
urges... it's not funny," he complained when Yusuke started laughing.

"Yeah, it is," the boy retorted looking much more
cheerful. "Anyway, we ain't mates."

"But you carry my kits," Kurama softly pointed
out. He was amused by the color that flooded Yusuke's cheeks.

Dark eyes narrowed ominously. "It's not too late
for me to give you that ass kicking."

Kurama smirked, but obligingly returned to his
explanation. "I found myself inexplicably, running�racing through
the forest. I had a feeling that I was seeking something. I began
listening to the forest, allowing it to direct my steps. And I found myself...
here." He looked around comfortably, smug satisfaction radiating
from every pore.

The Yusuke glanced around in confusion. They were in a
cave. It was a nice cave, he guessed, not that he was an authority on
caves.

He could hear and smell water...hopefully clean water.
He was thirsty. Lichen clung to the walls and dome of the cave, its�
faint light providing illumination. It was big. But it was
still...a cave.

�Man, you were so robbed," he pronounced sadly.

Golden eyes blinked then widened in amazement. Kurama
laughed, his eyes crinkling in a rare show of emotion. Yusuke stared,
almost mesmerized. Why�he�s beautiful! he
thought almost helplessly. Then gulped at where his thoughts were leading
him�down a one-way street. Stupid! That's how you got into this
mess in the first place, he sneered.

"No, what I meant..." Kurama hesitated, for once
looking unsure of himself. Swiftly he recovered,
a non-expression wiping away evidence that he had emotions.

It stirred Yusuke's curiosity.

"Like you, instincts began stirring within me.
I've never had a kit. I've heard stories, but..." he
shrugged. "Kitsune males with pregnant mates become a little...
aggressive, territorial and possessive." He ignored the feigned
shock of 'No.' "It's called 'going to ground'. The males find
a hidden, and defensible, cave or some other place for their mates to whelp
their kits."

Yusuke was stunned into silence. �Mate?
Mate? MATE! Did you eat a bowl of stupid for breakfast? You better
think long and hard about your answer, you silver haired fox," he
growled. His fist was dangerously near Kurama's face.

Calmly, Kurama grasped the balled fist and lowered it, with
some resistance back, to Yusuke side. "I didn't say you were my
mate. However, the fact is, you are carrying my kits,
which makes you, in a usually odd way... my mate."

Kurama hid a smile, patiently waiting for Yusuke's
reaction.

It was not long in coming. Shock leeched all color
from Yusuke�s face then a tide of red flooded his face. His mouth worked
soundlessly but he couldn�t find the words. Somewhat nervously, he
laughed.   The sound drying up as Kurama did not join in. He
swallowed hard, unsure what to do. Trying to give himself some time, he
tried to get to his feet. Seeing his frustration at his lack of success,
Kurama obligingly helped him to his feet. Yusuke immediately sought to
put some distance between them. Coming to a stop several feet away, he
finally looked at Kurama.

"Uhm... Kurama, you know, we�re
both guys right? With�uhm�dicks?"
He looked doubtfully at the kitsune.

"Yusuke, come now! You are a toushin,� Kurama
replied, an edge of impatience coloring his voice. It wasn�t like Yusuke
to be this willfully oblivious.

Yusuke flushed. "That's beside the point,"
he shouted, his hands clenched despite his attempt to stay calm. He felt
like the kitsune was insulting him, implying that just by being a toushin he
was supposed to be gay.

Kurama eyed him coolly. "That is exactly the
point, little one. But be at ease. Right now, you're not suitable
as a mate for me.�

Yusuke stiffened. Mingled hurt and anger flashed in
his dark eyes at the words. His mouth opened, ready to defend himself and
his qualifications as a mate then slowly closed. Sudden amusement twisted
his lips. He realized just how stupid he would sound if he spoke right
now.

"Ahh, okay," he said,
eyeing Kurama uneasily. "Just so we�re both aware."

�What I propose, however, is a formal alliance with you,�
Kurama said calmly. By the light of the fire, the kitsune eyes appeared
to glow; there seemed to be a look of hunger in the gold eyes that had Yusuke
shifting uneasily. Then it was gone. Yusuke shook his head,
dispelling that crazy idea. He laughed silently at his uneasiness.

�An alliance?� Yusuke questioned,
his brows beetling in confusion. Kurama�s lips curved slightly, his eyes
holding an oddly intent look.

�An alliance,� he agreed in a quiet voice. �In the old
days, many rulers married their sons and daughters to other rulers in order to
create ties with each other. Any children born of such unions would
thereby cement the alliance, tying the two ruling houses together.� He
paused. �You are having my kits; I offer a formal alliance with
you. Between my House and yours.� His lips
curved in a rueful smile. �Admittedly, I have very little House or clan
to call my own. This alliance would benefit me, more so than you, so
therefore think carefully of my offer.�

There was a haughty look, and something else, in those
golden eyes. It was so strange that Yusuke blinked, a bit stunned by what
he saw. The Great Yoko Kurama, Mr. Self-Confidence himself�was nervous.

Still, Yusuke couldn�t quite dispel his own tension and give
Kurama an answer.

The kitsune had been acting way too strange lately; actually
stranger than normal.   And that whole bird eating incident kinda put
the Beyond Strange on this whole thing.

Sure he had explanation. But�there was something else;
something else going on that Kurama wasn�t telling him and it was making him
uneasy.

Really, REALLY uneasy.

And strangely uncomfortable.
Like his skin was on too tight. There was a skittering feeling, like ants
or something marching just under his skin. He felt as if something wanted
out.

It was eyes, he decided after some thought. It was
definitely the eyes. He was pretty sure the Sly Fox was plotting
something. Whether it would help him, he had no idea. He was pretty
sure Kurama wouldn�t deliberately hurt him�but both versions of Kurama had
raised manipulation to an art form.   And if you called him on it, he
would give you this puzzled look, as if he had no clue what you were talking
about.

Yeah, he would hafta keep an eye on Kurama. No telling
what crazy ideas might be brewing in that silver head, he thought darkly.

But first things first, he wanted to be above ground.
Being in a cave reminded him of Sensui; of not being there when his friends had
to face off with that poor sonofabitch.

�Take me above ground and we can talk about it there,� he
replied firmly.

Kurama had watched the thoughts play on Yusuke's face,
deliberately refusing to do anything that would lessen the unease in Yusuke�s
mind. On the contrary, he wanted Yusuke constantly thinking.
Thinking, watching�wondering about his motivations.

He wanted Yusuke constantly aware, of him�of his
presence. It was the first step in luring his Yus-chan into his
arms.

The coming weeks should prove to be rather interesting, he
mused silently. Unconsciously Yusuke would fight him, of course. He
found himself actually looking forward to the coming battle of wits.
Yusuke�despite his rather carefree and outgoing nature�was not without his own
particular brand of native shrewdness.   Not that the boy would win,
Yoko thought with calm certainty, still the coming battle would prove to be
entertaining.

He smiled apologetically at Yusuke. Yet the young
pregnant toushin was uneasy to note that there was nothing apologetic in Yoko
Kurama�s rather frozen eyes. �I�m afraid not. If I were to do that,
regrettably my instincts would demand I kill a few of your advisors before they
understood that they have to stay a minimum of fifty feet away from you.�
He shook his head, a mocking look of regret on his face at the dropped jaw look
on Yusuke�s face.

�It would become a vicious cycle as then you would have to
go through the laborious task of selecting replacements, meaning you would need
to meet with them personally, which would involve your getting too close to
them for my comfort. I would kill them and the cycle would begin
again.� He shrugged carelessly. �A pity, really.�

And he would enjoy it, Yusuke realized. He was shaken
by the thought that it wasn�t the fact that Yoko Kurama would kill people that
bothered him so much, but the fact that he would have to be inconvenienced and
hire people to fill the vacant jobs.

Shouldn�t he be at least ranting and raving? Railing at
Kurama about the sanctity of life? he thought
uneasily. Shaking his head roughly, he dislodged the unwelcome thoughts
and glared at the dangerous kitsune. Imagining himself in a battle of
wits with Yoko, he felt energized and sure of himself.

There was an implicit challenge in the smoldering darkness
of Yusuke�s eyes. His deep, fierce scowl�one that was the cause of fear
in his enemies�had lost none of its intensity irregardless of his protruding
stomach.

Yoko smiled inwardly, charmed anew by his feisty young
friend.

�You wouldn�t�you couldn�t,� Yusuke scoffed. He exuded
an overweening certainty born from his many encounters with Kurama.

Kurama delicately pricked Yusuke�s ballooning confidence
with the aptness of a sharp needle with his next words.

�I would. I could.� He paused, and gliding closer, he stood directly in
front of the now alarmed, dark-haired toushin. An icy chill radiating
from him, narrowed golden eyes bore into a pair of wide, velvety
brown eyes.
�I will,� Kurama promised with such soft, icy ruthlessness it shook Yusuke
to the core.
Guess that�s the end of that, Yusuke thought resentfully, manfully
refraining from sticking his tongue out.

♣
♣         ♣
♣         ♣

Chapter 4/8
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As we lay