The past two weeks hadn't been easy on either of them. Hiei hadn't been blind to the results of the energy drain on Kurama, and he had been rather relieved when Yukina and Botan had arranged matters for them. He remembered the girls mentioning something about asking another friend for help, but all he had really concentrated on was the fact that finally his fox wouldn't have to maintain the facade of being human. Kurama's university was enjoying a winter break and classes were suspended so there was no reason to remain in the Ningenkai when Koenma had extended an invitation to the youkai to stay in his father's castle.
The Koorime's eyes glowed as his gaze caressed the beautiful youko sleeping so soundly in front of him. There were moments in their relationship that Hiei unconsciously memorized, storing every tiny detail away to be taken out later and remembered in private. Their first joining, the bonding ceremony, the first intoxicating taste of his mate's blood, and now this quiet moment where he inwardly marveled that this incredible creature was *his*, and together they were creating a tangible expression of their commitment and love. It was something that he had never contemplated before in his turbulent life. Such longings had never possessed him, and he had been reluctant to surrender to their insistent pull. Yet his reward had far outweighed the risk of rejection, and he found that he would do anything for his fox...even allow him a child through another.
Of course, his lovely sister had spared him the unnecessary sacrifice by explaining about the sharing of youkai energy, but what he had not revealed was the simple truth that he would never have denied Kurama. He would have raged against it and bitterly hated the female who gave birth to the youko's child, but he would have done so silently because his feelings were nothing to the pain he had glimpsed in his lover's eyes. Kurama had truly been shaken by his experience with the dragon god Seiryuu, and Hiei had recognized that refusing to fulfill the youko's need would have been a betrayal of their bond.
So they found themselves in the Reikai where Kurama could assume youko form and take advantage of the energy boost it gave him. A form that was perhaps the most exotically beautiful that the fire demon had ever encountered. Unable to remain across the room, Hiei lithely unfolded his body and walked over to join the youko on the bed. The youkai was very aware of how important sleep and regular naps were to the continued health of his mate, but somehow he didn't think Kurama would object if this afternoon's was a short one.
That thought had led to a very pleasurable evening for them both, with only the minor irritation of an intruding visit by Botan and her Seishi friend. Yet, Hiei was forced to concede that he never would have been able to sleep without their intervention, and he would have wasted the youko's precious shared energy instead of carefully conserving it for the birth of their child. In fact, he realized that the Seishi's powerful music had helped him find a calming balance in the overwhelming rush of Kurama's essence. For the first time in several weeks he felt more like his old self, with greater control over the building power within him. Perhaps he should thank the flautist.
Then, remembering the rather curious and wandering eyes of the young human as he looked at Kurama, the Koorime snarled possessively. Perhaps not.
A slight movement behind him and the silky slide of fur against his back recalled his attention to the present. Hiei rolled over onto his side to face his bonded and blinked at the sight that greeted him. Apparently Amiboshi's soothing music had had an unexpected side effect on the youko, because the fire demon didn't find the expected seven foot tall frame of his lover, but rather the soft and fluffy version. Sometime during the night, Kurama had shifted into his kitsune form.
Recovering from the surprise, Hiei grinned in delight. He had never told the youko, but one of his cherished memories was from the time they were visiting Konan, and he had returned to his customary tree for the night to find Kurama in full fox form. The silver furball had been curled up with nose tucked under his tails as he dozed, obviously waiting for the fire demon's return. It had not been his right, then, to touch the beguiling creature as he truly wished to, and he had often reflected upon how exquisitely soft the kitsune's fur had been when he dared to wake him with a brief ruffling of his ears.
Now, however, the youkai knew he had every right in the world to touch his mate, and he reveled in the freedom such knowledge gave him. Hiei propped himself up on one elbow, allowing the sheet to spill down to his waist as he contemplated how exactly to wake the slumbering youko. One ear twitched at his movements, but the kitsune's face remained determinedly tucked beneath the mound of fluffy tails.
The fire demon remembered how much Kurama had enjoyed the playful moments with Nuriko when he had "allowed" the Suzaku Seishi to capture him and then torture him with a good brushing. Hiei had known very well that the sounds issuing from his friend's throat had not been threatening in the least and that they bore a suspicious resemblance to moans of delight. Of course, then there were the gold ribbons... Not that I have any desire to do *that* to him. Hiei smirked.
Deciding on a course of action, he leaned close and blew into one furred ear until it began twitching rapidly in reaction. However, the resourceful kitsune soon put a stop to that distraction by moving one of his tails to block Hiei's breath. Not in the least discouraged, the youkai sent searching fingers beneath them to find one softly padded paw, which he promptly began tickling. Two seconds passed, then five, until suddenly the curled bundle kicked out and two bright eyes peeked from among the tails.
"Good morning," Hiei murmured, grinning wickedly. "Sleep well?" His question failed to elicit a response from his companion other than a slow, lazy stretch. The fox yawned hugely, exposing impressive fangs. He didn't seem at all inclined to change back to his youko form. "I didn't think you would want to sleep the day away when there are other things we could be doing," the fire demon commented.
Kurama tilted his head to one side and regarded the other demon for several unblinking seconds while his various tails twitched. It didn't take Hiei long to realize that his mate was busy plotting something, and it occurred to him that it might be wise to raise his guard.
However, just as his mind processed that observation, the kitsune pounced.
The fire demon grunted as forty pounds of muscle and fur landed on his chest, pressing him back into the pillows. "Uh, Kurama?" Hiei gasped. "You're heavy." The two demons spent a moment staring at each other, nose to nose, with the fox's front paws resting on Hiei's shoulders. Suddenly he turned his head to the side and nuzzled against the Koorime's cheek. The affectionate gesture encouraged him to wrap his arms around Kurama and bury his fingers in the thick pelt.
The unexpected feeling of a wet tongue exploring his ear caused Hiei to jerk in surprise. It was an almost ticklish sensation, although not unpleasant. However, it was the soft wuffling of the fox's breath that tipped the scales toward being out and out tickling. The Koorime snorted in laughter and struggled to push away the kitsune, who was bound and determined to bathe every square inch of his lover's ear and neck. "*Kurama*! Cut it out!" The admonishment lacked a certain something, since it was expressed between involuntary laughter and gasps for air.
Yet this was perhaps the first time that the fire demon had ever reacted so playfully to his lover's silly impulses, and Kurama was not about to let the moment slip away without fully exploring all the boundaries. He pulled his head back and nipped at Hiei's nose.
"Hey!" The Koorime jerked away and tumbled over with the fox. A muffled yip escaped from under him, and he turned over onto his side. The kitsune was looking at him with accusing eyes, silently protesting the squashing he had just received. Hiei rolled his eyes. "You *bit* me! What did you expect me to do?"
Kurama cocked his head to the side and continued to stare at him.
"Okay...so I bite you every night," the fire demon acknowledged. "But it's not the same thing!" The observation was accompanied by a vigorous scrubbing of his nose.
Whining slightly, Kurama wriggled over and nuzzled his lover. Perhaps he knew a way to make it up to him. The kitsune pressed up against Hiei and began to make his newly inspired and wordless apology by licking delicately at the youkai's nipples. The completely unexpected feeling caused Hiei to hiss in surprise.
"What are you doing?" The words sounded practically normal except for the rather tense quality and the involuntary rise in intonation on the last word. The fox's snort seemed to express his thoughts quite clearly.
Perhaps the question should have been "*Why* are you doing that?"--but the feeling of the kitsune's tongue on his skin was incredible, and he couldn't actually bring his mouth to form the words. Besides, he had also become aware of a portion of his anatomy that was pressed against warm, silky fur, and it was a sensation he decided he liked very much. Of course, he couldn't stop himself from thinking about how it should probably feel strange to be responding to a fox, but then again, this *was* the same creature who shared his bed every night. He just happened to be wearing a different guise at the moment.
Kurama rose to his feet and circled his lover until he could lie along the naked length of Hiei's back. He already had intimate and treasured knowledge of just how susceptible that muscled expanse was to his caresses, and he used it to his advantage by licking long strokes from the small of the fire demon's back to his shoulder blades. A shuddering sigh accompanied his efforts, and he decided to up the sensory experience by employing his tails to good use. Hiei's strangled moan was extremely satisfying to his sharp ears as the demon began to writhe against the fluffy tails brushing against his groin. Yet, he was also using his hands to sweep them away, and that was *not* allowed!
The youko abandoned Hiei's back to leap over his side and used his head to push the youkai onto his back. Being careful of his sharp claws, he straddled the fire demon and allowed his teeth to graze the vulnerably exposed neck of the small youkai, if only to ensure that Hiei was fully aware of the leashed danger of the creature giving him such intense pleasure. The convulsive swallow and widening of ruby eyes told him his message had been received and understood.
Kurama growled deep in his throat as he slowly moved downward over Hiei. The firm washboard stomach tightened in anticipation as the fox lowered its head to rub first one side and then the other across the rippling muscles. A cold, wet nose poked the Koorime in his belly button, eliciting a softly muttered, "Baka."
Hiei was extremely aware of the kitsune's soft, furry belly sliding against his aroused length, and he clenched his teeth to prevent any sounds of frustration from escaping. He wasn't in the mood for his teasing lover to prolong matters. However, if he let Kurama know that, the fox would drag the whole thing out just to teach him a lesson and prove who was in charge. That knowledge was exactly what he needed to focus on to prevent his hips from thrusting instinctively. He was very aware that his bonded would react to this seeming resistance by attempting to overwhelm him with even more pleasure, which was exactly what the fire demon was counting on.
Gratifyingly, his assumption proved right, and he allowed Kurama a slight victory by voicing all of the passion the youko so mischievously created with his talented tongue.
A small eternity later, Kurama shifted into youko shape and licked his lips as he wrapped himself around the relaxed, sated form of his lover. "Good morning, Hiei," he whispered, laughter threading his voice. "Yes, I slept *very* well!"
Hiei opened one eye to look at the smug expression on the kitsune's face and suppressed his natural desire to growl. Sometimes it just wasn't worth the effort to be grumpy. The fire demon closed his eye again and snaked his arms around his bonded to hug him tightly. Besides, there were more important things to devote his energy toward. He grinned to himself, the expression hidden against the youko's chest. Hmm, now about my revenge...
Botan was sitting impatiently in the outer room of Kurama and Hiei's suite. She glanced at the wall clock for the fifth time in two minutes. "Where is he?" she muttered to herself.
She was very aware of the two powerful youkai in the other room, because they made no attempt to be quiet. It had been a torment to sit sedately outside their bedroom while they were occupied, and she kept glancing desperately at the door, waiting for the moment Amiboshi would walk in, smile, and take her mind off her embarrassment. As it was, she was pretty sure it would be several days until her blush faded, since the boys seemed particularly vocal in their appreciation.
When the minutes continued to tick by with no appearance of the flautist, it only followed the pattern Amiboshi had established over the past nine days. He generally arrived within moments of the energy transfer, played his soothing melody, and left as soon as possible. Minimal conversation was spared for the guide who ensured his safety, and lately he refused to make eye contact.
The whole situation left Botan feeling confused and hurt. Had she angered him in any way? After some thought, she realized that he had begun to withdraw from her after their time together in the garden. It was almost as if that night of incredible awareness and intimacy had never occurred. Yet, with no idea of how to bridge the widening gulf between them as well as being especially busy with her duties lately, Botan had allowed the situation to continue.
While it was obvious that he was avoiding her, she couldn't think of a single reason why. She had even forced herself to examine her feelings after that night. At the time it had seemed as if she had no options. She didn't even know if he felt the same, and his recent behavior led her to think that she had agonized for weeks over nothing. Tonight, however, she was determined to get some answers.
Armed with a plan of action, she sat watching another five minutes drag by. Suddenly, the door opened and Amiboshi strode in. Acknowledging her presence with an abrupt nod, he kept his eyes on the floor, waiting for their cue to enter the inner chamber.
Botan bit her lip and forced her hurt feelings aside. She had hoped... Yet apparently nothing had changed regarding his attitude. There was something wrong, and she deserved an explanation.
At last the time came for their nightly ritual. Over the last several days they had established a routine, with Botan entering the bedroom first. They had learned that if he stayed in the doorway with the guide blocking him from view, Hiei accepted him without challenge.
Once their mission was accomplished, Amiboshi began his customary retreat, but this time she followed hard on his heels. Perhaps realizing that no one escaped Death, he stopped outside the demons' door. Botan was thankful that the hall was deserted due to the lateness of the hour--although with the way she was feeling, she wouldn't care if they had an audience complete with popcorn.
Botan crossed her arms and waited until he raised his eyes to meet hers, then gasped at what she saw. The Seishi's customarily warm blue gaze was disconcertingly blank. Steeling herself for the confrontation, she tried to think of the many questions she had to ask him, but when she opened her mouth only one word was spoken. One syllable held all the depth of emotion she had been repressing.
"Why?"
The flautist's eyebrows arched in surprise. Obviously he hadn't been expecting such a simple question. "How can you ask me that?" he returned incredulously. Botan just shook her head, and he sighed, exasperated. "Do you remember when you asked me to help almost two weeks ago, and you said that it would be a very simple job?" After getting her nod, he continued, "Well, you were wrong. The past nine days have been the hardest trial I have ever faced."
He paused to look at her through assessing eyes, then began walking toward her as she carefully retreated. "Do you know what has made it so difficult for me?"
The guide shook her head and wondered just how exactly *he* had become the injured party.
"Of *course* you don't know why it's been hard," he added as his voice rose angrily. "*You* haven't been the one who has listened to those two doing whatever it is they're doing and connecting it with how much I'd like to make *you* make sounds like that! *You* aren't the one tormented with visions of silk sheets and tangled limbs! It's not *your* hands that tremble so that you're not sure if you can play the song!"
The last was shouted as he viciously punched the wall he had backed Botan into. He stood before her, his body vibrating with the force of his emotions, his right arm extended over her shoulder and his left hand clutching the flute. They stood with only scant inches between them. He closed his eyes and hung his head. "I didn't want to burden you with my feelings. You already have enough to worry about."
Botan blinked twice in quick succession and closed her mouth. Amiboshi had surprised her almost beyond coherent thought. She tried to comprehend what he had just told her. All the time that he had been avoiding her and withdrawing from the connection they shared, he had actually desired her? She flushed in reaction. It had never occurred to her that he was so attracted to her. Wait a minute... She frowned. How was I to know? Was I supposed to read his mind? Her indignation grew the more she thought about the whole situation. Oh, that is *just* like a man!
With narrowed eyes, she cocked her head to one side and regarded him consideringly. "Were you ever going to tell me how you felt?" she asked sweetly.
The Seishi looked up, thrown by her tone. He stared at her silently for several seconds. "What good would it have done?"
Botan huffed and poked him in the chest with an irate finger. "How do you *know* it wouldn't have done any good?" She prodded him again, and this time *he* was the one to retreat. "You never said anything, so I thought that *I* had done something wrong."
"But," Amiboshi sputtered, only to be interrupted.
"Oh, no. It's *my* turn to talk now." She pushed his chest with her finger for emphasis. "Do you know how hurt I was? No, of course you don't, because you didn't stop to think about how I might interpret your actions." Poke. "I've been moping around the castle for days, and finally Koenma-sama told me to talk to you." This time when she reached out to poke him, she allowed her hand to rest against his chest. With that last sentence, her anger melted away, and she tilted her head back to look into his eyes. "I've missed you, Amiboshi-san. I was just too afraid to tell you."
The Seishi covered her hand with his own, pressing it gently against him. "Why were you afraid?" he asked softly.
Voice tight with emotion, she whispered, "Because I realized how much you've come to mean to me, and I know you are going to reincarnate eventually. If I actually admitted out loud how I felt, then it would make the pain of losing you a reality."
He tucked his flute into his belt at the small of his back, freeing his hand to cup her cheek. His thumb smoothed over the velvety texture of her lips. "How do you feel about me?"
Botan shivered at the warmth and sensuality filling his voice. It gave her the courage to continue her confession. "I've fallen in love with you, Amiboshi."
It was the first time she had addressed him without the honorific "san" following his name, and he marveled at the aura of intimacy she had given it.
"I don't care that I've only known you for a month. I feel like I know every facet of your personality." She concentrated on the steady beating of his heart beneath her hand. Determined that there should be no more secrets between them, she allowed all of her pent up feelings to escape with her words. "I watch you sometimes as you help the oni, and I notice how much your music makes their tasks easier. You've put aside the grief of losing your old life and focused your attention and energy on the present, never complaining about how unfair it is. You have so much courage and strength that I feel humbled."
He smiled ruefully. "You wouldn't say that if you knew how much time I've spent wishing that my brother and I had a chance to live a normal life." He cradled the back of her neck to draw her closer. "I'm surprised that you haven't noticed why I help out so much. At first I was trying to fill every moment so full that I didn't have time to think about all that I had willingly given up. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that I had a wonderful opportunity to get to know you better." Pausing to wind one of her curls around his finger, he asked, "Do you know how much the oni adore you?"
Botan opened her mouth, then closed it when she couldn't think of anything to say.
"They would do anything for you. George especially. Every time I talked with him he made a point of bringing up your name and praising one thing or another about you. Even Koenma is very protective of you." He shook his head. "Everyone in this castle has been giving me the silent treatment because they knew something was wrong and they figured it was my fault."
Botan smiled and pointed out helpfully, "Well, it *was* your fault. You weren't talking to me anymore."
He rolled his eyes. "I know, but I wanted to spare you from unwanted attention. It never occurred to me that by admitting my feelings I would attain the greatest happiness I've ever known." She raised her eyebrows and he clarified, "Your love, Botan. For the first time in so very long my soul feels complete." He leaned forward and captured her lips in a gentle kiss, then rubbed his cheek against hers, murmuring, "I've been wondering how you taste."
She trembled at the soft whoosh of his breath caressing her ear. The feeling was just short of ticklish and strangely exciting. Her half-closed eyes noticed a blue glow emanating from his right shoulder, and she moved the fold of his tunic aside to reveal his Seishi symbol. She knew enough about his gifts to realize that the glowing meant he was using his ki in some way. His particular talent was manipulating his ki with his breath, which explained the pleasure she was receiving from his whispered words in her ear. Obeying an irresistable impulse, Botan leaned forward and licked that symbol of his power.
The flautist stiffened in surprise and released a moan. Recovering his poise, he gathered her into his arms and hugged her. "Do that again," he begged hoarsely.
Happy to oblige, she nuzzled the symbol with her lips, then delicately traced the pattern with her tongue, reveling in his immediate shivery reaction. Her curiosity became overwhelming, and she finally asked, "What does that do to you?"
He ran strong hands down over her silk-covered back. "Um, it's a Seishi secret."
The guide pulled back to look up into his eyes. "It's a *what*?!" she asked incredulously.
Relaxed and basking in the feeling of freedom making his confession of love had brought him, the flautist smiled playfully. "I'll tell you someday, Botan." Then he tugged her back into his arms for a tender kiss.
Several knee melting moments later, Botan muttered, "Well, it had better be soon. Patience is just one of the many things that Koenma-sama thinks I need to improve upon."
Chuckling softly, Amiboshi rested the side of his face against the top of her head. "Don't worry, sweetheart. I can help with that."