InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Not the Only One ❯ The Den ( Chapter 14 )

{I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. That pleasure belongs to their rightful owners, Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi!}

Wow, a month, neh? Gomen for the lack of updating, but I was completely swamped by my prelim revision- you know how it is! Luckily that's them finished…for now!!

Heh, I pretty much stunned you all with that little Kirara-Yoko interaction, neh? I like to be unpredictable!

So it's chapter 15 already, but (hopefully!) you'll be glad to know that this story is only just beginning!! I'm really enjoying writing this- as I hope you are reading it! Arigato for all your wonderful reviews and support- this wouldn't be possible without you guys! Aishiteru! ^.^

 

Know the lingo!:

Chikushou: shit/dammit

Mou: sigh of exasperation

Ano: Umm…

Hai: yes

Baka: idiot

Ningen: human

Hime: princess

Nani: what

 

Chapter 14

The Den

 

It was just as well Kikyo was already dead, because the glare Yoko was giving the miko was filled with such daggers it would have cut her down where she stood. He was growling ferociously, his lip curled back in a snarl as he held Kagome protectively to his chest. The girl in his arms was shaking as she continued to hold eye contact with the woman she was reincarnated from. Their eyes, though of the same colour, were at different spectrums in emotions; Kagome's eyes were pools of liquid hazel, swimming with tears while Kikyo's were dry and dark, containing no sign of any feeling. The three stayed in their positions for over a minute, each watching the other, before Kikyo turned soundlessly away, disappearing into the forest she had come from.

“Chikushou,” Kagome gasped, collapsing onto Yoko weakly, her entire frame shaking out of control. Her eyes were blurry as she buried into the sweet smelling tunic of the kitsune, whose growling had died down to a low rumble in his chest, as he attempted to soothe the miko.

“Shall I kill her? Say the word, and it will be done,”

Kagome started at the absolute icy coldness of Yoko's words. She looked up at him, his amber eyes burning with such anger even she felt the need to back away.

“No,” Kagome managed, thickly through her tears, “She isn't at fault. What have I done, Yoko? She's going to tell Inuyasha…and then…”

Kagome burst into fresh tears, more scared for Yoko than anything else. Inuyasha would kill him. She could picture him now, his claws clenched and his fangs drawn as he discovered what had transpired.

“And what have you done wrong? Pray tell me vixen, because from where I'm sitting they are far worse than you,”

Kagome wavered, trying to find the words.

“It's not the same! Inuyasha met Kikyo before me…”

“And met you after her,” Yoko added, running the back of his hand softly over Kagome's cheek, “The way I see it, Inuyasha has no right to condemn you for…ah…enjoying other male company,”

This caused Kagome to turn a peony shade of pink, recent events replaying in her mind. She wiped her eyes, sighing.

“Mou…Kikyo is going to get me in such big trouble though…and I dread to think what Inuyasha will do to you!”

Yoko cocked his head, “Do you really think that oversized puppy has a chance against me? Besides, he can't have it both ways!”

Kagome sighed again, laying her chin on Yoko's shoulder.

“Why does it have to be so damn complicated?”

Yoko remained silent; choosing instead to caress her hair, enjoying the silky midnight waterfall that flowed through his fingers. Kagome chewed her lip, considering her options.

“I can't go back there, Yoko. Not when I know she could be there…telling him. Maybe I should just go home…”

“I don't want you to leave yet. Besides, I'd rather be there when you face him,”

“Well, we can't sit here all day! He's sure to find us…”

Kagome, despite the predicament she was in, didn't want to move from the security and comfortableness of the kitsune's lap. The way he was running his hands through her hair was so relaxing, too.

“I know where we can go,”

 

 

They had been travelling for the best of twenty minutes, Kagome in Yoko's arms bridal style.

This is so much better than riding piggy back…I can see his face for a start, and I don't have to worry about holding on tight…

Kagome had to admire the sheer grace of how Yoko travelled- he glided through the air, plants and tree branches moving to accommodate him. If anything, it reminded her of Sesshomaru, and the way he would walk as if drifting across the ground.

“I'd never be able to find the way here myself,” Kagome remarked, “Where are we going anyway?”

“My den,” Yoko replied, slowing his pace until they reached an unremarkable dead end, “Well, one of them,”

He stopped in front of a rock face, un-climbable and tangled with weeds and plant life.

“Ano…this?” Kagome asked, looking around them, for a fox hole or such in the ground.

“Hai,” Yoko took a deep sniff, checking they weren't being spied on.

He walked forward, and was about to put his hand amid the mesh of greenery when he remembered. He turned, drawing Kagome nearer by her hand.

“You can open this yourself now,”

Kagome blinked, first at Yoko, then at the rock face.

“Open it? Myself?” she repeated.

Open the rock? What is he talking about?

“Only kitsune can manipulate plants to recognise their ki and obey them completely,” Yoko explained, pulling Kagome so close to him their noses touched. His hand skirted to the neckline of her top, and Kagome immediately flushed.

“Yoko! What are you-?”

She abruptly cut off as she watched Yoko tug gently on the chain around her neck. Kagome's first thought was the shikon-no-tama and her body tensed instinctively. However, as Yoko drew the chain in his grasp to eye level, she realised it was not the jewel, but something she had never seen before. The shikon-no-tama's chain lay around her neck, and Yoko held the second chain aloft, his eyes glimmering with anticipation. Frowning, Kagome touched the necklace, realising with confusion and wonder that the pendant was a white rose, whose petals were delicately crafted with panels of some sort of shimmering stone- opal - and trimmed with silver.

“How?” Kagome managed, looking up to the grinning kitsune.

“I slipped it on you earlier…while you were…preoccupied,”

Kagome was truly puzzled now, and she ran her thumb over the exquisitely beautiful rose.

“Why?”

Yoko smirked at the miko's one word questions, the girl clearly too overcome to form any proper sentences.

“Let's get inside first, and then I can explain,”

Yoko guided Kagome forward with a hand on the small of her back, until she was so close she could smell the bitter, damp, tang of the plants clinging to the rock face. Yoko rested one hand around her waist as he held the necklace up with the other, the rose facing the rock. At first nothing happened, and Kagome was starting to think this was all a joke. But then the necklace began to take on a glow. It began to sparkle, a steady white light pulsating from the centre of the rose.

“Yoko?”

“Just watch,”

Kagome swallowed, feeling the heat from the pendant creep up the chain and warm her skin. It wasn't unpleasant, just slightly strange. Kagome heard a rustling, and she watched in wonder as the weeds in front of her slowly began to retreat, sliding back across the rock like seaweed swept from the shore. Like an unravelling spider's web, a cave was revealed, and Yoko began to move with Kagome into the darkness. The rose necklace guided the way, illuminating the smooth rock of the cave walls, and the marble-like steps leading downwards. Kagome was too amazed to speak, and just concentrated on putting on foot in front of the other, until they at last came into the heart of the rock, an atrium carved out like Aladdin's cave. Natural daylight filtered in through a hole in roof, the sunshine glittering around the cave like golden coins. It wasn't only the location itself that had connotations of the Arabian fairytale- Yoko's cave was decked with troves of treasures and artefacts.

A true bandit's den!

The walls were adorned with flowers that, naturally, shouldn't have grown indoors, but were attracted to Yoko's ki. Alongside them hung the most breath-taking scrolls, glowing sunsets and spidery calligraphy. Chests spilled with riches, each made of coloured wood and elaborately carved with dragons and phoenixes. The most surprising haul of all were the white furs laid out in the corner, pristine and fluffy, yet undoubtedly kitsune. Kagome gasped, turning to Yoko in shock.

“Are those…did you…I mean…”

Yoko regarded her sardonically, before taking her hand still clasped in his and leading her to the furs. Memories of Shippo's father's fur swam in Kagome's mind, and she suddenly felt repulsed.

He surely didn't kill his own kind…just for this?

“Kagome,” Yoko said, letting go off he hand and dropping onto the furs, his legs crossed, “Met my parents…and grandparents, at that,”

The miko simply stared in horror at the kitsune sitting calmly on the fur of his dead ancestors. Her heart thudded painfully, and she just wanted to backtrack out of the cave.

“Baka,” Yoko remarked, grabbing hold of her arm and pulling her down beside her,

“Don't just stand and gawp,”

Kagome blinked at him, and he decided to explain.

“You can get what ever accusing thoughts you have of me out of your head, vixen. Let me explain the kitsune way to you,” Yoko patted the fur beneath them fondly, before turning back to Kagome's very confused eyes.

“Shippo is an orphan, am I correct? Had he grown up with his parents and the rest of his clan, he would have outlived them all; such is the course of life. However, if their deaths had been in any way unnatural, and for example, their fur had been skinned from their bodies, it would have been Shippo's duty as a son to at least recover the fur. You see, kitsune fur is very rare to come across. It is more protective than the fire rat, and it is for this reason it is hunted so badly,”

Kagome blinked, her mind turning back to many years ago when Shippo had joined Inuyasha and herself. She remembered vividly now how Shippo had carried his father's fur, until the spirit remaining had sacrificed itself to protect the miko and the kit against the thunder brothers.

“I understand,” Kagome replied, her eyes turning pitifully to Yoko now, “Is that what happened to you?”

The kitsune faltered at the ready emotion in the miko's eyes; he had yet to even relay his childhood to her, and she was already feeling sympathy for him.

There were only two people in the world who knew about Yoko's childhood- his closest partner in crime, and also Totosai, who had been close with his mother.

The kitsune's white ears unconsciously pressed down to his head, and his tail lay limp among the fur.

“I was younger than Shippo,” Yoko said, tucking his fist under his chin, resting his elbow on his knee. “I was always a tricksy kit, following in my father's footsteps as soon as I could crawl. He was a thief too- one of the best,”

Kagome nodded, completely absorbed in Yoko's eyes, which had taken on a honeyed quality as he reminisced.

“Our clan was small and select, broken off from the main one in the north. My family preferred the weather in this part of Japan, though they regally returned to the main home for large gatherings,” Yoko smiled softly, remembering.

“The ningen always knew when it was a kitsune gathering. They had a shrine dedicated to the silver clan, and it would fill with offerings of the finest when they knew we came together. I suppose they just wanted to save the trouble of us sneaking into their villages anyway,”

Kagome smiled gently, images of a statue of a kitsune surrounded with silver and gold filling her mind.

“We had just returned from one of these gatherings, and I had been reluctant to part from my fellow kitsune friends. There were only adults in my immediate family, so I enjoyed the companionship of those my own age when we returned to the north. I grew bored quickly when we came home, and I craved amusement. I remembered the stories of the older kitsune, who boasted of thieving from the stupid ningen. I had stolen before, of course, but never from the nearby town. One night, out of sheer boredom, I slipped away to the town, where they were celebrating a festival,”

Yoko paused in his story, noticing how Kagome hung onto his every word. He wasn't used to sharing such personal experiences, yet the girl before him seemed to take pleasure in listening to him. She smiled, urging him on.

“The buzz was contagious, reminding me fondly of the celebrations I had recently left behind. There was a large fire, and the children danced around it, while the men drank sake and ate rich foods. I remember them talking of a marriage, and it dawned on me this was the celebration of a human wedding,”

Kagome unconsciously leaned closer to the kitsune.

“The bride was the hime of the town, and the women were presenting her with gifts a plenty. She was scornful and petty, showing off her wealth with no regard to the poverty-stricken locals watching hungrily from afar, uninvited. I took it upon myself to…relieve her of some presents,”

“And give to the poor, right?” Kagome asked sarcastically.

Yoko blinked, “Well, at first when I saw how she was parading herself I just wanted to make her feel bad. But then I saw the poor people peering over the fences at the party and felt sorry for them,”

Yoko shrugged, scratching his cheek idly, “That was the first and last time I did anything for the ningen kind,”

Kagome's eyes widened.

“What happened?”

“It was easy to steal a few expensive pieces- a lacquered jewellery box, an embroidered silk kimono, a rose quartz necklace…however, when I presented them to the people, they turned on me. I was so surprised, I couldn't even get away- they trapped me between them, and marched me to the guards of the hime,”

Yoko's eyes were impossible to read- images swirled in his mind, flashbacks of that terrible night. The crackling fire, licking the logs hungrily…the glee of the children at the caught kitsune…the harrowing faces of the poor, their paper like skin pulled taunt over the bones of their hands as the held him fast to the guards…

“Oh, Yoko,”

Kagome placed a hand on the kitsune's face, her smile both sorrowful and sympathetic. “It was a kind gesture, but they must have thought they would have been better rewarded for a kitsune thief than stolen treasures,”

“I realise that now,” Yoko said bitterly, “The most treasured prize of all- silver kitsune fur. It's quite ironic that the youkai who most are known for thieving possess the most wanted prize already,”

Kagome turned her gaze down to the skins they were sitting on. It really was gorgeous, she realised, as she ran her fingertips over the rippling fur. It wasn't only white, but had traces of silver and blue through it, and was so soothingly soft.

“So what did you do?”

Yoko sighed.

“Nothing- there was no need. My mother, you see, had a necklace just like yours. And now I will tell you the relevance of it through my story. You see, the act of combining the hair of the protector and the protected has been an age old kitsune technique. However I, at the time, like most kits my age knew of it, and so my mother devised a way of protecting me without my being able to rebel against her power. She took my hair and her own, and instead of winding it through my tail as was the custom, got a forger friend to melt them into a necklace. That way, I was none the wiser, yet she could keep an eye on me,”

Kagome held the rose her hand, her eyes shinning.

“So you gave me this so you could protect me? And you will always know where I am?”

“Hai,” Yoko smiled, continuing his story, “So when my mother came looking for me, and found me in the enclosure of the ningen, protected by some hundred guards, she got the whole family to help her retrieve me,”

Yoko looked down at the fur now, resting his hand on it sadly, “Though none made it back out alive. They sacrificed themselves for my sake, as the youngest member of the clan, the heir as it were. And though I escaped eventually, I later returned to retrieve the furs of my murdered clan,”

“Oh, Yoko,” Kagome said again. She pulled the kitsune into a hard embrace, which he took a while to return.

“So you see,” he said eventually, touching her face with his lips close to her ear,

“I don't want to lose anyone else close to me,”

Kagome smiled at him gently, touching her forehead to his.

“Arigato, Yoko. That's very sweet,”

The kitsune pulled her into his lap, nuzzling her neck lightly with his lips.

“Now, where were we before we were interrupted?”

Kagome blushed, her arms loosely tangled in Yoko's long, sleek hair.

“Yoko, I can't…I feel so bad…”

“Oh really,” the kitsune purred, slowly licking from her pulse point on her neck up to her chin, “Because from what the necklace was telling me, you felt ever so good…”

“N-nani?” Kagome stammered, squirming against his heated tongue.

Yoko's eyes were molten gold now, and he eased her onto the furs, crouching above her on all fours.

“What's wrong, vixen? Do you deny it?”

The short hairs of the fur bristled against Kagome's skin, softer than a whisper. She stared adamantly into the kitsune's eyes.

“What do you mean, from what the necklace was telling you? I thought it only told you where I was?”

“Not just that,” Yoko said silkily, letting his fingers skirt over her chest before reaching the white rose, “It also tells me your emotional state. Otherwise, how would I know if you were in danger?”

Kagome crossed her arms, still lying with Yoko above her.

“Well, I don't think I want you to know my emotional state 24/7! I need some privacy you know! Like it's not bad enough all you youkai have exceptional hearing and sense of smell…”

Yoko tilted his head, the phrase `24/7' confusing him, though he could clearly see the miko's annoyance. “You said it was sweet only a few seconds ago,” he interrupted.

Kagome ignored the feigned hurt in his tone, her fingertips tracing the chain,

“I feel like I'm tagged or something! It's not your place to know what emotions I feel, Yoko!”

The kitsune shrugged, sitting back on his heels. “Take it off, then. It's not like you're sealed for life,”

“I can?” Kagome stopped mid-ramble, fingering the chain. “It's not going to engulf me in that white light or something?”

“Of course not,” the kitsune said, seemingly plucking at his tunic as if he was bored, “I would never hurt you intentionally,”

Kagome bit her lip, suddenly feeling low and petty.

He's gone to all this trouble to get this necklace, told me about his painful childhood…and here I am, annoyed at him…

“So what if I take it off?” Kagome ventured, playing with the rose pendant,

“Have I got to be wearing it for you to feel anything?”

Yoko's ears flicked, and he stretched his arms.

“As long as it's touching your skin, my ki will be able to reach you and relay back to me,”

The kitsune slowly let his eyes drift over to the miko, who seemed to be in two minds about the necklace clasped in her hands.

“Even if you do take it off, vixen…there are plenty of other ways to track you,”

Kagome blinked, his voice suddenly dripping like honey into her ears. She began to shiver uncontrollably, and looked at Yoko in panic.

What's happening to me?

Kagome tried to get the words out, but her lips wouldn't move. Yoko ran his fingers through his hair, the sleek silver sheen making Kagome want to desperately want to feel it in her own fingers.

“Why don't you come closer?” Yoko asked, motioning to her with one delicate finger. Kagome wasn't planning on moving, but her body started to crawl on its own accord, padding across the fur towards the kitsune.

What's going on?? Is this the necklace too??

Once she reached the kitsune he smirked at her, holding her by the chin. Kagome wanted to struggle, but it was like her power over her own body had disappeared- she was mere puppet, and Yoko held the strings.

“Now,” Yoko said silky, and her whole body trembled at his words. To Kagome's horror, her hands began to move to his lower bodily region, tugging and pulling at his light white tunic.

A single fang protruded from Yoko's lips.

“Feisty, aren't we?”

Kagome couldn't believe it. She was literally peeling away the layers of Yoko's clothing, revealing more of his legs and thighs as she went, while the kitsune simply gazed down at her with lust laced eyes. Kagome felt perverted; almost as if she was pulling up a girl's skirt- it just felt so wrong in every way.

Stop it! Mou, why can't I do anything! Stop it, Yoko! Please!

Kagome managed to pull her gaze from Yoko's toned legs to his eyes, and she focused on them with all her will.

Please, Yoko, please! Stop it!

A soft, feminine giggle escaped Yoko's lips, sending tingles down from Kagome's scalp to her toes. Her hands were resting on his thighs, waiting to go further at his silent command.

“I'll wear it,”

It was a pleaded, strangled whisper, but Kagome managed it. The kitune grinned, moving his hands on top of hers and edging them ever slightly further up his legs.

“What was that, vixen?”

“I'll wear it!”

Kagome panted, the sheer effort of forcing out the words leaving her exhausted. Yoko smirked, teasing her hair through his hands.

“That's what I thought,”

As quick as it had came, Kagome felt her body return to her, like being pulled suddenly from underwater. She gulped in oxygen as if she had really been submerged, her chest heaving. Yoko giggled like a naughty schoolgirl, and Kagome whacked away his hand, shoving him hard. The kitsune tumbled onto the furs on his back, really going for it now. The sound of his laughter echoed in the cave, and Kagome had to struggle not to smile.

“Baka no kitsune!”

Yoko crawled over to her, his eyes shinning. “You did well, miko. No one has ever managed to talk before during the kitsune seduction,”

“Is that what it was?” Kagome asked, irritated. “There was no need for that, you know!”

“I know,” Yoko smirked, crawling over the miko again, “But seeing you so powerless was so alluring…”

 

Ah, don't shout at me yet!! There's another chappy!!