Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Par Tout Autre Nom ❯ First Chance at a Second Impression ( Chapter 27 )

Disclaimers: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho belong respectively to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi.

A/N: GYAH! -falls over and watches soul leave her body- I can't believe it… the harder I try to keep them on track, the more they fight me to do their own thing. They're running away with the plot, and I can't do anything but type out what the characters are whispering to my poor abused head. -siiiiiigh- Kazusa's going to kill me… but I have to give double thanks to Sylvannstar and Bluenote for listening to me gripe and moan about my concerns.

To my beloved junkies and reviewers, I simply adore you. -bows and blows kisses- and yes, I love to hear the rants and rambles telling me what you like and what you think about the story. Be patient, it will all clear up in time, but I promise we're starting to get into the guts of the thing. You're wonderful and fabulous, and I know you'd rather be reading, so have at it. ^__~

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By Any Other Name

~First Chance at a Second Impression~

Shinju lifted a hand to hide his laugh when Kurama practically dragged Kagome out of the enchanted lift, closely followed by his three companions as they glared at it with suspicious revulsion, "Aren't you four a little too experienced to be wary of inanimate objects?"

That thing is not inanimate, Hiei shot the human boy a glare that -to his supreme irritation- only earned him one of the peaceful smiles he was beginning to hate. There was just no way in any of the layers of hells that one person could be that calm and unruffled by everything around them, it wasn't natural, especially in a human.

"Fucking thing tried to eat us!" Yuusuke shouted at him so forcefully, they half expected to see Shinju's hair flutter back like some sort of comic, but that smile stayed completely unchanged on his face. "You think that's funny?!"

"My apologies for neglecting to seal the floor of our compartment, I was distracted with other things," he lifted one hand in a blessing pose that looked grossly out of place with the ancient taijiya garments and the massive boomerang strapped to his back. "However, you are unharmed, are you not?"

`That shade of red looks quite unhealthy on human skin,' Youko commented thoughtfully when the muscle spasmed in Yuusuke's jaw from how hard he was clenching it, obviously trying without much success to retrain his formidable temper at the distinct edge of taunting to that question.

"I don't think I'm ever going to get the feel of that creepy shit off," Kurabara was bemoaning his state with a rather sour expression, leaning back against the wall and scrubbing at his leg through his pants to illustrate his comment. "What the hell was it?!"

"Primordial ooze," Shinju schooled his expression into perfect stoicism, lacing his fingers together and lowering them as though centering himself as his eyes closed in feigned respect. "Ow!" he winced, automatically lifting his foot when Kagome stepped on his toes hard in reprimand.

"Enough, Shinju," she rolled her eyes, starting to raise her hand to rake through her hair in nervous habit when the weight and resistance reminded her of the kitsune who had yet to give up the appendage. She gave him a half-hearted glare, fully anticipating that flash of his "harmless," charismatic smile before sighing and doing her best to ignore him when she answered Yuusuke, "It's a simple defense, like a youkai version of a flytrap, but it should have been dormant."

"As in not turning the floor into jelly and crawling up our legs," his eyebrow twitched as he shot another scowl filled with menace at the smiling boy.

"Something like that," she nodded and bit her lip to hide a giggle at the curses spilling out of his mouth. Something about this… it almost feels like a homecoming. No matter how much I try and tell myself Sesshoumaru's right about them. That they could hurt us, or cause us too much trouble… They… they relax me somehow.

Kagome jolted a bit in surprise when her hand was released, only for Kurama to cup her face and turn it towards him, thumb tracing gently over her lower lip to free it from her teeth as those jewel-bright emerald eyes captured her gaze, "Where did you go, honey?"

Confused, she blinked and tilted her head slightly to one side, not noticing the way his hand tightened on her chin when she realized Shinju was looking at her in concern while the others frowned in restrained curiosity, Oh damn. "Did I miss something?" she tried to brush it off, finding her backwards retreat blocked by his free hand splaying restrictively across her lower back.

"You zoned out and got white," Yuusuke explained when Kurama stayed silent, looking her over with a rapid sort of thorough precision that put her distinctly in mind of Sesshoumaru. "You okay?"

Kagome glanced over to Shinju for verification and caught his tight nod before she shook her head and tried to dispel their concern, "I'm just a little more tired than I thought, I guess. Haven't been sleeping well lately," she turned a pointed look on Kurama at that remark, trying to switch the focus to his misconduct rather than her momentary lapse.

`We can have her sleeping like a kit in an hour,' Youko drawled out, voice thick and eager with suggestion. `Maybe two… not too soon, but I suppose we can go easy on her the first time if she's still tired.'

Two hours is going easy on her? Kurama took a deep breath, keeping his face and eyes clear of the thoughts Youko was cheerfully running through their head on the heels of that claim.

The smile Youko impressed on him at the question was downright wicked, `Never let it be said I'm not indulgent or understanding to my lovers. I can make allowances for her body until she's built up the stamina to handle me.'

Us, Youko, dammit stop forgetting I'm in here too just because you start getting a little excited, Kurama grumbled in annoyance at the plotting kitsune.

`You have troubles staying on your feet once we get past a certain level of arousal,' Youko turned his nose up primly. `Or have you forgotten that I have to take over to keep you from embarrassing yourself? You're too shy.'

I am not shy, he gritted out, unconsciously stroking the hand on her back up and down in a slow, lazy circle as much to soothe himself on a basic level as it was to calm her tension. You're just unnatural to find so much enjoyment out of that kind of pain.

Youko sighed and shook his head, `I can't believe you refuse to acknowledge the exquisite beauty of those sensations. There are so many less appealing ways to be in pain, but you still-`

"Dammit, they're still alive? What happened, Kagome-sama?" Kurama snapped out of his thoughts when that same voice from their last jaunt through the youkai filled room carried to his ears. "Are you all right? Did something happen? Do you want us to kill them?"

"I'm fine, Kouryuu-chan," she hurried to lift a hand and stop the dragon before he could really get going, smiling at the worried look on his handsome face as it turned into accusing scowls at the man holding her with such familiarity. "Sesshoumaru-sama has granted them admittance to the Western Lands, at least temporarily, so you can't kill them yet."

She didn't speak his name so formally before… but Takashima does it the other way, I wonder why? Hiei pointed out, frowning as he regarded the way the youkai all seemed to be growing anxious, shifting their weight and muscles held taut as their eyes continuous darted over the four of them. Only to rest the longest and with the heaviest emotions on Kurama, more specifically, where his hands prevented Kagome from moving away from him, Fox-

I feel them, Kurama cut him off softly, still refusing to give up his hold and even giving her a tug that had her stumbling back against his chest with a faint squeak of surprise.

Kouryuu had shot forward the instant she stumbled, grabbing onto her arm with a flash of panic in his eyes that turned immediately to embarrassment after a pregnant moment of frozen silence with Kagome resting wide-eyed against the kitsune's chest and the latter regarding him with narrowed warning, "A-ah… I'm sorry, Kagome-sama. It's just-!"

What the hell? Hiei scowled, twisted around and taking in the expressions surrounding them. They're afraid? What did you do?

`That was more than afraid,' Youko corrected with a mental shake of his head. `That was like he thought we were going to tear out her heart and start eating it in front of him. He was plain fucking terrified.'

Of what though? Kurama's brow furrowed, uncomfortable with the uncertainty of their surroundings and instinctively tucking Kagome closer to him in a gesture that was equally protective and possessive. What could have them so on edge in their own den?

`It's all of us, you idiots,' Youko rolled his eyes, making Kurama's fingers tingle as he exerted his control to find the slits running the sides of her kimono and just barely grazing their fingertips over her skin. `But mostly us, if you care to be technical. They're looking at us and the way we're holding Kagome, Kurama, don't be dense. They don't like it.'

That's putting it ridiculously mildly, Hiei snorted, unable to push down his own anxiety at the battle-ready auras he couldn't feel, but could definitely see on the faces surrounding them the longer Kagome's shoulder rested against Kurama's chest. If she twitched the wrong way, I think they would try to kill us to the last one. But why? She's a miko and these are all youkai-

Kagome's soft laugh cut through the sudden tension, her eyes bright as she reached out and patted the youkai on the head comfortingly, "I'm not that tired, didn't Sesshoumaru-sama stop and tell you some of what happened? Or make Shippou do it at least?"

Kouryuu shook his head rapidly, eyes continuously darting to Kurama's face and away as though still uncertain as to whether he should be relaxing around this person, but wanting to speak with her, "We barely had time open the door for him. He was… very angry, and Shippou… didn't look very approachable either."

"Is anyone dead?" Kagome frowned, pushing herself back up away from Kurama and giving him a distracted pat when he tried to tighten his hold to keep her where she was. If he hadn't been so curious about the discussion, or distracted by watching for any impending attacks from the tense youkai around them, he might have bent her over the nearest horizontal surface and kissed her senseless, just to show he wouldn't accept any patronizing consoling touches of that sort…

`I'm holding onto that fantasy for later.'

You do that.

"Not yet," the dragon turned his own narrowed scarlet eyes on the strangers, lip curling up in disgust as he relaxed enough to whine to her again. "C'mon, Kagome-sama, they're supposed to be dead by now! Let us eat them a little? Please?"

Shinju was back to snickering behind his hand at the disbelief on Kagome's face, almost turning into something much louder when she managed to twist around to face the dragon. She'd pressed her hands on her hips while Kurama simply modified his hold with an arm snugly wrapped around her waist to pull her back against him, the other crossing her chest to curl over her shoulder and effectively cage her in while she spoke as though nothing out of the ordinary was occurring, "Kurama has cut a deal with Sesshoumaru-sama, Ryuu-chan, and you're still trying to eat them?"

"A… deal?" the youkai frowned in open suspicion, glancing around him to the others to see all the attention was quite obviously turning to the young monk in demanding accusation. "What kind of deal?"

"One that means you aren't allowed to keep me away from Kagome," Kurama cut in with a deceptively calm voice, meeting the startled eyes of this Kouryuu over her shoulder as he dipped his chin to rest on it. "Ever," he felt Youko smile through him, scraping his lip on the point of a fang as his eyes flashed in mocking challenge before he pulled him back under control.

Kagome sighed, closing her eyes as she lifted her hand up and covered his face with her palm to give him a shove backwards irritably, "You're just as bad as Sesshoumaru-sama-" her expression turned almost comically shocked when his tongue snaked wetly across her palm. "Kurama! You-!"

"They have agreed to ask no questions of our origins," Shinju interrupted when he saw the color flood into her cheeks, reaching out to grasp her wrist and giving it a tug to convince her to let go of the kitsune's hair when he noticed a familiar gleam lighting those emerald eyes. "Sesshoumaru-sama has ordered every one of us who knows anything of the past and the stories of the Shikon-no-Tama to say nothing. In exchange for allowing Youko Kurama to present himself to Kagome-sama."

`Spoilsport… she was just begging to get kissed until he ruined the moment,' Youko pouted while still keeping careful watch on the stunned faces around them now that the monk had so casually made that announcement.

You licked her, Kurama was trapped somewhere between awe and mortification, not entirely certain how exactly he should react to that little stunt, but unable to deny he'd been any less enchanted by the way her eyes had flashed with what he would swear was blue fire while that lovely pink color splashed across her face.

`Couldn't resist.'

You didn't even try, he felt his eyebrow try to twitch and drew in a calming breath to stop it, slanting his eyes to Kagome's profile to help settle his agitation, softening with a sort of pride at the fact that she was no longer trying to move away from his arms.

`Why should I? She put it up there,' Youko would have been pointing were he not too busy trying to show that he was bored by the censure he had decided was pointless and undeserved. `You liked how she tasted too. Hurry up and get us out of here, we still need to get her in private and see how long it takes until we can be lick-`

Not here! Kurama cut him off rapidly before the overzealous kitsune could imagine them into an incredibly uncomfortable situation. Goddammit, Youko, you can't do that in public!

`Pansy little born-again virgin.'

I stopped falling for that in middle school, you impossible fucker, Kurama ground his teeth together hard.

Ahhh, so that's how he did it, Hiei made a sound of discovery that held more than a little promise threaded into it to assure Kurama it was a piece of information he planned to tuck away until it could be most effectively used to make his life hell. You never did answer me whenever I asked.

I hope you choke on your own tongue and die naked on the floor of Kurabara's bedroom, Kurama's lip curled up for just a moment in a snarl before he settled his expression back to something more neutral for the human boy's sudden, searching look.

"Pre…present?" Kouryuu's eyes had gone almost completely round, his mouth falling open as realization deepened that scarlet to almost black as he gasped that out and ended what was prime to turn into a knockdown-drag-out insult battle after that little gem. "As in… `present' as in offering for her? That kind of presenting?"

Youko snickered in delight at the murmuring that started around them, forgetting all about his thoughts of animosity, `Oh they're not happy hearing that at all.'

Sadistic bastard, Hiei folded his arms over his chest, grateful that Yuusuke and Kurabara were intelligent enough to recognize the potential danger of their current situation and staying relatively quiet. You would be relaxed to find out that you're causing pain and anguish in your pursuits.

`They deserve it, Hiei, for trying to hide her away from me-us,' he added on when he felt Kurama start to correct him. `They're going to get used to seeing her with me, whether they like it or not.'

Shinju sighed and nodded, reaching back to absently brush his fingertips over the Hiraikotsu when he noted the kitsune's hand had inched up a little higher than it should have on her ribs, "Kurama has voiced his intentions to become Kagome-sama's lover to Sesshoumaru-sama."

They really have their moments where they don't mince words, don't they? Kurama wanted to wince at the blunt statement, but refrained when he felt more than one set of furious eyes snap back to him.

`It's a tell,' Youko beat Hiei to speaking, not really interested in what the hybrid had to add to Kurama's observation just yet. `We'll have to be around him more to be certain, but if my instincts are not failing me, it's a sign that he feels frustrated or out of control.'

Since you're too wrapped up in clinging to the miko to notice his eyes get dark every time your hands tighten, Hiei still managed to get in his dig, inwardly smirking at the silent growl he received for that roundabout suggestion the kitsune was being unobservant. He doesn't like you holding her so close to you.

`That's just too damn bad, now isn't it?' Youko snorted, not in the least bit impressed or put off. `They're all delusional if they think their disapproval is going to push me away.'

Kurama sighed, rubbing his cheek up against hers and smiling faintly when he felt the shiver run through her body, not even the elbow she brought back into his stomach dampening his pleasure, They'll see soon enough.

That fighting you only makes your obsession that much stronger? Hiei quirked an eyebrow, glancing aside when he caught a flash of light off metal and settling down when he identified it as a simple chair rather than a weapon. Being that you are a demented kitsune and all-

We are not demented, Kurama protested.

`And you'll know it if we're actually obsessed with something,' Youko turned his nose up arrogantly.

Oh? What do you call this single-minded focus to get this girl then? Hiei inquired in a carefully bland tone.

`Perhaps a fixation… yes, that will do for now,' he nodded to himself in satisfaction. `We are fixated.'

This time Hiei did roll his eyes, There are times, Fox, that I am in awe over the fact that you have lived as long as you have.

`I'm going to pretend that was meant as a compliment, and that way I won't have to stop holding my lover just to teach you a lesson in respecting your elders, hybrid,' Youko pivoted to turn Kagome just out of reach when the dragon tried to touch her again, leveling a warning scowl on the youkai to suggest he not try that again.

Kouryuu's mouth had opened and closed several times, obviously trying to work himself up to saying something in regards to the information Shinju had just given out until there was a choked sound somewhere behind him. Kurama's brows drew together in a frown, straightening to search out its source when the choke changed into a snort and a loud thump followed by those sounds degenerating into loud peals of laughter.

Kagome let out a groan, lifting one hand to cover her eyes as another and another voice rose to join with that one, rubbing at her temples to ease the growing ache, "One of these days, I'm going to kill that girl."

Kouryuu had already turned away from them, his expression nervous and hands up in a placating gesture as he darted over to peer over the edge of a desk to speak with whoever it was laughing on the floor, "Ah… Souten-chan… I-I don't think you should be laughing right now…"

"So kitsune!" the aforementioned Souten choked out around her laughter to the increasing chagrin of the dragon hovering over her desk, trying unsuccessfully to settle her amusement. "Oh gods! It's so goddamn fucking kitsune that it's killing me! No wonder Shippou was-!"

Kagome cleared her thought distinctly, determined to ignore the color seeped more steadily into her cheeks as she tried to take a step towards the laughing youkai only to grind her teeth together when her `attachment' still refused to let go, "You can stop now, Kurama."

"I'm afraid I can't," he murmured gently in her ear, nuzzling her hair and smirking when he finally detected her faint scent. "I've been waiting a very long time to have you so close to me that the very thought of letting go brings me pain."

Souten sounded like she was choking on her renewed laughter, and even some of the other youkai were suddenly lifting their hands to hide growing smiles when Kagome looked up at the ceiling as though appealing to some higher being for help, "Sweet-talking me is not going to help you." I hope… Gods, that would be embarrassing. I am too old, and too experienced to fall for that kind of thing anymore, aren't I?

`Liar,' Youko made a clucking sound of disapproval. `All lovers like to be sweet-talked, especially girls.'

There was a short beat of silence in their head before Kurama managed, If I try not to think too hard about that statement, I think I may be able to go on living peacefully another day.

`Hiei doesn't count,' Youko flicked a hand dismissively, ignoring his sputtering other half as he continued to turn his plans over in his head. `Not in the conventional sense, anyhow… you have to praise him about death and destruction and-`

Kagome simultaneously closed her hands over his wrists and squeezed, ducking and twisting out from under his arms before he could refocus enough to realize he'd been outmaneuvered in his uncharacteristic moment of inattention, "Now then-"

Yuusuke's sudden laughter had her jolting in surprise, eyes wide and startled before changing to confusion that he made an effort to wave off, "You… Sesshoumaru said you had experience… with kitsune."

If anything the frown deepened, especially when Shinju lifted a hand to hide his own suspicious snort, "Yes… I've been taking care of kitsune since I was a kid. Why? What does that have to do with anything?"

"He has never seen Kurama evaded," Hiei supplied for her in a subdued voice to hide his own amusement, willing to speak with this miko if only in trade for the long list of entertainments she was slowly racking up for him. "Not to mention the ease you seemed to have in doing so."

"Practice," Kagome brushed it off, uncomfortable with the praise and turning to see to Souten rather than admitting to that in mixed company.

I have decided to like this miko.

I've decided not to hope for your death on Kurabara's floor, Kurama set his jaw and scowled at the hybrid darkly under the laughter making his claret eyes shine. Instead I will make sacrifices of every imaginable kind in the hopes that a bored god up there will take pity and chain you to his bed after a night of heavy drinking to let nature and hormones take their course while you lie helpless and trapped.

`Preferably gagged,' Youko added darkly. `With video equipment to capture your everlasting torture.'

It's good to see you embracing your role as the depraved, hopeless pervert you are for once, Hiei grinned wickedly for a split second before it settled back to indifference. But really, if you find yourself so consumed with thoughts of that human boy, it's in poor taste to use me in an effort to get to him.

Your head remains through our good graces alone at suggesting we would ever lower ourselves to someone of Kurabara's charisma, Kurama's spine went rigid with full blown kitsune arrogance, eyes dark with his displeasure. Or intelligence. I am a highly selective lover.

Hiei turned to face him, one corner of his lips kicking up and eyes shrewd as he drawled out, Mean to say "we?"

Kurama's eyes flashed, widening in alarm even as Youko let out a low, dangerous chuckle, but said nothing.

"I consider this karmic retribution for all the laughs I got dating Shippou!" Souten was declaring loudly, one finger visible over the desk where she had pointed it straight up in the air while Kagome and Kouryuu leaned around it to peer down at her. "Finally someone else will feel my pain!"

Kouryuu's shoulders slumped and he seemed to be talking more to himself than anyone else when he murmured, "It finally pushed her over the edge."

"Kitsune overload," Shinju nodded in commiseration.

"If you're telling that damn story again, I'm going to make good on my threat and burn off your eyebrows, Shinju," Shippou's voice drew their eyes to the main doorway, human illusion back in place and looking considerably better since their last view of him despite the glazed, pupil-less eye that showed his sight had yet to recover from Sesshoumaru's poison. He stuffed one hand down the pocket of his dark jeans, making a motion with his head as he growled out, "C'mon. Big Dog wants `em out and told me to make sure you ate lunch, Nee-san."

"Oh yes… go to lunch with two of them, Kagome-sama," Souten's voice took on a taunting, rather evil note that would have done her brothers proud right before she dissolved back into gales of laughter that had Kouryuu wincing and giving the miko an apologetic look.

Kagome was back to rubbing her head, muttering a few choice words under her breath that had the youkai closest to her smiling suddenly and chuckling as they reached out to offer comforting pats. Sighing, she waved them away, but smiled to show her appreciation as she turned on her heel and stalked to the door, "You'd better have replaced those pants with something I can wear, Shippou."

"You stole them from me, I just took them back," he patted his hips and grinned at her, but kept his eyes on the four men watching the exchange with interest. "Besides, you can always wear the kimono."

She grabbed his ear and yanked it down to whisper before sweeping out towards the locker rooms, "If it's a fuku, I'm killing you."

"Heh," Shippou reached up to rub the back of his head as he watched her go before abruptly snapping his hand out against the doorjamb just in time to block Kurama's pursuit. "She's changing. She'll meet us outside, but you are not following her into the lockers."

Kurama scowled at him, giving that arm a pointed look before letting his stance deceptively relax, I hate it when they're actually worth respecting.

`Business and pleasure are forever separate, Kurama,' Youko reminded him with a careless shrug. `And there are plenty of people we respect that we don't like. We'll just add him to the list… Right up at the top with Hiei.'

I told you that you held petty grudges, and what the hell is it about kitsune and making threats that involve losing hair? Hiei frowned as he demanded.

Both Youko and Kurama blinked at him as though honestly confused about the question before they glanced at Shippou as though dying to include him in some private joke before Youko remarked, `What could be worse than losing your hair?'

Not to mention some kitsune store their ki in it, Kurama expounded when he sensed the snide comment the hybrid was about to send their way. It's… instinctual. Cutting off hair is grave insult, a blow to the pride. It's the best way to shame and weaken a cowardly opponent.

Hiei blinked, disrupted from the remark about their shallowness at the deeper meaning Kurama implied and turning a thoughtful stare on Shippou's own illusion shortened hair, I wonder if that's why he shortens it…? Next time we fight I'll go for his hair and see.

Youko snickered, `Ah… young love.'

Stuff it, Fox.

`Time and place,' he winked at Hiei just to see those unique eyes narrow in disgust.

"So what are we're allowed to ask you?" Yuusuke interrupted their internal byplay, shouldering Kurama aside more forcefully than necessary to show the kitsune he was still pissed off over this turn of events before folding his arms to glare at the investigator.

Shippou blinked, reaching up absently to rub his eye as he shrugged and turned with an absent gesture for them to follow, "Nothing about where we came from, or about anything that we know to be truth in those legends besides what you already know. And before you ask, yes, we've read what Reikai has in regards to the Shikon-no-Tama, so we know if you've overstepped the bounds. Big Dog said that if we tell you to drop it, you have to drop it or he'll put his foot down. And trust me… you don't want to see that."

Yuusuke's eyes followed his hand down to where it was gingerly pressed to his side, guessing that the gaping hole they'd seen before had yet to heal completely and wincing slightly in sympathy, "That kinda thing normal?"

He glanced back, brows lifted and waiting for the door to slam shut behind them with a sense of finality before he answered, "Not so much anymore, but his training has always been on the extreme side. Doesn't matter if you're on his side, youkai, hanyou, or human, he's fucking brutal."

"Why can't we feel anything?!" Kurabara recovered enough at that slam to shout out that demand, ignoring the varying degrees of amusement and chagrin in the expressions around him as he advanced with one fist raised at the youkai in front of them. "I saw it with my own eyes, but… but there's nothing!"

Shippou tilted his head, not looking the least bit concerned by the threatening actions as he seemed to ponder for a moment and come to a decision, "I guess that's harmless enough."

"What is?" Yuusuke's head whipped around, reflexively tensing at the suggestion they were about to get something new.

"This," Shippou dug around in his shirt and pulled out the simple chin, holding it up to show them the chunk of a black stone caged in with finely woven silver. "It's a piece of the Fuyouheki… a stone we discovered that completely conceals youki no matter how weak or how strong it is. All of us have some of it, and we never take it off. Easy as that."

Easy, he says, Hiei bit back a growl. Those things were legends in themselves, and no one was ever rumored to have found one. Let alone one large enough to disperse amongst a group this size.

It is an easy explanation though, Kurama pointed out as Shippou turned his back on them, whistling tunelessly and walked back the way they had first entered. Barely feasible, but easy. Who the hell are these youkai?!

`They're youkai who grew up in times when legends were born, Kurama, just like us,' Youko let out a self-deprecating laugh, senses open and alert as he let his eyes take in the building and the workers curiously staring at them from behind tinted windows and concealing corners. `We've been looking at this the wrong way.'

What the hell are you babbling about now? Hiei demanded, dragging his feet as his instincts demanded he break away from this kit and explore the headquarters of Takeharuka more completely.

`Well, think about it,' Youko lounged back in their head, folding his arms and giving off an air of importance. `We've been looking at all this from our perspective… seeing youkai running a modern human business and defending themselves against the intruders who could ruin their hard work.'

So?

`This is a kingdom,' Youko breathed out softly, motioning around expansively and grinning when Hiei stopped walking and stared at them like they'd lost their minds. `Don't look at me like that, hybrid, you know I'm right. This… all this humanity is the façade. They aren't defending their place in this society, they're defending the Western Lands. We're an invading army come to break apart the structure and scatter them about, or kill them in the process.'

Hiei shook his head grudgingly, That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard… but I can see what you're talking about, he cut in before the kitsune could defend his words. I told you that I'll follow your lead for now, and if that's how you think this is playing, that's how we'll run it until you fuck it up.

Where does Kagome fit in? Kurama frowned, sweeping his senses out through the massive foyer in a futile effort to locate her trail as he mulled over Youko's working observation.

`Spoils of war,' Youko's smile was razor-edged. `Our lover holds substantial placement in his family, and that makes her practically royalty, broken miko or not. I win her, and he can't force us out. It weakens his position.'

You're enjoying this, Hiei shook his head, giving up on satisfying his need to search their surrounds for now, but promising himself that he would before they were done with this twisted mess.

`Absolutely!' Youko chirped out in unrestrained glee. `This is the best kind of puzzle! It's layered and ancient… purely youkai. I never thought we'd be able to get ourselves in the middle of this again, and especially not for such an excellent reason.'

You call a lover an excellent reason? Hiei turned a dry look on the faintly smiling kitsune.

`Desire is the purest reason there is,' he ran his tongue over his teeth, pausing on a fang. `We want what he has control of: our lover. We'll win in the end, but the game… the game is half the fun, Hiei. I need that girl.'

We need that girl, Kurama echoed softly, closing his eyes for a moment and taking a deep breath of the air when the glass doors parted to lead them back outside to the bustling streets of the city.

Hiei came to a complete stop this time, his expression carefully schooled to hide the complete awe that struck his mind under the raw emotion that had filled that simple statement, Kurama-

`We want her to look at us… only us and burn inside,' Youko wrapped his arms around their soul, eyes closed with Kurama as he rested his face alongside his other half and dropped his voice to a deep, seductive timbre. `It's growing inside us… every time we look at her eyes, feel her skin against ours, it's growing.'

We want to possess everything about her, Kurama whispered.

`We want to keep her for ourselves,' Youko continued without missing a beat. `Everything she is, everything that makes her… until the end of time.'

Hiei swallowed, suddenly unsure of how to approach this situation as his eyes reflected his concern, You're losing it, Fox. You said yourself if was a fixation, you need to back off before this turns into something else.

They're trying to steal her from me, Hiei.

`Us.'

Us, he dipped his head to allow Youko's growled correction. I can't… I don't know how to explain it to you, but the more time passes, the more furious it makes me. I… We need her to love us. Only us. We won't be satisfied until we have her soul in our hands.

Hiei was silent for a breath and finally cleared his throat to grit out in disapproval, Kitsune love-

I am a kitsune, Kurama opened one eye, peering at him from the corner. Why should I deny what everything in me is telling me that I am? When the intensity of this need and these feelings feel natural?

Because they're going to get you killed, Hiei pointed out gravely. We can walk away from this still, Kurama. Call it instincts or whatever the fuck you want, but if we don't get out now, we aren't going to be able to. I can feel that.

`We aren't going anywhere,' Youko answered calmly, wrapping his arms tighter around Kurama's soul and tucking it back against him. `We will have her, in every way. Kagome is going to belong to us no matter what they do to try and take her away.'

Kurama felt a chill run down his spine, opening his eyes to see Shippou staring at him, eyes intense and unblinking as they cut deep into him, giving off every impression that on some level he understood what was going on silently between the two of them, "Problems, kit?"

Shippou's eyes narrowed, one hand resting on his hip as he shook his head and turned to scowl off into the woods, "You have no idea what you're trying to get yourself involved with, so I don't expect much from you, but don't patronize me."

Kurama was aware of his companions going still, their own instincts too highly developed after all they'd been through not to notice the chill that filled the air, "Oh?"

Shippou turned an arch look at him over his shoulder, the stripes on his cheeks flashing in and out again as his lips curved up in a smile that was no more than a show of fangs, "I'm not as young as I look, remember? And I'm a full blood, just like you. No matter what stories you tell them, I know what's going on."

Youko's eyes narrowed, widening their stance to something more casually aggressive, suggesting they would be ready for anything he attempted to do, `Ahhh… I was expecting this.'

What the hell is he talking about? Hiei demanded tersely, hands curling into loose fists at the hum of rising youki curling up around his friend.

"Avatar," Shippou made the word sound like a curse before giving a short, humorless laugh and raking a hand through his hair, the smile on his face cold and threatening.

Kurama went still, folding his arms over his chest with slow precision and arching one eyebrow to challenge him to continue.

"She told me about her dreams."

Emerald eyes shifted instantly to gold and narrowed to dangerous slits.

"She won't tell Sesshoumaru, because she knows he'd lock her up in the main house until you disappeared… and gods help me, she's attached to your fucking plant even if she doesn't want to be," his expression tightened with his impatience. "But I know what you're trying to do."

Kurama's own smile was tight, "I see." A main house…

Kurama-

This is entirely a kitsune matter, Hiei, don't interrupt, he cut him off in clipped tones, attention never leaving the youkai in front of him.

"Stay out of her head or I'll kill you," Shippou let the growl almost completely overtake his voice, eyes flashing deep red before he let them settle back to the more sedate blue. "Your agreement was made with Sesshoumaru, but I'm warning you now, she was mine before she was his, and the same rules you have from him don't apply with me."

`Sonofabitch.'

Shippou stalked forward, not at all daunted at having to lean up slightly to whisper his next words barely an inch away from the older kitsune's face, "My sister and all our secrets will be protected, and I play by kitsune rules. I won't let you break what she's fought so hard to become, what we've fought so long to protect."

"You can't stop me from winning her," Kurama replied evenly, ignoring the gazes of the others burning into the back of his head.

"And that is why you can't have her," Shippou leaned back, flashing his fangs again with a mocking salute.

"Enlighten me."

He stuffed his hands down in his pockets, cocking his head to one side before he looked past Kurama to where he could see Kagome speaking with the men at the security booth, a smile softening his features unconsciously, "Because it's so much more than a game, Youko Kurama… It always has been. And there are always youkai like you, but no matter how many come, or how hard they fight us, there is no room in our family for them."

Shippou brushed past him without looking at him again, smirking when the others parted to clear his path to the doors where he waited patiently for Kagome to finish and join him outside.

Kurama turned and stared after him, eyes shuttered and full of shadows until Yuusuke shifted his weight and murmured in a particularly subdued voice, "I… How did you know?"

"Know?" confused at the question, he momentarily took his eyes off the kitsune to frown at Yuusuke's tense expression.

He raked a hand through his hair, pausing with his fingers hopelessly tangled in the dark strands as he blew out a heavy breath and expounded, "I think… I think you were right. Choosing her, I mean, over the legend. Why else would they be so angry?"

Kurama's eyes filled with understanding and he nodded, turning to watch Kagome smile at Shippou before he tugged her along towards the shopping district, "You forget, Yuusuke, and so does he. This is a game…"

`But now we're playing by our rules,' Youko felt his soul warm, flexing his presence against the confines of their body as the foliage around them rippled and bowed towards him ever so slightly under that flash of power, responding to the call of his youki.

"And I'm playing for keeps," his hair flashed silver for a split second in the afternoon sun before returning to the deep blood-red they had grown accustomed to as he pivoted on his heel and followed.