Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Par Tout Autre Nom ❯ Divide and Falter ( Chapter 43 )

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

A/N: Ahhhh, the joys of working in client-based environments (in other words, new clients or status changes translate into a sudden immediate need for full attention at irregular intervals). Hopefully the worst is past and I can return to having my morning or evening relatively free. LOL! -crosses fingers- Also! Going back through a few older chapters (thanks to my darling Kazusa and few sharp-eyed readers like CCT) and discovered some minor edits occurring thanks to the borrowed spellchecker I used in the beginning. -kisses repaired computer with correct entries enthusiastically- Not to mention a few "fingers functioning at twice the speed of brain" moments. -mutters to self irritably- So if a few chapter dates change, it means that the mistakes bothered me too much to let stand, and I fixed them. (BTW, that part you mentioned CCT, was a total brain-to-fingers moment, it's now fixed.)

-leans back and stretches to pop stubborn work-stiffness- Now then, I know I haven't been online much lately, and I sadly miss interacting with my chat buddies, but as ever… To all of you, my friends, junkies, reviewers, readers… You are all wonderful and I enjoy reading your thoughts more than I can say. Special thanks to those of you who have your eye out for mistakes I make when I'm in a hurry to post, or just plain spacing out. -super glomps and kisses- You make me feel so loved!

<~*~*~*~>

By Any Other Name

~<:Divide and Falter:>~

Shinju couldn't help but smile when he felt the familiar hand brush against his back, obediently shifting his stance against the doorway to the training hall to make room for his mother to oversee the class with him, "I assume it went well?"

"As well as I expected," Kagome nodded, reaching up to habitually brush his hair out of his eyes before leaning her shoulder against the vacated frame to find the amusing sight of Kurama demonstrating throws with the "help" of a loudly protesting Shippou. "It's so natural for him to control his youki against volatile spikes that he barely noticed the way he'd been adjusting to what I left behind. Not to mention they seem to like him, so they haven't been as harsh as they can be."

He nodded, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye to see the way her entire demeanor softened the longer she watched the grappling kitsunes, "You mentioned they like the powerful ones, and Shippou says the dragon attack Hiei used against the youkai and portal that day was highly impressive."

Kagome's lips quirked when Shippou twisted around to avoid a kick and used a move that was purely his own design to knock Kurama onto his back, "They liked the feel of it, and the sheer strength of the jyaki even without our amplification. It doesn't surprise me that they're eager to play nice with him so they can lock in that talent for themselves."

"Three moves and they're in a free-brawl," Shinju wagered without the slightest change of inflection for the shift in topics.

"I give it two," she folded her arms over her chest when the children seemed to come to a silent agreement that the instruction was about to turn into a much more interesting demonstration. They darted back to give the kitsunes more room as an affectionate smile crossed her lips at the way the students all piled together to have the best view. To the last one they were leaning forward eagerly and staying perfectly silent just in case a stray noise could put an end to the match, "Shippou's still bitter about what the roses did to his pants."

"And Kurama?" Shinju turned to her, folding his hands up into his sleeves as he bit back his own chuckle at the hush that had descended on his students.

Kagome pasted on an innocent expression, "What makes you think I would know why Kurama would be eager to fight with Shippou?"

"If you think making such a face will work on me, Kaa-san, you are expending far too much energy adjusting to that hybrid," he sent her an arch look, but his lips still twitched upwards in amusement. "I inherited that face."

Kagome smiled softly, reaching up to brush the back of her fingers across his cheek as she corrected in a whisper, "You inherited your father's version, Shinju, and it's better than mine ever was."

Shinju smiled, reaching up to clasp her hand, "Flattering me so blatantly by comparing me with my great ancestor will not dissuade me from focusing on my answer as it would another of weaker bloodlines."

She had to bite back a laugh along with the urge to point out just how very much like Miroku he did sound at that moment, but in the end, kept it to herself. Shinju laced their fingers together, smiling gently when she gave him a squeeze, but allowed their joined hands fall back to a relaxed position between them, I knew they would follow in his footsteps. So much of him is there, the way they move and speak… But they look at me through the eyes I gave them.

Shaking off the sudden pang of melancholy that touched her heart, Kagome turned her gaze back in time to see Kurama catch the foot Shippou had aimed at his head and use it to send the younger kitsune flying as she answered, "I would say frustration, mostly. Shippou is close to me, and he has answers to questions Kurama doesn't even know to ask us."

The corner of Shinju's lips quirked up in wry amusement, opening his mouth to point out what she had left out of that observation when an unexpected voice beat him to it, "Kurama is still holding a grudge over the insults Takashima has inflicted on his `perfect self' in their previous encounters. He is also jealous of his familiarity and reciprocated affection with you, miko, as you are well aware."

Shinju did let a full smile cross his face this time when he caught the pink darkening along her cheeks before glancing back out of the corner of his eye to find the hybrid. Hiei returned the look easily, lounging in one of his more casual stances against the wall behind them as Shinju effortlessly shifted to his "company" speech patterns, "I see… then they are eagerly fighting over Kagome-sama."

Hiei was unable to stop the smirk surfacing at the embarrassed scowl she shot at them for ignoring her attempts to avoid that issue. Deciding not to question how easily the lighter emotion came to him for now, or why he felt no need to quell it in front of these strangers, he shrugged and verified, "Exactly."

"Shippou isn't competition to Kurama," Kagome's eyebrow twitched at the amusement pouring off her tormentors, refusing to look at the feigned curiosity on their faces as Shippou recovered to all out tackle the older kitsune to the floor. "Two. I was right, Shinju-chan. And I'd consider having a relationship with Hojou before the thought of Shippou and I together even made it into my nightmares. Honestly."

Shinju released her hand when he felt Hiei's gaze drop to the obvious closeness between them, keeping his expression mild as he pretended not to see the real question passing through those claret eyes, "Shippou is not above taunting your most ardent pursuer with threats of such a thing being possible, Kagome-sama, and he is hardly alone in that behavior. And a correction, that is their third move, so victory belongs to me," his voice took on a playful note with the ending taunt that had her bringing her elbow into his side.

"I'll make you go in there and split them up, don't think I won't," Kagome set one hand on her hip, eyebrow arching at the exaggerated innocence in the young monk's expression.

He pasted on his most scandalized expression, pressing a hand to his heart, "Kagome-sama! You would send such a humble monk as myself-?"

Hiei's snort interrupted the tirade before Kagome had more than opened her mouth, Humble monk, my ass.

Kagome blinked at the echo of that thought, brows lifting in surprise when Hiei blandly caught her gaze, You're including me on purpose?

"Are you're really going to let those two idiots kill each other in front of a group of children after you were so adamant about preventing them from seeing Kurama kiss you?" Hiei ignored her question, focusing on the pair with ease as Shippou went crashing into the wall yet again.

Kagome stared at him another moment before turning to lightly rest the side of her head on the doorframe rather than show him the faint smile on her face as she let it slide, "They're here to learn to control their ki and to fight. It's more appropriate for them to see two powerful youkai having a controlled battle so that they have a mental rival or idol than it is to see me bent over a kitsune's arm."

It was Hiei's turn to look surprised, "You encourage them to form rivalries?"

"To an extent," she nodded, lowering her voice with a chuckle when a few of the parents made absent shushing motions to hear the insults snapping back and forth as quickly as the blows. "They're at the age where they see a youkai like Sesshoumaru, or Shippou, or Kurama, and they think that someday they want to be strong enough to beat them. It motivates them to be more focused in their studies for directing their own youki, but still respectful to their betters. They grow up, they grow out of it… or they choose to give in to the darker emotions. If they don't control their jyaki imbalance, and it's too dangerous for me to help purge out what has overcome their mind, Sesshoumaru takes them to Makai for a better lesson."

"We maintain our peace within the family very carefully," Shinju added, eyes twinkling when Kurama stiffened slightly. "As much as we wish it could all be easy and good, we must always be ready to defend against danger and corruption. We have too much to lose for anything less to be acceptable."

Kurama glanced their way for a split second, taking in Kagome's presence as a very faint touch of relaxation altered his stance. His eyes captured hers as the faintest smirk crossing his face before he countered Shippou's next jump with one of the very moves he'd been demonstrating to "his" students.

Slick, Fox, very slick, Hiei couldn't help but shake his head with a mental laugh at the sudden sounds of understanding from the enthralled audience.

Youko's snort was clear in his mind, a note of disapproval trying to be maintained over his obvious preening at the warm way Kagome was looking at them, `Some helpful friend you are, hybrid. How long has she been there watching us?'

Long enough to bet how long it would take for you and Takashima to start rolling around like a pair of juveniles, a particularly smug note crept into Hiei's own voice as he found the opening he wanted to really start pissing him off. But if you're going to be such a bitch about my help, I'm not going to tell you what your lover said to me about her feelings for you.

Kagome winced when Kurama missed a block and ended up catching Shippou's foot full in the chest, but her lips parted in subconscious admiration when he recovered and corrected with an intricate twist. His hands snapped up to catch the younger kitsune's ankle, using his own momentum against him in yet another throw. Rather than sending him into the wall, Kurama kept his handhold and brought him to the floor, even dropping his knee down onto Shippou's back to pin him in place. The instant he was certain his weight was balanced, he snapped a dark scowl up at the smirking hybrid he could barely spot through the pair in the doorway.

Goddammit, Hiei, I should drag your ass out here and show these runts what an apparition looks like being dragged upside-down and backwards through Makai briars! Kurama snarled at him furiously, openly allowing Youko to exert enough of himself through their body to heal the bruised ribs they'd just suffered. If you're in that much of a hurry to die, you-!

"You're on my hair! Get off me, you fat piece of-!"

Kurama grabbed the back of Shippou's head and shoved it down against the mat to muffle the imaginative curses spilling out of his mouth before they taught the wide-eyed children a few new words, "Don't interrupt me so rudely."

"ME?!" Shippou worked his hands underneath him and snarled out, obstinately shoving upwards with enough strength that a hint of surprised admiration danced through Kurama's eyes. "You're saying that to me?"

Kurama managed to spring back before Shippou succeeded in landing the kick he'd aimed up at his throat, smirking again as the smaller youkai righted himself with a particularly flashy spin, Cocky little brat. But… why isn't she stopping us?

`She doesn't want to,' Youko purred out smugly, losing the earlier frustration that had started the fight as he shifted his intentions into showing off for Kagome. `You can feel her eyes on us. She wants to watch us, to test us. She won't step in unless we do something she doesn't like, so start paying attention. I'm not missing a chance to gain public admiration from my lover because your attention span has degenerated with that human side you cling to so completely.'

Do you actually try to be such an insulting bastard when you're annoyed with someone else or is it just an unfortunate side effect to growing up as a kitsune? Kurama set his jaw to stop himself from outwardly showing his own rising irritation. You know damn well that snapping at me is unproductive!

Youko's chuckle slid over his senses like warm honey, bringing an almost imperceptible shiver running down his spine as he blended their youki more carefully together, `Your fighting becomes more fluid when you are agitated… more like it should when we are of one mind. You are more likely to stop separating this way.'

Shippou pulled up short when the youki around Kurama spiked drastically, rolling out of the way just in time to miss a kick that could have possibly cause him enough of an injury to stop the fight cold, Shit. He's that kind of avatar?!

"Shinju," Kagome murmured softly, waiting until the monk had dipped his head and entered the training hall before she slanted a questioning look to Hiei.

Although she had to admit she wasn't entirely surprised to see him shake his head in denial to the unspoken request, You have your secrets from him, miko, and he has his secrets that he will tell you when he feels it's time. I won't take that decision from him when there is already so much he is unaware of.

She nodded in acceptance, almost smiling at the way she could feel the edges of Hiei's surprise tickle her senses, I can respect that, Hiei.

His eyes narrowed on her, sweeping a quick search into her as much to test the words as to how much she would actually let him in. A flash of blue showed him she knew exactly what he was doing just before her eyes closed and the difficulty vanished, Open. They don't intend to force me out of information that I have?

Folding her arms as she leaned her shoulder more comfortably against the doorframe, Kagome carefully filtered her own thoughts to keep him out of more sensitive material. Opening her eyes again when she had achieved a balance, unable to stop herself from admiring the focused intensity Kurama had directed towards Shippou's own taut form, Gold… his eyes change color with his youki, but why does it fluctuate so drastically? There's more under the surface, but what's shielding it?

Giving up on those answers for the moment in favor of simply enjoying the warmth he seemed to bring to her soul just on sight, "Damn, but he's a beautiful youkai."

Shippou went rigid, and Kurama straightened, turning back to face her with brows lifting in curious inquiry.

Kagome's hand belatedly shot up to cover her mouth, gritting her teeth at the low chuckle behind her verifying just as clearly as the sudden attention that her observation had been more audible than she intended.

Shippou smacked a hand over his eyes, shaking his head as Kurama smiled warmly and let his eyes fade back to that rich -obviously smug- green, "Nee-san… is it really that difficult to remember what I told you about talking to yourself in a room full of youkai when they're being quiet?"

Kagome had the urge to send out a wave of energy that would give them all a good jolt for their amusement at her expense, reluctantly holding back when the more rational side of her brain pointed out what a lousy idea that would be. Great… I spent so much focus working with Hiei that not ten minutes back with the class and what's left of my brain took a vacation just long enough for me to stick my foot in my mouth.

Shinju cleared his throat when he saw the way her shoulders stiffened at the "reassuring" pat she received from the vine around her throat, hurrying to step in before Kagome's rather legendary temper snapped, "Ah, Kurama-san! It is truly a gift from Buddha that you have come to our temple and displayed your skills for us so proficiently!"

Shippou's face wiped blank in an instant, disbelief practically radiating off him the longer he stared at the human boy, "What?"

`A gift?' Youko cocked his head to one side, dividing his attention between the cheerfully smiling monk and his blushing lover as he debated whether it was worth it to listen when he wanted nothing more than to capitalize on Kagome's declaration. Finally, he made an impatient sound in the back of his throat and ordered crisply, `Make him hurry and spit it out, Kurama, I want to go kiss her before she's through being embarrassed. We can make her forget and tell us more about-'

Shinju's snapped his arm around Shippou's shoulders and jerked him up against his side forcefully as he continued to speak in the same tone, "Indeed, we had been despairing over a way to gain the free time necessary to meet our latest deadline. With our duties to Sesshoumaru-sama, and my family's temple, having you fall into our laps- so to speak, is quite a relief."

"Deadline?" Kurama repeated in confusion, wincing at the identical, simultaneous response from Youko that overlapped in his mind with their shifting focus to the leading question.

"What deadline?" Kagome latched onto the change in topic gratefully, making her way to the snickering children in an effort to drown Hiei's laughter out of her mind. To say nothing of the more adult remarks the waiting parents decided to indulge in just to see how dark her blush could get, And here I thought they were against Kurama. Traitors… only disapproving until he starts amusing them.

Shippou winced, lifting his hand to nervously rub the back of his neck as realization drained the last of the aggression from his stance, "Ah… nothing really, Nee-san. But Shinju's right, we have a deadline to meet, and I completely forgot we had it coming up. It's just a side job."

Suspicion at the obvious hedging had Kagome folding her arms over her chest, but purposefully keeping Shinju between herself and Kurama when she saw the familiar gleam light those too-enticing eyes, "Gods, Shippou, don't you have enough to do for Sesshoumaru? How many jobs do you have?"

The very last of Youko's own dwindling anger faded away completely at the way Shippou backed away from her, shifting from foot to foot in obvious discomfort as he stammered to explain, "It's not serious or anything like that. I still would have told you about it, honest! But well… I was distracted," his shoulders slumped, giving her his most pathetic expression to convey the reasons behind the omission and stave off disapproval.

Kagome opened her mouth, closing it again when she realized she wasn't entirely sure what she had been intending to say or do. Shaking her head as she let out an exasperated sigh, she swatted him on the head and ruffled his hair, "We'll talk later, Shippou-chan. After Shinju tells me what in the world he's getting at by sweet-talking Kurama."

Shinju pasted on his most perfect expression of innocent surprise, "I'm wounded to think that you would accuse me of such things, Kagome-sama, especially when there is no need. Kurama-san already offered his services, I am merely accepting them."

Kurama was instantly on alert, far too reminded of the tone of voice they'd heard from Houshi-sama right before closing the trap around Koenma, "I haven't offered any services."

"Then you don't intend to honor your word?" again the young monk's face was a purely artful study of manipulation, casting his eyes down in a regretful manner. "I had hoped you the youkai setting his eyes on Kagome-sama would have been a truthful creature."

Kurama's eyes widened at the brazen insult, the suggestion that he would have made a promise and renege on it publicly, "I made no promises to you that give you the right to say such things about me."

`How dare he say such untruthful things and try to turn it around to place the blame on our head!?' Youko's eyes flashed through Kurama's, pushing through the control to make his growl of anger heard. `That little fucking-!'

"I'm afraid I heard quite clearly, with witnesses," Shinju held up his hand in a show for calm, tilting his chin down as he looked up at Kurama with a devious glint in those eyes. "You promised Kagome-sama that you would be the best temporary instructor we would employ."

Youko's tirade stopped dead in its tracks, turning a stunned look down on the human boy that echoed perfectly through Kurama, tilting his head as though Shinju had just turned into the oddest thing he'd ever seen, `I don't believe it.'

"You would break such a promise to the woman you are offering for?" Shinju pressed, winking through the stoic expression on his face as Shippou made a sort of choking sound and Kagome had turned away with her hand pressed to her mouth.

Kurama felt a laugh bubbling up through both of them, biting down on his tongue to quell it as he folding his arms over his chest with deliberate precision, He just walked us into a corner with our own words, and Kagome helped him do it.

`Oh I do so love this little miko and the lines touched by that god,' Youko was shaking his head, grinning widely in amusement as he flicked out his control to reach over Shinju's shoulder. Closing his fingers around the wrist Kagome had unwittingly brought into view, he sidestepped the monk and tugged her up to fit against his side all in one smooth motion. `They're going to be sadly mistaken if they think I won't play this game with them, though.'

That we won't play this game, Youko, Kurama reminded him, curving his hand over Kagome's hip to make it more difficult for her to extricate herself without making yet another scene for her students.

`Yes, yes, you know what I mean,' Youko waved that aside, inhaling deeply and closing his eyes as he rubbed their cheek over her hair. `This woman is not getting away from us, Kurama. Not when everything that she does only shows us how badly she should be at our side.'

"Forgive my misunderstanding, Houshi," Kurama murmured in a slow drawl, opening his eyes a bare slit to send a fierce, glittering stare at the satisfied boy and the less than enthusiastic kitsune beside him. "It would be quite an honor to accept such a position within this prestigious dojo," his thumb made a lazy slide into the slits of Kagome's hakama, applying more pressure over the prominent bone of her hip and tracing the small space in a hidden caress.

Shinju's brows rose, his eyes reflecting wicked amusement despite the mild relief on his face, "What excellent news! By the time you have finished escorting Kagome-sama on her temple rounds in Shikoku, Shippou and I will have all the preparations completed for you to stand in over the adolescent students."

"Big Dog is never going to go for this," Shippou muttered just loud enough to reach Kurama's ears.

Shinju broke out in his carefree grin, waving his hand dismissively as he left Shippou standing alone, "Don't worry your pretty little empty kitsune head over such things. I'll speak with Sesshoumaru tonight at dinner and everything will work out, you'll see."

Shippou glared mulishly after the monk clapping his hands to get the students back on their feet, and rushing to give him a respectful bow before following his example to re-center their youki, "One of these days, I'm going to kick his smug ass halfway across Japan and back."

<::………::>

"I feel it's only fair to warn you that it's going to take more than lunch to make up for making me embarrass myself in class," Kagome was trying not to give in and forgive him so quickly, she really was.

Granted it would have been easier if she wasn't wearing Kurama's jacket, or if he hadn't been walking with his palm resting possessively on the small of her back. The open affection he was so willing to display despite the ever-curious public eyes following them was working against her the most. The way she could feel his fingers curl, or caught the threat in his eyes when he felt a less than innocent stare fall on her was giving her the urge to snuggle down against him and soak in the attention. But then he would figure out the easy ways to get under her temper, and she'd never win a disagreement with him again. So instead, she stuffed her hands down in her pockets, fighting against her own rather carnal urges as his hair brushed silkily over her bare arm on their path to what was rapidly becoming their usual restaurant.

"I mean that," Kagome poked him in the side when he didn't respond, forcing herself to return that hand to the safety of her pocket quickly when she felt just how solid he was underneath the button-down shirt. "Really."

`If she doesn't stop that, I swear, I'm going to pick her up and kiss her silly right here on the street, Kurama,' Youko warned him with a hint of a laugh threading into his voice. He put a little more pressure onto the hand at her back, curling it to give her a tug, and surprising them both with the strength of the warmth pouring through them when she obliged with a half step closer. `I mean it, there's only so much I can take when I have the taste of her fading on my tongue.'

My tongue, Kurama pointed out with a snort, but turned his head to look down at her determined expression with a carefully harmless smile as they paused to wait for the change of crossing lights. She's very cute when she's trying to convince us she's still angry, isn't she?

Youko chuckled softly, tilting his head as he regarded her through heavy-lidded eyes, `Very. It's just as fun as how she's pretending she didn't miss us when her body language is showing us a much more accurate picture of how she feels. I can't remember the last time I felt-'

Kurama gave him a quick, internal prod, Youko?

`Lost my train of thought,' he returned flippantly. `Kiss her.'

He rolled his eyes, matching Kagome's unhurried across the street when the light changed, You don't actually think you're fooling me, do you?

`This is another of those things that we'll discuss at a later time,' Youko's voice lowered, serious and implacable under Kurama's teasing. `Not now. Now we are going to take our lover to lunch, find out more about our vacation, and pin her against the wall of whichever house we return her to.'

"Are you all right?" Kagome's voice pulled them out of their discussion, bringing them back to their surroundings and making them aware they'd not only stopped walking, but Kagome seemed to have pulled them to one side. Blinking to banish the faint confusion at how that had all happened, he shifted their attention down to her face, and the emotion making the blue in those eyes seem to shine.

Youko drew in a deep, precise breath, obviously soaking in the concern she displayed all for them, just as she lifted on her toes to press the back of her hand against their forehead, `Much better now.'

"I missed you," Kurama covered for them with the change of topic, pulling his hand away from her back and lifting it to trail his fingertips over her cheek as his eyes warmed.

The bottom dropped out of Kagome's stomach, sinking back down to stand flat in front of him as his hand turned and cupped her cheek. His thumb lightly smoothed over her cheekbone, and Kagome reflexively closed her eyes against the way that simple comment with that caress so thoroughly banished all her stubborn irritation to the four winds, "Kurama…"

Youko couldn't resist sliding his arms around their soul, warmly purring over Kurama's senses in dark delight, `She can't possibly know what she does to us when she says our name like that. You can taste it, can't you, Kurama? That need, that hunger that only we create in her, that only we can give her soul.'

Kurama could feel the faintest hint of a point start digging into his lower lip as Youko's rising emotion spilled over, snapping to attention to push him back before more than his teeth suffered the effects, Not here. Dammit, Youko, we can't do this on the street in broad daylight!

`Oh bullshit,' Youko snorted, sounding very close to pouting as he threaded their fingers into her hair to tilt her face up. `Humans and their ridiculous inhibitions; tell me you actually want to stop and I'll back off… for the moment.'

You know I can't say that, but we have to, Kurama tried to insist, perversely grateful that her eyes were closed against the indecision crossing his face. At least when there are so many people around us. You get carried away-

This time Youko's chuckle had a dangerous edge, sliding his arms down Kurama's as they blended, `I promise to keep my hand out of her shirt so long as you stop being such a little prude and get us a kiss.'

One kiss, Kurama ground out, trying and failing to be angry with Youko when he slid their other arm around her waist and took a step forward.

`I say when,' Youko stipulated as Kurama finally buckled under the temptation and dipped his head to close his mouth over hers.

It was possible -though admittedly not entirely likely- that Kagome could have stopped him from starting this in public again. Except that rather than the devouring kisses she grown accustomed to receiving from him, Kurama's lips were soft, moving across hers with languid confidence. The unexpected sensation went right past the resistance she'd had ready against him, drawing a shaky gasp from her as she stumbled back a step into the brick wall behind her.

Kurama didn't miss a beat following her back, tracing the tip of his tongue across her lower lip before catching in his teeth for a light nip as he felt a shiver run through her, How does she taste better every time we do this?

`Don't ask pointless questions when we have much more important matters to attend to,' Youko snorted with just a hint of annoyance for having to separate from the kiss enough to converse. `I want to get her to take her hands out of her pockets and touch us back, and maybe make that little- ah… that's the one.'

Kagome's shaky, almost inaudible moan washed over his senses, tightening his hands slightly as he fought down Youko's efforts to take another step and pin her up against the wall, Youko, just a kiss!

`This is just a kiss,' he retorted defensively. `I can show you more since you seem to be so uncertain.'

"Shuuichi?"

The effect of that single, startled gasp washed over them like ice as Kurama pulled away from Kagome and snapped around to locate the owner of that unmistakable voice. "Okaa-sama?" straightening away from the wall with a sense of spiraling doom, he tried not to openly show the borderline horror rising up at the thought of being caught in such a compromising position this way. Shit.

`I'll agree with that,' Youko rubbed his head, trying to let Kurama's discomfort over being caught by the human woman effect him. `How did Shiori-kun know where to find you?'

You're expecting me to know? Kurama hissed out, swallowing hard as his mind raced to come up with a way out of this mess before it became worse than it already was. She's supposed to be at home with her husband, not walking around where she could run into us before Kagome's promised to us!

"When-?" Shiori was looking rather dazed, brows furrowed in worry and confusion over just what she was witnessing. Her eyes continuously darted from Kurama to the young girl with startlingly blue eyes before returning to her "son." Taking a subconscious step forward, and seeming at a complete loss for words until she finally asked, "Who is- who is this?"

He called her mother? But she's not… Wait, Shippou said- then this is the mother of his new body? Here? Kagome waited until she was certain the woman's attention was back on Kurama before she slanted him a quick, demanding look. However, that faded almost instantly at seeing the flash of panic in his eyes, mingled with a slight, uncharacteristic fidget just before he stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans to mask it. He's nervous. Why would he be nervous to see his mother?

Kurama sent a quick prayer heavenward in a hope that he wasn't about to make the biggest mistake of his life, grabbing Kagome by the waist and swinging her around to plant her firmly in front of him before she had a chance to protest, "Okaa-sama, this is my… this is Higurashi Kagome, my very special friend."

That introduction had brought his mother's full attention snapping up to his face, brows lifting for an entirely different reason as she repeated, "Very special friend?"

Rather than respond to that, Kurama's hands tightened on Kagome's waist as though half-afraid she would bolt and leave him to handle this alone, "Kagome-chan, this is my mother."

`If our lover hurts you for this, you're taking full responsibility,' Youko rolled his eyes, wincing at what he was more than willing to say was a bad gamble in forcing her into an awkward position.

"I wanted to introduce you, but-" Kurama broke off, wracking his brain for an explanation that wouldn't lose any ground with either side of the conversation.

`Full responsibility, you jackass.'

"But I've been out of the country for quite some time due to work, Minamino-san," Kagome stepped in, offering a respectful bow in apology for the "oversight." Clasping her hands together in front of her, she carefully pasted on an appropriately contrite expression, "I'm terribly sorry, but it's my fault Shuuichi-kun didn't speak of me. I wanted to wait until we could be introduced in person."

`You have no idea how much I love this girl right now.'

Oh, trust me, I think I do.

"Oh, but I'm not-" Shiori instinctively started to correct this polite girl about her remarriage and change of names, but the intended words faded away as realization started to sink in. His special friend… Shuichi has never introduced a girl to me, and never calling her his- oh my. She looked at her son's white-knuckled hands still holding Kagome close to him, up to the rueful, yet hopeful expression on his face as it fully clicked, Oh my…

"I'm afraid it won't be fancy, but would you join us for lunch?" Kagome pointed down the street to the café, drawing Shiori's attention away from them to follow the gesture long enough for her to grab the back of Kurama's head and smash his chin down on her shoulder. Turning to be sure her lips were right beside his ear, she whispered, "You so owe me," before letting him go.

Kurama nodded, pressing a kiss to her ear, "You are the most wonderful woman in the three worlds, Kagome."

`You still have no possible idea,' Youko grinned widely, delighting in the blush that spread across Kagome's cheeks under that heartfelt praise echoed through both of them. Unable to resist lightly rubbing his cheek against her as he returned to a more "proper" position, `I would lay the world at her feet right now if she said the word.'

So would I, Kurama felt the tension melt out of him when his mother nodded in agreement to the offer and looked at them again.

"One of my classmates from school is the manager," Kagome offered as an explanation for that choice, slipping out from under Kurama's hands, but not pulling away when he caught her own to lace their fingers together. "Why don't you take a moment here to catch up with Shuuichi-kun while I see about getting us a more private table?"

"That would be lovely, Kagome-chan," Shiori murmured, following the interactions between them with a growing sparkle in her dark eyes. "Thank you very much for the invitation."

Bowing again, Kagome glanced back to offer Kurama a reassuring smile when his fingers tightened on hers, "I'll say hello to Hojou-kun for you."

Kurama tried to hide his frown at that, more reluctant that ever to let her go as she started walking away. His fingers loosened, but he still couldn't stop himself from holding on until she was too far to reach, sliding his fingertips across hers in a subtle parting caress, Damn. I forgot that boy worked there.

`Relax,' Youko actually consoled him, giving him a patronizing pat on the head before lounging back in a particularly self-satisfied manner. `He's ten times the human you are.'

How is that supposed to be reassuring? Kurama ground his teeth together at the reminder.

Youko sighed and gave him a swat upside the head enough to get his attention, `That means he wouldn't dream of something so scandalous as to try and embrace her in public the way we do. Besides, she told us he wasn't her type, and if he somehow changes and becomes interesting to her, we'll just kill him.'

Kurama sighed as he watched her disappear through the distant door, not even bothering to scold Youko as he brought his focus back to his mother. Only to pull up short in confusion at the little knowing smile on her face, "Ah… I can explain."

"Oh?" Shiori's brows lifted, keeping her own expression mild with a supreme force of will at the delightful prospect of seeing her very-much grown up son squirming like a teenager again. Over a girl, no less, and a cute one who seemed to have a remarkable head on her shoulders if she was trusted with business abroad.

`We've already started lying, might as well make this good,' Youko folded his arms behind his head, amusing himself with the alternating mental images of how many ways he could kill a human, and just exactly how to handle the show of loyalty from Kagome.

"I'm sorry I haven't spoken of her before, but Kagome-chan and I have been… close friends for quite some time," Kurama clasped his hands behind his back, and mentally counted his blessings that Hiei had been more interested at the chance to spar with Shippou and Shinju than in following him. "I didn't want to give you a false impression if she decided to live away from Japan, or if our feelings changed while she was away."

"Does this mean your feelings are the same?" Shiori prodded for more information carefully, not wanting to get ahead of herself, but unable to rein in her imagination at the implied seriousness.

The evil part of his mind couldn't resist teasing the moment he saw the shielded laughter in her eyes, "There are things that have changed, Okaa-sama."

"Ah! Shuuichi, you terrible boy!" she cried out in mock chiding, slapping his wrist as her laughter finally bubbled over and escaped. "Don't tease your mother so cruelly, tell me the truth!"

He couldn't help but smile widely at that, chuckling with a sort of triumph at just how young Shiori looked in her excitement, practically bouncing in her eagerness to hear such good news about her baby, "I haven't asked yet, but I intend to begin a more serious relationship with Kagome now that she is here with me."

`That almost feels like you're understating what our intentions are,' Youko cocked his head to one side, turning it over in his head.

Would you rather try explaining your way and tell her you want to lock her in a closet until you're positive she's fully devoted to us? Kurama just barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes as Shiori brought her hand up over her mouth.

`It's more true than your way,' Youko turned up his nose. `The way you say it makes it seem as though there's still a chance we won't have her, and that's simply not true. Why not assure the darling woman that this is going to be a long-term lover for us, hn? Let her have her baby dreams more specifically now that she can see who will be giving them to us.'

"When did you meet her, Shuuichi?" Shiori reached out and clasped one of his hands in both of hers. "How much younger than you is she? Have you met her family? Does she want a family-?"

"Please, please!" Kurama laughed a little harder this time, shaking his head as he gently patted his mother's hands with his free one. "You have to give me a chance to answer, Okaa-sama."

"You're right," she smiled at her own behavior, giving him a squeeze to keep him going. "Tell me all about her, Shuuichi."

At least I can be somewhat honest about this, Kurama sighed, staring down at their hands under the guise of reminiscing. "She's from a shrine family, and I saw her standing in the doorway of their temple. I felt… very drawn to her from the beginning, and the more we are together, the more I want her to be in my life."

`I'm quite proud of you for making that sound romantic,' Youko snickered.

I refuse to let my mother think of me as some obsessed stalker chasing after a shrine miko, Kurama countered irritably. If I told her we wanted to consume everything about Kagome until her soul is safely in our hands, she'd have me committed.

`Point taken,' Youko rubbed his chin thoughtfully and nodded. `All right then, make it sappy. You're good at that.'

Kurama gritted his teeth against the rather juvenile retort he wanted to make to that, instead trying to add to the effect of the story for his mother's benefit, "But she already accepted when I asked her if we could see each other exclusively."

"Have you met her father?" Shiori felt like she was going to burst, so excited about how very forthcoming he was about this sweet girl.

`Worse.'

Kurama snickered in his own mind at Youko's dramatic groan, "I've met her uncle, and her brothers. She's also met Yuusuke and my friends."

"Then her family likes you? Your friends like her?" she looked even more delighted by the prospect.

"My friends are all fond of her, and they agree I'm very lucky that she feels the same for me," Kurama hid a laugh at the double standards in that statement. "But the men in her family… most of them don't like me much."

Shiori looked dismayed, "But how could that be?"

`She's so loyal to us,' Youko smiled at the disbelief on her face.

"Kagome-chan is the only girl," Kurama expounded on that, letting Youko's smile echo through him when her eyes filled with understanding. "They are all very protective of her, and the tolerate me."

"She likes you, though," Shiori reiterated that more for her own benefit than to reassure Kurama in his chosen pursuit. "Have you met her mother?"

"We thought it wouldn't be fair if her mother knew before you did since I'd already met a large portion of her family," Kurama covered smoothly.

She blinked and then smiled at the thoughtfulness of that, extricating her hands to fold her arms and give him her most motherly frown, "Well, now that I'm going to be meeting your special friend, I fully expect you to introduce yourself to her mother and announce your intentions."

"Of course, Okaa-sama," Kurama nodded, inwardly joining in with Youko's amused laughter.

"Are you living together yet?" she tilted her head to one side.

"Not yet," Youko took over to answer candidly before Kurama had a chance to act scandalized at the suggestion. "However, I hope to change that after our trip to Shikoku."

Youko! Don't say such things to my mother! Kurama seethed, wrenching back his control.

`Why not? Hell, Kurama, this body is what? Thirty-one? She asked, and it'll seem strange at this age if we don't have adult relationships,' Youko defended crisply, turning his nose up arrogantly.

"Shikoku?" she asked curiously, shocking Kurama with how unfazed she seemed at hearing those kinds of plans.

Silently promising to get Youko back later, he nodded and explained, "Kagome-chan has duties that will take her to Shikoku for two weeks, and she asked me to come with her."

"And your workplace was understanding? Do you still work with Urameshi-san?" her brows raised, speculation and what Kurama could have sworn was plotting flashing through her eyes.

"Yes, although I've been asked to take a temporary position assisting with classes at Kagome-chan's temple," Kurama admitted with a faint smile. "The monk there is… very understanding to our situation."

Shiori seemed to digest that for a moment before giving him a sly smile and poking him in the stomach, "Should I be shopping yet?"

"Okaa-sama!" Kurama tried to sound shocked, but failed miserably under the laugh that had already snuck out. He settled for shaking his head and turning her around in a blatant suggestion to start walking towards the café, "I will give you plenty of warning for that."

`I won't,' Youko smirked, touching the tip of his tongue to one fang as he reveled in the way Kurama's depression was finally starting to seep away. The happiness and excitement making their mother's entire countenance radiate with the life they remembered so clearly from their earlier years. `She'd be just as happy with knowing there was a baby coming with… hell, what do humans say? With the wedding,' he finished as the term came to him.

That's really not the way people expect things to be done, Youko, Kurama scolded. Kagome knows we want to have children with her, but let my mother think we plan to be married before we plan to try.

Shiori brought him out of his thoughts by patting him on the hand, looking very superior as she tilted her head to inform him quietly, "You know… things have a way of happening, Shuuichi. Especially between couples your age."

Kurama turned a startled look down at her, trying to ignore the burst of almost deafening laughter filling his head, "What?"

"I just want you to know, dear," she smiled brightly. "I won't think any less of either of you, and neither will the rest of the family. My goodness, your step-brother is going to be delighted!"

Maybe Shinju is right. Maybe there really is such a thing as kitsune overload, Kurama remarked in concern as he listened to his mother go off into her own little world of red-haired, blue-eyed grandchildren.

`Is it that hard to think that Shiori-kun can be open-minded about such things?' Youko drawled out, still having some difficulty getting his amusement under control. `She is still a woman after all, and she's had a baby so you know she understands the process.'

That's a picture I'd rather not have in my head, Kurama growled back at him irritably.

`Ch. Human mentality,' Youko flicked a hand dismissively. `Hopefully that will go away before you pass it on to our sons.'

I'm ignoring you.

`Ah! Then you admit I'm right!'

I can still tell Yuusuke embarrassing stories about you and Hiei, Kurama set his jaw. Don't think I won't do it.

`Go ahead, he'll attach it to your face and never let you live it down,' Youko grinned malevolently. `Face it, my threats are better.'

You're still the oldest child I've ever known, Youko, Kurama took a deep breath, counting down to stop himself from letting his annoyance show. Now stop it. We have to be on good behavior, and not your version of it either.

Youko scoffed at that, folding his arms over his chest, `I'm insulted at the suggestion that I have no conception of appropriate behavior.'

I fully recall what you tricked Kagome into doing the last time we were together at a restaurant, and that was with her family and our friends in attendance, Kurama reminded him pointedly.

`You didn't like it?' Youko pasted on his most innocent expression. `Funny, you didn't complain. The way I remember, you even closed our legs so we could get her hand to-'

Dammit, Youko!

`Yes?'

Behave.

Youko heaved an exaggerated sigh, rolling over onto his back as he crossed his legs, `I will if she does.'

You don't honestly think Kagome would-? Kurama almost stopped walking, amazed that he would even suggest she would instigate that kind of challenge.

`You never listen to me about her about important things like this, you know,' Youko clucked his tongue in disapproval. `Now I'm telling you, she's going to want revenge for that stunt you pulled in hauling her in front of your mother with no warning.'

You're trying to make me paranoid and it won't work, Youko, Kurama frowned, hiding it from his mother under the guise of waiting for her to enter the café ahead of him.

`Oh fine, fine,' Youko shrugged nonchalantly. `That just means you have to kiss my ass later when you find out I'm right about this too and ask for my help.'

And if you're wrong?

Youko pondered that for a moment before nodding curtly, `If I'm wrong, I won't make any sexual remarks towards Hiei for a whole month.'

A shiver of doubt went through him, pausing with his hand on the door as he weighed just how confident Youko would have to be to promise something like that, Then what do you want if you're right?

The smile that slowly spread across Youko's face was disturbingly sensual, dark, and more than a little wicked. Eyes flashing with promise, he moved to wind his arms sinuously around their soul and whisper in Kurama's ear, `Then I get to play back.'