Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Well Too Deep ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

A/N:

This is a really long chapter (at least for me), I was thinking about breaking it into two, but something just made me think that they wouldn't stand as well alone. And I want to make my readers happy now don't I? It wouldn't be fair to all of you if I only posted half a chapter.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MULTIFACETEDTUNE for correctly answering the trivia question about Morana's Plague Army. For all who are interested, here's *my* answer:

Morana means "death," stemming from the original use of the word as the name of the Slavic goddess of death and winter. I picture her army as a massive extension of herself, nothing more than a giant black mass of energy with the intelligence of about the average branding iron. Hence I come up with the term "Black Death" which also happens to have been the common name of the Bubonic Plague that ravaged Europe and Asia during the earlier half of the second millennia. And so I get Morana's (for it truly is hers in every sense of the word) Plague (Bubonic Plague) Army (a massive land force).

The 2nd trivia question regarding the title of this fic "A Well Too Deep" was originally (and I say originally for it has been brought to my attention by all of the various responses to this question of just how many different ways this title could be applied to this story in particular) meant to describe the relationship between Hiei and Kurama. The well itself is the body of one and the water inside is the love that that person holds within. The bucket is the other person trying to reach and bring forth that love into their self and reveal it to the surface world. But the well is simply too deep for the bucket to ever reach the water. And when the bucket finally does touch liquid, the strain is too great and the rope that supports it breaks.

A GREAT BIG "THANK YOU" TO ALL WHO REVIEWED THE LAST CHAPTER OF THIS STORY AND THEIR MUCH APPRECIATED FEEDBACK

Baka-Chibbi

Mika Samu

Lady Aqualyne

What2callmyself

Alice15

SKSuncloud

MultifacetedTuned

Kuranga108

Ryuu-Kitsune

Disclaimer: Wow, I don't think that I've said that I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters yet.

WARNING: YAOI - this chapter contains lime/lemon (I'm not sure which to classify it as).

Chapter rating: R

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A Well Too Deep: Chapter 8

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The Reikai library was huge in all sense of the word. The ceiling rose up forty stories and every bookshelf reached within one story of it. It was a bright and sunny color of red with pure gold ribbon twirling about it to create the likenesses of all the demons of the Makai. The golden lines flowed fluidly from one to the other, with only one starting and one ending point that met at the center of the great domed ceiling in the form of the great King Enma. The room itself was large enough in girth to have housed a city's entire downtown neighborhood. There was surprisingly no dust, none of the moldy smell that one usually associates with ancient and crumbling books. Instead, however, there were silver apple-sized balls of liquid light floating lazily through the air that served to illuminate the "room". Their shape was inconsistent, wobbling this way and that. They appeared to be dazzling balls of luminescent melted mercury whose shape was being held by their own personal gravity. They could sense heat and thus avoided bumping into living organisms, but, were they to even just graze a solid object, the ball would disperse as lightly as powder and pass through the object to reconnect on its other side.

The bronze ladders at each bookshelf were animate and could easily locate any topic or section for its rider. They were often necessary, as the shelves had no distinct markings to distinguish one from the next. Between each isle and on the far-east side of the library were tables, benches, couches, thick carpets, and chairs of all shapes and sizes. The library was meant to be able to accommodate anyone.

The library was as old as the worlds and hadn't changed since the day of its construction. Full of information only available to a select few, it was quiet and induced a feeling of awe - it was precious and timeless. The sheer volume of it left one feeling insignificant…and eternally ignorant. Lifetimes upon lifetimes could be spent within its walls and still one would never read everything it held. For history was always being written and documented, it never ceased. It was terribly intimidating. And that was why Kurama loved it so. To him it was comfortably enrapturing and private, though its open size should suggest otherwise. The silence, the glint of the silver light, the immortality: were all effects that he could surround himself with forever. The library had no clocks, no start, and no end. It simply was and would forever continue to be.

Koenma's slipper-like shoes padded softly against the marble flooring of the library. He was searching for Kurama. Hanako had given the approval to remove the bandages from Hiei's two natural eyes first thing tomorrow. Yusuke and Kuwabara had already been informed and were planning to attend the event.

The third week since the activation of return to hibernation of the pendants was nearly over. And Koenma was still firm on his holding of all the tantei until the uncertainty of Morana had been resolved. He had dispatched camouflaged Guardians to the human world with orders for them to unobtrusively watch over the family and friends that his tantei had left behind. And Botan, with a tracking device firmly in place for her safety in case she had been abducted, had been sent with cover stories to each of the tantei's families that would explain their previous and continued absences. However, Morana had yet to make any aggressive movements so it was becoming harder to excuse his precaution. He knew better than to think that Morana would lie low forever with that much power under her control and the last item needed to make her potentially omnipotent now locked within the Reikai vault. What he didn't know was whether or not she would be patient enough to wait another 300 years before trying to steal the pendant. Knowing how effective the Reikai records were Koenma knew that the pendant and the incident would be mostly forgotten in 300 years. If the attempt to steal it were put off for that long, Morana would succeed in the theft long enough for her to use the pendant and gain her desired ultimate power before Reikai had even begun to track her down.

Koenma couldn't allow that to happen. He couldn't do nothing while a dangerous power such as Morana's existed, for the most part, unchecked and unhindered. Not only that, but he couldn't guarantee Kurama's survival until that time unless he had him locked away or put into a spiritual coma. And even then, complications might occur and Kurama could suffer serious brain damage or die. And Koenma needed the power Kurama now possessed to defeat Morana without completely depleting Reikai's stored power or breaking every rule in the book by deliberately using the power-amplifying items known to Reikai on his chosen tantei. Koenma didn't think that his father would approve either of those options.

"Oh…" Koenma stopped. All the furniture in the far-east bulge of the library had been pushed to the walls except for the rugs, which had been pieced together to form a lush carpet. Upon these Kurama was dancing barefoot. His shoes and sash had been cast aside along with the furniture. The knee-length green silk robe hung open to reveal the white undershirt. And the undershirt's sleeves were untied and hanging out a foot past the long green sleeves. The white silk pants weren't long enough to quite cover his ankles, revealing the skin his shoes would have hidden. (Kurama had chosen the clothes for himself at Koenma's offer once he had begun to move about on his own.) No music played to accompany his hypnotizing display of grace and isolation. Kurama himself made no sound excepting the friction between his garments and the carpet. But the steadiness of his rhythm, the intensity of his distant gaze, the expressive movement of his entire body - all of it - made Koenma feel as if he could hear the music of an ancient and very real beat. It was beautiful and mesmerizing. But, in combination with that sultry, androgynous body, the dance was also terribly sensual.

Kurama, having noticed Koenma, brought the dance to an end. Each extending of the arm, each rotation of the body came slower than the one before it until Kurama's movement was so slight and deliberate as to barely be registerable. Time seemed to have slowed with the pace of the dance so that each step took not a long time but that time itself became sluggish and a minute could have taken an hour. Then it stopped. Kurama lay perfectly limp and unmoving on his side. His eyes locked on Koenma, waiting.

Koenma was lost within the time of the dance. When Kurama ceased his movements so did time cease its passing. It was many moments before Koenma came back to himself.

"Please rise and sit with me." Koenma spoke and sat in one of the less removed plush armchairs. Kurama complied and did the same. "Hiei's eyes will be uncovered tomorrow. You should come."

Koenma paused to study Kurama. His eyes showed awareness and caring, but his face was listless, pointed not away from Koenma in the act of ignoring him but not at him in attentiveness either. The muscles of his body were too relaxed.

"You have yet to visit him at all. Why…why are you doing this to yourself?"

Kurama turned his head lackadaisically around to glare at Koenma. The god was taken aback by the out of place heat in the red head's eyes. He warily watched Kurama's hand lift towards and lightly touch his temple. Koenma waited, unsure of what Kurama was planning to do. He was a little uncomfortable at how vulnerable the position was for his self. Kurama stared at the point where his fingertips met Koenma's skull, the closest point where he might almost physically touch another's mind.

It came without warning. Koenma would have been thrown against the wall behind him had the thought been a blow. The idea Kurama had shot into him with the force of a raptor's dive was formed into words by his mind,

"You know not of what you ask. The stag does not want to share."

Koenma's vision brightened with hundreds of white stars and then tunneled as he tried to regain his sight. When he did, Kurama was gone. The powder that made the orbs of light had condensed to leave a closing message waving in the air,

"But I will comply."

The luminescent powder soon regrouped into multiple spheres and drifted away, leaving Koenma in near darkness, broken only by the glimmers and shadows cast by the one or two that had stayed behind.

Something from the violent encounter clicked. Koenma abruptly stood and ran to the nearest bronze ladder. He formed the thought of where he needed to go within the library without leaving his racing trail of enlightenment. The queer sensation of having your body dissolve and solidify went unnoticed. Now with the proper reference section before him, Koenma rapidly scanned the books. There! It was a hardcover book bound in green leather no larger than his hand but several inches thick.

Section: Spirits

Classification: Elemental

Category: Possession

Subcategory: Territory

Index reference: Earth

Chapter: Forest

Koenma ran his right index finger down each page of the specified chapter, absorbing the text as quickly as he could. Done, he closed the book with a loud, dustless snap. He stepped distractedly down the ladder steps and collapsed in the nearest available seat. The book dropped out of his hand onto the nearest table, discarded for the moment. He sat motionless while his brain analyzed all that it had just read.

"Shimatta!" He bolted to the nearest wall and phantomed into his office.

"George! Hanako! Ishi! Botan!"

Within seconds, the walls of his office began to ripple faintly and three figures glided into his office through the walls. Another minute and George burst through the large red doors, just slightly out of breath. Why his ogres couldn't seem to phantom even after centuries of living within the palace was beyond Koenma.

"George, find everything - and I mean it this time - that might be remotely related to the powers, history, effects, and anything else you can think of, of the Halokkos pendants. Take anyone you need unless I have specifically told them otherwise."

George nodded and ran out of the room. Koenma's tone of voice left no room for questions or hesitation and it was threaded with the influence of meticulous urgency to encourage his employees' exact cooperation. George's loud orders to the other ogres were heard up until the doors clicked shut.

"Hanako, return to the healers' hall. Summon all senior and gifted ones present that you believe will help in the recovery of the tantei and bring them here. Hiei doesn't have time to rehabilitate his jagan. Once it's revealed in two weeks, he needs to be prepared to use it."

"Your wish is mine." Hanako turned and stepped through the back wall.

"Ishi, increase surveillance of Morana's territory and send in spy units as close to her castle as possible. You must be prepared to terminate them if necessary. They must not be discovered."

"I understand." Ishi faded backwards through the office's western wall without appearing to take a single step.

"And Botan."

"Yes sir?" The exhaustion caused by using the ancient Makai transport had disappeared after a full two days of sleep. And monitoring Yusuke and Kuwabara during their stay had helped buoy her energetic spirit.

"I need you to inform the tantei - Kurama too - of what transpired during this past minute and that they should be prepared to leave again for Morana's territory in a little more than two weeks' time."

"Yes sir." Botan bowed and turned to leave.

"And Botan," she turned to look back at the teenage god, "take care of yourself. I have no one else capable of maneuvering that boat. I need you." He graced he with a small weary but loving smile.

"Thank you sir, I will." She smiled in return then left, a light butterflies-in-the-stomach like sensation within her chest.

When all four of them had left, Koenma slumped in his chair. His fingers deftly rubbed against his left temple where Kurama had touched him. Koenma hadn't expected this. He hadn't expected this at all….

The stag, a powerful creature of wild vitality and aggressive sexuality, is representative of the forest with his antlers branching skyward similar to branches growing forth from a tree. In spirit form he is terribly possessive and refuses to share anything he considers to be rightfully his. If his spirit is to come into prolonged contact with another dominant spirit of the same domain (forest), he will stop at nothing to prove his superiority over the other spirit: a fight over territory. Both spirits will eventually weaken and, if the contact lasts long enough, die. If the stag is allowed to surface, the second spirit will be permanently overcome but remain trapped within the avatar (hosting body) until the stag spirit grows weary and either dies himself or releases the avatar in death.

Stag possession is extremely rare and cannot be undone with any form of exorcism. Those possessed are doomed.

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Kurama soundlessly followed just behind the dimming lights. It was an odd feeling, that these indoor palace lights were all that governed the difference between sun time and moon time. Kurama stalked in the night, but, were he to just walk faster, he would be strolling through the moments of day.

It was because the Reikai sky had no sun to differentiate between day and night and so there was no night and day for the inhabitants of Reikai. Well, not in the human sense. Days could last for weeks or minutes and the same applied to nights. There was sense of running time for anything but the record books. The rotation of Ningenkai's Earth about its axis and its orbital path about the sun were used to count the hours and years for Reikai records. The plain flips of the Makai made it too unstable to be the judge of passing time. The people of Reikai didn't age in the same sense either. So a Reikai child might be thousands of years old according to the passage of Ningenkai time, but have only lived through a few hundred Reikai years. Or a Reikai elder may be a youth in Ningenkai years. It was all relative to the individual and their location within the Reikai.

For the sake of his tantei, Koenma had set the palace lights to dim and brighten every twelve hours in a crude simulation of the time they were used to. It wouldn't do to disorient their internal clocks when they were all in need of healing and rest and would be soon returned to the temporal, rather than spiritual, world.

Kurama was heading towards Hiei's room to do as Koenma had asked…even if he didn't know that he'd done so.

The trek from the library had been hours long and only was Kurama just now reaching the floor where Hiei was recovering. Were Kurama to have phatomed, the journey would have lasted but seconds. That didn't matter to him. He chased the edge of darkness because he chose to. And he chose to keep the stag's spirit at bay within his self, but keep open the tiniest of windows between his soul and the stag's mindless being to leech upon the parasite's power. Phantoming would have left his body too vulnerable to the stag's corruption. He would not be taken on anything other than his terms.

`Until the day I die….'

He slipped silently through the door to Hiei's room, finding the demon already asleep. He frowned when Hiei barely stirred. Koenma's doing he assumed. At least it made the task easier. Kurama ignored the chairs and sat on Hiei's bed, removing his shoes first. In looking at the sleeping face, he was able to forget his pain for just a moment. The lines of stress upon Kurama's young, pale face faded and he smiled. Wishing he could speak, but afraid of whose voice would surface and what words they would choose to speak. He lightly stroked his love's cheek, jaw line, and neck with crying fingers. Then his fingers brushed Hiei's temple and he awoke their dreaming eyes. His vision never changed, but he could no longer feel the slight pressure of real air about him and he didn't need to breathe, only doing so from habit. Hiei still slumbered before him, the one difference being his bandages were gone along with Hanako's healing ki.

In this world, the nothing but Hiei and Kurama existed so he could speak freely. "Sealed by the sun and known by its name, but revealed by the dark to lovers' ironic shame."

Hiei heard the call and struggled to wake but found it easier to simply open his eyes, unbound in this dreamscape. Comprehension dawned and he gazed upon Kurama's form in question.

"It may be selfish, but he now owes it to us," Kurama said, his voice cold. "I am already dying."

"What?" Hiei abruptly leaned forward and grabbed Kurama's hand. "The pendant…."

Kurama nodded. "It is because of my nature that I could survive the pendant's awakening. And it is because of my nature that, by it, I will die: slowly or otherwise. If I were to keep it at bay, locked within my power forever, my death would take years. But Koenma will *ask* me to awaken it for the second time to defeat Morana. And now that he knows of my degradation, he will send us to battle immediately following your recovery."

Hiei's grip tightened around Kurama's hand. He had nothing to say. He would do the same were he in Koenma's position. Yet it still hurt; the certainty of Kurama's words had left no room for a way out. And Hiei knew Kurama better than to ask. The hand was keeping him afloat above the dark myriad of unnamable, evil masses; the rope keeping him from plunging head first into a place where there was no way out.

Kurama looked down at their joined hands. It made him smile, how Hiei clung to him this way. A simple gesture could mean so much with this isolated demon, intense and innumerable things forcing through a simple holding of their hands. Kurama lifted Hiei's hand to his lips and gently brushed it across the back of his hands. He kept his eyes down to demonstrate his offering. But a quick gasp did reach his ears and warm his heart.

"Again I ask: sealed by the sun and known by its name, but revealed by the dark to lovers' ironic shame."

This time Hiei answered, "To light we beg release by your sacrifice. Within your heart, or logic if not therein found, comprehend our need and give us your pity unless our souls will you forsake."

Kurama kept unblinking eye contact with Hiei when he spoke the final line. "Heed our call, Koenma, for only with dire reason would we request to abandon the dark and see the light bound as we are this night."

They were hyperventilating from the consequent rush and beads of sweat were forming on both their brows. Such contact with the pantheon of gods released the body's adrenaline and could remind anyone of their insignificance. It left the two demons nearly vibrating with exhilaration.

They stared long at each other's flushed faces, unsure of what to do now that they were, this once, beyond the reaches of the curse. Kurama still held Hiei's hand just beyond the reaches of his lips. And so began to tentatively nuzzle the palm and brush his lips against the skin in not-quite kisses. Keeping his fingers woven with Hiei's the whole time. He was still afraid to give way to abandon after being so long restrained. All he had wanted was to be able to touch Hiei just like this.

Hiei had closed his eyes, enjoying the warm, giddy tingling that flowed through his insides at the long awaited intimacy. An uncharacteristic smile pulled at his cheeks and crinkled his closed eyes. He could have sat there for hours doing nothing more than allowing Kurama to fondle his one hand. But he wanted more: he wanted to touch and not only be touched.

Hiei gently maneuvered his captured hand so that he could pull the kitsune toward him and guided the lithe body into position next to him. Kurama obliged and crawled onto the bed until he was level with Hiei. With his other hand, Hiei cupped the side of Kurama's face at the jaw line. The redhead leaned into the hand with half-lidded eyes, turning to kiss its palm, letting the wet inside of his lips moisten the rough skin. Unable to resist, his tongue stole a taste here and there. The salty sweat had a slightly burnt flavor that he immediately took a liking to. Then Hiei pulled his hand away and let it slide down the curve of Kurama's neck, shoulder, and arm until it was gripping Kurama's other hand. He leaned forward.

They traded breath for a few precious seconds. Hiei bit his lower lip. His eyes were doe-like, wide and unsure. Kurama loved this moment, their chests heaving in suggestive, anticipatory pants. It was sexy. It was innocent. It was apocalyptic. He tilted his head and closed the distance on an exhale. The kiss was soft and closed lipped. Hiei broke away, startled. His grip on Kurama's hands tightened painfully. Green eyes met his, they hid nothing, were completely open and his to take what he would from them. Kurama leaned forward again. Hiei readied himself for another kiss, but Kurama only rested his forehead against Hiei's. A single tear built and fell from those large green eyes to land on Hiei's cheek. Kurama was smiling. He changed position to lick the tear from his love's cheek with a quick flick then kissed Hiei's forehead over the closed and bound jagan eye. "I promise you Hiei. I promise…" he whispered with barely a sound.

Hiei could no longer stand the shadowy sadness tainting Kurama's joyful expression. He captured his friend's lips in their second kiss. Deepening it, making it rougher, and finally coaxing Kurama's lips apart with his tongue. Kurama yielded completely before the onslaught, letting Hiei dominate and explore. He was still too pleasantly numb from Hiei's welcome aggression and searing touch. Hiei's inner fire entered Kurama at every point their bodies connected, making him hot and yearning.

Hiei broke one of their handholds and began exploring the contours of his love's back. His fingers splayed wide and firmly pushed upwards to the base of Kurama's neck then released the pressure and suddenly dragged down his spine with a feather-light touch. Kurama broke the kiss with a silent gasp. His back arched and he gave a short, surprised moan. That tickled!

Hiei laid his head in the crook of Kurama's neck and smiled laughingly into the smooth flesh. Pushing open the undershirt's wide neckline and giving the revealed skin quick pecks while he was there. His hand buried in Kurama's thick red hair.

He could feel Kurama's hands pull loose his tucked in shirt and work their way underneath the fabric, taking their revenge along his back and sides, massaging and stimulating his neglected nerves. In a particularly sensitive spot, Kurama dug his nail in and scraped upwards hard, starting a shiver that Hiei felt up through his head. He hissed, caught off guard by the harshness. Kurama giggled into his hair. It was stiff and somewhat nappy but still remarkably soft and lightweight. Hiei took false offense and nipped at Kurama's collarbone. He rotated his legs to fit under his body and used the leverage to push Kurama onto his back. Their still joined left hands were held above Kurama's head.

Leaning over him, Hiei opened his mouth as if to speak, but closed it again without emitting a sound. With his eyes he questioned the man below him, asking for permission. Kurama understood and he answered the voiceless question with a warm, confident one devoid of anxiety, doubt, or regret. "I love you Hiei. Oh Inari I do. I love you!" He shouted his last words to the ceiling and beyond to anyone who could hear.

Hiei dropped his head and stole another scalp-tingling kiss. Seizing dominance right from the start, he coaxed Kurama's tongue languidly into his mouth and then relinquished all control. Just feeling the honesty of Kurama's words coat his being and melt whatever selfish control he had been trying to maintain. "I love you too Kurama." He felt Kurama's body give itself over to him completely. And he kept professing his love at each break in their lips. "I love you so much." Their smiles were so wide that it was making it difficult not to bang teeth so Hiei pulled away.

Hiei reclaimed both his hands and laid them upon Kurama's chest. They ghosted down to untie the white sash about the slim waist and then back up to slide the robe off Kurama's shoulders. Kurama's torso rose gracefully up a few inches with his arms dragging limply behind at the shoulder in an impressive display of core strength to allow Hiei to slip the robe off his arms. Next, Hiei's hands slipped under the loose fabric of the undershirt and gradually worked it over Kurama's head, letting it fall off the side of the bed. Hiei paused to admire the breathtaking beauty below him. The red halo of hair framing his pale skin (Hiei's earlier nip reddening into a proper love bite) and soft features, the lean muscles of a dancer or acrobat, but, above all, his brilliant eyes were to be worshipped. Not yet clouded with lust, but brimming with stringless love and a momentary open and limitless trust. From those two orbs, Hiei knew that Kurama would not refuse him anything he desired. It stirred the embers within his chest and brought to life a so far forgotten member. "You're beautiful," Hiei's voice was breathless.

Kurama smirked, "I know."

Kurama could see the lust beginning to kindle within his love's eyes and opened himself up to it entirely. Hiei was the one who was at risk in this coupling and so Kurama would willingly submit. He would go only as far as Hiei would allow…and follow him over the cliff's edge were he asked to. Kurama propped his self up on his elbows and reached forward to place a light kiss on the corner of Hiei's mouth. Emotion and desire swelled behind the peck and Kurama was soon feathering kisses all along Hiei's cheek and up to his earlobe. Hiei sat back on his ankles and let Kurama use his height to impose upon him. Gladly obliging, Kurama's arms encircled behind the slight waist and began massaging lower and lower down his back as he showered Hiei with kisses, stopping when he reached the point where his back and bottom met. There his fingers hooked the bottom hem of Hiei's shirt and tugged upwards. Hiei's arms lifted above his head and Kurama rose to his knees to lift the shirt completely over and off his friend. "And so are you…beautiful." His lips again found the fire demon's skin, working their way up his neck to recapture his lips in a wet kiss.

Another frozen aspect of Hiei's self-loathing heart melted in a sudden rush of heat. Never before had he been told he was beautiful. The only people that had ever spoken to him of his looks had done so cruelly and with lewd suggestions. Kurama said it because, to him, it was true and nothing more. Overwhelmed, Hiei broke the kiss and enwrapped Kurama in a sudden, tight hug, taking in Kurama's scent and memorizing what he was feeling right then. Kurama was a little startled but nevertheless smiled and returned the hug.

They stayed that way, holding one another, Hiei shuddering in dry silent tears, until Hiei pulled away and started placing desperate nips and kisses all over Kurama's chest. His lips found a nipple and began to suckle it without hesitation, gripping Kurama's sides to keep him close. The hands tracing Hiei's shoulders abruptly seized his skin in response causing Hiei to increase his intensity. Kurama yelped when Hiei suddenly bit down none too gently. "Hiei!" So focused was he that Hiei didn't notice what he had done until he felt Kurama's hands gently but firmly guiding his head upwards and away from his abused nipple.

Hiei blushed, "Sorry." To Kurama, a blushing Hiei was the most adorable image he had ever seen and his eyes brightened in appreciation.

"You can abuse me later, now is not the time," Kurama said, doing a terrible job of hiding his mounting amusement. Then he silenced any reply the demon might have had with a loving kiss.

Kurama put his hands on Hiei's shoulders. Then gradually worked their way down to hold Hiei's hands. These he guide to his own hips, holding them securely in place with his own. Hiei's thumbs he worked into place at the waistband of his pants. Kurama loved the feeling of *this*. Doing nothing more than snogging with his love was overpowering in and of itself after being so long denied. However, not only was a coupling necessary to generate the passionate power needed for a request of judgment, but he wanted, needed to feel the final barrier between them drop. And he was still determined to let Hiei govern the night.

Hiei gazed down at his hands at Kurama's waistline and then back up to Kurama's face, questioning. Sex was something he remembered being terrified of as a child. He had never been allowed to dominate then. And had never wanted to couple with anyone since he'd come into his power. This was something utterly new to him. To be given control so freely….

With hesitation and anticipation both, Hiei untied the drawstring of Kurama's pants and slid them off his hips and over his tight butt. Neither wore underwear. The extended stay in Reikai had stripped Kurama of the ningen habit. Kurama kept Hiei's eye contact as he shifted his weight onto his back so that Hiei could pull his pants all the way off. Hiei awkwardly shuffled backwards on his knees to gain more leverage against those long legs. He discarded the pants off to the side when he was done. Hiei then copied Kurama, guiding the fox's hands to *his* pants. He stood up on his knees to kiss the underside of Kurama's jaw before closing his eyes and lying back to present his body and invite the fox's touch.

Kurama eagerly accepted the offering. His fingers teased Hiei's wakening penis through the fabric as he undid all four of Hiei's white belts. Smiling when Hiei moaned and gasped in pleasure. The tortured demon was literally beginning to steam. It felt so good to be touched this way, but he couldn't open his eyes. After all of this and all they had been through, Hiei's subconscious still clung to a last shred of shame and apprehension. He was angry with himself that he couldn't give himself fully to Kurama. He wanted to, but he just couldn't.

"Open your eyes." Kurama had crawled forward and lay on his side face-to-face with Hiei, one of his hands still cupping Hiei's ass inside his pants. When Hiei still didn't comply, Kurama lightly kissed both of his eyelids and repeated his words. "Hiei, open your eyes." Gradually, Hiei's eyelids opened and found their selves staring straight into Kurama's green ones. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. All of you is beautiful and worthy of love." Kurama kissed him deeply. "Now watch me."

Unsure of what the fox had up his sleeve, but trusting in his judgment, Hiei did as he was told. Kurama resumed his position over Hiei's groin and, making sure he had Hiei's full attention, pushed the black pants the rest of the way off his love's legs, and took Hiei's aroused cock into his mouth.

Hiei stiffened, a loud hiss emitting through his clenched teeth. His eyes grew wide. It was unconceivable that he was watching this, but he couldn't turn away. Being able to watch what exactly was making his body shiver and shake, those green eyes boring into him - watching Hiei watch him. It was all dreadfully erotic. Yet here it served another purpose as well. Green eyes were grounding him, keeping his mind focused on who this was, that this man was someone he could give himself to completely without fear or anxiety. This was someone who loved him without reserve. Hiei threw his head back and finally let his physical feelings come cascading through and over his nerves. Letting each nerve sing, as he hadn't ever done in past encounters. Hiei let himself go. And his body was grateful.

There it was. That was what Kurama had been waiting for, all the while willing Hiei to trust him. Hiei's body was flushed and covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He had ceased watching, unable to since his arms had given out and he lay on his back, but Kurama knew it was no longer necessary. He had begun to buck into Kurama's mouth and his vocal barrier had finally been breeched. It was a gorgeous sight, a moment of emotional release on Hiei's part that neither of them would ever forget.

Kurama withdrew, sucking out a few droplets of precum as he retreated. Making sure to leave a slick coating of saliva on Hiei's swollen penis. Hiei groaned in protest earning a smirk from Kurama. He sat back up and leaned over Hiei's calming form. Bringing his lips right against Hiei's ear he whispered, "It's your turn Hiei. I am yours."

"What?" he spoke breathily with half-lidded eyes. Still befuddled from the sexual onslaught. Kurama took his hands in his and leaned back against the bed, carefully guiding Hiei into position on top of him. When Hiei was supporting his own weight on all fours, Kurama circled his legs around Hiei's waist. "Kurama…"

"I'm ready. I can take whatever you have to give." Kurama meant it seriously, but he winked in challenge. "I am yours." It was honestly a display of more confidence than he had, but Hiei needed the reassurance.

Hiei stuck the fingers of his left hand in his mouth one at a time, doing the best he could without a proper lubricating gel. Kurama lay still, waiting. Soon, Hiei cupped Kurama's ass and began trailing his fingers along the outermost boundaries of his entrance. With his eyes locked on Kurama's, Hiei inserted his first finger. Kurama winced and gave a quiet moan but was, within moments, nodding for Hiei to proceed. A second finger was inserted and Hiei scissored them to spread the walls of Kurama's anus.

Kurama's whole body tensed, but Hiei didn't wait this time and added his third finger. Moving all of them about with some difficulty. Kurama's back arched off the bed. Sweat appeared on his body and he squeezed his eyes closed in pain. He had forgotten the intrusive sensation after all these years and the tight virginity of this body made it all that more intense.

It took time and will power for Kurama to relax again. The lines of his forehead smoothed and his legs were again loose around Hiei's waist. Taking the cue, Hiei removed all of his fingers and spat on his hand to relubricate his member. Kurama took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He was doing his best to keep his body calm. Knowing that this was going to hurt no matter what he did. But he wanted this.

Hiei positioned himself at Kurama's entrance and slowly pushed his way inside. The muscles immediately contracted and impeded his progress. Concerned, bordering on scared, by the pain evident throughout Kurama's whole body. Hiei did his best to hurry without tearing the fragile wall. He at last had himself buried to the hilt. A few seconds passed while Hiei let Kurama adjust himself. The only sound was their heavy breathing - Kurama had begun to hyperventilate.

Hiei reached forward to brush a few wet strands of hair out of Kurama's closed eyes. "Kurama…just breathe. I'll take care of you, I promise. You are mine. …Just breathe…."

Kurama tried to speak but found his voice unreachable. He gave up and only nodded. It was far beyond physical pain now. Kurama was incapable of describing just what was surging through him. He had never felt so vulnerable and yet so incredibly safe at the same time. Perhaps it was the judging which drew such high and volatile emotions from his made-frail being. But he'd like to believe it was whom he was with. This sudden release of control they were both discovering together. He didn't have time to think of it any more for Hiei chose then to draw himself out and begin his first thrust: slow, hard, and deep.

Kurama's eyes shot wide open and his breathing hitched. Blood had puddled at the corner of his mouth and was falling in thin, diluted droplets from where his teeth had bitten into his lower lip. He opened his mouth in a silent scream. Some of the blood flowed back into his found turning his teeth red.

Hiei, undeterred, established a steadily faster rhythm. Kurama's silence turned to whimpers, and these whimpers quickly turned to passionate moans. His body had adjusted and now he was rocking with Hiei, getting louder and louder with each pass. Hiei tested approaches until he found that specific group of muscle hidden within Kurama's secret garden. The fox screamed when it was hit, each time faster, harder, and more desperate.

With one last thrust Kurama came with a soundless cry. Spilling his ejaculate over his abdomen, all his muscles clenching in climax. The pressure was too much and Hiei came with a shudder, filling Kurama with his seed. His mouth formed a surprised "Oh."

He collapsed onto Kurama but never ceased falling when he should have been resting against swear-sticky skin. His eyesight dimmed to nothing and he was left alone, falling in darkness.

He shot up out of bed, his shoulders hunched over and his breathing labored. A hand suddenly squeezed his shoulder in comfort. "Kurama?" Hiei asked. The hand squeezed again in response. Hiei reached up to touch his friend's arms, chest, hair, face to make sure it was him. So disoriented in those first few waking moments was he that all of his senses were dulled and confused. Touch seemed his only reliable ally.

He felt a finger a finger touch his lips in the "hush" symbol. Then arms enveloped him in a blissful, hopeful, and sad embrace.

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Koenma suddenly awoke, disturbing Botan who had been sleeping in his arms. "Koenma, what is it?" Botan was terribly concerned. He was flushed and his breathing unsteady. And she was positive that his forehead hadn't been sweaty moments before.

He didn't hear her question. His mind was reeling from the dream. How could they do this to him? *How could they do this to him!* A judgment? Now?

`That bastard!' Koenma thought. `I can't refuse this…he knows I can't…not now….'

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More A/N's:

That was my second lemon/lime that I've ever written so feedback on that would be great.

Brownie points (not a contest) to whoever can guess where I got the name "Halakkos" from.

Her name is spelled "Botan" right? I may have accidentally been spelling it "Boton" in previous chapters.

Oh, and I'm looking for a beta reader. Any volunteers?

Please Review