Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Collector ❯ Life Is Better Than Cherry Cheesecake! ( Chapter 1 )

SM: *singing* I let him slip away, he's lookin for that home and I hope he finds it, but I'd trade all of my tomorrows, for one single yesterday, to be holding Bobbie's body next to mine. Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. Nothing, that's all that Bobbie left me. But feeling good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues, and feeling good was good enough for me, mmm hmm, good enough for me and my Bobbie McGee-----

Kylyx: She's listening to her hippy music again.

TheBoy: Damnit, you were NOT born in the sixties!!

SM: *blinks* That just means I'm a Flower Child stuck in a new age body! Peace, man!

TheBoy: Ugh... Just turn it off already.

SM: *pout* Fine... uncultured swine... *turns off the stereo*

Well folks, here I am again after an incredibly long, unintentional leave of absence. After the move out here, I ended up living with a couple friends for a good three months before we FINALLY got our own place... We've been here for 3 months and STILL don't have the internet! It's driving me abso-friggin-lutely CRAZY!!! But, thankfully, my neighbors are letting me jump online from time to time, so I can post and check the e-mail... though, this is the first time I've been online since we moved into this apartment... *sigh* And the chances of me actually getting to play on the net are kinda small... so I hope you all don't get too angry at me if I disappear for a while again... I don't want you to hate me!

This was originally going to be a DBZ fic, but I figured that I gave enough to that fandom for now, so I changed around a few things to make it fit into the YYH universe. Plus, there's the lovely fact that this is, indeed, A SEQUEL!!! Woo! Go Me!

I've never written a sequel to ANYTHING before, so I hope I do this well. Besides, "Dream Weaver" got GREAT reviews, and we all know that reviews are like heroin to a writer ^_^. Gotta get that fix, man.

Now, some of you may be wondering what the HELL I'm thinking, writing a sequel to "Dream Weaver", after I had that horrible ending crisis. After all, with double endings, one would think it impossible to do such a thing.

But damnit, I feel like writing a sequel, so I am! Stop complaining!

Of course, the OC in this story isn't a Dream Weaver, and the entire race of beings are not referred to much. So this is more like a "what happened afterwards" kind of thing. Is that still considered sequel material? Hmm... eh, either way.

So anywho, onwards!

Warning: This Fan Fiction is, duh, Yaoi. This means Male X Male Sexual Situations. And they will be disturbingly graphic. (At least we can hope) This story will also contain an OC... and by the Gods, it's not a CHICK!! My very first male character... I hope I do him justice... er, anyway...

Some of the YYH characters may end up being OOC, but with the situations I'm putting them in, it's only natural they would react in such a way. Also, some Lemon scenes in this story may be thought of as nonconsensual; in other words.... RAPE.

So needless to say, if you dislike ANY of the above mentioned situations in your literature, I suggest you leave right this second. This suggestion also carries over to those of you who are under the age of 17; I don't want to be responsible for your corruption and the warping of your fragile little minds.

Flames are welcome, though I would rather not deal with them, honestly. It always makes me sad to see ANOTHER person locked up by what society views as "correct" or "proper". Close mindedness is seriously depressing.

However, if you do decide to flame, but only write a review about how stupid or gay or whatever I am for writing this, and those that read it are equally stupid or gay or whatever, I will be forced to break something.

Mostly likely your legs.

Insulting people for their likes and choices doesn't fly with me, so watch yourself.

The Collector

By: SaintMe

Life Is Better Than Cherry Cheesecake!

Chapter One

The sweat was dripping down his chest and stomach, playfully running in the defined crevices, the drops making their way through the maze of well knit muscle and skin, to finally rest on the body below. Hiei released a heavy breath, trying to snatch the air into his lungs and stifle his cries at the same time. It seemed the effort was useless, especially while listening to the moans and ecstatic sobbing coming from the one beneath him. At the back of his mind, he thought how wonderfully ironic it was that Kurama, a normally quiet soul, was such a screamer. The Fox was pushing his face into the pillow beneath him, gripping the horribly mussed bed sheets and grinding his teeth as he pushed his rear back, matching Hiei's thrusting with a timing so perfect that both gained euphoric tidal shocks of the most incredible pleasure.

Hiei reached out, pushing that gloriously red hair to the side, exposing Kurama's throat to him, and he leaned down, slowing his thrusts as he kiss-bit down his neck and shoulder. Kurama whimpered at both the feel and the relaxing of such sweet torture. They had coupled many times before, but each time seemed to open new doors to a higher ecstasy. Hiei was the kind of lover one could never get enough of.

"Tell me again, Fox." Hiei whispered in a hoarse voice, his hand snaking down beneath Kurama to grasp at his length, giving it an encouraging stroke. Kurama hissed and threw his head back, his jaw dropping and his body tightening.

"I-I-I"

"Mmm?" Hiei nuzzled his throat, tugging at his ear lobe with those sharp teeth, drinking in the delightful sounds. He slid his hand up Kurama's shaft, playfully running his thumb over the slit. Kurama groaned and arched his back.

"I love you!"

Hiei closed his eyes, moaning himself as the words rang in his ears. He pulled out of Kurama's hot body, expertly flipping him onto his back, and plunged back inside, this time holding nothing back. Kurama howled, his fingernails digging into Hiei's back as his body was worked without mercy. Tears streamed from the corners of his eyes as he held tight to the muscle above him, releasing all the pent up excitement with screams of the sweetest sorrow.

"IloveyouIloveyouIloveyou." The words spilled from Kurama's lips in a torrent as he felt the intensity within himself pulled to the point of snapping. The release was so close he could touch it, yet was beyond his reach. He became desperate, clawing at his lover as he tossed his head side to side. Hiei pushed himself up onto his elbows, his hips grinding harder against Kurama's, his own face twisting in bliss.

"Let me-See you-"

Kurama opened his eyes, forcing them to stay that way as Hiei struggled to speak. The eyes above him began to beg.

"Come for me-Kurama-Scream-My name-"

That was all it took; the seconds ticking by in hours, as both Demons found themselves falling up and up, into Heaven's embrace. The other's name exploded from their lips, holding tight, riding the swell down together and into eternity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurama sighed happily as he rested his head upon Hiei's chest, counting the heart beats as they drummed softly in his ear, his finger tips gently tracing the toned muscles of his stomach. Hiei had his arm wrapped around his shoulders, petting his hair, wondering briefly what had gotten into him. He was not the cuddling type, but for some reason the Fox made him lose all semblance of his sanity. He would do anything if Kurama asked him to without even giving it a second thought. He really didn't see a need for this sort of sentimental crap, honestly; After all, the love making should have been enough. Did Kurama honestly need this kind of encouragement? Wasn't Hiei doting enough for him?

He had asked the Fox this question once before, and Kurama had laughed at him.

"Hiei," he had told him, cupping his cheek affectionately, "You're the type of lover I had always hoped for. I don't expect you to be slobbering and filthy about it, but being held after making love is sometimes better than the sex itself. It all comes down to emotion, and when you hold your lover, you're speaking to them of the feelings you have, without needing the words."

That seemed sensible enough to Hiei, and ever since that day, after every sexual encounter, he and Kurama would curl up together like a couple of kittens, purring contentedly in each other's arms. He didn't need to tell Kurama that he loved him; simply holding him was enough for the Fox.

Hiei allowed himself a small smile as he thought on their past, and the extremely odd circumstances that had brought them together.

Her name was... well, they actually never got her name, and it never occurred to them to really care. Either way, they and she were content to just refer to her as her species dictated. Dream Weaver. Mentally powerful Free Magic apparitions, born with the ability to traverse through the stream of unconsciousness, hopping freely from one mind to another, using the power of suggestion to gain what they desired from their victims. They had been locked away in a sort of purgatory for centuries for the safety of both the human, and immortal race, due to the fact that those touched by their magic often times went insane, their subconscious and spirits weakening and eventually breaking. A truly terrifying being with all things considered.

This one, in the form of a beautiful young woman, with hair of the softest gold in a dress the color of fresh snow, had escaped and Koenma sent them to find her. Unknown to them, however, was the fact that she had already invaded one of the team's minds. Hiei made a nasty face as he remembered the feeling of total and complete violation. But, he couldn't deny the fact that he was indebted to her.

Everything happened in a matter of days, both he and Kurama being infected by her magic, Hiei suffering the most through it all. He had been stubborn, refusing to allow the magic to work as it should have, ultimately sending him towards insanity. But Kurama had freed him, gave him the key to the darkness that was haunting him, and afterwards Hiei had a chance to demand answers. She had been evasive, as was usual for her it seemed, giving Hiei all the answers he had wanted without him realizing it. It wasn't until later that he found out her motives.

She had been in love, many, many years ago, possibly even before Hiei's time, with a human woman. Due to the ethical code of living her species enforced, she had a choice to either leave her love behind, or be trapped within the woman's subconscious for the rest of her short, mortal life. Hiei had told her that she had chosen family over love, but she insisted that he was wrong. She had seen it as choosing love over all, for if she had stayed with her 'lover', the woman would have been damned to slumber until death. Just as she had to make the choice, so did she show Hiei that he had the same choice.

She had opened his eyes to the truth right in front of him, that there was love waiting patiently for him. She did not want him to miss his chance, as she had done. Though she still felt she had made the right decision with her love, the Dream Weaver wanted to, if even just once, prevent some other being from feeling the pain of an eternity alone.

Hiei's grip on Kurama's shoulder tightened momentarily as he hugged him closer, wondering what he had been thinking in keeping this beautiful creature at an arms length. He often times questioned how he could possibly think he was even content with his situation before he could hold Kurama in his arms and call him his own. But as Kurama had told him, the past did not matter anymore; they were together now, and guilt over precedent mistakes would be nothing but a waste of time and energy.

Slowly, he lifted Kurama's chin so he could look into the Fox's eyes, his heart aching pleasantly when he saw himself reflected in their emerald depths.

"Hiei?"

"Please, Kurama... Tell me again..."

Kurama smiled, his eyes shining brighter in that moment.

"I love you, Hiei. With all my heart and soul, I do."

Without speaking or wasting any more time, Hiei pulled Kurama up into a sweet kiss, his hand sliding down his side to his hip, rolling him onto his back once more. The kiss deepened as Hiei's tongue dipped into Kurama's mouth over and over again, his body settling comfortably between his thighs. The sheets pooled around Hiei's hips as he lay over his Fox, slowly coaxing him into bliss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ah, what a beautiful morning." Kurama chirped happily as he opened the drapes, letting the early day sunshine pour in through the window, striking the face of the angrily slumbering Fire Demon. Hiei growled and buried himself deeper within the blankets, a vain attempt to hold onto sleep. When that didn't work, he opted to cover his head with a pillow in the hopes of at least keeping the sunlight out. That too was a wasted effort as Kurama snatched the pillow away and pulled the covers back, exposing Hiei's poor, naked body to the cool air in his bedroom.

"Kura-a-ma." Hiei wailed, curling up on himself to try and retain the lost heat. Kurama smirked privately to himself, quite enjoying what had become their morning ritual.

"Don't be lazy, Hiei. I have classes to attend, and you have promises to keep."

"Yusuke can eat shit for all I care. I want to sleep more."

Kurama smiled again as he sat down next to Hiei, adoring how he was always so talkative in the mornings; even if the talk was vulgar, cranky, and bitter.

"Come on, Hiei. You promised to help him today."

"No. You volunteered me. There is a difference." Hiei grumbled as he flipped onto his stomach, snuggling his face deeper in the soft mattress, informing Kurama that the discussion was over with. Of course, Kurama would have none of it. Still smiling, he bent over Hiei, wetting his tongue momentarily, then carefully gliding the tip from between his shoulder blades up his spine until he reached the base of his hair line. Hiei tried to act as though he felt nothing, but Kurama knew better, and turned to begin a soft nibbling at the juncture of his shoulder and throat. He slid his far hand down, fingertips teasing at his ribs and dipping in the curve of his waist before sliding up over the swell of Hiei's behind. Unconsciously, Hiei spread his legs apart the smallest amount, just enough to give Kurama's wandering hand easier access. Taking the subtle hint, Kurama moved his finger tips teasingly down, lightly caressing between the cheeks, stroking the crevice lovingly over a few times, before dipping down and - the best word to describe it would be "petting" - Hiei's scrotum.

The small Fire Demon could no longer hide his enjoyment, and he hissed, tossing his head back as he fisted the sheets. The marvelously warm, wet tongue was playing tricks back down his spine, dipping in the curves of his muscles, lathing them in affection, while the teeth would occasionally pull flesh between and give doting nips and slight pulls.

Hiei ground his teeth, trying to stifle the moans rising within his throat as he spread his legs further apart, offering himself willingly to Kurama's wicked teasing.

It was then that Kurama, with a triumphant smile, stood and walked over to his desk to gather his school supplies, humming a cheery tune all the while. Hiei's eyes grew wide as he stared at the Fox, going through his things as though nothing at all had happened. He blushed deeply when he realized he had been duped; tricked into waking up, so he would have no reason or excuse to stay in bed.

Bastard, Hiei thought with a half amused grin.

Kurama stuffed his text books into his leather case, not expecting it at all when he found himself shoved forward, forced to bend over his desk.

"Hiei?"

"That was low, even for you." Hiei growled as he ground his erection against Kurama's behind, effectively pulling a wanting moan from the Fox below him.

"Hiei, I have to go to school-"

"Should have thought of that before you got me going." His hand snaked over Kurama's stomach and down, rubbing harshly at the Fox's crotch, bringing his own erection to startling life. Kurama gave a deep, throaty whine, his hands crawling out over the desk top to grip the edges as he ground himself back into Hiei's hard on. They both groaned, Hiei burying his face into Kurama's hair, breathing in deeply the scent.

He continued his massaging of Kurama's charmed length, the strokes becoming longer with each moan, each sharp intake of breath, Hiei reading his lover's reactions and timing it perfectly. Kurama began to tremble, considering pulling back. Hiei was pushing him, almost to the point of coming in his pants, and that was one embarrassment he did not want to deal with.

"Hiei-" he whined as a warning, letting his lover know how close he was. Hiei, however, either took no notice, or simply did not care. He continued the game of push and pull, stroke and slide, pressing Kurama further against the desk top when the Fox tried to stand.

"Hiei-I'm-I-"

"Going to come for me, Fox?"

Kurama's grip on the edges of the desk tightened, and a wail sounded in his lungs, the insides of his thighs tingling, fire slowly crawling up his skin.

"Will you scream for me? Can I lick you clean, when you are finished?"

Here it was. Kurama's muscles clenched when he felt the burning build, the sweet ice of ecstasy so close he could taste it. White invaded his vision and his head swam with the dizziness, no longer able to breathe. Here it was...

And Hiei stopped. He pulled his hand away and quickly backed off, leaving a panting, heaving Kurama pressed against the desk top, loins burning and agony.

"You bastard!"

"Turn about is fair play, Fox." Hiei replied with an arrogant air in his voice as he turned, slipping his pants on. Kurama growled and stood, desperately trying to retain whatever dignity was left to him, and continued putting his supplies in his case for school.

With that done, and Hiei fully dressed, the lovers turned to each other, both sexually aggravated, one more smug than the other. Kurama gave Hiei a half glare, but still knowing that somehow, on some level, he deserved what he got. Stepping forward, he embraced the Fire Demon, kissing the top of his head.

"Be prepared for a little sexual vengeance when I get back." he warned, a slight hiss in his voice. Hiei chuckled, one hand sliding down to give Kurama's behind a little squeeze as he stepped back enough to look into his eyes.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. Now get out of here. You have classes to attend, and I have your promises to keep." He punctuated his words with a quick swat to Kurama's ass, and stepped away, swiftly opening the window and hopping out, soon disappearing from site. Kurama chuckled, shaking his head, and slowly - very slowly - began to walk out of his bedroom and head to school, already planning what he was going to do to the poor Demon the minute he got his hands on him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You look happy." Yusuke commented with a slight smirk as Hiei pushed passed him into his house. He only snorted, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets, but Yusuke could see the small, lingering smile on his lips, though he tried vainly to hide it.

"Little play time before the start of the day?"

The angry look that Hiei shot him for that comment told Yusuke that he shouldn't push it any further. Oh well, he thought, I'll just drag it outta Kurama later. Trying to hide his own amused smile, Yusuke led Hiei towards the back of the house, where several overly large boxes were piled, taped shut, and marked with black magic marker. His mother had, for some insane reason, gone into a complete cleaning frenzy, announcing that she was going to get rid of all their old "junk". That meant that Yusuke had to bring all the boxes to either the dump, or the local donations station. Alone, it would have taken him at least two days, but after much prodding and pushing, he had convinced Hiei - or rather, Kurama had - to give him a hand. He would have asked Kuwabara, but it was beyond his pride to do so. Besides, the great oaf would probably drop something and essentially break whatever was in the box at the time.

"Ya want something to eat before we start?"

"No. I want to get this over with as quickly as possible."

Again, Yusuke smiled. Hiei obviously wanted to get back to Kurama as soon as he could. It was funny, he supposed, that the before distant, cold and callous Demon could turn a complete 180, and become basically a love sick fool, but still retain his poise. Of course, Hiei was not at all aware how obvious he made himself when it came to Kurama. And Yusuke and Kuwabara were just as happy to pretend they noticed nothing. Though the relationship was not a secret, they felt they owed it to Hiei to allow him to keep at least some of his pride. Then again, teasing him about it was so much fun...

Even with the extra hands, it took Yusuke and Hiei four straight hours to finally get the last boxes to the dump. By the end they were both fatigued, sweating and panting. Hiei had, during the course of it all, removed his coat, and as they both fell onto the couch afterwards, he flung it as far away from himself as he could, giving it a murderous look.

"There is one thing that I can pride you humans on." Hiei breathed as he rested his head against the back of the sofa.

"What's that?"

"Air conditioning."

Yusuke laughed and adopted Hiei's pose, staring up at the ceiling fan as it pushed the cool, half recycled air around the room and down on their sweating, flushed bodies. They were silent for a while, recuperating and enjoying the air, as well as the relief of work finally complete.

"So, how long has it been?"

"How long has what been."

"You know... Since you and Kurama got together." Yusuke clarified, turning to look at Hiei.

"It will be two years on Saturday." Hiei replied quickly, almost automatically. He turned towards Yusuke with an angry glare when he heard him snickering.

"What."

"Nothing, man. So are you planning anything?"

At that, Hiei gave him the most confused look Yusuke had ever seen the Fire Demon wear. Yusuke's own eyes widened in disbelief.

"You're not planning anything at all?"

"Plan what?"

Yusuke was dumbfounded for a moment, his mouth opening and closing as half spoken words stumbled from his lips.

"What?" Hiei demanded, sitting up and glaring harder at his friend.

"It's your two year anniversary, and you aren't planning a thing!?"

"Hn. Why should I? That is just a stupid, human tradition."

Yusuke felt relieved for a moment, understanding finally dawning on him. Sitting up as well, he clapped a hand on Hiei's shoulder and leant in close, as if what he was about to say were scandalous.

"Hiei, you forget; Kurama might have been born a Demon, but he's been living as a human for the past sixteen years. It may mean nothing to you, but to him it'd be something important."

Hiei sat perfectly still, the words washing over him, striking him like a tidal wave. Yusuke was right. Kurama was particularly fond of his human life and customs. The celebration of an anniversary would mean a great deal to him. Sighing, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"I have no idea what to do."

"Easy, man. Just get him some terribly expensive present, tell him you love him, worship him, blah, blah, blah."

Hiei turned to Yusuke then, his own amused smirk on his face.

"And you forget, Yusuke; Kurama is not your easily satisfied, simple minded girlfriend."

"Touché. Well, it's only Monday. You have a few days to plan. You'll come up with something by then."

Hiei's shoulders slumped again; he really had no idea at all what he could do, even with Yusuke's encouraging words.

An hour or so later, Hiei took his leave, opting to walk back to Kurama's house instead of flitting among the tree tops and lamp posts, deciding that perhaps he could do what he had heard Keiko call "window shopping", in hopes of finding something worthy of his Fox. Of course, he had no idea how he was to pay for a gift, but he figured he could figure something out by Saturday. He walked cautiously through the crowds, eyeing the tall glass windows of various shops. His lips curled as he looked at the glittering, overly extravagant items. Clothing, jewelry, various trinkets of different shapes and size, all designed to startle and awe those passing by. They seemed fine for lowly humans, but Kurama deserved something more, something real and lasting. None of it was worth a penny spent, or a second of consideration. Kurama deserved beauty and perfection.

Sighing, Hiei decided to think on things for a day, hoping that maybe his lover would drop some sort of subtle hint to him about what he wanted for their anniversary. Turning, he headed towards Kurama's house, wracking his brain for any kind of solution. He had just turned the corner onto the correct street, when he felt an odd tingling at the back of his spine. Halting immediately, Hiei sent his senses outward, probing for possible danger. When he came in contact with nothing, he slowly turned a circle, finding himself as alone as his senses had told him. But still, there was a bizarre feeling that there were eyes on him, watching him; Something crouched in shadows that he could not see, waiting to pounce on him the second his guard was down.

"Coward. Come out where I can see you." Hiei hissed into the empty air, his eyes darting back and forth. Soon, a light, floating laughter reached his ears, and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

"You are quite observant, aren't you?"

Hiei spun around, nearly falling back when his nose came into rough contact with a cloth covered chest. He did step back and looked up into the face, at first startled. It was a Demon, though none of which he had ever seen. It was quite rare to encounter one of his kind that were this striking, this lovely. The demon's face was sharp and chiseled, giving the impression of being cut from stone, the skin looking fresh and clean; his complexion would have been the envy of many young women. Eyes that were elegantly shaped, the color of a raging, jade ocean stared down at him with a delighted light in them. Graceful, slender eyebrows arched over his eyes, giving him an almost feminine quality. Hair as white and fresh as Christmas snow lay in a messy layer, framing his face, the front reaching down just past his chin. He was dressed in a long, green velvet robe, the hood resting in gentle folds around his shoulders. The length was enough to cover his feet, brushing against the side walk. With his appearance, Hiei would have thought him human, had it not been for the clawed hands and eerie aura this Demon seemed to practically vibrate with.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The Demon smiled at him, revealing a row of perfectly white, straight, slightly pointed teeth; the only thing marring his beautiful appearance.

"Who I am is of no importance to you. As for what I want... well," He reached out so quickly Hiei had barely a second to react, and even then, it was too late, "That would be you."

The Demon's clawed fingertip pressed against Hiei's forehead, between his eyes, and the Fire Demon's normally raging, blood colored eyes went flat and dull, his body going completely lax. The taller Demon kept Hiei standing by holding one of his shoulders, while his other hand searched within a pocket of his robes. Smiling to himself, he began to recite the spell that had been burned into his memory since childhood, satisfaction swelling inside at the thought of a job well done, and the realization that the fun could soon begin.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurama stared out his bedroom window, his hands fidgeting nervously behind his back. He had been waiting for Hiei for over two hours already, and the little Demon still hadn't come back. He tried not to worry, but it wasn't normal for him to not come back after Kurama was released from school, especially since they had a little score to settle. Maybe he's still with Yusuke, Kurama thought with great hope, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to call and check. He dialed the phone number with a numb feeling, his heart pounding in fear as the phone rang once, twice, three times.

"Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick-"

"-ello?"

Kurama faltered for a moment, until he realized that Yusuke's mother had answered.

"Hello Mrs. Urameshi. Is Yusuke available?"

"Ya hol' on. Yusuke!"

Kurama cringed and pulled the phone back from his ear as the woman shrieked to her son. He heard a few curses exchanged between the two, Yusuke yelling at his mother to quit screaming, and she pointing out that he was screaming just as loud.

"Mom, go away! No, I don't care what you think- Mom! I'm trying to talk to some- Just go!" there was a heavy sigh, then, "Hello?"

"Yusuke? It's Kurama."

"Oh hey, man. What's up?"

"Nothing really. Is Hiei still with you?"

"No. He left a while ago. Why?"

"N-nothing. He just hasn't returned yet."
"Awww. Are you worried about him?"

Kurama glared at the phone, wishing that he could reach through the line and wack Yusuke upside the head.

"Don't worry, man. He's probably shopping."

"Shopping?"

Kurama heard Yusuke hold his breath, probably mentally cursing himself. This peaked Kurama's interest, but his worry for his lover outweighed his curiosity.

"W-well, thank you Yusuke."

"Yea no problem. Let me know when he turns up, alright?"

"I will. Goodnight."
"Later."

Kurama hung up the phone, sighing as he bowed his head.

"He won't turn up."

Kurama turned sharply, instinctually raising his hands in defense. Sitting on his windowsill, ankles crossed, leaning on one hand was someone; a Demon he had never seen. Kurama faltered, unsure what to do. This Demon was oddly beautiful, staring at him with amused eyes and a soft smile. He wasn't moving to attack, and didn't appear to be planning to do that any time soon. But he had mentioned Hiei. Kurama's brows furrowed in anger.

"Where is Hiei?"

"Who? Oh, you mean the pretty little Demon in black. Never got his name."

In an instant, Kurama had a tight hold on the Demon's robes, pulling him inches from his face.

"What did you do to him!?"

The Demon merely smiled defiantly, seemingly uncaring of the threatening tone.

"If you hurt him, I swear by all the Gods-"

"Hurt him? Now, now, my good man, why would I want to hurt him? He is, after all, my pivot."

Kurama blinked, almost taking a step back. His pivot? What the hell was this Demon talking about?

"Could you kindly remove your hands from me? The robes get terribly wrinkled when you do that. There's a good boy. Now then, shall we get down to business?" The Demon spoke with a haughty, nobleman's air, as he smoothed one hand down his front in an attempt to relieve the wrinkling, which actually never had been. Kurama did not, however, take a step back after releasing him.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"How pleasantly odd. Hiei - was that his name? - asked me the same exact thing. Though I do suppose I should give you a straighter answer than I did him. My name is Argaus, and I want your help."

"My help?"

"Indeed. You are Kurama, correct? Well of course you are. I heard you admit it on the telephone to your friend. As I have heard your charming little lover call out during more heated moments- Now, now! Is there a need for that?"

Kurama had lunged at him, gripping his front once more and pulling him from the windowsill, practically dragging him to the floor. As it was, the Demon had fallen to his knees, staring up at Kurama in shock and distain.

"Where is he, damn you!?"

Argaus smiled then, the site of his finely sharpened teeth sending an odd chill through Kurama's bones.

"Did you know that your eyes, human they may be, are truly beautiful when you are angry? They flare with their own light."

"Where!?"

"In a safe little place, close to my heart."

Kurama narrowed his eyes, one of his hands sliding up to grip the Demon's wind pipe.

"I could crush your throat right now."

"That you could, my good man, but would you really dare such a thing? I cannot guarantee your lover's safety if you do so, and I can promise you that you would never see him again. Are you willing to take such a risk, over such a trifling, simple request that I am making?"

Kurama blinked back the angry tears, unsure what to do.

"Before I agree to anything, you are going to tell me what it is exactly that you want, and where Hiei is."

"Sounds like a fair trade to me. If you would just loosen your grip..."

Kurama did as he was told, backing off and allowing Argaus to stand. He again, smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles in his robes, cleared his throat once, and petted back his white hair. He glanced around the room, sniffing in contempt.

"Such primitive, repelling dwellings these human's live in. Do not tell me you enjoy this."

Kurama growled low, clenching his fists.

"Point taken, point taken," Argaus said with a small chuckle, holding up his hand in a manner meant to quiet Kurama, "Alright then, where should I start? I suppose it should be with a small explanation of what I am. I am assuming you have never seen a Demon such as me? No? I thought not. I am what you would call an appreciator of the finer things in life; namely life itself. Or rather, life force. You are acquainted with Botan, correct?"

Kurama blinked, confused as to what she had to do with the situation, and how this Argaus knew her.

"What she does, taking the spirits of the dead to The Land Beyond, is quite similar to what I do for pleasure. Only, I do not pass these people off into the hands of the Gods. Instead, I keep them for myself. I collect souls, Kurama, for my own amusement. Did you know, there are a million and one ways to make someone cry when you have them captive? Their screams are so wonderfully soothing. They are like toys, bending to your every whim and desire. I say, good man, you look rather ill. Would you like to sit down?"

Kurama covered his mouth with his hand, his stomach churning as he listened to the Demon prattle on. He... he was mad! Completely out of his mind! Oh Gods, Hiei...

"You killed him?" Kurama choked out, tears stinging the backs of his eye lids.

"I am insulted, Kurama! I told you that I did not harm him, and I will not as long as you follow my instructions."

"You are insane."

"Possibly," Argaus said thoughtfully as he looked up to the ceiling, poising a fingertip against his chin, "Though I prefer to call it 'dedicated to my hobby'. Would you like to see him?"

Kurama's head shot up, his eyes rimmed in red as he fought back the tears, hopefulness shining on his face. Argaus smiled that arrogant smile, and reaching under the collar of his robes, pulled out a small, brown leather pouch. From it, he retrieved a single, glass globe.

It was no larger than marble, radiating it's own light as he held it between his fingertips. Kurama moved closer, bending down so as to look inside. At first, all he saw was that white light, almost blinding. Then, it began to wash with color, pinks and greens, gentler than an autumn sunset. And suddenly, he saw Hiei. The Demon was laying in a bed of soft, summer grass, half curled up on himself, looking to be within the throws of a pleasant, dream filled slumber. He even had that small, almost nonexistent smile on his face. The scene alone eased Kurama's worried heart enough so he could think clearly.

"Where is he?"

"He is in an Apparition's Realm, that which I created. Rather lovely, isn't it? Looks like a babe in his mother's arms. I wasn't sure if he would have preferred just the grass, or maybe a blooming cherry tree. What do you think?"

Kurama barely heard him as he watched his lover. Hiei turned in his sleep onto his back, one of his hands resting on his stomach. He did look peaceful and content, warming himself in sunlight. The way that Argaus had spoken, Kurama had thought the chambers in which he kept his "collection" would be horrendous, painful, and terrifying. So why this?

"Personally, I would prefer an autumn breeze, warm yet cool enough to rid the day's sweat from one's body. Piles of leaves to rest upon."

The words were drowned out as Kurama seemed to be enchanted, staring at the picture in wonder. What power this Demon must have, to create such a pretty world for his captives, to hold their body and soul in pleasant bondage. He smiled slightly as Hiei turned again, his face in full view, and it was then that his heart twisted.

Argaus' concentration on the spell must have faltered slightly while he was rambling on and on, for the colors began to swim, swirling into darker shades, turning to black and red. Kurama watched in horrified fascination as the grass melted away, the blue of the sky bleeding into a cold gray. And Hiei's face, once serene and happy, warped in a fury, his mouth gaping wide and eyes synched tightly shut as a silent scream was ripped from him throat.

He was bound, his wrists shackled and chained, the steel cuffs containing spikes on the inner curves, which were piercing his flesh, the blood streaming down his arms. Standing behind him, hidden within shadow, someone wielded a thick leather whip, striking out at the small demon in frightening earnest. The leather bit into Hiei's bare back, breaking open the swollen, bruised skin, his thick red blood dripping down the curves of his muscle to pool around his knees on the cold, stone floor. The flesh around the open wounds was peeling, rubbed raw, an obvious testament that this torture had been enduring for hours. The person struck him again, and Hiei's body jerked at the burning contact, reflexive tears streaming from his eyes to bounce around him in pretty round gems.

"You bastard!!" Kurama howled, lunging at Argaus and knocking him to the floor, pulling his fist back to strike him in his rage.

"Hold!" Argaus yelled, his hand closing around the small globe, "One squeeze and I crush it, then your lover dies!"

Kurama halted in his assault, slinking back and off of the Demon, holding his fists to his temples as he growled in his anger. Argaus sat up casually, replacing the little sphere back to its pouch, and he crossed his legs.

"You said you didn't hurt him."

"Pah. That is nothing he cannot live through. Besides, it wouldn't be any fun for me if I couldn't hear the pretty little thing cry some. Now then, shall we discuss the terms?"

Kurama wanted to scream, but nodded his head.

"Wonderful! I only want two things from you. One being, that you lead me through the Makai, to find the only surviving Dream Weaver outside of Purgatory."

Kurama lifted his head, surprise and shock clear on his face.

"How did you-"

"World travels fast in the Makai, as you know. And I'm sure you can guess, she would be an unusual, and beautiful addition to my collection."

"What else?"

"When our journey is over and I have the Dream Weaver, I am going to ask you to make a choice."

"A choice?"

"Yes. Though I can't tell you what that choice is until the situation arises."

"Why me?"

"Because you are Kurama. Your thieving and tracking skills are legendary throughout the Demon Realm. You are the only one who can lead me to my prize."

Kurama straightened his back, holding his head high in a last attempt at defiance.

"And if I refuse?"

"It is either lead me to the Dream Weaver, or I keep your pretty little lover. A Demon born of the elements Fire and Ice. Very rare, indeed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SM: Whoa. That turned out longer than I expected it to. Go me! Man, I just love the beginning of this first chapter... hurrah for sessiness! And to think, I didn't even write a lemon for the first story. Shame on you, girl! Shame, shame!

Kylyx: Not only shame on you for that, but you're being horribly mean to poor little Hiei. Didn't you torture him enough in "Dream Weaver"?

SM: *blinks* Holy crap, you're right! *hides behind the sofa and calls out to the readers* Please don't hurt me!

TheBoy: Please! Hurt her! Break her fingers or something so I don't have to deal with this crap anymore!

Kylyx: *smacks him upside the head* Quit complaining. If they broke her fingers, then we'd both be stuck listening to her piss and moan about not being able to write. Then, if she can't write, all that's left for her to do is torment us until we completely lose our minds.

TheBoy: You have a point. I take that back, folks.

SM: *still hiding behind the sofa* Don't forget to review! I do love you people! Really I do! Oh, also... whatcha all think of Argaus? I drew a picture of him just the other day, and he turned out REALLY pretty. I'm gonna ask my brother to scan it for me the next time he has duty, so I can show you! Maybe I'll even get up the energy to attempt coloring him, though the only thing I have is the basic Paint program... blah... well, maybe I'll get lucky and someone out there with a more advanced program will do it for me *bats her eye lashes* Nothing overly exquisite... just some color to make him a little more 3 dimensional. *grin*