Under the Rose  

Fanfic by Sandy Youko

   One
 

Kurama strolled slowly around his own yard, too annoyed with the silence surrounding him inside the house. He had become easily accustomed with the now-familiar noises as more people shared his home with him. The still childish voice of his new brother, the low, yet calm voice of his stepfather soon turned into sounds he appreciated hearing.

It was funny, but now he realized he didn't enjoy solitude anymore. Even as a child he had been a loner. Not even Shiori was allowed to take much part in his life for years. But now all that had changed, not only because of that Ningen woman, but mostly because of Hiei.

He walked to his yard's Sakura tree, and extended one hand to touch its pale trunk, caressing it with a dreamy expression making his eyes gleam, and a desirous smile as he thought about his lovely demon.

He missed his lover like crazy...

Almost a whole month had passed since the last time they were able to share company and love.

The missing feeling made his body ache and tremble. Everything in his life was affected by the lack of the one he reveled in loving so intensely.  Being alone turned into a sensation similar to a growing hollow invading his belly, his chest, his heart, making his hands shake and his legs fail.

He embraced himself, letting his hands fondle his sides sorrowfully, as he whispered that short, so significant name with dry, quivering lips...

Hiei...

Kurama let the soft cold breeze announcing winter caress his face, making it paler yet with the chill. His eyes were drawn to follow a very particular, imaginary path as he looked from the Maple tree standing sideways to his bedroom window, hoping to visualize a flicker of black cutting the air, dashing into his room.

All he wished was to welcome his demon visitor and lover dearly in his arms. He had expected him to come for the whole weekend, but as during all the previous days, it seemed Kurama was bound to sleep on his own again.

It was sundown, and Kurama knew even though it would be a chilling autumn evening, he must keep the window ajar, just enough for Hiei to slip in quietly in case he arrived.

Their relationship was difficult now that both of them had their   separate lives to care about. They  had to be even more careful than before about their dates.

Kurama had his family, not only his mother Shiori to be concerned about. Now he needed to consider his stepfather and his annoying, nosy stepbrother. Shuuichi needed extra doses of care in order not to allow the demonic side of his life show and ruin his perfect Ningen coverage.

As for Hiei, now he had Mukuro...

The redhead could not avoid a bitter smile from altering  his pretty lips when he thought about the way that Bionic Bitch had exerted influence over Hiei's life. The Fire Demon was too unsatisfied and lonely then, and was easily lured by Mukuro's promises and offerings.

Anyway, he was the sole one to blame for allowing Mukuro the space and chance to approach Hiei... It all had happened during the Makai Tournament, while they were separated and on very bad terms.

In a way Kurama could understand Hiei's falling for her. He needed someone. And unfortunately it had been the Rusted Broad to be around on the occasion... She had filled the spaces, mended the cuts, had tended the hurting which filled Hiei's soul then. Further yet, she had made him company, soothing his lonely sorrow. Well... Kurama imagined perhaps he should even express his gratitude to the Metal-Junk one of these days for keeping Hiei safe and sound for him while he lived as Shuuichi Minamino on the Ningen side of the Borders.

However, considering all and everything, Mukuro and her Generals were a kind of family for Hiei - even such a twisted, poor substitute, was better for Hiei than plain, unfriendly isolation.

Now Kurama had less time than before to dedicate to Hiei. His Ningen Masquerade was becoming more and more demanding of his time and attention in order to be convincing. Not only did he have a larger family, but also he had exchanged his student occupation for an assistant managing position at his stepfather's trade company.

He sighed, and his eyes aimed at his bedroom's windowframe. He had stuck a rose there, in a tiny crack in the wall along part of the window's wooden frame. It was a code; a lover's code, like the ones used very long ago...

A shut window meant absolutely no chance for them to be together.

Placing a pink rose on his window meant Hiei could enter and yet be careful about being seen.

Placing a red rose meant he should come back later.

A white rose meant there was no one home and that they were all by themselves to make love wildly...

Even though Hiei knew his schedule, and his family's routine, on the weekends such conventions changed immensely. That's the reason why Kurama came up with that idea about the rose codes. He had read about it in an book; it signaled the existence of  a secret meeting. In addition to it, the redhead considered the  idea not merely charmingly romantic, but also appropriate. He knew he would need to change his method when Winter came, but for a while, it was working perfectly - It was simple and discreet.

Hiei just offered him a smirk when he heard of his fox's idea, but he agreed to follow the rose codes.

Therefore Kurama had expectantly kept a white rose atop his window for the whole weekend, since his family had left for a small leisure weekend trip.

Hiei didn't show up.

There had been uncountable roses as days passed and Hiei still didn't come to the Ningenkai. That particular white rose had been there since Friday evening, and it was starting to wither now that Sunday was almost over.

Kurama sighed again. He'd have to cuddle to himself and let his imagination offer him release for another night as he'd do it himself. He would fill his mind with the loving remembrances about Hiei, recalling his scent, his nimble forms, his deep, sensual voice, his warm body, his hard and vigorous lovemaking...

The redhead entered the house, in a heartsick mood. It had already been too long since they had been together...

He crossed the living room, thinking about preparing some soothing Chamomile tea for himself, already resigned to another evening alone, when he sensed the familiar you-ki drawing nearer. It was like a warming breeze slowly turning into a twister flooding him with passion and excitement, charging him with the assuredness he was not alone anymore...

He forgot everything else and just rushed upstairs, almost stumbling on the steps as he threw himself towards his bedroom, the quickest  he could, extremely eager to hold his lover in his arms after such a long period apart.
 
He stormed through the hall, passing like a dash by his parents' and little Shuuichi's room, his steps sounding too loud in the empty house. He passed the bathroom and the guest rooms so fast it didn't take him more than two, three large steps to cover the distance.

He showed a beautiful, broad smile when he threw himself against his bedroom door, pushing it open with a wide gesture and shining, avid eyes.

There was his lovely youkai in his familiar black cloak, sitting at the windowsill with one leg hanging inside and the other bent as he embraced his own knee. Hiei showed him an enticing side smile and twinkling ecstatic red eyes.

Hiei held the white rose in his bandaged hand in a careless manner. Then he brought it to his nose, and sniffed in so deeply that Kurama could see his chest and shoulders rise with the sexy inspiration.

"I missed the smell of your roses, fox..."

Kurama could not deviate his eyes from that lovely sight. He barely had the mind to shut and lock his door before moving passionately towards Hiei, wrapping his demon with ardent but very caring arms.

The rose fell to the floor and ended up crushed and kicked away when they held out for each other.

The fox could just moan Hiei's name, continuously, as his hands started exploring the demon's small body, touching his vigorous outline, sensing his warmth as he fought his caressing way against the fabric of his clothes. He enveloped the youkai with his own body, and his lips started to kiss his spiky hair, sucking the loving scent and taste of his black strands, mischievously nibbling the edge of his ear...

"Hiei... Love... I... Missed you... Baby..." Was all Kurama could mumble when he held Hiei very tight against himself.

And Hiei could not move. He just stood there, allowing his lover to enclose him with that long caress, offering him the affection which he missed so much while they were apart. He nestled comfortingly onto Kurama's bosom, staring to rub his face on his chest, kissing him over the silk of his shirt. His lips left the cold, soft fabric wet with kisses as he traced the outline of  the fox's nipples underneath the silk, already biting and sucking softly.

Kurama moaned with a delicate abandonment into Hiei's ear, letting his warm exhalation caress his ear and face. Hiei soon started to purr against the slender, muscular Ningen body he loved so much. It was such a tight hug it made it hard for them to breathe... Snug against each other, they remained there, stroking one another for a long time, as if  to try to convince themselves they were actually there, together, embracing, free to make the most delicious love ever...

"Fox, it was very cold in the Makai..." Hiei whispered, with a soft  but incredibly sensual low tone. He shifted calmly within the embrace, as both lovers held even tighter to one another.

Kurama smiled; he knew Hiei didn't mean the temperature, but the loneliness. Fire Demons didn't feel cold of the weather, however they did feel cold from the heart...

"Are you warm now, baby?" He asked, with the sweetest voice, making his fingers play with the white starburst on Hiei's hair.

"Yes... But, I think it will be warmer in bed, don't you?"

Kurama's reply was to pull Hiei towards the bed, still keeping his tender grip around his waist, bringing him and sniffing his neck, stripping his white scarf to sense better the alluring perfume coming from him.

He sat by the side of the bed, making Hiei sit across his lap. It was only then that Kurama reached out for a kiss.

The kiss started slight and slow with their lips pressed so softly that the sensation was merely a twitch. Then, as they began exchanging soothing caresses the pressure increased and the touch deepened, turning the smooch into a passionate kiss when their mouths opened one onto the other...

Kurama drew air in. He breathed Hiei's exhalation, and then he sighed out, filling Hiei's mouth and face  with the warm scent of his longing heart and body. It was the half koorime who first inserted a delicate tip of  his tongue into Kurama's mouth, letting it slip in between his teeth, exploring very sweetly into the interior of that hot, delicious hollow...

"I missed you...", was all that Kurama could moan, in an almost inarticulate attempt to voice anything. Then he pushed his tongue in with a serpentine fondling into Hiei's mouth.

The lovers clung to one another, and Kurama lay on the bed, bringing the small but so vigorous body of his Fire Demon to rest on top of his. He made Hiei rest his face on his chest, and his sensual, warm hips right in between this thighs.

Hiei's purring restarted, and Kurama started to breathe harder when they kissed again, enjoying the slow sensation which was to feel their sexes growing hard together, as they leaned onto one another, pleased with the moistened feel of their erections raised in heat and love, as they snuggled together.

"I missed you too, stupid fox..."

"Why did you stay away from me for so long?" Kurama asked him, taking the chance to lick his face, tasting his skin, and then making the tip of his tongue follow with a soft and very wet caress the outline of his lower lips.

Then, the redhead placed a quick smooch on Hiei's lips, and stared at him contently, with a naive smile, awaiting an answer.

Hiei shuddered slightly within Kurama's arms. The emotion of being close to his lover once more was so intense that his whole body relaxed completely now that he could feel warm in his fox's embrace.

"Mukuro sent me on a long  reconnaissance. She made me cross the whole Makai in errand."

Kurama gave out a long, hurt sigh. But he said nothing. His hands were pressed against Hiei's chest. His palms touched the familiar shape of his muscles, while his fingers stroked the erect nipples over the cloak's fabric. He did not need to say anything, though. His eyes no longer showed their pleased glint any longer, and his sigh was filled with so much pain and longing that Hiei noticed it.

The demon placed a warm, firm palm on the small of Kurama's back, bringing the touch up his spine to rub the sensitive area between his shoulder blades, trying to comfort him. He knew how much his association with Mukuro annoyed him.

"It was not dangerous; don't worry."

"I was not worried. But it's too hard to remain here without you."

"Kurama... We had made a deal about it."

"Yes, love, but Mukuro... She's stealing you from me..."

Hiei didn't retort; In fact that time he and Kurama stayed apart for just too damned long; almost a whole month. He had been getting slightly suspicious about so many missions. All in all, Makai was peaceful after the Tournament. However  it seemed Mukuro had an itch where she could not scratch; she had been acting weirdly for a long time now... It was an absurd thought, but sometimes he had the impression she wanted to keep him away from Kurama on purpose...

"I won't be away for so long anymore, this is a promise I make to you."
 
Kurama seemed to be more at ease with Hiei's words. He welcomed another of Hiei's kisses, breathing deeply when he felt the demon's small hands unbuttoning his shirt.

He parted the kiss to watch, excited with the view of Hiei's hand caressing his chest, rubbing his nipples which were so erect they hurt. He shifted within Hiei's holding arms, to let his crotch press against Hiei's rock hard abdomen, and he closed his thighs against the demon's sides, most invitingly...

"Baby... Why are you there with Mukuro? I don't mind that you stay in the Makai, but do you have to stay with her?"

"I need to train and get stronger, Fox. I like the hard training I get with Mukuro."

Kurama made a scowl. He knew Hiei didn't have any other intent with his decision to live in Mukuro's domains; but he could not say the same about that Bionic Bitch's intentions. He had experience enough to perceive very well the way she ogled his youkai.

"Why do you want to be so strong, Hiei?"

Hiei caressed Kurama's face, and a soft smile showed on his thin lips, very faint, but sweet enough for the fox to blush with the sudden urge of delight it caused him.

"To protect you..."

Kurama's smile seemed to brighten up the whole bedroom, and he let out a small contented cry of surprise, bringing Hiei tight against his chest again, enveloping the small youkai with his own body.

While kissing, Kurama opened one eye very slowly, taking a look out the window to gaze at piece of darkening sky he could devise through it. The afternoon was at its end. The Sunday ended, and soon his family would be back, but, how to resist such an occasion?

"Do it to me, my sweet demon..." He whispered around the kiss...

Kurama closed his eyes, and let Hiei deepen the kiss, transforming its shy tenderness into the furious eagerness of excitement...
 

To Be Continued....

Characters are property of Yoshihiro Togashi, Fuji TV, Shueisha, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot. The events portrayed are not necessarily present in the original series Yu Yu Hakusho