Rainy season had started in the Makai.

Kurama turned his golden eyes towards the cloudy sky, smiling when an ice-cold raindrop hit the very tip of his nose. It was still a mere drizzle, light enough to be carried along by the wind, swept against the air, forming a thin curtain which enveloped the grey scenery.

He opened his arms, letting the wind caress his skin, and the many tiny drops, heavier now, fell on him like cold, sharp needdles. He shivered delightfully when the tippy droplets hit his cheeks and his brow, starting to dampen his hair and clothing.

He loved that; he was a silver fox. Rain, hail, snow and windy misty skies made him feel at home. He stuck his tongue out, to try to capture the drops, enjoying the tasteless chilling they caused. It had been a long time since he had tasted Makai rain; years, to tell the truth.

And he loved rain so much...

Even when in his Ningen body, he would drive his mother crazy with his insistence on not even caring that umbrellas existed. Despite her scolding, he would always find a way to walk in the rain, inventing a whole collection of excuses to justify arriving home soaking wet.

It was the untamed animal within his soul. He could not help it.

He touched his own long hair, his fingers sliding on the silvery strands that glistened like jewels, as daylight reflected upon each and every little drip. His silky tunic was soaked, sticking to his contours, and his pale, wet skin bore an intense luster.

He closed his eyes and sucked air in, very slowly, almost serenely. The raindrops fell so excitingly onto his skin... Cold days always made him very passionate. When in the fox's body, he had always loved making it in the rain, or after the frost. The damp fur seemed to add incredible depth and feel to the contact.

And where did that Fire youkai get himself to? Kurama would love being warmed up a little bit...

He could not let go of his impish smile as he walked back to his territory, a colorful, blooming meadow surrounded by a huge pine forest. His tail bristled with the chilly wind, and his ears tickled involuntarily everytime rain dripped into them, making him quiver.

He had left his favorite youkai climbed up one of those pine trees, sleeping soundly. But with the rain, he was sure Hiei had hidden himself. And he wouldn't need too much effort to find his lover; he knew quite exactly where his little fire demon had gone.

He soon reached his cave dwelling; a crack on the rocky slope of a small hillside, concealed by foliage and a huge mass of intermingled, varied flowers flourishing within every breach.

He stopped a while at the entrance, shaking water off his hair and tail, and wiping away the dampness on his skin.

Hiei was inside, wrapped up in his own black cloak, nested, cuddled to himself in a spiky ball. Kurama's heart pounded faster, an immediate effect of his everlasting passion for that pretty demon. He was cute, like a small, sweet cub.

"Now you're enjoying my cave, hn?" Kurama retorted, with a playful grin. Hiei preferred high, open spaces, tree tops, mountains. But he didn't seem too fond of outdoors with that weather.

Hiei snorted, glancing at the youko with a disgusted expression.

"K'so! You're soggy! Get outta here."

"Why should I? It's my cave, remember?"

"Stupid Fox!."

"Let's take a walk in the rain, youkai?"

"No. I don't like rain."

Kurama giggled. He would never take "No" for an answer so easily. He waggled his tail, ducking his head to fit the limited space, crawling up to join Hiei. He stood on all fours and stared fondly at the annoyed half-koorime. The pretty, small demon seemed bored, really pissed off.

"Why? It's just water..."

Hiei made a scowl at his lover; he could never understand why the fox was so dense sometimes...

"I'm a Fire Demon. I don't like rain. I hate winter, cold, foggy days and cloudy skies, snow, ice and blizzards." Hiei took a short time, thinking, as he faced his inquisitive partner with a wicked smile."I enjoy thunderbolts and lightening though... But I loathe downpours."

Kurama could not let go of his contemptuous smile. He knew what the real problem with the youkai was...

The youko sat next his partner, but moved so as to wrap him with his own body, pulling him to lean his back on his broader chest, cradling him in his arms.

Hiei protested at once, but the youko's clasp was tight around him.

"Baka! You're wet!"

"You never complained about my being wet before..."

Hiei quivered as the youko nibbled at his neck.

"It was a different kind of wet." And Hiei turned his head a bit, facing the golden youko eyes over his shoulders. "Are you being a dimwit on purpose, or has the rain affected your brain?"

Kurama felt a surge of warming ki coming from Hiei, enveloping both of them. It enfolded their bodies like a mantle of heated, vibrating air, vaporizing all damp and wet immediately.

Kurama patted the spiky hair, cuddling the youkai closer, nestling him in between his long thighs, crossing arms on his chest, possessively. He smooched Hiei's earlobe and laughed.

"It's good not to need a hair-dryer anymore. You're my favourite home-appliance, Hiei."

"Hn?"

Kurama rocked the light-weight youkai to the sides, using his knees to hold and sway him, and laughed aloud, his rich voice echoing against the cave walls. Hiei seemed such a funny little thing with those puzzled looks...

The Youkai just let himself snuggle to the larger, warm body. From that corner of the cave, they could still peer outside throught the entrance. And that's why Hiei was so quiet; he glanced longingly toward the outdoors, his breathing calm and deep as Kurama fondled his belly with deliciously expert fingertips.

"If you detest the rainfall so much, why do you keep staring at it?"

Hiei hesitated a bit, wriggling annoyingly within the warm embrace.

"To see when the damned thing stops."

That was the time for Kurama to snort.

"Hn...You look at it because you're fascinated."

Hiei stared viciously at Kurama. It seemed the witty fox was going too far with those stupid assumptions. He had better shut up.

"Don't gimme the face, Hiei. You're half koorime; why deny it?"

"I am a Fire Youkai!"

"You're half Fire Youkai! You like cold, winds, rain and snow, but just don't admit it. You fight it because it makes you recall your origin."

"Shut the fuck up!"

"Ooohhh... You're so perversely adamant. I'm trembling..."

Hiei winced, tried to force himself free, but it was useless; he would have to really hurt the fox to rid himself of his strong hold.

"Sensitive spot, isn't it? Why don't you accept the koorime within you, Hiei? Things could be a little easier then." Kurama added, sweetly sliding his cheek onto the spiky but soft black hairs.

Hiei shrugged, uncomfortable, catching a glimpse of the rain outside. It seemed worse; thick raindrops hit the pebbled soil with loud sounds, and very few contours could be detached from the grey horizon. In a quick glance, it could really remind one of a blizzard.

Kurama poked him, but Hiei gave the Youko no response at all; Hiei did not even mumble.

"I know in your heart you would love to be back on the Koorime Floating Island. It's your home, and you can't deny missing it." Kurama felt Hiei's shoulders quiver at the contact of his slender hands. He was tense as a strung steel cable. "I thought you had already overcome it all, Hiei."

"You know nothing; leave me alone"

Kurama cuddled Hiei's little body more tightly, causing him to exhale. He kissed the white starburst.

"Things must change, Hiei. We must re-arrange them - together."

The Youkai turned his face to the other side, unwilling to face his tall, silvery partner. Kurama sighed, letting Hiei slip out of his clasping embrace then, and moved back, standing up. It seemed he had talked too much.

Kurama sneaked out then, and Hiei just shifted back, leaning on the wall, growling a low curse: a curse on himself. He had no secrets anymore. There was nothing in his mind or his soul the Fox hadn't been able to grasp.

He was a Youkai with no mysteries, no secrets. The Silver Youko had knowledge of his deepest motives with the most absolute perfection. Hiei remembered Kurama once telling him he was his brain-teaser, and that he'd fight to the last to find out the key to his enigmatic spirit.

Hn... Good to know the fox cared that much...

The youko was right. His nature was dubious - Fire and Ice. Kurama was also the same, split into contradicting natures - Ningen and Youko. Probably it was the reason they were so well-matched to each other. Both had to fight conflicting emotions and lock them up inside.

However, it seemed Kurama had found a balance, a truce within himself. Hiei could not yet say that.

He would not dream of slaughtering the entire Koorime race anymore. Wrath had vanished, and revenge had been banished from his innermost desires. However, a severe grief and bitterness was still inside, pounding heavily, still demanding his attention daily, like a small demon growing within his chest, feeding on the happiness which should be his and Kurama's.

Hiei doubted he could surpass sorrow one day.

He took a glimpse outside, then stood up, moving to lean at the cave's entrance, crossing his arms at his chest. His red eyes were lovingly cast upon the silver youko, a few steps away, and Hiei chewed his lips to conceal his smile.

Kurama had lain down on his back, nestling the high grass. He started to roll over it, nuzzling, waggling his tail in the air and purring contentedly as rain soaked him again.

Now the youko was not only wet, but dirty... And also too damned sexy...

The Youkai pulled his cloak up to cover is head, and sauntered towards Kurama, observing him with an amused look.

Hiei crouched next to the youko, and reached out a palm to catch some raindrops. When his hand was damp, filled up with lots of small circular drops, he intentionaly called on his You-ki, turning the water into a dark, almost black vapor, which rose in the air.

"Yeah... It's just water. It doesn't affect me at all."

Kurama stared adoringly at his youkai.

"It wouldn't affect you, even if it were ice and snow..."

Hiei sighed, and his head was turned down for a moment. He knew quite well what Kurama meant...

However, he wiped all cold anguish from his mind as he examined Kurama more attentively. His lover was muddy, with dozens of leaves and tiny flowers stuck to his hair, and his clothing damp, pasted to his silhouette, showing off his excitment by his erect nipples and.. oh...

"Are you really going to have all this fun on your own, Youko?"

"Sure thing; there's no Youkai here to share this wonderful shower with me..."

Hiei smirked, crawling up closer to his lover, tossing the cloak aside, and lying on the cold grass. The rain was fading away now. There were brilliant cracks appearing in between the clouds, the sun-rays shining forth amidst the grey cumuli, filling the sky with long, golden evanescent spears of light.

One last drop reached Hiei's nose. He twitched, and looked at the youko again, with a growing interest...

"Don't you need a helping hand with this huge toy you've got between your legs?"

"I always need a helping hand..."

Hiei cuddled to the larger body, resting his head on the broad, slender chest. His hand moved downwards, to Kurama's low-abdomen, caressing him with long, tender strokes.

"Why do I always concede to your whims?"

"Because I'm always right, Koorime..."

Hiei smiled, showing the fangs on purpose, as he inclined over Kurama's neck, pretending to bite. But instead, he kissed the warm, spice-scented skin.

A sudden warmth reached them, almost fire-like. The sun was back, with all intensity, a huge, hot fireball in the middle of the sky. The whole landscape shone, as the myriad of small drops spread on every leaf, on every flower and on the soil, reflected the sunburst, filling the landscape with diamond-like jewels.

Hiei blinked and pointed to the sky.

"What's that?"

Kurama followed his partner's gesture, luxuriously caressing the small but vigorous chest with his damp fingers.

"It's a rainbow."

"Hn... Never seen one."

"It's because you were always too busy, hiding your head in holes to avoid the rain and the cold."

"If you say so..."

"Rainbows usually appear when the sun and the rainfall come together. It's caused by a reflection of light."

Hiei smiled in his sweetest way, his red eyes lacking all determination and harshness, turning into cherishing rubies. He gazed at his foxy-lover and caressed his cheek tenderly.

"It's good to know that things so different, like sun and rain, put together can make such a beautiful vision."

Hiei had never been an eloquent lover; however, once in a while... Kurama shut his eyes for an instant, staggered. His face quivered with the urge to cry at the simple, and yet so amorous, words. He gulped when Hiei's deliciously rough hands cupped his face. The Youkai inclined over his chest, and they stared at each other, eye to eye, so close they could breathe the other's air.

Hiei stared at the golden eyes and kissed the youko's lips; a rich, wet kiss. That tall, radiant and joyful Youko was his life, his sun.

He would not mind rainfall anymore.